I didn't realise this was going to be as short as it was. I really loved it and didn't want it to end. Very old folklore vibes. I haven't read anything else by this author but I have Mexican Gothic and adding that to my TBR for this year!

The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a short story written by my favorite Mexican Gothic author. While I’m not ordinarily a short story fan. Moreno-Garcia has a wonderful talent for gripping, descriptive, page-turner which is The Lover in 43 pages. Judith succumbs to a sensual and secret affair with her sister’s husband. The brutal weather in the woods brings a haggard stranger to her cabin along with a lone wolf. The Lover is a beautifully written story filled with love, sisters and a bitter and savage winter.
4 stars – Pub. Date: 11-1-23
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the eARC and the opportunity to read and honestly review The Lover by Silvia Moreno- Garcia.

nice and short, love the old fairytale vibes but it lacked something, the cheater wasn't bad/evil enough, the stranger wasn't love interesty enough imo

[review posted on goodreads]

This is a really interesting folklore/old-timey type story that reads like a grown up fairy tale. Atmospherically speaking it’s such a vibe. A hut in the woods, a forbidden love, a mysterious man appearing at random times offering secrets in exchange for small gifts. It’s a brisk read and if you're looking for a fairy tale type story with really palpable atmosphere and setting this is a fun, quick addition to your TBR.

I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and this was an incredible short story. There's always a feeling of whimsy in her writing, and I loved these characters and plot.

I really enjoyed this short story. This had a whimsical fairytale feel. I truly enjoy Silva Moreno-Garcia’s writing style, even though this short was short, I was still connected and invested in the characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Judith gives Fate a hand when a handsome stranger appears, in this dark poetic, sensual short story of fairytale makings for adults.

I've been wanting to read something by Silvia Moreno-Garcia for a while and thought this was a great opportunity to get to know her writing. I just might have a problem now, because I loved this short story and feel like I must read all her other works right now.

For a short story the atmosphere and characters were mostly very well constructed. In just a few pages I connected with Judith. It was very easy to care for her. I wish we got to see a bit more of the vagrant, but I understand that there wasn't lot of room for that.

The ending was very satisfying even though it is a bit abrupt. Definitely recommend this for those who want a enticing and fluid story.

This short story is a blend of horror, romance, fantastical and mystical elements rendered beautifully with Moreno-Garcia's prose. It's reminiscent of fairy tales I read as a kid (especially the Red Riding Hood in this case), but it's not outdated, trite or a mere replica of the tales we're familiar with.

We follow Judith, the "black sheep" compared to her supposedly more beautiful and dainty sister Alice. Desperate to find true love, Judith finds herself in an entanglement she's hot and cold about. The ending is what bumps this story up to a 4 star for me — it has that classic bittersweet fairy tale feel to it. Would recommend to anyone looking for a quick read that has elegant yet succinct prose.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the review copy.

One of the better works by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read, but that doesn’t mean much because I don’t remember really liking any of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this novella by Silvia Moreno-Garcia in exchange for an honest review.
A twist on an old fairy tale/ folk story, this was a quick and interesting story about romance in the paranormal world. A winner by Morena-Garcia, who I will admit gets me half of the time. This one got me…. Not too slow, drawn out or overdeveloped this was a thought provoking read, leaving some mystery to what was going on.

Leave it to Silvia Moreno-García to weave together a short story with the perfect balance of darkness and romance that grips you from the very first page and does not let go even after you’ve finished.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

THE LOVER by @silviamg.author is a devilishly delicious little short story that I read in one sitting. I love a fairytale-esque story and this one is full of beastly tricksters, sibling rivalry and bad choices that feel oh so good. With a somewhat "snowed-in" feel, the secrets here are able to fester in claustrophobia until they reach a breaking point.

In SMG style, the MC Judith was immediately relatable, even in the short 40 pages. To me this felt similar to LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD meets VASILISA THE BRAVE but with its own twist. This little tome discusses virtue, loyalty, desire, trust and loneliness in short order.

A cozy, sly, short winter read perfect for those who like modern fairytales without the typical ever after. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @amazonpublishing
for the e-ARC.

I find that an author's short story game can tell you a lot about them and SMG definitely has that short story swag. She is already and auto-buy author for me!

💚SMASHBOT💚

#shortstory #thelover #silviamorenogarcia #netgalleyreviewer #netgalley #bookish #booknerd #bookreview #booklover #bibliophile

Silvia Moreno-Garcia just knows how to write simple, yet intriguing, horrific, yet romantic stories. This short story is no exception to that. The fairytale world building was only hinted at, but thematically familiar enough to feel immersive: There is our maiden, Judith, who wants more from life than being a little sister with the prospect of being married of. A handsome, seemingly honourable man. And a wolf in the woods...
I enjoyed the gripping pace and tension between the characters and was positively surprised how spicy it was, without being explicit. I don't know if this short dark-fairytale-romance snack will stay in my head, but for the moment, it was perfect.

If you need a quick and chilling read on a cold, winter evening, pick up THE LOVER by SGM!

An enchanting short story (43 pages) that grabs on and doesn't let go! A young woman, Judith, lives with her sister Alice, a widow with two kids, in an isolated village in the woods. A foretelling has let Judith know that her love will come from beyond the forest, so when a handsome hunter shows up in the village shortly after, she is sure that this is him.

Judith's sister is the one who gets everything she wants though, and their bond will be tested when Alice is the one to marry the hunter. Another man, seemingly a drifter, starts hanging around the village looking for Judith's attention. At the same time a big wolf is stalking the forest and the hunter is determined to kill it.

This is a dark, atmospheric read where the author packs a lot into under 50 pages. The pacing is on point, as are the characters and themes of loneliness, envy and lust. A great short story that I highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for review consideration.

I love a messed up fairy tale, and Moreno-Garcia did not disappoint with the Lover. I liked the dark style and the romance element.

This novella is a good mix of fantasy and romance. Jealousy, rivalry and love is certainly has bad endings.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for giving me the opportunity to read this!

A short story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I absolutely love this author and have officially read everything by her so far and she will always be an automatic read for me. I think I appreciated this as a short story more than if it would have been a full-lenght novel.

I have become a recent fan of short reads. It helps me get out of reading slumps so when I saw Silvia Moreno-Garica had a short story, I knew I had to check it out. She has become a favorite author of mine. The story was a twisted little fairy tale that I have desperately craved. Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the arc. I hope I get to read Silvia's new titles in the future.

I've had Silvia Moreno-Garcia on my to-read list for awhile, but this is the first title that I have read by her. However, it won't be my last. Even though the story was quite short, Moreno-Garcia was able to transport me into the world she created. It was deeply atmospheric, and, while I was pretty sure where the story was going, I had a great time getting there. Would recommend.