A Haunting Gothic Romance That Will Stay With You

If you’ve ever wished for Jane Eyre with more edge, mystery, and a splash of dark magic, The Baron's Demons will be your new obsession. Erin Elle has crafted a tale that oozes gothic atmosphere, complete with a crumbling estate, unsettling secrets, and a brooding yet magnetic hero.

The protagonist, Julia, is compelling from the start—desperate to escape her abusive father and willing to marry the enigmatic Gabriel, Baron Arevale, despite the mysteries surrounding him. Her journey from fear to bravery as she confronts both her personal demons and the supernatural forces at Deringham is deeply satisfying. Gabriel is just as fascinating, a man whose secrets kept me guessing throughout.

The romance between them simmers slowly, and I loved how the tension between their growing connection and the dark forces around them built to a crescendo. The descriptions of Deringham, the gothic castle where the story unfolds, are vivid and haunting—it felt like a character in its own right. The supernatural elements added a layer of danger and intrigue that perfectly complemented the emotional stakes.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy atmospheric, slow-burn stories with just the right amount of spice and horror. Be warned: it’s not for the faint of heart, with themes of violence and death, but if you’re up for the ride, it’s an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait for the next installment in the Shadows of Deringham series!

Four stars!!! I believe that this is a very fun romantic/historical fiction read! I love the strong Gothic fantasy vibes as well! It’s like Bridgerton meets Halloween.

A gothic, historical fiction- Okay you have my attention.
I enjoyed reading Julia and Gabriels story, a slow burn with the spice sprinkled in all the right places. Whilst I felt Julia to be a little weak for a FMC, it didn't deter me from the story.
Theres demons, ghosts and other paranormal aspects which keeps things interesting and its set in the 1800's which i love.

3.5 stars. This was written well, but when I finished I found myself longing for more. There are still a few questions left unanswered, but there might be a second book if the ending of the epilogue is any indicator. The romance was so sweet and loving, the spice as well. I liked the gotchic, historical, horror vibe it had going on especially towards the last half of the book. However, I'm not a big fan of the exorcism plot. Maybe I've just seen too many horror movies with it, so it doesn't hit the same anymore. I would read more by this author. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

it's always to have a nice break from my modern dark romances. and this book being a historical romance with gothic/paranormal themes worked well perfectly. it was like adding salt for flavor that made it juuuuuuust right.

and obviously it being a historical romance, it did not mean it couldn't be spicy hehe that was enjoyable too.

a marriage of convenience in London in 1870s then just add a demon or two and the mmc being alive for centuries because a witch cursed him. and you have a book that i really did enjoy and finished quickly hehe

the baron’s demons by erin elle
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GR rating: 4.08
genre: paranormal romance, historical romance

This book really took me by surprise in the best way possible. (TW: mentions of child abuse)

This paranormal romance takes place in 1800s England and follows our heroine Julia Woodrow as she flees an abusive household by marrying Lord Arevale, a baron with a cool exterior and countless secrets. A passion begins to build between them, but can it survive the demons that haunt the baron’s past?

I was immediately hooked by the gothic romance plug on NetGalley, and I was done. The first part is definitely more of a historical romance and then it shifts to a paranormal romance later down the line. It has that beautiful blend of 🔥 and plot that I crave in my romances.

The author also blends the different elements of the various genres in the second half really well - the historical melds with the spooky effortlessly. I wish it was a bit more consistent in the beginning but it was definitely done well.

The pacing was decent but it was slow for me at the beginning (the first 20%) but then it picks up a tiny bit faster. The characters were also well done which I thoroughly enjoyed!

This is definitely for those who always need spooky season year round (just like me 😉).

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op for the e-ARC!

Big thanks to Netgalley and Erin Elle for the eARC in exchange for a review.


I just love a good beauty and the beast retelling and this fits. Escaping her terrible father, a dead mother and a mysterious older gentleman who can move her up in the world. Other than the age gap (not my thing, but a story arc requirement) what's not to love?

