I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this book at the start, but as soon as they entered the underworld I was hooked! I thought the world building was done so well and the characters really grew on me. I also always love a book that can surprise me and this definitely did that!

A Steep and Savage Path by JJA Harwood is the kind of book that sinks its teeth into you and doesn’t let go. If you love gothic romance, vampire lore, and heart-wrenching choices, this one’s for you.

The story follows Irina, a woman forced into a nightmare deal—marry a vampire to save her village. But her real mission is even more dangerous: journeying into the Underworld to rescue her sister’s stolen soul. In exchange for his help, Stefan, her new undead husband, demands one thing—her blood. What starts as a desperate bargain slowly turns into something deeper, more dangerous, and impossible to resist.

The world-building is stunning. Harwood paints a haunting, vivid Underworld filled with monsters, ghosts, and landscapes that feel alive (or, well, dead). Every step of Irina’s journey is dripping with atmosphere—you can practically feel the chill of the shadows and the weight of Death’s gaze.

But the real magic is in Irina and Stefan’s relationship. Enemies-to-lovers? Yes!!!!. Forced proximity? Absolutely!!!!. Forbidden, slow-burn tension that makes your chest ache? Oh, 100%. Their dynamic is electric—full of distrust, reluctant respect, and a pull neither can fight. Watching them go from adversaries to something far more tender (and tragic) is what makes this book unforgettable.

And that ending? I sobbed. No spoilers, but the choice Irina has to make destroyed me. It’s the kind of emotional gut-punch that lingers long after you finish reading.

If you grew up obsessed with vampire romances (hello, teenage me), this feels like a fresh, darker twist on the genre. It’s got everything—danger, sacrifice, a fierce heroine, and a love story that feels both inevitable and doomed.

Final Verdict: Haunting, beautiful, and impossible to put down. This is a must-read for fans of gothic fantasy and romances that hurt so good. Just keep tissues nearby.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

4.5⭐

A Steep and Savage Path is one of those books that as soon as I started reading I couldn't put it down. It is split into five parts without any chapters so I found this a little hard to get into at first but once I did i flew through it. The writing is so beautiful and weaves together a rather hauntingly beautiful yet eerie story that even though at times it can feel morbid it is actually such a beautiful story of a young woman's love and the journey she undertakes to the underworld to bring back her sister's soul and the vampire she has enlisted not only to be her guide but also finds herself married to him.

The writing pulls you in straight away with how descriptive and vivid in details it is as it takes you along on the many different paths and lands of the underworld and I loved discovering them along with the main two characters and the host of different souls they meet along the way. The enemies to lovers is more like two individuals who find themselves relying on the other and the circumstances they find themselves in and what starts as a platonic yet tentative friendship grows into a really sweet and beautiful slow burn- romance between them that pays off in the best way as it is mainly about a journey of healing from the past and striving to be better.

The ending had me in tears and I found it so heartbreaking and also so beautiful at the same time. It really is such a beautiful story that will stay with me for a very long time.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book before publication, these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I loved this so much- fantasy/horror with Eastern European flavour is a crowded market but this manages to stand out with really well drawn characters that show their vulnerability by degrees as they descend into the underworld. The slow burn romance is done very well and by the end I was close to tears. Incredible work.

A Steep and Savage Path is an utterly captivating read. The slow build up of Irina and Stefan’s relationship was so much fun., the banter, the peril, the atmospheric world building was top notch. I hope there’s more from this universe. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this.

Welcome to a tale of a journey through the Underworld to retrieve a wandering Soul.

When we meet Irina she is entering into a marriage to a Man she's never met who also happens to be Dead. What we think is a mercy mission to help save the village being haunted by a Vampire is actually a desperate need to enter the Underworld and retrieve the Soul she needs to find to help her own family.

This is a creative and illustrative story, told beautifully as it races through the realms of the Dead, through gateways and amongst the Underworld's inhabitants, good and bad.
Irina and Stefan's tales merge and dance around each other, each needing help in their own way only to meet a heart-breaking condition set by Death itself.

I loved this book, I read it in one sitting. The World woven is gorgeously descriptive and draws you in completely, I felt my heart breaking as the book neared it's end and Irina's choices were laid out before her.

