Enigma, a standalone novel by RuNyx
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
3 stars

I’m a sucker for dark academia, secret societies and gothic vibes. When it’s done well. Unfortunately I personally find that I’m consistently disappointed by novels marketed as such. I go into them hoping to be sucked in, chewed up and spit out by the author but that rarely happens. *Sigh* It didn’t happen this time either.

First, I’ll say the cover is beautiful and it definitely grabbed my attention. I also loved the premise of the FMC being an oddity among the social class of her community. Salem is weird and loves all things related to death. I loved that she went into an elite university to study forensic pathology and investigate the suspicious death of her sister. There was an attempt to make the campus feel gothic and there were the standard ghost stories and tales surrounding the lore of the school.

Salem makes a few friends (for the first time in her life,) and meets Cazimir. He’s definitely an enigma on campus. Mysterious, no one really knows anything about him. Salem and Caz had some chemistry sure, but I definitely didn’t get the rivals to lovers vibe out of them. At all. The romance was an extreme slow burn. Add that to the pacing of the story and the overall feel was slow and drawn out. I kept waiting for the secret society factor to be revealed but it doesn’t really come to the forefront until the last 30% of the novel.

I wasn’t a big fan of the ending either although I do think it’s possible that it could be open-ended. There is potential to be able to write a sequel if the author wanted to.

Overall, a mediocre read that really didn’t do what I felt like it promised to do.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion

I absolutely loved every major and minor trope in this book. A college romance plus forbidden plus mystery? I was hooked. Salem was such an interesting character with a lot of baggage. There were so many things happening in her life, and she was just a deeply complex character—her childhood, her family dynamics, and all the relationships in her life weren’t the norm, which made everything so intriguing. And Caz—he was such an enigma. Honestly, both of them were, which is exactly what made their dynamic so compelling.

The mystery kept me engaged the entire time, and the epilogue? I love when an author gives us that “10 years later” glimpse into the characters’ lives—I will always eat that up. It was a bit of a slow burn, which I loved. And the little tropes sprinkled throughout? Chef’s kiss. Him being her TA? The forbidden tension? Perfection. Salem and Caz had incredible chemistry, but what I loved most was how they healed each other. The growth Salem went through was phenomenal—I was honestly shocked at how much Caz brought out the best in her. He made her feel comfortable, helped her break down her walls, and reminded her that life could be more. She had become so closed off, thinking that’s just how things were always going to be, and then she met someone who genuinely wanted to see her shine. That was beautiful.

This book was just such a vibe, and I had the best time reading it!

It comes out April 29th so excited for you guys to read it!!🤍

A HUGE thank you to torpublishing & netgalley for making this possible

Loved this book so much! My criminological & psychological mind was going off and enjoyed reading a plot that combined the details of this with romance, loss, loneliness! Seeing myself relate to aspects of the plot through Salem made me really connect with her. Reading how Salem grew throughout the book and finding her person through Caz was so cute & kept me coming back for more. I will definitely recommend this book to everyone!!

This story premise was interesting but I felt there weren’t many characters that really kept me invested in the overall story. I did feel like it was a bit predictable but overall a book I think many will like. I Will note that there were several sections in the story where I had to reread sentences because the wording really didn’t make sense and I do hope that gets caught in further editing.

Thanks for the early copy for review

3.5 ⭐️ The first part of this book was beautifully written and I really liked the FMC and the tension between her and the MMC. By parts II and III I didn't feel like she was the same character and not because she was growing and changing. There were aspects of her tenacity that disappeared. The MMC is a morally grey artist who is so dark and twisty that it redeems the predictable plot. The further I read, the more I started lowering my rating. There is a huge plot hole in this book that I can’t believe, and it left me with no closure. Ultimately, this is an OK new adult dark romance read. The spice was low, and they faded to black a few times.

***4.5/5 Team Salem Stars***

As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Gothikana, I was all kinds of excited to get my hands on Enigma. I know that they are separate in that they are standalones and do not take place in the same school, but the dark academia/gothic feel is. And while I would have liked a little more closure to a couple things, I had a great time reading this book.

