Rating: 4/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

This is the first book of this duology, it is full of vampires, other beings, great queer rep, you will find dual timelines, sacrifice for love and friendship, and a lot of buried history that people want to keep covered up.

At first, I wasn’t sure about this book, I was iffy, but I am so happy that I stayed reading it because wow. Seriously, wow is all I can say. I loved that this book was a fast read, the pace was perfect, and it was full of action, and learning about the characters and what they will be having to deal with. This book is grim, you will get the history of what happened with the world of gods, humans and vampires. I loved that this book was full of information, but it didn’t feel like an info dump and that is because the way that the author wrote this book, she made it where she would give the readers what they need but not dump it all right away but throughout the book. I found all the characters to be well developed, and you will get to know the characters that started it all and the ones that are more in the present time that are trying to fix what is broken. I do think that the romance between Leyla and Najja was too fast for me, I do wish we could have had more of a slow burn between those too.

If you read this book, be ready for a cliffhanger, but I also loved that the author wrote that the next book would have an HEA. I can’t wait to read book two.

I also received the audio of this book as well. I thought all the narrators did an amazing job bringing this book to life, and the characters. I loved that with audio I followed along on my kindle, and it really made this book come to life. I highly recommend this audiobook.

I want to thank NetGalley and SMP and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to review this book.

3.5/5

This story completely captivated me! From the start, the world of vampires, gods, and fate sucked me in. The audiobook, with three narrators—Alexis Campbell, Khaya Fraites, and Melinda Sewak—brought the characters' voices to life, making the alternating perspectives of Leyla, Najja, and Favre feel distinct and immersive.

Leyla, the vampire Crown Princess, is on a mission to rescue her best friend, defying her mother's wishes. She teams up with Najja, a Yamaja whose fate is entwined with hers. As they journey together, a slow-burn romance develops between them, full of tension and unexpected tenderness. Meanwhile, the ancient vampire Favre awakens, driven by her own destructive quest to revive her long-lost love, Thana.

The world-building was fantastic, blending vampires, gods, and fate in a way that felt fresh. The pacing was steady, with solid character development and plenty of depth in the themes of love, sacrifice, and duty. The romance between Leyla and Najja was a standout, evolving naturally over the course of the story.

The ending, with its cliffhanger, left me eager for more, and I can’t wait to see where this series goes. This was a fantastic start, and I’m already looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley, and Macmillan Audio, for the audiobook ARC!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

Oh my goodness, this book was beautiful from start to finish. From the very first pages, it paints such a gorgeous picture of such a brutal world, and it doesn't stop giving and giving to the reader. From characters so relatably flawed it hurts, to a love story that spans eras and death itself, this is a story that pours itself out onto the page in such a stunning way that the reader will be left unable to really articulate their love for it. (it's me, I'm the reader)

This is a story of gods and vampires, villains and heroes and humanity at its heart. This is a story that is going to take the world by storm, and every fantasy reader is going to need it in their lives.

Unfortunately I was quite confused during this. I wish there was more worldbuilding to help the reader fill in gaps. There was promise for the writer but overall I couldn’t get into this story.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book more and it had potential, but it needs work.

I got the impression that this author doesn't understand the idea between "showing vs. telling" and/or is too focused on that. Authors can fall victim to too much telling, but also too much showing and somehow this book feels like she did both. Like she just switched back and forth between telling too much and showing too much.

This is somewhat related to some of the prose issues in this book. At times the prose in this story feels distinctly YA, very young-stream of consciousness-style. That by itself is no issue, I personally enjoy YA as much as many other genres. However, there seems to be an attempt to mix that writing style with a bunch if purple prose and I don't think it works. It kinda just feels contrived, awkward, and overly dramatic. I wonder if this is a case of the prose trying to amp up the stakes of the story that the plot is lacking. I personally felt like the motivations of the characters in smaller actions and scenes was questionable. The narrative seemed to indicate that the stakes were higher than anything the author had established. I'm not talking about the journey to save someone or escape deadly creatures, I'm referring to the characters acting like everything is hinging on a casual conversation.

