Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger

Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger is a dark gothic romance steeped in secrets, family feuds, and buried truths. The premise is strong. The atmosphere is rich. The execution, however, is uneven.

Maven Blackthorn returns to her hometown for her grandmother’s funeral. Her mother’s death still hangs heavy over the town. Then her grandmother’s body disappears. Things spiral fast. The long-standing war between the Blackthorns and the Crofts flares up again. Enter Ronan Croft. Her first love. Her worst nightmare.

Maven and Ronan are toxic together. Full stop. Their chemistry is sharp but corrosive. I never truly liked either character, and that made the emotional connection hard to sustain. Their dynamic fits the story’s darkness, but it never quite won me over.

The biggest issue is pacing. This story moves slowly. Painfully slowly at times. The plot does not truly come alive until around the 75–80% mark. That is a long wait for payoff. I found myself speeding up the audio more than usual just to get through the buildup. A few chapters blurred because the momentum simply was not there.

That said, once the story finally picks up, it does work. The twists turn chaotic. The secrets unravel. The intrigue pays off enough to justify sticking it out. I kept listening because I needed the answers, even when the journey dragged.

Where this audiobook shines is the narration. The three narrators are excellent. Connor Crais, Tara Langella, and  Veronica Pace complement each other beautifully. They capture the essence of the characters with precision. The emotional tone, tension, and menace land far better in audio than I think they would on the page alone. The narration genuinely elevates the experience.

Geissinger’s writing itself is solid. The book is well edited. The prose is confident. The gothic worldbuilding is layered and immersive. The idea behind the story is compelling. I just did not love the story we ultimately got.

If you love gothic romance with toxic leads, family vendettas, and a heavy dose of secrets, this may work for you. If pacing is a deal-breaker, proceed with caution. I appreciated the craft and the audio performance, but the story itself never fully clicked for me.