The Laboratory Assistant

by Natalia Loya

In a city on the brink of revolution, science and passion offer their own strains of violence.

Petrograd, 1916 After her aristocratic family's fall from fortune, Mariya is desperate to survive - and to support her widowed mother and sisters. Matters alleviate when she finds work as an assistant to Dr. Nikolas Rodin, a reclusive scientist. Though the job makes ends meet, she is soon pulled into his strange and secretive world: a world of flickering gaslights, whispered experiments, and a man whose brilliance is as alluring as it is unstable.

Tuberculosis and revolution both ravage Russia. And as political unrest swells and illness creeps closer, Mariya finds herself torn between a future of safety and a love that threatens to unravel everything. But in the dark corridors of the laboratory, nothing is as it seems - and the line between devotion and danger disappears entirely.

Darkly romantic and steeped in suspense, THE LABORATORY ASSISTANT explores the perilous chemistry of desire, madness, and the choices that haunt us.

Genres: Historical Fiction

392 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Laboratory Assistant was exactly the kind of atmospheric historical fiction I love.

Set during the Russian Revolution, this story combines gothic suspense, romance, political unrest, and scientific ambition into a compelling and immersive read. From mausoleums and family crypts to a creepy old laboratory filled with secrets, the atmosphere practically drips off the page.

Mariya was an easy protagonist to root for. As her family’s world crumbles around her, she finds herself working alongside the enigmatic Dr. Nikolas Rodin, whose research may change everything. What begins as a story of survival quickly becomes something much darker and more complex.

The gothic elements were my favorite part of the novel. The sanatorium setting, mysterious experiments, inspector investigation, and growing sense of unease gave this book strong dark academia vibes. There were several moments where I genuinely wasn’t sure where the story was heading, and I loved the suspense that created.

I also appreciated how the novel explored the intersection of science, morality, obsession, and love. The “mad scientist” undertones added another fascinating layer to the story without turning it into outright horror.

If you enjoy:
🖤 Gothic historical fiction
🖤 Dark academia vibes
🖤 Women in STEM
🖤 Atmospheric romance
🖤 Russian Revolution settings
🖤 Mystery and suspense

I definitely recommend picking this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All opinions are my own 📚✨

Favorite takeaway: This felt like a gothic romance wrapped inside a historical mystery, with just enough creeping dread to keep me glued to the pages 🖤

[Laurynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Laboratory Assistant was atmospheric, lush, and immersive.
In 1916 Petrograd, we follow former aristocrat Mariya struggling to make ends meet for her family, while the threat of revolution and consumption (tuberculosis) arise. When she meets mysterious scientist Nikolas Rodin, her life shifts dramatically.
I felt like this was incredibly interesting. This is slightly outside of my typical genre reads, but I couldn’t put it down. Every time I would go to pause, the story would shift and I simply had to continue. I had no clue what would happen or how the book was ending, I loved that. The writing was cohesive and highly thought out. I personally loved the romance.
I struggled a bit with the third person POV, switching from following primarily Mariya to occasionally other characters in a way that felt abrupt. It took a second to be like “oh wait this isn’t Mariya anymore”. That’s my only complaint, and it’s so minor.
I loved how the author leaves room for interpretation with some subtle nuances, and addresses heavy topics with such grace. This story will stick with me for its originality and detail.

-1916 Russia
-gothic historical fiction
-madness
-romance
-how far will you go for those you love?
-political upheaval
-women in STEM

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say if you are looking for an exciting historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution which features a woman working in STEM you need to check out the Laboratory Assistant. Not only will this tale have you rooting for the female empowerment in a male dominated field but it will have you in absolute sitches over the side story of forbidden love. I will say that this story had been rooting for these characters and begging for them to make a difference not only in the path of science but also their personal lives as well.

We are introduced to Mariya who was once apart of a aristocratic family. However, the recent events of the Russian Revolution that has put an end to things leaving her family destitute. She ends up finding work as an assistant to Dr. Nikolas Rodin. From there they will work side by side trying to figure out a cure for Tuberculosis and also fight the growing attraction between them. However, with these difficult times and uncertain future will their love manage to blossom?

[Robert L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amid the upheaval of the approaching Russian Revolution, Mireya Sokolova, the oldest daughter of an impoverished aristocratic family, must support her two younger sisters as well as her dying mother, whose frail body is racked with consumption. Mireya is desperate to rescue her family from the brink of starvation, and when she finds employment with a handsome, yet troubled young scientist who is working on a cure for tuberculosis, The Laboratory Assistant’s values and beliefs are changed forever. Natalia Loya’s debut novel delivers a meticulously well crafted story that is both gut-wrenching and suspenseful.
I received and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[muscularhellokitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book punched me in that soft spot where hope and dread coexist. Set in 1916 Petrograd, this story follows a girl who becomes an assistant to a brilliant, unstable scientist on the brink of revolution, hoping the job will save her family before the city devours them. A girl who is only trying to save her family while her city is collapsing before her very eyes, and a man whose intelligence feels as deadly as it is seductive. It’s tender, eerie and exquisitely gothic.

[Belinda Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mariya is such an intriguing character. Hearing those voices from the Aslyum would make me crazy and seeing her handling them was really enthralling. Also Dr. Nikolas Rodin i loved him and how Mariya took care of him, and Viktor and everyone in the Asylum all together it had my eyes glued to my kindle. The vividness, the atmosphere, the timeline, the characters and their relationships, the setting, and the plot in whole was well fleshed out and written. This book deserves more than 5 stars.

[Jennifer Quinlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

No spoilers:
Enticing, careful, dark, delicious--this is your next read!
Natalia Loya's latest book, The Laboratory Assistant, had me reaching for my favorite floral teapot, pouring some smokey black tea. . . and dreaming of old world romance circa 1916 with every turn of the page.