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A USA TODAY BESTSELLER! A September Indie Next Pick One of Amazon's Best Romances of September One of Apple's Best Books of September True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy. Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price. Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean... Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER! A September Indie Next Pick One of Amazon's Best Romances of September One of Apple's Best Books of September True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy. Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price. Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean... Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the cover
One
Roommate Wanted to Share Spacious Third-Floor Brownstone Apartment in Lincoln Park
Hello. I seek a roommate with whom to share my apartment. It is a spacious unit by modern standards with two large bedrooms, an open sitting area, and a semiprofessional eat-in kitchen. Large windows flank the eastern side of the apartment and provide a striking view of the lake. The unit is fully furnished in a tasteful, classical style. I am seldom home after sundown, so if you work a traditional schedule, you will usually have the apartment to yourself.
Rent: $200 per month. No pets, please. Kindly direct all serious inquiries to fjfitzwilliam@gmail.com.
"There has to be something wrong with this place."
"Cassie, listen, this is a really good deal-"
"Forget it, Sam." That last part came out more forcefully than I'd intended-though not by much. Even though I needed his help, my embarrassment over being in this situation in the first place made accepting that help difficult. Sam meant well, but his insistence on involving himself in every part of my current situation was getting on my very last nerve.
To his credit, Sam-my oldest friend, who'd long ago acclimated to how snippy I sometimes got when I was stressed-said nothing. He simply folded his arms across his chest, waiting for me to be ready to say more.
I only needed a few moments to pull myself together and start feeling badly for snapping at him. "Sorry," I muttered under my breath. "I know you're only trying to help."
"It's all right," he said, sympathetic. "You have a lot going on. But it's okay to believe that things can get better."
I had no reason to believe that things could get better, but now wasn't the time to get into it. I simply sighed and turned my attention back to the Craigslist ad on my laptop.
"Anything that sounds too good to be true usually is."
Sam peered over my shoulder at my screen. "Not always. And you have to admit this apartment sounds great."
It did sound great. He was right about that. But . . .
"It's only two hundred a month, Sam."
"So? That's a great price."
I stared at him. "Yeah, if this were 1978. If someone's only asking for two hundred a month today there are probably dead bodies in the basement."
"You don't know that." Sam dragged a hand through his shaggy, dirty-blond hair. Messing with his hair was Sam's most obvious I'm-bullshitting-you tell. He'd had it since at least sixth grade, when he'd tried convincing our teacher I hadn't been the one who'd drawn bright pink flowers all over the wall of the girl's bathroom. He hadn't fooled Mrs. Baker then-I had drawn that aggressively neon meadow landscape-and he wasn't fooling me now.
How would he ever make it as a lawyer with such a terrible poker face?
"Maybe this person's just not home a lot and only wants a roommate for safety reasons, not income," Sam suggested. "Maybe they're an idiot and don't know what they could be charging."
I was still skeptical. I'd been scouring Craigslist and Facebook since my landlord taped an eviction notice to my front door two weeks ago for nonpayment of rent. There'd been nothing available this close to the Loop for less than a thousand a month. In Lincoln Park, the going rate was closer to fifteen hundred.
Two hundred wasn't just a little below market rate. It wasn't even in the same universe as market rate.
"There are also no pictures with this ad," I pointed out. "That's another red flag. I should ignore this one and keep looking." Because yes, my landlord was taking me to court next week if I didn't move out first, and yes, living in an apartment this cheap would...
