Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs (Jane Jameson, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Molly Harper (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 31, 2009

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Hysterical laughs are the hallmark of this enchanting paranormal debut. Unceremoniously fired from her job as Half Moon Hollow's children's librarian, Jane Jameson drowns her sorrows with a handsome stranger, vampire Gabriel Nightengale. When Jane is accidentally shot, Gabriel saves her life by turning her undead. As Jane starts to get used to chatting with her dead aunt, finding creative ways to dodge her mother's nosy questions and enjoying the chemistry with Gabriel, she's brought up short by being named a suspect in a recent vampire murder. Jane's snarky first-person narrative is as charming as it is hilarious, retaining enough humanity to connect instantly with readers. Harper keeps the quips coming without overdoing the sarcasm, and her take on vampire lore will intrigue and entertain even the most jaded paranormal fan. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Jane Jameson’s mama said there’d be days like this. Fired as the children’s librarian in Half Moon Hollow, Kentucky; broken-down car late at night. But mama didn’t think about the possibility of Jane getting shot by a deer hunter and left for dead. Or being made the undead by Gabriel Nightengale so she’d have a second chance at, well, life. Adjusting to life without chocolate and sunbathing—never mind a job—has its challenges, but sexy Gabriel is one major perk. If only she can figure out how to tell her parents about her new liquid diet. And who is trying to frame her for murder? Harper arrives on the scene with a chuckle-inducing, southern-fried version of Stephanie Plum’s the Burg. This tale, the first in a series, is less about twisting plots and more about following quirky characters, human and vampire alike. Jane is smartly written and more than a librarian in name only. Fellow pros will recognize the trivia-loving geekiness and well-meaning sarcasm of someone who has long lived in the book stacks. --Nina C. Davis

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition (March 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416589422
• ISBN-13: 978-1416589426
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (162 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Molly Harper worked for six years as a reporter and humor columnist for The Paducah Sun. Her reporting duties included covering courts, school board meetings, quilt shows, and once, the arrest of a Florida man who faked his suicide by shark attack and spent the next few months tossing pies at a local pizzeria. Molly lives in western Kentucky with her family.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#44 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#92 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#44 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#92 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 97 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Hard to rate... June 4, 2009

By S. McCullough TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

"Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs" may just be the hardest to rate book I have read in the last year. This is the tale of Jane Jameson, a fired librarian, who finds herself in a strange situation that leads to her becoming a vampire. Enter the handsome sire with whom sparks fly. Fill in a cast of quirky supporting characters, including a best friend, odd parents, and at least one other paranormal character. In this case, the sire is Gabriel, a guy thats pretty nice for a vampire...and her best friend is an metrosexual straight guy. When Jane is turned she can see the ghost of her beloved deceased aunt who is living in the house with her. I wavered alternately throughout the entire book between thinking, "Why another girl turns into a vampire and has to figure out her new lifestyle with a hunky sire" and then laughing and chuckling outloud. I really did get a 'been there, read that' vibe and nothing much here is original. Yet, this is probably one of the most genuinely funny of those paranormal 'romance' books. I don't often really laugh but I did here. I also related to Jane's love of books and her desire to feel useful. I liked her dad too. He was probably the most realistically drawn character in the tale. Without giving anything away, the scenes involving Jane in various working environments were amoung my favorite scenes. What felt the most ho-hum? Actually the romance scenes between Jane and Gabriel. There is something you might vaguely call a mystery woven through the book, and its conclusion is also funny but not very strong. I have to give this book a solid three stars because yes its entertaining and a good way to pass the time, but there is really nothing unique other than its humor, to make it stand out in an oversaturated genre.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great, smart and funny heroine May 29, 2009

By Jacqueline Cook

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This one definitely took me by surprise. Lately, when it comes to the more lighthearted of paranormal romances, I've found myself disenchanted. Too many female protagonists are poorly written copies of MaryJanice Davidson's Queen Betsy. The ditz shtick should be left to the Undead novels. What makes this debut foray into paranormal romance so refreshing is that the heroine, Jane, is simultaneously intelligent and hilarious. I like the idea of a leading character being a librarian - it reminds me of another Jane from author Mindy Klasky, who's trilogy I also enjoyed.

Harper definitely did a good job balancing the cute with the realistic. Jane's dysfunctional family, ghost of an aunt and best friend Zeb provide plenty of comic foil. Her far-from-perfect relationships with these characters lend themselves well to carrying a series.

Perhaps the best part of all is the fact that while there is a sexy vamp love interest, or two ;), she doesn't fall head over heels in love by the end of the novel.

Even if the plot wasn't as solid as it is, or the characters as enjoyable, I would definitely plan on picking up the second book, Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men, just for the laughs alone

30 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, witty and very tasty April 4, 2009

By Amber

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Jane Jameson works in Half Moon Hollow's children's Library and loves it. When she gets fired and her horrible boss gives her a gift certificate for a local bar, she takes it as a sign and proceeds to drink it all away. Jane thinks this is one of the crappiest days ever but it is about to get worse because on the way home she is mistaken for a deer and gets shot.

If it wasn't for the dark and handsome guy from the bar she would be dead. The jury is still out on whether being undead is good or not. All Jane knows is that is so hungry she could eat her best friend and that her mother is going to hit the roof when she finds out. Jane's life is changing and it will take some getting used to. Luckily she has the Guide for the Newly Undead to help her as well as her favourite dead aunt who she can now see and hear again.

Finding a steady blood supply and black out curtains is high up on Jane's list of things to do. Getting a job would be handy but making sure her dog and best friend still want to be associated with her even if she is a blood sucking vampire is a high priority. A relationship with her sire may not be such a good idea but he is very interested in her and she really needs his help because it looks like someone is trying to frame her for a few murders.

This debut novel is very lovable. The author has not only managed to create a new vampire type and make it her own but she has also managed to make it fresh and original enough to keep it from being like all the other vampire chick-lit books out there. The story is well written and the plot grows all the way through right until the last chapter.

Fun, witty and very tasty this looks like a series to watch.... With book number two already due out in September there is no doubt that I will be looking for a copy of Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men when it becomes available. I have to know what Jane gets up to next and who with ;)

- Amberkatze's Book Blog Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing series!!! February 11, 2013

By K.

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Loved it, loved it, loved it!!! I laughed out loud too many times to count!

Beautifully written. Engaging and endearing charaters!! My fav is Dick Chaney. He had me ROFL!!

Really nice romance as well. Only a little steam but what was there was hot!! Make-up sex is the bomb!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Literally Laughing Out Loud December 26, 2010

By K. A. Shaw

Format:Kindle Edition

Like many romance-aholics, I found myself caught up in the whole romance-with-a-vampire experience. My husband, trying to be helpful, brought this book home from the library. When I saw it was about a girl being turned into a vampire, I didn't have the heart to tell him he obviously didn't understand my fascination with the whole vampire romance experience. To be fair, I decided to read the book and was instantly caught up in the story. It was an easy read and hard to put down. I think most of us can identify with poor Jane, who has a crummy boss, bad luck leading to a life-altering experience, a highly dysfunctional family complete with sibling rivalry and a mother who just doesn't "get" her. What kept me reading was that I cared enough about Jane to want to know what happened to her and how she ended up. The plot that encompassed just about everything (romance, mystery, and the human condition). The best parts were the incredibly funny things that Jane would say and/or think. I laughed out loud reading this book more than any book I've read in a long time. When I finished this book, I told my husband that I just had to read the other books in the series. I enjoyed the next two books just as much. The only bad thing I can say about the series is that there are only three books and I wish there had been more! Now I can only imagine now what would have happened to Jane.