It Begins

by Eule Grey

Byron, PhD student and waistcoat admirer, knows about yearning and betrayal. It’s been four years since the love of his life, Ruben, walked off without explanation. Byron dreams of midnight sex he can’t fully remember and a beloved man with dancing eyes. If only Ruben would return… But life moves on. At least it did until you-know-who unexpectedly pitches a tent in the garden, provoking ghosts from the past as well as Byron’s aching heart.

Ruben understands how to push Byron’s buttons. But he doesn’t know why someone is stalking them or why his memories are haunted by students playing a naked truth-dare game in an ancient room. What happened on the claw-marked table covered with crispy skin flakes?

Halloween draws close, and with it comes a rollercoaster ride of sex, fear, and love. At the back of their minds, a chilling, familiar voice reminds Byron and Ruben of a game from long ago and a pact that can’t be abandoned or left unfinished.

True love never dies.

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Contemporary, M M Romance, Gay, BDSM, College

Unknown Binding

First published September 30, 2025

About the author

Eule Grey has settled, for now, in the north UK. She’s worked in education, justice, youth work, and even spread the butter in a sandwich factory.

Eule writes LGBTQI books with the characters she’s been seeking since childhood: neurodivergent villains, characters with mental health issues, conflicted thoughts, and a craving for cupcakes. Best of all, Eule adores writing romantic stories, often with a dash of the paranormal.

LINK TO INDIE INK AWARDS. PLEASE VOTE FOR MISSION SKYSCRAPER:
https://indiestorygeek.com/story/10661

Reviews

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Begins is the first book by Eule Grey that I have read and I can't wait to read more books by her. It Begins is the story of Byron and Ruben and is more of a paranormal story than a romance story but that is more than okay with me. I'm finding it hard to review this book without giving spoilers, so I will just say that I really enjoyed it. The writing style, characters, and world building are very well done. The plot was interesting and kept me guessing. I would definitely recommend this book.
received a free review copy

[Finding Sky Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I Loved:
- M/M Romance - Pansexual Rep
- Dark Academia
- Mystery / Thriller
- Hauntings and sex games
- Love that withstands all

Spice: 🌶️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥

Review:
This is another fantastic book by this author! Do not let the amazing cover art fool you into thinking this is just another standard romance because it is anything but. The plot and paranormal/thriller aspects are strong with this one and Eule did an amazing job keeping you on the edge of your seat as the plot thickens and the story unfolds and everything starts to come out of the haze and make sense.

At the start I honestly was like, ah what the flip am I reading, but very quickly I got sucked into the story and become invested in Bryan and Ruben. I thought the characters were well written and it often felt like you were very much so seeing things through them, which often at times felt eerie and erratic and dissacotoafed with the present, which I love. It was very immersive. I felt the chemistry between them and loved watching them work together and comfort eachother as they work through everything (I can't say without spoilering and this book is best read without being spoiled for sure!)

Oh I will say there is spice but it's not overly detailled or as frequent as you'd expect and definately doesn't overshadow the plot.

Highly recommend and want to read more from this author!!

✨️

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book needs all the stars!

This was intense and exciting and emotional. A complete rollercoaster from start to finish.

I spent the first roughly 80% of this book scratching my head and shouting at my kindle ‘what the F’ is going on? I’m so confused!’ And coming up with theories about what might be happening.
That is in no way a criticism AT ALL. I absolutely loved the ominous feeling of never quite being sure of what might happen next. It was an edge of my seat thrill ride.

This felt like a romance wrapped up in a ghost story. The writing felt like prose, like someone who perhaps doesn’t usually write romance. While the characters love for each other was a central point to the story the focus was often kept on the paranormal elements. I *heard* the characters speak and think of their love for each other and I *felt* every spooky thing along with them. The descriptions of the flashing lights and the cold chills were so realistic I felt as if I was living inside the story with the characters.
It was not a style of writing I’ve encountered much in the MM romance genre but, it was completely wonderful. I was blown away by the beauty of simple sentences. The way the characters think about and express their feelings, I felt them viscerally.

‘His voice, treacly caramel, dribbles into my parched loneliness, not enough to quench me, sufficient to make me want more.’

