Reviewed by Stephanie Chapman for Readers' Favorite

Kiss Me, Kill Me by Sayara St. Clair is narrated by Kayana, a blood bank scientist involved in a committed relationship with Greg. Greg is a vampire, a secret that has been kept from most of the world. Ana’s best friends Melanie and Greg are her supporters when she estranges herself from her father and stepmother. Melanie is in a relationship with Scott, and the four friends form a small family. Ana found that she could maintain Greg’s need for blood by bringing home blood. When one of the samples Ana brought home for Greg turns out to be from someone seriously ill, Ana discovers it was Melanie’s. Melanie has advanced ovarian cancer and returns to her family in England for treatment. When treatment fails, she returns to say a final goodbye. After some deliberation, Greg agrees to turn Melanie into a vampire, despite knowing that she would kill Ana and Scott for their blood.

Kiss Me, Kill Me isn’t a run-of-the-mill vampire story like Dracula. I appreciate Sayara St. Clair not glorifying vampires like they are sparkly beings that want to do good. The story explains the dynamic relationship that Ana experiences with Greg. This is the second book in the Blood Kissed series, but it could clearly be a standalone book as I found it easy to follow. Connecting with Ana was effortless, and I could envision every detail of what she experienced. I genuinely liked the development of the plot and the way the dialogue was engaging. Greg had offered to turn Ana on multiple occasions, and she had consistently told him she would think about it. In my mind, I would have taken his offer since there really didn’t seem any drawbacks. I found that her relationship with Melanie was realistic; revealing that Greg could save her was obviously an option that I would have chosen. The climactic end of the book leaves it open for a sequel and a possible final edition. This is a perfect fit if you are a fan of vampire books with edgy romance, witty humor, and family drama. I recommend this book for adults as there are a few explicit scenes, violence, and profanity throughout.