Vow of Eternal Night

by Lily Crozier

Clara Wagner has always known that monsters are real, and the worst of them is Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg. But when he decides it’s time to marry, Clara inadvertently finds herself at the center of his attention.

Forced to accept Raleigh’s proposal, Clara would do anything to escape her fate. So when the prince provides an ultimatum—lift his vampiric curse before the end of the year, or become his bride for eternity—Clara knows what she must do.

Heal the prince. Stay alive. Try not to fall in love.

Vow of Eternal Night is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, gothic romantasy about the lengths people will go to for love, and the many faces monsters can wear.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Vampires, Paranormal, Retellings, Fantasy Romance

Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 would write again

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite an interesting story, and I did like the ending, but the romance felt like it was missing something. Where are the conversations where the characters actually get to know each other? Where are the small moments that relationships are built on? Yes, the FMC realizes the MMC isn’t actually a jerk, but what does he do specifically for her? He gives her a dress and some dictionaries (which, honestly, he needed more than she did), and that’s it? Because of that, her love feels like it came out of nowhere. Still, it was a fun read overall, and the best thing about the book is that it’s a standalone.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vow of Eternal Night transported me straight back to that feeling I had as a kid discovering fairytales for the first time. It’s whimsical, dark, and deeply romantic, with a slow burn so delicious that it’s almost painful.

While the inspiration from Beauty and the Beast is unmistakable, this story never feels derivative. Instead, it takes those familiar bones and reshapes them into something uniquely its own - a beautiful, moody, and enchanting interpretation that honors the classic while creating an entirely new story. The world-building leans into classic vampire lore but introduces fresh twists that make the setting feel alive rather than borrowed.

The characters are where the book truly shines. They’re wonderfully complex in ways that feel real. Flawed, layered, and just the right amount of chaotic. We love a soft, bisexual king!! The MMC was kinda goofy and I loved that about him. Both main characters were incredibly endearing. And because the story is told entirely through the FMC’s perspective, the reader is left to gobble up crumbs and read between the lines. I was invested from the first lingering look. We love a man that YEARNS!!

And the best part? It’s a COMPLETE STANDALONE. No cliffhangers, no waiting years for the next book. Instead a completely immersive story that begins and ends exactly where it should.

I can’t wait for more from Lily!

Final rating: 4⭐️ 1🌶️
Thank you Penguin for the ARC.

[Emily’s Fully Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a bingeable read and an impressive debut. I loved the gothic vibes and storytelling. I think this reads a little more YA than I was expecting based off the marketing.
I still enjoyed the characters and the pacing, but feel like the romance aspect could have been added to some more.
A worthwhile stand alone vampire read 🧛

[lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

vampires are BACK!!!

[BookishlyMorgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun standalone!! It felt nostalgic and had all the elements of a good vampire romance!! There was love, loss, deception, battle and so much more.

It was predictable, but thoroughly enjoyable :)

[ThianeJansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving Castle inspired Beauty and the Beast retelling… but make it vampires?
Lily really said let’s combine three of my favorite things and expected me not to immediately INHALE this book.

Clara is stolen from her home and fiancé by the infamous Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg and taken to his looming gothic castle in the mountains. Rumor in the town below says Raleigh is no ordinary prince… but something far darker.

Forced to live in the castle under his watch, Clara begins to see Raleigh for who he truly is while uncovering secrets not only about the castle but about her own family and home.

Tropes & Vibes
🩸 Vampires
🏰 Gothic castle setting
💍 Arranged marriage
🌑 Beauty & the Beast retelling
✨ Court intrigue & town secrets
😤 Grumpy MMC × grumpy FMC

This was such a bingeable read. The atmosphere is the real standout here with moody castles, dying towns, and that delicious gothic tension running underneath everything. It was giving Dracula aesthetic with Howl’s castle.

For a standalone, this story packs in a lot without feeling rushed. The character dynamics were especially fun to watch unfold, particularly Raleigh, who is rumored to be this terrifying vampire prince but is actually just a hopeless, softie of a man having to put masks on. I absolutely loved Moira and might even argue she was my favorite character.

I also loved that this sticks fairly close to classic vampire lore while still adding a few fresh twists. And honestly? The fact that this is a fantasy standalone made it so satisfying to inhale quickly.

My main gripe is that the pacing can feel slow in places, and despite being marketed as romantasy, the romance itself is pretty light. I personally would have loved more yearning, tension, and stolen glances between the main characters. A few plot points also resolve a little too easily.

