The book was a breath of fresh air for a Romantasy lover. I really enjoyed it! It reminded me of The Knight and the Moth in its premise and Gothic aesthetic.

The characters are well developed, and the writing is evocative of their desperation and loneliness. I liked both characters but I also understood why they didn’t like each other to begin with. Their relationship develops at a natural feeling pace. For folks who like yearning, this delivers.

I was a bit confused by the magic at certain parts but it still worked for me, and I loved that it was a standalone with a complete story arc. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much Kalie Reid, Net Galley, and Little, Brown and Company for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

En un mundo donde los santos existen, las oraciones se contestan y el arte es un canal sagrado entre lo humano y lo divino, Maeve ha dedicado su vida a la iconografía: retratar santos en óleo como puente entre ellos y sus devotos. Su mayor aspiración es convertirse en la líder iconógrafa del monasterio que la crió desde niña, un lugar estrictamente jerárquico y cerrado al mundo exterior.

Pero todo cambia cuando se le asigna una misión delicada: viajar a los confines del reino para pintar un nuevo ícono de Jude, un joven santo exiliado por un supuesto mal uso de su poder. Lo que parece una tarea devota se transforma rápidamente en una peligrosa confrontación con secretos antiguos, magia sagrada corrompida y dudas que Maeve ha intentado enterrar durante años. En la soledad del exilio de Jude, ambos deberán enfrentarse a lo que realmente significa la fe, el sacrificio… y el deseo.

Lo que comienza como una relación distante entre iconógrafa y santo se convierte en una conexión íntima, cargada de anhelos prohibidos, verdades escondidas y la posibilidad de una redención compartida. A medida que las fronteras entre el deber y el deseo se desdibujan, Maeve deberá decidir si su lealtad está con el monasterio… o con el hombre que le enseñó a ver más allá del dogma.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the arc!Overall, I unfortunately don’t have any other opinions other than the general “this is fine.” That sucks ass, because this was an anticipated release. I did have fuck-all expectations because this was a romantasy. Here are a few other notes:

This book was predictable straight up

Taking care of your partner during their menstrual cycle was a fantastic addition. One of my favorite parts of the whole book

… I am admittedly a slut for scenes where the love interest brushes the fmc’s hair. We do get that here.

This is a vibes > plot book. That being said, for me the characters aren’t strong enough to make up for the lacking plot

There isn’t world building in this book. Like there is actually near none. This world isn’t inhabited outside of the abbey and its moors. Some might say it’s because these characters are sheltered themselves, but I think it’s a weak excuse. I could really see both mcs hungrily devouring all knowledge about the outside world they now live in.

There ya have it. That’s all, folks. -3 icons

This was a great romantasy debut. I loved the slow burn, the yearning, and the tension between Maeve and Jude. I loved that there was an actual plot, the setting important, and an interesting magic system that is important to the book. On the other hand, I could tell this was a debut, in the pacing, especially. Also, some of it was very predictable. No spoilers because this is an arc review, but I saw a lot of the twists coming. Overall, I enjoyed this and would read more from this author.

Saints, sinners and all those in between hide within the clouded shadows of lost time in this novel where prayer does more harm than good.

After iconographer Maeve suffers a fainting spell leaving her studio covered in gold dust she is sent to spy on a long lost Saint to uncover what secrets he holds against the Abbey but soon finds more questions than answers and when her memory becomes untrustworthy she and Jude must work together to keep themselves out of the clutches of those who wish to exploit the magic of the holy for their own gain.

This was an interesting tale and one that I think, for me at least, suffers from pacing issues. The beginning is perfect setting up this mystery and conflict but then the middle seemed to drag exceedingly long before rushing head first towards the finish line. The moments of betrayal and broken trust get to be repetitive and I found myself rather bored with the same back and forth over and over. I understand their respective issues surrounding that element but once they both come to an understanding that their interests align even if their faith does not we really didn’t need to work through it again.

