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The Brides
Not yet published
Expected 26 Mar 26Before Dracula, there were The Brides. . .
1903. Sir John Seward, survivor of Count Dracula’s murderous campaign ten years before, takes up a post as a psychiatric doctor at an Oxford public asylum. There, a new patient arrives whose traumatic experiences resurrect horrors John has spent a decade trying to forget.
1884. Mafalda Lowell journeys from London to Budapest to care for her recently widowed aunt Reka. She uncovers the chilling truth about her uncle’s death, and writes to her secret love Lucy North for comfort. Chaperoned by former schoolfriend Eliza and lady’s maid Alice, Lucy travels across the continent to be with her beloved.
Only Alice, beset by nightmares and terrifying visions, notices the strange black-clad man who seems to follow them wherever they go. When Eliza is struck down with a mysterious wasting illness, her doctor orders her to take the healing waters of Transylvania, a journey with devastating consequences.
There was meant to be four . . .
A dual timeline novel, told through letters, diary entries, psychiatric reports, that places women at the centre of literature's most famous vampire story.
1903. Sir John Seward, survivor of Count Dracula’s murderous campaign ten years before, takes up a post as a psychiatric doctor at an Oxford public asylum. There, a new patient arrives whose traumatic experiences resurrect horrors John has spent a decade trying to forget.
1884. Mafalda Lowell journeys from London to Budapest to care for her recently widowed aunt Reka. She uncovers the chilling truth about her uncle’s death, and writes to her secret love Lucy North for comfort. Chaperoned by former schoolfriend Eliza and lady’s maid Alice, Lucy travels across the continent to be with her beloved.
Only Alice, beset by nightmares and terrifying visions, notices the strange black-clad man who seems to follow them wherever they go. When Eliza is struck down with a mysterious wasting illness, her doctor orders her to take the healing waters of Transylvania, a journey with devastating consequences.
There was meant to be four . . .
A dual timeline novel, told through letters, diary entries, psychiatric reports, that places women at the centre of literature's most famous vampire story.
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Expected publication July 7, 2026
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Want to read
September 26, 2025when am i never gonna devour a retelling of dracula's brides honestly
January 28, 2026
Official-ish blurbage: THE BRIDES is an astonishing literary magic trick, managing to sew itself seamlessly into Dracula in a way that wholly honours the original while forging new ground with vibrant compelling characters and a story that held me rapt.
Unofficial review: LORD this was addictive but also classy? Felt like actual 19th century lit. Incredibly well done.
Unofficial review: LORD this was addictive but also classy? Felt like actual 19th century lit. Incredibly well done.
Read
January 18, 2026DNF 😏
October 29, 2025
4.5 stars!
A sapphic epistolary gothic novel that is also (and I mean this in the best way) Dracula fanfic? Sign me up! This is a wonderful homage to Dracula (you can tell Cross loves that book deeply) whilst also managing to be its own thing. Very atmospheric for sure (definitely gave me some wild dreams). Perfect for all my vampire-loving girlies out there!
A sapphic epistolary gothic novel that is also (and I mean this in the best way) Dracula fanfic? Sign me up! This is a wonderful homage to Dracula (you can tell Cross loves that book deeply) whilst also managing to be its own thing. Very atmospheric for sure (definitely gave me some wild dreams). Perfect for all my vampire-loving girlies out there!
Want to read
February 22, 2026Queer epistolary retelling of Dracula's Brides? No, no- you don't have to say anything else. I'm sat.
Want to read
January 17, 2026Thanks to Hanover Square Press and HarperCollins for my review copy!
November 18, 2025
I am so sad to admit that I really struggled to engage with this one. On paper, this should have been immaculate. I adore multiple works of classical literature, grandeur gothicism and of course, the delectable darkness that is Bram Stokers masterpiece, Dracula. The concept of doing an inspired piece from the perspective of Count Draculas wives was an immediate sell to me. However, for me personally, I believe the concept was more engaging than its actual execution.
For me this was entirely a pacing issue, and I can only attribute this to the format in which the tale was presented. I do largely enjoy unconventional presentations of texts, be it diary entries, letters, or snippets of news. But in this particular instance, there were a number of differing povs, a series of unreliable narrators, scewed time-lines, and of course the epistolary written formats. It became incredibly confusing and particularly jarring to attempt to follow the plot.
This jarring and particularly slow pacing (especially for the first few hundred pages!) further damaged my relationship with the characters due to oftentimes being confused as to whose pov I was reading, and as such damaged the levels of empathy I had been attempting to build with this novel.
Whilst I realise this is an attempt at mimicking the original Stoker text, for whatever reason I truly struggled to engage with it. Perhaps I struggled with it being an e-arc as it was not simple to flick back constantly to see who was speaking and at what time.
I am sad to say I struggled with this one, but I would still urge others to read it and form their own opinions on it.
Thanks again to Tor Books/ Pan Macmillan for granting me the opportunity to read this novel as an arc and I look forward to working together again in future!
For me this was entirely a pacing issue, and I can only attribute this to the format in which the tale was presented. I do largely enjoy unconventional presentations of texts, be it diary entries, letters, or snippets of news. But in this particular instance, there were a number of differing povs, a series of unreliable narrators, scewed time-lines, and of course the epistolary written formats. It became incredibly confusing and particularly jarring to attempt to follow the plot.
