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Corporate Bloodsuckers #1
Swipe Bite
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26An icy vampire corporate heiress and a human software engineer must team up to thwart the saboteur who’s turned their sexy human-vampire dating app into a bloodbath, in this mystery romance romp by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti.
As heir to HemoCorp Industries, vampire Sophronia Vega has devoted herself to the company her family founded. Most recently, she’s led the creation of Stokr: the wildly successful dating app that pairs lusty vampires with humans they can’t accidentally, er, eat. But when Stokr’s matching technology goes haywire—and vampires start draining their dates—Sophronia’s disciplined life goes up in flames.
Enter Casey Amato, the human software engineer whose team programmed Stokr. Casey knows the Stokr failure wasn’t a glitch—the app’s been sabotaged. To fix it, he’ll have to convince the gorgeous, guarded vampire exec that someone in her inner circle has betrayed her.
Sophronia has never met a human who makes her feel quite so . . . thirsty. But to fix her app and save its users, she must team up with the brilliant programmer. As they hunt the traitor, their attraction burns hotter, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Because without Stokr, giving in to temptation could be deadly.
As heir to HemoCorp Industries, vampire Sophronia Vega has devoted herself to the company her family founded. Most recently, she’s led the creation of Stokr: the wildly successful dating app that pairs lusty vampires with humans they can’t accidentally, er, eat. But when Stokr’s matching technology goes haywire—and vampires start draining their dates—Sophronia’s disciplined life goes up in flames.
Enter Casey Amato, the human software engineer whose team programmed Stokr. Casey knows the Stokr failure wasn’t a glitch—the app’s been sabotaged. To fix it, he’ll have to convince the gorgeous, guarded vampire exec that someone in her inner circle has betrayed her.
Sophronia has never met a human who makes her feel quite so . . . thirsty. But to fix her app and save its users, she must team up with the brilliant programmer. As they hunt the traitor, their attraction burns hotter, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Because without Stokr, giving in to temptation could be deadly.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Alexandra Vasti
12 books1,557 followersAlexandra Vasti is a British literature professor by day and USA Today bestselling romance writer by night. After finishing her PhD at Columbia University, she moved to New Orleans with her family. Her books have received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, BookPage, and Kirkus, and have been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, and elsewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was so fun! I already knew I liked this author’s writing style from the previous book I read, so I had high hopes. But mixing that with a vampire book? Even better.
I didn’t realize it was going to focus so much on the mystery, but I didn't mind it at all. The corporate espionage and all the action kept me hooked. That being said, sometimes it felt like too many random clues were being thrown around which felt a bit unnecessary.
The highlight for me was obvs how Soph and Casey were so sweet together. The yearning between them was one of my favorite parts.
I wasn't sure how this would set up a second book, but that reveal at the end was such a fun twist. Definitely curious enough to see what she's cooking up for the sequel
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: i’m 20% in and absolutely loving it!!!
buddy read with angelinabvby ۶۟ৎ 🫶
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!
I didn’t realize it was going to focus so much on the mystery, but I didn't mind it at all. The corporate espionage and all the action kept me hooked. That being said, sometimes it felt like too many random clues were being thrown around which felt a bit unnecessary.
The highlight for me was obvs how Soph and Casey were so sweet together. The yearning between them was one of my favorite parts.
I wasn't sure how this would set up a second book, but that reveal at the end was such a fun twist. Definitely curious enough to see what she's cooking up for the sequel
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: i’m 20% in and absolutely loving it!!!
buddy read with angelinabvby ۶۟ৎ 🫶
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!
Currently Reading
May 21, 2026ꫂ᭪݁ 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 🫦
buddy read with the lovely Sophie ❦
buddy read with the lovely Sophie ❦
Want to Read
May 25, 2026I SAW VAMPIRES AND I RAN.
thank u so much berkley for the e-ARC via netgalley
thank u so much berkley for the e-ARC via netgalley
May 10, 2026
UM HELLOOOO where did this book come from
I absolutely loved this. I’ve read and loved this authors regency romances so when her paranormal romance was announced - I requested it on NetGalley immediately. THIS WAS SO GOOD
The writing & male yearning gave me the Ali Hazelwood brand of warm and fuzzies. (The highest of compliments)
So unique & fresh & fun & cute & other adjectives that escape me
things to know:
- she’s a vampire heiress
- he’s a human software engineer on her team
- working on a human x vampire matchmaking app
- he’s down bad
- unprecedented amounts of male yearning
I read this in less than 24 hours
All the stars
I absolutely loved this. I’ve read and loved this authors regency romances so when her paranormal romance was announced - I requested it on NetGalley immediately. THIS WAS SO GOOD
The writing & male yearning gave me the Ali Hazelwood brand of warm and fuzzies. (The highest of compliments)
So unique & fresh & fun & cute & other adjectives that escape me
things to know:
- she’s a vampire heiress
- he’s a human software engineer on her team
- working on a human x vampire matchmaking app
- he’s down bad
- unprecedented amounts of male yearning
I read this in less than 24 hours
All the stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Given my adoration of Alex Vasti’s previous books, I expected Swipe Bite to be a fantastic romance (which it was). What I did not expect, however, was that it would also be a gripping mystery. When some books try to be both a romance and have a very involved plot, I think one or the other often gets bogged down. This was not the case with Swipe Bite - the romance and the exciting plot swirled around each other perfectly and heightened the enjoyment of the whole book. Soph is our fiercely protective, guarded, shy vampire FMC and Casey is the perfect match as a loyal, dedicated, loving human MMC. Their romance feels realistic (or as realistic as a romance can feel when one is a vampire) and sweet, and they work together as a pair quite well. The mystery was full of red herrings and enough twists and turns that the reveals were always at least somewhat surprising, even when considering the hints throughout the book. It was well thought out and lends itself well to the promise of a sequel. This book was a delight and I’m excited to follow this story further.
May 11, 2026
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC of Swipe Bite! If I could describe this in one word? HOT.
I opened this and intended to read maybe 20% before going to bed, however I ended up glued to the pages and read the whole thing in one sitting - and I won’t even have any regrets tomorrow, other than being sad this is over. I love Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances, and I love vampires, so a vampire romance by Alexandra Vasti was like an ultimate dream! Alexandra really ate with this one.
I LOVED Soph, she’s such an entertaining character because of how reserved and professional she tries to be. Seeing her open up and display more of her personality was lovely, and very much reminiscent of Casey taming his stray cats. She is fiercely protective of Del, Casey and all of the Pillbugs, extremely smart and committed. Casey was also a wonderful character, similarly committed to both his team and to Soph and he is definitely an acts of service guy. I loved how Del described them as balancing each other, it really was an accurate description of their relationship.
I loved the action in this! Car chases, spying, heists, and guns - so fun and really made the story even more exciting. Excellent pacing overall, I never felt bored.
Unfortunately I must now patiently wait for book 2… Alexandra, I know you’re cooking something real good up in that brain of yours!!
I opened this and intended to read maybe 20% before going to bed, however I ended up glued to the pages and read the whole thing in one sitting - and I won’t even have any regrets tomorrow, other than being sad this is over. I love Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances, and I love vampires, so a vampire romance by Alexandra Vasti was like an ultimate dream! Alexandra really ate with this one.
I LOVED Soph, she’s such an entertaining character because of how reserved and professional she tries to be. Seeing her open up and display more of her personality was lovely, and very much reminiscent of Casey taming his stray cats. She is fiercely protective of Del, Casey and all of the Pillbugs, extremely smart and committed. Casey was also a wonderful character, similarly committed to both his team and to Soph and he is definitely an acts of service guy. I loved how Del described them as balancing each other, it really was an accurate description of their relationship.
I loved the action in this! Car chases, spying, heists, and guns - so fun and really made the story even more exciting. Excellent pacing overall, I never felt bored.
Unfortunately I must now patiently wait for book 2… Alexandra, I know you’re cooking something real good up in that brain of yours!!
May 10, 2026
Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“We’re all looking to find another person to talk to, to hold on to. Someone who sees us. Someone who makes the world feel brighter and sharper and more profound, just because they exist in it.”
So this was a super fun romance + murder mystery. We have our girl, Sophronia, teaming up with the swoony Casey to figure out what happened with the vamp-human matching app causing it to go all sorts of wrong.
We get a group of misadventures while also seeing the FMC and MMC fall for each other. It was overall a fun story with a touch of spice.
“We’re all looking to find another person to talk to, to hold on to. Someone who sees us. Someone who makes the world feel brighter and sharper and more profound, just because they exist in it.”
So this was a super fun romance + murder mystery. We have our girl, Sophronia, teaming up with the swoony Casey to figure out what happened with the vamp-human matching app causing it to go all sorts of wrong.
