This had the perfect dark gothic vibes mixed with Celtic lore and the perfect dose of thriller. It was giving me slight Horror Story vibes and I definitely thought I had it all figured out but oh man that last 10% really proved me wrong.

-Historical Fiction
-Light spice
-Memory loss
-Ghost
-Gothic/dark aesthetic
-Short but not lacking in detail

This dark romantic fantasy is hard to believe it is the work of a debut author.
Millie, our protagonist, is prone to hallucinations which are perfectly spooky and the descriptions of the house ethereal and reminded me of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed the mystery of Willowfield and its current inhabitants, whose lives all seemed to stop at the death of the Mrs. Hughes. I will say I did not see the ending coming!
I do wish that we had gotten more into their research(because I’m a nerd and enjoy that) and the romance felt like it happened pretty quickly. However the book was still enjoyable.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Millie has recently been hired as an assistant to a professor working on his research of folklore from his secluded estate. As Millie works through the secrets of faerie lore she finds herself increasingly attracted to her boss and equally frightened of the manor house crumbling around them.

This is Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries if it were a psychological thriller. I loved it. I do wish we got a little bit more about Millie’s life at the bookstore, and perhaps a bit more of her past with her family as well as a more fleshed out history for Callum but overall this was super satisfying. The imagery was really detailed and everyone had proper (albeit screwed up) motivations.

I enjoyed the mystery in The Cruel Dark!

What I really liked in this book was the mental health rep and the abuse survivor rep. I found both were done really well and Millie’s backstory was quite rich. The mystery and creepy hauntings around Willowfield also really held my attention—this definitely has a great psychological aspect to it.

The romance was good, but things progressed a little fast but it makes sense as a whole. I did find there to be lot of telling in the beginning which took me awhile to get into the book. There was also a twist at the end that I had figured out earlier on but it didn’t detract from the book itself.

Overall, the Cruel Dark was a great spooky read with some spicy romance and a good dose of ghostly mystery. The twist at the end was unexpected and really well done! It kind of had a Crimson Peaks vibe with gothic horror and an old crumbling estate. It’s a great vibe for the fall! Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because the ending.
This was a slow burn with some spicy scenes. Good spooky vibes for fall. Most of the book was uneventful but the ending was great. Because it was so slow, I almost DNF’d before I got to the good stuff. My pet peeve was the author often used more modern language but the book was supposed to take place in the 1920s. Maybe I am more harsh on this book because I read it at the same time as Starling House which was a waaaaaay better haunted house story. Sorry not sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Cruel Dark is a spooky romance set in 1928. Millie Foxboro is looking for a new start after spending two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. She finds the perfect opportunity - she becomes an assistant to a professor of mythology. The job is at widowed Professor Callum's estate of Willowfield. After the death of his wife, the house is falling apart, the staff is bare bones, and the estate is full of ghosts and sadness. Millie is drawn to the professor and his work, and finds herself struggling to find sense of what is real and what is not.

What I liked: This was spooky, but not a horror (I'm not a huge fan of horror). The setting of the manor was perfect for this story. The house and the professor's studies just enhanced the mystery of his wife's demise and death. Millie's ambiguous past also made it hard for the reader to know if she was struggling mentally or if the house was having an effect on her. The sexual tension and the spice was perfect! I will admit - the twists in this story caught me off-guard, and I usually am a little more astute with plot twists!

What I didn't like: I can't think of anything I didn't like.

I would definitely recommend this book to any one who likes a spooky mystery! I really enjoyed this read and can't wait to see more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Bea Northwick for the ARC.

The Cruel Dark is an eerie , historical, gothic romance about a book shop assistant named Millie. When a new job opportunity arises around the exact time she needs it, she can't help but accept. There is the attractive and mysterious new boss, the skittish yet almost nonexistent staff, and her job- wich is to help translate gaelic lore. The past comes haunting them all and her reality is blurred between what is fiction and what is real.

I will start by saying this gets steamy and the steam does not let up once it gets to that point, close to smut. It is not reverse harem or contain weird kinky things. Definitely four out of five chilli peppers.

The Cruel Dark is a perfect balance of spice , eerie spooky vibes, phycological mystery /thrill; a story line that keeps on giving until the end . It is perfect for those who want a solid October book but don't want to fully commit themselves to really scary things .

