There’s something about paranormal romcoms that just make me so happy. Reading about Cassie and Frederick and their roommate turned romance story was a lot of fun!

Cassie was a fun character to get to know. She was your typical struggling artist, a bit scattered while also being loveable and relatable. Then there’s Frederick, a vampire that’s over 300 years old and is as formal and old-fashioned as they come. Yet somehow, they made a cute couple.

Probably my favourite thing about this book: there was no third act break-up! I know, I couldn’t believe it either. There is a final conflict for the couple, but it’s not based on silly arguments or issues that could have easily been solved with proper communication.

There’s a bit of spice in this one, but nothing too wild. It was definitely a fun and light romance, perfect for when you want to relax and breeze through a book quickly. I would love to read a spin-off or sequel to this one!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Berkley Romance for my gifted copy and having me on a blog tour!

Cassie is like many artists, she loves what she does, but struggles to make a living. So when she sees a room in a gorgeous apartment in a great neighborhood, it seems too good to be true, but she takes it anyway. Her new roommate, Frederick, is hot, but a bit strange. He dresses and talks like he’s living in a regency romance, he sleeps all day, but he’s also very sweet.

This book was hilarious and a must-have addition to any spooky season reading list this Fall. The situations Frederick and Cassie ended up in had me laughing out loud at times, especially when she first moved in. I loved how their relationship evolved from strangers, to roommates, to friends, to lovers, and the sweet notes they left each other along the way. This book is definitely a bit ridiculous at times, but for me, that’s what made it so much fun to read

Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the advance copy.

I liked this book. I liked Fredrick and Cassie. For some reason the book didn't grab me and pull me through the emotional ringer though. And that's what I look for in a book. Cassie's just a little too accepting of Frederick's truth. His kidnapping and release seemed fairly easy too. Both could have elicited far more from the reader had they been more fleshed out. While I wanted more, I did enjoy the book and the prose was well done.

With rom com vibes and an interesting, unique premise, there's a lot going for this debut. I liked the concept of slowly coming to the realization that your mysterious new roommate is actually a vampire, I liked the epistolary element, and I liked the endearing hero. Exchanging notes and letters with a love interest is always a win for me, so that was lots of fun. However, our heroine is just too naive for me, and there were a few things that had me MAJORLY rolling my eyes. The particularly outlandish moments bring down an otherwise-interesting book, but there's certainly some potential within these pages. It's got some great moments and several that were truly kinda terrible, so it's an uneven reading experience overall.

The story follows Cassie, a woman in need of a place to live. When she finds an exceedingly inexpensive apartment for rent, she's sure that the situation is too good to be true. But eccentric as her new roommate may be, the rental is too good to pass up, and that's how Cassie finds herself living with Frederick. The good news is that they have completely opposite schedules - he seems to be nocturnal - and the man doesn't cook, so she's got the kitchen to herself. And while Frederick may be a little (or a lot) strange, he seems receptive to feedback and is always willing to learn. So the two soon strike up a tentative friendship with a hint of something more... at least until Cassie discovers the secret Frederick has been hiding.

Obviously, the concept is a little quirky in and of itself, so I liked that it leaned into the comedy aspect. This is a true rom com with a lighthearted feel and some funny moments. Frederick is definitely a fish out of water, and it was fun watching him acclimate to living in the twenty-first century. Those easygoing moments were the best parts of the book, and I could've done with a whole lot more of just Cassie and Frederick bonding. Unfortunately, I wouldn't say that's the focus of the book, and the romance takes awhile to get going. Once it does, things progress so quickly that it all felt so surface-level - Cassie even acknowledges that she barely knows Frederick, and things were still at a "HFN" level when the book ended. What really loses this points from me though is the handling of the vampire element itself. It was almost treated with a shrug, like "I wish he'd told me sooner," rather than the major revelation that it is. At one point, Cassie compares Frederick's omission to lying about her job, and... yeah, no. So there were definitely things that I really enjoyed about this, but the overall story ended up leaving me disappointed.

I struggled with this review because I’ve been loving vampires and vampire legends since I was a kid. I’ve been sitting here trying to reconcile my view of what a vampire book should be and what the author wrote. And you know what, that is one of the stupidest things I’ve done in a long time. There is no reason for me to do that because there is absolutely plenty of room for any and every vampire story, no matter how dark or light-hearted they are. I’ve rewritten this review twice now and had to take out a lot of my own conjecture about what I thought the book SHOULD have been instead of reviewing what the book IS about.

Take 3:

My Roommate is a Vampire is a cute and fun read with a devastatingly handsome vampire who finds himself lost in the 21st century after being in a coma for 100 years. Coma you say? Long story. With the help of his best friend, Frederick puts an ad online to search for a roommate to help him navigate the new world and educate him on all the things he’s missed. Needless to say, the ad sounded super creepy, unbeknownst to Frederick, and Cassie–in dire need of a place to live–is the only one who answers it. Frederick never thought of having a female roommate but there’s something about her that keeps him transfixed.

Cassie is a down-on-her luck artist with a master’s degree and no prominent job prospects. She’s working two part-time jobs and on the verge of eviction when she finds Frederick’s too-good-to-be-true roommate ad. Taking her best friend for backup, she meets Frederick and tentatively agrees to move in. Despite Frederick’s unusual schedule and his weird 18th century décor, things seem to be working out. Frederick hasn’t embraced texting or email, preferring the “old ways” of communication by writing letters. They leave notes for each other every day/night to communicate. Pretty soon, the chemistry between the two start to sizzle and their correspondences become a courtship of sorts, both second guessing their feelings for the other.

Everything’s going well until the vampire is let out of the bag by Frederick’s “unhelpful” best friend and it snowballs from there. Can Cassie accept that Frederick is a vampire? Will Frederick be able to save this newly blossomed friendship? Is Frederick’s best friend getting a kick in the pants? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

This book is a super sweet meet-cute that will warm your heart and make you smile. The characters are lovingly thought out. The storyline is interesting and the writing held my interest until the very end. It was so fulfilling to watch the chivalrous relationship between Cassie and Frederick develop into a fiery, all-consuming passion. The chemistry between the two is palpable. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

The author shows a lot of promise and I am looking forward to her next adventure.

What a sweet romcom! I finished a back-to-back intense thriller so reading this right after was truly a breath of fresh air! I enjoyed the romance between Cassie and Frederick, and even the funny texts between Frederick and Reginald. This was a quick and entertaining read. The story is admittedly predictable and very YA-ish, but sometimes we just need a lighthearted book to tide us over busy days and enjoy our weeknights without needing to dissect an intricate plot. Love that Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Crash Landing on You were mentioned in the book!

Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Jenna Levine's My Roommate is a Vampire! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

​Summary:
True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency-romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

My review:
This is the first book I’ve read with a cinnamon roll vampire lead & I was immensely charmed. He is so considerate & formal in his speech & has beautiful stationary.

I didn’t think I was looking for the two latter things in my romance heroes but I guess I am.

Jenna Levine’s My Roommate is a Vampire is adorable, with a roommate romance between Cassie, an artist who initially feels like a failure, & her kind of strange, rich roommate Frederick who turns out to be a vampire who’s been in a coma-like state for decades.

They begin to send letters back & forth to each other & after she learns what he is, agree that she will help acclimate him to modern life by giving him tutelage.

There are some funny misunderstandings, a kissing for science plot point, & even a “who did this to you?” moment so basically a cornucopia of awesome things.

Balancing the sweetness & the adorability is Cassie’s growing self esteem which Frederick helps along by helping her see how wonderful she is & how talented she is.

And I never knew I was missing a reference to MFA student loan debt in romance but I loved it here.

This book is quick & winsome & exactly what I needed in that moment. Super cute & I can’t wait to see what Levine writes next!

5⭐️. Out today!

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

Cassie needs a new place to stay and Frederick needs someone to introduce him to modern society. Cassie is being evicted. As a struggling artist and art teacher, she isn't rolling in the dough, but when she sees a Craiglist ad for a roommate wanted, and the rent is only 200 dollars, she has to inquire. It seems very sketchy but when she meets Frederick she feels slightly more at ease, but she doesn't know what he is hiding.
Frederick has been in a coma for 100 years and is stuck back in the early 1900's, not only with his mentality, but his wardrobe and lack of knowledge about anything technology based. He needs someone to help him modernize. Cassie seems like she would be perfect, but when is the right time to tell your roommate that you are a vampire?
Cassie unforunately stumbles upon his secret before he can tell her and you can imagine how mind blowing that is for her. Frederick seems so sweet, and she wants to hear him out, but she is scared. Rightly so. She can't move past how sweet he is, how he genuinely seems to care and how gentle he is with her. Frederick knows he has no business feeling the feelings he does towards a human, it can only end in disaster, right?
Well the heart wants what the heart wants, even if it isn't beating.
I really enjoyed this cute story. It was very light and different from other paranormal reads for me and I really liked how the ending was done. These two warmed my heart.
Thank you to Berkley, Netgalley and Jenna Levine for an early copy.