‘My heart broke in two and rolled away under the dusty cupboards. Oh, I was aware of how deeply he had already woven me into his web, and I was as powerless to resist now as five years ago.’

I’m not going to describe the plot in this review because, quite honestly literally anything I say will be a spoiler and the absolute joy of this book is the confusion and the guessing throughout.

I thoroughly and highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a tense, edge of your seat love story with a mega-twist.

I will mention however that it is a HEA, which very near the end when everything was at its most stressful I suddenly realised I hadn’t actually bothered to check.
So don’t be dumb like me, check the CW’s at the front of the book and enjoy a perfect spooky season haunting with a difference.

This book gets all the stars from me.
6/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was given this book in exchange for my honest review

[Bianca Damhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beginning I wasn’t completly sure what was happening. You see the point of view of Sid in the 1980’s and the point of view of Byron in the present day. But the more you read the more in makes sense. It’s a very exciting and intriguing story. It’s a very good read for October.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a ghost it crept into my heart then haunted my soul .
Perfect for when you want to be emotionally wrecked and spooked.

SPOOKED
FUNNY
HOT

[Rach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me preface this by saying I absolutely adore a well written, well thought out queer horror romance. I love me a good haunting.

And while this was certainly a queer romance with a nice solid haunting, it missed the mark for me in terms of horror.
I could see the authors vision, truly I could, and I wanted to love it. But the thriller/horror story that I was promised in the blurb and the marketing just wasn’t there for me.

I associate horror novels with lingering moments that create a suspenseful buildup; with well fleshed-out scenes that show the reader how intense a situation is rather than just tell them and move on. Everything about this book felt rushed to me. It all moves so fast and, because the reader doesn’t have time to feel the spookiness of a situation, the major plot points aren’t impactful.

The dark academic vibes were certainly present during Sid and Elvin’s chapters, but they fell away during Byron and Ruben’s chapters and left me feeling like I was switching between books rather than just characters points of view.

Mostly I just felt lost. I remember thinking at about 80% “I genuinely have no idea what’s going on right now”. And that feeling lingered right through to the big reveals and the ending.

I also felt like I had come into a story halfway through - and in a way I suppose I had. I was seeing Sid and Elvin from the very beginning of their trauma-bonded relationship, but I was meeting Ruben and Byron after their lives had already been altered and I didn’t get to experience that with them. I feel like that would have been really impactful for me; it would probably have changed how invested I was in their story and their happy ending.

The thing that really swayed my opinion though, the reason I gave the book a three star instead of four or even five, was the lack of description around trigger warned content. Almost all of it was only described briefly or mentioned in passing. For a horror, I expected more details. That actually sounds a bit sick now that I’m writing it out, but for me a good horror/thriller is rooted in details. I don’t need gore or on page descriptions of violence, but if you’re content warning for specific content then I’d expect it to be expanded on and not just mentioned and moved on from.
The spice was quite good, but again there were only a few scenes and I was hoping for more of them from a book marketed as “kinky” and with “s*x games”.

All in all, I’ve given It Begins a 3/5 star rating. The vision was there - it just didn’t eventuate for me.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eule Grey has written an interesting spooky Halloween type of story that goes back and forth in time centering on students who play a truth or dare type of game and get involved with things they don’t understand. The couple of the story are Ruben and Byron who were a couple but Ruben unexpectedly left Byron with no explanation, but has just returned in a tent in Byron’s backyard.
Don’t expect to understand this story or what is happening because it is deliberately written in a way to keep you in suspense. It’s a fun ride though and perfect for the Halloween season.

I got a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review

[Virginia Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our characters draw you in as the secrets between Byron and Ruben start to come to light. Both have faced trauma, and a lost love may be rekindled in the midst of a haunting presence. With a touch of ghostly mystery and emotional suspense, their journey to uncover the truth will keep you turning the pages. If you’re looking for something spooky and full of suspense, this book is one you’ll enjoy.