The descriptive writing style reminds me of Outlander and the story itself gave me Rebecca vibes. This is not new or young adult material, I promise the maturity of the characters and writing is satisfyingly adult.

My only complaint would be that it was too much description. In the middle of the story I had skipped over/ skimmed over some of the chapters because it lost my attention, and they did not add to the story.

I had mostly guessed the ongoing mystery with the lead character at around 40% . I believe if some of those details had been held back I would not have guessed so early in the story.

The ending was so perfect and touching, it made me love the couple even more. The Cruel Dark is a must for gothic romance lovers .

The Cruel Dark - first novel by author Bea Northwick - is an interesting story with a clever surprise. The writing is strong but some of the characters lack focus and the relationship between Millicent Foxboro and Dr. Callum Hughes moves too quickly. In 1928, Miss Foxboro takes a research assistant job at Willowfield House, helping Dr Hughes work on fairytale research. Initially, Millicent tries to remain 'comfortable and unnoticed..in unassuming beiges', but almost immediately becomes outspoken and 'visible; to her new boss (Hughes) - this change is not adequately explained. Although she has amnesia of several recent years, Millicent remembers her youth and studies in old Irish, Greek, and Latin. Millicent and Callum are quickly attracted to each other and - too soon - act on those feelings. Here is where the book lacks character development and storyline. The other critique is that the intimacy scenes are more graphic than would be expected and don't really sync with the 'voice' of the novel. Overall, 'The Cruel Dark' is well done and I look forward to the next book by Bea Northwick.

A gripping gothic mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page. In a house full of secrets is it the house that is haunted, or Millie herself?

The atmosphere in this book is so thick it practically flows off the page. All of the best elements of classic gothic literature are present in this and it is written with such skill that it's almost impossible to put it down. There are layers to the mystery of Millie and Willowfield that I don't want to spoil so I won't reveal too much, just that nothing is what it seems and trying to figure out the truth is a battle. I loved the way things were slowly revealed, that Millie's tenacity is what helps her through. I love a strong female lead and Millie is fantastic as a woman who is damaged but refuses to crumble.

I really enjoyed this book, and it would have been a five star review but I didn't care for the graphic spicy bits. It was a little bit in your face for my liking, but anyone who likes their romance spicy will absolutely love this.

I give this book 4 stars

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

I enjoyed this! While I did guess the majority of the ending/twist, it was still a fun ride. The romance and mystery were well written. A great book for fall and the Halloween season. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC!

I’m obsessed with this book.

.I read this in a day, and I haven’t done that in a while. I needed to know what was going to happen, what the heck was going on at Willowfield, what the heck was happening to Millie.

The Cruel Dark is the perfect blend of creepy, sexy, romantic, and surprising. I truly had no idea what was happening all the way until the end, and it’s been a long time since I’ve been surprised by an ending.

My husband actually asked me if I was okay at one point because I kept gasping. 😂

I will recommend this book to everyone!

The Cruel Dark is a fantastic gothic read with an unbelievable plot twist that I personally did not see coming! It’s atmospheric, sensual, clever and kept me hooked throughout. The romance builds up very organically and is incredibly hot without being cheap. In fact nothing in this book is cliché or predictable. The gothic vibe was textbook and reminded me of Rebecca in many ways. Great range of characters, loved the setting, definitely a stand out in this genre for 2023.

The perfect read for this time of year! The dark, isolated setting, the strange happenings! It made me think of Jane Eyre and Rebecca but set in the US in the twenties. A well-crafted gothic novel with a delightful amount of sexual tension and spice! I should have seen the ending coming but I did not! Such a great read! I look forward to more books from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of The Cruel Dark in exchange for an honest review.


5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

Wow! Where to begin?

This story is a delightful treat just in time for spooky season. A gothic romance between Millie who is hiding secrets and the dark brooding Professor Callum Hughes.
The author did a magnificent job creating a very dark and dreary atmosphere and setting the scene for all of the spooks in this story. Perfect descriptions of the settings along with eerie descriptions of all things that go bump in the night.

