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Under A Strawberry Moon: Marrow Bone Creek
Some hungers are older than memory—and sweeter than sin.
When the strawberries bloom early in Marrow Bone Creek, everyone knows it's a bad omen. Everyone except the tourists who flock to the quaint Appalachian town for its annual Founders Day Festival, hungry for authentic mountain charm and sweet, ripe fruit.
Naomi Thornfield has spent years running from her family's legacy of second sight and rootwork, content to tend her grandmother's bookshop and ignore the golden threads of power she sees connecting every soul in town. But when Dempsey Calloway's strawberry fields yield fruit that tastes like memory and bleeds like wounds, she can no longer deny what she's inherited.
Dempsey knows his land is cursed. He's known since his wife's death seven years ago left him with nothing but grief and soil that grows sweetness touched by shadow. When Naomi offers to help him understand what's happening to his harvest, their shared sorrow kindles into something deeper—even as darkness gathers around them.
Because beneath the town's postcard charm, something ancient stirs. The Fellowship of Everlasting Light preaches salvation through ritual sacrifice. Townspeople smile with berry-stained mouths and hunger in their eyes. And with each crimson fruit consumed, an entity sleeping beneath Marrow Bone Lake grows stronger.
As the strawberry moon rises full and red, Naomi and Dempsey must choose between the love they've found and the terrible price the land demands. Some debts span generations. Some hungers are older than memory. And in Marrow Bone Creek, the sweetest fruit always carries the deadliest cost.
A gothic romance where desire and darkness bloom from the same cursed soil.
When the strawberries bloom early in Marrow Bone Creek, everyone knows it's a bad omen. Everyone except the tourists who flock to the quaint Appalachian town for its annual Founders Day Festival, hungry for authentic mountain charm and sweet, ripe fruit.
Naomi Thornfield has spent years running from her family's legacy of second sight and rootwork, content to tend her grandmother's bookshop and ignore the golden threads of power she sees connecting every soul in town. But when Dempsey Calloway's strawberry fields yield fruit that tastes like memory and bleeds like wounds, she can no longer deny what she's inherited.
Dempsey knows his land is cursed. He's known since his wife's death seven years ago left him with nothing but grief and soil that grows sweetness touched by shadow. When Naomi offers to help him understand what's happening to his harvest, their shared sorrow kindles into something deeper—even as darkness gathers around them.
Because beneath the town's postcard charm, something ancient stirs. The Fellowship of Everlasting Light preaches salvation through ritual sacrifice. Townspeople smile with berry-stained mouths and hunger in their eyes. And with each crimson fruit consumed, an entity sleeping beneath Marrow Bone Lake grows stronger.
As the strawberry moon rises full and red, Naomi and Dempsey must choose between the love they've found and the terrible price the land demands. Some debts span generations. Some hungers are older than memory. And in Marrow Bone Creek, the sweetest fruit always carries the deadliest cost.
A gothic romance where desire and darkness bloom from the same cursed soil.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2025
27 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Tasha L. Harrison
30 books432 followers#Author of dirty talking, nasty, where-do-you-want-me-to-put-it, cinnamon roll heroes | creator of #20kin5Days | host of #Wordmakers Community
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@tashalharrison on Twitter and Instagram.
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@tashalharrison on Twitter and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 5, 2025
UNDER A STRAWBERRY MOON is one of the best gothic romances I've read in a while, and has ALL of my favorite tropes: folkloric horror, doomed-feeling romance, weird sex rituals, sinister plants, and religious trauma, all packaged with a culty little bow. I love that Tasha L. Harrison gave this such a 70s inspired cover because it has all the vibes of the old skool gothics that I loved so much, and the balance of horror and romance was so well done.
Marrow Bone Creek is a small, Appalachian town that has something dark and chilling beneath its quaint cottagecore vibe. The beautiful lake covers a drowned town; you can see the old rooftops during drought. There's a big old oak tree whose bark is stained with the blood of sacrifice. And the big sweet strawberries pulse beneath the moon, and bleed like severed arteries when they grow too ripe.
Naomi, the FMC, comes from a line of sort of good witches who guard the knowledge of the town and harness the powers of protection. But this year, they've crossed the tipping point and something terrible is coming that is too big to guard against. She can see it in Dempsey, the older man she has a crush on, who owns the strawberry patch and has been drinking their sweet juices like an addict with a fix. Together, the two of them try to work together to stop the cult that has sunken its tentacles of influence into the town, trying to accelerate the town's curse for their own gains...
