Fangs Divide Us

Season of Souls #1

by Katherine Crowe

Hidden fangs. Not so hidden hearts. Millicent Layne has been hiding in plain sight, a delicate existence that her fangs threaten to expose whenever her emotions spike. When a last-ditch effort to stall her arranged marriage goes awry causing her brother Andrei to go missing, she needs Ellis Dacre’s help to find him. Nothing more. But as the autumn days roll on, every cozy inn and toasty tavern chips away at Millie’s secret and the walls she built around her heart.

Ellis Dacre is a carpenter with calloused hands, a gentle soul, and dreams bigger than the small town of Balcott. His sights are set on the capital guild—until Millicent Layne enters his life and his best friend Carolyn vanishes. In a desperate search between falling leaves and starry nights at sea, Millie and Ellis uncover a connection between them that stretches beyond this life.

And a conspiracy poised to eradicate Millie’s people forever.

Perfect for fans of Rebecca Thorne's Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and T. Kingfisher's Swordheart .

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantasy, Cozy, Vampires, Paranormal

383 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2025

Reviews

[liz ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

so much yearning and tenderness!! i love gentle love so much (3.5 stars)

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via the narrator Samantha Norbury as part of her Reviewer Street Team.

***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
Fangs Divide Us is a tender and cosy story with darker themes mixed in (do check trigger warnings).
We follow Ellis and Millie, who meet after Millie is in an accident that leaves her injured and scarred for life. Millie is a vampire in hiding as it is illegal to exist for her kind, and Ellis (a human) falls for Millie, not knowing just who/what she really is. The relationship between the pair is so sweet and pure and what the pair face together makes them even more endearing.
There's quite a bit of political intrigue woven within the story, including religion, abuse, and racism making it a darker type of cosy read but the way Millie deals with what is thrown at her and what she's running from is so admirable.
I absolutely adored the mythical creatures featured and how much they added to the book and plot. This was a unique and fun read perfect for fantasy, romantasy, and cottagecore readers and Samantha Norbery was the perfect choice for narrating this type of book - she always brings a smile to my face during her expressive narration and has a gift of bringing so much empathy, emotion and energy to characters as she brings them to life. I can't wait for book 2!

[tiana ♡]

pre-read notes:

I got the arc for this! look at that gorgeous cover omg 🥹 also cottagecore vampire?? yes please 😌

[belle ੈ✩‧₊˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

.ೃ࿐ Thank you to NetGalley/BookSirens & Victory Editing & Katherine Crowe for the opportunity to read and review the ARC/ALC before release! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 ★

ੈ✩‧₊˚ my thoughts

It’s me, not the book!

Sadly, my experience with this book was significantly influenced by the reading slump I’m currently in. I had to really push myself through this arc and it sadly wasn’t the right time for me to read it. I wanted to finish it before publication, so I decided not to put it aside and wait a few weeks.

I am leaving the door open to get back to this book and giving it a fair reread once I’m out of this super annoying reading slump.

Some of the things I really enjoyed about this book were:
🩸 The cosy vibes were great for this time of year!
🩸 The relationship between Millie and Ellis was super cute and the emotional connection was beautifully done
🩸 I liked the adventure aspect of the book too

Maybe I’ll try it again before the publication of book 2, because I am still interested in this author and series!

.ೃ࿐ tropes
🍁 FMC with a disability (he makes her a cane 🥹)
🍁 Queer positive society
🍁 Running from arranged marriage
🍁 Cottagecore vampire girl x human carpenter
🍁 YEARNING

-`♡´- Happy reading! Belle

─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ୨୧ ──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──── ୨୧ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─

[Heather Mood Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fangs Divide Us was a really sweet, cozy romantasy book about Ellis and Millie. They meet each other after an accident that leaves Millie injured. After getting to know each other and taking a road trip to the capital to research vampires, Millie and Ellis can't fight their feelings for each other anymore.

While this story is very sweet, it was also rather dark at times, too. The topics violence, racism, religion, and abuse were prevalent throughout this entire book. Millie must hide her true identity because it is illegal to be a vampire. She is in constant fear of being executed. This story also speaks on acceptance, true loyalty, and the immense love you can have for someone else.

