The Assassin's Way

by J.M. Kearl, Zara Hampton-Brown (Narrator), Nathaniel Priestley (Narrator)

Never go out at night. Lock the doors. Ignore the screams.

Those are the rules Aesira lives by to survive the monsters that stalk her

village. But everything changes when it’s revealed she’s been born with

the power to fight the vampires she’s spent her life fearing.

Aesira is thrust into the elite and secretive League of Assassins, where mercy

is weakness and fear is forbidden. Now her survival depends on her

ruthless trainer, Vander–the most dangerous assassin of them all. And

the only thing more lethal than his blade is the desire he awakens in

her.

Because the greatest threat in Nighthaven might not be the monsters lurking in the dark…

It might be him.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Vampires, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Slow Burn, Paranormal

15 pages, Audible Audio

First published June 18, 2026

Reviews

[Haley St John · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Guys guys GUYSSSSS!!!!! This book was so good and such a breath of fresh air in the romantasy space for real. I am genuinely so obsessed with everything JM Kearl did when writing this book. Vampires and assassins will alwaysssss be one of my favorite tropes, but often it is turned SO SO lusty and incredibly spicy. Not this time!!!!! This book is completely closed door, the main characters build an emotional relationship that isn’t based off of lust for each other, and the yearning is just uhh through the roof. Also. This is a TRUE slow burn. The beginning 30% definitely took me a little bit to get into, I was always intrigued, but I wasn’t 100% obsessed until that point which is the only reason why I’m going with a four instead of a five. We also leave off on such a great note for setting up book two I genuinely couldn’t be more excited to read it. Fortunately, I was able to receive an ARC of this book! Unfortunately that means I have a longgggg time to wait until book two releases. Definitely don’t sleep on this one guys, a new top rec for closed door romantasy for me!

[Lilian Morgaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The biggest issue was the writing style. It’s difficult to explain, but it constantly felt much younger than I expected. Even though this isn’t marketed as YA, it read like one to me. I could see the ambition behind the worldbuilding and the characters, but the execution never fully landed.

The plot also felt very predictable. Many of the twists and reveals were heavily foreshadowed to the point where I could see them coming from miles away, so there wasn’t much tension or surprise left.

I also struggled with the main character. She’s only nineteen, and she definitely acts her age. Unfortunately, that often translated into being very naive and occasionally frustrating to follow. I never really formed an emotional connection with her, or honestly with most of the cast.

The one exception was Vander. He was easily the most interesting character in the book, and he’s honestly the main reason I kept reading. I wanted to learn more about him, because he brought some much-needed intrigue whenever he was on the page. Without him, I probably would have DNF’d this around the 20% mark.

Overall, this was one of those books where nothing ever truly clicked. I never felt immersed in the world, I never became attached to the characters, and something about the entire reading experience just felt… off. It wasn’t a terrible book, but it simply wasn’t for me.

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a binge worthy fantasy read. I loved the fast paced plot, the slow burn romance, and the twists the story took! Definitely left me excited for the next book.

Thank you to Grimm & Co for the gifted copy.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Once again we have a tiny, untrained, allegedly ordinary girl who is somehow different but special meeting the dark, mysterious MMC who communicates exclusively with secret-keeping. She also has a psychotic male bully who's personally offended by her existence and a past lover who underestimate her. All this adds up to another copy and paste romantasy book.

[Shannon Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This storyline had all the elements to be so perfect! I just needed a little more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🫑

[Alicia | kindleandmagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bingeable, very FBAA-coded, easy and fast-paced. Some issues with the writing but great if you just want a quick fantasy read with a slow burn.

Thank you Grimm & Co for the advanced copy!

[Danielle Pulliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

**𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴** 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔄𝔰𝔰𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔫'𝔰 𝔚𝔞𝔶 𝔟𝔶 𝔍.𝔐. 𝔎𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔩

Release Day: June 18, 2026

5⭐️3🌶

This book had me hook, line, and sinker IMMEDIATELY. I really shouldn't have been surprised, because it's written by the amazing J. M. Kearl. This book is a coming of age story as well as gothic/dark acadamia, touch her and you die, and student-mentor romance vibes. I ATE THIS BOOK UP AND LEFT NO CRUMBS.

Minor Spoilers Ahead:

Aesira turns of age at 19 and has lived outside the very high walls of Nighthaven her whole life. Every night her family is sure to make it to the safety of their home before the vampires come out to prowel every night. On the day of the Rite, her father advises her to hide her inhuman speed, but it's all for naught because there is a mage there can sense special abilities.

Vander aka Viper is the one to see and select her for the League of Assassin's even before the Mage senses her inhuman abilities. As such, Commander Locke places Aesira as Vander's apprentice, and it will be a lock few years with the romantic and sexual tension between the two of them that they can't act on.

Also, of course Vander is the best assassin with the most kills besides the two commanders, and he works with Aesira for weeks and weeks to hone her skills to match his own. So, when she meets vampires out beyond the walls, she won't be in any danger of injury or dying.

I will hard pressed to wait for the next one in this series. There is so much tension and secrets that need to be revealed, I literally cannot wait. If you're a fan of From Blood and Ash, this one is definately for you.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Trainer x Apprentice / Mentor x Student
🍁Gothic School/Dark Acadamia
🍁Assassin Training
🍁Enemies-to-Lovers
🍁Slow Burn & Yearning
🍁Forced Proximity
🍁"Touch Her and Die" / Protective MMC
🍁Forbidden Romance
🍁There’s Only One Horse
🍁Vampires vs. Vampire Hunters
🍁Hidden Magic & Rare Power
🍁Secretive Guilds / Secret Societies
🍁Found Family
🍁Political Intrigue
🍁Wond Tending & Secret Scars

TW:
✨Graphic Violence & Gore
✨Brutal death of family members or fellow villagers
✨Vampirism & Blood Drinking
✨Death & Grief
✨Abuse of Power
✨Captivity & Confinement
✨Profanity & Mature Language
✨Sexual Content

[Brend · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s a level 6 assassin. He doesn’t let anything with a shadow breathe.


this is a vibes-5-star, not an objective one. i had fun

[Tiffany Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🤩 rounding up for Goodreads

I actually really did enjoy the story! I thought the spin of a vampire narrative like this was pretty unique and I feel like I haven’t read anything like this yet

I loved the whole premise of this academy where different types of gifted people were learning to use those gifts to fight back and assassinate vampires..

Like as soon as you put me in a world where there’s an academy setting, I swoon.. and then add on top of that a SLOW BURN mentor mentee relationship were the mentor is a Broody, Morley grey, and extremely dangerous assassin.. like say less I’m so there

I generally thought this one was such a good read, and I would highly recommend

[Clarissa Labue-Pham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Assassin's Way is a gripping, non-stop thrill ride with crazy twists and scintillating romance.

In the Assassin's Way, 19-year-old Aesira's secret as a ducai is uncovered, and she's forced to become an assassin-in-training with her mysterious and brooding training partner Vander. There are crazy twists, lots of yearning, and plenty of action to keep this fast-paced fiction from ever getting stale.

I loved the characters. There's a found family aspect here. I enjoyed the character interactions between Aesira and her friends as well as between her and her rival, Beast. Vander is mysterious and I really can't say anything about him without giving major plot points and twists away, but suffice it to say he is multidimensional and will keep you on your toes. The romance is swoon-worthy too.

Usually it takes me months to read books because I read so many at once. I read this in a handful of weeks; I was so enraptured. If you like vampires and romantasy this is a must-read.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was no steam high stakes vampire romantasy. I liked the MCs, the plot twists, and the side characters. The world building was lacking. The book was okay for me because I didn't like the writing style. It was tell and not show. I didn't feel the emotional depth, or love, or agony. I was told that I should feel them. The author failed to emotionally hurt me through their writing. I felt nothing. I finished because the plot and the goings on were interesting. I do not know if I want to continue. Maybe this author is just not for me.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, saying it was good is an understatement. I've read the author's other series and this one blows the other ones out of the water.

It was so good. It was written well, I could tell that everything was planned out, and there were twists and turns I didn't see coming. I even got attached to the characters. I can't wait for book 2.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

oooooo this was really good & I loved all the plot twists!!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My heart belongs to you. Stab it, keep it, it’s yours.”

This is the kind of slow burn that I LOVE……. undeniable chemistry, toe-curling tension, and screaming for them to just kiss already!!! I ate this book up and stayed up way too late to finish it! Vander is HOT, protective, tortured, a little mysterious, and exactly my type of MMC! Aesira is essentially forced to join the league of assassins and the banter between her and Vander as trainer/apprentice was fantastic! You could just feel all the walls breaking down between the two of them as they are forced to essentially be together 24/7 during her training. I loved the plot development and the concept of the four different guilds for training to help the humans and ducai win the war against the vampires. The twists and that ending have me so excited for the next book!

✨Humans and Vampires
✨Training guilds
✨Forced proximity
✨Touch her and die
✨Slow burn
✨Little bit forbidden
✨Wound care
✨Grief comfort

[AOKayy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to J.M. Kearl for the ARC of The Assassin's Way!

This story follows Aesira, who lives outside the city walls, where her family is constantly threatened by the vampires that hunt in the surrounding forest. When the kingdom holds a ceremony to test people for magical abilities, Aesira discovers she possesses magic and is recruited into the League of Assassins, an elite group dedicated to hunting and killing vampires. She is assigned to train under Vander, and what begins as a trainer-and-apprentice relationship quickly develops into a forbidden, slow-burn romance, with both of them hiding secrets that could prove deadly.

This book pulled me in from the very first chapter. The world-building is immersive, and the unique magic system, along with the different magical houses, vampires, and humans. Add in a trainer-and-apprentice romance, a protective MMC who falls first, and twists and betrayals that completely caught me off guard, and I was hooked. That ending was absolutely insane, and I cannot wait for book two!

[abi. · Rating 5 out of 5]

── ✦✦✦✦✦:

“Then one day I will meet you on the battlefield and I’ll ask you to put that dagger through my heart. It’s yours to take— to end.”
“You know you can’t escape me.”
“There was a time I wanted to die, but you have given me reason to live, Aesira.”

WHAT THE FUCK. I’m actually gobsmacked that I read this in one sitting and it was so fucking good. I will never ever get over this and this will live in my mind rent free. I’m actually obsessed with everyone.

The plot? FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC. I’ve never been so swept up in world building like this. The politics— the slightly dystopian elements with vampires?? It was so well done that there is absolutely nothing you can get confused on.

Vander— VANDER. What a man. The way this man spews such romantic shit actually makes me want to kill myself. He is easily one of the top book boyfriends for me. I cannot get over him— I need to be sedated whenever he opens his goddamn book and his mouth in the last 40 pages? Pure unfiltered desperation. And that’s the way a man should be.

Aesira was such a brilliant female character to read a point of view in. Her personality was so intriguing and it felt like an actual human I knew. She felt like a friend at some points and I loved her development from being scared to so confident and deadly.

Side characters? A+. This was God tier. I need book two NOW.

[BadWolfShells · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I loved this book!!! So much fun. Vampires and Vampire Assassins!

[Aminah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read! When does book 2 come out?!

[Ari ☾]

♡𝓅𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹♡
Okay, I know that my currently reading pile is ginormous, but this book has been sitting on my shelf calling for me. The art on the Fairyloot endpapers and hardcover are just too pretty to ignore.

[Bazia · Rating 2 out of 5]

sometimes i like to think i’m pretty easy to entertain, then i pick up another romantasy… and remember exactly who i am👺
this review could probably fit ten different books, because they all feel the same nowadays. same tropes. same “not like other girls” FMC. same mysterious MMC.

this story itself had potential, but writing? very meh.

instead of exploring vampire theory, world in general or what was actually happening outside the main plot, author chose to focus on cringe inner monologues about for example “sleeping in the same room with a man”, abs descriptions or filler moments…

i honestly don’t know who this book was written for, but unfortunately, i’m clearly not the target audience

and no, “it’s YA” isn’t an excuse, it doesn’t automatically mean a shallow story!
i’ve read plenty of YA books that were emotional, well-written, and surprisingly mature. unfortunately this one is not
2 stars for great idea only

[Nikita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first off just want to say that I do not support this authors views nor do I agree with them.

