I’m a huge fan of vampire books but usually they wind up in the fantasy romance category so I was excited to see what it was like to have vampires in a ‘lighter’ romance book.

It was nice that Cassie didn’t have to wait too long before finding out Frederick was a vampire (he had to tell her after she found some extremely suspicious blood bags in the fridge).

It is immediately obvious that Cassie and Frederick are attracted to each other, but since there are so many reasons that a relationship between them could go wrong, they do their best to avoid getting together.

Honestly, to me there is nothing steamier/more tension building than when a couple CAN’T be together so I was chomping at the bit for them to finally wind up a couple.

I found this cute and quirky and fun and would recommended to all romance/fantasy rans. 

Thanks, Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to read this one early.

3.5 stars
This looked like a cute vampire rom-com so I was excited to get it from NetGalley. I think the author says it best in the acknowledgements, 'kooky little vampire rom-com.' So Frederick is a vampire that has been asleep for one hundred years. He wants a human to show him the ropes of how to be a person in this time period. He puts out an ad for a roommate and Cassie answers it because she is desperate to have a place to live. Of course he does not immediately tell her what he is. I liked though that we didn't have to wait too long for Cassie to be told. There is nothing worse in a book when the reader knows something for far too long before the main character finds out. They do have an immediate attraction but neither one plays on it because it could go wrong in so many ways being roommates. I would have liked a little more of them dating or getting to know one another before they did get together. I didn't feel like the chemistry was all there on the page. I did enjoy that they left notes for each other. That was fun. The ending was a little silly but I guess the whole book was a little silly so just know that going in. I don't know that there was necessarily growth in the characters. It is just a fun little read. I read the first half in a day, then life got in the way for the second half. But it was cute.

-In short, the living room was confirmation of something I'd known for years: people with money often had terrible taste.

-He was the broad-chested, gorgeous, not-quite-living embodiment of the OK Boomer meme.

-"I didn't plan to drag you into a romantic entanglement with...someone like me."
"I want to have a romantic entanglement with you."

This book was such a delight! I adored everything about it. I can officially say I’m back in my vampire era.

Cassie needs to find another place to live and fast. When she finds a listing for a beautiful apartment for only $200, she knows there has to be a catch. Her new roommate Fredrick is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out all night on business, and talks like he’s from a regency novel. When Cassie finds blood bags in the fridge that definitely weren’t there before, Fredrick has no choice but to come clean. He’s a vampire.

I loved Cassie and Fredrick so much. Their relationship was so adorable! Fredrick is such a cinnamon roll, the very hot kind. We mostly follow Cassie’s POV throughout the story but we get glimpses into Fredrick’s mind with notes, texts and diary entries which I thought made the story even more fun.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this one. It’s a solid debut! It was funny, sweet and very entertaining. I highly recommend picking this one up on August 29th!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the e-arc!

This is a fun and light romance that made me smile. Cassie is struggling to keep her life together and to make ends meet. So when a to good to be true opportunity comes up to do a house share, she cautiously takes advantage of it. Her strange housemate Frederick J Fitzwilliam seems nice enough. I honestly think the author did a nice job of the vampire reveal. The story flowed well and the interactions between the two fit well with the story. This is light, sweet and easy romance. The author used lots of vampire lore, such as not being able to enter without being invited, to make for creative situations. Frederick is such a fish out of water in the modern world, but his gentlemanly and sincere nature makes her a delightful hero. Jenna Levine is a debut author and I am excited to see what she come up with next because I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Cassie has just moved in with a mysterious but handsome stranger, Frederick, after being evicted from her previous apartment. My Roommate is a Vampire has a lot of funny moments and I could not put it down.

The characters are charming and enjoyable to read, but sometimes I struggled to see why they were into each other. Though, the relationship was cute and their writing-notes setup-up was fun. Frederick was adorable and clueless, and his reactions to some situations actually made me laugh out loud. The descriptions of his out-of-date outfits were some of the best parts of the book.

I do wish we had seen more of the side characters- Sam, his husband, and Reginald. Sam seemed like a supportive friend to Cassie, I feel like he could have been more involved in the overall plot. Reginald was also a fun character that should have been more present in the story.

The build-up to the main conflict was great, but once we got there, it was pretty anti-climactic.

I was so thrilled when I received a copy of this book and I'm afraid my excitement fizzled out slowly and then completely as I went along.

We have a flighty artist who is looking for a new apartment after being evicted from hers. She responds to an ad online for someone looking for a roommate for $200 a month which gets her eyebrow up. After she goes to the property and finds out it's in the older money looking section of Chicago, that eyebrow gets sky high when she realizes her new roommate is odd but fortunately, super hot.

Frederick J. Fitzwilliam as he's called the entire book without shortening his name down, is a 300+ year old vampire who has been in a coma for 100 years after a party prank and wants a roommate so he can hopefully reacclimate to the world after missing a century of it. He's old fashioned in clothes, speech, and gender roles. There was a whole section of the book about seeing her in a bikini on Instagram that I think was supposed to be cute and I was completely annoyed by.

