We Become Darkness by Grace MorrowThalia, Princess of Agripa, has spent the last four years hunting her ex lover, Cassiusthe man who shattered her heart and betrayed her kingdom by becoming a Vampyr. Vampyrs and humans have had a tenuous past since Thalias father and sister were murdered thirteen years ago. But with Agripas ore supplythe lifeblood of human citiesrunning out, Thalias mother strikes a desperate and dangerous deal: Thalia will marry a Vampyr prince in exchange for their

Allowing her to sleep in his bed

but people do ridiculous things when they're desperate

she and her bestie take off for a mood-lifting pickleball excursion to Bainbridge Island

Their loss

which leads to real kissing

but even the vilest of secrets must be dug up again to survive the evil that hunts us

but reluctant to set down roots in a place that reminds her of the ghosts of her past

and an XXL hockey stick in his pants

Halden's humiliating defeat leaves him keenly aware of the distance between noble and commoner and drives him toward a dangerous fixation on the man who unseated him

but find themselves thrust together again and again by their meddling cousins

she never doubted that she wouldn't end up with his grandmother's engagement ring on her finger

Raised by the local strip club owner