This is very much a case of don’t judge a book by its cover. It is way more sweet and cozy than you would expect from a black and gold cover with an anatomically correct heart. While it is a fantasy romance, I would say it is more romance with a side of fantasy. Overall, this is a slow burn friends-to-lovers story with a bit of unrequited love thrown in.

I really enjoyed this one,
It’s a cute cuddly slow burn vampire novel.
I was hooked from the beginning,
I quite liked Leanne she was dating this crime boss & made a dumb choice that lead her to trouble, but thanks to that she meets Riftan.

Riftan, I loved him even though he kinda annoyed me setting some boundaries, but then misleading with physical contact.

I’m trying not to give too much away🫠🫠

& That cliffhanger at the end wow was not expecting that!! I can’t wait for book two!! I will definitely be picking that one up as well!!

Def recommend checking this one out!

Wow.

This book was a bit of a rollercoaster, starting strong from the first page with excitement and danger. So many questions in quick succession.

But then it dipped? It became a cozy story, warm, fuzzy and slightly mundane. I almost forgot that this was a supernatural/mafia tale. Initially, this was confusing and slight tonal whiplash, going from fast paced to slow burn mystery, but it worked so well!!

I spent the last 70 pages wondering what could happen next and how it could be resolved; surely this wasn’t just a cute romance? These pages were where it picked up the pace again drastically, and oh my goodness I need the next book now!

Overall the book was passionate and well thought out, an extremely enjoyable read!


Thank you to NetGalley, the amazing author and the publishers for allowing me to read this beautiful book!

I love a good vampire book. It was a very slow burn but I didn’t mind that at all. It started off super slow but I pushed through and enjoyed it reading about the experience of becoming a vampire was so cool

A cuddly vampire story with a side of mobsters and Dexter. Principled murder. There’s not a lot of world building. Running off with her new vampire dad/mentor to Europe is fun, getting to know her new body and its limits. Leanne and Riftan begin an entertaining journey.

With the context provided in the beginning and the description I was expecting more excitement. But it does not. So far it’s like the ideal “childhood” for a fledgling vampire to learn. An teacher with self discipline and principle’s. Appropriate times to kill for food or culling as he deems appropriate.

Hypocritical in some respects, playing god.

That ending!!!

To get the boring out of the way, I did notice some grammatical errors which I am sure that is part of reading an ARC. Also, during the "rebirth" celebration with Jameson and Riftan, I could not figure out if it had been two years or three years since she was turned due to the timeline.

I fell in love with the characters and got emotionally invested. I loved the tension, the unknowing of when things were going to end between Lee and Riftan, what Jameson's motives were. There was so much detail in the relationship between Lee and Riftan that I felt that I needed more from the other relationships Lee had. For example, Lee's best friend that takes her in. They live together then I felt that the storyline brushed past all the crazy things they were getting into. From there it went straight into Lee living with Johnny again, quickly jumped to her killing Johnny competitor, then Johnny being out of control. I felt like I needed more. I was very upset with Lee for going back to Johnny and needed more explanation then Lee just wanting better for the city and then killing his competitor.

I will most definitely be waiting on the second book to come out and recommending this! I need to know what happens next because that cliff hanger....
I could see this becoming a show. This is based on vampires, but there is a lot more to the story then that. There is gore, action, mob bosses, a immortal ran government, and a romance.

Thank you for allowing me to review this novel and I wish the author the best of luck. I really enjoyed this read!

I will be sharing my review on my Instagram and GoodReads on June 24th, 2024:

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/178261585-tasha
Instagram- https://instagram.com/_tashars_ with hashtags #HowToFaceEternity, #SHClasen #ADawnOfEternity #BDEPUBLISHING

Review: Photo of cover:

"This starts out with a woman who finds out there is darker things in the world than her mob boss boyfriend when she ends up being kidnapped. Opening the book you are thrown right into the action of Lee being trapped in the trunk of a car searching for a way to make it out alive. But does she?

You follow the story of Lee who does not have a choice but to leave her life behind and discovers who she has the potential to be while rediscovering herself, falling in love and creating new friendships. Unfortunately, this new life of hers and all she knows has an unknown deadline that is out of her control. Can Lee make it on her own? Will the feelings she experiences ever pass?

