3.5*
This was an... Interesting experience and I shall need some time to come up with a decent review, but the one thing I will in fact say at this moment is WHERE THE FUCK IS THE ENDING?!?!?!
Like, what was that?!

You know, when I first saw this book on Netgalley, I was instantly taken in by the cover because like, just look at it, and the synopsis really sounded intriguing to me.
A dark academia story set in college, with a student teacher relationship that simply spelled trouble and I couldn't help but request it from the publisher.
Now that I've read it, I still don't exactly know where this book falls for me, but thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for one of my signature honest reviews.

The pros:
- The writing was genuinely incredible in this book.
It read like a literary fiction sort of book which is not something I have always enjoyed, but it totally worked in this one. It wasn't flowery or purple prose-y, specifically, but it carried more depth and meaning than your usual suspense novel, and I quite liked that.
It was also shockingly addictive, so much so that I gobbled up the whole book in less than two days.
- The dark academia aspect of the story was done very well, in my opinion. The way the elite private college was described, the classes, lectures, etc, were quite intriguing and I really enjoyed them.
- I guess I can also say that I really had a strangely good time reading about this very much toxic relationship between Mark, the professor, and Tyler, the student.
It was clear from the get go that there's something off about Tyler, that I can say for sure, and when they initially fucked, I was instantly sucked in because I knew this was gonna be a hella toxic and intriguing dynamic and I can definitely say that the author delivered on that.
Their sex scenes were hella fucking intense as well, so there's that.
- The plot twist/reveal towards the end... Holy fuck, that was so fucking good.
I kid you not, I did not even see it coming until very late in the game, but it worked out so well and it left me flabbergasted, to be honest, so that was really well done in my opinion.

The cons:
- I'll start by saying that even though I loved how intense and borderline violent their sex scenes were, and while I can respect the author for writing a more realistic than not sex scene, I really don't wanna hear about the blood and shit and mucus coming out of Tyler's behind after Mark finishes fucking him.
- I hated the ending, genuinely speaking.
And by that I don't mean that I hated the plot twist, I hated what came after that, or lackthere of.
I don't know if that's what they call an open ending, but what the fuck?!
I finished the book and was like wait, where's the rest of it? Is that it?! But I don't know anything and nothing has been resolved and you left me with some very BIG questions unanswered, where's the rest of it?!
That's never really happened to me before with a book ending because it's not exactly a cliffhanger, there was just nothing there, and I can't say I appreciated it.
- Oh, the marketing for this book is talking about it as if it's a thriller, but it's very clearly a mystery suspense novel, nothing thrilling about it.

Would I recommend Providence? Keeping in mind that the ending is nonexistant and you'll be left with many an unanswered questions, I'd say that I do recommend it, mainly because it's one of those strange and slightly off-putting books that you'll gobble up in two days because you won't be able to put it down, and we like those kinds of books.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. First and foremost, it's very well written. I certainly found myself enjoying the author's skill in turning a phrase. I think the problem I had was that I found all of the characters ranging from a bit dislikeable to considerably so. For a college professor, Mark certainly isn't a very bright man. When he first meets Tyler he is hooked immediately ... and I'm sorry but I could already see it wasn't going to turn out well.

I think I liked the idea of the book, the end was far more interesting than the building up. I just really wanted there to be a character that I liked. I'm not sure most of the characters were depicted as even having a real friendship and I found that a little disconcerting.

Mark Lausson is a professor at an Ohio college who is unsatisfied with his job, is currently writing a book on homicides committed by gay men and strikes up a connection with one of his students, Tyler, who seems to have a particular interest in Mark. Then, Mark's life begins to unravel as the quiet obsession with his enigmatic student grows, wondering if he can trust Tyler when their relationship becomes intimate, fearful of getting caught and guilt-ridden for cheating on his boyfriend, Stephen. Burdened with the secrets of a double life, his relationships crumpling away and Tyler's behavior becoming erratic, Mark will reach a point of no return.

This book was really something. At first I thought the novel's concept wasn't all that original but the author finds cunning ways of sparking up the reader's interest. So there is a romantic relationship of sorts between the two main characters, albeit a very suspicious one. The main character's POV is also intertwined with childhood memories of his life before his sister went missing inexplicably, him trying to reconnect with his parents and trying to find his way out of Sawyer College. At some points I felt like some of the subplots didn't add much to the story, at others it felt like they pulled focus from the main plot line as some of them felt like they went on for longer than I would've wanted. Also I wish Part III was a bit longer, but overall I found "Providence" a very fascinating read, it just takes a while to pick up a pace. 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the author's publishing team for the advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for allowing me to read this good book! I always enjoy stories in the M/M universe where secrecy is a big component of the relationship and the professor/student roles in this one didn't disappoint. There were a few parts in the middle that dragged a little for me, but after finishing I will say it added to the slow burn atmosphere the book had established. I was really looking forward to this book and wasn't disappointed!

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication. My review will appear on my blog on April 5, 2024 and I'll also do a feature on Instagram that same day. The review will also be posted to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable and retail sites.

Review:

I love a gay thriller ("Bath Haus" was the first I read and still pops into my head now and then), so I was really excited when I saw "Providence" by Craig Willse on NetGalley. When I saw that it was described as being similar to "The Talented Mr. Ripley," I knew I had to read it, and I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed! This book is a gripping exploration of desire, betrayal, and the consequences of giving in to temptation. In this novel, Willse delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and the power dynamics that come into play when one is unsure of their path in life and becomes consumed by lust and longing.

The book is told from the first-person point-of-view of Marc Laussen, a handsome but somewhat awkward 30-something professor who teaches at a fairly prestigious university in Ohio. Growing up gay and Jewish in conservative Florida, Mark is no stranger to loneliness. It was easier to fly under the radar and avoid taunting at school when he shrunk into himself. After graduation, he went to college and eventually graduated with a Ph.D, but the problem is, Mark never really formed any close friendships in college; it always seemed safer to be alone.

Now he's teaching a bunch of rich kids at Sawyer while working on writing a book about gay murderers and dating a fellow professor. Mark isn't exactly happy, but he isn't exactly miserable either. He just feels stuck and unsure of where his life is taking him. But then in walks Tyler, a blonde, 19-year-old soccer player who grabs Mark's attention. Mark knows it's against the rules to get involved with a student, but Tyler is persuasive, and soon Mark finds himself entangled in a dangerous game that could end his career, and the deeper he gets, the more he knows he shouldn't trust Tyler, but he can't stay away - even if it means losing everything he has.

This book is a slow burn, and while I didn't find it particularly tense, I was absolutely captivated by Mark's journey - mostly because I saw a lot of myself in Mark. Growing up gay in rural Idaho in the 80s and 90s was very difficult for me. Like Mark, I, too, shrunk into the scenery as best I could to keep attention off of me. It was a survival tactic, and it worked most of the time, but the problem is, I carried that behavior with me through at least my first two years of college, but then finally met a group of friends who helped bring me out of my shell. But even though I had a group of friends, there was always that underlying sense of loneliness, and to an extent, it's still there (I think it always will be), so I understood Mark's thought processes and why he approached things the way he did. While I didn't understand what he saw in Tyler (I'm not at all into twinks or guys younger than me) or why he continued to see him after he started to doubt Tyler's ability to tell the truth (I don't trust anyone, so the first red flag would have sent me running) I understood why it excited him. Tyler is definitely Mark's type, making his allure undeniable, and it's easy to see why Mark becomes so enamored with him. However, as the layers of Tyler's deception are peeled back, it becomes clear that there is a darkness lurking beneath his suave exterior.