I don't want to say anything else, but I loved this book. It was haunting and beautifully written and so, so creepy. I'm actually personally offended that UNDER A STRAWBERRY MOON doesn't have ten times the reviews that it does. It's so fucking good and I need the sequel that I assume is coming immediately.
5 stars
Marrow Bone Creek is a small, Appalachian town that has something dark and chilling beneath its quaint cottagecore vibe. The beautiful lake covers a drowned town; you can see the old rooftops during drought. There's a big old oak tree whose bark is stained with the blood of sacrifice. And the big sweet strawberries pulse beneath the moon, and bleed like severed arteries when they grow too ripe.
Naomi, the FMC, comes from a line of sort of good witches who guard the knowledge of the town and harness the powers of protection. But this year, they've crossed the tipping point and something terrible is coming that is too big to guard against. She can see it in Dempsey, the older man she has a crush on, who owns the strawberry patch and has been drinking their sweet juices like an addict with a fix. Together, the two of them try to work together to stop the cult that has sunken its tentacles of influence into the town, trying to accelerate the town's curse for their own gains...
I don't want to say anything else, but I loved this book. It was haunting and beautifully written and so, so creepy. I'm actually personally offended that UNDER A STRAWBERRY MOON doesn't have ten times the reviews that it does. It's so fucking good and I need the sequel that I assume is coming immediately.
5 stars
Want to read
September 5, 2025Nenia rec
December 18, 2025
4 solid stars (I’ve never been more afraid of Strawberries in my life lol)
This was very well written and actually made me want to jump back into the horror genre. I love southern gothic horror and this was the crème de le creme of that genre. The romance was ok, and I wish we would have gotten more background on the history of the town, but overall this was very solid.
There is a sequel or spin off of a different set of characters set in the same town called “The Ruination of Micheal Sterling” that’s out now that I intend on reading in the near future.
This was very well written and actually made me want to jump back into the horror genre. I love southern gothic horror and this was the crème de le creme of that genre. The romance was ok, and I wish we would have gotten more background on the history of the town, but overall this was very solid.
There is a sequel or spin off of a different set of characters set in the same town called “The Ruination of Micheal Sterling” that’s out now that I intend on reading in the near future.
August 3, 2025
ok yesss this was everythiiiiing. Give me the movie/tv series now!!! This one engaged me from start to finish (hellooo that ending??)
This story built up the dread bit by bit...until the end came and I was gasping like oh damn...whew! And Tasha revealed this will be a series and I need it like yesterday because that ending left me wanting more!!
This story built up the dread bit by bit...until the end came and I was gasping like oh damn...whew! And Tasha revealed this will be a series and I need it like yesterday because that ending left me wanting more!!
August 31, 2025
4.5⭐️
I came across this book on Threads and I’m SO happy I did…it’s small-town, it’s dark, it’s mysterious, it’s spiritual AND SOMETHING IS BREWING. The author had me hooked from the beginning, because what could really be wrong with ripe strawberries? Can they really be too sweet?
The build-up was everything. Naomi & Dempsey 🥺 they’re just two people trying to live right in a world of a wrong. Jonas needs to be under the lake with that thing expeditiously! And leave everybody else tf OUTTTTTT of it.
The ending 🫣 was just abrupt for me..we had all that build up. I NEED TO KNOW MORE. I’m praying there’s a book two because I need to know what happens to Naomi, her grandmother’s ledgers, Dempsey and the town 😭
I came across this book on Threads and I’m SO happy I did…it’s small-town, it’s dark, it’s mysterious, it’s spiritual AND SOMETHING IS BREWING. The author had me hooked from the beginning, because what could really be wrong with ripe strawberries? Can they really be too sweet?
The build-up was everything. Naomi & Dempsey 🥺 they’re just two people trying to live right in a world of a wrong. Jonas needs to be under the lake with that thing expeditiously! And leave everybody else tf OUTTTTTT of it.
The ending 🫣 was just abrupt for me..we had all that build up. I NEED TO KNOW MORE. I’m praying there’s a book two because I need to know what happens to Naomi, her grandmother’s ledgers, Dempsey and the town 😭
dnf
November 13, 2025
DNF at 52%, Read all of Chapter 1o (Total Chapters: 16 + Epilogue).
