Book Review: Vow of Eternal Night by Lily Crozier

Clara Wagner has always known that monsters are real, and the worst of them is Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg. But when he decides it’s time to marry, Clara inadvertently finds herself at the center of his attention.

Forced to accept Raleigh’s proposal, Clara would do anything to escape her fate. So when the prince provides an ultimatum―lift his vampiric curse before the end of the year, or become his bride for eternity―Clara knows what she must do.

Heal the prince. Stay alive. Try not to fall in love.

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of a swoon-worthy vampire romance. Add in an enemies-to-lovers feel, a Gothic castle, Beauty and the Beast vibes, and some social and political intrigue, and I’m sold! Vow of Eternal Night hooked me from the start with a compelling protagonist torn from her love and forced to marry the vicious (but gorgeous) vampire who haunts her town and her nightmares.

The story is dark and immersive, and the Gothic vibes are great. It was so easy to visualize this world and the people who inhabit it. Clara, Raleigh, and many of the secondary characters are layered and compelling, and I like how you slowly learn more about them, especially Raleigh, as the story progresses. He’s such an enigmatic character, and there’s clearly more to him than the rumors suggest. I think this is true for several of the characters, actually, which I loved. It moved the plot in directions I didn’t expect, and there were a few twists I definitely didn’t see coming.

Finally away from the patriarchal society that squelches her autonomy, Clara starts seeing things from a different perspective. She learns a lot about what she wants in life and who she wants to be. She also learns a lot about her town, the people she loves, and the lies and secrets everything is built on, and it, as well as some pretty significant betrayals, changes her entire world. It was so interesting to see her grow and change as she learned more about herself and saw her world from an outside perspective. Sometimes you need a little distance to see clearly, and that’s exactly what happened to Clara.

Of course, I have to talk about the romance because that was my favorite part. I just adore the simmering feelings between Clara and Raleigh. They have this slow-building and slow-burning love story that’s filled with chemistry and sexual tension, and I was so hoping they’d find their way to each other. Of course, there are a ton of obstacles in their way, including the forced engagement, Clara’s love for another, Raleigh’s past, lies, betrayals, and more. It’s a roller coaster of a story, and I found it so gripping that I read it in one day. I love me a swoon-worthy vampire romance!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

• enemies to lovers
• forced proximity
• he falls first
• found family

The best of life makes the worst worth living.

I have loved for as long as I have known what it means to love.

Related