After this last book (and in tandem with her first), I am a Hester Fox superfan. I adore her books. Her settings are just borderline creepy enough to make me want to visit; her characters are fun and complex; her mysteries are layered and intriguing. I hope there will many, many more foggy tales set along creepy woods populated by maybe ghosts.

The Widow of Pale Harbor was pitched as gothic suspense/historical fiction. Set in 1846 Maine, the tale begins when Gabriel arrives to fill the slot as minister in this tiny seaside town. He arrives during a brutal storm and finds disturbing items left at the altar. While getting to know his new congregation, he is told to watch out for The Widow Carter, a recluse who locals believe killed her husband in cold blood.

Her housemate and servant, Helen, does nothing to thaw the villagers perceptions, keeping Sophronia Carver at home and protected through use of herbal spells and bindings.

Someone is leaving dead birds, threatening notes and other totems at window Carver’s house; at the same time strange things are happening in the village and all are blaming Widow Carver, calling her a witch.
While Gabriel is enchanted by Widow Carver, he manages to put his foot in his mouth and make himself misunderstood for the first few meetings. Sadly, that’s where the romance takes over and the mystery takes a back seat.

Even when Gabriel’s secret is found out by the Widow, it does nothing to dissipate their newly found attraction. The story had an interesting loop into Edgar Allan Poe to help lead us to the culprit and tie the clues together.

This was a romantic suspense novel, heavy on the romance, very very light on the suspense. A nice light read on a rainy weekend.

“Something wet trickled down her wrist. She stared at her shaking hands as if they belonged to someone else. Blood.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Someone is committing horrific crimes inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe and the townspeople suspect the reclusive widow (and supposed witch) Sophronia Carver. Gabriel, the new town minister, resolves to find the culprit and bring him (or her) to justice. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you haven’t seen it yet, the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous. It’s Gothic and atmospheric, and it attracted me at once. Similar to the cover, Hester Fox’s writing is Gothic and atmospheric and fabulous. She has an unbelievable ability to transport her readers to a different time. I loved that I could feel and see Pale Harbor. Unfortunately, that was about all I loved here. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The overall tone of the book is definitely romantic and not creepy. Where I expected more of an engaging, thoughtful mystery, I ended up with a story of love and betrayal. As an aside, I want to point out that I thought Hester Fox’s first book (“The Witch of Willow Hall”) was an excellent blend of mystery and romance - proof that I can read more than just your typical death/destruction story! This book, however, was definitely a romance with a teensy bit of mystery sprinkled in. Too much kissing and not enough killing..but, hey, that's just my opinion.
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Although “The Widow of Pale Harbor” didn’t live up to my expectations, I enjoyed it and would give it 3/5 stars If you like historical fiction and romance with a pinch of mystery, this one might be for you! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The Widow of Pale Harbor is marketed as domestic suspense, historical fiction, and gothic. I would certainly agree with the historical fiction and gothic labels, and while there is suspense, it is overshadowed by romance. The romance moves a little too quickly, and most times, it felt like the author's focus was all about Gideon and Sophronia being so smitten with each other. On the mystery side of things, such as they are, I really liked the tie-in to Poe, although this doesn't pack the same punch as Poe's work. Despite getting so much romance when I expected a mystery, the story held my attention, and the characters were interesting. Helen, in particular, was an intriguing character to read. I suppose she technically should've been a secondary character, but she kind of stole the show for me. Hester Fox does weave a good tale - a little on the wordy side, but good nonetheless. In the end, this one had its positives and negatives, and for me, they balanced out, leaving me somewhere in the middle.

Hestor Fox’s latest novel, The Widow of Pale Harbor was a mind-boggling mystery that kept me guessing until the very last page. The connection to the famous and controversial poet, Edgar Allan Poe and his numerous stories gave a dark and disturbing spin to the town of Pale Harbor and it worked seamlessly with this small coastal town. It had great imagery throughout and even better writing to accompany this well-thought out mystery. Its spooky, chilly and takes place in a town perpetually stuck with overcast which makes this the perfect read to welcome the new season

I want to thank Harlequin and and the publishers at Graydon House Books for giving me the opportunity to review an early copy.

