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The Vampire Inside Me
At twenty-one, Lucia Farris is graduating college and looking ahead to graduate school, believing her future to be bright and secure. But life comes to a painful halt when she is admitted to the hospital and rushed to several emergency surgeries. The doctors diagnose her with two new autoimmune diseases: pulmonary arterial hypertension and lupus.
Lucia doesn’t know what to expect, but she knows her life is forever changed—nothing she’s diagnosed with is curable, not that her life expectancy is more than six months, anyway. Her dreams, including working at the International Monetary Fund, seem grounded for good.
In the present, told in an alternating timeline three years later, Lucia is lucky to be alive, but life will never be what it was. Yet, when she meets Oskar, an Austrian graduate student, her body is painfully aware of her reaction to him (and how long it’s been since she hit her last O). From date one, sparks fly. When lips meeting becomes hips meeting, both find their bodies as dangerously compatible as their minds.
As feelings shift toward more, Lucia’s all too aware that her disease was “too much” for boyfriends in the past. And Oskar doesn’t plan to stay in Atlanta forever. Still, there’s a pull they just can’t resist.
Lucia doesn’t know what to expect, but she knows her life is forever changed—nothing she’s diagnosed with is curable, not that her life expectancy is more than six months, anyway. Her dreams, including working at the International Monetary Fund, seem grounded for good.
In the present, told in an alternating timeline three years later, Lucia is lucky to be alive, but life will never be what it was. Yet, when she meets Oskar, an Austrian graduate student, her body is painfully aware of her reaction to him (and how long it’s been since she hit her last O). From date one, sparks fly. When lips meeting becomes hips meeting, both find their bodies as dangerously compatible as their minds.
As feelings shift toward more, Lucia’s all too aware that her disease was “too much” for boyfriends in the past. And Oskar doesn’t plan to stay in Atlanta forever. Still, there’s a pull they just can’t resist.
289 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2021
About the author
Liz Hsu
2 books34 followersLiz has a deep love of traveling, the people of the world and their dynamic histories, and reading and writing. She holds a B.A. from John Cabot University, Rome, in addition to a M.A.T. and M.A. in World History from Georgia State University. Her first two romances feature characters with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. Lupus has had a significant impact on her on a personal level since before her diagnosis in 2009. From Atlanta, she now lives in Metro-Detroit with her Chinese-American husband, daughter, and adorable Pomeranian.
Follow her at www.lizhsubooks.com
Follow her at www.lizhsubooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 15, 2021
This is an extraordinary book by an extraordinary writer, Liz Hsu - my new fav author! She invited me to review THE VAMPIRE INSIDE ME via Instagram, and I’m so glad she did.
Protagonist Lucia is a 21-year-old who nearly dies from lupus and PAD (pulmonary arterial hypertension) — autoimmune diseases diagnosed during a medical crisis. She bears a close resemblance to the author herself, who has five autoimmune maladies and whose own medical history is reflected in this ultra-authentic story.
In the dual-timeline narrative, we meet Lucia at the time of her diagnosis, then three years later when she falls in love with Oskar, a sexy Austrian studying for a master of biomedical engineering in Atlanta.
I love both of these characters! Oskar is taken with Lucia’s joie de vivre, intelligence, and great ass. She loves his kindness, smarts, and that he speaks dirty to her in German. Oh the sparks do fly in their luscious romance! It’s clear they love each other. But will Oskar return home to Europe after graduation? Will Lucia be stuck in the States because her insurance only covers life-saving medical care here?
If you love intelligent romances, if you love medical fiction, you must read THE VAMPIRE INSIDE ME. Or miss out on an author I predict will be as beloved as Jojo Moyes. Available now.
Thanks to Liz Hsu, Li-Mei Publishing and Booksprout for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Protagonist Lucia is a 21-year-old who nearly dies from lupus and PAD (pulmonary arterial hypertension) — autoimmune diseases diagnosed during a medical crisis. She bears a close resemblance to the author herself, who has five autoimmune maladies and whose own medical history is reflected in this ultra-authentic story.
In the dual-timeline narrative, we meet Lucia at the time of her diagnosis, then three years later when she falls in love with Oskar, a sexy Austrian studying for a master of biomedical engineering in Atlanta.
