Vampires, romantic fantasy, dark academia? Check, check, and check! Super enjoyable!

Jonathan Evergreen: lover of books, aspiring book conservationist, and a shut-out of his legacy peers and his family who condemned his closeted past relationship. Determined to make it into the exclusive world of book conservation and survive his sophomore year, he throws himself into his studies...only for his advisor and Gothic Lic lecturer to be suddenly retired and replaced with someone new and mysterious.

While Jonathan gets instant flutters looking at Dacian, he is wary of his feelings (and the ethicality of it all), with his suspicions around the sudden change in teachers messing with his naive crush. FORTUNATELY, the love isn't really insta-love and time is given to allow the characters to SLOWLY learn of each other, form something amicable, having whatever ties they have with each other shaken up by a good ole twist, before sinking into amorous and romantic depths.

Now, I was aware this story has vampires in it. I didn't expect it to go the direction it did, in terms of who the story (cough Dacian) was an homage to. I enjoyed the additions the author made to turn the inspiration into something of their own. It lowkey has The Vampire Diaries-type vibes with its vampiric worldbuilding and is somewhere between The Originals and Twilight of the Gods level of gore.

The academia stuff is mainly in the first half, with the supernatural romance in the second, so I wouldn't suggest anyone come to this story solely for its dark academia-ness. However, it's good that it touches on inequality on the basis of sexuality, class, race, and opportunity all throughout it as it pertains to Jonathan and his bestie Fiona. The vampires, of course, add that touch of the occult to make it a little more thrilling.

At its heart, it questions what a monster is, who makes those judgements, and the facets of emotional truths.

Shoutout to Zelda CW for the cover; if it wasn't for me recognising her style, I may not have read this at all.

Thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimately, I have very conflicting feelings about this one. The author sometimes calls the book a romance but it's not listed that way on NetGalley or Amazon so I wasn't sure quite what to expect and that really impacted my reading experience. The end was unsatisfying for what was billed as a romance. Even ignoring that, I thought the pacing was all over the place and Jonathan's best friend is the worst friend for most of it and I'm not sure it's intended that the reader should think she sucks - don't let people treat you like that Jonathan!

The gothic parts are super well done, so atmospheric and engaging. Then the mundane parts are stilted and much too drawn out and slow. Give me more of the gothic vibes! I think if you've enjoyed Vincent's work in the past and are looking for some social commentary, love of books, classic vampire tropes, some *very* dark plot points, and are willing to overlook some pacing and plot issues then check this one out! 3.25 stars

Love Immortal by Kit Vincent is a new queer paranormal romance about a young man and the centuries-old vampire that he becomes enthralled by. It's juicy and almost impossible to put down. It also has lots of fun gothic references and great Dark Academia vibes.

The book is mostly set in 1987 and focuses on Jonathan Evergreen. He's in his Sophomore year at Camden University and is dealing with some past trauma (a forced outing while in high school) and blatant class-based favoritism in his school.

He soon meets Dacian Bathory, the new professor of his Gothic Literature class. Mr. Bathory seems to have hot-and-cold feelings toward Jonathan until they bond over Jonathan's love of old books and his desire to pursue a career in book conservation.

The story is a slow-burn romance between Dacian and Jonathan but it also has a mystery that plays a central role in the plot. I thought the resolution of the mystery was a little obvious but I still enjoyed reading how the characters figured it out. Plus, the book still had a few surprises I didn't see coming. The story always felt propulsive with many chapters ending with cliffhangers or a daunting bit of foreshadowing that made me always want to keep reading.

One of my favorite elements of the story is the class and political issues that are addressed. I also really enjoyed all the gothic references. There are several quotes and mentions of some of my favorite gothic classics. Some even play a role in the plot.

The author of Love Immortal clearly loves books and that shines through in so many ways in this book. If you also love gothic novels, Dark Academia, or are interested in a vampire romantasy, I recommend trying this. I found it to be a quick and fun read!

This is not a perfect book… but it was a perfect book for me.

Love Immortal is an 80s era, dark academia story, set in a sleepy college town in Vermont.

There, sophomore Jonathan lives a lonely, unassuming life, putting his whole heart into his love of books and his hopes to one day study book conservation at Oxford university.

But, with the new school year comes BIG life changes for Jonathan’s quiet existence.

Something sinister begins to unfold on campus, after a hiker goes missing and, soon after, a member of the kitchen staff shows up dead in what seems to be a ritualistic blood draining.

