"You don't know the dangers of this game you're playing,
Millie."

"You shine a light in this dark house, Miss Foxboro. I pray you let nothing extinguish it."

What a wonderful book! Dark and complicated and gothic and spicy and addicting!! So so good!! I loved it!!! I don’t know if I loved the dark gothic vibes more of the complex shape the characters took while they were acting in the story. A young woman who becomes the assistant of a professor in an old house hunted by who knows which spirits inspired by the Gaelic folklore! This book was full of darkness, trauma, pain, suffering and also romance with some of my favourite tropes: forced proximity, enemies to lovers, constant banter and undeniable attraction that won’t be easy to fight off. Millie was such a sweet and caring character and I instantly loved her and could emphasise with her. I honestly would have fallen for him too, in her shoes. And Callum … I don’t know if I liked him more as the “professor” or as the man who lost a wife he loved desperately and he has some secrets I can’t wait to unfold !! And the spicy scenes !!! Oh goodness me, how good they were !!! I have had the best time getting through this book and I honestly wish I could read more !!!

"I warned you not to start a war with me." He guided his thumb in an achingly slow arch. "I should stop right now to punish you for being impertinent."

"Keep watching, kitten."

"I've been trying my best not to give in to my worst impulses and defile you to within an inch of your life despite the many opportunities you've offered, and you're angry with me?"

Holy shit this was incredible. I love a mysterious, gothic romance, and this just might be one of my favorites. The twist at the end!! Some other reviewers said they saw it coming but I definitely did not. Also, the writing was absolutely phenomenal. I never would've guessed this was the authors debut. Easy 5 stars. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

What a wild ride! This story had me absolutely captivated from beginning to end.

This story follows Millie Foxboro a quiet assistant bookseller with a mysterious past as she ventures to the enchanting but near abandoned Willowfield Manor to help Professor Callum Hughes with his work on the malevolent fae. When the stories of the deceased mistress of the manor begin to haunt Millie as well it's up to her to determine what's real and who can be trusted.

My first foray into gothic romance there were some parts that were a little spooky and I had to put the book down while reading alone at night. I couldn't help picking it right back up the next morning however!

I really enjoyed the writing style and storyline, there were so many twists and turns, and I can't wait to read the book again.

Thank you Net Galley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓒𝓻𝓾𝓮𝓵 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴
𝒷𝓎: 𝐵𝑒𝒶 𝒩𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽𝓌𝒾𝒸𝓀

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

“𝐼 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝓊𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝒹𝑒𝑒𝓅 𝒽𝓊𝓇𝓉𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝑒𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓇𝑒𝓈. 𝐼𝓉 𝓈𝒾𝓂𝓅𝓁𝓎 𝓂𝑒𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓃𝑒𝓌 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓊𝓃𝑒𝓍𝓅𝑒𝒸𝓉𝑒𝒹, 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑒.”

This review is a little different because I simply cannot choose my favorite character! Once I finished the book it changed, and so I just don’t want to pick 🤷🏼‍♀️

I had no IDEA what was coming in this book! I thought we were dealing with all kinds of supernatural, and I truly could not pin point what it was.

The twists were fantastic, and I’m truly obsessed!

The flow of the writing, the mystery, the spice!!! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for this EARC!

Posting this review on Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and anywhere else I can. Reviews linked now.

Thank you NetGalley and Bea Northwick for the ARC of “The Cruel Dark”!! I loved everything about this book!! From the beauty and the beast feel to the gothic overlay!! You’ll find mystery, slow burn romance, Spicceeee, tragic death and more in this book!! It is one I’d highly recommend to add to your TBR!!!

Okay, now this ARC is something I can totally get on board with! This book was absolutely fantastic, and I owe a big thank you to Net Galley for hooking me up with this ARC, even though the book is also on Kindle Unlimited! It has everything I look for in a book - it's dark, spicy, a slow burn, thrilling, and a bit of horror to top it off. My goodness, Bea Northwick really knocked it out of the park with this one. I felt like I was aimlessly wandering the halls of Willowfield, soaking in its spooky vibes. I was completely mesmerized by the dark and tantalizing atmosphere of Willowfield. And that twist at the end? Mind-blowing! Who would've seen that coming, right? Let me just say, this will definitely not be the last book I pick up by Bea Northwick. I can't wait to dive into more of her work. What a stellar debut! And, let's be honest, even though Professor Callum is a fictional character, I couldn't help but be drawn to him. He's just so enchanting! (I think "enchanting" is my new favorite word now). He might just be my new book crush! I'll definitely read this book again in the fall, during the haunting month of October, because it really gives me those cozy yet spooky vibes. If you're a fan of gothic romance with an extra kick, I highly suggest adding this book to your to-be-read list, folks.

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review.

Wow. When I say I am shocked I truly am! "The Cruel Dark" began as a haunted, gothic, slow burn romance (what a mouthful) but it's true form is being a good ole mystery. Towards the end I started to make some guesses. I was very close however I did not predict the most important part and I am so surprised. Now, I feel like I have to reread this story all over.

Dark, brooding, and Gothic mystery - shades of Jane Eyre hover, but just enough to whet the appetite for the tangled and dark tale. Quite the twists you may not see coming, makes for a gripping read with a satisfying end.

Thank you to @netgalley and @victoryeditingngc for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book is a little out of the norm for what I like to read. I tend to stick with fantasy and contemporary romance over the darker more gothic vibes. But this book seemed too good to pass up and I’m so glad I gave it a chance.

This book is gothic and dark, it has Dark Academia and is filled with many mysteries that are begging to be solved. Not only do you not know what happened to the previous lady of the household, but our FMC has lost chunks of her life, memories that have vanished.

She gets a temporary job by working with a reclusive professor and helping him organize his notes and research on fae creatures, benevolent and malevolent alike. He is mourning his lost love, and yet sparks fly as his new assistant starts to challenge him.

Spirits haunt the halls of the manor and refuse to leave our FMC alone, trying to chase her out of the house and prevent her from unraveling the threads of the household.

This book had so many twists and turns and I didn’t see them coming! My jaw dropped at the end of the book as everything came to a head and I’m smacking myself for not catching some of those plot points sooner. The author did well at weaving in hints without spoiling anything.

The chemistry between our MCs was magnetic and I loved watching them grow closer to each other.

Overall, such a great read and I even listened to the audiobook version narrated by @theo_and_madi and let’s just say Madi’s voice saying “Yes Professor” was FABULOUS.

I did enjoy this book. At first, it seemed like a very conventional story but it had some interesting twists and turns. The house seemed like a character in the book. Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Millie Foxboro works in a bookshop in 1920s east coast America, she has a troubled past with traumatic amnesia with time spent in a mental institution. The bookshop owner is thinking about retiring and she's offered a short term job with a collegiate Professor Callum Hughes to help him sort his paperwork on various mythological characters and stories from Ireland essentially. The salary is very attractive. She turns up at the once magnificent estate, Willowfield, now going to rack and ruin. three staff only to find Hughes is not the grumpy elderly widower she expected but a reclusive, virile widower in his 30s. OK we know some of what will now happen, and it does, in spades. The house is gothic, built by his grandfather and the descriptions live up to this. The staff are spooky, of course. The death of Callum's wife is haunting him although doesn't stop him chasing after Millie in some decidedly raunchy scenes. Millie keeps seeing apparitions and the whole story becomes even more spooky. Can't really say much more without releasing spoilers! Well written with excellent descriptions, characters a bit predictable though, definitively raunchy scenes which might be too much for some readers and didn't always feel 1920s but who really knows now. 3.5* rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Oh my goodness, the twists and turns! 😱

Millie gets a job assisting a professor in organizing his research in his dilapidated estate. As time goes on, she learns more about his and the home's past. What is real? What is in her mind?

I had zero idea how this would end. Just as you think you're on to things, there's a curveball. Wow! So much in a relatively short book. The writing is descriptive and allows you to feel like you are watching things unfold.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Gladly I have to ask.. What did I read?? I love it so so much, the book really surprised and it was so interesting, the story really was hard to let go and all the mystery involving Millie and Callum and the house and the characters.. Some parts were predictable but not others and the chemistry between them was amazing obviously that the end also bring all the answers we needed and the ghosts were just her mind working to help her.. But I liked the mystic part or at least the mentioned of it

Millie Foxboro is haunted, she doesn’t remember the last few years of her life after her parent’s deaths.
Professor Hughes is a widower, living out on his large estate.
Dr Hannigan met Millie in the bookshop in Boston where she was working.
Little did Millie know he already knew who she was. Both Millie and Professor Hughes have many secrets! Time to find out what they are!

This book kept me up reading all night! I had to put it down only because I needed sleep for work. Otherwise I would have finished it in one go!
The journey of Millie kept me on my toes from beginning to end and it was not the ending I expected.
It was easy to fall in love with the characters from Willowfield estate.

Even the most loveable characters have some interesting secrets they are hiding!