This is a story about a shunned widow rumored to have murdered her beloved husband. She’s the source of all the gossip in Pale Harbor and many have settled opinions that she is a dangerous and powerful witch who got away with murder. But it’s only after Gabriel Stone, the new minister arrives in town that this otherwise small and sleepy town starts to awaken and what better way to do that than a string of seemingly random acts and the occasional murder or two. The people still believe it to be the infamous widow and continue to blame her despite her homebody behaviour. I was astonished to see no one blame this new stranger, Mr. Stone and it only became more suspicious when he would bend over backwards to defend this Widow and town scapegoat in Sophronia Carver.

“It would be so easy to let her guard down with a man like this. A man who looked at her with eyes as warm as cinnamon, a man who did not judge her or ask anything of her.”

I loved this surprise romance between Mrs. Carver and Mr. Stone. It was nice and unexpected. They were skeptical of one another and with just cause but they formed their own opinions, unbiased from town gossip which was a great touch!

“Proper? Proper? Is that all that matters to you? A man is dead, a man who worked for me. What need have I for propriety and manners?”

This quote was the epitome of who Mrs. Carver is. She is not one to be stuck by society’s rules of what a lady should be and how they should act. She had her own mind, and for some that made them think less of her but she didn’t care. She has a high moral code and she never let the rumors stop her from doing what she thought to be right. She was determined to figure out what happened to someone she knew because they deserved that.

“Men were experts at showing one face to the world, and another behind closed doors. Whatever his motives were, she must be on her guard.”

There is no secret that some men are forceful and abusive to their wives and women in general and for the late Nathaniel Carver, he was one of the worst. Sophronia Carver was verbally, emotionally and physically abused by her husband and yet she persevered and only became stronger because of it. There are scenes in here that directly showcase her abuse.

“It was like trying to shield herself from a tumbling boulder with a veil of lace.”

It is harsh, it is unsettling and it’s not for everyone. These scenes are written with emotionally scarring accuracy and are poetically graphic.
“Funny how money has the power to erase everything from prejudice to contempt.”

Remarkable observation that remains true, even today.

One thing that still gets me is how much they treated Gabriel as a detective. He was called in every time a body dropped and he became a stand in for the real police. And when Sophronia was targeted he channeled a seasoned cop of 10 years I swear. I’m not sure if that was the intention but I liked that direction all the same. To me, Gabriel was never a minister. If you panic and sweat at the smallest and common of jobs associated with a role like a minister delivering a sermon, then it’s not something for you. I like how he does figure this out but for me it seemed to take him too long to realize it. I saw it almost immediately and his guilt overrode his brain. His thoughts take a patient reader because of his obliviousness. However, this made his character show growth which is hard for stand-alones to do.

“There had been something comforting and cozy about the room, not to mention the enigmatic woman who had sat across from him, her silver eyes trained on him as if he were the most interesting person in the world, her smile as warm and honey-mellow as the late afternoon light. And those hands, those lovely hands.”

I absolutely loved reading this romance between Gabriel and Sophronia. Seeing how they feel and observe one another in their perspectives was adorable and so respectful. They valued the very things that society would shun and could see their true strength, whether it be muddled by rumors or of guilt. There’s a raw attraction you can see immediately upon meeting that shows an emotional bond that they can’t deny. I especially loved how cute they were with trying to be formal, you know not using their Christian names because of the sheer scandal it would produce. They tried to be so professional and refuse their feelings and it only made the chemistry between them grow stronger! It was unexpected but a really great addition all the same!

“A writer doesn’t share his first draft with the world.”

I loved this quote too much not to include, even if it was said by the murderer! No spoilers I promise, this is a twist that was gratifying to read and made the plot complete. It rounded out the whole idea of using someone famous like Poe and manipulate it to something so grotesque just to best him was ingenious! It all came down to written words and the stories that will make one famous and remembered.

