2.5 and rounding down unfortunately

Vampires?? Historical setting? Sapphic romance? Revenge?? Mortality?? All the makings of a really great premise and set-up. Unfortunately this failed to ever really capture my interest. There were discordant tones fighting for the focus of the reader. A literary, gray tone fitting of the time period mixed with funny modern feeling banter and modern swear words made me feel like I was being pulled back and forth.

By far the best aspect of this book was the romance, which was very sweet and steamy. Carmen also was a great character. I will say the characters all felt truly dimensional and unique, but the plot moved so slowly all for a very short climax. I think if the narrative were tightened up a bit, this would have been more enjoyable.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I truly did want to like this but from the moment the story began I took issue with the pacing.

Throughout the entire book we move so fast the characters have no real room to develop love for each other ( the love interest cares for the mc from the very beggining of the book, instead of progressing from neutral into loving towards her)

this book was beautiful and entertaining. Hilarious and yet oh so serious.

The characters provided immense comedic relief while the plot happened which is something I enjoy a lot! the book was a great mix of sweet and stress inducing, and quite possibly one of my favorite sapphic reads of the year!

When Poppy Cavendish wakes up to find herself a vampire, her only companion is the mysterious Roisin for the first year of her immortal life. But when Roisin sets off on a mission to resolve her past, Poppy is sent off to live with the Brood, a queer little found family of vampires that endeavour to introduce her to the finer parts of vampirism. Still, over decades of operas and orgies and new experiences, Poppy yearns for the elusive Roisin.

--

I went into this book with high expectations of found family and thank goodness it delivered--it has been a while since I’ve adored a found family as much as the Brood, or even since I’ve enjoyed a book so much!

We follow along Poppy as she navigates her new immortal life all whilst pining for Roisin, and considering the book spans over decades, you can imagine the pining and the angsting.

But despite Poppy and Roisin’s aching slow burn that had me putting my kindle down several times to squeal into my hands, I have to admit that I loved Poppy’s relationships with the Brood and other friends the most. Her banter with Valentin, her love for her past human friends, her relationship with Carmen, were all so beautiful. Not to say that Poppy and Roisin weren’t good either, though! In my opinion, they were really perfect for one another but a good found family will always steal the show.

I will say that I wished the first part of the book had more of a balance between Poppy navigating her vampirism AND her and Roisin becoming closer, because it felt like we blew through the ‘getting to know each other’ process, as well as wished the final confrontation of the book had a bit more to it. However, the rest of the book was enjoyable and it really does pick up once Poppy meets the Brood (my only other problem would have to be that I wanted more of them! Particularly Zahrah and Karol, and Massimo and Valentin).

Overall, however, I do think I personally enjoyed the book a lot so that contributes to my high rating of it, despite my aforementioned ‘problems’ (really, when it comes down to it I just wanted more of the book in general). A good read with angsty pining lesbians, queer found family, general steamy vampire-ness, and an endearing main character!

Entertaining, lovely, interesting. I loved the main character and her bluntness, as well as her moral code and her perspective on things.

this book started out so strong for me and there's lots to love about it! moments that are very funny, a compelling premise, some really beautiful writing etc. failed to hang together a little bit. central relationship failed to deliver on its early glimmer and the arrival of the plot felt a little clumsy and delayed. very fun overall but !!!! had high hopes !!!

set in the 19th century, we follow Poppy, whose life is forever changed as she’s turned into a vampire and taken to an isolated cottage. there, she meets Roisin, a 193 year old lonely yet caring woman, committed to guide her through the process of adjusting to her newly acquired immortality, and with whom Poppy’s life will be forever entangled.

their relationship is full of longing, yearning, and praying: to be wanted, hold, consumed. from caretaker and companion, to lovers and everything in between (and buckle up, because there’s a lot compressed in the “in between”), it’s a plea to be understood.

Roisin is, as hard as it is to choose a favorite amongst the Brood, the one i hold closer to my heart. Poppy once described her as a “creature made of bones, and care, and tragedy”, which is all true, but i’ll dare to say that above all, Roisin is made of the undying longing to be good, to be worthy, and to be loved, despite everything.

a Long Time Dead is crafted in beautiful writing that aches to captivate and hold your heart with both hands, squeezing just enough not to crush it. it’s embroidered in a cast of heartwarming characters, embracing truthful LGBT identities, friendships, and struggles, as well as very much human, complex feelings.

just as Roisin, this book is good (great, actually), worthy (of your time), and loved (by me).

it comes out may 16th, and is already available for preorder.

🩸

“A Long Time Dead is an is a lush, Victorian romance, drenched in blood and drama, about the lengths two women will go to secure a love that cannot die”

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher By Waterbooks, & the author for granting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Many Many thanks to Samara Berger, Netgalley, and Bywater Books for this ARC!!

