Hide and Seek

by Lily Everglot

Grace Evans is not an inherently lucky person, but when the biggest mistake of her life leads to the position of her dreams, the elation soon gives way to a keen sense of dread. The moment she steps foot onto the grounds, she knows there is more to the historical manor than meets the eye.
The residents talk about Fair Briar like it is a living, breathing thing. A house with a heartbeat. And when unexplainable things start to happen, Grace can’t help but feel that Fair Briar wants her out.
That’s when she sees him.
The faceless man.
Lied to and deceived, Grace must make a decision.
Stay or go?
Grace’s toxic curiosity has her searching for clues to the secrets Fair Briar holds.
What she finds however, is a deadly game of hide and seek.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Horror, Fiction

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Making sure your favourite horror villains get the girl, or die trying.

USA Today best-selling author writing under a secret pen-name.

Reviews

[Katie O’Reilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Girl, you are delusional if you think this man isn’t going to kill you too.

[ChasxSabri💗🫧 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This girl is so down bad and not in a good way
This was entertaining but girly was so desperate for love that she became an accomplice to murder- and actually killed someone later on😭
Delusional as hell lmao

[↬ Ⓛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If yall wasn’t aware Lily Everglot is Belle Aurora.

[💜VGreedyReader🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won’t lie, I picked this book because I was intrigued by the cover and the promise of terror, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a new to me author and a spellbinding tale.

Grace is an American girl out of her luck, if she doesn’t find a job soon, she will need to leave the UK and go back to a less than appealing life in the USA. Out of the blue her dream job materializes; she readily accepts a too good to be true position as custodian of a Manor. However, things are never what they seem, what looks like a tempting opportunity hides danger and a harrowing truth.

I enjoyed how the author sets the vibe and slowly introduces the reader into a scary, mysterious context. The main female character is perfectly aware of how scary her situation is, and yet, like a moth to a flame she can’t resist the pull Fair Briar has on her. Despite displaying the typical attitude of a horror film character Grace still manages to be pleasant, I appreciated her curiosity and honesty in admitting how unhinged of her was, to indulge in such dire scenario.

The Scottish background provides the perfect setting to embark on this ominous journey.

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Dark Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: Shifting (First Person Female/Third person)
Rating:




At a moment of desperation, Grace Evans was granted reprieve when she secured a job at the Fair Briar manor. But the easy tasks and good pay might earn her more than she bargained for when Kier Darroch set his sight on her.



Throughout the book, Grace skirted between bravery and stupidity, but I admired her tenacity and compassion. It was hard not to be drawn to Kier considering the situation. And I loved how he stayed true to himself.

It was like looking directly into the line of a car careening toward you and refusing to step out of the way to save yourself.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. While the plot is uncomplicated and lighter than expected, the characters and the story drew me in right from the beginning. I liked how this mirrored a version of Beauty and the Beast where the beast stayed as one and the beauty with her own claws.

Hide and Seek is a story of curiosity and adapting. It would appeal to readers who enjoy dark romance with villainous characters.




✖️⚜️✖️. . . (F)BR with Twinsie CC . . . ✖️⚜️✖️


For more reviews/interviews/book talk/promo visit:



For graphics, trailers & author services visit Warhawke Design Studio.

[Tay DeLo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad I picked up this gem!

I loved the angst in the beginning, the story throughout, and the perfect ending.

I do wish there was more from the male main character, but I understand I’ll always want more from him. He was so lovable.

Highly recommend. I saw this mentioned in one of my Facebook groups and I’m so glad I gave it a chance.

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★



Having limited options, Grace Evans accepts a custodian job at Fair Briar estate. Soon after starting, Grace notices odd things and becomes curious about a past accident that severely injured Keir Darroch. Though she is warned to proceed with caution, a game ensues.

“We were broken and maimed, but between the two of us, I think we could make a complete person if we tried.”

With Grace’s past, she understands what it is like to be ignored and humiliated. Because of her sensitivity, she feels a connection to Keir despite the danger. I liked how Grace was willing to take a chance and listen to her instinct despite the warnings. As for Keir, he has some heartwarming traits but his beastie side also warms some other places.

Though I was expecting a darker story, I enjoyed the gothic feel of a mysterious recluse living on an old estate. Additionally, I liked how the shadow side of humans is exposed. Ultimately, the path for Grace and Keir is fitting. ending had me there are elements showed the urges and primitive sides of humans.


*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey*


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[theFictionfreak]

DNF for now.

