Grotesque

by Allison Paige

Welcome to Glamis Manor.
There are three rules which you must never break.

1. Do not look into the mirrors for more than a moment.
2. Do not invite guests into the manor.
3. Do not leave the shelter of the manor after nightfall.

Horror lover and all things spooky connoisseur Sorcha Grendel doesn’t believe in ghost stories. Nor is she the superstitious type. But when she inherits Glamis Manor after the death of her estranged grandmother, all that starts to change once the sun sets. What starts off as strange hauntings turns salacious and deadly when a stranger knocks on her front door bearing a gift. Is it true that a monster haunts the manor, or is she going mad? Because if the monster is real, Sorcha will have to be strong enough to survive him. Or succumb to the wicked games he invites her to play.

Genres: Dark Romance, Paranormal, Dark, Monsters, Horror, Fantasy Romance, Romance

299 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2025

About the author

Allison Paige’s dark fantasy novels are inspired by her nightmares and dreams. Her stories shed light on villains and the darker side of what it takes to make a hero.

Her debut novel After the Bees was derived from the important message that without bees we have no future. This inspired the continuance of Raum and Leah's story that has now become the Revelation Trilogy where each book has an underlying environmental message.

-----------------------------------------

Allison Paige loves traveling with her camera, particularly in the Irish countryside, and has several ongoing projects that she writes out of her home in Charleston, South Carolina with her corgi. She fills her spare time working with animals of all types and is a fervent advocate of bee, ocean, and wildlife conservation.

Reviews

[neurotic.bookdragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️‍🔥👹🌶️
Now where the fuck do I even begin with this ?
3 words come to mind when I think of Grotesque (yes the last one counts as a single word, sue me).

Haunting.
Horrifying.
HOT AS HELL.

Well first and foremost thank you SO FREAKING MUCH to Allison Paige for making me one of your ARC readers ❤️‍🔥 this was a mind altering experience!!

Quick recap of what to expect :
🖤 small town haunted mansion
🥀 cursed existence
🖤 smutty games
🥀 plot for days
🖤 horror & gore meets dark romantasy
🥀 unhinged everything
🖤 sleepless nights (on both ends of the book)
🥀 gothic vibes galore

I love fantasy, i love romance, i love horror, and for some reason i had never done a triple dip 🤭
I’d always stayed on the sweet side of monster romances so this was my very first ever gothic horror romance and i.am.hooked!!!

Never ever had I thought I could be terrified and turned on at the same time 🫣
Guess that’ll be a great topic to discuss with my imaginary therapist 😂

‼️CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS. This is definitely not meant for everyone‼️

Corban is not morally grey though his skin might be. No, that monster is dark and depraved and delightfully delicious.
He had me wedged tightly between terror and lust, questioning my sanity every other page. Did i see a glimpse of a monster who just wants to be loved or is he playing tricks on me? 🫠

Sorcha is a badass horror fan who won’t let a man walk all over her. Except well, Corban is a Demon, which means she is so enthralled that every last ounce of self-preservation she might have gets flung out the window every time she even just senses him. Is she always on the verge of a panic & heart attack? Absolutely. But who cares! Corban wipes her worries away with every swipe of his tongue 👹

Oh and can we talk about the GAMES 🥵 fuck me that was mind numbingly hot!
My feminism left my body the second Corban entered the room, and i am not mad about it one bit 🤭🫠😮‍💨

Now look the tension and heat and smut is chef’s kiss.
BUT!
The world building.
The magic system.
The PLOT.
The backstory.
The horror factor.
The action.
= ✨TRULY IMMACULATE✨
There is so much depth to all of it, that this book could have been twice the size and i would still want more.
I won’t say anything else about the storyline because it is an absolute necessity that you get your brains blown the way i did 😳

Not gonna lie i did recoil at the admission of Grandma having done certain things while she was alive 🥴 and I can’t wait for y’all to do so too 😂

Also can we talk about THAT ENDING 😨?!!!!! What do you mean that’s all i get ? No no no, that felt like getting a bouquet from the Glamis Mansion garden without knowing it and pricking yourself on poisoned thorns that made you delirious for MORE !!

Allison Paige if you read this, I beg of you to give us a sequel 😭 and maybe even a prequel? ❤️‍🔥
I’ll happily sequester myself, never look in the mirror and never invite anyone in if you just give me more.
There is so much left unsaid that it’ll haunt me for fucking ever 💀

*I will add some of my favorites quotes once the book is published*

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished my first ARC read 😄 and wow, that was a ride!