This jarring and particularly slow pacing (especially for the first few hundred pages!) further damaged my relationship with the characters due to oftentimes being confused as to whose pov I was reading, and as such damaged the levels of empathy I had been attempting to build with this novel.
Whilst I realise this is an attempt at mimicking the original Stoker text, for whatever reason I truly struggled to engage with it. Perhaps I struggled with it being an e-arc as it was not simple to flick back constantly to see who was speaking and at what time.
I am sad to say I struggled with this one, but I would still urge others to read it and form their own opinions on it.
Thanks again to Tor Books/ Pan Macmillan for granting me the opportunity to read this novel as an arc and I look forward to working together again in future!
November 12, 2025
The Brides is an epistolary novel, much like its inspiration, that weaves the intersecting stories of four women as they eventually find themselves travelling to Dracula's castle, before the events of the original 1897 novel. Years on, John Seward (the psychiatrist who oversaw Renfield) will piece together letters and journal entries, whilst working at an asylum in 1903.
A familiarity with Bram Stoker's Dracula is crucial to The Brides, that acts as a prequel and continuation of the original novel. Characters from Dracula make appearances, and Cross' brides are skilfully written around the original narrative.
The Brides deals heavily with the themes of female autonomy, sapphic relationships in the late Victorian era, and the effects of living with trauma. It focuses largely on the backstories of its leads, though I also found myself looking forward to the chapters from John Seward's perspective throughout the novel.
Dracula himself is an ever-present, though rarely seen, terrifying force that permeates the text. As a character study, the bulk of story is spent learning about the brides before Dracula's castle, and at times I did find the plot to unfold more slowly than expected. Ultimately however, I found The Brides to be a very gratifying slow-burn read.
I can never get enough of these types of Dracula adjacent continuations/retellings/reimaginings, so I was ecstatic to be able to receive a proof copy to review. Fans of recent classic vampire novel retellings like Hungerstone will be equally eager to devour The Brides.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a proof copy of this book for review*
A familiarity with Bram Stoker's Dracula is crucial to The Brides, that acts as a prequel and continuation of the original novel. Characters from Dracula make appearances, and Cross' brides are skilfully written around the original narrative.
The Brides deals heavily with the themes of female autonomy, sapphic relationships in the late Victorian era, and the effects of living with trauma. It focuses largely on the backstories of its leads, though I also found myself looking forward to the chapters from John Seward's perspective throughout the novel.
Dracula himself is an ever-present, though rarely seen, terrifying force that permeates the text. As a character study, the bulk of story is spent learning about the brides before Dracula's castle, and at times I did find the plot to unfold more slowly than expected. Ultimately however, I found The Brides to be a very gratifying slow-burn read.
I can never get enough of these types of Dracula adjacent continuations/retellings/reimaginings, so I was ecstatic to be able to receive a proof copy to review. Fans of recent classic vampire novel retellings like Hungerstone will be equally eager to devour The Brides.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a proof copy of this book for review*
January 10, 2026
I’m a huge fan of Dracula so I was fully expected to love this book. I was not disappointed. I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
This book tells the origin of Dracula’s brides. It overlaps with the original story at points, and it’s told over many years. The books uses a blend of letters, diary entries to showcase the events of the past. We follow John Seward, years after the events of Dracula. He’s treating a patient with an unusual illness and he’s forced to remember his own traumatic events whilst investigating what happened to her. This feels reminiscent of the writing style in Dracula. Indeed, there’s so much affection and respect shown to the original material. The author has managed to beautifully tie her own work to the original novel, whilst creating something that stands up as its own story. Would you benefitting from being familiar with Dracula when reading this? Yes. Can it stand up as its own book without reading Dracula first? Also yes. I was really impressed with this and I’ll certainly be looking out for more from this author.
I loved the gentle blending of historical detail throughout this novel, particularly given it spans decades and takes place across England, Hungary and Romania. The setting is richly imagined in each case. We hear from multiple points of views across various letters and diaries. I was impressed with how individual each voice felt. Though the entries are labelled with their creator, I felt they were distinct enough I could have told the voice just from the writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and I would certainly read it again. Fantastic.
This book tells the origin of Dracula’s brides. It overlaps with the original story at points, and it’s told over many years. The books uses a blend of letters, diary entries to showcase the events of the past. We follow John Seward, years after the events of Dracula. He’s treating a patient with an unusual illness and he’s forced to remember his own traumatic events whilst investigating what happened to her. This feels reminiscent of the writing style in Dracula. Indeed, there’s so much affection and respect shown to the original material. The author has managed to beautifully tie her own work to the original novel, whilst creating something that stands up as its own story. Would you benefitting from being familiar with Dracula when reading this? Yes. Can it stand up as its own book without reading Dracula first? Also yes. I was really impressed with this and I’ll certainly be looking out for more from this author.
I loved the gentle blending of historical detail throughout this novel, particularly given it spans decades and takes place across England, Hungary and Romania. The setting is richly imagined in each case. We hear from multiple points of views across various letters and diaries. I was impressed with how individual each voice felt. Though the entries are labelled with their creator, I felt they were distinct enough I could have told the voice just from the writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and I would certainly read it again. Fantastic.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance copy of The Brides in exchange for an honest review.