Upon waking one morning, Poppy finds herself in a strange place, thirsty for something she cannot name, and with a distinct chill to her skin. Here she meets Roisin, who explains that they are both vampires. When prompted, Poppy cannot remember the exact circumstances surrounding her being turned, aside from hazy memories of a tall, imposing woman named Cane. Roisin is unsurprised, as Cane is her sire - the same vampire that turned her some centuries ago.
Roisin is filled with rage and the desire to go after Cane, but places this on hold in order to help Poppy adjust to her new not-quite-life. As she teaches her, Poppy works to control both her bloodlust and her overwhelming attraction to Roisin.
As the years to by, will either of them manage to succeed in their plans?
--

I feel like my words will fall short of how much I loved this book. I grew up on Twilight and the Vampire Diaries, hiding under the covers with a book light to read Frankenstein and Dracula past my bedtime. A Long Time Dead honored all of this and more. It's a lush, sweeping, gothic love affair spanning decades, filled with dramatics, horror, and romance - all the things that define the genre. It felt like it could have been written for me.

Poppy, our FMC, is the definition of a 20 year old, brash, unrefined, and forceful with her convictions. This is slightly tempered by the hard life that she has led, but she is stubborn and gluttonous and, above all, she is clever enough to turn her circumstances in a way that suits her. This directly opposes Roisin, her counterpart, a guilt-riddled vampire who has lived centuries denying herself and her baser instincts (damn Catholics).
The two could not be more different, which makes their relationship all the more exasperating and rewarding in equal measure.

I will admit that sometimes Poppy's brattish behavior grated on me, but there is value in remembering that she is stuck at 20. Roisin similarly frustrates me with her need to atone for perceived sins, but I can empathize as well.

All in all, I had a wonderful time reading A Long Time Dead, and will likely read it again!

A Long Time Dead is an epic saga set in the Victorian era.

We meet Poppy, shortly after she's turned into a vampire, and her companion Roisin. The two spend a year together sequestered at Coventry to give Poppy time to acclimate to her new life. During this time, the two begin to fall in love but Roisin's need to find and kill her sire, Cane is too strong and she leaves Poppy with The Brood.

This book is so exquisitely written that I had difficulty putting it down. It's filled with well-developed characters, descriptive detail, and witty dialogue. Poppy and Roisin's love story is filled with such pain and pleasure. The supporting cast of characters really helps to add depth to the overall story. What a fantastic journey!

<i>A Long Time Dead</i> is a vampire romance novel set in Victorian England, and it certainly has its moments of intrigue and excitement. The story follows Poppy, a newly-turned vampire who is learning to navigate her way through her new life, with the help of Roisin, a mysterious woman who has lived for centuries. The world-building is well-done, and the characters are fleshed out enough to make them interesting and believable. The crew is great and I love their stories just as much as I love Poppy and Roisin's.

However, I found the explicit scenes to be a bit too much, which is just a personal preference, and some of the plot points felt a bit forced, especially that of Cane and Brood. Additionally, I think we should have had more time with Poppy and Roisin together-- not apart.

This story may not be for everyone; if you enjoy this genre, you will find it to be an entertaining read.

3.5 stars, rounded up for the complexities of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this novel!

What happens when you find yourself turned into a vampire suddenly and now are living with a woman who has just told you that you are the collateral damage between her and her ex lover who just happens to be psychotic? Poppy has lived a life of pleasure, just getting by in London, but when a night with a new client leads to her being turned into a vampire, suddenly she is thrust into something she never expected. Now Poppy finds herself living with Roisin, a mysterious woman who has lived for centuries and is helping Poppy adjust to being a vampire... but the more time they spend together the more Poppy begins to fall for Roisin. But Roisin has her own dark secrets, secrets that could destroy them both, but both of them are caught between yearning and angst, between wanting and denying themselves. Poppy wants nothing more than to be with Roisin but Roisin is the ex lover of Cane, the very same vampire that killed Poppy and whom Roisin is determined to kill. Cane is an ancient vampire who is obsessed with Roisin, killing girls just to get her attention, and killing anyone who even gets close to Roisin after Roisin left her. Roisin is determined to hunt her down, but that means keeping Poppy safe and far away and denying the romantic feelings growing between them. Years grow, but the romance between them is eternal, can they kill Cane before she kills everyone or was their romance doomed from the beginning? This was such a fantastic and romantic read, its got vampires, its got sapphic romance and lgbtq representation, and its got yearning and angst and everything you could ask for. It features iconic vampires and honestly, this was the perfect read for fans of Carmen or vampire romances, seriously this was absolutely delightful and I devoured it in a day!

*Thanks Netgalley

A Long Time Dead is an exciting and captivating read that takes the reader into a fascinating world of vampires. The story is detailed, and the characters feel very well-rounded and engaging, making it hard to put down. At times, I found myself completely absorbed, losing track of time.
The relationship between Poppy and Roisin is beautifully portrayed. It isn't just the main characters that feel fully fleshed out either. I would love to get a full back story for Carmen, Valentine, and maybe even Cane. Overall, A Long Time Dead is an excellent book that will satisfy fans of the vampire genre and anyone who loves a thrilling, well-crafted story. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Samara Breger for the opportunity to read this amazing book!!