There's the hidden in pain sight magic and curses, along with a few good steamy bits.

5 stars!

So this was an okay read. I feel like it should have been more exciting than it was though. Gabriel's paranormal past and everything that happens now was really interesting....but seemed to be lacking something to really pull me in. The romance between Gabriel and Julia didn't exactly take a back seat here, but it was all so very sweet and natural that it too lacked excitement.

Julia lives alone with her abusive father after her mother had disappeared when she was a child. One day Julia finally builds up the courage to run away, but her poor planning has her ending up being harassed by a couple creepy guys in an alley. Fortunately, Gabriel just happens to be there and he saves her from them. Thinking she has made a huge mistake, Julia returns home believing she'll never see the man who saved her again. But she was wrong.

Gabriel realizes immediately who Julia is and wants to save her from her father. A man he has known many years and has never liked. So he proposes a marriage of convenience basically. They shall be wed, but she doesn't have to do any of her "wifely duties" if she doesn't want to. In fact, Gabriel doesn't even want to get too close to her because he has a huge secret of his own.

Despite how vastly different these two are and how huge of a gap in social experience they have, they actually get on quite well. Well, most of the time anyway. So it isn't a surprise that they quickly end up falling for the other for real. But when Gabriel's best friend, Arthur, who has been missing for a very long time shows back up, any days of peace they have will soon be shattered.

See, Gabriel has been cursed with immortality along with Arthur and they have been alive a very long time. What Gabriel didn't realize was just how tired Arthur was of being alive and what ends he would go to to finally die. With Gabriel's love for Julia growing by the day, he's horrified to find out that Arthur is even willing to use her to get what he wants. So a good majority of this book is Gabriel and Julia fighting off the evil forces sent after them, and more than once, fighting just to stay alive. But along the way Julia learns of the truth about her mother and why she really disappeared. In the end some people get what they want, some get a new ability, and others will finally embrace the happiness they have been able to find.

I won't say that this book was a waste of time because it did have a good story line going on. I just wish it was a lot more engaging for me. But I will say that all the paranormal bits from the demons to the witch were great and really worked here.

I came across The Baron's Demons by Erin Elle and the title and cover grabbed my attention so I decided to read the summary. I'm glad I did because I truly enjoyed this book.

Julia Woodrow is the fmc of the story and when the book opens, we find out very quickly she is trying to escape her abusive father but due to some unforeseen circumstances, things don't go as planned and she suddenly comes face to face with a gentleman she knows connected to her parents past. After deciding to give up on her escape and go home, Julia doesn't know what to expect of this man who has become a stranger to her family ever since her mother's scandal and death. What she didn't expect was that he would come to her home and offer marriage. The question Julia has to answer for herself is whether she is safer with this stranger than with her father and is she willing to risk everything to find out. Guess what...she is but their marriage actually brings more questions than answers.

Gabriel has secrets and Julia and her family just happen to be at the heart of one of his biggest ones. When he crosses paths with Julia as she is being robbed, he decides he will step in to marry her to get her away from her father but their marriage won't mean anything no matter how drawn to Julia he is. When Gabriel takes her to Deringham, his ancient estate, Julia starts to learn about the local history/tales and at the same time, unnatural creatures start to haunt the castle after dark. The question is why are they coming after Julia and what is Gabriel hiding because he nows more about what is happening than he will share.

I liked how Elle developed this story and the characters. There's a paranormal/gothic twist to this mixed in with the historical and I appreciate when authors blend these genres together well. I also thought the way Elle created the romance between Julia and Gabriel was well done. If you're looking for something new to pick up, I recommend grabbing this one. I haven't shared a lot about the actual story because I don't want to give too much away as there are some twists and turns that Elle takes the reader on and you need to read to appreciate them. I'll definitely be looking for more books in the future from this author in the future.

This was very much an enjoyable read. I love historical fiction to break up my fantasy series, so of course I jumped on this opportunity to read something a little different. I liked that is was unique, and that everything was timed perfectly in the plot - the romance developed before spice, things happened when they should have, it was a nicely paced book.

Jane Eyre but with more spice and more dark magic? Yes please! That’s what the marketing copy for Erin Elle's The Baron’s Demons promised, and that’s what instantly had me sold.

Julia Woodrow is desperate to escape her abusive father’s home, but has little opportunity to do so. She’s lucky when a stranger, Gabriel, Baron of Arevale, asks for her hand in marriage. Though she knows nothing about him, surely she’ll have a better life with him. However, Gabriel comes with many secrets and a long, dark past. As he and Julia gradually become closer, she’ll have to find out the truth about him and battle his demons with him.

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- Marriage of convenience
- Slow burn romance
- Age gap (seriously!)
- Dual timeline
- Third-person POV (Gabriel and Julia)

What I Liked:
- Escaping a bad life. Content warnings for domestic abuse, which Julia unfortunately has been subjected to by her father for years. He’s a horrid man, and I don’t blame her for taking any opportunity to get out of his house. Due to this, Julia is timid and afraid of angering anyone, including her new husband, Gabriel. I appreciate how Julia’s perspective continues to be present throughout the book, even after she and Gabriel have gained more trust. It’s a journey to overcome such abuse, and this was portrayed with care.
- Mystery surrounding Gabriel. I won’t spoil it for you, but Gabriel has quite the past! He and Arthur have been in it together for quite some time, and it was interesting to see their origins and how they’ve kept each other sane throughout.
- Demons and witches. A hunt for a long-lost witch, a pack of demons haunting the house, strange magic affecting two of the main characters… I love the inclusion of magic and supernatural beings here. It makes the Gothic element that much stronger and scarier, and adds to the tension within Gabriel and Julia’s marriage.
- Slow burn romance. It takes quite some time for Julia and Gabriel to open up to each other, but once they do, the connection is enchanting. They’re such different characters, and I like seeing how they balance each other out and find solace in one another.
- The cats! I love Mirna and Kinson and that Gabriel has such a soft spot for them. Cat daddy!
- The authentic writing. This book is set in 1873 and draws from the Gothic greats of that century. I really enjoyed that the author wrote the novel in a way which makes it feel like it was actually published in the 1870s. The style, word choice, and more feel authentic, making the setting more immersive.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Miles Johnson. I don’t know, unless I misunderstood, his background seems tainted. A plantation-owning family from North Carolina who didn’t fare so well after the American Civil War? No thanks. Thankfully he’s a fairly minor character.

Final Thoughts
The Baron’s Demons went in some unexpected directions and kept me engaged from start to finish. I love the slow burn romance between Gabriel and Julia, but equally I enjoyed the darker aspects with demons and magic. Arthur was one of my favorite characters, troubled as he was, and I’m intrigued by the cliffhanger this book ends on. I look forward to reading the next installment in the Shadows of Deringham series!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt that the character development, especially of Julia, was fantastic. This book has a dark, gothic feel and is set in England in the mid-1800s. Julia comes from a family where she was left by her mother at an early age and raised by her father, who does not treat her well. She feels stuck with no real hope of getting out. One day, while shopping in London, she gets pick-pocketed and is helped by a gentleman named Gabriel, a wealthy Baron, whom she later finds is an acquaintance of her fathers who will go on to ask for her hand in marriage. This is initially a marriage of convenience, but it will become so much more than that.
After the first couple of chapters, I was immediately taken in and found myself eager to get to my book every night after work. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes gothic fantasy with a splash of romance.

4.3/5 stars

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book or not, but the tagline (and cover) drew me in and while I did initially have pause when starting to read it, I powered through and I'm so glad I did. The language in the beginning was very on point for the time period and setting (Victorian London/England); I felt like I'd been thrown in a Dickens novel at first with the language being very reminiscent of Oliver Twist and the likes, but once you get to the Baron's abode...things really take a turn and I was delighted by that. This was a perfect spooky season read with the perfect amount of spice that accompanied the plot. My heart was all sorts of wrapped up in this gothic fantasy historical romance story. Julia tugs at your heartstrings in the beginning with her dismal home life, but I loved her character development through the story. I felt there were some moments that she could have been more assertive, but given the time period and setting, I wasn't displeased when she didn't. I will say that I loved Julia despite my wanting her to be more assertive at times because there are times that 'the badass, strong, heroic fmc' becomes an overdone archetype and is abysmally annoying, but not Julia. I am OBSESSED with Gabriel and cannot wait for more of him. I was so happy that I received this arc from NetGalley (my thoughts are my own and not paid for in any way).

