WOW!! This book hooked me from the first chapter and I COULD NOT STOP!! I absolutely loved the immediate feeling of “something isn’t right…but I can’t tell what.” It was so easy for me to become emotionally invested in the characters, and feel their feelings right along with them from rage and frustration, to love and heartache!

What I liked: This book opens with providing you with the story told through the reader following Rose before it shifts and has you following Hart. In between each of these are glimpses at a different timeline which can get confusing but hang in there, all of this does get clarified. This story is told through a third person point of view which adds a layer of tension because while we see everything, we don't know everything just yet.

Just like Goldy's other books this one will tear your heart out at the end as all of the pieces start to come together, and you realize what has been happening this whole time. Prepare to be frustrated by the end of this book as more and more gets revealed. While there were some aspects of this book that were easy to piece together there were others that took a bit more sitting with. The ending of this book wraps things up nicely and while I was left wanting more I was also satisfied with this ending.

What left me wanting more: Hart and Rose are not a love story that I could get behind, so I wasn't really rooting for their success. This romance felt like it was an add on, but the grief portion of this story stands out a lot more. While there was not much investment in hart and Rose as characters, their actions, especially Hart's portion of the book kept me reading and needing to know how his story unfolds.

Lowell is one of the side characters that you met, and his story was a bit lacking. There was a lot more to dig into between him and Heather and the way that relationship plays out. Lowell's role in the story needed to be flushed out as he was a character that you root for from the start. The way his storyline wrapped up felt quick and easy leaving you questioning how he plays into the other storylines in this book.

Final Verdict: Of Earthly Delights is a thrilling read that fans of the Mary Shelley Club or The Honeys will enjoy. This book is perfect for those of you who enjoy psychological thrillers and books that have you guessing what comes next the whole time. If you are someone who enjoys reading books that are spooky in preparation for the Halloween months, then I highly recommend picking this one up.

A romantic gothic tale with magical elements at play to really spin the characters about in their Shakespearean love story of dark consequences and deep buried secrets.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NG, the author and publishers for the opportunity to review.

I was so excited to get Of Earthly Delights as I absolutely loved The Mary Shelley Club by the same author. I was also intrigued by the premise: a garden that grants wishes sounded amazing to me.

For starters, I could not stay interested while reading. I kept putting the book down and coming back to it. The one thing I really liked about it was that the garden was portrayed as so creepy. Especially as it related to the influence it had over those who had participated either in the garden parties or made wishes there.

I just feel like the author tried to do too much. Make the garden creepy. Interweave the character's story into random chapters (which confused me as I wasn't sure if this was just creative writing or something more). It didn't make sense until the very end what was going on.

I liked the female main character and felt that I could relate to her in feeling out of place and in creativity. However, I found most of the other characters lackluster by comparison.

Overall, a disappointing read, though I'm clearly in the minority with this opinion.

Thank you for the opportunity that allowed me to read this one.
This was such a different idea that was both refreshing (I'm frankly tired of seeing the same fae books over and over again) and executed in a way which left me shocked and reeling.
While the first half is much weaker and I wasn't convinced at all (mainly because it seemed like the typical YA book that had the typical insta love), things were developed in such a satisfying way that everything made sense in the end. The second half though was where the book truly shone and while it was confusing at times, this I believe was done deliberately and worked by the end.
Finally, the thing I loved the most is the way the book managed to portray a combination of love, grief, obsession, and the consequences of them so touchingly and without leaving out the bad. It brought me emotions and that is what I am looking for in my books.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Unfortunately a DNF @20% for me. The writing was good and the concept of the story really drew me in, but unfortunately the setting and the characters could not keep me interested. I think this was just a bit too YA for me, I think someone closer to the characters ages would enjoy this a lot!

This was much different than Mary Shelley. I didn’t anticipate the romance aspect as I didn’t read the synopsis. Thank you @netgalley for my copy.

Of Earthly Delights is a love story with many twist and turns that will keep you wanting more. I absolutely loved this novel from beginning to end.

Of Earthly Delights” reminded me why I fell in love with YA in the first place. It’s dark, clever, and full of that moody atmosphere I didn’t realize I’d been craving. Goldy Moldavsky masterfully weaves together gothic aesthetics, biting humor, and a layered, twisty plot that kept me turning the pages.

I was hooked from the first chapter. The world is deliciously eerie, with just the right balance of mystery and satire. And those sharp character dynamics? Loved every minute of the drama. It felt like Heathers and The Secret History had a dark, floral baby—and I mean that in the best way.

This is for fans of offbeat, brainy heroines, secret societies, and moral grayness. The themes sneak up on you, but they land hard—art, obsession, beauty, and the cost of belonging.

I docked a star just because a few pacing moments dipped for me, but overall? I’m obsessed. YA is back in my life, and I’m not mad about it.

The atmosphere is amazing in Of Earthly Delights! This was a captivating but twisted love story. I recommend if you like magical realism and a little gothic flair.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review.

I’m a sucker for gothic tones. Now add romance to the mix and I’ll never want to put the book down. Of Earthly Delights feels like Mexican Gothic’s younger, moodier cousin—just as lush and eerie, but with a stronger pulse of teenage longing and obsession. Where Mexican Gothic leans into horror and social commentary, this one gives you that fever-dream first love wrapped in secrets and creeping dread.

The romance is exactly the kind I crave. Rose and Hart’s connection is intense from the start, but never simple. There’s tension, yearning, and that addictive feeling of “will they make it or fall apart trying.” Even as things get darker and more twisted, I was rooting for them to hold on. It’s messy, emotional, and so easy to get lost in.