3.5⭐️ rounded up

Cassie is a struggling artist and the eviction notice on her apartment is proof of that. So when an apartment listing pops up on Craigslist that looks too good to be true, she is just desperate enough to jump in headfirst. Her new roommate is definitely weird - sleeping all day, out all night, and speaking as formally as the characters in the Regency romance novels he leaves laying around. But when Cassie finds a stash of blood in the refrigerator one day, everything clicks into place. Her new (very sexy) roommate is a vampire…and he needs her help.

This story felt like TWILIGHT fanfiction, but in a way that made it less awkward (no hate to TWILIGHT, I too still weirdly love it in my heart of hearts). Frederick is very much stuck in the nineteenth century and Cassie is very much a modern day girl. Both characters are written in ways that feel very authentic to who they needed to be in order for the story to work.

There were times when the pacing of the story felt a bit off, dragging in some places and moving quickly in others. The jump between the mundane and exciting gave me a bit of whiplash at times, though the nature of the story called for it in a sense. While it was a bit choppy, the overall story came together in a fun, campy way.

One of my favorite things in this story was the referencing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one of my all time favorite television shows. As with most media that involves vampires, Levine plays with different folklore surrounding them, picking and choosing the parts that would serve the story the best. I loved that she used Buffy as a reference point for Cassie and Frederick and allowed that to be part of Cassie’s “education” - it really took me back to my fangirl roots!

That being said, (and this is definitely just a difference in personal taste/preference) the spice felt a little bland. After quite a bit of slow burn, I think I expected a lot more fireworks that what I feel like we get. Maybe it’s my weird love (read: obsession) with vampires, but it definitely could’ve been a lot spicier and gone a lot harder. Which is not to say that what we got was bad, I just personally think that it could’ve been even better.

Cassie’s struggles as a wayward creative was the most grounding part of the story. She fell in love with something in college and went all in, only to find that the real world is not really that wonderful to creatives. As a writer, I found myself feeling deeply for her and relating to the imposter syndrome she felt. I’d imagine a lot of creatives would feel the same.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

This is a funny and quirky debut with a great premise.


This book was almost a standout read for me: it’s got a great premise, Cassie is a strong main character, and there's a good cast of supporting characters. The only problem? The vampires are boring. Cassie’s a down on her luck artist looking for some sort of break. She’s a character you can’t help but root for: she’s charming, hard working, kind and just can’t seem to make it work. When she meets her new roommate, the mysterious, handsome and wealthy Frederick, sparks fly. And this is where I got stuck. Frederick is a vampire who was made in the early 1700’s, and was asleep for the past hundred years due to a friend’s prank gone wrong. This would have had him living during the turn of the 20th century. But somehow Frederick, and every other vampire we encounter, still acts like it’s 1815. They don’t even seem out of touch but simply out of time. Which, if you’re the living undead and you want to assimilate with the masses of humanity, it seems to me you’d keep up with the times, at least in the very basic sense.

Secondly, while Cassie and Frederick fall for each other, we only see the story from Cassie’s point of view, other than some letters we get from Frederick to Cassie. Frederick comes off with a very “Mr. Darcy” vibe which only takes him so far. We don’t get to see enough of him to get a good sense of him and the life and experiences he must have lived. I don’t know about you, but if I met a person who’d lived through the last few hundred years, I’d sit them down and ask them so many questions. Cassie, however, doesn’t seem curious at all. And herein lies the rub. I’m not sure why Cassie and Frederick are attracted to each other: Frederick is instantly smitten with the young, human Cassie and Cassie longs for him aggressively. But I don’t know why. I don’t feel like we learn enough about either of them to understand how they are so instantly connected to each other. I think having some of Frederick’s perspective would have been helpful here in connecting the reader to him.

I loved the premise of this book, and I really enjoyed the setting and the wider cast of characters. The story is set in Chicago which I like because it's a very random city compared to other vampire stories (Paris, London, New York). Cassie’s struggles in finding her career path and life path is heartwarming and will resonate with anyone who’s struggling to carve out their own path instead of doing what’s expected of them. I was rooting for her from page one. I think this would have been a standout read for me if all of the characters and their desires and struggles were just taken a stretch further to help readers better understand the why.

