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Violet Reverie
Plagued by haunting visions and disembodied whispers, Nathan is banished from his family’s London home by his cold and impatient father, Viscount Hambleton. He spends months living in the Hambleton’s summer home without any companionship, save for the manor’s modest staff. Nightmares and strange occurrences continue to take their toll on his mind, until one day, the estate welcomes the arrival of its new groundskeeper—Peter.
Nathan and Peter become fast friends, and through their relationship, Nathan discovers a newfound sense of joy and self-acceptance. However, his fragile sanity is under threat. When night falls at the summer home, a ghoulish figure stalks the halls and haunts his dreams. What’s more, the ever-increasing pressure to conform to his family’s aristocratic image further eats away at his already frayed nerves. As Nathan’s feelings for Peter deepen and external tensions rise, he’ll have to decide between meeting his family’s expectations or pursuing his own heart’s desires.
Will he have the strength to face the challenges that lie before him? Or will the monster in the hall claim him for his own?
Nathan and Peter become fast friends, and through their relationship, Nathan discovers a newfound sense of joy and self-acceptance. However, his fragile sanity is under threat. When night falls at the summer home, a ghoulish figure stalks the halls and haunts his dreams. What’s more, the ever-increasing pressure to conform to his family’s aristocratic image further eats away at his already frayed nerves. As Nathan’s feelings for Peter deepen and external tensions rise, he’ll have to decide between meeting his family’s expectations or pursuing his own heart’s desires.
Will he have the strength to face the challenges that lie before him? Or will the monster in the hall claim him for his own?
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2022
10 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 9, 2023
Oxford dictionary defines “tenderness” as… just kidding. Seriously though, there’s something about the Gays & Ghosts genre that manages to produce some of the most gorgeous and tender love stories. I originally went into this thinking it was going to be a scary affair similar to an Edgar Allan Poe story or the Dark is the Night Series, but this book is really rather sweet, with a happy ending to rival all other happy endings. I think the ghostly aspects are less tangible than you would expect from the blurb and the cover, and Nathan’s abilities are more a metaphor for his past pain and abuse than dealing with any real ghostly figures. And while not necessarily scary at any points I thought that the paranormal activity was really well done, I especially liked how it reads like a dream where you can’t quite grasp the details of.
Whenever I read a book like this, I always have a hard time expressing how great it was because my mind is just like “I loved it, I loved it, I loved it.” And I did love it! I loved both Nathan and Peter, and how their relationship is built off of comfort and friendship. And I loved the way they created their own love language… honestly, nothing short of beautiful. There’s a certain character that I think gets off a little too easy, but ultimately, this isn’t a book that wants to focus on abusive figures, but rather on solidarity and companionship. And that’s just fine by me.
Whenever I read a book like this, I always have a hard time expressing how great it was because my mind is just like “I loved it, I loved it, I loved it.” And I did love it! I loved both Nathan and Peter, and how their relationship is built off of comfort and friendship. And I loved the way they created their own love language… honestly, nothing short of beautiful. There’s a certain character that I think gets off a little too easy, but ultimately, this isn’t a book that wants to focus on abusive figures, but rather on solidarity and companionship. And that’s just fine by me.
August 31, 2025
3,5 ⭐
I feel like I’ve read two slightly different books, with the first one being a special 5-star read, and the second...not exactly on that level.
Don’t you love it when you start a book, and while still reading only the first page, something clicks, and you know it’s just what you need? 🥺
I adored the first half; getting to know Nathan and his struggles was so poignant and moving. It’s the year 1883 and Nathan, a viscount’s son, has been cast away by his family to the summer house away from London, to “heal” after his mysterious breakdown. Nathan is haunted not only by loneliness, but also disembodied whispers and shadows dogging his every step, with occasional visions bordering on premonitions. His mental state, nevertheless, seems to be worsening... until the new groundskeeper Peter comes in and they strike a friendship, something Nathan has been missing in his life.
It’s a fascinating mix of historical setting, found family, romance, and a touch of magical realism/supernatural. The atmosphere was amazing; melancholic and quite tense and heavy, until Nathan embarked on his healing journey thanks to Peter and Jude, an older housekeeper who became a much-needed voice of reason in the form of a best friend.
The pace is quite fast, which took me off guard at first, but I adjusted quickly enough and could appreciate the beautiful yet easy-to-read writing style.
Most of all, I loved how good Peter’s presence was for Nathan, in whatever capacity. How unconditionally Peter liked him and didn’t believe him mad, how effortlessly he made Nathan smile, even in the middle of his despair. There was no explosive chemistry between them, more like a quiet realization of Oh hey, hi, you two should really get together because there’s no one else out there better for either of you.
And once Nathan realized his feelings for Peter may run deeper than friendship, the yearning hurt so good! There was a slight miscommunication to follow, but somehow, it was much easier to swallow in a historical setting.
Now, during the second part of the book, I feel like the beautiful atmosphere dissipated, and a quite predictable drama regarding Peter’s ex-fiance Sarah (who broke his heart not even a year ago) took the reins instead. I still enjoyed myself because the resulting catfight and resolution were entertaining, but I did see it coming from miles away and wasn’t that excited about it.
(Don’t worry, though, Sarah is a badass and you’ll like her!)
The last thirty or so pages were wrapped up extremely tidily with a HEA worthy of fairy tales, but it did make me smile.
Two things - I feel like a discussion about Peter’s feelings regarding Sarah’s appearance and her presence was solely missing; it made his relationship with Nathan somewhat incomplete in my mind. How/when did he get over her, when he loved her for so long and was prepared to sacrifice everything to have a future with her, before she dumped him? I really needed the discussion, guys, because that feels like baggage.
And lastly, Nathan’s healing and battling depressive episodes were way too closely tied to the presence of another person - but that’s just my small personal pet peeve.
While still an incredibly touching, entertaining read, I was maybe hoping for the book to carry on the spirit of the brilliant first half. Shout-out to the lovely cover, it’s so simple yet fitting ❤️
I feel like I’ve read two slightly different books, with the first one being a special 5-star read, and the second...not exactly on that level.
Don’t you love it when you start a book, and while still reading only the first page, something clicks, and you know it’s just what you need? 🥺
I adored the first half; getting to know Nathan and his struggles was so poignant and moving. It’s the year 1883 and Nathan, a viscount’s son, has been cast away by his family to the summer house away from London, to “heal” after his mysterious breakdown. Nathan is haunted not only by loneliness, but also disembodied whispers and shadows dogging his every step, with occasional visions bordering on premonitions. His mental state, nevertheless, seems to be worsening... until the new groundskeeper Peter comes in and they strike a friendship, something Nathan has been missing in his life.
It’s a fascinating mix of historical setting, found family, romance, and a touch of magical realism/supernatural. The atmosphere was amazing; melancholic and quite tense and heavy, until Nathan embarked on his healing journey thanks to Peter and Jude, an older housekeeper who became a much-needed voice of reason in the form of a best friend.
