This book had so much that at times it felt overwhelming.

There was grief and longing and so much more. The characters we well developed and I felt connections with both Eliza and Lydia. I just felt the first half of the book I spent trying to figure out what was going on

Thoroughly enjoyed this Gothic novel, especially the atmosphere and the cover. However, there were more than enough sex scenes for me.

Parting the Veil is a Gothic tale that is high on mystery and intrigue. The title refers to the parting of the veil that separates our world from that of the spirits.

In June 1899, American Eliza Sullivan arrives at Southampton, England, from New Orleans in the US with her half-sister, Lydia Tourant. She has let her past behind to start her new life in England, where she has inherited Sherbourne House from her deceased grandaunt.

According to the terms of the aunt’s will, Eliza must marry within three months of her arrival in England or else forfeit her claim to the house and estate.

Before long, Eliza falls in love with Lord Malcolm Winfield and his sprawling mansion, Havenwood Manor, not necessarily in that order, and rejects the suit of the richer Lord Charles Eastleigh, making herself an enemy in the process.

Smitten with Malcom and anxious to save him from being evicted from his home by Lord Eastleigh, Eliza elopes with Malcolm, even though her sister and nearly everyone in the village warn her of his bad reputation.

Once married, she wonders if she has made a mistake. Malcolm is a tender and fierce lover by night, but cold and distant during the day. Worse, the house appears haunted. There are ghostly sounds and shadows that frighten her. And Malcolm increasingly frightens her with his erratic moods. Lydia believes there is evil in that house.

Eliza wonders if she has married a man or a monster, and if there is any hope for her.



The book is written in the 3rd person past tense PoV of Eliza. The events in the present are interspersed with entries from the diary of Ada, Malcolm’s mother.

Right at the outset, we learn that Eliza does not live up to society’s expectations of her time. She is a far cry from the virtuous heroines we see in books set in that time. Eliza might easily horrify the people of England, and not only because she is American. Her habits, sexual desires etc are in contravention of what is seen as ‘proper’ in Victorian England. She is not averse to smoking and drinking and is inclined to be adventurous and curious on account of having read far too many novels.

Nor is she keen on motherhood. Eliza would rather have a career, and build her own stables.

In fact, one of her suitors, Lord Charles Eastleigh is shocked to learn that she is the horsey sort. He also thinks her cheek does not suit a lady.

Lydia is another strong character, persevering in loyalty to her lineage, even when the easy thing would be to claim white privilege and parentage alongside Eliza.

Despite their differences and their conflict ridden past, the sisters are immensely loyal to each other.

There are some French words strewn through the book, a reminder of their New Orleans upbringing. We also learn about feu follet, the legendary spirit of French and Louisiana folklore. There’s also a glimpse of the Creole culture of Haiti with the respect accorded to voodoo. The faith elements also come out strongly with Lydia telling Eliza, You’ll only be a prayer away.

What I liked most about this book was the care invested in using appropriate vocabulary. Writers of historical fiction often inadvertently end up using words that didn’t exist in the time and place they are writing in. In this book, I had no such complaint. The vocabulary used by the author creates an image of the period, with its chamber pots beneath beds.

The language is pitch perfect. Century-old words for everything. I kept the Kindle dictionary busy, with my attempt to figure out the meanings of so many words, now in disuse. Those four stars are for the vocabulary and the language.

I also appreciated the little details. Lydia pointing out the British pronunciation of lieutenant as being funny, for instance.

The dark tones hint at a delicious Gothic tale and deliver too.

Havenwood Manor is like Wuthering Heights; it exerts its charm and mystique on us. With its spiral and grand staircases, a conservatory and a grand foyer among other things, it would be a treat to see the house on screen. The burned down dilapidated south wing might have its own tragic beauty. The author brings out well the sense of sadness and mystery surrounding the house.

The action scenes are handled well. The scene where Eliza finally steps on to the south wing had me reading with nervous excitement.

Trigger warning: for mental illness, suicide, incest, sexual abuse, domestic abuse etc.

The pace of the book is rather laidback. This is fine in the first part of the book, but gets gradually annoying in the middle, when we wait for things to happen.

The book could, and should, have been shorter. It took a long time to get going.

