Quick Synopsis – Orabella Mumthrope is a mixed raced young woman who has relied on her aunt and uncle’s charity. In early 19th century Bristol, there aren’t many prospects for her, until one Elias Blakersby comes and asks for her hand in marriage. A quick wedding and Orabella is swept off her feet to a sprawling mansion. But nothing is as it seems, and Orabella quickly releases the life, she thought she gained isn’t a dream…. it’s a nightmare.

Song This Reminds Me Of – Unholy Heart by Honey Revenge, Joshua Roberts, and Magnolia Park

Publication Date – July 2, 2024

Content Notes – This book contains scenes of gore and violence against animals. There is also the repeated drugging of the main character and one scene where white women repeatedly touch and probe a mixed-race black woman. There are a lot of themes of white people taking advantage of and fetishizing black women.

Steamy Rating – 🌶️🌶️

Overall Rating – 4 out of 5 ⭐

Review – This book is dark, spooky, and entrancing. I could not put it down; I had to know what was going to happen. If you’re a fan of Catherine House or Jane Eyre, you’ll like this book. This is definitely more on the horror side of gothic storytelling and not for the faint of heart.

Orabella expects to be a spinster; she has no prospects in life. When Elias shows up asking for her hand and a rushed marriage, Orabella thinks she’s in a fairytale. When they arrive at Elias’s estate, Orabella quickly realizes she’s not in a fairytale. The manor house is in a state of decay and disrepair. At first, Orabella thinks it just needs a woman’s touch, but she is soon startled to learn that the house is so damaged she cannot leave her room alone and must be locked in at night. What follows is a dark twisted story that you just can’t put down.

I loved the themes of this book so much. I thought it was beautiful and dark at the same time. I’m honestly excited to see what else this author writes because of how much I couldn’t put this book down. Orabella was just an orphan trying to make the best of her life; she sees an opportunity to be way more than she ever thought, and she takes it. The choice brings her into a decaying mansion where she has no allies and isn’t sure she can trust her husband. Plus, she keeps losing time and is always told to drink her tea or wine. As the reader, you can see the red flags but can’t stop her from going down the path.

There were two things that kept this from being a 5-star read for me. The first was there were several glaring grammatical errors and any time I have to leave the world of the story to reread lines, I get frustrated. The second was the big reveal. I thought there could have been more of Orabella learning about the family’s history to make the reveal and 3rd act more sinister. It felt a little too hurried for me.

Overall, this was an excellent horror debut, and I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amistad Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.