I didn't really get the big romantic vibes between these two that were said to be there. I've learned after I finished this book that this was originally a Kylo/Ren fanfiction and that tracks. I felt like I was missing something vital in this one.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Audio, and Berkley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

🧛‍♂️BOOK REVIEW🧛‍♂️

My Roommate is a Vampire - Jenna Levine
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️

“Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.”

I can imagine that this may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I LOVED IT so much! I thought it was absolutely hilarious (in a What We Do in the Shadows kind of way) and I loved the banter/letters between Cassie and Frederick. I loved that Frederick was not just a vampire, but a very behind the times vampire who needed help being more modern. Overall, this was a quirky, fun read and I honestly want more like it!

Recommend if you like:
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn
- Paranormal romance
- Witty banter
- Campy

Thanks to @netgalley, @berkleypub, and @prhaudio for my copies!

My Roommate is a Vampire is such a charming debut. Cassia is an artist looking for a new place to live, Frederick J Fitzwilliam is a vampire in need of some help—together they make an unlikely pair. As a romance, this didn’t work for me. While I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience, as a couple I didn’t get Cassie and Frederick together—Frederick needs training in the modern world and I think lacks a masculinity I like in my romantic heroes and I needed a little more in their growth and vulnerability with each other I think. I wish there had been some of Frederick’s POV outside of the quick journal entries we got of him. Cassie I thought was a great heroine though; she’s sharp and clever and has the biggest heart. Outside the romance though, I thought this book was such a fun ride and felt kind of like What We Do in the Shadows. I loved them watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all of Frederick’s tries to being a modern human and the outlandish-ness along the way. As just a reading experience, it was an absolute delight, but I needed more for it to work as a romance. I’d still recommend if you’re looking for a light-hearted, fun read

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an e-arc for review.
I unfortunately DNF’d at about 80% into the book. I was really enjoying the story and characters up until when she found out he was a vampire and then everything just fell flat for me. I did enjoy the bits of humor but overall I just think this book wasn’t for me! I felt myself constantly looking at the clock and wondering how much longer it would take me to finish it. It almost put me in a reading slump. I felt like there were no connection between the main characters and the character development didn’t exist.

1/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher, Berkley Romance, for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just loved this book. It was an absolutely delightful, sweet, and funny read. I think it’s perfect if you want a nice, easy little escape from daily life. Even the conflict has humor!

What this really reminded me of is Blast from the Past!! That movie from the late 90s with Brendan Fraser!! Except instead of a sweet naive man stuck mentally in the 1960s, we have a sweet vampire stuck mentally in the early 1900s! I don’t want to give away too much, but if you liked that movie I think you will really like this book.

I loved reading the eARC so much, and I’m really obsessed with the cover, so I think I’ll need a physical copy now!

This was a solid paranormal roommate romcom romance debut. It gave me all the best Flatshare vibes and is perfect for fans of books like When life gives you vampires. Good on audio and while it won't make it into my favorites for 2023 I still really enjoyed it! Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Romance and @prhaudio for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review!

DNF @ 45%

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I was really excited for this paranormal romance debut. The cover and synopsis sounded amazing and I've been on the hunt for a low vampire fantasy I love. Unfortunately this one just didn't hit the mark for me.

Let's start with what I liked first.

I really enjoyed the structure and setup of this book. This is told in single POV from the heroine's point of view, however at the start of each chapter you get a diary entry, letter, text, etc from the hero. I thought it was a really smart way to give you some insight into his head without needing a full dual POV story.

I also thought the tropes and premise were a lot of fun. The idea of an ancient vampire needing the help of a human to teach him about society due to a practical joke gone wrong is hilarious.

Sadly, this book fell flat in execution for me.

The main issue for me was that I didn't connect to the humor at all. I've read a lot of other reviews of people feeling the complete opposite so take my opinion with a grain of salt! Humor is so subjective and this just didn't hit for me. I saw the moments that were supposed to be funny, but never felt connected enough to the writing for them to land.

I also really struggled with the characters in this. Our heroine is a hot mess and going through a rough patch. But I felt like she never took initiative or action to help herself. And the choices she did make, or conclusions she came to, make no sense to me.

On top of that, the chemistry between these MCs was completely missing for me. The hero seemed to worship the heroine but I couldn't ever figure out why.

While I'm dnf-ing, I don't think this book is bad by any regard. It just wasn't going to be a book I loved. I think this book will be a hit for readers who love vampires and quirky, low angst rom-coms.

If you're an audiobook listener, the audiobook is fantastically narrated and I do recommend it.

*Thank you to the publisher for reaching out to be part of a blog tour & providing an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A full video review will be published on my YouTube channel after publication.*

I had seen this book going around a little bit, but it hadn’t really piqued my interest. When I was offered a chance to be part of a blog tour for it, I decided to give it a chance. I was mostly just happy to be included on the blog tour.

When I say I fell in love with this book, I was completely blown away. The idea of the “vampire rom-com” sounds so cheesy, but it worked so well! Some parts of it were cheesy, especially the resolution in the last chapter of the book, but the epilogue got me so good!

Cassie is a great main character who doesn’t have her life together and Frederick is such an absolute cinnamon roll and sexy. The subtle slow burn was almost too much for me because I just wanted them to bang already, but when it happened the spice was on point for me.