The novel lost me at this part:

“My heartbeat hastened as I slowly came to realize that not only had Keir stolen my panties, but that he’d been inside my cottage.
As terrifying as that was, I would be a liar if I said it didn’t thrill me to some extent.”

I was like girl what?? 🤦‍♀️. All these dumb heroines are just pissing me off. Is it too much to ask for heroines who have a sense of danger and won’t stupidly jump into it.

Not rating it because this was mostly a me problem than anything. I’ve been going through a huge book slump and this book was the next victim in my pile of dnfs. The premise is still interesting enough to make me want to read this again in the future.

[Mimiorphee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lily Everglot is a new-to-me author I've heard about by many book friends. Her Hide and Seek's stunning and no less intriguing cover caught my eye, so I decided to dive into it.
Now, after turning the last page, I'm left with mixed feelings.
The first 40% had me totally thrilled, the suspense, the atmosphere of the property, the mysterious characters, the danger, all the ingredients were present to create the horror atmosphere I was expecting.
Then, the dynamic shifted and left me utterly lost. I understood the motivations of the heroine seeking a family and bonds, but I didn't understand her attraction to Keir. The feeling only increased with the sex scenes. I couldn't feel any chemistry. I knew that what didn't work was Keir's POV, which didn't match his pathology. Their was a dichotomy within the chapters that created a distance. I couldn't relate to Keir and ended up not caring for him.
By 75%, I wanted to call it quit, but managed to reach the end. Eventually, I'm glad I did, as it was perfect...for them.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

could have been good

This book could have been great. I like dark books, very dark books. Most of the time I roll my eyes after finishing or abandoning a “dark” romance book halfway thru. I don’t like when authors try to make dark people or subjects palatable for themselves and the readers. For me it was impossible to believe all these deaths surrounding one family would go unnoticed and the final death made me roll my eyes hard. I don’t want to spoil it for readers, but that death isn’t going to be ignored. Usually I don’t want the bad guys to get caught, but I literally had zero attachment to the characters. Grace was the character you needed to like to enjoy this read and she was just so unlikable. Everything she did came off as desperate and she didn’t grow as a person, just became increasing more desperate for Kier. Didn’t really feel anything for Kier either, because he was what he was. I was actually hoping he killed her in the end and the cycle repeated.

[Rain · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lmao bye

[cassie౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE

[Brooke Medek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a DARK romance. It is so messy and unhinged, and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. The MMC is most definitely a villain annnnnnnd he wears a mask and doesn’t speak. This book is exactly what I want in a villain gets the girl dark romance situation. I am not a huge fan of books where the FMC tries to change the MMC and make them into something they are not. I was so happy that it was not at all what happened in Hide and Seek. The FMC accepts the MMC exactly as he is with all of his sharp broken pieces, even if she gets cut by them in the process. Do NOT go into this expecting a villain who is justified in his actions— the MMC is not a vigilante or an anti hero, he is just a psychopath with a sad backstory.

I really enjoyed the FMC’s slow descent into madness; she starts out fairly normal and by the end she is just as much of an obsessed, murderous villain for the MMC as he is her. If you are sensitive to topics of mental health, abuse, and/or dubious consent, I’d suggest skipping this one. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer, other than that I highly enjoyed Hide and Seek.

[Sleepy_Owl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5

[Samia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book was way better than the second half. There was more suspense and tension. But then it started to drag a little bit. Over all, this was different and a fast read. I just wish I connected with the main characters a little more.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

❝🇮🇫 🇨🇮🇻🇮🇱🇮🇹🇾 🇼🇦🇸 🇹🇭🇪 🇲🇪🇦🇸🇺🇷🇪 🇴🇫 🇦 🇵🇪🇷🇸🇴🇳, 🇮 🇭🇦🇩 🇰🇳🇴🇼🇮🇳🇬🇱🇾 🇯🇺🇸🇹 🇦🇳🇬🇪🇷🇪🇩 🇦 🇫🇪🇷🇦🇱 🇦🇳🇮🇲🇦🇱 🇴🇫 🇹🇭🇪 🇼🇴🇴🇩🇸. 🇦🇳🇩 🇦🇳🇮🇲🇦🇱🇸 🇴🇫🇹🇪🇳 🇱🇦🇨🇰🇪🇩 🇹🇦🇨🇹.....❝

When I heard this book was inspired by the movie 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒚 (𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒎𝒔), I jumped right in and devoured it. It is the perfect mix of “I can fix him” vs “Red is my favorite color”.

