Tenderly, I Am Devoured
-
- $16.99
Publisher Description
An Indie Next Selection!
Perfect for fans of Saltburn, A Study in Drowning, and Don't Let the Forest In, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantic folk horror in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic god with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy—and herself—from ruin.
Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.
But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of both Felimath siblings.
Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion—and Lark as well.
Featuring a polyamorous bisexual romance, lush prose, and flower-threaded horror, Tenderly, I am Devoured is a romantic folk horror that is intoxicating as chthonic liquor, and as unstoppable as the haunted tides.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When 18-year-old Lacrimosa "Lark" Arriscane discovers she can save her brothers from financial ruin in exchange for marrying a god, she agrees without hesitation; following her expulsion from boarding school in an incident that smashed career dreams and destroyed her friendships, Lark believes she has little else to live for or look forward to. And besides, her betrothed, Therion—a god of salt and darkness who is worshipped in Lark's coastal village home—has always been there for her in ways she feels others have not. But when the wedding ceremony is interrupted and Therion disappears, Lark is haunted by visions of him. With little recourse, Lark turns to estranged childhood friends, siblings Alastair and Camille, who may know more about Therion and the ceremony than they're letting on, and the trio face dangerous consequences as they search for the god. Using lyrical prose that hums with tension and chemistry, Clipstone (Unholy Terrors) crafts an immersive and captivating queer gothic romance. Chapters that alternate between past and present detail Lark's confronting her conflicting feelings for both Alastair and Camille, and dark truths about her family and herself. Lark has olive skin. Ages 14–up.
