Gothic horror meets sapphic monster romance …. Um say less. This was fantastically written and such an interesting genre bend.

Such an incredible novella. I had a fantastic time reading But Not Too Bold. A perfectly gothic romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback. This novella flew by. The characters were strangely charming. Hard to come up with comp titles, it was unique and fun.

I was not expecting this monster romance to be as sweet and cozy as it ended up being. I liked the writing and how the mystery was revealed.

I really enjoyed this sapphic monster romance! Thank you so, so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title!

Blurb:
The Shape of Water meets Mexican Gothic in this sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings

The old keeper of the keys is dead, and the creature who ate her is the volatile Lady of the Capricious House⁠—Anatema, an enormous humanoid spider with a taste for laudanum and human brides.

Dália, the old keeper’s protégée, must take up her duties, locking and unlocking the little drawers in which Anatema keeps her memories. And if she can unravel the crime that led to her predecessor's execution, Dália might just be able to survive long enough to grow into her new role.

But there’s a gaping hole in Dália’s plan that she refuses to see: Anatema cannot resist a beautiful woman, and she eventually devours every single bride that crosses her path.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but this definitely wasn't how I saw it going. I'm not mad about it, though. I didn't realize I'd be reading a creepy love story, but I enjoyed it a lot. The author was very creative in her writing of this story. If you like weird books that are queen coded and sort of horror. then this one is for you. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

But Not Too Bold starts with Dália becoming the Keeper of the Keys of the Capricious House. BUT the mistress of this house just happens to be a massive spider lady named Anatema. Anatema requests Dália’s help to solve a mystery, leading to the two spending a lot of time together.

I went into this expecting a monster romance, but it was actually a monster love story. I was truly invested in the mystery and in the romance. With this book being under 100 pages, I do wish it was longer, but I can’t complain because it’s such a short and sweet read. I would love to have learned more about the Archaic Ones, but it has kept me wondering about them for days after finishing this book.

I’d highly recommend this as an intro to true monster romance or, honestly, for anyone looking for a quick fantasy-horror read.

Sapphic monster romance meets gothic horror?!! This was so good!!

This is a short one so I won’t say too much! We follow Dalia who is a young woman becoming the new Keeper of the Keys after her predecessor was eaten by the Lady of Capricious House. But Dalia isn’t afraid, even after being tasked with finding the thief or be eaten herself - she was raised for this after all. While trying to solve the mystery Dalia and Lady of Capricious House’s relationship starts to change. The question is will this end in a happily ever after or death?

Hache Pueyo blurred some genre line with this one, merging gothic horror and sapphic monster romance BUT throwing in a dash of mystery!! And their writing style was so captivating.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The cover of this is so bold! The colors and the imagery is just 🧑‍🍳 💋

The story itself was so eerie and suspenseful. I was locked in for some answers and loved the visuals that seemed quirky but lovely. Looking forward to discussing with a friend.

Not gonna lie this book sucked me in just from the cover alone, but it’s also good to see that the contents within the book was as equally lush and entertaining. I will definitely keep a lookout for this author.

Thank you to @tordotcompublishing for the beautiful #gifted copy of
But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo. And to @netgalley for gifted the digital copy.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🖤 Gothic Romance Meets Monstrous Intrigue 🖤

This book was such an unexpected delight! It might sound strange to call a gothic monster romance pleasant, but I truly didn’t know what to expect—and I was completely captivated. The story felt fresh, the atmosphere was deliciously eerie, and the characters were so richly developed.

Anatema stole the show for me. The way she creates intricate models in memory of each of her brides? Hauntingly beautiful. She’s both terrifying and oddly endearing, which makes her dynamic with Dália even more mesmerizing. And Dália’s innocent oblivion to her own allure—and its effect on Anatema—was so well done.

Oh, and if you have arachnophobia, consider this your official warning: this book has its fair share of creepy (crawly)moments that had me on edge!

But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo is a strange and atmospheric read. I loved the visuals of the novella – tea made from poppies, Dalmatians roaming, colourful tarantulas. I look forward to reading it again and spending more time in this eerie world. Altogether 4.5 rounding up to 5. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing me an eARC to this fantastic book!

The suspense was amazing, I never quite knew what to expect here. The back and forth where you're wondering if our protagonist is going to be eaten was delightful and the questions of who deserves respect and humanity, and how do we care for outcasts within our community was dealt with really well. I'm always a fan of books with the premise that everyone is deserving of love.

This Sapphic monster romance will pull at readers' heartstrings and leave them wishing for more. I will recommend this to anyone who enjoys gothic horror and romance!

5 out of 5 stars

What did I just read? No, seriously-what was that? This book is weird in the best possible way. Imagine if gothic horror, sapphic yearning, and fever-dream fairy tales had a love child, then set it loose inside a haunted mansion where the mistress of the house is a literal spider-woman who may or may not eat people. The writing? Absolutely top-tier. Every sentence drips with eerie beauty, wrapping around you like silk before sinking its fangs in.
It's unsettling, hypnotic, and unlike anything else l've ever read. If you want something deliciously strange, this is it.
But fair warning-if spiders make your skin crawl, this book might not be your cup of tea. There are a lot of them. Crawling around. Being eaten. You've been warned.
Verdict: If you like eerie, poetic horror, monster romance, and books that feel like waking up from a dream you almost understood-this one's for you.

I loved how this short sapphic horror was written—it’s equal parts weird and intriguing, a mystery that’s as satisfying to unravel as it is unnerving.

But Not Too Bold introduces us to Anatema, the enigmatic Lady of the Capricious House—a towering, eldritch spider goddess with a taste for laudanum, beautiful women, and, occasionally, her staff.

When Dália, the new keeper of the keys, learns that her predecessor met a grim fate because of a stolen memorial keepsake, it’s up to her to find the real thief.

Anatema is not only terrifying but also strangely endearing—disgusted by men (which I kind of love), longing for love, and seeking a bride who will willingly embrace her monstrous nature. Even the servants seem devoted to her, honoured to serve despite the ever-present risk of being devoured.

The story drips with unsettling atmosphere, body horror, and eerie, visceral imagery. If you have a fear of spiders, I’d love to know how this book hits you—because while I wasn’t scared of Anatema herself, I thoroughly enjoyed the grotesque, eerie visuals and the underlying tension.

This spooky, sapphic novella was wildly surreal and fun! This monster romance is about a giant sentient queen spider, need I say more? This quirky and charming story is binge worthy, perfect for reading in a single session. My only complaint is I wish it were longer!

I enjoyed the conceit and the world Hache Pueyo introduces here, and I adored main character Dália's intelligence and no-nonsense approach to life. The actual storytelling feels weak, unfortunately; maybe it was hindered by the novella format.

This book was unlike anything I've read before. Spider/monster, gothic horror, and romance all tied together in such a short book. I think readers who enjoyed Binti will also enjoy this book. Highly recommend.

I requested a copy of But Not Too Bold based on its comparison to The Shape of Water. Like the film, I was hoping for a beautiful but weird creature romance. The poor comp. title set me up for disappointment.

The setting is lush and easy to lose yourself in, but the length of the piece hinders its overall impact. Everything happened too quickly. The opening mystery is unimportant and resolved with the equivalent of a shrug. I enjoyed Anatema's creature design, but the gothic undertones and evocative descriptions weren't enough to carry the story. I needed more chemistry between Dalia and Anatema for the ending to feel earned.

Despite its shortcomings, readers looking for a gothic novella with a hint of creature romance would likely appreciate it.