This was eerie, romantic, and weird in ALL the ways I absolutely adore. It's full of salt air, family secrets and that slow creeping dread that builds chapter by chapter. Lark returns home to a crumbling coastal village, trying to keep her family afloat and avoid being devoured- literally and metaphorically- by the sea god she is promised to. It's haunting and dreamy, with that kind of folklore feel that's both beautiful and unsettling.

The love tangle was surprisingly soft and emotional. I didn't expect it, but I LOVED it!! Probably my favorite I've ever read in that aspect. Their dynamic felt natural and honest, not dramatic, and I adored that. Also: big YES to messy queer longing and people choosing each other in strange, broken ways.

It's a slow burn, in the beginning, and a little hazy in places, but once it gets going, I couldn't put it down. The setting felt like it's own character: all stormy cliffs, tide-soaked ruins, and creeping rituals. Totally gave me that delicious gothic ache I was hoping for. If you like your books moody, mythic, and just a little monstrous (like I do) it is absolutely worth diving into. One of my favorite reads this year!!!

Absolutely stunning. Tenderly I Am Devoured is everything I want in a book, achingly lyrical prose, rich worldbuilding, and a story that seamlessly weaves together dark academia, fantasy, and LGBTQIA+ themes.

Lark, the main character, returns home in disgrace from her academic life, only to find her family teetering on the edge of ruin, and at the center of it all is the boy who was once her best friend. What unfolds is a story drenched in secrets, gods, cults, forbidden knowledge, and the beautifully fraught path from enemies back to something like love.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is so well done, slow burn, emotionally complex, and deeply satisfying and the queer representation is heartfelt and nuanced.

This book devoured me. I couldn’t put it down, and even now I’m still haunted in the best way. Lyndall Clipstone has written something both tender and brutal, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Perfect for fans of Tamsyn Muir, Leigh Bardugo, or those who love their fantasy with heart, teeth, and a touch of the divine.

“Don’t be afraid. You are mine, Lacrimosa. I will never harm you.”
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My Thoughts: The English major in me was quaking over how beautiful the writing in this book was! Every simile, every personification, the lyrical prose, and these characters, were written from the soul. From page one, I was teleported into a word that I want to live in. A cottage surrounded by the woods, with a view of a private beach. Yes, please!

In this story, Lacrimosa and her brothers are struggling to pay off a debt that their parents left them with after they passed away. In order to bring life back to their salt mines, Lacrimosa agrees to marry the chthonic god, Therion. On the night of their betrothal, something goes wrong for both Lacrimosa and Therion. After discovering she is disappearing from the mortal realm, she seeks out help from the Felimath siblings, her oldest friends, to figure out a way to get everything back to normal.

This whole book felt like a fever dream, but in the best way possible. If you like:
🎀Soft FMC’s
🎀Heartbreak to lovers
🎀Dark Academia meets cottage core
🎀Polyamorous relationships (m/f/f)
🎀Family drama
🎀Secrets

Pick this book up IMMEDIATELY! I loved everything about this one, and I’ll definitely be thinking about this plot for a while. She’s marrying a swan god for Pete’s sake! If that doesn’t draw you in, I don’t know what will lol.

I was very fortunate to received an eARC of this. Thank you Macmillian, NetGalley and Lyndall for sending me a copy of this book.

I started reading it in October when I received it. I am very thankful that I was gifted this book and The author is an honest lovely person and I can tell they have talent.

To be completely honest this book was not for me but that does not mean it isn't for you.

It's a YA gothic romance. It is not a bad book, not at all. It has a nice mix of horror, mystery and romance.

I thought the plot was interesting at times and it's what pulled my interest when I saw this pop up on the photo place.

It is VERY descriptive and I felt it was difficult for me to follow at times.

There is a poly relationship in this book while it doesn't involve the sibling directly, something about sibling sharing a lover and being around together put me off quite a bit. And they're trying to figure out where Lark's brothers are together. I just found it very confusing.

If you like mythology inspired reads and coming of age stories, then this is a great book for you! There’s some Hades x Persephone inspired aspects, chthonic gods, young love, heartbreak, friendship and a whole bunch of gripping writing to make you want to keep reading to figure out what happens to Lark as she grows up. I honestly couldn’t put this book down!

This book is a poly pansexuals dream (nightmare?)
Unfortunately everyone is so young (acting? they’re at least 20 I think?) all anyone does is kiss and dry hump.
Being shared between a brother and sister in a YA book was a choice !!!!!

I liked the plot… for the first 50% until I got so bored… but the romance was almost too much. It was unbelievable and not well written. I was completely unconvinced any of these people liked each other. They were incredible horny tho so good for them I guess!
Everyone was really annoying and SO FLAWED except the sister who’s just boring. Usually flawed is not an issue for me, but I would have liked to LIKE someone????

There were quite a few university flashback chapters that had nothing to do with anything.
That was so strange.

My ultimate review of this book is that I am not the right audience. I think my younger self - fifteen and desperate for the sort of romance I saw in period movies and romance novels, wistfully dreaming of attending Oxford and being as pretentious as possible - would have loved this novel. It is all atmosphere and feelings - desperate, pining, erudite ones. Adult me was irritated. The world building is sketchy at best - motivations and drive for both the human characters and gods are not well defined. And it's been some time since I read two female characters with as little agency in their own tale as Lark and Camille. Lark's tragic backstory was the epitome of "are there no responsible adults around?" so much so I nearly DNF'd at the reveal of her fallout with Damson Sinclair. 15-year-old me doodling boys' names in her notebooks and tentatively writing fanfiction would be all in on this. But I think its audience is very much of a certain age.

🕯️THIS FREAKING BOOK. Tenderly delivered EVERYTHING that makes YA Folk Horror one of my favorite genres. It was equal parts dark academia, lush cottagecore, and wild fever dream. The writing was like a haunting melody, filled with poetic prose, and vivid imagery. I was swept away, and completely surrendered as the story pulled me under.

🕯️The story follows 18 year old Lark, as she enters into a marriage of convenience with a swan god, in order to save her family from despair. When things go awry, she calls upon the boy who broke her childhood heart, and his sister, to help save her- but the three put into motion a series of events that plunge them all into further danger.
Tenderly was a gorgeous, luscious, romantic, visceral tale, that was hauntingly beautiful, terrifying, and yet somehow cozy. Please don’t sleep on this one. If you love any of these vibes, I implore you to dive in immediately:

🦢Seaside horror romance
🦢M/F/F poly romance
🦢Betrothal to a swan god
🦢Soft girl heroine
🦢Hedonistic rituals
🦢“Who did this to you?”
🦢Flower threaded horror

Tenderly, I Am Devoured absolutely swept me away to the world of Verse. When Lark is abruptly expelled from school, she returns in disgrace to her brothers. To her surprise, Lark’s brothers have been keeping the truth about their financial struggles from her. As their bills come due, Lark decides to strike a dangerous deal to save their salt mine. When her old friend Alastair and his sister Camille return, Lark must reckon with the broken bonds between them all as her deal turns out to have a steep price.

I loved this book! Lyndall Clipstone is such a descriptive writer who makes you feel as if you’re standing on the cliffs as the ocean rolls before you. You can feel the sting of the wind and the taste of the salt as Lark returns home without having achieved everything she thought she would. I loved Lark’s relationship with her brothers and how close they are. Alastair and Camille are a compelling sibling duo and I loved how their relationship with Lark was explored. Alastair and Lark’s banter is excellent and I was so curious to find out the truth behind why their friendship fractured. One of my favorite tropes is a chthonic god/goddess and Clipstone delivered! Tenderly, I Am Devoured is one of my favorite books of 2025 and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Readers who love friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, chthonic gods, and atmospheric writing should check out Tenderly, I Am Devoured!

Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

This book is a wonderfully whimsical journey into the strangely magical essence that surrounds small coastal towns.
As someone that lives in a Coastal town bordered by the North Sea, I found one of my favourite things about this book to be the descriptions of the setting. They are gorgeous. Lyndall writes in such an immersive and decadent prose, and she gives such justice to the beauty of the coast and the sea. I feel that part of my heart belongs with the ocean and Lyndall's writing similarly leant such awe and reverence for it.
If I am honest I did not really feel much horror, but I do feel the marketed "fever dream" tone is definitely true. It felt like the edges of reality and dream were blending with an unsettling feeling.

I do think that perhaps the main characters were too kind to Therion. Why was this old god so obsessed with being betrothed to a girl 18 years ago and still? I understood why he was unwilling to let her go once he had been sent away and being untethered from her meant he could have faded from existence, but I feel the humans should have had more comtempt for how he treated Lark like she was an item that belonged to him, whether she wanted it or not. Honestly, he deserved a slap.

I did like the characters and found them to be layered and intriguing. The romance between them was sweet, and I saw the beauty of women through Lark's view of Camille. I do think Lark came across naive when you saw her flashbacks to school though, and I don't understand how she was so deeply in love with both siblings after not speaking to them for years. You can't know someone after that long apart and especially not seeing eachother during formative years.

I wish the UK cover was the same as the US as it captures the fever-dreamy feeling, whilst the UK cover makes it look more YA romantasy, when it is more than that.

A lush gothic romance filled with romance, betrayal, and secrets. When eighteen year old Lacrimosa "Lark" is sent home from her boarding school to discover her family in financial ruin she decides to seek help from the chthonic god worshiped by her coastal town... only things go wrong and the only people she can rely on to help her are Alastair- her childhood friend and love who broke her heart and his sister Camille, the girl who is stealing a kiss from her on her betrothal night. Thrown between her feelings for the two siblings as well as the possibility of a god coming for her... what's a girl to do? This was such a beautifully written story and is the perfect read for a moody day. The atmosphere and world that Lyndall writes never ceases to captivate me. I adore her writing so much and the way she creates such beautifully gothic and lush worlds. The dynamic and romance between the characters was so well done as well and I just adored this book.

Release Date: July 1, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Tenderly, I am Devoured is a dark fairy tale made memorable by lush, sensual prose. If there’s such a thing as “seaside Gothic,” this book definitely qualifies, given how much the ocean and the shore dominate the setting. (In that regard, it reminded me of Erin Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows, though this book seems to be aimed at slightly older readers.)

Though the Gothic elements emerged slowly, the novel has some truly haunting moments, and both the main plot and the romance arc kept me guessing until almost the very end.

This is definitely a book for the upper end of the YA readership. The lead character is eighteen years old. and the book contains on-page sex scenes, though they are not detailed or explicit.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a gothic, romantic fantasy with some horror elements. I absolutely love Lyndall Clipstone's writing. Her writing is very profound and poetic. I really enjoyed reading about Lacrimosa. She returns home to her bothers after spending years away to attend school. There are dark family secrets and she is reunited with her former childhood friends. I am obsessed with the story and I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy. The cover is absolutely stunning. One again thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC and this amazing opportunity.

Well that was interesting. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
First of all, I love Lyndall Clipstone's writing- it is so beautiful and poetic.
I loved the creepy, dark, gothic vibe.
Also, I would probably read this author again.
***spoilers ahead***
Second, the FMC seemed to fall in love with literally everyone that she gets close to except her brothers. It just seemed a bit weird to me that this girl is unable to have a healthy friendship with literally ANYONE because she ends up loving them. Is that really love?
Third, I could not get down with the idea of siblings sharing a romantic partner. Maybe it's for some people, and that's great I guess, but it's not for me.
Overall, it was an okay read, not amazing.

