4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐Arranged Marriage
⭐Gods
⭐Poly-Romance
⭐Gothic Romance

I must start out by saying, I have always love Lyndall’s writing. The writing is so beyond beautiful and really draws you into the scenery of the story.

This book had me asking so many questions with each turn of the page. Of course, they were all answered but overall the book was so intriguing!

We meet Lacrimosa aka Lark on her way home from school with secrets. She arrives home to be met with more secrets that her brother’s have kept from her… they have no money. In a series of events she enters an arranged marriage with a god to save her family from ruin. As the secrets are slowly brought to our attention they just hook you longer and longer until the reveals. So good!!

Okay, can we talk about the god Therion? He comes across so dreamy and a little unreal! We get some witchy vibes too as Lark has to learn how to summon him to strike her deal.

When an attack on her bridegroom occurs, Lark ends up suffering consequences due to their marriage bond. The only person she thinks might be able to help her is Alastair Felimath… the boy who broke her heart. Oh, and we can’t forget about the bond Lark has with Alastair’s sister Camille! Now these two were something. They are such polar opposites but both so fiercely loyal. I loved each moment we had with each of them and how accepting they are with each other.

This book is filled with dreamy seaside town dark vibes but we also get such tragedy to match. The characters are also carrying so much emotion and connection with Lark that it’s so hard to not wonder, why not both?

Thank you so much to Lyndall, her team, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I'll be honest, I was a little nervous to read this, as I found Lyndall's previous works (Lakesedge and Forestfall) too slow paced for my tastes. Fortunately, I think this is probably my favorite book she's written! Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a dark, gothic romantic fantasy with polyamorous rep and a creepy atmosphere that kept things interesting. Lacrimosa's dynamic between Camille and Alistair was full of chemistry and angst, which are some of my favorite elements in a romance. Alistair was easily my favorite character and I adored his background and development. He just seems like such a soft, sweet boi - I love him!! This book is easily one of the most unique reads of 2025 so far and I think any sort of vibe hunter would enjoy it.

Thank you to Henry and Holt, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

On the surface this novel seems to be an atmospheric horror fantasy, and it is in some respects but to me it's more of a bittersweet coming of age story than anything, which I loved.

The horror fantasy elements are there to highlight the internal struggles our main characters are going through but they're not the focus and they're not meant to scare you overmuch imo. That's why I suppose it's fitting that the main antagonist of this novel doesn't end up being the god that our protagonist Lark betroths herself to, but a human being.

There's a very gentle poly love story at the heart of this novel, but what stood out to me the most was the strong theme of learning to heal from the betrayals and abuses of your childhood. I appreciated the nuanced and empathetic look at what it's like to survive an emotionally abusive relationship. My one complaint is that I wish Camille had been more fleshed out as a character. I definitely connected to Lark and Alastair, but I never got there with Camille.

This really was such a beautifully written, introspective and cozy novel. I read it while it was storming out and that paired with the rain-soaked atmosphere of this book made my reading experience so enjoyable.

* Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review

thank you to lyndall clipstone & netgalley for an arc of this book. all opinions are my own. ♡

₊˚⊹⋆ first thoughts: i'm sorry this title?? and the cover?! drew me in and had me salivating. it is so beautiful and this is a book i 100% would purchase off looks alone. add in its a dark gothic romantasy? i am so excited to get into lark's story!!!

₊˚⊹⋆ final thoughts:

When Lacrimosa Arriscane is expelled from her prestigious boarding school, she returns home to find her home unrecognizable, as her brothers and family business are hovering at the brink of financial ruin. In a desperate bid to save her family’s livelihood, she agrees to marry Therion, a chthonic god. When the ceremony goes awry, Lacrimosa seeks the help of her childhood friends, Alastair and Camille, to mend the broken connection before Lacrimosa and her betrothed meet their doom.

