A Rose for the Taking: A Sapphic Vampire X Human Arranged Marriage

by Katie Trapp

A marriage of necessity. A desire they can’t deny.

With her fate sealed by her father’s greed, Rose Loughty is forced to accept a contract marriage to escape her home. Every moment of Rose’s life has been filled with learning how to be subservient and dutiful. She knows nothing other than how to please someone else, but she’ll be put to the test of her own power when forced to marry a vampire under the guise of uniting the races.

Lina Castaneda wants nothing more than to protect her family’s legacy and keep the peace between vampires and humans. Yet tensions are rising, and the threats of bloodshed are insurmountable. In a last-ditch effort to protect her family and community, Lina agrees to marry a human with the hope that together they might have the power and strength to save the world.

This isn’t about love.

But as they come together, Rose finds her own voice and the backbone she didn’t know she had. And Lina can’t keep Rose at arm’s length anymore.

With feral vampires on the hunt and political forces closing in, their new bond will be tested. They must fight to protect each other and their love before death meets them at the door.

An arranged marriage sparks a fierce desire neither can resist. As deadly threats close in, they must discover who they truly are and what they’ll fight for.

Content warnings can be found on the author's website.

Genres: Vampires, Lesbian Fiction, Lesbian

331 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Katie Trapp is an indie author from a small town in southern Middle Tennessee who currently resides with her wife, two dogs, and two cats in Kentucky. In 2021, she published her debut novel, An Unexpected Partnership, and has been writing ever since.

Reviews

[Unpopmary · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐

Ugh, this book kinda let me down. 😞 It felt super rushed, and I'm not big on the insta-love thing. Plus, the worldbuilding was barely there. Fingers crossed Katie's next one hits closer to home! 😅

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this novel. It was an enjoyable read and a neat take on vampire lore, which I always enjoy. I seem to be a sucker (hah!) for a sapphic vampire story, so this automatically got a few bonus points for that. This was a lot less angsty/conflict-y than I expected but I enjoyed it all the same as it was a good story that flowed well. Its definitely worth checking out if you like vampire romance or arranged marriage situations.

Rating: B+ / 4-Stars

Highlights:
-Lots of respect and consent and clear boundaries; unexpected in an arranged-marriage story!
-Nice body positivity.
-Their attraction to each other was relatively realistic and it was nice; being drawn to someone despite your best efforts to the contrary. I liked that they were clearly drawn to each others’ actions and behaviors, and not just the fact that they were sexy.
-It was sexy.
-Sexy sapphic vampires always seem to be a great thing in general so there is also that!
-I liked that there were a few plotlines taking place through this novel, that complimented each other nicely, though some of them lacked a bit of resolution in my mind.

Nitpicks:
-It was a bit too instalove for me. It was one of the “better done” instalove stories I have read, but its never going to be my favorite. I like it when the attraction is based on something a bit “more” (thankfully it wasn’t based on nothing).
-The plotline was a bit obvious. I think it’s a factor of having so few named characters in the book. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t much of a twist.
-I don’t like it when a novel is essentially pushing the narrative that non-monogamy is somehow a “more evolved or more emotionally mature” way of living and that its categorically better than monogamy. I am all for sex positivity and I think people should live however makes them happy, but I hate the narrative that there is a “better” way of living. It wasn’t a big detail in this story but it bothered me.

Thank you to the author for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rose for the Taking by Katie Trapp is a lovely, swoon-worthy romance. Rose and Lina are both so delightful in their differences.
There is a bit of a mystery, a little suspense, and a lot of romance, along with some spice for balance. Despite it being an insta-love situation, Rose and Lina have chemistry and ultimately build a believable relationship based on more than just physical attraction.
I enjoyed the shared moments of vulnerability, the touch-her-and-die vibe, the body positivity, and the strong support system.
Rose's best friend, Layla, is a nice addition.
I was captivated from the start and appreciated the steady pace. It is a quick and satisfying read. I thoroughly enjoyed this low-angst, sexy, sweet love story.
#oppositesattract #arrangedmarriage #butchfemme #vampires #touchheranddie #comfort #bloodplay #instalove #HEA
I received a free ARC from the author. This is my honest opinion.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Rose and Lina! I liked their individual personalities and their openness to one another, especially as they entered their marriage through an arrangement to promote human and vampire relationships.