Grace is out on her @$$ and in need of a job. A too good to be true posting leads her to Fair Briar, a massive countryside manor. Her new role has her living on the property in her own personal cottage. She gets paid bank, and she doesn’t have to cook. Can’t blame a girl for jumping all over the chance. Small employer detail that they failed to share with her is that she would have a shadow and this shadow was an uncaged animal who did not like to share. She should run when danger gets too close, but like most of us, she is stubborn and refuses to be a victim.

🪓Masked MC
🕯️OTP Possessive MC
🪓Touch her & d ! e
🕯️Utterly devoted
🪓CNC
🕯️Strong silent type
🪓FMC is alone
🕯️All the red flags

What I enjoyed most about this story is that Grace knew her flaws. While she is in danger and she knows it, she is also very self-aware. She may come off as being a bit delusional, but she is not in denial. I respect it. I also loved that this wasn’t an insta love story and that there was build up over time.

Overall, I am excited to see what dark inspiration Lily gives us next.

[Lydil · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re looking for pure toxicity and a delulu main character, go for it — and good luck making it out without being traumatized.

[maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give this review 10 stars instead of just 5? I finished this book within 24 hours of picking it up and I am really bummed to be done with it, it was SO GOOD. This is officially one of my top favorite books ever.

Lily is an impeccable writer, she was able to weave such a stunning story that had me gripped from page 1. My heart was on a rollercoaster of emotions through this entire novel, the characters were very well written as was the story's pacing.

I felt a lot of connection with Grace and her self-awareness. I was thoroughly invested in her and Keir's relationship, I rarely get emotional when I read but this book definitely put me through many emotions. I am obsessed with Keir, he truly is an incredibly morally gray MMC that you can't help but root for for many reasons.

I cannot recommend this book enough!! I will SPRINT, not run, to read every other novel Lily writes!

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows grace and how she finally get a job but little does she know that house is full of surprised and especially one big surprise. Grace is a very inquisitive person that has lost of love to give. Keir is a broken boy that's just looking for some to love him or even just want to be by him . This book was so beautiful done and I couldn't put it down . The characters are so lovely done with a twisted edge to them . One of my favorite things about this book is how their relationship formed which was quite a slowburn and I loved it. I also loved how they didn't try to change how twisted he was and how they all just accepted him. This was such heartbreaking beautiful twisted read and I was sad it ended I would love to see more of them. I really hope this is a start of a series or if there's more of this book. Lily Everglot don't you ever stop and keep them coming . you just made me obsessed.

[Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m here because of booktok, first mistake. Not all booktok is bad I know I know, but girl this book just PMO. Everyone was raving about this book being a spin off of the movie The Boy. How it’s what they needed because they would have this dark romance with Brahms instead of leaving him. GIVE ME A BREAK GIVE ME A FREAKING BREAK. I was interested at first because of BOOKTOK they hyped this up saying how great this dark romance was. GIRL HAS STOCKHOLM SYNDROME SHE WAS SA ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND SHES JEALOUS OF GIRLS HE MURDERED BEFORE HER. LIKE BE SO FUXKINF FORREAL.

Maybe this story just wasn’t for me, I get it. Everyone has different tastes, but personally this was NOT FOR ME. No shade to Miss Lily.

[Daria D · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m honestly disappointed. This has nothing to do with true dark romance or gothic fiction. What I got for $4 was not a novel, but a low-quality fanfic draft full of plot holes, contradictions, and cardboard characters. If this had been free fanfiction, I would have just clicked away, but I paid for this, expecting a real story. Instead, I felt like the book was mocking me.

Spoilers below:
1. Characters are so flat and interchangeable that swapping names wouldn’t change anything.

2. Grace is repeatedly called an “empath,” yet she justifies murder, shrugs at Magnus’s death, and doesn’t care about all the other murdered girls — except to complain that Keir stored their belongings. Her behavior is completely unhinged for a supposedly 24-year-old woman. If she isn’t meant to be an unreliable narrator, then the writing is just incoherent.

3. Angus convinces Grace that Keir “loves her and is changing.” Really? This man has severe brain damage and psychological issues that doctors couldn’t fix, yet a delusional girl “heals” him through love to the point that he’s chopping wood and celebrating Christmas. By the end, he’s practically normal — except for the absurdly cringe scene of axing a detective who simply came to visit.

4. The infertility reveal in the middle of a s*x scene was laughably misplaced. It felt like a clumsy attempt to explain away the lack of pregnancy risk, not an organic part of the story.

5. The medical conditions described for Keir don’t match his actual behavior at all. It reads like the author googled some terms without understanding them.

6. The whole “Keir was just misunderstood by his family” angle is pulled from nowhere. There are no meaningful interactions with his family until the very end. Angus is even shown to care for him.

