Member Review

❝ When this is over, I don’t want you to leave. ❞


⊹₊⟡⋆ The House Saphir 💍

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ~ 4.5



⟡ preread ⟡

⠀⠀⠀ ⌕ Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review! Marissa’s books never disappoint! See my Goodreads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7320377829


✑ overview

⠀⠀⠀ ↳ Mallory Fontaine, who is desperate to earn money, has been invited to the infamous Saphir estate to dispel the mansion of the sinister haunting ghost, Monsieur Le Blue. But what she thinks is a simple deal with the current count of the property, Armand, may turn out to be more complex than she had hoped.

features
⠀⠀⠀ ∘ mysterious haunted mansion
⠀⠀⠀ ♡ grumpy x sunshine
⠀⠀⠀ ∘ suspenseful standalone
⠀⠀⠀ ♡ ghosts & betrayal
⠀⠀⠀ ∘ fantasy romance
⠀⠀⠀ ♡ Bluebeard tale retelling



✶ my thoughts

⠀⠀⠀ ❥ This book was such a thrilling adventure! The suspenseful plot, detailed characters, and amazingly imaginative setting made it feel so realistic and layered.
⠀⠀⠀ ❥ I loved the mystery, gothic, and Halloween vibes of the story, the scenes really stood out as being eerie and mysterious, especially the haunted Le Bleu estate. Every part was vividly detailed, and the writing helped the story come to life with real sensations. The characters and ghosts were also imaginative and had great depth, especially the wives of Monsieur Le Bleu.


❖ characters

⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Mallory Fontaine • ⠀ “Don’t be ridiculous. We both know I’m not that nice.” ⠀ ~~ Mallory, being a thief and pretending to be a witch, had great layers and detail as a character. She was shown as having questionable morals while working up to doing the right thing. Her ancestry and backstory as a child and her mother were also a great touch. I enjoyed Mallory’s personality, and loved her interactions with the other characters, mainly Armand and Gabrielle.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Armand Saphir • ⠀ “I’ve spent every moment since we met searching for ways to see you, to talk to you. Wondering what might make you want to stay after the job was finished. Trying to convey how much I enjoy your company.” ⠀ ~~ I loved his personality, and his situation and character development was very unique. The way he treated Mallory and their interactions together felt intimate, and they grew even stronger after the climax, especially after he helps her on the roof of the estate. Also, his love for plants and herbs was so lovable.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Monsieur Le Bleu ~~ In the book, you could really feel the presence of his haunting spirit, since the whole estate was filled with his essence. His persistence to coming back to his estate as a sorcerer made the book tense and challenging for the characters.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Anaïs Fontaine • ⠀ “You and I brought this monster back. We must find a way to end this.” ⠀ ~~ Her backstory of trying to rid herself of her “impure” god-gift was a great way of setting up the story. She seemed like a good sister to Mallory, helping her even when she was wary of her own abilities.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Fitcher & Constantino ~~ They were great monster-hunting characters that balanced out the serene tone of the rest of the story. They were comical together, and helped the plot progress.
⠀⠀⠀ ➵ Gabrielle Savoy ~~ She was an in-depth character, I love the way that she was introduced and how she played a part in helping Mallory and Anaïs. I liked her backstory as a wife of Le Bleu, and how she tied into the ending.

‧₊˚ ⚘݄ “. . . you are the most clever, most brilliant, most frustrating person I’ve ever met.” ~ Armand



◗ plot

⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The storyline was fast-paced and full of twists, which made for an entertaining read. The climax was also so tense, it kept me on edge the whole time, and the ending wrapped up perfectly.
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ I absolutely love Marissa Meyer’s writing style, she has a perfect way of combining such a detailed plot and conveying all the elements of characters and emotions!
⠀⠀⠀ ✦ The format and writing of the chapters was very engaging, including how some of the chapters were set up in the middle of one of Mallory’s plans, so that you didn’t know what was about to happen.

‧₊˚ ✶ “If I am a monster, then why did you come back?” ~ Armand


⭑ worldbuilding

⠀⠀⠀ ↠ I appreciated the unique creatures and lore, including the Seven gods that were apart of the story, but I would have loved more backstory and detail on them.
⠀⠀⠀ ↠ The descriptions of the scenes felt so real, as if you were there and apart of the story, which I adored. The small details also added up, and I particularly enjoyed the creatures that were featured.

‧₊˚ ⚘݄ “She wanted to spend afternoons by his side, foraging in the trees and grinding mysterious herbs into oblivion so he could transform them into tinctures or ointments or whatever he did all day. She wanted to spend evenings reading about unsolved murders by the fire and knowing that she could tell him all the goriest details and he wouldn’t be appalled by her fascination.”


✶ favorite parts

⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Armand catching Mallory after they fall from the building
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Armand showing Mallory his greenhouse and naming the plants ✶
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ The encounter with the fiery cheval mallet horse
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Gabrielle Savoy casting the spell to trap Le Bleu’s spirit in the candle
⠀⠀⠀ ⊹ Armand helping Mallory down the roof of the estate after the fire
⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀
‧₊˚ ✶ “I do love how you always sound so confident, even when I suspect you have no idea what you’re doing.” ~ Armand to Mallory


➶ my recommendation

⤷ ⟡ age rating: 13+
⤷ ⟡ content warnings:
⠀⠀⠀— language ~ 0/10
⠀⠀⠀— romance ~ 3/10 - kissing
⠀⠀⠀— violence ~ 7/10 - murder, torture, blood, ghosts with prolonged injuries, monster hunting
⠀⠀⠀— other ~ manipulative marriages
⤷ ⟡ For fans of Wednesday and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
⤷ ⟡ Best for readers who love slow-burn romance with mystery and dark Halloween vibes


☾ final verdict:

I would definitely recommend this tension-laced mysterious romance story for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced and detailed book.

‧₊˚ ⚘݄ “. . . when this is over, I don’t want you to leave.” ~ Armand


The House Saphir — 2025
~ ∘₊ ✦