WOW. What can I say? I devoured this title and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. The setting, the characters - loved every word. Can't wait to see what RuNyx has next!

As alway RuNyx’s writing is just impeccable. I am constantly amazed by how she transports me to a different world with every book. The dark academia setting, the murder myster, the slow burn tension and the secret society intrigue were so well done.

The dedication of this book hit me hard. I felt seen and it immediately made me feel connected to Salem’s journey.

From the first chapter, I was captivated. Salem and Caz have such intense chemistry, and I loved how their relationship evolved especially how Caz made her feel loved and cherished after so much emotional deprivation. I absolutely loved his obsession with her and the way he is soo possessive and unhinged!

I can't wait to reread this in Autumn and fully immerse myself back into the dark academia atmosphere and Mortimer world all over again 🖤.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Enigma is a beautifully twisted story that had me hooked from the very first chapter. This book is layered in mystery, obsession, longing, grief, and those stolen moments of softness that sneak up on you when you least expect it.

Caz and Salem’s connection is magnetic. His cold, unreadable exterior and her guarded, grief-wrapped heart made every interaction feel electric. He’s brutal and brilliant, she’s sharp and quietly aching—and together? Absolute chaos in the best way. The slow-burn tension, the secret society shadows, the shared trauma, it all just works!

RuNyx pours so much emotion into this. Knowing she wrote it while grieving makes the story hit differently. There’s pain on the page, but also life, curiosity, and a desperate need to feel. And this book is HOT. Caz might just be my favourite Ru MMC to date, and that’s saying something. His backstory hurt

If you love...
🖤 Dark academia + gothic vibes
🖤 Morally grey, painter MMCs
🖤 Crime-obsessed, lonely heroines
🖤 Found family + slow burn spice
This one will ruin you (in a good way).

5⭐ and already lining it up for a reread.

I was such a big fan of Gothikana, so when I found out Runyx was coming out with another book with a dark academia setting, I was so excited! And while Gothikana immediately drew me in, had me entranced and unable to put it down, Enigma unfortunately did the opposite. I was immediately put off by the insta lust, I mean we are talking the first chapter or two. I didn’t feel a connection at all to either of the MC’s. Another thing is the writing feels different to me. Maybe I just didn’t notice it when I read Gothikana, but I definitely noticed it when I tried reading the Dark Verse series - I don’t much care for the writing style, the over description of things specifically. It feels like a lot of emphasis is being put on things that don’t require it, and I find myself just wanting her to get to the point. Because of all of this, I sadly wasn’t invested in the characters, the mystery, or story as a whole. I can understand why others may like this book and be drawn to it, and I’m so glad I’ve seen so many people love it! I think that personally, the tropes and the writing just isn’t for me and it made it very difficult to want to pick this book up and keep reading. Thank you so much NetGalley and Tor publishing for providing me with an arc for this book!

✨ Publication date: April 29, 2025✨

Enigma is a steamy dark academia book by RuNyx. This is my second book by this author and I’m still hooked! I love their writing style and ability to weave the past and present and focus on characters that don’t fit mainstream romance novels!

Salem Salazar is heading into her first year as a student at the exclusive Mortimer University. Salem comes from a legend family but her history is slightly tainted after her sister goes missing from this very campus and her father’s less than legendary history.

Salem is obsessed with death, in a clinical way. Specializing in criminology and Sciences at school, she’s determined to find out what really happened to her sister she discovers her sister isn’t the only student go missing.

Caz has disguised himself as a Teachers Assistant while he majors in art that is a great mystery to many Mortimer students and teachers. While his art is important, Caz is determined to find out what happened to his brother who went missing from this campus a year ago.

Caz and Salem make an unlikely partnership but soon they will discover that they are investigating the same thing and working together ignited the chemistry between them.

As they discover secret societies and learn to trust each other, everything isn’t quite as it seems at Mortimer University.

Loved this book! It definitely deals with sensitive topics though (suicide, parent death, sexual assault) so check the trigger warnings before reading. This was a 4 star read for me and I’m definitely looking forward to what’s next by this author.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #RuNyx #Enigma

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.