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Insolence
Insolence is book 1 of a duet, and will end on a cliffhanger. This is a dark romantasy with two toxic, morally gray FMCs, forced proximity, forbidden love, and open-door spice. (Please consult TWs in the front of the book.)
In a fantasy realm where Sapphic women possess arcane abilities, are we goddess-blessed or are we cursed?
Tiss: I awoke in this temple with no memory of who I am. The Sisters say I dedicated my life to the goddess, but that’s impossible. When I see something not meant for my eyes, it becomes apparent things darker than worship happen here. Far darker.
All I want is to find out who put me here. Until I’m summoned by the High Priestess.
Capricious and captivating, Elodie’s magnetism is hard to ignore no matter how wildly her moods shift. Then, when the sweet and charming Sadrie makes her interest known, a dire hunger awakens inside of me. The longer I spend in both women's presence, the more voracious it grows.
Forced together and forbidden from intimacy.
Elodie: Four years on top of this miserable mountain. Four years of strict discipline to guard my secrets, and there she is prowling my temple.
Beautiful and bratty, Tiss sees both sides of me and all that I am. She's also irresistible. Her presence disrupts everything I've worked for, and her willfulness could get us both killed. With so much to protect, I must stay away. But my discipline is faltering.
In a remote temple where danger lurks and questions abound, can we survive the Prioress and her twisted deeds?
Author’s Note: Insolence takes place in a close-minded, patriarchal realm inspired by the 1930s. As it unfolds, the series will explore themes of feminine rage and women taking back lost power. Polyamory is practiced in this world, and Tiss will not choose between love interests.
In a fantasy realm where Sapphic women possess arcane abilities, are we goddess-blessed or are we cursed?
Tiss: I awoke in this temple with no memory of who I am. The Sisters say I dedicated my life to the goddess, but that’s impossible. When I see something not meant for my eyes, it becomes apparent things darker than worship happen here. Far darker.
All I want is to find out who put me here. Until I’m summoned by the High Priestess.
Capricious and captivating, Elodie’s magnetism is hard to ignore no matter how wildly her moods shift. Then, when the sweet and charming Sadrie makes her interest known, a dire hunger awakens inside of me. The longer I spend in both women's presence, the more voracious it grows.
Forced together and forbidden from intimacy.
Elodie: Four years on top of this miserable mountain. Four years of strict discipline to guard my secrets, and there she is prowling my temple.
Beautiful and bratty, Tiss sees both sides of me and all that I am. She's also irresistible. Her presence disrupts everything I've worked for, and her willfulness could get us both killed. With so much to protect, I must stay away. But my discipline is faltering.
In a remote temple where danger lurks and questions abound, can we survive the Prioress and her twisted deeds?
Author’s Note: Insolence takes place in a close-minded, patriarchal realm inspired by the 1930s. As it unfolds, the series will explore themes of feminine rage and women taking back lost power. Polyamory is practiced in this world, and Tiss will not choose between love interests.
493 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2025
32 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
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September 18, 2025
I received and ARC copy for my honest review.
Okay, what. a. read!
I was worried that this book being "too much" when I opened it and was prefaced with pronunciations of names, locations, and days of the week, but it really didn't feel difficult or overwhelming at all. Also, she's thicc. This book is 540+ and that thought was daunting at first, but once I started reading, it flew by and I inhaled it!
Gwin has such a way with writing. She does an amazing job with character development, world building, and I really enjoy her prose.
Speaking of characters, there are a lot of wonderful, sexy, smart, and strong women in this book! From the three MC's to their supporting cast of friends, there are so many things that are well written about them. They provide support, comedic relief, plot filler, and really sexy situations.
I'm not sure which MC is my favorite yet, and honestly, I want to wifey them all up (lol).
There's open door smut, quite a few scenes btw, but there is also a lot of drama and intrigue that keeps you on your toes. So many things are hidden behind our characters not having memory of the "before" and it's really exciting (albeit sometimes stressful) to see all of the secrets unfold. There are also some characters you'll love to hate, I'm looking at you, Sister Ailen.
Insolence takes us through learning how to openly communicate with the ones you love and respect, along with setting healthy boundaries and what that means for each person. It's refreshing to see that portrayed in a book in the way that Gwin did. Humans (and specifically adults) should always be open and honest and we see how important that is between Elodie, Sadrie, and Tiss-not just because of their romantic feelings, but because they respect each other so much.
Also, I smiled so hard when there were instances of compersion from Elodie and Sadrie, when it comes to Tiss. I really liked that.
I cannot wait to read the sequel and really hope Gwin won't keep us waiting for too long before we get it.
Okay, what. a. read!
I was worried that this book being "too much" when I opened it and was prefaced with pronunciations of names, locations, and days of the week, but it really didn't feel difficult or overwhelming at all. Also, she's thicc. This book is 540+ and that thought was daunting at first, but once I started reading, it flew by and I inhaled it!
Gwin has such a way with writing. She does an amazing job with character development, world building, and I really enjoy her prose.
Speaking of characters, there are a lot of wonderful, sexy, smart, and strong women in this book! From the three MC's to their supporting cast of friends, there are so many things that are well written about them. They provide support, comedic relief, plot filler, and really sexy situations.
I'm not sure which MC is my favorite yet, and honestly, I want to wifey them all up (lol).
There's open door smut, quite a few scenes btw, but there is also a lot of drama and intrigue that keeps you on your toes. So many things are hidden behind our characters not having memory of the "before" and it's really exciting (albeit sometimes stressful) to see all of the secrets unfold. There are also some characters you'll love to hate, I'm looking at you, Sister Ailen.
Insolence takes us through learning how to openly communicate with the ones you love and respect, along with setting healthy boundaries and what that means for each person. It's refreshing to see that portrayed in a book in the way that Gwin did. Humans (and specifically adults) should always be open and honest and we see how important that is between Elodie, Sadrie, and Tiss-not just because of their romantic feelings, but because they respect each other so much.
Also, I smiled so hard when there were instances of compersion from Elodie and Sadrie, when it comes to Tiss. I really liked that.
I cannot wait to read the sequel and really hope Gwin won't keep us waiting for too long before we get it.
September 8, 2025
I don’t think my bum has ever sat on the edge of my seat for so long ever in my entire life, I’m surprised I didn’t fall off. The entire book is just pure cinema, I need this made into a movie so bad. Literally every chapter has a new piece of shocking information, while also creating anticipation for other characters to figure that information and what it means for them or their friends. This entire book is a puzzle you truly can’t put together without reading it, none of my theories were 100% correct, and I am incredible at knowing twists and reveals.
At the end of the book I am still left with plenty of questions, an entire stadium worth of shock, and a standard amount of “WHAT?”
Tiss, I actually don’t know how to describe her, Tiss is just questioning everything (as she should) she’s gone through something that leaves her with amnesia, she knows practically nothing about her life, and someone who knows everything about her life refuses to tell her anything (well, they will Eventually) It must be such a frustrating place to be in, and especially because there is parts of herself she doesn’t understand and why she is doing certain things. She also keeps seeing things she shouldn’t, wrong place wrong time, and then when she asks people about it she’s always told she didn’t see anything and to stop asking questions.
