The twist definitely got me but the characters felt underdeveloped. I like spice but it felt super aggressive at times

Admittedly, this book took me quite a while to get into, but once it got to the point, I couldn't put it down.

I figured out what was going on fairly early on in the book, but I was still excited to read the big reveal and see how it would all unfold.

This book was a brilliant representation of a gothic romance whilst also being full of mystery and intrigue, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to this book via Netgalley.

Single POV, Spicy, Gothic Romance, Slow Burn, Dark Academia, Celtic Folklore, Professor MMC

Intense, gripping, emotional, and haunting Bea Northwick delivers a gothic romance intertwined with ghost and folklore. The tension between Millie and Callum is just....everything. The creepy house and the mystery paired with their slow burn romance make this an absolute page turner.

I can’t believe The Cruel Dark is Bea Northwick’s debut novel! The storytelling draws you in immediately, seamlessly blending past and present to create a hauntingly immersive experience. Each twist is timed perfectly, making the dramatic reveals even more impactful.
With its eerie estate, dark secrets, and ghostly undertones, the book offers a gripping mix of historical fiction, Gothic romance, and suspenseful thrills. If you enjoy atmospheric and emotionally intense stories, this one is a must-read!

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

As a fan of gothic mysteries, I was delighted to read Bea Northwick's The Cruel Dark. The idea piqued my interest: Millicent Foxboro, a woman with a horrific past, works for the solitary Professor Callum Hughes at his creepy mansion, Willowfield. The environment is full of dramatic detail, and I like the references to Celtic mythology throughout.

However, despite the good writing and atmosphere, I found the tale to be pretty predictable. I guessed a few important story twists early on, which reduced the excitement for me. Millicent and Callum had a blazing connection, and there were some spicy moments that kept things intriguing, but I was looking for a little more unpredictability.Overall, it was an enjoyable book with fascinating characters, but it did not quite reach the heights I anticipated. I'm curious to see how Northwick's storytelling evolves in future novels!

I received a copy of The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick from NetGalley. The Cruel Dark is a historical gothic romance fiction novel. It follows the character of Millicent Foxboro. She has no memory of the last two years of her life. She gets an offer to work as an assistant for a professor, Callum Hughes. The story is set in the Jazz Age, late 1920s. The gothic setting and the time period fascinated me about the book.
Millicent woke up in a mental facility for traumatic amnesia and spent two months there. She doesn’t have any memory of events leading up to that and the last couple of years have been erased. Thankfully, she finds work with an older gentleman at his shop and lives in the small apartment above it. She doesn’t have a lot of prospects career-wise so she is surprised when she gets an offer to be an assistant for Professor Callum Hughes at his estate Willowfield, and help him with his research. She wants to finish her work here with Callum even though she has trouble adjusting. She is very determined.
Millie and Callum’s romance blooms quite slowly. There is a clear attraction but also reservations from both sides. Callum is an intense man. He is smart but broody, and Millie does not know what to make of him. . There is an air of mystery from the start about the estate, Callum, and even Millie. The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick is a fascinating gothic romance story set in a historical setting. I loved the way the horror, mystery, and romance are mixed in the story; it flows naturally in the narrative. I loved reading The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick. I didn’t know what to expect, but it surpassed all my expectations, and I cannot wait to explore more of this author’s work.

Unfortunately, this was way too predictable. I figured everything out in chapter 1. It felt like a rip off of so many other stories/books/movies.

I don't know what came over me. This is the second time I requested an ARC for The Cruel Dark. I read it last year and fell in love with it. I have since ordered both the SE, Lover, and a regular hardcover! It has quickly become one of my favorite books, and Bea has become one of my favorite authors. Thank you so much for sending me this ARC again!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read The cruel dark

There was nothing that stood this mystery gothic romance from the rest that are out. It wasn't horrible, but it was top tier shouting from the rooftops either.

Going into this I didnt really know what to expect.
But while I did sort of enjoy it. I also found myself confused. I'm not sure if it was me or the book. But I kept confusing past and present.