Going into The Brides, I expected a total Dracula retelling, but it's really more of an expansion on Bram Stoker's original story, creating a narrative before and after the events of Dracula. Most striking from the beginning of The Brides was how similar in style it felt to the original. Given that Dracula is perhaps my favourite book of all time, this felt to me like coming home. It's obvious that Charlotte Cross cares a great deal for the original story, and The Brides glitters with little references to Dracula that will thrill superfans.
I loved the depth given to all of the characters, and the level of research that was obviously put into giving them a believable world to live in. The gothic atmosphere was delicious, and everything felt very authentic, and there was an excellent balance of horror and build-up that made The Brides feel like a classic work of literature.
Dracula's brides appeared only briefly in the original, but they were characters that stood out and enchanted me from the first time I read it. I love that we've finally been given a backstory to these women, written in the same epistolary style that makes Dracula such a lasting work of literature. Saying that, I do think the novel stands on its own, although I don't think it would be as exciting for readers who aren't familiar with Dracula.
Going into The Brides, I expected a total Dracula retelling, but it's really more of an expansion on Bram Stoker's original story, creating a narrative before and after the events of Dracula. Most striking from the beginning of The Brides was how similar in style it felt to the original. Given that Dracula is perhaps my favourite book of all time, this felt to me like coming home. It's obvious that Charlotte Cross cares a great deal for the original story, and The Brides glitters with little references to Dracula that will thrill superfans.
I loved the depth given to all of the characters, and the level of research that was obviously put into giving them a believable world to live in. The gothic atmosphere was delicious, and everything felt very authentic, and there was an excellent balance of horror and build-up that made The Brides feel like a classic work of literature.
Dracula's brides appeared only briefly in the original, but they were characters that stood out and enchanted me from the first time I read it. I love that we've finally been given a backstory to these women, written in the same epistolary style that makes Dracula such a lasting work of literature. Saying that, I do think the novel stands on its own, although I don't think it would be as exciting for readers who aren't familiar with Dracula.
December 14, 2025
The Brides slides into the Dracula corpus as if it's always been there - a prequel and a sequel all at once - while at the same time feeling new and fresh and wholly, entirely its own. A must-read for anyone who loves Dracula, or vampires, or nuanced, meticulously researched explorations of the women living in the shadows of well-known narratives.
I absolutely adored it.
I absolutely adored it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For a long, long time I've been wanting to read a Brides take on the renowned story of Count Dracula. And The Brides by Charlotte Cross was exactly what I've been waiting for!
First, let me start with a couple of scruples because I did have some, even though the book overall was fantastic. There are eleven Parts to this book, and the first two were...incredibly slow. If I did not know the premise of the story, I would've given up reading right then & there because there was absolutely nothing enticing at the beginning of the book to hook the reader in and set us up for the horror-show down the road. I get all the characters needed to be properly introduced, but this could've been done with more hints of foreboding, a more sinister tone to the writing, anything really to tell the reader "something truly terrible is coming".
Second, this book is entirely told through letters and diary entries of the characters involved, which I'm not sure if that was really necessary. It is explained towards the end of the story why this was the case, and I appreciate Cross giving us something different than your average prose, but in this case, I think just having letters and journal entries severely limited her writing. Cross's strength is her plotting and weaving, which she does considerably well, but her writing is simple and at times too bland for the subject matter at hand. There were way too many sequences in the story that felt like I was reading a general women's historical fiction novel instead of a HORROR novel about the soon-to-be BRIDES OF DRACULA!! I think if a more conventional narrative had been chosen, Cross would've had more freedom to inject the shadow and depth that is desperately needed in a lot of scenes that just felt too prim and proper for a vampire story.
But to what I loved - which was a lot! Plenty of plot twists as the story eventually unfolds. The action scenes do not disappoint! Cross makes you excitedly guess, and guess, and guess again who the Brides will turn out to be. I found myself unexpectedly mourning those particular women, as if I knew them personally, but it becomes understandable how their individual insecurities, vices, and desires make them the perfect candidates and easy prey for the Count. And in true horror fashion, the one who survived walks away with the ever-lingering knowledge that evil cannot be conquered, only delayed. For now.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced digital ARC!
First, let me start with a couple of scruples because I did have some, even though the book overall was fantastic. There are eleven Parts to this book, and the first two were...incredibly slow. If I did not know the premise of the story, I would've given up reading right then & there because there was absolutely nothing enticing at the beginning of the book to hook the reader in and set us up for the horror-show down the road. I get all the characters needed to be properly introduced, but this could've been done with more hints of foreboding, a more sinister tone to the writing, anything really to tell the reader "something truly terrible is coming".
Second, this book is entirely told through letters and diary entries of the characters involved, which I'm not sure if that was really necessary. It is explained towards the end of the story why this was the case, and I appreciate Cross giving us something different than your average prose, but in this case, I think just having letters and journal entries severely limited her writing. Cross's strength is her plotting and weaving, which she does considerably well, but her writing is simple and at times too bland for the subject matter at hand. There were way too many sequences in the story that felt like I was reading a general women's historical fiction novel instead of a HORROR novel about the soon-to-be BRIDES OF DRACULA!! I think if a more conventional narrative had been chosen, Cross would've had more freedom to inject the shadow and depth that is desperately needed in a lot of scenes that just felt too prim and proper for a vampire story.
