Tether

by Cadence Smoke, Demi Valentine

At nineteen years old, surviving each day is the only thing I’ve become accustomed to. After losing my mother in a car accident, and spending my teenage years in the ruthless foster system–I’ve become too familiar with the cruelty and loneliness this world has to offer.

My life was hanging by a fraying thread, and I was about to lose everything I had worked so hard to attain. I was hopeless and defeated by the hand I had been dealt.

That is, until a letter arrived from my unfamiliar late grandfather's estate, deeming me the sole heir of his grand fortune, including Gravenhurst Manor and Hollowcrest Academy.

With nothing left to lose, I accept my fate and make my way to Hollowcrest–a town which thrives on power, legacy and secrets. Where shadows lurk around every corner, and nothing is quite what it seems.

A charming son of a founding family captures my attention. His charisma and magnetism call to me, but I can’t stop my heart from being drawn to another–the brooding groundskeeper of my new place of residence, who has a wicked grin and an even sharper tongue.

Caught in a whirlwind of desire, hatred and passion, I must follow my heart's desires, even if that means uncovering much more than I’ve bargained for.

Welcome to Hollowcrest, where fates are tethered by secrets, and love knows no bounds.

Genres: Dark Romance

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 15, 2026

About the author

Cadence Smoke is a Romance, Dark Romance & Gothic Romance Author from Canada. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies, as well as reading books of various genres.

Cadence strives to write stories that make you feel a plethora of emotions and a deep connection to her characters that will linger in your mind long after you put the book down.

Reviews

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hooked me right away, and I flew through it in just two days because I needed to know what happened next.

The gothic dark academia vibes were everything. The mystery, secrets, and tension kept me hooked from beginning to end. The pacing was great, and that ending… ahh! I need to know what happens next!!

The only thing that didn’t quite work for me was some of the wording during one of the spicy scenes. It’s a personal preference, but it distracted me 😅

* Morally Gray
* Dark Academia
* Gothic Atmosphere
* Secret Society
* Love Triangle
* Cliffhanger


Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. I’m leaving my review voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

[KayBeReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verena our girl was down on her luck and then out of nowhere her luck turns around. Now she’s at this school that she lowkey doesn’t even want to be at. Off the bat I already know something is suspicious( some people as well). Ren is trying to adjust to her new life but she is struggling but she is having some fun and they come in the form of Loxen and Reed. It’s a ping pong match between them. The story is moving a bit slow and I believe that’s to lay down the foundation. Towards the middle of the book it starts to pick up some. Ren has learned some things she should not have learned and I believe that it is going to come back to bit her in the hinepot(spoiler I was right lol). There are so many secrets in this book it’s hard to keep up. I knew I was right not to trust someone in this book. I know this is Cadende and Demi book but it’s not Cadence book if you don’t tear up a bit. The last twenty percent of this book had me gagged. I had to read some pages over to make sure I read what I read. I just know the next book is going to be something. I can’t wait to read it

[Plot Twists And Cups Of Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you so much to the authors for giving me the opportunity to ARC read Tether

I absolutely demolished this book and didn't want to put it down! The storyline kept me hooked from the very beginning, and I was constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Ren was definitely my favourite character. I loved her from start to finish, and I really enjoyed watching her journey throughout the book.

As for Loxen, there was just something about him that pulled me in, and I found myself rooting for him the whole way through.

Reed, on the other hand, constantly got my back up. I just couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't being genuine, and I kept thinking he was using her.

[Kerri-louise Whitham Your_bookish_fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

**𝓝𝓞 𝓢𝓟𝓞𝓘𝓛𝓔𝓡𝓢**
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Tether

𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 The Dark Romance team / Luna literary 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.

⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
(out of 5 stars, my rating scale is at the end)
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
* 🌡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲🌶🌶 🫑/ 5 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth wing / Bound by inked flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of silver and Curses
4.5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex


⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Gothic Romance / Dark Academia
* 📖 334 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
* 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 mostly solo 𝗣𝗢𝗩 until the final chapters
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- July 15 2026
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven? 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉ℯ𝓇
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼-
* 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 on 𝗞𝗨? ✅𝒴ℯ𝓈
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- 𝓊𝓅 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹ℴ𝓌𝓃
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ❌𝒮𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎, 𝓃ℴ, 𝓃ℴ𝓉 𝓊𝓃𝒾𝓆𝓊ℯ ℯ𝓃ℴ𝓊𝑔𝒽, 𝒻ℴ𝓇 𝓂ℯ 𝓉ℴ 𝓇ℯ𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒾𝓃 𝓈𝒶𝓎 6 𝓂ℴ𝓃𝓉𝒽𝓈 𝓉𝒾𝓂ℯ.
* 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? (Disability, plus size, mental health etc...)❌
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈?⚖️ erm…? I loved some bits but skimmed others…
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈?✅
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓇?✅
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Those who enjoy a moral to their story, lessons learned the hard way and beauty rising through loneliness and loss.


⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
😍IᑎՏTᗩ ᒪOᐯᗴ ᒪᑌᔕT
🙏𝐻𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡
🔺 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
👀𝘝𝘰𝘺𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘮

⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
😈𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕤 & 𝔹𝕖𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕪𝕒𝕝𝕤
✏️Dark Academia
🏰Gothic
🧸𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦
🐶 Underdog
⌚𝔸-𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖

📝Cliff Notes Review-
Welcome to Hollowcrest, where fates are tethered by secrets, and love knows no bounds. This book drew me in right from the start, I loved the mystery idea and the secret unknown family but it fell flat. I never manage to predict twists-ever- yet I saw this one right at the start of the book sadly. It was ok, but it could have been great with 1 more round of editing to correct all the timeline gaps and continuity errors.

“Lay back, little crow, and let me fill you with a love so bewitching, you’ll never forget who your heart belongs to.”

🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
I went into this completely blind and that first page literally grabbed my attention! The writing style was a little difficult to follow for me, the world building was barely there and I have no clue what time period this was meant to be set in. The gothic vibes are well threaded into this one, with A very creepy manor, mysterious letters, an on ground cemetery, an academy passed down through generations and then the secret society tops off the bucket list. We don’t get much in the way of academic lessons or structure sadly, but time is spent there.

What I must applaud was how the feelings of grief were explored. The quotes that I highlighted around the beauty of life and love were plentiful, I’d actually say this is the best book I’ve read around the subject because of the themes of loss, loneliness and hopelessness that are navigated through the characters being out the opposing thoughts of joy, memories with guilt, and love.

The pacing started steady but did drop out around the middle and I found myself skimming a lot of the ‘bumpf/padding’.

I actually got really irritated a few times that I almost DNF it, I was really intrigued in the mystery of the main plot and mixed with the characters I remained intrigued. I enjoyed the mix of mystery and secrets that were sprinkled throughout the story, I do wish we had a little more history but after getting to the end I can see now that it will come in book 2. I’m glad I didn’t and I stuck with it.

My main issue was that she gets a letter out of the blue offering her a house and an academy yet she doesn’t question it at all? Not even a little? Doesn’t double check it’s real and not a scam or set up. Then when she gets there she has no clue how this new home of hers runs and yet she makes her way around, using the bath, finding random clothes left out, dining in the hall- it’s not even mentioned that she would need to know how to run the house, pay the staff, or how they should learn about her needs or food choices or whatever. I was reading this section waiting for someone to show her what is expected of her, where she can find coin/money should she want anything, or to show her how to summon help like drivers.

Next up is the large amount of continuity errors, where was your beta team and editor? It was always Saturday, even after partying on Saturday night she would wake up the following morning declaring how glorious this Saturday morning is. Items she was holding suddenly disappear, clothing choices don’t follow through like it’s not even been thought of that she’s in her underthings/nightwear and wandering around the house and chatting to the staff all day.

Then there is the many gaps in the story, she is told to attend one semester at the academy and THEN everything will be hers- this is never brought up again, not once. so what would be hers? Did she do a full semester? What was the point in that other than to just create a reason for her to attend? There were places she couldn’t enter in this new house- HER house… that the butler said was off limits so of course that must be so…? Why? How long for? Did she have to earn it? Did the butler know something More that the author forgot to explain? And then the one that stuck with me was that the mother ran away, the grandfather didn’t reach out (not spoilers) because he wanted to keep her safe, but then his condition to getting ‘it all’ was to spend a semester at the academy…? Why not just leave the money to her then and forget the rest? I didn’t get it at all.

Plus, im curious- what was with the timeline? We would be talking about one thing then it jumps to something completely separate in a different place. Or it was set in a school class and the next paragraph she was at home? Erm, while I’m asking questions Did everyone else at that academy have parents to go home to? I only ask because she suddenly acquired a uniform and school supplies from thin air, her driven magically knew when she needed a lift somewhere without any prior arrangements, the staff all ran the house without her and she magically.y knew everything all the way down to how to get to the academy on her first day…?

It just seemed like things were mentioned just as a bridge to get the characters from A-B and then were forgotten about entirely.

🧝‍♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
So REN really annoyed me, she had been messed around all her life, grown up in bad foster homes and yet still she was trusting and unbelievably naive?! There were so many points in this book where any regular person would have asked a question or two, perhaps given a little thought before an action and yet she did none of that.

She was supposed to be resilient and independent, I don’t know much else about her as we got very little personal character development but to turn into a needy little thing under the thumb of a man didn’t really seem to fit the character arc that had been laid down. She annoyed me so much because I liked her, I liked her strength and how she overcame her troubles and moved forward with her life, I just wanted more of that authenticity that was first wrote about.

Then there was the best friend, she was a brilliant character. But she seemed to know more than we thought due to all the hints she dropped but then she disappeared for a big chunk of the story.

The love triangle was fun, Sullivan is the kind and helpful boy at school, I like how his character changed and developed as the story went on. I feel some things were left open- I hope they will be revisited in book two rather than them being overlooked, things like certain scenarios being set up and more information around the order members. But my hero of the story is lox, what a male! I loved his sarcasm and banter, his wit and the simple way he saw her and got her. I wish when an apology came - it was more specific rather than a blanket to cover all. I feel the hurt that was installed should have been acknowledged and recognised particularly because those involved lean more towards this type of behaviour than skimming by with the bare minimum explanation.


⏳ 𝕎𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕚 𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
Ok so, I would re-read prior to book 2 but not for fun. And yes, I would recommend it to the right audience.

🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This was beautiful in the way it explored the themes of grief, love and loss. The secrets and mysteries were there throughout and the love triangle was fun to watch. With a little more editing this would have been a damn good read!


𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠;

𝕋𝕚𝕜𝕋𝕠𝕜
https://www.tiktok.com/@your_bookish_...

IᑎՏTᗩ
https://www.instagram.com/your_bookis...

 

***********************

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:
⭐️ DNF

⭐️⭐️
I managed to finish it but it was rubbish. I won't keep a physical copy and won't recommend it, but  it's a shame as the plot could have made a good book in another author's hands

⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish I didn't start this one as it didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetitive writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Great book! I truly wish the story had been thought about more, or the author had been given more time as this book is so close to brilliance! I will likely read again and will definitely be recommending it to all!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW! Absolutely amazing book! Well written with great characters and a plot so memorable that it will stay with me. I will definitely read this again, I will be recommending it and sharing it with the whole world! Also- I NEED A PHYSICAL COPY!

🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥
This is my God level tier. The book must be perfectly memorable. Even after reading 50+ more books, I will remember character names and emotions along with the plot. If there is a special edition, then I need to own it! If there is a conversation on books- I'm talking about this!

 SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action

🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times

🌶️🌶️🌶️– a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently with 2/3 lurvers

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring 4 or more times, can be more grey and taboo themed.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Kinks and Fet!shism, explicit and super graphic. It is likely to be tushy play, toys, playrooms, and more dark / taboo fantasies and realities.