This book has it all. Action, romance, vampires, underground government, spice. The tension between Lee and her new love is unmatched. The cliff hanger is unmatched. I have to know what happens when Lee spirals, what happens with the other characters, and more about the underground government. I need more. I will be impatiently waiting for the second book.

How to Face Eternity by SH Clasen is Part 1 of A Dawn of Eternity duology. It is set to publish tomorrow, June 25th and everyone needs to read this. Thank you SH Clasen and BDE Publishing for allowing me to review. Please check your trigger warnings before reading. Happy reading!"

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and SH Clasen for sending me a copy of this book for a review.

I find it incredibly hard to finish a book I have not particularly enjoyed, and sad to say this is no exception.

A vampire book is a vampire book in my opinion. They’re immortal and need to drink blood to survive we’ve all read this before, and seen it in movies, tv shows etc right? How To Face Eternity stood out to me because the main character Leanne, is described to be a girlfriend of an “infamous crime boss” which sounds intriguing like what does it mean for the story?

Turns out, not a lot.

I’m not sure if it was meant to reflect that Leanne had ‘street smarts’ or she was incredibly tough skinned and could hold her own, but that didn’t come across to me. At no point did I feel she showed those qualities. She in fact became quite clingy to Riftan from the moment he turned her and they were together for like 90% of the book.

A slowburn romance is fine, but this one is sloooooooow. I could do it if the male love interest was a better character but I just did not like Riftan at all. Sorry to be vague but I could see what was coming a long way off and and was glad when it finally happened because it also served the purpose of moving the story along.

The pacing was off in this book, apart from the start when Leanne turned into a vampire nothing happened until the last 20% really. Also personally I feel it could lean into the dark romance/ fantasy angle a bit more.

For the star rating I do unfortunately give this one a 1 out of 5.

First, thank you to NetGalley and S.H. Clasen for the arc of this read. I really appreciate it being trusted to review this book :) Now, I was HOOKED from the opening sentence till the very end. I could not put this book down and I definitely need the second book!! This had me laughing, gasping, tearful, and just feeling so much while reading.

This book follows Leanne, a mortal who is involved with a crime boss. She falls into some trouble and is saved by a very mysterious and handsome man. Unknown to Leanne, her mystery man is a vampire!! He ends up biting her and turning her into a vampire. That’s where their story begins.

When I tell you I was not expecting the emotional depth that they went through together and the trials Leanne had to face… I was not prepared!! Also, I don’t think I could ever prepare for the cliffhanger this ended on, my goodness! I cannot wait for the next book to be released, I will for sure be reading it. I really enjoyed this read and highly recommend picking it up!!

Tropes:
Mentor/Mentee
Vampires
Blood sharing
Mafia/Crime Family

Firstly, thank you for allowing me to read this ARC.
This was a cozy read.
I LOVE vampires so it was great to have a book that shows them in a different light.
I did find this book a bit to slow for me, i do prefer a bit more faster pace. Im not used to reading a cozy, domesticated book.
I did feel that Riftan lacked a persobality, i honestly didnt like anything about him. A bit more character build up would have been nice, he just seemed like a manipulative, narcissist dick.
I did enjoy the last quarter of the book the most. I enjoyed the action and bad ass side of Leanne. It was the ending i was hoping was going to happen so thank you for that.
I will be reading the next one to find out what happens. Thank you again.

I received this book as an ARC but the review is entirely my own. This book is an interesting take on the dynamic of vampire relationships. It takes a light approach to a particularly violent subject and makes the FMC endearing. I look forward to seeing how the story continues next year.

I don't even know where to start with this one, besides just saying wow! This book totally caught me by surprise. First of all, it's beautiful! The cover and sprayed edges are so pretty and perfectly match the vibe of the story. The book is oh so eerie but the story is enthralling.

“I softened around him in a way I was afraid I couldn’t reharden again.”

“How to Face Eternity,” by SH Clasen

This book was very unique and interesting. It was more of a slice of life with a vampire and her sire. It was a lot of character building and interaction of him teaching her how to be a vampire while dealing with their attraction and trauma at the same time. It was really cool to read, and I didn’t get bored at all which I thought was surprising because of how mundane most of the book was. 5 out of 5 stars, so good.

-Vampires
-Gangs
-Forced Proximity
-Bisexual

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

I appreciate the opportunity to be able to receive this ARC.

