What happens when a vampire prince becomes the leading man on a reality dating show? That’s the premise of author Rosie Danan’s upcoming paranormal romantic comedy, The Villain Edit, which combines supernatural romance with the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of reality television. But as Danan recently revealed in an interview with Publishers Weekly, her original plans for the story’s vampire hero were very different from the character who ultimately emerged.
In an October 16 interview conducted by Isabel Montero, Danan explained that she initially intended Gabriel Hargrave to be a conventional villainous vampire. After writing approximately 30,000 words, however, she discovered that the character simply wasn’t cooperating. Rather than forcing Gabriel into the familiar mold of a dangerous, brooding immortal, she began exploring the idea of a vampire who actively resists his darker nature.
“I just could not make Gabriel evil,” Danan admitted, explaining that she found the idea of a character choosing goodness more compelling.
That decision became central to Villain Edit, which arrives December 8, 2026, from Berkley. Gabriel is a vampire crown prince living among humans on a decade-long diplomatic assignment, hoping to prove he can control the bloodlust that a prophecy predicts will eventually destroy him. His quiet existence in a Southern California retirement community changes when he meets Harper Calloway, a recently fired reality television producer who recognizes an opportunity to revive her career.
Harper believes that casting Gabriel as the first vampire leading man on the dating series Rare Pair could restore her professional reputation. Unfortunately, the prince isn’t particularly interested in playing the seductive supernatural bad boy that television executives expect. As Harper attempts to prepare him for the cameras, their professional relationship becomes complicated by a growing attraction neither anticipated.
Why Rosie Danan wanted to write a vampire romance
Danan, whose previous paranormal romance Fan Service featured a werewolf, told Publishers Weekly that she wanted to continue combining supernatural characters with contemporary popular culture. Vampires seemed like the natural next step, although their current popularity initially made her hesitant. She wanted to find an approach that would offer something different from the many vampire romances already available.
The solution came from her enthusiasm for reality television and, specifically, the idea of a villain edit — the way a television production can shape a contestant’s behavior into a particular narrative. Placing an essentially decent vampire in a situation where producers expect him to behave like a monster gave Danan a fresh way to examine the gap between someone’s public image and their actual personality.
That contrast also informs the romance between Gabriel and Harper. Although he comes from supernatural royalty and she feels disconnected even from her own family, both characters struggle with isolation and loneliness. Their shared experiences create an unexpected emotional connection beneath their outward differences.
Danan also discussed the challenges of writing physical intimacy between a vampire and a human, particularly when blood becomes part of the attraction. Rather than treating a vampire bite solely as an act of predation, she explores the vulnerability of both participants, with Gabriel discovering that surrendering himself to Harper can be as emotionally significant as her willingness to trust him.
The result is a vampire romance built around an unusual question: What if the monster everyone expects to fear is actually trying harder than anyone else to be good?
The Villain Edit by Rosie Danan will be published December 8, 2026, by Berkley. The 448-page novel is available for preorder.
Source: Isabel Montero’s October 16, 2026, interview, “Love Bites: PW Talks with Rosie Danan,” at Publishers Weekly.