Elodie wants to keep her promises, she wants to keep Tiss safe. While reading, Elodies reasons behind her methods are understandable, but it’s also understandable how frustrating it is for Tiss. For El, Tiss’ safety is incredibly important and while they are quite literally in the lions den, it’s so important Tiss keeps calm and keeps up the plan they have to not only keep Tiss safe, but to save everyone.
The romance in this book is breathtaking, Gwin truly does write the hottest scenes by FAR, and there is A LOT of it in Insolence. Some readers might not like the amount of scenes, but remember that it is important to the story, and if the extreme amount is kept in the front of your mind, it’s a clue to one of the biggest mysteries in the book. If the amount puts anyone off, just know it’s GOOD, like each scene is BEAUTIFUL and so hot and dreamy.
The storylines are all just so well written, all flow so well, the reveals are all perfectly timed, nothing seems info dumped which is so surprising because there is so much the reader has to learn. Insolence is perfect, I knew it would be, but I definitely was not expecting the amount of shocks or reveals or surprises or confusion that goes along with all the excitement. I could talk for Hours about this book and I could read it a thousand times without getting bored.
At the end of the book I am still left with plenty of questions, an entire stadium worth of shock, and a standard amount of “WHAT?”
Tiss, I actually don’t know how to describe her, Tiss is just questioning everything (as she should) she’s gone through something that leaves her with amnesia, she knows practically nothing about her life, and someone who knows everything about her life refuses to tell her anything (well, they will Eventually) It must be such a frustrating place to be in, and especially because there is parts of herself she doesn’t understand and why she is doing certain things. She also keeps seeing things she shouldn’t, wrong place wrong time, and then when she asks people about it she’s always told she didn’t see anything and to stop asking questions.
Elodie wants to keep her promises, she wants to keep Tiss safe. While reading, Elodies reasons behind her methods are understandable, but it’s also understandable how frustrating it is for Tiss. For El, Tiss’ safety is incredibly important and while they are quite literally in the lions den, it’s so important Tiss keeps calm and keeps up the plan they have to not only keep Tiss safe, but to save everyone.
The romance in this book is breathtaking, Gwin truly does write the hottest scenes by FAR, and there is A LOT of it in Insolence. Some readers might not like the amount of scenes, but remember that it is important to the story, and if the extreme amount is kept in the front of your mind, it’s a clue to one of the biggest mysteries in the book. If the amount puts anyone off, just know it’s GOOD, like each scene is BEAUTIFUL and so hot and dreamy.
The storylines are all just so well written, all flow so well, the reveals are all perfectly timed, nothing seems info dumped which is so surprising because there is so much the reader has to learn. Insolence is perfect, I knew it would be, but I definitely was not expecting the amount of shocks or reveals or surprises or confusion that goes along with all the excitement. I could talk for Hours about this book and I could read it a thousand times without getting bored.
September 13, 2025
I went into this book with high expectations, having read Indecent. This story blew me away, exceeding my expectations. I absolutely fell in love with the unique and complex characters. The author did a fabulous job protraying not only a gender fluid character, but polyamorous ones as well. I was drawn right in to the rich world building, and remarkable universe. I am still having trouble adjusting back to life in the real world. I can't wait for the next installment in this series. Now go read Insolence!
October 9, 2025
We’re going to do this backwards and start at the end.
I was not expecting that cliffhanger and it made me feel so much in just a second, like my jaw dropped and it took my breath away.
I enjoyed the chemistry between El/Elodie and Tiss and between Tiss and Sadrie. The pull, the tension, the yearning and the inevitability of their encounters. I would love to see more interaction between El/Elodie and Sadrie in the coming stories.
My favorite character is Maida, she seems like she’s ride or die for El, but, at this point, I don’t trust anyone.
Etissa could sometimes come off as whiny, but it’s not entirely unusual behavior for the age she’s portrayed to be and may be even slightly excusable when you have no idea who you are and how you got there and have to rely on what people tell you. I can also understand how frustrating it must have been for El/Elodie not to be able to share the whole truth with her, and her not remembering much, I’m sure it must feel like when you have a name or a song on the tip of your tongue but you can’t quite place it.
El/Elodie had much more patience than me, they were doing their best scrambling to protect Tiss any way they could. Most of their problems could have been solved with just a little communication but I can definitely understand that the entire environment felt dangerous to them both and that El/Elodie was just making good on her promise.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and just couldn’t put it down. I lost a lot of sleep these past few days just to read one more chapter.
Thank you to Gwin Savage for providing me with an eARC. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series, 2027 can’t come soon enough.
Rated 4.5 stars⭐️ rounded up to 5
I was not expecting that cliffhanger and it made me feel so much in just a second, like my jaw dropped and it took my breath away.
I enjoyed the chemistry between El/Elodie and Tiss and between Tiss and Sadrie. The pull, the tension, the yearning and the inevitability of their encounters. I would love to see more interaction between El/Elodie and Sadrie in the coming stories.
My favorite character is Maida, she seems like she’s ride or die for El, but, at this point, I don’t trust anyone.
Etissa could sometimes come off as whiny, but it’s not entirely unusual behavior for the age she’s portrayed to be and may be even slightly excusable when you have no idea who you are and how you got there and have to rely on what people tell you. I can also understand how frustrating it must have been for El/Elodie not to be able to share the whole truth with her, and her not remembering much, I’m sure it must feel like when you have a name or a song on the tip of your tongue but you can’t quite place it.
El/Elodie had much more patience than me, they were doing their best scrambling to protect Tiss any way they could. Most of their problems could have been solved with just a little communication but I can definitely understand that the entire environment felt dangerous to them both and that El/Elodie was just making good on her promise.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and just couldn’t put it down. I lost a lot of sleep these past few days just to read one more chapter.
Thank you to Gwin Savage for providing me with an eARC. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series, 2027 can’t come soon enough.
Rated 4.5 stars⭐️ rounded up to 5
September 13, 2025
✨Arc Review✨
✨Out September 22nd!✨
First off, I really hope I can be a ARC reader for Intolerable (the next book), because I will be heartbroken to not know what happens as soon as possible. I didn’t see the end coming at all, and it’s pretty hard to blind side me. ADHD superpowers and all, what can I say but it’s a gift? 😅
The gender fluidity of El/Elodie was perfectly portrayed, and the pure love and acceptance from Tiss was absolutely beautiful.
The spice was exactly what I want- open door with all of the details.