Call me weird but all the ‘fight’ scenes played out in my head peak Twilight Volturi style and I ate it up, okay.

Still, this was a moody, atmospheric, gothic romantasy that really scratched my vampire itch and I had a great time with it. If you are in the right mood for something slow and atmospheric you should reach for this

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, Lily—you’ve absolutely smashed this out of the park.
This book was immersive, addictive, and completely impossible to put down. The atmosphere was chef’s kiss—dark, gothic, and dripping with vibes.

And the characters… I genuinely can’t put into words how much I adored Clara and Raleigh. They owned my whole heart.

A heads up: don’t go in expecting spicy scenes every few chapters—and honestly, that’s what made it even better. Instead of relying on constant heat, this delivers a slow-burn romance that’s beautifully woven into a rich, compelling story. The focus on world-building, tension, and mood made it stand out in the best way.

If you love your romantasy atmospheric, brooding, and story-driven, this one is a must 🖤📖

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Easily a 5 star read!

I’ve followed Lily’s bookstagram for a while now and was excited when she announced this book but hesitant as I hadn’t read many vampire novels since the Twilight days but the Beauty and the Beast retelling hooked me in and I am so glad I read this book. It was phenomenal!

Despite being a retelling, this story felt really unique and I loved reading a fantasy standalone. The world building is excellent and the storytelling was perfect!

I loved the character development of both Clara and Raleigh and the found family elements that developed with wonderful side characters.

I hope that Lily writes more so I can lose myself in another of her fantasy worlds.

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I can’t wait for people to lose their minds over this

This was so compelling!! A fantastic blend of traditional vampire myths, Beauty and the Beast, and the magic of Howl’s Moving Castle (plus a cheeky nod to the Van Helsing film which I LOVE), I devoured this (haha) in about two sittings.

Move aside poorly written vampire romantasy, there’s a new sire in town and she’s kicking your ass

Go Lily!

[sam]

I haven’t read much romantasy, but I’ve been in a very vampire mood recently so when the ARC arrived at my workplace I picked this up so fast. I’m so happy I did because I’ve been having trouble getting through books recently but couldn’t put this one down till I had to everytime I’ve picked it up!!!

I adore Clara as a main character, she reacted to things in such a relatable way to me. I loved going through her whirlwind of emotions throughout with her. Since I was so invested, whenever she felt something was unexplainable I felt the same way and so learning about the world through her experiences felt all the more rewarding.

I can’t wait for it to be out so I can gush about everything more and bring it up whenever someone asks for a fantasy recommendation!! (and so I can send it to all my vampire loving friends.)

[Katie Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow wow wow.. i loved this so much

[caiseeᡣ᭡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

now this, was a bloody good book. hehe get it? cause it's about vampires. 😅🦇
*****ARC*****

[Awesome_Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The best of life makes the worst worth living.”

I think I’m officially in my dark fairy-tale retelling era and I am not mad about it 🖤

There are strong Beauty and the Beast vibes running through this story, but without the classic grumpy × sunshine dynamic. Instead, we get politics, subterfuge, betrayals, and layers within layers of intrigue. It was clever, atmospheric, and honestly really impressed me.

And what do you mean it’s a standalone?! In 2026?! Absolute fist-pump moment. I love a complete story that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers it in one beautifully contained package.

The gothic tone throughout gave me strong throwback energy to those classic 90s vampire romances — minimal spice, more tension and atmosphere, and that slightly haunting emotional distance that lets the story breathe. I absolutely loved that vibe.

I also really appreciated the way the story explored family expectations and identity — especially the idea that family isn’t always what you think it is. The events at the end landed so well and pulled everything together in a really satisfying way. The back and forth! So. Good.

Honestly, this was just a total vibe read for me. Dark fairytale atmosphere, layered politics, unexpected turns, and a refreshingly classic-feeling romance.

[Coz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! And I really want a krapfen! 🤭

Vow of Eternal Night, inspired by beauty and the beast, is a gothic romantasy story that follows Clara, who is abducted and forced into a betrothal with Prince Raleigh von Rostenburg, a vampire who has treated his people like livestock for years.

I think (please correct me if I’m wrong) this is a standalone book and I found the pacing to be perfect. I loved that it ebbed and flowed and that it packed such a punch at several times throughout the book.

I absolutely adore the characters! Clara is brave, gutsy, strong and determined.
Raleigh is a monster. But is he really? He would rather people think he’s a monster than see Clara hurt at the hands of real monsters.
Yann, I really didn’t like for most of the book but I think he was done very well. Moira and Enrique… I absolutely adored them! Moira is a badass.