But to what I loved - which was a lot! Plenty of plot twists as the story eventually unfolds. The action scenes do not disappoint! Cross makes you excitedly guess, and guess, and guess again who the Brides will turn out to be. I found myself unexpectedly mourning those particular women, as if I knew them personally, but it becomes understandable how their individual insecurities, vices, and desires make them the perfect candidates and easy prey for the Count. And in true horror fashion, the one who survived walks away with the ever-lingering knowledge that evil cannot be conquered, only delayed. For now.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced digital ARC!
February 17, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I first heard about a book about Dracula but focused on his Brides, and there was ALSO a lesbian relationship throughout it I was like “sign me up.”
It had an interesting format, with letters and correspondences collated together to set the stage and show how the women cross paths with Dracula and what in their lives led them to this point. Since I really liked The Appeal by Janice Hallett, I thought this would be another book of a similar format, so I’d enjoy it, but make it gothic (even better!).
I do think it suffered from a too-big cast of characters, but combine that with the letters etc. not being in chronological order and I was lost… a lot.
I kept forgetting who was who, who knew whom, and whether we had jumped back or forward in time. It created quite a ball of confusing notes and it was hard to keep everything on track.
I did love the relationship between Lucy and Mafalda and their correspondence was wha really kept me going with this book, they were clearly devoted to each other in a time when it was nearly impossible to be as two women without a husband to give them financial independence and freedom. Their little comments back and forth and worry when their letters get stuck in customs were adorable.
Dracula is really a background character till quite a way into the book but his presence is certainly felt in the effects on the people around him. The book is very much not about him, but about the women impacted by him.
I really liked the build up to the final confrontation scene, it felt appropriately spooky and gothic and you could really feel the terror in the characters as they recounted their ordeal.
Overall I found this book to be a nice gothic and nostalgic Dracula book with an adorable romance, but it was quite difficult to follow who was who and therefore jumping back in was harder than it usually is for a book for me.
When I first heard about a book about Dracula but focused on his Brides, and there was ALSO a lesbian relationship throughout it I was like “sign me up.”
It had an interesting format, with letters and correspondences collated together to set the stage and show how the women cross paths with Dracula and what in their lives led them to this point. Since I really liked The Appeal by Janice Hallett, I thought this would be another book of a similar format, so I’d enjoy it, but make it gothic (even better!).
I do think it suffered from a too-big cast of characters, but combine that with the letters etc. not being in chronological order and I was lost… a lot.
I kept forgetting who was who, who knew whom, and whether we had jumped back or forward in time. It created quite a ball of confusing notes and it was hard to keep everything on track.
I did love the relationship between Lucy and Mafalda and their correspondence was wha really kept me going with this book, they were clearly devoted to each other in a time when it was nearly impossible to be as two women without a husband to give them financial independence and freedom. Their little comments back and forth and worry when their letters get stuck in customs were adorable.
Dracula is really a background character till quite a way into the book but his presence is certainly felt in the effects on the people around him. The book is very much not about him, but about the women impacted by him.
I really liked the build up to the final confrontation scene, it felt appropriately spooky and gothic and you could really feel the terror in the characters as they recounted their ordeal.
Overall I found this book to be a nice gothic and nostalgic Dracula book with an adorable romance, but it was quite difficult to follow who was who and therefore jumping back in was harder than it usually is for a book for me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A delightful, lush Dracula prequel told through letters and diary entries.
We have diary entries and letters from Lucy North in 1884 as well as letters from her accompanying servant who has visions.
In the present timeline, we have Sir John Seward’s personal diary from 1903 in Littlemore Hospital, Oxfordshire. Yes, the Dr. Seward from the original Dracula. This is him practising medicine after the defeat of Dracula, tending to a new patient with a strange case.
Lucy has a sapphic friends-to-lovers thread that is devastating. Not only was homosexuality not recognised during this time period, they were also unknowingly facing evil.
You start off unsure how everything will connect. Just a bunch of characters writing down their thoughts with a few editor’s notes within the text which only adds more mystery.
If you are more familiar with Dracula, I think this will come together more quickly for you.
This has great reflections on independence, reliance, gender roles and societal conformity.
‘They have no idea how to deal with any emotion that is not anger, so they treat a sensibility like a deep universal truth rather the nonsense it is. A man having an emotion is the most important occurrence in the history of the world, and everyone else be damned!’
This was very reminiscent to Dowry of Blood and it is clear Cross is aware of the many different vampire retellings alongside the original texts. This is both classical and unique. Exactly what you want from a retelling.
A great debut even if I did sometimes struggle with the formatting of how the plot was relayed.
Physical arc gifted by Tor Books.
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We have diary entries and letters from Lucy North in 1884 as well as letters from her accompanying servant who has visions.
In the present timeline, we have Sir John Seward’s personal diary from 1903 in Littlemore Hospital, Oxfordshire. Yes, the Dr. Seward from the original Dracula. This is him practising medicine after the defeat of Dracula, tending to a new patient with a strange case.
Lucy has a sapphic friends-to-lovers thread that is devastating. Not only was homosexuality not recognised during this time period, they were also unknowingly facing evil.
You start off unsure how everything will connect. Just a bunch of characters writing down their thoughts with a few editor’s notes within the text which only adds more mystery.
If you are more familiar with Dracula, I think this will come together more quickly for you.
This has great reflections on independence, reliance, gender roles and societal conformity.
‘They have no idea how to deal with any emotion that is not anger, so they treat a sensibility like a deep universal truth rather the nonsense it is. A man having an emotion is the most important occurrence in the history of the world, and everyone else be damned!’
