Enigma by RuNyx is for all of my dark academia romance readers!

-Old, elite, exclusive university
-Secret societies
-Dark, gloomy, misty cliffside setting
-Rivals to lovers
-Murders to solve
-Both jealous and possessive
-She's aloof/icy, he's passionate/fire
-SO.MUCH.TENSION. with payoff.

RuNyx has created another insanely atmospheric dark romance standalone that captured by attention from the opening scene to the end. Salem enrolls at Mortimer University to investigate her sister's mysterious death. She has a unique obsession with forensics, so uncovering that multiple deaths have occurred puts her on a one way collision course with danger. Caz is a graduate art student, and Salem's TA, but his own dark reasons for being at Mortimer are another mystery for Salem to solve. Written with palatable sensual tension, angst, and passion, Salem and Caz's interactions grow into a fire. I loved the dual POVs, the descriptive writing, and the blur between obsession and love.

i thought enigma was a super intriguing premise! i've never had a female protagonist that was so obsessed with true crime and had a dark side to herself, and she was honest to a fault. i thought enigma was a fun, mysterious read with a great touch of romance. i would definitely recommend!

”I want to be the only villain you see. I want to be the only devil who drags you to hell.”🤍

There is nothing better than a new RuNyx release! If you’re a dark academia fan, you’re going to love this. And while it has no connection to Gothikana whatsoever in terms of plot, it has the vibe and the feel that you love from that story… so you need to dive into this one.
Salem Salazar is probably one of the most complex characters RuNyx has written, in my opinion, in terms of the way she thinks and moves about her world. Her mind is fascinating and I loved the analytical way she picks apart her surroundings, her relationship, and her mission at Mortimor to find answers about her sister. When she meets Caz, we get the perfect torture of slow burn and tension as these two dance around the way they feel for each other. Caz has all the elements of the broody, possessive morally grey MMC that you want out of a dark romance and I LOVED seeing him spiral into his obsession with Salem. The description of the grounds and the dark academia theme of this romance was gorgeous and I think the third person view for the chapters really worked, especially with Salem’s thought process. I absolutely couldn’t put it down and was on the edge of my seat through the end. I can’t recommend it enough!

Enigma – a bunch of elite university students, secret societies, the whispers, the gossip, this all sounds like a very exciting, mysterious, and suspenseful dark academia story. It is, and yet, I think this book had more promise than it delivered. I will tell you that I enjoyed this read. I had the ALC and e-arc and was able to immersively read Enigma. My favorite way to read. I was completely hooked with the start of the story. Salem Salazar is our FMC. She is odd, eccentric, and she does not have friends. She is curious about life and death. Wants to know how things die. She isn’t like her perfect older sister. They are both destined to attend Mortimer University an elite school where they are generational legacies. But Salem’s sister dies at Mortimer. It is ruled a suicide, but Salem does not believe it. Her intent is to investigate what happened to her sister. She keeps a murder board so she can track all the information including the other mysterious deaths. A strange thing happens to Salem while at Mortimer, she makes friends and has a boyfriend. I am not an insta-love fan. It avoids the work of seeing the relationship develop. That being said, Salem and Caz are great characters and I enjoyed the two of them together. The side characters in this story are also good – I liked Salem’s friends and I really liked Baron and for that you will need to read the book.
There is so much to like with this story, but the ending is anti-climactic. In my reading of Enigma, Caz tells Salem what just happened instead of Salem solving the mystery. I hated that. Truly.

There is a lot of spice in this book, and the dialogue in a lot of this is just cringe. We all deserve better. What, is with the ‘good girl’ obsession?
I enjoyed the read/listen. The narration from Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso was perfection. Just outstanding.
I need to thank Net Galley, MacMillan Audio and TOR Publishing Group for my advance copies.

4.25 STARS!!
Our gothic goddess is at it again with yet another bingeable romance read that brings you everything you have come to expect from RuNyx plus so much more!

Do you get the mystery, the slightly unhinged possessive MMC (Caz), the intellectual FMC (Salem), and a love story for the ages? ABSOLUTELY!

Yet Enigma also left me feeling an overwhelming sense of loneliness…almost bereft at times. I think it could possible be due to the fact that I could so easily identify with Salem. While our personal histories vary greatly, our day to day struggles and thought processes felt eerily similar and it had me connecting with her in ways I don’t typically allow (y’all know me…I’m not good with ✨big feelings✨).