We get a group of misadventures while also seeing the FMC and MMC fall for each other. It was overall a fun story with a touch of spice.
May 10, 2026
I already loved Vasti from her historical romances and so when I got an ARC from Netgalley for a paranormal romance by her, I dropped everything to read it. The world building??? The character relationships??!? A MMC who likes that she’s a lil bit mean?!!!! Will be patiently waiting for more because art takes time and Vasti is creating it.
May 25, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 Stars
Is there anything more fun than sexy Vampire stories? When I heard that my favorite historical romance author was writing a contemporary human-vampire romance I RAN to NetGalley and was lucky to get the ARC. I absolutely loved it. It’s clever and poignant and funny and sexy and there’s a heist and a mystery and a friend group and a wise grandma and dual POV, and I couldn’t put it down.
Alex loves a pun and the premise is very clever. Sophronia Vega is the EVP and heir of HemoCorp, her father’s company, and the mastermind behind a dating app called Stokr – named after Abraham Stoker, the author of Dracula. Stokr analyzes and matches humans to vampires using their blood enzymes (a hemoenzymatic match) so Vamps can feed off humans and have sexy times without killing them. Clever! Someone sabotages the app which requires the tech engineers, led by the tall, handsome Casey, to team up with Sophronia, a beautiful and guarded vampire, to try and solve the case and bring Stokr back online. Casey and Soph make a great team and have great chemistry as they try to deal with childhood trauma that affects their adult lives and ability to love. I enjoyed how Alex handles their growth.
The world-building and naming conventions are super fun. In this world Vampires live as long as humans and can go out in the sun! Instead of cursing with “God” or “Jesus” it’s always “Abraham’s fangs” or “Oh, for Abraham’s sake”, which made me laugh. All of the corporate tech company and app engineer stuff feels really accurate and adds to the overall contemporary vibes.
I loved the ending, but found my smut-filled brain wanting ONE more spicey scene between Soph & Casey when they make up because they had such amazing chemistry together! The very very end is designed to be the set up for the next book, since this is going to be a duology called “Corporate Bloodsuckers” (funny!) I can’t wait!
🖤 Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the ARC
Is there anything more fun than sexy Vampire stories? When I heard that my favorite historical romance author was writing a contemporary human-vampire romance I RAN to NetGalley and was lucky to get the ARC. I absolutely loved it. It’s clever and poignant and funny and sexy and there’s a heist and a mystery and a friend group and a wise grandma and dual POV, and I couldn’t put it down.
Alex loves a pun and the premise is very clever. Sophronia Vega is the EVP and heir of HemoCorp, her father’s company, and the mastermind behind a dating app called Stokr – named after Abraham Stoker, the author of Dracula. Stokr analyzes and matches humans to vampires using their blood enzymes (a hemoenzymatic match) so Vamps can feed off humans and have sexy times without killing them. Clever! Someone sabotages the app which requires the tech engineers, led by the tall, handsome Casey, to team up with Sophronia, a beautiful and guarded vampire, to try and solve the case and bring Stokr back online. Casey and Soph make a great team and have great chemistry as they try to deal with childhood trauma that affects their adult lives and ability to love. I enjoyed how Alex handles their growth.
The world-building and naming conventions are super fun. In this world Vampires live as long as humans and can go out in the sun! Instead of cursing with “God” or “Jesus” it’s always “Abraham’s fangs” or “Oh, for Abraham’s sake”, which made me laugh. All of the corporate tech company and app engineer stuff feels really accurate and adds to the overall contemporary vibes.
I loved the ending, but found my smut-filled brain wanting ONE more spicey scene between Soph & Casey when they make up because they had such amazing chemistry together! The very very end is designed to be the set up for the next book, since this is going to be a duology called “Corporate Bloodsuckers” (funny!) I can’t wait!
🖤 Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the ARC
May 14, 2026
4.5⭐️ Y’all I just love Alexandra Vasti’s stories so much! I am so accustomed to reading her historical romps so this vampire/human love story was such a delightful surprise.
As someone that loved The Vampire Diaries and Twilight (books & shows), I loved this new take a on world with vampires and the tech that help them to live in harmony with humans. The whole story is a layered mystery with plot twists and a angsty slow burn romance sprinkled in! THE YEARNING WAS SO MUTUAL FRIENDS!
“Except he looked at her like he was staggered by her. Like she made him happy.”
Our MMC Casey was a total hot nerdy type that came equipped with sexy black framed glasses! 🥵❤️🔥 Even though he is a human, he steps up to protect Sophronia, over and over again.
“Nothing that’s really worth it is easy, honey.”
Sophronia had so many layers to what made her tick. Tragedy and her neglectful mother shaped how she carries herself, always calm, cold and collected. Always in control. Until that control was taken from her and she had to once again face her fears of humans being hurt.
Casey & her together were everything! I also LOVED their band of misfit computer analysts and Casey’s granny! That woman was an absolute icon!
I didn’t see the ending coming and I am so excited for this new turn and future books set in this modern day vampire/human world! (With a little surprise addition at the end!) 🤭
Tropes:
🩸Modern Day Paranormal Romance
👀 Mystery + Suspense
❤️🔥 Vampire Boss x Hot Nerdy Human
💬 Vampire/Human Dating App
🫶🏼 Close Proximity
🤭 Mutual Yearning
🫦 Touch Him & ☠️
As someone that loved The Vampire Diaries and Twilight (books & shows), I loved this new take a on world with vampires and the tech that help them to live in harmony with humans. The whole story is a layered mystery with plot twists and a angsty slow burn romance sprinkled in! THE YEARNING WAS SO MUTUAL FRIENDS!
“Except he looked at her like he was staggered by her. Like she made him happy.”
Our MMC Casey was a total hot nerdy type that came equipped with sexy black framed glasses! 🥵❤️🔥 Even though he is a human, he steps up to protect Sophronia, over and over again.
“Nothing that’s really worth it is easy, honey.”
Sophronia had so many layers to what made her tick. Tragedy and her neglectful mother shaped how she carries herself, always calm, cold and collected. Always in control. Until that control was taken from her and she had to once again face her fears of humans being hurt.
Casey & her together were everything! I also LOVED their band of misfit computer analysts and Casey’s granny! That woman was an absolute icon!
I didn’t see the ending coming and I am so excited for this new turn and future books set in this modern day vampire/human world! (With a little surprise addition at the end!) 🤭
Tropes:
🩸Modern Day Paranormal Romance
👀 Mystery + Suspense
❤️🔥 Vampire Boss x Hot Nerdy Human
💬 Vampire/Human Dating App
🫶🏼 Close Proximity
🤭 Mutual Yearning
🫦 Touch Him & ☠️
May 21, 2026
You had me at Alexandra Vasti and vampires. This was absolute perfection.
Sophronia Vega is the vampire heiress to HemoCorp Industries, a company her family founded that allows humans and vampires to coexist through their development of artificial blood. Eager to continue the work of her family, Soph has created the dating app Stokr that matches humans and vampires hemoenzymatically, allowing for safe dating and/or feeding. Despite initial success, all hell breaks loose when the vampires’ dates start to bleed out.
Most perplexed of all is Casey Amato, one of the human engineers who programmed Stokr. And he knows this is no accident—someone on the inside is trying to sabotage his app. Can Sophronia and Casey work together to uncover the truth before a human dies?
I just loved their dynamic. Soph is cold and calculated while also being fiercely protective of those she cares about. Casey is loyal, incredibly intelligent, and always willing to help the people he loves. The more the two of them spend time together, the stronger their yearning becomes and the sparks start to fly.
On top of the romance this story was so full of action it was impossible to put down and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. And the thing I’m most excited about is knowing this is a duology—it’s not even out yet and I already want more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sophronia Vega is the vampire heiress to HemoCorp Industries, a company her family founded that allows humans and vampires to coexist through their development of artificial blood. Eager to continue the work of her family, Soph has created the dating app Stokr that matches humans and vampires hemoenzymatically, allowing for safe dating and/or feeding. Despite initial success, all hell breaks loose when the vampires’ dates start to bleed out.
Most perplexed of all is Casey Amato, one of the human engineers who programmed Stokr. And he knows this is no accident—someone on the inside is trying to sabotage his app. Can Sophronia and Casey work together to uncover the truth before a human dies?
I just loved their dynamic. Soph is cold and calculated while also being fiercely protective of those she cares about. Casey is loyal, incredibly intelligent, and always willing to help the people he loves. The more the two of them spend time together, the stronger their yearning becomes and the sparks start to fly.
On top of the romance this story was so full of action it was impossible to put down and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. And the thing I’m most excited about is knowing this is a duology—it’s not even out yet and I already want more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2026
Very grateful to have received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley of this book.
Just when I thought there was no new spin to be made on vampires, Alexandra Vasti proved me wrong! Captivating, mysterious, and - of course - romantic as all get out, Swipe Bite weaves a story of intrigue and deception, love and lust, in a creative and original world that hooked me from the start. Also, “suckboy” is my new favourite word.
Just when I thought there was no new spin to be made on vampires, Alexandra Vasti proved me wrong! Captivating, mysterious, and - of course - romantic as all get out, Swipe Bite weaves a story of intrigue and deception, love and lust, in a creative and original world that hooked me from the start. Also, “suckboy” is my new favourite word.
May 12, 2026
This review was written after reading a Net Galley ARC.
First, let me just say this: OMG I did not expect that ending!!!! Wow, now I definitely need the next book… like yesterday!
Now that I got that out of my chest, let me tell you a bit about me and my reading habits. I love romance books, but paranormal romance is definitely one of my weaknesses, along with historical romance… I first read Vasti’s historical romances back in 2024, and I’ve been reading everything she’s published since then (I think I only have to read Ladies in Hating now), I love her writing and when I saw that she was going to publish a book about vampires I couldn’t be more excited. One of my favourite writers writing a new book from one of my favourite genres? Dream come true. There’s always some worry about such a big change, but I can say with absolute certainty that everything that made me love her historical romance books can be found in Swipe Bite (love the title, btw).
The story starts with our heroine, Sophronia facing a big problem: her app, that matches vampires with humans they can bite safely, is having some big problems… then we have our hero, Casey Amato (sigh), a software engineer in charge of said app.
I thought the story would be only about their romance (I don’t usually read anything about the book except maybe some tropes or things like that), and I guessed it would be a cool paranormal romance, full of eve thing that makes me love Vasti’s books, with a vampire twist, but then, we have a mystery side to the story that had me constantly wondering who would be our culprit! If the romance wasn’t enough to keep me reading (it absolutely was) the mystery kept on giving until the very end (really, the end was amazing).
It was a very well done mix, the romance developed along with the mystery, we have our leads working together and longing for each other (honestly, Vasti writes longing like nobody else), their relationship evolves in a very realistic way and leaves you wanting to read more and more until those two get together (finally!).
I loved both main characters, both were flawed in very realistic ways that made them interesting and not too perfect to be real, they evolved through the story and got over their problems in a way that felt really natural, nothing was rushed with these two. Their romance was addictive!
I think this is a book you have to read if you’ve enjoyed Alexandra Vasti before and, if you love Bride, Alpha… the world feels similar, a world where vampires are real (the lore was pretty cool I thought) and live (and love) between humans. I didn’t expect Vasti to write such a great paranormal romance (it’s kind of a big step from historical romance) but she has never disappointed me. I can’t wait to read the next book (with that ending, it has to exist) and to discover more about Casey, Sophronia and the rest of characters (Del I’m looking at you!).
Definitely give it a try if you like your paranormal romance to feel very contemporary, if you love longing and slow burns… and if you love vampires!!
First, let me just say this: OMG I did not expect that ending!!!! Wow, now I definitely need the next book… like yesterday!
Now that I got that out of my chest, let me tell you a bit about me and my reading habits. I love romance books, but paranormal romance is definitely one of my weaknesses, along with historical romance… I first read Vasti’s historical romances back in 2024, and I’ve been reading everything she’s published since then (I think I only have to read Ladies in Hating now), I love her writing and when I saw that she was going to publish a book about vampires I couldn’t be more excited. One of my favourite writers writing a new book from one of my favourite genres? Dream come true. There’s always some worry about such a big change, but I can say with absolute certainty that everything that made me love her historical romance books can be found in Swipe Bite (love the title, btw).
The story starts with our heroine, Sophronia facing a big problem: her app, that matches vampires with humans they can bite safely, is having some big problems… then we have our hero, Casey Amato (sigh), a software engineer in charge of said app.
I thought the story would be only about their romance (I don’t usually read anything about the book except maybe some tropes or things like that), and I guessed it would be a cool paranormal romance, full of eve thing that makes me love Vasti’s books, with a vampire twist, but then, we have a mystery side to the story that had me constantly wondering who would be our culprit! If the romance wasn’t enough to keep me reading (it absolutely was) the mystery kept on giving until the very end (really, the end was amazing).
It was a very well done mix, the romance developed along with the mystery, we have our leads working together and longing for each other (honestly, Vasti writes longing like nobody else), their relationship evolves in a very realistic way and leaves you wanting to read more and more until those two get together (finally!).
I loved both main characters, both were flawed in very realistic ways that made them interesting and not too perfect to be real, they evolved through the story and got over their problems in a way that felt really natural, nothing was rushed with these two. Their romance was addictive!
I think this is a book you have to read if you’ve enjoyed Alexandra Vasti before and, if you love Bride, Alpha… the world feels similar, a world where vampires are real (the lore was pretty cool I thought) and live (and love) between humans. I didn’t expect Vasti to write such a great paranormal romance (it’s kind of a big step from historical romance) but she has never disappointed me. I can’t wait to read the next book (with that ending, it has to exist) and to discover more about Casey, Sophronia and the rest of characters (Del I’m looking at you!).
Definitely give it a try if you like your paranormal romance to feel very contemporary, if you love longing and slow burns… and if you love vampires!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a difficult review for me to write as a diehard fan of Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances. I adore her romantic prose and the thorough research that goes into all her books. This had a lot of individual moments that I enjoyed, but the way it all came together left me feeling distant from the relationship and unengaged in the mystery.
This was fun in concept, but the reality of the investigation was chaotic and repetitive. We move from plot point to plot point with little transition while characters jump to conclusions, facing dead ends and false finishes. The crew will decide their next step, and the next chapter is a time jump to that step. Because so much of the investigation is done through spyware, it’s a lot of playing it cool and waiting around. The strongest scenes were when we’d get some explosive action, making the stakes feel more immediate and strengthening their trust in each other. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the technology here, but at many times it felt like a magic button being handed to the crew. The tech-jargon was a bit hard to follow and made the writing feel less romantic and lyrical than her previous books.
Casey and Sophronia’s relationship was very attraction-forward, with their initial spark coming from physical appearance and the temptation of blood. Seeing them open up to each other over the course of the book was a sweet and slow build, but I wish I had more reason to buy into their connection. The mystery and the romance were competing for attention the entire time, and the romance felt pushed to the side. I don’t know if this was substantially edited down, but it felt like a lot of moments were skipped over. Like Sophronia saying she’d been deliberating something for weeks, and we hear about it after she locks in her decision. I would’ve loved to see more quiet moments between Casey and Sophronia instead of being flung into the next plot point immediately. When the characters finally get some downtime, we skip over that week or two of bonding to get back to the mystery. I wanted to fall in love with their love, but it just wasn’t given enough time on page.
I don’t want to sound like I didn’t enjoy any of it, because there were definitely fun moments. I like that there’s a little role reversal on the “touch her and you die” trope where Sophronia is violently protective of Casey. Every time Sophronia snaps at Casey, you can trust that man is exactly where he wants to be. I like that we get a meddlesome Nonna who knows her grandson (and his type) very well. And I like that Vasti put so much thought into blending medical technology and vampire lore.
I think this will work for a lot of readers, but it fell flat for me when directly compared to her previous books. I’m not sure I’ll pick up the sequel, because I didn’t care for the direction the ending took. — 3 ★’s
This is a difficult review for me to write as a diehard fan of Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances. I adore her romantic prose and the thorough research that goes into all her books. This had a lot of individual moments that I enjoyed, but the way it all came together left me feeling distant from the relationship and unengaged in the mystery.
This was fun in concept, but the reality of the investigation was chaotic and repetitive. We move from plot point to plot point with little transition while characters jump to conclusions, facing dead ends and false finishes. The crew will decide their next step, and the next chapter is a time jump to that step. Because so much of the investigation is done through spyware, it’s a lot of playing it cool and waiting around. The strongest scenes were when we’d get some explosive action, making the stakes feel more immediate and strengthening their trust in each other. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the technology here, but at many times it felt like a magic button being handed to the crew. The tech-jargon was a bit hard to follow and made the writing feel less romantic and lyrical than her previous books.
Casey and Sophronia’s relationship was very attraction-forward, with their initial spark coming from physical appearance and the temptation of blood. Seeing them open up to each other over the course of the book was a sweet and slow build, but I wish I had more reason to buy into their connection. The mystery and the romance were competing for attention the entire time, and the romance felt pushed to the side. I don’t know if this was substantially edited down, but it felt like a lot of moments were skipped over. Like Sophronia saying she’d been deliberating something for weeks, and we hear about it after she locks in her decision. I would’ve loved to see more quiet moments between Casey and Sophronia instead of being flung into the next plot point immediately. When the characters finally get some downtime, we skip over that week or two of bonding to get back to the mystery. I wanted to fall in love with their love, but it just wasn’t given enough time on page.