☑️ magic-induced ✨amnesia✨
☑️ f/f/genderfluid polyamory
☑️ plenty of open 🌶️door 🌶️spice 🌶️
☑️ morally gray FMCs
☑️ soul-bonded lovers (no fated mates)
☑️ bratty heroine 😈 + toxic love/hate dynamic
☑️ forced proximity
☑️ forbidden love + angst & longing
☑️ “burn the world for her” 🔥
☑️ spanking + “good girl” 😏
☑️ so much dubcon ‼️
☑️ “mine” 😮💨🥰
I might need to crawl into a hole until I can find out how it all concludes, but I’ll be ready to crawl right back out as soon as I see the Arc sign ups for Intolerable 😅
✨Out September 22nd!✨
First off, I really hope I can be a ARC reader for Intolerable (the next book), because I will be heartbroken to not know what happens as soon as possible. I didn’t see the end coming at all, and it’s pretty hard to blind side me. ADHD superpowers and all, what can I say but it’s a gift? 😅
The gender fluidity of El/Elodie was perfectly portrayed, and the pure love and acceptance from Tiss was absolutely beautiful.
The spice was exactly what I want- open door with all of the details.
☑️ magic-induced ✨amnesia✨
☑️ f/f/genderfluid polyamory
☑️ plenty of open 🌶️door 🌶️spice 🌶️
☑️ morally gray FMCs
☑️ soul-bonded lovers (no fated mates)
☑️ bratty heroine 😈 + toxic love/hate dynamic
☑️ forced proximity
☑️ forbidden love + angst & longing
☑️ “burn the world for her” 🔥
☑️ spanking + “good girl” 😏
☑️ so much dubcon ‼️
☑️ “mine” 😮💨🥰
I might need to crawl into a hole until I can find out how it all concludes, but I’ll be ready to crawl right back out as soon as I see the Arc sign ups for Intolerable 😅
November 8, 2025
Wow! That was a sucker-punch. It started off a little slow but there were so many mysteries to unravel I couldn't turn away. I'm glad I stuck with it because El and Tiss are definitely worth it. This story is both gripping and grimy, dark and despairing, but the love they share is so bright and raw. I need to know how it all ends!
September 13, 2025
I really loved this book. Gwin Savage has created an engrossing take on dark academia and forbidden love, while also depicting polyamory in a simple and inviting light. Beyond plentiful sex and emotionally vulnerable scenes, Insolence does a phenomenal job revealing information to the audience (and characters) in a way that reshapes the way we understand the characters and world, while always feeling "earned." Which in turn results in an incredibly compelling narrative.
Tiss, like all initiates at the temple wakes up with no memory at all about her past or who she is. She, along with the audience, must then learn about the temple she has sworn herself to and the religion surrounding it. Along the way she finds friends and lovers, learns about them as she tries to rediscover herself. This premise alone creates a wonderful excuse to have expository dialogue about the universe and religion (even going so far as to have classroom sessions) without feeling like the characters are speaking only for the benefit of the audience and in a way they wouldn't normally. This also provides opportunities for Savage to drip feed us information in a compelling way that continually forces the characters and audience to reevaluate what they thought they knew about the world. Fundamentally, this is fantasy world that clearly has had a lot of time and love put into it. It feels lived-in and coherent and fascinating.
Along the fascinating universe Savage has constructed, there is ample sex and romance. These were done well, and always feel like they are happening "in" the narrative, in that they always make sense with where the characters are at and what makes sense for them to be doing in that moment. That being said, there are a few small things that I wish we could have spent more time on (just because I think they were so fun and interesting I wish there was more, and it felt like there could have been). In particular, it felt like the relationship between Tiss and Sadrie ended up taking a bit of a back seat in the second half of the book. This makes sense with how much the plot ends up revolving around the relationship between Tiss and Elodie through that portion of the book, but it would mave been interesting to see more of how Tiss and Sadrie were interacting, especially as they are on the same level of the pewer hierarchy, and so made natural confidants throughout the book. In that vein, I think it would have been interesting to explore the power dynamic between Elodie and Tiss more throughly, especially when it comes to sex, and then the lack of that could between Tiss and Sadrie could have been an interesting contrast. While we certainly see some amount of power dynamics at play between Elodie and Tiss, they don't end up being as impactful as they maybe could have been. Throughout, we see Elodie exercising power over Tiss outside of sex by virtue of the fact that Elodie has information that Tiss wants. Tiss never treats Elodie as a superior who could actually punish her. Despite the fact that Elodie seems cognizant of this power imbalance and doesn't want to abuse it, it still exists, and I think it could have been fun to explore. As it stands, it seems that Tiss often doesn't treat Elodie as an authority figure when, at least in the context of the temple they find themselves in, Elodie very much is. Basically, while the "dark fantasy" part of this book certainly lives up to its name, the "dark romance" part didn't feel as dark to me (though it's possible I have a strong tolerance for that in fiction, or just uncommon preferences)
Overall, I thought this book was very very well done. The world is immaculately put together, and every action of every character feels motivated and comprehensible. The pacing of the plot and information are gripping and phenomenally done. My only real complaint is that there were some relationship dynamics that I wished had gotten more time on the page instead of letting them progress off page in certain ways.
Tiss, like all initiates at the temple wakes up with no memory at all about her past or who she is. She, along with the audience, must then learn about the temple she has sworn herself to and the religion surrounding it. Along the way she finds friends and lovers, learns about them as she tries to rediscover herself. This premise alone creates a wonderful excuse to have expository dialogue about the universe and religion (even going so far as to have classroom sessions) without feeling like the characters are speaking only for the benefit of the audience and in a way they wouldn't normally. This also provides opportunities for Savage to drip feed us information in a compelling way that continually forces the characters and audience to reevaluate what they thought they knew about the world. Fundamentally, this is fantasy world that clearly has had a lot of time and love put into it. It feels lived-in and coherent and fascinating.
Along the fascinating universe Savage has constructed, there is ample sex and romance. These were done well, and always feel like they are happening "in" the narrative, in that they always make sense with where the characters are at and what makes sense for them to be doing in that moment. That being said, there are a few small things that I wish we could have spent more time on (just because I think they were so fun and interesting I wish there was more, and it felt like there could have been). In particular, it felt like the relationship between Tiss and Sadrie ended up taking a bit of a back seat in the second half of the book. This makes sense with how much the plot ends up revolving around the relationship between Tiss and Elodie through that portion of the book, but it would mave been interesting to see more of how Tiss and Sadrie were interacting, especially as they are on the same level of the pewer hierarchy, and so made natural confidants throughout the book. In that vein, I think it would have been interesting to explore the power dynamic between Elodie and Tiss more throughly, especially when it comes to sex, and then the lack of that could between Tiss and Sadrie could have been an interesting contrast. While we certainly see some amount of power dynamics at play between Elodie and Tiss, they don't end up being as impactful as they maybe could have been. Throughout, we see Elodie exercising power over Tiss outside of sex by virtue of the fact that Elodie has information that Tiss wants. Tiss never treats Elodie as a superior who could actually punish her. Despite the fact that Elodie seems cognizant of this power imbalance and doesn't want to abuse it, it still exists, and I think it could have been fun to explore. As it stands, it seems that Tiss often doesn't treat Elodie as an authority figure when, at least in the context of the temple they find themselves in, Elodie very much is. Basically, while the "dark fantasy" part of this book certainly lives up to its name, the "dark romance" part didn't feel as dark to me (though it's possible I have a strong tolerance for that in fiction, or just uncommon preferences)
Overall, I thought this book was very very well done. The world is immaculately put together, and every action of every character feels motivated and comprehensible. The pacing of the plot and information are gripping and phenomenally done. My only real complaint is that there were some relationship dynamics that I wished had gotten more time on the page instead of letting them progress off page in certain ways.
