Hunger & Harmony

The Ivory Duet #1

by Rosslyn Whims

Some melodies are forbidden for a reason.

Cadence’s plan is simple: move out, land a job, and finally live without her parents breathing down her neck. Life should be experienced, not feared. So what if her first job is assisting vampire rock royalty? Her bags are already packed for the tour bus.

Except the world she steps into is darker and louder than she imagined. At the center of it all is Niklaus Vane, a rock-and-roll vampire king with too many secrets and a talent for getting under her skin. He’s cold, infuriating, and determined to keep her at arm’s length.

But he awakens something in her. A song living in her blood, and an appetite that refuses to be denied.

If Cadence pushes too far, she risks unraveling the pureblood king himself—and everything he so carefully balances. Turning back, however, means surrendering the freedom she’s only begun to taste.

Maybe some songs are worth the risk—

even when they bite.

◆◆◆

Blending the addictive vampire romance and supernatural intrigue of Ali Hazelwood’s Bride, the modern magical charm of Juliette Cross's Stay a Spell series, and a vampire rock band with Sleep Token allure, Hunger & Harmony is a paranormal romance brimming with music, magic, and a love powerful enough to challenge fate.

Tropes include:
• A grumpy vampire king
• A sunshine heroine who fights for her own fairytale
• Hades and Persephone vibes
• Forced proximity on a supernatural rockstar tour
• Slow-burn with earned open-door romance

Hunger & Harmony is book one of The Ivory Duet, an interconnected duology featuring dangerously devoted vampires, blood-soaked magic, and love worth breaking fate for.

Genres: Vampires, Romance, Forced Proximity, Paranormal Romance

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2026

About the author

Rosslyn Whims is an author of paranormal romance and romantasy drenched in magic, tension, and dangerously irresistible love interests. Her books blend heart and heat, with characters pushing the bounds of love, fate, and magic. A happy ending is guaranteed, and always earned. Her paranormal romance debut, Hunger & Harmony, published October 8th, 2026.

When she’s not lost in a fairytale, you’ll find her serving her cats, deep-diving into research, or eating something sweet.

Reviews

[minnie. (slumping) · Rating 4 out of 5]

── .✦ 3.75 stars! .ᐟ ⌗ arc review

𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞'𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 .ᐟ review #29

⤿ 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: 09.24.26 - 09.27.29
⤿ 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 15+
⤿ 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 2/5

𐔌🍷09.27.29 ⸝⸝ you see, workplace boundaries become nonexistent the moment you put the human personification of sunshine with a vampire king who has deteriorating self control in a tour bus together (and im so here for it).

⋮ ⌗ 🩸 ꒰thoughts꒱

⤿💋 .ᐟ let me start out by saying that i think it’s absolutely hilarious that niko calls cadence juice box. i liked the dynamic between them a lot, and i definitely felt the tension. the push and pull, along with the forced proximity was executed beautifully, and i had so much fun watching niko burn through his self control (i mean, who wouldn’t? 🤭). hunger and harmony is a really cute romance, and it definitely satisfied my urge for a quick vampire read.

⤿💋 .ᐟ i like sunshine characters, and cadence is no exception. i did find her a little bit naive, and she did annoy me occasionally with said naiveness, but considering how she was sheltered her entire life it did make sense with her backstory. i liked niko a little bit less than i had initially hoped for because he honestly kept giving me whiplash. i did like the push and pull, but some scenes were less push and pull and more like niko couldn’t decide if he is madly in love with cadence or wants nothing to do with her. that being said, i did love their interactions and thought niko was pretty hot.

⤿💋 .ᐟ i love ez so much, and i’m actually on my knees for a book about him. he’s so cute and hilarious and hot, and i love his personality, not to mention how his platonic chemistry with cadence was absolutely amazing. rosslyn whims shows a lot of potential, and i’m excited to see what she puts out next. i would recommend this novel for anyone looking for a rockstar vampire romance.

⋮ ⌗ 🍒 ꒰ what to expect꒱

꒰🍷꒱ opposites attract
꒰🍷꒱ rockstar vampires
꒰🍷꒱ grumpy x sunshine
꒰🍷꒱ only one tour bus
꒰🍷꒱ forced proximity

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Received via IRIS Influencer Society.
This was so much fun, I had the best time reading this!
A vampire book with a difference. It starts with not much other world building, and was as if I was reading a romance set in our world! Then the vampire king made his appearance and I was sold. I loved the balance of the vampire world and the dynamic between our main characters. It was dark without it being tropes I hate. There was tension galore, and yearning I adored. Really enjoyed it!

[Emrys The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for giving me an arc!

Grumpy Rockstar Vampire King🤝Sunshiny Human PA

This was such an enjoyable read, and while he was just a side character I loved how goofy Ezren was, and when Niklaus called Cadence a juice box lol.
The pacing was quick, which I liked overall but I wish the concert scenes had been a bit longer so you could really get that rockstar feel, and I'm a person who really likes some kind closure, so while the ending wasn't abrupt, it felt like there wasn't enough resolved just yet for this couple. I can't wait to see what goes down in the next book!

[Katy Cottrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star ADDICTING read.

The lead singer: Ancient vampire king with control issues.
The new personal assistant: Human sunshine who is inconveniently immune to his magic.
The workplace boundaries: Nonexistent.
The tour bus: A slow-burn HR violation waiting to happen.
The prophecy: RUIN, apparently. Very reassuring.
And somewhere between the music, blood, ancient magic, and Niko Vane desperately trying not to want the one woman capable of unraveling him, I became extremely invested in this man's rapidly deteriorating self-control.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunger & Harmony is a cute vampire/human rockstar/assistant grumpy/sunshine romance with a prophecy on top.

Cadence (interestingly named, since she has no musical abilities but seems drawn to music and can hear notes) is the FMC, trying to get out from under her parents' control. She's been controlled by very strict parents - no music, not even listening. Of course, she rebels. So her best friend helps her forge her way into an internship with a touring rock band made up of vampires. Oh, and the lead is the vampire king with siren magic in his voice. What could go wrong? I thought at first the character had a form of synesthesia, but that was never brought up.

They're drawn to each other in a strange way, and she can feel his ghostly touch when he's across the room. I definitely enjoyed the gothic vibes in the beginning - the tour bus and the vamp cities they stopped at. The pure chaos of stopping in regular human towns and getting attacked by hunters drove the plot into some urgency. Somewhere in the middle, it started to feel choppy to me. Their hot/cold was whiplashey at times. I understood her fascination with him, his alluring persona, vampiric perfection, and voice that affected everyone around her in a weird way, but not her. What I didn't understand was his side of it. First, he's rude to her, calling her a "juice box," and then suddenly, out of the blue, he's being super sweet and adorable. Out of seemingly the blue, he starts being nice to her after several very rude encounters, and suddenly we're in cuddle territory? I suppose if we had his POV, maybe it would help us understand more. It's gotta be more than just the prophecy taking over.

The FMC is kept completely in the dark about her bloodline by her parents, and her very best friend who got her this gig starts acting weird around her too. Her family kept music completely out of her life, which, of course, drew her more to it and brought out who she is. It wasn't until the epilogue that I finally got all the pieces to make sense of what happened. The lies and withholding of information were frustrating not just for the FMC, but for the reader too. Plus the girly cries so dang much over everything. But the book picked back up for me when we got to the prophecy part of the plot, and all the conspiracy and destruction was occurring. I enjoyed the choice vs. destiny/control plot point, and I liked how she finally got her big-girl panties on and took her life into her own hands.

I enjoyed the side characters, especially Ez. I would love a spin-off book for him to get an HEA.
I'm certainly curious about book 2 and impressed that this is only a duology. Good read overall.

Thanks to Iris Influencer Society for the chance to ARC read this book.


Tropes:
🧛Grumpy vampire king x sunshine human,
🔥slow burn,
🖤“we can’t want this”,
🎸vampire rockstar,
🩸prophecy of ruin not romance,
🚍tour bus proximity,
🦋fated bonds,
🎤freedom at a cost,
🎵opposites attract

[Aelita · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. Cadence is the embodiment of sunshine and Nik was just such a cutie patootie with his grumpiness revolving around her. As far as side characters go, Selene was my favorite with Ezren being a close second.

My Spidey senses were going haywire the whole time with Viola. And even before the official reveal in the last chapter (where I exclaimed, "I knew it!" and felt very vindicated), I was sus about her the whole book. I also feel like it's weird that Cadence struggled to remember Cass's name, but that hasn't been explained yet, so I'm one for two right now on my Spidey senses, lol 😂

I will admit, I was confused often in this book when it came to the more detailed prophecy/magic stuff - and re-reading section didn't always cure that confusion - but I honestly didn't even really care much because it was otherwise such a fun book. I get that Cadence doesn't understand so that can be why there is some confusion, but the reader shouldn't also be *this* confused, imo.