7. The household keeps Grace isolated, yet at the end Magnus suddenly asks why she didn’t just run away and offers her money for silence. Excuse me? He’s the one who hired her, and past victims clearly had no chance to escape. This contradiction makes no sense.

8. Magnus’s death is absurd and anticlimactic. He isn’t killed by Keir, fate, or anything meaningful — but by Grace’s kick... It reads like slapstick, not tragedy.

In short: this isn’t dark, romantic, gothic, or coherent. It’s a messy draft that should never have been sold as a finished book.

Final thought: What did I just read?

[Mikayla]

Desperately needs an editor

It would be jarring to suddenly notice words were missing or full sentences being incomplete. Another problem being that the characters are likeable but a good many scenes should have been shaved for the sake of the book, but seemed to have been kept for the word count.

Spoilers below

So there are essentially 2 r@pe scenes, and while the first one while unpleasant gave you an idea into the mindset of both characters the second is brutal and honestly unnecessary. It immediately takes the book out of the romance territory for me and feels like this is a trauma dump for someone. It could have been written differently and was deliberately done just to off another character. The final scene was absolutely unnecessary, and again was chosen not to make the story dark, but felt like a middle school kid trying to imitate 50s greaser tugging on a black leather jacket "I'm edgy and cool" where as if you were you wouldn't need to say it
It takes it from a dark romance to a flat diarama drama. Something that happened to check boxes without any real thought put into whether it made for good reading.
Admittedly i have no idea what medical things were rattled off for what was wrong with Kier, which I would be willing to say granted me a greater enjoyment of his character versus others who did(I did read their reviews before reading) and did enjoy the transformation if his line of thought from flat one minded line of thoughts to more complicated almost linear thinking.
The biggest problem is that despite his limited vocabulary and him only ever calling him grace the author slips up and has grace refer to herself as his dolly, despite no one else does within her hearing. She could have referred to him as her rook and her his grace(a literal play of her name and meaning for awesome delusional effect which is what seemed to be going for in fhat scene)
Ultimately it's very YA coded and the sex scenes are so... poignant to the character development that they don't ever feel like spice, just plot devices. With heavy editing, this book could make the rounds.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro es bueno. Es rápido de leer y entretenido en ciertos puntos. Es una buena lectura para leer en una noche.

Siento que sería mejor si le dedicaran más capítulos al juego de Hide and Seek, y también si hubiese más desarrollo en el intento de enseñar lengua de señas de Grace a Keir.

Por otro lado, Grace es infumable. No creo que su excusa de mummy issues sea válida como para todas las cosas que hizo en este libro. No quiero dar spoilers pero, ejem ejem… el epílogo?!?! Además, los momentos donde ella dice que sabe lo que Keir dice con tan solo mirarlo ¿!?!?!?? Amiga cómo vas a saber lo que piensa un pobre hombre con un claro retraso mental?!?! Solo porque ella es tan única y detergente… En fin, no llegue a empatizar con la protagonista.

Keir me parece un personaje interesante, pero es una clara copia de Brahmms de “The Boy”. Me da pena el pobre hombre. Siento que Grace se aprovechó sexualmente de alguien que no tiene todas sus capacidades mentales. Me hubiese gustado ver a Keir hablando en lengua de señas. No sé por qué la autora abandonó esa idea.

En cuanto a la narración, me molesta cuando cambia de narrar Grace a un narrador omnisciente para contar la perspectiva de Keir. Solo eso. Después es bastante buena, incluso para quienes no somos hablantes nativos del idioma inglés.

En fin, tampoco es tan mal Dark Romance, pero siento que le faltan pequeños detalles que podrían hacerlo un excelente libro. Tiene material para una película.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace has hit rock bottom. She needs a place to stay and a job. An apparent struck of luck leads her to Fair Briar.
However, the fairytale manor turns out to be full of ominous lies and deadly dangers.

I'll preface my review by saying that I actively avoid horror movies so this isn't usually my cup of tea. However, I love Belle Aurora (aka Lily Everglot) and the cover of this book simultaneously gave me chills and grabbed my attention. So I HAD to read this novel.

And as expected, this book is crazy and creepy as hell. But damn if I wasn't glued to the pages from start to finish!

The story is dark and twisted. Certainly not for the faint of heart. You need and open mind and a lot of courage to read this story.
It is full of horror elements, mystery, suspense and violence.

I can't say much without spoiling the plot. So I'll only say that Grace behaves like any horror movie character, which means she makes absurd choices most of the time and I didn't like her much. But I liked the rest of the cast and the general plot.

