How to Face Eternity

by S.H. Clasen

How to Face Eternity is a low-stakes, slice-of-life style romance following Leanne, a newly turned vampire, while she navigates the mysterious trials of immortality alongside Riftan, her immortal mentor.



Blurb:

My life began where some might say it ended: the night I died.

As the “trophy girlfriend” of an infamous crime boss, I always suspected death would come for me. But when a tall, dark, handsome predator rescues me from the trunk of a rival mafioso’s Cadillac, I discover that the city of Creswell holds fears beyond mortal crime: creatures of the night in human skins, beautiful, fast, and hungry for blood.

Riftan swears I’ll despise him for giving me the curse of immortality, but contempt is the last thing I feel for him. We may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but our life together isn’t the hell he promised; rather, it’s my own messed-up version of heaven. He is my mentor and my friend, teaching me everything I need to know to face eternity… yet he shows affection shamelessly, pushing the boundaries of what is appropriate while claiming that our relationship can’t be romantic.

As the lines between friends and lovers blur, will he finally accept me as the equal he can love, or will I be left to face the rest of my long eternity with the torment of a heart he’s broken?

630 pages, ebook

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

A long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest, Sierra either loves to be immersed in nature or lost in a fantasy world. If she's not out snowboarding, surfing, or skating, Sierra can be found at her desk writing fantastical romances or cosplaying like she belongs in one. Though the local high school students know her as snowboard coach, her friends know her as an anime-loving, metal music-listening, role-playing, busybody who's always got something new going on.

Since you're here, it means you know her as the author, SH Clasen. A self-proclaimed romance enthusiast, Sierra's novels revolve around romance of all varieties, particularly fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal. In her opinion, if it fights or bites, it's probably sexy.

Above all, Sierra's favorite thing in the world is talking about the many things she loves with like-minded people, so don't be shy to hit up her socials and start up a conversation about something cool!

@SHClasenAuthor (Tiktok, Instagram, Threads, & More)
SHClasen.com

Reviews

[Kat | WhenSheReads.SheReads]

I am not the ideal audience for this book. While I am sure there will be others who will thoroughly enjoy this book, I am DNFing @ 20%.

1. Surface-level plot and character development. There is a whole lot of "telling" going on. There isn't any real development of character, which makes it impossible to connect to the FMC or MMC. They're both written so blandly they could literally be placeholders for any other storyline. There isn't anything unique or captivating about either. Which was a shame, because chapter one's introduction to Leanne was giving me some feminine rage hints...but it just sizzled out entirely. And Riftan, being a 700+ year old vampire should not be so wishy-washing and boring.

2. Pacing. This is a fast-paced narrative, which I generally don't prefer anyways, but this pacing was completely unbelievable. Chapter one the FMC is acknowledging she knew being involved with a mafia leader was going to lead to her ruin and then discovers the paranormal exists. She goes from terrified to die to telling the vampire to turn her. And, in turn, the vampire goes from saying he'd never turn another human again to deciding he's bored and turning her would prove an interesting hobby. Like what? A few chapters later she is described as not acclimating to her new heightened senses well, yet the very next chapter she's navigating a nightclub in Prague.

The vibes for this book definitely lean toward the cozier side of things, so readers who enjoy lighter reads will probably enjoy this.

[Zuli]

I wanted to like this so bad, but I just couldn’t relate to the fmc… and the way the old vampire was acting just didn’t make sense at times… Its supposed to be cozy but I also didn’t really get that vibe…. maybe I’m not the audience for this… dnf at 44%.

[Maggie]

This really just didn’t hit for me. Very fast paced at the beginning but a lot of the book was just filler and I don’t think it needed to be as long as it was. The plot and characters were really interesting but it was just much longer than it really needed to be. Most of the action in the book is concentrated at the beginning and ends of the book. The ending scene was so brief it felt almost like an afterthought. I do love the way the relationships between Leanne and the other characters played out. Overall I’d still recommend the read.

[Charles Suor]

ARC provided by author

Leanne was the local mob boss' girlfriend but after getting bitten by a vampire, she's a fledgling in need of some training. How to Face Eternity follows her learning exactly that. The only catch being that Riftan, the vampire who bit her is hot and, despite their clear attraction to each other, forbids their romance.

