4.5 ⭐

I could hardly put this book down! If you love dark romance and dark academia, you will be hooked.

Everything from the setting, pacing, mysteries to solve, secret societies, banter, spice, emotional healing and found family was just perfection.

This is a really great and refreshing standalone by RuNYX. Definitely check the TWs before reading!

A captivating read for fans of dark academia romance, suspenseful mysteries, and steamy sensuality, who will be drawn into a world of secrets, intrigue, and forbidden love.

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.

Actual rating 2.5 stars

The premise sounded amazing: dark academia, a mysterious university, secret societies, and a rivals-to-lovers arc between Salem Salazar and Cazimir van der Waal.

But honestly, it just didn’t hit for me.

It’s got all the gothic trappings: shadowy halls, eerie atmosphere, whispers of murder... but it felt like the story was trying too hard to be Gothikana 2.0 without the same magic. The mystery dragged, and I kept waiting for a big twist that never came. I remember sitting on my recliner, mountain dew in hand, flipping pages on my Kindle during an annoyingly warm January afternoon, thinking, “OMG, when’s this going to pick up?” It just...didn’t.

The romance was the biggest letdown. Salem and Caz had this icy-hot dynamic that sounded great on paper with her precision versus his chaos, but it stayed flat.

Overall, RuNyx’s writing is lush and atmospheric. But the plot meandered, and the characters didn’t grab me. Maybe my expectations were too high after the authors previous reads, but Enigma left me shrugging instead of utterly obsessed.

I am OBSESSED with Caz!!!!! He is so unhinged and possessive in the best way. I adore Salem and her twisty little mind. Runyx is excellent with her world building. I've always admired her work and I've read every single one of her books. The way she captures dark thoughts and these characters and their weird dark minds is truly spectacular.

Enigma is spine chillingly told in an eerie setting similar to Gothikana and yet very different. I loved the plot, the characters and the relationships. The only reason I took one star away is because of the plot towards the end. I felt like it was a bit predictable and there was potential to make it better than what is was. But in saying that, the story itself more than makes up for it. I couldn't put it down!

Love, deep, true love, was immortal.
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3.5 ☆ I wanted to like this book more! The plot and mystery were intriguing and had great potential: unexplained deaths and a nefarious secret society? Yes, I’m for that! Where it fell flat for me was with the chemistry and relationship development between Salem and Caz. They seemed to go from strangers to obsessed immediately with no real build up. And the ending wrapped up so quickly it felt like a fever dream. I wanted more out of the ending than I got.
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this and that:
♡ artist x muse
♡ dark academia
♡ dual pov
♡ found family
♡ gothic castles
♡ open door spice
♡ secret society
♡ tortured MCs

triggers:
☞ abandonment issues x loneliness
☞ child exploitation x grooming
☞ death
☞ dubious consent
☞ non-consensual drugging
☞ murder
☞ sexual assault (discussed)
☞ sexual trauma
☞ suicide

Evocative, mysterious and suspenseful, the author continues to creatively blend dark and gothic settings with human experience. The writing was improved compared to previous work. Enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All I can say is WOW - this was my first book by RuNyx and I was pleasantly surprised. The Enigma was a great blend of steamy dark romance and mystery intrigue. I love a book with different narrators as well as an underlying depth - in this case it came in the form of a mass murder of college students mystery! I was bit taken aback because there were times when I thought the book was turning into some sort of a fantasy novel (i.e. the almost mind reading type conversations and Caz’s possessive like nature which made me think he was a vampire halfway through haha). Overall, I enjoyed this book but the dark themes and relationship between Caz and Salem are definitely not for everyone.

Okay, this book? Absolutely unhinged in the best way possible. If you love dark academia with secrets lurking in every shadow, a heroine who refuses to back down, and a dangerously irresistible love interest who is definitely bad for her (but also maybe her only chance at survival), then you need this book in your life.

Let’s start with Salem Salazar—rich, rebellious, and completely obsessed with figuring out what happened to her perfect older sister, who vanished from Mortimer University without a trace. She’s got a past full of family scandals, a fascination with death (because of course), and exactly zero hesitation about throwing herself into danger if it means getting answers. And then there’s Cazimir van der Waal, who is dark, unreadable, and hiding something massive. The moment he sets his sights on Salem, you know she’s in trouble—because he’s either going to destroy her, or she’s going to be the one thing he can’t resist. Maybe both.

The tension? Palpable. The chemistry? Scorching. This isn’t some sweet, soft romance—this is the kind of love story that devours both characters, filled with power struggles, twisted desires, and moments that are so intense you’ll be holding your breath. And don’t even get me started on the mystery—girls have been disappearing from Mortimer for years, and Salem is getting way too close to the truth. The stakes just keep climbing, and every reveal had me questioning everything.

The vibes of this book are immaculate. Think: candlelit libraries, eerie hallways, whispered secrets at midnight, and a campus that feels alive with the weight of its past. RuNyx nails the dark academia aesthetic, and every page feels dripping with mystery, tension, and just the right amount of danger.

If you loved Gothikana, if you live for obsessive, morally gray love interests, or if you’re a sucker for a heroine who refuses to play it safe, this book was written for you. It’s steamy, it’s haunting, and by the end, you’ll be questioning whether you want to run from Mortimer University... or enroll immediately.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Dark, addictive, and impossible to put down.

This dark academia romance standalone was phenomenal. Five stars. I was instantly drawn in by the alluring atmosphere RuNyx created in Mortimer. The book was full of secrets, mystery, suspense, and an unforgettable love story. Salem and Caz are both in search of answers surrounding their past and want to uncover the mystery behind the crimes that have occurred at the university. A story about two lonely souls finding each other in their own darkness. Salem and Caz brought the perfect slow burn with tons of angst. Not only was the romance hot but the plot made it impossible to put the book down. Highly recommend this for anyone who loves dark romance with a mystery storyline and secret societies.

A young woman attends a university in order to investigate her sister's apparent suicide. The dark academia setting was good but I did not like the insta-lust between the MCs.

I absolutely loved diving into Salem’s adventure at Mortimer University! From the moment she arrived to uncover the truth about her sister's mysterious passing, I was hooked. I could totally feel her obsession with forensics and her determination to get to the bottom of the unexplained deaths on campus. Watching the relationship between Salem and Cazimir evolve from rivals to allies was both exciting and heartwarming. The mix of suspense, mystery, and steamy romance made this book an absolute page-turner for me. I loved how the author crafted such a dark and captivating atmosphere, making me feel like I was right there with Salem and Caz, facing the same dangers. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I couldn't put it down!

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery with a touch of romance. I can't wait to see what RuNyx comes up with next!

I hoped going into this that I would enjoy it like I did Gothikana and it did not disappoint. Parts even felt better and more polished and even though it had a similar feel to Gothikana this stands well all on its own.
I love the dark academia setting with the mystery unfolding around our two MCs and the slow burn romance was very good. Great for fans of RuNyx other novels and that dark academia setting.

Salem Salazar is the black sheep of her wealthy family. Plagued by scandal, she enrolls at the elite Mortimer University to find out what happened to her perfect, missing older sister Olivia. There, she soon discovers Olivia is only one of many girls who have disappeared at Mortimer, and vows to uncover the dark forces responsible. Even if it means using herself as bait.

.I absolutely devoured this book pretty quickly. It is fantastic in a romantic suspense kind of way.

There are not enough words to describe how much I liked this. This book had it all. The vibes were immaculate and I want to live in this world. I can not recommend it enough.

In typical RuNyx fashion, Enigma is steeped in endless layers of atmosphere and complex emotion. This book takes you to the misty shadows of a castle-scape university riddled with secrets and introduces you to characters that perfectly live up to the title. I loved how RuNyx chose to unfold this murder mystery; bit by bit, methodically, allowing the reader the chance to formulate their own speculations while getting to know Salem and her broody, dark love interest, Caz, and how the world brought them together. This was a book I simply could not put down and will likely rank one of my favorite reads for this year!

RuNyx always weaves a special kind of writing magic in all of her books and Enigma felt right at home. I love this story and the characters within it! I think this book is perfect for readers who love:
🖤Dark academia
🖤Steamy dark romance
🖤Touch her and💀
🖤Secret societies
🖤Morally grey MMC
🖤Suspenseful mysteries

As with any books, please make sure you check the trigger warnings before starting!

Enigma by RuNyx will be releasing on April 29th, 2025!

And l'd like to say immensely huge "thank you"s to @torbooks and @brambleromance for sending me this eARC for review! It was such an honor to read this title early and I'm so grateful for the opportunity!!

AAAAH I can't say... It's pretty damn good. This is very eerie, very dark, and I just love the vibes of this book. The story is pretty slow for me, but it was perfectly written. Those twists are just perfect and making me think all throughout the book. The tension is just there, and it's keeping my eyes open every chapter. This much reminds me of Gothikana vibes, BUT this one is kind of a lighter mood, and still I like how she has written this one. She really captures the mystery about the school and deaths on the campus, and I really love it whenever she writes this genre.
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Salem is a very close FMC; like, it's really hard for her to open up things and always think about what could be her next move, but she's still bold as hell. I love her determination, and her character development is so amazing, the more intense to the story; she's being bolder every moment. RuNyx loves to write her MMC so mysterious and yummy, so Caz over here is a very mysterious guy in the school. I love that there were a few chapters dedicated to Caz, because I've always loved to know how he thinks. He'll make you wonder who he really is, and throughout the story, just like Salem, he's getting more open and sexy as hell. Their romance was perfect, not really overpowering the story, BUT for me, I want more hot scenes.
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Overall, it's amazingly written; I love how mysterious and serious this one is. I'm such a huge fan of her works, and I really recommend you guys try this! If you love Gothikana, this book is for you.

Gothikana is a favourite of mine and this had a similiar vibe, I flew through this I find RuNyx writing to be very digestible and pacy, great balance between plot and romance, huge fan of dark academia setting and slow burn!

This was absolutely amazing. Just as spectacular as Gothikana. Had very similar vibes which I enjoyed.

If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. Absolutely stunning and deliciously sinister book that I couldn’t put down.

Nobody does dark academia gothic romance like RuNyx. Gothikana is one of my favorite books ever and so Enigma was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025, and it did not disappoint.

The start was a little slow, but it quickly picked up as the mystery evolved and stakes got higher.

RuNyx masterfully created a setting and atmosphere so vivid that it felt real, like I was actually at the college and experiencing it all.
I don't want to give too much away, since the release isn't until the end of April. But if you loved Gothikana or want to read a gothic dark academia standalone, you will absolutely want to read this one!

Tropes:
- dark academia
- secret societies
- rivals to lovers
- murder mystery
- slow burn
- grumpy, broody, & heavily tattooed artist mmc
- nicknames (my fav)

Honorable mention:
SHE CAN ONLY SLEEP WHEN HES W HER

^^ that's actually my favorite trope of all time and this book did it better than any other one l've ever read