Enigma takes place in a classic gothic setting—complete with cliffs, mist, ruins in a forest, secret societies, and mysteries to be solved. And OBVIOUSLY a loner-esque artist. Caz is a complex character with layers that go beyond his hot tortured artist vibe. Watching Caz go completely mad for Salem was sinfully delightful!

If you’re looking to dive into a fast-paced gothic story with enough romance to make you fan yourself, look no further!

As book lovers, we read for a variety of reasons. But sometimes a book comes a long at the exact right time. A book that captivates your mind, pulls you in, and has you turning the pages of a story that resonates so deeply, you know it has become a part of you.

That is what Enigma was for me.

At its core, it is a story of healing, growth, and loneliness.

Without giving too much away, I can say that some of the specific themes that came through hit me at a time that I am experiencing myself, bringing me further into this captivating story.

As always, the Ru-inverse brings us an enthralling setting, depicted on page in such vibrancy it's a place that will stay with you always.

The romance is kick your feet in the air - worthy and I loved the development of our couple both separately and together.

The ode to many places we've been before made me smile.

And the mystery was well built, with an ending that was just so well executed.

Remember to live was one of my first tattoos so many moons ago and to see that same message in a fabulous story by one of my favourite authors just gives me ALL the warm and fuzzies.

RuNyx does it again!!

I absolutely loved our FMC Salem. I wish I had the same mentality that she had at times when it came to her caring about what others thought about her. She was confident enough in herself that it made her more beautiful to me.

Our FMC? I am obsessed. Caz is the perfect dark and broody bad boy we all love to love. The fact that he’s also an artist? Makes for perfect combination!

I loved their love for one another and the deep, soul connection they shared together. The gothic, dark, cult like vibes of the book are perfect for fans of this genre.

For once, I am gonna keep my review on a shorter side. And it is not because i didn't like this book, more like the opposite - I loved it and I don't know what to say...

Mortimer University. Caz Van der Vaal - a man seeking revenge. Salem Salazar - a woman trying to solve mysteries surrounding her sister's death. She is quiet but observant, he is wild and scaring at times. They truly are an unusual pair and while I wasn't invested in their connection right from the beginning, they grown on me throughout the whole story and i think that is even more precious. Learning more about them as individuals and seeing them become each other's special person, seeing them become an anchor and safe place for each other and disrupting them from their loneliness... it was simply beautiful.

Without giving away too much about the story, I can say that Enigma doesn't felt like a typical romance. Of course, in its core it is a story about profound love and connection, but there are also darker themes as revenge, loneliness and grief. And I feel like the emotional aspects of the story, together with eerie, haunting and tension dripping atmosphere of Mortimer is what makes this story special. I was immersed in this new corner of runyxverse right from the start...

One of the readers classified Enigma as a mistcore genre, and while this beautiful word was unknown to me, i can wholeheartedly agree. Atmospheric, foggy and haunting setting of Mortimer, a sense of ambiguity and loneliness and quietness, together with secret societies and murder mysteries... RuNyx serves something so unique and so out of the usual borders of romance genre that it grips your attention (and heart) and simply doesn't let go.

Few things that are probably a reason for me not giving it 5 stars: RuNyx excels at building a plot, creating nerve wrecking tension and mysterious atmosphere. It was a poignant part of Enigma too, which is amazing, but i felt that i needed more in the end. More explanations, deeper dive into the secret society plot in general... And also, this is totally subjective and probably doesn't even make sense, but i missed some WOW moment. Like, i was reading this book and loving it at all times but it didn't give me that lasting feeling of sadness and wholeness and joy I usually have after finishing a 5 star read... despite that, it is a stellar 4.5 star and story that is very close to my heart.

Thank you, my dear Ru, for giving me yet another story that means so much to me. Yet another story to come back to when i feel down and need a hug. The power of your storytelling never ceases to amaze me 🤍

... and i think my plan to keep it short failed epically 😂 I AM SORRY.

Thank you Tor, Bramble and RuNyx for an Advanced Reader Copy

Wow!

This book was nothing short of phenomenal. The authenticity and originality of the plot are mind-blowing, the characters are unforgettable and the writing is soul-marking. The unique atmosphere of it entangles you in a poetic mystery and leaves you yearning for more and more. The title does it justice by introducing us to an enigmatic and mesmerizing world, where you get sucked in, in a kind of spell (the best kind).