The pace is quite fast, which took me off guard at first, but I adjusted quickly enough and could appreciate the beautiful yet easy-to-read writing style.
Most of all, I loved how good Peter’s presence was for Nathan, in whatever capacity. How unconditionally Peter liked him and didn’t believe him mad, how effortlessly he made Nathan smile, even in the middle of his despair. There was no explosive chemistry between them, more like a quiet realization of Oh hey, hi, you two should really get together because there’s no one else out there better for either of you.
And once Nathan realized his feelings for Peter may run deeper than friendship, the yearning hurt so good! There was a slight miscommunication to follow, but somehow, it was much easier to swallow in a historical setting.
Now, during the second part of the book, I feel like the beautiful atmosphere dissipated, and a quite predictable drama regarding Peter’s ex-fiance Sarah (who broke his heart not even a year ago) took the reins instead. I still enjoyed myself because the resulting catfight and resolution were entertaining, but I did see it coming from miles away and wasn’t that excited about it.
(Don’t worry, though, Sarah is a badass and you’ll like her!)
The last thirty or so pages were wrapped up extremely tidily with a HEA worthy of fairy tales, but it did make me smile.
Two things - I feel like a discussion about Peter’s feelings regarding Sarah’s appearance and her presence was solely missing; it made his relationship with Nathan somewhat incomplete in my mind. How/when did he get over her, when he loved her for so long and was prepared to sacrifice everything to have a future with her, before she dumped him? I really needed the discussion, guys, because that feels like baggage.
And lastly, Nathan’s healing and battling depressive episodes were way too closely tied to the presence of another person - but that’s just my small personal pet peeve.
While still an incredibly touching, entertaining read, I was maybe hoping for the book to carry on the spirit of the brilliant first half. Shout-out to the lovely cover, it’s so simple yet fitting ❤️
August 29, 2025
Awesomeness.
It was scary, and I was so afraid for Nathan. Things I don't like at all. But my goodness, it was a terrific story.
We have a historical setting in Great Britain, just as electricity is making its way into human life. Don't expect a historical book, though—that's just the context.
And we have mysterious events that haunt Nathan. As I said, it's a little creepy, but I'm a scaredy-cat, so it's probably much too mild for someone who likes that kind of thing.
In any case, don't expect too much from the mystery. There are a few tiny fantastical elements in this story. But nothing out of the ordinary. I had expected ghosts, but no, no ghosts.
So it's neither a history book nor a fantasy book, nor is there a mystery to solve.
It's a mixture of everything.
Why do I love this story?
Honestly, there isn't much romance in this book either.
Goodness, why do I love it?
It's hurt-comfort and it's friends to lovers. And it's primarily Nathan's recovery or figuring things out.
The narrative style is very delicate and sensitive. It is wonderfully written. And I love the growth that Nathan goes through.
The romance with Peter is only hinted at tentatively, and apart from a few kisses, you don't get to see anything. But those kisses are beautiful.
The few moments between the two are a real treasure.
There wasn’t a soul on this earth that he could talk to about everything. He considered prayer as a means to relieve the burden of his secrets, but Nathan wasn’t sure that he believed in God. Or at least, not the one he was raised to. 🥺🥺🥺
Quiet voices whispering terrible, hopeless things in his ear. He tried escaping them—burying his head beneath his blankets and pillows, covering his ears with his hands—but nothing helped. And the more he struggled to escape the sound, the more fatigued he felt. After some time, he finally gave up.
He laid there and listened. 😪😪😪
Without warning, he took another small step forward, cupped his strong hands on the sides of Nathan’s face, and brought their mouths together. Surprised, Nathan gasped and saw a dazzling starburst of color in his vision, as if looking through the kaleidoscope. Peter’s warm, full lips fit naturally with his, and he melted against them. 🫠🫠🫠
It was scary, and I was so afraid for Nathan. Things I don't like at all. But my goodness, it was a terrific story.
We have a historical setting in Great Britain, just as electricity is making its way into human life. Don't expect a historical book, though—that's just the context.
And we have mysterious events that haunt Nathan. As I said, it's a little creepy, but I'm a scaredy-cat, so it's probably much too mild for someone who likes that kind of thing.
In any case, don't expect too much from the mystery. There are a few tiny fantastical elements in this story. But nothing out of the ordinary. I had expected ghosts, but no, no ghosts.
So it's neither a history book nor a fantasy book, nor is there a mystery to solve.
It's a mixture of everything.
Why do I love this story?
Honestly, there isn't much romance in this book either.
Goodness, why do I love it?
It's hurt-comfort and it's friends to lovers. And it's primarily Nathan's recovery or figuring things out.
The narrative style is very delicate and sensitive. It is wonderfully written. And I love the growth that Nathan goes through.
The romance with Peter is only hinted at tentatively, and apart from a few kisses, you don't get to see anything. But those kisses are beautiful.
The few moments between the two are a real treasure.
There wasn’t a soul on this earth that he could talk to about everything. He considered prayer as a means to relieve the burden of his secrets, but Nathan wasn’t sure that he believed in God. Or at least, not the one he was raised to. 🥺🥺🥺
Quiet voices whispering terrible, hopeless things in his ear. He tried escaping them—burying his head beneath his blankets and pillows, covering his ears with his hands—but nothing helped. And the more he struggled to escape the sound, the more fatigued he felt. After some time, he finally gave up.
He laid there and listened. 😪😪😪
Without warning, he took another small step forward, cupped his strong hands on the sides of Nathan’s face, and brought their mouths together. Surprised, Nathan gasped and saw a dazzling starburst of color in his vision, as if looking through the kaleidoscope. Peter’s warm, full lips fit naturally with his, and he melted against them. 🫠🫠🫠
August 5, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a lovely read. I'm always on the lookout for books that give me gothic romance vibes, and this one had some really nice moments and an atmosphere that was both cozy and at times unsettling. It felt mostly prevalent in the first third, which made me think it would be more of a horror-esque book than it ended up being, and I could personally have done with even more of it since the creepy vibe was done so well.
The romance was sweet, I loved seeing Nathan and Peter's relationship develop and was happy to see them get such a lovely HEA. Nathan's own character journey was also a big part of the book, and just as nice to follow as the romance. I also appreciated how the book handled class difference and how it was addressed through the different characters' relationships.
This was a lovely read. I'm always on the lookout for books that give me gothic romance vibes, and this one had some really nice moments and an atmosphere that was both cozy and at times unsettling. It felt mostly prevalent in the first third, which made me think it would be more of a horror-esque book than it ended up being, and I could personally have done with even more of it since the creepy vibe was done so well.
The romance was sweet, I loved seeing Nathan and Peter's relationship develop and was happy to see them get such a lovely HEA. Nathan's own character journey was also a big part of the book, and just as nice to follow as the romance. I also appreciated how the book handled class difference and how it was addressed through the different characters' relationships.