Willse's prose is both elegant and haunting, drawing the reader in and refusing to let go until the very last page. His exploration of the complexities of desire and the ways in which our perceptions can be distorted by sexual attraction is both thought-provoking and unsettling. The way in which he portrays the gradual unraveling of Mark's life is both heartbreaking and mesmerizing. We know Mark is on a collision course with tragedy, but we can't look away. We want everything to be okay in the end, but the deeper he gets into the shitstorm, the less likely that appears. The novel serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to temptation and the consequences of allowing ourselves to be consumed by our desires. Use your head, peeps! If that little voice says to run, then get your ass out of there!

I found this to be a riveting and thought-provoking read that will stay with me for a while. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers and character-driven narratives, "Providence" is a must-read. Just be prepared to be taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. You'll get frustrated, and you'll yell at Mark to smarten up and stay away from Tyler, but you won't be able to look away as his life unravels.

Craig Willse's dark academia gay thriller, PROVIDENCE, was a total blast—infusing The Talented Mr. Ripley, Saltburn, and Micah Nemerever's These Violent Delights into one wildly entertaining experience.

The story is centered around Mark Lausson—an English professor at an elite liberal arts school in the middle of Ohio, who becomes infatuated with a sophomore soccer player, charismatic and handsome Tyler Cunningham. Tyler draws Mark in with his personality and looks in ways that Mark can't describe. Mark starts centering his life around Tyler's every move, becoming more and more ingrained into Tyler's world. Knowing that this relationship is unprofessional, Mark tries to fight back, but can't seem to let Tyler go. As the two forge a sexual relationship, Mark starts seeing that Tyler can't be trusted. However, once Mark is locked into Tyler's world, it's hard to escape.

This book was so much fun and I read it in two sittings. I normally don't prioritize dark academia books, but the cover and synopsis drew me in immediately. This book will turn in ways you won't expect and its steamy in all the right ways without going over the top. At its core, PROVIDENCE is a mystery/thriller, but there's moments in which we get social commentary on LGBTQ+ culture as well. I absolutely loved how the story ended and was surprised to see it go that direction (in a good way). I can't wait to see what Craig Willse has in store for readers next.

Unofficial Synopsis:

Mark’s life come crumbling down at the start of his second year of college. It’s not long after that Tyler enters his life and seems to have everything that Mark wants. Mark finds Tyler magnetic and ignores the lingering thoughts that he can’t be trusted.

By the time Mark comes to his senses, the damage has been done and you can’t come back from everything.

Review:

This book is a slow burn with pacing to match. I often struggle with slower books and that was the case here. I find my mind wandering and I struggle to focus so it takes away from my enjoyment of the story. However, around the 80% mark, things started to wrap up and become resolved, though I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the resolution either. For all the buildup and tension that was created, it just seemed to fall flat to me. While I understand that suspense is a subgenre of thriller, it is important to me that books like this get labeled as suspense rather that just thriller, so readers can have clear expectations. The characters were also unlikeable, which isn’t always something I need in the book, but with the plot lacking I was looking for something to hold onto and enjoy. This is just one of those books that didn’t live up to the premise for me though I think had it been marketed slightly different results might have differed. I do think that this is a talented author as he had a way with invoking emotions, which is important, so I will read their work in the future.

While I was initially intrigued by the synopsis, I think the book fell a little flat for me. There just wasn't enough tension between the characters for me to realistically believe any of the events of the story would have actually played out.

I did like the last fourth of the book but it felt a little 'too-little, too-late' for me, as the rest of the book dragged way too much.

I was intrigued right away and was drawn in immediately but ultimately the pacing didn’t work for me and I didn’t feel compelled to finish, thank you to the publisher for the eARC.

The words will not come easy for this book.
I’m really struggling to piece together what I just read.

I will say, this book takes 78% to even get slightly interesting. That is too long for a build up, especially when the events during that first 78 % BARELY get redeemed because the ending was pretty average imo.

(I was HOPING the whole way through reading this, that maybe this book would be like bear town or a little life, where you need all that build up to make the story go ✨POW✨ at the end. But, it was not like that at all for me, it was all just blah blah blah before the book was over)

The first 78% was babbling, long-winded, had way too much academic talk, and was filled with interactions with people and side characters that… once you got to the end of the book, you realise we’re completely unimportant. Maybe about 1 of 10 interactions really had any point.
I assume it was more to build up Mark’s (the main MC) personality as a bit of a loner professor at a prestigious uni, but holy hell did it drag.

I’ve seen some marketing for book as a “thriller” but there is absolutely NOTHING thrilling about that first 78%… nothing even ELUDING to a thrill… and when it did get “thrilling”… it just wasn’t?

*****slight spoiler ahead, stop reading now if you plan to read this****






The two MC’s are both very unlikable. Mark being a complete idiot (examples: he cheats on his boyfriend who is an absolute SAINT and did not deserve that, mark ignores every single one of Tyler’s red flags AND FUCK ME THERE ARE SOME RED FLAGS 🚩🚩🚩, gets himself into a stupid life ruining situation that literally could have just been avoided, ect.)

And Tyler, being a lil fuck boy with minimal personality,
He literally shows no interest in mark EVER, except for in ONE scene… one….

The way mark was portrayed as this lil love sick dude, was so pathetic. Maybe that’s good writing? Because I was like… eye rolling at how dumb mark was the whole book??
Tyler gave him absolutely nothing, maybe ONE CRUMB of attention, and mark was eating that shit up like a starving dying man… why?? WHAT WAS THE REASON?

The friendships between Mark and his friends feels flat, even when he was in conversation with people who actually liked him, I’d question… why? He is literally such a boring person who never shows up for you? Why do you like this human??
He doesn’t do anything to be worthy of friendship 98% of the time?

Also, it did get interesting there right at the end… to completely fall flat on its face and end terribly. I guess the ending was to kind of show/prove that mark had always been a bit of a numpty and not good at seeing signs maybe???

I DON’T KNOWWWWWW. I just wanted more thriller. More gay crime. Less fucking talking. More Tyler being insane. More mystery. More. This had the potential to go very salt burn, or very dark, or very evil? I think I wanted that. It just felt like silly goose’s doing silly goose behaviour, and even though it’s like 310 pages or something, it felt never ending.

I did really enjoy the sentence structures and language and such throughout. Maybe I’m just not smart enough for books like this 🤷‍♀️💖 I actually think that might be why 😂 maybe educated people will enjoy this book. I feel like it would make an AMAZING movie?????

I did enjoy this book but it has its flaws.

It starts of promising but does fall flat. The premise was interesting and was the thing that drew me to the book, unfortunately it takes more than half the book to actaully build to something good. For the fact that it is being marketed as a psychological thriller there isn't much thrill but until the last few chapters and I had truly expected more.

I didn't really ginf Mark to be a compelling character to follow and I wanted to strangle him more often than I didn't but I really woul dhave liked to see more of Tyler. I think both characters could have used more flesh and development.

I did enjoy the storyline of Mark being discontent with his life and Tyler coming in and becoming an interesting aspect to him - the descend to this is obsessive, I don't know if its right to say, co-dependent and overall toxic relationship. I'm not the biggest fan of affair stories and this was one of those things that made me hate Mark becuase his boyfriend was a SAINT that deserved better!

Overall, I think there is room for improvement and I would love see how Craig Willse grows and author.

[Thank you to Netgallet, Union Square & Co. and the author for giving me a e-arc in exchange for an honest review]

First, I want to say thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
The book has very good premise, a dark academia about a relationship between a teacher and a student. I picked this to read as it relates to The Secret History, which I enjoy reading books based off it. Sadly, it does not live up to this dark academia, but I believe with a few edits it can get there shortly. My first critique is about Mark's ex-boyfriend Stephen. I wish he was more developed, so that way I can understand their relationship. Mark is not a good boyfriend to Stephan and I don't understand the point of this relationship since it is mostly negative. Next, Tyler was a very interesting character, although with the open-minded ending, I wish there were more seeds planted in the story to understand Tyler's true motives. This would allow more interesting story along with developing him more as a character. My last issue has to do with Mark, as he seems to be not a good person and ends nearly every relationship he is in (friendship/romantic). I understand some of his issues, but I wish they were presented more throughly, maybe evening more background with Cassie. Overall with these edits I think the book will turn out great. I will say that the ending was very enjoyable to read and really puts a new perspective on the story as a whole.