I really enjoyed the prospect of reading such an interesting prospect - a mafia romance meets vampires. It had a really strong start. While some of the description in the start of the book felt a little over the top, that did settle as the book went on. It just felt like a heavy read in the beginning. The dialogue, also, felt quite stunted and unnatural throughout. People don't speak the way they do in this book. It sometimes made reading interactions between characters a little difficult to get through. The dialogue issue didn't improve through the book, but I could read it easily enough. It was by no means the worst case of unnatural dialogue I've ever read in a book.

What really let the book down for me was the romance. This book was clearly advertised as a romance, and despite the book having a trigger warning page (another quite severe issue I had with this book) there was nothing to warn us of what the 'romance' was. And that is a case study in narcissistic abuse. Riftan had Leanne so twisted up mentally that I felt uncomfortable reading it, and yet she begged for more of that abuse. Every interaction the two had made me want to put down the book and walk away. He was manipulative, abusive and disgusting.

Nothing about their 'relationship' was a romance to me. The author didn't even have the decency to label this as a dark romance. The trigger warning page should have had the abuse listed. I don't even understand why there was a trigger warning page included as it certainly wasn't utilised. The only things even listed on the trigger warning page was love romance and a HEA, none of which showed up in this book, and I think the true contents of the book deserve trigger warnings. The mental abuse is this book is not subtle.

Leanne was a great character, with an interesting and pretty engaging personality. I liked reading about her. She didn't become annoying or frustrating later in the book, which was nice. Riftan, however, was not a character I enjoyed. There was nothing about the descriptions of him that attracted him to the reader, really. I felt no connection to his character, and the more I read of him, the more I hated. Riftan is flat-out abusive. Almost everything he did was a manipulation of Leanne. He made her entirely dependent on him. He cut her off from everyone around her, and only let her interact with people he approved of. He drew lines in the sand around Leanne's 'behaviour' but never once had an open discussion about what was okay for her to do, then punished her for crossing those lines. He said one thing and did another, and the moment Leanne did anything even remotely similar to the behaviour he displayed, he broke her down. He kept her constantly worried that he would make her leave yet he outright admitted that he was withholding vitally important information about her new life just to keep her close to him. He gaslit her, he belittled her, he manipulated her. And, whats worse, the abuse was never truly acknowledged or worked through. It was just brushed under the rug and ignored.

My favourite part of the book was when it didn't focus on the two of them. Reading about Leanne away from Riftan was almost a treat. I enjoyed that part of the plot. It was very nearly what I was expecting from the premise of this book.

Sadly, this book just felt unfinished. It felt like a first draft that was missing vital scenes that would make us connect to the characters. It felt like it was missing too much. Any development between characters relationships with each other was left in timeskips. The audience falls in love with characters through watching them interact and develop together, and without seeing that, I feel like I missed out on the romance part of this romance novel. It was really disappointing.

There was a particular scene that felt like it was targeting the readers of this book that left a bad taste in my mouth. There was pretty much an entire page that just insulted people that read, and in particular people that read Twilight. It felt unnecessary, especially since the demographic for this book is people that like reading vampire fiction, and probably did read Twilight when they were middle school aged. It really made me feel uncomfortable, Why make jibes at the readers of your book? It alienates them, and the last thing you wanna do is alienate your reader base and make them feel uncomfortable, right?

Overall I was just disappointed with this book. The premise had so much potential, but the writing missed the mark in so many ways. It felt like it was wrongly advertised, with no thought put into the trigger warning system. The plot felt unpolished and unfinished. The last quarter of the book caught my interest, but not enough to redeem everything else I read. If the book read more like that last quarter, I may have enjoyed it more. This one really wasn't for me. I was highly disappointed.

Surprisingly cozy for about 90% of the book, considering it's about vampires and the mafia. It's not very action-y, and most of the book is spent in a very domestic, cuddly, will they-won't they romantic "situationship" between the vampire maker Riftan, and his fledgling, Leanne. Not a whole lot happens beyond getting to know the two of them as they are in a domestic lifestyle. Riftan's whole backstory is maybe 5 pages, and he refuses outright to talk about who he was before he was a vampire. I think fans of Ali Hazelwood's Bride will enjoy this; it has a similar low stakes, high domestic vibe to it in a very modern setting.