Ellis and Millie read a little younger than they were portrayed in the book, but the author showed the progression of both characters very well. Some of the ideas in this book needed a little more development, but overall, it was a very heartfelt book about two people's journey of love.

[Morgan Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a pleasant surprise!! I honestly requested this title cause the cover was so cute. Thank you Netgalley for this lovely ARC.

Off the bat, I was impressed with the writing. I’ve read big trad published books with far worse writing. This was really clean, and truly well written.I went in expecting a cutesy fall read, and while it was, there was also plenty of political intrigue as well.

This has the elements of popular romantasy reads, except our couple is more on the cutesy end. So if you love romantasy, and are so down for a cinnamon roll MMC, try this out.

I truly had a great time. Only critiques are that I would’ve loved a little background on the other species in the kingdom. It wasn’t necessary to the story, we had the background we NEEDED, but I would’ve loved a little more info. Also there were a few action sequences where I found myself a little confused within the actions.

I definitely recommend this book and will absolutely return for book 2.

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was perfect. It’s got some dark topics woven in a cute cozy fall read. I couldn’t put this down and the romance was so emotional but natural feeling. You really feel like you stepped into this world and are experiencing it right along with Ellis and Millie! Can’t wait to see more of this world and the other characters stories!
Thanks so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for arc.

[xmanicpixiebookgirlx · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was captivating. The writing was incredible and truly brought me into the world of Valeria. I’ve read a few soul mates books, but this one truly took the cake. Ellis and Millie were so fun to read about. With fantastic chemistry between the characters and expansive imagery, this book is fantasy romance must read. The mythical creatures portrayed in the novel were descriptive and I could vividly see them come to life on the pages. The imagination that it took to create this story impressive.
On top of all the incredible characters that author Katherine Crowe has created, the plot is incredible. I was excited, having fun with the characters, and crying along with them. I was so emotional and taken aback by the way things played out. But in the most amazing way. I was surprised and delighted by the way this book turned out.
I am so grateful that I was able to partake in this as an ARC and thank you to the author for this sublime book.

[Danielle's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook listen.

Millicent has a secret which if found out, would literally cost her her life. To keep her secret it means she’s has to make hard decisions including who to marry. Trust is hard when getting it wrong could change everything. When her brother goes missing she is determined to find him. Ellis is the guy to help her find her brother but he’s human and she needs to stay on guard.

This is a journey book with trust at the heart of the story. It’s a slow burn romance with some interesting side characters.

Samantha Norbury reads this book beautifully, enhancing the story. This is multiple points of views and the narrator reads all parts.

✅ Romantsy
✅ Slow burn romance
✅ Fantasy
✅ Mythical creatures

[Kristie Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the perfect blend of political strife, sweet romance, and unique world building, this was an awesome read! Forced to team up with a surprising partner after her brother disappears, Millie is now working with Ellis to find him. As they dig for answers, they uncover far more than they bargained for.

The plan to eradicate vampires is horrible and underhanded, but Millie and Ellis have put themselves in more danger than they thought possible with what they've uncovered. Their romance is so sweet, and the story unfolding was so well done.

[Erin Hawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fangs Divide Us is a dual POV romantasy between a vampire and a human, which should be up my alley, but this book sadly just wasn't for me. The plot momentum was slow to get going, and by the time the action picked up, I just wasn't that invested in the characters.

The FMC was kind and easy to root for, but I did struggle with some of the miscommunication issues with the MMC and her unnecessary and repetitive guilt. I do appreciate that the FMC was a realistic and fallible person, and her disability and scars were not the main focus of the story but were handled well. The MMC was a little flat to me; he's very nice but not that much else. Their relationship was very quickly formed, but there is an explanation for this to be fair!

I have a hard time with insta-love, so if you don't mind that and are looking for cozy setting, higher stakes fantasy, you will likely enjoy this book!

Thank you, Victory Editing, for the arc!

[Ravyen♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing mix of action, corrupt politics, and the sweetest romance! I loved that the Centarians were vampires but that the book focused on them as a people, not the lore of what they should be.

There was plenty of race-against-the-clock action that kept me on the edge of my seat while giving me the most cutesy romance between Ellis and Millie. The close friendships that followed them made everything sweeter🥺

I was so nervous on how Roderick would be portrayed🫣 I thought for sure he would crash out, but he’s just a good guy🥹 I cant wait for his story! The ending left plenty of questions to be answered for the next book, but the justice I felt was exhilarating!