Similarly, sometimes the characters based their decisions on some pretty weak logic like, "If that myth is true, ALL myths must be true." Hmmmm... that's not how things work.

Here is an example of the prose and showing issues with aome quotes in ONE scene, where the author first attempts to "show" what a character is thinking and feeling, but then decides to explain it to us as though we cant figure it out ourselves using the phrase "as if". I started counting/writing them down after I noticed her do this a number of times in this scene already, so there are many more cases of this.

"Her eyes widen as if afraid."
"She purses her lips, as if considering what I said."
"She continues to glare at him as if challenging him further."

If you're physically reading imagine this popping up once or twice a page (as in one side) and if your listening, imagine this popping up once or twice a minute. It makes the prose kind of boring and uninteresting because of the redundancy.

Other reviews have stated there are too many characters and I somewhat agree. I think fantasy books can easily have lots of characters and even POVs but it's not easy to execute it well and it should be very intentional when doing so. This book doesn't succeed. I'm not sure why this book needed more than two POVs and jumping back and forth between the 3 POVs as frequently as she did felt jarring. It also got in the way of us getting to know and care about all the characters and players involved in the story.
The multiple POVs issue is made even worae and more confusing because the different characters internal dialogs, narrations, styles are extremely similar to one another. Obviously, the authors voice will be present regardless, but even things like modifying word choice, maturity levels or the characters, or average sentence length can help the different narrators feel like different people a bit more.

And my final issue with this book was the pacing. The first half was full of world building and felt like kind of a slog to get through. I felt like I had to force myself through a bunch of lore because I didn't connect with the characters at all. And yet, the world building still felt somewhat incomplete because a lot of things weren't explained well.

This made the pacing feel slow to start and then really fast towarda the end because the inciting incident for the travelog plot didnt happen until halfway through the book, and then it seemed like it unfolded and resolved too quickly. That second half of the book did have an attempt at character development too, but it felt crammed in at the expense of plot.

As much as I felt like the first half of the book was a slog, I think this book/series suffers from being too short and poorly paced. I think the author could have shown us much less from Thana and Favre, particularly in the beginning. I thinknit would have been great to have their story unfold more slowly over the series.

I recognize that parts of their story is relevant to Favre's motivations toward the end of the book which are esstential to the overall plot, but I'm not sure we actually needed as much as we got in order to understand that. I also think that plot where the timelines "connect" would have been better in a second or third book. I think the first booknof this series should have focused more on character arcs where the characters have to develop and grow and change and we can spend some time getting to know them.

And while I had a lot ofnissues with this book, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that the ideas, plots and world were all interesting in concept. There is a good amount of value there. I just think the execution really missed the mark.

I was given as a audiobook , Where Shadows Meet thinking I’d get a cute little fantasy… and instead I got curses, secrets, and a romance so tension-filled it might actually combust.

This book said, “Here’s a morally gray prince, a badass girl with no time for nonsense, and a plot that will emotionally wreck you in slow motion.” And I said: Yes please.

If you like shadowy kingdoms, powerful heroines, and slow burns that flirt with danger—welcome to your next emotional crisis.

While I'm not a huge fan of vampires, I wanted to give this Black F/F romantasy debut a chance, and I'm so glad I did. The characters were intriguing, and the fast paced adventure that came with the characters bonding along with the expansive world was well done.

For me, this felt like more of a New Adult read than Young Adult, but probably good for readers in that 16 and older range, mostly due to some graphic descriptions, violence and other thematic elements.

The main story takes place shortly after the end of a long war between humans and vampires, and follows two F/F relationships, one from the distant past (before the war) and one in present day (after the war). Favre and Thana are in the past, and it's an origin story of the first vampires in the human world, and how the two eventually wind up separated and trapped for a millennium. Meanwhile, we follow Leyla and Najja as the two are forced to travel together, Leyla to save her friend, Najja to prevent something worse than the war resuming. There’s three POVs total, but we don’t hear from Thana.