This was very reminiscent to Dowry of Blood and it is clear Cross is aware of the many different vampire retellings alongside the original texts. This is both classical and unique. Exactly what you want from a retelling.
A great debut even if I did sometimes struggle with the formatting of how the plot was relayed.
Physical arc gifted by Tor Books.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was really intrigued by this book, it promised a lot of things I really like: dual timelines, an epistolary format, a Dracula retelling, and sapphic characters.
Unfortunately, for me, the promise was better than the premise. I think a lot of the struggle for me was the pacing. The story was quite slow and only ramped up to a short lived climax once you're 75% of the way in. I think another thing that caused the story to suffer, again, in my opinion, is the repetition. An event would occur and then you'd have to read about said event from each character's POV and often the characters didn't provide a unique enough perspective to hear about an event again and again and again. Finally, while I think sometimes being ahead of characters before they make certain realizations can add to the atmosphere and the dread, in this case it just didn't work. I think in that sense being a Dracula retelling worked against the dual timelines and multiple character POVs.
But I really enjoyed the dual timeline and epistolary format of the book. There were certain parts that were so fun to read, the Victorian scandal of it all! I liked one of our main characters being John Seward, I've never seen a Dracula retelling from his perspective before so in that sense, this story was successfully original. I also really loved Alice's character as she was the only character who consistently continued the story in a meaningful way.
I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy this more, this had such potential to be fully up my alley! But I think this is just a case of "It's not you, it's me." and I'll be adding this author to my list of authors to keep an eye on and check out their future works.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, for me, the promise was better than the premise. I think a lot of the struggle for me was the pacing. The story was quite slow and only ramped up to a short lived climax once you're 75% of the way in. I think another thing that caused the story to suffer, again, in my opinion, is the repetition. An event would occur and then you'd have to read about said event from each character's POV and often the characters didn't provide a unique enough perspective to hear about an event again and again and again. Finally, while I think sometimes being ahead of characters before they make certain realizations can add to the atmosphere and the dread, in this case it just didn't work. I think in that sense being a Dracula retelling worked against the dual timelines and multiple character POVs.
But I really enjoyed the dual timeline and epistolary format of the book. There were certain parts that were so fun to read, the Victorian scandal of it all! I liked one of our main characters being John Seward, I've never seen a Dracula retelling from his perspective before so in that sense, this story was successfully original. I also really loved Alice's character as she was the only character who consistently continued the story in a meaningful way.
I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy this more, this had such potential to be fully up my alley! But I think this is just a case of "It's not you, it's me." and I'll be adding this author to my list of authors to keep an eye on and check out their future works.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2025
The Brides by Charlotte Cross is a mysterious, enthralling retelling-of-sorts of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But instead of focusing on the events of the well-known classic novel, Cross’ novel takes an interest in the titular brides of the vampire count and how they came to be the figures from the original story.
To be quite frank, I did not read the whole synopsis before going into the book. I just saw it was sapphic and gothic, which is exactly my vibe, so I decided I had to read it based on that. Flash forward, I was texting my best friend in excitement about the book being a Dracula-retelling at midnight (the perfect time to read it). Truly, I’m always down for a female-centric retelling of a classic (bonus points for being sapphic!).
However, The Brides was not simply a fun read to me. It is also an interesting portrayal of trauma and its effects on a person. The novel considers how trauma is formed and how the memories of those experiences may be triggered again after becoming dormant. Additionally, there are beautiful portrayals of different kinds of love—romantic, familiar, platonic, everything in between. And to feature a sapphic love story at the center feels very fitting, considering how interlinked queerness and vampires have been in literature and other forms of media.
Overall, a very enjoyable to read I am excited to hit the shelves next year.
Thank you, Pan Macmillan | Tor Nightfire & NetGalley, for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
To be quite frank, I did not read the whole synopsis before going into the book. I just saw it was sapphic and gothic, which is exactly my vibe, so I decided I had to read it based on that. Flash forward, I was texting my best friend in excitement about the book being a Dracula-retelling at midnight (the perfect time to read it). Truly, I’m always down for a female-centric retelling of a classic (bonus points for being sapphic!).
However, The Brides was not simply a fun read to me. It is also an interesting portrayal of trauma and its effects on a person. The novel considers how trauma is formed and how the memories of those experiences may be triggered again after becoming dormant. Additionally, there are beautiful portrayals of different kinds of love—romantic, familiar, platonic, everything in between. And to feature a sapphic love story at the center feels very fitting, considering how interlinked queerness and vampires have been in literature and other forms of media.
Overall, a very enjoyable to read I am excited to hit the shelves next year.
Thank you, Pan Macmillan | Tor Nightfire & NetGalley, for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
March 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and the author
for an ARC of The Brides!
This was ALMOST a DNF. And I NEVER dnf. I trudged through it though.
The Brides is a feminist gothic horror about the three women who became the brides of Dracula - and the fourth who managed to escape ...
(This blurb snippet is what made me want to read this)
It’s very obvious that a ton of research went into this book. I enjoyed the history aspect and the vampire lore. But other than that, I found the story a bit bland and hard to follow. The characters were difficult to connect with. I feel like this was written for late Victorian readers… And maybe people who like books written in that kind of dense language (like the original Dracula) may be able to follow and enjoy this a little more than me. And while I loved the concept of a story told entirely through letters, documentation and diary entries, I don’t think it worked here. It just made an already confusing story/timeline/pov even more confusing. It was a slow read with, in my opinion, wayyyy too many characters that were unnecessary to the story and a timeline that jumps back and forth through too many pov’s and timelines that it made it so hard to keep track of who’s who.