Having said that, it almost pains me to give this book 4 stars. It really was good and refreshing. There were times where the writing wasn't the best and the story sagged, but overall I enjoyed it a lot more than I wanted to. Some of the twists I expected, and some I didnt. This gave Divergent vibes but make them assassins. Due to my disagreement with the authors views, I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, even thought the book itself is good enough to make me want to.

[Nicole ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall fast paced and easy to get into with a decent plot which is what I needed but my god was the fmc childish. The writing needed some work.

[Yanisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very beginning, this book completely pulled me in. Aesira - the girl with the different colored eyes (fact in obsessed with) and something distinctly different about her, instantly had me intrigued. There was this constant feeling that there was more beneath the surface, and I loved uncovering it alongside her.

The world building was done really well, especially the way the class system and society were structured. It felt immersive without being overwhelming, and I quickly got a strong sense of how harsh and divided this world truly was.

Then comes Vander “Viper”; our MMC whose entire presence practically demands your attention. He has this dangerous, mysterious energy that keeps you on edge every time he’s on the page. And the chemistry between him and Aesira? Absolute chef’s kiss. The slow burn was done perfectly and had me hanging onto every interaction between them.

&+ the plot twists?! Just when I thought I understood where the story was heading, another curveball was thrown a few chapters later. I was genuinely shocked multiple times.

This book had action, tension, mystery, romance, and enough twists to keep me fully invested from start to finish. I seriously cannot wait for book two.

[Rachel Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Assassin’s Way by J. M. Kearl - 5 ⭐

Wowwww! I absolutely bloody loved this!! Very cool book. I loved the lore and the characters and the setting and the world. Aesira is a fantastic lead! And Vander, wow!!

The twists and turns and the suspense in this book were so good. I loved the fights! I loved how the relationship developed and also all the side characters.

We had a bad boy to hate to rival Jack Barlowe here too!

Cannot wait for book 2 and I’ll definitely be reading more of Kearl’s work!

[Whitney ✨A River of Books✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

This was a really fun read and I quite enjoyed it. I’ve never read this author’s books before but I’m excited to see what else she has out there.

It was pretty fast paced-and didn’t have too much lull in the story- so I appreciated that! I do love a good assassin school but then mix in the vampires and- I’m sold!

There was a couple of eye roll moments, but nothing that turned me off from the story.

The plot twist was nicely done and it definitely made me say “wth” because I was expecting something else.

Anyway, definitely will pick up book 2 and a physical copy at some point.

[Lowri Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
VAMPIRES & YEARNERS ARE SO BACK

[Sarita · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a YES from me🔥

[Bailey Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I didn’t DNF is because I had spent an audible credit.

I wanted to like this book, but from the prose to the plot, nothing about it was inventive, original, or soulful. I can be forgiving about predictive plot points if it is executed well enough (especially with commercial romantasy, which relies on tropes often), but in this case, the execution was also mid. It’s labeled as a dark romantasy, but it was not dark, its romance was derivative, and its fantasy was underwhelming.

The dialogue was so bad. The protagonist’s personality is copy-paste from booktock memes at worst, and mary-sue at best. Emotional beats are forced. The deuteragonist was, as they so often are in books like this, just a projection of female wish-fulfillment whose only flaws were well-intended deceit and being overprotective (both cliche and tired).

The monsters were not scary. The fights were all
predictable and felt like they were there to check off certain boxes that publishers just happen to like right now.

This book should have been edited down to half the length it was to cut redundancies and things that went without saying. It somehow managed to be verbose and also linguistically shallow.

Maybe I’m being harsh, but honestly I can only roll my eyes so many times.

[Lee-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Assassin's Way. It was an entertaining read from start to finish.

[Anniek Wielinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25

Heb dit boek in één zitting gelezen door de nacht heen lol very bingeworthy🤭