Book Review :: Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes

Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes
ISBN: 1761633910
Published by Atria Australia
on 4 June 2025
Genres: Vampires, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Pages: 432
Goodreads

Lord Alaric Valerian has a problem. His mother is visiting his castle for the first time, but she doesn’t know that Alaric has filled every room with centuries of his artistic projects.

Desperate, he hires professional organiser Winnie Preston to help him tame the mess. Yet Alaric isn’t prepared for bubbly, passionate Winnie to show up at his castle – she sets his fangs on edge, but the more he works with her, the more he wishes she could be his.
To complicate things further, Alaric’s mother arrives with a surprise in tow: a bride. Shocked and dismayed, Alaric convinces Winnie to pretend to be his fiancée to avoid the dreaded union. What could go wrong?

For one thing, Winnie still doesn’t know Alaric’s a vampire, and for another, Winnie’s meddling book club suspects Alaric of a mysterious murder in the village.

Will their maybe-not-so-fake relationship survive once Winnie discovers the monster that lurks beneath his fangs?

Last updated on 27 July 2025

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What is Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes about?

Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes is about a grumpy, reclusive vampire who just wants to be left alone in his messy castle (what a mood) …and the sunshine-y professional organiser who barrels into his life and basically turns it upside down.

When Lord Alaric Valerian hires Winnie Preston to tidy up before his mother’s visit, he doesn’t expect her to ram a metaphorical stake straight through his cold heart. But when his mother shows up with a bride-to-be, Alaric panics, and suddenly Winnie is his “fiancée.”

The problem? Winnie doesn’t know he’s a vampire. And when her nosy book club that she joined accuses Alaric of a local murder, their fake romance might not survive the secrets (and fangs) lurking in the shadows.

My thoughts on Fangs for Nothing

I bought this book on a whim. I don’t often walk into a bookstore and buy a book I know very little about but I had seen it briefly online when Steffanie Holmes was at an event (she’s a Kiwi author), and the dedication got me.

“This story is for those of us with an emotional-support pile of half-finished craft projects.”

And that was it. That dedication + vampires + book clubs = my kinda book.

But other than that, I didn’t really know what to expect. I hadn’t read anything by Holmes before, and I hadn’t read any reviews yet, so it was a bit of an impulse, on-a-whim sort of purchase. I’m glad I did, though, because this book was a delight.

Lord Alaric Valerian has too many hobbies and his house is fully of them (relatable). But he’s also a broody vampire who doesn’t leave his mansion/castle. So when Winnie, who is the complete opposite and bright and sunny, comes to help him sort out the place before his mother arrives, there are definitely some problems.

“To know love and to lose it is a fate worse than death.”

Like how Alaric seems to keep weird times, and they often end up cleaning in the middle of the night. Or how Winnie gets horrific nightmares when she does sleep. Or how the book club she’s started attending while she’s in town is very forth-coming with their ‘he’s a vampire’ accusations.

Of course, there are the usual story points that are hit throughout – broody v sunshine, conflict, twists and turns, miscommunication, the usual ‘vampires don’t exist!’ problem – and then running throughout is a murder that happened in the town.

While it was predictable and a bit silly, it’s cosy and funny and just ✨fun✨. The characters were a joy to read – especially the book club ladies! – and while Winnie got on my nerves a few times, their relationship was sweet, the story clipped along at a reasonable pace, and of course, everything worked out in the end.

If you’re after a cosy read for autumn this year, or you’re ready to dive back into the world of vampires while also joining in on a book club and trying to solve a murder … Fangs for Nothing is for you!

Have you read Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes? What did you think?