Potion of Deception

by Ann Sorstone

Hope can be blinding. One decision – A chain of mistakes.

Bargaining with a stranger is never a good idea – Violette Effontesorts knows it well, but the desperation and hopelessness to get her father out of his illness seems too blinding. Her common sense gives in to a plea of her heart when she accepts an offer of a mysterious but captivating young man, Dante, who promises her elixir for a simple favor – to help take the odd enchanted mask off his face.
Their way lies through a birthplace of magic and great tales, set on alluring lands beyond the ocean, where they must journey to find the spellbook once belonging to the Old Witch, which holds the key to Dante’s freedom.

Strange signs and oddities follow Violette’s companion throughout their journey, planting seeds of mistrust in her heart, although only in the face of danger, she realizes that he is not a human but a much scarier beast than the ones hiding in the darkness of eerie forests they are wading through: a mythical thing believed to be extinct – a vampire.

And despite her reluctance to help a terrible night-being, there’s no way back, as they sealed a bargain with a binding spell so they have to keep their promises. No matter what.

Will Violette reach her desired goal to save her father, despite all the lurking danger in the nights spent hand in hand with a bloodsucking monster or… will it leave her among ruins with a scarred heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Vampires, Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fiction

474 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2025

About the author

Hi! Thank you for your interest in my book and my author journey!
I write fantasy novels focused on romance, set in a beautiful fairytale-inspired world, both whimsical and dark, full of wizards, witches, vampires and other magical species.

My debut Potion of Deception was released July 2025, and I can’t way to share with you what comes next!
I am active on Instagram so if you want to know more, about ARCs and other fun news — follow me there! :)

Reviews

[liz ౨ৎ]

dnf at 26%

[vxmpslibrary [hiatus]]

Omg I had this arc I'm gonna pursue this after my English assignment

22/3/25
this book is so chaos coded with the mask👀🫶

[Meagan Lacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF'D

Nearly DNF'd after the first few pages and forced myself to go until about 130 something pages but I just can't continue.

Needs major editing, issues with:
- Grammar and spelling errors (also some made up words in there?)
- Swapping tense
- Punctuation
- Sentence structure i.e. words put out of order/ place in a sentence
- POV
- Does a lot of telling instead of showing - which makes me feel like I'm being told things I just shouldn't know yet/know at all as a reader
- Odd phrasing that just didn't make sense
- MC seemingly teleporting between scenes or events - aka missing key information in the scene or linking/bridging information to connect two scenes
- Odd pacing, some parts are drawn out and some are glossed over too fast

If this book gets professionally edited (which it desperately needs) I would be willing to give it another go, but if it remains close to how it currently is, I would avoid it unfortunately.

I would also suggest for the author, next time I would have it edited before sending out the ARCs.

I like the idea of the book and the theme (love a good romance with witches and vampires etc). I was drawn in by the author's Instagram posts and the art she commissioned for her characters, but the execution just currently isn't there for me.

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

[Beka]

The author described the setting as both “whimsical” and “gothic” and if that doesn’t capture both sides of my personality in one go, I don’t know what does. 😂 I NEEDS IT!

[brightmemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Received May 2025

I was so excited as soon I got the notification that the ARC request was accepted.

This book is perfect for someone who loves romantasy books and OUABH series, really live up to my expectation. The romance, the twist, the tension is really kicking off.

Such a page turner as I can finish this in 1 sitting

[Aymie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got an ARC copy of this book, and all I can say is how incredible this book is !! ✨️💜 I was tempted by the beautiful artwork of Violette and Dante, and it did not disappoint. The story is wonderful.🌟 I did not put that book down until it was finished. I loved the dynamic between the main characters. I am already waiting for book two !! 💜🌟

[Nour · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 no notes. Never got bored, always kept me on my toes. Seamless writing and awesome characters!!!

