Don’t judge a book by its cover! Normally, I would have completely skipped over this one, but thanks to a recommendation from someone I follow, I decided to give it a shot—and I’m so glad I did.

Going into Fairydale, I was a little intimidated. Some of the reviews mentioned that it takes a bit to really get into the story, and I’d have to agree. There were moments where I felt like we were left in the dark a little longer than necessary, but sticking with it was absolutely worth it. The story unfolded beautifully, and I ended up really enjoying it.

And let’s talk about Darcy! I absolutely loved their character—whether it was their growth, personality, or the way they fit into the story, Darcy was a definite highlight for me. They added so much to the book, making it even more engaging.

One of the things that truly kept me hooked was Amon. At times, I wasn’t sure if he was the hero or the villain, and that mystery had me unable to put the book down. The way his character was written kept me on edge in the best way possible, making the story even more thrilling.

Another standout aspect was the epilogue. I love when an author gives us that extra glimpse into the characters’ lives, and this one delivered. It added so much depth and closure, making the journey feel even more satisfying.

Overall, Fairydale was a great read, and I’m glad I took the chance on it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Fairydale in exchange for my honest review.
Fairydale is an atmospheric, gothic romance that sinks its claws into you from the first page. Veronica Lancet weaves a story full of haunting small-town mysteries, sinister family secrets, and an intoxicating blend of horror and sensuality. The setting in 1955 coastal New England gives this book a classic, eerie charm, and the town of Fairydale is practically a character itself. Darcy O’Sullivan is a relatable and compelling heroine, drawn into a world she barely understands while torn between two very different men. Caleb Hale is all brooding danger while Amon d'Artan, whose presence blurs the line between dream and reality, adds an otherworldly, tragic depth to the romance. This is not a typical love triangle. It is a sweeping, otherworldly connection that spans centuries and defies conventional tropes.
The tension builds slowly but rewards patient readers with dark twists, sensual moments, and high emotional stakes. If you enjoy gothic romance with a paranormal edge and morally grey love interests who would burn the world down for love, Fairydale will keep you hooked. It is haunting, lush, and just the right amount of unsettling.

Thank you@netgalley @atriabooks for the chance to read Fairydale by Veronica Lancet. This dark fantasy is myriad of romance sub genres like dark romance, gothic romance and paranormal romance but reads more like an epic fantasy than a short romance novel. I loved the world building and the story that takes place in the back. The big twists I did predict really early on . There is a bit of historical fiction in here as well which I did enjoy but in some parts does seem to drag on. I absolutely loved the FMC likening herself to Jane Austen characters and the use of Northanger Abbey. Overall I really enjoyed the book

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of Fairydale in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, what a time this book was! I truly went in having no idea what this book was about. As I kept progressing in the book, I THOUGHT I knew where the book was heading, but alas, I was STILL wrong!

What I loved about this book: First, was how it blended a bunch of genres together, which I thought was super unique — mystery, historical fiction, fantasy, sci fi, romance. I also really liked how the book always kept me wondering what the heck was going on! I also absolutely adored the relationship between the two main characters, it was very sweet.

However, by the last 25-30% of the book, I will admit, I felt a little burnt out reading it. It is quite long, and certain scenes and interactions could have been edited down more to keep the story progressing at a better pace. Shorter chapters could have helped with that, too. Also, for as long as the book was—the ending felt a bit rushed! I would have loved more of the book once we found out what was actually going on.

My mind is completely blown! What a remarkable love story, with a strong emphasis on paranormal and Gothic elements. I enjoyed the character development and writing style. It was a long read, but I enjoyed it overall!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

This was a dark gothic historical romance with a little bit of horror, paranormal, and fantasy mixed in. Darcy is summoned to Fairydale after the passing of her biological father, and from then on, the madness unfolds as secrets and histories are slowly revealed. There was a lot of tension between Darcy and the two MMCs, Amon and Caleb—both unhinged and possessive. But I just have to say, Amon d'Artan—the man that you are...truly the most loyal and "if he wanted to, he would" fictional character I've ever read.

