Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored the concept of this book. If it has queer vampires, I'm automatically on board. Add 1920s Harlem and I'm even MORE on board. This book was such a fun read despite not feeling quite fleshed out as much as it could be.

I think what disappointed me the most was the pacing. Some parts were very slow and dragged on, and other parts were very quick, so much so that I felt like I missed important information. Avoiding spoilers, the end was VERY sudden and felt so rushed. I felt like it jumped from scene to scene drastically in the last 10% of the book, and I was left confused enough to re-read portions to understand what had happened.

All this being said, I am quite enchanted with the love/hate relationship between Elise and Layla. I found them to be wonderful characters with a lot of depth, especially as they grapple with mental health issues, familial issues, racism, sexism, classism, and loss. I look forward to seeing where the sequel takes them and their relationship.

Publication date: 6 August 2024