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great character work really helps this mix of romance and horror come together. I really enjoyed it

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, as I read the first chapter I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But, I kept reading and next thing I knew I was 70 pages in.
What a great mix of romance and horror. A dark tale about ghosts and reincarnation. A second chance romance with two amazing characters that I fell for. I could feel the chemistry between Ruben and Byron. I could feel Ruben's terror and his remorse for leaving Byron.
Erotic, eerie and full of a great cast, it's an entertaining read that'll have you falling for it's characters.

[Janet Jaramillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paranormal Romance with an excellent plot full of suspense! Like legit suspense! I thought this book was so good and I read it in basically a day. I’m trying not to give spoilers so it’s kinda hard to review, but please read it! It made me so happy that there was a HEA- however a lot of the book you’re like wait, hold on - OMGGGGGG

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot was plotting ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read from this author, and I really enjoyed it. It's different, much more of a paranormal story than a traditional romance, and the writing style is intriguing in the way it brings you into the heads of the MCs and how the creepy stuff that they get into impacts how they think and feel. It definitely gives you a view into the dissociation they experience - I don't want to go into too much detail about why all this is occurring, as you figure out what's really happening as the story unfolds. My two minor critiques and why I'd say it's a 4.5-4.75 read are that the love story part just kind of appears - suddenly these 2 people have a transcendent, unshakeable love for one another, and there's not much build up of how and why they fall in love. The second is that the twist that explains why there are dual narrators in 2 separate timelines also is just revealed without any explanation or understanding of how it came to be. Cryptic review, I know, but I really liked going into the reading of this book cold without any knowledge of what was going on. If you're looking for something a little different and enjoy paranormal stuff, this is the book for you. I will definitely check out more of Eule Grey's backlist after reading it.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC REVIEW*

I enjoyed this story. This is my first time reading something from this author. It was interesting and definitely a good read for spooky season.

In this story, you'll meet Ruben and Byron who are former lovers that reconnect after years apart. There isn't much spice, so while it is romantic, it's more paranormal than romance. Once the MCs reunite, they start questioning things that have happened and go on a journey of self-discovery. Without giving too much away, you quickly learn that things aren't always what they seem and games you start must always be finished, even if it's years later.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the blurb of the book:

Byron, PhD student and waistcoat admirer, knows about yearning and betrayal. It’s been four years since the love of his life, Ruben, walked off without explanation. Byron dreams of midnight sex he can’t fully remember and a beloved man with dancing eyes. If only Ruben would return… But life moves on. At least it did until you-know-who unexpectedly pitches a tent in the garden, provoking ghosts from the past as well as Byron’s aching heart.
Ruben understands how to push Byron’s buttons. But he doesn’t know why someone is stalking them or why his memories are haunted by students playing a naked truth-dare game in an ancient room. What happened on the claw-marked table covered with crispy skin flakes?
Halloween draws close, and with it comes a rollercoaster ride of sex, fear, and love. At the back of their minds, a chilling, familiar voice reminds Byron and Ruben of a game from long ago and a pact that can’t be abandoned or left unfinished.
True love never dies.

The blurb made me want to read this book. Unfortunately, the blurb is the only thing that makes sense about this book.

Byron is a student. Possibly. Ruben does pitch a tent in the garden of the house that Byron and his roommate Marva share. Ruben and Byron dated in the past until Ruben up and left him one day. For Byron, Ruben is both the one who got away and the one who was no good for him and Byron has been left without closure. Until Ruben appears out of nowhere. Meanwhile, in alternating chapters, we follow a completely different story about a college boy named Sid who gets pulled into a secret club by a zombie and falls for Elvin. The club was founded long ago by a group who killed a young boy and his ghost is said to haunt the room persuading others to join him. It’s supposed to be a club where the members can live out their secret desires, but I don’t think that’s accurate.

The problem is neither storyline seems to have anything to do with the other until the last few chapters, where they finally collide. But even then, the connection feels forced and confusing.
It's clear the author had a lot of intriguing ideas, but instead of developing one strong story line, they tried to cram them all into a single book. What’s left are dangling plot strands and a story that never quite pulls itself together.

The author gives content warnings at the beginning of this book, which I truly appreciate. I wish they had been mentioned in the blurb as well. Even so, the content flagged is only lightly touched upon.