The phantom touches were just *delicious* and I love how they happened right out of the gate! Niko just can't help it, I suppose, lol 😂 He also can't help but comfort her, even when he's trying to deny himself. And she is trying to take care of him and not let him feel alone, even when she doesn't fully understand what is going on. I also absolutely love that she's never afraid of him or the other vampires (even when people treat her like she's crazy for it).

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, unique spin on a paranormal romance, and mixing vampire royalty with a modern rockstar tour bus environment worked perfectly. The story centers on Cadence, a sunshine heroine who takes an assistant job for a massive vampire rock band just to finally escape her parents and get some freedom. She ends up locked in close quarters on a tour bus with Niklaus Vane, the grumpy, pureblood vampire king who runs the show and is determined to keep his distance from her.

I liked the modern, gritty music scene backdrop mixed with traditional vampire lore. The forced proximity on the road forces them to interact, and the slow burn between Cadence’s upbeat energy and Niklaus's guarded, cold exterior feels totally earned. Cadence is a great lead who actively fights for her own choices instead of just letting things happen to her, and her banter with Niklaus keeps the momentum moving fast. It balances the supernatural intrigue with some excellent open-door spice toward the end.

If you want a fast paranormal romance with strong Hades and Persephone vibes and a cool rock-and-roll edge, this is a solid choice.

Thank you, IRIS Influencer Society and Rosslyn Whims for the gifted e-ARC!

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

This was a great contemporary paranormal vampire romance. This book had me sold. I loved Cadence and Niko. Who isn’t going to love a vampire king turned rockstar? That’s hot. And Cadence beating away from her family to become his assistant. Good for her. She needed to break free and do her own thing. Plus, it helps that she thinks he’s got too. This story had me in devout mode. I didn’t want to put this down until I finished. I was seriously invested, and maybe a little obsessed with Niko. This was such a great story. It was fun and steamy. The way these two connected. Yum! I wish it had been a little bit spicier, but overall it was definitely worth reading.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you have a grumpy vampire rockstar and a sunshine assistant? You get a deliciously wonderful story!!! From the world building, to the yearning, and the character development along the way, I was completely sold on this book. Cadence and Niklaus have fantastic banter and their chemistry is great once they finally get there. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good paranormal romance with music thrown in!

[Kaitlyn Singer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an opportunity to read this ARC!

Honestly, I'm about 50% of the way in and I'm just not vibing with the story or the characters. I hate dnf'ing ARCs, but i don't want to push through something I'm no fully enjoying...it's not fair to me or the author.

But I felt like I was almost getting whiplash from Niko and Cadence...one moment he seems like he hates her and wants nothing to do with her, and then we turn right back around and it's almost like an insta love type thing. I found myself wondering if I almost missed some key points and flipped back just to make sure...

I don't feel as if the whole back story with her parents and her running off and blacking out fit in very well. And her parents randomly showing up to a venue where she's working and then they have a fight? Something about it just didnt flow well with me. Also, how was she suddenly forgetting Cass's name when she had no problem remembering it in the beginning? Maybe those questions would be answered later, but.

With that being said, I think this has a lot of potential and it's a cute little romance. Ezren is my favorite character out of everyone I've met so far! He's adorable and hilarious and also just as hot!

I'm sorry I couldn't finish this book, but I may end up reading it again when I'm in a better mindset to get through it.

[Mel Ezzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC & these opinions are my own. Thank you to the author & publisher for the opportunity.

Listen. I struggled between a 3.5/4 ⭐️ for this one & think I landed with 3.75⭐️. I didn’t hate it, but I found myself kind of confused at times with what was happening plot wise, but maybe that was just me. There was a lot in this story that I liked, but I found the characters lacking depth & any development besides maybe Ez. Honestly, the FMC had more chemistry with him than the MMC. I would have loved more information & actual performances around the band, the cities they stopped at to perform, more Vampire lore. There was just a lack of engaging world building.

I don’t know if it was intentional by the author to have the FMC, Cadence, be so extremely naive because she was so sheltered her entire life & kept in a bubble; but I found her to be lacking any type of actual personality or growth throughout this story. She also cried at every single thing & I know the character even referred to herself as a crybaby, but it got to a point where it was just too much. Her dialogue was also extremely cringey at times. She’s supposed to be 23, but acted more like 16/17 & again, I don’t know if that was intentional. I didn’t hate her, but if I’m supposed to believe she’s to be the Queen of Vampires, she needed WAY more character development.