Plot - 5⭐
Spice - 4⭐
Overall - 4.5⭐

I’m still figuring out where to place it genre-wise. It’s labeled as gothic horror romance, but I’d lean more toward mystery monster romance with a touch of gothic fantasy. It’s a real mix of genres but it works, and nothing ever feels conflicting.

You can tell the author is inspired by a range of favorites: from the Haunting Adeline vibes to hints of ACOTAR and TOG, and even classic horror influences like Psycho and Nightmare on Elm Street.

And that ending though 😱 I’m devastated this was an ARC because now I need to know what happens next 😂 So worth the read, would definitely recommend.

[Merry Jayned · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no words.

[crusadeannihilation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Glamis Manor 😈
I love monster romances and I loved this book

Tysm for the arc!

[georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Glamis Manor
There are three rules which must not be broken:
1. Do not look into the mirrors for more than a moment.
2. Do not invite guests into the manor.
3. Do not leave the shelter of the manor after nightfall.

Overall Rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice Rating: 4.25/5 🌶️

this book had me CONSUMED in all the right ways. i read it steadily as i could because I was trying to savor it — Grotesque is easily one of my favorite horrormance reads with all of its amazing spice, gothic atmospheric vibes & ofc monster peen!!!

this book has evening you need in a gothic horrormance that’ll keep you constantly wanting more. an exceptional balance of folklore, dark & haunting games between the mc’s, and the undeniable & irrevocable tension between the characters had my heart bounding for more reasons than i thought i could even experience, and is truly one of the most memorable gothic & spooky romances i’ve read in a very long time!

Grotesque was refreshing in regard to the type of fae/creatures used in place of Corban’s species!! it wasn’t anything i’d ever heard/thought of and it was so so interesting, i can’t rave enough about it. and now i won’t be able to look at mirrors the same without wanting my own sexy, grotesque man coming to whisk me away & to inherit my own haunted manor housing all the creepy secrets in its walls.

highly recommend reading Grotesque this fall to get you in the ultimate spooky gothic mood in the coming months 🖤

what to expect in grotesque:
🖤 horrormance
🖤 stalker & possessive
🖤 haunted inherited manor
🖤 “eyes on me”
🖤 touch her & die
🖤 obsessive love
🖤 he’s got horns, a forked tongue AND quite the impressive wingspan
🖤 unique magic & lore
🖤 ACTUAL villain gets the girl

thank you to Allison Paige for letting me arc read this book & help celebrate its upcoming release! I can’t wait for everyone to meet Sorcha & Corban and fall in love with them just like i did! ❤️

Grotesque releases September 23rd, 2025!

[Lisa Villarreal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. wow. wow. This book took over my entire life, and I might not be the same after reading it. Corban is dark and unhinged, and reading the FMC grappling with it all and her last bits of self-preservation against THIS menace is actually quite spectacular.

And the games. THE GAMES. He toys with her in the best way and these games need to be a trope.

It has such a good balance of plot to smut. And every single spicy scene was incredibly hot.

The horror elements lived up to the promise, which gave me chills. Allison writes so well I felt I was also living through this. The pacing was perfect, and I was glued to the story.

There is also a romantasy feel in the background that surprised me, and I lovedddd. The backstory and magic... and the worldbuilding was incredible. I would love more interconnected books taking off into that world.

This was totally unhinged, dark, beautiful, and every other thing that has me desperately wanting more from Allison. I loveddddd every single second.

I am so thankful to have the opportunity to read this early and I can't wait for everyone else to read it too. We need to talk about how phenomenal this entire thing was.

[Tori Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUG 2025: PROOFING READ. JUST AS DELICIOUS THE SECOND TIME ROUND. MARK YOUR CALENDARS - SEP 23 2025.

Forgive me Mother for I have sinned (again).


JUN 2025: EDITING READ. THIS MASTERPIECE COMING TO YOUR KINDLE SEP 23 2025.

Y'ALL ARE NOT READY 😈😈😈😈😈 HAHAHAHAHA

[Xan · Rating 4 out of 5]

‧₊˚✧ 3.5 ✧˚₊‧
If I remember correctly, I stumbled onto this ARC on Threads quite a while back. Of course, knowing me, I applied for one, got accepted and I finally had some time to sit down and read it.