I can see where the author was trying to go with this story, there’s a good queer horror romance here. With more rewrites and editing, it could have been something special. Instead, there were too many unanswered questions and dangling plot threads that left me unfulfilled at the end.

I gave it a 3 out of 5 because I could see what the author wanted to do, they just got lost along the way.

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[East of Reality · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three stories, no coherent plot, and no idea what to do with any of its characters.

First, there’s a sex club at three points in time. The first has six powerful and rich people, and one poor boy who is seduced in a sex ritual for Satan. We hear about this group, but never see them — other than the poor sexily sacrificed boy, Raphael, whose ghost haunts people.

The second has five rich kids, one girl, Ola, who is falling apart and shares a name very similar to Raphael’s sister’s name … but nevermind that. It’ll never be important because no one cares about her. If you thought the poor boy was going to be sacrificed — sexily — to Satan again, alas, no. Instead this group has the most tepid sexy sex times which are mostly implied in a very squeamish way, as if the book is afraid of sex, and other than Sid and Elvin (who I keep wanting to type as Evil), the others don’t matter.

The third has Ruben, who was in the evil sex club but got away after — maybe? — a murder, and returns to his ex, Byron. Byron was manipulated by Ruben, who told him such things during their fist time as I don’t want the real you, or — in a later time — I know what you want, as he fucked him in public. But since Byron got an orgasm out of it, it’s all good? Ruben was a terrible boyfriend … and he knows it!

When the two reunite, Ruben talking about the ghost (hi, Raphael) of his past, Byron listening with teary eyed sympathy, Ruben refuses to sleep with him until he has come to a better place for both of them. It’s a slow reconciliation with lots of hurt and angst and if this were the entirety of the book my review would be very favorable.

Instead they head off in the final chapter to another sex club meeting — sans the sex, because the book really isn’t into sex — and the ghost is gone. One of the older sex club members who was … cursed? Or somehow forced to enjoy humiliation in seedy clubs throws off his leather clothes, dons a suit, and saunters out of the book. The end.

The plot is a mess. The squeamishness about sex is odd in a book where the whole big bad is a sex club. Then why make it a sex club? Why have kink, humiliation, and power games be a part of the book if it’s never going to be dealt with? Just for the drama? Because queer people like sex? I’m sorry, this book rubbed me the wrong way, and I didn’t enjoy reading it.

Well, other than Byron and Ruben. Again, if this book had just been them coming together, reuniting as older, calmer, and more mature people, finding friendship and trust and love again, I’d have really loved this book. But everything else was so odd, so badly put together, so … nonsensical that I have to give this two stars. Maybe more like 1.75 if I’m honest.

[Dr. Naushin Moledina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It Begins" is a dark, twisted, and hauntingly sensual story that crosses the boundaries of love, horror, and the supernatural. The story follows Byron, a PhD student, and his ex-lover Ruben, whose reunion is marred by a strange connection to an ancient game. Their relationship is more than just rekindled passion; it's rooted in something sinister that refuses to let go.

The story alternates between two timelines: the 1980s at Oxford, where Sid and Elvin play a terrifying game of dark sexual desires with their classmates, and the present day with Byron and Ruben. At first, the back-and-forth is disorienting, especially with Byron, Ruben, Sid, and Elvin all present; it's difficult to tell who is who. But when the threads start to come together, the payoff is chillingly satisfying.

The "game" is deeply unsettling, with dangerous dares and sinister undertones. While the disturbing acts are not described in great detail, the shadows cast on the reader's imagination are enough to make your skin crawl. The horror elements complement the strong thriller vibe, resulting in an eerie, tense, and addictive reading experience.

What I particularly liked about the novel was how it explored the idea that "true love never dies." Despite the darkness, Byron and Ruben's bond, along with the haunting echoes of Sid and Elvin, reminds us that love, no matter how twisted and scarred, has the power to endure.

If you enjoy horror games, reincarnation themes, sinister pasts, and don't mind spice (4/5), this book will keep you hooked until the end.