The Baron’s Demons starts off with the main character, Julia Woodrow, fleeing from her miserable life. A neglectful and abusive father, who has squandered what little fortune they had, Julia makes a rash decision to leave with only a few coins to get her to safety. But when two strangers accost her, a mysterious gentleman happens to step in and saves her from being harmed. After Julia returns home from nearly being attacked, she's left wondering about the broody stranger who asked for her name and nothing more.

Overall the book was entertaining. You have a broody baron who steps in on more than one occasion to ensure Julia is safely taken care of, including a marriage of convenience. With a very slow burn, Julia and Gabriel do find a way towards happiness until….

SPOILERS

There were a few plot twists that didn’t transition smoothly into the story. There’s a paranormal aspect to the book that isn’t fully developed. At first I thought Gabriel was a vampire and I was actually really excited about that prospect, but, we go back into the past (like centuries) and find out he was only cursed, basically making him immortal, by a witch who may possibly still be alive?

Further, there are these weird scenes where demons (literal demons) come to haunt the baron and his new wife, but miraculously the village priest is able to stop them from getting into their home, as though he were the local Ghostbusters. And conveniently, once Gabriel and Julia invite friends to come visit the demons stop haunting them. The strangest of all these demonic encounters is after Julia gets shot (you don't know by whom until much later) she's eventually found in the woods by Gabriel, and brought back to the house to be tended to. When she's near death, she somehow becomes possessed by a demon, which saves her life, and now she can see dead people...

It was all confusing.

With a cliffhanger ending, I’m hopeful the second book will read more smoothly and answer some questions I had after the epilogue.

This was a fun little historical romance. Julia was very relatable and her relationship with Gabrielle was precious. I really liked the flashbacks and getting to see Gabrielle and Arthur’s story it was fun to see. I would have loved to see even more of their history and the connection Arthur and Mary had was heartbreaking as well as precious. I liked all the little twist and that Gabrielle had a solid supportive staff rather than just being a loner. Overall it was a fun interesting little romance with some twist and turns.

This was an interesting read.

It started great. Got a bit dull and then picked up again. I almost gave up on it during the dull part but I'm glad I stuck to it.

It has been the perfect October read with the right amount of horror/suspense and romance. My favorite things and perfect for #spookyseason.

I was not expecting a lot of what happened and I'm so happy.

Gabriel and Julia are perfection. The marriage of convenience to watching them fall in love kept me up late into the night to find out what happens next. I overslept one morning due to this and my kids almost missed the bus. I don't regret anything.

Can't wait for book 2!

5/5 ⭐️

Perfect historical gothic romance fantasy!! 🖤

The Baron’s Demons is an intense and captivating read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Julia’s struggle to escape her abusive father and the desperate choice she makes to marry a man she barely knows immediately draws you in. The man’s sudden offer of help, mixed with Julia’s fear and hope, sets the stage for a story filled with unexpected twists. What follows is a thrilling journey into a world of witches, demons, and dark secrets. The way the story intertwined love, friendship, and family with the darker elements of demonology was masterful. Every chapter left me guessing and craving more, and I couldn’t put the book down. It’s a beautifully crafted story that kept me hooked until the very end. A must-read for anyone who loves a mix of romance, mystery, and supernatural intrigue!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC

Oh this was so good. I loved Gabriel and Julia's relationship growth and their story. I couldn't put the book down and I needed to keep reading to figure out what was going to happen next.
The plot was new and intriguing. The character development felt natural.
And was that a cliffhanger?! I can't wait to read more.

realistically this one was a 3.5 star for me, but i rounded it down because there were some parts that just felt unfinished or rushed.
This one had a really interesting premise and description that i simply NEEDED to know more about! I wasn't really expecting too much going into this other than the two main characters reluctantly falling in love (after time and after allowing themselves to) and that they would have to overcome a lot to get the ending that they both deserved. It also didn't hurt that there was the mention of demons and witches, which i knew would keep things interesting if everything else failed.

There were a lot of things to enjoy when reading this one. I thought the emotional journey the main female character goes on was really interesting, and i feel like it was executed really well too! I especially loved that there were so many characters trying to actively help them on this journey/trying to make their life easier and more enjoyable in any way that they could.
There was also a real sense of emotional connection between the two main characters, and all of the intimate moments that they shared later on genuinely felt like i was peering in on a deeply loving connection.

While all of that was really good, there were some parts that left me frustrated. Certain details of the book felt unfinished or dropped like they weren't important, and they were usually the things that i thought were the most interesting. They might not have added anything to the overall plot but they were pretty cool.
There's just a lot of questions that weren't answered or even acknowledged slightly. Maybe the author was just dropping lots of details and events to keep things interesting without really thinking about how it would all be connected or resolved?

The actual ending was enjoyable, and im glad things ended how they did, just still frustrated by the little details.

3 outta 5 Stars
Good Reads Review 20/10/2024

I do enjoy a story where a downtrodden character is saved. However, I have some thoughts.

Things I Enjoyed:
I liked Sal. Also the vicar, needed more of them.

The witch, what was going on there? I wanna know more!

I liked the journey of our sad, sheltered, and abused main character learning to trust and being surrounded by (mostly) people interested in supporting and uplifting her.

I also liked that our sad, guarded, stoney love interest went through a similar journey of learning to trust. And that opening up and loving someone, despite knowing that losing them someday is a certainty, that that is still better than living a life avoiding such attachments.

I liked glimpses at the village, and how the local legends evolved over time since the events involving Gabriel and Arthur happened. I wanted to see more of that.

Steamy bits are well written, believable, and lovingly intimate.

Things I didn’t really enjoy:
Arthur, who we barely see in his “normal” state, is far more interesting than Gabriel, the main love interest. I found Gabriel boring. What has he been doing for 800 years? I mean I guess maybe that’s the point? He’s been on the fringes to avoid being hassled?

The Baron’s solution to demons attempting to breach his castle is… invite his friend and his whole family for a visit??

I felt let down by the reveal of what happened to the mother. It didn’t feel as impactful as I wanted it to be, only as another obstacle for Julia and Gabriel to overcome. After everything, I feel like, at the very least, he should have taken her to where she was buried, or discussed the topic of giving her a proper burial.

A lot of the things Julia had to deal with felt brushed aside for her to be concerned about her husband. The trauma of her mother missing, thinking she abandoned her, and finding out she died violently. The YEARS of abuse suffered at the hands of her father. Multiple demon attacks. Shot. Stabbed. POSSESSED. I realise there were usually more pressing matters at hand, but she seemed to just suppress all these mounting traumas.

Many things I felt were unresolved and left me frustrated:
Only receiving the tiniest breadcrumb about the witch they had apparently been chasing for 800 years only being thrown at the very end, in the epilogue nonetheless, and it only being three words.

Julia’s nightmares? There’s a demon inside her? Is that still there? Was that nightmare with her mother actually a demon trying to get her to invite it in?

How did Arthur actually die? Is that powerful demon actually gone?

Wrapping up my thoughts:
So, it was a romance that made an attempt at also being a supernatural thriller I guess? There was a lot of potential in this story and I think many things fell flat. Ultimately the story was about a girl who needed saving and a man who needed to let himself be in love, and that story was told, with some demons thrown in.
Overall I still enjoyed it, and I suppose things have been left unresolved for potentially continuing the story, one I don’t think I’ll be checking in with if that’s the case.