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Fairydale
by Veronica Lancet
Pub Date: Aug 19, 2025

Love that transcends time? Yes please! The devotion & pining between characters…🤌🏼. If I had to pick my favorite couple it would be Sela & Amon, their love story was tragic yet beautiful, I wanted more. Amon is the most devoted MC, like ever. I love that the characters are truly morally gray, strong & they save each other.

However, I did find myself bouncing back & forth between loving this story & wanting to DNF. It was excessively wordy & repetitive at times, I feel like it could have been edited down so we could have focused on more interesting bits. There was so much packed into this story that I wish it had been a series, give me all the craziness. I also really struggled with the pacing, sometimes the story just dragged in moments that I wanted to move on & then rushed in moments I wanted to know more about. Keep in mind that is my personal preference though.

That said, I know that this is a story that is going to stick with me for a while. This is probably a story I need to reread to see if I enjoy more or dislikIf there is one thing about me, I love a strange book & I feel like this probably fits that category.
🤞🏼Hoping for a sequel.

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Fairydale is a wild ride, and honestly, it’s not going to be for everyone. The pacing is slow at first. It takes its time with the setup and throws a lot at you in the beginning world building, timelines, bits of lore that don’t always feel necessary right away. It was hard to get through the first half. I almost put it down a couple times, but once I hit around the 60% mark, it really picked up and I got into it. By then, I needed to know what happened.

The writing style is kind of hit or miss. Some of the prose is really moody and atmospheric in a way that works for the genre, but there were also moments where it felt overly dramatic or repetitive. The tone tries to stay dark and gothic, which I liked, but sometimes the modern sounding dialogue or weird nickname use pulled me out of the story. I also noticed a few typos and clunky sentences that made it feel unpolished in places.

Character wise, I had mixed feelings. Darcy started off relatable but became kind of frustrating to follow. For someone in her position, she didn’t always act like it. The two male leads, Caleb and Amon, were intense, possessive, and honestly pretty toxic at times. There were serious power dynamics that made me uncomfortable. I wouldn’t call the relationships romantic it felt more like obsession and control. That won’t work for every reader, especially with how normalized it was in the story. It can be great if done right though, but certain things rubbed me the wrong way because of my own personal experiences.

The reincarnation and flashback parts were probably my favorite. Those timelines actually gave me something to hold onto emotionally. The past life story with Amon and Sela was way more compelling than the present day one. It had weight and mystery, and I think if the book focused more on that angle, it would’ve landed stronger.

The overall vibe of the book is dark, sensual, and kind of emotionally exhausting. There’s this heavy, gothic energy that lingers while you’re reading it, and if you like books that make you feel slightly offcenter or trapped in a dream, it nails that. But it also comes with a lot of dark content trauma, manipulation, emotional instability and it doesn’t really let up. I wouldn’t go into this expecting a love story in the traditional sense. It’s more like a psychological descent with supernatural edges.

I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5. There’s something captivating about it once you get through the sloggy parts, but it’s a commitment. The story is long, messy, and emotionally heavy. It worked for me in some ways and really didn’t in others. If you’re into slow burn gothic romance with reincarnation, toxic men, and cursed towns, you might like it but be ready for the emotional toll it takes to get to the end.

This is absolutely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of book - there’s not much middle ground. It’s deliberately disorienting, seductive, and unapologetically strange, but the payoff? So worth it! Easily the most haunting, intoxicating, and wildly unique gothic romance I’ve ever read. Pure magic. 🖤

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7545077406

DNF'ed at 37%. The girls I'm buddy reading with finally convinced me I needed to DNF. This was a trainwreck. No pun intended considering one of the first scenes is her getting off a train and her luggage being stolen. The writing and plot were chaotic. It is so long. The traumatic things aren't traumatic because of the writing and plot being so chaotic.

This story is truly a journey. Darcy inherits a house and a fortune from a father she just finds out exists. She goes to the town a Fairydale to meet with her new found family only to discover the town and it's inhabitants have a strange history. Among that history is a tale of a demon who has been captured and caged by a coven of witches. You travel through different times and worlds to discover the truth of who and what Darcy really is and how she is intimately connected to the most powerful demon they have ever seen. It is definitely a hefty book but it worth every single word on the page! If you enjoy a story with a rich, deep, soul binding love, paranormal aspects, and a mystery to figure out this one is definitely for you. Highly recommend!