[fatedhearts_lorilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tore through this one. Once I started, I was determined to finish it. I had some theories (I was not correct about one big one but I did guess another haha).

We get a playlist at the beginning of the book, and let me tell you, I was screaming to see “Haunted” by Evanescence. The 𝐹𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓃 album was everything to me in high school (and still is??). Now having finished 𝒯𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒹, I think this is a perfect fit. Also, I do of course need to mention the Sleep Token songs, which are also perfect. I love a bookish playlist so thank you so much to the authors for including this!

Also, our girls is very relatable: 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬, 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘐’𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. Isn’t that how we all feel? I had to highlight this quote when I was reading.

Let’s start with the prologue. It ends with this absolute banger of a quote: 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩—𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳.

Chills! I knew I was going to enjoy this book right from the beginning. It sets up the tension, and it also shows Ren’s strength and vengeance. Throughout the story, there is a gothic atmosphere that I just love so much. The manor, the school, the graveyard… even Ren’s apartment at the beginning of the book. It all works together to set the tone. Also, 𝒲𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝐻𝑒𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 is referenced later in the book, which was such an odd feeling, because WH had popped into my mind earlier in the book without having been referenced yet. So I think that also speaks to the mood of the book, as I thought that to myself totally unprompted.

In addition to Ren, there are some supporting characters who I fell in love with! That’s one of my favourite things while reading. Of course, I typically relate to and resonate with the FMC, but when their friends come in and have their show stealing moments, it makes me so happy. Archie and his boots are definitely one of those for me! And then we have this quote from Archie, which is a perfect description of friendship, and just shows what a wonderful human he is for thinking this way: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘈 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥.” Can I get this tattooed on my body?? I love how it doesn’t make it seem like everything is always smooth sailing. There 𝙖𝙧𝙚 challenging times in friendships, but that’s a part of being real and working through conflict. At the end of the day though, when it’s a strong friendship, you can work through those feelings and moments.

There’s also romance of course, and there’s some conflict, and kind of a love triangle as Ren figures out her new place. I’m not going to say much about this but I will be curious to hear who people preferred as they were reading! I was pretty torn, to be honest.

I absolutely need book two immediately. Not to be needy or anything but like… actually I’m okay with being desperate!

Thank you to the authors and Luna Literary for the e-arc! All thoughts are my own and are freely given.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advanced reader copy sent by the Author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

What to expect:
🐦‍⬛Secret society 🐦‍⬛ Found family 🐦‍⬛Gothic academia 🐦‍⬛Enemies to lovers 🐦‍⬛Forced proximity 🐦‍⬛Protective MMC 🐦‍⬛ Love triangle 🐦‍⬛ Will they won't they🐦‍⬛ He falls first 🐦‍⬛

Aw I loved this book. The last 10% had me straight up balling 😭😭and sat in complete shock.
I loved the dark gothic atmosphere; the characters were amazing, the mystery, suspense and yearning/tension 10/10!

We follow our FMC Verena, a 19yr old who's on her own after her mother is killed in a car accident. She spent years in the ruthless foster system.
Her life was falling apart around her, about to be evicted and just lost her job.
A letter arrives from her late Grandfather, stating she is the sole heir to his fortune, also Gravestone Manor and Hollowcrest Academy.
Left with no other choice she heads off Hollowcrest, a town that thrives on power legacy and secrets.

I loved Ren's character, she is tenacious, resilient and very independent. She's not afraid to tell people what she thinks.

MMC Reed Sullivan, he is the charming son of one of the founding families. I had this continual feeling he wasn't who he says he is, that he was 100% hiding something. He had too many secrets.

Our other MMC Loxen, now this man I was on his team from the very beginning. I knew he had secrets he wasn't ready to share yet. The yearning from this man... he fell so hard for Ren. And having to watch her with Reed broke my heart 💔 He was mysterious and protective. And he calls her 'Little Crow' 🐦‍⬛ gets me every time!

"My love for you knows no bounds. I could live and die a thousand times, and my heart would still find its way back to you. I am yours, Verena, through life and death."

The banter in this book was fantastic, especially the interactions between Loxen and Ren.

We got some spicy scenes sprinkled in throughout the book. I would rate this 🌶️🌶️

Loved the vibe of the Manor and the Academy, giving all the best dark gothic vibes with the weathered stone overgrown with vines. The Manor had a graveyard onsite which just added to the spookiness.

The plot was interesting, mysterious and keep me guessing. I thought I had things figured out and then the plot did a 180. I was hooked from the very beginning.

There are some fantastic side characters in this book. Gotta shout out my man Archie; I loved him so much. And Mauve was another great character, giving all the best, bestie vibes you could ask for.

The 80% mark of this book had me in total shock like what!! Plot twist after plot twist!
And then the last 10% of this book ruined me, I was lying in bed with tears streaming down my face. The reveals at the end were heartbreaking. 💔 especially Loxen's chapter. I was a mess!! 😭😭

Cannot wait to continue this series, highly recommend this book.

Thank you to the Authors for sending me an arc copy of your book 🩷🖤

[Bitzreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

 (I received an ARC copy of this book. All thoughts are my own)

I went into this book mostly blind, I remembered what the tropes were and that was about it. I am glad I did, it still left me guessing somewhat as to which way things would go with the MMC, I am not going to confirm which it is. 

The book gets right into things with the prologue. The tension started there and continued throughout. 

The story is mostly told from the MMC Rens pov. Ren has had it tough and I could really feel her despair at everything she had been through. I felt a little conflicted at times with some of the choices that she made and despite being so strong and independent she came across a bit naive at times. But I can also understand why she was drawn to making those choices, people are not perfect and that is what makes it more real. But overall I really liked her. There are two MMCs Loxen and Reed as one main plot point is a love triangle. I liked the way they were both written, with their histories and their own stories. I was a Loxen girl from the start and I loved the way he was written and the intenseness between him and Ren. 

There are a few other characters and omg I loved Arthur and Mauve, I do wish we would have gotten a bit more of Mauve, I didn’t like how she was treated by Ren at times. But I really enjoyed them both and they added a lot to the story. There were other characters and they all fleshed everything out a bit more but the stars for me were Arthur and Mave. 

