Book Review: Vampire Claus by Robert Winter

’Twas the night before Christmas, but what’s stirring is a little more dangerous than a mouse.

Taviano is nearly two hundred years old and never wakes in the same place twice. Weary and jaded, the vampire still indulges in memories of childhood Christmases in Naples. He lingers in shadow, spying on mortals as they enjoy the holiday. 

When Taviano spots a handsome young man in Boston loaded down with presents and about to be mugged, he can’t help but intervene. Soon he’s talking to joyous, naïve, strong-willed and funny Paul, a short-order cook who raised funds to buy Christmas presents for LGBTQ children. Before he knows what’s happened, Taviano is wrapped up in Paul’s arms and then in his scheme to get the presents delivered by Christmas morning. 

A vampire turned into a Christmas elf… What could go wrong?

This is a sweet story with sweet, yet flawed, characters set during the sweetness of Christmas. Taviano is a 200-year-old vampire who basically exists. He's aware of the demon inside of him and basically acts as a host for the creature. It isn't until he runs across a young man with a big heart, that he allows himself to feel again. I found that both of the main characters were very likable. Even though Taviano harbors a lot of self-loathing due to many sources, I found him to be quite endearing. Paul was also a nice character, but I found his use of slang extremely excessive. Even though I'm not that much older, I often felt like I was as old as Taviano, thinking to myself, "do people really talk like that in real life?" Beyond that, this is a cute Christmas love story that's perfect for curling up next to a fire.

3.5 stars

 I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily provided my honest review.

Buy Link
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~ M