I enjoyed the pacing and the steam flowed nicely with the story/plot/development.

I liked how the resolution was developed and executed. I had a feeling and was happily satisfied with the outcome.

I would love to read more from this world and be able to
revisit many of the characters, particularly Rose and Lina of course ;). Highly recommend!

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star smash from Katie Trapp. This woman can write any genre and deliver utter satisfaction.

In this book we are taken to a world where humans and vampires share a fragile peace. There is prejudice and misinformation a plenty among each race, but our leading ladies come together to try and bridge the differences and smooth relations between vamps and humans.

Rose is a wonderful character, strong,brave, resilient and we get to see Lina respect and encourage that in her from the get go. The author acknowledges and addresses the power imbalance between the couple, and we get to see how they handle it in a healthy and safe manner.

We can tell that this book is definitely fantasy because Lina and the ruling vampires actually try to make things better for the most vulnerable people in society.

A beautiful romance that touches on many issues we can directly parallel with events going on in our world today. I loved it.

[Erin F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Rose and Lina. The couple and the story are wonderfully enjoyable. Needing to help bring the humans and vampires a measure of peace to settle the environment, Lina’s family decides she needs to wed a human to bring the sides together. With a past that haunts her, Lina isn’t sure she’s ready to be the wife her new bride will deserve. Rose’s family treats her as their servant rather than a member of the family. Struck by hard times that has pushed them down the influential ladder, the announcement that Lina will be married to a human and that a member of their family will be in consideration has them seeing $$$ until they realize it’s Rose, specifically, who is in the hunt. Lina is sweet, caring, and protective of Rose. She also wants to see Rose grow and break out of the shell she had to be within her family. As their relationship grows and the feral vampire issues plaguing the city continue, Lina and Rose grow closer together while they both also settle more into who themselves. The story moves along nicely and while there is a bump or two in the road for the couple’s relationship, with the help of friends and family, they get through it and through the trouble that comes in discovering why vampires are going feral.

[Solely Sapphic Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duel 3rd Person POV. 4🌟 3🌶️. 330 pages
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am an absolute sl*t for a vampire romance! And when you combine a Masc Vampire, with a plus size, soft bellied, plush thighed human you bet I’ll trip over my feet to read it 😍

A Rose for the Taking follows Rose a lower class lonely spinster, who is widely under appreciated by her horrendous money hunger family and Lina the vampire magistrate who must marry a human to politically bridge the gap between their species. It’s a story filled with yearning, grief, overcoming adversity, learning to love another, political intrigue and growing interspecies conflicts.

The relationship between Rose and Lina starts out very tentative, but quickly develops into a more intimate, almost all consuming love, obsession and possession. As they both navigate married life, they must face the newness of learning to be with another, while overcoming obstacles that could have been avoided with a simple conversation. With little sprinklings of spice throughout the story and a scene where the plus size beauty gets to be on top, the book had me captivated.

There was one quote from the book, around 12% or 41 pages in that had me giggling to myself for 5 minutes straight and it isn’t even from the main characters, but Lina’s mother. “That bad? Tobias smacked Clancy in the face with a fish! A fish, Lina”. Honestly can we get more humour like this is vampire books please!

My only minor gripe and it’s one I’m beginning to see a lot of and is quickly becoming a pet peeve, is the spice scenes are mostly one sided. We need more stories where our masc characters are switches or bottoms. It happens, it’s not rare, so it needs the representation it deserves!

Must read if you LOVE:
✨Vampire Romance
✨Arranged Marriage / Marriage of
Convenience
✨Strangers to Arranged Wives to Lovers
✨Masc Vampire in Government
✨Femme Plus Size Lower Class Human
✨Found Family
✨Political Intrigue and Reform
✨Fighting Classism
✨Sprinkles of Spice
✨Bonding Bites
✨Erotic Dance

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy of A Rose For The Taking by author Katie Trapp. Thank you Katie for the chance to be an ARC reader.

A Rose For the Taking is a sapphic vampire and human romance with topics of arranged marriage, self-discovery, and a little bit of mystery. Rose is a human, who is pressured by her family to enter an arranged marriage with a vampire, Lina. Lina is a vampire whose job is to maintain the peace between vampires and humans. With tensions rising between the two Lina agrees to marry a human in order to hopefully ease those tensions. Lina chooses Rose expecting to be friends, but nothing else. Instead love starts to blossom between the two as Rose learns to find her inner strength and stand up for herself, while Lina learns to open up her heart again. However, a threat causing the tension between the humans and vampires puts there love at risk as well.

The journey these two characters take is so relatable. Rose has been taught by her family to be subservient and basically have no voice. Lina has grown closed off in terms of romance due to her past experience. Together they go through a process of self discovery and fall in love during the process. They aren't perfect though with some ups and downs, which makes this story even more relatable.

This book has it all. There is growth of characters finding themselves, a spicy romance, and a little bit of mystery that blended together creates a story you don't want to put down till you finish it. I have read a few of Katie Trapp's books so far and each one has captured me in some way and just drawn me in. Katie has a way with words that you can somehow relate to the characters in one way or another. This one was no different and I enjoyed this book a lot. If you like vampire and human romance this is the book to read. I look forward to Katie's next book.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is (in my humble opinion) Katie’s best work so far. Which says a lot because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every book of hers that I’ve read.

There’s many different variations of vampires, even in the sapphic community alone. And to be honest, I’ve read them all (or at least a concerning amount of them). One thing I absolutely love about vampire novels is that these characters have been alive for more years than I would ever want to experience, the grief, loss, and pain they would feel would be inescapable. But I think that’s the point, I love seeing characters go through pain and loss, yet choose more for themselves. A lot of times we live our lives and can’t control outcomes or pain, but we can control how we respond to it. I love these types of novels that show health relationship dynamics. At the end of the day, none of us are perfect, and we will mess up. But it’s what we do to rectify our imperfections and most importantly, what we do to ensure it never happens again. Which is something these characters have done so well. If you like fantasy and love healthy relationships, this book is a must read.

I received an ARC copy but all opinions are my own.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a completely new take on vampires, vampires that in fact are real softies and that was quite enjoyable to read about. Lina and Rose are adorable together, an amazing pairing and just what they both needed even if they were forced to marry by circumstances. Lina must marry to lessen the tension between vampires and humans, and Rose is given away by her family for money.

While Lina and Rose get closer and form an amazing bond, a lot of issues with feral vampires and Lina must find the cause of that. The love that slowly grows between them is so great to read about and Lina, such a different type of vampire, still mourning her late wife and just wants to make sure Rose is happy so move things along in such a sweet and slow way. Once they bond that is fire though.

So the love story is great but the whole mystery solving with the ferals is unfortunately handled way too superficial just like the suffering of humans donating blood to a blood bank. I was a bit bummed about this.

I received a free ARC from the author and leave a review voluntarily.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I thought the beginning was a little slow but definitely needed in order to lay the plot and story line! However, everything else was amazing!!! The story really picks up after a few chapters and I love the undeniable longing and tension even though Lina tries to fight it so much! I wish I had a Lina in my life😍 the spice was also incredibly hot🌶️🌶️🌶️ The romance, the spice, the plot all of it was amazing! I loved the romance between Rose and Lina because Rose is such a sweetheart she deserved the world and Lina believes it too! I loved the side characters from Lina’s side but I despised Rose’s family! I highly highly recommend if you love vampires, spice, and found family because this book won’t disappoint! Thank you so much to Katie Trapp for allowing me to be a part of her ARC team! P.S. all thoughts and comments are my own honest opinions😊

[Samantha Holder-Venter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic vampire story that completely drew me in. I definitely stayed up far too late reading it! I love how Katie explores class differences and how this imaginative vampire world reflects real issues of racism and classism today. The evolving romance between Rose and Lina was such a joy to follow, and the touch of suspense and intrigue kept me hooked. The 🌶️ factor is spot-on too. Overall, an excellent sapphic read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

[Chus Lerma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Rose’s and Lina’s dynamic and the world Katie sets the story in. The way Rose grows in the book it’s a delight to read. And she being a proud XL size woman, it’s empowering.