September 11, 2025
OH MY GOD THAT ENDING!! My eyeballs left my skull, cartoon style. I’ve been completely obsessed with every damn page, could go as far as to say it’s been my favourite book this year! I was hanging on to every chapter, every reveal, every little bit of information trying to work it all out. Everything fits together in such a dark and intricate way. I am blown away by so many things. Honestly, my brain is in pieces, along with my heart! Could NOT stop reading.
Plot summary
There’s a temple, with sisters and people dedicated to the Goddess Eisha. Some women feel a calling, a desire to serve a higher purpose and volunteer their lives in service. Pledging themselves with a magical ritual leaves them with amnesia, no knowledge of their prior lives other than being told their first name and that they gave themselves willingly. However.. all is not as it seems and something sinister is lurking behind deceit, dodgy nuns and dark magic bubbling under the surface.
Add in a whole bunch of truly toe curling spice, heart wrenching love and lies, trying to piece everything together alongside Itissa (FMC), poly rep, gender fluid rep, as well as the absolutely all consuming chemistry with Elodie/El and with Sadie, then you’ve got this book.
What I LOVED:
* Elodie/El - absolute boss of a character
* The relationship dynamics
* Trying to piece everything together alongside Itissa
* The way consent and boundaries are discussed and represented, such important things handled so well, and the consequences of breaking that
* Inclusion of a pronunciation guide for names and things! (I always struggle with that)
* Obviously the spice… the intensity and frequency of encounters/moments is integral to the story though, not just because it’s.. good.. 👀
Overall if you like dark sapphic romantasy, secrets, magic, spice, dodgy nuns and a dose of violence, then you will probably love this!
Plot summary
There’s a temple, with sisters and people dedicated to the Goddess Eisha. Some women feel a calling, a desire to serve a higher purpose and volunteer their lives in service. Pledging themselves with a magical ritual leaves them with amnesia, no knowledge of their prior lives other than being told their first name and that they gave themselves willingly. However.. all is not as it seems and something sinister is lurking behind deceit, dodgy nuns and dark magic bubbling under the surface.
Add in a whole bunch of truly toe curling spice, heart wrenching love and lies, trying to piece everything together alongside Itissa (FMC), poly rep, gender fluid rep, as well as the absolutely all consuming chemistry with Elodie/El and with Sadie, then you’ve got this book.
What I LOVED:
* Elodie/El - absolute boss of a character
* The relationship dynamics
* Trying to piece everything together alongside Itissa
* The way consent and boundaries are discussed and represented, such important things handled so well, and the consequences of breaking that
* Inclusion of a pronunciation guide for names and things! (I always struggle with that)
* Obviously the spice… the intensity and frequency of encounters/moments is integral to the story though, not just because it’s.. good.. 👀
Overall if you like dark sapphic romantasy, secrets, magic, spice, dodgy nuns and a dose of violence, then you will probably love this!
September 16, 2025
*ARC review, was given a free copy for my HONEST review*
I really wanted to enjoy this book. Sapphic romance in a dark fantasy setting are normally my favorite kind of books. But the r*pey undertones in the relationships and the lack of any significant action from the characters ruined this book.
Spoilers Ahead
My main problem with the book is Tiss's relationships between Elodie/El and Sadrie. At first, I thought both romances were cute. They moved a little fast for my taste, but the spicy scenes were written well, and I felt like Tiss had real chemistry with both of her partners.
I changed my mind during the scene where Tiss "lashes out" due to her succubus nature and bites Sadrie (without her consent), then continues to have sex with Sadrie, despite her practically paralyzed state, while literally STEALING HER LIFE FORCE. Yes, before this, Sadrie does coerce Tiss into having sex, but she was apparently under the influence of demonic pheremones. Tiss gets away with assaulting Sadrie because she's a succubus, so why is Sadrie treated as a horrible person by Tiss, El, and the overall metanarrative despite being under the influence of a succubus? It felt like a double standard.
I also felt like it was weird to treat Sadrie like a horrible rapist, have Tiss barely acknowledge the way she assaulted Sadrie, but then still have them make up and continue a romantic relationship?
In El's relationship with Tiss, I couldn't stand how they repeatedly had the same fight about El withholding things from Tiss. Every time they were together, they either fought about their memories or had sex. There was no real exploration of their romance except for back-to-back flashbacks randomly thrown at you 80% of the way through the book.
The plot also left much to be desired. The entire book is just talking and sex. None of the main characters do anything significant to try to solve their problems. There is hardly any on-page action, just a lot of talking about maybe escaping the convent. I guess this was just the 500+ page rising action before we get to see the climax in the second book.
But the worst part was the very last chapter, where it's revealed that Tiss has once again had her memories stolen, so everything we just went through for the past 500 pages has been for NOTHING.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. Sapphic romance in a dark fantasy setting are normally my favorite kind of books. But the r*pey undertones in the relationships and the lack of any significant action from the characters ruined this book.
Spoilers Ahead
My main problem with the book is Tiss's relationships between Elodie/El and Sadrie. At first, I thought both romances were cute. They moved a little fast for my taste, but the spicy scenes were written well, and I felt like Tiss had real chemistry with both of her partners.
I changed my mind during the scene where Tiss "lashes out" due to her succubus nature and bites Sadrie (without her consent), then continues to have sex with Sadrie, despite her practically paralyzed state, while literally STEALING HER LIFE FORCE. Yes, before this, Sadrie does coerce Tiss into having sex, but she was apparently under the influence of demonic pheremones. Tiss gets away with assaulting Sadrie because she's a succubus, so why is Sadrie treated as a horrible person by Tiss, El, and the overall metanarrative despite being under the influence of a succubus? It felt like a double standard.
I also felt like it was weird to treat Sadrie like a horrible rapist, have Tiss barely acknowledge the way she assaulted Sadrie, but then still have them make up and continue a romantic relationship?
In El's relationship with Tiss, I couldn't stand how they repeatedly had the same fight about El withholding things from Tiss. Every time they were together, they either fought about their memories or had sex. There was no real exploration of their romance except for back-to-back flashbacks randomly thrown at you 80% of the way through the book.
The plot also left much to be desired. The entire book is just talking and sex. None of the main characters do anything significant to try to solve their problems. There is hardly any on-page action, just a lot of talking about maybe escaping the convent. I guess this was just the 500+ page rising action before we get to see the climax in the second book.
