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A review by thepinkowlreads
Monarch by Sophie Lark
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the ARC.
Sophie Lark was a new author to me and this book was a great choice because now I can’t wait to read more books from her and have already picked up Grimstone (same universe as Monarch but a stand alone title). The only thing that I didn’t find perfect about this book for me was that the ending seemed a smidge rushed, not in any way that I thought some resolution was missing just rushed. If half stars were a thing it would maybe warrant rating 4.5 stars but since half stars aren’t a thing it gets all 5 stars because only giving 4 would be a disservice to the novel.
This is a semi dark gothic romantic thriller (I say semi dark because while dark things are mentioned and hinted at they don’t happen on page in the story). I think gothic romance is one of the harder ones to really capture the gothic vibes without falling too heavy into troupes and Sophie does an amazing job of it. You almost feel like you are have been pulled into the world reading by candlelight sitting in a bay window of a tower overlooking a stormy grey sea.
The author does an excellent job of creating three dimensional characters whose flaws you can relate to in the good ones and the evil in the bad ones is something that is real and human. The story starts like a fairy tale with a mail order bride from the Ukraine moving to a small isolated town and slowly the darkness creeps into her life. I won’t say more to avoid any spoilers but trust me the hero is delicious and the princess gets a happy ever after.
Sophie Lark was a new author to me and this book was a great choice because now I can’t wait to read more books from her and have already picked up Grimstone (same universe as Monarch but a stand alone title). The only thing that I didn’t find perfect about this book for me was that the ending seemed a smidge rushed, not in any way that I thought some resolution was missing just rushed. If half stars were a thing it would maybe warrant rating 4.5 stars but since half stars aren’t a thing it gets all 5 stars because only giving 4 would be a disservice to the novel.
This is a semi dark gothic romantic thriller (I say semi dark because while dark things are mentioned and hinted at they don’t happen on page in the story). I think gothic romance is one of the harder ones to really capture the gothic vibes without falling too heavy into troupes and Sophie does an amazing job of it. You almost feel like you are have been pulled into the world reading by candlelight sitting in a bay window of a tower overlooking a stormy grey sea.
The author does an excellent job of creating three dimensional characters whose flaws you can relate to in the good ones and the evil in the bad ones is something that is real and human. The story starts like a fairy tale with a mail order bride from the Ukraine moving to a small isolated town and slowly the darkness creeps into her life. I won’t say more to avoid any spoilers but trust me the hero is delicious and the princess gets a happy ever after.