The world building was done really well. I was able to visualise and create the world in my head quite easily and I really love when a book does this. Being a creative person, I really need a book adequately world building and VoEN had no issue doing that!

We have enemies to lovers AND WE HAVE A SLOW BURN. We actually have a standalone romantasy with a delicious slow burn. If that alone doesn’t tempt you to read this book, then I don’t know what will.

I think the only thing I would have liked is a little more history on Raleigh’s side. I think Clara’s life, upbringing and discoveries really create a clear picture of a lot of her life, whereas Raleigh, I feel I wanted to know more history to really solidify that connection.

Overall, this is an amazing debut novel by Lily and I’m super excited for this to be out in the open.

Thank you to Rebekah at @penguinbooksaus and Lily for the gorgeous PR box and the chance to read early.

[Michelle Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured this in 24 hours! I’ve encouraged my teen to read this over Twilight. Particularly love the slow burn and wonderfully paced tension, the visual imagery (love to see this book get optioned) and the warranted attention dedicated to the ending - pet peeve is a rushed chapter tying up loose ends and this one did not disappoint in the slightest. Fab debut.

[Amelia · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 12%

The very juvenile writing style was a big turn-off and I couldn't continue.

[caity ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best vampire books and debuts I have read in a long long time, I devoured this book in almost one sitting.

The writing and world building were lucid and atmospheric, I loved how considered every element was from the setting to its history to the political and historical events happening around it, because of that the world in this story felt so alive.

The characters were also refreshingly well fleshed out. Clara and Raleigh were both compelling as characters because of their strengths and their flaws which Crozier carefully wove into their actions, motivations, desires, and mistakes. I also loved Crozier's take on vampirism.

This book gave me the same magical feeling as Howl's Moving Castle, the Emily Wilde series, and of course Beauty and the Beast but was also original enough that it stood on its own. If you like any of those books and movies though this book is absolutely perfect!

Overall, this was an incredibly impressive debut and I can't wait more of what Crozier writes, she is an immensely talented writer!

Thank you Penguin Books Australia for sending an ARC copy!

[Dee Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book at 7am and 10 hours later, with my eyes bugging out of my skull, I finished it. One hit, no breaks!

What a gorgeous read and so well written and researched too. I found the book so gentle, so sweet. Here I am, a fully grown, sensible 47 year old woman… in love with a vampire for god’s sake!! 🤭 Pls read it, it’s so lovely.

Lily I can’t wait for another book, so hurry up already.

[Cassie Sylvan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this!! It was exactly what I needed - a romance without being a full blown romantasy. Despite being a Beauty and the Beast retelling (with a vampire), it didn’t feel too reductive and had enough changes to make it feel new and original. I was intrigued from the start and just wanted to keep reading the whole way through, so very happy with this one!

[Elizabeth Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun foray into vampiric lore and romance! I really fell for the setting, the prose and what vampiric traits Crozier chose. I just would’ve loved to see more scenes of Clara and Raleigh actively falling in love, and more of Enrique in general.

[imogen grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are so many nice names in the world, and raleigh is just not one of them

[Amber Hemmings · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
It was off to such a great start but i feel like it lost its spark towards the end. Had such a great time though

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so fun but I’m also slightly disappointed. The storytelling was fantastic, I have so many quotes from this book that I love. But where was the romance? I didn’t feel the chemistry between Clara and Raleigh whatsoever. When she touched his d*ck the first time I was like ‘WOAH warn a girl first’. There was such good world-building, but where were the slow scenes that get us invested in the love story? There were no small touches or moments of insight that made us pine alongside them, we just kinda went from ‘I hate him’ to ‘actually I think I love him’ like what?

ALSO sooooo mad that we spent the whole bloody book trying to find a cure, and then we end up with both of them as vampires…. No.

ALSO PT. 2 Since I can't add my fave quotes manually since I read a physical copy, I'm just gonna paste them below for future reference haha


~ pg. 1 | I was ten years old and hadn't yet learned what it is to grieve. By the time I turned twelve, I was numb to it.

~ pg. 32 | "You must be my rival, then."
"I'm her fiancé," Yann said.
"See, I actually have a funny story about that."

~ "Do you think me a fool?" I asked.
"I didn't before, but you're certainly encouraging me to change my mind."

~ "What about love?" I asked.
"I hope that too will come in time," Raleigh said, "given the chance." He spoke with a softness I hadn't expected.

~ "Can a monster feel love?"
The question made him flinch.

