Arcana

by Jess Whitecroft

Psychology professor and cult expert Gus Fox doesn’t believe in deprogramming, but that means nothing to billionaire Graydon Winter, when he demands that Gus recover his son, Michael, from a cult. The cult – Arcana – lives off the grid and out of reach of civilization, and they’re led by a mysterious woman known only as Starling.

Armed with bullet points, numerous books and a wealth of experience, Gus heads to the California desert, expecting to find a cult but instead finding a small eco-village where the rain falls out of nowhere, new memories make no sense, and nothing is exactly as it seems. And then there’s Michael, who is bewitching in more ways than one.

As Michael and Gus’s initial attraction blooms into an intoxicating affair, the new lovers find themselves swept up in an occult drama that goes not only to the origins of Starling and Arcana but to painful and long avoided truths about who they really are.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Contemporary, Romance, Supernatural

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 13, 2020

About the author

Jess Whitecroft was born and educated in the UK, where she was once voted 'Most Likely To Think That Writing A Romantic Comedy About Bigfoot Is A Good Idea'.

After serving an apprenticeship with the late, great Black Lace books, and after many genres and many pseudonyms, she returned to romance, with a fondness for telling unconventional stories about unconventional lovers.

Reviews

[annob [on hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took a chance with this book in spite of the occult theme because I've loved another book by this author so I knew I would click with the writing style. I really enjoyed the mysterious start, as well as the professor, Gus, introduced to us as an expert in his field of work but also a divorced, rather sad loner. I found him quietly charming. I shared his beliefs in the occult, complete scepticism, and I was looking forward to how he - and I - would be converted to believers.

Oddly, the man who supposedly was the one with irresistable charm, I struggled to connect with. Michael, a billionaire's estranged son, made me feel absolutely nothing. I can't pinpoint why I struggled to connect with him, but perhaps that played into why I found myself out of sync with the romantic development between the MCs. To add to my issues, I'm not personally a fan of M/F on-page steamy scenes in a book I expected to be a gay romance, unless they play an integral part of driving the storyline of the main romance. I'm not convinced they did, here.

Large parts of the plot involved side characters and non-romantic events, naturally causing the romance to take a step back from the spotlight. I think the only reason I had a problem with this is that the themes were not a good match for me. The two guys spent a lot of time talking about the history of occult events and persons, and sadly I found those parts boring rather than engaging. However, that has all to do with me and not a fault of the book.

I believe readers who are interested occult themes will end up liking this story much more than I did, as the writing style and the inventiveness and details of the plot were really good, just not for me.

[Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those books which are frankly enjoyable in spite of their weaknesses. I think that's where most of Jess Whitecroft's books fall for me. The plots and motivations are pretty shonky, but the characters (generally well-intentioned & snarky) and the overall air of slightly bonkers good-humour carry the thing off.

[~nikki the recovering book addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow....

What a book! What a story and what an absolutely well thought out book. I’m amazed by all the random facts I’ve learned throughout this book. It’s awesome!! It’s definitely well researched, with enough mystery to entice you along and once it pulled you deep enough, it begins to unravel just enough that you think you know where it’s going and then BAM!! It goes completely the other way.

Super impressed at the moment. Truly a wonderful, wonderful read. I’d give this 6 stars if I could because I’m just that amazed and impressed and blown away by this story. Wow... just wow.

Sorry... can’t say more. You really need to read this!! 😆

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars / Brilliant Read

Whenever I read a book by Jess Whitecroft ; I know by now, that is going to have an unique content.

Even though, it took me the first 1 1/2 chapters to get a clear understanding of the storyline and plotlines ; I was hook, line and sinker from the start. And when I thought, I had it all resolved; out of the left field , the plots twist began. Fun times for sure! LOL

Slow burn, UST, snark, magic, cults, well researched, Jim Jones, layered world building, blunt, weird, hot AF, smart, humorous, intriguing, Flavor Aid, rituals, clairvoyant, fun, outspoken, witty, misanthropic comes to mind when thinking about Arcana. As well as, entertaining, well thought out read.