This was an ARC that really surprised me. There was a lot to love about the story—the dialogue was funny, even if conversations did go on for pages and pages and pages, and the characters were lovable. And I actually really enjoyed the romance; there was one thing in the beginning that made me hesitant, but after I finished the book I really did feel like Roison and Poppy were good together.

My biggest gripes were the pacing and the cure plot line. About halfway through the book, the main character loses her feet and they are regenerated, and that just felt ableist and unnecessary to include in the story. And the story as a whole is long and drawn out and slow. As I said, the dialogue, while excellent, goes on for PAGES. And as much as I liked the characters, it got tedious to read after a while.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! All views reflected are my own.

I have mixed feelings about A Long Time Dead.
I was really excited to read this as a sapphic vampire romance sounded amazing!
Sadly I didn't think it was as good as I had hoped.
I really loved the writing style but sadly I just didn't really like any of the characters.
I also found the story quite slow at times.
I still would recommend this book as I definitely think other people may enjoy it more then I did!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful, poetic story! Everything about this book was just gorgeous. The cover and title initially drew me in, and the author did such a lovely job of creating this story.

Poppy, a prostitute, wakes to find she's been turned into a vampire and is being cared for by Roisin (who I embarrassingly pronounced like Royson for like 85% of the book). They become friends, learn about each other, read books, and fall in love, but Roison's past holds her back.

This book has queer representation, strong characters, found family, and 2 main characters who love each other across time and distance. I think my only complaint is the amount of time we spend with Poppy and Roison apart. I would have been even more invested in their love story if we had been able to see them together more on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc of this book. All opinions are given freely and are my own.

Thankyou Netgalley for the ARC !

I was very excited to read this because it's not everyday you get a sapphic vampire novel, but this one.... very much disappointing. I had to DNF at about 50%, mostly because the writing style was just. TERRIBLE.

Felt like a wattpad novel written by a 13yo.

A Victorian romance with a bloody (pun intended) twist. Poppy, a London sex worker, wakes up in an unfamiliar house to discover that she is now a vampiress. In her confusion, we are introduced to Roisin, the mysterious homeowner who prefers to don men’s attire in her solitude. Rosin takes Poppy under her wing and vows to help Poppy adjust to her new life. The two women quickly become attached, but Roisin has plenty of secrets from her over-a-century-long life. As they navigate the world of vampires, pirates, opera singers, nobles, and French women, they soon encounter a threat that could destroy everything they hold dear.

I was drawn to the free download on NetGalley because of the cover. I am not a romance reader. This may actually be the first “officially marketed” romance novel I have ever read. However, I believe this is what people in the genre classify as a slow burn. I say this because for the first third of the book, I felt that the story dragged. The whole time we were waiting for Poppy to learn how to resist the urge to suck humans dry, there wasn’t much to note. In fact it was too slow (for me) that I continually fall asleep instantly while reading it.

This all changed once I made it to Part 2. This is when the story really begins to pick up. The addition of The Brood, a found family of queer vampires, introduced conflict that helped propel the story beyond the superficial first part. Which is when I realized, I did not like the pairing of Roisin and Poppy. I was much more interested in Poppy’s integration into this wealthy family of vampires, and the relationships she built with member over her trying to force a relationship with Roisin.

As the book went on, Roisin and Poppy’s interactions did get better; but still not to the level of intimacy I was hoping for. The spark wasn’t there for me, and as much as I tried to ignore it, I couldn’t. Their interest in each other appeared to stem primarily from Stockholm syndrome (which Roisin specifically stated was why she wanted space from Poppy while she chased after Cane, so they could grow a natural connection once she is freed). However, the plot never provided these two to the option to fully form a deeper connection.

I give “A Long Time Dead” 2.5 out of 5 stars, rounded to 3 stars on Goodreads, as I would still recommend this novel to those interested in Sapphic romance.

Lush, slow, delicious, all-consuming, A Long Time Dead is everything a vampire romance should be. There is so much pining and yearning in the best kind of way. This book follows the story of Poppy Cavendish, a bright, passionate girl and her journey into becoming a vampire and falling in love and fighting for that love. If you're still chasing the vampire high from years ago, this is the book for you. All I gotta say is that us gays are winning with this one.

A very funny and entertaining vampire story with a gothic flavour. There's a lot of humour, a well plotted story, fleshed out characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I had a lot of fun reading this book! It had me hooked on the very first page. I knew I would love it based on the fact that its a vampire gothic romance. I was surprised at how funny it was. Poppy's sense of humor was truly a delight. I loved all the character's but Poppy was the highlight for me throughout this book.