This rightfully sets Jonathan ill-at-ease, especially because these events align with the arrival of his new gothic-lit professor, Dacian Bathory, who is otherworldly beautiful, poised, and intelligent, at once unnerving and captivating Jonathan to dangerously intense degrees.

Soon, he finds himself at the centre of an inexplicable murder-mystery, drawing irrepressibly closer to Dacian, who awakens his long-dormant heart, all while opening Jonathan’s once-small-world to hauntingly frightening revelations, made up of the kind myths and monsters he’s only ever believed to be fiction.

As a romance, this was the most entrancing slow-burn love story I’ve read all year. Absolutely nothing was rushed here and I loved it. I relished in the perfect pacing and thoughtful relationship progression, and the all-consuming intensity of Jonathan and Dacian’s growing feelings and soul-deep connection.

To be clear, this is a book about VAMPIRES. Particularly, one dark, powerful, deadly, spellbinding vampire, whose folklore and legend were so ingeniously reimagined here—in ways that will likely forever change the way I think of vampires and other vampire fiction in general.

The story had a gothic vibe that I really enjoyed, considering it was set at a college campus in Vermont. The writing was beautifully lyrical and atmospherically haunting; the themes often quite macabre in nature, especially during the more exciting, action-filled scenes of the third act, which fit perfectly in tone with the tale being told.

I simply loved this entire reading experience, connecting easily with the writing and the characters, savouring the imaginative take on vampire lore, and absolutely adoring the powerful love story told between Jonathan and Dacian.

Love Immortal is an instant-favourite of mine—one I look forward to reading again and again.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! <3


***A special thanks to Netgalley and Kit Vincent for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

➸ 4 stars

“I prefer the company of books. It's a perfect relationship, really. A book will always open and let you in. You can close it anytime you wish. There's no need for awkward social interactions, and the words inside won't judge you or ask more of you than you can give.”

𓍢⊹ ࣪ thank you to netgalley for the arc!

i had a really fun time reading this! the main characters pov and the writing was very easy to follow which made me feel like i sped through the book! this book progressed very slowly and overall a slower book which i didn’t mind because of how easy it was to read!

I loved the aspect of books in this and the main characters love for books made him really likeable, I really liked jonathan’s character!

mystery/plot wise, it was quite predictable but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment!

“Despite my current aversion to people, something in my chest unclenches, endlessly pleased about the prospect of sharing space with him, of being in his company.”

the only critique i have is that i wish there were more interactions with the two main characters, i felt like it would’ve enhanced their relationship and how readers view that relationship!

“During those moments we shared in the library and by the pond, I felt like he was looking right into me—like he could see inside my heart better than anyone I’ve ever met.”

despite the main characters not interacting as much, i did really like them together! now honestly, it kinda felt a bit insta-lovey but i didn’t hate it! they liked each other from the very beginning but got together at the 70% mark so it wasn’t bad!

“…there’s a book in his hand—a fantasy, by the looks of it. This unbelievably attractive man is spending his Saturday night cooped up alone in the house with a book.”

i found dacian’s character quite intriguing at the beginning, he came off as very mysterious and i wanted to know more! however, i felt like there was so much back and forth with him and i could not figure him out at all through most of this! when questions were finally answers i kinda was just like “oh, okay!” and moved on so i don’t know what else to say about him!

“Your heart called out to me, all ten thousand broken shards of it. How could I not answer when suddenly, in a room full of people, I could only hear you?”

i really wish the book would explore more on the “connection” jonathan and dacian had! it was said many times they were connected, but i wish it was explored further! how and why are they connected? why is it rare? etc etc things like that

“Can I ask you something?”
“Yes. Anything,” I reply, and I mean it. He could wish for anything in the world, And I would burn my soul to ash to grant it.

“I want you. All of you. The way you are now and how you used to be. Good and terrible. You know that, right?”

as i mentioned before, i did really love them together!!! i’m honestly sure that if this book had been a little longer and even a bit dragged out, i would’ve loved it!

“In this world of shadows, Dacian is my anchor. If he disappears, I will become unmoored. Lost in the darkness without the light of his eyes to guide me, I may never find myself again.”

another thing i wish was developed further was the ending. it felt so rushed!! i really liked how dacian got jonathan into oxford but i just wish we saw MORE of them together after what happened previously! even an epilogue where we see them together would’ve been nice! it honestly feels like i haven’t completed the book even though there’s no more pages to turn to!

overall, i enjoyed this reading experience, i liked the story, and i’d say i’d definitely reread this in the future!