I loved this book! The scenery and world building was so vibrant and descriptive I felt that I was in the story alongside the main characters. I’m a sucker for romance and was pleasantly surprised by how the poly dynamics were explored. My favorite part of the book was seeing each of the characters face their biggest fear and grow beyond it. Whether it was an oppressive and abusive environment or coming to terms with their own mortality, each character leaned on the group for support and eventually grew above their challenges. I loved Therion and wished we got to see more of him as a character and as a god! I wonder what his dynamic in the group’s day-to-day would have looked like. Either way, I had an incredible time reading Tenderly, I Am Devoured.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing an ARC.

5⭐️

This was a book that I knew I needed to read from the time I saw the cover! The writing style was wonderful, the setting was darkly atmospheric and the concept behind the book was unique.

There were a few misses, including the fact that a lot of the characters felt a little flat, there also could have been a lot more as far as world building and the explanation of the gods.

My biggest pet peeve is a spoiler though, so if you don’t want it spoiled, please stop reading. The book overall was pretty good and if you like mythology based dark horror, then you will enjoy this book.

My biggest pet peeve was the fact Lark ends up with both of the Falimath siblings. I’m here for LGBTQ representation, as well as poly representation, however, I could not work past the fact that they were siblings, nothing ever happens between the three of them, but they often all sleep on the space and it just feels odd.

The atmosphere and setting are good, I liked the overall vibe of this story. I really enjoyed the scenes of Lark being pulled between the mortal realm and the chthonic realm. I was very intrigued by the culture of this world and want to know so much more about the gods and their devotees. However, I had several issues with this book that lowered my rating by quite a bit. The prose is extremely overwritten, which distracted from the story. The book is longer than it needs to be and the pace really drags. Some of the motivations of the characters were incomprehensible. This last one is on me to a certain extent, but I didn't realize from the book's description that the bisexual polyamorous relationship included the siblings. Maybe I should have read between the lines a bit better, or maybe I was just in denial. Regardless, it gave me major ick.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!!

2.75 ⭐️
Sadly I didn’t love this book. I feel like I was just wanting more the whole time. I would have liked to see more from the characters so I could connect to them better.

The world building was well done and definitely made me immersed. I also enjoyed Lyndall’s writing style ~ it felt very
soft and whimsical. Overall I feel like if the characters didn’t feel so surface level and certain parts weren’t as rushed I would have enjoyed it more.

Amazing Theseus and the Minotaur retelling! 👏

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this ARC!

A Persephone and Hades retelling with a dark twist, Based on Theseus and the Minotaur, where whimsical language shadows haunting themes. Part dark academia, part romance, part the vibes of hair billowing in the sea storm-these are only a few of the descriptions I could include in this beautiful book! A fast-paced, gothic, summer read!

The 👍:
-flowery writing style
-gothic architecture by the sea
-found family and friendships
-yearning
-folktales
-good pacing
-vibes!
-🌈


The 👎:
-FMC marries a god then has love affairs with her friends who are siblings. I think the author was attempting a poly-triangle but two of the love interests are siblings and it more than bordered on incest. I genuinely could not get past that to be able to immerse into their love story. I think I could be convinced, if there was a clearer connection to Greek mythological polyamory; as there is often incest featured, but I didn’t recognize which, if that connection exists
-limited world building and side characters feel flat, including the love interests and god
-The god is the biggest damsel in distress I’ve ever seen. Actually, most of the characters are
-What is the obsession with loose fitting, old dresses?

If you are seeking immersion into the depths of adventure, intrigue, sensuality, all the gothic vibes, overcoming trauma, and being true to yourself, this book is for you! I

Thanks for reading,

🍄 ⓑⓡⓘⓢⓑⓞⓞⓚⓑⓐⓖ 🍄

I have never DNF'd a novel so fast in my life, by 4% I was over. This book is a starving ouroboros destined to eat its own tail over and over again in its flatness and constant repetition.

I understand that it takes time to build character development, but if your book starts with a character's inner monologue equivalent to Rupi Kaur's poetry, the end result cannot be good.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC; all thoughts and opinions are mine.

