Living With B

At a hidden Highland university, vampire hunter Rebecca goes undercover to find a lost book that could destroy vampires. Instead, she ends up bound as a Familiar to her stunning vampire roommate, Aliz. Forced to work together, desire and danger entwine — but can a hunter truly love her sworn enemy?

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My Thoughts

Wow! This month has been all about finishing ARC’s in a flash — and I am not complaining!

I got offered this ARC because I rated The Dark & Drowning Tide by Allison Saft five stars back in 2024. Funny enough, that was my first real step into romantic fantasy. All I knew was that the tropes was enemies-to-lovers, and a sapphic love story.

So when I saw The Book of Blood and Roses show up in my inbox, I was hesitant at first, but decided to send it to my Kindle anyway. Thankfully, I did because I was not disappointed.

Let’s talk plot! Rebecca Charity (or Cassie Smith, as she goes by for most of the book) is a vampire hunter sent undercover to a newly co-ed university where humans and vampires study side by side. Fun, right? I thought so — and I devoured it.

Not only does Rebecca hate vampires, she literally kills them for a living… and now she has to live with them and go to class? Iconic set-up. She’s searching for the mysterious Book of Blood and Roses, which everyone seems to know about but no one can actually find.

Rebecca (aka Cassie) is our protagonist, and I really liked her. She’s been through a lot — her trauma and recruitment by the Callisto make her feel layered and real. She’s funny, likable, and interesting enough to root for.

Then there’s Aliz Astra, Cassie’s vampire roommate. I won’t lie: she was hard to like at first. She comes off a bit cold and, well… a player. But as we get to know her, you see her struggles as the heir to a powerful vampire family, and she slowly won me over. The first few interactions definitely had me side-eyeing, though!

My only complaint is that the story’s timeline felt a little rushed. The whole thing takes place over about two months, which made Cassie’s shift from hating vampires to falling for Aliz feel slightly too quick. But honestly? Not a dealbreaker. Just something I noticed.

Do I Recommend ‘The Book of Blood & Roses‘

If you love fantasy, absolutely pick this up when it’s released! Sapphic love story, vampires vs. vampire hunters, enemies to lovers, forced proximity… chef’s kiss. I’m so excited to get a physical copy for my shelf.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for this Advanced Reader Copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

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‘The Book of Blood & Roses’ will be published on January 13, 2026.