I wish I could give this a higher rating. The core story concept is super intriguing, and it helps that I could really feel the author’s personal love of gothic literature come through at certain points. Placing it in the late 80’s was another nice touch, especially for queer dark academia.

But something about the overall prose just didn’t do it for me. The pining and intimacy between the leads was written very well, but that just made the other scenes feel even more under-seasoned by comparison. There was a lot of telling and little showing, and it created this feeling of inconsistency between the story beats and those specific well-written portions between the leads to the point of being distracting.

Dacian was an intriguing character, and it’s a shame that he was the only memorable one out of the entire cast. Everyone else, including the protagonist (Jonathan), was relatively stock. There just wasn’t that much going on with them that made them stick beyond their roles. In Jonathan’s case, it really didn’t help that he had a tendency to solve problems and put the pieces of a mystery together well after the reader would likely have been able to.

It was still a pretty good read overall, and I loved some of the twists near the end, but the weak points are a bit hard for me to look over.

This was a fun read. Eighties era, dark academia vampire romance with a good helping side of horror.

I liked the characters - Jonathan was sweet, Fiona was fierce and Dacian was appropriately dark and brooding. I wish we had more time to focus on all of their relationships to be honest. I don't mind when a plot is predictable but when it is, I like to get more out of the characters and their interactions and personal development. I feel like it was all there but it could have gone further. The romantic tension was there at times, but it could have been even more brimming with anticipation. Besides the initial attraction, there wasn't much effort to explain Jonathan and Dacians bond with each other. Just vampire insta-love, just because.

I did like the vampire elements - truly gory vampires, messy and violent with actual powers. The mist and the wolves were cool Dracula throw backs. <spoiler> but Dacian ACTUALLY being Dracula? Didn't ring true enough to me </spoiler>

The horror elements were fine, but could have led me astray a little more. The threat never felt too real for Jonathan for me to be worried.

All in all I enjoyed i the story and the writing and I would read more from Kit Vincent again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

“Love Immortal" is probably my favorite vampire book ever. It’s not a romcom; it really nails that classic Gothic, dark vampire vibe. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the lore they introduced—like the mist and the ability to enter people’s dreams—traits you don’t often see in vampire stories like *Twilight*.

The romance was great, though I do wish there had been a bit more to it. The buildup in the first half was so well done, especially the moment of realizing the character was a vampire. The ending really fit the vibe of the older classics, and the mystery throughout kept me hooked.

And let’s be real: Dacian is definitely one of the hottest vampire characters out there. If you’re looking for a captivating read this Halloween, you’ve got to check this one out!

Such a good story. Love Immortal is one of a kind book! I rated it 5 stars because it's really good. I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publish for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SMALL SPOILERS AHEAD

I went into this book having never read anything from Kit Vincent before, but I really liked the sound of this one.

As I started reading I was intrigued by the premise and where I thought the story was going; the shame that Jonathan felt about being gay, the societal pressures to fit in and the small town homophobia. It felt powerful and evocative.

Then we met Dacian and I was curious about his character, his aloof and mysteriousness, the strange connection towards Jonathan.
I liked both main characters, although I do think that Jonathan should have maybe taken some more time to process that the person he loves is a vampire and has been visiting him in his dreams. It felt like his acceptance of this fantastical truth and shattering of his views of myth and real was skated over...

The book lost some steam for me in the middle. I found myself skim reading, getting to the dialogue and waiting for things to move along.
There also felt like too much insistence on gothic works of fiction, or gothic insinuations, rather than the writing or atmosphere feeling particularly gothic. But maybe that was just me.

The last quarter got things going again, I felt more drawn to the pages to keep reading, but also frustrated with Jonathan's stupid decisions.

I have to add, that I think it really unrealistic that the college would just stay open as normal and Jonathan (and everyone else) returning to their studies like 60 students didn't just get massacred. The college definitely would have shut down, at least temporarily. Not to mention the trauma responses Jonathan would have had...
I couldn't turn my mind off of this and it my brain ruined that part of the story for me.