I am in love with this book.

The writing was just magical and just absolutely gorgeous. I loved all of the main characters.

I was completely ensnared from the first page to the last.

I am just so happy I was able to read an ARC of this and it's another one I need as a trophy for my shelves when it comes out!

this was a perfect gothic thriller. The reading was absolutely atmospheric!
What readers can expect: Dark family secrets, poly romance, dark academia, folklore, childhood heartbreak.
The book sucked me and had me gripped till then end. Amazing story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

First of all, the title captivated me from the start. I am a sucker for an apt title, and apt this was indeed.

The cover is immaculate, and the story itself is intricately beautiful and strange (in the best way possible). This is a gothic story at its finest. I rated it four stars because the plot was slow and quite rushed at the end. I also would have liked Tharion to appear more frequently in the book to emphasize the duology of good and evil.

Overall, I would recommend this to those who love a great gothic romance with a splash of fantasy. If you love words and whimsical books, this is for you.

Encapsulated in a ribbon of dark whimsy, prepare to be whisked away entranced in all things otherworldly!

The depth of beautiful lyrical prose, capturing every finite detail was so wonderfully poetic. Laced with tendrils of anthropomorphic imagery and divine beauty not forgetting the elegance of the swans.

We follow our imperfect fmc, Lark who has had a rough ordeal and now finds herself betrothed to the Swan God in order to desperately save her family from ruin. She finds herself having to seek the aid from her first heartbreak and his eloquent sister due to her betrothal going completely wrong. This is where the story unfolds and we go on a journey.

Reading this felt so special, I can’t put into words other than the feeling of being wrapped in a woollen blanket. The vocabulary was delectable and everything just fit perfectly into place like a jigsaw.

I feel as if I was completely transported, traipsing around in a gothic romantic dream - one I don’t want to wake up from.

Don’t get me started on our trio, each perfectly complimenting one another and never taking away from each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lyndall herself for making it possible to have the opportunity read TIAD early and be apart of her street team!

“I have no reason to be scared of the dark.”

Expelled from her prestigious boarding school, Lacrimosa (Lark) shamefully returns to her home in Verse to find her family on the edge of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she binds herself in marriage to the dangerous and fearsome Therion, the chthonic god worshiped by her land.

Tenderly I am Devoured starts off as a dream, but its beauty gives way to nightmares- like the gods themselves. In the balance of beauty and horror, Clipstone brings us right to the misty seaside of Verse. As the secrets of Lark’s strange marriage unravel, she does as well.

When she believes she has nowhere else to go, she turns to her estranged childhood friends: Camille Felimath, a gentle girl welcoming her with open arms, and Allistair Felimath, her once best friend turned first heartbreak. As they clumsily navigate their renewed relationship, the three find themselves coming closer than ever to save Lark.

Tenderly I am Devoured will be released July 1, 2025. Thank you so much to Lyndall and her team for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for a free eArc in exchange for an honest review!

This author’s writing style is so pretty and descriptive, but this one isn’t my favorite of their books. The characters and plot were boring and honestly didn’t have much depth. There wasn’t much that kept me interested, but it was a quick read at the very least.

3.5⭐️

Tenderly, I am Devoured was an entrancing read; Atmosphere was so good- dark, mysterious, strange magic at hand, questionable reality, betrayals and healing... author’s writing was beautiful i really enjoyed the prose, though at times a bit repetitive with descriptors (lots of use of lilac lol), but you really feel transported and i loved that about this book. I’m really interested in picking this up when it’s published to see what made it through to the final draft.

The biggest drawback for me however, was the (romantic) relationships. This might be on me for not really paying attention to the blurb but I was not expecting a poly relationship, I had assumed the primary would be with the god. I just couldn’t really get past the fact that the two love interests were siblings (while there was no incest). Camille just did not work, nothing convincing between them besides what were told of their past over a decade ago, she should have been left as more of a sister figure as it wasn’t until the end I enjoyed her presence as support for Lark. I mean they were separated for a decade then back together like nothing happened. Alastair was a bit more convincing, but there should have been more plot between them actually hashing things out (though Lark is so real, if a cute angsty boy I used to love comes crawling back I too would be A-okay with it).