The description of this book sounds good. The execution of it however? Not to my taste at all. This is dark and honestly disturbing at a lot of points. It might be for other people, but I would definitely recommend reading more reviews because I definitely should have looked at the negative reviews to avoid this.

Quick Summary:
⟢ Too long (almost 800 pages of this wtf)
⟢ Violent and gaslighting mmcs that are painfully cringe, jealous, and controlling
⟢ Incredibly naive and annoying fmc. She’s scared of the love interest but also feels a connection. Like RUN GIRL HE IS A WALKING RED FLAG AND YOU FEEL PUT IN DANGER
⟢ Annoying as fuck pet names that repeat and ungodly amount of times

There were very few redeeming moments in this story, and I struggled like crazy to not DNF this. The characters are so annoying and act incredibly young. Darcy is a teacher, yet she acts like a high school girl. Caleb and Amon are crazy controlling and downright cringy to read. Caleb using the pet name “Darlin’ Darcy” icked me out on so many levels, and I genuinely thought he deserved jail for how he treated and gaslighted Darcy. He hurt her and then made her think she was crazy when she woke up with no wounds or evidence that anything happened. How could someone do that and claim to love her?

Amon is no better and is a crazy jealous, overprotective cringe man. And Darcy gets uncomfortable!! But she stays with him and Caleb?? Is disturbed and fears for her safety but then is like nah there’s a connection there. BE SO FOR REAL.

The plot felt all over the place, and the book had no business being nearly 700 pages long. The pacing was off, and it dragged at so many points. The writing didn’t do the story any help either, with stupid lines like “lost in each other’s gazes and the timelessness of time.” Timelessness of time???? Honestly summarizes how this book read ngl. Just no.

The idea of past lives is somewhat interesting ngl, and that is perhaps the one redeeming aspect of the story. I still despised this book though, don’t get it twisted. I could escape Darcy’s annoying POV and jump into slightly less annoying chapters. Full of the same people, though different timelines and lives lived. It was confusing in the beginning seeing where the story would go, though by the end I had predicted several of the plot twists.

Dark Gothic Historical Fantasy Romance | Boston, 1955

This gothic tale plunges you into the haunted shadows of a town named Fairydale. In Fairydale nothing is what it seems - not the house, not the men, and definitely not the cat.

Let’s recap: When Darcy receives a mysterious letter and $1,000 demanding her presence at the reading of her estranged father’s will, she finds herself pulled into a decaying estate in 1955 Boston. Throw in a funeral that goes disturbingly sideways. A love triangle that’s more twisted than expected. And enough steamy encounters to fog your windows. This story intertwines dual timelines, paranormal twists, and betrayal.

Honorable Mentions: Fairydale’s Most Eligible Nightmares:

👻 Caleb Hale – Broody with a capital B. Stares like he’s reading your soul, and gives strong “I’ve died before, it’s fine” energy.

🔥 Amon d’Artan – Jealous? Yes. Morally ambiguous? Always. Dangerous? Undoubtedly. He would most definitely burn the world down for you.

🐾 Mr. Meow – Majestic. Furry. Mysterious. Mildly murderous. Will appear out of nowhere when needed, and reluctantly eat a rat or two just to keep you happy. Honestly, a king.

This book was a rollercoaster. The love story was beautifully written. The yearning, the angst, the desperation was all there. Towards the end of the book, the spice got spicy. The paranormal aspects of the book were interesting and unique and the high fantasy elements were entwined with political intrigue in a way that had me wishing for more. However, this book was SO multi-faceted that it would have read better as a trilogy. Because there was so much packed into 600 pages, the plot line felt rushed and chaotic and it truly did a disservice to the otherwise beautiful, dark, twisted story that is Fairydale.

🌙🖤 FAIRYDALE 🖤🌙
by Veronica Lancet
📖 Pub Date: 8/19/25 | Atria Books

✨ “Where you go, I go. If you exist, so do I. And if you don’t…nor do I.” ✨

This book ruined me in the most exquisite way.

