Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Cruel is the Light is the first instalment of an epic new romantasy duology set in Rome (publishing January 2025) featuring a demon hunter and a foot soldier thrown together in a centuries-old war between demons and humans. I absolutely ate this up - once I was in, I was IN.

Jules Lacroix, the man that you are! If you’re in need of a new book boyfriend, dare I suggest the cheeky and charming sunshine that is Jules! I read a lot of this on my kindle in fear of damaging this BEAUTIFUL proof, and SO many of the lines I highlighted were Jules being Jules. I LOVE HIM. Wrapped up in a fake engagement with Scary Girlfriend Demon Hunter Selene Alleva, we get to see them navigate deadly secrets and their own vulnerabilities. Selene is badass, powerful, and downright feral, but I ADORED getting to see the softer side of her as her and Jules grew closer. And MY MY did they get close 👀

This world was so interesting, there was a perfect balance between elements from our world and the magical! I am excited to learn more about the demons and the war in book 2, I feel like there were a LOT of plot twists and bombs dropped in this book and I need ANSWERS.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, here’s a few more reasons you might want to read Cruel:
Dual POV
Fake engagement
Knife-to-throat (I mean look at that cover)
Forced proximity
One bed 👀

4.5 stars

This book dropped us right into the middle of the action and never stopped. It’s set in an alternate Europe (think WW2 but with demons) with the Vatican at the heart of everything – and I do mean EVERYTHING! It’s told in dual POV, following Selene who is an exorcist for the Vatican (think high-level solder with magic) and Jules, an orphan who was forced to join the front line due to a lack of other options, somehow survived over four years, but then suddenly deserted his post because he learns his whole life is based on a lie and he wants to know about his past. And of course, when their lives cross, things really explode, because both of them are hiding secrets. But the romance and the emotions was on point. I felt for these two so much.

The story was fast-paced and exciting. I half-guessed a lot of the twists, which was interesting because every time I thought something was about to unfold, there was a twist that I was not expecting. It was that mix of familiarity and differences that kept me on my toes and had me reading till the end. The ending was satisfying while leaving enough threads open that I want to read the next book.

My only complaint about this book was there were a few aspects of the world building and magic system that weren’t fully explained. Like, how did they decide who could become exorcists or not? How did the exorcists get their marks? Why was Selene’s marks on her bones while everyone else had them on their skin, and why did some exorcists have more marks than others? Overall, these didn’t detracts from the enjoyment of the book, but they did niggle at the back of my mind. I kept waiting for an explanation, but it just never came. We’re told over and over again that the Vatican has their secrets, but we were literally inside Selene’s head. She knows the answer to these questions, so we should have been able to learn them too. A few I could guess, but there was never enough information to tell me if I’m right.

I absolutely recommend this to someone who likes fantasy/romantasy because you will not be disappointed.

In Vatican City, Exorcists are trained at the Academy to help fight off demons in the long standing war between Demons and Humans

Selene is one such exorcist, and is well thought of despite her family history

Jules is a wayward orphan soldier and gets roped into going to the Vatican with Selene and is surprised when it isn't what he thought at all

The two must work together, uncovering plots and secrets, all whilst fighting their growing feelings for each other... what will the pair do...

I found this kept a decent pace with the story, definitely a bit info heavy at the start. Took a bit for me to get into the flow of it but really picked up from the half way mark

Out 23 January so still time to get those preorders in!

THIS is what I want when I read romantasy!!!!!

The absolute chokehold this book had on me, once I started reading it I honestly couldn't stop. Cruel is the Light is the first in a duology, with multiple POVs - we follow Jules, a disserting soldier and Selene, an exorcist for the Vatican. Yeah, you read that correctly. Selene and Jules are a part of a centuries long battle between both demons and humans, with Rome is at the heart of it as this is where the undead God resides.

I LOVED these two together so much, the banter was *chef kiss* and as well as this the author did such a great job of bringing in real life religious symbolism into the story, which honestly I thought was great...the nuns in the split skirts and suspenders I don't know about though lmao.

Talking of nuns in suspenders, the side characters were amazing and I am going to need an entire book about Sparrow now.

ALSO the book is trope central in the absolute BEST way
- grumpy/sunshine
- forbidden romance
- fake engagement
- one bed
- SUPER forced proximity

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! Perfect mix of upper YA fantasy with a little sprinkle of romance - 0 spice, fade to black. Highly recommend!

Thanks so much for NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

“May God protect me from lustful thoughts about Jules Lacroix.” You and me both Selene!!!

4.5 🌟 This book really surprised me! When I read the blurb, I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into, but wow was I blindsided by how obsessed I was with this!

🗡️🗡️🗡️

Plot:

In a world where the Vatican rules and are in a centuries old war with demons. Selene is an Exorcist, an elite class of trained demon killers.

Jules is a talented footsoldier on the frontlines. And after being the sole survivor in a confrontation with a demon, he deserts the war. He heads back to the orphanage in Nice, where he was raised, to understand where he comes from.

He finds himself having to save the orphanage from a demon duke, just as Selene is on its tail. Selene, suspicious of Jules, but unsure of his connection in all of this, brings him back to the Vatican, under the guise of her long gone fiance. And the two set out on a mission to understand the recent increase in demon activity and stop the duke.

🗡️🗡️🗡️

I will warn, the first 50 pages or so, really throws you into a lot of world building, so don’t start reading at midnight like I did 😅 But I think I was hooked from the moment their lives started to intertwine!

What I loved:

✨ Jules bloody Lacroix. Firstly he's French, of course I was going to love him! He's so flirty and self-assured, but also is so perfectly in touch with his emotions! We love a man that isn't afraid to cry and deal with grief! I'm not surprised that everyone seems to fall for him in the book, as so have I!

🖤 The fake engagement! This is just always going to be a recipe for fun! The fake kisses and the flirty sparring! Its such a fun ride. Its not an overly slow burn, but there's a lot of doubt and hesistance, especially as Selene really has to reevaluate her thoughts on the world to love Jules, but it’s interesting to see that chip away!

✨ The side characters! Firstly, I love Sparrow, and am very intrigued by his adoration of Jules, and wouldn’t be the adversed to a love triangle in the next book, just saying 👀 Plus Lucia and Catriona are so much fun. I love the initial meeting between Jules and them!

All in all, I'm obsessed and ready for book 2!

Cruel is the Light is extraordinary. Set in a Europe that is not our own, this is a world both familiar and not. An Exorcist of the Vatican City, Selene is strong, fierce and determined but still so likeable. Jules, a soldier fighting demons on the front line gives Selene a run for her money. Through the dual POV you develop a strong attachment to both characters. Multiple twists and turns keep the story exciting and have you wondering who you should really be rooting for.

Demon-hunters, magic, mysteries, romance!

Jules is a corporal in the Vatican Empire’s army who has the most kills under his name, surviving when no one else does. Orphaned, he has no idea who he was or is.
Selene is the Butcher of Rome, an Exorcist Second Class and captain within the Vatican’s demon-hunting military arm.

Selene loathes mysteries. Particularly mysteries in the gorgeous packaging of a young French soldier. And Jules is the only link to the newly emerged Duke of Briars, first and greatest of the twelve known demon dukes. And the most terrible.

I went into this with tepid expectations. Romantasy recently has let me down. I was also worried about the setting of the Roman Vatican being overstated, but this was pulled off so well!

<b>‘You … you have no idea how much you test me, do you? When you yell, when you get hurt … everything you bloody do.’
</b>
Jules is charming, witty, and doesn’t know what authority means. Selene is cold, reserved, and untrusting. Their dynamic was very fun to observe! The back and forth, the disguised identity troupe leading to… situations.

This read so easily! It was fast-paced and the romance never overtook the plot (my main complaint of romantasy). The world-building was there but looser than I would have liked.

<b>‘You live to torment me.’ ‘You, personally,’ she said waspishly. He laughed more, tears springing to his eyes. ‘Well, fuck my life, I guess.’
</b>
I saw all the big twists, and I mean all of them which is always kind of disappointing, but I think this will cause a lot of excitement in the Booktok community!

Arc gifted by in Penguin Random House UK Children.

4⭐️s

YA Romantasy at its best!! So good!! This book was great, well paced and action packed. The characters are realistic and interesting and the plot was gripping and interesting.