Another thing that I greatly enjoyed about this read was that I thought the author did a brilliant job of creating red herrings, distractions and creating a general sense of doubt for the reader. The creepy stuff just added to the general sense of unease, disbelief and questioning.

There were two reveals in this story, and one in particular had my jaw on the floor. I DID NOT see that one coming!

Overall this was a fantastic read! And I cannot wait to see what more this author has in store.

An intricate mix between romance and historical fiction, with a bit of folklore and mystery, “The Cruel Dark” tells us the story of Millie Foxboro and her eery and fantastical experience at Willowfield.

Hand in hand with ghosts and desperate mysterious characters, we find ourselves immersed in the troubled mind of a young woman, who doesn’t seem to tell apart myth from reality - and, as it turns out, neither can we.

I was pleasantly surprised, as this is Bea Northwick’s debut novel. The writing is quite charming and beautiful, even though I was ocasionally bored and found myself skimming through some of the pages. Also, I love when authors insert the title of the book inside the narrative and the pages.

Thanks to NetGalley and Northwick Books for sending me an ARC e-copy of The Dark House.

Millicent Foxboro is running from her past and it leads her to brooding Professor Callum Hughes and the strange Willowfield Estate. But she soon learns she’s not the only one with secrets to hide.

This dark and gothic tale is filled with mystery, giving vibes of Jane Eyre and Rebecca crossed with The Haunting of Hill House (all of my favourites!)

Parts of the story were spooky and had me checking the shadowy corners of my bedroom at night! The storyline also kept me guessing until the very end and I wanted to go back and start again to work out what I’d missed the first read through.

I love a broody MMC who’s challenged by a fiesty FMC, and Callum and Millie make the perfect pairing. There were also some spicier chapters which added to the story’s decadent, forbidden atmosphere.

The perfect autumn read, I loved it!

The Cruel Dark is a moody, dark gothic NA romance that balances just the right amount of spooky and spice. There's a bit of Rebecca vibes with a strong heroine haunted by her past and a mercurial hero. There's a lot of twists, dark hallways, and haunted grounds. I enjoyed just how suspenseful the story was. In fact, in one particular scene, I was completely taken by surprise at how chilling it was! This is a great choice for fall reading, and Bea has you covered if you're in the mood for some chills and thrills!

What readers can look forward to:

🖤 Atmospheric & eerie estate
🖤 1920’s setting
🖤 Brooding hero
🖤 Slow burn romance
🖤 A touch of horror
🖤 Ghosts
🖤 Bits & pieces of Celtic folklore
🖤 Secrets & twists

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑩𝒆𝒂 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒘𝒊𝒄𝒌, 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒘𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝑹𝑪.

The Cruel Dark is an atmospheric gothic romance set in a remote, crumbling Massachusetts estate. Full of Celtic folklore, paranormal oddities, and an unreliable narrator.
Millicent Foxboro, our narrator and protagonist, has endured terrible loss and hardship, culminating in traumatic amnesia where she has lost about two years of her previous life. Her struggles and journey to strength and acceptance is well done and heartfelt. Professor Callum Hughes, the leading man and new employer, is the perfect gothic love interest combining gentle and brooding into an enigmatic character. The tension and chemistry between the two main characters is evident throughout the story, both sweet and sinister at times.
The pace, writing style, setting, and side characters also added to the immersive experience. A perfect October read!


This will be posted to Goodreads and Amazon upon publication

Dark romace meets gothic romance. I loved all the old mansion vibes. I loved following Millie and Callum’s love story unfold. I also enjoyed the mystery behind the mansion and the question of was it really an accident or murder? The book keeps you on your toys until the very end. It’s a slow burn, but worth it just to watch the story unfold and pick up all the pieces along the way.

I loved this book! It is everything you want in a spooky Gothic romance. The story follows Millicent Foxboro as she takes a position at the deteriorating Willowfield as an assistant to Professor Hughes. She has dabbled in studying dark fairytale creatures, things that go bump in the night, and is helping the professor organize her notes. “Mad Millie” soon begins seeing things in the house that feel real…but are they? She is forced to deal with her secrets that she’d rather keep hidden. The author masterfully crafts and weaves this story, and the plot twist at the end was amazing! This was such a fresh story, and I couldn’t stop reading. It’s amazing!