Pros
-The writing started out really quite beautiful. I was immediately sucked into this aesthetic.
-I thought the idea of the plot, initially, was going to be very fun and gritty to uncover.
Cons *SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS*
-Maeve. I felt that she was overly mentioned and I personally felt a connection/loyalty to her character. Also, I didn't feel like Dempsey (her husband) was in any way ready to be in a new relationship. He continuously thought of her and I did not believe as a reader that this man should be with anyone other than his lost love. Maeve is the cousin of Naomi(FMC)...that is an ick of mine. I am not a fan of familial connecting love interests....(sister's ex bf, cousins widowed husband, etc.). So, I was immediately turned off once it was revealed that Naomi has had a massive crush on her cousin's husband for years. And then there's the matter that Naomi also calls Dempsey her "cousin", just did not work for me at all.
I had a huge issue with Maeve dying in place of her beloved husband Dempsey-she died for him! I mean c'mon, the bravery and cherished love in that absolutely sealed the deal for me that I loved Maeve-and the very night that Dempsey discovers this...what does he do? He has sex with Naomi...I thought this was distasteful and pretty messed up. Basically, Maeve is brought up so heavily that I felt so much love and respect for her. I did not want or care about a relationship between Naomi and Dempsey. If there was more focus on Dempsey having healed over his wife's passing, I probably would have been more open to Dempsey finding love again. But, the relationship with Naomi felt so rushed and immature in my opinion.
-Naomi, she's around 32 years old....but seemed to act more like 19 years old. As I mentioned above, her relationship with Dempsey was not one I cared for. And in Chapter 10, her "magic/powers" kind of stole all of the mystery away from the plot. The sex unlocked all of the answers that I would have loved to have uncovered with Naomi through many pages of hunting down clues and putting the pieces together.
*In the back of the book, the Author states that she is a Freelance Editor. With all of the errors I came across, I was actually surprised that she offers editing services. These are all of the errors I came across:
"When de lake crack open, it swallowed a mouthful of the dead--and spat back something' hungry."
I didn't understand why de and the were used in the same sentence, I felt like this was a typo that should have been caught early on in editing.
"Is there anything you *can* do now?"
I don't know why there are asterisks around can?
she as in his embrace.
Editing error not corrected.
"Little Thornfield?" "little Thornfield?"
These were near each other and in the previous sentence the L was capitalized, while with the next one, the L was lower case.
face. :Thank you.
Editing error not corrected.
ston.y
Editing error not corrected.
The wasn't an impulse.
Editing error not corrected.
she open that door,
Editing error not corrected.
Depsey
Should have been Dempsey.
"His hands held her steady as his mouth found the place between her thighs that ached for him--soft at first, exploratory, then firmer, more certain. She shivered as his breath fanned across the slick heat of her, the cool air meeting the fire already building there. His hands held her steady as his mouth found the place between her thighs that ached for him--soft at first, exploratory, then firmer, more certain."
Yes, the author repeated herself in one paragraph. Yet again, another editing error that was not corrected.
Her cry deeper deeper this time.
The author didn't utilize commas as much as she probably should have in my opinion.
"'Can I--?' 'Yes,' she breathed, sliding down his back to cup his backside. 'Please'."
Okay, this is just a personal irk of mine. When there is sex in a contemporary book and no talk of condoms or birth control is discussed, then the male ejaculates in the female......um, hello is no one worried about pregnancy? Add in the virgin trope and I'm just not going to enjoy it. In a contemporary setting, I appreciate any small mention of protection and when it's glossed over, I mentally tap out. For context, the above is Naomi giving permission to Dempsey to cum in her. She is much younger than him, plus she's a virgin, AND he knows all of this before hand. Plus, there was absolutely no lead up (as in zero courting) and Dempsey (a man who is supposed to be mature in age and experienced) decides it's okay to risk getting his much younger, deceased wife's cousin pregnant?! This book just turned a corner and I simply lost interest.
Pros
-The writing started out really quite beautiful. I was immediately sucked into this aesthetic.
-I thought the idea of the plot, initially, was going to be very fun and gritty to uncover.