This was a novel that I had high hopes for. Unfortunately the internal life of the main character felt a little forced and I wasn't able to fully engage or relate to him. His decision making felt irrational but not in an earned way. The writing is good, which leads me to believe that this is an author of interested in reading more from, but that this particular story didn't resonate with me.

Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Providence" by Craig Willse is a riveting psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of desire, obsession, and betrayal. Set against the backdrop of academia, the novel follows English professor Mark Lausson as his life spirals out of control after he embarks on a forbidden affair with his sophomore student, Tyler Cunningham.

From the very first page, Willse's narrative grips you with its intense portrayal of Mark's descent into chaos. As Mark grapples with his increasingly tumultuous relationship with Tyler, you are drawn into a web of deceit and manipulation that keeps them on the edge of their seats. Even though you, the reader, obviously know that the relationship between the two is extremely imbalanced and inappropriate, you still find yourself wanting to know more about them, especially when seeing Tyler’s growth as a person and an individual.

Mark makes extremely flawed decisions throughout the book, but Willse is still able to humanize even the most flawed characters, which can definitely be a challenge for many authors. I appreciated the depth of Mark’s character and the complexity of his relationship with Tyler.

However, the thriller aspect of the book was a bit lacking. There really wasn’t much in terms of thriller elements until the final chapters, which is when things really go from 0-100. The ending was also a bit abrupt, so I wish that was developed more to give you a more satisfying ending. I also wanted to experience a bit more character development in the book, especially from Tyler.

Overall, "Providence" is a captivating debut that showcases Craig Willse's talent as a storyteller. Willse certainly took a risk in showing Mark’s perspective and desires in this unbalanced and unhealthy relationship, but I think this risk definitely paid off. I, however, would not include this in the classroom due to the unhealthy professor-student relationship depicted, even though it was clearly seen as a negative and immoral throughout the book.

Okay so this book has been popping up a lot lately on my feed, and I’ve been keen to read it since seeing the first couple of posts. Let me just say that it is so worth the read.

Mark is an English professor at a prestigious college in the middle of nowhere, Ohio. He’s bored with his job, struggling to write his book on gay murders, and coasting through a relationship with another professor. That is until Tyler shows up on his class.

Right away Mark is intrigued by Tyler, bordering on obsessed. Things take a turn when they start an affair and Mark is entirely swept up into Tyler’s hurricane. What could go wrong?

Gee, I don’t think I was expecting what this book turned out to be. I mean, thinking back on it,it all makes sense. Like it plays out exactly as it should, but while reading it, the twist comes out of nowhere.

Mark’s relationships are complicated, he has a need to be around people, but also prefers the solitude. Often the way he’s written makes it feel like socialising with his friends is a punishment. Which is a shame because Safie, Colin and Priya all come across as great support characters. Stephen I’m unsure of, and that is down to Mark’s apparent indifference to their relationship.

I enjoyed watching Mark get sucked into the whirlwind that is Tyler, watching him slowly descend into obsession. Going so far as to further push away his friends and family, avoiding work, and eventually obsessing about finishing his book so that he and Tyler can escape together.

A huge part of me wishes that he never came back from New Orleans and that the story pivoted to his escape and slowly forgetting about Tyler, but of course that wouldn’t have been as gripping as what came next.

As the pieces all fall together the story made me question all I had read before, had I missed something? Was there something that was so obvious at the time? And the way it ends left me wanting more clarity. But the questioning at the end was perfect. Anything else and it would have felt wrong to me

While I enjoyed the writing style, this book really wasn't for me. I had a hard time understanding the characters motivations and felt uncomfortable through most of the book. I do think this book would be a good fit for someone who enjoys a darker story. I think with another topic or story, I could really enjoy this author.