The MMC was fine. King of the Vampires & lead singer of the band. Hot. He’s marked as “grumpy” but honestly I didn’t get those vibes from him. Maybe aloof at times, but not really grumpy when I think of the grumpy x sunshine trope. There wasn’t much more to him. I would have LOVED more interactions between the two before they fell in love & became obsessed with each other. It was very much a “I thought he hated me, but then we had one conversation & I fell instantly in love”. And I thought that maybe this was intentional too because his voice is supposed to be alluring & hypnotic; but maybe I’m just trying to justify it? Lol I just wanted more conversations & scenarios & banter between the two.

The “sex” scenes…could have been left out & maybe put into the second book. The two scenes were extremely awkward & random (besides maybe the last scene in the book). And look, I’m ALL for spicy scenes. Love them, but to me, they have to make sense & flow well into the story. And maybe it was my thinking that the two lacked chemistry that made it awkward. It just felt like maybe this was the authors first time dabbling into writing sexy scenes (nothing wrong with that) & it just made it all awkward.

Again, this wasn’t bad at all & I am interested to see what the next book holds. I loved the music aspect & of Cadence hearing Dissonant chords her whole life & when it blended with Niklaus’ music it became the right notes. Super, super unique & interesting, plus there was a nice little twist towards the end. Definitely a “maybe” recommend.

[The Soft Curse Eva · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Vampire rockstars, a grumpy vampire king, a sheltered sunshine FMC, forbidden attraction and a mysterious prophecy? Sounds like a pretty entertaining combination, right?

Hunger & Harmony has an interesting premise, and I particularly liked the way music was woven into the supernatural elements of the story. The idea of Cadence hearing dissonant notes throughout her life and finding something different in Niklaus’s music was probably one of the most original aspects of the book.

I also enjoyed the whole rockstar vampire setting. The tour bus, the vampire cities, the hunters and the secrets surrounding Cadence’s identity created plenty of opportunities for an intriguing paranormal romance.

However, I think the story had the potential to offer much more.

My biggest struggle was the character development, especially Cadence’s. I understand that she grew up extremely sheltered, with controlling parents and very little freedom, so her innocence and naivety make sense. But understanding why a character behaves a certain way doesn’t necessarily make their reactions less frustrating. I wanted to see more personality, independence and emotional growth from her.

Niklaus was another character I struggled to connect with completely. A vampire king who also happens to be the lead singer of a rock band? There’s so much potential there! Unfortunately, his constant shifts between pushing Cadence away and suddenly being affectionate made the romance feel inconsistent at times.

And while I enjoyed their attraction and some of their interactions, I wanted more emotional development between them. More conversations, more banter and more moments that would make me believe in their growing feelings beyond the supernatural connection.

I also would have loved more worldbuilding. The vampire society, the different cities, the band itself and the supernatural lore were all interesting, but I felt we only scratched the surface of what could have been a much richer universe.

That being said, there were definitely things I enjoyed!

Ez was a particularly entertaining side character, and his friendship with Cadence brought some much-needed fun and personality to the story. I would happily read more about him!

I also liked how the prophecy, the secrets and the questions surrounding destiny and free will eventually became more important to the plot. The final revelations made things more interesting and left me curious about where the story might go next.

Overall, Hunger & Harmony was an enjoyable, quick paranormal romance with an original musical concept and an intriguing supernatural premise. I just wish the characters, their relationships and the world surrounding them had been explored in greater depth.

There’s definitely potential here, and I’m curious to see how Rosslyn Whims develops the story in the second book.

IG: @thesoftcurse

[Mandy Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐♾️

WHAT THE WHAT🧛‍♀️

I was hooked immediately. A sheltered from music FMC hired as a vampire rock bands PA! The MMC being broody and mysterious yesss.

And then it’s revealed Niko is a vampire siren??? I genuinely did not know that was a thing, but I am completely here for it. Cadence is like his innocent vampire siren kryptonite which just fits.

And the slow burn??? OH MY GODS

When he tastes her blood FROM KISSING HER and shuts everything down. SIR YOU TEASE!

Then her parents whom she ran from show up to a show and then her mom checks her pulse??? WHATIII

Then they finally kiss on stage after she calms him down. Niko lost control and scared everyone except Cadence, AND THE CROWN IS CALLING TO HER??? But when she helped him everything changed and the gothic kingdom started having life to it again.

EXCUSE ME??? While I scream.