Not gonna lie, this book felt like it had the longest chapters I've ever read, so I took a lot of breaks. The plot twists had plot twists—although some were guessable. It also took a little bit of time for me to get used to the different timelines and remembering which characters were from which timeline. I can't say much without any spoilers, but be prepared to be as confused and as accepting as Darcy (she didn't question much or push her questions hard enough).

Fairydale is so captivating and such an amazing story! I found it easy to get into but it took me longer than usual to read because you have to pay attention to details! You can’t skim read this book, if I found myself not paying attention properly I just stopped reading as I didn’t want to miss anything!

Not everything is as it seems in fairydale, I really enjoyed seeing all 3 lives of darcy and her finding things out through her dreams. Amon is a crafty sexy romantic man and he is written so well, I really felt so sorry for him for everything he went through. The smut in this book is fantastic especially towards the end of the book!

I liked this so much more than I had anticipated!

Fairydale begins as a Gothic suspenseful story following Darcy who makes her way to the small mysterious town of Fairydale to claim an inheritance. It slowly rolls out into a purposefully confusing romance story. Then it gets even more unbelievable from there. Despite the length, I was able to stay pretty entertained the entire time even though there wasn't a lot happening. Truth be told, it was likely because something about the randomness of the events and Darcy's narration read almost like parody of a Gothic book and I loved that. By the halfway point, I found I was actually liking the plot and was invested in the end.

The twist, to be honest, was very hyped up by other reviewers and the author herself in the author's note in the front of the book. Not to hype myself up (but the author hyped herself up about the twist so actually why can't I do the same) but this ain't my first rodeo with a twist similar to this. Because of that I did slightly predict it but this book did take it a step further and REALLLLLLY explain it (it took about three 50 minute long chapters on my Kindle to explain this reveal) I don't think it was fully worth the hype but I definitely didn't hate it.

Now the reason I can't give this a higher rating is: plot holes/inconsistencies and the writing style. This is going to sound harsh so I apologize in advance but this book had a pretty complex plot but I don't feel like the author came with the skillset to do it justice. It had so much potential and needed better execution. But the ideas were definitely there!

All in all, I do recommend to anyone who knows they can do a super slow gothic romance (ie Keri Lakes books) but maybe don't have high expectations for the writing. Please read the trigger warnings in the book. There is a graphic SA scene and also the smut has so very unpopular kinks.

Thank you to Atria books for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this expecting something really different, and I'm personally a hater of the cis straight romantasy language of "the female"/"the male" as well as toxic fantasy love interests that are "alpha-males" and behave abusively to the main character and are romanticized for it. This was not for me, which is unfortunate because the premise sounded fun.

This book had me with gothic vibes and slight horror like elements, but stayed for the twist turns and overall story that sucked me in. I'm newer to this author, but i have to many of her books on my tbr. After this book ill definitely be going through her back log.

I don't want to say to much, just go in blind and trust the process.

Wow 🤩 I love gothic fantasy romances and this is definitely there on the top of this genre. Ever since I started reading it, I couldn’t move from my seat because I was HOOKED!! The story unfolds in a way that always keeps you wanting more.

You will love this if you love:

🖤 Gothic Fantasy
🖤 Small Town
🖤 Addictive plot

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Veronica Lancet for the Advanced Reader copy of Fairydale.

Darcy + Amon

-gothic historical pnr
-fated mates
-touch her & die
-slow burn
-mystery

I have never read anything like this in my entire life. This is such a unique story and I was actually pretty blown away with how intricate the plot was.
I will say it felt a bit overly long, it is well over 800 pages long, but I did enjoy it so so much. There was so much going on in the plot and at first you will be super confused and lost, but as everything unfolds you will be just amazed!
This does have a bit of a slow burn, but it was done so well and I was SHOOK over the spice when it did hit!
The MMC in this is definitely a new top favorite of mine!
I think this was really a special and unique read. I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC of Fairydale! I am so conflicted about this book because I love the idea of it and I truly enjoyed reading it, but spent so much of the time frustrated by the length and the insane number of characters and plot twists. If you are someone who likes to have the world building complete early in a book, this is not the one for you. Also, the trigger warnings are VERY important for this book. They are not minor references, but major parts of the story.

