"It was never a good idea to make conversation with a monster; it only let you forget about their teeth.“

I went into A Steep and Savage Path without knowing quite what to expect, but the moment the story ventured into the underworld, I was completely swept away. It’s a beautifully crafted tale—one that lingers long after the final page, the kind you find yourself wanting to revisit just to experience it all over again.

The world-building is immersive and richly imagined, and the characters gradually won me over with their depth and growth. What struck me most was the story’s ability to blend heartbreak with joy, sorrow with hope. It made my heart ache and soar in equal measure. And just when I thought I had it figured out, the book surprised me in the best way.

This novel has it all—emotion, atmosphere, and that rare kind of magic that makes you want to hold onto every word.

4
The story centers around Irina, who is getting married to a vampire who is dead and unaware of the wedding. This is so that she has a guide through the underworld to help complete a task to find her sister's soul.


I don't agree that it's an enemies-to-lovers story. I saw no enemies, just two individuals who didn't know how to communicate. There was no hatred nor big conflict between them, only weak bickering and some occasional banter.

The book doesn't have any chapters which was a little irritating to be honest

netgalley ARC

I enjoyed this so.ewgat slow burn romance, the plot of finding the curse to end was interesting. Could have had more depth and felt a little too basic and I love YA.

I was asked by NetGalley to review this book. I was intrigued by the cover initially.

I loved the Romanian folklore and the historical setting of the small rural village.
There are gothic and scary threads throughout this story as a young woman is intent on bringing her the soul of her sister from the underworld and a vampire to guide her.

This was a interesting slant on vampires and gothic themes and interesting that there was no chapters but five sections again different.

Scary and quite a sad story so get the tissues out.

Recommended read due for publication May 8th 2025.

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!

I really wanted to like this. The book started off strong. I liked our main character, Irina, and I liked the writing. The concept was intriguing, but once we got the land of the dead the whole story just fell flat. It became so repetitive, and a little boring. I don't know if it was just a badly formatted ARC, but this book also didn't have any chapters, only parts. That made it seem longer than it actually was. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it.

I can never resist a journey to the underworld and when you team it with a vampire it’s a yes from me. I was pulled in from the beginning and was intrigued by the lore and legends about the vampires.
I liked the pacing and the plot kept me engaged throughout.

Lush, lyrical, and emotionally devastating. A gothic fantasy masterpiece.

A Steep and Savage Path is an unforgettable descent into darkness—equal parts romantic, eerie, and mythologically rich. With her signature gothic flair, JJA Harwood weaves a story of grief, forbidden love, and impossible bargains that readers will devour in one sitting and mourn long after the final page.

Irina is a standout heroine—fierce, flawed, and heartbreakingly human. Her willingness to face death in exchange for a chance to save her sister’s soul sets the tone for a narrative filled with high emotional stakes. When she’s married off to a vampire in a chilling ritual meant to appease an ancient evil, she makes a deal that changes everything: he’ll guide her into the land of the dead if she allows him to drink her blood.

The underworld journey that follows is mesmerizing. Harwood’s world-building is rich and immersive, filled with haunting imagery, mythological creatures, and eerie rituals. The romance between Irina and Stefan is a slow burn with exquisite tension. There’s no rush here—only longing, pain, and the slow unfolding of trust. Their dynamic is beautifully layered, filled with mutual respect and quiet moments that cut deep.

This novel explores themes of loss, loyalty, and what it means to choose love in the face of death. For readers seeking lush prose, emotional stakes, and a refreshing twist on vampire lore, A Steep and Savage Path delivers on every level.

Highly recommended for fans of The Cruel Prince, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and gothic retellings with teeth.

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!

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Oooooh, this was a good one! Strong female lead, a vampire, romance, a quest... even a twist at the end.

I'm sure our students will enjoy it too :)

FMC (human) needs MMC (vampire) help to journey to the underworld and find the soul of her little sister, and return it to the land of the living.

The premise was good, but I think quite a few things could have been better fleshed out.

The underworld was just… a regular world. I’m not saying I was expecting skeletons walking around, but at times you could also forget they were in the underworld. The world building was a little bit lacking.

I liked that it was set in Romania - but why was everyone in the underworld that they speak to also Romanian? There’s mention of Austrian soldiers so it’s clearly not one underworld per country, so it’s a massive coincidence that everyone they speak to is also Romanian. Again, I think this just ties into the world building being a bit lacking at times.

FMC is actually really unlikeable for the first half of the book. I was struggling to read it because I didn’t like her. However in the second half her character does become likeable, so the second half of the book was definitely easier to read than the first.

I did like the ending (literally like the last two pages) - it was hinted at a bit in the last 10% or so, so I had an idea it was coming, but it tied in well and didn’t feel like the author had just tried to shoehorn in a happy ending.

Overall I liked it - the writing was good (although a few things were left under-explained), the plot was good, and the relationship between the two main characters developed nicely.

3.5/5, but rated 3 because of how much of a slog the first 50% of the book was.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

This was one of those unique books that is amazing and difficult, but a wonderful journey that is totally worth it. The romance is slow-burn and such a great payoff. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Well, I am crying.
Which I think is probably the most impactful review I could give.
This was a beautiful and haunting tapestry of mythos and folklore.
I'd recommend for fans of Starling House, it had the same bittersweetness.

(Pretty clean romance as well, nothing beyond a steamy set of kisses. Suitable for teens and adults alike.)

At the beginning of the story we meet Irina who is marrying a ‘dead man’, aka a vampire named Stefan, to help a village get rid of a vampire who’s tormenting them. Irina’s true motive is to make a deal with Stefan: she will let him feed off her regularly in exchange for him being her guide in the underworld. She wants to go there to bring back a part of her little sister’s soul who is trapped there.

Let me first say that I loved the premise of this book and wanted to love the story so so much. Sadly, it didn’t happened.

Structurally, I really struggle with the fact that this book has no chapters but big ‘parts’ and, story wise, I found it very repetitive. I was very curious about how the underworld would be, who they will meet there, etc. but sadly it was very ‘meh’.

We discover early on that Irina can’t touch any of the dead because they will be reminded of the fact that they are dead and they will also start decaying etc. that was an interesting concept, but quickly turned in Irina being afraid to touch anyone and got repetitive.

I sadly didn’t connect with Stefan or Irina and wasn’t a fan of their dialogues. Those character were very ‘flat’ to me and I wasn’t invested in their stories or romance.

I’m sure this book will find its public but sadly it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

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.

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 had such high hopes for this book and loved the premise. If humans are not laid to rest they roam around as a vampire and a young human woman makes a sacrifice in marrying one vampire in hopes of stopping a him terrorising her village. But she also has an agenda of her own, she wants him to guide her through the underworld to save her sisters soul.

Started off with beautiful Gothic vibes which made me think of One Dark Window. However the pace is far too slow for me. The author kept referring to colours which actually made me confused and unable to picture the world. There were also no chapters or page numbers, not sure if this is just the arc format or intentional but it made it hard to know where to put the book down and not in a good way,
Thank you for the chance to read this story however is a 2.5/3 star for me at 40%

This book had a lot of promise but I didn't quite click with the characters, and if I can't click with them then the book isn't for me. I do think that there will be a lot of people that like this, however, so please definitely pick this up if it sounds like your kind of thing

**3,75/5**
„It was never a good idea to make conversation with a monster; it only let you forget about their teeth."

✨Historical Fantasy
✨Folklore
✨Romance
✨Slow-Burn
✨mortal x immortal forced proximity

What I liked:
I absolutely loved the Romanian folklore vibes and the historical setting of the small rural village. Vampire Stefan is such a gory creature at the beginning, very refreshing compared to most vampire stories. The building connection between him and Irina was enjoyable to follow throughout the book. Especially Stefan's self satisfied behavior and his dry humor were great, but also Irina's thoughts about him were often hilarious. Their banter was well written and I absolutely enjoyed it!

What I didn't like:
The whole underworld journey was interesting at the beginning, but after a while the whole „drama" about the door traveling to a different realm got really repetitive.
I also wished we got more of gory vampire Stefan, I found him quite interesting. The whole folklore vibes were a bit neglected after the beginning.

Thank you Harper Collins Uk and Rachel Quin for the arc!

<b>This book was depressing. </b>

I don’t usually dislike sad books - reading is supposed to make you feel emotions - but I didn’t enjoy the reading experience at all. The entire story was just so dreary … I was glad to finish it, and skimmed the last 20% just to get it over with.

We jump into the story as Irina is marrying a ‘dead man’ to help a village get rid of a vampire who’s tormenting them. She has an underlying motive - to make a deal with said vampire: in exchange for letting him (Stefan) feed off her regularly he is to take her to the underworld to bring back her sister’s trapped soul.

This could have been a super interesting story, however both the romance and the plot fell flatter than a pancake. Let me start with the love story: it’s poorly built and not believable. After 5 minutes of meeting Stefan, Irina just decides he’s annoying (despite him not being annoying at all) and hence this kind of sarcastic banter emerges between them. It all feels very forced, and is clearly the author trying to create an ‘enemies to lovers’ thing - but it doesn’t work! Their dialogue is very mechanical, and don’t even get me started on the fact that they both <b>speak</b> with lots of 21st century colloquialism… but the world is set in 19th century Romania? (Side note - I <i>think</i> it is anyway. I initially thought it was 14/15th century from all the descriptions but then the author mentioned imperial soldiers which is post 1800. You can see the world building wasn’t done well. However, the characters shouldn’t be speaking like modern teenagers either way.) PS this book is marketed for fans of The Cruel Prince, but let me tell you, it pales in comparison.


I also struggled to connect with either Irina or Stefan. We don’t get much background on either of them, especially Stefan as his death is supposed to be a big reveal, albeit a predictable one. I felt pity for him, but he doesn’t make for a very good love interest as a result. Other than his tragic backstory, he appears quite 2D.

And lastly [mild spoilers here so proceed with caution] the underworld was just so … boring. I expected it to be richer and more scary. Instead, we get a normal world but anyone Irina touches remembers their death. Which is interesting once, and then it was just repetitive (all she keeps worrying about is touching people and making them decay into corpses) and frankly quite gross when it did happen. It was a unique concept but the author overdid it. Plus so many interesting things left unexplained, like whatever was the significance of the Totentanz in this story? Etc etc.

The ending [again, massive spoiler] was interesting until the very last page which frankly, just felt like fan service and was left totally unexplained. I felt like the author chickened out from <i>actually</i> writing a tragic ending and tacked something on at the end just to make the readers happy. 👎🏼👎🏼

Overall, I was expecting this to be SO good and it wasn’t. The 2.5 is for the fact that I was actually intrigued enough to finish it. Probably won’t be reading any more books from JJA in the future as all her other material has mixed reviews too, sorry.

<i>ARC received in exchange for an honest review, thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK</i>