Re-read: Yes
Recommend: Yes

#BooksILove #ReadOn2020 #KU #Amazon #Kindle #ARC via #Booksprout #VoluntarilyLeavingReview

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

TBR rescue project. Jess Whitecroft is so reliably good that it would be annoying, if it wasn't directly to my benefit.

This was kind of weird, but highly readable all the same.

[Allyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess Whitecroft is one of my favorite authors, so I was really excited about this one. The subject matter is really interesting and different. Her writing is always so smart, and Michael and Gus are both such fascinating characters. It’s a sweet love story about opening yourself up to the impossible.

[Yasaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd say this was 3.75 stars, but I'm rounding up, obviously. I was significantly more invested and interested in the mystery and plot here than I was the romance. Gus and Michael had good chemistry, and the heat between them was great (as were the sex scenes), but when they each had their "I'm in love with him!" realization and then declarations, they just left me cold. Also, something about the pacing at around the 50% mark was off: there was something missing around here for me, like the novel could've been bulked up at this point with more relationship building and some more digging into Gus's issues.

I feel like a broken record lately, what with always banging my fists on the table going "MORE SLOW BURN" but seriously, more slow burn.

Anyway, very much liked the witchy stuff and the plot. Would read a sequel of Gus and Michael doing witchy things!

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story went completely opposite to what I was expecting and it bummed me. I wanted science and it went the paranormal way. I wanted the MCs to build their new home together and they stayed. I REALLY wanted Starling to be outcasted and she was ina way redeemed. The cousins once removed being intimate was way more upsetting than I would've thought. Maybe because of all the ritualistic thing. Anyways... Jess Whitecroft has a gift fleshing her characters, the plot wasa interesting but I didn't like where it went. Still loved Gus and Michael together although it went from 0 to 100 a little fast.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has got to be the mindfuckiest thing I have read in a long time - maybe ever. But I kinda really liked it? Will definitely check out other books by this author.

[Mikki James - Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a different kind of romance. Graydon Winter contacts Gus Fox, an expert in cults to rescue his son from the Arcana cult. Gus has spent his life researching and learning about cults, but he didn't expect to be profoundly changed when he went to Arcana and met Michael.

This book delves into the mystery of cults and has both men questioning everything they believe in. It will keep you hooked to your seat, eager to finish the next page. There are twists and turns coupled with heated romance scenes that will have your toes curling. It is definitely a different take on the romance genre coupled with this new scientific/magical element.

I received an advanced copy of this book on Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[HAYLEY SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!


Jess Whitecroft is one of my favourite authors, everything she has written is just so interesting, clever and beautifully written.
I loved this book, Gus and Michael are such wonderful characters and I found this story fascinating and utterly briliant.

I received a free copy of this of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Meg (queer_book_recs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical realism and romance.

I’m a big Jess Whitecroft fan and went into this book without reading the blurb. I wasn’t sure about it for the first few chapters but was definitely hooked before long. Sometimes with Jess’s books you just need to be patient and let things fall into place. This book is pretty plot-heavy and I thought the story was fantastic! I love magical realism and it was written in that style. It reminded me of an Alice Hoffman book, but with Jess’s trademark irreverent humor. It was a little insta-lovey with the two main characters but I’m ok with that. Really enjoyed this book!!!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/1/2021)! 🎁

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really needing a palate cleanser after the previous Whitecroft and this was nice. I love me a paranormal romance, including a professor that specializes in cults--whaaa?

I liked the plot. I didn't have the squicky feels of a major age difference (7 years isn't bad when they are both in their 30s*) or ethics issues like Gus did. I appreciated that they made each other question themselves (Am I really in a cult? Is this mysticism real?).

I did think the incestish (really there's no -ish about it-if you share a great-grandma, you're too related to boink*) relationship between Cam and Michael was uncomfortable.

