Within the captivating pages of 'Beneath the Surface' by Haley Macfarlane, I found myself submerged in a thrilling narrative that masterfully weaves a tale of mystery, obsession, and danger. Grace Ferguson, the marine biology student, serves as a relatable and curious protagonist whose encounters with the enigmatic Lir draw readers into the depths of the unknown. The narrative brilliantly juxtaposes the beauty of marine life with the sinister undercurrents of a growing obsession.

As the plot unravels, and a wave of brutal murders surges through the country, the story takes an ominous turn, and Grace's world becomes increasingly perilous. 'Beneath the Surface' weaves a complex tapestry of intrigue, blending elements of psychological suspense with a sinister undercurrent of dark secrets and hidden motives.

The novel's ability to maintain suspense throughout is commendable, as I was kept on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages to unravel the truth behind Lir's obsession and the looming danger Grace faces. Haley Macfarlane skillfully navigates the line between romance, suspense, and mystery, resulting in a narrative that's both chilling and evocative.

'Beneath the Surface' isn't just a gripping thriller but also a tale of discovering the darkness within those we trust. It's a roller-coaster ride of emotions that leaves readers questioning the boundaries of love and obsession. This book is a must-read for anyone who relishes a good mystery with well-drawn characters and an engrossing plot that keeps you guessing until the very end.

This is a spine-tingling, suspenseful novel about Grace, a steady, serious scientist and Lir, a boy fascinated with the sea. Their story was perfectly paced, with just a touch of the paranormal that really rounded everything out. Plus, that push and pull was

I never expected the twists that this story took, but I enjoyed them nevertheless. The author so masterfully mapped the maze of their story, and I was absolutely enthralled by the new sides that the author brought to Grace and Lir’s love. All the subtle side touches that tied together into such an unexpected conclusion. The ending was poetic, and absolutely heartrending.

It was morbidly beautiful, in a way, to read about how love really triumphs all. This was a masterpiece, and I’m looking forward to poring through the rest of this author’s works!

Okay, I don’t even know where to start. This book was a wild ride, even when I was guessing what might happen next, or I was screaming at Grace for being so blind. Macfarlane does such a fantastic job visualizing the story and explaining Grace’s emotions. It was very similar to being pushed back and forth in the tides — you could predict what would happen and it would still take you by surprise.

I will admit, this is my first psychological, thriller type read, and I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy the gothic romance it provided. Pleasantly, I was surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and all of the emotions that came with it. It was dark and beautiful and the backdrop of the story was absolutely gorgeous to hear about and picture while you’re reading.

Lir was, at his core, a walking red flag from the start. And while I constantly yelled at Grace for being a blind idiot, I also saw his appeal and understood why she was so drawn to him. What’s not to excite from dark curls and soft, lilting accents? A boy who seems soft and is obsessed with the sea? A recipe for romance.

A wonderful, enthralling read if I had ever seen one.

An excellent dark horror love story! I was addicted to Lir just as much as Grace was, from the very start. What a wonderfully compelling, fascinating and dark tale! Can't wait to read more from this author..

A troubled mind, a creeping obsession, and a sea that’s full of secrets.

A queer gothic suspense story that grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go. Highly recommended!

Grace Ferguson, a molecular biologist/Ph.D student and Lir Murphy, a competitive swimmer, fundamentally have three things in common:
1. A love of the sea
2. Aversion to socialization
3. A deep, transcendent, and startling obsession with the uncommon love that they share

What’s interesting about this book is the way that it differentiates Grace and Lir based on how they approach the above.

I will admit: I approached this book with a great deal of apprehension, but I hoped it would be truly Gothic as opposed to merely dark. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

Fundamentally, I’m a fan of pseudo romances, which aren’t exactly the same as dark ones. (Think Ambition by Kia Ayesha Sinan, as opposed to Haunting Adeline). This book delivered on the pseudo romance promise for me. It begins as a romance, but achieves eyebrow-raising levels of obsession in a sharply swift, skillfully achieved transition. This is a book that will make you panic, and sigh, and gasp, and most of all shake your head. It’s twisty and twisted and the ending will incense you (in the absolutely best of ways).
The mythology aspect was also blindingly unique, and very, very well played.

I loved this book for these reasons. It feels like a proper Gothic novel, and they’re startlingly rare these days. If you’re a fan of psychological, Gothic romances, then this book is for you!

Tl:dr - A new and unique (yet appropriate) addition, to a long and storied tradition. 4 stars.

*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

A troubled mind, a creeping obsession and a sea that’s full of secrets.

When lonely Grace Ferguson meets fellow student Lir Murphy in her marine biology lab the last thing she expects is to fall into a deep, startling obsession with the young man. Lir is strange, quiet and filled with a love for the sea that nobody else understands. When he surprises Grace by reciprocating her feelings she’s convinced she’s found her oddball happily ever after.

