Of Blood and Smoke

Crossed by Blood #1

by Larissa Vincente

They say if you look him in the eye, you turn to stone



I couldn’t lose this job.

My dad needed better care, our neighborhood sucked, and I owed a drug dealer money after I almost burned his house down.



When my best friend forwarded me a job application, I didn’t hesitate to fill it out. After working two thankless jobs for several years, I needed my big break.

But, between a coworker from hell and my uncanny ability to consistently break the number one rule at Ipomoea, I was on the verge of being fired.



Soon, the bodies have piled up, it seems like everybody has a secret, and before I knew it—the body in danger was my own.





She didn’t know who I was. I’m one of her bosses but she has no idea.

I’m the one watching out for her, doing things for her, and keeping her safe.

I’m not supposed to want her, but I’m defying my own rules.

It thrills me to visit my Little One and take care of her, bring her pleasure.

I only hoped she would accept me when I finally revealed myself.

This is a dark vampire fantasy romance with a HEA. If a reader is new to dark romance, the MMC may come across as morally black.

Genres: Vampires, Dark Romance, Paranormal Romance, Dark, Romantasy

448 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 19, 2025

Reviews

[Shadow Reader (semi-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ .5
🌶️

Tropes
✨ Vampire/Human Romance
✨ Romantasy
✨ Dark Themes
✨ Stalking (briefly, first 30%)
✨ Touch her and 💀 (kind of 🤔)
✨ Workplace Romance
✨ MM and FM (MM is not throughout)
✨ Magical creatures (mentions of)

🥀Review 🥀

Sigh… This was not a fabulous read. I really wanted this to be a great book.

The first 10% was a struggle. I’m not a fan of the FMC, she’s just meh. Dull, boring, and I really struggled to connect with her.

Around 20-30% things seemed okay-ish. The MMC showed some promise… he did some shady things 👀creeping into Della’s room and doing some unspeakable things to her while she slept 👀

But after 30%? Nothing. It all turned very… boring.

If a book has a solid plot, I can live without spice, especially if it’s a slow burn, but this was just meh. Nothing stood out. Nothing wowed me. It felt like a rinse-and-repeat of so many other Romantasy books. Nothing original or exciting.

The 1.5 stars are because I made it to the end. That’s… something.

Would I read it again? No.
Would I recommend it? Honestly, not sure who I could recommend this to… it was such a dull read.

Redeeming qualities? The FMC cared for her dad, kind of.
The MMC? Not dark in the slightest. He wasn’t my cup of tea to be honest with you! The “touch her and die” trope fell completely flat! He was as boring as the FMC


There were some “dark themes” if you could call them that and some light gore (maybe) , but nothing stands out or is particularly vivid.

As for the spice? Flat. Nothing pulse raising at all.

Overall, not a great read unfortunately.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got to 28% and could not stay interested. I don't have the world to waste trying to force myself on a book. It just didn't vibe with me personally. This didn't feel fantasy/paranormal enough. Yeah there's a half demon/half vamp... but it's set in human world and quite frankly, id wish it wasnt? when i read fantasy, i want the fantasy world. If i wanted human world, i'd just read a regular dark romance. I was hoping for more. MMC is morally black? didn't catch that vibe, so maybe it comes later??? idk, I'm sure there will be people eatting this up, but it just didn't do it for me.

