Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.
But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.
Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.
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First line:
The pallid swans spear through the settling dusk, across a sky the color of bruised plums.
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Source:
Source:
eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Publication Date:
July 1, 2025
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Rating:
5 Swans out of 5
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Hauntingly beautiful, this book captured me from the very beginning and never let me go from it's grasp. Lyndall has created this gothic setting that is perfect parts eerie and beautiful and has such beautiful prose. I loved polyamorous relationship with Lark and the two siblings Alistair and Camille. It was magnificently built up and executed.
Lark has been expelled from her boarding school and when she returns home, her brothers are talking to Alistair, her childhood crush that broke her heart. Alistair is demanding repayment for the debts her brothers owe his father. After Alistair leaves, Lark sneakily follows her brothers to the altar of the chthonic god Therion. She finds them speaking to him, something she didn't know was possible, and Therion is demanding Lark as his bride in exchange for restoring the failing salt mine on the family's property. Lark eventually agrees and during the ceremony, chaos ensues.
Of note, there are themes of child abuse, emotional manipulation domestic violence, religious trauma, and cults, so please read with care. I didn't see a trigger warning at the beginning of the ARC, so I'm unsure if one will be included in the final copy.
This is an amazing story of love, loss, and fighting to protect those you love.
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