[Jane | Book Flutter ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book was a pleasant surprise! I picked this ARC from the cover alone, and I'm so glad I read it. Hide and Seek is my first read from Lily Everglot - it might actually be a debut novel, but I will have to confirm that one. IGrace finds herself at ends meet, reading to give up her life in the UK to return home to the US; however, just before she makes the trek back, she receives the offer of a lifetime as a housekeeper of sorts of Fair Briar Manor. What she doesn't expect is a hidden shadow lingering throughout the manor, and all she is all it's after. Keir is an obsessive alpha-hole who knows what he wants. This story is filled with darkness and twists that you will not see coming. Kier and Grace are two souls destined to be intertwined and deal with all kinds of chaos that lead to emotional moments and morally gray suspicions. This is some dark and delicious goodness, and I was all for it! I was really impressed with this one!

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to start by saying this good really did go with the cover! Reason it got my attention was because of the cover seems Dark and Mysterious! and Let me tell you it was!

This story is full of unexpected twist and turns, make sure to check the TRIGGER WARNINGS before starting.

Grace, is at her whits end of luck and is about to have to travel back home to the US, until a dream job offer lands in her hands, it's to good to not accept. She goes to work as housekeeper of the manor just a small detail was not given. She'll have a "shadow" with her following. The secrets this DARK manor keep will keep you reading and needing to keep guessing. The setting the author sets is every fitting without a doubt to the plot.

(spice was good just some areas where not my full cup of tea, but hey to each their own girl was into it, whose to judge. 🤷‍♀️)

I did get this book as and ARC, and this is my honest review. Hope you give it a try! 🖤

[Holly Cliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hide and Seek
Lily Everglot

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

When you’ve hit rock bottom, stranded halfway across the planet, and a mysterious job offer that seems too good to be true practically falls into your lap, what could go wrong?

This book gave me similar vibes to The Boy. Gorgeous manor home, a high-paying job that requires little actual work, and an assumed-dead child that seems to be haunting the manor.

Just like in The Boy, it turns out the child, Keir in this case, isn’t dead, and certainly isn’t a child after all. A tragic accident has turned Keir into the dangerous mystery stalking Fair Briar, and he has set his sights on poor Grace. To make it out, she will have to play his game. Are you ready to play Hide and Seek?

Overall, this book is cozy, and mysterious, and unhinged, but also absolutely adorable on its own twisted way.

[eyeana ꒰･◡･꒱ · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow now that's a darkromance right there.

if you've read the archer's voice, this'll be the darker version imo... and a brahm heelshire inspired 🫣 and the stalking!!

OMFG i just finished it so obsessed, i have not read a good darkromance since the one i stumbled upon on wattpad years ago and the usual i lost it and don't know the title. quits the spice count— disturbing count is 3.5/5. lastly this is slightly similar to Sick Fux by Tillie Cole, other than the male character from there calls her dolly too, both male mcs is similar— both f psychotic and super weird and dont talk much, TW Sick Fux is 5/5 disturbing count, i recommend to read that after this to scratch the itch. anyways that's all. 🥲🫡

[Lainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Hide And Seek

🩷Author: Lily Everglot

🩷Tropes: Stalker romance, Touch her and you die, Force proximity

🩷Genre: Dark Romance

🩷Chapters: 29

🩷Spice level: 🔥🔥🔥 out of 5

🩷My Opinion: HE'S IN THE GOD DAMN WALLS. I've read mixed reviews about this one but personally I loved it. I read it in a night, around 8 hours. I couldn't put it down. This book was inspired by "The Boy" (2016) which is exactly what I was looking for. Our main character, Keir, is absolutely insane and I love him. Grace is also not right in the head so she's not as scared as she should be. Perfect for each other. This is heavily inspired by "The Boy" but it has so many components that make it it's own story. There are only a few things I would change so 9/10✨ I loved it!

[Asteria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look... I can explain.

Actually, I totally can't because what the heck. I don't know what possessed me. Actually, I do. Years ago, when I watched the movie "The Boy" for the first time, I realized that masked Brahms could absolutely get it. Alas, Lily Everglot clearly had the same thought, and so Hide and Seek was born. Today, I had the pleasure of reading this sick and twisted piece of fanfiction (okay, not exactly fanfic but basically) and can say wholeheartedly that I'm obviously messed up in the head.

There's a side to this book that is so utterly emotional and mentally disregulating. There's a side that's straight smut.

Man, I don't even know anymore. I just... this... yeah.