This story is written from Sorcha and Corban's point of view. Respectively our female and male main character. I would say (to my feeling, I didn't count) it was 75% Sorcha POV and 25% Corban's, which seemed just fine to me. The imbalance didn't bother me this time, as it sometimes does.

Onto Sorcha. Even though I don't 100% relate with her (I mean who can?) I did find her to be relatable at times. I definitely would scare myself into believing a house was sentient too. (Also sentient houses? A whole plot to be explored by itself). Sorcha was a down-to-earth character, a little bit sarcastic at times too, which I really did appreciate. I loved the moment she said she had a tattoo for herself. I need that sentiment more in media, because it's oh so valid.

Onto the smut. We gotta say it: Sorcha has needs. I mean I should have known when the intro said 'It's smut.' I know, the author spelled it out for me. But if there's any doubt: this story is spicy. It is most definitely written for adults, so if you're under 18: keep your hands off this book until you are of age. Thanks. The smut itself is written graphically, but well. We can also state this work goes into the category 'monsterfucker', which, to Sorcha: you do you girly.

I really did enjoy the bookish winks throughout the book too. I always like it when there's winks to things I have as a hobby or thing going for me so kudos for that.

A little point of critique: I did miss a bit of depth in the world the author has set up. I wished to know more about the world Corban wants to return to, and about Corban as a creature too. That part felt a little lacklustre. HOWEVER, it didn't take away from the tension that is in this book, so even without the extra worldbuilding, the story holds up in my opinion.

And to end, of course, I want to thank Allison Paige for letting me read this book as an eARC for her. I did really enjoy the story, and it even led to interesting conversations outside of reading, so that was fun too. As always are the opinions stated my own and I left this review willingly. I really hope this book finds it intended audience and does well when it gets released!

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not gonna lie I was in a reading slump but this book OFFICIALLY got me out of it. It has the perfect amount of plot and smut, keeping me going the entire time. It’s dark and twisted, with just enough light heartedness to break it all up. I really look forward to seeing more from Allison Paige! (and will we see more from these characters?)


I was lucky enough to receive an ARC Reader copy in exchange for my honest review of the book.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gothic horror romance about a beauty trapped in a gothic manor with a beast. I really liked the dark elements and the symbolism in the book.

I like that Sorcha is a horror flicks fan and how she fell for terror personified, Corban. He is the beast that watches you and haunts you, that you either love or hate in all his forms. I liked both their POVs. You can see the differences of Sorcha’s constant struggle between her mind and heart, the more secrets she discovers and Corban’s obsessive behavior and wicked games. It has a mix of terror, lust, games, and twisted feelings.

Corban is your ultimate dark lover. I see the appeal of falling for the monster, how he can overtake your body and soul. The spice was really hot in its different scenarios and forms. I found really interesting how the author introduced us to who and what Corban is and his secrets.

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[LR Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How does it feel knowing you’ve invited death into your bed? That the darkness you seek between pages is blood and flesh before you?”

🩸

As someone who loves horror, fairy tales, gothic mansions, and villains all in equal measure, this book was right up my alley. I didn’t realize, however, how deeply I would dive into it, devouring every word in less than 24hrs.

Like the deadly plants in the belladonna garden (IYKYK), Grotesque twists its seductively poisonous vines around you until you are completely ensnared. It gave me vibes of The Haunting of Hill House meets Beauty and the Beast with a heavy dollop of *true* fae lore—where you know better than to give a fae your real name or eat whatever they’ve offered you.

This book had many satisfying twists, some predictable yet still delicious, others as shocking as they were satisfying. The plot is well-paced, never slows or feels too rushed, and is packed with sumptuous details and lingering images. Every morsel of lore was delivered perfectly; I wanted more because I’m greedy, but I was sated nonetheless. The build-up of horror in the first act was honestly magnificent. And the spice? Dark perfection.

I also loved that the FMC, Sorcha, is neither a helpless waif nor a saucy badass, but a healthy blend of both. She’s aware of what terrifies her, allows herself to feel that fear, but then has the innate strength and courage to be her own hero. She doesn’t let anyone walk all over her, including the sexy demonic stalker pinning her down on the bed. Well… at least she certainly tries 😅

Overall, if you’ve ever wanted to be courted by the evil villain instead of the white knight, I highly recommend Grotesque. You will not regret succumbing to the darkness.

🩸

Thank you to the author, Allison Paige, for the ARC copy! If a sequel is in the works, I need it in my hands immediately.

[Franki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

“Welcome to Glamis Manor. There are three rules which must not be broken…”

This was a spectacular read! It had me hooked from the start (I’m a sucker for a haunted house) and a long-lost-relative/unexpected inheritance premise. I loved Grandma Macky from page one (although I would have liked to have had a bit more about her within the book), and the FMC, Sorcha, was relatable and easy to like.

The spice is STRONG in this one - it’s very heavy on the sex scenes from very early on, so if you prefer a slower pace on your spice this may not be for you. They were wonderfully written scenes, though, and the tension was first class. At times it felt like the sex scenes WERE the plot, and it would have been nice to have a bit more of an exploration of the mystery portion of the plot, but honestly that’s a minor gripe because I enjoyed it regardless.

I particularly loved that, right to the end, Sorcha is constantly questioning her relationship with Corban and whether his feelings are genuine, and that even as a reader we aren’t quite sure of his motives throughout - a true morally grey villain! And does it count as enemies to lovers if she’s still so unsure?!

[Eren Valentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun and interesting read. First off I'm a huge fan of Death head hawk moths, so much so that I have a tattoo of one on my hand. So when I see one on the cover? It intrigues me. I easily gobbled up this book and enjoyed every morsel of it and it's unique setting. It definitely gave me some Haunting with Adeline vibes with a monster touch to it and I enjoyed that. This FMC really had no idea what she had walked into with this one by accepting her inheritance.

If you're looking for a nice monster book, in a mansion and taking caution to looking in the mirrors I would recommend this one. Good book to read if you're looking for the gothic kind of vibe for October.

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was immediately immersive from the first page, I had to know what was up with Glamis Manor. I could not put this down and read this in an evening.

It was dark, depraved, twisted and had all the energy and excitement of the final girl showdown in Horror films. Sorcha’s is determined to uncover the mystery surrounding Glamis Manor, even if it makes her Crazy.

Automatically, a 5 star read for me. Allison Page has an intense and powerful writing style that drags your heart, mind and soul into the book. I can’t wait to read more of her stories!

[Jayde Crowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ ARC Review ~

Speechless. My jaw is on the floor. I was 10% into this book and I knew it was going to be a 5 star read for me, THAT’S how good it is.

Welcome to Glamis Manor
There are three rules which must not be broken:
1. Do not look into the mirrors for more than a moment.
2. Do not invite guests into the manor.
3. Do not leave the shelter of the manor after nightfall.

Grotesque is perfectly paced with lots of spice. It’s dark, haunting, and simply beautiful underneath all of the layers. I tried my hardest to go through this book slowly and savor it, but instead I devoured it.

The family secrets run deep and seem to be never-ending, and with an old manor that seems to have a life of its own, we follow the FMC Sorcha as she slowly starts unraveling the truth. Except the truth isn’t what it seems, and the more she uncovers, the darker the shadows become.

I’m not even sure what else I can say without spoiling anything, but I am obsessed. I very highly recommend this to anyone looking for a gothic horror romance that will leave you feeling many things at once. This is also a dark story, so please read the TW’s before diving in, and for the love of morally grey MMC’s, this is for ADULTS.

Huge thank you to Allison Paige for selecting me to be on her ARC team for Grotesque, as it was my intro to her works. I’m hoping we get to see more of this story continued in the future, and I am 100% diving into her other books too.

[JadesNovelNook · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not for the faint of heart‼️ (and definitely not for the faint of imagination. 👀🖤)

I’m deep in my Gothic fantasy era, so when Allison Paige sent me this ARC I was beyond excited. And wow—this story was something else! Dark, terrifying, and sinfully twisted, Grotesque is a book that lingers under your skin long after you close it.

This isn’t just a gothic romance —it’s a haunting, fast-paced plunge into horror, desire, and the kind of fear that left actual goosebumps across my skin.
The writing pulled me in completely, making me shiver, blush, and at times, even question my own sanity. Spice really isn’t the be all and end all for me, it has to follow a good plot line and have meaning and this book had exactly that but THIS spice? Honestly! Next level! You’ve been warned‼️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

But what really gripped me was the moral unraveling. Who’s the real monster—the sinister presence stalking the deliciously decedent manor… or the “nice guy” who turns a knife on the damsel in distress?

And Corbyn. Quite frankly he terrified me! Forget morally grey—this man is morally black!! Every time I thought he might redeem himself, the story twisted darker, proving just how monstrous he truly is.

As someone new to gothic horror, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy something that scared me. But honestly? I loved it. With the clever writing, shocking turns, and haunting atmosphere Allison Paige made it impossible to look away.

If you’re craving a darkly decadent read that’s both horrifying and intoxicating, Grotesque might just be your next obsession.

‘Welcome to Glamis Manor. There are three rules which you must never break.
1. Do not look into the mirrors for more than a moment.
2. Do not invite guests into the manor.
3. Do not leave the shelter of the manor after nightfall.’

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want a Rhysand who is more devious and absolutely morally black?

Do you wonder what it would be like to have Bart from Knight and the Moth as a lover?

Do you want your smut to have the most twisted and delicious plot?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you need to stop what you're doing and read this book right now!

[LainieLibrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars

I tagged this as horror but that's a bit of an exaggeration. It's just kind of spooky at times but not really. It's dark and graphic in a trying to hard type of way. I wanted to read this because the cover looks cool and classy, it's October, and I thought a spicy creepy book sounded fun. This didn't really live up to my already low expectations.

There's way too much smut in this. Genuinely like 99% of this is the MMC and FMC running around a gothic manor hooking up. I wanted more character development and I wanted their relationship to make sense and have any literally anything outside of insta-lust. The FMC came off as incredibly stupid and the MMC is just psycho and not likeable at all. At least write a psycho that's charming! The plot is completely nonexistent in this. I get that it's a standalone (or I think it is), so I don't need immense worldbuilding and background but jeez we get nothing here.

If you want vibes and pure smut - you will probably enjoy this. I just wasn't expecting that and wanted more from the story.

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc read 5-⭐️ 4-🌶️

Obsessed, like actually. This was so good I couldn’t put my book down.

The dark gothic paranormal romance style is easily a favourite.
I loved the world building and the characters.

The ending shook me, I was so ready for more. I needed all I could get

This was thrilling, dark, and dirty

Please if you love the dark spooky paranormal reads this is perfect for you

[April Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

update after reading arc

UMMMMM WHAT DID I JUST READ. God, this book was delicious. The smut was, in fact 10/10, but I literally can not tell you if I love or hate Corban. (am I attracted to gargoyles-grotesques-whatever tf now? absolutely yes. do I care? no.) I was completely torn between yelling at sorcha to run or mad she wasn't giving in through the very last sentence. While this book was, as promised, mostly smut, I found the premise of the curse really fascinating. The imagery gave me the haunting vibe I was craving going into autumn with enough spice to keep me from turning on all the lights before bed. I loved the ending of this so much, I hate a rushed redemption, like let a villain be a villain and let me love him anyway!! Ugh, spectacular. I need a follow-up in the underworld immediately. Thank you Allison for the arc!




pre-read (I really want this arc yall can you tell pls I need this book so bad omg im frothing at the mouth I NEED IT)

[Kendall Daybell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read through this twice now and I absolutely love it!! What a great book to kick off fall. Corban is sinful and needs to be enjoyed by all!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

holy dark smut. I devoured this.

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

HONESTLY. LISTEN. I'm unwell. Feverishly, deliriously, intoxicatingly unwell after this one. Allison Paige has got me in a chokehold for the gothic horror + romance + monster class. I mean, truly, this was easily a top five read for the genre, for me. It's delectable in its steam, intense in its mental games, and delicious in the mastery of gothic horror.

𝖂𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖞 𝖆 𝖌𝖆𝖒𝖊? YES, yes i do.

• • • • • • • • • • ✦ • • • • • ��� • • • •

"𝕾𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙 𝕾𝖔𝖗𝖈𝖍𝖆, 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖆 𝖋𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖙."

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂
Sorcha inherits Glamis Manor from her grandmother and has no knowledge of the dark dealings of one magnificent and devious monster lurking in its halls - enter, Corban. Alive, for centuries it seems, and ravenous for someone to survive and play with him (quite literally). Having the multi-pov weaves the tense tag-along game of cat and mouse chapter to chapter, and that might be my favorite part!

𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃
As the reader we are begging to turn the next page. Eyes glued to our kindles in the dim evening light; sacrificing sleep for sinister dealings of a woman and monster. Paige intricately extracts every ounce of terror from her readers with hard-hitting moments that aren’t impactful like a heavy plot-laden story, but more in the grim, dark, gothic nature of would you ? Would you play along? As readers, we already are.

It felt very cat and mouse with a hint of Rose Red or Hill House except it’s not exactly the house that's alive, it's Corban crafting the terror within.

𝚃𝚁𝙾𝙿𝙴𝚂
⤷ listed as: GOTHIC, HORROR, DARK ROMANCE

Paige hit every trope like a nail to the coffin of my sanity. Dark? YES. Gritty? YES. ROMANCE? Spicy and sinful but still filled with yearning which is interesting to see revealed in the hunger Corban carries. Gothic? OF COURSE. Glamis Manor, the history, Corban, the on-edge energy that follows you through the chapters with shivers down your spine. Ugh, delectable in every sense.

𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳
While the world is subject to the surroundings of Glamis Manor, the history of its creation, of Corban’s existence, and those on the periphery of the manor’s dark past, it is well-detailed and dissectable if you wish to dive further into it. I could see the ideas crafted as if stepping into the manors’ hallowed halls, so if you look at that as “the world” then it's spectacularly crafted.

𝚂𝙿𝙸𝙲𝙴
GOD YES. I mean if you read it, you saw the intro page (I may have died laughing before the story even started). I mean in the first game, the winner gets a taste and the loser gets a reward but is it even losing? I was practically waiting for the ‘good girl’ to fall from his lips then and there. The fun and foreplay spirals from there and we love it, lust for it, and beg for more.

𝚁𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝙴𝙽𝙳
Without a shadow of a doubt, for lovers of true gothic, dark horror. It’s such a wickedly amusing excursion through the games of Sorcha and Corban, that it leaves you wondering how far you would go to please the devil.

It is not labeled as monster romance BUT IT IS, so add that to the tropes!

• • • • • • • • • • ✦ • • • • • • • • • •

Thank you to Allison Paige for the ARC!🖤

[Janella Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Grotesque is a Gothic horror romance that follows Sorcha, who was given Glamis Manor by her estranged grandmother she never met. However, the manor may only be hers under the condition that she must stay there for a year. After uprooting her life, she moves to the manor only to find out she is not alone. Strange things are happening in the manor and Sorcha will find out how dangerous they could be.

I am speechless. I knew I wanted something spooky for spooky season, but I was not expecting how much it entranced me! Grotesque made me realize that I may be into horror romance and had me questioning what that says about me. It was enticing and terrifying and yet my eyes ate up every single page. I was actually wanting more. Allison Paige could add another 100+ pages and I would eat it up without a question.

This plotline was amazing. It was beyond what I was expecting and it may be because I haven't really had a horror romance before, but I was not expecting the mystery of the manor. It also made me realize I don't know that the title significance was beyond the common definition of the adjective. It opened my eyes a lot more about this genre and it felt sooo cool learning about the Gothic horror. The romance? I also ate it up. Or did it eat me? Either way, I found it so unique and twisted. I felt myself questioning whether I had unresolved issues for rooting for Corban.

The characters are so fun to get to know. Corban, our MMC, is already my favorite. I know I probably shouldn't, but I loved him the moment he came into the chapters. He is 100% morally black. He is the villain and horrific monsters that they tell you about that go bump in the night. I also just loved getting to know his character and the history of him in the manor. There's more to him that had me questioning his character even till the end. Sorcha, our FMC, is pretty interesting. There's a sense of real about her in the sense that she's not described as a badass or a meek girl. She is a real person with valid fears and darkness inside. I appreciate that despite what she went through, she had realistic expectations and reactions about certain things.

This was the first work that I have ever read from Allison Paige and I believe I am hooked. If I credit someone for getting me into this genre, I will habd it to her. She has convinced me with her writing. There was a beautiful way that she had described the grotesque and dark characteristics of the manor and our MMC. The writing was easy to read and had me flipping pages so quickly. The world was very immersive and I felt my heart thumping because she had me NERVOUS. The way things are revealed as well were very creative and I loved it! The writing really unraveled everything up to the end which was so hooked!

If you are in the mood for Gothic horror and dark for the spooky season, please pick this up! I haven't read anything like this before and I fear that I am addicted! Please check trigger warnings!

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

[abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮. 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓼𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓼. 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼𝓺𝓾𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼…𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝓖𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓼 𝓜𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓻.”

Listen, if Allison writes it I’m reading it!! If you want the most morally grey (more like black let’s be honest) dark, disgustingly handsome, evil, love to hate, and hate to love male characters, READ ALLISON’S BOOKS…and Grotesque, well Corban may have just set the standards🤭

“𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓶?”

Step into Glamis Manor, if you dare, but be careful they say the women of the household always loose their minds. I couldn’t tell you the last time I was so entranced by a gothic horror romance like this. Allison creates the most haunting, uneasy atmosphere. I felt like I was Sorcha and I was on edge the whole time. The mystery that basically the whole book was built on was so intense and I couldn’t wait to peel back all the gory layers. Sorcha was such a fun character to read. Because honestly I love a FMC that just wants the scary man and a good lay💅🏼 as you should queen. But she’s truly relatable (kind of?) lol. Like all us girlies who love horror would also feel afraid, BUT at the same time……he’s hot? And Corban…the beautiful monster that you are🥵 he is a mystery that I wouldn’t mind loosing myself in. He’s unforgiving, murderous, and knows EXACTLY what he’s doing. The games, the cat and mouse feel of this story, DELICIOUS. So many elements that make the perfect gothic haunted mansion. From the garden that feels alive filled with poisonous plants, gargoyles, mirrors, fog, a forest, and the feeling of eyes on you all of the time👀 This story will suck you in, get you hot and heavy, their toxicity will make you giggle and blush, and make you wish you inherited Glamis Manor.

‘𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓿𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓳𝓮𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓰𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮.’

And how Allison put it ‘it’s smut.’ yes, yes it is, and some of the best smut you’ll read, BUT hidden within is a haunting mystery.

‘𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓻𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓖𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓼 𝓜𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓻, 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷. 𝓐 𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷, 𝓹𝓸𝓸𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓬𝓻𝓪𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓭, 𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓭. 𝓓𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓲𝓻𝓻𝓸𝓻𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓪 𝓶𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓮𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭. 𝓓𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓰𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓼 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓻, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓫𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼. 𝓓𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓯𝓪𝓵𝓵, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓱𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓾𝓹𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽. 𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓤𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓮, 𝓶𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓭𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓬𝔂 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓮𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮.’

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spice: 4

Tropes:
monster x human
stalking
touch her and die
haunted house vibes
gothic horror romance
Dual POV

Grotesque was the perfect monster romance to start the Fall Season. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this one... other than I was concerned it would be a "scary" book and I struggle with horror genres. Ya girl gets nightmares easily LOL. However, I was pleasantly surprised that although this does have horror/gothic vibes, I wouldn't call it "scary".

Was there creepy mirrors? Yes
Was there a fear of things that go bump in the night? Yes
Was there gore? Yes

Was there lots of spicy scenes? Uh yes

Sorcha has come into an inheritance of a manor house from her grandmother's will. However, if rumors are true, her grandmother was mad and the house is haunted. Sorcha is to live in the house 1 year to come into $$ from the will. Will Sorcha even make it a night, let alone a year? Are the rumors about the house true? What is the monster that lives within the walls?

Okay, the more I think about this story, the more obsessed I get with it lol Sorcha and Corban were.... twisted. Sexy. and I actually really enjoyed the back and forth between the two. I love how Allison Paige brought creepy elements into the story without me having to hide the book in my freezer. Then right when you're about to be like this is too creepy, she'd hit you with some spicy scenes. Honestly, I loved Corban so much that I want more from him. I want more of his story, more of his future, more of his touch her and die vibes lol. Also, if all haunted houses' haunts were monsters like Corban.... I think I could become a haunted house junkie lol

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Grotesque” is a dark and gothic horror romance written by fellow Charlestonian, Allison Paige. It is a sinfully delicious exploration of fear, desire, and the line that separates the two. There is a content warning page for your review! Sorcha Grendel is a lover of horror, the macabre, and the dark. When her grandma, Macky, passes away and leaves her Glamis Manor, millions of dollars, and stipulations, she jumps at the opportunity for a new start and some distance from her family. From the moment she enters the long drive, however, she feels watched, but, undaunted, she enters the house and becomes a forced participant in the sinister nightly games of Corban. What begins as an inheritance turns into a scheming plot to claim Sorcha’s mind, body, and soul.

At Glamis Manor, three rules will keep you safe:
Don't stare into the mirrors
Don't invite anyone inside
Don't stay out after dark

Why Read/Tropes:
🦇 Inheritance with Stipulations
🦇 MINE
🦇 Shadow Daddy
🦇 Forced Proximity
🦇 Villain gets the girl
🦇 Do you want to play a game?