I think this was a great tribute to the Dracula lore and a reimagining of things that we have yet to experience when it comes to his wives. I also think you NEED some familiarity with the original Dracula works in order to get the full scope of The Brides considering it’s written completely around the original story.
for an ARC of The Brides!
This was ALMOST a DNF. And I NEVER dnf. I trudged through it though.
The Brides is a feminist gothic horror about the three women who became the brides of Dracula - and the fourth who managed to escape ...
(This blurb snippet is what made me want to read this)
It’s very obvious that a ton of research went into this book. I enjoyed the history aspect and the vampire lore. But other than that, I found the story a bit bland and hard to follow. The characters were difficult to connect with. I feel like this was written for late Victorian readers… And maybe people who like books written in that kind of dense language (like the original Dracula) may be able to follow and enjoy this a little more than me. And while I loved the concept of a story told entirely through letters, documentation and diary entries, I don’t think it worked here. It just made an already confusing story/timeline/pov even more confusing. It was a slow read with, in my opinion, wayyyy too many characters that were unnecessary to the story and a timeline that jumps back and forth through too many pov’s and timelines that it made it so hard to keep track of who’s who.
I think this was a great tribute to the Dracula lore and a reimagining of things that we have yet to experience when it comes to his wives. I also think you NEED some familiarity with the original Dracula works in order to get the full scope of The Brides considering it’s written completely around the original story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Before Dracula, there were The Brides...
This year I wanted to venture into reading more horror and when I got accepted to read an arc of The Brides, a gothic historical retelling of Dracula but from the perspective of his Brides, I was so excited!
The story is weaved together from multiple POV in the form of journal entries, letters and psychiatric reports from our key leading ladies and Sir John, a survivor of Count Dracula murderous campaign.
The story does first begin at a slower pace, setting the scene and allowing us to understand who our characters are and how they are linked together. It lets you find your feet before it digs deeper into the story, the lives of our characters and their fates.
The Brides is very character focused, with limited ‘action’ and more of a surge towards the ever-famous Dracula in the back end of the majority of the story is very much about his brides. It is less about creating terror and more about building this sense of unease at what's to become of the ladies we grow to care for and route for in a world of the past.
One thing that shine through, was the beautifully written sapphic romance between two of our characters, I thought this was done in such a eloquent way that really evokes a connection, where you can’t help but empathise with how they have to nurture and protect their love in a society that demands different. Likewise, you become really invested in the friendships that are established too.
I thought The Brides was a really great read, especially for those who love a historical setting, gothic unease and a true focus on character depth.
If Charlotte ever decided to write a book that focused on Sir John and the darkness he and his friends had to fight against, I would absolutely read it.
Thanks so much to Pan Macmillan and Charlotte Cross for the advanced copy!
This year I wanted to venture into reading more horror and when I got accepted to read an arc of The Brides, a gothic historical retelling of Dracula but from the perspective of his Brides, I was so excited!
The story is weaved together from multiple POV in the form of journal entries, letters and psychiatric reports from our key leading ladies and Sir John, a survivor of Count Dracula murderous campaign.
The story does first begin at a slower pace, setting the scene and allowing us to understand who our characters are and how they are linked together. It lets you find your feet before it digs deeper into the story, the lives of our characters and their fates.
The Brides is very character focused, with limited ‘action’ and more of a surge towards the ever-famous Dracula in the back end of the majority of the story is very much about his brides. It is less about creating terror and more about building this sense of unease at what's to become of the ladies we grow to care for and route for in a world of the past.
One thing that shine through, was the beautifully written sapphic romance between two of our characters, I thought this was done in such a eloquent way that really evokes a connection, where you can’t help but empathise with how they have to nurture and protect their love in a society that demands different. Likewise, you become really invested in the friendships that are established too.
I thought The Brides was a really great read, especially for those who love a historical setting, gothic unease and a true focus on character depth.
If Charlotte ever decided to write a book that focused on Sir John and the darkness he and his friends had to fight against, I would absolutely read it.
Thanks so much to Pan Macmillan and Charlotte Cross for the advanced copy!
November 19, 2025
YESSSS - this book was AMAZING! Since I was 10, my favorite book has been Dracula, so of course I was very very intrigued when I saw The Brides, I knew I had to read it and I got the chance to read an ARC thanks to PanMacmillan Export.
I loved the concept of the book, based on the origin story of the women that were Dracula’s “brides”. I will never read Dracula the same as before, because now I will always think that we know what the story of those poor women is. We know what they’ve been through, how much they suffered and what brought them to the monster’s castle.
I love the fact that the book is written really similar to Dracula, so we get the same exciting reading experience, through letters and journal entries. We also get to see some beloved characters like John Seward and Jonathan Harker. I didn’t realize how much I missed these characters and it felt so good to read about their lives after Dracula.
This book is an insanely good idea and I loved every part of it. Coming from a very big Dracula lover: this book is GOOD. If you’ve read and loved Dracula, you need to read this one!
I loved the concept of the book, based on the origin story of the women that were Dracula’s “brides”. I will never read Dracula the same as before, because now I will always think that we know what the story of those poor women is. We know what they’ve been through, how much they suffered and what brought them to the monster’s castle.
