"Magic is only real if you believe in it"

A young woman on the run collides with a mystery man and is offered a chance at escape, if only she will take up the mantle of his missing wife.

I loved this twist on a Rebecca-esque gothic mystery. The unsettling, dilapidated manor and Bran the raven companion could not have been more perfect. Some of the plot twists felt predictable, but I was genuinely surprised more than once. I do feel it's maybe a little longer than necessary? But it was still a very enjoyable read.

Review will run on Goodreads starting 8/20/24, in perpetuity

Jane Eyre vibes but make it dark and witchy. The Ravenswood Witch starts off with a female heroine who takes on the identity of Luna Greybourne in order to avoid capture. As she spends months impersonating being the wife of Marcus Greybourne, the very obvious question of what’s happened to the real Mrs. G becomes important and critical. Witchcraft, murder, rituals, and a second concurrent plot all make for a sinister mood while bringing in similar Eyre elements.
A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for those who also enjoy gothic vibes and Jane Eyre retellings. Grab it on September 30, 2024.

Within the first couple pages I was hooked! I fell in love with the main characters and was kept in my toes by the twists throughout.

This book is the perfect read for the coming season, with a gothic, spooky atmosphere and a sense of mystery that makes it very hard to put down!
I really enjoyed the story and characters and was frequently thrown by the plot, up until the very end.
The writing by Jenni Keer is wonderful!

I also loved how the story subtly made you think about good and bad and the grey area in between. How no person is one or the other and things aren't always what they seem. About how to forgive (yourself and others) and move on from the past.
And ultimately about learning to trust and love again.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Imagine being charged with a crime that you didn't commit and having to flee for your life only to break your ankle at the edge of freedom. That is the reality for the female lead in this novel. Luckily, Marcus, the master of Ravenswood Manor, convinces the constable she is his eccentric wife that no one has seen for ten years. Given a place to heal and relax, "Luna" is more than happy to fill the role of Marcus' wife for the time being. However, things at Ravenswood Manor are not what they seem; spirits seem to lurk, and rumors of a witch in the woods circulate. Is the new "Luna" safe?

It is a fast-paced and thrilling read about finding love even in the darkest of times. This novel had me second-guessing every character and their actions and wondering who the new mysterious "Luna" was; I didn't get it right, by the way (lol). Perfect for readers who love a good romance with just a hint of supernatural and suspense.

I requested this book on a whim. I hadn't heard of the author, but the description sounded so compelling that I couldn't resist. Witches and hauntings and strangers with mysterious pasts? Yes, please.

The Ravenswood Witch is a dark and broody gothic novel that keeps the reader riveted throughout. I don't want to rehash the book description, so I'll just say that if you're a fan of classic gothic novels, you'll probably like this book. Despite some anachronistic language in parts, overall it really captures the classic gothic vibe from the late 19th century that I believe the author was going for.

I received a temporary digital copy of The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer from NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

While running from law enforcement, a young woman collides into Marcus Greybourne, breaking her ankle. When confronted by the local constable, Marcus claims the young woman is his rarely-sighted-in-town wife. He asks her to continue the charade to ensure his wife's inheritance and in return, he won't ask questions on her identity or past. The young woman willingly agrees and assumes the identity of Mrs. Luna Greybourne. Unfortunately, there seems to be foul-play and witchcraft at foot, not to mention - where is the real Mrs. Greybourne?!

The Ravenswood Witch was an okay novel - I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, although I am leaning towards the latter than the former. This book just didn't excite me.

The Ravenswood Witch
by Jenni Keer
Pub Date: Sep 30 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she’s caught, she’ll be hanged for murder. Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle.

To her surprise, the man – Marcus Greybourne – convinces the local constable that she is his reclusive wife of ten years, Luna. He carries her back to the neglected and crumbling Ravenswood Hall, promising if she agrees to maintain this charade, he will keep her safe until her injuries have healed.

But the house is haunted by shadows and secrets. What’s more, the real Luna Greybourne is missing, without trace. Scratches and marks made by her around the house suggest witchcraft; and indeed Luna is known locally as the Ravenswood Witch; her reputation in tatters, like the wallpapers of the padlocked rooms she’d destroyed.

