This sapphic, dark academia vampire romance has an excellent premise and first half. The slow burn, rivals to lovers dynamic between Laura, a southern Catholic young woman, and the aloof and arrogant Austrian student, Carmilla, began so well. I loved their interactions with each other and the steady build of their rivalry in class and their romantic fixation on each other, alongside the mystery of their professor's true motives. But once the story took an abrupt turn, it all fell apart for me. The slow burn flipped like a switch and became insta-love while their professor's secret and the fallout of it was lackluster. It was difficult for me to continue to slog through to the ending, which didn't feel earned.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.