There are good books, then there are GOOD BOOKS.

There are feels, and then there are FEELS.

There are ships, and then there are SHIPS.

Alison Goodman’s THE DARK DAYS PACT is definitely a book worthy of all-caps praise. Exquisite and elegant, the sequel to THE DARK DAYS CLUB (Review | Quote Candy) does not disappoint.

We return to Lady Helen Wrexhall’s world shortly after the DARK DAYS CLUB ends. With Helen studying a man’s gait in earnest, as one does. But as society doesn’t allow her to forgo her dresses and the delicate, God-fearing submissive-ness required of all women, Helen must study and adapt, readying herself to don a man’s clothes and mannerisms.

Or so Lord Carlston says. Ambiguous, and far too attractive for his own good, Carlston hasn’t quite been himself since the final events of THE DARK DAYS CLUB. And by ‘not himself’, we mean slowly spiralling out of control as we assume the vestige madness takes a hold of his heart.

Once again, Alison Goodman’s articulate writing swept me into her richly-crafted fantasy. The diligence and research that went into tbe world and characters is clear-cut, precise and impeccable. The Regency Era at its finest!

There’s just something about this series that grips me with white-knuckled fingers and ceases to let go. The stakes our characters face, their relationships (Helen and Carlston: the OTP of OTPs, I tell you), their plights. Everything seemed to be happening around me and even now, weeks after I’ve devoured the book and lamented its completion, I’m still wanting to step back into the world.

While I absolutely LOVED the first installment, THE DARK DAYS CLUB, I adored the sequel even more. The stakes are higher, the intrigue more mysterious, and the risk of betrayal far too suspenseful to stomach. And there was Carlston and Helen. The bawdy house. The Italian. The piano scene. So deliciously slow-burn. Just listing these vague words out is making my heart speed up.

If you haven’t yet entered the dark world of THE DARK DAYS CLUB, do so NOW. The world, the characters, the ship: it isn’t one to miss. If you have read THE DARK DAYS CLUB? You’re in for an even better treat. Happy reading! Oh, and happy suffering!