I tore through WE LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE by RACHEL KOLLER CROFT and loved every twist, dip + move. Thank you again to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC of one of my most anticipated books of 2024!

It’s no secret that complicated female friendships are one of my favorite things to read about. Layer then into a thriller that’s part paranormal & all party I am showing up fashionable early.

In 1979 London, Nicola & Amber have a fateful meeting on the dance floor. Newly married Amber is craving more than housewife life & Nicola knows all about *more* having spent the last two+ centuries as a vampire. She offers Amber eternal life & endless adventures.

Spanning 50 years & through dual POVs we see the evolution of their friendship. In present day, Amber is looking for a way out, but she knows no one walks away from Nicola alive. So she needs to find an escape.

It’s always so hard to distill everything I love about a book into a short review, but one element I connected to was how a friendship can shift from instant connection to inseparable to differing paths to an ultimate demise. There’s a lot of focus on the end of romantic relationships but if you’ve ever been through a friend breakup it’s a whole different level of pain and hurt. I connected so much with these themes and emotions.

There’s a lot to unpack & to be entertained by. Questions around youth & romanticizing + trying to recapture the past. The toxicity of female friendship. Exiting a relationship. Exploration of choice + loyalty + revenge. Alliances are formed. Plans are made. And a new disco is coming to London.

Expect a bit of blood (they are vampires after all!), but also a totally entertaining, fresh spin on a vamp tale + a well-written achievement of a book. And the musical references are everything.

Toot-toot. Beep-beep.

We Love the Nightlight by Rachel Koller Croft felt like a whole new take on vampires and the 1970s. The author definitely had me feeling like I was walking on a movie set in the 70s with the details she brought to the pages. While the book was a little slow, the premise was great and I loved the main characters, Amber and Nicola. Overall a decent read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the eARC!

This book immediately captured my interest with its intriguing premise and captivating start. The story dives right into the intense cat-and-mouse dynamic between Nicola and Amber. The vampire element adds a fresh and fun layer to the intricate drama. While the premise was creative, I had some issues with pacing and character development. The twist at the end was a nice touch, though it felt like it could have been more fully explored. Overall, it was a highly entertaining read, perfect for the spooky season!

This eARC was given in exchange for an honest review.

There are so many people raving about this book! I enjoyed it, but it was a little slow for me. I was expecting a more fast-paced vampire thriller. I needed more suspense, more action, just more. The audiobook was very nicely done with the different narrators for the main characters.

*Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

We Love The Nightlife proved Rachel Koller Croft is a creative genius when it comes to writing.

I was captivated by her writing and loved the multiple POVs and multiple timelines. She truly brought the 1970s to life.

We Love The Nightlife is full of high drama, lies and revenge, sprinkled with a couple surprises.

Disco, vampires, and the electric pulse of 1979 London—"We Love the Nightlife" is a thrilling ride that takes you deep into the heart of a world where the nightlife never dies, literally. Nicola, a vampire with nearly two centuries of experience, is drawn to Amber, an American with a passion for disco and a rebellious streak that’s impossible to resist. Their love affair, steeped in glamour and the allure of eternal youth, is intoxicating but dark.

What makes this story stand out is its exploration of the seductive yet sinister aspects of immortality. Nicola and Amber’s relationship, though built on love, is fraught with power struggles and manipulation. As the decades pass, the sparkle of disco fades, and so does Amber’s willingness to remain under Nicola’s control. The tension between the characters is palpable, especially as Amber plots her escape from a life that’s begun to feel like a gilded cage.

The twist of opening a nightclub together is both a nostalgic nod to their past and a final desperate attempt to rekindle what once was. Yet, beneath the surface, the story pulsates with the threat of danger, betrayal, and the ever-present possibility of death.

"We Love the Nightlife" is a seductive, dark, and thrilling exploration of love, power, and the price of freedom, set against the vibrant backdrop of a bygone era. If you’re drawn to stories that mix romance with a bite, this one is a must-read.

Give me a novel about toxic female friendships but make it literal bloodsucking.

This follow-up from the author of Stone Cold Fox was fun, tongue in cheek and on the nose. When you think of eternal life, what you don't think about is wait a minute, do I want to be stuck with this person for life?! This is the conflict at the center of this read- Amber was turned by Nicola over 40 years ago, but now she wants out from under Nicola's controlling thumb and to live out her everlasting life doing what she wants, for once. But leaving Nicola isn't so easy... Vampires are monsters, you know.

You rarely see books about female vampires, and especially those that center around friendship rather than romantic relationships, so I enjoyed this spin on the genre. I also loved this idea of vampires as non-stop parties and the background of a disco club in London was the perfect setting. The novel is dual POV between Amber and Nicola, between present and past, and I felt really transported by each narrative and time period. This was a mix of thriller, light horror and light gore, but it hit all the right spots. I think this will be a hit with many readers. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for my earc.