But when a series of grisly attacks plague the west coast of Scotland Grace is forced to consider that her marine-loving paramour is more than simply ‘strange’. As Lir’s behaviour grows more erratic, and his relationship with Grace evolves into something dark and dangerous, Grace must figure out who or what Lir is…or risk losing herself in the process.
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My fave read of the year for sure

This was such a beautiful and enjoyable read. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the marine biology lab of a Scottish university, Grace Ferguson and Lir Murphy's lives intersect, setting the stage for an intricate dance between obsession, attraction, and the fear of solitude. Grace's fixation on Lir spirals into a tumultuous journey, one where her yearning for companionship grapples with her deep-seated dread of being alone. What she discovers, however, is that Lir is just as consumed by his feelings for her, and the line between attraction and obsession becomes increasingly blurred.
Amidst the backdrop of the surrounding murders, Grace is faced with a difficult choice: follow her instincts, which scream of danger, or let her heart lead her into uncharted territory.

“The Boy from the Sea” by H. L. Macfarlane was so much better than I thought it was going to be. The characters were relatable and super mentally unstable which I loved so much. The ending was unexpected but also left me happy and upset at the same time. It’s not enough to have a digital copy and I need a physical copy of the book as well. 5 out of 5 stars.

I really suspenseful story full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't put this book down, I had to know what happened next at every twist or turn. I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book! I’ve found myself loving gothic romances more and more lately! I’m so glad I decided to give this arc a go!

"The Boy From The Sea" was definitely a story that could happen. The boy, Lin Murphy could be anyone around the University on the swim team wanting to have a girl friend as nice as Grace. But his parents died in front of him at a young age by filling their pockets with rocks and then walking into the Sea. Next his Aunt Orla filled Lir with fables and stories from the past that made him wonder if he could reunite with his parents. For his birthday Aunt Orla took him to where his parents drowned and he went too far and killed his aunt. We meet him when he was a college student where he took a lab and Grace was the student teacher. The obvious happened and they became lovers. But at the time people were hunted down and killed. Grace was met with her cat going missing and her neighbor being knifed right in front of her. You can be the ones to read what happened, it's quiet interesting. The book tells the story from Graces side, then Lins.

I loved The Boy From the Sea. At its heart was a love story about two lonely, misunderstood people finding a connection. Putting aside the murder, there was an uncomfortable feeling about the main characters relationship, it was obsessive and isolating, but you couldn’t help but root for them both. It was a brilliant read which felt quite unique.

This book was filled with twists and turns you never see coming. It is a Dark Romantic Thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I am more of a true romance reader, even so, I really enjoyed reading this book. There are some sprinkles of spicy scenes in this book but it is all fade to black. I fell in love with the characters and even with everything telling me to hate Lir I could not. The author has created a villan that you just cannot hate.

**It does go from first person POV to third person POV based on if it is following Lir(3rd person pov) or Grace(1st person pov)

A thriller romance? Yes, please!

The first half of this book felt like reading a diary. It brought me back to that wild anxious excitement of having a crush on someone you don’t know much about. I was just as invested in finding out more about the mysterious and aloof male MC. But his character development from beginning to end was a doozy. I’m still not sure where to categorize him when it comes to most loved or most hated book boyfriend.

This story follows Lir and his obsession for the sea. it's psychological thriller with a bit of romance.Grace is a goofy and kind person that has a huge crush on Lir. Lir is a quite and mysterious grump. This book was very engaging and enjoyable to read . I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. I do feel it could have been a bit more short and explained more on certain topics . I definitely recommend giving it a try.

"She was his salvation, and he was her ruin. Now and for eternity they belonged together."
The Boy from the Sea by H. L. Macfarlane is described as a gothic romance, and it certainly lives up to that billing. This dark and twisted tale had me gripped and as I turned the pages and watched the story unfold I found myself gasping in surprise, wanting to shake some sense into Grace, one of the main characters , and actually putting my kindle down in disbelief when I read the ending, which is one of the most unexpected and yet strangely fitting that I have ever come across.
Grace is a graduate student working towards her PhD , and while working part time as a lab supervisor for the undergraduates she encounters the mysterious Lir, a marine biology student with a tragic and mysterious past and a fascination with the sea. She is instantly drawn to him and finds herself almost stalking him in her attempts to learn more about him. When she finally learns that he is just as fascinated by her it seems like they are a perfect match. When a series of grisly attacks starts taking place along the West coast of Scotland of course Grace is shocked but soon puts it out of her mind, until the attacks hit much closer to home, and she starts to get suspicious of Lir's increasing erratic and secretive behaviour. Though it breaks her heart to even consider it she starts to wonder if Lir's tragic past has damaged him and made him dangerous. How much of herself is she willing to sacrifice to save the man she loves ?
This was such a propulsive read, and much darker than I originally expected, but I really enjoyed how well the author was able to show romance tipping into the darker waters of obsession . Speaking of dark waters, I also want to highlight how descriptive the writing was, the descriptions of the weather and locations added so much to the atmosphere of the story and felt so fitting for the wet and windy Winter weekend when I read this book. I have read and enjoyed other books by this author, but this one blows them all out of the water.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Book Review 📚
The Boy from The Sea by H. L. Macfarlane - 4/5 ⭐

I was pleasantly surprised to find this was a dark/gothic romance. I went in blindly and was expected some lovey dovey story. Although it contains romance it was much more to my liking them originally thought.

