Erin runs a coffee shop in Sheffield by day, but when night falls, she’s a vânător: a vampire hunter. After a string of deaths, several of which involved people close to her, she becomes suspicious. She believes there's more going on than the official reports suggest. She starts to investigate further with her friend Tom and is pulled into a feud between ancient vampires that runs far deeper than she expected.

I really liked the premise, the contrast between the ordinary and the supernatural is always a draw for me. There are some great characters. I hope the next book explores their backstories more as there’s definitely more to uncover.

The pacing was a bit uneven for me; it starts strong but slows down in the middle. That said, things ramp up again toward the end, and the final chapters had me hooked. It ends on a cliffhanger, so curious to see where this series goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

The murder mystery ended up being the main draw in this book for me. I must say that I needed to adjust my expectations along the way, though. It became clear to me that this is not the type of mystery where the reader tries to figure out the clues because it's not the reader who has the necessary information to do so but another character. I like both being surprised in a I-could-have-figured-this-out-because-there-was-clever-foreshadowing way and feeling satisfaction when I do happen to figure things out slightly ahead of time of the characters. This kind of surprise/satisfaction wasn't present here, but it was still an engaging experience that kept me reading. There could have been more urgency to find the killer, though.
I thought we would get more of the vampire hunter/vampire dynamic, a deep-dive into the inner conflict especially with growing feelings involved, but it was pretty surface level. Stronger character motivation would have helped with that. Why does Erin hunt vampires apart from happening to have hunter "powers"? I don't think I got enough of an impression of what being a vampire hunter means in that version of our world. Part of it might be explored in the sequel, but I needed more in this first book.
There was some interesting vampire lore to discover here.
Apart from Erin, the characters felt quite flat to me, and even Erin herself could have been developed more. We get to know very little about Erin's friends that are killed early on. It would have helped me to form a closer connection to Erin, to understand her connection to these people. I think the impact would have been greater had we been shown those friendships more. I did like the Erin and Tom friendship the most, probably because that's what we're first introduced to and shown. I wish we could have seen more of it.
Relationship-building friendship- and romance-wise was pretty much non-existent. I didn't find it believable how quickly Erin trusted some of the vampires and called them friends. The romance relied too much on sexual tension and a prophecy-type of fated mates situation that acted as a stand-in for relationship development. The characters weren't interacting enough to get to know each other. I think this is both personal preference on my part and lack of relationship-building. If you're fine with only physical attraction meets insta-love due to a prophecy, you'll probably love this. Personally, I need some actual getting-to-know-each-other and emotional built-up.
The writing itself was easy to read and I liked the eerie sort of atmosphere.
I did get some vague Deborah Harkness vibes here and there but no Leigh Bardugo ones. I'm not sure I would recommend this to someone who really liked Hakness's books, though. I haven't read Anne Rice, so I can't comment on that.
Overall, this wasn't for me, and I probably won't continue the series.

Characters: 4/10 x4 (Mediocre)
Relationships: 3/10 x4 (Bad)
Atmosphere/Vibes: 7/10 (Good)
World-building/Setting: 4/10 x2 (Mediocre)
Writing: 7/10 x4 (Good)
Plot/Pacing: 4/10 x3 (Mediocre)
Enjoyment: 4/10 x5 (Mediocre)
Total: ~4.48 = 2.25*

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Gloaming! The first half of the book was kind of slow for me, but it did pick up in the second half. There was alot of depth to all the characters and the end of the book left me wanting more!

Wow. Just... wow. Jamie Dalton's "The Gloaming" is the vampire tale I never knew I needed and that completely captivated me. Initially, I admit the pacing felt deliberate, almost a whisper in the shadows. But trust me when I say this is intentional brilliance. This slow, methodical build is the very foundation upon which Dalton constructs an atmosphere so thick you can practically taste it. It's the quiet before the storm, the subtle stirring of something ancient and powerful.
And speaking of power, prepare to be utterly consumed by the slow-burn romance between Erin and her undeniably sexy, sultry vamp. The chemistry between these two is palpable, a simmering tension that crackles off the page. Dalton masterfully weaves their connection, allowing it to unfold with an intensity that left me breathless. Every stolen glance, every whispered word, felt charged with an electric energy. And for those who enjoy a little heat, be warned: there's one scene in particular that earns a solid 🌶️🌶️.5 rating!
But "The Gloaming" is more than just a captivating romance (and that one particularly spicy scene!). Dalton's world-building is nothing short of phenomenal. The intricate details and rich history woven into the narrative make it incredibly easy to lose yourself within its shadowy depths. The characters are equally well-crafted, each one feeling distinct and alive. I had no trouble at all picturing myself navigating this fascinating world alongside them.
I'm kicking myself for not having discovered Jamie Dalton's writing before now! "The Gloaming" has instantly made me a devoted fan. The anticipation for "The Vanator," the second book in the Blood of the Revenants series slated for 2026, is already building to a fever pitch. If you crave a meticulously crafted world, characters that leap off the page, a romance that simmers and occasionally ignites, then you absolutely NEED to pick up "The Gloaming." This ARC has left me utterly spellbound, and I have no doubt it will do the same for you. Five out of five stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tagging the amazing folks at publisher and NetGalley! #Netgalley #TheGloaming #JamieDalton #generalfictionadult #romance #fantasy #indieauthor