Thank you so much to the author and Torch Lit Ink for the gifted copy!

[Rasa || beviltiska_romantike]

I usually try to finish reading arcs, but at this point, it's a pure torture. I'm not invested in the story anymore, I don't care about the MCs, I find them dull and juvenile, not a fan of the writing style as well, so it's safe to say that this book is not for me.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely swoon worthy! I loved the way the centarians were written , & that it never focused on the "vampirism" but more on them being people it was such a great story. Millie and Ellis are such cute found love love at first sight Fated mates all the Tropes all the vibes and I love it! such a feel good romance with a good fantasy plot laid in !
Roderick is such a poor friend zoned soul and I just need his story now that epilogue was a tease !


I received an ARC e-book of Fangs Divide Us all views and opinions are MY OWN.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise. I absolutely loved everything about this. I swooned the entire time reading it and made several comments to people how adorable this book was.

The yearning in this book was TOP TIER. I love this take on fated mates and reincarnation. Ellis’s love and patience for Millie was beautiful. The relationships between all major characters was beautifully written. There were twists I didn’t see coming.

It was so refreshing for Millie’s bethrothed to not end up being a bad guy or throw a fit when he didn’t end up with her. He was a true friend to the end.

I could go forever about how much I loved this book. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while:

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of Fangs Divide Us is stunning, and the premise, especially the adorable micro trope of Ellis crafting Millie a cane, immediately drew me in. The book delivers on its cozy, sweet promise in many ways, particularly through Millie’s kindness and the magical world-building, including some wonderful, enchanting animals.

However, the tone shifts sharply between warmth and brutality, tackling dark themes like racism, religious fanaticism, and violence with unflinching realism. While these elements add depth, the pacing lost me midway. The start and finale gripped me, but the middle dragged enough that I nearly DNF’d. The insta-love reveal felt abrupt and out of left-field; it took me a while to understand what was going on. And I wished Andrei’s role and the conspiracy’s resolution had more page time as these felt rushed and not fully resolved.

That said, the ending left me curious enough to pick up the sequel. Millie’s vulnerability and Ellis’ sweetness and devotion make them endearing, and the world feels fresh and original. A fascinating, if a little uneven, read that earns a solid 3.5 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-Op for the ARC. All thoughts are my honest opinion.

[Maureen]

Abandon à 60 %

Malheureusement, cette lecture n'était pas faite pour moi.

J’ai eu du mal à entrer dans l’histoire, principalement à cause de la plume que j’ai trouvée assez complexe. Pourtant, je lis régulièrement de la fantasy en anglais, mais ici, la formulation et le choix des mots m’ont vraiment freinée. Cela m’a empêchée de m’attacher aux personnages ou de m’investir dans leur quête.

Il y a également un insta-love, un trope que j’apprécie peu … Je préfère largement les relations qui prennent le temps de se construire.

Cela dit, j’ai vu de nombreux avis positifs sur ce roman, donc je pense qu’il saura trouver son public. Pour ma part, je préfère ne pas m’acharner, et je ne saurai donc pas dire si la fin relève le tout.

Ce roman sortira le 1er novembre, une lecture qui, malgré tout, s’inscrit bien dans l’ambiance automnale 🍂

Merci à NetGalley et Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op pour ce sp numérique 🫶🏼

[Emily Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a romantasy with some very well-executed plot twists. I'm giving it five stars primarily for those plot twists. I also liked the mixture of different fantastical creatures as though it were a multicultural world.

I hesitate to label the book a "cozy romantasy" because it needs two trigger warnings of things that bothered me: attempted rape and attempted genocide. Those are a bit too heavy for the cozy label I think.

The male and female leads are both very endearing and the male lead takes consent very seriously which almost, but not quite, makes up for the attempted rape by another character. But it still rankled a little.

I enjoyed it and am glad I read it. Hopefully I will see the second book when it comes out. I received this book as an ARC. Thank you!

[Tysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, slow burn love story, with quite the dramatic, twisty plot.

Millie is a Centarian, a group of people persecuted by the church due to one of their kind being accused of killing a human years before. Usually Centarians were easy to spot due to their red eyes, but some, like Millie were born with human eyes, and only their fangs and blood would reveal what they really are.