The overall plot is very intriguing and while a part of me would have liked to get a bit more information or hints at what is happening, I also think it is ok that it was a bit slower because it is giving the story time and setting everything up without rushing. So I think that was done well. (If you have seen my reviews before, slow paced isn’t my go to. I will never mark a book down for it, unless it is dragging which this did not). There are plenty of mysteries throughout, I did guess the main one early on but that just left me more keen to figure everything out and added to the tension. 

However I think the stand out was the writing and the way the feelings of grief are explored throughout  the story through the characters. It was so well done and I think I highlighted half the book with quotes. Those feelings of loss, loneliness and the emptiness of being left behind. I loved it, I think this is one of my favourite parts. 

The setting was great, I loved the gothic vibes, though I was trying to figure out what time period it was for a little while before deciding it was a mixture and its story is its own setting. I could picture the setting and darkness really well. 

I absolutely need the next one now though please and thank you. 

[Diane LL · Rating 5 out of 5]

​If you are a fan of Zodiac Academy, stop what you are doing and add this book to your TBR immediately.

​I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of Tethered, and it completely consumed me—I devoured the entire book in less than 12 hours because I simply could not put it down. The story hits the ground running and hooks you instantly with a fast-paced, deeply intriguing plot that leaves you desperate for answers.

​The Plot
​We follow Verena "Ren" Gravenhurst, a resilient FMC who bounced around the foster system after being orphaned at a young age. Now an adult just barely scraping by as a waitress, her life changes overnight when she returns home to an eviction notice—and a mysterious invitation. She discovers she has inherited her recently deceased grandfather's estate: the looming Gravenhurst Manor and the enigmatic Hollowcrest Academy.

​The Romance & Tropes
​Entering this world gave me absolute emotional whiplash in the best way possible. Ren’s emotional connection to Loxen Gray had me captivated from the very beginning. Their relationship serves as the perfect backdrop to this dark academia setting, serving up a delicious, high-stakes "enemies-to-lovers" dynamic where the MMC definitely falls first. Watching Ren struggle, run from her feelings, and finally accept them (albeit a bit late!) makes their chemistry electric.

​The Stakes (No Spoilers, But Wow)
​Just when you think you have a handle on the romance and the politics of Hollowcrest, the authors completely flip the script. There is a deeply unsettling supernatural undercurrent here—let's just say Ren is forced to confront things that should stay buried, and she starts seeing things (and people) that defy logic. When the final layers of deception peel back, you're left realizing that the people closest to her are harboring deadly, unforgivable secrets. Can you truly love someone when blood is on their hands?.

​Why You Need to Read It
​In the shadows of Hollowcrest Academy, secrets are a currency, and Ren never seems to have enough leverage to buy the truth until it’s almost too late. Tethered is a phenomenal journey of self-discovery, found family, and high-stakes mystery. It will keep you guessing, gasping, and turning pages well into the night as the jaw-dropping final twists unfold.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐ ARC Review 𝕋𝔼𝕋ℍ𝔼ℝ

Welcome to Hollowcrest, where fates are tethered by secrets, and love knows no bounds.

𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒂 𝒗𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔, 𝑨 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒍 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖!
𝑨𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔. 𝑾𝒂𝒔 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔.
𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕, 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒅. 𝑳𝒐𝒙 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇. 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒕𝒘𝒐, 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓. 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆! 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑳𝒖𝒏𝒂 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒄.

𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤

🗝️ Secret Society
🗝️ Found Family
🗝️ Enemies to Lovers
🗝️ Gothic Academia
🗝️ Forced Proximity
🗝️ Protective MMC
🗝️ Love Triangle
🗝️ Will They Won’t They
🗝️ He Falls First

𝔹𝕝𝕦𝕣𝕓

At nineteen years old, surviving each day is the only thing I’ve become accustomed to. After
losing my mother in a car accident, and spending my teenage years in the ruthless foster system.
I’ve become too familiar with the cruelty and loneliness this world has to offer.
My life was hanging by a fraying thread, and I was about to lose everything I had worked so
hard to attain. I was hopeless and defeated by the hand I had been dealt.
That is, until a letter arrived from my unfamiliar late grandfather's estate, deeming me the sole
heir of his grand fortune, including Gravenhurst Manor and Hollowcrest Academy.
With nothing left to lose, I accept my fate and make my way to Hollowcrest–a town which thrives on power, legacy and secrets. Where shadows lurk around every corner, and nothing is quite what it seems.
A charming son of a founding family captures my attention. His charisma and magnetism call to me, but I can’t stop my heart from being drawn to another–the brooding groundskeeper of my new place of residence, who has a wicked grin and an even sharper tongue.
Caught in a whirlwind of desire, hatred and passion, I must follow my heart's desires, even if that means uncovering much more than I’ve bargained for.

#DarkAcademia #GothicAcademia #enemiestolovers #lovetriangle #ForcedProximity

[JeAna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verena lived alone after her mother died , and worked as a waitress in a pub to sustain herself. One day she gets fired, and in that same day she receives a letter informing her that she inherited Gravenhurst Manor and Hollowcrest Academy whilst her grandfather passed away. She decided to visit this manor to find out the truth after losing both her job and her home. Loxen Grey, a man she meets at the manor, captures her interest and causes her to have conflicting emotions regarding him. At the same time, she attracts the interest of another man at the Academy, Reed, who attempts to pursue her and claim her as his. Everything in Ren's life changes after her moving to manor.


Strong, independent, naive, and fierce, Verena Gravenhurst had a tough life. Her challenging past shaped the girl she is today. In an effort to fulfil one of her grandfather's wishes, she decided to attend the academy, where for a moment she was able to blend in.

Loxen Grey is a loyal, caring, and protective man who makes every effort to keep Ren safe of the secret society. He is drawn to Ren straight away and doesn't give up until Ren learns the truth about this Secret Society, Hollow Iris Crest.


