Vampire so Virtuous by Margot Arden

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a girl with rare blood must be in want of a vampire problem.

Cally’s life was complicated enough without nightmares, strange magic, and a brooding immortal with boundary issues. When she learns her blood is unique and catnip for vampires, she has to ask herself what’s worse: being the prey, or accidentally falling for the predator?

Now, caught in the chaos of a deadly turf war in Boston, the only thing more dangerous than the vampire hunting her is the one who refuses to stay away.

Antoine, three centuries deep into a life he didn’t choose, is drawn to her wild, reckless spirit. His connection to Cally is unsettling, her blood too potent to ignore. Is she the one who can shatter the chains of his own making?

But as Cally struggles to control the magic inside her and survive the violent world she’s been thrust into, she must decide whether she’s walking into a trap—or if she’s already caught in it.

She wasn’t prey. She wasn’t magic. She wasn’t his.
He disagreed.

My Review

Summary

If you’re looking for a mature, well-educated big-city vampire romance, this one needs to be on your radar. Vampire So Virtuous is such an awesome read. The story follows a morally gray vampire who constantly walks the line between hero and monster. He ends up falling for his food, who turns out to be way more than just a regular human. She’s smart-mouthed, sassy, totally independent, and not here for anyone’s drama. There’s present-day political chaos, layered with time jumps and memories that slowly reveal more about our vampire’s past. As things heat up, we find out their connection runs deeper than predator and prey. Think magical marks, bloodline secrets, and those fated bonds that always spell trouble.

The book has some comedic relief, some angsty moments, and of course, action-packed edge-of-your-seat fights. It also has lots of biting and blood sucking. I love his protective instincts, even though there is a reason behind them. Cally’s history and lore were a nice addition as well. I haven’t read many vampire romances as sophisticated as this one and as well thought out. This one is a 5-star read. The overall storyline is a great paranormal romance with urban fantasy vibes and a little bit of steamy scenes. I enjoyed most of this read, but that ending, ugh, I’m left reeling. Thank goodness the author has promised a sequel. Phew, that helps a little. I had to read the sneak peek, not gonna lie, it was for my peace of mind. I can’t wait for the next book. 

Review

We begin the book with Cally, who is in Boston, MA. Cally is independent, her inner monologue is funny and sassy, and her blind date is arrogant and kinda creepy. But she is going out with him at her friend’s suggestion to get out more. I love that she is fierce and a warrior and belts in taekwondo. She isn’t your average twenty-something-year-old. 

Antoine is a vampire and an old one, hunting for his next meal in Boston.  His night doesn’t go quite as planned, and he finds himself being protective of his prey. He is just breaking all the rules. 

We do switch povs as this story gets moving.  This book has some interesting lines that hook your attention.

“Sinister shadows behind me in dark places, unable to detect them, no matter which way I turn. Helplessness. Terror.  And underlying it all, inexplicably, the heat of my arousal. “ – Cally 

  As the story moves deeper, we time jump into our vampire hero’s past life all the way back to other eras. His origin story is one of a lot of French words, but the meaning comes across clearly even if you don’t understand the French. 

Cally seems to have some mysticism in her background as she is part of an occult with her friends.  When she participates, she seems to be the only one who gets the results of the spells. 

One sip of her and now our vamp is having a drinking issue with all others hmm? I wonder why?  So, Cally’s blood seems to have some powers, and that’s why she is different, because she is paranormal as well and just doesn’t know it yet, but is learning slowly. I love that she is quirky. Cally buckles down from fear, and Antoine finally gets less lackadaisical about his turf when threatened, but mostly because of her. 

The story is half political and very slow-moving as we discover more about the past and present. I’m enjoying every moment, but it is also a slow read for me. He may be virtuous, but the women in his past practice some noncon.¹ It isn’t detailed or described, but it is talked about in memories. I’m reading this as an ARC at the author’s request, and I am leaving an honest review. 

“But since being bitten by the very vampire whose arms now held her, her world had turned on its head” – Cally. 

Now this book is getting really good as she keeps getting unintentionally involved deeper where she shouldn’t be. I loved that she was gutsy enough to go to Antoine’s house like that. She just walked not just once, but twice. But that man oozes charm and protection.  Okay, I love the paranormal addition to the urban fiction; the add-ins with her coven truly bring this story to life for me, as well as the urban setting. 

This story has a gritty undertone, even though the hero is morally grey and is fighting his instincts. Our heroine is innocent but a warrior at heart. The overall urban environment and backdrop still make me think “Dark Knight “ more than “Twilight “. 

Oh, twisted, I thought the past was in the past, but she seems to be in the present too, and the vampire politics just got spicier as well.  That’s not all that gets steamy, that kiss is hot !!  Ugh, right as it gets good between them, it gets interrupted by that sadistic sire of his. 

Her time with the sire, albeit sadistic, isn’t all for naught; we do learn more about why she is so unique to Antoine. Why is her blood more potent, and why is this book kind of a mix of paranormal and urban fantasy? There is a lot of blood drinking in it, I mean, it is a vampire story, so if you’re squeamish about that, maybe steer clear.  The lore in the history lesson is intriguing and oh so quotable. I wonder what that means for Cally and Antoine with the vampire politics. 

“What is undeniable, however, is the symbiosis between witch and vampire. Both grow stronger with the other. “ – Belle

The author breaks up the serious parts of the book with a little sense of humor, which I’m loving. 

“Well, next time you walk down an alley alone, wear a T-shirt saying’ I’m a witch, don’t bite me.”- Antoine

I love that sass from both characters, yes, even the old vampire. Oh, this book is getting a slow start, but my goodness, this part is delicious. The end of this story is action-packed, but what was once reluctant is now accepted, and this interspecies bond has come a long way. I truly love how this story ends so much that I got so into the book, I stopped taking notes. 

I love that things don’t heat up in the bedroom till later in the story, much later, no insta-love here, this story is a slow burn. Omg, the ending of the book is a cliffhanger. I hope there is more; it simply can’t end like that. Talk about the worst twisted ending ever. 

I have permission from the author to add quotes from this book, even though it was an ARC read. 

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Also, check out the Author the Q & A with Margot Arden

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1. If you need more info on the triggers and noncon in this book, please refer to the author’s website. ↩︎