Having hidden her true identity for years, Millie signs up with the Hounds, a group sent out by the church to track down Centarians, as a way to see the world before setting down with her betrothed. Unfortunately a sudden wyvern attack changes everything, and after being rescued by the human Ellis, her life would never be the same again.

I quickly fell in love with this cast of characters, and thoroughly enjoyed this read.

I received an ARC of this ebook from Torch Lit Ink, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.

[Ashley {_xamountofbooks} · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Torch Lit Ink)

"𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩," 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙡𝙮, 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙗 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙠. "𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪."

3.75 stars

Millie and Ellis were adorable together. It did seem a bit more telling than showing at times and I could have used a bit more fleshing out in some areas but overall this was a cute read!

[Sara Gaudet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, cozy YA fantasy. Well written, beautiful illustrations and cover artwork. Personally, cozy fantasy isn’t my favourite genre. I like higher stakes and more emotional impact so that’s where I struggled to really feel invested, but I know that people who live YA fantasy, and a cozy story will love this. There’s some adventure, mystery and interesting magic system with more to come in the next books in the series.

[Olivia Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! The romance is so sweet, and it's a perfect fall, cozy read! I adored Ellis and Millie!

There is disability rep (the main character uses a cane)
Sweet but steamy romance (closed door)
Past lives
Fated lovers
And also self-acceptance!

If you're looking for a lighter fantasy, cottagecore vibes, a gripping plot with a lovely happy ending, I highly recommend this book!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet and enjoyable read. It has a very cozy feel throughout the whole book. I liked the dual POVs and thought both Millie and Ellis were very enjoyable characters.

If you want a wholesome read then I’d recommend.

[Charlotte Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, I was not expecting the twist and turns.

The characters are so loveable once the story gets going. Don't be fooled at the start... without giving spoilers it's hard to say how good the book is.

I listened on audible - the narrator was so good, I genuinely have to check it's not multiple narrators. Samantha Norbury is such a good narrator, she does lots of characters, animal noises and I really imagine people doing what they are doing due to her acting it out, such as eating with their mouth full of food.

I really want to know more about this universe, I feel invested. Thank you got a lovely story!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible book!!!

I loved the authors unique take on the vampire characters being descended from vampires and the concept of others also being descended from ancient beings.

This book had me on EDGE for most of it! I don't want to spoil anything as always.

The friendships and the story line was amazing. I loved that is had quite a dystopian feel to it (in a good way) as well but that's just me, I know its 1000% fantasy.

Definitely recommend this to anyone in love with vampires and toppling propaganda!

Samantha Norbury did an incredible job at narrating the book, shes amazing at conveying characters emotions (I was tearing up at my desk) and I love how she does the male voices.

Big thanks to Samatha Norbury and Katherine Crowe for this audible review copy ❤️

[The Book Nerd's Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet fantasy romance starring a secret vampire and a cinnamon roll carpenter.

Millicent "Millie" Layne has been hiding her entire life. She is half-Centarian, a descendant of vampires that the church has been hunting down. In order to avoid detection, she agrees to marry Lord Roderick Bryson. Before she's tied down though, she's traveling the world as a part the Hounds with her brother Andrei. When a tragic accident occurs, Millie is separated from Andrei. Now, she is teaming up with the human carpenter by the name of Ellis Dacre. When Ellis' best friend Carolyn disappears, it only makes sense that he teams up with Millie and search for both Andrei and Carolyn. Neither expected to fall for the other, but sometimes fate has a funny way of telling people exactly where they are meant to be.

This one has been on my radar for a while, and I'm so glad that I finally got around to reading it. I was recently gifted a copy of the audiobook from the author, so it felt like the perfect excuse to give it a read.

I am absolutely enamored with this world! Millie's existence as a secret Centarian desperate to avoid detection hooked me from the very start. I knew that she was unhappy in her arrangement with Lord Roderick, so I was curious to learn how she would escape that situation. In the beginning, I thought that it was funny that vampires are hunted and killed like the Salem Witch Trials, but people seem pretty chill with werewolves. The reason for the hatred towards Centarians is revealed later on, and I was quite surprised by the turn of events. This book also featured a sassy wyvern and a loving griffin, so there was no lack of lovable animal companions filling this world either.

