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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Oh Saint, how I adore your beautifully poetic gothic writing! From the very first page, I was fully transported to the windswept Scottish moors and the mysterious allure of Craigmar. These characters were so richly developed, and while every single one of them is completely unhinged, I adored them all so very dearly. Not only are they unhinged, but wow are they horny! They give themselves full permission to explore every wild desire and fantasy, and I was absolutely sat for all of it!!
I also really loved the magical, fairytale-like elements woven throughout—the history of the land, the presence of the Fae, the eerie enchantment layered into every page. And that ending… OMG. Please bring me the next book immediately.
I also really loved the magical, fairytale-like elements woven throughout—the history of the land, the presence of the Fae, the eerie enchantment layered into every page. And that ending… OMG. Please bring me the next book immediately.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A little bit of magic and a lot of spice!
In this tale Gibson introduces us to Adam and his bestie Nicola, both whom seem to have some sort of past trauma and a very open relationship with sex. The story takes place in Scotland and gifts us with an amazing (imaginary) scenery. The story had a lot of potential, but when by 70% things were still "gearing up".. it became a tedious read. The intimacy was greatly described, but I continued to wonder what this had to do (if anything) with the narrative. Overall, enticing and imaginative scenes... but the plot fell flat. If you are looking for spice with a touch of faery, this is for you.
Thank you to S.T. Gibson, Orbit Books and Netgalley for this advanced reading copy!
In this tale Gibson introduces us to Adam and his bestie Nicola, both whom seem to have some sort of past trauma and a very open relationship with sex. The story takes place in Scotland and gifts us with an amazing (imaginary) scenery. The story had a lot of potential, but when by 70% things were still "gearing up".. it became a tedious read. The intimacy was greatly described, but I continued to wonder what this had to do (if anything) with the narrative. Overall, enticing and imaginative scenes... but the plot fell flat. If you are looking for spice with a touch of faery, this is for you.
Thank you to S.T. Gibson, Orbit Books and Netgalley for this advanced reading copy!
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing an E-ARC for this novel
NOTE: All opinions shared are my own.
Savage Blooms by S.T. Gibson is set to release on October 7th, 2025.
Please check content warnings before reading this novel
My Rating: 2.5 ☆
Savage Blooms follows two close friends (Nicola and Adam) who, upon traveling to Scotland so Adam can pursue a lead to possible answers left by his late grandfather, find themselves tangled up in Fae folklore, forbidden desires, and a family secret that dies with everyone it touches.
Guys, I am NOT an erotica reader, but I was willing to take a chance because it's ST Gibson. And to my surprise, I didn’t mind this book! The characters felt very developed, and I loved seeing each character make decisions that may not have been “correct” but really matched with their character traits. I feel like Nicola somewhat suffered from the plot; she felt less like a ride-or-die friend and more like a plot device towards the end. I wish we had gotten more of her spunky personality, she sorta just became a sex character (This may be an invalid complaint though, since erotica isn't really my thing).
I fear I didn’t know this would be a trilogy until I finished the book (oops), so the odds of my picking this series back up? Unlikely but not impossible. That’s not to say that I don’t see why readers would love this; I’m just simply out of my element.
Where this book thrived: the vibes!!!! I LOVED hearing about the house and the small world details. ST Gibson is phenomenal at making a book feel immersive.
I will say I wish the ending were a bit more fleshed out. I feel like the plot needed 50 or so more pages to really capture that ending. The storytelling was amazing, I just wish there was more!!!
If you’re looking for: Kinky castle, creepy fae, and vibes, be sure to check this one out!
Again, thank you so much NetGalley for providing this ARC!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for an advanced copy!
Savage Blooms follows friends Nicola and Adam who have just travelled to Scotland in hopes of learning more about Adam’s late grandfather. On this quest, they wind up at the Kirkfoyle estate, inhabited only by Eileen, a reclusive, eccentric aristocrat, and her groundskeeper, Finley.
This book was eerie, messy, and smutty, and I loved it. It was definitely more character driven than having a solid plot throughout. It did have mega ‘theres something in the woods’ vibes, which im always a sucker for. I loved the romance and dynamics between our characters. There was great lgbt and chronic illness representation. Things amped up a lot towards the end, and it left off on a huge cliffhanger that has me desperately wanting the next book!! This was my first book I’ve read by S. T. Gibson, and I’m definitely adding the rest of her works to my tbr.
🧚🏻♂️faeries
🧚🏻♂️polyamory
🧚🏻♂️creepy manor in the scottish highlands
🧚🏻♂️smutty
🧚🏻♂️cliffhanger
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
RTC
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.
This book was beautifully written and had such a well established atmosphere.
I would have loved to have a bit more plot, it was definitely more vibes and sex focused.
I did enjoy the characters and the world building that we did get.
People should definitely read the trigger warnings before reading because there's a whole page of them.
This book was beautifully written and had such a well established atmosphere.
I would have loved to have a bit more plot, it was definitely more vibes and sex focused.
I did enjoy the characters and the world building that we did get.
People should definitely read the trigger warnings before reading because there's a whole page of them.
This isa captivating gothic romance set in the moody Scottish Highlands, with Gibson’s lush, sumptuous prose pulling you right in. It’s got a gloriously messy polycule where everyone’s bi, lots of smut and kink, and faeries!! I’m obsessed and already can’t wait for the next book. Give me all the faeries! 4.5 stars