4.5⭐
I loved this book!

From the very beginning, the dark and mysterious world completely drew me in. The magic system felt fresh and unlike anything I’ve read before, and the slowburn romance was perfectly executed. The pacing was spot on, with just the right balance of tension, intrigue, and character development. I especially enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns that kept me hooked until the end. The characters were engaging and easy to root for, while the villain delivered exactly the kind of menace you’d hope for.

Overall, this was a fantastic read, and I’m excited to see what the author writes next. If you enjoy gothic romance with a touch of magic, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Atmospheric, brooding, and deliciously gothic.

Blackwicket pulls you into a world of curse eaters, haunted houses, and family secrets that leave you breathless. The writing is imaginative and vivid, the kind that makes you feel the house is watching as closely as the characters are. Eleanora is a flawed but compelling FMC and her dynamic with Inspector Harrow is all slow burn tension and sharp edges. Exactly the kind of simmer that keeps you reading to well into the morning.

Yes, the world building could be a touch fuller (took a few chapters to really understand it all for me), and the romance edges into “suddenly swoony” at times. But the mood, mystery, and gothic mood more than make up for it.

If you like your romantasy with gothic bones, morally grey hearts, and a house that feels like it’s breathing down your neck, then Blackwicket is for you!

Blackwicket by Bea Northwick

𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆..

From Bea Northwick comes a haunting new tale of fractured magic, monstrous love, and family legacies stepped in blood.
In the costal town of Nightglass, Blackwicket House looms on the cliffs, far from the charming streets bustling with wealthy visitors seeking to experience a bit of real magic. Once an esteemed Inn with a reputation for healing, it now serves only as a grim warning to anyone tempted by curses. With Fiona Blackwicket, its sole caretaker, newly deceased, it stands empty - a dangerous thing for Blackwicket House to be..

The dark, gothic, eerie atmosphere in this book makes it the perfect autumn or spooky season read.
I would say that the pace is slow so I would keep that in mind for when you want a book with a slower pace to enjoy the writing.
I really enjoyed the vintage vibes, the magical elements and the main characters role - Eleanor, a curse-eater.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy.

Absolutely brilliant read. Id already seen some reviews so had high expectations and it didn't disappoint. The magic was refreshing and unique. Slightly slower paced than I normally like but it seemed to fit the book well

This book was an interesting read, and I think it has a lot of potential.
I liked the slow burn, the eerie gothic atmosphere (this would have been fun to read around Halloween!), and getting to know the characters, especially the MFC. My biggest issue was the magic system, I couldn’t follow it. And I needed more context for things that were mentioned that happened to some of the characters in the past. If these two areas are solidified I think the next book will be great!

Eleanora Blackwicket’s sister is dead. She is living a life hiding her illegal magic when her estranged father shows up to bring her home to bury her sister. When she arrives home after 10 years to a dying port town that feared and ostracized her family, she discovers a thriving coastal tourist town full of glamours and glitz, but reeking of tainted magic. She meets old acquaintances and new ones, and NO ONE is as they seem.

The story is twisty and mysterious and sometimes hard to follow because many of the main entities are never explained. What is a Drudge? Who is the Brom? What is Dark Hall? Those questions remain throughout the book, but for a purpose, I think. The author didn’t explain these things because the definitions are not concrete. I started out a bit frustrated because I thought “one clarifying sentence could explain this” but as I think back and stare at the ceiling and process this book in its entirety, I understand the deliberate leaving-out of some things. We aren’t really meant to know. We are meant to wonder.

The characters in this book are absolute monsters. Magic surrounds them, infects them, changes them, chases them. The ruling groups are hypocritical and corrupt. Society in general is falling apart at its magical seams. Morally gray is a way of life.

It took me a little while to get into the book. Definitely not a binge read. However. The last 20% was absolutely vital to putting all the pieces together and honestly the whole thing is mind-blowing. That ending? Yes, please.

Blackwicket is a gothic fantasy with a heavy dose of romance, some horror and noir elements. The atmosphere is dark, magical, mysterious, and intriguing. Set in an alternate universe that makes me think of the 20s/30s. This is the first book in a new series by Bea Northwick.

I was slightly obsessed reading this. The magic system is very unique and it sucked me right in, but I do think it could have been fleshed out a little bit more. Although, you do get more of an understanding of curse eaters and drudges at the end of the book. The world building is unfurled slowly, and I never felt overwhelmed with information. It sounds like a charming place that is shiny and entertaining on the surface but if you look deeper you realise something isn’t quite right and that nightmares might be real.

Northwick has created a cast of characters that are complex, captivating, and with varying degrees of moral greyness. I enjoyed reading about them all, and Eleanora is an imperfect narrator because she only knows so much, and it was great learning along with her. I loved the slow burn of the romance. The tension and chemistry between her and the love interest is off the charts; their encounters are sizzling.

The twists and turns are riveting, and it was great seeing how all the pieces came together. I found this such a fascinating and engaging read and I am very intrigued to see how the rest of the series plays out.

