ebookreview | [ 676 ]

Unraveled: A Gothic Fantasy Romance by Abbey Fox

Genre:
Netgalley, gothic, gothic romance, fantasy, romance, romantasy

Publication Date:
September 9, 2025

Page Numbers:
468

Read/Finished Date:
August 20th, 2025 - August 22nd, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Everyone knows to never look a fae in the eyes, yet no one warned me he would hide behind the mask of a beast.

Death awaits those who get caught in the Wild Hunt, and only a magical veil protects the people of Penumbra from the monsters coming for them. So when a beast threatens to destroy the veil, Mia Clementine must break her vows of sorcery and use her magic to fight him, or risk losing everyone she loves.

But the beast isn’t what he seems, and now the fae king owns her soul. Dragged into his mythical land, she must unravel the curse that turned him into a monster in order to regain her freedom—or die trying.

The longer she stays in his world, the more irresistible her feelings for him become. Hate turns into passion, and newly discovered truths test her loyalties, forcing her to choose to save her people or the fae world she’s grown to love.

If you like Howl's Moving Castle and ACOTAR, then you will love this gothic Beauty and the Beast retelling in a fantasy setting.

Review:

I was not expecting to become so engrossed in the storyline, but here we are at the end of the book. Mia has always been told to never be caught by the Wild Hunt and never to look into the eyes of the fae, but one night all of that changes when a beast threatens the Veil. Having looked up into the eyes of the Fae King, she is taken to his home. Mia must unravel the curse placed upon him and try to keep her feelings for him from interfering.

I loved the world-building. The character development. And the twists and turns of the storyline. The vibes of Beauty and the Beast and Howl's Moving Castle all mixed in gave me a rather enjoyable and fun story. But I will admit that there were a few times I wanted to throttle Mia. While I understood she wanted to return home, she didn't listen to what she had been told to do. I suppose it is because of this stubbornness that does get her in trouble a few times.

This was a really enjoyable read. A bit slow in the beginning but it does pick up quickly and you will fall in love with the story and the characters.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.