I love the fact that the book is written really similar to Dracula, so we get the same exciting reading experience, through letters and journal entries. We also get to see some beloved characters like John Seward and Jonathan Harker. I didn’t realize how much I missed these characters and it felt so good to read about their lives after Dracula.
This book is an insanely good idea and I loved every part of it. Coming from a very big Dracula lover: this book is GOOD. If you’ve read and loved Dracula, you need to read this one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A creepy reimagining of the Brides of Dracula, told with reverence for the original novel’s tone and structure. I love all things vampiric, and am always chasing the high of Nosferatu (2024), and I found this absolutely delivered on atmosphere. From the rotting castle corridors to the mist-choked Transylvanian hills, the setting oozes dread.
Like Dracula, it’s told in an epistolary style, which inevitably slows the pacing, but for the most part I didn’t mind settling into the unease.
What worked for me:
The atmosphere. A pervasive sense of looming doom, uncanny incidents, and dreamlike horror that creeps under your skin rather than jumps out at you.
The characters. I loved many of the narrators and the way each voice illuminated how they’d become ensnared in such a dark, inescapable situation.
What didn’t land:
The pacing. This book takes its time getting off the ground and I think I was confused for the first 25% of it on who exactly was saying what.
The ending. It felt a bit abrupt, especially given how much care is spent building the mood.
Overall, a haunting, atmospheric read that prioritizes dread and gothic ambiance over plot.
Like Dracula, it’s told in an epistolary style, which inevitably slows the pacing, but for the most part I didn’t mind settling into the unease.
What worked for me:
The atmosphere. A pervasive sense of looming doom, uncanny incidents, and dreamlike horror that creeps under your skin rather than jumps out at you.
The characters. I loved many of the narrators and the way each voice illuminated how they’d become ensnared in such a dark, inescapable situation.
What didn’t land:
The pacing. This book takes its time getting off the ground and I think I was confused for the first 25% of it on who exactly was saying what.
The ending. It felt a bit abrupt, especially given how much care is spent building the mood.
Overall, a haunting, atmospheric read that prioritizes dread and gothic ambiance over plot.
November 12, 2025
Wow. Wow. Wow. This is truly the most wonderful retelling of Dracula that I’ve ever read. I’m a huge fan of Dracula by Bram Stoker, and this book gives the exact same feel as the original. The gothic imagery, the characters, and the diary/letter entry style just blew me away.
This isn’t an action packed book. This is slow, but evenly paced. It really sets the scene for the latter part of the book wonderfully. It slowly fills you with dread over time, just as original Dracula does.
An absolutely amazing book that will be perfect for lovers of Dracula and slow, gothic, dread-inducing tales! 🩸🥀
A huge thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book before its release!
This will be perfect for you if you enjoy:
🏠 Diary and letter entries
🖤 Female vampires
🔪 Gothic horror
☕️ Multiple POVs
This isn’t an action packed book. This is slow, but evenly paced. It really sets the scene for the latter part of the book wonderfully. It slowly fills you with dread over time, just as original Dracula does.
An absolutely amazing book that will be perfect for lovers of Dracula and slow, gothic, dread-inducing tales! 🩸🥀
A huge thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book before its release!
This will be perfect for you if you enjoy:
🏠 Diary and letter entries
🖤 Female vampires
🔪 Gothic horror
☕️ Multiple POVs
December 29, 2025
The Brides is a haunting, female centred reimagining of one of the worlds most enduring vampire myths. Told through an epistolary structure of letters, diary entries, and psychiatric reports, it gives voice to figures long relegated to the margins. Dracula’s brides.
Rather than rehashing old ground, the book focuses on how these women came to the castle and what lingers after. It’s a slow burn exploration of female autonomy, sapphic desire, and the lasting effects of trauma, where memory and longing are as potent as blood. Dracula remains mostly unseen, yet his presence permeates every page as an ever looming force and threat.
Atmospheric, deliberate, and richly gothic, this is a perfect read for anyone drawn to vampire lore, epistolary storytelling, and narratives that reclaim power for women who were once only footnotes.
Rather than rehashing old ground, the book focuses on how these women came to the castle and what lingers after. It’s a slow burn exploration of female autonomy, sapphic desire, and the lasting effects of trauma, where memory and longing are as potent as blood. Dracula remains mostly unseen, yet his presence permeates every page as an ever looming force and threat.
Atmospheric, deliberate, and richly gothic, this is a perfect read for anyone drawn to vampire lore, epistolary storytelling, and narratives that reclaim power for women who were once only footnotes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First of all, thanks to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this eARC!
3,75/5 rounded up to 4
This is an epistolary novel that could perfectly be Dracula's prologue (I can say that as someone that Dracula did not hit as hard as people say, also I was 14 trying to read it, I did _not_ get it). The horror and mystery gets interlinked and explained by the characters through letters and their diaries, even work notes. This was very hard for me to follow in the beginning, and the formatting made it harder, but that last 50%? Phew. Absolute phenomenon. I did miss a bit more of the horror, but it does deliver sapphic women *and* vampires, so if that's right across your alley, this one's for you!