Now, the majority of my enjoyment of this book was being in Salem’s head and watching as she, for lack of a better way to put it, comes out of her shell…but also doesn’t. Caz is mysterious, obsessive and protective as all get out. The journey to their HEA gave me whiplash, but it was interesting to watch as they are both drawn to each other but for various reasons should stay away and yet can’t. The stalker vibe is strong, as is the chemistry between them and it was fun to watch them open up to each other and find that they were exactly what they never knew they needed.

The vibe of the story is dark and grey and eerie and there are triggers peppered throughout the story in a lot of ways, so reader beware. As for the plot/mystery (mysteries) I liked how everything unfolded. I did guess at a couple of things, but there were enough surprises to keep things interesting and though the answers to the various questions were answered and were satisfying for me, I do wish there was more about what happened in the aftermath, but that’s a me thing. And as I do love me some great supporting characters, I gotta say I loved Aditi and Melissa and even Baron. So if you enjoyed Gothikana, you’ll enjoy this baby as well.

~ Copy provided by Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Thank you NetGalley and RyNux for this ARC!
I went into this book blind, and I'm glad I did. What a great dark academia romance! I loved Gothikana for the dark academia vibe and this book reminded me why. The story with Salena and Caz and how their relationship develops is very well written. Anyone who enjoys an enemies to lovers, secrets and big reveals kind of read, this one is for you!

4.5 stars rounded up

No one writes a mysterious, beautiful, obsessive man like RuNyx. I loved Caz so much, from the literal moment he opened his mouth. The way his entire world shifted to revolve around Salem was so swoon worthy, he may be my favorite RuNyx MMC so far.

I loved this so much, Caz and Salems relationship was perfection. I’ve never related so much to an FMC as I did Salem. The way she experiences the world and social interactions really resonated with me, and I was really able to empathize with her insecurities and self doubt. As a neurodivergent person who often times feels “other” and misunderstood, especially in romantic relationships, I was grateful for how authentically Salem was written. I love how Caz never tried to change her, but took the time to understand her instead. He saw the things she viewed as insecurities as her strengths instead, and from the start was her number one fan. I typically do not like the insta-love trope, but for Caz and Salem it just worked perfectly.

Overall, this was a great mix of romance, mystery, and suspense. I do wish there was a bit more time spent with the conclusion and gotten a bit more closure. It ended a bit abruptly, and I just found myself wanting to know more about what happened to the antagonists after the climax. I would have loved some more time spent with the “bad guys” at the end and to have seen Salem use her mind and forensics expertise to help rescue herself and Melissa/take down the secret society rather than be completely rescued by Caz.

Despite the rushed ending, I still thoroughly enjoyed Enigma, and will definitely be recommending it to so many people. I can always count on RuNyx to deliver an engaging and steamy story, and I hope maybe we will get to revisit this world or some of the side characters with a spinoff or 2.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley, Tor Publishing, and RuNyx for an early copy of Enigma, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

runyx is back, baby! I feel so honored for being chosen to read this book. as someone who lost their mom as well — almost 3 years ago — my heart hurts for runyx.

but she came back swinging! I loved this book so much. Caz & salem were absolutely perfection. I loved the push and pull of their relationship, their deep love and trust for each other. I love that salem and her mom mended their relationship and that caz received a mother figure in return.

i’m dying for a spinoff.

✨ARC Review✨

✅Mysterious deaths
✅Secret societies
✅Touch her and 💀
✅Dark pasts
✅Dual POV
✅He fell first
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Suspense. Mystery. Romance.

If you’re into these themes, then Enigma is the book for you. The first chapter hooked me right away. I am a huge fan of true crime documentaries. The premise of unsolved deaths in this books really sucked me in. RuNyx did a great job highlighting the mystery surrounding the victims especially the FMC’s sister.

When it comes to Salem and Caz, their relationship is intense. How they met was very unique. It was a little unsettling how possessive Caz was, but Salem was there to balance him out. The darkness in their lives because of similar and connected family trauma was interested to read.

If anything, I thought that the ending a little anti-climactic. The existence of the secret society was built up so much, but their conclusion felt rushed. I wished that the challenges Salem and Caz faced relating to the society was explored more.

This is the first novel by RuNyx that I read. If you are a fan of dark romance, then I recommend this book to you.