I don’t want to sound like I didn’t enjoy any of it, because there were definitely fun moments. I like that there’s a little role reversal on the “touch her and you die” trope where Sophronia is violently protective of Casey. Every time Sophronia snaps at Casey, you can trust that man is exactly where he wants to be. I like that we get a meddlesome Nonna who knows her grandson (and his type) very well. And I like that Vasti put so much thought into blending medical technology and vampire lore.
I think this will work for a lot of readers, but it fell flat for me when directly compared to her previous books. I’m not sure I’ll pick up the sequel, because I didn’t care for the direction the ending took. — 3 ★’s
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book Review: Swipe Bite by Alexandra Vasti
As someone who already enjoys Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances, I was really interested to see how she would handle a more modern paranormal setting, and Swipe Bite ended up being a fun if somewhat uneven transition into contemporary romance. The story follows Sophronia Vega, a vampire heiress helping run HemoCorp, and Casey Amato, the software engineer behind Stokr, a dating app meant to safely connect humans and vampires. When the app is compromised and users begin ending up dead after their matches, the launch spirals into a corporate and public relations nightmare that forces the two to work together to figure out who sabotaged the system.
The strongest part of the book for me was still Vasti’s character work and dialogue. Even in a completely different genre space, she writes chemistry very naturally, and the banter between Sophronia and Casey keeps the story moving even during some of the more chaotic plot developments. Their relationship develops through stress, mistrust, and shared responsibility for the app’s failures, and that emotional progression feels much stronger than the actual mystery elements. The corporate vampire setting is also entertaining and gives the book a slightly satirical tone that works well with the dating app premise.
Where the book lost me a little was in the tech and cybersecurity side of the plot. I do not know much about software engineering or app development myself, but even I found myself questioning how some of the sabotage and system manipulation was supposed to function without anyone catching it sooner. The book seems much more interested in using technology symbolically, as a reflection of modern dating culture and corporate carelessness, than in making the infrastructure feel believable. The mystery itself also becomes fairly transparent early on, so the tension comes more from watching the characters respond to the situation than from trying to genuinely solve it alongside them.
The final werewolf reveal especially felt like a sudden pivot into a larger paranormal universe rather than something fully built into the story that came before it. I was not against the idea, but it did feel slightly disconnected from the vampire-tech satire the rest of the book had established. Still, I appreciated seeing Vasti experiment outside historical romance, and I think many of the things that make her previous books enjoyable still come through clearly here. Even when the plotting becomes messy, the character interactions and overall energy kept me engaged enough to be interested in where she goes next with this world. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
As someone who already enjoys Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances, I was really interested to see how she would handle a more modern paranormal setting, and Swipe Bite ended up being a fun if somewhat uneven transition into contemporary romance. The story follows Sophronia Vega, a vampire heiress helping run HemoCorp, and Casey Amato, the software engineer behind Stokr, a dating app meant to safely connect humans and vampires. When the app is compromised and users begin ending up dead after their matches, the launch spirals into a corporate and public relations nightmare that forces the two to work together to figure out who sabotaged the system.
The strongest part of the book for me was still Vasti’s character work and dialogue. Even in a completely different genre space, she writes chemistry very naturally, and the banter between Sophronia and Casey keeps the story moving even during some of the more chaotic plot developments. Their relationship develops through stress, mistrust, and shared responsibility for the app’s failures, and that emotional progression feels much stronger than the actual mystery elements. The corporate vampire setting is also entertaining and gives the book a slightly satirical tone that works well with the dating app premise.
Where the book lost me a little was in the tech and cybersecurity side of the plot. I do not know much about software engineering or app development myself, but even I found myself questioning how some of the sabotage and system manipulation was supposed to function without anyone catching it sooner. The book seems much more interested in using technology symbolically, as a reflection of modern dating culture and corporate carelessness, than in making the infrastructure feel believable. The mystery itself also becomes fairly transparent early on, so the tension comes more from watching the characters respond to the situation than from trying to genuinely solve it alongside them.
The final werewolf reveal especially felt like a sudden pivot into a larger paranormal universe rather than something fully built into the story that came before it. I was not against the idea, but it did feel slightly disconnected from the vampire-tech satire the rest of the book had established. Still, I appreciated seeing Vasti experiment outside historical romance, and I think many of the things that make her previous books enjoyable still come through clearly here. Even when the plotting becomes messy, the character interactions and overall energy kept me engaged enough to be interested in where she goes next with this world. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and to Berkley for the ARC of Swipe Bite by Alexandra Vasti.
I am a huge fan of Vasti's historical romances, and was excited to read her first foray into a paranormal mystery (with strong romance subplot).
Vasti is a talented writer -- I am usually thrilled by her writing because of how much care she takes in researching and crafting her characters and their time period to build their relationships thoughtfully and with a strong atmosphere of place and time.
Swipe Bite is fun, it has engaging characters and a fast paced plot. Casey's grandmother (based on Vasti's real life grandmother) is the scene stealer of the book and provides a lot of humor and heart that tie the story together.
I think I struggled a bit adjusting from her usual writing style -- at times I felt just a bit overwhelmed by the strong technical/hacking aspect of the mystery - for a cozy book I felt like that sometimes was a bit more complicated than it needed to be, but also that we just run from plot point to plot point with a lot of conjecture but not really anyone solving anything. I also had a bit of trouble understanding the exact extreme motivations of the characters - yes, both have strong feelings about STOKR keeping people safe (this and a few other general plot points/story points are repeated fairly which sometimes took me out of the story), but also it feels like a lot of really big feelings over a dating app. Apps get shut down or reformatted all the time, that's just business - but Soph and Casey are both holding on SO tightly that it seems like the mystery has to be over the top because they are over the top. I think I would have felt more connected to the character's motivations if we spent more time with regular human and vampire users who are not part of the top echelons of society - so much of the overall focus of the book is on this small microcosm of internal sabotage, and so all we see is the 1%. I think that also made it harder to relate to the characters because we don't really dive in to what life is like living in a time where vampires and humans are side-by-side in the daylight, we just hear about how vampires think they are better than humans. I think there needed to be just a bit more worldbuilding, especially with the cliffhanger ending and how that opens up for the next story.
Overall though this is a fun read, and I think paranormal romance / paranormal mystery readers will enjoy it. I would still tune in for the second book because I'm interested in how the world will expand and I trust Vasti's style, but I do think this first one just had a few genre changes to adjust to.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Berkley for the ARC of Swipe Bite by Alexandra Vasti.
I am a huge fan of Vasti's historical romances, and was excited to read her first foray into a paranormal mystery (with strong romance subplot).
Vasti is a talented writer -- I am usually thrilled by her writing because of how much care she takes in researching and crafting her characters and their time period to build their relationships thoughtfully and with a strong atmosphere of place and time.
Swipe Bite is fun, it has engaging characters and a fast paced plot. Casey's grandmother (based on Vasti's real life grandmother) is the scene stealer of the book and provides a lot of humor and heart that tie the story together.
I think I struggled a bit adjusting from her usual writing style -- at times I felt just a bit overwhelmed by the strong technical/hacking aspect of the mystery - for a cozy book I felt like that sometimes was a bit more complicated than it needed to be, but also that we just run from plot point to plot point with a lot of conjecture but not really anyone solving anything. I also had a bit of trouble understanding the exact extreme motivations of the characters - yes, both have strong feelings about STOKR keeping people safe (this and a few other general plot points/story points are repeated fairly which sometimes took me out of the story), but also it feels like a lot of really big feelings over a dating app. Apps get shut down or reformatted all the time, that's just business - but Soph and Casey are both holding on SO tightly that it seems like the mystery has to be over the top because they are over the top. I think I would have felt more connected to the character's motivations if we spent more time with regular human and vampire users who are not part of the top echelons of society - so much of the overall focus of the book is on this small microcosm of internal sabotage, and so all we see is the 1%. I think that also made it harder to relate to the characters because we don't really dive in to what life is like living in a time where vampires and humans are side-by-side in the daylight, we just hear about how vampires think they are better than humans. I think there needed to be just a bit more worldbuilding, especially with the cliffhanger ending and how that opens up for the next story.
Overall though this is a fun read, and I think paranormal romance / paranormal mystery readers will enjoy it. I would still tune in for the second book because I'm interested in how the world will expand and I trust Vasti's style, but I do think this first one just had a few genre changes to adjust to.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a Vasti stan, I was eager to read the story that had her pivoting from historical into paranormal romance, and this did not disappoint. Swipe Bite is a clever take on vampires, and modern dating, that reads very Ali Hazelwood coded with the abundance of (computer) science talk intertwined within the romance. I had fun with the self-sacrificing lead duo, Casey and Soph, along with the added support and entertainment from their very own Scooby gang. I hadn’t realized going into Swipe Bite that there was going to be a continuation (surely there will be after that ending, right?), so that threw me for a bit of a (pleasant) loop. I’m excited to see where Vasti takes us with this world next!