i may try later ... but i prolly won't.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Blood and Smoke by Larissa Vincente is an intoxicating blend of dark fantasy, simmering tension, and a romance that walks the razor’s edge between danger and devotion. If you love possessive, morally black heroes and heroines who stumble into situations far beyond their control, this book will keep you hooked from the first page.
The heroine is struggling—barely keeping her life together while working a job that could be her one chance at a better future. But between a nightmare coworker and her unfortunate habit of breaking the most important rule at Ipomoea, she’s skating on thin ice. What she doesn’t know is that she has already caught the eye of someone far more powerful than she could ever imagine.
And he? He’s been watching. Protecting. Wanting. The air between them crackles with danger and forbidden temptation as bodies pile up, secrets unravel, and she finds herself ensnared in a deadly game where the ultimate prize might be her very life—or her heart.
I absolutely loved how this book played with the tension of mystery, obsession, and an unseen protector lurking in the shadows. The morally black MMC is everything—commanding, ruthless, and completely gone for her, even as he fights his own rules. The chemistry is sizzling, the plot is gripping, and the gothic atmosphere adds the perfect amount of eerie allure.
If you crave dark vampire romances where passion and peril intertwine, Of Blood and Smoke delivers in every way. Prepare for secrets, seduction, and a love story that thrives in the darkness.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Utterly addictive, dangerously seductive, and deliciously dark!.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Of Blood and Smoke,” by Larissa Vincente

This book had so much in it for dark romance readers or lovers of monster smut. It had demons and angels and vampires. M/M and M/F relationships. It was an office romance with supernatural creatures and lots and lots of power dynamics. It was a good change of pace for me in between the books about Fae and war lol. 4 out of 5 stars. Make sure to look at the TW; cannibalism, nonconsent, stalking, kidnapping. Abuse, somnophilia.

-Occult
-Vampire, Demons, Angels
-M/M and M/F
-Office Romance
-Dark Fantasy

Thank you for the ARC, Booksprout.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dark Fantasy for the Uninitiated?

This book is touted as being a "dark romance", but I didn't feel that. Sure, it leans into darker subjects than other fantasy novels may, but it was definitely on the lighter side. I think the author used the FMC's obsession with the horror genre as a crutch in some ways. This wanted to be suspenseful and unnerving, but it really wasn't.

For the first 55% of the story, I was really drawn in. I couldn't wait to continue reading it whenever I was forced to stop. The world building is intriguing, and I was really excited about the direction it was going in. However between the 55-65% mark, I started losing interest. By the 70%, I was begging for the book to be over and started skimming. (Hey now, I 'm not ALWAYS a quitter!) It just dragged there at the end.

Honestly, I really didn't like the FMC. She was whiny and so quick to let others solve her problems even though her need to control all aspects of her life was constantly mentioned in the narration (both from her perspective and the MMC's). Also, for someone who obsessively watches horror movies, she's dumb. I know, I KNOW -- you can't know how you'll react until you're in that situation. **eye roll** She's dumb.

The MMC is interesting. Crossbreads aren't characters I usually encounter, so I enjoyed reading his character arc and background. The author wanted him to be morally grey, but he wasn't. He had many redeeming qualities and was not as unhinged as I was hoping for. But he wasn't a bad character.

I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters, either. Maybe that's why I was ready for it to be over at the end? No matter, I stopped caring about their fates before it ended.

Overall, it wasn't dark fantasy. The storyline is okay, if predictable. I can see the appeal and why others are gushing over this story, but it wasn't one of my favorites.

[Diane Knipe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was promised an amazing romantasy with a morally black vampire, what I got was what read like an unedited first draft with a vampire who was more morally pale grey. I'm not a reader who notices plot holes or anything like that so if I notice it, it's bad. First, there was no cohesion tying scenes together, we just hopped from location to location with no warning, a few times I would go back thinking I must have missed a paragraph, nope just no mention of a scene change.
2) the mmc was supposed to be morally black. Now maybe I've been ruined by reading actual dark romance but everything he did seemed to make sense. Of course if your mate is in danger you save her otherwise all the other crossbreeds would make fun of you but he never saw any danger coming and the so-called torture was very mild.
3) him and his friend were supposed to be oh so dangerous and intimidating. If they were so scary why were so many people willing to cross them including a freaking secretary of all things.
4) I never understood why they loved each other, all I got was she was nice and kind and he was protective and rich, there was no heat.
5) the entire book almost seemed to written in bullet points and gone over later to make an entire book. Scenes that could have been expanded on and made me understand why they loved each other were glossed over.