Then we get the Dissonant reveal and suddenly EVERYTHING CLICKS

“Dissonants shouldn’t exist.”
She comes from a bloodline of weapons against his lineage, yet somehow a Dissonant can bond with a pureblood vampire. And suddenly the romance isn’t just complicated because they’re opposites. They’re literally connected to a prophecy and generations of conflict. AND FATED MATES

They spend so much time thinking they have to break this bond, and meanwhile I’m sitting here knowing there is absolutely no way these two are willingly walking away from each other.

“He doesn’t want a queen. He doesn’t want a throne. He just wants HER.”

A MUST READ ROCKSTAR ROMANTASY

AND THEN FINALLY— HE DRINKS FROM HERRR. Because she feels his starving and thirst.
The feeding scene was EVERYTHING. The tension between them had been building for SO LONG and finally they’re both choosing each other instead of fighting what they feel.

SHE WAS NEVER THE WEAPON.

SHE WAS THE ANSWER.

RESONANT. OMGS

She has to save Niko but in exchange she will turn.
And her response is perfect “why would I say no to eternity with him?” His response “I’ve never seen anyone this happy to be turned.” DEFINITELY TWILIGHT VIBES.

EEEK AND THEN SHE DRINKS FROM HIM AND IT WAS HAWTTTT

The final stretch was just one giant “EEEEEEEEEK” for me.

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

🧛🏻‍♂️ ARC Review 🎸

"I've never been boy-crazy. Temptation never looked this good, either."

So, I expected a cute romance with a vampire cast and it was going to give under the blanket autumn fall vibes, but oh boy was I in for SO much more! I am SO happy to have picked this up!

The way Rosslyn wove this story and planted seeds along the way that I didn't even see and how it blasted apart into something that so altered my expectations was so thrilling to read! It really did feel like a thriller at parts - that was probably just me running through this book at breakneck speed, though. 🤣

I love how she created this romance of 'should we', 'can we', 'could we', 'we shouldn't' and so many other iterations of self-reflection with vampire, human, and royal perspectives all tangling this love story into a super cool direction.

I love her descriptions and how I could feel like I was in the room while they were performing - Niklaus's mix of heritage that allowed him to so captivate a room - which is something I've felt from music before, and is how I feel when I'm playing and singing (all along with nobody to hear or judge me. 😆). It felt so...authentic and yet ethereal at the same time.

I don't think I've read anything quite like this book, so I was SO excited to see that it's part of a series, The Ivory Duet. It's a standalone as a part of an interconnected series of standalones, which I'm coming to find are one of my favorite kinds of series from a world/magic building standpoint.

If you like a Hades and Persephone vibe, are looking for a standalone, or like supernatural politics, you may like this book.

Triggers: Violence, Blood, Grief

[Riley Nevels · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Okay I went into this expecting a cute vampire romance with all the cozy autumn vibes and somehow got SO much more than I was expecting!!

I was hooked almost immediately. A girl who grew up completely sheltered from music runs away and becomes the PA for a VAMPIRE ROCK BAND??? And then we have Niko, our broody and mysterious MMC who turns out to be a vampire SIREN???

I didn’t even know that was a thing, but I am completely here for it.

And Cadence basically being his innocent little vampire siren kryptonite??? YES.

But the SLOW BURN??? OH MY GODS.

The constant “we want to but we absolutely shouldn’t” between these two was killing me. Especially when Niko tastes her blood FROM KISSING HER and immediately shuts everything down.

SIR. YOU TEASE.

And then things just kept getting crazier. Her parents showing up at the concert, HER MOM CHECKING HER PULSE??? Niko losing control on stage and Cadence being the only one who isn’t afraid of him??? THE CROWN CALLING TO HER??? And then everything literally starting to come back to life after she helps him?!

I was INVESTED.

I really loved Cadence and Niko together, especially all his little nicknames for her, and I loved how different this felt from other vampire romances I’ve read.

There were a few parts that felt a little flat for me and I definitely wish we got even more of the vampire side of everything. But I’m also currently in a reading slump, so I could totally see this becoming a 4⭐️ if I reread it at another time.

Overall, I had so much fun with this one and I’m VERY excited for book two!!

[Abi ♤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for providing me with an ARC via BookFunnel! 📚

This was such a fun, cosy and lighthearted read, with plenty of insta-lust, celestial themes and vampire rockstar vibes. I really enjoyed the concept behind the band, the vampire world and the way it affected the human world, alongside the hunters and sabotage woven into the plot. There were also some seriously cute quotes throughout!

That said, I found myself wanting a little more from the world-building. I would have loved to learn more about the different worlds the characters came from and see more of how the vampire world actually worked. I also think some of the bigger plot points happened or were resolved quite quickly, which made parts of the story feel a little rushed.

