In the valley at the intersection of three towering mountains sits Cadenze, an ugly, remote town with little to its name. It’s filled with tourists in the summer and dead the rest of the year, when most of its residents surrender to a sleepier existence. Except, that is, for whatever is lurking in the caves…

Angelina Sicco was born and raised in Cadenze, and for many generations, so was every member of her family. Determined to be content with her lot in life, she walks her mongrel dog, attends her brother’s heavy metal concerts, holds court in the local dive bar, and does everything she can to bait hot, queer women to her sleepy, conservative hometown. But on the night of a family party much like every other, Angelina runs into Patrick’s ex, the sternly handsome Jagvi, who’s back in town for a spell. Perhaps enticed by Jagvi’s arrival, an ancient evil lying dormant in those caves is awakened, and soon Angelina’s small, contained world begins to shatter.

As the monstrous force grows bolder, it infiltrates Angelina’s life. It talks with her dog’s mouth; it guzzles on her memories; it controls Angelina from the inside. Only Jagvi’s touch repels it — the final trigger for a secret, passionate romance. But this monster feasts on all the passion, heartbreak, and mess that makes up a life, and Angelina Sicco’s life has never looked tastier. What will Angelina do to protect her future? And what will it cost her?

I received a gifted ARC of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

I’d never heard of this book, nor had I read anything by these authors before I received a gifted advance copy of this book. The premise intrigued me, and the fact that it was a queer horror novel made me even more excited to dive in. It took me a while to get into it, and while I didn’t exactly love it, I enjoyed it well enough.

The novel is set in the remote town of Cadenze. We don’t know where this town is geographically, and for whatever reason, this bothered me initially. It’s definitely not in the US, but the further I got into the book and learned about the town, the more I realized that the precise location didn’t matter because the story’s focus is on the characters and their experiences, rather than the specific location. Also – what haunts our main character could honestly haunt any of us – regardless of location.

At the heart of the story is Angelina Sicco, who lives with her brother, Patrick. Angelina is of mixed race, born into a family of strong, blonde women, and her dark skin sets her apart from many in her town. She’s also a lesbian, and while she’s not exactly in any danger because of it, the dating pool is extremely shallow, with Angelina only getting the occasional hookup with women who are passing through.

Angelina is super close with Patrick, who is an anomaly in the Sicco family – mainly because the family is mostly comprised of strong, single women. Patrick’s one weakness is a woman named Jagvi, with whom he has an on-again-off-again relationship. The problem is that Angelina has been a little obsessed with Jagvi since they were kids, and there has always been a weird energy between them. When Jagvi returns to town after her father’s death, Angelina’s desire to connect with Jagvi as more than a friend intensifies. After a night spent partying in the caves and telling stories about the alleged monster who lives at the bottom of the pit inside the cave, something seems to have followed Angelina home. Is the local folktale true? Is there really a being who feeds on human desires stalking Angelina, or is it all in her head? And why can Angelina only quiet the monster when Jagvi physically touches her?

The authors do an excellent job of building tension and suspense. As the mysterious monster haunts Angelina, the hauntings/attacks intensify as the story progresses. Some of the scenes where the monster preys on her are genuinely terrifying. What also contributed to the tension was that no one could see the monster. In fact, Angelina could only hear it and feel it. The eerie setting of the small town of Cadenze also adds an extra layer of unease to the story.

While there are definitely some creepy scenes in this one, I don’t know that I would really call this a horror novel. Honestly, it felt more like a romance to me – albeit a romance with dark elements. It’s more of a story about Angelina’s attraction to Jagvi and how her unwillingness to leave her hometown and actually live a fulfilling life is eating her alive.

As far as characters go, they are all solid, though I found myself relating more to Angelina. I, too, grew up in a tiny town, and there’s a part of me that sometimes wishes I could live there again, but I know it’s not safe for me. The town is in a deep red state and very conservative, and the unease I would feel just wouldn’t be worth it. That said, anytime I go back to my hometown, I’m surprised when I run into someone I went to high school with. A lot of them never left – many staying in the same general area – and I’m always surprised to see how run-down they all appear. It’s almost as if the town (and life) has sucked them dry. I call that out because that is one of the things this book is saying. Angelina loves her hometown and has no intention of ever leaving. Jagvi, on the other hand, hates Cadenze and can’t wait to get out as soon as she’s finished up with her dead father’s affairs. Angelina is being consumed by everything in her hometown that holds her back, and Jagvi represents a chance for her to escape and finally live.

If you are looking for a dark sapphic romance with supernatural elements and a touch of horror, this might be worth putting on your TBR. While I didn’t find it particularly scary, it is well-written, and I found it to be a captivating read.