Thank you to Victoria Editing, NetGalley, and Jamie Dalton for the ARC version of this novel.

I loved the character development and world building I think the author did a wonderful job at this.

I am not a huge fan of characters instantly falling in love. So I think that threw me off a little bit but I think that’s just more of a personal opinion. Overall loved the book and will be recommending! This book is unique and it really sets itself apart

Jamie Dalton’s The Gloaming is a moody, seductive debut that does something rare in the oversaturated vampire romance genre: it takes its time. This book doesn’t just hand you thrills — it builds them slowly, carefully, and with purpose.

Set against the rainy streets of London, the novel follows vampire hunter Erin Conrad, whose emotional wounds run just as deep as the supernatural ones she inflicts. Dalton crafts a heroine who is both fierce and flawed — not the snarky stereotype you might expect, but someone genuinely haunted by grief, purpose, and fear. Her duality is one of the book’s greatest strengths.

What makes The Gloaming stand out is its atmosphere and tone. Dalton's prose leans gothic without becoming dense, creating a world where shadows feel sentient and even the quietest scenes hum with tension. The vampire lore is familiar but refreshed with subtle twists, and the sense of an ancient, looming power is well-executed.

The romance? It’s a slow burn — and yes, it burns. Rather than diving into instant chemistry, Dalton lets the connection unfold over suspicion, shared trauma, and moral conflict. It’s more emotional than it is physical (though it has its moments), and readers who enjoy character-driven tension will find a lot to love.

There are some pacing dips in the middle, and a few moments where the stakes feel more told than felt, but the final act lands hard. And the cliffhanger? It’s one of those rare ones that feels earned rather than gimmicky — you’ll want the sequel immediately.

The Gloaming completely pulled me in from the first page. It’s giving murder mystery meets Buffy vibes—creepy, suspenseful, and just a little bit dark in the best way.

The characters felt so real and easy to connect with, which made the stakes hit even harder. I especially loved the dynamic between the main characters—their banter, tension, and loyalty kept me hooked just as much as the mystery itself.

The pacing was sharp, the atmosphere was immersive, and every twist left me needing just one more chapter. This book is the perfect mix of spooky, thrilling, and heartfelt. If you love supernatural mysteries with strong character relationships, this is a must read.

I really enjoyed the modern-day vampire twist in The Gloaming. It had strong Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes, which I loved, and the story kept me engaged throughout. Some parts felt like setup for what’s to come, but overall it was an entertaining and atmospheric read. I’m looking forward to seeing how the series develops.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Jamie Dalton for the ARC.

What a great read. Glad I stuck with it. When a vampire hunter meets the one vampire she can’t kill. Even when she suspects him of murdering her friends.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review.

I'm going to get my more negative aspect out of the way:
I am not a fan of insta love/attraction, whatever. I hate it. I hate it with a passion. This aspect of this book was not for me.

Moving on to the positives here, because I have a lot.
The worldbuilding. Whew. What a fantastic world, Dalton is a master at this aspect. Everything felt as if I were living in a painting. It was vivid, it doesn't hold your hand for every little detail, but is just enough that it threads itself together.
Character development? Nailed it. Rich with lore, rich with complex backgrounds and emotions, I cannot rave about this aspect enough.
Slow burn was smoldering.

I have been hopelessly on vampire romance novels lately, and this book is unique. It sets itself apart from other major titles in the subgenre right now, and I will be highly disappointed if The Gloaming does not make it to the top and secure it's rightful place in vampire romance history.

Excuse me while I buy a physical copy.


Thank you to Victoria Editing, NetGalley, and Jamie Dalton for the ARC version of this incredible novel. I am still coping with the fact is it over. I need book two yesterday.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! This book was everything I was hoping for in a vampire story - mystery, questioning beliefs of good and evil, guilt over past actions, and a great group of characters. The romance was second to the story, which had me staying up late to finish it. I really enjoyed it, my only negative comment is that some of the middle section slowed down a bit and there was a lot of information that was info-dumped in the last 50 pages that solved the mystery. Thoroughly recommend, though!

This was a really fantastic read from the start - I had trouble putting it down! The story dove right in (my favorite) and introduced characters I can’t wait to learn more about.

Erin is a vampire hunter. We don’t really know how that came to be, but I’m here for it. She has some slightly better skills, but her most useful is being able to sense where vampires are and heal/run a little faster than average. She and her two friends own a cafe together, and they’re all in on Erin’s secret. One is the “guy in the chair” and the other is… the idea man? Almost love interest? It’s not super clear because when we start the book we find out he was murdered, but staged to look like a suicide while away in Scotland.