But the worst part was the very last chapter, where it's revealed that Tiss has once again had her memories stolen, so everything we just went through for the past 500 pages has been for NOTHING.
October 3, 2025
This e-ARC was sent to me by the author. This is my honest opinion.
Tropes
🫐 F/F/Genderfluid
🫐 Polyamory
🫐 Forced proximity
🫐 Dark academia
🫐 Age gap
🫐 Morally Gray
🫐 Magical amnesia
The story follows Itissa after she loses her memory to get into the Temple of Eisha. At the temple, Itissa meets the mysterious Elodie/El, for whom she feels attracted to.
The world building was very intricate; the author created her own months and days and a lore about the gods. We learn about it alongside Itissa, which i appreciated because it didn’t feel too heavy.
The relationship between the characters was really well-written; reading about them felt really intimate and the smut scenes >>>> I could feel their connection.
Tropes
🫐 F/F/Genderfluid
🫐 Polyamory
🫐 Forced proximity
🫐 Dark academia
🫐 Age gap
🫐 Morally Gray
🫐 Magical amnesia
The story follows Itissa after she loses her memory to get into the Temple of Eisha. At the temple, Itissa meets the mysterious Elodie/El, for whom she feels attracted to.
The world building was very intricate; the author created her own months and days and a lore about the gods. We learn about it alongside Itissa, which i appreciated because it didn’t feel too heavy.
The relationship between the characters was really well-written; reading about them felt really intimate and the smut scenes >>>> I could feel their connection.
October 2, 2025
ARC Review - Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of the book to read and review.
Do you love being emotionally damaged multiple times throughout a book? Do you love an amazing storyline that almost ties everything up, just to stab you directly in the heart with a devastating cliffhanger; then leaves you to rot in your feelings for an unknown amount of time waiting for the next book to come out? Because if you do, this is the book for you!! 😅
I loved and hated this book so much! The word building, the magic, the secrets, the strong characters, the romance, the sexual tension, the spice, a cool bird friend! All perfection! Then it turned around and caused more emotional damage than a toxic ex with no remorse and no set release date for the next installment….
But as they say, misery loves company so read it and join us all as we sulk in our feels for the foreseeable future! 😬🙃
Do you love being emotionally damaged multiple times throughout a book? Do you love an amazing storyline that almost ties everything up, just to stab you directly in the heart with a devastating cliffhanger; then leaves you to rot in your feelings for an unknown amount of time waiting for the next book to come out? Because if you do, this is the book for you!! 😅
I loved and hated this book so much! The word building, the magic, the secrets, the strong characters, the romance, the sexual tension, the spice, a cool bird friend! All perfection! Then it turned around and caused more emotional damage than a toxic ex with no remorse and no set release date for the next installment….
But as they say, misery loves company so read it and join us all as we sulk in our feels for the foreseeable future! 😬🙃
September 9, 2025
Gwin built a world I wanted to jump into and walk around just to experience it.
Somewhere between dark academia and gothic fantasy you’re thrown into the temple along with Tiss to find out who she is, why she’s there and what is going on in this weird place.
The dynamic between El, Tiss and Sadrie is top notch.
The banter is delicious, the spice is extra spicy, you want to know everything and yet you can’t read fast enough to satisfy the need!
Somewhere between dark academia and gothic fantasy you’re thrown into the temple along with Tiss to find out who she is, why she’s there and what is going on in this weird place.
The dynamic between El, Tiss and Sadrie is top notch.
The banter is delicious, the spice is extra spicy, you want to know everything and yet you can’t read fast enough to satisfy the need!
September 17, 2025
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from the author.
Set in a world where sapphic women have magic abilities, Tiss wakes up in a temple with no memory of who she is. The sisters guarding the place tell her she dedicated her life to the worship of the Goddess Eisha, which includes a life of chastity. But not only does she soon witness harsh punishments inflicted on rulebreakers, she also feels an undeniable pull to the high priestess Elodie (who also sometimes is a man named El – I will be using names & pronouns interchangeably throughout this review), who tries (and fails) to keep her distance. Besides their clear sexual attraction and the danger that comes with acting on it, Tiss also knows that El knows much more than her about what’s going on here and despite him claiming he’s not telling her to protect her, she is going to do everything in her power to get some answers.
The story was off to a somewhat rocky start for me at first, due to the sexual tension and interactions between Elodie and Tiss not mixing that well with the unease and horror of witnessing brutal punishment of other women in the temple. While Tiss was aware that something very, very wrong was going on at the temple, including her own sense of unease with herself, the additional will-they-won’t-they made the story feel a bit too stretched out to keep up the sense of intrigue. However, at around the 30% mark the story manages to hit its stride and keeps the tension alive not just between El, Tiss and Sadrie (a fellow initiate Tiss also feels attracted to), but also with the darkness underlying the temple. At this point I found myself nearly unable to put the book down, because I just wanted to know what happened next and which part of the backstory would finally be revealed to shed a bit more light into their convoluted lives!
The unease of whatever mystery is happening in the temple is only rivaled by the unease of whatever is going on with Tiss as she slowly starts to lose control the rage and hunger that’s bubbling inside her. I like that this story explores grey areas of consent due to supernatural means as well as the fact that even supernatural changes in sexual drive and attractiveness do not replace the importance of consent, while still exploring the ways something like that could influence how people may choose to move forward afterwards. I was well prepared for a storyline like this both due to the author’s marketing as well as through the detailed trigger warnings, which is one of the major reasons I think this worked really well for me, but I would advise potential readers to consider the trigger warnings carefully.
I also really liked Elodie as representation of a genderfluid character, who finds her identity, in particular the masculinity that comes with El, often ignored or even judged as unbefitting of her role as high priestess, but she never backs down or makes herself small. Tiss’ knowledge of (despite never being directly told) and attraction to both Elodie and El was also really intriguing and made their interactions very interesting. I particularly enjoyed that the story does take care to show the differences between El and Elodie and highlight the differing ways they were attractive to Tiss without presenting one as inherently more attractive. One additional aspect that I found intriguing for this was that magic is highly gendered here and one thing that would have led to El’s death was avoided through him forcing his identity back to Elodie despite knowing the dysphoria that comes with repressing parts of his identity. His dysphoria was also not treated as something trivial or something he should just ignore, just because being gender fluid meant it wasn’t a constant feeling. I would have found it really interesting if these gendered aspects of magic had been explored in a bit more detail in what this means for trans women, who are not mentioned in the story, but despite this I enjoyed seeing how a gendered magic system interacts with transgender characters.
Finally, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding, the way the temple serves as both as sanctuary from cisheteropatriarchy and as a prison for those inside it and how Tiss’ amnesia and Elodie’s worry for hurting her by working against the magic causing it, made the things that we learn feel natural without being overwhelming or infodumping, while also giving Tiss a very good reason to be mad.
All in all, this story is a very spicy, rather dark fantasy story exploring sapphic attraction in a world where same-gender attraction and trans identity are both shunned by society, an intriguing magic system and an isolated temple, where dark deeds are happening. I had a fun time reading it and I’m very excited for the sequel!
4.5 stars
TW: abuse of power, amnesia, animal death, blood, body dysmorphia, captivity, corruption, cult, death (mentioned), derogatory slur (mentioned), drugging, dubious consent, forced marriage to a man (mentioned), gender dysphoria, grief, homophobia, ignoring safe words, manipulation, mental distress, misogyny, murder (mentioned), mutilation, physical assault, physical torture, poisoning, prejudice, religious trauma, self-harm, sexism, sexual assault, starvation, substance use, suicidal ideation, systemic oppression, trafficking of women, transphobia, trauma, violence
Set in a world where sapphic women have magic abilities, Tiss wakes up in a temple with no memory of who she is. The sisters guarding the place tell her she dedicated her life to the worship of the Goddess Eisha, which includes a life of chastity. But not only does she soon witness harsh punishments inflicted on rulebreakers, she also feels an undeniable pull to the high priestess Elodie (who also sometimes is a man named El – I will be using names & pronouns interchangeably throughout this review), who tries (and fails) to keep her distance. Besides their clear sexual attraction and the danger that comes with acting on it, Tiss also knows that El knows much more than her about what’s going on here and despite him claiming he’s not telling her to protect her, she is going to do everything in her power to get some answers.
The story was off to a somewhat rocky start for me at first, due to the sexual tension and interactions between Elodie and Tiss not mixing that well with the unease and horror of witnessing brutal punishment of other women in the temple. While Tiss was aware that something very, very wrong was going on at the temple, including her own sense of unease with herself, the additional will-they-won’t-they made the story feel a bit too stretched out to keep up the sense of intrigue. However, at around the 30% mark the story manages to hit its stride and keeps the tension alive not just between El, Tiss and Sadrie (a fellow initiate Tiss also feels attracted to), but also with the darkness underlying the temple. At this point I found myself nearly unable to put the book down, because I just wanted to know what happened next and which part of the backstory would finally be revealed to shed a bit more light into their convoluted lives!
The unease of whatever mystery is happening in the temple is only rivaled by the unease of whatever is going on with Tiss as she slowly starts to lose control the rage and hunger that’s bubbling inside her. I like that this story explores grey areas of consent due to supernatural means as well as the fact that even supernatural changes in sexual drive and attractiveness do not replace the importance of consent, while still exploring the ways something like that could influence how people may choose to move forward afterwards. I was well prepared for a storyline like this both due to the author’s marketing as well as through the detailed trigger warnings, which is one of the major reasons I think this worked really well for me, but I would advise potential readers to consider the trigger warnings carefully.
I also really liked Elodie as representation of a genderfluid character, who finds her identity, in particular the masculinity that comes with El, often ignored or even judged as unbefitting of her role as high priestess, but she never backs down or makes herself small. Tiss’ knowledge of (despite never being directly told) and attraction to both Elodie and El was also really intriguing and made their interactions very interesting. I particularly enjoyed that the story does take care to show the differences between El and Elodie and highlight the differing ways they were attractive to Tiss without presenting one as inherently more attractive. One additional aspect that I found intriguing for this was that magic is highly gendered here and one thing that would have led to El’s death was avoided through him forcing his identity back to Elodie despite knowing the dysphoria that comes with repressing parts of his identity. His dysphoria was also not treated as something trivial or something he should just ignore, just because being gender fluid meant it wasn’t a constant feeling. I would have found it really interesting if these gendered aspects of magic had been explored in a bit more detail in what this means for trans women, who are not mentioned in the story, but despite this I enjoyed seeing how a gendered magic system interacts with transgender characters.
Finally, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding, the way the temple serves as both as sanctuary from cisheteropatriarchy and as a prison for those inside it and how Tiss’ amnesia and Elodie’s worry for hurting her by working against the magic causing it, made the things that we learn feel natural without being overwhelming or infodumping, while also giving Tiss a very good reason to be mad.
All in all, this story is a very spicy, rather dark fantasy story exploring sapphic attraction in a world where same-gender attraction and trans identity are both shunned by society, an intriguing magic system and an isolated temple, where dark deeds are happening. I had a fun time reading it and I’m very excited for the sequel!
4.5 stars
TW: abuse of power, amnesia, animal death, blood, body dysmorphia, captivity, corruption, cult, death (mentioned), derogatory slur (mentioned), drugging, dubious consent, forced marriage to a man (mentioned), gender dysphoria, grief, homophobia, ignoring safe words, manipulation, mental distress, misogyny, murder (mentioned), mutilation, physical assault, physical torture, poisoning, prejudice, religious trauma, self-harm, sexism, sexual assault, starvation, substance use, suicidal ideation, systemic oppression, trafficking of women, transphobia, trauma, violence
September 14, 2025
4.5 stars!
Insolence is the story of existing in a magical exclusive goddess temple that the initiation fee for joining is your previous memories and wishing you had them back when you realize “something isn’t right here!”
We follow the main POV, Itissa, as she explores and learns about this exclusive female only temple she joined and the roles the women play. But pretty early on we learn something isn’t right here and something is different about Tiss as well.
The amnesia plot had me so interested in the mystery of this world. We learned about most things as Tiss learned. The lore dropping was easily digestible this way. The world is also a bit off and grisly at times which propels the reader to want to know more. Tiss has a special allure to her that we get slowly revealed as the magic system unfurls overtime as well her spicy adventures that seem to have Tiss losing full control 🥵😈. This list of inhibitions is hot but also unnerving at times leading to more questions.
As Tiss starts getting memories back we learn so much and at times it broke my heart💔
I was able to pull parallels from the revealed reasoning for this magic temple of women and society’s rejection of same sex attraction. The history of aversion therapy came to mind and how it only harmed but didn’t make any change.
Insolence is the story of existing in a magical exclusive goddess temple that the initiation fee for joining is your previous memories and wishing you had them back when you realize “something isn’t right here!”
We follow the main POV, Itissa, as she explores and learns about this exclusive female only temple she joined and the roles the women play. But pretty early on we learn something isn’t right here and something is different about Tiss as well.
The amnesia plot had me so interested in the mystery of this world. We learned about most things as Tiss learned. The lore dropping was easily digestible this way. The world is also a bit off and grisly at times which propels the reader to want to know more. Tiss has a special allure to her that we get slowly revealed as the magic system unfurls overtime as well her spicy adventures that seem to have Tiss losing full control 🥵😈. This list of inhibitions is hot but also unnerving at times leading to more questions.
As Tiss starts getting memories back we learn so much and at times it broke my heart💔
I was able to pull parallels from the revealed reasoning for this magic temple of women and society’s rejection of same sex attraction. The history of aversion therapy came to mind and how it only harmed but didn’t make any change.
September 24, 2025
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review all opinions belong to me.
Fucking. Hell. First of all, huge thanks to the author for trusting me with this masterpiece.
