Heavy on the spice, light on the plot. A skeptic duke falls in love with the spiritualist he is trying to debunk. Star-crossed forbidden romance ensues as Alex and Evangeline try to solve the mystery of why Evangeline's keeper wants revenge on the Harcastle dukedom. I both read the e-book and listened to the audiobook (great narration!) and breezed through this in a couple of days.

If you like learning the secrets behind spiritualist mediums and super spicy romance scenes - this is for you.

Gorgeous, sexy, and gothic. Julia Bennet hit it out of the park with "The Ruin of Evangeline Jones". The blend of spice and romance made this book a quick read that flowed well with beautiful character building and a sweeping world.

Incredibly interesting premise but lost momentum at the end! I thought the story overall this was good, but it dragged a little and the ending was a bit too anticlimactic.

The story has a gothic feel and the setting was perfect for spooky season; she’s a medium and he’s a tortured Duke overcoming an abusive childhood and years of alcoholism. His story especially felt dark and lacked any levity at all. It got to be too much for me in the middle, but then it became all about sex and the ending felt like an afterthought. So the first half of the book was compelling and exciting but it kind of withered a bit and became like all other class-difference romances featuring a tortured Duke.

I enjoyed the story and writing. I especially loved the FMC and the imbedded commentary on privilege and class but I think it could have been better planned out.

The ruin of Evangeline Jones by Julia Bennet is a sexy, beautiful written and interesting historical romance book with great characters and gothic elements that I enjoyed reading in one sitting and I had to recommend it. I haven’t read anything by the author before but one of my favourite historical romance authors has recommended it as well and had to read it.

If you're looking for a complex female protagonist, detailed and interesting insights into the spiritualist profession, and simmering sexual tension, this book is for you. And the ending really delivers!

I absolutely loved The Ruin of Evangeline Jones! It’s a gripping historical romance packed with passion, intrigue, and just the right amount of suspense.

The chemistry between Alex and Evie is fantastic—full of tension, banter, and that slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked. Their dynamic is so engaging, and I loved watching their relationship evolve from suspicion to something much deeper.

The story also touches on class differences and the struggles of reinvention, which added so much depth. Evie is such a strong, intelligent character, and her past makes her journey even more compelling. Plus, there’s a mysterious, menacing figure lurking in the background that adds a thrilling edge to the story.

If I had one complaint, it’s that the book was too short! Just like The Madness of Miss Grey, it left me wanting more. I could have spent so much longer with these characters and their world.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of the re-release of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, let me tell you something, The Ruin of Evangeline Jones is a ride, and you better buckle up, because Julia Bennet is bringing Gothic romance with ALL the drama and ALL the twists. This book is like a dark, mysterious mansion full of secrets, and honey, once you step inside, you’re never quite the same again. Trust me.

Evangeline Jones? She’s giving mysterious beauty with a side of don't-mess-with-me, caught up in the web of the infamous Harcastle family. The man of the hour? A brooding, tortured hero with so many secrets, you’d need a whole extra chapter just to unpack them. And let me tell you, this isn't just some "oh, we're in love, everything’s perfect" kind of thing. Oh no. This book serves tension, secrets, betrayal, and more chemistry than a chemistry class, darling.

I LOVED the ride enemies to lovers at its finest.

This is overall a great story and perfect for anyone who is into books with a more gothic feel to them. The writing was well done and while I felt like some parts of the story dragged just a bit, the premise of the book was good. The writing was done well and the characters were very likeable which made reading this book a fun time.

Gothic romances will never not hook me - that being said, I was left a little wanting by the end of this. It wasn't *bad* but I'm certainly a bit lukewarm, unfortunately. This is positioned as enemies to lovers but the MMC is also instantly smitten by the FMC? Dunno.

I really enjoyed this. It was very atmospheric, gothic and tense but also romantic. I loved the main character in particular. I felt like this would have benefited from a lighter tone at times, it took itself a bit too seriously and it made the romance feel a bit unrealistic and over the top too quickly

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loed by the right audience.

The book wasn’t bad, I can see how people can like it. But once I started to see how all scenes were neatly compartmentalized according to their category and also once I realized these MCs don’t have any emotions (no matter that they proclaim the necessary ‘I love yous’) even their horniness for each other was questionable, it was hard to be pulled into the story.