[Insi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️

Reading this kind of felt like playing a video game or reading a romantasy webtoon. I especially loved the first half. The way the cozy quest adventure is written with it’s tasks and items the protagonists need to collect to progress or brew potions made me picture it as a video game instead of the usual movie-in- your-mind. The plot and character designs also feel distinctly webtoon-ish, in a good way that will appeal to romantasy webtoon lovers. The second half gets a bit darker and I wasn’t sure how to feel about Dante after the revelation… but I have a feeling we don’t have the full picture yet (this is the first book in a trilogy). I did like the banter between him and Violette, and the slow progression of their relationship dynamic. The author said she meant it when she said the romance is a slow burn, and she really did! I love that the romance isn’t forced at all and is realistic to the way the story is set up. I also loved Violette’s commitment to her aesthetic. It didn’t matter if they were traipsing through monster inhabited forests or running away from enemy vampires, she was determined to do it all in a pretty outfit and I respect that. However, as much fun as I had while reading, it’s undeniable that the book is in need of HEAVY editing to work out the grammatical and structural errors on almost every page, as well as the inconsistencies. For example, we’re told that these characters are going to travel by portal a lot, but later on they suddenly end up at different forests and kingdoms with no explanation on how they got that far. There was also a scene near the end of the book that was way too similar to a scene in another extremely popular book. I know the author has listed that series as an inspiration for her writing, but the scene in question is too close of a copy and could create controversy which would be unfortunate as this story has great potential. If you’re looking for vampire books on the less grim-dark side and love a fun quest adventure, you might enjoy this as long as you don’t mind the grammatical errors (I’m hoping that this will be solved in the final copy though). This is a no spice romance (author has said future books will be closed door). Thank you to the author for the eARC!

[Kaitlyn Mahone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author blessed me with an opportunity for an ARC, and I was so thankful that she picked me.
I have been looking forward to this for a long while since I found the reels on my Instagram. I mean, it has a soft FMC, morally grey MMC, vampires, magic, and a whimsical atmosphere. So many of my favorite tropes!
I have been looking for something like this for a while. This book is such a fun debut novel. If you enjoy whimsical reads, vampires, soft yet strong FMCs, morally grey MMCs, magic, Once Upon A Time (tv show), Vampire Diaries (tv show), and the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy, then this book is for you.
I loved every minute of this book. I laughed, squealed with happiness, gasped, was shook, and even cried. The tension and yearning is top tier! Of course, I can read to learn, but I mainly read to escape and feel. This book is just that for me. I highly recommend. This book was a read I NEEDED at the time. 💕

PS: The author has a fantastic book playlist. I cannot wait until she shares the full list!

[Valeria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I completely and utterly fell in love with this book! Violette and Dante are so Lala and Chaos coded, but so original at the same time.

Literally the story of was so immersive and the writing and world building were perfection. It transported me to this world and I wanted to be there so much! I would have liked to have a little bit of edge on the adventure and traveling aspect, but it gave me a different magical system that I loved!!!

The relationship (not romantic yet) of Violette and Dante was fun. They bantered, were sarcastic, had serious moments and I loved every single one. BUT TO NOT HAVE EVEN A KISS DRIVED ME MAD!!! I need one like the air I breathe!!!! And that ending!!! I couldn’t believe!!! Dante, who was so detached, but absolutely cared for Violette, wanted the best for her and to not be in harm’s way that he pushed her away I wanted to cry!!! I need them together like for yesterday please and thank you!

My favorite moment was after the backflash they saw and Violette was weak and Dante cared for her, it was soooo sweet. But I liked that it was a slow burn even though we don’t have the romantic aspect, I’m sure the author will make a second book (please please please do I need more from them and this world).

The only thing that prevented me from giving 5/5 stars was the timeline. It wasn’t confusing at first because it was obvious that they went out every night, but then constantly mentioned weeks passed and I was like…wait a minute I don’t see it, and at the ending it was mentioned that it was 2 weeks, but I was already confused jajaja

I literally recommend this book if you loved Once Upon a Broken Heart because it has similar vibes, but it’s original at the same time. Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!

I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

[Reagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
“the moon leads you through darkness” Ann you crazy insane mastermind. Once upon a time, there was a girl who was a witch…oh wait sorry, a wizardling. And this girl lived and simple life. She’d go to work at the potion shop, go home to her ill father, rinse and repeat. Until one day a mysterious someone turned up in her shop. Now people with all kinds of magic she would meet, but nothing like this person. He asks to strike a deal, a cure for her father in trade for her to use her magic. Simple right? Well nothing is as simple as it seems. So what happens when the girl is told to not believe anything this mysterious person says, yet believes him anyway? Well, it might just lead to a potion of deception. YALL. ok so let me start this review off by saying i was jumping up in down when i got sent this ARC, like, off my walls excited. anyways! so immediately going into this book i was here solely for the vibes. i wanted whimsy, magic, and a hot masked vampire, AND BOY DID I GET IT! the book started off pretty slow for me and yet the story was moving fast, i think it just took a minute to peak my interest. however, once i got into it, i was INTO IT. i loved Violette and Dante’s dynamic and i thought they were both witty. Dante being a shameless flirt was giving me life and Violette talking to annoy him was so me core. i was literally jaw dropped at the ending but wasn’t left disappointed. all in all, minus feeling slow, i adored this book. Can’t wait for July 27th!
Songs i thought of while reading:
Vampire - olivia rodrigo
I love you, i’m sorry - gracie abrams

