Wow. Just wow! I loved this book sm. I love the gothic, thriller vibes mixed with the romance. I honestly was debating back and forth on whether the ghosts were real or just in her head but then the real twist came and oh my god dude.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The spookiness was perfect timing with Halloween around the corner. I found myself pondering a theory about the FMC midway through and was excited to discover that I was correct, It was a nice twist to this spooky, spicy tale.

Millie Foxboro wants more in life. She is haunted by her past or at least her past that she remembers. She has recently woken up in a mental institution for traumatic amnesia. It is because of this that she decides to take a chance with a job in the middle of nowhere as an assistant to an eccentric professor. He needs her help sorting through his papers about mythology which she happens to know a bit about. She doesn’t know what to expect but is spooked along the way at the mention of ghosts in the mansion. She dismisses the thoughts but finds herself unsure when she gets to the house which is in a state of disrepair every since Mrs. Hughes died. There are only a few people to help keep everything going- the cook, the maid and the groundskeeper. Then of course there is Professor Hughes who our FMC Millie soon starts calling Callum. There is a ton of build up between them and mixed signals with a ton of sexual tension. During all of this, Millie finds herself not sleeping very well and starts wondering if she is seeing things?

Her and Callum finally act on their feelings, and I have to say I was here for the spice level which was unexpected! Millie starts discovering journals throughout the house written by the late Mrs. Hughes full of scenes of passion between her and Callum as well as descriptions of a seance. Millie wants to know more about the late Mrs. Hughes but doesn’t want to upset anyone. I didn’t really know where this book was going, and I don’t think Millie did either. Things escalated and she didn’t know who to trust with new information that she learned about herself and Callum’s relationship. She ended up trusting the wrong person and everything FINALLY came to light.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

UMMMMM HELLO??? Wow!! That’s all I can conjure up to describe this book right now: Wow.

First of all, this book was written beautifully. I’ve never been so impressed with the prose in a book and I think the book warrants a read just based on that. It’s atmospheric without being too wordy, and the author get’s their point across without needing a million pages.

Second, I love the characters. Millie and Callum are the best couple I’ve ever read and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way, and begging for them through every twist and reveal.

Third, I didn’t guess any twist. I read a lot of mystery books and pride myself on discovering twists and turns, but I didn’t see ANYTHING coming. I audibly gasped and threw my kindle down in shock. That’s how good the reveals were.

Finally, this was a quick read that didn’t feel like a quick read. I was worried that because of the shorter page count I wouldn’t feel connected or drawn in as tightly as I wanted. But I was. You can fly through this book and not even realize it. I read 60% of it in one sitting before realizing I should probably get out of bed. It’s fantastic.

Read this book. Do it. Thank me later.

I was hesitant to read this book after reading the description. Only because I didn't want an excellent premise to end, it did not disappoint! Romance, intrigue and gothic elements truly rocked my literary world. I was hooked from the beginning, and all the guesses I made about Millie's past and Callum's grimness were wrong! Why did she lose her memory? Who was the ghost she kept seeing? Why was everyone so offish and cryptic? I cannot wait to read more novels from Bea Northwick.

The only reason why I am knocking off a star is because I would have wanted more closure in the epilogue. It seemed to have ended too quickly - I needed more reassurance.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bea Northwick for this ARC. Bea Northwick is just amazing with her descriptions and detail — a little too much that it took away from the storyline for this specific book. Halfway through, I felt as if there was no plot and I was just reading a book about an eerie fall season.

Millie is a woman who is knowledgable in folklore and mythological creatures. An opportunity arises when she is given the chance to work at Willowfield Mansion as an assistant to a professor in her fields of study. When she arrives, it’s gloomy and eerie and she starts seeing ghosts and hearing things. Millie has suffered a traumatic past that has caused her to have amnesia and was placed in a psychiatric hospital for some time. Due to this, she believes her psychological past has come to haunt her. It’s not until later in the story where things unravel and you get to see what actually lies within the deepest parts of the Willowfield Mansion.

