"The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright is a 2023 Bethany House publication.

In 1865, Daisy begins work for a female author, who wrote shockingly lurid Gothic novels, living in a castle, located, oddly enough, in midwestern Wisconsin. If this wasn’t creepy enough, young women seem to disappear around the vicinity of the great castle. With each day that passes, Daisy becomes more and more frightened, believing something quite sinister is going on. Was she losing her mind or was there some truth to the rumors surrounding the castle?

Cleo, a young woman running from her past, accepts a position at the storied Castle Moreau, working for a popular, wealthy young man who wants to keep his grandmother’s hoarding habit a secret. Cleo’s job would be to help get the house cleaned out and deal with the elderly woman who was sure to object.

Once she arrives, Cleo becomes fascinated by the sordid tales about the castle which is rumored to be a place where young women vanished. As her work begins, it becomes obvious that woman living in the castle holds the dark secrets of Castle Moreau in her mind, but her mind is beginning to play tricks on her.

Meanwhile, Cleo’s past is haunting her almost as much as Castle Moreau�

I was quite intrigued by the categories this book landed in- it’s listed as both ‘Gothic� and ‘Christian Fiction�. Hummm- now how would that work out?

Well, as it turns out, it works brilliantly.

It has all the old school Gothic elements I love, with a wonderful underlying theme that one can’t help but admire.

I’m still not a fan of the dual timeline format- and was even more skeptical about it being applied to a book labeled as ‘Gothic�. As usual, though, the present-day storyline was far weaker than the historical parts- but the way the past and present eventually blended was exceptional.

A few quibbles from a Gothic purist- the atmosphere was moderately heavy during the historical segments, lacking that delicious sense of foreboding I love in a good Gothic tale. The pacing is set for the modern reader-stealing that slow intense building of unbearable pressure- but I do understand that ‘slow burns� are not popular and people no longer have the attention span for that kind of dense buildup.

That said, I found the book to be delightful. I loved the themes of the story, the psychological drama and suspense, and most of all I loved the feeling of satisfaction once all the pieces fell into place. Such a wonderful story!!

4+ stars"

"I love Josie Silver’s tear-jerking, heartfelt romance style, and this time, she decided to write a romcom—though maybe we should call it a comrom because, in my opinion, the funny and silly parts of the book, paired with the brilliant and refreshing sarcastic tone in the creation of Kate Elliott, probably overshadowed the slow-burn romance between Kate and Charlie, which still needs some development. I have to admit,

I didn’t enjoy the romance parts of the book as much. I’d describe them more as attraction between two people who are holding on to each other after enduring terrible divorces. But I’m telling you, Kate’s characterization in this book deserves 10 stars! She’s one of a kind—literally wearing her feelings, unfiltered, honest, genuine, funny, and so easy to resonate with. She creates an urge to give her millions of hugs! I absolutely loved her! And as a supporting character, Liv steals the scenes as the best sister anyone could wish for!

The book’s unique concept immediately grabs your attention. Kate Elliott, at 39, is a former promising teen actress who married young at 19 and moved to Germany for her husband, raising their daughter Alice. Years later, she catches her husband in the worst cliché: cheating with his secretary. Her daughter is off to college, and Kate is left without a penny, thanks to the tight ironclad prenup she signed. After a few glasses of wine, she pens a letter to her former agent, Jojo, asking for any acting job she can get. This leads her to Charlie Francisco, Jojo’s son, who inherited his father’s business and offers her an intriguing job: to pose as a romance author for a new book whose author wants to remain anonymous.

After reading the powerful book, Kate is on board, even though she has to deal with the cutthroat Fiona, Jojo’s longtime business partner, who puts extra pressure on her with condescending comments. But at least Charlie, with his whiskey-cola-colored eyes, is in her corner. She starts to resist the sizzling attraction between them because she has a compelling job to focus on—attending popular radio shows, appearing on morning shows, and signing books at reading festivals.

Meanwhile, Kate keeps corresponding with the real author, who goes by “H,� wondering if he’s a man, while also dealing with her daughter’s possible romance with an Aussie, taking things a bit too far.

Yes, her life is far from easy, and some unexpected events push her into a crisis. Kate is forced to confront her life priorities and make better choices for her future, for the sake of her loved ones.

Overall, while I didn’t love the romance parts, I adored Kate. She may be one of the best romance characters I’ve read about recently. Her intelligence, quirkiness, and goofiness make her even more lovable. I chose to consider this book more women’s fiction and comedy than romance, which is why I rounded up my 3.5 stars to 4 for my unconditional adoration of Kate! This book is a bit different from Silver’s previous works—less dramatic, more entertaining, and hopeful. I actually loved this change and hope she continues to create more colorful characters while sharing her humorous writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for sharing this highly entertaining book’s digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.




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"Some books are too magnificent to simply be described—they must be devoured and savored slowly to fully appreciate their brilliance. This is one of them—a spellbinding blend of enemies-to-lovers romance and dark academia fantasy, featuring a mind-blowing journey through hell, where every level embodies sins like pride, desire, greed, wrath, and tyranny, alongside the infamous City of Dis. The story weaves together elements of mathematics, philosophy, and religion, enriched with fascinating anecdotes from Ancient Greek mythology.

Alice Law, an ambitious and brilliant mind in Cambridge’s Magick field, accidentally kills her mentor by misdrawing a pentagram. Determined to bring him back, she embarks on a dangerous quest to hell—only to be joined by her arch-nemesis (and former crush), Peter Murdoch. Their mentor, Grimes, could be anywhere in the underworld, and as they navigate its treacherous levels, they encounter terrifying entities, battle monstrous creatures, and undergo hell’s grueling trials.

Trapped in a relentless race against time, Alice and Peter must confront their tangled past, wavering between love and hate, while guarding dark secrets that could destroy them. The deeper they descend, the greater the danger—not just of losing their lives but of succumbing to the underworld itself. If their secrets come to light, will they escape hell unscathed, or will they be doomed to wander its eternal abyss, their memories erased forever?

Overall: Words cannot capture how much I adored this book—it’s not just my favorite fantasy of the year but possibly the best book I’ve read all year! With its sharp academic wit, themes of abuse, existential questioning, self-respect, and the infinite choices that shape our lives, this novel masterfully blends intellectual depth with an addictive rivals-to-lovers romance. I can’t recommend it enough—add it to your reading list immediately, and prepare to be enthralled by its intricate, mysterious, and utterly unputdownable adventure.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing a digital review copy of this masterpiece in exchange for my honest thoughts!




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