Cons *SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS*
-Maeve. I felt that she was overly mentioned and I personally felt a connection/loyalty to her character. Also, I didn't feel like Dempsey (her husband) was in any way ready to be in a new relationship. He continuously thought of her and I did not believe as a reader that this man should be with anyone other than his lost love. Maeve is the cousin of Naomi(FMC)...that is an ick of mine. I am not a fan of familial connecting love interests....(sister's ex bf, cousins widowed husband, etc.). So, I was immediately turned off once it was revealed that Naomi has had a massive crush on her cousin's husband for years. And then there's the matter that Naomi also calls Dempsey her "cousin", just did not work for me at all.
I had a huge issue with Maeve dying in place of her beloved husband Dempsey-she died for him! I mean c'mon, the bravery and cherished love in that absolutely sealed the deal for me that I loved Maeve-and the very night that Dempsey discovers this...what does he do? He has sex with Naomi...I thought this was distasteful and pretty messed up. Basically, Maeve is brought up so heavily that I felt so much love and respect for her. I did not want or care about a relationship between Naomi and Dempsey. If there was more focus on Dempsey having healed over his wife's passing, I probably would have been more open to Dempsey finding love again. But, the relationship with Naomi felt so rushed and immature in my opinion.
-Naomi, she's around 32 years old....but seemed to act more like 19 years old. As I mentioned above, her relationship with Dempsey was not one I cared for. And in Chapter 10, her "magic/powers" kind of stole all of the mystery away from the plot. The sex unlocked all of the answers that I would have loved to have uncovered with Naomi through many pages of hunting down clues and putting the pieces together.
*In the back of the book, the Author states that she is a Freelance Editor. With all of the errors I came across, I was actually surprised that she offers editing services. These are all of the errors I came across:
"When de lake crack open, it swallowed a mouthful of the dead--and spat back something' hungry."
I didn't understand why de and the were used in the same sentence, I felt like this was a typo that should have been caught early on in editing.
"Is there anything you *can* do now?"
I don't know why there are asterisks around can?
she as in his embrace.
Editing error not corrected.
"Little Thornfield?" "little Thornfield?"
These were near each other and in the previous sentence the L was capitalized, while with the next one, the L was lower case.
face. :Thank you.
Editing error not corrected.
ston.y
Editing error not corrected.
The wasn't an impulse.
Editing error not corrected.
she open that door,
Editing error not corrected.
Depsey
Should have been Dempsey.
"His hands held her steady as his mouth found the place between her thighs that ached for him--soft at first, exploratory, then firmer, more certain. She shivered as his breath fanned across the slick heat of her, the cool air meeting the fire already building there. His hands held her steady as his mouth found the place between her thighs that ached for him--soft at first, exploratory, then firmer, more certain."
Yes, the author repeated herself in one paragraph. Yet again, another editing error that was not corrected.
Her cry deeper deeper this time.
The author didn't utilize commas as much as she probably should have in my opinion.
"'Can I--?' 'Yes,' she breathed, sliding down his back to cup his backside. 'Please'."
Okay, this is just a personal irk of mine. When there is sex in a contemporary book and no talk of condoms or birth control is discussed, then the male ejaculates in the female......um, hello is no one worried about pregnancy? Add in the virgin trope and I'm just not going to enjoy it. In a contemporary setting, I appreciate any small mention of protection and when it's glossed over, I mentally tap out. For context, the above is Naomi giving permission to Dempsey to cum in her. She is much younger than him, plus she's a virgin, AND he knows all of this before hand. Plus, there was absolutely no lead up (as in zero courting) and Dempsey (a man who is supposed to be mature in age and experienced) decides it's okay to risk getting his much younger, deceased wife's cousin pregnant?! This book just turned a corner and I simply lost interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2025
I won’t give this a bad review, since there aren’t very many and my issue is mostly subjective.
But I didn’t get very far. The prose was just out of control. Good prose packs a lot of information and context into illustrative words. It’s supposed to be used like a metaphor. It makes an illustration shorter, not longer. You can read two sentences from To Kill a Mockingbird and come up with 3 thesis statements and 4 supporting essays.
Prose (subjectively) shouldn’t be a bunch of illustrative and flowery words stretched out to say nothing at all. Regret does not have a taste, for example. People don’t look like they’ve been eating something that tastes like memory. There was just so much of it. I’ll overlook it usually, but it was so extensive that I realized I’d been listening for 20 minutes and still not heard anything significant.
