Vein & Vow was a good start to a new series. It was a really quick read, but I am wondering if it was also a quick write because it did feel a tad rushed. It will definitely give you Twilight vibes. I am curious to see where the plot goes and I am planning on reading the next book. I found the FMC and MMC to be a little frustrating, Beau's brothers were my favorite characters in the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ebook. A post will appear on my bookstagram soon!

Thank you to BooksGoSocial for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I do love a good vampire romance and fated mates story, especially when they can’t stand either to begin with. Reese Matthew’s life is turned upside when a vampire turns up at her workplace, Reese likes her routine work, friends and no drama. Beau ruins everything with one glance. Beaumont Boucher has been waiting for a second chance with his fated met for a very long time, Reese is absolutely nothing like he imagined, she is sarcastic, foul mouthed and chaotic. While Reese and Beau fight the pull towards each, Beau’s family are dealing with the loss of a loved one and enemies are closing in.

I enjoyed this book, it was a really good. Tropes enemies to lovers, vampires, touch her and die and fated mates, this book gets very steamy quite early on in the book but it was done in a way that added to the story rather overwhelms it. It was a really well written book and I was quite hooked as I really wanted to find out what happens next, I really want to read about all the other Boucher siblings as they find their mates. This book is book one in a interconnected series of books so I can see that there will be a story arch that is present in all the other book, I would really recommend this book as it was well written, dark in places, funny, plenty of steam and romance. Overall this was a really good read and I really enjoyed it, I wait in anticipation for book two.

In my heart of hearts this book was absolutely a 5⭐️ read. If given the time I easily could have devoured it in one sitting. When I wasn’t reading, I was wishing I was reading. It will hook you in so fast that you find yourself resentful towards your beautiful children because they keep interrupting your reading time with frivolous words like “I’m hungry” and “can you make lunch”. 😒

But as utterly addictive as it was, it was not without fault. For the following reasons I am giving it a 4⭐️. It’s going to be hard to put my thoughts in order because some of the things that I loved most about this book were also some of the things that also needed the most work.

Here we go…

* It is fast paced. The second you open this book you will hit the ground running. The pacing is steady so it will hold your attention the entire way through.

*The storyline is interesting. Definitely giving Twilight vibes but not a knock off. It was a fresh new twist but with spice and a lot of hilarious, potty mouth banter. I considered this more of a rom-com with vampires than an actual fantasy.

*The characters are fun and have their own personalities. Beau is a dick. I mean, let’s just call it what it is. He’s not broody, he is full on phallic status. Reese is the quirky hot mess that you instantly fall in love with. She is chaos incarnate. If you are sensitive to MMCs breaking FMCs hearts then get your tissues ready. I was up at 4am with tears running down my cheeks. Then again, that also could have just as easily been my subconscious mourning my lack of sleep knowing that I’m 40 and still have to adult the following day on only 2 hours of sleep.

*LOVED the duel POV. It was helpful in conveying that they truly are DISGUST to lovers. There was no mistaking their true feelings for one another. And you know what? I ate that shit up with a spork. You know how sometimes a book will be labeled enemies to lovers but then the FMC will say something like, “my traitorous body wanted him!” 🙄 Gag!!! Not in this book, they both can’t stand each other BUT they are fated mates so they also can’t be away from each other. Freaking hilarious. 😂 I do think the author could have dived a little deeper with this and extended the hatred between them. It was mentioned that Reese (FMC) and Beau (MMC) won’t be able to touch another person of the opposite sex without feeling extreme pain. I was so hoping that was foreshadowing for them trying to break the bond or make each other angry by trying to date other people but instead it going horribly wrong. Like not being able to explain to their dates why they get zapped every time the person tries to touch them. I think that would have made for some hilarious scenes.