Things I Enjoyed:
🖥️ Caleb - Mr. Fix-It is on a mission to save his tech, his friends' jobs, and his boss, who he thoroughly aches for. His relationship with Nonna was so sweet, his backstory had me emotional, and his steadiness and determination were swoonworthy. After all this, I, too, would like to smell him.
👠 Sophronia - Ice queen extraordinaire who only melts for the sun, aka a tattooed computer engineer who is vulnerable, courageous, and delectable. She fears relationships but actually longs for them deep down. I get it.
🚐 The Pillbugs and Del - This crew, alongside Del, Soph’s no-bullsh!t bestie, added a pleasant layer of depth and vibes.
🎥 Nonna - A master matchmaker who knows how to pick pajamas
🧛♂️ The World and Unique Vampire Take
🤭 The Humor - Special shoutout to “suckboy”
❤️🔥 The Romance - The build-up between these two, and the tension that developed from that, was as delicious as Soph found Caleb’s blood to be. The whole “felt like falling in love” part, and the quieter, sweeter moments, were adorable.
🔎 The Mystery - This component added such adventure and intrigue.
💭 Sentiments that Resonated - Particularly the conversations around trauma and hypervigilance
(Minor) Things I Struggled With:
🌀 The Mystery’s Resolution - While I enjoyed the ride, this felt like the gift that kept on wanting to give. Perhaps one too many twists and turns? It didn’t turn me off, per se, but it did feel pretty jam-packed.
🗣️ The Wealth of Computer Science Talk - Complete personal preference here, but some of it got a little rambly to where I skimmed or skipped ahead.
** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this text in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
Things I Enjoyed:
🖥️ Caleb - Mr. Fix-It is on a mission to save his tech, his friends' jobs, and his boss, who he thoroughly aches for. His relationship with Nonna was so sweet, his backstory had me emotional, and his steadiness and determination were swoonworthy. After all this, I, too, would like to smell him.
👠 Sophronia - Ice queen extraordinaire who only melts for the sun, aka a tattooed computer engineer who is vulnerable, courageous, and delectable. She fears relationships but actually longs for them deep down. I get it.
🚐 The Pillbugs and Del - This crew, alongside Del, Soph’s no-bullsh!t bestie, added a pleasant layer of depth and vibes.
🎥 Nonna - A master matchmaker who knows how to pick pajamas
🧛♂️ The World and Unique Vampire Take
🤭 The Humor - Special shoutout to “suckboy”
❤️🔥 The Romance - The build-up between these two, and the tension that developed from that, was as delicious as Soph found Caleb’s blood to be. The whole “felt like falling in love” part, and the quieter, sweeter moments, were adorable.
🔎 The Mystery - This component added such adventure and intrigue.
💭 Sentiments that Resonated - Particularly the conversations around trauma and hypervigilance
(Minor) Things I Struggled With:
🌀 The Mystery’s Resolution - While I enjoyed the ride, this felt like the gift that kept on wanting to give. Perhaps one too many twists and turns? It didn’t turn me off, per se, but it did feel pretty jam-packed.
🗣️ The Wealth of Computer Science Talk - Complete personal preference here, but some of it got a little rambly to where I skimmed or skipped ahead.
** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this text in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sophronia Vega, heir to HemoCorp Industries, may be an ice queen on the surface, but is truly passionate about making vampire-human interactions safe *and* fun. In her role as VP at her father's company, she is overseeing the implementation of Stokr, a dating app that matches potential human and vampire pairs for compatibility. Stokr's database has a 100% success rate for hemoenzymatic matches...until it starts suddenly failing and exsanguination rates climb. Sophronia and the delectable smelling human lead software engineer Casey Amato begin to suspect that the glitch in the app is an internal takedown meant to discredit Sophoronia and her team.
When I learned that Alexandra Vasti was writing a vampire paranormal romcom, this was the book I was hoping to get. She shifts her voice from historical to paranormal and maintains the charm and strong character development I love in her writing. Vasti understands the power of worldbuilding: her choices in paranormal are as intentional to set a scene as they are in her historicals. Undefinable corporate office has a vibe, and it's interesting to me that it's Sophronia's comfort zone for the first half of the book. Choosing a very contemporary setting and making the focus cutthroat corporate politics but also a dating app balances playfulness and haughtiness, which hit the perfect paranormal romcom chord for me.
Recently, pacing has been something I've been paying attention to more than usual, perhaps as the pace of my world accelerates every spring and I realize I need a well-paced book. I could have read Swipe Bite in one sitting, had I had one sitting available to me while reading. There is plot, dialogue, character development, introspection, swooning (romantically and from loss of blood), politics, and intrigue, and yet the book never feels busy. We get side characters who take up the perfect amount of page space and advance the plot well. And of course, Vasti's signature tactile intimate moments.
I could probably do a deep dive analysis on this one. And I might later. But for now, I had truly such an enjoyable time reading it, I can't wait to read it again. Only one thing would have made the book actually perfect for me (and if you know my taste in vampires, you know....)
Thank you to Berkley for an eARC. Swipe Bite is out 11/10/2026.
When I learned that Alexandra Vasti was writing a vampire paranormal romcom, this was the book I was hoping to get. She shifts her voice from historical to paranormal and maintains the charm and strong character development I love in her writing. Vasti understands the power of worldbuilding: her choices in paranormal are as intentional to set a scene as they are in her historicals. Undefinable corporate office has a vibe, and it's interesting to me that it's Sophronia's comfort zone for the first half of the book. Choosing a very contemporary setting and making the focus cutthroat corporate politics but also a dating app balances playfulness and haughtiness, which hit the perfect paranormal romcom chord for me.
Recently, pacing has been something I've been paying attention to more than usual, perhaps as the pace of my world accelerates every spring and I realize I need a well-paced book. I could have read Swipe Bite in one sitting, had I had one sitting available to me while reading. There is plot, dialogue, character development, introspection, swooning (romantically and from loss of blood), politics, and intrigue, and yet the book never feels busy. We get side characters who take up the perfect amount of page space and advance the plot well. And of course, Vasti's signature tactile intimate moments.
I could probably do a deep dive analysis on this one. And I might later. But for now, I had truly such an enjoyable time reading it, I can't wait to read it again. Only one thing would have made the book actually perfect for me (and if you know my taste in vampires, you know....)
Thank you to Berkley for an eARC. Swipe Bite is out 11/10/2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
swipe bite blends paranormal romance and mystery as icy vampire corporate heiress sophronia vega and human software engineer casey amato join forces to investigate — and stop — the saboteur who’s turned their interspecies dating app into a bloodbath.
3.25 ⭐️ i have such mixed feelings about this one! what immediately drew me in was the unique and interesting premise. unfortunately, i really struggled to fully connect with the plot, characters, romance, and writing style (honestly, it took me until about halfway through to feel completely invested… which was wayyy too long :/). the pacing also felt a little uneven throughout which made it difficult for me to stay engaged. and the mystery surrounding the saboteur was predictable.
while both MCs were wonderful individually — intelligent, fiercely protective, loyal — they felt slightly underdeveloped, and the romance left me wanting more (like literally... the chemistry was there!! i just wanted more time spent developing their relationship on the page). i absolutely loved all of the moments between them, especially in the second half of the story (wowieee does casey yearn!!). the intimacy between them felt thick and tangible, but because their relationship remained secondary to the mystery plot, some of the emotional payoff fell a bit flat for me. i just wanted more of them!! i also would have loved more of nonna! i adored her.
and as someone who typically loves third-person POV, i’m not sure it worked particularly well here. while i can understand why it was used, it created even more distance between the reader and the characters, making it harder to connect emotionally to the romance and the stakes. i also found the repetition exhausting and frustrating at times (pls trust the reader to be able to keep pace and follow along!!).
overall, this was a sweet and fun read, but the execution felt a bit detached, which prevented me from being fully immersed. however, i was intrigued by the reveal at the end and will be reading part two of this duology. if you’re looking for a bloody, action-driven paranormal mystery with a sexy, yearning-filled romance subplot, this one may be for you!
thank you so much to netgalley and berkley for providing me with this arc!