If you want a fluffy/supernatural story, give Katie’s story a try, you won’t regret it!

My only ‘but’ here is the way the crimes are solved, it was a little bit weak for my liking. I would like to have more context on the motives. Although they were solved at the very end of the book, the lead to solve it was solid.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the new, modern approach to the vampire story combined with classic aspects of the period setting that Katie Trapp chose. I thought it fit together perfectly.
The main characters were so sweet and shy, considerate and protective.
Shy, of course, because as a human, having to marry a vampire is a shock for Rose, but because of her stupid family who doesn't treat her well, she's used to the oppression.
As a corpulent woman, it's doubly difficult for her.
Lina, her father's successor in the Castaneda Vampire family and business, has a role to fulfill.
Marrying, and a human at that, isn't difficult for her, as she has a past and experience with it, but other vampires and humans aren't enthusiastic about such a liaison.
Lina, however, likes Rose just the way she is and has the incomprehensible urge to have her with her and to protect her. Even before the wedding.
It quickly became a must-read.
Yes, there are aspects of insta-love and "Mine," but the characters had to overcome some obstacles.
It wasn't all sunshine and roses from the start;)
Getting married and adjusting to where she is now and who she is in this family brings up friction and a beautiful mix of excitement, joy, and even fear in both MC‘s.
I really liked this vampire x human love story very much and it’s hot!!
Thanks so much for the ARC to Katie Trapp 🫶🏼

[Shannon Luchies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose seems trapped caring for her sisters and mother, therefore she's shocked to find out a local vampire might want her as a bride! And a woman at that!

Lina the Magistrate (and a vampire) is asked to marry a human to reduce tensions between them and humans. She is not thrilled, but agrees to meet with several prospects.

Rose's dad supports this, due to a huge dowry. Of course. We also find out why they're in financial distress, as her dad looked the other way over theft and got caught.

Lina picks Rose, in part because she was the only honest candidate. I'm really liking the slow burn romance, both Rose and Lina are adorable.

There's a feral vampire subplot, that ends up hitting Rose and Lina. I have a good guess who did it, but we'll see.

I like the world building, and how the society works. And (of course) there's prejudice against folks bonded to vampires.

After Rose is attacked by a feral, Lina has to turn her. They then figure out who's doing it.

Good book, good romance. The pacing is nice, it never feels slow, and the cast of characters are fun. Only gripe: there's a few times modern phrases get used that felt a bit off.

4 out of 5 stars.

[Looby Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is a superb vampire book that is quite gripping in places and not just a fluffy I want to bite your neck romance.
Lina, a vampire is told to marry a human to help relations between the two species.
Rose is kept and treated like a maid but her family because her cash cow days are over with her remaining unmarried. No dowry, no likey.
Luckily her spunk captures Lina’s attention and she gets rescued from her life of slavery and thrust into the strange new world of vampires and their politics.
I loved both characters story arc and how they grew over the course of the book. The story was original and had a thrilling finale.
Brilliant.

[Wes McGie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful fantasy romance featuring an arranged marriage between a vampire and a human. The marriage is supposed to quell tensions between the two groups as gruesome murders have been committed that have the communities in turmoil. I love our two main characters, Rose and Lina, and was surprised to see that Lina’s vampire family was very kind and supportive, unlike Rose’s awful human family. The vampire trope is usually vicious and cold. Lina is tough but shows a lot of emotions that almost make her almost seem human. I really hope there’s a sequel to this story because I’d love to see more of this world.

[Cora Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie has a way of writing women that are easy to fall in love with!

I am not usually the biggest fan of instant love but, between the chemistry of the two MCs and the "touch her and die" trope, I was hooked on this story. Despite the story tying up all it's loose ends, I hope that one day we will get the chance to see more of these two!