[Ashley | adhdandread · Rating 3 out of 5]

It Begins by Eule Grey
Length: 197 pages
Source: Gay Romance Reviews eARC
Publication date: September 30, 2025

3 ⭐
1 🌶️

WHAT TO EXPECT
🖤 MM paranormal romance
🖤 Dual timelines
🖤 Secret society
🖤Pansexual rep
🖤Second-chance romance

MY THOUGHTS
It’s a little hard to write a full review of this book without revealing a lot of plot points. Almost all of my review notes say things like:

I’m intrigued, but what’s going on? Who is THAT?
Uh, WTF is happening right now? I’m lost.
Wait, seriously, what is happening here?!

There’s a lot of jumping between the timelines (1980s and present day), which is fine. The difficulty is that they don’t come together until much later in the book than is helpful. By that point, I just wanted to know what the hell was going on so I could be done reading. I like the relationship between Byron and Ruben, and they have good physical and emotional chemistry. The writing is easy to read, although in either timeline, you only get one MC’s POV.

BOTTOM LINE
I would recommend this for people who want a short story with interesting characters for spooky season. I don’t see myself reading it again, but I don’t regret picking it up.
— A

Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews and Eule Grey for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, Fable, and Goodreads.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3 stars

The idea behind this book is stronger than the book itself, I think. The idea of a haunting — or a possession — following generations of a sex club foolish enough to be seduced into feeding it victims is such a classic trope. Add in a problematic queer romance and it sounds like something perfect for the holiday season. But then the book adds in other players, five more, who are so underdeveloped that they might as well not be there, who are having … some sort of group sex with one another, but that’s never explored or even commented on. It seems to be there for the salaciousness, without ever actually being part of the plot or relevant to the characters.

For a book about a sex club, this book is very tame. There are mentions of the almost possibility that something might have, could have, almost have happened? But no character has any reaction to any of it, and it’s talked about so vaguely that I wonder why those scenes were in the book at all.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Dannye Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Begins hooked me immediately into its mystery, which manages to be both sexy and creepy. Unreliable narrators Sid and Byron do their best to cling to the men they love in order to escape loneliness, confusion, and the horror behind it all: the ghost of an unloved man, trapped in a room deep in Oxford University. The sex is visceral and so are the scares, and the tension in the book never lets up. The author answers all questions at the end, which I found very satisfying.

Check out It Begins for an exploration of some very unhealthy relationships contrasted with some remarkably good ones: romantic, platonic, and familial. Obsession and possession in the book are both a damning influence and the escape from it, depending on who’s pulling the strings. It’s a murky, frightening, at times disturbing story where anybody who wants a happily ever after is going to have to fight like hell for it.

[Skwurl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It Begins by Eule Grey is such a cool mix of horror and dark romance. Right from the start, it throws you into this eerie, unsettling vibe full of betrayal, secrets, and that “I probably shouldn’t want you, but I do” kind of tension. I kept asking myself, are we dealing with supernatural horror, psychological horror, or just straight-up guilt and obsession? Honestly… It’s a little bit of everything, and that’s what made it so fun.

Byron and Ruben? Messy and toxic, and every scene between them feels heavy with history, and I loved that push-and-pull. The writing is sharp and moody too, giving you that claustrophobic, no-way-out feeling.

It didn’t totally terrify me, but the whole “what’s real, what’s not” thing kept me hooked the whole way through. It’s one of those reads where the atmosphere and character dynamics really drive it.
If you’re into queer horror, enemies-to-lovers with bite, or you just want something dark and different, you’ll probably eat this one up.

[Sabrina Mordini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice : 🌶️

It Begins is a dark, atmospheric short read with definite dark academia vibes, a touch of paranormal, and a dash of romance. The story alternates between the 1980s and the present, which gave it an intriguing, almost gothic mood — perfect for a Halloween read.

That said, I found the execution a bit uneven. For such a short story, the two timelines only come together very late, which left me confused for most of the book. By the time the threads finally merged, it felt like I’d had to wade through three-quarters of the story without fully understanding what was happening.

There’s minimal spice, but plenty of angst between Byron and Ruben. If you enjoy moody, slightly eerie romance with a strong seasonal flavor, this might be worth picking up. Just be prepared for more atmosphere than clarity.

[Liseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book because the blurb promised a gothic Oxford tale. What I got was a soft, queer rom-com with, witty banter, and sadly no shivers. If you come for horror, you may leave the volume on low; if you like slowburn affection and tea-stained pages, you will feel at home.

The story jumps between 1980 and now, giving us shy Sid and polished Elvin in the past, then Ruben and Byron in the present. The college mood is strong, but the scary beats are quickly softened by jokes. I also felt I arrived late to the modern couple’s life, so their stakes never gripped me the way Sid and Elvin’s first spark did.

Still this is a sweet, stylish read with light ghost whispers, spice, and plenty of cozy detail. Perfect for readers who want their dark academia cozy

[Jack Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

fountain pen, Scooby snacks, Lightning & Thunder, walrus laugh, silly sausage, the 'C'-word, 80s leathered gay icon

I admit I was confused and frustrated when I started reading this book. It felt tedious. Then about halfway through, it was like a switch had flipped. The story became intriguing and got me interested. It's a very trippy book. The imagery is spectacularly described, and the author's imagination is amazing. Byron and Ruben are fantastic as a couple. The phrase, "Love is timeless" comes to mind. Their journey back to each other shows that true love is difficult to extinguish.

Once you get through the setup in the beginning, you'll find a worthy and enjoyable book. Recommended.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars Ok! That was….something. It was a very enjoyable book, but it also really creeped me out. I couldn’t bring myself to read it at night. I loved the story of Ruben and Byron and all they went through to be together. I’ve read a few books that were romance with a sprinkling of paranormal, but this was the reverse….paranormal/horror with a bit of romance. Fans of that genre will love this book, no doubt, but it wasn’t my cup of tea. Medium angst, low heat (situations took place but not described in detail), HFN for main characters.

This is my honest review of an advanced reader copy.

[Eli M.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. It is more of a paranormal mystery than romance-focused, but there is still a love story. I’d also classify it more as “spooky” rather than true horror.

The dual timelines and the fact that there is a bit of feeling like you’ve been just dropped into a story actually help add to the mystery of the book. It’s hard to go into detail without spoilers, but just expect to have a few “wtf is happening” moments while still being thoroughly entertained and drawn in.

This is a perfect book for spooky season, and I definitely recommend giving it a shot, even if horror books aren’t usually your thing.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

It's kind of difficult to review this book without giving anything major away, so this review will be fairly vague. I really liked the overall story and characters. The book was engaging and well-written. More plot heavy with low spice, however it sometimes felt like parts of the character development were missing. Like, how did the MCs get from "love" to "LOVE"? It just isn't shown. That aside, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. This was a new-to-me author, and I'm looking forward to reading more from them.

I received an ARC in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.

[Traci S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for the book, here is my honest opinion:
3.5⭐️This was a great way to ease into the Halloween spirit! This was a quick read with loads of creepy atmosphere and the dual timeline was well executed. Byron and Rueben are the current timeline and Sid and Elvin’s part of the story is set in the 1980s. Pretty much all the characters act suspiciously and unexpectedly throughout which made this a fun ride. It’s light on romance but the characters are interesting and I liked the spooky vibes.

[Alias11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was unusual and kinda creepy. There were two stories going on at the same time, and that took me a bit out of the story trying to figure out how they were connected. (We do find out, but later in the book.) There is a little horror, but mostly mystery, some sex (rather vaguely/briefly depicted), love and obsession. Overall, an intriguing story that suits the Halloween season, but not really my kind of tale. If you like the genre, you'll probably like it more.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Beverbooly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual
Unsettling
Spicy
Humorous

Never read anything like this. Highly innovative. It Begins is a bold, evocative read: sensual, unsettling, and emotionally weighty. It offers something richer than a simple romance, weaving in memory, guilt, fear, and desire in ways that linger. If you're in the mood for something that pushes comfort zones in both romance and horror, Grey’s novel is well-crafted and compelling.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way this book was written. Initially, it's difficult to figure out exactly what is going on and what has gone on in the past for our two main characters. Their memories are fuzzy about various events yet those events seem to be bleeding into their present. I happily followed along and they tried to figure everything out. Seems a perfect read for this time of year when the veil thins and all sorts of things become possible.