After the wedding, I found the wild lovemaking tedious. It was annoying to be told repeatedly about the ache between her legs.

Till the 61 percent mark, I couldn’t see which way the story was headed. There was no clear antagonist in sight. The pace picked up in the last 100 pages. Unfortunately, I wasn’t impressed with the resolution. It seemed forced, and the explanation wasn’t explained properly.

There are a number of queer characters here. At the end of the book, one of the prominent, yet little known, characters says, This is one queer tale. I’d say, in more ways than one.

Can we take a moment to admire how gorgeous this cover is? I requested for this based on the cover without reading the blurb. When I read this, it really reminds me of ‘Mexican Gothic’ based on the plot. This was quite a slow burn thriller but I still enjoyed reading it.

This story follows the Sullivan sisters, Eliza and Lydia, who have just arrived in England from New Orleans in 1899. Eliza recently inherited an estate from her aunt. Upon their arrival, they noticed that their next door neighbour estate looks dark and gloomy. Havenwood Manor. A dark history lingered there and the owner, Malcolm Havenwood holds dark secrets of his own. The girls being newcomers, quickly became the hot topic of town and made many friends and frenemies. Eliza found herself attracted to the elusive Malcolm and their love blossomed. But her happiness is short-lived as the dark secrets of Havenwood comes to haunt her.

Despite the slow pace, the story reeled you in and kept me guessing about Havenwood especially how eerie it was. Some of the plot was predictable but the twist at the end really got me! I love the relationship between the Sullivan sisters, very supportive and protective of each other. Eliza and Malcolm? Not so much! I just feel that they don’t have much chemistry. There is also too many secrets and naysayers in this story that made the plot confusing.

On top of that, Kennedy added way too many themes into her plot. I’d rather she focused on one or two and just make the plot more believable. At some point, I don’t know if I am reading a thriller or a steamy romance cause every few chapters there is a steamy scene. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this but I am leaning a bit more to this being an enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc.

In a Nutshell: This is a decent debut novel with great suspense and pace, but it attempts too much and therein lies its weakness.

Story:
1899. New Orleans resident Eliza Sullivan has inherited an estate from a recently-deceased aunt in a small village in Hampshire, UK. She wants to escape her troublesome past and hence sets out along with her stepsister Lydia to the UK for a fresh start. At her new home, Eliza finds herself attracted to the huge but run-down house next door and its enigmatic owner, Malcolm Winfield. With her money, his charm, and a strong attraction on both sides, she assumes that their relationship can work. But soon after formalising their bond, she realises that there is something mysterious about her new husband and something sinister about the house. Has she taken the right call in marrying so impulsively?
(My usual summaries don’t go beyond the first couple of chapters. Here I was forced to summarise almost half of the book because literally nothing happens in the first half except Eliza’s strong feelings for Malcolm despite everyone advising her against such thoughts.).

Where the book worked for me:
✔ This is not your typical historical fiction novel, that’s for sure. Eliza is unlike any lead character I've read, what with her spendthrift habits, impulsive and bold nature, and strong sense of sexuality. (I’m not saying I liked her character; it was just a different experience to read a historical female mc such as her.)

✔ I could strongly connect with Lydia, even though some of her beliefs such as voodoo and tarot aren’t really my cup of tea. Hers was the best sketched character in the book. She was also the only character who seemed to have brains and use them properly as well.

✔ The imagery in the book is outstanding. I could visualise every scene perfectly because of the vivid descriptions.

✔ A book always gets bonus points if it makes me complete it within two-three days. I finished this 367 page book in two days flat. (What helped me rush through it was that I hadn’t expected paranormal elements to be part of the plot. I can’t bear dragging out scary scenes so I ran through the pages as fast as I could with nocturnal binge reading.)

✔ The first 20-25% of the book is excellent. If only the rest of the book had matched up to this instead of devolving into a convoluted and over-the-top narrative.

✔ The author’s vocabulary is outstanding. I relished the experience of checking the dictionary regularly multiple times. She especially shines in her knowledge of historical lexicon.

✔ The cover is gorgeous, I grant you that. Combined with the title, it creates the right amount of mystique.


Where the book needed to work better:
❌ The character sketching needed work. Everyone except Lydia seems to be hiding things for pretty weird reasons. Hardly anyone is trustworthy and the mystery is built entirely on these unreliable narrations. The final revelation concerning Malcolm is too ridiculous to be believable.