The world of Tenderly, I Am Devoured is fascinating with a totally unique magic system and set of Gods. The writing is gorgeous, so much so that it is jealousy inspiring as a fellow author. Sometimes main characters can get a little annoying but I fully supported Lark the whole time. I adored Alastair, but while I liked Camille too I was not as emotionally connected to her. I struggled with what to rate this because with every high fantasy novel there’s a big learning curve to the world and it was a bit slow to get into it, so it took me a while to read but then I was completely sucked in. There were some aspects that weren’t my favorite. I felt some of the intimacy to be underdeveloped with not all of the love interests created equal, leaving it feeling dissonant with the tone. This is a book for yearning and it felt like a disservice to the beautiful tension that was otherwise building. I also do love a “Why Choose?” romance but it was a little much for me in the end. If you can have everybody then it kind of makes it feel like nobody is special. I also didn’t feel like some of the side characters were as well-rounded as they could have been, so I didn’t fully believe all the dialogue or motivations of a couple of them. Lastly, while the language was so beautiful, there was a ton of repeated language and imagery that seemed unintentional and sometimes I felt like the descriptions would have landed more if they were ended a bit earlier. With that all being said, this was a fabulous book and I greatly enjoyed reading it. I rarely knew what was coming next and found the tension of the conflict to be incredibly well-executed. I will be buying a physical copy as soon as possible!

Absolutely devoured this book—no pun intended! Like so many others, I was first drawn in by the stunning cover, but what really surprised me was how much I enjoyed the story itself. Romantasy isn't usually my thing, but this one completely held my attention.

Think: a little bit goth Aquaman meets a triple-threat love story—yes, please!

After being expelled from an elite boarding school for a violent incident, 18-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane (aka Lark) returns home in disgrace, only to find her family teetering on the edge of financial collapse. In a desperate bid to save them, she agrees to a marriage of convenience—to Therion, the chthonic sea god worshipped in her eerie, coastal hometown.

But when the betrothal goes terribly wrong, Lark starts slipping out of the mortal world. Her only shot at survival? Teaming up with her sharp-tongued first love, Alastair Felimath, and his mysterious, magnetic sister Camille. As the three dive deeper into forgotten myth and ritual, Lark finds herself tangled not only in ancient magic but in a spellbinding, sensual connection with both siblings.

What starts as a ritual to save her turns into something far more dangerous—unleashing a force that threatens to consume Therion… and Lark herself.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is dripping with gothic atmosphere, flower-laced dread, and lush, lyrical prose. It’s a hauntingly beautiful blend of romantic folk horror and queer love—dark, seductive, and totally unforgettable.

I genuinely enjoyed this book and very much loved the world building. The magic in this world was unique with gods of the sea. I loved the development of our main character, Lark and her story of adventure and romance. Very dark academia vibes mixed with gods.

Please check the trigger warnings though!

I need to look up a stronger word than just gorgeous and amazing. This will pull you in and you won't want to let go ever. Beautiful and atmospheric but when you come and think about it you also see how much substance it has. A brilliant blend that will enchant you and not want to ever leave!

4,25/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this one. It was very fast and easy to read. And it think it helped me get back to reading again after one month of struggling with reading.

It was very fast paced and kept me hooked through the whole book. I also liked the horror elements in this very much.

It was very refreshing to read because it had FFM. I haven't seen that dynamic very often so that made it even more interesting. And they were all so cute together which made it even more fun to read.

Thank you to the author for the chance to read it early.

Thank you, Lyndall Clipstone and @fiercereads, for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The title is perfect for this YA fantasy story, which is full of gothic romance and folk horror. Love is often complicated in many ways, and this story effectively captures that complexity. There are complications with friends, family, lovers, and community. It explores the complexities of love, from its sweet to its painful aspects, with or without the best intentions. I truly enjoyed this story; it’s on my reread list. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys slow burn, cottagecore, salt burn vibes, flower threaded horror, magic, and swan gods.