Julia Bennet's premise for this romance novel had great potential, but unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy the "insta-lust" trope, but for anyone seeking a more developed love story, this one may not hit the mark. The relationship between the two leads never felt fully fleshed out, and I struggled to understand why they were drawn to each other beyond an unexplained pull.

I did, however, enjoy the titular character, Evie. She's intelligent, capable, and kindhearted, and her decision to fake psychic abilities to survive was intriguing. Unfortunately, the presence of The Captain, her mentor and protector, undermines much of the complexity of her character. Initially, she seems like a woman with both a clever, conniving side and a genuinely caring nature. But as the story progresses, it becomes clear that her ingenuity and independence are largely shaped by the man who controls her life. Despite occasional moments of resourcefulness, she remains a character defined by her abuser, which diminishes her agency. I think this plotline could have worked, but the author's seeming desire to make Evie a strong, independent woman is at odds with the presence of The Captain. She is a reduced to a woman who needs saving—a trope that is further emphasized by her inexplicable virginity, which feels more like a plot device than a meaningful aspect of her character. Her past in a brothel is used to explain her worldly knowledge, but it’s a strange mix of trying to make her sexually aware yet physically untouched. While I still appreciate certain qualities in her, she lacks the dynamic complexity I had hoped for, and I couldn't shake the feeling that she could have been a more powerful character if her story hadn’t been so tied to a man's influence.

As for the male protagonist, I found him rather lackluster. He struck me as a stereotypical, one-dimensional love interest, with little depth beyond his unresolved "daddy issues." His motivations were vague, and the book didn't explore why he resents his responsibilities enough for my liking, leaving his character feeling shallow and unremarkable.

I truly wanted to enjoy this book, but ultimately, it doesn’t stand out in the crowded world of Regency romances. There are certainly other novels in the genre that offer more compelling plots and more fully realized characters.

Love this book. I loved the characters, the enemy to lovers relationship, and the concept of the medium/medium hunter roles

The ruin of Evangeline Jones is more the ruin of the hours I spent reading it. As someone who loves Once upon a broken heart I’m drawn to characters with the name Evangeline. The cover is cute and the synopsis was intriguing especially the setting so I thought it was worth a read. Where the setting didn’t disappoint everything else did. The author is very biased which is fine in the real world but doesn’t work in fiction especially fiction that in any way involves what you vehemently don’t believe in. It was almost like the book was written as a cover to openly bash spiritualism. The characters had no chemistry yet still participated in “spice”. I just don’t recommend it despite the incredible setting.

3.5 Stars

It was a fast paced and steamy historical romance with a fascinating plot and setting. She’s a fraud of a spiritualist who reluctantly does séances for her benefactor, and he is a reluctant Duke who will stop at nothing to prove she is a fraud. Of course feelings get caught and then they find theirselves trying to live life on their terms vs those forced on them by birth. And when I say spicy, it really was…especially “that” carriage ride. A very quick read and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a regency romance.

Missed the download date for this one but finally got around to reading it through the library! YES to this book I greatly enjoyed reading the how Evangeline Jones got ruined.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced re-release of this title.

"The Ruin of Evangeline Jones" by Julia Bennet starts a bit sketchily, with the male protagonist, the Duke of Harcastle, having an illicit photo of the female protagonist. It's implied that if he isn't able to oust her as a fraud (she is a medium by trade), he will use the photo to ruin her reputation. Literally this is the first scene of the book. It gave me a bit of a sour tummy and if I were the author, I would have rewritten/axed this subplot in the rerelease of this novel.

All that being said, this romance did end up feeling good in my opinion. A lot of the romance, realistically, rests on the Duke's need to marry a wealthy heiress to keep the Dukedom and his dependents employed. Evie's desire to also be free of those that control here is a pertinent topic as well. There were very realistic reasons to the barriers of their romance. Of course, the Deus Ex Machina of it all solved the problems, but it seemed very fitting for the characters and measured up to the fantasy of it all regardless. This was an enjoyable read and I might pick up the first book in this series at a later date.

The Ruin of Evangeline Jones by Julia Bennet is an absolute page-turner! From the first chapter, you’re pulled into Evangeline’s world, and it’s impossible not to root for her. The mix of mystery, romance, and danger keeps you hooked, and the twists are so good they’ll leave you gasping. The chemistry between the characters is off the charts, and the tension is just perfect. Bennet does an amazing job creating a dark, atmospheric vibe that totally sucks you in. It’s one of those books you can’t stop thinking about after you finish.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.