***I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed reading this book and the aspect of Erin being a vampire hunter and the love interest, Nicholas, being a vampire.
The pacing was slow and I wanted to know more about Erin as she’s a vampire hunter but with special abilities, what is she? When did she get her abilities? Also Adam, what exactly is he? Human but immortal. I just needed a little more context. The friendship between Erin and Tom was special. The ups and downs. How they overcame them. Also, Nicholas made me fall in love with his character. He would’ve literally burned the world down for Erin. Overall it was a 4 star read for me as I couldn’t put it down and pretty sure I read it within a day.


Thank you NetGalley, Jamie, & Victoria Editing for the advanced reader copy of The Gloaming.

A darkly captivating story that weaves ancient rivalries, forbidden desires and the dance between hunter and hunted. A dance that grows ever more deadly with every victim. A dangerous game unfolds where old grudges dictate the rules and revelations unfold with each step of the dance. Mystery woven between the pages, vampiric folklore bleeds from within and the pain felt ever real.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧

I really wanted to enjoy this but the writing style isn't for me and the was a slog for me to get through.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!!

To very briefly summarise this book, it’s about vampires, a vampire hunter, and her journey of investigating various murders, some of which are her friends.
I really enjoyed the writing style - it was very ‘British’ and genuine in that aspect, and the whole vampire style is a unique twist - it isn’t just another ‘generic vampire story’.
The pacing was slow and this made it hard to follow at times, and I would have loved some more world building and further context to characters. The FMC is a vampire hunter and I wanted to know more about her - how did she get into this? What’s her past like? Etc etc
This then made it hard to connect with her as a character as she didn’t appear to be very complex or ‘human’ I guess the term would be. It can also be confusing to differentiate between different characters, and who is who at times.
Overall it was an enjoyable book, but maybe isn’t my style, but I know a lot of people will enjoy this!!

Rating: 3/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

This was a very enjoyable book, It was atmospheric with an interesting plot and lots of twists and turns!

I really enjoyed how this book was set in Sheffield, which I feel like is not often a setting for books. Also appreciated the atmospheric snowy cold wintry field which really enhanced this dark vampire feeling of the book. I also liked that Nicholas had an Edinburgh accent which was written as such, again not something I’ve often seen in books and it really brought me into the book a lot more.

One thing I struggled with was the Insta love between Nicholas and Erin. There was no tension or building of the relationship, it felt like an instant attraction with little explanation. I suspect it will be developed on in the next book. But it wasn’t my favourite part of the book.


Erin’s ability was also not really explained. We know she’s a vampire Hunter who has special abilities to be able to track vampires. However, we weren’t told until later on how this happened we still don’t know why (again I expect this will be developed in the next book). This was challenging as it didn’t feel consistent across the book. Her abilities seem to only be affected by certain vampires not all. Another thing that bothered me was that we are told Erin has killed many vampires; however, in this book every vampire that she hunts she gets seriously hurt, just felt like a bit of a plot hole.

In general, I really enjoyed the story. I loved the history around Nicholas and Izzy. I enjoyed the tension between Erin and Tom’s relationship. I appreciated understanding Tom’s struggle in trusting the vampires (the complete opposite of what he has been taught his whole life). I would recommend this book for people who like contemporary fantasies, and love a good vampire romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC of this book!

Loved this! It had a unique take on vampires, it felt gritty and intense, the mystery was great and I loved the characters

3.5 🌟 read for me, did enjoy the book from this author the writing style was good. Loved the story will be on the lookout for more from this author in the future

I couldn't put this book down. I read it in a day and now I'm anxiously waiting for the next one.

The story is an interesting twist on the typical vampire/romance novels out there right now with extensive backstories for the vampires themselves. The descriptions and word choice throughout the book that just keep you hooked. I loved the characters and I appreciated the author not being afraid to have tension last between main characters instead of immediately trying to fix everything.

The one thing I will say though is I was little disappointed by the "insta-attraction" between the FMC and the MMC. It sounds like this is something that will be expanded on later though so I'm hopeful for it. I adored them both and I can't wait to read more of their story.

I was definitely in tears at the end and my heart was shattering. A very well written last few chapters leading to one heck of a cliffhanger for the next one! I absolutely cannot wait!

Reminiscent of A Discovery of Witches, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and supernatural tv shows of the early 2000s, I *thoroughly* enjoyed this book. I’ve been impatiently awaiting the vampire-lit renaissance for years, and am so pleased to be able to count this read among the gradual uptick.

The story was intriguing enough that I sped through it in only a couple of days- the characters were compelling, the world familiar but not distractingly modern, and although some of the twists were expected, I still found myself on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for the next instalment in this series, and will be watching its progress closely. I can easily see it becoming a future soothing, spooky favourite🤞🏻

Big thank you to netgalley and jamie for allowing me to read this arc 🦇🩸