A review by buffyreads
Afterglow by Emily Antoinette

3.0

3⭐️ Black vampire fmc? My dream! | tropes: friends to lovers, bdsm, angst | high steam | digital

"For all that Blair proclaims that she’s a predator, a monster that should be feared, all I see in her eyes is longing. An ache to be wanted. Hunger for affection. If she’ll let me, I’ll give her everything. I’ll let her drain my heart dry."

characters:

🩶 I loved Grace! I related to her feelings of rejection and dealing with Adhd and chronic pain on top of that. I really liked seeing her grow and become more confident in herself.

🩶 I loved Blair as well! She had a lot of internal struggles and I really sympathized with her.

"Living like this, without trying to control and restrain my emotions, is intoxicating. My blood might help Grace with her chronic pain, but she gives me life."

favorite bits:

🖤 I loved how much they really loved and yearned for each other. When they communicated and were vulnerable, their relationship was the best. Grace and Blair have been through so much separately that it makes you want them to be together even more because they truly deserve happiness together. 

"Blair is safe. I trust her implicitly. Maybe with her I won’t have to battle fears that I’m not enough, because she’s already decided that I’m worthy of being her friend."

issues:

❌ Why is a man there? I understood it's importance to the plot and Grace's exploration but it lead me to keep hesitating getting through that part of the book.

❌ I felt that the pacing of this book was slow and the third act break-up was very predictable.