My favorite character was Leyla. She's a vampire princess who feels inadequate as she never fought in the vampire-human war like her ancestors before her, and her mom continues to berate her for it. However, due to her mom's condition, Leyla will take up the throne soon. I connected to her the most as she's the one trying to rescue her friend. Her travel partner, Najja, can see future deaths and spirits, and I did enjoy her POV, but she was in third place for me. Favre, the relationship from the past, was rather intriguing, as she is devoted to her lover, Thana, giving up everything, but it's built on pain and regret, and I love how detailed and visceral it gets. The relationships were emotional and heartfelt and devastating in more ways than one. Leyla and Najja felt like friends that were starting to form romantic bonds that I figure will grow in book 2.

The setting was immersive and very detailed, and the lore was clearly designed with great care. Though I felt some of the information delivery was all over the place and I lost track with some of it in terms of importance and it did distracting, mostly in terms of where characters stood in their abilities.

It did take me a few chapters to get into the story and really have a feel for it, but after the first handful of chapters, I was invested and wanted to see where the story was going next. The plot went at a nice pace, with plenty of short chapters, and the prose was really beautiful, though it did get a bit too purple prose in parts, mostly in the beginning and in a few of Favre's chapters. The themes of self-discovery, love, loss, and destiny were all done well together in a compelling manner, and it did get really dark at points.

The three narrators were distinct and reflected the voices of the characters rather well. Great kudos to all of them and their performances! I'm so glad that accompanying PDFS are becoming more common in audiobooks for things like maps and material that you can't hear, like spelling.

While there is resolution to some plot lines, there is a clear hook for book 2 and Patrice Caldwell promises a good end for the pairings. Regardless, I’m looking forward to reading it and seeing the tale unfold to its end!

Thank you SMP and Macmillian Audio for the ARC!

This book was so good! Black sapphic vampires? What more could a person want?

Well, you get more. You get a tragic love story. You get an amazing example of world-building and lore. You get complex characters, one you both feel for and feel angry at. You get great examples of friendships. You get loyalty, betrayal, and stabby women.

I loved every aspect of this book, it is exactly what the current vampire renaissance we are living in needs. It offers new perspective and lore to the story, while also keeping some of the original charm of vampire stories (burning in the light). Vampire stories are also tragic and sad, and Caldwell definitely wove that in.

I cannot wait for book 2!

4 stars - Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I was fortunate enough to immersive read this story - HIGHLY recommend the audio, the narrators did a PHENOMENAL job.

This story follows three separate characters - so definitely a great read for folks that love stacked storylines! I just want to say, while this story is a sapphic vampire fantasy, it's so much more than that. These characters balance rage, manage grief, betrayal, and so many complex emotions while carrying the fates on their shoulders. They're faced with tough choices, and loss -one while managing a chronic illness.

My only note is that you HAVE to lock in because as someone who isn't great with a ton of POVs, the switching/diff timelines was a bit hard for me to keep up with at times. That being said, I'm excited to see where things go in book 2!

Black and Sapphic! What more can a girl ask for. This a captivating story that intertwines a tragic love story with a dual timeline narrative. The tale of Thana and Favre is both heart-wrenching and intriguing. This dark and compelling origin story sets the stage for a rich fantasy world.
Parallel to this, we follow Leyla and Najja on their journey to find Leyla’s best friend. As they navigate their quest, they begin to fall for each other, mirroring the intense love story of Favre and Thana. The dual timeline adds depth and complexity to the narrative, keeping listeners engaged as they uncover the connections between past and present.
The audiobook features three narrators, each bringing a unique personality and depth to their characters. Their performances enhance the storytelling, although there are moments when the voices blend, causing some confusion during multi-character dialogues. Despite this, the narrators' ability to convey the emotions and nuances of each character is commendable.
Overall, "Where Shadow’s Meet" is a beautifully crafted fantasy audiobook that explores themes of love, sacrifice, and identity. Its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and immersive world-building make it a must-listen.