We start off meeting selene, the famous demon hunter of Rome, and we watch as her entire world comes crumbling down before her. When she meets Jules, something just…clicks (even if she doesn’t quite admit it to herself just yet). Jules is a army deserter, with a strange affinity for killing demons and messing up Selenes life. Not everything is as it seems…and its up to the two of them to figure out the truth beneath 2 centuries worth of secrets.

I loved this book! Specifically, I loved the world building and Jules’ character 🥹 Jules is incredibly well written, loyal and strong but gentle and considerate. I loooove him! Selene was a great YA FMC, head strong but devoted to her cause, but humble when needed to be. I loved the complicated family relationships that were woven through this book, from father-daughter to best friends to lovers, so many wonderful relationships explained beautifully on page.

I liked the plot overall and it did keep my attention, but I think some twists were very obvious which didn’t ruin the story overall but more of a shock factor would have been better. The dialogue was arguably my favourite part, each character has such a strong voice. The world setting itself was incredible, picturesque and familiar but also unique and fun. Loved it!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eArc!

3.5 ⭐️/ 5

Thank you penguin house for the ARC!

I was incredibly excited to read this book; Demons, exorcists, magic and conflicting alliances is everything I was looking for.

Unfortunately whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and ending I found the middle to become quite a dull experience.

First I think the heart of this book had the foundation to be a great story, the magic and concept of demons/Exorcists makes for a wonderful read. The author has also written a book that is definitely not poorly written.

After the great beginning of the story I found that the story starts to lack any engaging content. The magic system received almost no explanation, the demons, magic, threat of conflict and vast world building simply felt like they disappeared for the entire middle of the book- then when needed again for the story the reappearance of these events simply felt like they lacked importance and felt confusing in the moment as we had little experience and explanation.
Example trying to avoid spoilers: one of the characters finds themselves able to follow a thread of light that they were able to see all this time. I don’t recall any context where they could see this thread and throughout the story they didn’t engage with magic very much so it just felt confusing why that was the case.

The characters are quite mediocre, side characters are not memorable either. Selene is described as being the butcher of Rome, she’s supposed to be a dangerous and feared demon killer, one of the strongest exorcists, yet other than 1 action scene in the beginning(which gave everything I wanted, loved and expected!) she was absolutely nothing like that.
Jules has a better character arc that I enjoyed very much.

Together the characters found themselves in an enemies to lovers but I didn’t necessarily feel like that was the case. They never felt like enemies, I would say they weren’t instead it just felt like they were irritated with each other for a slight moment then the rest of their time together was just a bit boring and didn’t feel important till late in the book.

Overall the book could have had a lot of it cut out or changed, which would have made the pacing better, aspects of the magic, characters and world were a little confusing due to lack of details.
personally I would have expected more action, fighting and magic however for the first book I’m still excited to look out for these things in the sequel, i think this book has created a good set up for a good seauel.

Favourite parts were: the setting, demons, exorcists and magic but I don’t find any were executed greatly

For fans of warrior nun(tv show) and serpent and dove

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance reader copy.

I didn’t have any expectations going into this and found that I was still a little disappointed.
We’re thrown into a fight scene as soon as the book starts, an assumption would be that this is the pace of the book but it turns out it isn’t.

The rest of the book is a slow reveal of some world building and partial understanding of the magic system.
The mixing of real world with the magic system could have been done better and felt like it wasn’t explained enough.

The romance is more dislike/distrust to lovers and even that was a little flat in my opinion.
With most of the book being slow the beginning chapter and end chapters feel rushed and even more like a set up for more books.

4.5⭐️ thank you penguin, Sophie Clark and Netgalley for this arc !!

I was left shook after reading this like OMG THERE WERE SO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS!

I won't lie I got confused at times, but ultimately some of my theories panned out and I'm so happy yet left stunned. I freaking loved Selena. I love a grumpy badass fmc.

This was an amazing concept, I love the idea of it being set in Rome/ the Vatican - makes me want to go back there. It's exorcists vs demons and what's not love?

I got major Underworld (2003) vibes, just without the vampires and horror 🤭 and throw a little Romeo and Juliet while we're at it !