I was a big fan of STONE COLD FOX, and eager to read Croft’s latest novel. A thriller set in London and spanning centuries, Amber and Nicola are BFF vampires that adore clubbing and basking in attention. The dialogue is punchy and the settings are to die for. I recently visited London and loved the chance to revisit the city described on the pages. I loved how women were central to the book, and they went for exactly what they wanted. The last few chapters were very suspenseful and a tad gory, but well-placed in a vampiric story. This book perfectly blends glamour with suspenseful scheming, and I flew through the pages! I could easily see Croft’s novels being adapted to film, as they would translate beautifully to the screen!

WE LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE ain't your run of the mill vampire book. It's so much more. This book was fun, it made me smile, and laugh at the witty one-liners that I've come to expect from Rachel's larger than life characters. The story masterfully intertwined Nicola and Amber's dreamy past with their prickly present. There were several moments where I itched to find a dance floor pronto.

The way I consumed this book!! Ahhh! I read half on kindle as an ARC from Berkley (thank you so much I literally love you!), and the rest on audio thanks to PHR Audio!

This book was such an amazing blend of genres as it’s part psychological (soft) thriller, part contemporary fiction with a dash of paranormal due to the lead female characters being vampires. And don’t get weird. The vampires bit isn’t crazy and you don’t have to learn all the rules etc etc, it’s just straightforward and easy to understand. But the way in which being a vampire becomes a trap to our FMC Amber rather than a liberation was so interesting to me! More on that soon.

Amber is a vampire frozen forever at the age of 23 by her friend Nicola who has been her companion for the last 50+ years. Back in the 70’s when disco was at its height, Amber meets Nicola out one night and they strike up a friendship.

At the time Amber is newly married to an older British man named Malcom who whisked her away from her midwestern life one night and rather than a fun and fulfilling life like she was promised, she’s more of an arm candy accessory that Malcom dusts off whenever he needs a good image for his work colleagues. Completely miserable, she goes out to discotheques and is the center of attention when all eyes are on her amazing dancing skills. She soaks it all up and catches the attention of antagonist, Nicola. Desperate for friendship, empathy, and someone to appreciate the bright fucking star she is, Amber learns of Nicola being a vampire and agrees to let Nicole turn her. On New Year’s Eve 1980, she gets her wish.

Nicola is an almost 200 year old vampire who is utterly obsessed with keeping Amber loyal to her. She has had several other companions who didn’t make the cut and Amber is her longest relationship yet. She wants to live the life of luxury while keeping her world small in order to keep Amber close to her. Never letting her stray too far, we learn through chapters of flashbacks about how Nicola orchestrated Ambers estrangement to her husband to get her to change and later on after having her as a companion, how she pulled the strings to isolate Amber every time she tried to make new friends or have a life outside of Nicola.

It was truly sick learning all the ways Nicole manipulated Amber to get her to stay loyal and utterly trapped with her. Once Amber learns more about who Nicola truly is, she devises a plan to leave her once and for all. But all of Nicola’s previous companions are dead other than 2 still remaining in London. She turns to these two to figure out how they did it and ends up hatching a plan to get what she so rightfully deserves.


I was captivated from the start of this book and could not put it down. I was obsessed with the little tid bits of revelations each chapter let us in on. I honestly wish Amber learned ALL the ways Nicola rightfully fucked her over in which we the reader were privileged to know from Nicola’s chapters. Just insane! So much toxic female friendship, so much delusional thinking from Nicola and poor Amber being caged for so many years but a “friend” who did so much to hurt her. Insane!!!

I loved this with my whole heart and anything Rachel writes will be one I love. No doubt about that!

We Love the Nightlife
By Rachel Keller Croft
4/5 stars!

This book was very different from many of the paranormal books that I’ve read- in a good way. Nicola and Amber meet in 1979 at a Disco, they hit it off and Nicola convinces Amber to join her in becoming a vampire—loved this for her. 50 years later, Amber is over it and doesn’t want to be Nicolas partner anymore.

I loved the dialogue between these characters and the story was easy to follow, while also being entetaining!

I highly recommmend you check this off your TBR list.

Rating 3.5

Two women. Toxic female companionship. Unhinged retribution. Vampires.

This book is ALL style and pure glamour. Slow beginning, but by the middle pacing picks-up for a satisfying end.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley

I like the idea of vampires starting a nightclub because, yeah, that totally makes sense. I’m glad I’ve never embraced the nightlife, as it’s clear this has kept me safe from a bloodsucking doom.

That said, this was only an okay reading experience for me. I don’t think the vampirism or the toxic friendship were amped up enough. Neither aspect ever made me uncomfortable, as their depictions always seemed to exemplify a very basic understanding of the topics. I do commend the author for trying to address the way emotional vampires drain in a clever way. Aside from feeling superficial, however, I felt she explained far too much about her characters‘ intentions instead of showing it all to the reader through their actions.