This is a promising debut novel with a fun premise. I’ll be reading Jenna’s next book, for sure.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My Roommate is a Vampire was pure escapist fun! Cassie Greenburg is an out-of-work artist in Chicago on her way to being evicted. The apartment ad she finds next sounds too good to be true - but how can she resist when the rate is so low and the neighborhood is sublime? Her new roommate, Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, is a bit odd, sleeps all day, and is barely home at night. But, he stocks the kitchen with fancy cookware, writes her sweet yet formal letters, and is interested in her art. As Cassie learns his secret (ahem, it's in the title) - what will come next for this unlikely pair? I enjoyed this quirky, campy read set in modern-day Chicago. Jenna Levine created a delightful little story and pairing in Cassie and Frederick, and I was in from page one. I recommend this to rom-com fans who like a hint of the paranormal, such as The Ex Hex or the Stay a Spell series.
Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

This book was laugh out loud funny, quirky as all hell, and one of my new favorite paranormal romances. This was so fresh and inviting while also being thought-provoking and swoony. Highly recommend.

A laugh out loud and very entertaining paranormal romance! The story and characters are very quirky and overall this was a very fun read!!

5 STARS BECAUSE IM A WHORE FOR VAMPIRES SAWRRY. everything abt this is perfect. where is my vampire roommate turned lover.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

My Roommate is a Vampire is everything you would expect this book to be based on the title and cover. A perfectly delightful hilarious romcom.

Fredrick, a vampire who was asleep for 100 years, is struggling to adjust to the modern world. His fellow vampire "friend", Reggie is helping him adjust, but Reggie doesn't always have Frederick's best interests at heart. So... Comedy ensues. I especially loved the texts between Fredrick and Reggie.

Loved this book so much! It was fantastic on audio as well! Superb narration.

Smash or pass? PASS. 1.5 stars. Cringe from me.
No humor. No spice. No chemistry. No new ground. Bare minimum of conflict. And another manic pixie dream girl ala Jessica Day.

The cute cover and fun title sucked me in, but are wasted. The snippets from Frederick’s pov were the best part. Perhaps a dual narrative could have helped?

Also, the awkward in your face set up for a companion book was unnecessary.

(Also no elite private school would ever hire a random person without teaching experience, education, or a license. That was so eye-roll worthy. Same for working in a public library.)

Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for the arc.

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine is currently scheduled for release on August 29 2023. Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price. Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean. Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

My Roommate Is a Vampire is an engaging story that had a nice balance of character development, fun, and secondary characters I want to get to know even better. I liked both Cassie and Frederick as characters, and I liked the secondary characters as well. I loved the interactions as Cassie and Frederick get to know each other, and figure out living together, and their lives in general. However, I do feel like although there are hint to the past and the issues that family cause, I feel like none of it was really unpacked. There could have been a bit more depth to Cassie if we knew more about her, and that would have given the story more impact as she finds her way and made readers a little more invested in her success and happiness. With so much of Frederick a mystery for the first half of the book, for obvious reason, I felt like we almost understand him more because his secret are so much more a part of him and the title rather tells us what those secrets are from the very beginning. While I enjoyed the read, and going along for the ride, I honestly hope the author follows this book up with a book for Reginald- since he was my favorite character in this book.

My Roommate Is a Vampire is an entertaining romance. I think I will be looking for more from this author to see if the stories of the secondary characters continue.

Out tomorrow (August 29) [Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an eARC for review!]

Rating: 4/5 stars

Cassie Greenberg is struggling financially when she comes across an apartment listing that seems too good to be true—and finds herself living with a very handsome, very old, very undead roommate.

I LOVE vampires stories of all kinds, so I was super excited for this one, and it was everything it promised to be! It’s a super lighthearted, campy (in a good way!) take on vampire lore, and I breezed through it in only two sittings. I enjoyed the characters and found the plot refreshingly straightforward—plus, NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP, which should really be enough said if you know me at all.

Best of all, this book is also legitimately funny—I laughed out loud several times, and found the antics of the MCs to be delightfully ridiculous and super entertaining, which kept me invested in the story the whole time.

If you’re looking for a spooky season read that is more treat than trick, this one is absolutely perfect! I also *suspect* we might be getting a sequel/spin-off in future (this is unconfirmed but I really hope I’m right!)—if so, I can’t wait to see this world develop even further.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: vampires; forced proximity; flirting through really adorable handwritten letters

CW: Kidnapping, some minor violence

Attention BTVS fans --- you NEED to read My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine. This lovely light take on modern vampires will leave you breathless.

This book had a cute concept and did mamy things right, but in the end I think the story fell flat.

Frederick was funny and I really enjoyed his lack of awareness when it came to living in the 21st century. I liked watching his and Cassie's friendship evolve, but it definitely switched to lust too quickly for my tastes.

On that note, the spice scenes felt out of place (I think the author was going for a quirky feel to the story verging on childish, so when the spice hit it felt wrong). The final conflict was also resolved way too quickly.

All in all, the romance was cute, it has promise, and this book may be a hit for you if you enjoy spicy romcoms.