The spice was probably my biggest question mark. This easily could have worked as a YA read for me, and the more explicit scenes felt slightly out of place within the otherwise lighthearted, almost YA-like tone of the story.

I also wanted a little more indecisiveness around the idea of dying for someone! The premise gives you some pretty huge stakes (literally!), so I would have loved to see more internal conflict around those decisions rather than some of them happening quite so quickly.

Overall, this was a cute and easy read with a really fun premise. If you're looking for something lighthearted with vampires, rockstars, romance, celestial elements and a cosy supernatural world, this could be a fun one to pick up.

[Megan Bresson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful read for the transition into fall!

Hunger & Harmony is a very sweet paranormal romance with a delightfully twisty plot. I really loved that while this is a book about a human and a vampire there's not really any overt violence. Our vampire love interest never loses control with the human FMC, so there's no icky power imbalance - though it is VERY clear that it is deeply affecting Niklaus to keep Cadence at arm's length.

Even at the start of the story, when our MCs are still in that phase of denial, the tension is so good. Phantom touches? Delicious. He can't help but comfort her? We love to see it. She wants him to take actual care of himself, even though she doesn't understand the whole story? Yes, queen. Advocate for him!

As for the political intrigue and the Hunters... I don't want to give anything away. But the plot kept my attention in a vice grip. I binged this baby in a day and a half, and was very tempted to call off work because I wanted to keep reading! I loved the way this story played out, and the setup for the second book in this duology was very well done. I am so excited to see how this all concludes!

If you are a fan of rockstars, grumpy vampires (Darcy coded) and sunshine humans, plus a found family that really spans the spectrum of personalities (Ezren, I love you) then you should absolutely pick up Hunger & Harmony.

[Susan (Purplegalaxyreads94) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Iris Influencer Society and Rosslyn Whims for the gifted eARC of Hunger & Harmony to read and provide my honest, spoiler free review.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Thoughts:
The overall concept of this story definitely had me excited to read this especially in the month of October. Having a human girl become an assistant to a vampire rock group sounded like such a fun time and it truly was.

Cadence and Niklaus were such a fun match! Also, I truly love that name, Niklaus, so I was immediately a fan from the beginning. He lives up to his name of being a vampire who plans to keep Cadence away from him but of course, nothing ever truly goes the way someone wants it to. The little romance between these two was so sweet and I love how Cadence, the human..mind you, just wants him to be okay. Besides the romance, I liked the group of rockstars. You could tell how close they all were and how they were all different but still came together as one.

There is more than just the romance to love. There was an actual plot that brought just enough tension to the story that kept me wanting more. Not only with Niklaus getting under Cadence’s skin, but also the issue with the hunters as well. I liked the writing style from this author and how she kept me engaged the entire time. I can’t wait to see what the next part has to offer!

[Ashley Bunce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶🌶

ARC Review 📖

Special thanks to Indie Readers Influencer Society for the gifted copy.

​This was a fun paranormal romance that gave me vampire romance movie vibes.

​We start off with a sheltered FMC who got a job through connections. She knows nothing of the world she just signed up for, nor her place in it. Cadence (love the irony) was never allowed to listen to or be around music, which, of course, means she dives headfirst into life on the road with a touring band. And not just any band—a band of vampires, featuring the King of Vampires as their lead singer.

​Cadence was... a mess for me personally. She was naive, emotionally immature, and cried often. Whims did a good job withholding secrets about the FMC from both the characters and the reader until the end, but I still got frustrated at times with Cadence and how she reacted to situations.

​Fun fact: you can have a vampire siren. Who knew?

​The MMC, Niklaus, is very gruff and aloof, going from hot to cold like *that*. I loved his edgy side, but he kind of gave me whiplash. I do love a man who can fall apart for his prophesied downfall.

​Overall, I did enjoy this book. The vampire towns had such a great gothic vibe. I loved the side characters and hope they get their HEAs in upcoming books.

[Ehva · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Cadence Monroe and Niklaus Vane 🤭😎 What a slow burn, and romance full of sizzling chemistry 😫 I have been looking for an excellent vampire romance, and this served! Thank you so much, Rosslyn, for this ARC 🥹❤️ I am so proud of you!