I think romance removed though, all the characters make sense and do their job needed for the plot or as the monsters from Lark’s past she’s done everything to run from. Because eventually you have to face said monsters, which should have been what Camille and Alastair were used for and close bonds. Then perhapssss a hopefully romance between her and Alastair. Damson did her job as a fleshed out character but god i hated her hahaha (I mean that was definitely intended, poor Lark had a total narcissist latch onto her whilst she struggled to find her place at school). Seriously we need a revenge arc to see Damson and Jeune’s downfall!! And then Hugo at the end also worked, though I wished he was introduced a little earlier.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Lark and her brothers, I was really happy to see a more healthy dynamic, not assholes for older brothers.

Lark was definitely relatable and strong in a non-traditional way. I mean to have your life constantly stripped to the bones and uncertain who to trust with constantly betrayals… She definitely needed a hug and therapy lol. Like I’m so peeved for her about what she went through at school.

I think fans of ‘a study in drowning’ will definitely love vibes of this book! (and the main character too). I can’t speak to if it’s good for fans of Saltburn like it is said, I have not seen the movie lol.

Lyndall Clipstone’s rate of writing books with worlds you just want to fall into and live in now scores a four out of four, because I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to live in the land of Verse and the small, seaside village the Arriscanes and the Felimaths call home. If you’re in love with the idea of a book set in a place where it’s simultaneously The Hamptons both in High Season and off, then this is it: parties full of rich people wearing fancy clothing and jewelry while eating expensive food at Saltswan (the Felimath’s manor house); and then the more relaxed, intimate, low-key atmosphere of the cottage where the Arriscane’s live that might as well be the definition of cottagecore in the best way.

Lacrimosa Arriscane, Alistair Felimath, and Camille Felimath went to the same school as small children, thrown together by geographical circumstance before class and familial duty put walls between them. Self-identity is one of the largest themes in TIAD, and the lifelong bonds the core three characters of this book share are essential to the plot and to their character development. Small towns can breed small minds and often it's only the people who have known you best and for the longest that can rescue you when you feel like you’re drowning and home starts to feel like a foreign word.

This book is soft, hazy, whimsical, dark, lush, romantic, and saturated with Clipstone’s stunning prose. It’s overflowing with atmosphere and vibes and is a feast for those who love a read full of aesthetics. Light some candles, sit beside an open window, read on a beach, pack a picnic. Let the light in. 4⭐️



I was provided a digital copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. I was also provided a gifted copy of the physical ARC by the author and the folks at Books Forward PR. Thanks very much. All of my thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

File Under: Coming of Age/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Folk Fantasy/Forbidden Romance/LGBTQ Fantasy/Polyamorous Romance/Sapphic Romance/Standalone/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy/YA Fiction

This book was really intersting. I don't think I've read something like this in quite some time and I still don't 100% know what to make of it. It was well-written, moody, atmospheric, and the mystery of everything kept me intrigued while never getting frustrating. The characters were really interesting and it was a quick read overall.

That said, there almost feels like there's something missing. The story comes in at just 300 pages and while there is a lot packed in, there also felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities and dare I say plot holes. I felt like there were some inconsistencies in characters' actions and the pacing was a bit choppy. Also, and I'm not here to yuck anyone's yum, but Alastair and Camille being siblings and BOTH of them being with Lark was weird for me and I wasn't a huge fan.

In general, this is an interesting story and while it had a lot of aspects that I did enjoy, at the end of the day it wasn't totally for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC - all opinions are my own.

Lyndall Clipstone’s TENDERLY, I AM DEVOURED is a highly engaging gothic romance that will appeal to any YA horror fan.