Synopsis
Millicent Foxboro is haunted.
Not by ghosts but by the anguish of her past and the uncertainty of her future. After all, even in the progressive year of 1928, most people would balk at hiring a woman who’d spent two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. So when an uncommon assistantship to a reclusive Professor of mythology falls into her lap with an ungodly salary attached, her desperation for stability overrides her cautious nature.
To Millie’s dismay, the widowed Professor Callum Hughes and his estate, Willowfield, are more than she bargained for. The once magnificent home, known for its sprawling gardens and dazzling parties, is falling to pieces after the death of the professor’s fragile wife. What’s more, the staff has been reduced to the only three people not frightened away by rumors of ghosts, leaving the halls empty and languishing in bitter memories.
The professor himself is a grim, intense man with unclear expectations, unpredictable moods, and hungry eyes that ignite Millie’s own dormant passions. The closer she finds herself drawn to Professor Hughes and his strange world of flowers and folklore, the more the house closes in, threatening to reveal her secrets. But the professor is keeping secrets of his own and the most dangerous of all is hers to discover.
Review
As someone who doesn't read much historical fiction or romance, the dark side of this story is what piqued my interest, and I'm glad it did!
I had a hard time putting this one down. The characters were likable but also had enough hidden that I had to keep reading to uncover their secrets. Is it a ghost story? Or a psychological thriller? Or perhaps a love story? YES, and I recommend it to anyone who loves the crossroads of romance and horror.
Thank you, Bea Northwick, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dates read: Sept 1, 2023 - Sept 3, 2023