This is the second book I've read by this author, and I've seen a ton of people rave about this authors books and I've always been intrigued. Overall I enjoyed this story. It was a rough start for me, very slow and I almost gave up but wanted to see how it ended. And it did get a bit better to allow me to finish. I got a ton of Wednesday Addams vibes from the main character, which I enjoyed.

Caz was an intriguing character and I'm glad we got a few chapters with his viewpoint. I also like that Salem grew more into herself and allowed her to open up to more people in her life. Her childhood was full of a void when it came to love and affection.

I'm glad i got the chance to read this book!

This book was really enjoyable, and I think it will be a hit at my library! I was addicted the entire time and couldn’t put it down.

Enigma is not your average dark romance — it's a psychological tug-of-war laced with secrets, emotional whiplash, and slow-burning tension that keeps you guessing. Runyx has a way of writing morally gray characters that somehow crawl under your skin and stay there. You may not always agree with their choices, but you feel them deeply.

From the very beginning, there’s a simmering undercurrent of unease. The relationship at the center is complicated — equal parts obsession, pain, longing, and reluctant vulnerability. There’s a constant push-pull that makes the romance feel dangerous but magnetic. If you like your romance with sharp edges, this one delivers.

I went into Enigma not entirely sure what to expect, but I was curious. I can see why so many readers are hooked on RuNyx’s brand of dark romance. The setup is intense, the characters are magnetic, and the slow drip of secrets definitely kept me turning pages. There were parts I liked: the tension, the mystery, and the emotional backstories that hinted at something deeper beneath all the brooding. I also appreciated that the heroine had agency, even when the situation around her felt chaotic or dangerous. That said, I didn’t love everything. Some moments veered a little too far into melodrama for me, and there were a few dynamics that didn’t quite sit right. They were not necessarily deal-breakers, but enough to pull me out of the story. I think this book will work better for readers who are fully on board with morally grey characters and don’t mind a little mess along the way. Overall, intriguing but not a perfect fit for me. I get the appeal—I’m just not sure I’m the target audience.

* 4.25⭐️ 3🌶️
* Such a dark gothic feel. The chapter illustrations are the perfect touch.
* Scary vibes. From the first couple of chapters Salem and cazs run ins were hot AF.
* She’s a black cat and he slowly tears down her walls.
* Arts related. Caz is the best artist the university has seen but he’s been on a hiatus, uninspired until he meets his muse.
* The one downside was there was sooo much build up, like 80% of the book to the mysterious element of this book and then in 2-3 pages it was all resolved. I kept thinking I missed something or right when I got happy I was going to get my my heart smashed in the next chapter, but it never came. It just seemed way too quick of a resolution.
* Read this if you like: dark academia, gothic vibes, perfect for fall, pictures throughout, black car FMC, MMC is the one breaking down walls, pencil play, touch her and die, naked painting outside, secret societies, loneliness, loss, healing, so much found family two amazing epilogues that span a total of 10 years.
* Yes, no, or maybe? YES!

I'm so happy to be back in another dark academia setting, especially one written by RuNyx. I absolutely love Salem and Caz. Salem is a character I feel as though I can relate to on a deeper level. She's quiet, overlooked, and invisible. She's the "black sheep" of the family. I felt for her, I related to her. I felt seen by her. Soon someone finally sees her, Caz. Everything about their relationship was perfect. Their chemistry was unmatched and not to mention the ANGST!!!

Mystery, intrigue, secrets & slow burn romance…

Love RuNyx’s books and for any who enjoyed Gothikana, think you’ll love this!

I really enjoyed this book! Right from the beginning it grabbed me. I liked Salem, love her name by the way, she's an interesting character and has issues but who doesn't. she's closed off at the beginning but Caz gets through to her and breaks down her barriers. I love him, he's a hot,sexy artist but with other motives for being there. I love the mystery of what's happening with the school. very strange and keeps you wondering. The ending was really good as well.

RuNyx never misses, she is one of my favorite authors for a reason. Her writing and story telling is magical, her words captivate me every time. I highly recommend reading all her books but this genre might be my favorite by her.

After absolutely loving RuNyx’s Gothikana several years ago, I had HIGH expectations for Enigma. With the same spooky dark gothic romance feel, I fell in love all over again with her writing and characters. I related to and saw so much of myself in Salem, and Caz was so dark and dreamy, I ate up their romance. The mystery element was a bit lackluster but still interesting, just think it could’ve gone a bit father after all the build up. Regardless, a 4.5 star read. I can’t wait to see what RuNyx brings us next!

1.5 (rounded up) - I feel like absolutely nothing happened...

The premise of this books sounds super interesting (which is why I requested it on NetGalley): Salem (MFC) goes to Mortimer University to find out about her sister's death. Her sister (and a bunch of other students) who received a prestigious award all end up meeting the same fate - death; however, there are no signs of these individuals wanting to die by suicide, yet that is how most of them die. Caz (MMC) also attends the university and is seeking his own answers for a different different. The two end up crossing paths because of a powerful secret society.

There was lots of spice, but where was the flavor? These characters lacked any chemistry and basically only hooked up because they were physically attracted to each other. I also found it so cringey that the MFC kept saying how big the MMC's junk was and how she could still feel him the following day...gross. This book had no business being nearly 500 pages...I was incredibly bored.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm going to say this every time RuNyx releases. She's a GENIUS!!! Her characters, her stories, her plots, her vision...it's EPIC!!! It's so unique that had me MIND-BLOWN every time!!!