Runyx’s Enigma delivers an addictive mix of romance and suspense, pulling readers into the intense world of Caz and Salem. The chemistry between them is undoubtedly the highlight—what starts as an instant attraction evolves into something deeper and more compelling. Unlike typical insta-lust tropes that often feel rushed, Enigma takes the time to deconstruct and rebuild their relationship, making their connection feel earned and organic.

The tension and mystery woven throughout the story keep the pages turning, with dark undertones that add to the novel’s immersive atmosphere. However, while the buildup is gripping, the resolution leaves something to be desired. The ending feels abrupt, and the mystery elements—so carefully layered throughout—don’t quite get the satisfying payoff they deserve. A little more time spent on tying up loose ends would have made for a stronger conclusion.

Overall, Enigma is a captivating read with sizzling romance and a well-executed twist on the insta-love trope. Despite its rushed ending, it’s an engaging story that will leave readers eager for more from Runyx.

This was a good read. I liked the atmospheric and dark themes to it. This one followed the fmc, and when we meet her in the book, we see that she is kinda obsessed with all things related to death, and at times it was a bit triggering. This is a dark academia with secret societies, and I think one of the best things about this book was the way the author wrote the setting and world. It was descriptive and well done.

It did take me a while to get into, but once everything started flowing and the main characters met, it got better. The romance is enemies-to-lovers to lovers, and they are also rivals. It was cute, and I liked aspects of their relationship. The mmc is the tattooed grumpy grey mc we all love in dark romance. It's a slow burn and gets steamy. I liked the secret society plot and the mystery plot. Thanks to the Bramble for the arc for an honest review.

I don’t know what RuNyx put in this book but surely it must be crack! As a diehard Gothikana lover, Enigma was the perfect follow up to those beautifully dreary lovebirds. UGH I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!

3.75/5 stars

A bingeable steamy dark academia romance. <i>Enigma</i> is set at an elite cliffside university, with secret societies.

Salem comes to Mortimer University to uncover her sisters mysterious death, while navigating her own grief and loneliness. She is ultimately forced to work alongside Cazimir van der Waal, another mystery to unravel, to uncover the deadly truths.

I was instantly captivated by the plot and mystery of unraveling the murders. The suspense and wanting to be in the know kept you on the edge. The gothic atmosphere was enchanting and immersive. RuNyx's writing is easy to digest, but there is just something about it that I dislike. Maybe the wording and repetitiveness? I can't quite put my finger on it.

The romance was lust at first sight, but there was still something magnetic about it. The chemistry between them felt more stagnant in the beginning, but after being more open and learning of their shared commonalities that changed. All of which are important topics discussed, such as grief, abandonment, healing, and self-discovery.

The ending was where problems started to arise. There was so much build up for the mysteries surrounding the secret societies and murders, but the resolution felt so abrupt. Overall, the ending felt rushed and I wish more time was spent on the 'big' reveal.

I would pick this up if you enjoy dark academia, rivals to lovers romance, secret societies, found family, and mystery.

Thank you Bramble for an ARC.

Gothikana best selling author Runyx is back with a new dark academia romance. Salem Salazar is a legacy to the elite school of Mortimer University. She’s her scandal ridden family’s black sheep and no stranger to death. Since she can remember, all she’s wanted to do was crime scene forensics. When she tries to discover why there’s students that keep dying, she falls in her student TA, Cazimir van der Waal’s sights. He’s got a dark past, secrets, and is oh so hunky and delicious. She’s ready to risk it all for this bad boy as she tries to discover what’s really happening at Mortimer.

Gothikana was my absolute favorite read of 2024 and this one is just as fabulous. It’s full of suspense, hot hot flames, and so many secrets. It’ll have you gripping the edge of your seat between the romance and twists. You are not going to want to miss this one.

Thank you so much to #netgalley and @authorrunyx for allowing me the honor of early reading this fantastic story.

Secret society, suspense, mystery, and romance at Mortimer University! I loved Gothicana and this book was no exception! Salem Salazar is looking into her sister's death and uncovers that there have been more deaths than usual at this university. And then Salem comes across Cazimir van der Waal (Caz) who Salem is forced to work with because they are both at the wrong end of the secret society's path. This was atmospheric and action packed. I loved it!

Dark academia, secret societies, and an unraveling mystery? Yes, please.

Salem is determined to uncover the truth about her missing sister, but the deeper she digs, the more dangerous her hunt becomes. And then there’s Caz, he is intense, enigmatic, and utterly drawn to her, even as he harbors secrets of his own!

This book had everything. A moody atmosphere, slow burn, and a romance crackling with chemistry.

The writing completely immerses you!!

If you love dark academia then this one is definitely a must read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read an eARc of this book!

I have been a fan of RuNyx ever since reading Gothikana, so I was so excited to learn of this new book and to get my hands on a copy to read. It definitely did not disappoint!

Enigma follows Salem Salazaar as she enters Mortimer University. She is initially trying to solve the mystery of her older sister's mysterious death but then comes to realize there have been many more unexplained deaths. Continuing her dangerous search leads her to a secret society and a man named Cazimir (Caz). Salem doesn't know what do about him or with him, and he keeps getting in her way. But he has his own secrets and there is more to him than meets the eye. And they must find a way to work together.

Dark academia. Enemies to lovers. Steamy romance. Unexplained deaths. A secret society. Terrible secrets. Vivid setting and atmosphere. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. If you like any of those things need to read this book. Especially if you enjoyed Gothikana. Because RuNyx's flavor of dark academia and gothic romance are one of a kind. This one's a slow burn, but so, so worth it!

I will definitely be recommending this one!

One of my most anticipated reads of the year is HERE, and I'm beyond grateful I received an eARC from Tor publishing.

RuNyx writes some of my favorite gothic, dark academia romance, so when Enigma was announced, I knew it was going to be another thrilling, suspenseful, high stakes plot.

Caz and Salem's story is one shrouded in mystery, secrets, darkness, and as the title suggests, enigmas.
Salem is our overly curious and aloof FMC. She's fascinated with cold cases and has taken up studying forensics/criminology at Mortimer University - a prestigious institute for only the upper echelons of society. While at Mortimer, she meets ours dark and broody MMC, Caz. Caz is an artist, and quite the famous one at that. But Salem is a clever girl, and she sees that there is more to Caz than meets the eye.

I don't want to give too much away because Ru's stories are best read simply by going in blind. What I will say is this had so many of the elements I enjoy while reading Ru's books. We got secret societies, unsolved mysteries, hidden identities, betrayals, and the heavy gothic themes I love to immerse myself in.

And last but not least, I always love how obsessed and possessive RuNyx's MMCs are. Caz's "touch her and die" vibes along with his declarations of love were beautiful, and one of my favorite parts of the book.

Read if you like:
- dark academia
- rivals to lovers
- gothic themes
- secret societies
- hidden identities
- tortured MCs
- artist x muse
- open door spice



The reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me personally (I would rate 3.5 rounded up to 4) was the ending fell flat. It seemed to wrap up so quickly that I barely I had time to process what happened. And while I try not to compare books, it was difficult not to compare this to Gothikana, which is my Roman Empire book, and see that I much preferred that ending better. Additionally, this did seem to almost mimic exact elements of Gothikana, so the story line seemed less original and enthralling to me personally.
And last but not least, this is WHOLEHEARTEDLY my opinion - I wanted more spicy scenes from Caz and Salem. Their chemistry was so good, but I felt we didn't get as much of them being together as I would have liked.

Oh… where do I even begin? The more I think about Enigma, the more I want to declare it as my number one favorite RuNyx book so far. Buckle up, because this will be one of those extremely long, deeply analytical, 100% honest, and full of hype reviews of mine.

WRITING:

Everyone who’s been following me and my reviews already know that I very much love the penmanship of RuNyx. There’s just something about the way she plays with words and metaphors that sucks you in the world she creates in her novels. But more than that, what suprised me the most was that I find her writing in Enigma the best she has showed so far. I honestly don’t know where the time period of writing this story fits in between her other books, but truth be told, I found her prose more improved, more rich and even more matured in Enigma. The characters and the interactions between them, the setting, the pacing, the attention to the detail… everything was balanced so perfectly.

PLOT:

From the very first page I was very hooked in the storyline of Enigma. The mysterious vibes, cryptic scenes and dialogues, an unknown POV and all the eerie, secret society elements that was scattered out in this world were more than enough to me me invested in to see what will happen in the next page, in the next chapter. I geniuenly didn’t want to put it down, and it made me finish the book in just a little over than 24h. I love RuNyx’s plots, that’s always been a fact, but this one was actually a very fun read because of how smooth the story was crafted. And another thing I loved is the little criminology crumbs we got through our female protagonist Salem, a criminology student. As someone who absolutely loves anatomy and cadaver lab I have to say that I enjoyed seeing her analyze scientific stuff regarding to the human body with l logical, critical thinking, switching to a professional mood I must add haha. And her major playes an inportant role in the story too so, like I said, perfect balance.

RELATIONSHIPS

Oh I have so much to say when it comes to the character interactions! I always put all my bias aside when I write a review to a book no matter how much I love a specific author or a series, and honesty speaking, I was struggling to connect with Salem & Caz and more importantly their relationship at first. I felt like they had no chemistry and that the build-up of their dynamic was too fast due to the insta-lust/attraction and lack of actual communication they had going on. And I was actually scared that I was never going to enjoy the relationship aspect of the story. But then I hit the 45-50% mark…(This humble reader is apologizing on her knees for ever doubting you, RuNyx, my queen.) BECAUSE GOD DAMN DID I DO A 360 AFTER THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK. There was actually a specific scene in which Salem & Caz’s relationship had a turning point and that was what sealed the deal for me. And after that, I was obsessed with them. OBSESSED WITH THEM. Their intimacy, their communication, and their chemistry becomes so so much potent that it’s honestly impossible to say that they are not made for each other. And with each revelation, each pact of trust between them you start to see that they were always meant to meet each other. And afterwards I started to realize that the immediate attraction they felt at the begging of the book was there for a reason. Those two are like two sides of the same coin. They complement each other. They are each other’s salvation even. And if you’re wondering how much I actually love them at the moment, let’s just say that they’re at a tie with Tristan&Morana for me right now (crazy, I know). There’s just something I noticed while I was reading about their vulnerability towards each other that made me love them like I never did any of other RuNyx’s couples. Starting the book, you know that the cold, guarded Salem will slowly open up herself to others and make new memories and establish new relaionships. But Caz? Honestly? I think he might be my favorite RuNyx male character bc he surprised me a lot. His care and softness for Salem was not something I was expecting to see. Sure there’s hot scenes in this book, but what usually makes me love a bookish couple is always the vulnerability in the relationship and the pureness and uniqueness of their love. And there’rw genuinely so many wholesome, emotionally intimate scenes between Salem&Caz that made my jaw hit the floor bc 1) I was not expecting this manly man to be a softie in his heart and a joker and dare I say he is the most versatile RuNyx MMC so far2) I read my some of my favorite RuNyx scenes when it comes to wholesomeness in this book. Again, the second half of the book made me FALL in love with anything about this couple, and also as individuals since we start to see both of their walls crumble bit by bit and witness who they actually are in their core. And I must say that I enjoyed the progress of Salem’s friendships. Everything was so very natural about it. As for Caz and his interactions with others, well that man only dedicates his time to his girl so… (I loved his sarcastic and emotional scenes so much!) As for dialogues, I don’t think I can say much about this aspect because RuNyx sure as hell know how to write diaolgues, especially the romantic ones because I end up highlighting all of them. Moral of the story, never ever doubt RuNyx romantic couples since they are all very unique and remarkable.

CLIMAX/ENDING

I loved the way RuNyx wrapped everything up, I didn’t find anything out of the place or the plot rushed towards the end even though I predicted a lot off stuff (to even their details) right about the climax of the story. But to be honest, it took nothing from my enjoyment of the story. I found the ending perfect for the characters and their story arcs. And there’re also two epilogue scenes which I ADORED. I’m so happy that she decided to add those epilogues at the end because I think they complete the story even more perfectly and gave us an even more amazing closure.

OVERALL

If you love books with dark academia setting you’ll absolutely love this fast paced, incredibly written, overly swoon-worthy standalone book. In pure RuNyx fashion, it promises all the best when you open the forst page and gives you the most perfect reading memory when you turn the last one. I hope everyone loves this book as much as I did when it releases.

Happy Reading Everyone🖤