❌ Many plot points simply didn’t make sense. Can’t reveal much here because I don’t want to give away spoilers. But many scenes just left me feeling “Why the heck would anyone do that?!?!” Basically, everything just become farfetched after a point.

❌ Many things didn’t appear to suit the timeline, though I won’t be able to provide concrete proof about what exactly was anachronistic. It just seemed to be a story that used a multitude of eras and yet was based in 1899.

❌ Many debut authors fall into the trap of content overload, and this book is no exception. The note left by the author on Goodreads states that this is “a story about grief, longing, survival, forgiveness, and a bittersweet passion that transcends both time and death.” Well, it is all this, and a lot more. Within its pages, it covers these genres: paranormal, romance, erotica, suspense/mystery, drama, gothic, feminist, and historical. It also includes the following themes: LGBTQ, racism, misogyny, domestic abuse, mental health, and a few more that would be major spoilers. Basically, it is like everything along with the kitchen sink thrown in one book, the result being an exaggerated mishmash of plot points that work neither here nor there.

❌ There is just “so” much of steamy sex scenes I can tolerate in a book that isn’t supposed to be a steamy romance. (One reason I haven’t read steamy romances in years!) Granted, there is no heaving of bosoms and throbbing of … uhmmmm, you know what… But repeated writing about the aggressive physical lust between a couple of the characters just irritated me. It was like reading a paranormal-historical M&B.

The author’s note suggests that she did plenty of research for this story. I could see partial evidence of that but mere historical authenticity is not enough to save the story. The plot needed to be a lot tighter and much more believable in order for the book to make an impact.

Overall, a mixed experience, and hence a midway rating. The author does have talent in terms of her writing skills. If she works on the plotting and editing, I have no doubt that she will have a great writing career ahead.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of “Parting the Veil”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Paulette Kennedy for an arc in exchange for an honest review. I originally picked it up because the reviews said it was a gothic romance and it lived up to the expectations! I enjoyed the plot and all of the twists and turns that happened throughout. The atmosphere was dark and creepy and the writing was captivating. This would be a really good book to read for Spooky Season next year! Overall, I really enjoyed it, but it wasn't perfect. It included some of the stereotypical gothic tropes and seemed a bit too long at times, but it was still really fun. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

When Eliza Sullivan inherits an estate in England from a great-aunt she didn’t know well, she is happy to leave her old home in New Orleans behind. She’s lost her parents and gone through other situations that have left her feeling full of grief and guilt. Taking her sister, Lydia, with her, the two hope for a fresh new start.

Next door to her estate is an old mansion that has seen better days but has the potential for beauty. And its owner is the mysterious Lord Havenwood, Malcolm Winfield, who is handsome and charming but whom everyone warns her about. The subject of gossip, he generally stays apart from others. But when the two meet, it’s clear they have a strong attraction. Despite Eliza’s desire to be independent, she has to find a husband, and she agrees to marry Malcolm.

But as happy as she is with Malcolm and to be living in the beautiful manor she admired next door, Eliza soon finds there are strange things going on. She’s forbidden from going into the crumbling-down south wing. She hears knocking and whispers. And Malcolm is mercurial, sometimes the loving man she married and others seemingly a stranger.

Eliza begins to investigate what’s behind the strangeness, and she unearths secrets. What happened in the past to the house, and who was responsible? What really happened to the rest of Malcolm’s family? Digging up the truths will bring her into terrible danger.

Parting the Veil is a compelling mixture of all kinds of secrets and mysteries that come together in a reveal of the truth that I didn’t see coming. I wasn’t sure how much of it felt true to the times (right before and around 1900), but it was interesting to read about some parts I’d wondered about in the author’s note at the end. It’s full of darkness, sadness, grief and bad characters, so it was a bit more than I bargained for. If you’re in the mood for a gothic tale and are ready for a fair amount of darkness, it’s a good fit.When Eliza Sullivan inherits an estate in England from a great-aunt she didn’t know well, she is happy to leave her old home in New Orleans behind. She’s lost her parents and gone through other situations that have left her feeling full of grief and guilt. Taking her sister, Lydia, with her, the two hope for a fresh new start.

