Thank you, Netgalley, for the audio of this book.

Devoured this in a day and enjoyed every second of it. Did not see that ending coming, and now I need the second book! It was a great read and fast-paced enough to keep me listening with each chapter. There was a chapter or two when I was thinking it was a little slow, but the author kept it interesting enough to make me continue on.

There were times when the FMC, in my opinion, seemed a little too weak for my taste, but the ending kind of threw into perspective as to why.

4.5 stars rounding up!

A Bargain So Bloody delivers an engaging start to what promises to be an exciting new romantasy series. When Samara is sentenced to a magical prison for a crime she didn't commit, she believes she's serving a 15-year sentence—until she discovers the devastating truth that she'll never be released. Desperate for freedom, she strikes a dangerous bargain with a vampire: help him escape, and he'll get her out safely in return.

This book will appeal to romantasy readers who enjoy morally grey characters and slow-burn relationship development, though the romance takes a backseat to the compelling plot and character growth. Drake has crafted a unique world with fascinating magic systems that kept me completely absorbed—I genuinely couldn't stop listening.

The audiobook narration by Cecily Foster was exceptional and really enhanced the listening experience. Foster brought distinct voices to each character and maintained perfect pacing throughout the emotional highs and lows.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, there were a few situations that felt unrealistic even within the fantasy framework. However, these minor issues didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

The world-building is fresh and inventive, setting up intriguing possibilities for future installments. I'm genuinely excited to see where Drake takes this story next and how the characters continue to evolve.

Perfect for readers who enjoy: Slow-burn romance, morally complex characters, unique fantasy worlds, and strong character development.

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

Instant Favorite!
I was pulled in from the beginning and couldn’t get enough. The plot twist at the end? Brilliant! I am so excited for book 2! I loved everything about this book and would absolutely recommend!

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

3.25*

After discovering that her sentence won’t be honored, Sam—a void with no powers—teams up with a vampire to escape the prison she’s been trapped in for the last twelve years. The unlikely pair travel together, but things take a turn when Raphael asks for Sam’s help in retrieving a powerful grimoire. Their journey eventually takes them to the vampire kingdom, where nothing is quite what it seems.

I really enjoyed the premise. The plot was engaging, and I found the magic system original—magic sourced from cards rather than people. It didn’t exactly keep me on the edge of my seat, but I was invested enough to finish the whole book in a day.

That said, the “highest-security prison” escape felt a little too easy—borderline child’s play, really—which made me question the book initially, but I’m glad I stuck it out.

I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator was fantastic. It was a single narrator performance, but she handled the male voices (especially Raphael) really well.

That said, I did find the pacing a bit uneven. Some parts flew by, while others dragged on at a snail’s pace. Raphael, however, was a standout. As is often the case with MMCs, I adored him—he was absolute perfection.

My biggest struggle was with Sam. As the story went on, she became more and more frustrating. Her internal monologue was repetitive, and her stubborn refusal to question the beliefs drilled into her since childhood was infuriating—especially when the truth was right in front of her. Despite Raphael’s constant kindness, she continued to make some truly questionable choices.

Still, that cliffhanger ending? Spot. On. I’m definitely coming back for the next book—I need to know what happens next.

I received an audiobook ARC from NetGalley and Victory Editing and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It was an excellent fantasy about a vampire and human who escapes prison with the vampire - a race she hates and detests.
It was a different take on vampire fantasy and I really enjoyed it unable to put it down at all
I loved Samara's character, she was strong-willed and fiercely independent.
And Raphael ... he was cruel and all the things a vampire should be but yet melted for her.
The ending was brilliant and I cannot wait to read the second book

Samara has been in jail for 12 years, ever since she was a young girl. She barely gets any food, spends her days and nights being on alert for danger in the prison and trying to just survive the rest of her sentence. But when she finds out her freedom might not be an option, she agrees to help a vampire, Raphael, escape as long as he takes her with him.

All Samara has ever known is how vile vampires are, but all she wants to do is survive. They have to trek through the wilderness inorder to escape, but nothing in the woods can be worse than a vampire. So when all of her options outside of the prison are no longer there, she takes Raphael’s offer to go back to the vampire kingdom until she can figure out a plan. He hasn’t killed her yet, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t hiding secrets.

