Audiobook Review: Thirsty by Lucy Lehane

I have been deep in a vampire era lately so when I got the Thirsty audiobook from Mac Audio (TY!), I was thrilled. I knew I wanted something queer, paranormal, funny and a little messy, and this checked every single box. From the first chapter I could tell I was about to fall hard for both the world and the characters. Check out my thoughts below and pick up Thirsty, out now!

Thirsty

by Lucy Lehane
Narrator: Michael Crouch
Published by: St. Martin's Press
on October 14, 2025
Bookshop
Goodreads

A revenge plot sets sparks flying in this screwball paranormal romantic comedy of enemies-to-lovers, chaotic supernatural friend groups, and scorching chemistry from debut author Lucy Lehane.

Charlie needs to revamp his career. Writing advice columns was hard enough before the whole internet was dying to know how to date the undead – but Charlie’s as human as they come. And he has no idea how to answer the messages flooding his inbox, like My Workplace Slack Is Haunted; Should I Cross Dimensions For a Fling? and How Exactly Do You Smash A…

When a chance nocturnal meeting at a local coffee shop sees him reuniting with Lorenzo – a vampire with an axe to grind – Charlie thinks he’s found his ticket to immortal career success. But Lorenzo has plans of his to get revenge on Charlie for separating Lorenzo from the love of his life years ago. When Lorenzo draws Charlie into his world of monsters and mayhem, he finds new friends and old souls that span centuries of existence, yet are somehow just as lost as the two of them. But as Charlie and Lorenzo grow unexpectedly closer, the secrets they dwell under might just crush them.

Can their love survive demons and drama? And which will prove deadlier… bloodlust or betrayal?

Review

I love vampire books so I was already excited to read Thirsty, but the audiobook completely won me over. This story has everything I want in a paranormal romance. It is funny, tender, chaotic in the best way, and full of heart. The world feels lived in and weird and welcoming, like a paranormal neighborhood where everyone is trying their best and sometimes failing spectacularly.

Michael Crouch brings so much life to both Charlie and Lorenzo. Charlie’s anxious little spiral moments and Lorenzo’s old world awkwardness both hit perfectly. There is this softness in the performance that made me care about them long before they figured out how to care about each other. I kept finding reasons to keep listening even when I should have been doing something productive. Also, the number of vampire books I have listened to with Michael Crouch as the narrator…

I really loved Charlie and Lorenzo together. Their chemistry is just so good and the slow burn tension felt like delicious torture. Lorenzo is such a great character. He is an eighteenth century vampire who is trying to exist in the modern world without losing himself. He is socially anxious and earnest in ways that made me want to reach into the audiobook and give him a blanket and a cup of tea. Charlie messing things up with his secrets had me stressed in a very real way.

The paranormal worldbuilding is so fun. There are vampires, werewolves, witches, trolls, poltergeists, druids, and more. It felt like listening to a supernatural community center where every creature type just shows up with their own drama. It is playful rather than dark and that made the whole book feel fresh.

Also, I am a sucker for pop culture references.

If you like queer paranormal romance with charm, spice and a cast of supernatural weirdos trying to make life work, this audiobook is such a good time.