The romance in this one is so swoony! Millie desperately wants someone to love her despite her Centarian roots. Ellis is such a cinnamon roll of a guy, which is honestly my favorite type of dude. These two are also fated mates who have been yearning to be together for multiple lifetimes, which I absolutely just adored. The way fated mates was approached in this one was so sweet and wholesome. I seriously needed Millie and Ellis together, but I also needed her to resolve her engagement with Roderick before anything escalated. The author did a great job of having Millie respect her agreement with Roderick while still yearning for Ellis. I'm not sure many authors would have made that decision, but I'm so glad they did! Ellis and Millie take care of each other so tenderly throughout the course of this novel, which is such a soft form of love. Ellis also makes Millie a cane after she gets in an accident that scars her physically forever. These two are just too cute!

The element of suspense in this one was well done without tainting the tone. There is the lurking feeling that Millie is going to be revealed as a Centarian the entire novel, but it doesn't consume the romantic and cozy vibes of this novel. This makes for a really lovely atmosphere that had me yearning for warmer fall days.

The side characters in this one are also so amazing. I am absolutely obsessed with Carolyn's attitude. She would never back down from a challenge and is eager for adventure, but she also cares so tenderly for her wife, Naomi. Lord Roderick also seems to be such a fine gentleman. I'm super stoked to learn that there is a novella featuring Carolyn and Naomi falling in love, and book two is about Lord Roderick and Princess Anya. I fear it is going to be hard for me not to read the rest of this series in the near future and then mourn when I have to wait for the next one. Or I might end up waiting for the next audiobooks. I haven't decided yet.

In the end, I'm so glad that Millie and Ellis got their fated happily ever after before the conclusion of this one though; they had way too many close calls. The bond they forge with Emmaline at the very end is also so precious. The ending of this one sets up for book two so well. Roderick and Anya are going to the island in which the Centarians reside on an important mission. The fact that these two will be stuck on a boat together already has me so giddy.

The influence of the Church on this society is another thing I took note of. I find societies in which the Church has just as much (or more) power than the ruling monarchs to be quite fascinating. The Church in Valeria has the people fearing Centarians more than anything else and literally have them hunted down and killed. I fear this happens way too often in history, so I think it's interesting to take a moment to think about these things. I also thought the marriage tradition of exchanging family beads that the newlyweds adorn their brows with is neat. This has nothing to do with the corruption of the Church, but it just popped into my head while I was writing about the Church.

Overall, "Fangs Divide Us" was such a cozy fantasy read with a swoonworthy romance subplot. The world of Valleria has me hooked, and I'm looking forward to returning again soon. Millie and Ellis are so cute; the fact their souls are fated to be together makes it all the more romantic. The sense of urgency and adventure paired well with the cozy romantic vibes of this one to create a perfect atmosphere. If you are a fan of slowburn romantasies with a hint of spice and a crew of colorful side characters, I'd highly recommend this one!

Audiobook Note: Samantha Norbury was the sole narrator of this one. I was a bit surprised that this one was narrated by a single person, but I understand how expensive hiring voice actors can be. I certainly don't blame Crowe for this decision, and I found that I grew used to it within a few chapters. I think there would have been quite a few instances in which I would have become bored if I would have been physically reading this one rather than listening to the audio version. I can say with complete confidence that the audiobook definitely enhanced my reading experience. Norbury fits Millie's vibe perfectly, so I'm glad they were the selected narrator. Also, I absolutely adore how they went all in for the animal noises, such as the griffin screeching. Overall, I had a great time listening to Norbury's performance and would definitely enjoying listening to more of their work!

[Kasey Maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ ARC Review: Fangs Divide Us by Katherine Crowe ⭐

Fangs Divide Us is a sweet paranormal fantasy that blends fated mates with a touch of destiny and past lives. While I didn’t connect with the characters immediately, as the story unfolded I found myself genuinely rooting for them to succeed in their quest.

The pacing was spot on — never dragging, and always moving the story forward in a way that made it hard to put down. I loved the soul-mate connection woven through glimpses of past lives; even though I wished those moments had been fleshed out a little more, the snippets we got were meaningful and really helped develop the couple’s bond.

