Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I picked this up because I enjoyed Jenn Bennett’s The Anatomical Shape of a Heart and was curious to see her take on YA dark fantasy. I was surprised to find it set in the 1870s—something I wish had been clear in the blurb—since I’m not usually a fan of historical fiction. While I appreciated the way it addressed the sexism of the era and loved the determined main character, the heavy historical focus wasn’t for me. The mythology and magic were intriguing but underexplained, especially the “Nin,” which was introduced early but never fully explored. Overall, an interesting concept with strong moments, but the setting and lack of deeper world-building kept it from being a favorite.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

THE PRINCE OF MOURNING by Jenn Bennett (Oct 28)

Thank you Netgalley and SimonTeen for the earc

After Molly is summoned as a live-in nurse, she learns that the wealthy man isn't who he seems. When Molly discovers a boy, Nin---prisoner of the estate, not human---she knows she should stay away, but she is drawn to him. Together, they must work to escape the estate before it's too late.
THE PRINCE OF MOURNING is a YA romantasy novel. First, let's talk about that stunning cover. It's so pretty and somehow sums up the book.
THE PRINCE OF MOURNING is unique. I haven't read anything with this premise, so I really enjoyed that. I liked the concept of ghosts and---surprisingly enough---the time period it was set in. This book is atmospheric. The vibes are gothic, and I thought the author did a great job of keeping that especially the ghost, occultist, and eerie location of it all. And then, of course, it progressed in a way that I didn't see coming. I cannot go into it without spoiling, but that reveal helped explain things, and I was like, "Oh, this is what is happening. How odd, but like, it makes sense."
The characters were a mix of likeable and unlikeable, so it was hard to decide who could be trusted. Because there was a layer of mystery in THE PRINCE OF MOURNING, I thought this was perfect because in this kind of story---mystery mixed with fantasy---you don't want to know who to trust so the reveal is shocking, and what a reveal that was.
Something I was missing was the banter, especially in the first half---this is just something I've come to expect with romantasy's. Once everything picked up, I really liked this. It was witchy, very ghostly, and there was a bit of romance that rounded everything out. This comes out just in time to be the perfect fall read.

The Prince of Mourning by Jenn Bennett is a hauntingly beautiful gothic romantasy that entwines dark magic, forbidden love, and atmospheric suspense. Molly O’Rinn’s journey as a live-in nurse to a mysterious prisoner locked behind magical barriers introduces readers to Nin, a captivating, otherworldly prince caught between two worlds. Bennett’s lush prose and slow-burning romance evoke Belladonna and A Study in Drowning, immersing you in a chilling Hudson Valley mansion where secrets lurk and danger waits in the shadows. As Molly and Nin’s connection deepens against the backdrop of occult threats and royal legacies, the story balances heart-wrenching sacrifice with intoxicating desire, making it a must-read for fans of richly layered, gothic fantasies with a tender yet suspenseful core.

I’m a big fan of Jenn Bennett and honestly I love pretty much everything she writes so I was super excited to dive into this one.
I absolutely loved this one. From the moment Molly arrives at that old mansion, I was hooked. The whole vibe is spooky and mysterious but also kind of cozy in that way where you just want to know all the secrets. Then Nin shows up and wow he is such a magnetic, complicated character. Their slow burn connection felt so real and made me want to keep reading late into the night.

The atmosphere totally nailed it for me. I could picture the creaky floors, the dust, and the strange magic hanging in the air. It was like I was right there with Molly, feeling everything she did. The mix of romance, mystery, and magic kept me glued to the pages and there were some twists that really surprised me.

If you love stories that have mood, depth, and a romance that simmers just below the surface this one is definitely worth a read. It was exactly the kind of book I needed right now.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Ok, here’s the thing, I love gothic books and I’ve loved several of this authors Ya romances so I decided to give this a shot. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t really care for the historical aspect and that just really made it hard for me to connect with the story and the characters.

3.5 stars. Thank you so much Simon Teen for the e-arc of this book!

I want to first talk about the strengths of this book. I think the book started off really interesting and strong. I love the gothic tones and setting in the book. The architecture of the house was amazing and I’d love to see art of it. The premise and mystery of the house and the basement was really interesting.

I thought the medical topics were cool because I work in the medical field. I always love reading about healthcare in the 1800s including all the remedies.

The thing that I think could’ve made the book better was more research into how people spoke back then. The dialogue was too modern and pulled me out of the story. I also think that the characters could’ve been a little more mysterious so you aren’t sure who to trust.

Overall I think the idea was good- there were just things here and there that could have been improved on. The book is appropriately labeled a YA romantasy. I do look forward to seeing more gothic romantasies on the market!

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read.

I chased after this book because the cover had me thinking it had something to do with masked character (it doesn't). To be quite honest, I have no idea what the cover has to do with the story I read. But hey, it sucked me into reading it.

Unfortunately this book suffers from a lack of staying true to the time period and a plot that meanders and doesn't quite make sense in the details.

It takes place in the late 1800's but he dialogue and the things the female says at times is absolutely ... not quite from that time period. I get that we're reading a YA book that has fantasy elements, but it still takes place in the U.S. , and with characters that come from Europe as well. I expect some conformity to the times.

As for the fantasy elements, the author decides to grab versions of 'death' throughout the world and give them a spot in this story. The reason that the female lead can see ghosts / dead is not really gleamed, and if there is a sequel to this (since the ending screams it) then we might get some explanation. Otherwise, her affinity for doing so is confusing and basically is used as a tool to hook the Death prince and her up.

The plot revolves around her being a live in maid for a man who is acting absolutely nutty after the death of his sister, and is dying of an incurable illness. Meanwhile, secrets abound in this creepy half closed off manor, and the Death prince in the basement make her suspicious of her being there.

There is gothic theme to the story and I guess that's where the two stars come from. I like gothic stories, and true to form, gothic stories should no quite have a clear idea of who to trust and where the story is going... However, I did not expect that to be the case quite literally.

All in all, a lemon of a book - pretty cover but story ain't much to write about, and if it gets a sequel I have no idea what is in store.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC.

I love gothic horror romance. I love the haunting atmosphere, the dark, creepy manor filled with secrets, and the brooding and eccentric owner. This captivating atmosphere draws readers into the story and keeps them glued to the page until nearly the end. However, ever since I started reading gothic romantic horror, the female lead always tends to be nosy, refuses to listen to warnings, and ends up getting herself into trouble. Molly isn't any different from the typical gothic romantic heroine. She has come to the manor to help the manor's owner, who is suffering from tuberculosis. He needs a nurse to care for him, and Molly reluctantly takes up the role. She's been told to stay away from places such as the underground graveyard, but like all nosy gothic horror heroines, she does the complete opposite, and this is where she meets Nin.

I'm really on the fence about Molly because her character annoyed me. I loved the story because it was unique and interesting, especially Nin himself, but Molly just felt the same typical blueprint of the gothic romance female.

This was everything that I was looking for and was invested in the Gothic atmosphere of this fantasy romance, I was invested hooked from the first page and enjoyed getting into this world. I enjoyed getting to figure out what was happening and how the characters were used in this storyline. I cared about what happened with Molly and Nin, they worked so well in this universe and enjoyed the Gothic atmosphere that I wanted. Jenn Bennett was able to weave a strong tale and enjoyed the overall feel of this.

Gothic romantasy, sign me up. Overall, solid book. I haven’t read this author before but was excited because gothic anything is my cup of tea. This book has such an interesting premise but I didn’t feel it delivered on all of it. I do think if you love romantasy and anything gothic this could be enjoyable for you.

Thank you Simon teen for the earc.