The cheesy resolution bumped it down to a 4.5 star read, but then the epilogue bumped it right back up to a 5 star read for me and I am absolutely obsessed with this book that I originally had no intentions of picking up.

I would love to see a novella of these characters a decade or two down the line. The implications that were left in the epilogue were enough to have me wanting more while also being happy with where the book ended.

I will 1000% read the next book Jenna Levine publishes. This paranormal rom-com was the perfect mix of quirky, light, and romantic that I am totally here for!

This is a ridiculous book that I read in about a day. It’s funny and so silly. I am not a huge vampire expert but what a quirky little book. Thanks for letting me read it.

Jenna Levine’s debut novel My Roommate is a Vampire was a fast and easy read that required a bit of suspended disbelief but was a lot of fun overall.

Cassie is an out of luck artist with too many part time jobs and in need of a home, preferably one that is astronomically cheap. Her prayers are answered in the form of a newspaper ad seeking a roommate that seems too good to be true. Cassie is desperate enough to take a chance. She meets the very peculiar and ridiculously formal, not to mention hot, Frederick.

Frederick is a vampire - I hope I am not giving anything away since it’s literally in the title - and when Cassie finds out she is understandably freaked out. However, she decides to give him a chance to explain himself. That was my biggest issue with the story; Frederick did a poor job of explaining vampires and why they were around in 21st century Chicago? I wish the author would have given us more insight into Frederick’s vampire past, but alas.

Still, I enjoyed My Roommate is a Vampire; it was fun to read about Frederick learning how to behave in the modern world. He was so very soft for Cassie that it was sweet. I just wanted more vampire history, more explanation of how things like becoming a vampire works, more Frederick and Cassie together, just a bit more.

Jenna Levine's debut novel starts strong- MC Cassie is relatable as an endearing hot mess. Frederick gives off Mr. Darcy vibes (in a good way) and you can't help but root for the two of them, weird as their pairing may be. The first third of the book is engaging and laugh out loud funny. The human/vampire trope has been done- but Levine gives it a good twist with a gentleman vampire, 100 years behind the times, in desperate need of (human) guidance.

Halfway through the story loses its oomph until its rather anticlimactic conclusion. Interesting plot points fade quietly. A potentially perilous rescue (with amusing supporting cast) just kinda...happens. This is especially frustrating because Levine's talent is evident in the first chapter.

Is it my favorite? No. It's fun, though not as campy as I thought it might be (I was here for some camp!). It's got some unique pivots and accomplishes what it sets out what it intends to do: entertain. "My Roommate is a Vampire" won't be at the top of my recommendation list but there's an audience that will likely enjoy it.

This book had absolutely no right to be SO cute and SO fun. This one exceeded my expectations! My Roommate Is a Vampire had perfect What We Do in the Shadows vibes. Fredrick came across as perfectly alluring while also perfectly out of place considering he's an old ass vampire in modern society. And Cassie was a fun complimentary partner for him. The obvious jabs at contemporary society were done so well too. They were honest and funny without bringing down the fabulous mood of the book. And the paranormal aspect really helps take you out of your normal expectations of contemporary romances. I still can't get over how much fun I had reading this one.

4.5/5 thanks to the vibes and fun

'My Roommate Is a Vampire' was a fun and fresh take on the modern day vampire tale. One of the main things I liked about it was that it didn't take itself too seriously, which is a wormhole a lot of newer vampire books are getting stuck in. The story felt probable (if a vampire being your roommate is a likely occurrence?) and believable as a romantic comedy that also just happened to include a vampire. 3.5 stars!

If you are looking for a fun & campy rom-com, My Roommate is a Vampire is just for you!

Cassie works at a library & a coffee shop but really wants to be an Art Teacher - she just hasn’t found a job doing that yet.
Frederick is a 300 year old vampire who desperately needs help learning modern life.

She responds to a Craigslist ad about a roommate and suddenly the two are in a forced proximity situation and surprisingly falling in love.

This was a super cute & quick read. It was laugh out loud funny & Freddie is a seriously swoon worthy, cinnamon roll vampire.

The plot gave me Twilight vibes - if twilight wasn’t super cringe.

This debut from Jenna Levine definitely makes me want to read future books from her!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After graduating with her MFA, Cassie is struggling to make ends meet working multiple part-time jobs. After being evicted from her most recent apartment, her friend Sam finds a too good to be true ad on Craigslist for an apartment. The only catch is that the man who owns the apartment seems to be strange, and might be in his seventies. After demanding a tour of the apartment before moving in, Cassie is shocked to discover that Frederick, her potential roommate, is an incredibly attractive man who appears to be in his thirties, not his seventies. Through witty notes and cute sketches, Frederick and Cassie start developing feelings for each other, however, Cassie's discovery that her roommate is not quite human may stop their budding relationship.

My Rommate is a Vampire is tender, hilarious, and hot. The Chicago setting is portrayed well and adds to the story. Readers will also be pleased to see the growth of Cassie as she starts putting herself out there and taking more chances professionally as well as romantically.