Thana became the first vampire after killing her father. Favre gave up her wings to be with Thana. But over time with them being amongst the humans Thana turned into something Favre hated. But she still loved her enough to break her out of her prison. But the only thing needs is blood.

Layla is soon to be crowned queen but she sees what her mother is doing. And she does not agree with it. She loves her people and does not wish to kill them as her mother will end their lives over the simplest things.

Najja has to tell the princess of her fate and what she must not do to release the horrible vampire. But after Layla best friend was taken from reapers she has to save her. No matter what.

This was a good read. Full of adventure and determination.

We jump right into the world in "Where Shadows Meet;" this is both immersive and confusing. Still, I think as a combined experience, audio and physical book, this title will capture many romantasy readers' hearts.

A fresh take on vampires and filled with dark secrets, twisted magic and lore, Where Shadows Meet delivered! Patrice Caldwell’s worldbuilding is intricate and epic, weaving multiple timelines to create a rich story. Having a full cast for the audio narration definitely added to the story and helped bring the characters to life.

Where Shadows Meet is perfect for readers who like:
Epic fantasy
Sapphic stories
Vampires
Angels and demons
Magic systems with consequences
Found family
Slow-burn romance
Burn-the-world-down romance

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC. I look forward to Patrice Caldwell’s future projects.

I was really excited to read this based on the description. However, the story was more info dump and the characters just didn't grab my attention. I wanted to love it but I ended up DNF it around half way through.

An excellent addition to the influx of toxic lesbian vampire books that are increasingly popular. Patrice Caldwell is a talented author and the narrators did an excellent job with their delivery.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an early listening copy.

This book was okay! I loved the premise, but there were a lot of info dumps and the story jumped around a lot. I did love the queer vampire princesses part of the story..

It's a super interesting premise but couldn't hook me. The changes in timeline and POV happened so fast and at times unclear. For now it's a DNF, but I may pick back up at a later date.
Narration was done well.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Leyla has decent character development. There is good world building. The relationships are vampiric but not gratuitous.
There are sections of the book I really liked.
All in all I thought I would have liked it more than I did, but for some reason I just never fully connected to the book. I don't know if it was the narration, or something else but I was never 100% engaged. I liked it enough to read the 2nd book to see what happens, I just didn't love it.

Ancient Gods, vampire queens and princesses, and mythical seers made this one an interesting ride. I loved the characters, world, and preface of the story. What I did NOT love was that I stayed confused the entire book as to who was telling their story and who was who. But overall, the story was as good and kept my interest. I was gifted an ALC of this book by NetGalley and the publisher and these opinions are my own. 3.5⭐️, if the characters weren’t so confusing to keep straight between chapters. The narrator did a great job!

I’ve absolutely been loving the wave of diversity that’s reenergizing the vampire genre lately, and Where Shadows Meet takes that momentum and soars. Marketed as a sapphic YA vampire novel, this debut is so much more—it’s layered with gods, demons, millennia-spanning lore, seers, and rich, atmospheric landscapes that blur the line between the living and the dead.

This book isn’t just about love; it’s about sacrifice, betrayal, grief, and loss—and how sometimes all of those emotions can be wrapped up in one person. The worldbuilding is lush and intricate, and the story completely lures you in. Some of the mother-daughter dynamics hit incredibly close to home for me and added an emotional weight I didn’t expect but deeply appreciated.

I received an eARC from Macmillan Audio, and as always, their productions are stellar. The narration by Alexis Campbell, Khaya Fraites, and Melinda Sewak was top-notch—they truly breathed life into the characters.

With the sprawling mythology and frequent timeline shifts, I did find myself confused at times. But honestly? That just makes me even more excited to reread it—maybe with a physical copy in hand this time—especially once book two is announced.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.