Until Death

by River Gardner

I’ve lived the last eight years in utter misery. The man I married no longer exists and I’m not sure he ever did.
The charm, the sweetness, the love he once gave, is gone.
Now, I’m left here with no way out. My guilt overwhelms me when I think of leaving him, but I know this marriage will end in utter chaos.
I know I made a vow to love him until death.

But I never promised it wouldn’t end in his.

** 18+ - this novella contains major trigger warnings. Read at your own risk. **

131 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2025

About the author

River Gardner (she/they) is an author from Central Alabama. She lives with her two children and husband, along with an army of cats. In her spare time, she likes to draw, read, and play video games.
She enjoys writing dark romance, horror romance, and horror. Her debut novella, Good-Bye, Valentine came out in February of 2024, and she’s since published two other novellas and two anthologies.
You can find her on Instagram to keep up to date on upcoming works!

Reviews

[Mireya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the ARC copy of "Until Death". This has not affected my review at all, which are my own.

So, I waited till publication day to put out my review for this book because is not favorable, really. Like, it is not the worst book I've read, but I expected more of it, I guess. Also, first thinks first, this book deals with topics as abuse, in all its ways, depictions of sexual activities and violence depicted in detail.

"Until Death" is the story of Aria, who, after eight long years of abuse and deprecation, is so tired of her husband, Louis, and starts planning a way to run away from him. Except, she knows that Louis would go after her and, most probably, kill her. So, she decides there's only one option left: to strike first.

At least in theory. This book was advertised as a splatterpunk horror novel, but I must say I didn't feel the dread as much as expected... Don't get me wrong, being abused, and suffering domestic abuse is a horrific experience, for sure, and I felt for Aria until the very last page, but I feel like this book overdid it a bit. I was waiting for Aria to strike, to try to make Louis pay for all of it, or, at least, start devising an actual plan; like, less imagining violence and more committing. Sure, she thought the basic: economic independence, but it all lay out quite flat after that. Until the very end, where it looked, at least for me, like Aria only finally did something because she felt forced to, instead of following her plans and such.

The end was what I expected, though, everything I had been anticipating, and let me tell you I didn't feel bad for Louis not even once. And Aria's character development was complex and interested enough to kept me engaged. Also loved the writer's style. So, I think it was just the execution of it all that failed for me in this instance.

Overall, this book may not have been for me, but it is not a bad book per se. I'm sure that River Gardner can find their audience with this book in other horror fans

[Stuart Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first: "Until Death" is a harrowing story of emotional and physical abuse, so if these topics "trigger" you then you'd best brace yourself as River Gardner isn't holding back in depicting just how awful and violent these situations can be. However, I think you owe it to yourself to give "Until Death" a read as maybe you'll find catharsis in its narrative, it comfort, or re-evaluate your life based on the story being told.

The story may be Aria's, but it's clearly very personal to River. Aria married young and devoted herself to the love of her life, Louis, only to be emotionally and physically worn down over the course of her marriage. Now, Aria is trapped in a cycle of criticism, neglect, and terror as Louis berates, beats, and dominates every aspect of her life. Aria takes solace in her fantasies, amazed to find how tantalising the thought of murdering her husband is, but is forced to make some difficult and costly decisions when Louis's despicable nature becomes too much to handle.

This is a raw, unsettling story that will doubtless hit close to home for many readers, but it's a tale worth telling of just one reader finds the courage to escape their abusive partner. Louis's rage and unpredictable nature are conveyed as well as Aria's fear and frustration at being repressed and trapped, and I found myself rooting for Aria to stand her ground and find ways out of her situation. River's prose may be littered with disturbing imagery but it's well executed and kept me invested throughout.

Also, remember there is help out there if you need it.

[fanboyriot · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book has very very elements and topics it is written well. The ending was a bit sudden but it also felt realistic so I have mixed feelings for that.

(Note: I received this copy from the author to beta read. This review is my own thoughts. Thank you to the author for the opportunity.)

Read For
✓ Rage
✓ Horror
✓ Cam Work
✓ Short Story
✓ Escaping Domestic Abuse

⚠️ Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Gaslighting
Moderate: Eating disorder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Vomit

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Spice Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sad Level: 💧💧💧💧

Pace: 8/10
Ending: 4/10
Characters: 7/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Would I Recommend? Maybe
Favorite Character: Aria

Favorite Quote: ❝I felt it in my blood, my bones, my soul. If I don’t get out, I’m going to die here.❞

POV: First Person
Pages: 65
Format: ebook
Language: English
Release Date: 22, August 2025

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a lot of thoughts on this book, but I'm only going to share one of them. I have been following River Gardner for a while. This is the first of their works that I have read to completion. I think books like this are important. I also think they are not for everyone. This rating and review are not necessarily a recommendation...because I don't think I would be comfortable recommending this to anyone. But for what it is, and for what River needed it to be, I think it perfectly fulfills its goal.

This is the one I finally decided to read because the cover is beyond gorgeous. I'm so tempted to buy a physical copy just so I can see that cover in person.

[Amanda Elizabeth Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book dealt with extreme physical abuse and sexual abuse between a wife and husband so for some it could be a difficult read. Even though the topic is sensitive, I greatly enjoyed the story. My heart ached for Aria and her life. I liked the ending but would be happy with a part 2

[Amethyst Maxey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC. This was a powerful book about a woman’s 8 years of suffering and revenge. Check triggers before reading. I didn’t want to put this down. Such a fast paced read for me and I felt for the FMC.