It wasn’t until 75% that things got interesting. In my honest opinion, this story wasn’t very original and gave similar vibes to “The Silent Patient.” I do recommend it to those who enjoyed psychological thrillers, but do be warned it is VERY slow to start.

Thank you to @netgalley and @beanorthwick for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide my honest review.

Haunted by her past, Millicent Foxboro accepts an assistantship with the tragic and elusive Professor Callum Hughes at his decaying estate, Willowfield. Millie hopes this opportunity will help her move forward with her life after a tragic childhood and a stint in the mental ward due to traumatic amnesia. The people in the house have many secrets, and the house has a life of its own. Millie is questioning her own judgment but she can’t help but be drawn to the intense professor and his dark passions…

I could not have read this book at a more perfect time. The author sets an eerie tone to the story with dark imagery and gothic undertones all while exuding an underlying sexiness. The mingling of mystery, the supernatural with dark romance had my spine tingling.

The characters are portrayed so deftly as to make everyone a suspect and you will constantly be questioning yourself as you read. The combination of suspense with spicy was so perfect. There were moments when I was completely freaked out and only seconds later, I was fanning myself.

It was beautifully written. The gothic, dark and sinister with a dash of spice was something I didn’t know I needed. I am totally hooked with this author.

The Cruel Dark: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/300881
Pub Date: 31 Oct 2023

This is a new author that we all need to watch out for because they will rock the book world!
This was such a vibe. Gothic, creepy, intricate detail of the world that was set, ghosts, hauntings, and an aloof professor living in a decrepit house in the middle of nowhere. Set in the 1920’s, this was a perfect book to read for my Spooky/October TBR list.

“Strange things Bloom where grief lives.”

Miss Foxboro took a job in Professor Hughes homes to help him get in order all his data he’s accumulated over the years. The grim fairytales and research is something Millie has been drawn to for years.
Right away to get an eery feeling in this dark and creepy house and the help that still live there… the world building and detail of everything was so spot on, it kept me enthralled to read.
I was obsessed from chapter one. You’ll want to know what’s going on. Who’s doing what. And I have to say, my guesses were SO wrong.
Little spice.
Incredible book.
I felt like it ended rather abruptly though and the romance aspect was very minuscule. I’d like to see an epilogue possibly into the future. 🖤
4.5⭐️

Thank you netgalley and Bea Northwick for providing me an opportunity to read eARC!

Millie took on the role of a library assistant after regaining consciousness in the hospital four years ago. When the opportunity arose to work as Professor Hughes' personal assistant, she eagerly accepted due to the comfortable salary it offered.

Arriving at the eerie estate, Millie was advised of certain off-limits areas for her own safety. However, her curiosity got the better of her when she heard the cries and screams of a mysterious woman dressed in white during the night. As Millie assisted the professor in his research on supernatural beings and beliefs, she found herself growing more at ease with him each day, even spending time together outside of work. The tension between them was palpable, their gazes filled with heat and longing.

Driven by her desire to uncover the secrets and mysteries of the estate, Millie delved deeper into the history of the haunted place and the woman she had encountered. Unexpected plot twists emerged as Millie discovered more than she had bargained for. Time was running out before Millie found herself in grave danger.

The plot was skillfully crafted, weaving secrets and suspense throughout. While some twists were predictable, I enjoyed the inclusion of the found family trope and the element of second chance romance. I eagerly anticipate reading the other books by the author!

This book was so good. I’m almost speechless. I haven’t read many Gothic romance novels, but this is one that I will remember for a long time. I loved the characters and their different personalities and how they interacted with each other. Millie was so interesting as the FMC with her traumatic background, and how she Navigated her struggles in the present moment. Callum was mysterious and dark but so entrancing. The situation at the manor got more and more complicated and as the story progressed to the end my mind was blown.