August 11, 2023
DNF @ 47%
This book is 217 pages, it's taken me 3 days to read 101 of them and barely anything has happened in those pages. This book feels like the author got a great idea for a story but then didn't spend enough time coming up with a well paced, interesting plot before they started writing. The story just sits there, spinning its wheels and barely makes any forward progress. I also had issues with the way some characters were written.
Side note: some reviews complain about the time period being vague or they claim that Nathan's supernatural abilities weren't clearly hinted at (leading to confusion for those readers later on) and I want to stand up for the author and point out that these things are unfair criticisms. The author clearly states that the story starts in December 1883 and Nathan's psychic/medium issues are very clearly laid out from the start. Anyway - onto my review!
The writing was enjoyable, even though I felt the author tried a bit too hard to make everybody speak in old-timey dialects. In particular, the village doctor sounded like he was an non-British actor in a play written by a non-Brit and they were all trying very, very hard to sound as British as possible. It was OTT. But asides from that, the author does a great job portraying the general atmosphere from that time period and I do appreciate that they made an effort to have the characters sound like they lived in the 1880s (even though it went a bit too far, as I already said).
Unfortunately, there was too little substance for this story to be my cup of tea. There are many interesting ingredients:
+ Nathan seems to have psychic/medium abilities where he can hear/see ghostly things around him but he doesn't know that's what he's seeing/hearing so he and everybody else thinks he's suffering from some kind of illness
+ Peter (the newly hired groundskeeper) hasn't worked for a Big House before so he wants to be friends with Nathan and isn't aware of the boundaries that should be maintained between them
+ The staff at the summer home are very fond of Nathan and they're all like one big happy family
But none of these things were used effectively. The biggest problem was that the author says Nathan is 26 years old and Peter is close to that but they're both written as if they're teenage boys. Maybe you could say they're 19-21 but even that's pushing it. It wasn't a case of the author changing their behavior to fit certain scenarios but the author literally wrote them with the mentalities and behaviors that are more suited for much younger characters, which led to a big disconnect.
For example, Nathan routinely bursts into frustrated tears when he gets stressed and things don't go his way. He has to be soothed by the housekeeper and she has to patiently explain to him why such-and-such isn't actually the end of the world and how they'll resolve the situation. Then there's a scene where Nathan and Peter play wrestle in the greenhouse and the way it was written made them both seem like young boys - not adult men who are choosing to act childish. Nathan and Peter's conversations were filled with dramatics, lots of tears and lots of OTT emotions (ex. being surprised about something) which again reminded me of how young boys would behave. I know the author wanted to illustrate how sheltered Nathan's life has been so far but the execution was all wrong. Nathan may not have a lot of life experiences so he might express shock about certain things but the problem is that by 26, he would have physically matured so that his behavior would have matched that of a 26 year old. He would have been more reserved, more calm, less prone to rapid mood swings and so on. I don't know if I'm explaining it right because this is the first time I've ever come across this issue.
I also hated Nathan's selfish attitude, which was yet another result of him being written as younger than 26. He constantly thought about himself with no regard to other people. There's a scene where .
Another example: . Another reviewer pointed out that the story felt very YA/NA and I completely agree. Nathan's coming of age arc would have fit very well if the story had been advertised as being YA or NA. But because Nathan was supposedly a grown adult, all of this was unexpected and off putting.
Something else that didn't work for me was that the story moved at a glacial pace. There were three plotlines:
+ Nathan's psychic issues
+ Nathan's relationship with Peter
+ Nathan's relationship with the housekeeper and issues with his family
We jumped back and forth between all three but the problem is that there was very little development for most of these plotlines, especially the psychic issues. Nathan has the same auditory and visual hallucinations all the time, yet there's no progression. We don't learn more about these hallucinations and they don't develop - they're just repeated over and over. I read nearly half of the book and there was no development for this plotline. Since the creepy paranormal elements were one of the main things that attracted me to this story, this was disappointing.
In addition, the paranormal stuff wasn't nearly as creepy as I expected it to be and the author tried way too hard to make it more creepy than it was. In particular, the way the author revealed the identity of the mysterious man hallucination was so OTT that I felt like I was reading a children's book. The amateur nature of it made me laugh instead of being shocked, which was the wrong reaction to have.
The romance with Peter also progressed very, very slowly. This would have been fine if other interesting things had been happening but that wasn't the case. Then there were Nathan's various family issues. I flat out didn't like him calling the housekeeper his 'best friend'. This might be a me-thing but it was so strange to me that this young man who has no other friends considers the much older female housekeeper his best friend. Nathan's mother and him have a long distance relationship but it's not one where Nathan can't rely on her for advice or support for ongoing daily issues so I had no problem with the housekeeper stepping into a motherly role for Nathan. But having Nathan consider her his best friend was very odd to me. Then there was the strange way Nathan's London doctor was written. The guy hated Nathan for unspecified reasons and he was so OTT and dramatic that he felt like a cartoon villain. Based on reviews which shared this complaint, apparently Nathan's father is written the same way later on but he's even more OTT.
Overall, this story suffered from poor storytelling and poor writing skills. There were a lot of great ideas but the author was lacking the skills to pull off this premise properly. That being said, you can tell the author put a lot of effort into this book and they gave it their best shot so I'm hoping their skills will improve in the future.
This book is 217 pages, it's taken me 3 days to read 101 of them and barely anything has happened in those pages. This book feels like the author got a great idea for a story but then didn't spend enough time coming up with a well paced, interesting plot before they started writing. The story just sits there, spinning its wheels and barely makes any forward progress. I also had issues with the way some characters were written.
Side note: some reviews complain about the time period being vague or they claim that Nathan's supernatural abilities weren't clearly hinted at (leading to confusion for those readers later on) and I want to stand up for the author and point out that these things are unfair criticisms. The author clearly states that the story starts in December 1883 and Nathan's psychic/medium issues are very clearly laid out from the start. Anyway - onto my review!
The writing was enjoyable, even though I felt the author tried a bit too hard to make everybody speak in old-timey dialects. In particular, the village doctor sounded like he was an non-British actor in a play written by a non-Brit and they were all trying very, very hard to sound as British as possible. It was OTT. But asides from that, the author does a great job portraying the general atmosphere from that time period and I do appreciate that they made an effort to have the characters sound like they lived in the 1880s (even though it went a bit too far, as I already said).
Unfortunately, there was too little substance for this story to be my cup of tea. There are many interesting ingredients:
+ Nathan seems to have psychic/medium abilities where he can hear/see ghostly things around him but he doesn't know that's what he's seeing/hearing so he and everybody else thinks he's suffering from some kind of illness
+ Peter (the newly hired groundskeeper) hasn't worked for a Big House before so he wants to be friends with Nathan and isn't aware of the boundaries that should be maintained between them
+ The staff at the summer home are very fond of Nathan and they're all like one big happy family
But none of these things were used effectively. The biggest problem was that the author says Nathan is 26 years old and Peter is close to that but they're both written as if they're teenage boys. Maybe you could say they're 19-21 but even that's pushing it. It wasn't a case of the author changing their behavior to fit certain scenarios but the author literally wrote them with the mentalities and behaviors that are more suited for much younger characters, which led to a big disconnect.
For example, Nathan routinely bursts into frustrated tears when he gets stressed and things don't go his way. He has to be soothed by the housekeeper and she has to patiently explain to him why such-and-such isn't actually the end of the world and how they'll resolve the situation. Then there's a scene where Nathan and Peter play wrestle in the greenhouse and the way it was written made them both seem like young boys - not adult men who are choosing to act childish. Nathan and Peter's conversations were filled with dramatics, lots of tears and lots of OTT emotions (ex. being surprised about something) which again reminded me of how young boys would behave. I know the author wanted to illustrate how sheltered Nathan's life has been so far but the execution was all wrong. Nathan may not have a lot of life experiences so he might express shock about certain things but the problem is that by 26, he would have physically matured so that his behavior would have matched that of a 26 year old. He would have been more reserved, more calm, less prone to rapid mood swings and so on. I don't know if I'm explaining it right because this is the first time I've ever come across this issue.
I also hated Nathan's selfish attitude, which was yet another result of him being written as younger than 26. He constantly thought about himself with no regard to other people. There's a scene where .
Another example: . Another reviewer pointed out that the story felt very YA/NA and I completely agree. Nathan's coming of age arc would have fit very well if the story had been advertised as being YA or NA. But because Nathan was supposedly a grown adult, all of this was unexpected and off putting.
Something else that didn't work for me was that the story moved at a glacial pace. There were three plotlines:
+ Nathan's psychic issues
+ Nathan's relationship with Peter
+ Nathan's relationship with the housekeeper and issues with his family
We jumped back and forth between all three but the problem is that there was very little development for most of these plotlines, especially the psychic issues. Nathan has the same auditory and visual hallucinations all the time, yet there's no progression. We don't learn more about these hallucinations and they don't develop - they're just repeated over and over. I read nearly half of the book and there was no development for this plotline. Since the creepy paranormal elements were one of the main things that attracted me to this story, this was disappointing.
In addition, the paranormal stuff wasn't nearly as creepy as I expected it to be and the author tried way too hard to make it more creepy than it was. In particular, the way the author revealed the identity of the mysterious man hallucination was so OTT that I felt like I was reading a children's book. The amateur nature of it made me laugh instead of being shocked, which was the wrong reaction to have.
The romance with Peter also progressed very, very slowly. This would have been fine if other interesting things had been happening but that wasn't the case. Then there were Nathan's various family issues. I flat out didn't like him calling the housekeeper his 'best friend'. This might be a me-thing but it was so strange to me that this young man who has no other friends considers the much older female housekeeper his best friend. Nathan's mother and him have a long distance relationship but it's not one where Nathan can't rely on her for advice or support for ongoing daily issues so I had no problem with the housekeeper stepping into a motherly role for Nathan. But having Nathan consider her his best friend was very odd to me. Then there was the strange way Nathan's London doctor was written. The guy hated Nathan for unspecified reasons and he was so OTT and dramatic that he felt like a cartoon villain. Based on reviews which shared this complaint, apparently Nathan's father is written the same way later on but he's even more OTT.
Overall, this story suffered from poor storytelling and poor writing skills. There were a lot of great ideas but the author was lacking the skills to pull off this premise properly. That being said, you can tell the author put a lot of effort into this book and they gave it their best shot so I'm hoping their skills will improve in the future.
August 6, 2022
Solid 3 star read. I don’t normally read historicals, but love horror, and overall really enjoyed this book. The beginning was wonderfully creepy. I wish that had lasted a bit longer, and had some more resolution, tbh. The romance between the MC’s was sweet but felt a bit distant at times. Overall I would definitely recommend if the tropes sound like your thing.
Tags: Historical, servant / aristocrat, sexuality awakening, low steam, new adult, paranormal
Tags: Historical, servant / aristocrat, sexuality awakening, low steam, new adult, paranormal
April 12, 2023
3.5 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via BookSirens. This has not influenced my review.*
This is a book that handles some darker or sadly realistic topics but does so in a light way with sweet friendship and romance. It's a quick read that doesn't delve too deeply into things but gives you just enough to care about what happens and enjoy a pleasant, atmospheric story.
The romance was nice. Gentle. Two good men who both deserved happiness and love and found it, though tentatively at first, with each other.
Nathan's growth felt like an equally important, if not more important, element of the story though. He learned to believe in himself and stand up for himself and gained a new perspective on himself and his future. His problems weren't miraculously solved by love, but having people who supported him and believed in him and gave him companionship made a big difference.
There was another thing that stood out to me, though it wasn't a big thing in the grand scheme of the book. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* I just really liked seeing that sort of thing portrayed.
Another thing I liked, it was satisfying to see *SPOILER* *END SPOILER*
The paranormal element is very light, and you don't get any explanations about Nathan's abilities. (They are actual abilities though, not just imagined things.) They're just kinda there and have affected his life and sometimes affect things in the plot. But that was ok with me, the how and why of them wasn't the point of the story.
Overall, this was a quick but nice story with lots of character growth, a touch of the paranormal, friendship, and a gentle romance.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes character growth, a touch of paranormal, and gentle m/m romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via BookSirens. This has not influenced my review.*
This is a book that handles some darker or sadly realistic topics but does so in a light way with sweet friendship and romance. It's a quick read that doesn't delve too deeply into things but gives you just enough to care about what happens and enjoy a pleasant, atmospheric story.
The romance was nice. Gentle. Two good men who both deserved happiness and love and found it, though tentatively at first, with each other.
Nathan's growth felt like an equally important, if not more important, element of the story though. He learned to believe in himself and stand up for himself and gained a new perspective on himself and his future. His problems weren't miraculously solved by love, but having people who supported him and believed in him and gave him companionship made a big difference.
There was another thing that stood out to me, though it wasn't a big thing in the grand scheme of the book. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* I just really liked seeing that sort of thing portrayed.
Another thing I liked, it was satisfying to see *SPOILER* *END SPOILER*
The paranormal element is very light, and you don't get any explanations about Nathan's abilities. (They are actual abilities though, not just imagined things.) They're just kinda there and have affected his life and sometimes affect things in the plot. But that was ok with me, the how and why of them wasn't the point of the story.
Overall, this was a quick but nice story with lots of character growth, a touch of the paranormal, friendship, and a gentle romance.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes character growth, a touch of paranormal, and gentle m/m romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
October 15, 2022
“You’re like two children experiencing love for the first time and don’t know how to say it yet.”
This sums it up pretty well. Although the protagonists are in their twenties, this book feels more like reading a children's book. Nothing wrong with that. It's like some kind of fairytale: The lonely prince meets the joyous gardener, they fall in love and after defeating the wicked king they lived happily ever after.
This sums it up pretty well. Although the protagonists are in their twenties, this book feels more like reading a children's book. Nothing wrong with that. It's like some kind of fairytale: The lonely prince meets the joyous gardener, they fall in love and after defeating the wicked king they lived happily ever after.
October 30, 2023
I’m calling this book “Cozy Gothic” and from here on out I would like to exclusively read books in this new made up genre for the rest of my life, thank you very much.
What an absolute delight of a read! Violet Reverie gives you the gothic vibes but still with the softness and warmth to thaw a cold dead heart.
Let me set the scene for you:
Think gothic Victorian England, a country house, lots of shadows, sprawling fields with no neighbors in sight, candles flickering out in the night, thunderstorms and rain lashing against tall windows.
Enter Nathan, the darling son of a (*cough* evil *cough*) viscount who has been banished to the country home due to his declining psychological state - the result of Nathan being plagued by unexplained visions, sounds, and nightmares. We follow Nathan as he grapples with his own unexplored (often frightening) talents and as he sparks a gentle friendship with Peter, the adorable new groundskeeper.
I had the time of my life reading this book. Nathan and Peter’s relationship was built both carefully and authentically (the *yearning* is exquisite) and I believed and felt every moment of it. I felt it so strongly that I was yelling and smiling dumbly at the words in front of me on more than one occasion.
Nathan, since we get the whole book from his point of view (a rarer thing nowadays with romance books that I actually prefer.) was well sculpted as a character and I felt his growth throughout the story. Nathan was such a likable character that it was easy to sympathize. When Nathan felt betrayed, so did I (and I learned that I am much slower to forgive than him) All this to say, I was emotionally invested in Nathan and was anxious for the entire book and loved every second of it.
Finally, a round of applause for the supporting cast PLEASE. Talbot did a marvelous job of weaving flashes of memories throughout this story to deepen the understanding of the cast of characters surrounding us as we went.
This book is a quick read and something I would call “low risk - high reward”. Absolutely worth the time and page numbers if you are in the mood for something a little gothic but still lighthearted and cozy overall.
NOTE: Violet Reverie is also the very first ARC I have read that had earned my very coveted goodreads bookshelf of “Comfort Reads”. (I studied botany - I am weak for gardening and love.)
What an absolute delight of a read! Violet Reverie gives you the gothic vibes but still with the softness and warmth to thaw a cold dead heart.
Let me set the scene for you:
Think gothic Victorian England, a country house, lots of shadows, sprawling fields with no neighbors in sight, candles flickering out in the night, thunderstorms and rain lashing against tall windows.
Enter Nathan, the darling son of a (*cough* evil *cough*) viscount who has been banished to the country home due to his declining psychological state - the result of Nathan being plagued by unexplained visions, sounds, and nightmares. We follow Nathan as he grapples with his own unexplored (often frightening) talents and as he sparks a gentle friendship with Peter, the adorable new groundskeeper.
I had the time of my life reading this book. Nathan and Peter’s relationship was built both carefully and authentically (the *yearning* is exquisite) and I believed and felt every moment of it. I felt it so strongly that I was yelling and smiling dumbly at the words in front of me on more than one occasion.
Nathan, since we get the whole book from his point of view (a rarer thing nowadays with romance books that I actually prefer.) was well sculpted as a character and I felt his growth throughout the story. Nathan was such a likable character that it was easy to sympathize. When Nathan felt betrayed, so did I (and I learned that I am much slower to forgive than him) All this to say, I was emotionally invested in Nathan and was anxious for the entire book and loved every second of it.
Finally, a round of applause for the supporting cast PLEASE. Talbot did a marvelous job of weaving flashes of memories throughout this story to deepen the understanding of the cast of characters surrounding us as we went.
This book is a quick read and something I would call “low risk - high reward”. Absolutely worth the time and page numbers if you are in the mood for something a little gothic but still lighthearted and cozy overall.
NOTE: Violet Reverie is also the very first ARC I have read that had earned my very coveted goodreads bookshelf of “Comfort Reads”. (I studied botany - I am weak for gardening and love.)
March 16, 2024
A slow-paced romantic drama, which links nicely with The Housekeeper (Also by Talbot Finch).
Nathaniel is different, but can't figure out why after he is banished to the family Country Estate by his Father, he not only starts to learn that different isn't all that bad.
Nathaniel is different, but can't figure out why after he is banished to the family Country Estate by his Father, he not only starts to learn that different isn't all that bad.
June 6, 2022
It was a very lovely read. It wasn't very action-driven, full of battles or historic societal drama, but I did not need any of that in order to like the book. The book's just written beautifully. I expected this book to be something of a horror/thriller novel, but it was simply about Nathaniel's self-discovery. You cannot help but sympathise with him. Everyone has felt lost, unable to fit in, different from anyone, and that's exactly what makes Nathaniel so lovable. I saw many reviews point out that it looks like an open ending, but I didn't see it that way. I didn't need any explicit explanation of Nathaniel's abilities because for me that wasn't the point of this book. For me, the point of this book were warm relationships between all these different people, existing in a stratified society that has its own strict, yet in a way, ridiculous rules, as exemplified by Nathaniel's father.
I got this book for free via Book Sirens, but it's a book definitely worth buying for readers who enjoy calm and steady storytelling expressed through the beauty of words.
I got this book for free via Book Sirens, but it's a book definitely worth buying for readers who enjoy calm and steady storytelling expressed through the beauty of words.
October 7, 2022
What starts out as a fun spooky gothic historical slowly turns into a mm romance family drama with Nathan figuring out how to be truly himself.
This was not what I expected it to be. I thought it would be quite a bit more dread-filled and gothic but it really was just a fairly sweet romance at the end of the day. I'll rarely say this but I wish the book were longer as the ending felt very much sudden and rushed and I think I would've liked it to have taken its time.
Overall pretty cute and worth a read.
This was not what I expected it to be. I thought it would be quite a bit more dread-filled and gothic but it really was just a fairly sweet romance at the end of the day. I'll rarely say this but I wish the book were longer as the ending felt very much sudden and rushed and I think I would've liked it to have taken its time.
Overall pretty cute and worth a read.
March 18, 2024
Slightly romantic, slightly paranormal, and also just slight, this period cozy romance was a pleasant way to pass the time. I felt slightly let down by the the very period-inaccurate attitudes towards homosexuality. I understand that the author didn't want to get bogged down in the hate and horror but at the same time, when everyone is so accepting and the HEA is so easy to come by, it undermines a fair amount of what makes a late Victorian setting interesting.