As strange happenings in the house continue, outside the screech of a raven echoes across oppressive woods that seem alive with dark magic. And the woman who is now pretending to be Luna can’t help but fear she’s escaped the noose for a far more terrible fate…

A desperate young woman is running for her life, when she collides with a tall stranger, Marcus Greybourne, falling and breaking her ankle. He promises to care for her if she masquerades as his absent wife, Luna. She is in no place to argue so she accepts his assurance that he will care for her and decides to assume Luna's place as the mistress of the house. As she settles into the house, Luna is distressed at the signs of witchcraft etched into the walls and floors and discovers that Luna is known as the Ravenswood Witch. The villagers fear her and have a list of wrongs she has performed against them. Luna is concerned as to the fate of Marcus's wife and the sinister goings on in the dark woods that border his property. Jenni Keer has managed to write a disturbing and spooky story which leaves you questioning everyones motives. A good page turner.

This book is a mystery. There is a woman on the run, from, it is hinted, a murder. There is a man in the woods, whom she clashes into, and he falls on her, and breaks her ankle. She was trying to catch a ferry to catch a train. But, with a broken ankle, she can continue on to London.

Marcus is missing his wife. This strange woman shows up, and assumes her role. Because few people have seen her recently, they assume this woman in his house is his wife.

But what has happened to his wife? And why have all the ravens been killed, save one. And though the woman has assumed Luna’s identity, what was she running from?

This is set in late Victorian times. It has a gothic feel to it, with a lot of unexplained magic. As the subhead of the book says, is magic only real if you believe in it?

I wanted to figure out all the clues and solve all the mysteries, so this kept me going through a sort of romance. Lots of red herrings, and twists and turns. Very enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 30th of September 2024.

Thank you net galley and the publisher for the arc!

I love a good historical fantasy book and I enjoyed this! It was fun, easy to read and I loved the characters! All I have to say is the pacing was a bit slow.. but I enjoyed it overall and loved the similarities to Jane Eyre!!

It was a brilliant read - and I understood it since I laid my eyes on the cover, a wonderful illustration, really.
Period drama? A girl on the run? Romance? I mean, I'm totally in.
I really enjoyed this book - the setting, the characters, the vibes. Conflicts were real, and made characters relatable.

Really nice work.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I thought the pacing was slow and the characters did not grow on me enough to continue reading. I might pick this one back up in the future because the synopsis was what first caught my eye. Thank you NetGalley for letting me borrow this book.

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book in return for my honest review.

This book had definite similarities to Jane Eyre with the spooky house , missing wife ravens and myths surrounding it all.

Enjoyable and easy to read

3.5 ⭐️

This was a more magical and mysterious story based Jane Eyre. While it’s not a true Jane Eyre retelling, its inspiration is definitely obvious: married man, unstable wife, haunted house, somewhat unsuspecting new love interest. The story was fine. The characters were fine. It was just an easy, fine read.

This was a hard book to put down! I love Bran, definitely my favorite character. I'm also a fan of historical gothic reads and this was no disappointment.

"The Ravenswood Witch" by Jenni Keer is definitely for fans of "Jane Eyre" and "Rebecca". Suitably gothic with smouldering leading men, damsons in distress, a wife that's disappeared, ghostly goings on and more. It's difficult to reinvent the gothic plot but it did contain a few twists and turns. Big shout out to Bran the raven who was my favourite character!

Ich habe mich über das Buch sehr gefreut. Es ist nicht nur fließend zum lesen sondern auch sehr spannend.

Yes it took me 5 days to finish this book but life happens lol. If it were up to me I’d devour it in one day. This was my first read written by Jenni Keer and I will say I’m glad I read it. The plot was well written, as well as the banter. It was easy for my to identify with Rose and poor Marcus, talk about a gentleman. Initially I was not a fan of Marcus for what he did but by the end I was on his side.

Im not sure what to say without giving away important details of the story. But 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Jenni girl this book ate. For a historical fiction, you did that.

Rose, was on the run for murder. Marcus was trying to run away from his past, the way these two lost souls came together and created such a subtle yet sweet love story from sadness was amazing. As for Eloise I was not a fan, I was to smack her every time I read from her pov. Jealousy is one hell of a drug.

Super interesting and entertaining, was definitely one of those books that I struggled to put down, I absolutely loved the story plot as the characters. Definitely think it’s a must read✨