“And then it was over. He pulled back abruptly, resting his forehead against mine, breathing very hard for someone who didn’t technically need oxygen to survive.”

This book was so fun and funny, I was so here for it. Imagine your typical vampire, not the Edward Cullen or True Blood or Vampire Diaries but a literal vampire, and discovering that’s you’re roommate. Cassie was just so human like any of us, living life in her 30’s and trying to get through her career and afford housing. Then you have Frederick who is just so precious and hot. Like gimme.

It was funny and just the perfect transition from summer to fall and I’d read more from Jenna Levine, like thank you for writing this in the first place. I’m obsessed with the cover art!

I listened to the audiobook (the narrator nailed the dual voices) for half of it, read the other half, and loved both!

A funny and charming vampire falls for human girl paranormal romance

My Roommate is a Vampire is a fun debut romance by author Jenna Levine. It has all the charming, feel good romcom vibes that will make you laugh and keep you smiling. I’m a sucker for anything involving a vampire and when I got to watch Jenna, a fellow Buffy fan, on Berkley’s Monsters and Mayhem event (it was so fun!) talk about the book, I knew I had to read it.

Cassie has an art degree but struggles to find good employment and needs to find an affordable place to live. Fate intervenes via an ad for an absurdly low rent room. Suspicious it’s too good to be true but desperate for a place, Cassie moves in with Fredrick J. Fitzwilliam. So what if he dresses, talks & acts like he isn’t from this century, is only up at night and has a room that is off limits to Cassie.

I loved Frederick’s character with his proper but definitely outdated vibes and his frenemy Reginald made me laugh so much. Their back & forth texts were hilarious. The romance was a bit of a slow burn (and remained low spice) but I adored Frederick and Cassie getting to know each other via their notes back and forth. I wasn’t a huge fan of the conflict towards the end but overall, this was a fun lighthearted paranormal romcom.

Cute enough but I wasn’t very endeared by the characters. It’s also supposed to be a vampire romance but it definitely doesn’t feel like it. Ultimately I felt like I was reading fan fiction but not necessarily in a good way, which it turns out I was upon further research. I think many people will like this, it hits all the points of a successful romance but to me it was just fine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. Levine for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. An honest review was requested but not required.

I can see that many people will like this - a sweet, fluffy, paranormal romance - but it didn't do it for me. Cassie is a definite Manic Pixie Dream Girl™ and the poster girl of the starving artist. She's being evicted and finds a super low-rent apartment to move into, but, why is the rent so low? Surely something is up with it?

Something IS up with it and Cassie ignores ALL her common sense and the major vibes and moves in anyway because, #savings. It should have been ultra obvious what was going on but she's such a MPDG™ that she just explains it all away and goes about her unpaid artist life.

Somehow, her new roommate Frederick falls in lust with her despite... not knowing her at all? I guess she's the first option he's had in a long time so availability is the key here. His backstory was a little confusing to me and I had some questions about how the vampirism worked (none of it was explained unless I missed it all). The climax (no pun intended) felt disjointed and anticlimactic. Like, threaten them with tiktok? that's it? jeez.

It was cute, and I read it quickly enough and didn't put it down, so I'll give it a round up for that. I can see the appeal to others, it just wasn't my cuppa.
⭐⭐1/2

My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Published: August 29, 2023
Berkley
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Pages: 352
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Jenna Levine works to increase access to affordable housing in the American South, by day. By night, she writes romance novels where ridiculous things happen to beautiful people. When Jenna isn’t writing she can usually be found crying over K-dramas, starting knitting projects she won’t finish, or spending time with her family and small army of cats.

“For you are anything but.”

Cassie feels like she has been struggling for a long time. She isn’t deterred, but she is frustrated. When she finds an ad for a person seeking a roommate for $200 a month, part of her is skeptical but also curious. Freddie has been gone for a long time, and he needs help getting reacquainted with modern life. He is nervous but hopeful that Cassie can help him.

This was sweet. I enjoyed the dynamic build-up between Cassie and Freddie. I liked how their interactions were authentic. From the nerves to the anxiety, I think all readers will relate.

Cassie was relatable. She was still trying to find her place, and she had tried and failed numerous times. She has a fantastic circle of friends, and her heart is so sweet.

Freddie was a brooding mystery. I enjoyed watching him evolve into the charming guy he is was lovely. It was fun going through his journey of modernization.

This was a different type of romance, but I enjoyed it. The humor was well-played and the spice was balanced with the plot. This was an enjoyable romcom with a nice pace.

I was so excited to read My Roommate is a Vampire. The premise, the Chicago location, the comp to Flatshare?? I was ON BOARD. Unfortunately, the execution left something to be desired, and I was seriously disappointed with the book.

I will be honest - if I had not been reading this for a review, I would likely not have finished it. My biggest problem with My Roommate is a Vampire is the writing style. It’s a little hard to explain, but it feels very flat. The characters don’t feel fleshed out, nor does the setting. I wasn’t able to immerse myself into the story, because there was very little world building, and not much depth to the characters. Additionally, vampire details feel almost shoehorned in at times, as if they are an afterthought and not the literal entire point of the book. The climax of the plot also worked itself out so easily, it was almost a let down. I was expecting some sort of vampire showdown at the end, but it was over in a few pages!

Cassie comes across as a total manic pixie dream girl, as she’s an artist who does “strange” art that nobody understands (except of course Frederick, the vampire main character). Frederick has supposedly been sleeping for the past one hundred years and yet knows what kiwi fruits and TikTok are somehow. I could not tell you why either of them liked each other, except that they are nice to each other (Frederick does say something about Cassie’s passion at a certain point, I will give him that). Also, there’s a part where Frederick gets so mad about a picture in which Cassie is wearing a swimsuit, and it just didn’t feel like it fit the character’s personality, and made me feel a little icky as a reader. I understand that the idea was to show that Frederick was from a different time with different morals (and how much he liked Cassie), but I don’t think it’s great that the main demonstration of that was over Cassie’s attire. I think there were plenty of other things that could have been good examples of this - the speed of cars, smart phones, the fact that the Sears Tower is literally DOUBLE in height of the tallest building in the world in 1920 - so many changes that he could have freaked out about. (And other ways he could have shown he liked Cassie, also.)

I think what did keep me reading was the excerpts of Frederick’s communications at the beginning of each chapter. I really enjoyed those, especially the text messages. They were funny and it was nice to get a peek into Frederick’s brain, as the entire book is told from Cassie’s point of view otherwise. I wish that the vibe of those sections could have been spread out through the whole book. Additionally, I did like the detail about the vampires living in Naperville. That was very amusing as a person who lives in the Chicago suburbs herself.

Overall, My Roommate is a Vampire felt very juvenile, and was a less than enjoyable read for me. I don’t know that I would recommend this one to most readers, but from the Goodreads rating, it does seem there are some people who have enjoyed it, they are just not me.

Content notes: Obviously there is some reference to blood and drinking blood, also a brief non-violent kidnapping at the end

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. Thank you to PRHAUDIO for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was a bit nervous going into this one because I’d seen some unfavorable reviews.
Was My Roommate is a Vampire the next great American novel? Well, no, but it was a nice,quirky, fun romcom perfect for October reading. Not scary at all and just a tad bit campy.
While parts of the book may seem unbelievable, remember to just go with the flow and enjoy the process.

I found the narrators voice very pleasant and I enjoyed her different voices for the characters.

This was a mostly very sweet vampire story that, even when there were some high stakes, didn't really feel that memorable. I liked both main characters, but wish that there had been more relationship development there rather than the big dramatic plotline.

There were aspects of this that were really intriguing. It was an interesting combo of "chick lit" and fantasy romance, and the use of vampires, vampirism, and the anachronisms of the exceedingly long-lived for comedic effect worked really well. It was ultimately just a little too half baked for me—a lot of time spent on the main character's self-fulfillment and human career goals, while the arguably much more exciting, and definitely more urgent, <spoiler>vampire love interest kidnapping and imprisonment</spoiler> all happened off screen. Just overall I felt the author and I did not share priorities.

Read if you like:
🧛‍♂️ Vampires
🎨 Quirky Artist FMC’s
✍🏻 Notes back and forth
😂 Funny Convos
🤷🏼‍♀️ Books that don’t take themselves seriously
🥵 Vampire Spice

If you have ever wanted to bang a vampire (metaphorically speaking obviously)… then this book is for you!

This book was exactly the light and fluffy vibes I was needing this week! This one is one that I strongly recommend all the Romcom peeps read for spooky season as it was just so much fun! I love that it didn’t take itself too seriously because sometimes that’s exactly what I need in a book.

The letter writing was freaking adorable and honestly good letter writing will always get me.

I also lovvveeeed how old fashioned everything about Frederick was and smoking hot to boot?! Count me in, ya girl is drooling over his sweetness, thoughtfulness, and then ability to get his girl to see all the stars 😉

Honestly, if you need fun, please read this one this fall as it just made me happy and I couldn’t have asked for me.

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for my ARC of this one!

When I read “My Roommate is a Vampire” by Jenna Levine, I found it a witty and fun romance. I love the set up for Cassie to end up living with Frederick. The emails and various forms of communication at the beginning of each chapter give us a touch more insight to Frederick and enhance the story. Both characters are complex and unexpected in their reactions to others and each other. Cassie and Frederick’s dynamic is carefully built as they grow closer especially once Cassie learns the truth about Frederick. 

I love the witty tongue in cheek style of the writing. It allows Cassie to be imperfect and more interesting but also makes Frederick such a fun character. The vampire rules and the Buffy references were a home run to me, especially since I was a huge fan of Buffy. The secondary characters like Reggie and Sam hold attention as well. And ultimately the story has a super romantic and sweet ending. 

If you like witty and fun romance, I suggest checking out this paranormal tongue in cheek novel by Jenna Levine. The characters are delightful, the story is humorous and the romance is hot. With hot vampires and creative artists, how could you go wrong?