A gothic, intoxicating love story that spans lifetimes, timelines, and dimensions. Fairydale is obsession in book form. Dark, decadent, and dripping with longing, this story tangled me up in its web and refused to let go.

⚰️ What to expect:
🏚️ a creepy, coastal town full of secrets
💀 gothic horror + paranormal intrigue
🌒 morally grey men (plural)
📜 three timelines, one forbidden inheritance, and a heroine caught in the crossfire
🩸 “I will find you in every lifetime” vibes
🔥 deliciously dark, poetic spice that will leave you breathless

This is not a book you read, it’s a book you descend into. Fair warning: it’s haunting, it’s heartbreaking, and it will make you question everything.

💬 “I might be evil personified, but you’re the only one I’ll ever be good to.”

I cannot get over Amon d’Artan. Victorian-era, morally grey, obsessive, and poetic in a way that had me clutching my chest and screaming into the void. 🥀 Caleb Hale? Dark and dangerous in all the best ways. And Darcy? A heroine who feels so real, stubborn, sensual, and strong even as the world crumbles around her.

💥 Fairydale isn’t for the faint of heart, but if it’s for you, it will consume you whole.

📌 QOTD: Do you like your gothic romances to feel like a fever dream or do you prefer slow and subtle chills?

#Fairydale #VeronicaLancet #DarkGothicRomance #ParanormalRomance #FairydaleBook #MorallyGreyMMC #HauntingLoveStory #MultiTimelineRomance #PossessiveLove #IWillFindYouInEveryLifetime #Bookstagram #SpicyGothicReads

This book was so good I didn’t want to put it down. There is so much going on in the book that a was confused for most of it but it is so intriguing that you just keep going

At no point did I know where this story was going next—and I loved that.

When I first picked up Fairydale, I read the author’s note warning me about the tangled timelines, slow burn, and layers of intentional misdirection... and immediately noped out. But when I came back to it? It was exactly what I needed.

This is not a book you skim. This is a book that dares you to lose yourself in the fog, to sink in with Darcy and trust that eventually, the path will clear. It’s long. It’s lush. It’s deliberately disorienting. But it rewards your attention—and once it clicks into place? It’s magic.

Three timelines. Past lives. A cursed coastal town. Ancient evil. Power. Lies. And at the center of it all: one very human, very overwhelmed woman trying to make sense of who she is in a place that’s basically designed to destroy her.

I loved how tightly the narrative was woven and how we learned everything with Darcy. No info dumps, no convenient exposition, just vibes, suspicion, and the constant feeling that something was just out of reach. Veronica Lancet drops clues like breadcrumbs, but she’s also absolutely going to shove you off the trail just to see if you’re paying attention.

And then there’s the romance. The yearning. Caleb is sharp edges and danger, a walking storm. Amon is a ghost wrapped in velvet, all charm and tragedy. Both are magnetic. Both are hiding something. And Darcy is caught in the pull of both past and present, trying to hold on to herself as everything unravels around her.

If you want something fast, easy, or casual—this isn’t it. But if you love gothic mystery, morally questionable love interests, and plots so layered you feel like you need a red string board to keep up? Fairydale will absolutely devour you.

Fairydale is an immersive and emotionally charged gothic romance—with lyrical prose, complex supernatural mystery, and a love story that traverses timelines. If you’re willing to invest the time and navigate early structural confusion, the payoff can be breathtaking.

But if you prefer fast-paced plots, tight editing, and consistent characterization—this may not be your cup of tea.

I am torn with rating this book. It started off great I was truly so intrigued I had never read a book quite like this before! I loved the atmosphere and the mystery aspect. I loved both love interests. It felt like reading a fever dream in the best way. But sadly it started to lose me a bit towards the end. I feel like this book could have been 200 pages shorter and that would have significantly helped. It was a bit of a slow burn but when we did get to the spice it was great. I did enjoy the flashbacks at first but they started to be a bit much and felt like we needed to work so hard just to get a tiny piece of the puzzle. Overall I would recommend to the right person.