Wow!!
This was my first thought I had after reading this book.
I was astounded by how amazing it was. It's the first gothic-themed book I've ever read, but I loved it.

All of the story's events were brilliantly described by the writers. The plot was made more interesting, appealing, and intriguing by the character development and side characters. Ren always wanted to be a part of something, somewhere. She cannot figure out which of the two men is right for her and her feelings are torn between them.
Although there were times in the story where I was upset with her for being so naive, but I made an effort to sympathise and comprehend her reasons.
I felt an emotional rollercoaster while reading this book.
I'm thrilled to have found these incredible writers and I can't wait for the next part of the story, which I hope will be released soon.

[Tals' Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Tether by @authorcadencesmoke & @author.demivalentine
Releasing 15th July 2026

First of all, I’m absolutely fuming that I have to wait until 2027 for book two. Are you trying to torture me? Because that ending?! My heart cannot take it anymore.

I started off super confused at the beginning of the book, but it was probably just the world building and all the lead up, because as the story went on, everything started to come together and click into place.

The gothic atmosphere pulled me in real quick though. Hook, line, and sinker. I LIVE for the manor, the academy, the graveyard vibes, and the dark gothic academia setting was delivered perfectly. Chef’s kiss, I tell you. Chef’s kiss.

Verena, or Ren as she likes to be called, was so down on her luck, the poor girl, and watching her struggle to find her place was sad, but also really realistic. When you have to pack up and move somewhere strange and start over, it can feel like your whole world has been turned upside down. But she didn’t let it get to her too much. There were definitely parts of the book that had me questioning Ren, but I also understood why she behaved the way she did. It wasn’t often that someone truly gave her the time of day.

She was written so beautifully, and honestly, so was the whole book. The writing and atmosphere felt poetic and immersive. It was amazing to read, but even more amazing to actually see those images in your mind. I love books like this.

The romance was good too. I don’t mind a little love triangle. And the suspense? YASSS.

They absolutely ate with this. The last 20–30% had me fucking gagged, I tell you what. The plot twist? HELLO?? I had some theories and one of them was correct, but another? I was so far off the mark it’s not even funny.

Shit is gonna go down in book 2. I can feel it. My girls gonna pop the fuck off!!!

UGH YES. If you love gothic academia vibes, suspense, secrets, and unraveling mysteries, definitely add this one to your TBR.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to Candace Smoke & Demi Valentine for the ARC!

---> IG
---> TikTok

🗝️Enemies to Lovers
🗝️Dark Academia
🗝️Forced Proximity
🗝️Secret Society
🗝️He Falls First
🗝️Love Triangle

"Welcome to Hollowcrest. Where fates are tethered by secrets and love knows no bounds"

Verena Gravenhurst finds herself down on her luck, on the edge of being evicted from her dingy apartment when a mysterious letter arrives informing her that her grandfather has died. A grandfather that she has never met. But that's not all.... she is now the owner of a gothic old mansion and an entire school.

"The Manor has been quiet for years, and then you showed up, and it feels alive again. it's as if it recognized you. Like it's been waiting for you to come home."

This was a fast-paced gothic academia story filled with mystery and LOTS of tension....and a love triangle. As soon as Ren steps out of the car at her new home, she locks eyes with a mysterious man who she assumes is the groundskeeper, Loxen. She is undeniable attracted to him, but he is a total jerk and keeps disappearing. Reed is the golden boy at school and a fellow legacy, founder of the town. Their relationship is 0-100 even though Ren's best friend Mauve warns her against him.

As hard as she tries to keep her focus on Reed, Loxen keeps popping back into her mind.

“Lay back, little crow, and let me fill you with a love so bewitching, you’ll never forget who your heart belongs to.”

I will say that while I enjoyed the entire book, the last 20% was CRAZY! I has guessed at most of the twists but in this case, I was glad that I did because it made the story so wild. It does end on a cliffhanger that had me 😱😱😱!!

[Jessie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

Holy crow! What a book! I did not want to put it down, I needed to keep reading to find out what happens and my god I was not disappointed!
The ending as well....was not expecting that! The emotions that I felt reading this book were insane, think my mouth was open in shock for the last 20-30% 😂

The dark academia vibe was everything! The manor, the academy, the secrets, the graveyard, the mystery, the tension, the history, the twists, the list could go on.

I adored Verena, she's been through so much and her journey throughout had its ups and downs yet she still had fight in her, even after everything she's been through - trusting the wrong people, losing people she loved and finding where she truly belongs.

Loxen - the dark, broody, sarcastic, mysterious, moody one. I loved him from the start, the banter and tension he had with Verena was addictive to say the least, the way he was portrayed made me fall in love with him throughout! Especially when he called her "little crow" 🥹 I definitely need more of Lox!

Reed - i didnt have a good feeling about him from the get go and my suspicions were correct!

I adored the two side characters, Archie & Mauve. Archie was such a fun, lovable character and Mauve was the sweet, caring, unique best friend that Verena needed in her life. Both adored Verena entirely and it was so lovely to see their relationships blossom. I would have loved to read more of their stories.

Overall, gripping and so well written! Cannot wait for book 2. I need to know more!

Thank you Luna Literary for the ARC.

-morally grey
-dark academia
-secret society
-gothic vibes
-love triangle
-cliffhanger
-found family
-enemies to lovers
-he falls first

[Nicola Reynoldson (nics_timetoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I would like to thank the author for gifting me this ARC read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow. I went into Tether completely blind, and I am so glad I did because it ended up being such an incredible surprise.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked following Verena at the absolute lowest point in her life. After losing her mother, surviving the foster system, and barely keeping her life together, the last thing she expects is a letter from a grandfather she never knew existed, leaving her an inheritance that includes Gravenhurst Manor and Hollowcrest Academy. It sounds too good to be true…and of course, it is so much more than that.

I absolutely loved discovering Hollowcrest alongside Verena. The town is dripping with mystery, murder, secrets, and an eerie atmosphere that had me questioning everything. There’s a secret society pulling the strings behind the scenes, strange happenings around every corner, and a constant feeling that no one is telling the whole truth.