*It is heavy on the dialogue and crammed full of witty banter that had me laughing out loud. I LOVE when a book is heavy on the dialogue because it makes the characters come alive. It is without a doubt the fastest way to make me forget that I am reading. However, the heavy dialogue was also its downfall. The author was so focused on the dialogue that she kinda forgot everything else altogether. Don’t get me wrong, overly descriptive writing can grow tiresome quickly but it was completely missing in this book. We didn’t get a location description, descriptions of physical features - nothing! I don’t think the author ever did mention the features of the MMC other than he was handsome, strong and eventually several chapters in it is mentioned he has brown eyes. We don’t learn the FMC’s hair color until page 53 despite the fact she is introduced into the story almost immediately. We are given more descriptive features of the MMCs PAST love interest than we do of the current FMC. 😳🤯 I don’t think her eye color was ever even mentioned. I also would have liked for the author to weave in more descriptive detail about the characters mannerisms throughout the dialogue. All we got was cut and dry quotes from the characters that went back and forth like a ping pong ball. Her writing did start to improve closer to the end. Eventually we do start to get descriptions of the new characters physical features that get introduced into the story. It is also mentioned at the very end that the weather is cold and there is a fresh blanket of snow.

*Annnnd finally my last thought is that I’m worried the author may have written herself into a corner with the whole “fated mates, know at first sight” narrative. With still 3 brothers remaining I am struggling to see how she plans to write up any other storyline other than enemies to lovers which was already done in this book or insta-love, but, eww, please no. I’m definitely interested to see what she is able to come up with for the future books in this series.

Wow wow wow!! This was SUCH a fun read! I think I breezed through this book in about 2 days (which is HUGE, because I was in a massive reading slump before this), so thank you Nicole Jacquelyn for saving me from that!

Does this book have a few plot holes here and there? Sure.

Did that impact my overall experience with the book? Absolutely not! I think the story is incredibly novel and the twist that Nicole Jacquelyn took on the fated mates trope was spectacular. I love how this book also set the scene for the books to come (which I'm very much looking forward to!). I especially liked how different the MMC and FMC were to each other. It really amped up the enemies to lovers trope which I'm a huge fan of.

Thank you to Nicole Jacquelyn and NetGalley for sending me an ARC :)

I absolutely loved Vein & Vow! Nicole Jacquelyn completely pulled me into this world of vampires, tension, and undeniable chemistry. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic was done perfectly — full of sharp banter, slow-burn heat, and emotional depth that had me hooked from the first page. The characters felt so real, flawed but lovable, and the romance was both intense and swoon-worthy. Plus, the world-building was fresh and exciting without ever overshadowing the heart of the story. I couldn’t put it down and I’m already desperate for the next book in the series. If you love passionate, edgy romances with a supernatural twist, this book is a must-read!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Pre thoughts
- fated mates


Post thoughts
- Great pacing (very fast paced.
- Character growth from both main characters.
- Reese is quite an admirable FMC.

Overall
- a good fast paced vampire romance read, beau and Reese relationship features a lot of navigating new things and with a great amount of plot twists.

Stars 3.75/5 rounded to 4
Spice 2.5/5

Tropes
- vampires
- Spicy
- Enemies to lovers
- Fast paced
- Forced proximity
- Found family

Thank you to net galley and booksGoSocial for this ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own xx

Reece Matthews is content with her life; she has a stable job, a good support system, and a neighbor who has STILL not returned her hair dryer. She doesn't let the fact that vampires exist and pay her employer for quality blood bother her, in fact she barely thinks abut vampires at all. Until one shows up at her job and the urge to climb him like a tree fills her every thought.
Beau Boucher, said vampire, has been given a second shot at a mate. And it's safe to say that he is not impressed. Reece is mouthy and loud, and after being emotionally drained after an awful tragedy, he isn't sure he can deal with her calling him an asshole one more time. Unfortunately for him, fate has other plans.

I can honestly say that I've never read about vampires in this way. The way that vampires and vampire mates are described... I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. I am obsessed, and cannot wait for the sequel to come out in August!
This book really gives billionaire romance, but with cool ass vampires. In the best way. I was expecting more fantasy less romance in relation to the plot, but it was a nice change of pace. I was afraid that this would be a brother's book series, and it is. I got so attached to the idea of a whole series from Beau and Reece's POVs... But it could be interesting to see how this would work because it seems like the plot continues from this one into the next, but following a different brother.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC. Projected publishing date: May 6th, 2025

I loved this book!! Fast-paced and funny, I loved the banter between the 2 main characters!! Kept me hooked all the way through

Nothing like finding out you're fated mates with someone that you can't stand.