Gwin Savage’s Insolence (book one in the Eisha’s Hidden Codices duet) is a dark, sensual, and emotionally charged romantasy that doesn’t shy away from complexity, moral grey areas, or raw intensity.
We follow the twisted and convoluted story from the viewpoints of Elodie/El and Tiss. From page one, I was hooked — the atmosphere is dark, intense, and sickly-sweet in its cult-like vibe. The morally grey characters are sexy, magnetic, and impossible to look away from. The tension kept me turning pages late into the night. The polyamory and gender fluidity are beautifully written, and the spice? Extremely hot (definitely not for the faint-hearted) and perfectly matched to the raw, emotional tone.
This book had me on a rollercoaster: needing little ✨breaks✨, screaming at the author in DMs, and sweating so much my pants practically flew off lmao.
Be warned: there’s a brutal cliffhanger. I knew it was coming, but I still couldn’t stop reading. Gwin Savage is a little bit of a sadist, so consider yourself warned 😂
I’m fuuuucking desperate for the next book.
Thank you for sharing this with me and becoming an important person in my life in such a short time.
Fucking. Hell. First of all, huge thanks to the author for trusting me with this masterpiece.
Gwin Savage’s Insolence (book one in the Eisha’s Hidden Codices duet) is a dark, sensual, and emotionally charged romantasy that doesn’t shy away from complexity, moral grey areas, or raw intensity.
We follow the twisted and convoluted story from the viewpoints of Elodie/El and Tiss. From page one, I was hooked — the atmosphere is dark, intense, and sickly-sweet in its cult-like vibe. The morally grey characters are sexy, magnetic, and impossible to look away from. The tension kept me turning pages late into the night. The polyamory and gender fluidity are beautifully written, and the spice? Extremely hot (definitely not for the faint-hearted) and perfectly matched to the raw, emotional tone.
This book had me on a rollercoaster: needing little ✨breaks✨, screaming at the author in DMs, and sweating so much my pants practically flew off lmao.
Be warned: there’s a brutal cliffhanger. I knew it was coming, but I still couldn’t stop reading. Gwin Savage is a little bit of a sadist, so consider yourself warned 😂
I’m fuuuucking desperate for the next book.
Thank you for sharing this with me and becoming an important person in my life in such a short time.
January 4, 2026
While on one of my quests learning how to use and navigate threads I chatted with the author about reading their book.
What a ride, it's dual point of view however there is a plethora of significant characters throughout. Sadrielle would also be an MC I would think, however we don't experience her point of view, in this book anyways. The world is immense and intriguing. The whole book is shrouded in mystery throughout while I nibbled at the scarce amount of breadcrumbs afforded to us to piece together Itissa's amnesia. Very enjoyable.
The god forsaken cultist temple that they reside in is reminiscent of The Magdalene Sisters. A strict, violent fortress however everyone does seem to have unwavering faith in the book.
The author did a great job at writing an enthralling story without dragging it out. It's an inclusive tale with quite a bit of spice, a genderfluid rep and poly.
Don't be like me and go in blind, I should have learned my lesson by now. It's a duology and it would be worth reading the Author's note at the beginning of the book or even the blurb on literally any site. I did neither of these and will now be waited on bated breath for the second one.
I digress, this was a very well written novel containing dark creatures and magic alike. Should these things entice you I recommend this book and likely this author in general!
September 27, 2025
I literally devoured this book. This is how you do spicy queer romantasy for me.
First off, the writing flows really well and the story is well paced. We discover a lot of the world alongside the main character, Tiss, due to the amnesia she suffers following a "purification" ritual. While some information can be frustratingly slow to come, it is on purpose and really makes the reader relate to the characters. The flashbacks peppered throughout keep you engaged and wanting to learn everything about the past of those people whose memories were robbed.
The spice is intense but very well written. I appreciate SO MUCH that the author does not use ridiculous metaphors to describe the sexual acts and chooses not to shy away from calling things what they are. The discussions on consent are also well integrated and it's SO REFRESHING to have good, clear communication. Even outside of the spice.
The characters have their own well developed personalities and are very engaging. They are allowed to be complex, flawed characters, even the villains (including one insanely dangerous person who still gets motivations beyond being evil).
An overall great book I couldn't put down once I got into it. That ending nearly made me scream, I need the next book NOW!
First off, the writing flows really well and the story is well paced. We discover a lot of the world alongside the main character, Tiss, due to the amnesia she suffers following a "purification" ritual. While some information can be frustratingly slow to come, it is on purpose and really makes the reader relate to the characters. The flashbacks peppered throughout keep you engaged and wanting to learn everything about the past of those people whose memories were robbed.
The spice is intense but very well written. I appreciate SO MUCH that the author does not use ridiculous metaphors to describe the sexual acts and chooses not to shy away from calling things what they are. The discussions on consent are also well integrated and it's SO REFRESHING to have good, clear communication. Even outside of the spice.
The characters have their own well developed personalities and are very engaging. They are allowed to be complex, flawed characters, even the villains (including one insanely dangerous person who still gets motivations beyond being evil).
An overall great book I couldn't put down once I got into it. That ending nearly made me scream, I need the next book NOW!
September 22, 2025
I believe I hate the word ‘Eventually’ as much as Tiss now lol.
There is so much to this world I was worried I would be overwhelmed, but with El/Elodie giving us snippets at a time it, eventually, all came together.
You can tell Gwin Savage poured her heart into this book and like a thrall I became tethered to the mysteries surrounding the prison-like convent and the characters stories.
You’ll definitely be much like Tiss, kept on the edge wondering what the heck is going on as she tries to reassemble her lost memories. But the payoff was so good and even when I thought I knew what was coming, I really didn’t until the end.
The plot and spicy scenes are nicely balanced and not just thrown in for the sake of it. And the conversation around boundaries and consent is refreshing in a dark Romantasy.
This book is left on a cliff hanger and, even though I knew this, I don’t know if I can keep the beast within me fed until the sequel arrives. ;)
December 27, 2025
Duel 1st Person POV. 5🌟 4🌶️. 595 pages
Where do I begin with this book! Insolence enraptured me from the very first sentence, I needed to know everything all at once. I had 0 clue what was going on until around 45-50% into it and I loved every single second of the confusion.
The story is phenomenal, the main characters are beyond likeable, the nuns are abhorrent but you’ll love to hate them. There’s mystery, magic and intrigue. Amnesia, torture and terror. Love, lust and a whole heaping of spice, and every single second is addictive. I couldn’t put this book down from the minute I started and I’m now wishing I could read it all again for the first time. I don’t know how I’m going to survive until 2027 for the sequel. I may need some of that amnesia poison!
Must read if you love:
✨Dark Romantasy
✨Mages, Demuns and Psychotic Nuns
✨Old Gods
✨Dark Academia Vibes
✨Genderfluid MC
✨1930’s Esque Setting
✨Forced Amnesia
✨Forced Proximity
✨Soul Ties
✨Dub-Con/Non-Con
✨So Much Spice
Where do I begin with this book! Insolence enraptured me from the very first sentence, I needed to know everything all at once. I had 0 clue what was going on until around 45-50% into it and I loved every single second of the confusion.