Loved! This was such a fun book to read around halloween season. I loved the characters and found them to be so compelling to read about in this and the romance chemistry was there and I loved it. I loved the gothic elements paired with the tone of the book and overall feel. It was a great read for the season

I adore a torturous slow burn. It’s the perfect gothic/dark academia romance and adding in the professor x student trope and just TAKE MY MONEY NOW

This was phenomenal.

🧛🏻‍♀️ Am I glad I read it? Well, I'm not NOT glad I read it, but, after absolutely loving Vincent's last book Us, Et Cetera, LOVE IMMORTAL did not live up to my expectations. (This is the problem with expectations, no?)

Perhaps my favorite thing about the book is how strongly its steeped in its predecessors in the gothic and vampire literary traditions. Fans of Dracula, in particular, will appreciate how Vincent grounded this book in Stoker's classic, both in terms of the obvious (which I will leave out to avoid spoilers) and the less obvious (e.g., the dreams, the wolves), while also creating some of their own vampire mythology. It's a darn shame that the central thrust of the book, and arguably the best way to market it, is such a major spoiler because I so enjoyed that reveal. I also had a really fantastic time with the climax; it was compelling, bloody, gruesome, and, importantly, not a walk in the park for our protagonists.

My two major issues are: First, I don't understand why this book was set in the late '80s. Besides a few throwaway comments here and there about Chucks (the shoes), scrunchies, and band tees, the historical setting felt like wallpaper at best. It could have been set a decade in either direction with minimal, if any, impact on the story. Second, parts of this book felt...hammy is the best word I can think of. A bit hand hold-y, too, particularly in regard to the "commentary" on classism in academia with the stereotypical group of "legacies." Certainly not the most nuanced discussion I've ever read.

Overall, this was cute, and I see plenty of appeal for New Adult readers.

🧛🏻‍♀️ Rating: 🤷🏼‍♀️ (it was fine; 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 where applicable)

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the advance copy! All opinions contained herein are my own.

Love Immortal by Kit Vincent is a love letter to gothic literature, reading and vampires. Jonathan Evergreen’s first true love ended tragically. He’s now in college and estranged from his parents. His favorite professor retired and for some reason the substitute teacher instantly dislikes him. He has to find a way to make it work because he needs a work recommendation from Dacian Bathory and the deadline is looming. Jonathan starts to feel an intense longing, lust and desire for Dacian that starts with strange dreams. Dacian helps him get his dream job at the college’s rare books library where Jonathan discovers a rare book was stolen. There’s mystery, a love story and supernatural rituals. Read this if you like gothic literature, queer love and vampires. The ending seems open for a sequel. Also the cover is beautiful. ARC was provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op via NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A modern day take inspired by Dracula but filled with dark academia and a queer love story? Here we go! Jonathan Evergreen is a student at a prestigious isolated college in Vermont and dreams about becoming a book conservationalist. Jonathan is still recovering from a relationship gone tragically wrong and when the new semester starts and a attractive but mysterious literature professor named Dacian arrives... Jonathan cannot deny the attraction he is feeling. Dacian also takes an interest in Jonathan but its constantly switching from hot to cold... but when he unexpectedly helps Jonathan secure a job at the college's Rare Books Library things take a turn. Dacian is looking for a rare book... the same book that has gone missing in the library. Things only get stranger around campus as students begin to go missing and a sign of legacy students begin to act very strange.... and did I mention that there was a dead body found completely drained of blood... oh and the fact that Jonathan has begun to have extremely strange dreams that feel too close to reality. Jonathan knows these events might be connected to Dacian.. but how or why he does not know and it only complicates his growing attraction to the mysterious professor. This is going to be one heck of a school year. This was definitely a very interesting dark academia story with inspiration from Dracula and a touch of queer romance. It had quite a bit going on but felt slow too. It's not a bad book but it just feels like it was missing something to make it absolutely stand out. I love dark academia stories and I adore Dracula stories... so this should have been a home run for me but it just felt okay at best. Dacian and Jonathan just were lacking a spark or chemistry that would make them stand out and its definitely a slow slow slow burn so know that if you are going into it.

Release Date: October 22,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Screaming from the rooftops this was everything I wanted and more. A great gothic LGBT+ romance fuelled with mystery, tension, a slow burn and professor x student (college).

The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because I would have liked a bit more interaction/relationship development between our MMCs. It was a very very easy book to read (I binged it in a day) and I found the pacing to be done well.