This book is pretty amazing. Molly is curious, driven, and stubborn. She also sees ghosts. The Groom ghost she saw as a child happens to be trapped in the base of the house she finds herself in as an adult..
The time period and the link to the occult gave it a link to history that sounded like something that was happening at that time, with the popularity of occult things at that time. I'm not familiar with any related Dutch links to mythology, but I could see the obvious Egyptian mythology heavy links with the obelisks and the basement content...
The gothic-y rich setting plus the mystery was top-notch. The romance didn't feel rushed or forced. I like that she was described as plain, not anything extraordinary outside of her ghost-seeing ability, and that he was ancient and young at the same time. I really enjoyed the story! I liked discovering a new author to me and will have to keep my eye out for the next edition.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book early for review 💗! keep being an amazing author!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I requested this book because I've read another book by Jenn Bennet, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, and I quite liked it. I was curious to see how she would write YA dark fantasy since the previous book I had read was a light-hearted contemporary YA novel.

I was quite surprised to see that it takes place in the 1870s as I went in expecting a book set in modern-times and I wish the blurb said that. I'm really not a historical fiction fan except for specific cases. I did like how the book addressed the sexism of those times and how the main character was extremely determined and goal-oriented. However, I did feel that the historical setting was very much present and emphasized in this book which I wasn't a big fan of.

I also felt that the Nin wasn't very well-explained. It was mentioned very early that Molly can see ghosts and that she had previously seen Nin as a child but that was never really elaborated on. The mythology of this book was unique but is clearly inspired by many different mythologies. However, I wish the world-building and mythology was elaborated on more. The magic did not feel very well-explained to me either. Overall, it was an interesting book but I didn't like the setting of it.

I've been a long-time fan of Bennett's contemporaries, so when I saw she was taking a shot at a gothic romantasy, I was in! Belladonna meets A Study in Drowning, with lush prose, curses, and haunted mansions.

My interest was immediately piqued at the first page of this book, introducing us to protagonist Molly, a young nurse in training, who can see and communicate with ghosts. Her journey through becoming local millionaire Charles Voss' private nurse and discovering the mysteries behind his upstate New York manor is riveting and spooky in all the best ways. And her clandestine and inexplicable meetings with the titular Prince of Mourning, Nin, as she discovers that everything is not as it seems add a semi-horror aspect that kept me curious and excited to read on. As the story progressed, last minute additions to the lore and mythology of the magic system felt starkly out of place, and the conflict that arose at the very end seemed to start and end very suddenly. I wish that Molly herself had more agency in her own story and journey, but from what I can tell, we're being set up for a sequel that will explore her character arc and her clairvoyance and what it means to the overarching universe more. I was also taken out of the story due to a few anachronisms that yanked me out of the setting pretty severely. But all-in-all, this was a fun and romantic fantasy that I enjoyed immensely!

The Prince of Mourning delivered a lush, gothic romantasy with atmosphere to spare and chemistry that burned just beneath the surface. Set in a misty Hudson Valley mansion that felt like it had secrets hidden in every shadow, this story followed Molly O’Rinn, a young nurse thrust into a world far stranger—and more seductive—than she expected.
Molly’s grounded, practical voice made her a compelling narrator as she uncovered the truth about her mysterious patient…and the other, very unhuman prisoner hidden away in the estate. Nin, the otherworldly prince locked behind magical wards, was the perfect blend of eerie, vulnerable, and dangerously magnetic. Their slow, forbidden connection smoldered with tension, building a romance that felt both fated and fraught.
The gothic undertones were perfectly eerie, and the author handled the creepier elements of occult magic, imprisonment, and mythical bloodlines with a cinematic flair. While a few plot threads leaned heavily into the dramatic (and could’ve used a little more breathing room), the suspense and emotional stakes kept the pages turning.
With its haunting setting, morally murky magic, and slow-burn star-crossed romance, The Prince of Mourning was a swoony, shadowy delight. Perfect for fans of gothic yearning and otherworldly lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!