I myself had high expectations for it, since every RuNyx book always hooks me up, even if in different ways. But Salem, Caz, Mortimer and the author herself went above and beyond any expectations I could have had. Dare I say: I've never read a book like this one. It felt like unraveling a new map, discovering a new world or learning a new language. It was an unknown and mysterious path that consumed my curiosity and, like the overthinker I am, my need to make the puzzle fit.

RuNyx's talent with words will never fail to amaze me. She was born to have a pen in her hands and papers on her desk (or well, a computer to type on). She's like a sorcerer, and her words are her spells. The world building and choice of words are truly unique and uncanny. I feel like nothing that I write or say will be able to describe the eerie poetic way this book was written. And let me not talk about the quotes!!! Oh my, I'll never get tired of reading her characters express themselves!

About Salem: Her character authenticity left me speechless and her layered personality made me love her even more. Reading her journey and development was such an amazing experience. Her inner thoughts and perceptions are haunting and beautiful. When reading Enigma, I started to analyze our similarities and our differences. I am a person who dislikes self-analysis and if I'm being frank, kinda lost of who I truly am. Reading about her made me dive deep also into myself and, well, get to know me better too.

Caz: Hot. Hot. Hot. Even his name is hot: Cazimir van der Waal. Like, what type of hotness is this? Ever since he made his first appearance I knew his mysterious aura would be the death of me. He's unhinged, talented, hot, mysterious, intense and weak for his woman. Is there anything not to love in this man? And he PAINTS! (And he dirty talks too...) He is perfect for Salem. Next step: Enroll in Mortimer and find a Caz for myself.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint! This book is in a category of its own. It's an amazing balance between the gothic, the mystery and the romance. The words flow through you and you become captivated by them and by what they are telling you, engrossing you in Mortimer's world. Funny how I knew the expression "memento mori" but had never heard of "memento vivere" until Enigma. The duality of it and the message behind them are delivered in such a poetic and meaningful way.

A masterpiece of a book that everyone should read.

Read This Book If…you love a dark and twisted tale - with spice!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Enigma by RuNyx

Genre: dark academia romance
Spice Level: 4/5🌶, 3-4 explicit scenes, kinky
Setting: fictional university
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: insta lust, “good girl”

My Thoughts:
I was simply obsessed with the setting for this one! It’s giving castle on the English coast but also Ivy League university and it was the perfect atmosphere.

There’s gothic vibes, secret societies, and plenty of suspense and mystery.

I love getting a peek into Salem’s history as we join her healing journey. Caz is possessive in the best way and these two were meant for each other! And their spice was spicing!

Make sure you read the trigger warnings for this one - it does get pretty dark at times!

While I enjoyed the story overall, the pacing was a little off. It was a super slow start (typical with a mystery), but the ending felt way too quick! I was convinced this was going to be a duology with how late everything was revealed and resolved!

Memorable Quote: “I want to be the only villain you see. I want to be the only devil who drags you to hell.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

A woman seeking answers. A man chasing vengeance. A university dripping in secrets, death, and haunting truths.

"You make me want to live, Salem. You give me a modicum of peace in a world of chaos."

Runyx crafts a setting so rich in mystery and quiet intensity that it wraps around you and refuses to let go. From the moment Salem arrives at Mortimer University, I felt like I could step right into this world; it's just that tangible.

The plot is intricate and deeply satisfying. Despite the complexity, it’s comprehensible and never confusing. The story unfolds with precision, dropping hints and answers in just the right places to keep you hooked without ever losing you.

But what truly brought the story to life was Salem. She is Enigma. I firmly believe that without her, there would be no story. She breathes life into every page with her quiet aura, her morbid curiosity for death, and her unwavering need for answers. Her sister’s death, which is brushed off as suicide, gnaws at her until she follows it to Mortimer University, where she's studying to become a forensic scientist. A literal STEM queen!

"A girl who liked science, wasn't afraid of dead bodies. [...] Names were nooses, and she held hers close to her neck."

Watching Salem evolve—from being nearly invisible to becoming a woman who accepts, understands, and embraces herself—was a journey that deeply resonated with me. In my eyes, she felt so real.

And then there's Caz.

"He had an air around him, something chaotic, unpredictable. [...] Caz. The Psycho Painter."

Caz enters like a wrecking ball: bold, magnetic, and brimming with secrets. He has this smirking, king-like energy that demands your attention. The first time we meet him, he's literally sketching a dead body. That should tell you everything. He's clearly unhinged... and yet, when he's with Salem, there's a softness, a quiet reverence that peeks through. He may be a storm, but around Salem, he becomes something gentler, even tender.

They’re both enigmas in their own way. Together, they're electric.

Their romance is entirely breathtaking, and their chemistry is undeniable; it's raw and passionate. I was squealing, going absolutely feral, and getting emotionally wrecked all at once. But beyond the heat, there’s deep vulnerability between them. They give way for each to be truthful and vulnerable without demanding it all at once. They choose each other, again and again. It’s the kind of love that sees and stays, even when it doesn’t fully understand.

"They don't own your mind, not like I do."

What truly broke me (in the best way) was how Caz sees Salem, down to the most minute detail. For someone like Salem—who’s been ignored, dismissed, and made to feel unworthy—his attention, his adoration, is transformative. And as someone who’s also felt unseen, I saw myself in her. That feeling of being chosen, loved, even when you think you're unlovable? Yeah, it destroyed me!

Now I have to talk about the "snakes".

"I found my muse on a beach on a dark night. And she was the most stunning creature I had ever seen, with living snakes in her hair and fire in her eyes, yet made of ice."

Caz’s obsession with Salem’s curls—"snakes," as he calls them oh-so reverently—felt like a personal love letter. I’ve been told my curls are a distraction, a mess, unprofessional. I’ve spent years feeling like they were something I had to tame. But in Enigma, Salem's curls are worshipped; they're beautiful and desired! It made me feel seen and validated in a way I didn’t expect.

Enigma is more than a dark academia romance. It’s a haunting love story that is wrapped in grief, longing, curiosity, and pacts of truth. More importantly, it's about finding yourself in the quest for answers. It's also about the kind of love that breathes life into you, the beautiful kind that isn't there to save you, but to primarily show you you're worth saving just as you are.

I’ll be thinking about Salem and Caz, along their messy, beautiful, passionate love, for a long, long time.

- dark academia
- gothic vibes
- murder mystery
- possessive mmc
- rivals-to-lovers
- secret society
- touch her and die

Story-⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Spice-🔥🔥🔥🔥

The queen of dark academia does it again. A thrilling story with complex characters with dark undertones searching for their place in the world.

Two lost souls, looking for lost souls. Entwined in pain and loss, they are both caught up in the plans of a secret society that will stop at nothing to continue their devious rituals.

Salem is determined to find out what happened to her sister and unravel the secrets of Mortimer University. Her knack for forensics and being able to stay nearly invisible, gives her an edge to finding out what dark deeds are going on behind the scenes. Although she's not as invisible as she has led herself to believe.

Caz, a mysterious and possibly crazed teacher's assistant takes notice of her right away and does everything he can to stand in her way. His motives are unknown and his behavior hedges on the deranged side.

The tension as always is unhinged and fuels the story so well. Both characters have sky high walls that they are not willing to descend for anyone. Yet Caz's fire melts Salem's fortress of ice and Salem's cold heart simmers Caz's inferno to smoldering embers. Their chemistry is white hot, and their banter and whit match it beautifully.

I am so thankful to have been able to read this and dive into another story by Ru.

It’s always so refreshing to read new RuNyx words!!! But like always, I struggle to put my thoughts into words to ever do them justice.

Enigma is a dark, secret society, legacy family, murder mystery romance all set in a mysterious university, full of secrets and lost souls.

It’s one you need to read with a blank canvas and an open heart. It will have you questioning everything, eager to understand the world and its hidden agendas and melting at the connections found along the way.

Caz and Salem are undeniably made for each other and their chemistry reads off the page so beautifully. He’s your typical ‘touch her and die’, completely obsessive alpha and she’s there to challenge him every single step of the way. I absolutely loved them!

The only thing I wanted more from this book.. was for it to be longer!🤣 I could read about their past, present and future and all the mysteries forever.

If you’re looking for mystery with a touch of gothic thriller and heaps of sexy but swoon worthy romance, look no further!!!

There’s few things that make me feel in my element and a gothic book by RuNyx is one of them.

Thank you @brambleromance @authorrunyx for the arc!!🖤

We have been blessed yet again with a mysterious dark college castle setting by the one who knows to write it best 🙂‍↕️
Ru managed to give us the same thing she always does yet so different! Salem is like no fmc we’ve seen from her before, bolder. Caz is like a mix of all four Dark Verse Men, also bolder. And boy did he have a mouth on him 🥵

What stood out to me is the focus on Salem’s inner thoughts, more of her plotting to avenge and unravel secrets than the romance. Which felt like a breath of fresh air.
As the spice in this case felt perfectly balanced. Oh when i did get to the spice i was practically a puddle on the floor because YES to well written unharmful DARK spice!!

To sum it up, Enigma shows you the truth of human curiosity and how our darkness shines best in the dark, when no one is around. Or, when the right person is.

At the same time, some things felt… weird. That they make no sense to why they’re happening.
To me, it felt like we were told things more than showed.
So it’s safe for me to say that Gothikana remains my #1 RuNyx book but Enigma deserves all the hype as it’s a good time, well paced, and keeps you on the edge of your seat!

one thing I never thought I'd find myself reading is dark academia gothic romance. but when it's paired with a layered and artistic mmc and an emotionally guarded and loner fmc, i might as well give it a chance. in general, i'm a fan of runyx which is why i also read gothikana.

the romance side of things start off fairly strong, a good push and pull development of rivals to lovers, but i found the murder mystery side of the storyline seemed to drag me in even more. runyx's writing is simple beautiful and encapsulating with raw emotion - she quite literally was born to be a writer. each character's arc is very visibly well thought out and executed effortlessly and intimately.

all in all, this was a pretty good read. i've been finding myself more and more selective with what i read, and dnfing books at the first sight of disinterest and this kept me intrigued through all 400 odd pages.

arc recieved in exchange for an honest review.

Salem is peculiar to those in her family and to most others in general. She’s had an appreciation, respect, and curiosity for the macabre even as a child. There’s a fascination with death that breeds this morbid obsession within her for answers and closure. But there’s a particular death she is obsessed with above all others: her sister. Two years ago her sister tragically and unexpectedly died at the Mortimer university and after digging a bit deeper, Salem uncovers 10 student deaths in the last 10 years and she’s dead set on figuring out what the actual fuck is going on at this school. There she crosses paths with Caz who is this mysterious and talented artist who just showed up out of the blue to the school and has since taken the art program by storm. They are both enigmas to the world but to each other they find out just how perfectly their darkness fits together.

That’s all I’m going to say about the plot because in true RuNyx fashion, Enigma has this eerie atmosphere with a slow burn tension that builds and builds until you feel like you’re choking on it. Because of this I think it’s best to go in knowing as little as possible (obviously check TW/CWs though). There are a few authors that give me butterflies when I start a new book that they’ve written and RuNyx is at the top of that list. I know many readers fly through her books and I understand why. But there’s something about letting yourself slowly sink into a RuNyx book until you can’t pace yourself any longer and you can’t put it down and then bam you’ve finished it. Enigma is a beautifully written romance about two very lonely people coming together amidst chaotic and haunting mysteries and secrets. It’s about the storm, the dark meeting the light, and finding out what it means to live.

5⭐️
3.5🔥

What to expect:
University setting
MF
Dark & suspenseful
Investigating sus deaths
He’s an artist with tattoos
Dark academia
Weird rivals to lovers
“Let me paint you”
Secret society
Only one sleeping bag
He can wield a pencil for both pain and pleasure

I have been waiting for these vibes since I read Gothikana and RuNyx delivered again. The dark misty academia vibes were there. With a hit of mystery and a super spicy, artistic MMC. Heavy on the romance here, this book did wrap up fast at the end. Beautiful writing!

I'm not entirely sure how to write my review for this one. I didn't love it or hate it. I enjoyed how the book immediately opened on a dark and intense scene. Which in some ways set the tone and premise for the book. I thought the dark academia theme overall was well laid out. Secret societies, murders, secrets. I found myself entertained at some parts, engrossed in others, but there was a lot of stop and go in the pacing which would take me out of the book from time to time. Or some scenes or conversations, which made me pause. I also liked the romance and chemistry between the FMC and MMC, but felt it was all over the place and felt rushed in a way that didn't match the rest of the book.

It's been a week and two whole rereads later and I still don't quite know how to adequately review this book. Probably because it proved to be an infinitely more personal experience than I had anticipated (although I should have known better after what Gothikana did to me), but also, I find that RuNyx sort of defies description most of the time. Reading her books - and Enigma is no exception to what is rapidly becoming the rule for me - is a metamorphic experience. I always leave a RuNyx book feeling altered at some deep, molecular level. If Gothikana spoke my language and made me feel unnervingly seen, Enigma built upon that by shedding even more layers away.

The theme of loneliness is poignant in this book and the way RuNyx captures even that feeling of internal isolation when one is amongst a crowd felt like being sliced open and gutted at times. Sounds awful when I put it like that, I know, but I suppose I'm trying to elucidate how deeply it resonated with me. And not just that yawning ache of loneliness, but the yearning as well - especially once Salem (and even Caz) start getting tastes of the peace and sense of bone-deep safety and satisfaction amongst the thrill of agonizing sexual tension and bourgeoning new love.

If that yearning wasn't addictive enough on its own, it's amplified by the off-the-charts tension and chemistry between Salem and Caz. RuNyx does an excellent job at capturing what honestly feels like alchemy between these two - just pure, deliciously dark magic that simultaneously feel forbidden and pure. The juxtaposition between Caz's intensity and borderline madness when it comes to Salem, and Salem's well-contained internal fire hidden beneath layers and layers of glacial ice sets the groundwork for some explosive moments between the pair. It takes them time to finally get on the same page as one another emotionally - in large part owed to the exterior conflict surrounding them - but I don't know how else to describe it except that it's SO GOOD.

I feel like this part encapsulates it best:

"𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬."

"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬?"

"𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮," 𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡. "𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰."

"𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫?"

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞.

"𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦," 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲. "𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞."

"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?" 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫.

𝐇𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞. "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." 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲. "𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐩."

Caz may be an enigma to Salem, but this book is no enigma to me. Aching loneliness. Unfathomable yearning. Intensity that borders on madness. And a love that makes both parties feel seen, safe, and satisfied. The only real puzzle as it relates to this book is the secondary murder-mystery plot. But the true heart of Enigma - the relationship between Salem and Caz - makes perfect sense to me. And like I said at the start - it resonates.

Enigma is such a beautiful book and an exquisite study of the depths loneliness can take us, but also the heights that love (and not just romantic, but platonic/friendship as well) can send one soaring over it all. From the tallest peaks to the deepest depths. And more than that, it's also a study of how some people - the strongest ones - learn to coexist with that loneliness without allowing it to completely destroy them. Salem stands as a testament of that. Does her earlier loneliness leave her riddled with invisible scars and impact her present existence? Of course. But it also shaped her into something that made her the literal perfect fit for Caz and what he desperately needed as well (and vice versa).

Loneliness can shape a person, but it doesn't have to define them. And that's what I took away from this book. That there's always hope for the hopeless, if they'd just have a moment of bravery to open their eyes and reach out to grab it.

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝, 𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 - 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆.

𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆.

Audience: Adult
Plot: 3.75 out of 5
Characters: 3.75 out of 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5
Keywords: Dark, Romance, Academia, Secret Society, Death, Forensic, Murder Investigation, Family loss
Tea Pairing: Fog Cutter (Irish breakfast with hint of lemon) by Plum Deluxe, for those intense lectures with Professor Merlin.

Favorite Quotes
“I want to be the only villain you see. I want to be the only devil that drags you to hell” (chapter 30)
“He was her drug of choice, and she was delirious for him” (Chapter 33)
“Death was still inevitable, but life was more beautiful somehow because of it”

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from Bramble / Tor Publishing Group; and audiobook from Macmillan Audio. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

Enigma tells the story of Salem Salazar as she attends Mortimer University to investigate the death of her sister Olivia. Salem is not convinced that her sister committed suicide, and so begins piecing the puzzle together. During her studies and the investigation, she meets Caz van der Waal, a mysterious art student and TA to psychology professor Merlin. Suspicious of each other, the two find out they share more in common than they think.

The pacing, character arcs, and plot were all very captivating. This romance had such a unique twist that I couldn’t put this book down. The novel is told in dual POV, with Salem and Caz. However, the majority of the novel is told from Salem’s pov (it’s about 80-20). I almost wanted a little bit more from Caz’s perspective, but I think not having much added to his mysterious personality. The audiobook narration was also very well produced. The narrators did an excellent job capturing the characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this story — it was deliciously dark and captivating. Readers who enjoyed Gothikana are sure to enjoy Enigma.