House of Rayne by Harley Laroux

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


First off, I’m beyond grateful to have received this ARC because… wow. Harley Laroux could not have picked a better season for this release. The spooky, gothic atmosphere wrapped me up from the beginning, and I was hooked.

This is a sapphic romance set in a small town with all the gothic trimmings—a haunted house/bed & breakfast, eerie woods, whispers of the occult, and religion twisted against the backdrop of isolation. I love everything dark and gothic, so this was already speaking my language, but Harley’s prose itself is stunningly emotional. Even in quieter, less intense scenes, there’s so much feeling woven into the words.

Rayne and Salem absolutely owned my heart. Their dynamic is very lust turns to love—spicy, raw, and unplanned. Their first encounter wasn’t supposed to repeat, but fate had other ideas. Salem sums it up perfectly: “The nameless woman who’d drawn out my soul with her tongue and swallowed it whole.” That line alone made me obsessed.

I also loved the dual POV structure, which lets us see Rayne and Salem not only through their own eyes but also through each other’s, building out their connection beautifully. Rayne tries to convince herself she doesn’t “do” relationships, but Salem slowly unravels that guard. Watching them fall for each other against such a chilling backdrop gave me everything I wanted.

Between the haunted island setting, the occult vs. religion themes, the incredible atmosphere, and the spice—it’s honestly one of the best sapphic romances I’ve ever read. I’m legit obsessed.



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