Love Like Ruin

by Reign Reeves Pearson

These three stories are hymns for the haunted—tales of love that wounds, devotion that refuses to die, and the quiet violence of wanting what the world insists you shouldn’t. In the heat-heavy South, where grief grows like kudzu and memories cling like humidity, the heart never forgets its debts.

Each story follows a soul trapped between devotion and ruin—the ones who stayed too long, the ones who fled too late, and the ones who came back when the past should have been left to rot.

Steeped in heat, heartbreak, and holy-edge yearning, this trio of southern gothic tales unravels the darker shapes of devotion—what it demands, what it destroys, and what survives in the ashes.

182 pages, Paperback

Published February 14, 2026

About the author

Reign Reeves Pearson is a writer, storyteller, and chaos enthusiast based in Houston, where she lives with her husband, four kids, and three cats who may or may not be plotting world domination. She thrives on Kopiko, rainy days, and an endless love for Final Fantasy VII and Dungeons & Dragons.
She’s been writing for as long as she can remember. But in 2019, a health scare forced her to take a hard look at her life, and the answer was clear: writing wasn’t just something she did. It was what she was meant to do.
Her debut novel and series, Poseidon’s Daughters: Reckoning, is her first and only planned adventure into sci-fi. Going forward, expect Southern Gothic chills, cosmic nightmares, and nostalgic ‘90s horror—all infused with her signature mix of heart, humor, and a touch of the macabre.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably dreaming up elaborate D&D campaigns, getting emotionally wrecked by Final Fantasy VII (again), or staring dramatically out a window while it rains.

Reviews

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible collection of short stories. It's one of the strongest I've ever read. It's a wild show of force, a proof of skill, a promise of what's to come. I am so excited to read more from Reign. I'm going to hold these stories with me forever.

The first story was my favourite. The dripping imagery that flowed from the very start is what pulled me into the collection as a whole. The themes of worship, faith, and sacrifice made this all the more poignant.

I highly recommend reading this book.

[Harriet Ashford · Rating 5 out of 5]

These short stories were incredible. I absolutely adored the southern goth vibe to all of them and how hauntingly beautiful the prose was. Reign has breathtaking descriptions and character dilemas that feel both impossible and painfully real at the same time. Can't wait to read more of her work!