I was completely lost within the pages of this book! It’s one that will linger in my memory for a long time. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys darker folklore wrapped in a haunting, atmospheric setting. Clipstone’s writing feels like art! Her words flow together in a way that’s simply breathtaking. The way this was written made my soul ache with the characters as I felt their pain, their desires, and their dreams so deeply.
I truly was hoping we got more of Therion. I just wanted more of his connection with Lark. It was so intoxicatingly, and I craved even more of their steamy connection. The only aspect I personally didn’t connect with was the relationship between Lark, Camille, and her brother Alastair. It leaned a bit too heavily into Crimson Peak territory for my taste.

*Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.25/5 stars

✧ Lush & gothic
✧ Dark seaside atmosphere
✧ Marriage of convenience (to a god)
✧ Lots of bisexuals & polyamory

I really wanted to like this one, but there were several things that didn’t land for me, and I’m honestly even more disappointed because of the potential it had to be great. Starting with the positives – I really enjoyed the writing style, and I’ll definitely have to check out some of this author’s other works because of it! It was lush and descriptive with the right sense of dread when the moment called for it. This story had a lot of potential to be great. The premise is fascinating and I was absolutely hooked during the first quarter of the book…but then, it started to fall apart.

One of my main gripes is the worldbuilding. The first quarter set up an interesting world that our characters inhabit, but I was constantly left wanting to know more – I feel like we were given a very surface-level explanation of the larger world and especially the religion aspect with the gods, considering that was such a major part of the book. I was constantly confused about what sort of time period this world was meant to be emulating. The descriptions of the characters’ houses, the beach, and the mines (all very important settings in the story) were very well done, but again, we didn’t get to know much outside of that realm.

This ties into another issue I had with the book – the scope and the scale felt incredibly discombobulated. The central conflict of the story (a god disappearing from the world) seems like a critical event, but we’re looking at it through the lens of Lark, our main character. As the god’s bride, she is also essentially ‘disappearing.’ The book focuses on what is happening to Lark and doesn’t investigate the impact on the world, and thus the scale of the story feels too small. And for a story so zoomed in on the experience of a few central characters, they all felt quite one-dimensional and I couldn’t find much motivation to root for them. The only character that had any real development was Alastair, and I think it happened too quickly for it to feel earned. I feel similarly about the romance – I don’t mind the polyamorous aspect, but there wasn’t enough build-up between either of the love interests for my taste. Because of this (and, once again, the lack of distinct personalities of the characters), I didn’t really feel any chemistry between Lark and her love interests.

The plot was set up very well in the beginning, but as with many aspects of this book, sort of unraveled as it continued. So many conflicts in this story are too easily resolved and don’t have a big enough impact to leave me on the edge of my seat. The major plot twist/reveal (that Lark was created for Therion) definitely intrigued me, but it was the only moment where I felt really roused. I also was not a fan of the villain…there were aspects of him that were compelling, but most of his actions just felt bad-guy cartoony. I won’t even get into the flashback chapters to Lark’s time at school, because they just felt unnecessary (and made me wish those pages had been devoted to expanding more of the main story). I do think that I enjoyed the ending, however, so I’m glad I ended up somewhat satisfied after putting this one down.

I think the main issue this book faced was its length. At just around 300 pages, it was too short to fully flesh anything out – the characters, the world, the central conflict. I had to crawl my way through the last 25% because, at that point, I lost any reason to care about what happened to these characters. Like I said, I really, really wanted to love this, and while there were things that I enjoyed, it unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations.

There’s something about Lyndall Clipstone’s writing that feels like stepping barefoot into the ocean at dusk—beautiful, strange, a little dangerous. In Tenderly, I Am Devoured, that atmosphere is dialed up to full tide. What begins as a girl returning to a decaying seaside village unfurls into a gothic dreamscape of god-worship, old betrayals, and a love triangle that’s tangled, queer, and unapologetically complicated.

Lark returns home burdened by guilt and desperation, only to find herself pulled deeper into the ritualistic heart of Verse—a town drowning in salt, secrets, and reverence for an ancient god named Therion. The mythos here is rich and moody, with a sense of place so vivid I could almost taste the brine in the air. Clipstone doesn’t just describe the setting—she wraps you in it like seaweed and velvet.