Loved
- Seeing the plot come together through the flashbacks and Darcy evolving as she learned more about her past
- The magic system built into the book was incredibly unique
- Mr Meow
- The spice was extra spicy once it finally hit
- The morally grey MMC being genuinely morally grey instead of just misunderstood
- I loved the entire section on Ancient Rome and the references to ancient Egypt
- Amon’s devotion to Sela across time

Meh
- There were so many characters that it was honestly overwhelming. And so many of them seemed to drive the plot for 30 pages before disappearing forever which was really frustrating in such a long book
- So many things were excused by “magic” like Caleb’s body being found when so many people had seen him out and about with Darcy
- The butterfly thing just was such a random plot point

Disliked
- While I do greatly appreciate the trigger warnings (and boy should they be closely reviewed before reading this) it felt like a lot of the gruesome murders and rape served no purpose to the plot
- Similar to the above point, this book was so so long and I feel like it could have been improved by just removing 50% of the characters and 75% of the super pointless rape and murder

Overall I love the world and magical systems the author created, but my god was it a journey to get there

To the publisher and NetGalley,

Fairydale was not merely a story; it was an invocation. A dark gothic hymn to pain, transformation, and fierce love, whispered across shadowed worlds and stitched together with aching beauty.

From the very first page, I was enraptured. Veronica Lancet’s prose is a velvet dagger, elegant, deadly, and unforgettable. The atmosphere was rich and dusky, steeped in mystery and sorrow. The first half unfolded like a diary of a haunted soul, and I adored it for that. The slow burn of daily moments was necessary, like dusk before midnight. The layering of myth, memory, and magic made the crescendo in the latter half hit like thunder on stained glass.

Darcy Sela was a marvel to witness. Her evolution was not just character growth; it was metamorphosis. Like a cocooned creature peeling itself open, she bloomed across realms, through pain and memory. Her becoming was tender and violent, quiet and thunderous. I saw myself in her ache, her longing, her quiet strength. Through Sela’s eyes, even trauma felt sacred, like holy wounds carved by fate’s hand.

Amon d’Artan… What gothic dream conjured him, a protector carved from shadows, monstrous to his enemies and achingly human to the one he loves. His restraint, his reverence, his ache, it all made him completely and utterly unforgettable. He gave Sela space to rediscover herself, to rise without force or tether, which sent chills down my spine. A monster by form, perhaps, but in soul, he was a cathedral of mercy. That he thought he failed her… broke me because, in truth, he was her salvation.

The sensuality in Fairydale was not merely erotic; it was alchemy. Lust forged in devotion, darkness stitched with tenderness. The intimacy was profound and primal, written not for shock but for connection. I had never read monster smut before, but now let’s say Veronica has opened a crypt I did not know I longed for lol.

And beneath it all, the grief. The raw bone-deep ache of loss, of yearning for life that never came. As someone who has carried the weight of miscarriages, I felt seen in a way I didn’t expect. Veronica captured that sorrow, its silence, its self-blame, its cruel finality, with reverence and accuracy. It wasn’t just a subplot. It was truth. I cried with Sela. I remembered my own ghosts. And through it, I felt a strange healing.

The interplay of good and evil was artfully unsteady as it should be. Fairydale doesn’t present a world of absolutes but of murky choices, of tarnished saints and noble monsters. Even within a single POV, I felt the presence of other lives, other truths. Sela’s openness, her refusal to destroy what she didn’t understand, struck me deeply. The world felt full, and it breathed with complexity.

To the publisher, to NetGalley, to Veronica Lancet, thank you. Thank you for the gift of this world, this story, this catharsis. Fairydale did not just entertain me. It changed something within me. It stirred shadows I thought long asleep and reminded me that even in the dark, there is beauty. Even in pain, there can be power. And even monsters can bring light.