These now grieving friends try to continue with life, but folks keep turning up dead under suspicious circumstances, so it doesn’t take a “guy in the chair” to figure out vampires are targeting people around Erin. It’s around this time that some infamous vampires and mystery men walk into Erin’s life, causing her to re-assess her black and white view of vampires. There’s some elements of fated mates, some interesting vampire lore, and a lot of injuries that take us through the rest of the book. It ends on a little cliffhanger, but I can forgive it as long as I get more of this!

3’8/5⭐️ First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the author for an arc of “The gloaming”. I have to admit I struggled a bit to get into this story, but i found the second half of the book very compelling!! I really liked Erin as the main character, and loved Nicholas as the love interest. The end of this book had me at the edge of my seat, so I’ll probably pick up the next book when it comes out, since I have to know how the story continues!! 🧛🏻‍♀️🥀

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc of The Gloaming for my honest review of this book.

What I enjoyed
* Reading the MMCs Scottish sentences
* The Buffy Vibes


Unfortunately this book was not for me. The premise sounded exciting, however by nearly halfway through there had been very little to actually happen, and several times a very unnecessary mini recap. I do think this book had promise but suffered massively due to not being ruthlessly edited down. It would have really helped the pace to cut out some of the repetition and scenes where very little happened; as well as overly describing things that were unnecessary. The pace seemed incredibly slow meaning that I lost interest so easily in the plot and care for the characters. After 200 pages I found myself scan reading which defeats the point of reading for enjoyment.

If this book was heavily edited to reduce it down by around 200 pages I think it would be much more palatable and thrilling. As it stands I have no interest in what happens next to the characters or their relationships, which is sad as I really was hoping to give the author some positive feedback.

This story drops you right into the streets of Sheffield, where Erin — a vampire hunter with fire in her veins — finds her world unraveling as people close to her start turning up dead.

The real hook here is the murder mystery. It’s super well done — just the right mix of creepy and mysterious. Clues unravel alongside the characters, and the killer stays hidden until the end, which kept me flipping pages way past bedtime. Very “just one more chapter” energy.

The writing flows really well and is super readable — kind of addictive, honestly, but the pacing overall is a bit wobbly. The beginning pulls you in right away, the middle slows down with some repetitive scenes, but thankfully, the ending brings the heat back and sets things up for book two in a big way. That said, it sometimes gets bogged down with overly detailed descriptions. Like, do I need to know how many times she goes to a coffee shop to avoid her feelings? Probably not. A little trimming would’ve helped the pace.

The romance didn’t quite land for me either. The connection between Erin and the love interest happens fast — like blink-and-they’re-in-deep fast — and felt a bit forced at times. I wanted more build-up, more tension.

Flaws aside, I had a good time with this one. It’s got a moody atmosphere, a solid mystery, and a main character with plenty of grit. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book to see where Erin’s story goes.

Erin Conrad has the ability to sense and destroy vampires that stalk her city.
The death of her best friend, staged to look like a suicide does not convince Erin. She is now caught between vampires and centuries of history leaving her with an impossible choice.
An enjoyable read but at times had pacing that was out of sync with the plot. Despite that a satisfying read.

The Gloaming has a lot of aspects that make this novel a compelling read. The writing is smooth, the modern take on the vampire genre is intriguing and a few of the twists gave some interesting expositions regarding the centuries of history with some of the characters.

I loved the idea of Erin’s “magic”; however, I did feel like I needed more to fully believe in it. Maybe that will come with book 2; but unfortunately in book 1, she didn’t come across as a reliable narrator at times. I felt at times I had to have a suspension of belief regarding her abilities to take down a vampire. A few of the fight scenes gave me the impression that it was more luck than ability that she could beat an apex predator. There also seemed to be this underlying idea that other characters knew her abilities better than she did; however, no discussions ever truly occurred. Even when there was a comment about her powers increasing, it was more of a statement rather than an occurrence with solid evidence. I needed just a bit more information regarding “what” she was.

The relationship also seemed too abrupt. By 38%, Erin and Nicholas had only interacted a few times; however, they already were indicating deeper feelings towards each other. If it was described as unexplained attraction and pull towards one another, I wouldn’t have felt this concern. However, early on Erin makes a comment that she’d have to kill the only man she’s ever cared for, when the whole story started with her grief over the death of her male best friend.

Another aspect of the plot I struggled with, especially in the middle, was the pacing. Many times I felt these characters had only been interacting for a few weeks; however, the relationship development and comments regarding months had taken place confused me. There also seemed to be a lot of filler content, with over descriptions around mundane tasks, thoughts, and actions. If the middle content of the book was slimmed down a bit, the pacing issue may have been less noticeable.

The author does have an incredibly creative mind and attention to detail with the world she is building. I did love the urban feel of the story with some emphasis on past historical events that contributed to the growth and personalities of the characters. A solid debut novel.

Genuinely loved the way this book was written. It’s been a while since fantasy has felt original but this book does it well. The characters felt real and it was easy to connect to them. I’m happy I got the chance to be an arc reader for this book and I can’t wait to read more from this author. Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity!

This was an amazing read! 5 Stars from me!

Loved the dynamic between the main characters. The sassy vampires are always a win.

The storyline progressed well. I didn’t feel it was rushed and the action was paced great. Really made me fall in love with the characters.

Would highly recommend reading!!

This book sinks its teeth into a familiar genre but brings a refreshing twist. Set against the urban backdrop of Sheffield, the story follows Erin, a vampire hunter whose world is thrown into chaos after a string of personal and brutal murders. The setting adds grit and a grounded realism that contrasts nicely with the supernatural undercurrent.

The core mystery is what truly drives the plot—it’s layered, tense, and unravels gradually alongside the characters' own discoveries. Clues are peppered throughout just enough to keep you guessing without tipping the hand too early. The final reveal is well-executed and worth the wait.

That said, the pacing falters slightly in the middle, where repetition in Erin’s routines slows the momentum. A few scenes feel overly drawn out with unnecessary details about day-to-day movements that don’t always push the plot forward.

The romance, while initially compelling, feels rushed. There's chemistry, sure, but the progression from intrigue to intimacy skips over the slow burn that would have made the connection more believable. Still, their first encounter is a standout moment—full of potential and tension.

What sets this apart is its approach to vampire lore. These creatures aren’t glamorous immortals or cliché villains—they’re something darker, stranger, and more unsettling. Dalton makes it clear early on that this isn’t a romanticized version of vampirism, and that shift works in the book’s favor.

Though not without flaws, this is a gripping, moody mystery with enough bite to keep me hooked. I’m definitely eager to see how the story (and these characters) evolve in the next installment.

The Gloaming is bringing vampires back! Absolutely loved the vibes throughout this book, its early 2000 vampires, think Buffy. The characters are morally grey and likeable. Erin is the FMC who is a badass vampire hunter, she’s full of fire and desire. I enjoyed the murder mystery element to the plot and the unraveling of prejudice towards vampires. The centuries worth of backstories are only just unfolding and I think there is plenty more to come from these characters. The lurking of danger created a spooky atmosphere that you need in a good vampire novel. A fun read that’s nostalgic and exciting. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Thank you to the author Jamie and netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book as an arc.
As soon as I heard that it was reminiscent to Buffy the Vampire Slayer I had to read it.
I have always love paranormal romance books and Buffy was my favourite tv show when I was younger.
This book didn't disappoint.
I found that I couldn't put this book down and got through it fairly quickly.
Based in Sheffield, the main character Erin is a vampire hunter and she finds her life thrown into a spiral by murders of people close to her.
Murder mystery, vampires, vampire hunter, romance what more could you want.
I cant wait to see where Jamie takes us in the next book.

Every now and again I find a lovely indie gem on Netgalley. I had picked up the book based on it's pretty cover thinking I was going to get a romantasy. This was definitely not that. It's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, mixed with a little Crescent City, Anne Rice Urban Fantasy. The city setting felt gothic and the sorry was mysterious and dark.

Erin is a vampire hunter by night and coffee shop co-owner by day. Jolt is owned in part with her two besties, Jon and Tom. After the apparent suicide of their friend Jon, Erin and Tom are in disbelief. Neither of them really think he committed suicide. So Erin goes hunting and finds out that two older serial killer vamps are in her city.

🧛🏻❤️What I loved:
- at 29 Erin was an older FMC.
- the vibes felt like Buffy and Angel
- the vamp history, how they are made, how they differ with age
- I liked the murder mystery twists and turns and historical plotlines. The writing felt right for a first book.
- Adam! What is he?!

🦇✨What I felt needed work:
I really didn't feel the pull of initial chemistry between the love interests. I need more reasoning behind the attraction other than he was good looking. I didn't understand the fable of the redhead? That went over my head. And the pacing reallllly dragged towards the end. Though this started strong, I'm curious to know what happens in the next book!

"She stood in the gloaming with no outward appearance of distress, at ease in the half-light that was not quite the day but not quite the night. I’d read about older vamps with a stronger tolerance for sunlight, but I’d fiercely hoped it was a rumour. Unfortunately, it seemed Isabel Wyatt was determined to dampen that optimism and presumably impress upon me exactly how strong she was."

this was not a bad read by any means, it just didn’t pull me in as much as I hoped. I am not the target audience for this type of book.

The concept was interesting! Very Buffy the vampire slayer inspired with vampires, a bit of romance and a murder mystery. All the characters were great and I loved the FMC. It intrigued me to a point but I wasn’t desperate to find out more as I was reading.

The romance left a lot to be desired for me too. It was insta-love/lust and I didn’t feel there was enough development in the relationship.

This book was written well and the concept is good, it just didn’t capture my attention and that’s entirely a personal preference!

Thank you to NetGalley and Jamie Dalton for the chance to read an early copy!