This was gay twilight I’m in love

I truly enjoyed this dark academia style vampire slow burn romance! On a personal note I attended a college in Vermont, so I enjoyed reading about this Bennington lookalike school. I enjoyed watching Jonathan and Dacian come together, but I do think plot wise the book dragged a bit. Still, a great time, especially for October!

I picked up Love Immortal based on the simple fun premise of a college student falling for his vampire literature professor but I was pleasantly surprised by what more this story had to offer. The main character Jonathan's inner monologue was so melodramatic at times but I do think this reflected the fact that he was an avid reader and added some comic relief to the story. The fact that the vampire love interest Dacian taught a Gothic Lit class was also a nice touch and allowed for several references to Frankenstein, The Raven, and Dracula (which specifically ended up playing an interesting part in the story). As for the romance I was not immediately convinced of the connection between Jonathan and Dacian since for most of the book Jonathan is desperately pining for Dacian and it seemed nearly completely one sided to me. They seemed to suddenly get together at one point without much build up. By the end however I was a little more on board and thought a certain letter that Dacian writes to Jonathan was very sweet. I might be interested to read a sequel about them since I do think their dynamic would be strengthened with more time spent together. The beginning of the book is slower paced than the second half, but the ending took an exciting and surprisingly bloody turn which I appreciate in a vampire novel. While I thought this book was an fun read overall, it did contain a few heavier topics like bullying, homophobia, suicide, etc but the author provides trigger warnings at the beginning of the book and I felt that these topics were handled with care. I also thought the overarching theme of the importance of preserving books written by those lesser represented in history added depth to the story and elevated it a bit above your average pulpy vampire/human romance. This is the first book I've read from Kit but it left me interested now to read more.

Perfection.
This story was gorgeous and meaningful. I’m honestly in awe of Kit’s storytelling, from the philosophical ideas explored, to the depth of Jonathan and Dacian’s thoughts and emotions. I cried, I gasped, I swooned, I metaphorically bit my nails; I was *invested.* It felt riveting and fast paced, but not rushed—the build and tension flowed well throughout. Once more Kit has created something significant and beautiful with their intriguing and evocative writing. I just loved it and fear I cannot do it justice with my paltry words! 😂 I will recommend Love Immortal to vampire aficionados as well as readers who haven’t found themselves interested in the genre before, because it is both fresh and richly crafted.

✨eARC Book Review✨
LOVE IMMORTAL by Kit Vincent

🦇Just in time for spooky season, LOVE IMMORTAL debuts today!! This book comes out of the clever and imaginative mind of @kitvincentbooks . Kit has written two unique books already - US, ET CETERA and OF FEATHERS AND THORNS - and this third is similarly intriguing. 🤔

Kit’s newest book is a fresh, contemporary take on dark academia and the vampire romance trope. And it’s also a gorgeous murder mystery and love story set in New England. ♥️

Please see slide two for the author’s synopsis of the tale of Jonathan Evergreen (an aspiring archivist) and Dacian Bathory (a gothic lit professor). 🖤

Now I love books set in higher education, but I’m not a vampire book fan, necessarily, and I’m not really a horror fan, either. And yet this one hit the marks for me. 🧛🏼‍♂️

Why? Kit’s writing is compelling: the story drives forward well, the relationships - with both enemies and friends - are drawn clear and true, and it’s not overly campy like some vampire stories can be. It feels historical and rather academic, which also drew me in. 🏫

In this book you’ll find fascinating exposition, a slow student/prof burn that is care-filled and safe, a vampire diary (yes, I said it), lots of old books, an epic/climactic (and deadly) battle between good and evil (you might be surprised at the warriors), some spicy times, and a surprising ending that will leave you swooning. 💌

Jonathan and Dacien’s story together (and their individual stories) is/are littered with loss and lore and longing and literature and letters and love. But, despite the angst, it’s a wild ride and a satisfying tale in the end. 💞

I leave you with two of my favorite quotes.

“If a poem hasn’t ripped apart your soul, you haven’t experienced poetry.” - Edgar Allan Poe (c/o Prof. Dacian Bathory) 📖

“After all, becoming your true self is not a gate one simply opens. Instead, it is a long road to travel, mostly uphill and in bad weather.” - The Immortal D 🛣️

Thanks to @victoryeditingngc for the eARC. And please take note of the gorgeous cover, designed by my friend @valeriegomez_writes & drawn by @zeldacw. And the book is dedicated to Chu. 🫶🏼🐖🫶🏼