3.25 ⭐️ i have such mixed feelings about this one! what immediately drew me in was the unique and interesting premise. unfortunately, i really struggled to fully connect with the plot, characters, romance, and writing style (honestly, it took me until about halfway through to feel completely invested… which was wayyy too long :/). the pacing also felt a little uneven throughout which made it difficult for me to stay engaged. and the mystery surrounding the saboteur was predictable.
while both MCs were wonderful individually — intelligent, fiercely protective, loyal — they felt slightly underdeveloped, and the romance left me wanting more (like literally... the chemistry was there!! i just wanted more time spent developing their relationship on the page). i absolutely loved all of the moments between them, especially in the second half of the story (wowieee does casey yearn!!). the intimacy between them felt thick and tangible, but because their relationship remained secondary to the mystery plot, some of the emotional payoff fell a bit flat for me. i just wanted more of them!! i also would have loved more of nonna! i adored her.
and as someone who typically loves third-person POV, i’m not sure it worked particularly well here. while i can understand why it was used, it created even more distance between the reader and the characters, making it harder to connect emotionally to the romance and the stakes. i also found the repetition exhausting and frustrating at times (pls trust the reader to be able to keep pace and follow along!!).
overall, this was a sweet and fun read, but the execution felt a bit detached, which prevented me from being fully immersed. however, i was intrigued by the reveal at the end and will be reading part two of this duology. if you’re looking for a bloody, action-driven paranormal mystery with a sexy, yearning-filled romance subplot, this one may be for you!
thank you so much to netgalley and berkley for providing me with this arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
What a clever way to make vampires fresh and new! This had an engaging plot, complex characters you want to root for, and a fun mystery to solve.
Sophronia Vega is on the verge of something big with her new app, designed to pair humans with vampires based on their blood types. But when the app launches, technical difficulties arise that put humans in danger. With the help of Casey Amato and his ragtag crew of developers, they’re on the hunt to find the culprit responsible for the glitches.
Vasti knows how to create multifaceted characters. Soph has been raised to be ruthless, earning the nickname Queen of the Damned. Behind that icy exterior, is a woman who cares about the safety of humans who decide to engage in relationships with vampires. She knows all too well of the dangers they can face and is determined to provide a safe way for the species to interact. I really loved Soph. Throughout the novel we watch her grapple with maintaining a distance for Casey’s safety while yearning for the love he offers. She wants to be better and really tries to be. She’s earnest and loyal and will do anything to protect Casey. In turn, all Casey wants to do is love and take care of her. He wants to be the safe harbor she needs, and it was really heartwarming to watch her melt for him. I really enjoyed the way the relationship developed. Both characters are lovable and together they made a solid team. I also really loved the Scooby do gang. I’m a sucker for a found family trope, and just really delighted in their relationships.
I do think the conspiracy could’ve been a bit more streamlined, but it’s easy enough to overlook. I have a sneaking suspicion that Del’s book will involve a forbidden romance with a werewolf, and I cannot wait!
What a clever way to make vampires fresh and new! This had an engaging plot, complex characters you want to root for, and a fun mystery to solve.
Sophronia Vega is on the verge of something big with her new app, designed to pair humans with vampires based on their blood types. But when the app launches, technical difficulties arise that put humans in danger. With the help of Casey Amato and his ragtag crew of developers, they’re on the hunt to find the culprit responsible for the glitches.
Vasti knows how to create multifaceted characters. Soph has been raised to be ruthless, earning the nickname Queen of the Damned. Behind that icy exterior, is a woman who cares about the safety of humans who decide to engage in relationships with vampires. She knows all too well of the dangers they can face and is determined to provide a safe way for the species to interact. I really loved Soph. Throughout the novel we watch her grapple with maintaining a distance for Casey’s safety while yearning for the love he offers. She wants to be better and really tries to be. She’s earnest and loyal and will do anything to protect Casey. In turn, all Casey wants to do is love and take care of her. He wants to be the safe harbor she needs, and it was really heartwarming to watch her melt for him. I really enjoyed the way the relationship developed. Both characters are lovable and together they made a solid team. I also really loved the Scooby do gang. I’m a sucker for a found family trope, and just really delighted in their relationships.
I do think the conspiracy could’ve been a bit more streamlined, but it’s easy enough to overlook. I have a sneaking suspicion that Del’s book will involve a forbidden romance with a werewolf, and I cannot wait!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So... uh... how do I sign up to use Stokr??
This was such a cute and entertaining read. I was first drawn in by the title and the cover. Then after reading the premise, I was like, "Okay, sold". The author definitely delivered and did not disappoint! The world building and vampire lore was effortlessly woven into the story. The story was well paced and I liked that it was told over a span of months, which really helped to sell me on the relationship between the FMC and the MC. Sophronia is a strong and icy vampire, that hides her true feelings deep down inside while Casey wears his heart on his sleeve. These two had such a push and pull dynamic and from their interactions, I can see why they make a good couple. They are both strong willed characters, where Casey helps to pull Sophronia out of her shell and makes her feel safe while she helps him to realize that he is not too much. I also liked that they both keep each other safe in different ways .
The mystery element was also well done and well paced. Although some parts were a bit predictable, I did enjoy the way that Alexandra Vasti went about it. The mystery not only added to the romance but it also helped to shape the dynamic between the FMC, MC and the side characters (especially Del and the Pillbugs). It gave such found family vibes, which I loved. The conflicts were wrapped up nicely and the ending, although abrupt, really helped to set up for the next book! Be warned though, the ending is a cliffhanger, which means that I will have to patiently (or at least try to) wait for the next book.
Overall, this was such a fun story and I would recommend this to anyone that likes romances with a mystery element.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.
This was such a cute and entertaining read. I was first drawn in by the title and the cover. Then after reading the premise, I was like, "Okay, sold". The author definitely delivered and did not disappoint! The world building and vampire lore was effortlessly woven into the story. The story was well paced and I liked that it was told over a span of months, which really helped to sell me on the relationship between the FMC and the MC. Sophronia is a strong and icy vampire, that hides her true feelings deep down inside while Casey wears his heart on his sleeve. These two had such a push and pull dynamic and from their interactions, I can see why they make a good couple. They are both strong willed characters, where Casey helps to pull Sophronia out of her shell and makes her feel safe while she helps him to realize that he is not too much. I also liked that they both keep each other safe in different ways .
The mystery element was also well done and well paced. Although some parts were a bit predictable, I did enjoy the way that Alexandra Vasti went about it. The mystery not only added to the romance but it also helped to shape the dynamic between the FMC, MC and the side characters (especially Del and the Pillbugs). It gave such found family vibes, which I loved. The conflicts were wrapped up nicely and the ending, although abrupt, really helped to set up for the next book! Be warned though, the ending is a cliffhanger, which means that I will have to patiently (or at least try to) wait for the next book.
Overall, this was such a fun story and I would recommend this to anyone that likes romances with a mystery element.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Swipe Bite by Alexandra Vasti
I already loved Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances, so I was really curious to see her take on paranormal romance—and honestly, this worked so well for me.
Swipe Bite blends vampire romance with murder mystery in a way that feels surprisingly balanced. A lot of books lean too heavily into one side or the other, but this kept both the romance and investigation equally engaging throughout.
The story follows Sophronia, a guarded and highly competent vampire trying to uncover what’s going wrong with a vampire-human dating app, while reluctantly working alongside Casey, a loyal and very patient human MMC.
I really liked the dynamic between them. Soph is reserved, protective, and emotionally closed off, while Casey balances her out well with his steadier and more openly caring personality. Their relationship develops gradually and felt believable alongside everything else happening in the plot.
The mystery side of the story was also genuinely fun. There’s spying, car chases, heists, twists, and enough red herrings to keep things interesting without becoming confusing. The pacing stayed strong the entire time, and I ended up reading this much faster than I expected.
I also really enjoyed the modern vampire worldbuilding. It felt fresh without overcomplicating things, and the side characters added a lot of personality to the story.
While this definitely has romance and some spice, I’d say it leans just as heavily into the mystery/adventure side, which made it stand out more for me.
If you like:
🩸 modern vampire stories
🔥 romance mixed with mystery
🖤 emotionally guarded FMCs
✨ loyal, acts-of-service MMCs
🚗 action, investigations & heists
this is definitely worth checking out.
Now I’m very curious to see where the series goes next.
I already loved Alexandra Vasti’s historical romances, so I was really curious to see her take on paranormal romance—and honestly, this worked so well for me.
Swipe Bite blends vampire romance with murder mystery in a way that feels surprisingly balanced. A lot of books lean too heavily into one side or the other, but this kept both the romance and investigation equally engaging throughout.
The story follows Sophronia, a guarded and highly competent vampire trying to uncover what’s going wrong with a vampire-human dating app, while reluctantly working alongside Casey, a loyal and very patient human MMC.
I really liked the dynamic between them. Soph is reserved, protective, and emotionally closed off, while Casey balances her out well with his steadier and more openly caring personality. Their relationship develops gradually and felt believable alongside everything else happening in the plot.
