Grayson

by Jolene Gettler

Humanity or love?

Grayson was given an impossible ultimatum: to be with the woman he loved, he would have to surrender his humanity, leaving behind his family, never to see them again.

When he struggled to choose his fate, Edith chose for him.
Grayson is a prequel to The Great Vampiric Deception.
This urban fantasy vampire thriller tells Grayson's tragic story about how he was turned into a vampire against his will and the horrific trauma he suffered due to Edith's greed, ambition, and obsession.

392 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

“ If it's real for me, do I have to prove it to you?”
- Greg Graffin

Jolene Gettler is currently a stay-at-home mother, residing in Ontario Canada. An avid daydreamer, she has recently decided to take her head out of the clouds and put her ideas and scenarios in writing.

Dark fantasy is her favourite genre to get lost in. When she is not reading or writing, she is listening to music, or obsessing over her dog.

“Destined For A Life Unknown” is her debut novel, available now.

Reviews

[Cyd Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so let’s talk about Grayson. This isn’t your shiny, sparkly vampire story. Nope. Jolene Gettler serves us a gut-punch of a prequel that’s equal parts tragic, raw, and “are you kidding me, Edith?!”

Grayson basically gets the world’s worst ultimatum: give up his humanity (and, oh yeah, never see his family again) or lose the love of his life. He hesitates, because duh, impossible choice. But Edith? She’s like, “Don’t worry, boo, I’ll decide for you.” And by decide, I mean she ruins his entire life out of greed and obsession. Honestly, Edith deserves her own villain fan club because wow, she is next-level unhinged.

The way Jolene writes this? You feel every ounce of Grayson’s trauma. It’s dark. It’s heartbreaking. It’s messy and human. But it’s also impossible to put down. I swear I was side-eyeing the book like it personally betrayed me ;and I loved every second.

If you want a vampire story that’s not just fangs and romance but a full-on emotional rollercoaster with betrayal, obsession, and a hero who didn’t sign up for any of this… Grayson delivers. 10/10 recommend. And Jolene? Ma’am, please stop hurting me like this (but also don’t stop).

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grayson is a beautiful tragedy! He is ever the perfect gentleman who got the wrong attention from the wrong "person" and it ruined his life countless lives over!
I know this book was written as a labour of love for a character who deserves more than he got and it's heartbreaking while he remains beautiful inside and out!
If you read The Great Vampiric Deception and just screamed and cried and wanted more Grayson, this is everything you will have hoped for! His story, while heartbreaking, is also beautiful watching him hold onto his humanity through everything he has been through. Bring a box of tissues and prepare to love this character even more while diving into Graysons backstory!

[David Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best written books I have read in a very long time. And do not assume you need to have read The Great Vampiric Deception to read Grayson. Despite what the author may say 😂

The heartbreaking, violent, depraved treatment Grayson goes through is heavy. The themes are some of the darkest you will read and the tragedy is strong throughout.

But it is written fantastically well. Sensitive topics are dealt with expertly and the layers and layers we see of Grayson just make him such a rich character.

I tell you something else too. Edith now goes on the list with Joffrey, Ramsey Bolton and Negan. Jolene has written one hell of a villain.

If you haven't read Jolene's work, then you are missing out. Add this to your TBR immediately.

This book dragged me out of a three week reading slump, and for that I will always be grateful.

[Erica Lindell · Rating 5 out of 5]

for Madeline!

I loved this! It is written in a style that reminds me so much of “interview with a vampire”. The writing style fit for the age of the story!

Grayson… my gosh did I feel so bad for him. He went through so much and still continued to be a kind being. There is a lot to be said for the resilience of his character through all of the timelines, losses and sacrifices. I felt so awful when he was taken- it was so well written!

The author did a fantastic job of making Edith someone I absolutely hated and wanted to have unalived multiple times because of how awful she was. Well done though! Lots of feeling through this entire book- the underlying sadness clung like a shroud.

A must read for those who like vampire stories

[Sherri Lynn Parent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves so much more than 5 stars.

Jolene Gettler knows exactly how to pull at your heartstrings and drag you on an emotional roller coaster ride. For anyone who has read anything by Gettler you will know her stories pull you in from page one.
This story is no different. Being a prequel of sorts to The Great Vampiric Deception, anyone who has read that knows this character well. Grayson is the book boyfriend we all want! This book tells you his story before TGVD and what a trauma filled experience it is. Thank you Jolene for giving us all this story, even if it was difficult to write. Going through every emotion possible, I'm with you. Thank you 😊

[C.L. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a privilege to ARC read this! Having read Great Vampiric Deception and having an inkling of Grayson's life, is nothing compared to getting the full story. While you dont need to have read this to understand GVD, it certainly supplements and enriches the story, with this deep dive into his experiences with becoming a vampire, and his life before the support group across the centuries.

A fantastic read that I didn't want to put down ✨️

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh the feeling after this book.
It so good. The Great Vampiric Deception was a wonderful read & this did not disappoint.
Why are more people not reading these?
Grayson is an urban fantasy vampire thriller, with love, trauma & decisions.
All the best vampire stories have these in them, yes, but this is different & has this author’s take on them.
Seriously a fabulous read.

[Serra Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful yet tragic backstory to a character who I met and loved in The Great Vampiric Deception.
I finished this in a couple of days and read it every chance I got, unable to put the book down. I just had to know what happened next.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Grayson is one character I'll never forget. His tragic story was brutal to read and I cried several times for him. But I love how strong he was keeping hold of his humanity. He is a survivor who deserved so much better!

[kristyreads_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the heck 😭

Finally some more of Grayson. He is one character that will forever stay with me, and I don’t know if Grayson is more tragic read before or after The Great Vampiric Deception. Bring your tissues either way. That man deserves the world 😭🖤

[Nicholas Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Gettler does not disappoint with this prequel to The Great Vampiric Deception. The best part? You could read the two books in the series in any order. I loved finding out the back story of Grayson and following his journey.

[Sarah Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly poignant and tragic. Beautifully written. Brilliant.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Grayson.
I loved how at the end he was able to get closure and do what he was good at in the beginning.
I suck at writing reviews but I would recommend Grayson to a friend or few.

[Meesh Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely cannot express how much I loved this book.

Many vampire books are described as romance and romanticize eternal life. This is not that book.

Grayson was a simple man who fell in love, and his world was completely ripped from under him by a jealous, manipulate woman, who turned out to be a vampire.

Typically we don’t see the men falling pray to the convincing natures of vampires, and Jolene did such an incredible job showcasing that men can be victims too.

I adored this book, even though some of the themes of partner abuse hit a bit close to home.

Please check the trigger warnings before reading.

[Notyourmomsshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down and finished it in one day! 😭

This book is pure emotional damage and I mean that as a compliment. It was the perfect backstory to The Great Vampiric Deception and I loved getting to see Grayson’s past. It really was unfair and poor Grayson really went through it. The writing is so well done and I couldn’t put it down. As always Jolene’s writing is brilliant and I loved it!

[Tuliriemu · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review.

Check the TWs!

Amazing! I knew this book would be heartbreaking, but damn, he deserved so much better. I am absolutely gutted. Well done, Jolene. Also, how dare you hurt me like this?! 😭