Reviews-
May 29, 2023 Levine debuts with this lighthearted and charming paranormal rom-com. Aspiring artist Cassie is suspicious of the too-good-to-be-true Chicago apartment listing she finds online—but with eviction looming, she’s low on options. She takes the room, moving in with the apartment’s oddly old-fashioned owner, Frederick J. Fitzwilliam. As strange and out of touch as Frederick seems, he’s also rich, considerate, wildly handsome, and a gentleman. Cassie works during the day while Frederick claims to be out of the apartment “on business” most nights, so the pair communicate largely through sweet (and increasingly flirtatious) notes. Cassie’s not looking to complicate their living situation, but she can’t deny how much she enjoys their dynamic—until the night she ducks home unexpectedly and discovers Frederick slurping from a blood bag. Frederick is a vampire, he’s been in a coma for a hundred years, and he wants Cassie’s help getting up to speed on the modern world before his old flame Esmeralda shows up demanding they pick up where they left off. This adorable odd couple proves easy to root for, with Frederick’s awkwardness navigating modern life adding both humor and pathos. The supernatural conflict wraps up a bit too smoothly, but there’s so much fun to be had that readers won’t mind. This one is good to the last drop. Agent Kim Lionetti, Bookends.
June 15, 2023 A down-on-her-luck artist discovers her new roommate is a 300-year-old vampire. Cassie Greenberg barely makes a living from her cobbled-together part-time jobs, her art incorporating trash and recycled items is too avant-garde to be successful, and she has just been evicted from her Chicago apartment. When she sees a Craigslist ad for a room rental in Lincoln Park for only $200 a month, she contacts the owner even though she's sure there must be a catch. Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, her stunningly handsome new roommate, is a bit of an oddball: His clothes and mannerisms are too formal, he sleeps all day, and he seems completely unaware of how the modern world works. Who doesn't have Wi-Fi or prefer texting in this day and age! Cassie mostly works when Frederick is sleeping, so they strike up a flirtatious friendship through handwritten notes. When Cassie arrives home early from work one day, she discovers the fridge is full of blood and realizes that Frederick is a vampire. He recently awoke from a centurylong coma and realized that finding a human roommate might help him learn the ropes of the 21st century. The two strike up a tentative friendship, and Cassie agrees to teach Frederick how to navigate the modern world, including using public transportation, ordering drinks at the coffee shop, and shopping for clothes at the mall. It's a cute setup, one full of potential, but the plot and characters are shallow and underdeveloped. Cassie and Frederick settle into a tame, conflict-free relationship. The details about Frederick's history and the supernatural world are thin and full of omissions, leaving so many unanswered questions that the book almost feels unfinished. Weak and inert, like a dead vampire's heart.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from June 1, 2023
DEBUT Finding a suspiciously perfect Craigslist ad seeking a roommate for a bargain-priced apartment in a great Chicago neighborhood that's located between her two jobs is just the boost that Cassie Greenberg needs. She won't even be around much to disturb her new roommate, between leading art programs at the library and working as a barista in the evenings. There must be a catch, but even meeting Frederick J. Fitzwilliam one evening and getting a tour of his uniquely decorated apartment isn't enough to sway her against the idea. His peculiar dress and manner of speaking are more intriguing than anything, so Cassie moves in. Mysterious signs start indicating that Frederick is keeping a secret from Cassie, but he seems to genuinely admire her and supports her art. One fateful evening after arriving home early, Cassie finds their refrigerator filled with bags of blood, which causes Frederick to confess his truth, but also that he needs her help to survive. VERDICT This humorous debut from Levine is perfect for readers who enjoy the roommates-to-romance trope and a dash of sexy vampire.--Jenna Harmison
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from July 1, 2023 Given the dearth of available jobs for artists in Chicago, Cassie Greenberg has been eking out a living working a combination of part-time jobs. Unfortunately, this hasn't been enough for her to afford little luxuries like the rent. Then, just as Cassie is about to be evicted, she spots an ad for a roommate on Craigslist. The place not only sounds too good to be true, but Cassie's share of the rent would be unbelievably low. When Cassie replies to his ad, the undeniably hot yet oddly anachronistic Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is more than happy to welcome her as his new roommate. He does, however, have a few, somewhat odd ground rules. For one thing, Cassie must never, ever go into his bedroom, because after being out all night, Frederick sleeps all day. With her ingeniously inventive debut, Levine proves she is a master of comic dialogue and whimsical plotting. From the dryly witty notes Cassie and Frederick leave for each other to the cast of quirky and endearing secondary characters, everything about this sneaky, sweet, otherworldly rom-com is a delight.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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