The characters were another huge highlight. Mauve was such a breath of fresh air and exactly the friend Verena needed. Reed is charming, charismatic, and seems like the obvious choice…until Loxen Gray walks onto the page. Broody, sarcastic, mysterious, and completely impossible to ignore, Loxen stole every scene he was in. The tension between him and Verena was absolutely addictive.

Cadence Smoke and Demi Valentine perfectly balances romance, suspense, and supernatural mystery, and every chapter left me wanting “just one more.” The twists kept me guessing, the world-building was immersive, and the ending has me desperate for the next book.

[Heids_in_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Firstly, Ive read a lot of secret society books and is by far one of my favourite genre/tropes. This, however, was not like the others!

This really took a turn, and not just a normal u-turn, I’m talking take the curb, up on two wheels like I’m playing GTA V kind of turn.

Ren has had a difficult life and is on her own. One day she receives a letter that changes her life.
She ends up moving from the city to Gravenhurst Manor and begins to attend Hollowcrest academy.

I loved Ren. She’s young, on her own trying to survive. She’s strong but also she’s naive.
Being (I think) 20, and trying to always make the right decisions would be hard for anyone. She wants to live her life but she feels like she sang count on anyone because they always leave her.

There’s two MMCs in this book, Loxen and Reed. I won’t be giving anything away but I will say I loved Loxen from the first minute he called her little crow 🥺

I do need to do a shout out to my main man Archie because I love him so much. This book had great side characters too, like Archie and Mauve ♥️

The plot was fantastic, and the ending was like WTF just happened 🫠🤣 I had a feeling but then I also did not because the gasp that left my mouth was LOUD!!

I’ve not needed a book 2 so damn fast in my life as I do now. I really hope that Cadence and Demi have it ready to release in a week cause if I have to wait a year I’ll most likely faint from the stress.

Anyhoo, thank you to Luna Literary Management, Cadence and Demi for this ARC. This was my first one from these two authors and it will not be my last.

5⭐️
3🌶️

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review

“Sometimes an ugly heart can be disguised by a charming personality and a pretty face. And sometimes it's too late once the truth comes to light.”

When Verena inherits her grandfather's estate and academy after years of living in the shadows, her life takes a turn. She moves into her mysterious grandfathers estate and starts attending classes at the academy. She meets Loxen, a groundskeepers at the estate. He seems to know more about her family's past than he lets on. At the same time she also catches the eye of Reed, a popular student at the Academy, who is determined to win her over. As she navigates her new life at the academy she struggles with feelings for both men but also her fear of not belonging.
The start of this book was very promising. Mysterious, great pace, tension. As the book continues however I had a growing feeling of feeling rushed. The pacing in this book feels uneven and the ending left me with questions.
The setting of this book is the estate and academy, those are vividly brought to life. I liked how they are portrayed in a hauntingly beautiful way. It added a layer to the mysterious feeling.
Tether is a captivating, gothic romance that explores the power of love, grief and finding your place in the world. Verena’s journey is full of emotional struggles and haunting moments, making this a start to the Boundless Love Duet. However the uneven pacing prevent it from reaching its full potential. If you’re a fan of dark, atmospheric romances with emotional depth, this is a decent read, but it may leave you wishing for more.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart has been ripped out and shoved back in my chest! Tether by Cadence Smoke and Demi Valentine is book one in the Boundless Love duet. A dark gothic romance that will have me thinking about it for a VERY long time!
This book takes devastation and emotional damage to a whole new level. It was torture I couldn't stop reading. The book follows Verena, the FMC, and her struggle to find acceptance and belonging. The strength of her character stole a piece of my heart. Her ability to find beauty in things while gieving helped me to appreciate there is beauty even in loss.
I absolutely loved some of the characters like Mauve and Archie, while I loved to hate others, like Jenkins. I felt the side characters had just as much of an impact as the main characters throughout the story. I felt the story was equal parts character and plot development. The pacing of this book was perfect for me. This book had moments where I couldn't stop reading and other moments where I needed to put it down and reflect. The dedication of this book summed up the vibe of it perfectly. "For those who feel lost, neither here nor there. But somewhere in the gray."
This was both a beautiful and tragic book that left me emotional and needy for more. I have so many questions and can not wait for more. If you vibe with a book that will have you thinking deeply about life, leaving you with emotional damage and a smile. This ones for you!

[Ines By · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC 🥹

The atmosphere was probably my favorite part. I love dark academia, gothic vibes, mysteries, that's totally my thing ! And this book really nailed it !! You could actually feel that atmosphere while reading.

I also really liked Ren as a main character. Sure, she made some questionable decisions sometimes, but I liked that she actually stopped to think things through instead of just rushing into everything

It's a love triangle and I never fully trusted one of MMC from the beginning. I won't say if I was right or wrong, but there was always something that made me suspicious 🥲

The only thing I wish we'd gotten more of was the relationship between Ren and the two MMCs at the beginning. It felt a little too surface-level for me, so I struggled to really understand why they cared so much about each other. I think I would've been way more invested if we'd had a bit more development there

I actually figured out the main twist around halfway through the book. I almost talked myself out of it because that's not what I thought the book was going to be about based on how it was marketed. So when it turned out I was right, I didn't really know how to feel 😂

Now I'm just really curious to see where book two is going to go because I honestly have no idea what to expect

[Cassiereadsromantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a newer reader of dark romance, Tether was exactly what I needed to ignite my need for more.

When I say I devoured this book, I mean it.

The gothic ambiance, the secrets, the mystery, and the tension had me completely hooked. I loved Ren the FMC . She's lonely, defeated, trying to survive the cruelties of the world around her, and she just wants someone in her corner. I never saw her as naive—I saw a 19-year-old trying to find where she belongs after years of loss and instability, and I think her choices made perfect sense.