The plot twist Gus is magic too whaaa? was fun and I wish there had been an epilogue about it where Gus goes out and does altruistic stuff. That's just me wanting a perfect ending though, and Jess does a great job of writing complicated characters with complicated endings. Still, I hate that there are poor ghosts out there that are sad and Gus can hear them and can't do anything about it. I want them to have happy endings too! Maybe they need to get in touch with Jason and Ange from Ghosted

*These are my opinions that I have for myself. They may be different from your opinions and that's okay.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Gus is a college lecturer on cults who's picked up by the powerful father of a young (well, thirty years old) man and eventually persuaded/coerced into heading into the desert to "rescue" him from a supposed cult. Gus goes, he meets the man--whose name is Michael--and... things happen. I enjoyed lots of aspects of this book: it's been meticulously researched and is full of fascinating history about cults, other famous "psychics" and so on, mingled with a plot that is, of course, pure fiction. But all this is quite weighty and the romance, I couldn't help feeling, ending up taking something of a back seat--a bit of a problem for something that's billed as a romance novel. Also *possible spoiler* Gus's character makes a hard left turn about two thirds of way though, which stretched incredulity rather a lot. His voice, at the start, felt right and natural, and quite funny in places, while the change felt forced, as though the author wasn't entirely comfortable with it, either. It all comes together at the end, and overall it was a good read, but it's not a strong favourite in the way several other books by this writer are.

[Stephanie W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical, page-turning, must finish in one sitting, novel.

At the request of a father, Gus is asked to find his son, Michael.
Upon arrival, Gus feels Arcana may be a bit not his speed, thinking along the lines of Jonestown and the leader, Jim Jones. To Gus's surprise, he does not expect to become intrigued with it.

There are too many facets to cover without completely giving it away. I personally, could not read this without becoming entranced from the story line. Gus and Michael had some steamy encounters with fabulous character and world building.

Having been the first book I've read by this author, I was not disappointed in the slightest. Arcana is worthy of adding to my re-read list of books, and that is a very small group.

**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**

[Gwendolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arcane by Jess Whitecroft is a bit like being caught in a tornado. You’ve lost your socks, there’s a house barreling toward you on the other side of the cyclone, and you can sorta see where you’re going… until the wind decides differently, of course.

This book is packed. Not only is there romance, but you get a mystery, crime and suspense, an evil billionaire, the supernatural, and even some nice historical asides. Whitecroft’s prose is addicting, easy to consume, and littered with snarky asides or snicker-worthy jokes. The dialogue flowed so easily from one topic to the other that I almost didn’t mind the condensed history of cults packed alongside the mommy issues that both characters had… until I was at the 85% mark and realized, holy crap, this book was going to end and I had so many questions. I clearly needed an extra hundred pages to appreciate All The Plot.

And whoooo boy there was a lot of plot. Breathlessly, the book shot from kidnapping suspense to a cult mystery to a supernatural revelation. And, somehow, Whitecroft packed in a romance with characters carrying some serious baggage. By the end, as layer after layer was unraveled, I desperately wanted more motivation, introspection, and history on our characters. I was a bit overwhelmed at times, making me question the why, who, and when of it all. In particular, the romance felt fast to me, when I think we could have easily settled in with a slow burn that spanned a trilogy, even. Instead, we race to pretend-married to betrayal, to some sexy pieces of deep love that would make even Romeo and Juliet’s heads spin, before the rest of the plot (tapping it’s impatient foot) said, “Enough if that already! A mystery awaits!”

