Weavingshaw Instant #1 SUNDAY TIMES bestseller - the most gothic and spellbinding fantasy romance of 2026

Weavingshaw was one of those books that constantly made me want to read just one more chapter. I loved the fantasy world, the tension and the romance quietly developing in the background without taking over the story. What impressed me most, however, was how many themes are woven into the fantasy setting. The novel explores immigration, poverty, disability, prejudice, corruption, the treatment of prisoners and the abuse of institutional power. Again and again, it made me think about choice: how much freedom do we really have when our options are limited by circumstances, power or simply the need to survive? For me, the book can almost be understood through the metaphor of the cards we are dealt. We don’t choose our starting hand, and some people are given far fewer possibilities than others. We may gain, lose or exchange cards along the way, but our choices are never made in a vacuum. I particularly liked that the story leaves room for morally complicated situations in which there isn’t necessarily one person who has a choice and another who doesn’t. I also enjoyed the way the relationship develops through proximity, trust and shared experiences. It made the romance feel like a natural part of the characters’ journey rather than the main purpose of it. A beautifully compelling fantasy that entertained me while also giving me much more to think about than I initially expected.

Weavingshaw was a great and enjoyable read. The atmosphere was somewhere between Gothic, Wuthering Heights, and a slow-burn story, which created a unique and captivating vibe throughout the book. I really enjoyed the setting and the overall mood, and I found the story engaging from beginning to end. However, because of the huge hype surrounding this book, I expected a little more. While it was definitely a good read, it didn’t completely live up to the very high expectations I had before starting it. Overall, I would still recommend Weavingshaw to readers who enjoy Gothic elements, slow-burn storytelling, and atmospheric books.

well shit, how did i miss the fact that this is going to be a trilogy? like, i need to know what will happen next asap. granted, the pacing starts rather slow but i feel like this doesn't actually harm the plot too much. instead, i had enough time to fully immerse myself in the atmosphere, lore and character introductions. and let me tell you, this is an actual slow burn romance for once. it's not unnecessarily thirsty or rushed in any way and the emotions of leena and st. silas and their changing dynamic are leaking off the pages without the romance subplot taking center stage. the gothic atmosphere, the subtle yearning, the demonic lore, all of this feels so well crafted and executed, giving me just enough to hook me but not too much to overwhelm or lose itself in potential inconsistencies, that i have very high hopes for book two to dive right into the plot with a little bit of a faster pacing because the stage has been set expertly. and on top of all that, i really liked leena's background story. sure, we've had plenty of fantasy stories about the mc being some kind of refugee but none of the ones i've come across so far felt as authentic with the focus on the exact right things to transport across the pages than this one. the way that leena's personal history makes her feel misplaced and not belonging being mirrored by her ability which also casts her between two worlds is so well done and the things she has to suffer from and through are made so much more believable with the context given throughout the story. i truly can't wait for the next installment