Macfarlane has a beautiful way of taking dark and mysterious and turning it into a romance. One of my favourite reads this year was Gothikana and now The Boy From the Sea has taken a very close second. The writing was amazing and so thoroughly thought through.

Character descriptions were beyond amazing, making the characters loveable from the get go. I enjoyed following Grace on her journey through the story and watching her not only develop but completely enthrall me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Books Go Social for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

**4.5/5**

“Maybe I just don’t like happy endings. Or maybe I don’t believe in the existence of one’s soul. Either way, I always stopped reading the story the moment the mermaid turned into foam.”

Grace, a young, pretty teaching aide in her university science lab, is only trying to finish her thesis and get her microbiology degree. That is her focus. That is, until devilishly handsome and slightly mysterious Dylan “Lir”, one of her lab students, catches her eye. That is where this story begins. Lir spends all of his free time swimming, mostly out in the open ocean, or studying ancient mythology and stories of the Gods. The first chapter in the book gives a pretty understandable reason for his fascination with the sea. But that is all that is clearly defined. At least for a while. But that ending? I did NOT see that coming.

This story sucked me in and did not let go. I loved each and every one of the characters. I definitely connected with the writing style, even Grace and her incessant schoolgirl crush/inner monologue of romantic desperation. Cuz I mean, what young girl hasn’t been just stupidly head over heels in lust before? There were definitely a couple of times where her willingness to shrug off potential red flags was a bit too convenient for the sake of the story, but aside from that bit of nitpicking, I absolutely loved The Boy From the Sea, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short but fantastic little piece of lore, love, mystery, and the sea.

I want to thank NetGalley, MacFarlane Lantern Publishing, and Hayley Louise McFarlane for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Boy From the Sea.

This novel is a true work of art. It has a wonderful balance of suspsence and intrigue and really makes you want to continue reading to find out what is coming next. The books unpredictability makes it a real treat for any reader.

Excellent story that is well written. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

This was a good read. I had to read the book in stages as personally I felt a real connection to the main female character. I have a background in marine studies, a very small social circle and also struggle with coming out of my shell so I felt a connection on that level. I was rooting for the love story development between the main characters as I read through I was wondering what could go wrong lol.

Well, there was a mystery shift with the main character and just as she created new friends and social circle this was lost for her love. it was an enjoyable read and the thriller aspect came in after halfway through the book which was an interesting and natural shift from the love tale.

Very good read, had to read it in stages but would highly recommend it.

I was hoping for dark romance and the dark romance I got.

Lir is someone peculiar in the society but not an outcast. And that what makes Grace attracted to him in the first place? Their relationship was fast and furious. And we know what that means.

I mean we had an impression on Lir. He definitely suspicious but not expecting he is a total crazy. I was so surprised on how innocent he feels on something so wrong. Anyone, please save this kid from getting to drawn in his imagination🙏

I was surprised that I actually had read the author other books. I was not expecting she would write the same book because it’s definitely not the same genre. But what I’m amazed is that I like this book more! She write dark romance better than normal romance.

This thriller/romance has a great premise. Grace is a marine biologist lab teacher who falls for one of her students Lir. He is a mysterious character with a tragic past. There are aspects of mythology and being set on the coast of Scotland the book is very atmospheric. It comes with surprises and twists that keep you guessing. It is a fast paced read with action and suspense.

If you’re looking for a thriller that is unique, and a bit weird, you’ll want to pick up a copy of The Boy from the Sea: A Dark Gothic Romance by veteran writer, H.L. Macfarlane. Grace Ferguson, a PhD student is helping with a lab and sees a student, Dylan Lir, who sparks an obsession that leads to true love between both. There are strange goings on in the small Scottish town, such as a series of attacks on citizens. When Lir doesn’t come to her flat, she worries that he is one of the victims.

Grace is well-developed as a character, and Lir is also, albeit very strange, especially when it comes to his obsession with the sea. He reads books on myths which, it turns out, he has enjoyed during his childhood while being raised by his aunt after his parents committed suicide by filling their pockets with rocks, walking into the sea to their deaths, and abandoning Lir on the shore. Grace knows nothing about his childhood until the end of the novel, and that’s when the dénouement occurs, which is a mixture of surprise and disbelief. The story is easy to follow, and the writing is good.

All told, this dark novel is a big change from the norm. It is interesting, shocking, and seems to have some supernatural aspects. While this thriller isn’t for everyone, it is a change, and makes readers think about how serious true love can actually be.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This one was a fairly quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed the characters and the writing style. I'd definitely pick up something else from the author.

I've never been a huge mystery reader, but The Boy from the Sea changed that! While I could sort of guess where the story was going (I watch far too much true crime, this is in no way a reflection on the writing!) My heart loved that this was a thriller and a romance rolled into one because something about the higher stakes of the romance makes me swoon.

The writing style literally made Scotland leap off the page, enough that I could feel and smell the sea like I was standing in front of it.