Thank you so much to Rachel Quin and Harper Collins for sending me this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely mesmerizing—a dark, haunting, and beautifully written tale that completely pulled me in. Irina’s journey is full of sacrifice, determination, and quiet strength, making her such a compelling protagonist. The eerie, atmospheric world-building was stunning, and I felt fully immersed in the folklore and magic woven throughout the story.

The dynamic between Irina and Stefan was everything I love in an enemies-to-lovers romance—tense, electric, and full of slow-burning intensity. Their relationship unfolded so naturally, layered with trust, danger, and longing. Every twist and turn had me on edge, and the emotional depth made it all so satisfying.

If you love gothic fantasy, haunting myths, and romances that simmer with tension and passion, A Steep and Savage Path is an absolute must-read. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

A Steep and Savage Path by JJA Harwood is a captivating and haunting tale that blends supernatural elements with a forbidden romance. The story follows Irina, a woman who must become the bride of a vampire to save her sister’s soul from the underworld. In exchange for his help, Irina offers her blood to Stefan, her new husband, and they embark on a perilous journey through a world of nightmarish creatures and twisted landscapes.

The book is rich in eerie imagery, from three-headed beasts to winged horrors and walking corpses, creating an atmospheric setting that immerses readers in a realm both dangerous and otherworldly. The dynamic between Irina and Stefan is one of mutual distrust that slowly evolves into a powerful, unexpected love, making the enemies-to-lovers trope both fresh and compelling. The forced proximity between them heightens the tension, creating a bond that feels both inevitable and fraught with danger.

As someone with a teenage obsession with vampire fiction, I found this book particularly enthralling. Harwood’s take on the genre is unique, blending the thrill of the supernatural with an emotional depth that adds complexity to the characters and their relationships. Irina’s journey to the underworld is not just physically perilous but also emotionally transformative, with the stakes growing ever higher. The choice she faces at the end is heart-wrenching and leaves a lasting impact.

For anyone who enjoys dark, atmospheric stories with a strong female lead, A Steep and Savage Path is a must-read. The romance between Irina and Stefan is passionate and intense, while the world-building is both eerie and captivating. This book is a unique and unforgettable journey that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This book was SO good! I loved the romance and how it was written, the character were fascinating to read about and I loved the setting of this book.
Absolutely will be reading more from this author! Such a beautiful read.

5⭐️ I absolutely love love 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑫 A Steep and Savage Path.

As part of a desperate ritual to rid their Transylvanian village of a vampire, Irina is sacrificed to be his bride. But when Irina has to travel to the Underworld to retrieve her sister’s trapped soul, could the vampire that she was forced to wed be the one who saves them both?

immortal mmc x mortal fmc
forced proximity
vampires
forbidden love
enemies to lovers

This was heart-warming, beautiful, tragic, moving and all of the above, 5x over. I don’t cry at books often but this one made me SOB. Vivid and vibrant world-building, believable and well-rounded main characters and an ending that if I think about too much, I’ll start crying again.

Thank you endlessly to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

Irina & Stefan
Enemies to lovers
Forced Proximity
Vampire
Forbidden Love
Journey to the underworld

Irina finds herself making a deal with Stefan, help her on a journey to the underworld to retrieve her sister's soul and he can drink her blood in exchange.

My teenage self was obsessed with vampire books so as soon as I saw the blurb for this one, I was intrigued!

This is different from anything I've ever read before but I really enjoyed it!

I'd love to write a long review about A Steep and Savage Path but I find it hard to write long reviews about books I love! So we'll just go with:
1. I cried for 30 minutes straight while reading this. Automatic 5 stars.
2. I didn't think it was going to be sweet and emotional! I wasn't prepared.

The description/blurb likens this book to The Crimson Moth and The Cruel Prince. I've only read one of those, but in my mental library I've placed A Steep and Savage Path with Olivia Atwater's Half A Soul - no-spice romantic fantasy full of emotion and heart that will stay with me and definitely be reread when my heart needs to be wrung out! This book took me completely by surprise - I have a post-cry photo as evidence lol.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.