[Rylee Lock]

DNF 100 pages in :(
The concept for this book was SOOO good, not to mention the beautiful art that the author commissioned, but oh my Lord this desperately needs an editor. So many grammatical errors and tense changes, and as an AO3 warrior, errors like that don’t usually affect my reading experience too much, but it was just so excessive in this book. I still have faith in this story and think it could be great, if it ever gets traditionally edited then I may pick it back up.

[Courtney Dotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beautiful everything the author said it would be!! Vampires and witches ❤️ I love the banter between the two main characters and the small acts of protection Dante always showing Violette! Very whimsical.

[mooncake ۫ ꣑ৎ]

first and foremost, i'd like to thank Ann Sorstone for the ARC!
from the storytelling, writing, descriptions, settings and atmosphere- this totally gives off once upon a broken heart vibes! 😍

[Chanelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was received as an ARC - Thank you Ann Sorstone

Book: Portion of Deception
Genre: Romantasy
Rating: 5 ⭐

5/5Relationships
5/5 Characters
5/5 Plot
No Spice 🌶

*:✿˚⋆ SPOILER FREE REVIEW *:✿˚⋆

୨୧˚♡ Pre-read ♡˚୨୧
I follow this author on social media which is where I saw the advertisement for this book. With the brief description she provided, the character art and the overall book vibe I knew I needed to read this pronto. I just knew this would be right up my alley, with it giving off OUABH vibes, and couldn’t wait for it to come out.

✩ ⋆˙⟡ Overall thoughts after reading ✩ ⋆˙⟡
Unsurprisingly, I gobbled this up like fresh hot cinnamon buns. The story, the characters, the relationships, everything was so delectable and I really just could not put the book down. I kept thinking about it during my big girl job and adult duties and I just could not wait for book time at the end of each day so I could get lost in this world once more. The story reads like OUABH with its detailed magical aspects and cute royal core vibe. The characters are so easy to fall in love with and the push and pull of the slow burn will definitely keep you bargaining for one more chapter.

(UPDATED: I learned that this is actually not a stand alone so this does not apply at all - new review to follow below).
That being said, I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars for the simple reason that I would have loved to have a bit more closure at the end. I found myself looking for one more page after the last one to satiate that built up need for that last bit of romance that I had been waiting to fall into place throughout the whole book. HOWEVER, this does not take away from the story or the love that I have for this book. I simply wish there had been just a little bit (or a lot) more to get that final puzzle piece in place.

This book deserves 5 stars because let’s be honest, it is simply wonderful. I have absolutely no notes. The ending its painfully good, making you frantically look for just one more page and hating yourself for not having read slower and savoured it. One thing I must say is that Ann Sorstones knows how to keep you at the edge of your seat and reeling for more. I will be aggressively stalking Ann's social media now to get more information on what is coming next. This is definitely a book to put on your TBR and one I will be recommending to others once it is out.

PS: I would not do this review justice without adding what has to be the loveliest, most profound quote of all times. (no spoiler).