“Writing stories would mean she could banish her demons to the page, render them harmless in black and white. Once set in ink, perhaps they could no longer haunt her.”

Although I haven’t read her first novel, The Witches of Willow Hall, I would strongly recommend giving it a chance because her writing is incredible and it seems to be another worthy fall read!

I thought this book was ok. Not really something I would read again in the future because I found the mystery fell flat.

Maybe some would like it more but it just a little blah for me.

The Widow of Pale Harbor was a good book and I finished it in just a couple of days. I loved the mood of the book and the great description of this sleepy coastal town. Murders are being committed with references to Edgar Allan Poe's work which was a really interesting aspect of this murder mystery. There was lots of mystery, twists and turns, with a revolving door of constant suspects and shady characters with checkered pasts. Everybody it seems has secrets and motives but that's what made this book so unique and unputdownable at first. My only complaint was the romance and how much it showed up through out the novel. It was great when it first showed up between the characters but after a while it became cyclical and it just kind of kept regurgitating and became too much. I felt the story covered everything I look for in a suspense thriller but after 3/4 of the book, it just kind of fell flat for me. I was eager to get to the end and finally find out the truth. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to fellow gothic fiction lovers!!

Title: The Widow of Pale Harbor
Author: Hester Fox
Genre: Gothic, romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Gabriel Stone is still mourning the loss of his wife, so he takes a job as minister in the small Maine village of Pale Harbor. Never mind that he’s not a minister, or that he doesn’t even know what his own beliefs are; he’s just glad to move out of Boston, haunted by memories of his wife.

Pale Harbor is not the sleepy village he expects. His very first day, he finds what appears to be an animal sacrifice, and hears tale of the widow who keeps to herself and the castle on the edge of town, the widow who almost certainly killed her husband years ago. As the violence escalates, Gabriel gets to know Sophronia Carver, and soon realizes she’s the target of a deranged madman who’s obsessed with the works of the wildly popular new author, Edgar Allen Poe.

Can Gabriel figure out who’s behind the chilling and macabre acts before it’s too late?

I enjoyed Fox’s first novel, The Witch of Willow Hall, immensely, so I looked forward to reading this. This tale is dark and atmospheric—a fitting tribute to Poe’s works. Sophy is haunted by her regrets, but her loyalty tethers her even when it shouldn’t. Gabriel is loyal to his dead wife, but fascinated by Sophy, and soon realizes he’s the only one in the village who believes in her innocence.

Hester Fox has a background in museum work and historical archaeology. She is the author of The Witch of Willow Hall. Her newest novel is The Widow of Pale Harbor.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Graydon House via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

The Widow of Pale Harbour is what you like to see from a modern take on light American Gothic Horror. It hits all the tropes of the original genre (widowers, castles, hints of witchcraft/supernatural, foreboding landscapes, ominous weather, and a murder mystery) while not pretending to be written in the 19th century or so focused on the horror aspect it becomes depressing or disturbing.

The writing is well-crafted and evocative. I would have preferred a little more description of the castle and surrounding landscape, as I couldn’t quite picture it, but I very much enjoyed the setting and the prose.

The characters are interesting. Gabriel’s story is a little flimsy at first, but as the story progresses there is more to his arc (though his tendency to forgive was a bit much). Sophronia is an interesting character in that she follows all the typical actions of a 19th century, upper-class woman, but she is far more forthright and take-charge than women of stories written in that time period. Truthfully, I think she is realistic to the period, as there is evidence of publishers asking authors back then to downplay “bold” women so to not give other women bad ideas. My only issue with her was that it seemed she recovered her self-imposed reclusively quite easily. Other than a few small moments, the horrendous abuse she suffered earlier was not something she had to work through. Yet, including more of the abuse or flashbacks would have made the tone too sombre.