I love both of these characters! Oskar is taken with Lucia’s joie de vivre, intelligence, and great ass. She loves his kindness, smarts, and that he speaks dirty to her in German. Oh the sparks do fly in their luscious romance! It’s clear they love each other. But will Oskar return home to Europe after graduation? Will Lucia be stuck in the States because her insurance only covers life-saving medical care here?
If you love intelligent romances, if you love medical fiction, you must read THE VAMPIRE INSIDE ME. Or miss out on an author I predict will be as beloved as Jojo Moyes. Available now.
Thanks to Liz Hsu, Li-Mei Publishing and Booksprout for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 16, 2021
A fun romance with some interesting medical content
I love a book that simultaneously engages you and teaches you about something new. I’ve been struggling to get through books lately. (Blame pandemic life and my short attention span.) But The Vampire Inside Me pulled me right in and kept me engaged until the end!
Lucia Farris is 21 when she’s diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). This, along with three other auto-immune conditions, sjogrens, lupus, and reynauds, leave Lucia wondering if the life she imagined for herself will ever come to pass, or if she’ll even survive.
When Lucia meets handsome Austrian, Oskar, also a grad student, he sweeps her off her feet like the prince charming that he is. (And boy, is he charming!)
But will Lucia and Oskar have a future beyond Oskar graduating Grad school? Will Oskar want to be with Lucia both in sickness and in health?
I loved learning about lupus, PAH, Sjogrens, and reynauds through Lucia’s experiences. And Lucia’s relationship with Oskar was simultaneously steamy and sweet!
Although, spoiler alert? There aren’t any actual vampires involved!
I love a book that simultaneously engages you and teaches you about something new. I’ve been struggling to get through books lately. (Blame pandemic life and my short attention span.) But The Vampire Inside Me pulled me right in and kept me engaged until the end!
Lucia Farris is 21 when she’s diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). This, along with three other auto-immune conditions, sjogrens, lupus, and reynauds, leave Lucia wondering if the life she imagined for herself will ever come to pass, or if she’ll even survive.
When Lucia meets handsome Austrian, Oskar, also a grad student, he sweeps her off her feet like the prince charming that he is. (And boy, is he charming!)
But will Lucia and Oskar have a future beyond Oskar graduating Grad school? Will Oskar want to be with Lucia both in sickness and in health?
I loved learning about lupus, PAH, Sjogrens, and reynauds through Lucia’s experiences. And Lucia’s relationship with Oskar was simultaneously steamy and sweet!
Although, spoiler alert? There aren’t any actual vampires involved!
January 31, 2021
Vampire Inside Me is a must-read for both anyone who has or loves someone who has a chronic illness as well as for those of us who can't get enough of a good love story. I purchased this book yesterday and despite being very tired after a long and stressful day, I could not put it down. I can't wait for the print edition to come out so I can guy it as a gift for friends. Highly recommended!
June 3, 2021
I received the book free for a honest review.
Actual star score is 4.5, rounded up to 5.
Lucia has so many plans for her future, she's already got 1 degree and is working on her 2nd when her life turns upside down. She has had problems with lupus and now has developed other autoimmune problems which led to her going into heart failure.
The book after the first few chapters starts flipping between Lucia's pov and Oscar's, a man from Germany who she meets during a hike. It's interesting to see how the author weaves the storyline back and forth. Both characters are strong willed people who think they know what they want in life but are they willing to change some of those things to get what they really want.
My star score was dropped a half star for the graphic sex scenes which I felt started to distract from the story, or were just added to get to the romance readers who like that stuff in books.
Actual star score is 4.5, rounded up to 5.
Lucia has so many plans for her future, she's already got 1 degree and is working on her 2nd when her life turns upside down. She has had problems with lupus and now has developed other autoimmune problems which led to her going into heart failure.
The book after the first few chapters starts flipping between Lucia's pov and Oscar's, a man from Germany who she meets during a hike. It's interesting to see how the author weaves the storyline back and forth. Both characters are strong willed people who think they know what they want in life but are they willing to change some of those things to get what they really want.
My star score was dropped a half star for the graphic sex scenes which I felt started to distract from the story, or were just added to get to the romance readers who like that stuff in books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2021
The book is a good, and enjoyable engaging heartfelt romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 31, 2021
Well written engaging read with emotion, plot and romance. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews