I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men
by
Molly Harper
urban fantasy in a paperback edition that was published by Pocket Star on August 25, 2009 and has 376 pages.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs, Nice Girls Don't Live Forever, Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors, How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf, The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires
Second in the Jane Jameson urban fantasy series set in Half Moon Hollow in Kentucky and revolving around a former librarian.
My Take
This is a fun beach read which I do enjoy although this story wasn’t so much about dramatic occurrences but more of a see-all-the-weird-stuff-that-happens-in-Jane’s-life. And Harper is trying too hard in this one. She has Jane being mad because Gabriel goes out of town and takes care of business. Why is Jane mad? Yes, I understand that Harper is trying to create a tension about Gabriel being out and appearing to keep secrets. And, maybe he is. However he is constantly assuring Jane that he loves her. That he will tell her when he can. What is her problem?? Harper needs to not be so half-hearted about it. Either give Jane something to worry about or skip this attempt at tension; it’s only irritating.
Then there’s the whole wedding insanity. Yes, it’s cute. Especially when Jolene is so fixated on the whole Titanic disaster theme — I sure wouldn’t want to bring those vibes to my own wedding! Although, I really loved the whole iceberg with the motor thing. Too funny! Then with Mama Ginger bringing her own version of insanity to the mix, oh lordy. Clever bit there. But do we really need to go on and on and on about the bloody wedding dresses? It’s beginning to feel like a staple issue in any story that involves weddings. Yes, the bridesmaids’ dresses are usually crap. No one really expects to ever wear them again. Get over it.
Then there’s Jane’s ongoing problems with her family. Specifically Jenny and Grandma Ruthie. Why she puts up with it, I do NOT know. I wouldn’t stand for it. Jane’s a doormat. I sure hope she bristles up one day! I don’t know about Mama either. How she can stick up for that bitch Jenny and think the girls can just kiss and make up is beyond me.
The Story
It’s all the insanity leading up to Jolene and Zeb’s wedding: the dresses, Grandma Ruthie unknowingly dating a ghoul while being embarrassed to no end of Jane’s vampire state, the groom’s mother refusing to accept that her baby boy is not marrying Jane and having babies with her. The fact that Mama Ginger along with most of Jane’s family refuses to accept that Jane is a vampire is both a hoot and a what-world-do-these-people-live-in whirl.
There’s a bit of a detente between Dick and Gabriel with Zeb as the medium. They’re both in Zeb’s wedding party and have become friends with Zeb — how weird is that? A good thing though as Jolene’s family isn’t too keen on her marrying outside the werewolves. I mean, a human?? There is nothing her relatives won’t pull on Zeb and I do have to wonder if he really wants to marry her if she can’t see how dysfunctional that is!
Jane and Mama Ginger are both on a roll when it comes to the wedding. Jane hates refereeing all the nastiness that Mama Ginger is pulling and it is rather amazing how deep in denial that woman is. Then there’s the clutching Jolene’s getting from her family. God forbid she should move more than 5 minutes from family. Werewolf that is. Come on down and sit a spell.
Then there’s her great job at Wainwright’s occult bookstore, Specialty Books, and the delightful invitations from her former nemeses on the library board trying to talk Jane back to work at the library. Everything is falling apart there and they’re wishing Jane were there to pick up their pieces. *snicker*
The Characters
Jane Jameson was a nail polish-wearing librarian until she was fired to make way for the then-head librarian to put her idiot relative in her place and she now works part-time in an occult bookstore. She’s currently waiting on the Council to rule on the inheritance she won in Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs. As far as Jenny is concerned, Jane may be her sister, technically, but since she’s a vampire, she’s dead and therefore Jenny can take anything and say anything she wants to this very unwanted sibling. I want to smack her upside the head. Then there’s the so-lovely Grandma Ruthie who took a date with her to her boyfriend’s funeral. I guess once you get that old, you just can’t let the grass grow…
Gabriel Nightengale is Jane’s sire and seems to be spending a lot of time out of town on business. He loves Jane but he’s rather clueless on the finer points of dating. Adam Morrow is Jane’s high school crush. Every one of her then and now fantasies revolve around this man and now he’s interested in her!
Zeb Lavelle is Jane’s best friend and engaged to marry Jolene Maclaine, a werewolf. Mama Ginger is Zeb’s mother and hates change. Right now change is Zeb marrying Jolene. It just doesn’t fit her sense of the future and she intends to change that. Andrea Byrnes is human, sells her yummy blood to vampires, and is being pursued by Dick Cheney, a very sexy and barely-this-side-of-the-law vampire. Wilbur is Grandma Ruthie’s latest swain — just what till Grandma learns what Jane knows!
Lonnie and Mimi Maclaine are Jolene’s parents. Vance is the cousin who expected to marry Jolene.
Mr. Wainwright is happier than he’s ever been in his friendship with Jane. Tiny square foot by tiny square foot she’s managing to bring order to his chaos. He loves being a part of her circle of friends. Esther Barnes, a.k.a., Madame Zelda, is a scarily strong psychic in cahoots with Mama Ginger.
The Cover and Title
It’s a very schoolgirl cover with a short-haired cover model [ain’t Jane ’cause she’s got short hair] wearing a bat pendant and bat-linked bracelet, a white tank top and a fuchsia cardigan all up close and personal with a guy in a dark suit jacket.
The title refers to Alan Morrow, Jane’s fantasy come true. Her mother’s too probably because Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men.