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Della works two jobs to try to afford a cheap apartment and her sick father's healthcare. Even worse, she's in debt to a drug dealer after she almost burned his house down. When her best friend sends her an application for a better job, she jumps on it and gets hired in. The pay and perks at Ipomoea Pharmaceuticals are better than she ever dreamed, but she can't seem to follow their biggest rule and is constantly afraid of being fired. Never look the bosses in the eye. Something about Josiah keeps drawing her gaze though so it's best to avoid him at all costs. Then he starts visiting her in her dreams...
Although this book is mostly set in the human world, Josiah travels back home to his realm too. The description of his breed and abilities were fairly unique and I liked his close friendship with Micha. Some of the things he does are morally black, but never the way he treats Della which is really sweet. The writing could use a little more editing, but overall I liked the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[stephanie cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of Blood and Smoke is a dark romance that combines elements of fantasy and the occult, showcasing the author's creativity and imagination. The premise has a lot of potential, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite manage to capture my full attention. While the world-building and occult elements were intriguing, I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the story as a whole.

The characters are solid, but I personally had some issues with the protagonist, Della. I found her to be a bit whiny at times, which made it harder for me to connect with her or see her as a strong, empowering figure. While others might appreciate her complexity, I wished for a bit more strength and resilience from her character.

That said, Of Blood and Smoke will likely appeal to readers who enjoy dark romance and occult-themed fantasy. It offers a unique world with an interesting premise, even if it didn’t fully captivate me. If you’re a fan of the genre, it might still be worth checking out.

[Syn Daye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest, my review may be marred by having to read this in fits and bursts, and that is on me. I had just finished binge reading the Fourth Wing series and should have chosen a lighter story to start right after that, so I may not be doing this book justice. It is one that I will read again as I believe it's owed another chance.

I like the premise of the story as well as the characters, and there is a natural lead in to Micha and Ashley's story as well.

I really like the indepth layers to this book as well as to the characters. I think this is where I had the hard time due to still riding the coattails of another series and had a hard time sinking my teeth into this one. reading it as a whole would have been better for me as well as my review.

Like I said, I will re-read and update my review accordingly.

[Rachell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book with very high hopes that it would become a new favorite, but unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. I really liked the book but didn't love it.

I can't put my finger on it, but something was just missing in the story. The writing was good. The characters were interesting, but yet something didn't work quite as well as I really wanted it to.

I still plan to read the 2nd book and will as soon as it arrives in the mail, and I am hoping the next book it a lot better.

This book is still really good, and I love vampire books, so I will still recommend this book to people who do as well.

[BeBop19 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It isn’t that this book is bad, it isn’t , it just didn’t hook me in. It was hard to get into, I am glad there wasn’t another world to build us up into. The author has creativity and a good imagination, but lacked being able to get me the reader enthralled or interested. No book is going to get every reader. The characters are solid, although personally I felt Della a bit whiny and not a very strong woman. Josiah although he did do bad things or have evil moments he didn’t really come across that way. I am sure this will be a book that some just love, this just wasn’t that for me.

[Birgit Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark fantasy romance, ideal if you like stories with a gothic atmosphere. It is an easy read and was enjoyable, however I found it difficult to get into, it was lacking something, it didn’t draw me in from the very first page, towards the end I kind of lost interest, it is not a bad read though, if you are into vampires, demons and angels this book is for you. Please read the trigger warnings before you start the book.

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

[Ganiya · Rating 2 out of 5]

lacking

I really wanted to like this. I love a vampire romance. The writing style left so much to be desired. The author spent so much time having the characters describe interactions with each other instead of just letting them happen in the book so it was more description / narration than dialogue. This meant that we sorta had to take the narrators word that Josiah was morally black as opposed to incidents where he demonstrated this.

Don’t think I’ll continue with the books in the series.

[Shiny Ruins · Rating 2 out of 5]

What in the poorly edited Wattpad story is going on here?