I liked the mystery. There’s a good number of red herrings, a few little twists. I was never 100% certain of anyone’s guilt and the revelation at the end was logical, if not surprising. I’m not entirely sure how some of the acts were carried out, but it’s nothing that distracts from the chronology or logic.

I very much enjoyed the focus on societal shunning and on “a woman’s place”, as assessed retroactively. The story shows how women are often not believed and how abuse can happen to anyone. It wasn’t heavy-handed but I appreciated it.

One aspect that didn’t quite hit home for me was the romance angle. The characters fall in love rather instantly, which felt a little disingenuous to their characters. There is a lot of repeated passages of their “yearning” for one another. I enjoyed that there was a sex scene because that’s one of the benefits of writing a modern Gothic (you can include all the stuff the old, prudish novels leave out!) but their romance wasn’t entirely sexy to me. I didn’t doubt their attraction and that they were well-suited, I just found it less than titillating in that there wasn’t a lot of build-up or anything keeping them apart. It was obvious they were going to get together.

An added bit of fun was trying to figure out which Poe story/poem was being referenced by which nefarious act. I loved that Poe’s work was brought into the novel, but he was not looped in as a character himself (which would have been silly). This concept has been done in several short stories/novels, but it suited this novel too.

Overall, a well-wrought, entertaining, modern take on an American Gothic novel.

I love the tie-in with Edgar Allan Poe's stories. The Widow of Pale Harbor tastes of classic gothic horror with a dash of mystery and suspense. Spellbinding, captivating, and intriguing, this work makes me hungry to read more of Hester Fox's works!

I received an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was my first Hester Fox book and I enjoyed it. I was expecting a bit more mystery and suspense, but still found myself turning the pages. There was more romance than I expected. I love Fox's way of writing and describing the setting. It makes it easy to imagine while reading. This story's dark and mysterious feel is great for curling up in a cozy spot on a rainy day and reading. I'm not very familiar with gothic fiction, but this book definitely sparked an interest and made me want to try more!

I love a good gothic fiction thriller especially a period/historical fiction. Fox is clearly inspired by Edgar Allen Poe in this story and it really sets the mood for the time period and the gothic "eerieness" of the tone.
Thank you to @Netgalley and @harlequin for an advanced copy to share my honest review.
Tiny Synopsis: Gabriel Stone moves to Pale Harbor after the death of his wife Anna for a fresh start: posing as a transcendentalist minister since his late wife was very much inspired by it. He learns quickly about Mrs. Carver and how the town fears/hates her even accusing her of witchcraft and killing her late husband. He is intrigued by her especially when strange things start happening in town including dead animal carcasses and threatening notes are left for him to find.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
This really sets the mood for Halloween and the on set of Fall - I was so ready to go into this world. I loved the "friendship" between Mrs Carver and Gabriel. It felt so reminiscent of that area - and the mystery that is happening in town. Everyone is a suspect - at least that's what I thought. It was a nice read to jump start my mood to read quite a few thrillers and horror novels in the next month (wishful thinking).

Sophronia is a reclusive widow. The towns people of Pale Harbor are sure she is a witch and she murdered her husband. Enter Gabriel. He is the new minister in the small town of Pale Harbor. He and Sophronia meet and become good friends…and of course this leads to a love affair…with the preacher no less! However, Sophronia is being blamed for all the odd activities around Pale Harbor. She knows she didn’t do it and she is determined to find out who is.

Give me an old house and weird happenings and I am hooked. This story bewitched me from the start. I enjoyed all the odd scenes from Edgar Allan Poe stories. And of course the mystery kept me guessing. Add in a little love affair and you have a good read! Don’t miss this one! Perfect for Halloween!

I received this novel from Harlequin for a honest review.

The Widow of Pale Harbor is Hester Fox's sophomore novel. It centers around a woman in a small town with elements of witchcraft, past scandals, and romance. I was not the reader for this particular book because it focuses too much on the romance. However, I do look forward to seeing what Hester Fox writes next. I enjoy the atmospheric setup and hope that the next book comes back to telling the story of a strong woman rather than that of a romance.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/09/the-widow-of-pale-harbor.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

This spooky, gothic tale is a perfect read too bring in the coming fall.
Sophronia is a widow that the town believes is surely a witch. Gabriel has come to town to be a minister. He is intrigued by the widow and doesn't care what the townspeople think of him getting to know her. Mysterious and creepy things start to happen to them both.
I loved the aspects of bringing Edgar Allen Poe into the story and the ties his works have to the mysteries that are happening.
Perfect fall read... Pick it up now!

If you have not read a Hester Fox book and you're a historical fiction, spooky reads, or romance fan, you need to get on that. I won a copy of an ARC of The Witch of Willow Hall, her first book, last year and LOVED IT. So when I saw she was coming out with a new book, I immediately went to NetGalley to see if it was available and then prayed to the publishing gods I'd be approved.

Luckily, the gods smiled down on me and I read the book and omg it is everything I wanted and more. It's spooky, romantic, and dark, and exactly what you want to read during this time of year. Let's get to the review!

The book is split between the two main characters: Sophronia Carver, the reclusive widow, and Gabriel Stone, the new minister in Pale Harbor. If you've read any of my past blogs, you know how much I love a book split into different POVs and it was done expertly here.

Sophronia aka Sophy has a lot on her shoulders. Her husband is dead and she thinks she's responsible. Because she was there for his death and due to her reclusiveness, most of the town believes she's either a murderer, a witch, or both. She stays within the boundaries of her mansion and never leaves because she is so afraid of what might happen.

But with strange things occurring around her property, it seems like her home might not be as safe as she thought. Someone keeps leaving dead birds at her door and she can't figure out why. But she soon finds solace in a new villager in town.

Gabriel Stone is dealing with his own darkness. His wife died and it was her wish to share her love for transcendentalism with everyone. So Gabriel decides to move to Maine to be a minister and share the ideals his wife held so dear. The problem is, he is no minister and he knows next to nothing about the religion. But he's looking for a new start and Pale Harbor is as good a place as any.

But once he gets to town, everyone he meets tells him to stay away from the widow in the mansion by the sea and he is much too curious not to at least investigate.

And that is how Sophy and Gabriel meet and begin a friendship that turns into so much more. I absolutely love their relationship. They are sweet but passionate, care for each other deeply, and fight fiercely for one another even when the odds are against them.

But besides the villagers and the strange occurrences in town trying to scare them away from each other, there is also Helen, Sophy's housekeeper and closest friend. She does not trust Gabriel one bit and she tries to stop Sophy from seeing him.

The villagers may think Sophy is a witch, but Helen is the one they should be looking out for. She actually practices witchcraft and uses it to protect Sophy against all evil. But is she using it to keep Gabriel away as well?? NO SPOILERS!

There is not a badly written, one-dimensional character in this entire book. I fell in love with Sophy and Gabriel and Helen. The book slowly unveils who they are and what secrets their keeping, and I found it absolutely thrilling.

Learning what really happened to Sophy's husband and the truth about Gabriel's wife was quite a shock. I had an inkling about Sophy's husband and a hint about Gabriel's wife but the real truth is way more than I imagined. (there were a lot of "holy shit"s yelled while I was reading)

The Widow of Pale Harbor is an absolute page-turner. I read way past my bedtime because one chapter would end on a cliffhanger and then I would need to read two more chapters before I found out what happened. I could not put it down. I think I read it in three days which is very fast for me.

OH and did I mention there are references to Edgar Allen Poe?? Omg, this book is like an amalgamation of everything I love.

If you're looking for a spooky romance with a dark sinister mood hiding just under the surface, you need to read The Widow of Pale Harbor. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars. 

The Widow of Pale Harbor comes out September 17, 2019.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Books for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

**4.5-stars**

A town gripped by fear.
A woman accused of witchcraft.
Who can save Pale Harbor from itself?