My Roommate Is A Vampire by Jenna Levine
Format: audio/ebook hybrid
Release Date: 8/29/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a great romantic comedy (heavy on the comedy) to usher in spooky season! This book was light, silly, and a little steamy!

If you’re a fan of cute romances, lots of notes back and forth between our love interests, and plenty of Buffy the Vampire Slayer references…you’re going to want to check this book out for sure!

Despite this book being on the goofier side of romcom, I thought narrator Gilli Messer did a great job! This book knows what it is, leaned in, and was really adorable!

Okay, but imagine this: you’re a down-on-your-luck artist with an eviction notice when you discover a too-good-to-be true Craigslist ad searching for a new roommate. You answer the ad, only to discover your new roommate keeps crazy late hours, dresses as if he’s from a whole different era, won’t allow you into two rooms (one of which he keeps its contents secret) & is extremely hot 🥵🔥.

Talk about sus, amiright?

MY ROOMMATE IS A VAMPIRE is a romcom that I absolutely DEVOURED. I LOL’ed multiple times, especially when it came to a very out-of-touch vampire’s dialogue. Each chapter kicks off with either a letter, news article, a quick note between roommates, etc. that really helps explore the inner-workings of the love interest which is a nice way to get to know him outside of the main character’s POV.

With all of that being said, I unfortunately have some negative points to make. The relationship between love interests happened a bit TOO fast. I feel like a better build-up could have had me OBSESSED with this book. & the last part of the book was a bit rushed. This is the time where the drama kicks up, problems arise & things get wild — what sounds wild on paper just doesn’t hit as hard as it could have when it feels extremely rushed.

In the end, I am very glad I read this because even with the issues it was still a fun read! A perfect way to kick off spooky season & MY ROOMMATE IS A VAMPIRE has officially gotten me in the mood to explore some more paranormal romcoms this season! 🧛🏻‍♀️

Love love loved this!! Positively quirky and heartwarming which I so didn't expect from a vampire romance! It was really refreshing to read about a male character who's so charming (albeit awkward) and such a gentleman. Really enjoyed the pretty immediate chemistry between the main characters and the banter between them all. Can't wait to read more from this author!

This book was such a delight. I laughed out loud more than I can admit, and the characters were amazing. The chemistry and banter they had was phenomenal. Oh, and did I mention the humour in this book? I can highly recommend this book if you enjoy a light read.

This was a cute and entertaining read! Cassie and Frederick were extremely adorable and I very much enjoyed their courting(ehehe). It was a little slow in the beginning but once it picked up, I really liked it!

4.5 ⭐️

A centuries old vampire, Frederick living in modern day Chicago seeks a roommate to learn more about the modern world after waking up from a century-long coma. With an absurdly low rent advertisement, Cassie is the only one who responds. Between the old style, cold temperature, and no cookware, Cassie has her reservations but decides to take the leap anyway. Until she learns the truth about her mysterious sleeps-during-the-day roommate. Will she leave and never come back or stay with an open mind?

This was so bloody cute! I laughed at how funny Frederick was, how out of place he felt, yet tried and adapted to the modern world. The notes Frederick and Cassie left for each other were adorbs and their romantic feelings toward each other were awwww. I could totally see this become a movie! It would be awesome!

Quirky, fun, and actually made me LOL. Adored the friendship between Cassie and Frederick. His openness was so charming, and I loved that Cassie kept a level head as much as she could. The ending did feel a bit rushed, but that didn’t stop me from highly enjoying this book. A great read for spooky season! *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly this book wasn't what I was hoping it would be. I did have the audio narration for this, thinking that would help me, but unfortunately, it didn't. I absolutely loved the premise of that book, but it didn't quite deliver. It had so much potential but fell short for me.

4 stars | 1.5 spice

Big thanks to Jenna Levine, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

A paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres and when I saw this cover I KNEW I had to read it - and I am SO glad I did! This is the definition of a rom-com too. I was audibly cackling at Fredrick during this book with all of his crazy antics. Just imagine a person who was over 100 years old trying to navigate modern society was funny enough and Levine made his character out to be perfect.

The sparks between Cassie and Fredrick were FLYING. This is definitely a slowww burn though but I feel like those have me RACING to get to the point where they finally hook up. There is a little bit of spice in this but not much - so if you are here as a monster smut lover you might get let down a bit. But there is one part of a scene that might interest you (iykyk - because the dark romance reader in me was THERE for it).

I did wish that there was more out of the ending and more vampire stuff. Instead, we got a LOT of Cassie's art stuff which I wasn't really feeling and I didn't care about it. Her character was okay but I felt she could have been a little more developed. Fredrick and Reginald though get a chefs kiss for both hilariousness and quirkiness.

This was a decent 4-star read for me that kept me entertained, had me laughing out lout AND rooting for the couple to get together. I would highly recommend this for those who are rom-com fans and/or paranormal romance fans.