Next door to her estate is an old mansion that has seen better days but has the potential for beauty. And its owner is the mysterious Lord Havenwood, Malcolm Winfield, who is handsome and charming but whom everyone warns her about. The subject of gossip, he generally stays apart from others. But when the two meet, it’s clear they have a strong attraction. Despite Eliza’s desire to be independent, she has to find a husband, and she agrees to marry Malcolm.

But as happy as she is with Malcolm and to be living in the beautiful manor she admired next door, Eliza soon finds there are strange things going on. She’s forbidden from going into the crumbling-down south wing. She hears knocking and whispers. And Malcolm is mercurial, sometimes the loving man she married and others seemingly a stranger.

Eliza begins to investigate what’s behind the strangeness, and she unearths secrets. What happened in the past to the house, and who was responsible? What really happened to the rest of Malcolm’s family? Digging up the truths will bring her into terrible danger.

Parting the Veil is a compelling mixture of all kinds of secrets and mysteries that come together in a reveal of the truth that I didn’t see coming. I wasn’t sure how much of it felt true to the times (right before and around 1900), but it was interesting to read about some parts I’d wondered about in the author’s note at the end. It’s full of darkness, sadness, grief and bad characters, so it was a bit more than I bargained for. If you’re in the mood for a gothic tale and are ready for a fair amount of darkness, it’s a good fit.

I liked the concept. It was weird enough to keep me interested, and is definitely different from other historical fiction books.

Here is a story for all of you who enjoy contemporary gothic literature. Parting the Veil is a fabulous tale dripping with spooky secrets and a chilling atmosphere that I had not really been expecting. It is cleverly written with just the right amount of the paranormal thriller adding in a sprinkle of gothic romance.

This is a well written tale that gives you all the feels with its rich descriptions of both people and place. It starts off somewhat slow with the necessary characters and world building with the prerequisite background stories. Eliza is such a strong character and Malcolm presents the dark broody persona. There is a strong line up of believable and complex characters with the manor itself so well conveyed with its mysteries that it is like another character in the line up.

Gray clouds hung low over its chimneys and the arched windows seemed darkly pensive, the shadows long under its eaves. It gave the structure an air of almost human melancholy. Eliza shook her head at her silliness. It was foolish to imagine a house could have feelings.

This story has it all - murder and mystery with even a touch of the horror in the gothic elements. The twists and turns will have you guessing to the very end (suspend some literal belief and allow yourself to be swept away). Be warned, there are a number of sensitive issues under the spotlight - self harm and domestic abuse as examples.

Paulette is to be commended for the seamless way she wove together this family saga with its ghost/murder mystery. If a favourite trope of yours is delving through old diaries you are in for a treat. Parting the Veil is a book brimming with a dark atmosphere that will excite lovers of gothic tales. It is haunting and is sure to sweep you away.

Her life had certainly taken her through a strange dance. Some of it had been more painful than she thought she might bear. The old sorrows would always remain, but they were tucked well away now







This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Eliza just inherited an estate from her aunt in England and immediately rush over there to have a fresh start. The moment she step her foot in that neighborhood, she finds herself falling for the Lord of Havenwood and his mysterious haunted mansion.
They were drawn to each other and decided to get married after knowing each other in such a short time.
However, everything started to shift the moment Eliza started hearing and seeing things in the manor.
As Eliza started to investigate what really happen in that manor, she started to question her marriage with her husband. Has she married a man or a monster ?

The cover is gorgeous with a promising premise and I'm suffice to say I enjoy reading this one.

The plot is well crafted and well written. The mystery aspect is there and keep me very curious and keep on reading until 3 AM in the morning just to finish reading this one.
I love the Victorian time setting and the atmosphere surrounding the creepy haunted mansion. There are some spooky moments in this story that actually scared me a little bit since I'm reading this in the middle of the night😂

Eliza, the main character in this story, is a feisty and smart woman. She's not like a woman you might encounter in 1900s. She's not afraid to speak up her mind and wanted to be successful without marrying a man to support her life.
Malcolm is a mysterious character. Right from the start I knew he's hiding something about his past. Not to mention, his unexpected mood changes between day and night makes me feel even more suspicious toward him.

The ending still have another unexpected twist I didn't see coming. Everything is wrapped up nicely at the end.
The only reason I knock down the 0.5 star rating for this book is because the pacing was a bit slow in the first half part of the book, but when more secrets starting to unravel this book turn into a more gripping and intriguing story!

Overall, this is a really good gothic romance with a mystery of a haunted mansion waiting to be unsolved. Highly enjoyable and entertaining, I'm having a hard time to put down this book and go to sleep. It's dark and twisted yet it's romantic and captivating all at the same time!
I'm looking forward for more books from this author!

Actual rating: 4.5⭐

Special thanks to Netgalley, Paulette Kennedy and Lake Union Publishing for giving me this lovely e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Notes: posted on Instagram at December 13th 2021

Parting the Veil by Paulette Kennedy. Pub date: November 1, 2021. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟. Parting the Veil is a gothic story filled with familial secrets, old money, English heritage and paranormal elements. Set in the English countryside, the landscape is a beautiful backdrop to bring to light the story of Malcolm Havenwood and his dark past as he starts his married life with Eliza Sullivan. Eliza brings the money, Malcolm brings the thrills. Who is the mysterious Malcolm, what happened to his family and who started the fire that brought on the fall of his family and life? This book started off strong, but fizzled by the end for me because I felt the storyline became too far fetched and unrealistic. But, if you like gothic stories with a historical fiction twist, then maybe give this one a try! Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this free e-arc in exchange for my honest review! #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #igreads #partingtheveil #lakeunionpublishing #netgalley

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This is a book that I would have passed by if it were not for my friends on bookstagram. I saw several posts on my feed that said it was more than a romance read, which honestly, is not my favorite genre. But a gothic setting and a mysterious manor in England were enough to make me want to try it.
Eliza inherits an estate, and it prompts her to leave New Orleans and imagine starting a new life in England. It is 1899, but her American ways are quite different than what she finds here. Hoping to continue breeding horses, the one thing she does not need is a suitor, though the women she meets find her modern ways scandalous. She is more than slightly stunned when she discovers a provision in her great aunt's will. She must marry within three months or lose her inheritance. Her dreams of wealth and independence are shattered, and none of the eligible suitors interest her. Except for Malcolm, the Viscount of Havenwood and her neighbor.
People warn her that he is odd and that there is a mystery surrounding him and his family. But they are drawn to each other, and it seems that marriage could solve both of their pressing problems. It is a decision that Eliza may come to regret as the secrets contained within the walls of Havenwood might cost her everything.
You would be hard-pressed to find a more atmospheric book full of secrets, lies, and numerous twists and turns. Eliza arrived with her sister Lydia, and the one thing I would have loved was if she had a larger role in the story. However, gothic romance is out of my comfort zone, but I so enjoyed the setting and trying to figure out what was going on, that I did not mind the romantic aspect at all. 3.5 stars.

Gothic romance that did not disappoint. Unexpected twists and the at times creepy feel made this a very enjoyable read. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

3.5 Rounding up! This deff satisfies the gothic craving I’ve been having lately in a quick, easy to digest manner! Part historical fiction, part thriller, part gothic romance??? — this novel packs a lot of punch.

This was a wild ride from start to finish with no shortage of twists and turns and crazy happenings, which sometimes felt way over the top. I wanted to shake our main character Eliza by the shoulders on MULTIPLE occasions.

All in all this was a fun time and I liked the ride it took me on. Definitely worth checking out if you like Gothic novels!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review

In June 1899 Eliza and her sister Lydia arrive in England from New Orleans after Eliza inherits an estate from a great-aunt she last saw over twenty years ago. Both are excited about a fresh start -- free from their past and any societal demands.

There's a catch, though. Because there's almost always a catch. In order to actually lay claim to her full inheritance, Eliza must marry within three months. Eliza, of course, had absolutely no interest in marrying ... until, of course, she encountered the moody lord of the neighboring estate next door.

Next door to Sherbourne House is Havenwood Manor -- still in horrible disrepair from a fire three years prior. The only one remaining in the house (aside from staff) is Malcolm Winfield. His father and brother both perished in the fire. His mother vanished shortly thereafter. Did she run away? Did she fall into the ravine? Or, as so many rumors state, did Malcolm kill her?

