Synopsis
The married woman of the manor. The stranger outside. An intoxicating novel of dark temptation and dangerous desire.
November 12, 1944. This house holds on to souls for a lifetime. I thought I had given it to my husband when I vowed to love him until the end of time. I lied. Nothing could have prepared me for the day my phantom appeared outside my window. He was terrifying, yet hypnotizing, and I couldn’t deny my intrigue. I never intended to fall into a whirlwind romance with my stalker. Especially because he’s so much more than that. A criminal. A mobster. The man who offers me solace from the monster in Parsons Manor. There are many that haunt these halls, yet it’s only my husband I fear.
Review
« I would follow you anywhere, Genevieve. If you were standing at the edge of the earth and wanted to fall, I would only stop you long enough to take hold of your hand so I could go with you. There isn’t a life where I wouldn’t be your phantom, or a death where I wouldn’t be your reaper. »
5 irresistible ⭐️
For so long, I held it in and didn’t read this book. Because I knew how Gigi and Ronaldo’s story ends. There’s no happy ending. It’s a tragedy.
But I love Love. And I wanted to learn about their love story so badly. So I gave in.
And it was earth-shattering. It was beautiful, powerful, irresistible. This is a story about true love. The kind you’d be lucky to experience in your lifetime. The one that transcends our mortality, death.
And if the ending of the book isn’t “sad,” the bonus scene is still bittersweet though. Knowing how their story ends, far too soon for two characters I so easily fell in love with, only brings tears to my eyes.
Gigi and Ronaldo deserved a whole lifetime together. To be able to discover the world, hand in hand. For Gigi to be free of her marriage and for Ronaldo to have the chance to put a ring on her finger. For them to be able to be together freely, not having to hide anymore.
Their whole future was stolen from them, and I don’t care how fictional they are, it just breaks my heart.
« There will never be another, nor will I live a life without you. Death awaits us all, Genevieve. Even still, it will not keep me from you. »
You know what? The ending was actually sad. Because being a spectator to their last conversation in the book and knowing what’s to come… it is heartrending.
Gigi is such a strong, confident woman, and it’s even more admirable considering the story takes place in the 1940s. I’m in awe of her.
And where do I even begin when it comes to Ronaldo? No, he’s not Zade, and I wasn’t looking for a pale copy of him. Ronaldo is his own strong character, with such a distinct personality and behavior.
The angst, the longing, the passion, the devotion, the admiration, the protection… I felt absolutely every emotion transpiring from his pores. The tension between them was so thick, I could taste it on my tongue.
It was a slow burn, the way he slowly came closer and closer to her. Until I became as mad as Gigi, feeling not only her frustration but also that visceral curiosity and the magnetic pull she felt toward him.
Their bond defies earthly laws. It carries the force of its own gravity, an irresistible pull drawing them together like colliding stars, inevitable and unstoppable.
« I call you my rose because for you, I would take all your pain so you would suffer none,” I tell her softly. “I would go through hell for you. Die for you. Do anything you asked. I love you, mia rosa. More than you will ever know. »
Haunting Adeline was my first dark romance. So I guess I have a special affection for this universe.
And H.D. is my queen when it comes to writing spicy scenes. Each scene felt unique, and I savored every second of it. It was incredibly sexy. And my god, how good it was to see them switch from dominant to submissive depending on the moment. It truly shows how comfortable they are with each other, how safe they feel in their bond, and their strong personalities too, that’s for certain.
I would have clutched my pearls if I had any, but I’m a resigned sinner and there’s no hope left for me.
I’ll finish by saying: Fuck you, Franck.
And fuck you too, John.
To Gigi and to Ronaldo. May your souls dance together forever, never again to be torn apart.
Death itself can only bow in reverence, powerless to separate what was always destined to be one.
To love. 🤍
