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.

This isn't my usual type of read but I had such a fun time with it! I loved how brave the FMC is. It's like a darker version of Beauty and the Beast. I was very intrigued by the world and wanted to know more about how these people came to serve this spider-woman. I really enjoyed the mystery element and the spooky environment was a delightful change of pace for a romance reader like me. I'd love to read more from this author!

This is very different than my typical reads, but I enjoyed it more than I expected! It's definitely the most interesting read I've had in a while. I still don't really know how to describe this one: It's creepy, it's gothic, it's so so weird. It's almost more of an experience than a story.

I think the setting was really interesting and I wished the novella were longer (maybe even full-length) so I could understand more about the world it takes place in! The atmosphere is very well-executed as well. The novella is deeply eerie, from the first page to the last, and Pueyo does an excellent job embuing each moment with an ever-increasing mix of anticipation and dread. I also really enjoyed the writing style. It was This is very different than my typical reads, but I enjoyed it more than I expected! It's definitely the most interesting read I've had in a while. I still don't really know how to describe this one: It's creepy, it's gothic, it's so so weird. It's almost more of an experience than a story.

I think the setting was really interesting and I wished the novella were longer (maybe even full-length) so I could understand more about the world it takes place in! The atmosphere is very well-executed as well. The novel is deeply eerie, from the first page to the last, and Pueyo does an excellent job imbuing each moment with an ever-increasing mix of anticipation and dread. I also really enjoyed the writing style. It was reminiscent of classic Gothic lit while still feeling fresh and unique.

This one is not for the faint of heart (or those scared of spiders). The way Pueyo describes Anatema, especially the way she moves, is viscerally unsettling. But if you're into spooky spider shit, this is bound to be up your alley! I support creepy lesbian spider lady rights, and you should too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC. of classic Gothic lit while still feeling fresh and unique.

This one is not for the faint of heart (or those scared of spiders). The way Pueyo describes Anatema, especially the way she moves, is viscerally unsettling. But if you're into spooky spider shit, this is bound to be up your alley! I support creepy lesbian spider lady rights, and you should too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC.

But Not Too Bold was a beautifully eerie and captivating read. The gothic atmosphere was rich and immersive, pulling me into the strange and mysterious world of Capricious House. The blend of romance, horror, and intrigue was perfectly balanced, making this novella feel both darkly enchanting and deeply emotional.

Dália was such an engaging protagonist, and I loved watching her navigate the unsettling yet fascinating relationship with Anathema. The writing was lush and evocative, making every moment feel tangible and haunting in the best way.

I do wish the story had been longer, but I would 100% be willing to read more from this world!

For such a short novella, this book really packs an emotional punch. Steeped in gothic homage, Burt Not Too Bold surprised me with its warmth and heart. This is a story about the power of being seen and known, and how we fear are and are repulsed by it as much as we desire it. I loved the ending, especially. Definitely one for fans of Gothic sapphic fiction.

A delightfully strange semi-gothic sapphic romance novella that probably isn't for everyone. This is the perfect read for someone looking for interesting characters, an unusual romance, and a dash of the monstrous. And isn't afraid of spiders. I would love to read more about this world that Hache Pueyo has created and hope that she writes more. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sapphic? Check. Gothic? Check. Novella? Check. This story was like the best of everything combined into one book. I love a novella, and this one was fantastic! The writing was great, and I really enjoyed the characters. The monster itself definitely could have been even more heightened, and I think it would have been even better for it, but that's really my only major "complaint". This was a really solid story, and it has a cool cover to boot!

I wasn't really sure what I would be getting into when I picked up But Not Too Bold, I still think I'm forever trying to nail down what a gothic setting is in books. But to me, it was captured really well in this and I was absolutely here for it. However, I don't think this one was working for my mood. I definitely want to try this one again at a later time. I know this one was a novella, but would have absolutely loved a bit more to this story.