Welcome to Pale Harbor, Maine, 1846, where a young widow, Sophronia Carver, haunts the halls of her mansion by the sea. Her home, Castle Carver, goes unvisited by the locals as they believe Sophronia to be a witch suspected of killing her husband, magazine magnate, Nathaniel Carver.

Shunned and mistreated by those in town, Sophronia shuts herself off from the rest of society. Having inherited her husband's magazine upon his death, she spends her days reading submissions, drinking tea and taking short walks on the cliffs of her property.

Sophronia's only company, her loyal domestic staff made up of one lady's maid, a serving girl and a groundskeeper. Her maid, Helen, is more than just a maid however, she is a trusted companion who takes her task of caring for Sophronia quite seriously.

When a new transcendentalist minister, Gabriel Stone, a widower himself, arrives in the sleepy town, he takes an interest in the case of the secluded woman. After visiting with her, he finds her to be quite charming and quickly becomes smitten.

Soon dark events push the two of them further together and things really begin to take off. Someone is out to get Sophronia, leaving cryptic messages and dead things for her to find. The clues all relate to different poems and stories by Edgar Allen Poe. When cryptic messages turn to murder and Sophronia is the main suspect, she and Gabriel team up to investigate the crimes on their own.

With equal parts Mystery and Romance, this Historical Fiction novel is steeped in the gothic atmosphere that I love. Set on the rocky coast of Maine, this is a perfect book to pick up during this most wonderful season of the year, AUTUMN.

I really enjoyed Sophronia as a character. She was not dealt an easy hand but took all that was thrown at her with a grace that truly set her apart from those around her. She was sweet and caring and although misunderstood and mistreated by the townsfolk, she never became jaded or vengeful.

Gabriel, as well, was a great. Although a bit mysterious, and perhaps not exactly what he was purporting to be, he was strong and caring. I loved watching him and Sophronia learn to confide in each other and trust one another. They both really needed someone on their side and as a duo, they paired quite nicely.

As the pace is picking up, we also have an old friend of Gabriel's arrive for a visit, Tom. He was fantastic. He brought a flirty good humor to the story that was much needed at that point as the action was getting dark. Gabriel and Tom had such a strong friendship, it was great to see that on page between two grown men. Very well done indeed.

I also appreciated the complex relationship between Sophronia and Helen. I don't want to get into this too much as it could be a bit of a spoiler but let's just say that, in truth, it was not the most healthy of relationship. Dedicated, to be sure, but also quite codependent. Helen was great to read. She is surrounded in mystery and quite creepy. She definitely adds a lot to the story!

Overall, I adored this book. While it did start out a little slow, once it picked up the pace was incredible. I always appreciate a slow burn and this one would certainly fall into that category. I would have enjoyed a bit more atmosphere, particularly surrounding Castle Carver itself, but that is definitely a personal taste issue and no reflection on the actual story.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Graydon House Books, for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and review. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint.

In my opinion, Hester Fox is an absolute blessing and this book helped cement her status as an auto-buy author for me. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!!!

*Thank you to both Harlequin for reaching out to me for a review of The Widow of Pale Harbor, and NetGalley for the digital ARC! I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.* 

I have been an Edgar Allan Poe fan since high school, when our theater department put on a production of Nevermore. It started me on a love of gothic literature. This is a huge part of why I love Hester Fox's writing so much - it is so beautifully gothic. The moody, atmospheric feel of her prose is so much fun to read. I was a huge fan of her first novel, The Witch of Willow Hall (read my review for it here!), so I was really excited when I received the ARC for The Widow of Pale Harbor. 

I really loved Sophronia. She was such a great character. She was afraid of so many things, but she was still such a strong presence throughout the novel, which I appreciated. I loved how she grew and changed as the novel went along. I did like Gabriel, but he fell a little more flat for me. He did have some growth, but I wanted him to be a bit more fleshed out like Sophronia was. Fanny and Tom were my favorite side characters. They were both sweet and humorous, and provided a nice counter-balance to the more serious main characters. 