Then enters the charming golden boy (literally)... and Loxen, the mysterious, brooding groundskeeper with the devastating smirk, ocean-blue eyes, and the absolute best banter. I was a sucker for the push-and-pull dynamic between Ren and Loxen because that's where the real tension begins.

I also loved the side characters, and the balance between the romance, spice and the overarching mystery was so well done. Between the secret society, mysteries surrounding the town, and twists, I was constantly trying to piece everything together. I guessed one reveal because I felt it in my bones, but others completely surprised me.

This is only book one in a duet, so we're left with plenty of questions and a little heartbreak. I already see revenge and feminine rage on the horizon, and I cannot wait for book two.

[picking_up_the_pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tether 4.5
This was really good! The storyline was interesting. The gothic vibes are strong in this one so if that's your cup of tea, I advise looking into this book. I love gothic vibes.
A creepy manor, a university that's been through some generations of family. Add in some questionable characters and it becomes a great read.
So there are three main characters in this. There's Ren, the fmc. And then there's Reed and Loxen, the mmcs.
I liked Ren but I think she was a little naive for someone who had to be independent early on. As for Reed and Loxen, I think they were written well and they were interesting. In a world of good and evil, I think they both did their characters justice and I'm curious to see where they go in the next book.
I have to say, I think Mauve, was my favorite. Mauve was the longer girl who didn't really have anyone. Mauve was colorful and yet she wasn't because she kept to herself. Despite this, she becomes friends with Ren. She didn't have a lot of page space compared to the other characters, but for me she kind of stood out and I really liked her alot.

There was a lot of unanswered questions that I hope get answered in the next installment.
Speaking of, this does end on a cliffhanger so I would definitely keep that in mind.
Otherwise, really good book and I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens next.



*Thank you so much to the authors and to Luna Literary for letting me arc read this book in advance of its release. I am beyond grateful and appreciate the opportunity. So thank you, thank you!

[nightlyreadingheather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! A short read for me and finished in less than 24 hours!

This one reminded me of my old school YA fantasies from back in 2011-2012, it reads a little like YA but contains some dark themes and the spice!

I love our FMC of Verena! She feels alone and like she just doesn't fit in anywhere. A mysterious letter from her late grandfather, whom she has never met, has her moving to Gravenhurst Manor and inheriting an estate and an academy that she never knew existed. As she navigates this new life, she finds some answers to plaguing questions about her family, but some answers are better left unknown!

We have a fantastic BFF in Mauve who befriends Verena soon after moving to town and starting at the academy. Mauve doesn't agree with all of Verena's choices but never leaves her and continues to allow Verena to work through things on her own while also always standing by her side.

Two love interests! One a grumpy sunshine and the other a golden retriever!

The ending!!! Everything comes to a head towards the very end, and I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor! My heart was shredded for these characters, and I cannot wait to have my hands on the next book, Sever, which, honestly, is so absolutely fitting!

[Keets · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🖤🏰 Tether is a dark, gothic academia romance 🕯️📚 that begins to tell the story of Verena Gravenhurst and her mysterious heritage. 🖤✨

There are so many secrets 🤫 lurking between the people of Hollowcrest 🌫️🏚️, and I have a very strong feeling Verena is about to unleash absolute chaos 💥😈 to expose them all and take down those who have hurt her and the people she loves. ⚔️❤️

I won't lie... the FMC had me frustrated for a little while. 😂🤦🏽‍♀️ I found myself shouting at the pages 📖🗣️, begging her to make better choices! (To be fair... I do the exact same thing when I'm watching films or TV shows. 🤣🍿)

📅 Tether releases on 15th July 2026 and will be available on Amazon. 🛒✨

Now excuse me while I impatiently wait for book two... ⏳📚 because I NEED answers! 😭🙌

✨ What you'll find inside: ✨

🕯️ Secret Society
🫶 Found Family
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
🏰 Gothic Academia
📍 Forced Proximity
🛡️ Protective MMC
💔 Love Triangle
🤍 Will They, Won't They?
🥹 He Falls First

💬 One of my favourite quotes from this book was...

"We're all a little damaged, Verena. That's what makes you human"
"And how are you supposed to know all the answers anyway, when you've only made it through half of the story?"

[RedFireLady Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by either of these authors and I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it early.

2.75 ⭐️
1.75🌶

What's inside:
- Grief
- Plot Twists
- Found Family
- Secret & Intrigue
- Secret Society
- Mysterious Deaths

The premise for the book was ok. A girl finds a letter that mysteriously appears in her apartment, letting her know a grandfather she never knew had died and left her hus massive estate. Once she arrives there, she has to figure out how to navigate a lifestyle she has never know, and it soon becomes obvious everything is not as it seems.

I did spot the plot twists pretty early on, and the story was OK but I didn't love it and I did find mysef fighting to urge to skim to get through the book. It did feel kind of insta-love-ish in the sense that the relationships she has move very quickly and the reader isn't given a lot to build on in their interactions, to show why the FMC ends us feeling like she does.

The book did a hood job of dealing with themes of grief and loss. The way that is handled here is done very well and one of the shining parts of this book for me.

I did find myself liking Lox and wanting to know more about him, and we finally get that near the end of the book.

Thank you to the authors for an eARC of Tether.

[readwithhanhan (IG) · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh wow… this was such a unique and interesting read! i didn’t even read the blurb for this book. i applied for the ARC solely because of the vibes & tropes!

dark gothic academia? it’s always a mood. i love the eerie vibes.. so i definitely ate this book up! i liked that i didn’t know who i could trust and who i couldn’t. like everyone just felt suspicious to me!! it kept me on my toes because i genuinely didn’t know what to expect. and talk about a plot twist… holy moly. i didn’t expect that at all and it kind of makes me want to re read to see if i just missed hints or something??? because wow, i was shook but in a good way! this book was also more emotional than i expected and if you know me i love to be ruined by books! it was honestly such a refreshing but heartbreakingly beautiful read? like i genuinely don’t know how to describe it. but what i can say is i need book 2 immediately because my heart hurtsssss

i want to talk about the characters but i also don’t want to spoil anything so like if these tropes sound interesting to you at all, please read this one!

🖤 enemies to lovers
🐦‍⬛ forced proximity
🖤 secret society
🐦‍⬛ love triangle
🖤 found family

[MorallyGrayGhoulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to start this by saying this book blew me out of the water and I'm so sad that I have to wait until 2027 for book two.

From the playlist, the gothic atmosphere, the references to things such as Wuthering Heights? Absolute perfection in every way possible and I was hooked. Not to mention the world building and all the characters that you couldn't help but love (and some that you couldn't help but hate) it was impossible to put this book down. I appreciate how this book handles things such as grief and friendships. Because life isn't always sunshine and rainbows and that's okay, we learn to move though it, just like Ren did.

Ren or Verena, felt so real. She was just a poor girl down on her luck, with no family and was struggling to find her place in the world. And to have her world turned upside down all over again when her grandfather passes away and leaves her Gravenhurst manor and academy.

And the romance? Ugh, to die for. But Loxen defiantly had my heart from the start, there was just something about Reed that I could not put my finger on...

And that plot twist? Don't even get me started. When I tell you that I was on a roller coster of emotions....Just have your tissues ready because I was defiantly not prepared.

This story is so beautifully written and I can't wait to see what comes next and I absolutely know some stuff is about to go down. So... Can we have book two already?

Thank you So much to both Credence and Demi for the chance to ARC read Tether. I absolutely loved it!

[Whitney Cruthird · Rating 5 out of 5]

How dare you leave us hanging like that?! 😭

Tether completely consumed me from the very first chapter. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter,” and before I knew it, I had reached the end… and now I’m impatiently counting down until book two.

Ren absolutely stole my heart. Beneath everything she’s endured is a girl who simply wants to be loved, and watching her journey had me completely invested. Every answer seemed to uncover three more questions, and the mystery only pulled me in deeper. Demi Valentine and Cadence Smoke masterfully weave together suspense, emotion, and unforgettable characters, making it impossible to stop reading.

I’m proudly Team Loxen all the way, and as for Reed… let’s just say I hope karma has a front-row seat waiting for him.

If you love emotional, addictive stories packed with twists, unanswered questions, and characters that will live rent-free in your head, this duet needs to be on your TBR. Just be prepared to finish book one desperate for the next installment.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I need book two immediately! 📚🖤

Thank you Lunaliterary for the advanced copy.

[Ariana silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Welcome to Hollowcrest, where fates are tethered by secrets, and love knows no bounds.”

The way I immediately applied for this ARC when applications opened because I just knew that it was going to be fantastic. I love anything that Cadence Smoke writes and it was through this book that I also discovered how good Demi Valentine is as well!

From the beginning, this book caught my attention and had me turning the pages. I LOVE a good gothic romance and this one kept me up until 1am because I just needed to finish it! I loved the plot and the vibes this book gives.

Our FMC Verena has had a hard life and just when she was about to give up, she receives a letter from her late grandfathers estate. In the letter, it names her the sole heir to his fortune which includes his manor and an academy. It is at Hollowcrest academy where she realizes that not everything is as it seems, shadows and secrets lurk in the dark.

Verena finds herself torn between the charming son of a founding family and a dark broody groundskeeper who has a sinful smirk and sharp tongue. I mean what more could a girl want?! 🖤😮‍💨🥵

I highly recommend this one when it releases!!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
**Received advance review copy of this book. This is my honest review.**

Tether is a dark/gothic fantasy about Verena, our FMC, seemingly down on her luck until she receives a letter telling her she’s inherited quite a bit from her grandfather.

I don’t usually gravitate towards college/academy romances but Tether proved to be so much more than that. There’s banter, steamy scenes, dark themes, mystery, and so much more. I was immediately pulled in from the start and continued to be enthralled until the very end.

Archie is hands DOWN my favorite character! He is truly the best man in this whole story, other than our MMC Loxen of course. Even the side characters did not seem like secondary additions at all, everyone had a role to play in Ren and Lox’s story.

My only negative is that I did figure out the plot twist very early on, however it did not take anything away from the story at all. I was still very surprised as to how the book concluded and I cannot wait to see how this story progresses in book two, Sever.

[DomsLitCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

Tether is a dark, gothic romance that dives into love, grief, and figuring out where you belong. It also touches on themes of self acceptance, self worth, and learning to trust, which I always enjoy seeing explored.

For me, this book had all the right ingredients. The story had good bones, the characters showed a lot of promise, and there were definitely moments that kept me turning the pages. But I never felt fully pulled into the world. It almost felt like I started reading at chapter 17 instead of chapter 1. We were given a lot of information (including the love interests) without enough buildup or context to make it all click.

I just wanted more. More world building, more answers to the who, what, where, when, and why, and more emotional depth to really make me feel connected to the characters. I think with a little more development, this story could have had an even bigger impact.

Thank you Cadence, Demi, & Luna Literary for an advanced reader copy of Tether (publishing July 15, 2026).

[Briana Swern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Tether
Authors: Cadence Smoke and Demi Valentine

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:

🐦‍⬛ Enemies to lovers
🐦‍⬛ Secret Society
🐦‍⬛ secrets
🐦‍⬛ Forced Proximity
🐦‍⬛ Protective MMC
🐦‍⬛ Love triangle

Quote: You may grieve the dead, but do not let grief rule your heart.

Ren comes from nothing. She was in a foster home at the age of 14 as she lost her mother. She’s had to work for everything herself. On the brink of being homeless she finds a purple envelope. A life she thought she would never have presents herself.

Loxen is mysterious, rough around the edges and has secrets of his own. The one thing he’s sure of, he needs to protect her and she’s become everything to him.

Don’t get me started on Reed..

This book was full of emotion, twist and turns that had you gasping. I had suspicions and oh my gosh when the ball dropped your heart breaks! Oh and everyone needs a friend like Mauve.

This book left me wide open and I immediately need book two!
So well written and you can feel the emotions bleeding through the pages!! Definetly my fav reed this year!!