For this book, I did not realize the vast trigger warnings that were contained in this book. I found it a bit odd that the narrator was so naive and was only used mainly for lust, and the book was so long that I felt it dragged on for a very long time, and it wasn’t what I was hoping for from a very good premise and such. It gives me an uncomfortable feeling from being pinned and wanted by male characters that are so domineering, and it does not give me the great female empowerment that was specifically made at the point of “making the ultimate choice.”

I will give props in some aspects of the writing of the atmosphere that deals with the supposed gothic theme of the book, but other than that, I did not enjoy this book that I thought I would. And somehow this book is on NetGalley as an ARC, when it was published in 2022 on Kindle Unlimited? I was so confused about that.

But thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To be honest, I had a hard time rating this book. I feel like I read three separate books that, honestly, did not flow well together. Some parts of the book I really enjoyed, but there were a handful of times that I was tempted to DNF it.

The plot was interesting and some twists were cleverly laid out, but the world building felt incomplete and fumbled for me. Overall, I think that my largest issue with the book was the writing style. I had high expectations after reading whatever you want to call that Author’s Note; but the novel was neither complex nor insightful, as promised. It was just unnecessarily long, monotonous for large sections and dialogue-heavy.

The book could have easily been 200 pages shorter and should have been further edited. It was like wading through 150 pages of fluff at a time to get to one chapter that was necessary to the plot and character development. The tone of the writing is inconsistent and uses phrases that weren’t around during any of the three time periods. It’s also very repetitive and filled with grammatical errors.

If you’re a reader who prefers a heavy inner monologue from the narrator instead of inferring your own opinions, then I think you’d love this book. I rated it three stars because, though it had its issues (in my opinion), the plot was solid.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this way more than I was anticipating. The mix of gothic, horror, paranormal, historical and romance was INSANE. At its core this is a romance book and I don’t think I have ever felt so deeply in the romance like I have this one. I won’t lie this book was hard to know what the hell was going on but honestly the audio saved me. I don’t think this book will leave my mind for quite a while.

I was ready for this to be a long journey of a book after what was noted in the preface. I gave it many chances, but it came to a point where the plot was barely moving forward. The multiple timeline flashbacks offer a crumb of relevant information while lasting entire long chapters. This was especially hard when I was not rooting for either of the love interests. When the characters started having intimate scenes, it all became gratuitous.

Another aspect that bothered me was how the seemingly obvious mystery was not being solved. Darcy is clever and intuitive but is blatantly missing what is in front of her face! There is so much evidence that she is ignoring. I can't say specifics without spoiling, but it was getting hard to read about.

I believe this book could be better if it was shorter or had more focus on mystery solving. I love romance in books, but it came to a point where the plot was being lost. I do want to know how it ends, but not enough to continue past the halfway point. There is the right reader for this book out there, but it's not me.

Unfortunate DNF for me. The main romantic relationship was a bit too out of my comfort zone and I did not feel comfortable continuing. I do believe lovers of darker romance would enjoy much more than I did but the red flags of the MMC caused this not to work for me past 20% or so! Interesting premise and very unique but just not something I could continue with especially with how long the book is!

I can't decide if I loved or hated this book - I have such mixed feelings. It started really slow, then slowly progressed to being one of the most insane, intriguing and weird things I've read in a very long time. I LOVED the first 40-50% or so, it was intriguing and exciting, super suspenseful, it felt a lot darker than I thought it would go, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. At some points it was a 5-star read and then at other points it was a 2-star.

I don't even know where to begin when talking about it. So much happened, but at the same time nothing happened. I felt like the ending felt rushed and like a completely different book – which is odd seeing as though it was a 700+ pages. The main conflict of the book was literally solved in the last 5-10% of the book and that felt too easy. However, to the author’s credit, every time I thought I knew something, she switched up and took it in a different direction.

This book could’ve been 200 pages shorter and I’m so sad because the beginning I was honestly thinking this book is 10/10 and I was obsessed… I had a great time reading it, but I do think this could’ve been shorter or at least split up into a duology or a series.

If this was AO3 it would absolutely have the 'dead dove do not eat' tag.

I wouldn't consider myself easily triggered, but when the MMC rapes the FMC then doesn't acknowledge it and gaslights her into thinking it didn't happen, that's a no for me.

DNF at 20%