Then the FMC got super judgmental on the authenticity front. Apparently you have to know the taste of crushed mint to be qualified for her job? Whatever that means. She is very unique and special and stands in a long line of martyrs, apparently. That went on for several pages and I just lost interest
After an hour I can sum up this much: there are fucked up strawberries and there’s a local political conspiracy building. That is it.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying flowery writing. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. Some people like structured gardens with flowers and others like wild gardens. I just happen to prefer the wild and lose patience with excessive distracting embellishments.
Overall it felt like it was trying too hard to be authentic and it got in its own way of telling a story.
But I didn’t get very far. The prose was just out of control. Good prose packs a lot of information and context into illustrative words. It’s supposed to be used like a metaphor. It makes an illustration shorter, not longer. You can read two sentences from To Kill a Mockingbird and come up with 3 thesis statements and 4 supporting essays.
Prose (subjectively) shouldn’t be a bunch of illustrative and flowery words stretched out to say nothing at all. Regret does not have a taste, for example. People don’t look like they’ve been eating something that tastes like memory. There was just so much of it. I’ll overlook it usually, but it was so extensive that I realized I’d been listening for 20 minutes and still not heard anything significant.
Then the FMC got super judgmental on the authenticity front. Apparently you have to know the taste of crushed mint to be qualified for her job? Whatever that means. She is very unique and special and stands in a long line of martyrs, apparently. That went on for several pages and I just lost interest
After an hour I can sum up this much: there are fucked up strawberries and there’s a local political conspiracy building. That is it.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying flowery writing. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. Some people like structured gardens with flowers and others like wild gardens. I just happen to prefer the wild and lose patience with excessive distracting embellishments.
Overall it felt like it was trying too hard to be authentic and it got in its own way of telling a story.
October 29, 2025
This book was everything I needed. Gothic romance, folklore horror and rituals. The vibes were immaculate. The imagery was vivid. The way the horror, spice and romance was balanced worked so well. It sucked me in from the beginning. So beautifully written. I love Naomi and Dempsey. The ending was very unexpected and I’m so glad book 2 is out in a few days. I need to see how everything progresses.
“She was built of honey and hurricane, earth and ember, the kind of woman who didn't ask to be worshipped but damn well deserved it.”
“She was built of honey and hurricane, earth and ember, the kind of woman who didn't ask to be worshipped but damn well deserved it.”
August 5, 2025
I have no words, but so many at the same time. This book was beautifully written and told a story that made you feel like you were there; it truly felt like I was watching a movie from another time. I loved Naomi and Dempsey’s connection. Tasha’s word weaved together an entire town and history that truly had me so moved deeply. So much proper storytelling with Hoodoo and Rootwork — to all my spiritual babes, this book with make you swoon.
August 19, 2025
CW: sex, death, cults, grief, violence, trauma (generational and otherwise), spiritual abuse, miscarriage & pregnancy mentioned
I really liked this one! some parts of the story were written a smidge repetitively which took me out for a moment but then I was dragged back in. I love a good Gothic horror with a cult-ish bend & nature being a factor. im reminded a bit of black river orchard by chuck wendig but sexy!
I already cant wait for the next book. gimme all the horror romance! 🫶🏻
I really liked this one! some parts of the story were written a smidge repetitively which took me out for a moment but then I was dragged back in. I love a good Gothic horror with a cult-ish bend & nature being a factor. im reminded a bit of black river orchard by chuck wendig but sexy!
I already cant wait for the next book. gimme all the horror romance! 🫶🏻
September 1, 2025
What world did I just step into 🍓🍓🍓
I might never look at strawberries the same again. I enjoyed the this black magical realism style of storytelling a la Lovecraft Country, Sinners etc. I wanted more, deeper this story felt like just the beginning of something then it ended. It has a good balance of spicy and magic but some of the plot points remain a mystery.
I might never look at strawberries the same again. I enjoyed the this black magical realism style of storytelling a la Lovecraft Country, Sinners etc. I wanted more, deeper this story felt like just the beginning of something then it ended. It has a good balance of spicy and magic but some of the plot points remain a mystery.
September 3, 2025
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of this town and their secrets- the prose is absolutely beautiful and provides a stunning visual throughout the story. I was left wanting more because there are so many different ways the story can play out.
November 22, 2025
While the book could have used another round of editing (duplicate paragraphs, some punctuation & spelling errors), I loved the story itself. It was like drinking sweet tea on a hot summer evening and eating a southern meal slowly. I'm glad I own it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews