Filthy Rich Vampire

by Geneva Lee

4 out of 5

Synopsis

Newly edited, and for the first time in print, discover the smash-hit series.

Julian Rousseaux has a problem. He’s single, and for the world’s wealthiest vampires, the social season is about to begin. Julian would rather stake himself than participate in the marriage market. But as the eldest eligible Rousseaux, he’s expected to find a wife before the season ends―whether he likes it or not.

When cellist Thea literally stumbles into his life at a gala, he knows she's the last person he could ever fall in love with. She's too innocent, too kind, and way too human. But now that she knows about his world, she's also a walking target. She needs protection. He needs a fake girlfriend to discourage overzealous vampire matchmaking.

So, Julian makes Thea an irresistible offer: pretend to be his lover and he’ll change her life. For one year, they’ll attend the season’s social events together in exchange for his protection and a way out of her mother’s crippling medical debt.

She can’t say no. But the vampire world is impossibly decadent and darker than Thea ever imagined, and Julian’s filthy rich vampire family wants her out of the way. But with each moment they share, new dangers emerge: a desire as forbidden as their stolen touches, an awakening of a long-dead heart, and secrets that could tear them both apart.

Sensual, dangerous, provocative ― step into a daring new world of dark magic, primal attraction, and breathtaking romance.

Review

Julian is awoken from decades of sleep, which is annoying enough; but it's made worse when his vampire mother insists he has to partake in The Rites - a mating ritual for the supernatural.

Thea doesn't know what she's gotten into - an innocent human caught up at a vampire party - the wrong place at the wrong time. Luckily she's rescued by a very handsome and frustrating vampire.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows our two main characters, Julian and Thea.

Julian is essentially vampire royalty - he tries to shirk most of the responsibilities that go with that, but he can't escape the Rites - his mother wants him to be on the marriage market, and won't take no for an answer. When he meets Thea, he sees an opportunity to appear unavailable, and give him a break from the madness.

Thea is human, but far from average. She's passionate about music and is a professional cello player, taking any work she can, to cover her school, her rent, and her mother's astronomical medical bills. When Julian offers to pay for everything, and take her around the world, in exchange for her companionship, it seems too good to be true.

I really liked this book, and the vampiric and supernatural lore that went into building it. It felt like an original spin on a genre that has been done many times before. I thought it was very well-written, providing all the information you need, at the right time, and never feeling heavy-handed.

I loved the romance between Thea and Julian - it felt natural, electric, and enjoyable to follow.

I liked how Thea - a virgin with little dating experience - approached the relationship. I've found it annoying in other books when the female love interest is magically awesome at sex straight away, despite never having done it; or at the other end of the scale, keeps reverting back to a certain level of modesty, as though they're ashamed. Thea is balanced, and believable. She knows what she wants, although she doesn't always know what she's asking for.

The not-so-good.

I think they overplayed the fact that Thea is a virgin. Yes, I know that a certain something will happen if they do go all the way, but it felt like it was unnecessary because it felt like the thing Julian feared was already happening anyway. 

I was also annoyed by how Julian kept it a secret for so long, when he'd been so open about everything else relating to vampires.

It felt like it was being used as the sole reason to pull them apart and create enough discord to be resolved in the next book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and look forward to the rest of the series.

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