~ pg. 52 | "I love you, too," I whispered into the darkness. But the only soul who might have heard me was the reason she never would.

~ "You want to kill me."
"Don't be dramatic," I said. "I'd be perfectly happy for you to drop dead of your own accord."

~ Vampires I could handle. Spiders were capable of crawling into your clothes and tickling you, which was too horrific for words.

~ "He's never touched me, if that's what you're implying."
"I'm struggling to understand what else he'd want from you."
That stung. "Is that really what you think? If you were in Raleigh's shoes, do I have nothing else to offer?"
His silence was damning.

~ "He's the devil, Clara. You can't let him take you."
"He's not the devil. If he were the devil, he'd be a lot more charming."
"I am charming."

~ pg. 142 | "This bolt is made of silver," he explained. "Every moment it's in there it's poisoning my body."
"How can you tell?"
"Because it fucking hurts, Clara!"

~ "I know I broke off my engagement with Yann, but please don't take that as a sign I've fallen for you."
"Don't worry, I'm not that deluded."

~ pg. 167 | "I mean this in the nicest way possible," she said as she approached, "but what the hell happened in Orlfen?"
"Clara chose me over the baker's boy," Raleigh said happily.
I ducked my head so they couldn't see me flush. "He's oversimplifying it."
"Of course, you're always right. I also got shot."
Moira pinched the bridge of her nose. "Actually, I know enough."

~ pg. 228 | What kind of pain lets a mother look her daughter in the eye and choose death?

~ "I feel safer with you here."
"Even now?"
I met his eye. "I didn't push you away for my sake. I wasn't the one who didn't want it."

~ pg. 268 | This, Raleigh explained, was not a coffin. It was simply a padded chest he lay in as a safety precaution to protect himself from any fleeting glimpses of sunlight that might shine through the curtain. He then reiterated that it was not a coffin and made it clear that if I didn't stop laughing I would be left behind.
It was a coffin.

~ pg. 285 | Raleigh turned to face me and was replaced by a startled deer who didn't know where to look.

~ "Is that really how you would greet the love of your life?"
"The love of my life is standing in front of me, but it isn't you, Your Majesty."

[Adaire | daring.fantasy.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vow of Eternal Night was a decadent debut. I love vampires and gothic settings, and this had all the parts for an enjoyable read while still feeling unique and refreshing.

Clara finds herself engaged to the vampire Prince Raleigh against her wishes after her village has been suffering a famine for the last 15 years. Her father, the mayor, agrees to the engagement in exchange for the Prince's support in ending the famine. Clara is taken to the castle to live, and starts to uncover the Prince's mysterious past as she searches for a way to free herself of the engagement.

Clara's character development was steady and satisfying once she starts to open her eyes after her sheltered upbringing. She starts of prejudiced and close-minded, but doesn't ignore the clues she finds. Raleigh is mysterious, but not entirely closed off. I liked them both as individual characters, but would have liked just a bit more chemistry between the two.

Clara's introduction to the vampire world is shocking and I think this was portrayed really well. Readers will be just as shocked as Clara to learn what really goes on in the vampire court and some of Raleigh's background.

Overall, a really enjoyable standalone and a fantastic debut. Thankyou to Penguin Books Australia for sending me an early copy.

Narration: Single character, first person POV

Spice: 1/5

Tropes:
- Beauty and the Beast Retelling
- Standalone
- Gothic vibes
- Found family
- Vampires
- Arranged Marriage / Engagement
- Tenuous Alliance
- Slow burn

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[Jess | books.with.jesss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Penguin Australia for the gifted physical copy in exchange for an honest review!

Addicting, fast-paced and thrilling!

Clara Wagner has her happily ever after planned - get married to her best friend Yann and live a carefree life with him. Everything is going to plan until Raleigh - the vampire prince who hasn’t been seen in years - shows up. And demands Clara’s hand in marriage. Clara despises Raleigh and everything he stands for, but if she doesn’t go with him, he’ll kill her father and Yann.

Left with no choice, Clara reluctantly goes with Raleigh and is filled with rage and despair at her new situation. Raleigh isn’t blind to her anger and gives her an ultimatum - lift his vampire curse before the end of the year or be his bride for eternity. Clara is filled with a glimmer of hope and vows to find a cure. No matter what it takes.

As the pair start spending more time together, Clara learns there’s more to Raleigh than the wicked facade he puts on. Beneath the cold exterior, Raleigh has a personality that shocks Clara. Will Clara be able to break the curse? Or will she be stuck as Raleigh’s bride forever?