The story is phenomenal, the main characters are beyond likeable, the nuns are abhorrent but you’ll love to hate them. There’s mystery, magic and intrigue. Amnesia, torture and terror. Love, lust and a whole heaping of spice, and every single second is addictive. I couldn’t put this book down from the minute I started and I’m now wishing I could read it all again for the first time. I don’t know how I’m going to survive until 2027 for the sequel. I may need some of that amnesia poison!
Must read if you love:
✨Dark Romantasy
✨Mages, Demuns and Psychotic Nuns
✨Old Gods
✨Dark Academia Vibes
✨Genderfluid MC
✨1930’s Esque Setting
✨Forced Amnesia
✨Forced Proximity
✨Soul Ties
✨Dub-Con/Non-Con
✨So Much Spice
September 14, 2025
This is the second novel I have read by Gwin Savage. The first was Indecent, a prequel, which I read a few months ago. While I enjoyed Indecent, especially in terms of spiciness, I was left wanting a bit more to the story.
Insolence, on the other hand, definitely delivered in terms of plot and spiciness. While lengthy, I never felt like the story lagged and it kept my attention throughout. I was constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed this world that Gwin Savage created as well as the characters and poly relationship in it.
Insolence ends on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to read what is in store for El and Tiss in the next book!
Insolence, on the other hand, definitely delivered in terms of plot and spiciness. While lengthy, I never felt like the story lagged and it kept my attention throughout. I was constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed this world that Gwin Savage created as well as the characters and poly relationship in it.
Insolence ends on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to read what is in store for El and Tiss in the next book!
September 16, 2025
4.75 / 5
**ARC Review*
Thank you Gwin for the chance to read and review early.
A mysterious society high atop a mountain is the setting for this dark, sapphic fantasy where everyone seems to be keeping secrets--some just can’t remember them. Questionable morality and the spiciest of spice lend to a plot of demuns and dark magic. The plot is rich. The sex is paramount to the plot (really). It WILL make sense--”eventually.” (IYKYK) I love twists and turns in a good book. It just doesn’t stop in Insolence.
Elodie/El & Tissa will always find their way back to one another--I have no doubt but damn that ending hurt.
I cannot wait for Intolerable!
**ARC Review*
Thank you Gwin for the chance to read and review early.
A mysterious society high atop a mountain is the setting for this dark, sapphic fantasy where everyone seems to be keeping secrets--some just can’t remember them. Questionable morality and the spiciest of spice lend to a plot of demuns and dark magic. The plot is rich. The sex is paramount to the plot (really). It WILL make sense--”eventually.” (IYKYK) I love twists and turns in a good book. It just doesn’t stop in Insolence.
Elodie/El & Tissa will always find their way back to one another--I have no doubt but damn that ending hurt.
I cannot wait for Intolerable!
September 18, 2025
I received a copy of this book as an ARC reader. May contain spoilers.
I’m absolutely obsessed with this book. I didn’t know what to expect besides some spice but everything else was a surprise.
The story itself had a lot going on but it was never too much or confusing and I couldn’t put it down.
I also feel the need to declare my love for El/Elodie, hands down my favourite character and I absolutely loved their POV.
I wasn’t really sure about Tiss but she grew on me and her sass was refreshing.
And I want to see more of Sadrie as well, preferably with Elodie.
But that ending?? It had me screaming, crying, throwing up! How am I suppose to wait for the next book??
Everyone should read this book and I’m looking forward to get more from the author.
I’m absolutely obsessed with this book. I didn’t know what to expect besides some spice but everything else was a surprise.
The story itself had a lot going on but it was never too much or confusing and I couldn’t put it down.
I also feel the need to declare my love for El/Elodie, hands down my favourite character and I absolutely loved their POV.
I wasn’t really sure about Tiss but she grew on me and her sass was refreshing.
And I want to see more of Sadrie as well, preferably with Elodie.
But that ending?? It had me screaming, crying, throwing up! How am I suppose to wait for the next book??
Everyone should read this book and I’m looking forward to get more from the author.
September 30, 2025
Fabulously written and confusing in the best ways. Sometimes the word choices an author pens their intimate scenes with gives me the ick, but I can confidently say Gwin’s were top tier lol. My only MINOR (!!!!) complaint is the very similar naming of two different characters… confused tf outta me for a few chapters not gonna lie. Once I figured that out though the rest of the story was v good. That ending was rude 😂 Thank you to the author for the chance to read this as an ARC; I am unfortunately sometimes a very slow reader. ❤️🔥
November 1, 2025
My Instagram overlaps with this author a lot, and at first, I wasn't interested in reading Isolence. When I signed up for the ARC team, I thought it was just to be nice...
I can't believe how stupid I was and that I almost missed out on this masterpiece that made me whimper into my pillow on multiple occasions.
Waiting patiently for more from this author. Gwin Savage is now on my auto-read list.
I can't believe how stupid I was and that I almost missed out on this masterpiece that made me whimper into my pillow on multiple occasions.
Waiting patiently for more from this author. Gwin Savage is now on my auto-read list.
September 18, 2025
A slow tale of trust, magic, and genderfluidity having some cool effects. There is a fair amount of smut in this one, so please be warned of that, as well as some rather twisted scenes throughout. Overall, what a great book, and the cliffhanger at the end really feels correct given the rest of the book. I'm looking forward to reading #2 in the series!
Note: I received an advanced copy of this book, but this review is solely my own.
Note: I received an advanced copy of this book, but this review is solely my own.
October 9, 2025
This book was honestly goddamn amazing, the world building and the direction the story took was honestly a pleasant surprise and the romance between Elodie, Tiss, and Sadrie (LOVE HER) was really really good. Definitely will be reading anything from this series and probably anything from Gwin Savage in general. Very hyped for what's next
September 14, 2025
This book was so good! I was hooked from page 1. I was hanging on every word and couldn't wait for the next reveal or tidbit of information. The author wrote the genderfluidity of El/Elodie so well. And the polyamory was also done so well. ImThe storytelling had me immersed the whole time. And that ending absolutely killed me! Truly a great read. Can't believe I have to wait to 2027 for the next book.
September 20, 2025
I don’t t think I have the words to express how awesome this book is. The story is woven beautifully and intricately from start to finish. I love all of the characters so much even if they don’t always make good choices. It has an interesting play on power dynamics as well.
October 4, 2025
Did not see THAT cliff hanger coming.
Wow. This is such a dark story. It turns out that I really like THIS very dark romance. Set in an imaginative world, with two flawed main characters. The wait for book 2 will be too long. Good story. Recommended.
Wow. This is such a dark story. It turns out that I really like THIS very dark romance. Set in an imaginative world, with two flawed main characters. The wait for book 2 will be too long. Good story. Recommended.
September 18, 2025
Great book, great writing. Just amazing. Will definitely be on my reread list.
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