Is the dark romance in the room with us because I didn't see it. Vampires killing and drinking blood isn't dark, it's standard fare.

The story was okay I guess? Author spent a lot of time showing things instead of doing them, and there were more than a few errors that were distracting.

This is book 1 of a series but I don't think I'll come back for the rest.

[Dark Widow · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish

Only after reading a few chapters I decided to stop reading because I did not like the female lead. She has a sickly father who had a serious stroke, suffers from seizures and diabetes, but decides to leave him alone, in an apartment complex known for illegal activity, including murder, in order to take off to festival with her friend. I'm sorry, but as a caregiver myself, I would never leave my elderly mother, without a sitter, in order to go to out.

[Sarah Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are very little spoilers here. First off, there are a couple MM scenes with MMC and his right hands man. I get the whole vampires are so blasai with the world that being bi is no big deal but I don't want to read about. Just let me know and I'll move on.

Second, there was way too much telling me stuff than doing stuff. Was MMC really morally grey?? I don't know you only told me was.

Otherwise it was alright.

[Deb Le · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one failed to grip me despite seeming great on the synopsis. Something wa missing, but I can't put my finger on it. I really disliked Della, the whole staying friends with her former dealer who is clearly hoping for more, while she uses him for occassional sex left me perplex. The MC felt two dimensional and neither evil or good. I needed something more, but ot is not a bad read.

[BobaFett114 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but needs editing.

The story is great, but the flow is a little stilted. Small spoiler, Della talks about her mom in several.places in the book and it is always a different vibe almost like it was forgotten by the author what was said before. It takes a few chapters to get going too. But I did enjoy it.

[Coco · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 12% - i can't put my finger on it but I just could not click with the writing, it felt like I was missing context and there was next to no world building I kept having to go back and re-read sentences because it didn't make sense to me. May have just been my attention span but really struggled to stay interested even though I was intrigued by the premise.

[Kitsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

almost a DNF

I picked this book up for the sheer fact that it is about vampires. A big part of my reading happens to be about vampires, so it caught my eye. The story line is deep and some differing from my norm, I am glad that I stuck it out though because it was enjoyable and I’m happy to know the ending now :)

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m enjoying of blood and smoke which was Josiah and Daria’s story. It was an intriguing and addictive read. Looking forward to the next book. This was a new author, for me. I received a copy of the book and voluntarily leaving this review.

[Emzy Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. The world building is very intricate and well done. I love the author’s attention to details. The characters are interesting. The plot is a compelling read. I really enjoyed this story.

[Rita Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok book.

The book was ok. It was an interesting start and could have been really good. But then it never did take off and get me hooked. Not sure why. But as I said the book was ok. Not terrible read but not great either.

[Spooky Bookish Bit*h · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Blood and Smoke is a dark & twisted dark romance with delicious vampires, angels, demons & more! Filled with danger, secrets, love and just it was well paced and keeps you interested. Well done!

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

not as dark as its hyped to be

I read a lot of dark stuff and this I didn’t find that dark. I really struggled to get into the story and it was almost a DNF several times.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.75

[Karen Lovvorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampires, Demons, Humans

These typically don’t mix, but when they do…it’s explosive 💣💣💣💣!! It’s sexy, scary and intriguing. Lies, omissions and trickery abound!

[Simona Dimitrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me

To be honest so predictable for me the steam was fine . But i feel the book to boring and the male character was poorly written. I don’t think i will continue the series

[Jennifer Upton · Rating 5 out of 5]

top tier!!

Loved this story between a lost vampire and a just a girl trying to survive. I’m curious about Ashley though?? Yay for book two!

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessive vampires! Sign me up!!!
Larissa has outdone herself in this dark fantasy romance full of heat and an MMC who gets himself entangled in a forbidden romance with a human who is trying to escape a life of living paycheck to paycheck and an obsessive ex who will do anything to collect on a debt.