Caz and Salem have me in a chokehold!! Caz is seriously everything I love about a book boyfriend. His unhinged and protectiveness have me loving him immediately. And Salem. Oh this girl is seriously so strong and brave. I really don't want to say much because I don't want to spoil anything. You'll need to experience it for yourself.

Definitely pick this one up!!!

I don’t know that I would call this a dark romance in the way I usually think of dark romance (HD Carlton type) but more of a Dark Romantic Thriller/Dark Academia. I really enjoyed the mystery and storyline. I like trying to figure out the pieces with the FMC. I loved the edging and the angst it was *chefs kiss*.

Salem Salazar has been obsessed with death since she was a child. Now an adult, she’s attending Mortimer, the most prestigious college in the world and the place where her older sister died. Within days of starting, she comes across a dead body on the beach being sketched by a handsome, mysterious man.

This is my second RuNyx novel, and I think it’s clear we just don’t vibe because this is all vibes and minimal plot. And the vibes are not great. The language doesn’t invoke a dark, atmospheric setting but instead reads as a word salad. That said, it is more coherent than Gothikana and has far fewer plot holes. And Caz, despite his lies and living situation (undergraduate girls will put up with anything– perhaps the most realistic part of the book), is somehow a better love interest than Vad.

I thought this book would give me butterflies…
Instead it gave me tunnel vision, blackout-level obsession, and a fantasy I’m now permanently trapped in.
One minute I was casually flipping through Enigma by Runyx.
The next? I was pacing like a lunatic, screaming into the mist, ready to enroll in a cursed university and fistfight a secret society (they wouldn’t survive me).
I fell hard. For the mystery. The obsession.
The cold girl. The firestorm of a man who would’ve burned the whole institution to the ground for her.
The jealousy. The rivalry. The tension so thick it practically had a pulse.
And now that it’s over?? I’m cradling the book like it’s a lost love and I’m the widow at the funeral.
TAKE ME BACK TO THE NIGHT WE MET.
Because I would sell my soul, my sleep, and my sanity to experience this story all over again.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year and sadly I was not a fan like I was hoping this story was going to be for me which is disappointing. I am still giving it an almost 3 stars but the story just wasnt what I was hoping for. Which sucks because I have loved all of RuNyx's other books.

It took me awhile to get through this one because it was hard to keep my attention to this story. The pacing was all over the place. I didn't feel that a lot was happening and just kinda dragging on. I needed something exciting to happen and it just didn't.

“Because I was a man on the path to damnation and I saw salvation instead. Because being near you makes me feel something beyond rage. Because the chaos inside me quietens when I’m near you.” 🤧 My man Caz 😭

Enigma had me absolutely hooked the entire time. Truly had an amazing time reading this dark, gothic romance!

If there’s one thing that I love it’s when a romance story is mixed with a murder mystery. This story follows Salem, the FMC, as she tries to find out who murdered her sister while simultaneously finding herself and falling in love with the mysterious tattooed recluse, Caz.

I loved how Salem and Caz’s relationship was slowly developed. It started with a few short encounters that eventually led to Caz pursuing her until she finally gave in. This had the “he fell first” trope and I devoured it! Caz’s POVs were also my absolute favorite! I need a man who talks about his woman as passionately as Caz does 😩

Along with the romance being amazing, the murders, secrets, and the overall gothic atmosphere helped create a completely engaging story. I loved how curious Salem was and how she never stopped trying to figure out the truth even with the threat of death. To top it all off, Caz never tried to stop her from being herself. He always encouraged her to embrace her dark side, which ultimately was what allowed them to mesh together so well.

Highly recommend checking this one out!!

So this was a newish genre for me to try. Custoers request this author quite frequently, and I can see why if you enjoy this genre. But can we talk about the cover? Loved it. I think people will need this on their shelf even if it's on their read at a later time list. Nailed the cover. Book was good,hard to review beyond this because it's not my normal genre to read but that being said, I did like it.

This was my first read from RuNyx and I really enjoyed it! The dark academia vibes were gothic, and the dark romance aspect of it I think had to do more with Caz’s actions and what they were both into. Salem was into dead things and figuring out the why behind it— leading her to study forensic sciences. Caz was an incredibly talented painter— but the scenes he painted were morbid. He was also very possessive of Salem, and was into some crazy sh*t, but he loved her with every fiber of his being.
Salem was really at Mortimer looking into her sister’s death. She knew it wasn’t a suicide. She’s incredibly intelligent, but even she came too close a few times to being caught, and that could have literally meant death for her. The societies in the school are no joke. There have been multiple deaths over the years, and she believed them all to be connected.
I think the resolution was a little anti-climatic, but I really did enjoy the mystery leading up to it, and trying to figure out who Salem could trust. It was also wonderful to watch Salem grow. She was perceived as an ice queen, but she felt a lot inside. I could relate to this and it was amazing watching her grow out of her shell as she made two real friends, and found the love of her life. It wasn’t exactly all normal, but she also isn’t normal. It was all her brand of reality I think.
I also really loved the quotes before each chapter, and the narrators did an excellent job with keeping us in the ambiance of the story.

Thank you Bramble and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies of this book and for the ALC.

I wanted to love this because I love RuNyx, but it just didn’t do it for me. The atmosphere was great? I love a gothic, academic setting, and the mystery was intriguing. But I found the characters just fell flat and I wasn’t really interested in them or their romance at all.