A Rose for the Taking was a quick, easy, and fun read and I am so grateful to have received another one of Katie's ARCs. I can't wait to see what she will do next!

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose and Lina are coming from such different places initially. Rose is basically acting as the family servant for a dysfunctional group that don't care about her. Lina is rich and quite influential in vampire society. They agree to an arranged marriage for very different reasons. The world building is great. I love this take on vampires and the more I learned the more I loved it! Watching them fall in love and work through issues is a joy. There is also suspense and a mystery to be solved. As always with Katie Trapp, it's a great read. I would love to see more from this universe.

[goodgirl_meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty sure this book healed a little bit of my relationship trauma. I’ve never seen such healthy relationships portrayed between both the main couple and the FMC and her in laws. Such a pleasure to see found family vibes portrayed this way! I don’t know how the author managed to make a book about a vampire/human arranged marriage, which was proposed because feral vampires were murdering humans, so cozy, but she really did. I was immediately drawn in to the story, the romance, the spice… all of it was just perfect!

[TasmanianQueen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent telling of a sapphic vampire/human romance. This book has several different elements... arranged marriage, insta-love, spice, and a bit of mystery. It is definitely not your typical Vampire story and I actually enjoyed the fact that is was so different. While there were a few darker scenes, I wouldn't classify the book as dark overall. It was tame for a vampire story, with a focus on improving relations within the community.

A big thank you to the Author, Katie Trapp for the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest, voluntary review.

[Xiaoqing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as an ARC reader and I enjoyed it so much! This story is like a combination of Cinderella and Twilight with a sapphic twist. Love this human/vampire couple, they are compassionate and caring, their journey of falling in love feels natural and believable. My only regret is that it is such a short story and I would love to read much more about the amazing couple's daily life and their adventures.

[Jen-Lea Mercy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Katie’s for awhile now, and one thing I love most about her writing is how she isn't afraid to genre jump! Her characters are always imperfect and lovely, and Rose and Lina fit that to a tee. This was a unique take on vampire romances, and the spice was Katie's best yet. I recommend A Rose For The Taking to anyone looking for a gentle butch vampire, sweet human femme, body positivity, and a decent amount of spice!

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good read.

While I did enjoy the book, it moved a little fast with little plot development. Rose started strong and then she seemed to get weaker and weaker throughout. Even the parts where she found her back bone didn’t compare to her initial anger towards her family.
Lena was a good character. A little huffier than I liked but overall well rounded. Overall, I enjoyed the book, it just wasn’t my favorite.

[BA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all of her other works I ate this one up just as fast. I was gifted an ARC of this book and I am forever grateful. I really loved the idea of the story, a little mystery wrapped nearly in a romance. My favorite part is how Katie worked the vampire lore in this story. I found it very unique and inviting for more of their world. I’m interested to see if she builds more into the world as well.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Reader: This was an interesting new take on vampire lore, where the focus was on the arranged political marriage between vampire and human and the live they develop for each other. Had a bit of a slow but necessary start to build the story up and provide background on the characters, Lina and Rose, and the political tension making the marriage necessary.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

So damnnnnn good!! This is a must read. Katie Trapp is a wonderful author giving us her twist on vampires. She gives us so many emotions with this book. Spice? Yes this book has spice, HEA? Again yes it has a sweet HEA. Do yourself a favor just buy and read it.

[Christine Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a phenomenal story, I loved the main characters the connection they formed was embedded beautifully throughout, the twists were exceptional keeping you on tender hooks wanting more i couldn't put it down definitely must read congratulations

[Brandi Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a vampire novel in literally so long, but this was a great segue back! It was a pretty easy read and just enough spice to keep my attention. The mystery element was great as well.

Thank you, Katie, for the ARC!

[Samantha Romine · Rating 5 out of 5]

i thoroughly enjoyed this book! I could not put it down! The world and characters pulled me in right away and I loved every one of them. I would have loved to see more focus on the overall conflict, but otherwise no notes!