The Cruel Dark is an alluring tale full of gothic romance, mystery and hauntings. The story follows Millicent (Millie)- after spending two months in a psychiatric ward for traumatic amnesia a too-good-to-be-true job offer emerges. She is to be assistant to professor Callum Huges- but once she arrives to his crumbling, seemingly abandoned estate Millie knows she is in for a lot more than she bargained for…

This was an absolutely fantastic read, at just over 200 pages it is ideal for a spooky October evening! I adored the mystery that was built surrounding the main characters and Bea Northwick creates the perfect creepy gothic atmosphere that had me enthralled! I also love the incorporation of Celtic fairytales and folklore- adding to the already amazingly built world. The writing really gave me Brontë sisters vibes which is absolutely incredible in such a new author!

While not the main aspect, I loved the romance in this book. I loved how darkly romantic Callum and Millie’s relationship is and there is great buildup of tension! There’s even a little bit of spice in this book (also really well written!) Millie and Callum are both really interesting characters shrouded in mystery and dark pasts and I love how well they worked together!

Overall this was a brilliant read, and I’d 100% recommend this book for anyone in search of a dark, gothic, romantic story!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bea Northwick for the eARC copy of this book.

I was quickly drawn in by the lush and haunting descriptive writing. Imagine a 1920s backdrop set in a crumbling half-abandoned estate. The book has all the creepy, gothic, Halloween/fall vibes you could want in a book.

Our lead, Millie Foxboro, has a traumatic past. She struggles to find work after her psychiatric hospitalization, in a time where mental health was thick with stigma. Millie jumps at a high paying job as the assistant for a mysterious and handsome professor. Millie is easy to root for and I loved her as a lead character. The sexual tension and the spice are 5/5.

I was very satisfied by the way things came together at the end. However, I was able to start guessing the ending about halfway through. Although now that I have all the information I will absolutely be reading this again with a new perspective.

Full of secrets, dark pasts, romance, and GHOSTS – this may be one of my favorite spooky reads.

This was a very atmospheric, engaging read. It immediately grabs you, and reads quite quickly and easily, which is a compliment. Perfect for fall, it will give you all the fall vibes. There's a mystery surrounding everything, and though I guessed fairly early on, it didn't impede my enjoyment of the book. Definitely too spicy for young readers, but happy to recommend this to staff looking for that perfect gothic romance!

This had the perfect dark gothic vibes mixed with Celtic lore and the perfect dose of thriller. It was giving me slight Horror Story vibes and I definitely thought I had it all figured out but oh man that last 10% really proved me wrong.

-Historical Fiction
-Light spice
-Memory loss
-Ghost
-Gothic/dark aesthetic
-Short but not lacking in detail

This dark romantic fantasy is hard to believe it is the work of a debut author.
Millie, our protagonist, is prone to hallucinations which are perfectly spooky and the descriptions of the house ethereal and reminded me of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed the mystery of Willowfield and its current inhabitants, whose lives all seemed to stop at the death of the Mrs. Hughes. I will say I did not see the ending coming!
I do wish that we had gotten more into their research(because I’m a nerd and enjoy that) and the romance felt like it happened pretty quickly. However the book was still enjoyable.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Millie has recently been hired as an assistant to a professor working on his research of folklore from his secluded estate. As Millie works through the secrets of faerie lore she finds herself increasingly attracted to her boss and equally frightened of the manor house crumbling around them.

This is Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries if it were a psychological thriller. I loved it. I do wish we got a little bit more about Millie’s life at the bookstore, and perhaps a bit more of her past with her family as well as a more fleshed out history for Callum but overall this was super satisfying. The imagery was really detailed and everyone had proper (albeit screwed up) motivations.

I enjoyed the mystery in The Cruel Dark!

What I really liked in this book was the mental health rep and the abuse survivor rep. I found both were done really well and Millie’s backstory was quite rich. The mystery and creepy hauntings around Willowfield also really held my attention—this definitely has a great psychological aspect to it.

The romance was good, but things progressed a little fast but it makes sense as a whole. I did find there to be lot of telling in the beginning which took me awhile to get into the book. There was also a twist at the end that I had figured out earlier on but it didn’t detract from the book itself.

Overall, the Cruel Dark was a great spooky read with some spicy romance and a good dose of ghostly mystery. The twist at the end was unexpected and really well done! It kind of had a Crimson Peaks vibe with gothic horror and an old crumbling estate. It’s a great vibe for the fall! Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because the ending.
This was a slow burn with some spicy scenes. Good spooky vibes for fall. Most of the book was uneventful but the ending was great. Because it was so slow, I almost DNF’d before I got to the good stuff. My pet peeve was the author often used more modern language but the book was supposed to take place in the 1920s. Maybe I am more harsh on this book because I read it at the same time as Starling House which was a waaaaaay better haunted house story. Sorry not sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Cruel Dark is a spooky romance set in 1928. Millie Foxboro is looking for a new start after spending two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. She finds the perfect opportunity - she becomes an assistant to a professor of mythology. The job is at widowed Professor Callum's estate of Willowfield. After the death of his wife, the house is falling apart, the staff is bare bones, and the estate is full of ghosts and sadness. Millie is drawn to the professor and his work, and finds herself struggling to find sense of what is real and what is not.

What I liked: This was spooky, but not a horror (I'm not a huge fan of horror). The setting of the manor was perfect for this story. The house and the professor's studies just enhanced the mystery of his wife's demise and death. Millie's ambiguous past also made it hard for the reader to know if she was struggling mentally or if the house was having an effect on her. The sexual tension and the spice was perfect! I will admit - the twists in this story caught me off-guard, and I usually am a little more astute with plot twists!

What I didn't like: I can't think of anything I didn't like.

I would definitely recommend this book to any one who likes a spooky mystery! I really enjoyed this read and can't wait to see more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Bea Northwick for the ARC.

The Cruel Dark is an eerie , historical, gothic romance about a book shop assistant named Millie. When a new job opportunity arises around the exact time she needs it, she can't help but accept. There is the attractive and mysterious new boss, the skittish yet almost nonexistent staff, and her job- wich is to help translate gaelic lore. The past comes haunting them all and her reality is blurred between what is fiction and what is real.

I will start by saying this gets steamy and the steam does not let up once it gets to that point, close to smut. It is not reverse harem or contain weird kinky things. Definitely four out of five chilli peppers.

The Cruel Dark is a perfect balance of spice , eerie spooky vibes, phycological mystery /thrill; a story line that keeps on giving until the end . It is perfect for those who want a solid October book but don't want to fully commit themselves to really scary things .

The descriptive writing style reminds me of Outlander and the story itself gave me Rebecca vibes. This is not new or young adult material, I promise the maturity of the characters and writing is satisfyingly adult.

My only complaint would be that it was too much description. In the middle of the story I had skipped over/ skimmed over some of the chapters because it lost my attention, and they did not add to the story.

I had mostly guessed the ongoing mystery with the lead character at around 40% . I believe if some of those details had been held back I would not have guessed so early in the story.

The ending was so perfect and touching, it made me love the couple even more. The Cruel Dark is a must for gothic romance lovers .

The Cruel Dark - first novel by author Bea Northwick - is an interesting story with a clever surprise. The writing is strong but some of the characters lack focus and the relationship between Millicent Foxboro and Dr. Callum Hughes moves too quickly. In 1928, Miss Foxboro takes a research assistant job at Willowfield House, helping Dr Hughes work on fairytale research. Initially, Millicent tries to remain 'comfortable and unnoticed..in unassuming beiges', but almost immediately becomes outspoken and 'visible; to her new boss (Hughes) - this change is not adequately explained. Although she has amnesia of several recent years, Millicent remembers her youth and studies in old Irish, Greek, and Latin. Millicent and Callum are quickly attracted to each other and - too soon - act on those feelings. Here is where the book lacks character development and storyline. The other critique is that the intimacy scenes are more graphic than would be expected and don't really sync with the 'voice' of the novel. Overall, 'The Cruel Dark' is well done and I look forward to the next book by Bea Northwick.