The mystery side of the story was also genuinely fun. There’s spying, car chases, heists, twists, and enough red herrings to keep things interesting without becoming confusing. The pacing stayed strong the entire time, and I ended up reading this much faster than I expected.
I also really enjoyed the modern vampire worldbuilding. It felt fresh without overcomplicating things, and the side characters added a lot of personality to the story.
While this definitely has romance and some spice, I’d say it leans just as heavily into the mystery/adventure side, which made it stand out more for me.
If you like:
🩸 modern vampire stories
🔥 romance mixed with mystery
🖤 emotionally guarded FMCs
✨ loyal, acts-of-service MMCs
🚗 action, investigations & heists
this is definitely worth checking out.
Now I’m very curious to see where the series goes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! I've been a fan of Vasti's historical romances for a couple of years now, so I was excited to see her take on paranormal romance! Swipe Bite tells the story of a vampire, Sophronia Vega--biomedical scion and heir to HemoCorp industries, and human Casey Amato, her lead software engineer who runs her brainchild dating app, Stokr, which uses biotech to safely pair humans and vampires who are interested in partaking in some consensual blood sucking (without the risk of accidental exsanguination).
This story contains a mystery, as someone is sabotaging Stokr and causing the matching program to run haywire. Sophronia and Casey, along with a ragtag bunch of side characters, must come together to solve the case before more people can get hurt.
What worked for me: I enjoyed seeing Vasti's take on a new genre of romance. The premise was interesting, and I really enjoyed Casey's grandmother as a character (based on Vasti's own grandmother!). The concept of the app was a fun twist on the vampire / human genre and the uncertainty if Sophronia and Casey were a match added to the stakes of their budding relationship.
What didn't work for me: I felt like there was a lot of repetition throughout the mystery plotline, and overall the pacing felt uneven. I found myself skimming through sections on a few occasions, and unfortunately, I didn't find myself overly invested in the central romance. Maybe removing Casey's POV only getting Sophronia's perspective would have helped add tension?
Ultimately, I think this was a fine book, but not one I'm likely to return to.
This story contains a mystery, as someone is sabotaging Stokr and causing the matching program to run haywire. Sophronia and Casey, along with a ragtag bunch of side characters, must come together to solve the case before more people can get hurt.
What worked for me: I enjoyed seeing Vasti's take on a new genre of romance. The premise was interesting, and I really enjoyed Casey's grandmother as a character (based on Vasti's own grandmother!). The concept of the app was a fun twist on the vampire / human genre and the uncertainty if Sophronia and Casey were a match added to the stakes of their budding relationship.
What didn't work for me: I felt like there was a lot of repetition throughout the mystery plotline, and overall the pacing felt uneven. I found myself skimming through sections on a few occasions, and unfortunately, I didn't find myself overly invested in the central romance. Maybe removing Casey's POV only getting Sophronia's perspective would have helped add tension?
Ultimately, I think this was a fine book, but not one I'm likely to return to.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I did not realize I was getting such an action-packed book!
Swipe Bite has murder & mayhem & mystery in abundance! It also features a swoony romance subplot between a vampire fmc with way too much on her shoulders + a sweet simp of a human mmc who refuses to let her carry the burden alone.
This is not your average vampire book. Think corporate espionage & bigpharma vampires. It was such a fresh take on vampires!
Swipe Bite is firstly a mystery novel, the main plot is the mystery, and the romance is secondary. I didn’t expect this going in (based on Vasti’s previous novels) but thats also my own fault - since it’s clearly not marked as Romance on NetGalley. (never trust GR categories). If you dive into this book with the right mindset you’re certain to have a fantastic time!
Whats to love…
- fresh take on vampires
- swoony romantic sub-plot
- SHE is the vampire + he is the nerdy human
- action-packed + full of adventure
What might not work for some…
- This is mystery first, different from Vasti’s previous books, head into your read with that in mind and you’ll have a great time. But if you’re looking for a book that is Romance first, mystery second you might be a bit disappointed.
- There was quite a bit of repetition, it felt frustrating to be constantly reminded of plot points or how something (previously explained) works. It wasn’t needed.
4.25| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Swipe Bite has murder & mayhem & mystery in abundance! It also features a swoony romance subplot between a vampire fmc with way too much on her shoulders + a sweet simp of a human mmc who refuses to let her carry the burden alone.
This is not your average vampire book. Think corporate espionage & bigpharma vampires. It was such a fresh take on vampires!
Swipe Bite is firstly a mystery novel, the main plot is the mystery, and the romance is secondary. I didn’t expect this going in (based on Vasti’s previous novels) but thats also my own fault - since it’s clearly not marked as Romance on NetGalley. (never trust GR categories). If you dive into this book with the right mindset you’re certain to have a fantastic time!
Whats to love…
- fresh take on vampires
- swoony romantic sub-plot
- SHE is the vampire + he is the nerdy human
- action-packed + full of adventure
What might not work for some…
- This is mystery first, different from Vasti’s previous books, head into your read with that in mind and you’ll have a great time. But if you’re looking for a book that is Romance first, mystery second you might be a bit disappointed.
- There was quite a bit of repetition, it felt frustrating to be constantly reminded of plot points or how something (previously explained) works. It wasn’t needed.
4.25| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I adore Alexandra Vasti, so when I heard she had written a contemporary paranormal romance, I was immediately excited. I love her writing, her humor, and especially the way she writes couples, and Swipe Bite definitely didn’t disappoint.
As always with Vasti’s books, the couple dynamic is unusual in the best way. She has such a talent for creating pairings that feel fun, unexpected, and genuinely adorable, and Sophronia and Casey were no exception. I really loved the power dynamic between them, as well as the mutual yearning. But more than that, I loved how emotionally open and vulnerable both the FMC and MMC were, not just with each other, but with themselves.
There’s a real emotional arc here, and honestly, I was impressed by how organic it felt considering how short the book is.
The mystery/thriller aspect was a bit more prominent than I usually gravitate toward, since that’s not normally my genre, but it worked surprisingly well here and kept the story moving without overshadowing the romance.
I’m also very excited that this seems to be setting up a series, because I loved the secondary characters. There’s a really fun group dynamic and a slight found-family feeling already developing, and I’d love to spend more time with all of them.
And finally, the vampire lore here is just really fun. There’s not an overwhelming amount of it, but what is there feels creative and fresh.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC.
As always with Vasti’s books, the couple dynamic is unusual in the best way. She has such a talent for creating pairings that feel fun, unexpected, and genuinely adorable, and Sophronia and Casey were no exception. I really loved the power dynamic between them, as well as the mutual yearning. But more than that, I loved how emotionally open and vulnerable both the FMC and MMC were, not just with each other, but with themselves.
There’s a real emotional arc here, and honestly, I was impressed by how organic it felt considering how short the book is.
The mystery/thriller aspect was a bit more prominent than I usually gravitate toward, since that’s not normally my genre, but it worked surprisingly well here and kept the story moving without overshadowing the romance.
I’m also very excited that this seems to be setting up a series, because I loved the secondary characters. There’s a really fun group dynamic and a slight found-family feeling already developing, and I’d love to spend more time with all of them.
And finally, the vampire lore here is just really fun. There’s not an overwhelming amount of it, but what is there feels creative and fresh.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sophronia is the creator of Stokr, a vampire-human dating app, safely matching vampires to humans that they can safely feed from. After a hack/saboteur, there are large waves of mismatches and hundreds of people are hospitalized. Sophronia & human software engineer, Casey, work together to figure out who is sabotaging Stokr.
I loved the premise, I love a paranormal romance, I love a little murder-mystery, but unfortunately this fell a little flat for me. While it is all these things, it is also an ~office romance, which I don’t particularly love. There was a lot of sitting around discussing the spyware and how they would find the saboteur and then the execution of these plans felt repetitive at times. The romance felt under developed, especially in the first half. I didn’t feel particularly emotionally attached to them as a couple. (Also, Casey’s use of ‘honey’, was overused and did not feel genuine, especially given Sophronia’s personality lol).
Things I loved: The second half definitely picked up and I did love a yearning Casey. I really do love the whole I-don’t-deserve-love girl & I-would-literally-die-for-you boy trope lolll. Casey’s grandma was incredible and Del’s banter was top tier.
While I did figure out most of the pieces of the sabotage, I did not see the ending cliffhanger coming! I also didn’t realize this was the first of a series, the ending was quite interesting.
TY NetGalley & Berkeley for the arc!