The novel does spring a few surprises on readers, although I felt its biggest twist was easy to spot a mile away. Even if it hadn’t been, I’m not sure it would have been effectively jaw dropping. It just wasn’t that exciting.

I’ve read several vampire stories that satisfy my hunger for depth. I suppose We Love the Nightlife was more like a sweet piece of hard candy. It didn’t fill me up, but I enjoyed its flavor enough to suck away until it was finished.

I am immensely grateful to Berkley and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

"...was there anything more irresistible than a brand new gal pal?"

Well that depends, can she make you undead if she decides that's what is best for her...I mean you? In the sassy fun We Love The Nightlife, by clever thriller author Rachel Koller Croft, we get an upfront view of a toxic female friendship...they just happen to be vampires.

Amber loves her husband, Malcolm, but he's not into the nightlife and has probably never been to a disco. But it's 1979 and at 23 she wants to dance to Donna Summers' "Bad Girls." At a popular London disco she meets the beautiful Nicola. They dance. They bond. They party. Then Nicola convinces her to leave Malcolm, her sister and her parents for an eternal nightlife of dancing and disco.

Now it's 50 years later and disco has died and so has Amber's undying love and loyalty to Nicola. Amber had one stipulation and when Nicola goes behind her back and does the unthinkable Amber knows what she has to do; "... it's not just about getting away... It's about getting even."

This writer has created an original hilarious banter filled paranormal twisty thriller with a mash up of Saturday Night Fever and Interview With The Vampire. Nicola and Amber are as petty as Lestat and Louie but they do it with glittering style.

I received a free copy of this book from Berkley Publishing via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

We Love the Nightlife is a unique look at being a vampire. It is a story of being stuck with someone you did not like, not even a little bit, and knowing that if you leave you will be hunted down.

I enjoyed this book, it was fun. The book did not have that WOW feature that made me need to and want to read more all the time, but I did enjoy reading while I had the time. I felt like the story moved a little bit slow at times and there were some parts that I felt did not make a difference to the story. None of the characters were ones that I connected with.

If you like paranormal books, check this one out. I am interested to see what other’s will think.

This was told by both Amber and Nicola. Not only do you get both their perspectives, you get a dual timeline from Nicola that bounces from 1979 and before in 1835 to get a better picture of her backstory. Amber was desperate to escape Nicola, and was very young when she was turned into a vampire. Nicola was not a very likable character, and wanted to control everyone.

Although this cover is stunning, I wanted more. The first line of the book sold me, but then it just was a very slow burn. There was not a lot of gore sadly, which I would expect in a book about vampires. It was just disco, nightclubs, and these two people playing games. I am finding out that I am not so much a character driven kinda girl, and I don’t really like a cat and mouse plot that drags on too long. If you are more of a character driven kind of reader, this one would be perfect for you!

“We only hunt the ones that deserve it.” The Dexter’s of 🧛‍♀️!!

“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴.
The darkness is all we know.
It’s all we have.”

Ok so this is written by the author of Stone Cold Fox, which I read last year and gave 5 stars to! And the first line of my review is HOLY SHITBALLS, so my anticipation was high.

Unfortunately, though, this one did not live up to that expectation for me. I almost DNF’d on multiple occasions and truly only finished because I am not a quitter 😆. I just could not get invested in the characters or the storyline. I never felt immersed in this crazy vampire world the way I wanted to be.

I will still continue to read anything this author writes, though. That’s how much I enjoyed Stone Cold Fox! Not every book is for every person and that is ok.

Thank you Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the complimentary ARC.

Way too cheesy for my taste. I wanted to love this but found it to be too macabre. Perhaps it’s just me but it felt stunted.

What happens when you find yourself in a toxic eternal friendship with a narcissistic vampire who you realize manipulated you into becoming a vampire in the first place? And what happens when you realize you want to escape said toxic eternal friendship by any means necessary?

We Love the Nightlife grapples with that very scenario and explores the nuances and volatility that come from relationships based upon lies. Told in dual POV, the story follows multiple timelines (Amber’s POV addresses the present, Nicola’s the past) and weaves both protagonists’ stories together in a way that ramps up the tension for the climatic finale of the book. And there’s a clever perspective twist thrown in for good measure that will give readers even more context into one of the main characters.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the themes that were mined. I thought that it was such an interesting perspective to focus on a platonic relationship and how it can be just as emotional and complicated as a romantic one. Also, I would love to see this novel become a limited series, because it would be visually stunning.

This was my third book from Koller Croft and it did not disappoint. I love when authors do something a bit different and the focus on vampires in this was just so fun. . As much of a role as the vampires play in this, you won’t find a ton of gore or paranormal elements. The characters were complex and interesting. The main theme of this is female friendshio so if you love a book with complicated relationships then definitely check this one out.