In spite of the stories, Eliza is drawn to Malcolm and vice-versa. When it becomes clear that marriage could help her keep her inheritance as well as help Malcolm keep Havenwood, the two elope. Soon after, things begin to happen that make Eliza question everything -- including her own sanity. She began hearing and seeing things that weren't there (or were they?), and her new husband and house were both full of secrets nobody seemed to be willing to talk about.

It's a book full of mysteries and twists ... and oh the twists will have my head spinning for some time. It is deliciously gothic and I had a near impossible time putting it down. I started early Monday morning -- finished less than twenty-four hours later. My biggest complaint? Not nearly enough Lydia.

Parting the Veil is set in the late 1800s England, after Eliza leaves New Orleans to start fresh when she learns she inherited a house from her late aunt. Facing pressures to find a husband, Eliza falls for her mysterious neighbor, Malcom, who is rumored to have a dark past & bad reputation. But Eliza quickly realizes the secrets Malcom holds are powerful & that maybe the rumors about his past hold some truth

This book is a gilded age mystery, but gave me Northanger Abbey vibes for sure. Similar to Jane Austen novels, Eliza is a main character who is a strong, independent female. She challenges the notion that she needs a husband to provide for herself ( she actually fantasizes about being a content “spinster” which I think is truly great) & made a career for herself in breeding race horses

Also similar to Northanger Abbey or even Mexican Gothic, there are gothic elements to the story, like a haunted house, a heroine in distress, & a burdened male protagonist ( which the author puts a really interesting spin on )

Definitely pick this one up if you liked Mexican Gothic or any of Jane Austen’s novels. This one was a tad slow to start for me but once I got into it, it was definitely fun to read!

Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars

You wouldn’t know this is a debut by the way this book is written. Paulette’s story is very immersive and after the protagonist marries, the action does not stop and the twists and turns are a constant until the very end. Havenwood Manor and all the places depicted in this book are generously described, adding to the sense and atmosphere of the novel.
As for the cast of characters, they are all really well made and each character introduced serves a purpose. Eliza’s friends, her enemies, her annoying and highly unlikeable suitor, Lord Eastleigh. Even the staff at Havenwood Manor played their role of secretive and loyal employees perfectly. Although it may sound a bit weird, my least favorite were the protagonists, Eliza and Malcolm. I’ll start with the latter. At first, he was the perfect, melancholic but dashing gentleman. However, all the passion and love he demonstrated towards Eliza when he was courting her quickly evaporated once they were married. His behaviour was explained later on in the book, so luckily he was redeemed. Though you may end up hating him nonetheless. In regards to Eliza, she wasn't my favorite kind of heroine. Her lack of propriety and decorum was a bit shocking to me and even if I do understand the intent behind her personality, I can’t say I approve of all her actions throughout the story. In her favour, I will say she is determined, passionate and extremely resilient despite the hardships she endured. That, I do admire.

There are two things I don’t want to leave out before finishing this review. First, I really appreciated the fact the author included LGBT and mental health representation. Is not too common to see these elements in the genre so that was a great addition. Secondly, I want to mention the fact that the author did extensive research for this book and she detailed it in her author’s note at the end of the book. As someone who enjoys reading from past times, I value immensely the effort put in this regard.

The truth is I was pleasantly surprised by the author’s writing. Parting the Veil is a book that will keep the reader fully immersed in the story and won’t let go until it has been told. For those who enjoy a gothic romance infused with mystery and sprinkled with some paranormal elements, this book will surely satisfy their needs.

LOVED loved loved this book.

The writing had me captivated from the start to finish, and I found myself reading it almost straight through one sitting. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Parting the Veil had me staying up way too late! A gothic romance with plenty of family secrets, tragic events and a sense of something dark and unexplained going on. A great debut novel by Paulette Kennedy!

DNF'd @ 50%

While the cover is gorgeous and I enjoyed the author's writing style, with all the unnecessary content, historical inaccuracy, witchcraft, unlikeable characters, I really had no reason to continue.

Y'know, as they say, life is too short to waste time on books that just aren't for you.

Warning though, if you're looking for a clean historical fiction read, this isn't it. Grab something of Amanda Dykes's instead and thank me later. 😆

I received a free e-ARC from the publisher & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.