I really enjoyed the mystery of this novel. Tying in Poe's poetry and short stories as the inspiration for the various crimes committed in the novel was brilliant. It certainly helped to lend to the gothic atmosphere of the world of Pale Harbor. I will say, I figured out "who-done-it" somewhat early on, but I was never 100% sure I was right. So, the big reveal at the end was still very satisfying for me! By the last quarter of the book, I was flying through, wanting to know how it all ended! 

If you are into gothic novels, historical fiction, mysteries, and having a nice romance thrown into the mix, you will love The Widow of Pale Harbor! 



My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I gave The Widow of Pale Harbor 4.5 STARS!

In 1846, Gabriel Stone leaves Massachusetts after the death of his wife and moves to Maine. He becomes the minister for the town of Pale Harbor, and there are a number of odd occurrences within the sleepy little town. The townsfolk claim they're all caused by Sophronia Carver, who lives in the eerie Castle Carver with her maid. They claim she's a witch and had killed her husband, but it's soon clear that the incidents are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe tales. If Gabriel doesn't discover the truth, Pale Harbor might become one of Poe's stories.

Hester Fox has training in museum collections maintenance, and that shows over the course of her novels. Her other novel, The Witch of Willow Hall, takes place in a similar era, with focus on herbs and seeing ghosts as the witchcraft. This novel focuses more on mystery, romance, and the friendship that develops, as well as the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. The "witchiness" of Sophronia is less that she conjures demons and more than the townsfolk have never liked her and are too eager to ascribe their superstitions to her. At first, I thought that the people had confused Sophronia for Helen, the lady's maid that is older, always severely dressed and often spends time in her stillroom. It isn't because of that but would have made a lot of sense.

Gabriel and Sophronia are drawn to each other immediately and push each other out of their comfort zones. The romance here is more believable to me than in The Witch of Willow Hall, but still feels rushed. It seems more like physical attraction and simply clicking while together; those aspects are very well written. When they declare their love for each other, it feels a little awkward while reading it. The mystery aspect of the novel, as well as the red herrings sprinkled throughout, is very well done and certainly drew me further and further into the book. When we reach the conclusion, I was definitely satisfied with it and felt sorry for some of the characters.

This is my first book by Hester Fox, and it's only her second book. I hope there will be a LOT more from this talented author! This story, a gothic romance featuring a riveting mystery, Transcendentalism and the incomparable works of Edgar Allan Poe, kept me glued to the pages. What wonderful fun!

Gabriel Stone is the new newly arrived Transcendentalist minister in Pale Harbor, Maine. In actuality, he is there under false pretenses; he took the position when the expected minister died, in honor of his deceased wife who embraced this religious movement. Odd, spooky things are happening in this little town. The superstitious townspeople believe it is the work of Sophronia Carver (a most unfortunate name!). They suspect she is a witch and that she killed her husband. She is a reclusive woman who lives in Carver Castle with Helen, her odd maid and friend. Though the locals believe the odd goings-on are the fault of Sophronia, it's apparent she is being targeted by someone obsessed with Poe's work.

Gabriel's not even a real minister, and it's quickly apparent he's not cut out for religious life. When he meets Sophronia he is immediately taken by her, making him feel guilty about his deceased wife. Sophronia too has a past she is grappling with. She is attracted to Gabriel and begins to venture out of her self-made prison. Helen, though, tries to stop that; she seems to want to keep Sophronia all to herself. The atmosphere of Pale Harbor is brought to life - you can feel the mist and desolation of the bluffs and beach of this little town. The romance between Gabriel and Sophronia isn't particularly steamy, but feels honest as they both struggle with their pasts. The mystery kept me guessing the whole time and I was surprised when the villain was revealed. I do believe Ms. Fox has made me a fan of gothic romance! I look forward to many more stories by her.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.