I adored every part of this book. I’ve always had a soft spot for gothic romance, even though I don’t read much romance anymore, this story completely reopened that door for me in the best way.

Our female main character was a standout! She struck the perfect balance of wit and attitude while still having a soft, vulnerable side that made me truly feel for her throughout. I was rooting for her from the start.

I’ll admit, the romance initially felt a bit instalove for my taste (not usually my thing), but watching the characters work together, dive into their research, and share flirtatious banter really won me over. I much prefer a very slow burn, ideally a first kiss at 80%!! so while I did skim the spicy scenes (personal preference!), I didn’t let that affect my rating at all.

The true highlight for me? The gothic 1920s setting. The gloomy, atmospheric vibes were exactly what I crave in historical gothic fiction, and it had me hooked from the very first page. I am a sucker for a gothic manor 😝

I do wish we got even more of the Irish folklore and the research aspect, it was so fascinating to me, and I would’ve loved to explore it further.

And that ending… WOW🤯I did not see it coming. I read a lot of twisty horror, this still caught me off guard in the best way. No spoilers here! But it left me stunned.

I’ll absolutely be picking up the novella companion ASAP, and I’m already looking forward to whatever Bea Northwick writes next! Now I’m off to read a bunch more Gothic romances 🖤

Millie, fresh out of a mental ward (with just enough questionable memory to make things interesting), lands a suspiciously perfect job with broody Professor Callum Hughes in his crumbling gothic mansion. Cue ominous creaks, whispered rumors of ghosts, and a very intense employer with eyes that seem to undress her faster than you can say “forbidden attraction.”

The story tangles romance, horror, and folklore into a decadent, thorny tapestry. Think: creeping ivy, hushed confessions in dark hallways, and kisses that taste like secrets. Also think: possibly cursed gardens, shadowy figures lurking where they shouldn’t, and that gnawing sense that everything is about to unravel — including Millie’s fragile grip on reality.

One star off because I occasionally wished Millie would pack her bags and run for the hills instead of sighing over the darkly handsome professor who is, let’s be honest, a walking red flag bouquet.

But if you like your gothic tales dripping with atmosphere, forbidden longing, and eerie mysteries, The Cruel Dark will absolutely scratch that itch. Just maybe leave a nightlight on. 🌙

A really good and enjoyable gothic romance with spice.
This book had it all, it was mysteries, the female character was working for a book collector while also trying to remember her past.
There was tension and I just loved the book. Plus this was a debut book for the author and it was amazing!

I received this book on NetGalley a while ago, and just recently found it buried in my kindle library. Shaking my head for not reading it sooner because it was equal parts spooky and romantic. Bea was able to write scenes that had me scared and jumping at every little noise my house made, and then directly swooning over the romance the main characters share in the next sentence. It gave very strong Haunting of Hill House vibes and I truly enjoyed every word. I absolutely would recommend giving this book a read.

I wish I could add half a star because it wasn't quite 3 or 4 stars. This was one of those leave a lot to your imagination books, and if you'd just come off a book about fae and other things you could think there is more to this than meets the eye. Nothing was as it seemed, and by the time I'd processed what wad going on I was at the end of the book. Love a good book full of twists and turns. If you have the patience to make it through the first 2/3 of the book you'll get that.

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 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.