The writing style is immersive and evocative, pulling you into the story with vivid descriptions and a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this early. I’m so grateful to have experienced this lush, haunting story before its release.

This contemporary gothic romance is captivating as its cover—dark, alluring, and, like every rose, laced with thorns. Rose Pauly is compelled to leave her hometown and high school after parents' divorce. However, an otherwise difficult day takes a fascinating turn when she encounters Hart Hargrove. He introduces her to a secluded garden hidden behind his home, a place forbidden to anyone outside his family not even accessible by the staff. As their relationship deepens, Rose begins to sense that something is amiss. When she finally uncovers the truth, she is forced to question everything, including her bond with Hart. Yet, Hart is determined not to let her go. This hauntingly dark romance is certain to enthrall readers, blurring the boundaries between love and desire
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wish this book came out in the fall because I would've devoured this book! I read about halfway and just couldn't get into it but I really think this book is good but I was just not in the vibe of the book at the time I read it :(

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

This book was very quickly added to my, 'new as of 2025,' Rot shelf. This just seems to be the year, for me at least, to discover haunted, gothic, beautiful, dangerous rotten woods/garden themed books.

This book is a smooth read but from the beginning it was captivating. I meant to only read a little bit here and there but I kept ending up slacking on things I needed to get done because I was so caught up in this book.

Because of the age target it isn't as dark as it could be but was still plenty creepy and mysterious. The characters are all fleshed out wonderfully and the plot keeps you on your toes.

I highly suggest this book for a light but still dark read.

And I'd like to thank both Netgalley and MacMillian for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Of Earthly Delights is a dark, satirical mystery that’s equal parts bizarre and brilliant. Goldy Moldavsky nails the rich-kid drama with a creepy, culty twist that keeps you guessing. The characters are unhinged in a way that’s oddly entertaining, and the social commentary hits without feeling preachy. It gets a little too weird at times, but that’s also what makes it stand out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this as an eARC.

TW: grief, death of a pet, divorce, death (I might be forgetting some)

I don't know how to describe this book, that's why I've waited so long to review this. This is a gothic love story that would probably make you wonder what you're reading. We have a small cast of characters, but that just makes it better and even more atmospheric.

Writing: I won't say this is the most beautiful and elaborated writing I've ever read, because it isn't but I am completely sure that Goldy Moldavsky knows how to grab my attention, since this is the second book I read of this author and both of them kept my attention throughout the whole story.
Ambiance: Again, Moldavsky knows how to write a dark, gothic, atmospheric story, I felt like I was in the garden and in the house. I could see the characters, how they changed and behaved in every scene. I felt like I was watching a movie the whole time I read this book, tho I imagined it as a old timey sepia movie (idk why lol).
Characters: Not the most deep characters you'll ever read, and I don't think there is a huge amount of growth in them (if that is what you are looking for in a book), but I felt like I knew this characters to a point that I could care about them.
Story: Maybe I'm lacking on the gothic literature, but this story and how Moldavsky wrote it was something new to me and creative no matter if this has been done previously, this was creative. The way the story developed was the reason I was so glued to the story and I knew the ending was going to leave me looking at the walls for a bit and/or surprised.

Who might enjoy this? If you like gothic romance stories, easy to read and follow along, twist-y stories (not like thrillers but fun twists), if you don't mind time jumps or flashbacks,

I'm not saying is the perfect book, but I'll say that I think you should give it a try if you are interested in it. I enjoyed it and I don't regret reading it at all. I know this is not the best review, but I'm honestly still thinking about this book and the best way to "sell it" to everyone else.

WOOOOOAH.

Okay, so this seemed like a fun, mysterious romance for the first 85%….. I wasn’t obsessed but I enjoyed it….. then it became INCREDIBLE when the pieces started coming together. Truly devastating and sweet and heartbreaking. Just wow. 5 stars, will read again, totally recommend!!! Beautifully done!

I found Goldy Moldavsky with her book The Mary Shelley Club and since I loved this one, I knew I’d be reading all her upcoming books and this one didn’t let me down. I went in completely blind not even reading the blurb, just knowing the name of the book and the author and I was hooked. The story is told so well between Rose and Hart, two people destined together, yet fate has other plans as well.

Hart’s family has a lot of dark secrets and the underlying tension of Rose never having the full story added a nice thrilling and desperate feel to this book as the reader will want more and more until the story plays out. We also get like snippets of Rose and Hart that don’t quite fit into the storyline and I loved how that all played out, especially when we got the full story at the end.

The way this book ends is unexpected but expected and i loved it for that, re-reading this book could make it feel like the story never ends and I love how that was set up! I can’t wait to see what comes next from Moldavsky!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Of Earthly Delights follows teens Rose and Hart, whose romance grows one summer against the backdrop of Hart's private family garden.

I was having an okay time at the beginning of this book. I thought Rose was interesting enough to follow, and I was curious about what was going on with this mysterious garden that was so important to the premise. It wasn't until the pieces started coming together for me that I was hooked. While I'll admit it's pretty easy to figure out what's going on at the center of that hedge maze, watching it play out over the course of the back half of the book -- especially the lengths Hart goes to to keep Rose -- was a fun and enthralling time. Moldavsky really stuck the landing on the ending for me, too, leaving the reader in a place that's dazzling and heartbreaking and had me thinking "that can't possibly be it!". Moldavsky is also an author who really understands the dark hysteria of the gothic in literature, which was another absolute highlight as someone who loves a crazy gothic read. I can't recommend this enough for someone looking for a spectacular gothic horror fix.