🖤reluctant allies to lovers
🖤forbidden
🖤political plotting
🖤reverse grumpy x Sunshine
🖤close proximity
🖤fake engagement
🖤banter is bantering

As I said before, I was a bit confused at times, and maybe that was due to formatting on the Arc, or there were grammar issues. But I'll defo reread rhe final release!

What a great Romantasy read! Had such a great time reading this story. SO glad I was able to get an advanced e-arc - thank you Netgalley.
It had everything I love, Selene and Jules are <3<3<3
When I started reading, I couldn't put it down.

Cruel is the Light dives into a dark and brutal world where a century-old war rages between humans and demons. You are thrown into the heat of the brutal battle from the first page and you’ll remain on the edge of your seat through to the end.
This debut romantasy is an epic blend of star-crossed love, brutal battles, and dark secrets. Set against a war-torn Europe where exorcists face off against demons, we follow Selene, a fierce Vatican-trained exorcist, and Jules, a skilled soldier with a mysterious past.
Their enemies-to-lovers journey had me flipping pages well past midnight! Initially clashing with intense distrust, their relationship evolves, blending tense rivalry with forbidden attraction. This central romance is as intense as the battles they face, drawing readers into a world both deadly and alluring.
Sophie’s world-building is epic and immersive, the plot has just the right mix of action and aching tension, with short, punchy chapters that make it hard to put down.
This has been compared to Serpent & Dove and Empire of the Vampire but as I’m yet to read either, my personal comparison was to the Shadowhunter series. Jules gives straight up William Herondale vibes, iykyk. I read this in a day and a half but I did not want this book to end! I can’t wait to pick up book 2!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Cruel is the Light is a new romantasy story in which Selene and Jules must work together as a centuries-old-war starts brewing again.

“May God protect me from lustful thoughts about Jules Lacroix.”

I’ve been sooooo excited for this book ever since first learning about it! I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dive into this version of Rome and couldn’t be happier when I won the pretty red ARC at YALC!!
I dove into this book wanting to love it and I’m so glad that I did! The writing style really drew me in, and I couldn’t help but continue to read. At the same time, the facing is a bit slow, and that didn’t make this book a quick read. I loved that about this book though, since it made me savour every minute spend within these pages so worth it!
The plot is very engaging and fun despite the looming threat that is constantly hanging over everyone’s heads. It made me super invested in whatever was going on and had me glued to the chapters! I loved how the fantasy elements of the exorcists and their magic tied together with the demons and their destruction! It wasn’t unique per se, but I loved how well it fitted into the world. The way the exorcists learned to harness their powers and fight against the demons raging the city and the lands. I also loved the layers upon layers within this fantasy world and how there is so much more than meets the eye!
Selene is such a badass woman! I was amazed by her introduction into the story and how ruthless of a leader she is. At the same time, she grew on my sooooo much throughout the book! I think I truly fell for her around chapter 28 for reasons I won’t spoil hehe. Jules, I loved from the very first moment we met! He is such a fun character, and I loved his attitude, but also his loyalty! Every chapter just made me fall in love with him more and more. What I also love so much about this book is how the side characters add so much more depth to the story! I loved Sparrow and couldn’t help but smile every time he made an appearance hehe. Also, Kian’s saying boyo lives rent-free in my mind now.
The romance in this book was soooooo good! I can’t help but love the slow burn and the slowly rising anticipation of them finally kissing hahahah. The lust and chemistry between Selene and Jules were palpable and so well created. They are perfect for each other, and I loved how their relationship developed over the story. I also loved their bickering and constant banter!
I have to say that the last 150 pages of this book were an absolute rollercoaster all possible emotions a book can make me feel! I don’t know how Sophie did it, but I did not see most of the twists coming and this book gave me heart palpitations while also making me hold my breath and scream at the same time at all that was happening! I loved every moment of the last part of the book, and I need 5-10 business days to recover from this whirlwind of a book.

Overall, Cruel is the Light is a perfect romantasy book that ticked all the boxes that I love so much in this genre!!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Cruel is the Light is a brilliant YA debut. I loved the unique setting of Rome (particularly the Vatican) and the use of both French and Italian phrases throughout.
Jules and Selene were such a cute couple and their chemistry was through the roof. So much banter and flirting. Their story was one that showed love is stronger than any prejudices.
The side characters of Sparrow, Lucia and Caterina were a great addition and I hope we see more of them in book 2!