This book was everything. It was a dark slow burn with tough her and die vibes. The magic system gave me Rachel Gillig vibes, but was still super unique and made me want to tell all of my friends to read it. One horse… say less. My only question is how long do I have to wait for book two…

-Enemies to allies
-Vampires
-Unique magic system
-One horse
-Touch her and die
-Slow burn

The touch her and lose your hand vibes are on point. This book is a great read if you love vampires, original magic systems and an FMC who finds her strength. Vasilisa does a great job of developing the characters throughout the book and making the story really enjoyable 👏👏

I like to switch genres in between books to keep it interesting, this came up on NG and it sounded like something I would enjoy.

I really, really enjoyed this one. It also helped that the audiobook version was really well done. We get three different POV’s throughout the book and three narrators. They did a fantastic job of portraying each character and their quirks differences.

The story itself has a nice pace, and it never gets boring and always keep you going, because you want to find out more.

We also get some light romance, but nothing that takes over or away from the main story, it was very well intertwined into the overall arc of the book.

Overall, really enjoyed this one and looking forward to more books by her.

if you like mysteries and thrillers, give this one a try you won’t regret it

I give it 4 ★

There’s a lot to enjoy here – a fresh take on vampire and witch lore, a morally murky world, and a narrator (Cecily Foster) whose delivery is just gorgeous – lyrical and compelling.

The strongest stretch is early on: Samara’s time in the jail and her escape with Raphael had me absolutely hooked, as did the trip to the monastery. Her confusion and inner turmoil felt grounded and believable – she’s been imprisoned, lied to, and cut off from the world for years, and her aching need to belong, to be good, is so human. That inner conflict – questioning everything she’s ever known, wondering who the real monsters are – runs throughout the book. Sometimes a little too much. There’s a lot of repetition as Samara circles the same doubts, and the pacing drags when we reach Raphael’s lands. Things stall until the final act, which snaps the plot back into motion in a brilliant, bloody way. That ending? Oof. So sharp. So ironic.

It’s worth noting there’s very little romance here – just the gentlest setup for what might come later in the series. Barely even a slow burn – more of a faint simmer.

Raphael is an absolute monster – make no mistake – but the devotion he shows to Samara is intense. Utterly unhinged. It’s 100% “touch her and die” territory, and you get the sense he was doomed from the moment he met her.

Despite a mid-book slump, this was a strong start to a series, and I’ll definitely be picking up book two.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the audio ARC. This is my honest opinion.

A girl stuck in a prison + vampires? How could I not request this one!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC/ALC

I enjoyed the narration, Foster did a good job depicting the emotions of characters and making it clear as to who was talking.

Although this is listed as a dark romantasy I would say this reads more like YA than NA. I’d recommend this mostly to readers that are new to romantasy, the writing is easy to follow and story flows smoothly which makes for a good introduction to the genre.

Unfortunately we’re only in the prison for the first 7%. I definitely wish we had had more time there before leaving since the synopsis led me to believe it would be a larger focus.

This was great! I’m picky about romantasy, but this had just the right blend of plot and worldbuilding with a slow burn building of tension for the romance. I saw all of the reveals coming a mile away, but I still enjoyed the process of getting there! The MMC takes “touch her and die” to new heights!

It has been a while since I listened to a romantasy audiobook that had me THIS hooked. I am obsessed and will be listening/reading every future book in this series because I NEED to know what happens!

I am so glad I listened to this in audiobook form, the narrator is top notch. I listened all through work, through lunches, and my commute home for 2 two days, I was LOCKED IN. I'm so glad I picked this book, I really enjoyed it!

I love a good vampire romance, and the other trope this book has that I can't say because of spoilers. The characters are both interesting and believable, they don't trade the idiot ball back and forth or act needlessly petulant. Both of them can be stubborn at times, and while Rafael is worse about it, it's consistent with his character. Their burn is slow and believable as well, although they are attracted to each other very early, there's no insta-lust or insta-love which I feel was appropriate for the vibes of this darker fantasy romance.