I loved every second of this!! I could not breathe until I finished reading it, I stayed up all night! Gothic romance is usually one of my top genres, and this really out did itself.

I said it once, but It needs to be said two or three times more. This story is beautiful, the imagery is stunning, the characters are demential.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I think this would have been more of a 4 star read for me but the pacing felt off and for this type of book I did not need such a slowly developed character build.

Definite Gothic fantasy, spooky October, rainy day season vibes.

The first 50% of this book was difficult for me to read, there were weird spelling moments, and the pacing was super slow.

I did feel the suspense though which is good!

Wow what a twist! I completely went into this expecting one ending and was left so surpised at what we got!

I personally found the first 70% this book hard to read, especially when on the first the FMC calls someone "the stoopid owner" in exactly that spelling - and it just lost me.
I do understand however that this book is set in the 1920s and that maybe this was international to relate to the time period?
I also found the pacing itself and the character building to be very slow - like there was just no personal attachment to anyone in this book at all and although this is clarified eventually, it did make it a slow read for me. I just didn't find myself reaching for this book.

I did really enjoy the mystery and the paranormal aspects to the story however! And this isn't typically a genre I'd read so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a little bit of it this time.

I definitely think that this would be a 5 star read for me with a little change of pace and more depth to the characters - if you enjoyed Verity, then this gives off those vibes!

Thanks to netgalley and Bea Northwick for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback

3.5/4

I actually really enjoyed this book. I went in partially blind as it had been a while since I read the blurb and I was pleasantly surprised.

Perfect book for those who like to read specific books around Halloween or once the dark, cold and rainy nights are here thanks to its gothic vibes.

Whilst I enjoyed the plot, mystery and the twists and turns, I can't say I completely fell in love with the characters and it did take me a little while to get into but overall, I liked it and would probably read it again.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book!

I thought that the book had a great storyline and it had me hooked.

There is suspense, drama, romance and it is a sexy story too.

The book had everything I look for in this genre - twists and turns - just brilliant!

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

The Cruel Dark is a dark fantasy with beautiful Victorian gothic languange that paints a picture as you read. Whereas I loved this book's writing style, and found the descriptions/prose poetic, eerie and fantastical - all attributes that I devour in gothic literature, I did find by 50% of the book, when the plot had not progressed, that this was not enough alone to hold my interest.

However, that is not to say that this wouldn't appeal to other readers. I can imagine reading it on a cold stormy night, warm drink next to me, a roaring fire if I was lucky, and be swept away with this novel. It needs the time to be savoured. I, I'm afraid, am a devourer, and it just wasn't quick enough paced for my tastes.

If you've got the time to snuggle up with a Gothic fantasy this spooky season, I would say give this one a go! However, if you were looking for something with a bit more of a snappy bite that takes you by the throat, than this isn't the type of gothic novel for you.

This book was... kind of a rollercoaster. I liked the beginning a lot. The book did the whole "creepy house, eerie vibes" thing really well and I liked the horror scenes. The romance, not so much. It felt like their relationship was only physical, just lust between them. And then they just both basically expected the other to want more than that, with no indication whatsoever.

I was ready to dislike the book, and I did, somewhere in the middle. But the end managed to change my mind, because I enjoyed the whole last part a lot. Looking at the other reviews, it seems I'm the only one who didn't guess the conclusion, haha. So 3 stars it is. In the end, I did enjoy reading this book, I just wish the romance was written more in a way where I feel like they're actually falling in love with each other.

So when I read the blurb was this I was like yes absolutely, sounds very Crimson Peak inspired! And on that it delivered, perhaps a little too much. I felt like I had already read the story as it unraveled. I’d picked out parts of the ending but I’m glad some parts felt a bit different but all in all it just felt too similar for me.

I liked the relationship with Millie and Callum and how all the pieces fit together in the end to finish the story. The gothic tone was there and the spook factor was great. I think if I didn’t already know Crimson Peak this would have absolutely hit the mark for me!

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the arc! All opinions are my own honest ones.