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A review by sunnylemonadereads
Arcanum by Ashlyn Drewek
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Arcanum by Ashlyn Drewek
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
📚 15th Book In The Tales From The Tarot Series
Temperance card
Upright: Balance, Moderation, Patience, Purpose
Reversed: Imbalance, Excess, Self-healing, realignment
😍 My first book by Ashlyn Drewek
⬆️ Ebook ARC
😏 Adult MM Dark Romance
📖 Paranormal Contemporary
👆 Dark & Cozy Mystery
👆 Thriller
🤔 Mystery
👉 Small Town (Mapleton, Illinois)
📖 Sweet and Captivating Story
🔀 Dual POV
🤔 My Mysterious Next-Door Neighbor
🔮 Witch x k9 Cop 🐕🚔
💞 Fated Mates
👉 Bisexual Rep & Awakening
🥵👀 Voyeurism (🌋 only for my HOT neighbor)
🥵 Spicy: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
🥵 Slow-burn (🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 HOT MCs)
MC's:
👉 Christopher Brandt aka Chris: he/him, 30yo, he's a K9 Cop partnered with his dog (German Shepherd), Nitro 🐕. After getting out of a tough relationship, he's focused entirely on his job.
But when Greyson moves in next door, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to his intriguing new neighbor.
🧐 Curious, 🔎Chris starts looking into Greyson’s past and learns that he's the main suspect in his family's murders. Still, he can’t shake the pull he feels toward him.
The two quickly bond and become friends... and more. 😏
❤️🔥 It's heartwarming how Chris tries to protect Greyson at all costs. Willing to do whatever it takes to keep his witch safe.
At the same time, he's experiencing new beginnings, being in a relationship with another man and believing in the existence of magic. 💫
👉Greyson Darkholme aka Grey aka G: 27yo, blonde, grey eyes, a witch, thoughtful, creative, and he loves to cook and bake 🧁🥪🥣🍩🍰. He lives with Selene, his sweet cat with white fur and luminous green eyes 🐈⬛. Finally achieves his dream of owning his own bookstore, 📚 Arcanum, where he practices his witchcraft and performs some fun rituals 📜.
A new city, a new beginning (or so he thought), but a ghost from his dark and traumatic past returns to haunt him. It seems like the past has come back, but this time, even more dangerous... 😬
⚠️ Medium-High-Angst
👉 Secrets
💔 Broken Trust (past)
❤️🩹 Love and Hurt (past)
⚠️ Homophobic Language
⚠️ Psychological Manipulation
⚠️ Domestic Violence
⚠️ Alcohol Use
⚠️ Alcoholism
😮💨 Depression & Anxiety
⚠️ Coercive Persuasion
⚠️ Cheating (not between MCs)
⚠️ Attempted Suicide
⚠️ On-Page Depictions Of Suicidal Ideations
⚠️ Stalking
⚠️ Attempted Murder
⚠️ Mention Of Rape Fantasy (that is used in an attempt to assault an MC)
⚠️ PTSD
⚠️ Trauma
⚠️ Grief
⚠️ Death Of Family Members
⚠️ Line-Of-Duty Police Death
⚠️ Physical Violence & Blood Scenes
⚠️ Graphic Gore and Violence
⚠️ Injury To An Animal
👉 Found Family
👉 Mutual Yearning For A Family Of Their Own
👏 Solid Character Development
💯 Best Side Characters
👉 Can Be Read As A Standalone
😍 Love The Ending
😍 HEA
Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars
👏The world created for this story is so well-built, and so are the characters involved. This is easy to read, with a touch of angst 😧🤧, and also has some darker elements at times.
❤️🔥 Grey and Chris are wonderful together. Even if the circumstances try to separate them, the fate keep bringing them back to each other.
🤩 I love the enigmatic character, The Owner, or do I say Nemo. 😉
▪︎FAV QUOTES▪︎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
📚 15th Book In The Tales From The Tarot Series
Temperance card
Upright: Balance, Moderation, Patience, Purpose
Reversed: Imbalance, Excess, Self-healing, realignment
😍 My first book by Ashlyn Drewek
⬆️ Ebook ARC
😏 Adult MM Dark Romance
📖 Paranormal Contemporary
👆 Dark & Cozy Mystery
👆 Thriller
🤔 Mystery
👉 Small Town (Mapleton, Illinois)
📖 Sweet and Captivating Story
🔀 Dual POV
🤔 My Mysterious Next-Door Neighbor
🔮 Witch x k9 Cop 🐕🚔
💞 Fated Mates
👉 Bisexual Rep & Awakening
🥵👀 Voyeurism (🌋 only for my HOT neighbor)
🥵 Spicy: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
🥵 Slow-burn (🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 HOT MCs)
MC's:
👉 Christopher Brandt aka Chris: he/him, 30yo, he's a K9 Cop partnered with his dog (German Shepherd), Nitro 🐕. After getting out of a tough relationship, he's focused entirely on his job.
But when Greyson moves in next door, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to his intriguing new neighbor.
🧐 Curious, 🔎Chris starts looking into Greyson’s past and learns that he's the main suspect in his family's murders. Still, he can’t shake the pull he feels toward him.
The two quickly bond and become friends... and more. 😏
❤️🔥 It's heartwarming how Chris tries to protect Greyson at all costs. Willing to do whatever it takes to keep his witch safe.
At the same time, he's experiencing new beginnings, being in a relationship with another man and believing in the existence of magic. 💫
👉Greyson Darkholme aka Grey aka G: 27yo, blonde, grey eyes, a witch, thoughtful, creative, and he loves to cook and bake 🧁🥪🥣🍩🍰. He lives with Selene, his sweet cat with white fur and luminous green eyes 🐈⬛. Finally achieves his dream of owning his own bookstore, 📚 Arcanum, where he practices his witchcraft and performs some fun rituals 📜.
A new city, a new beginning (or so he thought), but a ghost from his dark and traumatic past returns to haunt him. It seems like the past has come back, but this time, even more dangerous... 😬
⚠️ Medium-High-Angst
👉 Secrets
💔 Broken Trust (past)
❤️🩹 Love and Hurt (past)
⚠️ Homophobic Language
⚠️ Psychological Manipulation
⚠️ Domestic Violence
⚠️ Alcohol Use
⚠️ Alcoholism
😮💨 Depression & Anxiety
⚠️ Coercive Persuasion
⚠️ Cheating (not between MCs)
⚠️ Attempted Suicide
⚠️ On-Page Depictions Of Suicidal Ideations
⚠️ Stalking
⚠️ Attempted Murder
⚠️ Mention Of Rape Fantasy (that is used in an attempt to assault an MC)
⚠️ PTSD
⚠️ Trauma
⚠️ Grief
⚠️ Death Of Family Members
⚠️ Line-Of-Duty Police Death
⚠️ Physical Violence & Blood Scenes
⚠️ Graphic Gore and Violence
⚠️ Injury To An Animal
👉 Found Family
👉 Mutual Yearning For A Family Of Their Own
👏 Solid Character Development
💯 Best Side Characters
👉 Can Be Read As A Standalone
😍 Love The Ending
😍 HEA
Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars
👏The world created for this story is so well-built, and so are the characters involved. This is easy to read, with a touch of angst 😧🤧, and also has some darker elements at times.
❤️🔥 Grey and Chris are wonderful together. Even if the circumstances try to separate them, the fate keep bringing them back to each other.
🤩 I love the enigmatic character, The Owner, or do I say Nemo. 😉
▪︎FAV QUOTES▪︎
■ The letter - "Greyson: I know you wish for anonymity after everything that has happened but you cannot hide from the world. You were born to teach, to guide, to help. You know that does not always happen inside a classroom. There are many in Mapleton who need you, even if they do not realize it. Allow them to see the real you and to explore the mysteries of life as you and I know them to be. Do not be afraid. I see a shield in front of you, guarding you, keeping you safe.
The darkness may be where you thrive, but the moon needs sunlight to shine. Let it in.—N."
■ The vision - "Greyson: Chris’s candlelit skin flashed through my mind again, the sigil for serenity and protection drawn on his forearm.
Exhaling another slow breath, I pushed the sleeve off my left wrist, revealing the sigil I’d re-drawn that morning, the black marker in question lying on the table next to Nemo’s letter. I am safe and protected..."
😍
■ "Greyson: You’ve been on my mind. I hope you’re safe, wherever you are. If you miss me, just look at the moon."
😭
■ “Chris: I don’t prefer labels, actually. Society makes us use them for instances such as this, as a way to categorize people into ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ I am the ‘other’ in almost every aspect of my life. Gay, witch, orphan, a man in a female-dominated career, an outsider in Mapleton. Take your pick.”
Thanks for reading hope this helps you out!
I received this book as a gift from the author and am voluntarily leaving this review.
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