It is important to understand before reading that while there is a lot of slice-of-life vampire training his newly turned fledgling, there are also entanglements with the mafia and descriptions of violence. I think this veers toward the lighter end of a dark paranormal romance, not the cozy read that the descriptions I see make it out to be. This doesn't mean it isn't enjoyable, it just should be taken into consideration before picking up a copy.
I'm not a huge fan of the mafia elements. Granted, mafia stories aren't really my thing, I feel it's implemented as filler that pushes the plot along. I don't know if fans of mafia romance would get enough to enjoy those elements of the story, but I hope they find out about the book nonetheless because it's an entertaining enough read.
If you're a fan of the vampire genre, you'll be pleased. In the early part of Leanne's training, there are interesting elements of vampire lore implemented that make it an interesting read. The vampiric element is well done and stays as a steady pulse throughout the novel.
The narrative turns the slow burn into an immediate situationship. To the author's credit, I became just as frustrated as Leanne with the way Riftan pushes the boundaries of their relationship without wholly committing. There is certainly a difference between wanting the couple to get together and getting annoyed with how the story teases it out; this book leans toward annoyance.
When the story begins to get interesting and the will-they-won't-they peaks, it is completely cut off as Leanne returns to her old life. This is when I entirely lost interest in the novel. I wanted to skip through to get back to the vampire romance. When we eventually do return to that, I got invested again before once again getting tangled up in Leanne's mortal affairs. The book is too long for my taste. It wouldn't work as well if part one and part two are separate books, I would have felt that part one was deeply unsatisfying, but they still could be trimmed down. The beginning and end of the book move quickly to the point that the end feels rushed. 

I would recommend this book if you think a vampire romance with a dash of mafia flavor would be your cup of tea, unfortunately it just isn't mine.

[Nikki Ibarra]

I entered How to Face Eternity with expectations of vampires, romance, blood, and danger. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the emotional connection I formed with the characters.

Leanne’s journey of growth was particularly captivating. She begins the story at a dark point in her life and is unexpectedly granted eternity. Witnessing her gradual transformation as she learns to survive as a vampire, builds self confidence, fights for her independence, forms friendships, and ultimately desires the future she was given was incredibly satisfying.

Riftan, the centuries old and grumpy vampire, adds a humorous element to the narrative. Initially, he believed he could teach Leanne how to endure immortality without developing a deep attachment to her. However, their relationship evolves through friendship, playful banter, tension, jealousy, protectiveness, frustration, and ultimately, love. This gradual development made their connection feel authentic and earned.

The found family aspect, particularly Jameson, brought warmth and humor to the story.

While the book does contain supernatural danger, blood, violence, revenge, and emotional drama, it is the characters who truly captivate the reader. I particularly appreciated how the meaning of “facing eternity” shifts as Leanne undergoes personal growth.

If you enjoy character driven vampire romance, slow-burn tension, a strong found family, protective male main characters, and a heroine who evolves into her own strength, How to Face Eternity is definitely worth exploring.

[AJ Robertson]

If you’re looking for a cozy vampire read with a side of mafia vengeance, then this will work for you. It's basically a book on the eternal life of Leanne. The book starts off fast, with Lee being kidnapped and honestly...believable. This is where we meet Riftan. There is choice here, die due to the connection of being a Mafia Boss girl or choose to be immortal and experience a life she didn't think possible?

Of course, she chose the better option, and we get to watch her live that life through her and Riftans' eyes. There are many laughable moments in this one. You will absolutely get annoyed with Riftan because, well, men can be annoyingly stubborn.

The timeline of this story will be kidnapping, training, happiness, abandonment/heartbreak, growth by the way of finding oneself, devastation, atonement, bonding, battle time, decompression via mimosas.

If that sounds like your kind of fun, take a chance on this one.

"Triggering a little bit of fight and a hell of a lot of flight..."

"A full-grown, seven hundred- and eighty-year-old man, as intimidating as could be, still somehow possessed a smile that could be described as cute."

"He was earth, and I was a falling star, and there’s nothing I could do about the way gravity pulled me to him."

“A world without you is not meant for me anymore.”

[Nicole K.]

