Thank you to NetGalley and 8th Circle Press for the arc of the 10th anniversary edition.

This was a cheesy, delightful, and mysterious romance. With elements of horror, this romance excites me in more ways than one.

The plot twist at the end was not surprising, but it felt earned. Loved this one.

5 stars

Enjoyed it. Quite spooky and good erotic descriptions.
Quite easy to predict what was happening , though missed the boys romance.
For such an honorable headmaster he does lie to the heroine when explaining why half the students were removed.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this many years ago and it's been a firm favourite. The updated cover and illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and perfect for the narrative. With illustrated covers being all the same nowadays it's wonderful to see something Throwback, classic and individual that understands that covers and illustrations are an artform.

Holy. Cow.
I am grateful this had an anniversary because I would have never come across this book without the help of NetGalley. The ending tied this book up so perfectly and it became an instant 5 star read.

I really enjoyed the previous books (Godwick series) I had read by this author. Nothing wrong with this book, but could see the end twist coming a mile away. Nice short story. I like a tiny bit more humor, although I did appreciate the dry British wit. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC (of sorts - 10 year anniversary edition with illustrations).

The Headmaster packs such a punch in a short 125 pages. It's hauntingly beautiful and gothic, this is exactly what Gothikana wished it was actually achieving. The trend lately seems to be a student/teacher pairing- so I very much appreciated the age-appropriate teacher-headmaster pairing. This is a breath of fresh air after so much dark academia mediocrity.

I enjoyed The Headmaster but this did not live up to Reisz' other books. The illustrations were a nice addition!

Okay listen. I thought this felt very dated. Parts were so modern and others felt like period pieces.. but I pushed on.

I felt the romance was a tad rushed but with less than 200 pages I understood. And, to be fair, it was done without the cringe. Anywho, I adored the kids and felt they really kept the pace going. Had it not been for them, maybe I wouldn’t have been as interested.

Then we get to the end. At this point, I was thinking I like this book but I don’t love it. It’s lacking something. It’s lacking DEPTH. I needed, wanted more. AND BOY DID I GET MORE.

I think my jaw physically dropped and I was left reading the last of the book like I was starving for the words. I could not believe the twist. It was perfect. I was beautiful. It was heartbreaking. It was so good.

I know this was a release and I know the illustrations were added and I LOVED them. I’ll be interested to see how this fairs among the readers I follow.

Thanks so much NetGalley and 8th Circle Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the eARC

Yes, I read this one solely because of the cover of the tenth anniversary edition. That 1970s Gothic romance vibe was too hard to resist!

The story is a bit low on Gothic elements and I was able to deduce the final twist within the first few chapters. Still, the characters are pretty good, even though the heroine is oblivious to everything except the comeliness of the titular headmaster.

I probably won't seek out anything else by Reisz, but I don't regret reading <i>The Headmaster.</i>

Received via NetGalley.

This was a really good book I love the little illustrations between the pages and the
Story was just so good., the main character drives to this school that’s so far away away from civilization and it’s a boarding school she meets a headmaster there named Edwin that is the headmaster or he says 60 boys eventually she finds out it’s 30 boys And at the middle of night, she keeps seeing some ghost woman walking the halls so she thinks it’s haunted. There’s a huge twist in the end of the book. Nothing is is what it seems. She in the middle of the story falls in love with the headmaster. There’s a lot of spice in the book. The ending twist really got me, but I really love the book.

Spoiler-free review: The Headmaster is an easy, entertaining Gothic Romance with spice. The dark parts are fairly brief.
I enjoyed the set-up of the young teacher in need of a job and a home. The atmospheric setting in the Appalachians and hints of mystery create suspense. The stern, handsome headmaster holding together an isolated boys school exerts a certain charm.

The picturesque school with a teacher's dream of eager, bright students comes to life as an idyllic refuge from the outer world.

By the middle, the ongoing banter and her obsession with the headmaster felt repetitive. The pace dragged.

The Dark Academia designation on the cover and the Horror genre tag on NetGalley affected my expectations for the book. I'm left with mixed reactions.

Fortunately, The Headmaster builds to an ending with an emotional payoff.

For me, the way the only Black character in the book is used–and the two other characters whose representation appears to be solely for plot points–left an uncomfortable feeling.

Some readers will find this Gothic Romance a better fit. Tiffany Reisz has many popular books and delighted fans. BTW, the novel contains age gap and spicy scenes. The f-word appears, but there are no slang words for body parts.

The cover image is the best part of this book's marketing. I enjoyed the illustrations as well. They enhanced the book and fit the timeless feel of the setting. Thank you, Netgalley and 8th Circle Press for the e-Arc for consideration.

Slow and boring for a book that is around200 pages long it still ends up feeling like a bit of a slog at points and doesn't really have much going for it to interest me at all really.

This was so fun! It had a little bit of everything, and was an absolute wild ride. The writing was easy to get into, but I honestly was not expecting this to be so short.

Gwen is looking to start a new life after ending a relationship and losing her job. When she stops in a small town, she hears about a job opening at a local school. That is how she finds herself in her dream job, with an amazing man and a mystery she is determined to solve.

I want to start by saying I read this book years ago. I realized I had never reviewed it so I decided to read it again. I normally do not reread books, but I will make an exception for this author. I just might be a fan. I am going to be very careful what I say about this story because it is twisty and turny and I don’t want to give it away.

Gwen falls in love with the Marshall school and it’s students almost immediately. She is only offered the job on a trial basis but she wants to keep it because it’s everything she’s ever wanted. She is also very attracted to the headmaster, Edwin Yorke. He is 15 years older than she is and he is very proper. They embark on an illicit affair, but Edwin keeps throwing up roadblocks and Gwen doesn’t understand why. Gwen is the only woman on campus, so she is surprised to see a woman in a bridal gown wandering around campus. Edwin won’t discuss “the bride” with Gwen or a lot of other things for that matter and Gwen eventually becomes frustrated. That is when all of the pieces finally come together. And I can’t really say more without giving away anything. I will finish by saying I cried at the end….again.

This book is sort of a romance, kind of a mystery, a little bit creepy, and something I don’t have a word to describe. It’s moody and atmospheric. At any rate, I recommend this wholeheartedly. The writing is beautiful. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

Paranormal distopyian sci fi.
This is the perfect (shorter) romance story for Halloween. It has just enough of a spooky element to qualify as paranormal, but not enough to turn off contemporary romance readers. The story itself reads like a contemporary with a slight twist. Overall, this is a quick spooky read that was well written and entertaining. I just love Tiffany Reisz's writing

I am crying, I am sobbing, I am screaming, I am levitating.

This book was amazing. Gothic, eerie and with a twist I wasn’t expecting.

Releases 3rd September!

I'm a sucker for a dark academia gothic romance. A strange and mysterious boarding school in the Appalachian mountains? Jane Eyre vibes? Special 10th anniversary illustrations? An age gap, forbidden romance? Sign me up!

25 year old Gwendolyn desperately needs a job and a place to stay, she's alone and living day by day until she heard about a school that's in need of an English teacher. She goes, and instantly falls in love with the academy and the cottage she's given to stay at, not to mention her new boss and headmaster of the academy, Edwin Yorke, is a honest and enigmatic gentleman.

The romance is very instalove but since the book is short I wasn't fussed too much. It did feel forced at times, especially as Edwin wasn't easy to like at first, he's cold and distant, but as the mutual attraction grows so does his personality. It doesn't develop too much, and admittedly I didn't fall head over heels for him or anything, but his and Gwen's interactions always left me wanting more.

Alongside the romance there's an air of mystery and possibly paranormal. There's unanswered questions about the sudden leaving of the previous English teacher Miss Muir, and the odd specter like figure haunting the grounds known as The Bride. Is she real? Is she an intruder? A ghost? Imagination?

The banter and caring relationship between Gwen and the children was heartwarming. Whilst the writing felt simple, the story definitely had me hooked. It's horror-like at times, and though Gwen does act a little too forward and inappropriate at times, for the sake of the romance I let it go. The spice was well written though got repetitive towards the end with the sameness, and as we discover revelations I had a new look at the romance.

Some twists at the end had me shocked and jaw dropped, whilst the main one I predicted from early on. This book does feel a little cliché in terms of gothic romance and the route it took at the end, but nonetheless was a dark yet bittersweet novel.

4/5 🌟

This book is a masterclass in storytelling, with characters that feel like old friends and a plot that's both timely and timeless.

The headmaster himself is a fascinating, complex creature - equal parts charismatic leader and flawed human being. Tiffany's writing is evocative and immersive, transporting me to the hallowed halls of the boarding school with ease.

What resonated with me most, though, was the way the story explores the gray areas of human nature. It's a powerful reminder that we're all multifaceted, messy, and beautifully imperfect.

If you're looking for a read that'll keep you up late at night, make you feel all the feels, and linger in your thoughts long after you finish the book, then 'The Headmaster' is a must-read. Tiffany's writing has a way of getting under your skin, and I can't wait to see what she does next."

A sizzling page-turner! The author’s vivid descriptions and compelling characters make this book an absolute must-read for dark romance lovers. I couldn’t put it down. Five stars all the way!

Had I not seen the tenth year edition on NetGalley, I probably never would have read The Headmaster. I'm glad I did, though. I really enjoyed the story, the setting, and the romance. It was a really short book but I didn't need more to like every page. And the illustrations were pretty which is a great bonus!