The magic system? I absolutely adore it! It's so interesting to have magic available to everyone at all times, just for the right price. People who can afford it can buy enchanted cards and use them, meaning that people can be carrying around a whole deck of cards that give them access to minor magic.

I don't know how much more I can say without getting into spoilers but I adored this book and I need the next one YESTERDAY. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for facilitating me with a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligation. I reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

This narrator was amazing. She was perfect for Samara and it was never a question on who was speaking at any given time.

This story sucked me in from the first minute. The beginning had me thinking Cinderella - just with a wicked Stepfather and if Prince Charming was a Vampire King.

What started off as a means of escape became so much more. Being "Chosen" and everything that entails - fine clothes, protection, gossip.....the normal. If you like "touch her and ☠️" then our man Raphael is perfection. Throw in a little blood drinking, death, balls, and symbolic ceremonies, and we have the perfect recipe for alllll the tension...and some betrayal. I did not see the end coming, but now I cannot wait for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley first of all for the chance to listen to this audiobook!
This got my attention from the start! Not to mention the ending after listening to the epilogue. I need the next book right away!

Trapped in a witch prison, Samara thinks her sentence is almost up but finds out otherwise. She isn’t even a regular prisoner as they seem to get better treatment. With that, she plans her escape teaming up with the enemy; a vampire.

I loved the twists and turns and the ending was a good one, a cliffhanger and somewhat unexpected. I had an idea of what would happen but it left me wanting to read more. So wait for the next book I must!

Great read

A Bargain So Bloody
By Vasilisa Drake

♥️Vampires, voids and witches
♥️Enemies to lovers
♥️Unique magic system
♥️Touch her and 💀
♥️Slow burn
♥️Morally grey MMC

"Always move with a purpose, even if you have none. It was true everywhere from prisons to castles."

Tht ending 🫣, omg need book 2 asap.. I couldn’t stop listening to this ALC, the narrators were amazing..

The mmc Raphael the vampire lord, perfection.. The mfc Samara the void (human) she had such an awful start, but by the end of the book she was so strong..

The tension & angst was soo good, the plot & world building had me gripped..

This is a first read from Vasilisa Drake, it definitely wont be my last..

The book begins with Samara, our FMC, in a magical prison called Greymere. She has spent several years in this prison for crime where she was guilty by association. As a Void, a person with no magic, she serves in the prison rather than just being kept in a cell. The only thing getting her through is the promise of being released in a couple more years. When she is punished for slacking at her job, she is exposed to Raphael, a vampire, who is a new inmate imprisoned for being what he is. Samara is unsettled by him and tries to avoid him at all cost. Until she learns that her freedom is not coming, she will be there for the rest of her life. She decides to team up with Raphael, the only one who can help her, to escape so she can join monastery known for renouncing witches and the use of magic, the only place she can be free. Raphael agrees but asks for a favor in return. On the run after a bloody escape, Samara learns that Raphael was caught looking for something. An ancient creature who seeks to destroy the vampires. He calls in his favor for her help in finding an ancient text that will help him defeat this creature.

As Samara and Raphael make their way on this journey they are faced with difficulties. Samara is confused by Raphael. He is protective of her and seems to be honorable, but in the next breath is ruthless with our apology. While she tries to sort out her opinions of him, feelings start to surface causing even more confusion. Raphael seems to be harboring secrets, ones that seem to affect her. He starts to show her a side to his world that she never expected from the vampire community, and finds herself at odds with her beliefs. But everything has a dark side and with the lack of transparency from Raphael, resentment starts to brew. Samara must decide where she stands and pray that she makes the right choice.

This book is well written, and I enjoyed the audiobook. I did struggle a little bit with the world building. It feels like there is a lot going on. With all the types of magic, how the magic system works and the amount of Gods in their world, it gets hard to keep everything straight. I appreciate the slow burn between the FMC and MMC, but I feel like the character evolvement is also very slow. There were times when I wanted to scream at Samara, but also had to remind myself that due to her childhood circumstances, she was very sheltered.

Despite my frustrations, I am interested to see where it goes. It kept my interest regardless of my confusion. The book ends a slight cliff-hanger, and I am curious about what comes next.