The characters were fine if not somewhat flat. I wish I felt more about Jude and Maeve as individuals in order to care about their will they won’t they like romance. I think it would have been more impactful if there was greater depth to the argument of faith and how it relates to their experiences to make more of that impact rather than just having them do so many superficial cuts and storm offs. Jude was absolutely victimized by an institution Maeve believes in and I needed more than just brushes of fingertips against old scars to discuss that.

Kind of mixed feelings on it as I think the story was cool I’m not quite sure I understand the point of why things were happening or had to be done that way but that could be a consequence of my indifference by the middle.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!** P

This book completely swept me away. The atmosphere that Kalie Reid creates in this book is dream-like and magical. The characters felt like a breath of fresh air with a romance that is tender and full of yearning.
Themes of grief and love are masterfully woven throughout, especially in the quiet moments that leave such a lasting impact. I really appreciate how nothing felt rushed as it made the characters and their decisions more meaningful. This felt both cozy yet emotional with the kind of writing that makes every emotion hit harder.
I can’t believe this is a debut because it is amazing.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company & Netgalley for this arc.

YA GIRL GOT THE ARC AND YALL ARE NOT FUCKIN READY FOR THIS BOOK TO COME OUT

thank god for a world that Jude exists in. my baby is SAD!! soft and a lil pathetic and i would die for him. yearning is so BACK BABY.

this book is a beautiful description of coming to terms with loneliness and isolation, and fighting with the disruption of your belief system all wrapped up in beautiful prose and the sweetest, softest romance. this baby just wants to take care of his girrllllll

thank you netgalley and little brown for this wonderful, beautiful e-arc that i will be screaming about until it's published.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thoughts
This unfortunately fell flat for me. While I did find the premise and some of the plot interesting, I just don't think it was executed well. The pacing felt clunky, the romance was awkward and I did not feel connected to the characters. I did like that the story was told in dual POV and the magic system was really cool.

4.25 ☆ / 🌶🌶🌶 (open-door) / Third person dual pov

Weird, confusing, and beautiful read about belonging, full of magic, hazy dream-like atmosphere, tender romance and amazing characters (who actually know how to communicate!)

Absolutely adored Jude and Maeve's relationship. Personally, I wouldn't say that this is an enemies-to-lovers per se. Their animosity (mostly from Jude's side) only lasted a couple of chapters max. I loved how much they cared for each other and how well they communicated. Jude was extremely cute, and the way he took care of Maeve during her period was so sweet.

The magic was interesting, unique and weird (in a good way). But it also felt underdeveloped, I wanted to know more about the system and how everything exactly (relics, icons, etc) worked. I craved details.

The setting was fantastic. Despite all the pain, isolation and suffering, the fact that most of the story took place in a secluded house gave it a strangely cozy feel. I mean, an isolated, decaying house called "Anhaga" (a dwelling for one) do sound cozy, right?

I liked how everything wrapped up, but I wish the section with Maeve's family wasn't skipped. I was looking forward to that part. :(

All in all, it was an amazing debut, and I had a wonderful time reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A atmospheric standalone romantasy with beautiful, descriptive prose. The romance between the main characters was so sweet and tender and I’ve gotta say, this man’s yearning was top tier!👌🏼

The only issue I had with this book was I found the magic system to be a bit underdeveloped.

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable read and a great debut!

The Sacred Space Between is one of those books that sneaks up on you emotionally. It felt tender and raw in a way that made the quiet moments just as powerful as the big ones.

Kalie Reid writes with so much softness and care. The story explores grief, love, and the blurry space between letting go and holding on. It does not rush healing or force closure. Instead, it gives the characters room to breathe and figure things out on their own terms.

The romance felt grounded. It was slow and meaningful, built on real connection and shared pain. Nothing felt overly dramatic, which made it all feel more authentic.

This is not a flashy book. It is introspective and gentle, but that is what made it resonate. I finished it feeling a little bit undone in the best way.