All's Fair in Love and Blood
Jennifer Peel
5.0
A Long Time Dead
by Samara Breger
About this book
Waking up in 1837 with an unquenchable thirst and a lethal aversion to sunlight, Poppy finds her life as a London prostitute abruptly traded for the dark, predatory allure of immortality. She is rescued by Roisin, an enigmatic and centuries-old vampire whose icy, buttoned-up exterior hides a deeply protective heart. As Roisin guides Poppy through the violent, visceral reality of her new existence, a slow-burn romance begins to flicker between them, tethered by shared trauma and an undeniable, growing devotion.
This lush, queer urban fantasy subverts traditional gothic tropes with a refreshing mix of feminist grit and dark humor. It is not merely a tale of blood and fangs, but a sprawling, atmospheric journey through a hidden world of conniving opera singers, shifty pirates, and ancient nobles. Along the way, Poppy discovers a vibrant, unconventional found family that embraces the strangeness of their condition, offering warmth to those cast out by society.
Exquisitely written and deeply sympathetic to its heroines, the story masterfully balances the intimacy of a blossoming relationship against the backdrop of a looming, vengeful threat. If you are searching for a paranormal romance that is as emotionally resonant as it is supernatural, this is an essential addition to your shelf.
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2026
- ASIN
- 1612942652
Reader Reviews
November 5, 2025
This became one of my new favorite books. It is exquisitely written, and I instantly fell in love with both of the feminist heroines. It’s a wonderfully dark yet humorous imagining of what happened to Lucy. It’s deliciously sensual without being trashy, in fact the sex scenes are so well written it could never be anything close to trashy. It’s entertaining, engrossing, heartbreaking, and endearing. I loved it ) One person found this helpful
January 6, 2025
I went into this book expecting something like \"Carmilla\", but I was thoroughly surprised by a third of the way into the book. Originally, I had found it almost impossible to read without dozing off because it started very slow and seemed to drag on with its detailed passages of the atmosphere and how the grass and chilly winter air felt after being changed into a vampire were oddly very welcoming and overwhelmingly cosy. However, as the plot thickened and it developed midway through, I found...
July 29, 2023
This is a good one, folks. The main character is a Georgian era prostitute who was, pretty much, turned on a lark. You don't really get to see many vampire stories that are sympathetic to sex workers. Usually they're just vampire fast food that doesn't sit very well like a day old whopper. Poppy is a fully fleshed out character with her own needs and wants and, though we don't really see them, her sex worker friends are treated with the same kind of dignity. The other thing that's delightful is...
September 13, 2023
One of my reading guilty pleasures are lesbian vampires. I adore them, when the story is good (and believable) and the plot isn't too saccharine or far fetched. I've read grimdark, quirky, derangedly odd, and sweetly sapphic. The best draw me into their timeline, their world, and the issues they face as if I'm an unseen visitor watching as the story unfolds. This is one such story! First, the MC's are not just wholly themselves, they are 3D, idiosyncratic beings who I would swear were real....
March 16, 2025
This is a slow moving story with flowery/lush writing and imagery. Poppy is childish and often petulant but always loving and lovable. It’s a sweet story of acceptance and found family. Queer vampires and humans finding acceptance with each other. ) One person found this helpful