“I Prefer the moon over the sun. It’s different but more…familiar. We can see her shape, her shadows, different phases of her life, how it changes. How she changes. How her parts disappear just to come together again. How she rewrites herself every month - her rebirth. She lightens the way for travelers at night, which is way more than the sun does. The moon leads you through darkness. She doesn’t hide behind the blinding light, letting us watch all her imperfections. And to all others, she’s never trying to outshine the stars’ beauty”

[Ivana Loustalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing. A whimsical gothic fantasy tale with wizards, wizardlings, vampires and other magical creatures.
When Violette makes a deal with a handsome stranger, she knows everything can go wrong, but has no other choice. Little did she know, this stranger was really a vampire, a very strong one with a lot of enemies. Dante has many secrets, including why he has to wear an unusual mask over his mouth, but that's the reason he needs her help, and Violette would do anything to help her father feel better, even working together with a creature of the night. And so, their journey begins..
Potion of Deception is Ann Sorstone's debut Upper YA romantasy novel, with the following tropes:
💜Whimsical world infused with mysteries and darkness
✨Fairytales-inspired stories
🩸Morally grey tormented love interest
🎀Soft FMC who loves to dress up
🗡️Enemies-to-lovers and Forced proximity
💜Gothic setting
The book is due to be released on the 27th moon of July.
I received this ARC from the author and this is my honest review. I really recommend it.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

‘𝔐𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔠 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔟𝔢 𝔞𝔰 𝔡𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔰 𝔞𝔰 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩’

Lucky to read the ARC for this whimsical book, the world is so magical!

I loved the main characters, especially how strong our FMC Violette is. I adore the tension between her and Dante 😍. The banter is 10/10!

Dante’s flirting, yes: 𝒱𝒾𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓉𝓉𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹, "𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓈𝓈!"
"𝐼𝓉'𝓈 𝓃𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒶𝓈𝓈 𝓊𝓅 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒.”

The plot had me engaged the whole time and I need a sequel 👌.

[Muriel Meier · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Jacks and Chaos from Once Upon a Broken Heart had a dangerously charming lovechild, it would be the irresistible, morally grey lead of Potions and Deceptions. This book absolutely slays with its gothic atmosphere and enchanting fairytale world, offering a fresh, seductive take on vampires that feels both haunting and original.

One of my favorite things is the razor-sharp banter and the perfectly agonizing slow burn. The chemistry practically crackles off the page. Just look at this moment:

“Don’t tell me all of it just to drown me.”
“Hm,” he drew thoughtfully, “As much as this idea sounds tempting, I still need you. But remind me about it later for sure.”

Tell me that’s not peak flirtation laced with danger!

The author masterfully blends dark magic, forbidden potions, and crumbling gothic castles with a storyline full of secrets and betrayal. The slow-burn romance had me hanging on every almost-touch and lingering glance.

If you love a brooding, dangerous hero, a headstrong heroine, and a romance that makes you suffer in the best way possible, this book is a must-read. Highly recommended for fans of gothic fantasy, dark fairytales, and that delicious slow descent into chaos and desire.

[evies_libraryy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay WOW.

This was so addicting to read, i stayed up till 2am both nights after saying “just one more page”. I felt that the world was so mystical, the pacing was perfect and the chemistry between Violette and Dante was so well written!

Even the complexity of the characters was interesting. I felt that we really got to learn who Violette was, and piecing together bits of Dante’s history was a whirlwind in itself.

Every other page I would kick my feet and giggle, the dagger to the throat scene and THE BALLROOM DANCING?? Him TEACHING HER in the middle of the night?? That made me so giddy I loved it so so much 🙏

Made me think yet again, when will fictional men become real…💔 Ugh 😓😓😓

I would definitely recommend this if you like…

⚔️✨ darker and more mysterious OUABH

⚔️✨ vampires and witches

⚔️✨ morally grey mmc and soft fmc

⚔️✨ ballroom dancing at night 🫣

⚔️✨ dagger to the throat scene

⚔️✨ plot twists

And finally, thank you to the wonderful author for the ARC of “Potion of Deception”. This was my first ever one and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to review this book before it blows up within the bookish community 💖✨

[Ava Scully · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just received that I will be an ARC reader for this book and I am so unbelievably excited and will update when I have read it!

[Sugar Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review

✨YA fantasy
🩸Vampire & witch
🧛🏻He’s snarky and broody
🔮She’s snarky and sunshine
🤭Banter
🎭He’s been muzzled
🪦Potion making & crypt robbing

I enjoyed the story, he’s a vampire who’s been muzzled for centuries and needs a witch to help him find the way to take it off. There’s lots of magic, potion making, some grave robbing, along with lots of riddles and twists the mc’s have to figure out throughout their adventure. It was a little slow for me at times but I’m thinking that was just the way things were set up and we’ll learn a lot more in the next book. Overall it was a good debut!

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing, and was definitely worth all of the wait!!

[Nisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“the truth is you'll always meet the magic when you least expect it. It's always around – you just don't really notice.”

💜🧪🧛🏻🌟🎀🦇🩸🌿🪻🌘🌲

Potion of Deception was such a magical surprise. the eerie, whimsical, and witchy atmosphere completely pulled me in 🦇 it felt like a mix of Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Vampire Diaries, and a touch of Harry Potter, with its own unique charm 🔮

Violette is a lovable heroine 🫶🏻 her dedication to her father is so wholesome and emotional 🥺 i especially loved the scenes where she was in her element, making potions 🧪 and exploring magical shops, it felt like i was right there with her!

Dante is such a fascinating character. he is mysterious, flirtatious, and often infuriating, but also unexpectedly sweet! especially toward the end, it became clear that he really cared about Violette and had a soft side 😭 their banter had me laughing out loud! and the chemistry between them was full of tension and truly one of the best parts of the book 🩷

the world-building is vivid and immersive. every magical forest, eerie moment, and enchanted detail felt real 🌲 the plot kept me hooked from beginning to end and the twists had me gasping 🫢 that ending left me completely in SHOCK and needing more!!

if you enjoy witchy vibes, morally gray vampires, slow-burn romance, and magical adventures, this book absolutely belongs on your tbr! 🧛🏻🩸

HUGE thank you to Ann for the ARC of her debut novel 🥹 i had so much fun reading it and i am so excited for everyone to read it when it releases on july 27th! 🪻

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a highly anticipated book for me, but I unfortunately can't rate it higher than a 2/5. I understand it's a debut novel and I believe self-published; and I think the author had some people help edit, but there's still so many grammar mistakes and parts that don't make sense. And the ending was so anti-climatic. Enemies to lovers? Where is any sense of love? I'm not talking smut, I'm talking some kind of understanding or admission of it. I'm a little bummed that this book didn't meet my expectations.

If the author does see this: this isn't a reason to stop writing. Keep following your passion, this piece just needed some more work, and that's okay. Some people will love it, and some people will like it but not be able to get past grammar mistakes and things that don't make sense, like me

[Julisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Potion Of Deception by Ann Sorstone is a stunning witchy vampire fantasy that has a wonderful blend of visually detailed settings,and a very soft yet gothic aesthetic with Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service vibes!💜🖤

The story follows the fmc Violette's journey to save a dear family member while also exploring a beautiful yet dangerous world that holds many secrets that will forever change her future.

The world building is very versatile,and matches the theme of the story perfectly. One minute there's a magical small town,and the next there's a hauntingly mysterious forest.

The magic system especially the different types of ranks are very intriguing. The unique idea for witchling vs witches is very clever. For example, the fmc Violette is a talented witchling potionist,but she never uses dark magic because she uses her magic to help others.

The romantic moments between Violette,and the mmc Dante a mysteriously attractive vampire man definitely has lots of banter. There's also lots of slow burn moments.

The plot twist at the end of the story is giving Beauty & the Beast vibes,and I am still in shock over what Dante did I was like hold on what!?😱 I was definitely not expecting that bittersweet moment at the end,and I hope that Violette's story will continue because I need book two please.😭

Add this beautiful story to your tbr if you love:

1.Witchy Studio Ghibli vibes world with a soft,and gothic aesthetic.

2. Soft fmc that is a talented potionist,and is not afraid to speak her mind.

3. Slow burn romance

4.Morally grey characters

5.Vampire mmc with a mask.

6. Unique magic system with witches,and vampires.

7.Ancient magical artifacts,and spells.

Thank you Mrs.Sorstone for the opportunity to read your stunning debut book. I loved reading Violette's story,and I am definitely going to read book two.💜🖤

[Allison Romeo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book that DESPERATELY needs a heavy edit ...

✨️ PLOT: 5/5

I loved reading about all of the difference potions, the lore behind them, the different areas they visited, and the magic system was really intriguing. I am always a sucker for any book that has witches. The witch/vampire combo is chef's kiss and I loved that his curse was his mouth being caged.

✒️ WRITING: 1/5

I am sorry because I know this was sent out as an ARC before editing was done but it really shows. Tons of word misuse, tense issues, and most of the scenes where they are talking back and forth to each other have at least a line or two that make 0 sense.

examples:

- "Wasn't they closed because a lot of people drowned using them?"

