The Vampire in the Potting Shed by Hailey Edwards – That’s What I’m Talking About…

Audiobook review: The Vampire in the Potting Shed by Hailey Edwards

Ana is daughter of a human mother who left on, and an alpha werewolf shifter father. She has heightened senses, but does not have a wolf spirit and cannot shift. When someone breaks into Ana’s high-end pet grooming spa, her father tries to put her on lockdown, but when Ana finds an injured vampire in her potting shed, she believes there is something bigger going on that her father is sharing with her.

The Vampire in the Potting Shed is the first book in the Groom & Doom series, a cozy urban fantasy series centering on Ana, someone who doesn’t fit in among humans or her father’s pack. She grew up as a princess, protected in this mafia-like pack system, while being isolated, caged, and bullied by her peers. She never made friends and has serious trust issues, as she was looked down upon by her packmates, and those who did spend time with her were forced by their alpha (her dad) and were loyal to him above Ana.

Uncovering the mystery of the identity of the vampire in the potting shed, as well as who is breaking into her shop is engrossing, and the unboxing is exciting. The Vampire in the Potting Shed feels familiar but unique. lt’s got a cozy vibe, but there is still action and tension. There are a few mind-blowing twists that the author drops as she creates this new world. 

As Ana uncovers each layer of the truth, I am drawn in even more. With her background and trust issues, she finds it difficult to believe that new-to-the pack member Sloane won’t betray her. I loved seeing Ana learn to trust her gut and eventually Sloane because Sloane’s actions back up her words. 

Narration: The story is shared from the first person POV of Ana. The narrator has a softer, upbeat feminine voice, which is adjusted slightly for character dialogue, based on age, gender, and species. Her voice is gentle and easy to listen to; well-suited for Ana. Her males are generally lower pitched. Her younger characters tend to be suitably bubbly and more vivacious. Characters of the same gender sound very similar. In fact, when Ana and Sloan are talking, it’s difficult to figure out sometimes who is who because there aren’t a lot of dialogue tags. That said, it does not ruin my enjoyment of the story.

I love this new world and can’t wait for the next book because the story is far from over.

My Ratings
Story: A-
Narration: B

Jen

About the Book:

There are two things Ana Sartori knows for certain. She can’t shapeshift into a wolf like her father or his pack. And, despite her being a latent, little more than human, he loves her despite her faults. She’s never going to be an alpha like him, but she can still hold her own in a fight. Not that her life is violent. He makes sure of that. Aside from occasionally wrestling pets into a headlock when it’s time to trim their nails at Gwinnett Street Groomers, Ana leads a simple life.

At least that was the case until someone broke into her pet resort and spa, leaving a mystery dog behind in one of the bougie boarding suites. Not to mention there’s a vampire hiding in the potting shed. A very tall, very handsome vampire. He even smells nice, minus the blood drenching his clothes.

Ana could handle those things, probably, but now there’s a new alpha determined to claim the town—and Ana—as his territory. Either she stands and fights for her home, or she runs to her father with her (metaphorical) tail tucked between her legs. Life is a lot of things, but for Ana, simple isn’t one of them anymore.

Author: Hailey Edwards
Narrator: Leanne Woodward
Series: Groom & Doom #1
Genre: Cozy Urban Fantasy
Audiobook Release Date: April 7, 2026
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 3 hrs 35 min
Source: Publisher
Audio Speed: 1.25x