This one could hit right for the right audience, so here's who I think this book is for:

- someone in search of a cozy, relatively safe, low stakes read
- someone who wants just a little spice, not full on erotica
- someone who likes their vampires to feel like people, not monsters
- someone who's cool with a book with not a lot of plot, but a lot of character moments, specifically between the romantic leads

Who this book is NOT for:

- someone who wants high stakes, violent action
- someone in the mood for spicy spice erotica
- someone who wants their vampires to be sadistic animals, or just mindless monsters a la The Strain
- someone in need of lots of fast paced plot points, or someone who's expecting this to be a crime Noir type book

I liked it enough I'll pick up the sequel when it hits next spring!

Title: How to Face Eternity by SH Clasen

Release Date: June, 27th, 2024

3.5 Stars

"My life began where some might say it ended: the night I died." With an opening line like that, you know you're in for an intriguing ride with S.H. Clasen's "How to Face Eternity."

Leanne, the "trophy girlfriend" of an infamous crime boss, always suspected that death would come for her.

But when she is rescued from a rival mafiosos Cadillac by a tall, dark, and handsome predator, she discovers that the city of Creswell harbors fears far beyond mortal crime. Enter the world of creatures of the night, beautiful, fast, and hungry for blood.

What I Enjoyed:


* Unique Take on Immortality: The novel offers a fresh perspective on the vampire genre, blending crime, romance, and the supernatural in a way that feels both original and engaging.

* Compelling Characters: Leanne and Riftan are an interesting duo. Their relationship, full of tension and unspoken feelings, drives the story forward. Riftan’s role as both mentor and potential love interest adds a layer of complexity to their dynamic.

* Atmospheric Setting: Clasen paints a vivid picture of Creswell, a city teeming with danger and allure. The setting enhances the dark, mysterious vibe of the story, making it easy to get lost in its shadowy streets and hidden corners.

* Emotional Depth: The book explores themes of transformation, love, and the struggle for acceptance. Leanne’s journey from mortal to immortal is fraught with challenges, both external and internal, that add depth to her character.

While the story is intriguing, it does feel slow-paced at times. There are moments where the plot drags. However, the character development and atmospheric setting helped me to push through.

"How to Face Eternity" is a good read that brings a different twist to the vampire genre. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a mix of romance, crime, and the supernatural.

The relationship between Leanne and Riftan is compelling, and the city of Creswell provides a darkly enchanting backdrop for their story.

If you're looking for a vampire novel that dives deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of immortality, then this book is worth checking out. Just be prepared for a slower pace as you navigate the mysterious trials of eternity alongside Leanne and her enigmatic mentor, Riftan.

Despite the pacing issues, I enjoyed this read and am curious to see where part two, "In the Face of Eternity," will take these characters next. It's a haunting, atmospheric tale that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.

Thank you to The Publisher Best Day Ever Publishing ,The Author SH Clasen & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

How to Face Eternity (Part 1) by SH Clasen
Rating:2.5/5
Release Date: 25 June 2025

"How to Face Eternity" is the first novel in a series that follows Leanne, a newly turned vampire, as she navigates the enigmatic challenges of immortality with the guidance of her immortal mentor, Riftan.

I was completely captivated by the cover of this novel, but I ended up disappointed. The story wasn't for me—the characters felt completely unrelatable, and the plot moved at a snail's pace which left me bored.

I honestly had to struggle not to DNF (did not finish) the book.

Unfortunately, it won't be one of my recommendations this year.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Best Day Ever Publishing, and the author, SH Clasen, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I love discovering new authors especially when it comes to paranormal romance stories because that is one of my first go to types of story. Unfortunately, this story was not the one for me. The thing that destroyed this story for me was not only the pace of the story, but I did not feel any real connection between Leanne and Riftan. There was also nothing about them that made me "stand up" and take notice of their characters. There were a few parts in this story that made me smile but other than that, there was really nothing to make me truly like this story. This book truly gave us Leanne's transition journey and it was a slow one. Riftan is a vampire, who thought he was giving Leanne what she wanted but she changed her mind. They "journey" together as he helps her deal with her changes, but he also has his own issues. I wish I had loved this story more. I was hoping to love this story more, and I expected a lot more from it, but it turned out that this story just wasn't the one for me.