Reese and Beau have quite the headbutting tension throughout this book. Reese is content with her life and doesn't want anything to do with Beau and the two keep seeming to be drawn together at every turn.

This was a really fun and enjoyable read and I'd really like to continue with the series when it comes out.

I’m fairly certain my library will be buying copies of this book. I know the vampire romance trope is an oldy but a goody. Folks keep saying it’ll eventually fade but I’ve been in it since the 90’s and it only seems to have gotten more popular, not less. This particular book hits the right level of spicy for me too.

Absolutely loved this! I loved the twist on mates with the two main characters starting out majorly disliking each other and slowly growing on one another. Beau has a lot of things from his past to let go of so he can move forward with his life with Reese. Reese is confident, loud, and headstrong which is all things that was the opposite of what he was expecting. Reese adjusting to the life around vampires is funny at times with the things she accidentally says. I do not want to give spoilers so I’ll just say that one of the plots of this book starts with a tragic thing happening to one of the MMC’s brothers and them trying to find out the mystery of happened with him is something that looks like will follow into each brother’s books. I look forward to reading Ambrose’s story next!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC…this book was cute and funny. I adored the fated mates aspect with a vampire. Don’t really see much of that lately. This has adventure and spicy times. Hope to see a sequel in the near future.

I went through every emotion with book! Most of them negative. There was a willful miscommunication situation and I had some righteous anger about it!
There was
Surprise
Anger
Disgust
I had a lot of issues with the MMC for most of the book. The man has been through it but unfortunately uses his past as a reason for hurting those around him.
The way he treats his mate is awful, his family and friends.

Why is it 5 stars when I had such strong feelings about the MMC???????????????
MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

But seriously I hate spoilers, you’re gonna have to read it!
I can’t wait until the next book!

Sizzling, snarky, and action packed paranormal romance - vampires, fated mates, family attitude, and human machinations all make for a taut and fun romance with plenty of banter and spice. A truly fun read.

overall i would give this a 3.5 (rounded down to 3) because while this was enjoyable, there were just some things that felt too lacking for me, and a few things that made the characters incredibly frustrating.

The one thing I can really think is that this gave me major twilight vibes (but in a good way). Think twilights cousin I guess because there were a lot of similarities yet a lot of things that put a bit of a fresh twist on it too. I wouldn’t say this is the best vampire book I’ve read, but I think its one that will get better when more books within the series are released and we get a better sense of the world that they’re living in, the overall plot, and more of an insight into all of the characters.

Considering that this is a romance first and foremost with the premise being that vampires have fated mates / a soul mate that they’re meant to love unconditionally, I kinda hated both of these characters, and they didn’t really grow on me either. They were ok, but maybe things were just rushed and glossed over too quickly (but it would be great if you like a faster paced book).
I thought I really liked Reese at the beginning. She was the definition of quirky and different, could hold her own and wasn’t submissive in anyway. However, when things got messy between her and Beau she was so quick to fold, start crying and fall into a pit of depression and self loathing when I honestly thought she would get angry and stand up for herself. It also seemed like when explaining her backstory and life things were brought up between the two of them that held a lot of weight, were traumatic and explained a lot of her emotions, yet again they were just glossed over and discarded as soon as they were brought up. Idk it just seemed like there was no lingering on the important bits I guess?
Beau was different because it was obvious that he was going to be a bit of a dick towards her at the start of their alleged relationship, yet every time he realised he was being horrible and unfair to her and thought to himself that he needed to change / be better and more considerate, he was almost immediately back to being a dick after she did something he didn’t like. Make it make sense. The only time he really changed was when he thought he was going to lose her because she became so emotionally detached and withdrawn (not a surprise though considering all she was having to deal with)

The stakes in this also seemed so high at the beginning. I thought it was going to be some kind of revenge quest against the person who had killed one of Beau’s brothers and then all of a sudden its just them getting used to being mates and navigating what that meant? Seemed super all over the place before right at the end it went back to trying to find a lead on what had happened to the brother again.