Review of an advanced reader copy. Spoilers

This book is a well written, slow paced, slow burn, low stakes, low fantasy, toe dip into a dark romance with a morally grey MMC. It is more of a cozy romance.

It started out with what seemed like a high stakes kidnapping where the MMC leaves the FMC for dead. But she immediately forgives him because she's attracted to his looks. There is no tug and pull here or righteous anger. Honestly, this made me want to dnf here and I was not rooting for them as a couple.

Then things turn very slow. It's a cozy read where they are somehow besties. There are no emotional scenes where there some profound deep connection. It is all surface level. Nothing of significance happens. Then there's a tilted ex lover who makes a threat and wanders off. Does the ex lover ever come back into the story? I think so, but I dnf'd at 66% so I do not know. There isn't any backstory or lore.

If you like cozy romances, you may enjoy this book. It isn't for those who enjoy high fantasy, high stakes, or deep emotional connections. I have no desire to finish this book.

[Reincarnated Pomegranate]

The story follows Leanne a young woman thrust into the vampiric world. Riftan becomes her mentor and slowly shows her the ropes of her new undead existence. They travel and she grows as a person and as an immortal. The ups and downs they share will have you thinking deeply on their situation. The open conversation they share is so refreshing. I sincerely couldn’t appreciate more how healthy their relationship with one another really is. Every deep conversation looking out for the other’s benefit no matter if it was a painful choice or not. Every character was full of life and depth. I loved the side characters just as much as Leanne and Riftan, Jameson I’m looking at you! This had me at the edge of my seat never knowing what was going to happen next. Honestly I love the uncertainty so much, never having an inking of what was to come kept me on my toes. It was absolutely perfect for a Vampire story with crime boss relations.
✅ Mentor/ Mentee
✅ Forced Proximity
✅ Cozy Gothic

[Jolene]

Fast start, slow everything that follows after.

I believe this was originally written as two books that were then merged into one. As one book, it was long with some very dry sections. I found there was a lot of unnecessary background info given and overly detailed sections that weren’t needed to further the plot, but also sections where significant details were omitted (basically the whole of adjusting to be a vampire part).

The climax and conclusion were predictable and fell flat. Overall, I think it would have been a more enjoyable read if there had less about Leanne’s life prior to being turned (both at the beginning and after her return to town), and more adjusting to immortality and more final conflict.

[Diona]

How to Face Eternity by SH Clasen follows Leann as she navigates life as a “trophy girlfriend” and vampire.
Leann is such a relatable and lovable character. Following her through this book is like yapping with your best friend.
Riftan is her mentor and so easy to hate. But let’s be real, we love a redemption arc!

This book is cozy, gory, and has the best supporting characters you could ask for. The twist and turns are well thought out and keep you engrossed in the story. I could not put this down! How to Face Eternity belongs on every fall/Halloween TBR!
I am so lucky and forever grateful for the chance to read this ARC!
5 ⭐️

[Rachel Lewis]

This was such an easy, enjoyable romance to get lost in. I was immersed in the story right from the beginning and it was one of those books that just cruised along nicely for me.

I really enjoyed the slow burn, and the bickering felt like the kind of ridiculous arguments real couples actually have. 😂 It made their relationship feel believable.

A sweet, easy read that kept me happily invested from beginning to end.

[Ivena Fern]

This book gets my emotions all over the place. I love it! 💚
There's so much details that I don't want to miss. If I step away for a bit to look at the story as a whole, I can see how much growth the characters are experiencing as well as the growth in their relationship. There are ups and downs, push and pull. It's certainly is not easy but it showcases really well how a growing relationship looks like.

[Madi Reads]

ARC Review-


I love a good thiccc book and this was perfect, nice and long and slowww. That may not be for everyone, but I genuinely enjoyed the pace of it, a little fast in the beginning but like a perfect slow burning candle the rest of the way!

[Hannah Just Started Reading]

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who love vampire romance books. However it was a long read. There is a lot of detail in this book that I think wasn’t needed. Now it could just be me. I know some people love more details in a story. I did love the main characters! And a few times I wanted to reach into the book and knock some sense into Riftan. I enjoyed this book and might have enjoyed it more as two separate books. Still recommend it!