The plot twist was slightly predictable, but executed so well that it still managed to surprise me. And the ending? It wrapped up beautifully, giving that satisfying complete story feeling while still leaving room for future interconnected tales.

This book is perfect for readers who love fated mates tropes, romantic fantasy with a paranormal edge, and stories that deliver both heart and closure. A great stand-alone with the promise of more to come.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I see that I’m the only one who rated the book below 3 stars. This isn’t because it’s a bad book, it’s about readers expectations and personal likes and dislikes. The book started out well. I liked Millie and, as a huge fan of nice guy male leads, I loved Ellis, and of course Hesper. The strife between vampires and humans was interesting. The beginning of the relationship between Millie and Ellis was sweet and beginning of their quest was engaging. But this book started frustrating me when Millie kept going back and forth on “yes but no” about being with Ellis. And the book centered more on their relationship than on the quest and it just wasn’t capturing my attention. Then God help me, the author totally lost me when she put in the past lives we were lovers thing. That sunk the dying ship. It came out of nowhere, connecting with nothing that came before and made their love seem cheap to me. And frankly I think the “fated-mate” thing is overused and under-thought out. I’m sad that I didn’t like this book more. It had potential to be more but just wasn’t.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really curious about this book, so when I stumbled upon it on BookSirens I happily grabbed a digital review copy.

The beginning of the book felt a little slow. There was a lot going on, but the characters seemed mostly focussed on each other and falling in love. However, once we reached the finale of the book, filled with danger and action and tension, I realised that the first part of the book did connect me to the characters. I cared about them, about what was happening to them. I was actively afraid for them and rooting for them. I also loved loved loved how this book is, at its core, about choosing love and trust over violence and judgement. I'm really excited about the next book in the series already!

[Off Service Book Recs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millicent (Millie) Layne, like most young people, has her own hopes and dreams - to bake, to spend time with friends and family, to find true love. She also has her share of problems like most young people, though the stakes are much higher than paying a car bill or working a part-time job - for one, she's a Centarian, a half-vampire who shouldn't exist and whose people have long been hunted and put to death; her parents' safety relies on an arranged marriage she has been putting off for years; and to top it off, a half-baked last hurrah-of-a-job on which her human brother, Andrei, tagged along has gone off the rails, and he's now missing and presumed dead. Injured, desperate, and in need to assistance, she is forced to turn to one of her rescuers - a carpenter named Ellis Dacre - for help.

Ellis, like Millie, has hopes, dreams, and problems - with his friend's sudden disappearance possibly being linked to the tragedy surrounding Millie's crash-landing into his village (and increasingly, his daydreams), he knows that there must be something more going on in the kingdom. As he and Millie travel from village to village in search of answers - past and present - the crunching of leaves and star-streaked skies bring them not only closer to unraveling a plot bigger than the heavens themselves, but closer to each other - now and in lifetimes past.

I am suffering in summer and this book was the perfect pick-me-up for the longing I have for the fall, was an incredibly cute and cozy romance, and was incredibly detailed and had excellent world-building, which was especially impressive for a debut book! I loved that the author described one of the tropes of this book as "high stakes, cozy breaks", because that's exactly what was delivered, and is something that I didn't realize I loved in books with a romance or other background plot. I generally like getting a lot of background with a new world, and think that one of the best ways to get to know characters is to let them move about, interact with their world, and essentially do some side-questing with their environment, interspersed with the main action and plot, and that's exactly what this book does. I can picture each town, each sun-drenched street, and the different populations of human, non-human, and animal characters here, and it really helped with the immersion and emotional investment I had with this story.

Millie and Ellis were a very cute couple and as above, I think having them take things slowly in terms of moving throughout the book made their relatively short meeting-to-relationship that much more believable - and I say that as someone who is generally not a fan of insta-love. I also like the "fade-to-black" element of the story - I read a lot of adult romance and I think there's a bit more of a challenge in conveying passion, spark, spice, etc. with having a closed-door approach, and it's nice to see how authors tackle this aspect of writing romance! There was still quite a bit of steam for those who are here for the flames, so worry not! I am also glad we are going to see how some of the other relationships here pan out in future books, and I will definitely be grabbing volume 2 when it eventually comes out. Congrats on a fantastic debut to Katherine Crowe, and can't wait to talk about this book again when it's not a million degrees outside!