3,75/5 rounded up to 4
This is an epistolary novel that could perfectly be Dracula's prologue (I can say that as someone that Dracula did not hit as hard as people say, also I was 14 trying to read it, I did _not_ get it). The horror and mystery gets interlinked and explained by the characters through letters and their diaries, even work notes. This was very hard for me to follow in the beginning, and the formatting made it harder, but that last 50%? Phew. Absolute phenomenon. I did miss a bit more of the horror, but it does deliver sapphic women *and* vampires, so if that's right across your alley, this one's for you!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Brides
Rating: 4.5
I have been looking forward to sinking my teeth into this story for a long time (apologies for the terrible pun)
This is incredible piece of gothic writing looking at the perspective of Dracula's brides, giving them their names and humanity.
The Brides follow Sir John Seward as he starts his new role as a Doctor in the Oxford insane Asylum, where his past with Dracula catches up with him.
Done in the same epistolary style as Dracula from the diaries, letters and psychiatric reports around Mafalda, Lucy, Eliza and Alice this tale created an enticing yet eerie atmosphere which meant that I devoured this tale in two sittings.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5
I have been looking forward to sinking my teeth into this story for a long time (apologies for the terrible pun)
This is incredible piece of gothic writing looking at the perspective of Dracula's brides, giving them their names and humanity.
The Brides follow Sir John Seward as he starts his new role as a Doctor in the Oxford insane Asylum, where his past with Dracula catches up with him.
Done in the same epistolary style as Dracula from the diaries, letters and psychiatric reports around Mafalda, Lucy, Eliza and Alice this tale created an enticing yet eerie atmosphere which meant that I devoured this tale in two sittings.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I truly enjoyed this! It was very atmospheric and dark. The Victorian gothic vibes were on point and I love epistolary novels. I also really liked how it incorporated Bram Stoker's Dracula so well. It felt like a natural prequel.
My only frustration was that I felt it was a little predictable. I will say there were times that I questioned myself; however, overall, I wish it was a little more complex. The ending felt a little rushed, but, ultimately satisfying. I liked the two main characters. Some of the side characters felt flat, but it never detracted from the story. Finally, the horror aspects were done well with more tension build up than gore and more atmosphere than thrills.
A good historical horror for the literary type.
My only frustration was that I felt it was a little predictable. I will say there were times that I questioned myself; however, overall, I wish it was a little more complex. The ending felt a little rushed, but, ultimately satisfying. I liked the two main characters. Some of the side characters felt flat, but it never detracted from the story. Finally, the horror aspects were done well with more tension build up than gore and more atmosphere than thrills.
A good historical horror for the literary type.
February 2, 2026
I loved this book! I am a big fan of vampires and read Dracula for the first time last year. I was not expecting the epistolary format and was pleasantly surprised by it. I think this was such a beautiful tribute to the classic and also a fresh feminist take and expansion on the original tale. I really enjoyed reading and learning more about the FMCs and the plot. The FMCs felt fully fleshed out and I felt like I knew who they really were. There are beautiful prose and yearning in this book. I would recommend this book to any Dracula, vampire, and/or gothic fans. I am very interested to see more work from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a great companion piece to ‘Dracula’, and is definitely written in the same vein.
It’s been a long time since I read ‘Dracula’, and this made a fair few things get lost in translation. The excerpts and journal entries were dated, but not laid out chronologically, so I got lost a lot trying to parse where we were and who we were talking about.
I loved the sapphic story, and how Eliza worked with them, and then how Alice became a part of their little clan. The ties back to the og book and the og characters also worked well.
I need to reread ‘Dracula’ now, now I have the Brides tales.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc.
It’s been a long time since I read ‘Dracula’, and this made a fair few things get lost in translation. The excerpts and journal entries were dated, but not laid out chronologically, so I got lost a lot trying to parse where we were and who we were talking about.
I loved the sapphic story, and how Eliza worked with them, and then how Alice became a part of their little clan. The ties back to the og book and the og characters also worked well.
I need to reread ‘Dracula’ now, now I have the Brides tales.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I thought this was truly great, a superb debut with a very original story. The cover actually does it a bit of a disservice by making it look like it’s a naff horror rather than a gothic tour de force.
Exploring the Dracula’s brides, their history, personalities, and deepest emotions adds so much to the canon for me. Historically they’re very much a tool to show the dangers of lust/greed etc and so to imagine them having emotive full colour lives is incredibly refreshing and is a new angle to feminist literature i had not really considered.
Exploring the Dracula’s brides, their history, personalities, and deepest emotions adds so much to the canon for me. Historically they’re very much a tool to show the dangers of lust/greed etc and so to imagine them having emotive full colour lives is incredibly refreshing and is a new angle to feminist literature i had not really considered.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My favourite thing about this book is how well-written it is, the language befitting the time period incredibly well, without feeling convoluted or archaic. It took me a while to distinguish the different voices from letters and diary entries at first, perhaps 80 or so pages where I was quite confused, but once it gets going, it's very engrossing. It creates a fantastic eerie atmosphere throughout, which culminates without disappointing. I wish I had revisited Dracula before reading this, just to feel the connection more strongly.
December 9, 2025
The Bride by Charlotte Cross is a dark, addictive, and beautifully tense story that pulled me in from the very first chapter. The atmosphere is eerie, the romance is deliciously unsettling, and every twist made me want to keep turning pages. Charlotte Cross perfectly balances suspense, emotion, and gothic undertones, creating a story that feels haunting yet irresistibly compelling.
Thanks Netgelly for providing me the wonderful Arc of this book.
Thanks Netgelly for providing me the wonderful Arc of this book.
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