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. 🫶🏼🐖🫶🏼

This book is basically if Twilight and Dracula had a baby, and that baby grew up to be an angsty queer emo kid that just wanted attention.

Love Immortal is a fun, queer pseudo-Dracula retelling with plenty of gothic and spooky vibes. The story is set primarily in the 80’s, with a few older flashbacks, following college student Jonathan who has escaped from his small town after a tragedy. At college he meets new professor Dacian Bathory, who is appropriately mysterious and cold but with whom Jonathan feels an immediate connection. It has hot for teacher, but make him an immortal vampire trying to stop kids performing a demonic ritual! It has queer trauma and loneliness, but make it physically manifest as a spectre!

I mostly enjoyed this and found it a very quick read, though there is an awful lot of exposition and info dumping that I think could have been cut for brevity. I wavered between 3 or 4 stars for this.

Wonderful vampire MM romance. Fun twist of a familiar format. Loved Kit Vincent’s previous books but this is now my favourite.

Dark academia and vampires go hand in hand, and I adore this book. The cover was beautiful, and I couldn't resist. It was fun. I enjoyed reading it; there were some chilling scenes, and the dream scenes were haunting. The setting was well-used, and the isolation of the college campus was palpable.

The main characters were well fleshed out and I'm a big fan of a slow burn. I didn't think much of Fiona at first (having the girl bf betray the MC or not be a good friend, but he has no other options is a common trope; I am thankful this was not the case in this book). I enjoyed how she had her moment to shine in the final showdown. Jonathon was a good viewpoint with a relatively good head on his shoulders. The villains of the book were a bit stereotypical and nothing special, but that is more of a B-plot to the book, so I didn't mind too much.

I'll definitely want to try more from this author having this.

If you like vampires and slow build up of the story, then Love Immortal might be something for you. Sometimes the inner monologue of Jonathan felt a bit too much, but nevertheless the mystery got me to read it until the end. One of the interesting parts was the trauma that Jonathan lived through and how he managed to overcome it with the help of Dacian.

An angsty romp that gave me all the mysterious allure of Bella and Edward minus the cringe but with all the yearning, this was an ode to Gothic literature, part inspired by Dracula with major nods to the teen vampire thriller/horror vibes of Lost Boys!

Set in a small mountain town in Vermont in the 80s, Jonathan is starting a new life in Camden university, pursing a love of book preservation and academia after a tragic and defining event involving his ex-boyfriend in his hometown. There, he meets Dacian Bathory, the sudden and mysterious replacement for Jonathan’s Gothic literature professor.

What follows is a windy, angst-filled foray into vampire lore, the myth of Dracula, and an undeniable connection between Jonathan and Dacian. There’s a missing book from the town’s rare book collection, and it might just be the very last book you want power-hungry rich white kids to get their hands on for the danger and chaos they start to wreak on the university.

I won’t lie, I went into this one wanting (and hoping for) an enjoyable supernatural queer romance and I got exactly what I wanted from this book.

I thought that Jonathan was funny and a bit lost, massively overwhelmed as he gets dumped into a world of legend, shadow wolves and legendary vampires, but resourceful in a way if not also hopelessly beguiled by Dacian. Who can blame him, haven’t we all be swept away by love? While his character is definitely ruled by his emotions, there’s a depth of feeling in Vincent’s portrayal of grief, of mourning a first defining love, that makes Jonathan much more than simply a silly human won over by a vampire.

Dacian ticked every box that a brooding supernatural being should, and I didn’t mind that fact at all. Did the descriptions of his eyes being like endless wells Jonathan could get lost in tickle my cliche loving heart? You bet your ass they did. I loved that this book didn’t shy away from the classical depictions of vampires, of the lore around their powers; it really made me feel like I was reading a classic 80s teen thriller.

SURE the slow burn was very slow for a stand-alone, and the MMCs could have interacted more in the first 30-40%. Sure, Dacian started off aloof and condescending then warmed his little glacial heart very quickly - but I liked that. I liked that this was a supernatural romance that just fed into those occasionally cliche aspects and it made it BETTER for it. The tension between these two characters was enjoyable and rewarding, and I certainly won’t conflate a nod to classic tropes with a bad thing.

Vincent manages to weave a complex undertone of social commentary in between the woozy feelings that Jonathan gets when Dacian looks his way, which just made this kick all the harder. Who doesn’t love a criticism of generational wealth and the too-common erasure of history when it’s not from the eyes of the oppressors mixed in with a dose of teen longing?

I found the lore that built up Dacian was a nice addition, giving a depth to their encounters - and a little parallel to the classic horror story - which was satisfying as a lover (and previous academic) of gothic lit. Did the aftermath of the ending, an event which would have devastated the town, wrap up too quickly for my liking? Perhaps. But I found that overall I can overlook any pacing issues and on-page consequences for the fact that this took me away for a bit, into the 80s, into a tale of blood and vampires and secret identities hidden in handsome lit professors.

Kit Vincent is definitely an author I will be returning to 🫡🫡

This story is based on the 80's ( between 1985 and 1987) and it's about a college student called Jonathan that wanted to have a scholarship in Camden, Vermont to be able to have his dream work in a book conservation and historic document archivism but this opportunity was taken away. Jonathan started taking Gothic Literature class where a mysterious guy starts as his professor: Dacian Bathory. Since Jonathan met Dacian he was mesmerized by his intelligence, elegance, mystery and beauty. He felt a secret desire for the forbidden, he felt attracted to the unknown. Jonathan eventually had to search for a very important old book that was stolen from the library. Jonathan discovers Dacian's secret.

This story talks about past tragedies and traumas that Jonathan and Dacian have been through in their lives and centuries. I love how there are a lot of beautiful quotes and references from other classic books including the story of Dracula. I loved the fact that Kit brought to the story different topics
like loneliness, the pain of losing someone we love and care deeply. Jonathan, Clay and Dacian had to go through so much pain and secrets.

I loved Jonathan and Dacian, specially Dacian with that mix of kindness and coldness in his personality. This is a book that will keep you so intrigued and entertained that you won't be able to stop reading it until you finish it.

I enjoyed this book so much! this beautiful book releases tomorrow October 22, 2024 and you definitely need to read it, you need to add it to your TBR! I recommend this book to anyone that loves dark academia, fantasy, romance, gothic literature and of course mysterious queer/gay vampires!

I would like to thank NetGalley, publishers and Kit for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing story and for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review, thank you for this amazing ARC!