Cadence is the most adorable fmc ever! 🥹 She is beautiful, hardworking, brave, strong, sassy, sunshine, shy and independent 😌 This girl went on a journey alright, from not being around music to touring with a band 😫 She had me cackling and taking deep breaths because I adore her so much 🥹😂 I was so proud of her for doing what she wanted, choosing herself, and their love 🥹

Niklaus is the mmc I was waiting for 😎🧎‍♀️ He is grumpy, quiet, a gentleman, secretive, a secret golden retriever, protective, patient and a literal Vampire King 🧎‍♀️ And did I mention a musician 😏 He had me blushing, giggling and wanting to throw my kindle across the room 😂 There is something about this man, especially when he shows his gentle side to the woman he loves 🥹

This was such a slow burn! Omg, Rosslyn 😫 Gah, I was about ready to combust with them. But when it was time 😏 Oh baby 😂 The plot twists were incredible! And that ending has my jaw dropped! I KNEW IT! I can't wait to dive into book two 🤭

[Booksbubblesbiceps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me everything I wanted in a paranormal romance:

Hot vampires ✔️
Broody MMC ✔️
Perfect FMC Nicknames ✔️
Ancient magic/ modern world✔️
Spice to d!e for ✔️

Hunger and Harmony by Rosslyn Whims gave me all that and more, and I enjoyed every page!

We meet Vampire King and rock star, Niklaus Vane, and Cadence Monroe, a sheltered young woman desperate to get out and see the music world. He is a broody vampire King, and to him she appears to be nothing but a mostly useless, “juice box” human. A couple of the other band members give her a little more credit, and their friendship, but Cadence is not sure who to trust.

Well, things change fast, and, while I won’t put spoilers in here, I can tell you that I was smiling, clasping my chest in heartbreak and blushing (just a little) in the best way.

This book is great for anyone who loves vampire books/ movies, and it also has some K-Pop Demon Hunter vibes.

I am so thankful to have received an advanced copy of this book from the author and IRIS Influencer Society in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

[Kelsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️

If you’re looking for a book featuring grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract romance, with plenty of twists and turns, rockstar vampires, political intrigue, betrayals, and happily for now ending that’ll leave you wanting to read book two then Hunger & Harmony. This book started off really amazing! I really enjoyed the characters and watching them grow as well as the push and pull between Cadence and Nico. And while I was still interested in how the story was going to progress and what the ending was going to be especially in connection to Cadence and her parents and the history there. Unfortunately I just lost the connection with the characters, I loved Cadence but there were just points where it felt like she wasn’t learning about the world around her or the vampires she was working with. I also started off loving the chemistry between Cadence and Nice but it started feeling like their entire romance was just hot and cold and I wanted to see a little more progression between them. Overall this was a good read and my feelings on the romance are strictly my opinions and I would definitely still recommend it to anyone looking for a rockstar/vampire romance.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this because the core concept and overarching story are honestly good. Unfortunately, the execution felt completely muddled and broken.

The biggest issue for me was the pacing and scene transitions. Things were constantly happening without explanation. One moment characters would be mid-conversation, and in the next sentence, the scene would abruptly cut and move on without finishing the discussion or offering any sense of closure. Scene after scene felt cut short before making any real narrative progress, dropping me into brand-new scenarios that felt completely disconnected from what was just happening. It made the reading experience feel confusing, choppy, and at times overly cryptic.

There is a genuinely solid story buried in here, but so much context and connective tissue felt missing that I found myself unable to enjoy it. I even got frustrated at times because shifting so suddenly between unfinished beats was exhausting.
I will say that the ending does wrap up nicely, leaving a small cliffhanger to hook readers into the next book. However, because the structural flow was such a struggle to get through, I don't think I will be picking up book two.

[Ink&Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and extremely hooking debut! The book left me hungry for the next in the series. Very fascinating plot with a spicy slow-burn!

The story follows Cadence Monroe, a sunshine girl, as she works as the assistant to the rock band Arteria. The grumpy vampire king and lead singer of Arteria, Niklaus (Niko) Vane and Cadence have forced proximity (tour bus) and a “touch her and you will die” protectiveness. It includes prophecies of ruin, freedom with a cost, and fated bonds! This book will keep you hooked and hungry as you read!

In this debut book, Rosslyn Whims showcases her love of writing and bond with these characters. A captivating plot that has you on the edge of your seat! A lovely well-captured vampire/human world with a mixing of romance. Hunger and Harmony will leave you, wanting and needing more!

This book is phenomenal for anyone looking for a hot vampire, bad boy meets perfect girl, spicy romance, with an intriguing vampiric plot!

A great, and magical 4.4-star debut, and I would love to finish The Ivory Duet books when they release!