The romance is not your typical YA fare. It’s messy, feral, and tender in equal measure. Lark’s dynamic with Alastair is full of pain and pull, while her connection with Camille feels more elusive, more symbolic. I appreciated how the polyamorous threads were explored with honesty and emotional texture, even if some aspects felt more conceptual than deeply developed. It won’t be for everyone—especially the sibling angle—but it’s handled with sensitivity and layered intent.

Where the novel sometimes falters is in pacing. The middle third lingers in atmosphere at the expense of forward motion, and some plot elements skim the surface instead of diving deep. But I was so captivated by the feeling of the book—the loneliness, the longing, the mythic ache—that I didn’t mind drifting a little.

Ultimately, this is a story for readers who don’t just want a plot—they want to feel haunted. If you’re into salt-soaked secrets, monstrous devotion, and gothic romance that tastes like honey over blood, Tenderly, I Am Devoured will absolutely consume you.

As an avid fantasy reader and lover of all thinks gothic and folk-lore , I was extremely excited when I read the description of this book on NetGalley. The also saw comparisons to Ava Reid’s writing style which I would say is an accurate description in a way.

You are slowly drawn in with the writing into this vastly different yet similar world.
Lark has made a deal with Verse’s God , Therion to marry him so that they can repay debts her family owes and revitalize the salt mines in their fledging city.

If you want angst and yearning.. it’s here. There is a very interesting love triangle of sorts that’s weaved in between two storylines that give context to the main course of the story. Her prose is on point. I have so many highlights.. the words drift off of the page and wrap around you until you feel it.

This is a dual layered story of hope and self discovery as we follow our main character.

Honestly, this book fell apart in the last 30%. While the prose is beautiful and conceptually the synopsis sounds great.. the execution was not. I would not count this author out in the future though, the wiring is beautiful and whimsical but this story just fell flat.

If you want a full vibes and whimsy read- this book is for you! But if you need some complexities with the flowery language.. this may not work for you.

content warnings (from author’s website): body horror; eldritch horror; bullying; discussions of death and grief; emotional and physical abuse from a parent; descriptions of blood, wounds, and bleeding; suicidal ideation

as though being expelled from her prestigious boarding school wasn’t bad enough, lacrimosa arriscane, or lark, returns home to discover her family on the brink of financial ruin. desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience to therion, the chthonic god her hometown worships. her betrothal goes horribly wrong, though, and when she begins to vanish from the mortal realm, her only hope is alastair felimath, her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, camille. as they delve into the gods’ folklore, lark can’t help but feel entranced by the siblings. when they perform a bacchanalia, though, they attract the wrath of something wishing to destroy both therion and lark.

i loved lyndall clipstone’s world at the lake’s edge duology, so i was very excited to read more from her. gothic books can be hit or miss for me, but so far, clipstone’s books have all been hits. this had such an interesting plot and the lush writing really drew me into the story. i loved the dynamic between lark, alastair, and camille. love triangles aren’t normally my jam, but i think it’s safe to say this was not a typical love triangle. i also enjoyed the book’s plot twists and reveals, some of which had me really feeling for lark. overall, this was a great book. i’m looking forward to more from the author!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book. This was a very atmospheric read, I really felt like I could smell the salt from the ocean the entire time I was reading this book. The romance was wonderful and multi-layered. I was very impressed with the way it was handled. The way things were described throughout the book were eerie and wonderful. I really enjoyed this.

Romantic and weird. Loved it. Clipstones writing is one of my favorites. Atmospheric and more horror than I thought Clipstone brought me back to personal times and emotions were heavy.

Thank you for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is so atmospheric and the writing is phenomenal! Lyndall Clipstone is so great at making complex characters that you root for.
Tenderly, I am Devoured follows our main character Lark as she arrives back to her family home after leaving school. When she finds out that her brothers have offered the only place she’s felt safe up to pay off their parents debt she decides to take things into her own hands by making a deal with a god.

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.