Dark Garden Nook

“Cloaked in violet shadow he strolls toward me like some kind of mythical folk-rock Jesus.” Kate Golden’s Dawn of Onyx series is one of my all-time favorites, so when I found out she was writing a rockstar romance inspired by Hozier—who I am a big fan of—I was beyond excited. Honestly, I may have let out an actual screech when I received an ARC of If Not For My Baby . This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. Golden brings in her writing style to perfectly capture the tortured-artist energy we love in our tall sad boy. It’s angsty in all the right ways, deeply romantic, occasionally heartbreaking, and yes—deliciously spicy. While it’s clear that the male lead draws some inspiration from Hozier (think: poetic, introverted, Irish musician), the characters totally stand on their own. One of the best parts of the novel was the strong theme of found family. There’s something incredibly heartwarming about characters discovering new versions of themselves through connection, su...