★★★★★ 5.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

<i>"Let me serve you."</i>

This was such a fun, satisfying start to what I hope is going to be a very interesting series! It hit so many of my favorite romantasy loves: brooding morally questionable love interest, a heroine with a shadowy past, simmering tension between enemies, and all the forbidden pining your heart can handle. Yes, there are familiar elements, dark mountains, magical prisons, mysterious powers, but it still managed to feel original, especially in how quickly the plot moved. Honestly, it kind of caught me off guard (in a good way).

The pacing was surprisingly fast, but not in a way that felt rushed. I thought we’d linger longer in certain places (especially the beginning setting or the journey scenes), but Drake skips the fluff and just goes. At first I thought I accidentally skipped a chapter, but then I realized, no, this book just doesn't waste time. I didn’t mind it. In fact, it was refreshing. So many romantasies pad the middle with days of travel and training montages (which this had, of course, but in short bursts), and while that can be great for world-building, I appreciated how this one trusted the reader to keep up.

This ARC was an audiobook performed by Cecily Foster, who did an amazing job bringing the characters and story to life. She used just the right amount of vocal variation to set characters apart without making it feel overdone or theatrical. Her pacing was spot-on, easy to follow at normal speed but also totally workable at a faster pace (which is usually how I listen). She brought emotional weight and nuance to the dialogue, which made the story even more immersive.

I'm genuinely excited to see where this series goes. The setup has plenty of room for deeper politics, angst, and betrayal, and I’m already mentally placing bets on certain character arcs. And that epilogue?! Bring on the blood bargains and slow-burn danger kisses. I’m in.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting me a copy of the audiobook.

A grimy prison? Fight for survival? Using your enemy to escape?! Yes, please! 4.5/5 stars.

The beginning of the book was very strong, and the setting pulled me right in. I was very pleased that we went almost straight to action and kept moving. Never once did I feel bored in the first half of the book, nor did I feel the need to give myself a break. I enjoyed the banter and Raphael's ruthlessness.

The second half made me roll my eyes at times, but I do have to remind myself that just because <i>I</i> would act differently in certain situations, the heroine who was locked up in prison since childhood has her reasons for being scared, suspicious and apprehensive. Samara is a sheltered character, who had to hunt rats to survive, or eat food with some spit sauce - so she definitely has her reasons for distrust or even her naivety once out of prison. She also at times felt blind to some very obvious facts, especially when it comes to discerning who her real enemy is, which was slightly frustrating, but understandable from her point of view.

To us readers, many things might seem obvious, especially because we know when a book is advertised as slow burn romance. But the characters, of course, have a mind of their own and a story to follow. So even when I was internally screaming at Samara or even at Raphael and his friends to honestly talk things through with each other - I knew there were reasons they did not.

And while I generally predicted where the story was/is going, I was still very pleased with how it all played out, and I must say I cannot wait to dive into book 2 when it comes out.

This story feels like it has a lot of potential, and I am very excited to see where the author takes us next!

First off I want to say, Cecily you did great!! The narration was awesome, kept me captivating when i really just wanted to just…. Not.

I give this book a 3/5. I think the first like 20% of this book was great! I was truly into the storyline and was looking forward to what happened next, after that it all just kind of went downhill for me as I realized that this was heading down the YA path; and maybe that’s my fault for expecting smut in every romantasy I read. I did not realize how YA it truly was until the book ended though, I kept waiting and waiting for the enemies to finally turn into lovers and to my dismay THEY NEVER DID!! The slow NEVER BURNED!!!

I think that’s what killed it for me, I was expecting romance where there was none. The MMC did fall first, but you never really found out why (truly for the life of me, because girlfriend was complaining about vampires THE WHOLE TIME and never did anything significant for him to fall in love with her) she betrayed him, didn’t trust him and didnt want to accept her feelings towards him, not even towards the very end.

The ending was also slightly predictable for me, although I will say that those last 30 seconds of the epilogue ALMOST KILLED ME! And not in a good way; I don’t see how this series will be a romantasy after that ending, I don’t see how it can all come together without betraying either all of her values and morals or just straight up making him look like the dumbest person for taking her back.