A Book Obsession..: Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors

Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors

, by Kt Clapsadl

Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper

Jane Jameson #4

Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of all things marital, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend Gabriel are coming along smoothly. But the road to wedded bliss gets bumpy when a teenage acquaintance is fatally wounded in front of Jane’s shop and she turns him to save his life. The Council pronounces Jane responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst.

Jane’s kitchen at River Oaks barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased Grandma Ruthie has declared a war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly, choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake that she can’t eat seems downright relaxing in comparison.

Tensions inside the house are growing…and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of…

Now that Jane and Gabriel are finally engaged, she thought the worst of her problems would be dealing with her overbearing mother in the wedding planning. But of course things never come easy for her as fate deals her another nasty hand when she saves a teenage boy from certain death by turning him, and she becomes his new vampire "mommy." To make matters worse, Grandma Ruthie's ghost is on a rampage to reclaim River Oaks and destroy her relationship with Gabriel. Meanwhile, someone else seems determined to get rid of Gabriel permanently even if he has to use Jane to do it. It will take more than a miracle to pull this wedding off.

Never in a million years would I have expected to see Jane sire a new vamp, or if she did, I couldn't see the council letting her be the one to teach him the ropes. The poor girl can barely take care of herself without causing some sort of disaster or catastrophe of epic proportions. Of course in her defense, she usually isn't the instigator, it's just that she is a powerful magnet for trouble. Seriously, she should be quarantined off by caution tape at all times for both her safety and others. So, as you can imagine, more than a little hilarity is involved as she tries to teach a newly turned teenage boy self-control, especially since said boy seems determined to drive Gabriel nuts. The two mix like oil and water, which definitely puts a strain on Gabriel and Jane's upcoming nuptials.Speaking of weddings, I still don't know what Gabriel was thinking when he turned down Jane's offer to elope. I mean does he have amnesia in relation to her family's antics? What is even worse, it that Jane's crazy overdoing mother is barely a nuisance compared to Grandma Ruthie now that she is a ghost tied to River Oaks. The woman was a menace while she was alive, imagine what she does now that she is dead. Did you shudder? Well, trust me, you should have if you didn't.

Though I guessed early on who the main threat against the couple was despite Jane being pretty oblivious, that did not stop me from enjoying the hilarity that ensued while they were trying to figure it out. Even with this being the fourth installment in this series, it never ceases to amaze me how Molly Harper can make a danger feel threatening while still making you laugh at every turn. Especially when you account for the twists and turns along the way and add in the absurd way things were resolved. It all comes together to make one heck of an enjoyable read.

I didn't know until after I had finished Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors that it would be the final installment. I've really come to love Jane and the rest of the gang so much, that I am a little disappointed there won't be any more books from Jane's perspective. However, there is a silver lining, as there will be a spin off series featuring a new character we meet in this book, and Jane and Co. are supposed to make appearances. But getting back to Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors, I felt things ended rather well, and I was quite satisfied with how everyone ended up, so I can say goodbye with a smile. I can always count on a Molly Harper book to make me laugh out loud, and Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors was no exception. Seriously, if you are ever having a rough day and need a good laugh in a fun paranormal romp, pick up any of her books and you are in for a treat.

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