At 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5, Paige sums it up well: “It’s smut”. The spice is explicit, descriptive, and intense, consistently pushing boundaries and blurring the lines of fear, desire, and love. Also, Corban’s tongue is forked- that feels important to mention.

This relationship cradles the dark. It’s toxic, possessive, intoxicating, and all-consuming. It doesn’t begin with love. It begins with scheming, fear, and lust. Between heated moments, the plot, and dual POVs, Paige enthralls you to want Sorcha and her villain to win.

I enjoyed that Corban is not the average Fae. I’m not going to disclose what he is, but I have only read about this particular species in one other book! It made it a very unique read. This is not the typical Fae romance book, and I liked that. It was a dark and decadent romance that leaves you as caught up as Sorcha, trying to piece together her heart and her mind.

[My_book_obsession25 · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5

This book?? THIS. BOOK.
Allison Paige said “you want gothic chaos?” and then threw me into a haunted house with rules I couldn’t follow and a monster I couldn't ignore. And honestly?? I regret NOTHING.

GROTESQUE was my first horror read of the year and it did NOT come to play—it came to possess me. The atmosphere? Deliciously eerie. The pacing? Pure panic. The vibes? Horny and horrifying. Like, how dare it be both?!

Sorcha Grendel is everything—snarky, skeptical, and slowly unraveling. Watching her descend into Glamis Manor’s dark games had me gripping my phone like a lifeline. And then there’s Corban. CORBAN. That feral, seductive nightmare of a man-monster. Who gave him the right to be that unhinged and that hot?? I was equally terrified and extremely intrigued. 🖤

Mirrors, monsters, and a manor that watches you sleep this story was a wild, gothic, seductive fever dream. It broke rules, broke me, and left me needing a glass of water and maybe an exorcism.

If you like your horror with heat, your monsters with motives, and your sanity slightly shredded Grotesque is calling. Just don’t open the door.😉

Im so happy and thankful for reaching me out with the opportunity to read this amazing ARC, I truly appreciate it!❤️❤️

[Kayla’s Book Binge · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAUNTED. GOTHIC. MANSION!

This was such an eerie and entertaining read!!! I devour creepy gothic mansions. The MMC was dark and terrifying and he stayed that way throughout the entirety of the book. I was kept on my toes the whole time waiting to see what this man would do. I loved how everything was described, from the house to all his mannerisms. It made my gothic loving heart sing. It fully embodied eerie darkness. You feel like the house is alive and that you’re also being watched.

I actually loved how the ending plays out and Sorcha’s mentality about what happened. There’s an open endedness to it that I found fascinating. It’s not all butterflies and rainbows. It leaves you wanting more but at the same time completely content on how it’s a standalone. I could ask 1000 more questions but…I like how I actually don’t have the answers to everything. And because of that the book is able to keep the eerie mysterious aura all the way until the last word. It’s like when you watch a horror movie, and the last shot is of the creepy house gates closing all by itself…there’s this last question of “well, what does that mean?” that keeps the story alive in your mind.

He haunts this mansion, likes his games and things get spicy. He doesn’t mess around when it comes to her 👀

This book made me want to go put on a long white dress and dance around the halls of a dark manor. Maybe we’ll all go a little crazy too.

Thank you for this ARC!!!

[Rmplift, Rachel Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I absolutely loved this!

Spoiler Free Summary:
A woman inherits the perfect gothic mansion, that comes complete with its own Jeepers Creepers.

Vibes:
I'll be honest. I read the first quarter of this book and thought it was inspired by the recent New Orleans AIRBNB vampire story. Turns out it's a completely different beast.
I’ll admit—I was absolutely clueless about who the MMC really was until the big reveal. The author does such a fantastic job twisting your thoughts in a dozen different directions that when the truth finally hit, I just sat there stunned. (It didn’t help that I’d never even heard of the monster before, so I was literally piecing things together blind—but honestly, that made the reveal even more impactful.)

The plot itself unraveled in such an engaging way. I loved watching the story evolve, and I really appreciated that the “mom situation” didn’t overshadow the main focus. Instead, the author let us fully sink into the couple’s journey—their growth, their struggles, and the bond that carried them through.

This book is clever, emotional, and layered with mystery. If you enjoy romance wrapped in myth and suspense, Grotesque will keep you hooked until the final page.

Romance Scenes:
Overall, the scenes were spicy, specific language, but traditional play. 3/5