- "I'll just be talking unstoppable and make staying in the carriage impossible to you so you would want to jump out before we reach our destination."

- "How do you move this quite?" (Instead of quite, which isnt correct either because it should be quietly)

I almost could not finish the book because of this part.

❤️🔮 ROMANCE/CHARACTERS: 3/5

I liked both of the characters well enough. They are a little sassy, a little sweet, which always brings about good banter. The romance was slow, which I dont mind, but it didnt culminate in a way that was enjoyable for me.

The ending is insane and a huge cliffhanger so not sure if there will be a sequel? I guess we shall see!

(I was given a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review)

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Ann Sorstone for choosing me to be in your ARC Team

So... here is my spoiler-free review!

The book's rating for me is a 4⭐️

The book is indeed delicious. The story has so many possibilities, it can go in so many different ways and this is what I loved in that book. Also, the vibe, the vibe is Gothic but also medieval (I love medieval in books), and it is atmospheric.

Violette is a witch who will bargain with Dante, a cursed vampire, so he can save her father and the most amazing part is that HE reached for her first! They go on an adventure and meet many different people (and species) with smart comments on the way and I really enjoyed that. This is the book 1, Potion of Deception.

The characters have a very mysterious background and the story is built very well. There is room to add even more! The sky is the limit here and this is amazing. I love plot twists in a book, they are simply delicious.

I just want to slap Dante across the face, that's it I said! Those who know, they know!

Here are some tropes:

Vampire x Witch
Grumpy x sunshine
Knife to the throat (yes for me it is)
Forced alliance
SLOW BURN (very slow burn)
"Enemies" to Lovers
Banter between the main characters

Can't wait for the next one! Please 🙏

[Paulina · Rating 2 out of 5]

bargaining with a stranger is never wise - violette effontesorts knows it, but desperation to cure her father clouds her judgment. she strikes a deal with a mysterious man named dante, who promises her an elixir in exchange for help removing an enchanted mask. their journey leads them through magical lands in search of a spellbook belonging to the old witch - dante’s only hope for freedom. but as violette begins to question his secrets, she discovers he’s not just cursed… he’s a vampire🧛🏻 bound by a magical bargain, they must keep their promises - no matter what

personally i really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype for me

the pacing felt a little off and i felt like we just travelled for no real purpose half the time, which made it difficult to keep track of what was happening. for that reason, i think the book could have been a lot shorter

dante is a flirt (which we love), but i wasn’t entirely sold on his and violette’s dynamic - they didn’t ‘click’ for me, so it was hard to root for them

overall, if you like a whimsical book with vampires, witches, quests, and a grumpy mmc, this might still be worth checking out

[BookishVibesClub · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this with the idea of a cursed vampire MMC and the FMC holding the answer to the curse (which we all know leads to a great forced proximity trope). There were some elements that reminded me of OUABH with more of a cottagecore feel than whimsical fairytale. The MMC vampire cursed with a mask, a little mysterious and full of taunting, playful banter. The FMC witch is determined to follow through on a deal made with the dangerous MMC giving us the forced proximity.

💗 Taunting Banter
💗 Mysterious and Cursed MMC
💗 Witch x Vampire
💗 Forced Proximity
💗 Magic
💗 Slow Burn
💗 Quest

🫑 no spice | closed door

My early copy had a lot of grammar and word choice irregularities. Some of that seemed like just having a different way of saying things than I’m used to. This made it very difficult for me to stay in the story and keep going even though I loved the characters, the world, and the plot.

3⭐️ overall

But I definitely look forward to giving it another chance after editing!

[Patsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wizards, vampires, witches and magic all wrapped up in a beautiful bow under the cover of darkness. That's what you get when you read this book. Violette, our FMC gives is good as she gets. Dante, our MMC is moody and broody but with good reason. These two seem to balance one another perfectly. The banter between the two of them was delicious.

The story line was so unique that I just couldn't put the book down. Violette is so consumed on saving her father that she doesn't realize that she entered into a deal with a vampire. All she originally saw was a man who had a contraption over his mouth that he wanted removed but it would take something magical to remove such a device.

This is definitely a book that I recommend everybody add to their TBR list. I don't hand out 5 stars very often, but for me.This was definitely a five star read for me personally. When I can't put a book down because it's just literally sucked me in, that is definitely a five star read.