Maybe my problem was that this whole thing just seemed very rushed? I love a fast paced romance, love insta love and fated mates when done right, but maybe more time should have been spent on introducing all of the other characters and the bigger plot first?

Overall it was an ok read, and I really do think that the rest of the series has potential to make this something really cool and interesting to read.

I’ve got a ton of ARCs on the go right now, but did that stop me from mood reading this one first? Absolutely not. I saw it, I wanted it, and I devoured it. And I loved it.

The moment Reese laid eyes on Beau, it hit—the mating heat, the draw, the obsession. Not cool! Reese enjoys her quiet life: her found family and her job at the blood bank, helping vampires get access to the best quality blood money can buy. Mating with a vampire? Nowhere on her to-do list.

Beau is everything she’s not: broody, stoic, and totally unimpressed with Reese. She’s loud, brash, and way too stubborn for her own good. But thanks to the mating heat, they’re stuck in forced proximity for the foreseeable future. Can they look past each other’s facades and recognize the real connection forming between them? Or will secrets from Beau’s past rise up and destroy the fragile bond they're starting to build?

Vein & Vow deep dives into the fated mates trope and all the intense heat that comes with it, and honestly, it worked for me! I really enjoyed the foundation this book lays for the series. Beyond the fated mates aspect, there’s a plot involving mates being captured and killed, which I’m guessing will play a larger role in the upcoming books. I can see this evolving into an absolutely binge-worthy series, and I’m eagerly waiting for more Boucher brothers!

Okay, I really didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did—but once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Vein & Vow completely sucked me in (pun intended).

The story follows Reese and Beau, who discover they’re fated mates—and immediately want nothing to do with it or each other.Cue the chaos. Their bond is anything but smooth, and watching them try to deny it—while the universe keeps shoving them together—is both hilarious and heartwarming.

Set in a modern-day USA where vampires are (sort of?) part of society, the world-building strikes this perfect balance between supernatural fantasy and real-world grit. Nicole Jacquelyn somehow makes vampires feel fresh, funny, and surprisingly relatable.

The banter is gold. The tension? Impeccable. And the plot keeps you hooked with the perfect mix of suspense, heart, and laugh-out-loud moments. If you’re into fated mates who loathe each other, vampires trying to blend in, and characters you root for hard, this one’s for you.

Highly recommend to anyone that will listen. Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this enemies to lovers vampire read. It had just the right amount of angst and wit while being deliciously spicy from the start. I also enjoyed the found family theme as well as the openness of Beau's family. Bonus points for calling out birth control should be the male's responsibility!

This book completely took me by surprise—in the best way possible. I couldn’t put it down! The story, the characters, the banter between the main couple… everything pulled me in from page one. If you’re into Fated Mates, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, and you love vampires? This is your book.

Beau finds his fated mate for the second time—which he didn’t even think was possible. And while the connection is instant, the tension between them is explosive (and not in a sweet way—at least at first).

I really enjoyed the world-building, especially the fresh take on vampires and the fated mate system. These vamps feel a little more human but still keep their brooding, powerful edge. Beau is out for revenge for what happened to his brother, but fate throws Reese in his path—and everything changes.

I absolutely loved watching their relationship grow—not just from being magically bonded, but from getting to know each other, giving love a chance beyond the fated pull. Reese can be a little annoying at first, but she’s hilarious and has such a good heart that she quickly becomes lovable. And Beau? He starts off cold but absolutely melts for her by the end.

I need book two ASAP! I can’t wait to follow another one of the brothers and dive back into this world.

TLDR: vampires, soulmates, forced proximity, opposites attract, spice, tons of banter, laugh out loud funny, grief, trauma, found family

Really enjoyed this book! There were moments of heartache, nail biting, swooning, and giggles for sure. The characters feel full without falling into stereotypes, and the balance between character-growth with the FMC and MMC and underlying plot through the interconnected standalones was perfect. One critic I have is that the conflict sometimes felt a little too forced, but I still found myself wondering how it would resolve and relieved when it did. Even with my rating officially four stars, I give this book four and a half stars!!