This was a slow read for me. I felt like I was coming into the middle of the series and didn’t really know what was going on. Some of the magical elements could have been explained better up front so it didn’t seem so confusing

Honestly I’m not if I could tell you what a “drudge” is as many times as it’s mentioned throughout this book.

There were definitely parts I liked but it wasn’t enough to make up for the parts I didn’t

Unfortunately I was glad when I had finished it

A terrifying romance that melds horror, thriller and magic to create a gothic romantasy that is almost impossible to put down. Bea’s writing is gripping and dark, filling every page with mystery, curses and, of course, monsters. While the characters are selfish, morally grey and wicked, you will find yourself deeply invested and desperate to find out more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read The Cruel Dark last year and absolutely loved it, so I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into Bea Northwick’s latest - and wow, Blackwicket did not disappoint.

The atmosphere is deliciously gothic: eerie, intimate, and quietly powerful, with Blackwicket House looming like a character of its own. The magic system - particularly the idea of curse-eating - felt completely unique, and it gripped me from the very first page. I loved how raw and real it felt, growing out of pain and memory rather than flashy spectacle, which made it haunting in the best possible way.

Eleanora is a fantastic protagonist - flawed, layered, and utterly compelling. And Victor? Dark, broody, and the perfect match to balance her fire. Their dynamic kept me hooked as much as the mystery and magic itself.

This is the kind of story that lingers, full of shadows, secrets, and heart. I’ll definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelf - it will look beautiful right alongside The Cruel Dark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bea Northwick for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story sets out with the immediate intention of creating mystery. The brief flashback at the start, leads into the action of the first few chapters. The twists are many and the turns multiple. The atmosphere is suitably gothic and the romance a delightful take on enemies to lovers. That said the world building is slightly underdeveloped and reads as if this is a text from an established series. I struggled to understand who the 'Brom' were and why they appeared to be a cause of concern. The magic of the land and the potency of "curse magic" felt woolly and unclear and this, unfortunately, meant I found myself slightly confused.
A strong option for those that like a gothic tale with just the right amount of spice.

Grateful the ARC as always

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me and I ended up DNFing it 30% through.
I didnt enjoy the magic system or the romance plot but that’s not to say others would like it. It’s not a bad book it’s just not for me

4.5 Stars from me!

This book captured my attention instantly! There are few books where the prologue captures my attention, but this book did! This is my first Bea Northwick book, and this really made me want to check out her other works. I liked the authors voice in the book. The way things were worded and described really captured me. Blackwicket is a combination of gothic fantasy, some horror and romance. The story is set in a world where magic exists but if you have it, it's a secret you keep to yourself because The Brom are watching!

To me it felt like you got all the necessary information regarding magic and world building without feeling like it was info dumped, and I liked that a lot! Nothing makes me want to stop reading more than info dumping. The author did a good job of keeping some things a mystery until the end of the novel. I did like the fact that in the beginning of the story it shows the reader how much being a curse eater takes a toll on the body for example, Eleanora eats a curse that prys her mouth open and literally tears her lips at the corners and she has blood coming out.

Eleanora has to return home after being essentially kicked out by her sister. Something about that cursed house makes people come back. She takes the reader on this adventure where we have to figure out who can we trust, not to mention who do we like when Victor (the love interest) comes into the story. It is a an enemies-to-lovers and has an unexpected HEA.

Throughout the story you get the nostalgic feeling of childhood memories and the not so nostalgic feeling of old traumas and how they shape you into the person you are.

This was a 4.5 star read for me. I might reread it next month to enjoy it a little bit more!

Thank you NetGallley and Bea Nortwick for this ARC!

4.5⭐️ Blackwicket is a gorgeously gothic paranormal romance that hooked me from the start. It follows Eleanora as she’s drawn into the sinister secrets of Blackwicket House—a place steeped in curses, dark history, and eerie magic. The atmosphere was incredible, and I loved how alive the house felt, full of unsettling mysteries that pulled me deeper into the story.

The magic system—especially the concept of a curse eater bound by forbidden power—was unique and intriguing, though I wished for a bit more explanation to fully wrap my head around it. It didn’t hold me back, but more clarity would’ve made the final revelations hit even harder.

The romance worked beautifully for me. The slow-to-medium burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Eleanora and Inspector Harrow was full of tension and chemistry, balancing the darker elements of the story perfectly. With a handful of twists I didn’t see coming, the mystery kept me hooked start to finish.

If you love gothic, curse-laced estates, paranormal secrets, morally gray characters, and a tension-fueled romance that builds in the shadows, Blackwicket is one you’ll want to pick up. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Blackwicket is a moody, poetic venture into gothic fantasy, worth exploring for the lovers of dark romance, even if the world-building occasionally leaves you wanting more.

This Gothic romantasy grips with its dark beauty and emotional pull. The romance crackles between Eleanora and Victor, grounded by rich prose and set against an evocative coastal-curse backdrop.

However, if you're someone who craves clear-cut fantasy mechanics or fully fleshed side characters, you might find this book lacking.

🖤Blackwicket by Bea Northwick 🖤

This is the first book in Bea Northwick’s Dark Hall series, releasing on September 9, 2025 🖤

It’s a dark, gothic romantasy set in the coastal town of Nightglass, centred around the ominous Blackwicket House perched on cliffs, a once-healing inn now abandoned after the death of its caretaker, Fiona Blackwicket .