I certainly enjoyed the story, but there was a lot hanging that impeded my acceptance of the events and character motivations. That being said, I will revisit Whitecroft’s other works as overall it was an enjoyable experience, even if it did drop me, befuddled and without my glasses, on the ground before advancing to sweep up another reader

[Justine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arcana is a wonderfully written fascinating book, there is so much going on. This book captured me from the beginning and didn't let go until the very end. A lot of work went into this book and it shows. When Gus took a job to bring back Michael, from a cult to his father, he had no idea it would change his world in so many ways. This story has a lot of twists and turns and things I didn't see coming and there is so much growth in the characters. If you enjoy unconventional love stories that are a bit heavy I recommend this one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first written review for a reason

It’s my first review here. I give stars, but don’t write reviews, relying on my own stars in order to recall whether or not I should read more by the author. I’m inclined to do this because I want more people to read Jess Whitecroft’s books! This one is just another in a long line of funny, intelligent, and unique M/M romance books. I’m drawn to the genre because they mostly stray from the formulaic, sappy M/F books I read for most of my life. Whitecroft is the epitome of what I love about the genre. It is evident she’s a pro at weaving relationship-building with research and humor and love. Please, please read her books.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kept thinking about Alice in Wonderland when I was reading this story. The unexpected happens to the expert, Gus, who goes in search of Michael at the behest of Michael's dad who wants him saved from the cult that Michael is living in. Gus does not expect to be affected by Arcana, nor does expect to become so attracted to Michael. This is such good story telling and I won't spend time rehashing it here but I will say it was worth the read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[T Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful book. The book led you on an amazing adventure and had twists and turns that led the reader through a gamut of experiences.The characters, from nasty to admirable, were critical to the the storyline. They, each and every one, played their role perfectly that the story was captivating. It held you from page one to the final turning of the last page, glued to it. It was mesmerizing in every way. A superior and very spectacular escapade.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[KLB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arcana is such a wonderfully, unexpected love story. It’s well written and there is such a wide range of characters. I mean, how could there not be when Gus, a psychology professor specializing in cults, is paid to rescue Michael, a witchy and very sexy man from a cult but instead falls in love with him and embraces his own witchiness! There were so many twists and turns in the plot but I found they only added to the story of Gus and Michael falling in love. It was the perfect blend of romance, mystery, paranormal activity, and wittiness.

[EfuaGitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF - which is a first for me when it comes to Whitecroft. I usually love everything she writes, but this was not for me. I will forever be a non believer to all things supernatural or religious. Not a sceptic, as they say in this book, but a to the bone none believer.
The book is just as well written and well researched as any book from Whitecroft, but at 50 % I still don’t feel anything for Michael. He is a blank and uninteresting person to me. I don’t see why Gus should bother with him at all.
So sorry to say it, but Whitecroft is obviously not always a safe place for me.

[Brooks 59 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue grabbed me by the throat, and I was simply panting to finish the rest of the book. I love pretty much everything I've read by this author, including this book. Exceptional writing, suspense, fascinating subject matter, twisty plot - it was great.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just begun enjoying the works of Ms. Whitecroft, but her titles haven't dissappointed yet, and Arcana lives up to the rest. If you like magic, steamy romance, and a plot that is actually fun to read, this book is for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! The main trope was completely unexpected and it was such a fun surprise. The dialogue was smooth and the story just picks you up and deposits you in the middle of it without you ever realizing what happened. Book hangover for sure, but in the best way. Simply a great read, highly recommended.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt a little lost reading this and felt like I was constantly playing catchup. Almost like this was the sequel and I missed the beginning. That being said I enjoyed the characters and thought the story interesting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Eleftheria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird as fuck (but in all the best ways). Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing and it's certainly a story unlike any other. At one point I thought oh of course, a witches' coven can also be a cult -- and then it turns there are even more turns after that. All wrapped up nicely too. Not to mention great romance. Author is truly talented.

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very unexpected but highly entertaining storyline. The story was well-written, magical, and the twists and turns really drew me in. I had no problem finishing it in one sitting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy, trippy, romantic

This story takes a moment to get into, but then I was completely hooked. Jess writes unique stories and this is no exception. Fun story. Great characters. Spicy romance. Jess is a one-click author and I highly recommend all of their books.