I would highly recommend this book, the writing was seamless! Be mindful though if you are not open to spicy scenes as there are quite a few! Well written, suspenseful, mysterious and a little bit spicy!

I gave this one a 3.75, I DID enjoy this - it reminded me a lot of Rebecca (by Daphne du Maurier) just with some light smut. The ending was sort of unexpected but you could also see it coming at the same time, I'd probably read more books by this author :)

Bea Northwick's The Cruel Dark is a captivating gothic romance that weaves a tale of secrets, desire, and the ghosts of the past. Millicent Foxboro, a woman grappling with the trauma of her own amnesia, finds herself drawn into the enigmatic world of Professor Callum Hughes and his decaying estate, Willowfield. Northwick masterfully crafts an atmosphere of unsettling beauty. The description of Willowfield, once a vibrant hub of social life, now shrouded in neglect, perfectly encapsulates the emotional state of its inhabitants. The house itself becomes a character, with its creaking floors and echoing halls acting as a constant reminder of the secrets it holds. Millie's journey to find herself while entangled in the professor's cryptic world is both compelling and emotionally resonant. The author delves into the complexities of Millie's past, exploring the societal prejudices she faces as a woman with a mental health history. Her desperation for stability and her yearning for connection add a layer of vulnerability that makes her a deeply relatable protagonist.
The relationship between Millie and Professor Hughes is a slow burn, filled with unspoken desires and a simmering tension that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The professor, a man shrouded in mystery and haunted by his own grief, is both intriguing and perplexing. His enigmatic nature and the constant sense of danger lurking beneath the surface add a captivating layer to the narrative. Northwick expertly interweaves elements of mythology and folklore into the story, adding a layer of mystique and symbolism that enriches the narrative. The themes of loss, grief, and the struggle for redemption resonate deeply, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of melancholy and reflection. The Cruel Dark is more than just a captivating romance; it's a haunting exploration of the human psyche and the enduring power of secrets. I highly recommend this book, this is a book that stays with you long after the final page is turned, leaving you pondering the mysteries of the past and the secrets we all carry within.

I simply couldn't put this down once i started it! Every aspect of it was so captivating and engaging. This book is definitely for those who enjoy psychological thrillers with lots of suspense and a romantic sub plot. Expect lots of dark academia vibes, dark secrets, and some paranormal elements too. It is defiantly a mix of genres and tropes, but it was done in such a perfect way that it seemed totally, hauntingly, unique.

The storytelling throughout was beautiful and both atmospheric and suspenseful, with a lyrical quality to it that made the whole journey a delight to read. There were so many plot twists and turns, and the author paced the story so well, while simultaneously keeping a lot of the characters motivations and reasons secret until it was time for a perfectly timed reveal.

There is romance towards the end (maybe halfway point) of the book, but it is the definition of SLOW BURN. It was delicious and captivating, tension filled and HOT. It made perfect sense for this to have a slow burn romance with everything that was happening plot wise, but also what the both of them had been through in their pasts making them a little hesitant to the prospect of romance.

I really didn't expect things to end the way that they did, but it was fantastic! Again, i was on the edge of my seat reading this, and had the best time throughout the whole book.

A massive thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and author for giving me the chance to read this early <3

The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick. I found it atmospheric, suspenseful and I just had to know the answers and what happens. I read almost in one sitting. I was fully immersed in Millie's journey as she began her new life in Willowfield, uncovering dark secrets and hidden motives. The author skillfully crafted complex characters with concealed traits and agendas, keeping me guessing until the very end.

The slow-burn romance between Millie and Callum was captivating, and the eerie atmosphere of the house added to the sense of foreboding. The twists and turns were expertly handled, leading to a stunning conclusion that left me breathless. I didn't see it coming, and it was absolute perfection! This book is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and suspenseful storytelling.

I will definitely read other books by this author.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Northwick Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow, wow, wow. I could not put this down.
This gothic historical romance, set in the 1920s follows the character Millicent Foxboro, who takes a job with Professor Callum Hughes at his estate. At first, Millie is put off by the professor's cold demeanor, which made me curious to see how their relationship might develop into a romance. While working at the estate, she comes across a journal belonging to the professor's late wife, revealing some unexplained experiences similar to her own. As she investigates the mystery of the wife's fate, she finds herself increasingly drawn to the professor.
This book is beautifully written, with eerie imagery, and elements of Celtic mythology. Expect dark academia vibes, a grieving lover, dark secrets, and paranormal twists, along with some romance and a bit of spice.

Thank you to Victory Editing Net Galley Co-op and Net Galley for the eARC. All opinions are my own