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Love in Hallowed Spaces
Not yet published
Expected 27 Jun 26
What if protecting everything you fought for meant losing the only love that ever felt real?
Dr. Sal Poe rebuilt her life in the cozy autumn town of St. a new career, a beloved community art center, and a future with her fiancé, business tycoon Rafa Tovar. But as wedding plans collide with the demands of daily life, Sal can’t shake her growing unease about what marriage to Rafa will mean.
Then brilliant, brooding art curator Harmon Moon arrives with a secret that threatens everything she’s built. To protect her future, Sal is drawn into a high-stakes wager that takes her far from St. Stephenshire and straight into Harmon’s orbit in the vibrant streets of Manila, while Rafa stays behind to uncover the town’s magical origins.
As Sal and Harmon clash, their rivalry turns electric, kindling a connection neither of them can deny. Back in St. Stephenshire, Rafa makes a startling discovery and brings to Manila evidence of ancient magic that could change everything.
As the town’s hidden magic reveals its own designs, Sal must choose between the future she planned, the love she didn’t expect, and the life that feels most truly her own.
Dr. Sal Poe rebuilt her life in the cozy autumn town of St. a new career, a beloved community art center, and a future with her fiancé, business tycoon Rafa Tovar. But as wedding plans collide with the demands of daily life, Sal can’t shake her growing unease about what marriage to Rafa will mean.
Then brilliant, brooding art curator Harmon Moon arrives with a secret that threatens everything she’s built. To protect her future, Sal is drawn into a high-stakes wager that takes her far from St. Stephenshire and straight into Harmon’s orbit in the vibrant streets of Manila, while Rafa stays behind to uncover the town’s magical origins.
As Sal and Harmon clash, their rivalry turns electric, kindling a connection neither of them can deny. Back in St. Stephenshire, Rafa makes a startling discovery and brings to Manila evidence of ancient magic that could change everything.
As the town’s hidden magic reveals its own designs, Sal must choose between the future she planned, the love she didn’t expect, and the life that feels most truly her own.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 27, 2026
About the author
Beatrice Pobre
2 books33 followersBeatrice Pobre grew up reading classics and literary fiction. She was born and raised in the Philippines where she continues to reside with her husband, her children, her cats, and her library full of books and graphic novels. She has an MSc. in Dentistry and is an Orthodontist by trade but considers herself to be a writer at heart. The Perpetual Autumn Series is her first series.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 14, 2026
“sadly, all things worth having come with sacrifices. that’s just how life works.”
the first part of the book really got me intrigued and hooked… but by chapter 25 onwards, i felt nothing but resentment and deep fear. i also felt so bad for rafa because i’ve been in his shoes and i just wanna commend him for his patience and understanding for sal. the ending was the kind i expected, but all the events that led there weren’t things i really wanted to read. i don’t know if i consider this as romance because i don’t know if sal and rafa truly loved each other, nor did sal and harmon have any love at all.
i also hope the trigger warnings explicitly included cheating because their “romance” revolved around that.
the first part of the book really got me intrigued and hooked… but by chapter 25 onwards, i felt nothing but resentment and deep fear. i also felt so bad for rafa because i’ve been in his shoes and i just wanna commend him for his patience and understanding for sal. the ending was the kind i expected, but all the events that led there weren’t things i really wanted to read. i don’t know if i consider this as romance because i don’t know if sal and rafa truly loved each other, nor did sal and harmon have any love at all.
i also hope the trigger warnings explicitly included cheating because their “romance” revolved around that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
📖: Love in Hallowed Spaces — Beatrice Pobre 🍁🇵🇭✨
ARC Review:
📝 Plot — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The plot kept me invested from beginning to end. What started as a story about friendship, family, art, and inheritance slowly unfolded into something much deeper. I genuinely didn’t expect many of the turns the story took, especially as the emotional stakes became higher. The wager, the inheritance, and the complicated relationships between the characters created tension that kept me turning the pages.
By the later chapters, I found myself emotionally attached to the outcome and questioning what I would do if I were in the characters’ shoes.
👥 Characters — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The characters felt incredibly real.
Sal is a character I both understood and felt frustrated with at times. She is independent and determined to build a life different from the one she came from, yet she is constantly pulled between what she wants and what others expect from her. Her struggles felt authentic and relatable.
Harmon is a deeply wounded character whose pain stems from abandonment and a broken family. His connection with Sal comes from a place of shared understanding, making their relationship emotionally compelling even when I wasn’t always sure I agreed with their choices.
Rafa stood out to me because of his kindness. In a story filled with emotional conflict, he represents a quieter kind of love.. one that allows someone the freedom to make their own decisions even when those decisions may be painful.
✍️ Writing Style — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The writing was immersive and atmospheric.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how alive the world felt. Reading it felt less like watching events unfold and more like being welcomed into a community. I often felt like an observer sitting among the characters, listening to conversations and witnessing their lives firsthand.
The art world elements were particularly fascinating. They made me curious enough to look up places and imagine visiting them myself someday. The setting and details added so much richness to the reading experience.
💔 Emotional Impact — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book hurt in the best way.
From around Chapter 30 onward, my heart genuinely ached for the characters. The story explores what it means to be understood by someone without needing to explain yourself.. a feeling that is both comforting and heartbreaking.
What stayed with me most was the question of sacrifice. Being understood is powerful, but is it enough when difficult choices and compromises are involved?
As someone who values independence, I found myself relating to Sal’s internal struggles. I understand the desire to build your own life and stand on your own feet. At the same time, the story reminded me that even independent people sometimes want to be cared for and supported.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Love in Hallowed Spaces is more than a romance. It’s a story about family wounds, friendship, identity, sacrifice, and the longing to be truly seen by another person.
I laughed, I worried, I became attached to the characters, and by the end, I felt as though I had spent time living alongside them in Saint Stephenshire.
A beautifully written and emotionally moving read that left me thinking long after I turned the final page.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
ARC Review:
📝 Plot — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The plot kept me invested from beginning to end. What started as a story about friendship, family, art, and inheritance slowly unfolded into something much deeper. I genuinely didn’t expect many of the turns the story took, especially as the emotional stakes became higher. The wager, the inheritance, and the complicated relationships between the characters created tension that kept me turning the pages.
By the later chapters, I found myself emotionally attached to the outcome and questioning what I would do if I were in the characters’ shoes.
👥 Characters — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The characters felt incredibly real.
Sal is a character I both understood and felt frustrated with at times. She is independent and determined to build a life different from the one she came from, yet she is constantly pulled between what she wants and what others expect from her. Her struggles felt authentic and relatable.
Harmon is a deeply wounded character whose pain stems from abandonment and a broken family. His connection with Sal comes from a place of shared understanding, making their relationship emotionally compelling even when I wasn’t always sure I agreed with their choices.
Rafa stood out to me because of his kindness. In a story filled with emotional conflict, he represents a quieter kind of love.. one that allows someone the freedom to make their own decisions even when those decisions may be painful.
✍️ Writing Style — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The writing was immersive and atmospheric.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how alive the world felt. Reading it felt less like watching events unfold and more like being welcomed into a community. I often felt like an observer sitting among the characters, listening to conversations and witnessing their lives firsthand.
The art world elements were particularly fascinating. They made me curious enough to look up places and imagine visiting them myself someday. The setting and details added so much richness to the reading experience.
💔 Emotional Impact — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book hurt in the best way.
From around Chapter 30 onward, my heart genuinely ached for the characters. The story explores what it means to be understood by someone without needing to explain yourself.. a feeling that is both comforting and heartbreaking.
What stayed with me most was the question of sacrifice. Being understood is powerful, but is it enough when difficult choices and compromises are involved?
As someone who values independence, I found myself relating to Sal’s internal struggles. I understand the desire to build your own life and stand on your own feet. At the same time, the story reminded me that even independent people sometimes want to be cared for and supported.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Love in Hallowed Spaces is more than a romance. It’s a story about family wounds, friendship, identity, sacrifice, and the longing to be truly seen by another person.
I laughed, I worried, I became attached to the characters, and by the end, I felt as though I had spent time living alongside them in Saint Stephenshire.
A beautifully written and emotionally moving read that left me thinking long after I turned the final page.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Romance is a universal experience. However, this universality sometimes also becomes repetitive when written. So, I love it when stories live beyond the black-and-white and challenge us to understand the characters' line of thought, as if they were real people - alive, complex, human.
I started this book expecting a lighthearted fiction with a sprinkle of magic. If I was being honest, Rafa only felt like a secondary character in the first book to me. There was little affection I felt about their love story and I was more invested in Sal's story per se. Naturally, when I first read what the book is about, I was instantly curious about the second male lead. However, I know how a lot of people don't like reading about a second love interest and if you don't like that, you will probably find it difficult to read through this.
By the end of Part Two, I gasped. Audibly. I then realized just how deep I was into this whole situation with Sal, Raf, and Harmon. I was invested in Sal's journey towards discovering what she wants. I swooned over Harmon's charm. I dreaded what Raf would feel. My feelings got tossed around but like in the first book, I was more interested about what Sal would do and how she’ll navigate her feelings.
With that, the women’s fiction side of this novel comes to light. In one scene, it mentioned that even when a woman marries into money and for love, the price women pay to marry and build a family is still a high price to pay. More so if she's a self-made woman who worked hard to achieve what she has and the freedom she enjoys. "So when a woman says yes to a life with someone, know that she is willingly choosing to compromise it all."
I think that beautifully captures, in a tidbit, what almost every woman feels when they decide if they want a family or not. It's not just being able to afford it or finding the time for it but it's also putting everyone else before yourself for decades. It's brave and amazing but women should be allowed to make that decision when they are ready for it.
So, if you're looking for something that is cozy but emotionally-driven or maybe, just something to pull your heartstrings, Love in Hallowed Spaces will comfort you, frustrate you, throw you in for a loop, then bring you back home.
I started this book expecting a lighthearted fiction with a sprinkle of magic. If I was being honest, Rafa only felt like a secondary character in the first book to me. There was little affection I felt about their love story and I was more invested in Sal's story per se. Naturally, when I first read what the book is about, I was instantly curious about the second male lead. However, I know how a lot of people don't like reading about a second love interest and if you don't like that, you will probably find it difficult to read through this.
By the end of Part Two, I gasped. Audibly. I then realized just how deep I was into this whole situation with Sal, Raf, and Harmon. I was invested in Sal's journey towards discovering what she wants. I swooned over Harmon's charm. I dreaded what Raf would feel. My feelings got tossed around but like in the first book, I was more interested about what Sal would do and how she’ll navigate her feelings.
With that, the women’s fiction side of this novel comes to light. In one scene, it mentioned that even when a woman marries into money and for love, the price women pay to marry and build a family is still a high price to pay. More so if she's a self-made woman who worked hard to achieve what she has and the freedom she enjoys. "So when a woman says yes to a life with someone, know that she is willingly choosing to compromise it all."
I think that beautifully captures, in a tidbit, what almost every woman feels when they decide if they want a family or not. It's not just being able to afford it or finding the time for it but it's also putting everyone else before yourself for decades. It's brave and amazing but women should be allowed to make that decision when they are ready for it.
So, if you're looking for something that is cozy but emotionally-driven or maybe, just something to pull your heartstrings, Love in Hallowed Spaces will comfort you, frustrate you, throw you in for a loop, then bring you back home.
May 26, 2026
i think my biggest takeaway after finishing this duology (??) is that you can really feel the author growing into her writing between book 1 and now book 2.
i appreciated book 1 for its cozy atmosphere and its handling of grief, even if i can see why some people found the prose a little too flowery. honestly, it felt very classic literary fiction-inspired to me, which i personally didn’t mind. going into book 2, i was really curious to see how the author would expand both the world and the relationships, and i do think this sequel is much stronger overall.
the writing felt more confident and the story itself more ambitious. i especially enjoyed seeing the world expand beyond the first setting, particularly with the hints of ancient magic/history woven into everything. i actually wish we got even more lore because those sections ended up being some of my favorites 😆
that said… i was definitely nervous about the love triangle. some parts genuinely kept me on my toes because i was scared of possible emotional overlap HAHAHA. while the messiness frustrated me at times, i also found the characters and their choices very human.
ngl i’d also probably have a hard time choosing between the two male characters 😭
what i appreciated most, though, was that the story never treated the relationship history lightly. even through all the rough patches and misunderstandings, it still felt like the characters valued everything they had built together.
overall, this felt emotionally complete to me, and i really appreciated the closure at the end.
i appreciated book 1 for its cozy atmosphere and its handling of grief, even if i can see why some people found the prose a little too flowery. honestly, it felt very classic literary fiction-inspired to me, which i personally didn’t mind. going into book 2, i was really curious to see how the author would expand both the world and the relationships, and i do think this sequel is much stronger overall.
the writing felt more confident and the story itself more ambitious. i especially enjoyed seeing the world expand beyond the first setting, particularly with the hints of ancient magic/history woven into everything. i actually wish we got even more lore because those sections ended up being some of my favorites 😆
that said… i was definitely nervous about the love triangle. some parts genuinely kept me on my toes because i was scared of possible emotional overlap HAHAHA. while the messiness frustrated me at times, i also found the characters and their choices very human.
ngl i’d also probably have a hard time choosing between the two male characters 😭
what i appreciated most, though, was that the story never treated the relationship history lightly. even through all the rough patches and misunderstandings, it still felt like the characters valued everything they had built together.
overall, this felt emotionally complete to me, and i really appreciated the closure at the end.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Having read the author’s first book, I definitely noticed the growth in her writing. I can safely say I enjoyed this one even more. Though I might be slightly biased because I’m a romance girlie. 💗
This book stays true to its promise: cozy from beginning to end. The moment I found out another man was entering the picture, I was immediately triggered. Sal and Rafa? Their ship had long, long sailed! Periodt
So I went into this story fully expecting frustration, disappointment and heartbreak. True enought, I felt all of those… and more. 🥲 Rafa wrecked me. I genuinely teared up for him more than once.
But perhaps that’s what made the story work so well. The characters made choices that weren’t always easy or ideal. And because of that they felt real. Human. Flawed.
What I loved most, however, was the setting. The author’s vision of Old Manila came alive on the page. As someone who absolutely adores traditional Filipino culture (i had a Filipiniana-themed wedding at Las Casas!) I deeply appreciated the beautiful historical spaces woven throughout the story. And of course, I’ve always loved the way St. Stephenshire is portrayed!
Love in Hallowed Spaces is a cozy, whimsical, nostalgic book. It’s a story about love and the choices that quietly shape who we become. 💗
This book stays true to its promise: cozy from beginning to end. The moment I found out another man was entering the picture, I was immediately triggered. Sal and Rafa? Their ship had long, long sailed! Periodt
So I went into this story fully expecting frustration, disappointment and heartbreak. True enought, I felt all of those… and more. 🥲 Rafa wrecked me. I genuinely teared up for him more than once.
But perhaps that’s what made the story work so well. The characters made choices that weren’t always easy or ideal. And because of that they felt real. Human. Flawed.
What I loved most, however, was the setting. The author’s vision of Old Manila came alive on the page. As someone who absolutely adores traditional Filipino culture (i had a Filipiniana-themed wedding at Las Casas!) I deeply appreciated the beautiful historical spaces woven throughout the story. And of course, I’ve always loved the way St. Stephenshire is portrayed!
Love in Hallowed Spaces is a cozy, whimsical, nostalgic book. It’s a story about love and the choices that quietly shape who we become. 💗
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May 14, 2026ill come back. im gonna sit with my thoughts first and then put here my thoughts after
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May 20, 2026will come back to post my review
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews