Nice Girls Don't Live Forever / Molly Harper

4 out of 5 stars

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire, Gabriel, has always been unpredictable. But the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.
Now the children’s librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly-renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby . . . or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is becoming a matter of life and undeath...

Another fun Friday night spent with Jane Jameson. I’m glad I left a few months between #2 and this installment—Jane is best enjoyed in small doses. Especially as this book tips the scales much further towards paranormal romance than to regular urban fantasy.

I do love the sass and the snark that Molly Harper channels for Jane. And Jane needs them desperately in book 3 as she deals with relationship issues, both her vampire sire/boyfriend, Gabriel and her sister. Not to mention that her best friend Zeb & his werewolf bride are expecting twins and expecting Jane to keep all the crazy relatives out of the delivery room.

I appreciated that instead of one constant melt-down about the Gabriel situation, Jane decides to get on with her life. She concentrates on her business and its promotion—with the hilarious side effect of becoming embroiled in the local Chamber of Commerce (which seems to be populated with only women named Courtney). I also loved that her friendship with Dick Cheney progresses—Dick takes her out for an evening of drinking, not-talking, and fighting, just the cure for a heartache. The Dick & Jane schtick works well.

Also loving the fact that Jane has Jolene and Andrea as BFFs and that each of them have personalities & motivations of their own within the novel. Yes, the boys still loom large, but Jane definitely has some women friends to lean on. Yay!

4 sassy stars!