R E V I E W

Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark

☆☆☆.5

Advanced Reader Copy graciously provided by Penguin Random House UK via Netgalley

Where to begin. Cruel is the Light is a forced allies to lovers romance enmeshed in a convoluted world where God has fallen, his immortal body enshrined within the Vatican where the noble exorcists reside, fighting against the forces of darkness that are drawn to Rome as a result. Make sense? No? Well, you're not alone in this.

The detailed world building required to break down the complexity of this fictional world, and its political and religious nuances was missing from the prose at times, and instead, we were thrust directly into the action. Whilst this can be an exciting way to hook the reader from the outset, I instead found myself confused by the magic system and, consequently, the role of the exorcists themselves. Whilst arguably I know what an exorcist does, this concept seemed to play a backseat in the narrative with only vaguely described exorcisms taking place in favour of sassy, banter-filled dialogue.

Whilst the world building was lacking, I did enjoy the aforementioned repartee between Selene and Jules, though we had to delve quite far into the narrative to get it. I did feel there were missed opportunities to develop a lot of the side characters in this book. With the exception of Kian, I didn't find the rest of the characters hugely likeable, certainly not enough to inspire any warmth at their display of loyalty towards the end. If not for the premise of something developing between Jules and Selene, I'm not sure I would have persevered with this story, and even their romance seemed rushed in places, with feelings evolving quickly and trust developing beyond what seemed like a natural pace.

I enjoyed some aspects of this book, but I did have to pull myself to the finish line. Whilst I ultimately enjoyed the relationship that formed between the main characters, their love is not enough of a motivation for me to pick up the second instalment in this duology.

Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark is a debut romance and fantasy novel based on Jewish mythology, featuring a war between demons and humans. The story focuses on elite exorcist Selene Alleva and Jules Lacroix, an orphaned warfighter recruited by the Vatican. Their journey includes fake engagement, enemies-to-lovers tension, forbidden love, political intrigue, and thrilling fight sequences.

I loved the characters Selene and Jules—their journey from strangers to lovers and their obsession with each other was captivating. The side characters, Sparrow and Kian, were also intriguing, and I’d love to know more about them. I’m definitely planning to reread this book to immerse myself in its world again while waiting for the second part to be announced.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK Children, and author Sophie Clark for this amazing read. Sophie has done an excellent job with her debut novel, and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

Absolutely brilliantly written book with a great premise and fantastic characters!! Can't wait for the official release.

I think I have found a new favourite book!

Right from the the first chapter to the end was non-stop action, we get to see a dark insight to the world of the Vatican and the demons that lurk in Romes shadows.

The worldbuilidng is perfect, showing the struggles the soldiers live, the highs & lows of the exorcists and the fear the demons live in.

The corruption and politics had me in suspense with guessing who might be good and who is bad.

Selene is a strong badass fmc who is not afraid to risk loosing herself for the safety of Rome, I love her development from the captain we see in the beginning to the captain she is at the end. Jules’ development is on a whole new level, from a foot soldier to a powerful independent mmc at the end. I love how he’s the sunshine and she’s the grumpy one and their relationship! The knife to the throat scenes, forced proximity, fake engagement and tension had me kicking my feet and screaming when they finally came together.

The side characters were so different and I loved each and everyone of them (well most of them anyways - I’m looking at you Ambrose and Gabriel) the interactions they have with the main characters both together and separately added so much to the book.

There were a few twists and turns, a couple I think I guessed but there were still some that left me shocked.

I can’t wait to do a reread when it’s published and out in the world, the next book is an immediate need and I think I have also found a new automatic buy author.

Before reading double check the trigger warnings as it can be a bit bloody.

Thank you to Sophie and Penguin UK for the eARC!

I absolutely loved this grumpy x sunshine romantasy and it was refreshing to have a setting in Rome and France compared to so many others. The world building was fantastic without being over whelming and the magic system was so well thought out.

I loved having a FMC who just didn't give a hoot and wasn't easily impressed and wasn't just some damsel who needed constant saving.

Easily my favourite read of 2024 and definitely going to be big next year!