A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger is an enthralling and well-written gothic vampire romance that made my queer nerdy heart squeal with joy.
A misty landscape, 1837…
For as long as Poppy could remember, the night time had always held a special place in her heart and that’s why she wasn’t terrified or upset when she woke up in a strange home far away from the grimy streets of London. The only thing that really bothered her was the fact that she woke up exhausted with an alarming thirst for blood and if that wasn’t bad enough, she was told that she had to avoid daylight at all costs. Even though there are several disadvantages that go hand in hand with being a vampire, there are a lot of amazing benefits that make up for all the hardships such as living forever, rapid healing, enhanced vision and hearing and being the greatest hunter and predator of all time.
And, in the middle of all this, there is Roisin. She is an enigmatic woman who has lived to see the rise and fall of so many great empires. Roisin took care of Poppy when she was too weak to take care of herself and now she is teaching Poppy how to live a fulfilling, never-ending life. Even though her extremely long life has been filled with sadness and loneliness, Roisin exudes love and kindness wherever she goes. As the days go by, Poppy realizes that she is falling deeply and hopelessly in love with Roisin but Roisin has a lot of secrets coupled with a dark and painful past that she wished she could forget. Roisin is unable to make any promises to Poppy because she has a huge score to settle with a woman who took so many precious things away from her.
Eventually, their cozy world cracks wide open. Poppy and Roisin encounter witches, vampires and other magical beings, quirky pirates, deceitful opera singers, alluring French women and a found family that will do anything to keep each other safe from harm. But, there’s just one problem—the past never stays in the past and old grudges die hard. There is a woman who is standing in the way of Poppy and Roisin’s happiness and she’s hell-bent on destroying everything that is dear to their hearts.
Writing
Hear ye, hear ye! Samara Breger definitely deserves the highest of fives for creating such a fantastic novel. A Long Time Dead will go down on my list of treasured re-reads because the prose is beautiful in every sense of the word and I came across a lot of wonderful quotes so it was really hard for me to choose just a few of my favorite ones. Without a doubt, this story has surpassed my greatest expectations because I don’t think that I will ever forget some of the witty and heart-tugging conversations that Poppy had with Roisin and their found family, the Brood.
I’m a huge fan of gothic vampire novels and I just love the fact that this story is a delightful mixture of humorous moments, spicy sex scenes, drama-filled romance, bloody revenge and the expression of love in all of its magnificent forms. So, this story was the perfect literary treat for my book dragon (wicked wink!)
Pros And My Favourite Parts
I just knew that I was going to love this story from the moment I laid eyes on this gorgeous book cover but I didn’t think that I would be totally bewitched by Samara Breger’s stunning and highly entertaining writing. What I loved the most about A Long Time Dead is the way the story unfolds—slowly with a lot of tension and it covers decades of Poppy’s life with and without Roisin by her side.
I thoroughly enjoyed how the atmosphere and the characters came to life for me because I got sucked into the gloomy and ancient surroundings at Covenly with its wild and untamed landscape and I was dazzled by the Brood’s glamorous home and lifestyle.
Plus, I really love the fact that Poppy and Roisin’s personalities are so different and complex yet they fit together so well because Poppy is all about freely expressing herself and indulging in pleasurable delights, whereas Roisin firmly believes that self-control and curbing one’s desires is the best way to go. Poppy and Roisin’s differences have added so many layers to this story and I have a soft spot for books with fun-loving, messy and flawed characters.
Heads Up
This story contains graphic descriptions of murder, manipulation, mind control, blood and gore, an abusive relationship, violence and forced institutionalization.
The Conclusion
If I could give this awesome story six stars, I’d do it right away! I’d recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a gothic paranormal romance with a twist.
I’ll happily reread A Long Time Dead as often as my heart desires because I had the pleasure of travelling the world in the nineteenth century with Poppy, Roisin and the Brood.
Plus, this story has wonderful characters who felt very real to me, messy relationships with drama galore and smoking hot orgies that made me blush from the ends of my hair all the way down to my toenails.
Excerpt from A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger
The grounds were cool and foggy. Poppy stretched out her fingers in the moonlight, blue-tinged, stroking the darkness like a lover. Roisin held out her hand and they ran and ran, their breath clean and even, gasping in the wildness of the woods around them, the crunch of clover underfoot, stiffened by a late, stubborn frost. It was easy to calm her mind in the whipping wind, to forget that she was a coincidence. That a time existed other than right now, a place other than right here.
They talked after, seated on the two armchairs by the fire, which Roisin had built and lit. The kitchen was the largest room Poppy had yet seen in Covenly, but there was a warmth to it unlike any other place in the house. The walls themselves were welcoming, the heavy drapes grateful for the company. A kitchen was built to last, to weather heat and traffic and unkind treatment. Where the rest of the house showed its age, in here it could have been any time at all.
“How did you come to live in London?” Roisin asked. “Were you born there?” Her eyelashes fluttered, gaze cast down. “Only tell me what you want, Poppy. You don’t owe me anything.”
“Curious.”
“Hm?”
“You told me your entire life story last night, and now you’re so careful with mine?”
Roisin let out an indignant little huff. “You’re owed mine. I altered your life.”
“Have I not altered yours?”
“Well, it has been a lovely few days…”
“Oh, stuff it. You’re looking after me instead of doing whatever else it is you do out there. Is that not a change?”
“Perhaps I spend my entire life looking after newborn vampires.” A flat, sliding smile-type thing. “Like a governess.”
“Do you?”
“No.”
“Maybe you ought to start.”
The firelight cast Roisin’s face in bronze. Around her was dark, cloaking her, curling over her shoulders. Poppy only knew her like this, swaddled by night. How did she look in the day, when the sun kissed the—oh, Poppy would never know, would she? There was no reason for that to feel so tragic. Only, she had the strange urge to see Roisin in every light, gas and torch and full sun, like a piece of art. Like a painting in search of a wall that best suited its colors.
The pressure behind her eyes surprised her. So silly, because who would cry over something as ridiculous as that? She barely even knew Roisin. They had only lived here briefly, just a handful of days.
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1612942650
Publisher: Bywater Books
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