[Everlore Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was so unique, and I’ve never read a book like this one ever!! I loved the blend of fantasy and music. It was just fantastic and so incredibly fun. I loved how music was beautifully woven into the magic system and was a big part of this book! As someone who has been playing the piano for a very long time and loves music, this book was a really good hit!!

I found the writing to also be done really well! It was easy to absorb and it was able to captivate me throughout the whole book. Like I wasn’t bored a single time.

The romance was just amazing! I loved Niko and Cadence together!! The love and sacrifices that both of them had to do in order to be together were just painfully sweet! You just can see how much they both love each other, and I was just in so much awe for both of them! And this is a romance between a human and a vampire, like what more can you want!! It was a good paranormal romance!!

Overall, I will definitely recommend this book to all those who want a unique story that has a lot to deal with music and vampires!!

[Nyx · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book. I loved seeing fun Cadence start to become her own person without her parents hovering constantly. She was literally the definition of sunshine lol
Niko was such a broody vamp boy. The scene where he covered his mouth and nose reminded me of the scene from Twilight where Edward does the same. He was so hot and cold with Cadence but I understood why too. Him calling her Juice Box and then evolving into different nicknames was cute too (though Juice Box will always be my fav).
I liked that the other members of the band welcomed her relatively easy, minus one. Ez quickly became her closest friend, and Selene was protective in her own way too.
The ending was so good too. BUT THAT PLOT TWIST. I knew something was off about a certain character but I couldn’t exactly figure out why until the very end.

The spicy scenes did seem a little out of no where to me.

Also, still confused as to why she couldn’t ever remember Cass name until way later in the book lol

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh! Who doesn't love a broody vampire royal who is also a hot rock star?

Cadence, our FMC, decides to rebel against her parents and lie on her resume to become a PA. She is immediately dropped into the job and must sink or swim. There are times at the beginning where the members of the band are not so nice to her and want her to quit. She does her best not to let them get to her.

Niklaus, our MMC, is the vampire royal who wants little to no part of the crown. He fights his draw to Cadence and as the story develops, we understand why. She is the forbidden that is supposed to never be discovered.

This story has betrayal all over it. I was not expecting the betrayal in the end, but I guess we often think those closest to us are going to be the least likely to betray us. I am so excited about the second book!

*I received an advanced copy, and this is my honest review. Thanks to The Indie Author Inside*

[Kamari Sirelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Author

Hunger & Harmony completely swept me away.

A grumpy vampire king, a sunshine heroine, a supernatural rock band, ancient magic, and a slow-burn romance that had me hooked from start to finish? Absolutely yes.

Niklaus Vane and Cadence Monroe were everything I wanted in a paranormal romance. Their chemistry was undeniable, the tension was delicious, and watching their relationship unfold felt both emotional and rewarding. I loved the blend of vampire lore, prophecy, music, and found-family moments woven throughout the story.

The atmosphere was addictive, the romance delivered, and the ending left me eager for more.

If you love vampire romances, grumpy × sunshine dynamics, forced proximity, rockstar vibes, and magic-filled slow burns, add this one to your TBR.

[Jaimie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this arc from the author in return for an honest review. I gave it 3.75 stars.
The book started out really great. I was pulled in with the chemistry between Niko and Cadence. I also enjoyed the world building on the Vampire side of the story. I was a little disappointed that the spice really didn't hit until the end of the book. I had already figured out there was more than likely going to be a cliffhanger ending. I wasn't surprised with the twist at the end. I saw it coming and who it was. But of course now I need to know who this person is working with. I have a theory but will have to wait for book 2 in January.

The only reason I didn't give it a full 4 stars was I felt a slight lull in the story right around the middle and I felt like the chapters were a little too similar and might not have need some of them. But the book was already a short book so it felt a little like fluff. But all in all I enjoyed the plot and the characters and will ready the next book in the series.

[Sofia Gajewski mamaqueleeromance · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really difficult to write this review. Because if you ask me whether I liked the book, yes, I did. But I didn’t love it.
Sometimes I felt like I didn’t understand much of what was happening, while everyone else in the book seemed to.
Other times, the pacing felt uneven: some parts passed too quickly, while others felt very slow. It also wasn’t clear how many days had passed between chapters.
I really liked the story itself: the vampire king who is also a rock star, and the assistant who never understood why her parents didn’t let her listen to music, but loved it anyway.
So, the mystery is what kept me reading.
But even though this is a duet and a lot of things remain unresolved, I’m not going to continue with the next book.

Thank you to the author and IRIS for this ARC copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.