This was super intriguing and I loved every moment! Raleigh was loveable from the start (who wouldn’t want a man who would happily kill for you!?) and I loved how his relationship with Clara flourished. He was respectful, kind and only wanted the best for Clara - even if he did force her to become is fiancé.

The story flowed really well and I had to stop myself from devouring the whole thing in one go! It’s the perfect mix of romance and fantasy and longing and living! Congratulations Lily on your debut - I simply loved Clara and Raleigh’s story!

Perfect for fans of a fast-paced romantasy with a relatable protagonist and a morally grey love interest you can’t help but fall for!

[isobel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back with another ARC review!! I am so excited to have gotten the chance to read Lily’s debut novel! Both a local Aussie author, and content creator who I love!

In this Beauty and the Beast inspired romantasy, Clara is stolen away from her fiancé and home by the notorious prince Raleigh of Rostenburg to his gothic castle in the mountains. But Raleigh is no prince charming, and is rumoured by town superstition to be something much worse….

Trapped in his castle, Clara is forced to face Raleigh as he truly is, but also must come head to head with the truths of her own family and her own home. Everyone’s secrets must come out eventually…

This is a story featuring deadly vampires, gothic castles, court intrigue, town secrets, and of course an arranged marriage romance. What more could I ask for…🤭

With its classic romantasy set-up, engaging characters and fun, fast-paced story telling, this is a book to be absolutely devoured. I genuinely nearly read the whole thing in one sitting.

I would recommend this for all lovers of Elise Kova’s ‘Married to Magic’, LJ Andrews’ ‘The Ever Seas’, and book 1 ACOTAR. Or anyone looking for a whirlwind, vampire, enemies-to-lovers romance.

My critiques of this book would be that the story is in no way unique. It relies on a lot of tropes, and character archetypes that we have seen before. Thus the story was very predictable.
That being said, the book did what it set out to do, was a fun and easy read, and I had a great time reading it!

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no secret that I love vampires. I mean, I spent most of last year writing a whole world of vamp tales. So I'm always interested in checking out a good bloodthirsty story. And this one has such a pretty cover that I couldn't resist.

Clara blames Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg for the death of her mother. She also hates him for what he did to her village. So when he spirits her away so she'll become his bride, she's devastated and is willing to do whatever it takes to escape...

Beauty and the Beast meets Dracula with a twist of Howl's Moving Castle.

Well, I really enjoyed this awesome Romantasy with a vampiric twist. It hooked me instantly because Clara is such a determined heroine who isn't afraid to speak up, and certainly doesn't put up with crap. Unfortunately, she's surrounded by men who make her life harder, but I liked how she dealt with everything as the truth unravels.

Even after she's shipped to a palace with shifting corridors and a vampire prince who keeps too many secrets, Clara shines. Her thirst for knowledge, love of books, and intense loyalty make her such an interesting character. She might spend a lot of time being angry and sad, but it's very entertaining to see the many changes she goes through when she starts seeing what lies beneath the monstrous exterior of Prince Raleigh.

This is a highly imaginative story that weaves a lot of intricate layers into the plot that ultimately tie in together. It's also full of great characters. I especially liked Moira and Enrique.

Yeah, this book is a LOT of fun and I loved it!!!

PS. I have the paperback edition with printed edges and it's lovely.

[Danielle Van Blerck · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟

VERY bingeable. The type of book that I was grumpy having to put down to go on social outings. HOWEVER. It felt a lot more YA (minus the one spicy scene) than I expected and by the end, I felt like the romance fell a bit flat. There didn’t feel like enough connection being built between the FMC and MMC. In saying that though. Did I gobble this up? Yes. Will I now read anything that Lily puts out? Yes. Did I LOVE reading a book that felt nostalgically gothic with a dash of romance? Yes. Did I enjoy the characters in the book? Yes. Did it pull me out of my reading slump? BIG YES. Did I giggle and kick my feet at the close proximity, one bed and SLOWWWWWW burn? Multiple times. Did I love it extra because it’s a standalone? Yes. Lastly, did I love it extra because it’s an enemies to lovers? Duh.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This was an easy, fast read with a classic enemies-to-lovers vampire storyline. It didn’t try to be anything overly complex, but it delivered on what you’d expect: tension, a bit of angst, and that push-pull dynamic between the characters.

That said, it’s a solid pick if you’re after something low-effort and entertaining, especially if you enjoy vampire romance with familiar tropes. Not a standout for me, but still an enjoyable read.