December 31, 2024
This book reads like a mexican telenovela, and it makes it a wonderful read. Drama, deception, and a pinch of supernatural.
April 10, 2023
This was a slower paced romance set in a not-specified time between the world wars in England.
Nathan has been sent away from his abusive father to their country estate because of some sort of stress-induced breakdown that nearly resulted in Nathan's death. The details of this event aren't revealed fully until the latter part of the book so I spent much of the book just thinking he was an overly-dramatic toff. An earlier reveal might have made me more sympathetic to his plight.
Besides the housekeeper and a new member of the staff, the world seems set against Nathan. He has had little support and two major male figures in his life (his father and the family physician) are abusive to the point of physical violence. This doesn't follow the normal pampered rich boy trope you see in so many historical romances with higher ranking members of society, though it's hard to say which is the more realistic. There is a supernatural element to the story but it's not as important as the cover of the book makes it seem. Nathan seems to have medium or psychic abilities which mostly manifest when he's stressed. These abilities include seeing someone's death or hearing sounds of warning around certain people (most notably his father), none of these are exactly desirable and seem to be a real detriment to Nathan's mental and physical health. I'm not sure if it was because it's set in the same time in the same type of setting, but Nathan really reminded me of Colin Craven from The Secret Garden who also spends most of his book ill from an unrevealed sickness.
The romance is between Nathan and the newly hired gardener Peter. It's a very slow and gentle romance with very little sexual elements besides Nathan trying to hide his physical desire. They spend much of the book just being friends but when it does turn romantic, it takes a slight left turn to the unrealistic. Nathan goes from lusting after Peter and a chance of real companionship to upending his entire life to live as a farmer on Peter's family's farm in a very out relationship.
The drama of his brother and his brother's fiancee is mostly for sequel purposes because it doesn't really help forward the story other than Nathan realizing that being more honest with Peter is important. Also the final confrontations between Nathan and the doctor or his father were both very childish in writing, like villains you'd see in children stories like Lemony Snicket books. Why would the Viscount want to actually murder his son just because he had headaches? Why was the doctor so vehemently against Nathan? These questions aren't answered and both characters are very one-dimensional.
Overall, like many other reviewers stated, this would be good for people who enjoy more slow-paced stories or readers who aren't big on historical romances but, for me, the elements presented didn't mash together very well.
Nathan has been sent away from his abusive father to their country estate because of some sort of stress-induced breakdown that nearly resulted in Nathan's death. The details of this event aren't revealed fully until the latter part of the book so I spent much of the book just thinking he was an overly-dramatic toff. An earlier reveal might have made me more sympathetic to his plight.
Besides the housekeeper and a new member of the staff, the world seems set against Nathan. He has had little support and two major male figures in his life (his father and the family physician) are abusive to the point of physical violence. This doesn't follow the normal pampered rich boy trope you see in so many historical romances with higher ranking members of society, though it's hard to say which is the more realistic. There is a supernatural element to the story but it's not as important as the cover of the book makes it seem. Nathan seems to have medium or psychic abilities which mostly manifest when he's stressed. These abilities include seeing someone's death or hearing sounds of warning around certain people (most notably his father), none of these are exactly desirable and seem to be a real detriment to Nathan's mental and physical health. I'm not sure if it was because it's set in the same time in the same type of setting, but Nathan really reminded me of Colin Craven from The Secret Garden who also spends most of his book ill from an unrevealed sickness.
The romance is between Nathan and the newly hired gardener Peter. It's a very slow and gentle romance with very little sexual elements besides Nathan trying to hide his physical desire. They spend much of the book just being friends but when it does turn romantic, it takes a slight left turn to the unrealistic. Nathan goes from lusting after Peter and a chance of real companionship to upending his entire life to live as a farmer on Peter's family's farm in a very out relationship.
The drama of his brother and his brother's fiancee is mostly for sequel purposes because it doesn't really help forward the story other than Nathan realizing that being more honest with Peter is important. Also the final confrontations between Nathan and the doctor or his father were both very childish in writing, like villains you'd see in children stories like Lemony Snicket books. Why would the Viscount want to actually murder his son just because he had headaches? Why was the doctor so vehemently against Nathan? These questions aren't answered and both characters are very one-dimensional.
Overall, like many other reviewers stated, this would be good for people who enjoy more slow-paced stories or readers who aren't big on historical romances but, for me, the elements presented didn't mash together very well.
May 16, 2022
Thanks to BookSirens and the author for providing me with an early copy. The book comes out on June 20th 2022.
Violet Reverie is a story that at first somewhat gave me a feeling of watching of a gothic horror movie. Nathan, the protagonist, is haunted by vision which caused him to have a tense relationship with his family, especially his father. He was sent away from the family home and now lives in the summer house along with some of the servants. He is also regularly visited by a doctor that estimates his mental state because as we learn there was an incident while he lived with his parents and now they think something is wrong with him mentally. The main story starts off with the arrival of new groundskeeper Peter at the residence. Peter is someone who is Nathan’s age so they quickly click and become friends.
I think the biggest flaw with this book is its length. The set up for it is great. Maybe it’s just me because I don’t really read period pieces but the idea felt new and refreshing, especially for the new adult LGBT genre. I liked the characters, I liked the premise and I liked the flow but I just wish there was more to it. I wanted to know more about what happened before between Nathan and his father. We only get a glimpse of how it was when things escalated but their relationship seemed to be tense even before that. I also wanted to know more about Nathan's gift in general. I feel that the ending left things open in a way that this could even get a sequel but I also wish it was explored more in this book.
I liked the romance. It was simple and cute and it wasn't too rushed considering the book isn't too long. I liked how the story eventually connected the characters you probably wouldn't think it would. Overall a really nice read especially if you're looking for something to get you out of the reading slump.
Review also posted on my blog.
Violet Reverie is a story that at first somewhat gave me a feeling of watching of a gothic horror movie. Nathan, the protagonist, is haunted by vision which caused him to have a tense relationship with his family, especially his father. He was sent away from the family home and now lives in the summer house along with some of the servants. He is also regularly visited by a doctor that estimates his mental state because as we learn there was an incident while he lived with his parents and now they think something is wrong with him mentally. The main story starts off with the arrival of new groundskeeper Peter at the residence. Peter is someone who is Nathan’s age so they quickly click and become friends.
I think the biggest flaw with this book is its length. The set up for it is great. Maybe it’s just me because I don’t really read period pieces but the idea felt new and refreshing, especially for the new adult LGBT genre. I liked the characters, I liked the premise and I liked the flow but I just wish there was more to it. I wanted to know more about what happened before between Nathan and his father. We only get a glimpse of how it was when things escalated but their relationship seemed to be tense even before that. I also wanted to know more about Nathan's gift in general. I feel that the ending left things open in a way that this could even get a sequel but I also wish it was explored more in this book.
I liked the romance. It was simple and cute and it wasn't too rushed considering the book isn't too long. I liked how the story eventually connected the characters you probably wouldn't think it would. Overall a really nice read especially if you're looking for something to get you out of the reading slump.
Review also posted on my blog.
June 27, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a sweet book that took me somewhat by surprise. Even though it was probably the cover that made me choose it as an ARC, I really think it does the book a disservice. The book is more sophisticated than the impression given by the shadowy arms reaching in the background. The book is not cartoon or quirky - the writing style is very straightforward, plain even and the plot is very linear. It would be easy to dismiss the book and then miss out on a delightful treat and a exemplar of restraint.
What (I think) has been misconstrued as a Paranormal Romance is entirely grounded in misunderstood and mistreated mental health. Nathan has a form of synesthesia-enabling him to hear what others can't perceive. Nathan is likely also on the spectrum, allowing him to be fantastically gifted at violin and with music generally but also causing him to be extreme anxiety and excessive over-thinking about all he's able to hear.
And yes, he also appears to be gifted with second sight, so perhaps there is a Paranormal element. Jude and Peter are able to see and experience Nathan better than he can himself, and it's their friendship that ultimately helps him "heal" or - really - believe in himself that he's not insane.
It's amazing how much is acheived in such a short book. The writing style is really pared back. There isn't a lot of character development beyond the core group. The setting is small and appropriately claustrophobic.
I have small quibbles (the London Season coincides with when Parliament sits and therefore is NOT during the summer months - the aristocracy actually all leave London in the Summer; Spring in the British calendar starts on 1st March, not later in March as per US calendar) and I would recommend the cover art is changed to something more sophisticated.
This is a sweet book that took me somewhat by surprise. Even though it was probably the cover that made me choose it as an ARC, I really think it does the book a disservice. The book is more sophisticated than the impression given by the shadowy arms reaching in the background. The book is not cartoon or quirky - the writing style is very straightforward, plain even and the plot is very linear. It would be easy to dismiss the book and then miss out on a delightful treat and a exemplar of restraint.
What (I think) has been misconstrued as a Paranormal Romance is entirely grounded in misunderstood and mistreated mental health. Nathan has a form of synesthesia-enabling him to hear what others can't perceive. Nathan is likely also on the spectrum, allowing him to be fantastically gifted at violin and with music generally but also causing him to be extreme anxiety and excessive over-thinking about all he's able to hear.
And yes, he also appears to be gifted with second sight, so perhaps there is a Paranormal element. Jude and Peter are able to see and experience Nathan better than he can himself, and it's their friendship that ultimately helps him "heal" or - really - believe in himself that he's not insane.
It's amazing how much is acheived in such a short book. The writing style is really pared back. There isn't a lot of character development beyond the core group. The setting is small and appropriately claustrophobic.
I have small quibbles (the London Season coincides with when Parliament sits and therefore is NOT during the summer months - the aristocracy actually all leave London in the Summer; Spring in the British calendar starts on 1st March, not later in March as per US calendar) and I would recommend the cover art is changed to something more sophisticated.
May 27, 2022
Having been exiled to the family’s country estate by his father, Lord Hambleton, Nathan is desperately unhappy and lonely. His father sees him as an embarrassment and best hidden away. Nathan sees apparitions and hears voices, and the doctor who’s supposed to oversee his recovery is nothing more than a charlatan.
With the passing of months and only the estate’s staff for company, Nathan’s condition deteriorates until a friendship grows between him and the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairchild. But, when the new groundskeeper, Peter, arrives, Nathan has finally found someone his age with whom he can maybe become friends.
While ‘Violet Reverie’ is a love story, the novel has a good balance between drama and romance. Set in Victorian England, Talbot Finch shows real skill as a writer in capturing the era’s mood. The central characters are believable and, more importantly, likable. The story progresses at a steady pace with enough highs and lows to keep the reader engaged. The relationship between Nathan and Peter takes its time to develop, and this is a good thing because it’s a beautiful period tale of forbidden love.
This book may pleasantly surprise those who don’t usually read period settings. I can happily recommend the book to any romantic who enjoys period romance novels. Though I mostly read works set in the present, ‘Violet Reverie’ would have to be my favorite book of the year so far.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
With the passing of months and only the estate’s staff for company, Nathan’s condition deteriorates until a friendship grows between him and the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairchild. But, when the new groundskeeper, Peter, arrives, Nathan has finally found someone his age with whom he can maybe become friends.
While ‘Violet Reverie’ is a love story, the novel has a good balance between drama and romance. Set in Victorian England, Talbot Finch shows real skill as a writer in capturing the era’s mood. The central characters are believable and, more importantly, likable. The story progresses at a steady pace with enough highs and lows to keep the reader engaged. The relationship between Nathan and Peter takes its time to develop, and this is a good thing because it’s a beautiful period tale of forbidden love.
This book may pleasantly surprise those who don’t usually read period settings. I can happily recommend the book to any romantic who enjoys period romance novels. Though I mostly read works set in the present, ‘Violet Reverie’ would have to be my favorite book of the year so far.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 27, 2022
Oh goodness, the best word I have to describe this book is lovely. I adored Nathan and Peter - both beautiful and gentle souls. Their friendship is beautifully constructed and unfolds in a completely organic and leisurely pace. It was breathtaking. Their love story unfolds delicately, just like the plants in Peter’s greenhouse. I truly enjoyed this beautifully-written and poignant story!
Nathan’s father is beyond horrific and it was truly a pleasure to watch Nathan grow to a place where he finally stood up for himself. There are other wonderful characters in this book that are fun and feisty, including Jude, Sarah, and Daniel. Great additions!
I highly recommend this book - I can’t believe it is Talbot Finch’s debut novel. It is stunning! I look forward to whatever comes next!
Nathan’s father is beyond horrific and it was truly a pleasure to watch Nathan grow to a place where he finally stood up for himself. There are other wonderful characters in this book that are fun and feisty, including Jude, Sarah, and Daniel. Great additions!
I highly recommend this book - I can’t believe it is Talbot Finch’s debut novel. It is stunning! I look forward to whatever comes next!
October 27, 2025
Talbot Finch has written a story that feels like a haunting dream filled with love, longing, and all the beauty and pain that come with both. It’s a gorgeous mix of gothic mystery and tender gay romance, set in the shadowy, candle-lit world of Victorian England.
The atmosphere is incredible. You can almost smell the rain on windowsills and the old paper in forgotten libraries. Finch captures that gothic mood perfectly, with the grand country manor house hiding dark secrets and hearts full of things left unsaid and unfulfilled.
But what really makes this book special is the love story at its center. The two men are written with such care and depth. Their romance is slow, emotional, and full of quiet moments that hit hard. Every glance and every slight touch carries so much feeling. It’s the kind of love that feels both impossible and completely meant to be. I loved how Finch shows that even in a time when being yourself could cost you everything, love still finds a way to exist: honestly and beautifully.
The writing is lush without ever being heavy, and the gothic elements fit the story perfectly. There are moments of mystery and sadness, even violence, but also hope and light. It’s a book that lingers with you after you finish it.
The atmosphere is incredible. You can almost smell the rain on windowsills and the old paper in forgotten libraries. Finch captures that gothic mood perfectly, with the grand country manor house hiding dark secrets and hearts full of things left unsaid and unfulfilled.
But what really makes this book special is the love story at its center. The two men are written with such care and depth. Their romance is slow, emotional, and full of quiet moments that hit hard. Every glance and every slight touch carries so much feeling. It’s the kind of love that feels both impossible and completely meant to be. I loved how Finch shows that even in a time when being yourself could cost you everything, love still finds a way to exist: honestly and beautifully.
The writing is lush without ever being heavy, and the gothic elements fit the story perfectly. There are moments of mystery and sadness, even violence, but also hope and light. It’s a book that lingers with you after you finish it.
July 3, 2025
I enjoyed this story, for the most part, so I’d give it 3.5 rounded up. With the visions and voices that Nathan sees and hears, I thought this was going to be more of a paranormal story than it turned out to be. Instead, they were just labelled as his “gifts” and left at that. There are quite a few memorable characters, Nathan and Peter, of course, and Jude. Now she was truly the gift in this story. Victor, Nathan’s father, was really an awful human being and it was wonderful to see Nathan finally knock him off his high-horse. The romance part of this story is one of the slowest burns I’ve read. And even when Nathan and Peter finally acknowledge their feelings, there still isn’t much heat.
I found the story dragged quite a bit but then picked up a rapid pace during the last third, or so, and left us with some situations that I would have liked to see better developed. Oh, and one particular things sort of bothered me; why did every character have a name except Nathan’s mother. Not once did anyone use her given name.
I found the story dragged quite a bit but then picked up a rapid pace during the last third, or so, and left us with some situations that I would have liked to see better developed. Oh, and one particular things sort of bothered me; why did every character have a name except Nathan’s mother. Not once did anyone use her given name.
November 11, 2023
Violet Reverie, by Talbot Finch, takes inspiration from the gothic romance novels of the nineteenth century, much in the vein of Charlotte Brontë and, in a more modern interpretation, Vincent Virga’s Gaywyck. Characterized by a haunting, foreboding atmosphere and complex, often tortured relationships, these novels generally end in a Happy Ever After. And the book doesn't disappoint on this front. Set in the nineteenth century, before the events of Finch’s companion novella, The Housekeeper, Violet Reverie is a captivating example of how a contemporary author can use tropes associated with period gothic romance novels but do so in a subtle, less “on the nose” fashion. And do it successfully. I don’t indulge in hyperbole when I say I REALLY enjoyed this.
I thoroughly engaged with the main protagonist, Nathan, a gifted violinist with a psychic power that often overwhelms him. The novel is filled with intriguing supporting characters, too, especially the handsome love interest, Peter, Mrs. Fairchild, the summer home’s housekeeper with a heart of gold, and Nathan’s brother’s fiancé—with a shocking secret of her own. They all add to the believability of the period narrative; we have been taken on a true journey to experience an aristocratic Victorian manor and the era’s rules, decorum and classism.
In Violet Reverie, Finch utilizes same-sex desire, emotional connectivity, the battle for authenticity, and even jealousy to enrich his narrative with passion and intrigue. And he never loses sight of the romanticism. What’s going on here is so much more than a simple “Friends to Lovers” trope. This is Fated Love, soul-mate territory. And I ate it up!
I thoroughly engaged with the main protagonist, Nathan, a gifted violinist with a psychic power that often overwhelms him. The novel is filled with intriguing supporting characters, too, especially the handsome love interest, Peter, Mrs. Fairchild, the summer home’s housekeeper with a heart of gold, and Nathan’s brother’s fiancé—with a shocking secret of her own. They all add to the believability of the period narrative; we have been taken on a true journey to experience an aristocratic Victorian manor and the era’s rules, decorum and classism.
In Violet Reverie, Finch utilizes same-sex desire, emotional connectivity, the battle for authenticity, and even jealousy to enrich his narrative with passion and intrigue. And he never loses sight of the romanticism. What’s going on here is so much more than a simple “Friends to Lovers” trope. This is Fated Love, soul-mate territory. And I ate it up!
June 20, 2022
Nathan & Peter
This story starts out so sad but that makes you appreciate the sweet way that Nathan and Peter's relationship develops. That along with the satisfying end to the confrontation between Nathan and his father helps this book to be a good read.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This story starts out so sad but that makes you appreciate the sweet way that Nathan and Peter's relationship develops. That along with the satisfying end to the confrontation between Nathan and his father helps this book to be a good read.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
July 15, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! I needed a break from contemporary romcoms and this did the trick. This book while it focuses on darker themes was lovely to read! I saw another review refer to this book as "Cozy Gothic" and I think that is a perfect description. The historical elements the drama and the characters themselves were so alive in this book and the depictions of Nathans struggles were heartbreaking.
My only wish is I would have liked to see Nathan discuss his journey with understanding his ability and experiences more in the end of the book. That is one area that I felt I would have loved reading more about was him still experiencing these things but he and Peter working through them together with Peters mother; the ending was lovely regardless and I love how much support the boys found from their families especially in Nathans connection to Peters mother.
I'm so glad I found this book and I cant wait to read more from this author!
My only wish is I would have liked to see Nathan discuss his journey with understanding his ability and experiences more in the end of the book. That is one area that I felt I would have loved reading more about was him still experiencing these things but he and Peter working through them together with Peters mother; the ending was lovely regardless and I love how much support the boys found from their families especially in Nathans connection to Peters mother.
I'm so glad I found this book and I cant wait to read more from this author!
July 29, 2023
The story itself was very interesting and attention grabbing. I couldn’t put it down. But I believe that the tone of the story sometimes shifted from its 1883 language. Sometimes the characters would say somethings or use common modern phrases. It wasn’t bad just made me laugh to think that someone in 1883 would use modern phrases and expressions 🤣
July 17, 2023
Good read! Not bad for a debut. I was enthralled to read this because I loved "The Housekeeper". Although, this was a bit slow burn and it felt like the ending was rushed, I still enjoyed reading it. I'll stay back and wait for another masterpiece from Talbot Finch.
September 23, 2025
Talbot Finch blends queer longing, dream logic, and lyrical prose into something truly heartfelt and haunting. Gothic, historical, pain, and hope. Wow. I was recommended this book and I'm glad I followed through.
June 25, 2023
Very generic, with an extremely predictable plot twist. But makes for a decent light, quick read.
Read
January 8, 2024A quick read that never delves too deep but still manages to tell a compelling love story.
Read
October 8, 2024dnf 19%
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