Providence by Craig Willse tells a story of Mark Lausson, an educator at Sawyer College who’s still struggling to pay his bills despite securing his dream job. He soon meets Tyler, a mysterious student, who he falls heads over heels for almost as quickly as they meet.

It was exciting to see a psychological thriller with a LGBT lead but the story was just serviceable at best. There are a few issues throughout including the writing style (especially in the beginning), pacing, and the ending (I didn’t understand it 100%). The themes of desire and following an idea despite how wrong it is was interesting but I wish it was under better direction. I’m excited to read what comes next from Willse. Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the ARC.

Providence is about an unhappy in all aspects of his life professor named Mark who begins a relationship with a seemingly vivacious — but mostly just young and elusive — student named Tyler. It’s a dissection of their relationship and an event that alters both of their lives.

This is being marketed as a thriller but is not so much that until the very end. It’s more of a piece on loneliness and how deeply it affects us and how we interact with others. It’s a story of obsession, think Talented Mr. Ripley, but Mark isn’t Tom Ripley and I don’t think Tyler is either. It’s more of a meditation on being unhappy and living your life from the outside. Mark listens to and relays conversations to us as the reader but isn’t contributing to them. He’s mostly at odds with what’s happening around him with small bursts of charm when the moment calls for it, and Tyler is just there.

I wanted to be enamored with Tyler the way Mark was, but I wasn’t and I didn’t quite understand why anyone would be. The second half of this book is really where it picks up. As Mark took more actionable steps in his life, I became more interested in where it was going. It’s a weird one to review because I didn’t dislike the book, but I can’t say this one was for me. I usually love the conversational verse, but it read more like vignettes: a man at school, a man at a party, a man ruminating. It was more scene by scene, and maybe that’s just the thing for other readers, but something was missing for me.

Still enjoyable, a slow burn, a little bit of dark academia. If you pick it up, I don’t think you’ll regret it but go into it with the right expectations and the right mood. Overall: ️3/5.

Thanks so much to Union Square & Co (@unionsqandco) and NetGalley (@netgalley) for the ARC!

Normally I don't like it when an author pulls a twist that I did not see coming. But, that happens a lot so I must like it at least a bit. I read Providence straight through and did not see the twist coming. The author, Craig Willse gets kudos from me for that.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

First -- thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (and their very kind publicity staff member!) for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. When I read the synopsis, I was intrigued, and knew I needed to read it.

Actual rating -- 2.75 out of 5 stars. I'll round up to 3.

Providence started out very promising. There was some good work with the exposition as we eased into the main plot. Mark was being established, and we understand immediately that he's a symbol of unhappiness, stuck in a life that he once felt would be fulfilling. The themes of unhappiness, stagnancy in life, and the need to feel alive were present throughout the book, and I thought they were used well.

Unfortunately, a lot of the plot ended up falling flat. It almost felt like a collection of scenes that created a story, but weren't that meaningful.

The book was labeled a thriller, but there were honestly no thriller elements until the final 3 chapters of the book. There were some psychological thriller elements here and there, but they were minimal.

The characters were thinly developed in a book with a premise that would've benefitted significantly from stronger, more fleshed-out characters. The "gay murder" motif had so much potential, but I felt it wasn't explored as much as it could've been.

The problem I had was that the protagonist, Mark, wasn't likable or unlikeable. I was just completely indifferent towards him. And because I was indifferent toward him, I didn't care too much what would end up happening to him. I wanted more of Tyler -- he was dangerous, definitely, but we didn't get enough insight into him and what was going on his mind.

The ending was abrupt and provided minimal closure. We didn't get too much insight into the aftermath of the events, and "Part III" felt like an afterthought.

There were some good things about the book, as listed in the beginning of this review. Unfortunately, those positives felt overshadowed by the negatives.