I loved the premise, I love a paranormal romance, I love a little murder-mystery, but unfortunately this fell a little flat for me. While it is all these things, it is also an ~office romance, which I don’t particularly love. There was a lot of sitting around discussing the spyware and how they would find the saboteur and then the execution of these plans felt repetitive at times. The romance felt under developed, especially in the first half. I didn’t feel particularly emotionally attached to them as a couple. (Also, Casey’s use of ‘honey’, was overused and did not feel genuine, especially given Sophronia’s personality lol).
Things I loved: The second half definitely picked up and I did love a yearning Casey. I really do love the whole I-don’t-deserve-love girl & I-would-literally-die-for-you boy trope lolll. Casey’s grandma was incredible and Del’s banter was top tier.
While I did figure out most of the pieces of the sabotage, I did not see the ending cliffhanger coming! I also didn’t realize this was the first of a series, the ending was quite interesting.
TY NetGalley & Berkeley for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love Alexandra Vasti’s writing and have read all of her historical romwnces, so I was so excited to see her step into this new genre with Swipe Bite.
and the premise?? a dating app designed to match humans and vampires based on biological compatibility?? say less. I was in.
the world itself was really easy to follow and felt fleshed out without being overwhelming, which I appreciated. it had a really fun, grounded vibe even with the paranormal elements.
but the story kind of took a turn I wasn’t fully expecting - it leans pretty heavily into the tech/app side of things and the potential sabotage plot. which was interesting! I was invested in what was going on there. I just found myself wishing we got a bit more focus on the relationship and some of the other plot threads instead of staying so locked in on the app.
because the romance is there. and listen… nobody writes peak male yearning like Alexandra Vasti. no one. it’s so good it’s actually ridiculous. like you feel it in your bones. every look, every thought, every gesture... she does it so well.
overall I had a really great time with this. fun concept, strong writing, and I’m still thinking about that yearning. I just wanted a little more balance between the romance and the plot.
Thank you so much to Berkley for the ARC!
and the premise?? a dating app designed to match humans and vampires based on biological compatibility?? say less. I was in.
the world itself was really easy to follow and felt fleshed out without being overwhelming, which I appreciated. it had a really fun, grounded vibe even with the paranormal elements.
but the story kind of took a turn I wasn’t fully expecting - it leans pretty heavily into the tech/app side of things and the potential sabotage plot. which was interesting! I was invested in what was going on there. I just found myself wishing we got a bit more focus on the relationship and some of the other plot threads instead of staying so locked in on the app.
because the romance is there. and listen… nobody writes peak male yearning like Alexandra Vasti. no one. it’s so good it’s actually ridiculous. like you feel it in your bones. every look, every thought, every gesture... she does it so well.
overall I had a really great time with this. fun concept, strong writing, and I’m still thinking about that yearning. I just wanted a little more balance between the romance and the plot.
Thank you so much to Berkley for the ARC!
May 18, 2026
This was fantastic!! I’m used to regency romance from Alexandra Vasti but she transitioned into vampire romance no problem!!
I really enjoyed the world she created here, the lore with Bram Stoker and the hemoenzymatic compatibility. It was so unique!
Honestly I think an app like Stokr would be great in this scenario!! It’s like tinder but matches your compatibility so you don’t die from a vampire bite!!
Soph was such a good character! Tall, slim, icy stare and completely deadly 😍 I’m picturing Bella Hadid with short dark hair!! I know she was torn, I could feel her weighing between being the Queen of the Damned and soft for Casey, she couldn’t trust anyone!! We found that out
And Casey *swoon* I LOVE a curly haired, glasses wearing tall nerd (I married one) so YUM!! He was so kind and sweet, caring for his Pillbugs (how cute is that name), caring for Soph, his love for Nonna. The way he called her honey, I was melting!!
I haven’t figured out my fan cast yet but he’s tall, dark hair, spanish/Italian, floppy curls and slutty nerd glasses 😂
The plot was great; so many twists & red herrings. I was a little sad with the third act breakup part and the kind of rushed ending but they needed to be together!! Don’t be mad at Casey 😭 but I’m happy it all worked out
I already told Alexandra that I need character art asap!!
I really enjoyed the world she created here, the lore with Bram Stoker and the hemoenzymatic compatibility. It was so unique!
Honestly I think an app like Stokr would be great in this scenario!! It’s like tinder but matches your compatibility so you don’t die from a vampire bite!!
Soph was such a good character! Tall, slim, icy stare and completely deadly 😍 I’m picturing Bella Hadid with short dark hair!! I know she was torn, I could feel her weighing between being the Queen of the Damned and soft for Casey, she couldn’t trust anyone!! We found that out
And Casey *swoon* I LOVE a curly haired, glasses wearing tall nerd (I married one) so YUM!! He was so kind and sweet, caring for his Pillbugs (how cute is that name), caring for Soph, his love for Nonna. The way he called her honey, I was melting!!
I haven’t figured out my fan cast yet but he’s tall, dark hair, spanish/Italian, floppy curls and slutty nerd glasses 😂
The plot was great; so many twists & red herrings. I was a little sad with the third act breakup part and the kind of rushed ending but they needed to be together!! Don’t be mad at Casey 😭 but I’m happy it all worked out
I already told Alexandra that I need character art asap!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 ⭐️
Corporate vampire murder mystery with a dating app subplot? Signed myself up so fast...
The setup was fun: vampires openly living among humans, mostly surviving on animal blood bags, while our FMC Sophronia — vampire heiress and full corporate ice queen — teams up with her dev lead Casey to investigate a murder in their office that may or may not tie into corporate sabotage.
I really liked the atmosphere and the FMC’s cold, polished persona. And the fang-feeding chemistry was definitely there. But despite the playful cover, this read much more mystery/thriller than romance to me. There’s a lot of corporate espionage, investigations, security footage, car chases, and twisty reveals, and eventually the constant turns got a bit exhausting. The rom-com moments to balance things out were missing for me.
I never got too invested in the romance or characters. Lots of “he smells amazing” and “she’s his dream woman” energy early on.
Still, it’s a fun concept and I can absolutely see this working better for readers who want their paranormal romance heavier on the mystery side.
LOVED the name Sophronia! It a variation of an important historical figure name where I live. And how I learned the author has a few historical romances under her belt.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC. My opinions are my own.
Corporate vampire murder mystery with a dating app subplot? Signed myself up so fast...
The setup was fun: vampires openly living among humans, mostly surviving on animal blood bags, while our FMC Sophronia — vampire heiress and full corporate ice queen — teams up with her dev lead Casey to investigate a murder in their office that may or may not tie into corporate sabotage.
I really liked the atmosphere and the FMC’s cold, polished persona. And the fang-feeding chemistry was definitely there. But despite the playful cover, this read much more mystery/thriller than romance to me. There’s a lot of corporate espionage, investigations, security footage, car chases, and twisty reveals, and eventually the constant turns got a bit exhausting. The rom-com moments to balance things out were missing for me.
I never got too invested in the romance or characters. Lots of “he smells amazing” and “she’s his dream woman” energy early on.
Still, it’s a fun concept and I can absolutely see this working better for readers who want their paranormal romance heavier on the mystery side.
LOVED the name Sophronia! It a variation of an important historical figure name where I live. And how I learned the author has a few historical romances under her belt.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC. My opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Swipe Bite had all the ingredients of something I should have loved!!! I'm so happy Vampires are back in the contemporary romance genre!
Unfortunately this one fell a little flat. The concept is genuinely fun but the issue for me was the romance itself never clicked. The book is written in third person POV, which already creates a bit of distance, and I think that hurt it here more than it might in another story. I never felt close enough to either character to really invest in them as a couple, and the chemistry between them just wasn't there for me. A lot of their connection seemed to rest on physical attraction and the classic "he smells good" setup rather than anything that felt emotionally earned.
The mystery also got away from itself toward the end. Too many twists and moving pieces, to the point where it started feeling chaotic rather than intriguing. I kept waiting for something to land harder and it never did.
Not a bad read, and I think readers who connect more easily with third person romance will probably get more out of it than I did. Just didn't fully live up to its potential for me.
Thank you Berkley Romance & NetGalley for this ARC!
Unfortunately this one fell a little flat. The concept is genuinely fun but the issue for me was the romance itself never clicked. The book is written in third person POV, which already creates a bit of distance, and I think that hurt it here more than it might in another story. I never felt close enough to either character to really invest in them as a couple, and the chemistry between them just wasn't there for me. A lot of their connection seemed to rest on physical attraction and the classic "he smells good" setup rather than anything that felt emotionally earned.
The mystery also got away from itself toward the end. Too many twists and moving pieces, to the point where it started feeling chaotic rather than intriguing. I kept waiting for something to land harder and it never did.
Not a bad read, and I think readers who connect more easily with third person romance will probably get more out of it than I did. Just didn't fully live up to its potential for me.
Thank you Berkley Romance & NetGalley for this ARC!
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