With haunted gratitude,
Taylor Jones

Addictive. This book is incredibly addictive and I am obsessed. Throughout the pages I became enamored with the characters, the love, and the storyline. We follow Darcy in Fairydale and in her dreams. This story spans across multiple timelines and lives. This book is best when you go in knowing nothing, so I won’t mention anymore. There were so many twists and turns and I was never not shocked. This kept me hooked from beginning to end and the extra epilogue was everything I never knew I needed. I recommend this epic romance to anyone and everyone! Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is great, the execution sadly is not. Waaay too much happens in this book, we go from creepy town with supernatural elements to historical drama with supernatural elements to fantasy world with different creatures, we have reincarnation, a lot of oral, mind reading and monster smut (this is all in varying parts) and dont get me wrong I like all of these things but the way they were mixed in this book just did not work for me
The romance makes little sense aside from *mates* and then they just bang and he says she is his all the time, his nicknames for her btw are not always consistent
There is an additional epilogue and man again there was great potential here, could have been a novella at least and we get a few pages and thats it. Very disappointing
I was partially entertained but read at your own risk

Thanks to netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book.

Wow! This book was unlike anything I have ever read. The story was intentionally confusing that was littered with slow reveals. But the payoff?? Totally worth it. Do not let the uniqueness deter you!!

This started off sooo strong. 1950s Massachusetts, a mysterious town called Fairydale, an orphaned FMC returning to claim an inheritance, creepy spooky Gothic vibes, a slightly unhinged love interest, witchcraft/demons and the like. I felt like I was watching a movie and I was LOVING it.

The threads of past lives/reincarnation started coming in and I was still loving it. But due to the length, nature and structure of this book, it absolutely lost steam and began to feel disjointed and like a chore to get through 45 minute chapters. Please why did this feel like it went through NO editing whatsoever. I truly think this could have been an amazing Duology. There was literally no need to cram this into an 800 page singular book.

The foreshadowing was extremely heavy-handed. I don't always care when plot twists are easy to guess but when *mystery* feels central to the plot, I want to actually enjoy that mystery. And for me to notice plot holes, that means they were glaringly obvious.

There is such a thing as doing TOO much and this book did way too much, not in a good way. Yes this is fiction but because the author kept throwing elements in, it became so outlandish it was difficult to want to continue. This was not a "complex narrative" as the author's note implies (which felt a bit pretentious), it is convoluted.

I'm sad that this started out as a potential 4-5 star read and just continually devolved into the most disappointing and frustrating read. Anyways, thanks to Atria for the eARC, sorry this didn't work out for me.

This novel blew me away. I love a gothic tale of love versus evil and man does this deliver. Aloysia is a protagonist that I felt myself caring for quickly. The two MMC love interests were each wholly unique and I loved them both. The gothic atmosphere and vibes were woven in so seamlessly that it was its own character. The writing was evocative and I loved the descriptive prose. I will come back to this world again and again.

Fairydale is a gothic and mysterious novel following Darcy O'Sullivan, an orphan who became a teacher, as she receives news that her biological father has passed away, left her an inheritance, and that she must go to his hometown of Fairydale for the reading of the will to claim what was left to her. My only complaints about the book are the pacing and length. It felt as though the first half of the book was being dragged out; it's hard to tell how much time has passed between the beginning, when Darcy first learns about her father's passing, and the end, her happy ever after. The lengths of some of these chapters take multiple hours to get through, which, for someone who doesn't like to stop reading in the middle of a chapter, makes it daunting. Going through this book felt like getting whiplash from the constant questioning whether or not what Darcy is seeing or experiencing is real and who she can truly trust, and honestly, that was one of the things I loved about this book, the mystery and thrill of it all. I love the concept of having been reincarnated multiple times, trying to get that happy ending with your mate, and how much detail we get from each life. Overall, this book was an amazing experience. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.