Eleanora Blackwicket, known as a Curse Eater, returns reluctantly to her ancestral home to bury her sister with plans to flee again, only to find herself ensnared in a web of dark magic, underworld factions, and a complicated enemies-to-lovers tension with Inspector Victor Harrow, an Authority agent dispatched to dismantle a black-market magic syndicate called the Brom .

Blackwicket is a richly atmospheric, dark romantasy that stands out for its gothic setting, eerie allure, and inventive magic tied closely to emotional wounds.

In a world where magic exists but is tightly controlled by the Authority, follow Eleanor Blackwicket as she is forced to return to a home she thought that she would never see again.
Bea Northwick promised a slow burn, dark gothic romantasy and that is exactly what was delivered.
I can’t place my finger on why, I think it was maybe because it felt quite slow to start but I struggled to get into this book until I was half way through. I do enjoy a fast paced story so this was purely personal preference.
The world building is done well and you can imagine creepy stunning visual. However, I think at times I was a little confused with some aspects of the magic and who the Brom were.
I did really enjoy the enemies to lovers storyline, especially as it progresses and secrets are revealed, but I won’t divulge any spoilers.
Once I was 3/4 through I really got invested in the story as it did get intense and gripping.
I rated it 3.5 stars as I enjoyed the romance and action packed ending. Overall it was a good book but I don’t think that I would read it again due to the slow start. This is just personal preference and I would encourage everyone to read it and decide for yourself.

Ahhh this was so good! The magical world is unlike any I’ve read so it took a bit of effort to learn but then you’re good! The story is very mysterious, lots of paths it could take and constantly keeps you guessing!

Curses, curse eaters, magic, magic authority, black market, forbidden realms. It kind of has a dark Harry Potter vibe to it, like the last few books where everything is super intense and dark

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳.”

Victor and Eleanora’s chemistry is explosive! Like holy shit! They both have secrets and it’s like their darkness feeds off each other

Such a good story!!

Blackwicket
Dark Hall
By Bea Northwick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

🖤 A Dark Gothic Romantasy
🥀 Morally Grey...Everyone
🖤 Enem¡es to Lovers
🥀 Feminine R@ge
🖤 Slow Burn
🥀 Monstrous Lover
🖤 Gothic H0rror
🥀 Magical Organised Cr¡me
🖤 Haunted House Vibes

Home is where the Cur~ses are 😉


This book blew me out of the water with the way Bea has written it with such immersive details and elegant prose.

Eleanora has been on the run living different lives since her mother passed, until she is beckoned back to the town of Nightglass due to the untimely deªth of her sister Fiona.
When she returns to her family home (Blackwicket House) things really start to progress, she finds out her sister was a part of an ¡llegal cr¡me organisation and so much more! And of course a member of the Authority shows up (Victor MMC) to stay with her trying to link her to doing ¡llegal magic and uncover what her sister had been up too.

This is set in its own world in the 20s which I really enjoyed, it was a nice change of pace having that vintage setting compared to what I normally read. The magic and its system is unique and intriguing, I mean Curṣe eating? Beautifully disguṣting, give me more 😆 and a haunted house that is alive on magic and Curṣes? Where can I get one? 😍 Drudges? The Dark Hall? There is so much packed into this slow burn book and we don't get the answers straight away, we learn as Ellie learns throughout the book which is an amazing trick on the authors behalf.
The plot twists? I never saw coming! And they added so much to the story. And then add in the tension between Victor and Ellie and 🤤 you get this delicious dark gothic fantasy with added spice 😉😍

The concept of it all can be difficult to grasp in places but I promise if you stick it out it is so very worth it 😍

Blackwicket releases September 9th 😘🖤

#hauntedhouse #forbiddenlove #forbiddenmagic #curseeating #darkgothicromance #darkgothicromantasy #gothicfantasy #enemiestolovers #slowburn #morallygrey #slowburnromance #monstrouslover #gothichorror #magicalorganisedcrime #beanorthwick #netgalley #bookish #bookscomingsoon #mustreadbooks #bookreview

Thank you for the ARC Bea Northwick! This book took me for a complete WHIRL I simply could not put it down. Romantasy books can be so rinse and repeat but I was completely enthralled from the moment I was introduced to the magic system.

The atmosphere of this book was immaculate - I could feel the gothic ambience in every single flip of the page. This book has it all, mystery, a unique plot, YEARNINGGGGGGG and the dark atmosphere had me clutching my chest.

I would've liked to better understand the magic system and how curses / drudges work as well as dark hall. There was SO MUCH to take in and I think the twists would've hit more if I had a better grasp on how curses and drudges manifest. I'm a huge fan of puzzle / mystery box books that give you just enough information to come up with your own theories while still being surprised at the end. I didn't see any of the twists coming, which isn't a bad thing, but I think I would've been more awestruck if I had a better understanding of how the magic system works.

Overall, this was a read that took me completely by surprise and I can't wait to dive into more of Bea's books 💜