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Ballad of the Broken Mirror
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26A lady of manners. A rake bent on revenge. And a haunted past crawling out of the moors.
When Lyra Price became the ward of the Viscount St. Just and moved into the illustrious Keystone Hall, she traded a neglectful family for a cruel one. Facing constant insults and manipulation, Lyra’s only comfort is her childhood best friend Caspian, who abandoned Keystone—and Lyra—years ago without so much as a goodbye.
Then, the Viscount succumbs to tuberculosis, leaving his malicious eldest son, William, as heir. At the funeral, Lyra is shocked to see former-servant Caspian—who has amassed an incredible fortune and, bizarrely, has grown to look identical to William. The St. Justs set their sights on him as a marriage prospect for William’s twin sister and invite him for an extended stay at the estate. At first, Lyra remains heartbroken about Caspian’s abandonment, but as his kindness shines through, Lyra begins to hope he’ll stay forever.
Caspian St. Just may be of no relation to the St. Justs of Keystone Hall, but that hasn’t stopped him from plotting his revenge. He’s returned with a plan for their destruction—but the clock is ticking.
When a tragedy reveals the shocking truth about Caspian, Lyra must decide between helping Caspian complete his plan—or losing him for good.
A twisted retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park combined with Edgar Allen Poe’s “William Wilson,” Ballad of the Broken Mirror is a gothic regency romance perfect for fans of Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows and Bea Northwick’s The Cruel Dark.
Secrets are lurking at Keystone Hall. Unearth them if you dare.
When Lyra Price became the ward of the Viscount St. Just and moved into the illustrious Keystone Hall, she traded a neglectful family for a cruel one. Facing constant insults and manipulation, Lyra’s only comfort is her childhood best friend Caspian, who abandoned Keystone—and Lyra—years ago without so much as a goodbye.
Then, the Viscount succumbs to tuberculosis, leaving his malicious eldest son, William, as heir. At the funeral, Lyra is shocked to see former-servant Caspian—who has amassed an incredible fortune and, bizarrely, has grown to look identical to William. The St. Justs set their sights on him as a marriage prospect for William’s twin sister and invite him for an extended stay at the estate. At first, Lyra remains heartbroken about Caspian’s abandonment, but as his kindness shines through, Lyra begins to hope he’ll stay forever.
Caspian St. Just may be of no relation to the St. Justs of Keystone Hall, but that hasn’t stopped him from plotting his revenge. He’s returned with a plan for their destruction—but the clock is ticking.
When a tragedy reveals the shocking truth about Caspian, Lyra must decide between helping Caspian complete his plan—or losing him for good.
A twisted retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park combined with Edgar Allen Poe’s “William Wilson,” Ballad of the Broken Mirror is a gothic regency romance perfect for fans of Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows and Bea Northwick’s The Cruel Dark.
Secrets are lurking at Keystone Hall. Unearth them if you dare.
- GenresRomance
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 9, 2026
About the author
Hayley Whiteley
6 books92 followersHayley Whiteley is the author of the young adult gaslamp fantasy trilogy, The Kerafin Chronicles. She earned her Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University and enjoys using her technical background to create unique magic systems. When she's not dreaming up fantasy worlds, she can be found reading, exploring the outdoors, or watching bad reality television. Hayley lives in Florida with her wonderful husband, sweet toddler, and two crazy cats.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 30, 2026
When Whitely said this was a mix of Edgar Allen Poe and Jane Austen, she meant it. I honestly had no clue what to expect out of that combination. It did lean a lot closer to the Jane Austen/ historical romance side of things, and I wish it had embraced the gothic, spooky Edgar Allen Poe vibes a bit more, but I really enjoyed the story. Lyra and Caspian were both fantastic characters, and were really well developed. I felt for both of them and their struggles throughout the story. The premise was incredibly unique, and the writing kept me turning the page. This is the third book of Whitely’s I’ve read, and I’ll definitely be coming back for her future releases!
June 1, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the gifted eARC!
If the other books in this series of standalone Poe retellings are this good, I’m seriously considering derailing my TBR in favor of reading them. This story was so fast paced and compelling, I devoured it in one day! Lyra was an absolutely fantastic narrator, Caspian was charming and mysterious, and William was such a chilling villain. I admit I hadn’t read the Poe tale this was inspired by, but that may have added to the enjoyment because I had to keep guessing at the twist until it was revealed! I was also a fan of the author’s writing style overall, and I’m eager to pick up her other works in the future.
If the other books in this series of standalone Poe retellings are this good, I’m seriously considering derailing my TBR in favor of reading them. This story was so fast paced and compelling, I devoured it in one day! Lyra was an absolutely fantastic narrator, Caspian was charming and mysterious, and William was such a chilling villain. I admit I hadn’t read the Poe tale this was inspired by, but that may have added to the enjoyment because I had to keep guessing at the twist until it was revealed! I was also a fan of the author’s writing style overall, and I’m eager to pick up her other works in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A gothic historical romance is not usually what I go for, but I trust Hayley. I wasn’t disappointed. This does have a touch of magic in it, but not in the usual sense of fantasy, so I still consider it mostly historical romance. This is such an interesting ride. A girl trapped to her ward, left peniless and alone, awaiting a marriage she doesn’t want. When a childhood friend reappears, so does her last hope. Or is it really who she thinks it is? When things begin to go awry, who is really at fault? I enjoyed my time in this dark little world. And enjoyed the twists. No spice, just heat!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews