Daybreak: Sorrowsong University Book 2

Sorrowsong University #2

by Autumn Woods

Maxton Hall meets RuNyx in the stunning conclusion to the Nightshade duology, a dark academia romance brimming with snarky banter and sizzling tension, in which Alex and Ophelia must fight through betrayal, heartbreak, and deadly new threats.

Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.

When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.

With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?

Genres: Romance, Dark Academia, Dark Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Romantasy, Audiobook

379 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2026

About the author

Autumn Woods is the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sorrowsong University series. She writes gothic and gloomy settings with love stories that’ll tear you apart just to put you back together again. Her books have been translated into twenty languages.

Outside of writing, she is a book illustrator and an aerospace engineer, and you’ll often find her climbing, painting, baking, or walking the British countryside with Mr Woods and their dog.

Reviews

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A million stars. Hands down my favorite duology EVER. I’m distraught that it’s over I feel like there’s a gaping hole in my heart.

I laughed, I cried, I giggled, I died over and over again every time Alex corbeau green opened his mouth.

Wow wow wow wow. Alex corbeau green is THE fictional yearner, I felt it so deep in my bones I wanted to jump out of my skin THIS MANNNNN!! God tier, sets the standard for all other contemporary romance men I’m so ruined it’s not even funny. But my god did he also make me sob. The mental health rep in this couldn’t have been more perfect. I related to Alex in so many ways with his depression and how to navigate that in a relationship, jt spoke to my soul on so many levels. He’s so perfect the world doesn’t deserve him, my heart BROKE for him. The way he loves Ophelia needs to be studied. THIS IS WHAT ROMANCE BOOKS ARE LACKING!! Real, raw characters who are vulnerable and struggle but love so deeply!!! Every single word out of his mouth!!! He literally bought and shipped his rental care overseas because it smelled like her. He constantly wrote her emails during the breakup and didn’t send them because he missed her so much. He found out she was going to be a nude model for a painting class so her had his hacker cancel the class, refund all the tickets, buy them for himself then flew from New York to London and proceed to make 7 paintings of her!!!!!!

“I’m sick with envy at the wind that slips through the holes in your knitted sweaters, Winters. Jealous doesn’t cover it.”

He sketched her every night they were apart. He started drawing in color again for her. He goes to THERAPY!!!!

“I’m so tired of treading water, Ophelia. I just want to let go.”
I scratch my fingers through his hair. “I know.”
“I’m all out of fight. I don’t want any of this anymore.”
“I know. But I’m here to tread water for the both of us.”

Ugh and Ophelia how I adoreeeee her!!! The trauma these two have experienced cannot be overlooked. I’ve never wanted two people to be safe and happy more than these two. Her character growth was incredible and the way she never wavered with Alex literally brought tears to my eyes.

I ate up the stalker plot but I did love how this leaned more on the romance and character development. I loved everything about it. Also the found family and side characters I need more books!!!

The mouth on this man!!! No I’m going to pass away I can’t handle him like I actually don’t know how to move on.

“I’m incapable of producing a drawing that doesn’t curve, bend, flow in the same way that her body does. I love her. God, I love her. She becomes every thought I have and every shaky exhale I make. She’s the subject of my most rattling nightmares and my most carnal dreams.“

“I got used to anchoring my own breathing to Ophelia’s, got used to wanting to fall asleep just to wake up beside her. The fierce copper of her hair was my sunrise, and those two torturous dimples at the base of her spine were my grip on reality.”

“I don’t need you in front of me, Ophelia. I don’t need you as a model. I know the curves of your waist better than the hallways of my own home. I could draw you in any lifetime, together or apart. I haven’t produced a drawing since January that isn’t you in some way or another. If we have to be long distance, I know I could do it, because you’re never further from me than my pencil.”

[Kaila.Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I can put in words how much I loved this duet

[SK · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ✨

"To be loved by Alex Corbeau-Green is unlike anything I've ever known."

I think this was good, simplistic and easy to read book. Had a lot of fun with it despite its flaws. But the most that stood out to me was Alex. The man was the heart of the book. He carried the entire book and in fact the duology, the emotional depth to his character in this one felt raw and wounded. I ate that up. That man has been through so much, his inner monologues were a knife to the heart.

I did like Ophelia but there were moments when she just frustrated me. Her decisions didn't always feel natural, felt a little forced in that particular direction. It made me feel a little disconnected from her. Though she did have some really hilarious comebacks, gotta hand it to her.

The miscommunication, the back and forth of the break up phase could have been dealt better. Idk maybe it's just me but that 'no strings attached' thing made no sense. And although the conversations were mature, the actions to stick to certain decisions were not. But anyhow, I'm relieved it did not last throughout. The angst was pretty well written and something I enjoyed. The clash of emotions and yearning was painful. I felt a child of divorce at one point 💀

Now the stalker reveal and the reasoning behind it? Eh... Too simple, but something I'm willing to overlook cause of the emotional setting I got in this book. Though, Alex definitely needed therapy, proper healing arc and I'm a bit surprised by how the rugby side was sort of neglected. I get the whole he needed Ophelia by his side but with how his depression was portrayed? A missed opportunity to not explore that.

Anyway, not a perfect book. But something I enjoyed more than book one. Maybe my expectations were far lower than I thought 🤷‍♀️

~•~•~
Here for Alex and his sculpted, god tier, gorgeous rugby thighs...

[Clace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me reading this book:


This book in one word would be: Lackluster.

Nightshade should have been a standalone 🌚 Look, the reason why I even gravitated toward 2.75 stars is because I enjoy Autumn Woods' writing. It is very entertaining and easy to read. I lowkey binged it whenever I picked it up, but tbvh there was no substance in the book 🙏 When I saw the page count, my ARC was around 280 pages, so I thought that it would be sort of action-paced and fast-paced, but it was the total opposite. Nothing significant happened. The romance took more of a focus, and the plot sort of sidetracked AGAIN, which is not something that I mind if done well. Nightshade was an example of this, but I ended up enjoying it. This, however 🧍

There was nothing happening in this book for the most part. The main reveal was jarring and came out of nowhere; there was no build-up to it. The whole mystery part was rushed and messy. There was no incentive to hook us, save for the characters, who did the most that they could. Like, there could have been so much that the author could have cut out. It could have actually been an email 🤷 If the actual significant stuff was added to the first book, that would have been a straight five stars for me.

I do admit my expectations for this were a bit high because I enjoyed book 1, and even though I wasn't expecting a steady, solid plot, I was expecting balance and a good resolution to the things that were set up. But it was messy and weak.

Ophelia, I love her character. She was a bit smarter in this one, and her anxiety is explored well. Alex was also charming and easy to love. Their frustrations were understandable and well explored. We did see some growth, and the characters themselves were likeable. However, a major part of the characters was the romance, which is okay because they have been set up in a way where we can appreciate them along with the romance, but I still wanted more from them where they could stand on their own.

Romance, the main focus of the book. I loved the romance of the first book. It made me disregard the deficiencies in the plot, but I was a teeny tiny bit underwhelmed with it. But that doesn't mean it was bad because this aspect was the most enjoyable part of the book. The dialogues were swoon-worthy. Some of the scenes were heartwarming, while others were heart-wrenching. The one where Ophelia says, "Hi better not be the first thing he says," and then Alex proceeds to say "Hi" got me 😭 I appreciate the spice level; it worked well for the books. We got enough to be satisfied. It wasn't overpowering, nor did it overshadow the romance. I liked the romance, but that wasn't enough for me to enjoy or appreciate the book as a whole.

Side characters, we got to meet more, but I'm not attached to any. It was still fun to read about them. Belladonna being the real MVP!!

---> 2.75 stars! .

Overall, an okayish duet that could have been one amazing standalone.
___
As soon as I imagined Sadie Sink as Ophelia, I knew it was game over for me because I've been looking at the book like:



*Thank you to the publishers for the E-Arc *

[levi (starboy) (s.ia)]

I have the arc heheheh

[Iqra · Rating 4 out of 5]

That double epilogue healed me 🥹💗

Guys this was so freaking good. Like this is romance. I fear loads of romance authors these days have forgotten there’s supposed to be romance and the yearning and angst that comes with it, focusing more on chemistry, heat and tension sacrificing the best part: romancing their partners. But not miss woods. Never miss woods. She has romance down to a T. I fear I’ll always come back to AlexOphelia diaries whenever I need the perfect concoction of sweet angst 😝💋

The suspense aspect of this book was so good for the first half but I think I sorta could predict the rest after that which is the reason for the 4 stars. Maybe if the order of the reveals/plot twists changed then it could have kept the suspense for longer.

I know most of the scenes in this book felt a little repetitive but I think it was necessary for their characters independently and their relationship together. I fully appreciate the way miss woods tied up every loose thread and gave us that satisfying ending, it was exactly everything I was looking forward to from this book.

With the end of Daybreak, AlexOphelia diaries comes to a close. How crazy is that to say omg like I kept stretching this book for ages just to stay with them longer but now it’s over and idk what to do with my life actually! ❤️‍🩹😭🤚


𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Vincenzo and belladonna better get their own books or I will riot‼️

𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
No furniture — absolutely
Talk about — yana
Like you do — yana

𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

╰┈➤ ❝ She becomes every thought I have and every shaky exhale I make. She’s the subject of my most rattling nightmares and my most carnal dreams. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ I thought distance from her would make it easier. Easier on me if I chose to live, easier on her if I chose to die.❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “You and I are doomed, Alex.”
Right people, wrong universe. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “I’d rather put myself into a blender.”
“I can put some rotating blades in the car, if that’d help.”
“Only if you put your head through them.”
“Oh, you know very well that I’d put my head wherever you ask me to, Ophelia,” ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ She doesn’t bolt, but she does look like she might snap my neck. At least her hands would be the last ones to touch me. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “You agreed to leave.” A small smile lifts his lips.
“I was young and foolish back then.”
“Two days ago?” ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “No strings.”
“Strings, Ophelia. So many fucking strings. Strings in every cell of my body.” ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “Four letters, first letter F—”
I splutter, squeezing my thighs together beneath the skirt of my dress. “I … we … no, I wasn’t …”
“Such a dirty mind, Winters, I was going to suggest you get some food.” ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “You have enough on your plate. I can be difficult.”
“You’re the easiest decision I’ve ever made.”
“You deserve better.”
“We deserve each other.”
“I’m bland and boring.”
“You’re every color I’ve been missing.” ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “Seven letters, first letter O. The sun, the moon, the world, and everything in it.” ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ “I’m sick with envy at the wind that slips through the holes in your knitted sweaters, Winters. Jealous doesn’t cover it.” ❞



─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

We’re going back to sorrowsongggg 🗣️‼️

***

Ur girl just secured an arc of this book I’m literally shaking???? Like daybreak is actually in MY hands rn?? 🥹🥹🥹 Best believe imma be ditching everything to start this 🙏🙏🙏

[manas · Rating 2 out of 5]

➳ disappointed is an understatement ☆

dragged out romance, stupid miscommunication, tedious familial drama, corny ass mystery plot, useless side characters = this should’ve been a standalone.

i am so sorry. this was an absolute and complete disaster on my end. i gotta give my usual disclaimer here. as always, this review is gonna be a slightly negative review; take everything with a bucket of salt. i will be going through the whole book and there will be spoilers. some‼️SPOILERS‼️are in this review. i will be going into the details of why this didn't work. my opinion is just that—MY opinion. if you love this book, i am VERY happy for you. this will only be a review of the book, NOT the author/fans of the series. autumn seems like a lovely person so read whatever you like. <3

ugh. trust me when i say: this is the last thing i expected. if you know anything about me, you will know that the first book in this duet—nightshade—is one of my all-time favorite dark academia romances. i legitimately could not wait for the second book. this, however, was so fucking jarring. this story felt like an absolute letdown, and nothing was cohesive about the plot, or the characters. i do feel like the delays and the constant pushback on the release date made an impact because i honestly did not remember anything about the first book. i understand that this is probably my fault, however, given the subject matter of this book—i don’t feel like this is rocket science to be able to comprehend…but it sure did feel that way.

this book essentially does pick up exactly where the last book ended but nothing is cohesive. i felt like this book should’ve just been a standalone but maybe tacked on 100 pages to make a more well-rounded story because splitting this into a duet did nothing but ruin their story for me. the main appeal of the first book is definitely the romance and the romantic storyline of alex & ophelia. unfortunately, this book did nothing but lose that dynamic between them. for almost 400 pages of this book, both of them were running around in circles in the same loophole of nothingness—fighting about superfluous shit that has nothing to do with anything. i’m tired, grandma.

the narrative structure is all over the place and this is ultimately a direct reflection of dragging on a story that didn't need to be dragged on. both characters faced severe regression and this whole will i, won't i got tiring so quickly. their dynamic really got lost in all this flowery language and over the top theatrics. what i loved about book one was the CONCEPT. the story. while, yes, grumpy x grumpy was a main trope, the narrative isn't filled with cliche shit that no one cares about. this book took all the compelling characteristics and threw that shit out the damn window. if i have to read about alex taking care of his one million sisters for another minute...omg. these parents need to stop fucking. close your legs, hoe. do not piss me off.

onto what really was the tipping point...the reveal of the stalker??? bitch LMFAOOOO. literally, get out. who the hell is laura? WHO? i don't even remember this clown because she was in this book for all of one minute before she was killed off. so again. who cares? this is another aspect of dragging the story for the sake of dragging because why did we need another bad guy? as i previously mentioned, if she just made book one 500 pages, this would've been an absolute hit of a book. instead, this was dragged into another 400+ page bore-fest and did nothing but make this duet unreadable as fuck. autumn really tried to throw several different plots and storylines together, and thought that it would read normally…she did way too much, without knowing how to juggle any of it. i will probably never pick up nightshade again, knowing how this flop story ends. the constant back and forth and back and forth...lord have mercy.

in a day where abusers are constantly getting praised in all their glory, it's nice to see authors writing about kind men. but it also gets to a point because the authenticity vanished with its crippling plot. this really should’ve just been another slow burn romance. instead, we got this batman ass plot, a clear ad for birth control, mental health representation, miscommunication that aged me by 10 years, friendship fall outs, mommy AND daddy issues, very oddly written “smut”, and a bunch of rich people problems. i’m over it.

this is what happens when you favor aesthetic over craft.

[Ss · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐ I enjoyed it, but I don't think this is what I was expecting... Perhaps my expectations were a bit too high.

The 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 was carrying the story while the plot takes a backseat, and a lot of the conflict relies on miscommunication rather than meaningful progression. Which is annoying 😐.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸.
A large portion of the book revolves around the aftermath, which made the pacing feel noticeably slower since much of the conflict is internal rather than action-driven. And it was more character/romance-focused, Which is–unfortunately–dragged and have taken too much of the book just relying on
miscommunication.
I understand why this book might not work for everyone; some readers might appreciate the slower emotional development, while others (myself included) might feel like the story takes too long to move forward.

I have to say, 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 is the best thing in the book. He was absolutely carrying this book. THIS MAN❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥!! His obsession with Ophelia is the best🙂‍↕️. He has fallen down SO hard and his chapters are enough to show that🫠. And he literally bought all event tickets so he can be alone with her!! 🥹🥹. 𝗢𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮 remains a complicated character. She annoyed me at many points throughout the book, especially with how often she pushed Alex away. But I also understood her sometimes. She’s not simply right or wrong, and I appreciate that the book showed both her hurt and her flaws.

The 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 was good for what the book was trying to do, and I think it gave Alex and Ophelia the closure they needed. And even tho it didn’t completely erase my issues with the book as a whole, It still wrapped up the emotional side of the story well.


“We’re doomed, Alex”
“We’re fated, Ophelia.”

“Until midnight?”
“A hundred years from now.”




|𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 ࣪˖𖥔 ִֶ ࣪ ›
𝖳𝗁𝖾 ‟𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵.„ Quote o𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗋𝗋?!!
𝖨 𝗆𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝖾 𝖺𝗋𝖾🙂‍↕️🫣

[Youssra (semi ia- shelving books don't mind me) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 53% (I don't usually rate dnfs but this book was giving me 2 stars from the start so 2 stars it shall remain)

I'm so sorry Alex, but even your thighs could not save this💔

This was infinitely BORING I'm sorry😭 53% of NOTHING bruh😓 I wasn't that big of a fan of book 1; it was a decent read with Alex as a definite highlight, so my expectations for this one were not that high. However, this one was just a pile of nothing.

The stalker plot was so silly to me.. and why are we halfway through the book with no leads no nothing? (Laura also told me who the stalker ended up being and wow I'm glad I dnfed because I would have been fuming with such a reveal with a dumb as hell motive.) 53% of Just Alex and Ophelia on this merry-go-round of yes and no-which was also tedious and dull to me. I never really vibed with them that much since book 1, and it got worse here😅

The spice...was once again a choice. Listen just make it YA because this door ajar nonsense got on my last nerve (This was for you Imbi🤣) Either open the door WIDE or keep it CLOSED for the love of god. Serving us unseasoned salt instead of spice smh😅

This should have been a YA standalone I said what I said🫡
__________________________________________________________



pre-read:

I am here for Alex's thunder rugby thighs 👹 I honestly don't have very high expectations but all hail rugby thighs!

[Laura Jane ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay i had fun with this and i really enjoyed being back with alex and ophelia! but i can’t lie and say that i’m not a tiny bit disappointed that i didn’t love this as much as nightshade. i never went into this with any expectations but to have fun, & that i did - however i still think i was expecting to feel slightly differently about it.

look, if i was rating this for alex alone, well 5 stars of course - this man is down so bad and so hot. another man who gets away with smoking being hot cause he’s fictional.

however, something felt a bit stagnant about this book & slightly off pace compared to book one.
i really liked seeing alex and ophelia work their way through everything & seeing their love really grow. i mean it wasn’t perfectly done but i guess i wasn’t expecting that either. but part of me felt like i was missing a bit of their banter and the dynamic that they had previously, because this is what i adored so much about their initial development. i didn’t find myself giggling and kicking my feet as much. the energy just felt a little bit different. also i wanted a bit more angst and heat between them. however, i still had fun with what we got. i am so happy they found their happy ending together, they deserve it.

as for the reveal on the mystery side of the plot. i really wasn’t expecting it but i also found myself feeling slightly underwhelmed by it. i was like a bit like, oh, okay? 😅 it felt so random to me.
there was also a few times i found myself feeling like we were taking detours with the plot that didn’t really add anything of value. in hindsight- i really think this could have been one book that was 150-200 pages longer, rather than a duology. i reckon that would have been peakkkkk.

overall, i did enjoy this duology as a whole, i had a lot of fun with it. and i will be dreaming of alex’s thighs for a time to come - my imagination is better than the sprinkle of spice these books have.
this was really easy to fly through too - i mean i finished it in one day, i had no issue turning the pages that’s for sure. i will just regret my life choices at work tomorrow.
i have nothing bad to say - it just didn’t hit for me as expected but it doesn’t put a dampener on it - i still love these two as a fictional couple, and the whole found family. i do feel like this book was a bit of a let down in a few areas but, as mentioned, i don't have any negative thoughts towards it - i am just feeling a bit meh about it to be honest. but it definitely wasn't unenjoyable to read!!

random side note i kept thinking ‘wow alex’s carbon footprint is crazy work’ and then he acknowledged it 🤣

__________
it is time to be reunited with alex corbeau-green's rugby thighs 😛😛 i’m so excited!!! please be fun!

[ahmeeka · Rating 5 out of 5]

[arc review] daybreak is the perfect conclusion to the duet and I’m sad I can’t read the series again for the first time!

you know when you read on a kindle, and it shows excerpts that other people have highlighted? there is SO many that I highlighted and want to talk about. however, you’ll have to wait to read it—but trust me, they’re worth it.

daybreak continues immediately after the end of the first instalment, nightshade. if you haven’t read the first book, you can’t read this as it won’t make sense given the events that occurred in the previous book.

while the first book was definitely darker, this one has that tiny bit of hope. there’s hope, more romance, and the character development is perfect.

the points of view between both ophelia and alex are evenly split in daybreak—compared to nightshade where we only got approximately 2-3 chapters of alex. I really liked this because it meant the reader could see what he was feeling firsthand.

the mental health representation was done so beautifully. you can tell autumn woods really took her time to make sure it was represented so authentically, and it was one of my favourite aspects of the book.

another part that I really enjoyed—it’s one of my favourite parts—was ophelia finally finding her place. after what happened to her parents in the first book, it became her mission to keep everyone at arm’s length. the reader gets to see ophelia pull back some of the walls she’s built, let people in, and find home in her female friendships.

I liked that we got to see more of alex, his work life, and home life. it added so much more depth to his character, and for us to understand the struggles he’s facing trying to keep his head above water.

overall the book is fantastic, and autumn woods couldn’t have done a better job. daybreak ties everything together so well and I didn’t finish it asking any questions, or worried a plot point was left unanswered.

if you haven’t read nightshade, you have until july to do so!

daybreak is going to be one of the most talked about and read books of 2026, and you’re not going to want to miss out.

thank you pan macmillan for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

[CC]

♾️⭐




The most amazing, incredible, delightful, scrumptious, delectable, lovely, hot, sizzling, funny, heart-breaking, PERFECT conclusion ever!!! 🕛🕛🕛🕛🕛

Once this was in my greedy hands it wasn't going anywhere. Finished this in one sitting. I now have a cricked neck but I have NO REGRETS. ZERO.

My babies Ophelia and Alex 🥺 They went through so much in this book and I'm glad they had each other because I wouldn't have been able to handle them ever being separated again 🙅‍♀️ Their love for each other knows no bounds ❤️‍🩹

Alex is still the absolute king of yearning 👑 and Ophelia is still just as grumpy, humorous and fierce 🤭I'm so proud of everything she has achieved and having more of a glimpse into Alex's depression was such an eye opening and heartfelt experience🥹 I'm so glad they both found their happy in a world that was looking so grey 💖 (PS - please find me a man that draws, has reading glasses and refunds a whole bunch of peoples tickets bc he is protective... asap🙏)



✨"Until midnight?"
"A hundred years from now." ✨


pre-read:

Back to losing brain cells over Alex Corbeau-Green!!!!😍💃😝 (and yes I’m here for Ophelia too, don’t worry…😉)

[❀ Tia ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW 🌹

1 across: Eight letters, first letter D.
Clue: My most recent five star read.
Answer: 🄳🄰🅈🄱🅁🄴🄰🄺

‼️ Disclaimer ‼️
This book makes up the second part of the Sorrowsong University Duet. Reading the first book, Nightshade, is essential in order to fully understand the events in this book.

⚠️ Trigger Warnings ⚠️
• Stalker • Mental health struggles (inc. suicidal thoughts) • Bereavement • Declining health of a parent • Murder • Drowning • Violence and physical injury • Explicit sexual content •

🖤 My Thoughts 🖤
I stayed up until ungodly hours of the night to read this. I kid you not, I was staring at my kindle, wide eyed, forgetting to blink, shovelling maltesers into my face much akin to a human-sized version of the board game Hungry Hungry Hippos, while hunched over like some feral goblin desperate for juuust one more chapter before bed. I'M OBSESSED, I TELL YOU!

I really enjoyed Nightshade, but I really REALLY enjoyed Daybreak. Very much like with the first book, I was totally hooked by not only the romance, but also the mystery and suspense which quite literally had me white-knuckling my kindle at several points.

Sorrowsong University had the perfect atmosphere: Gothic and gloomy, yet also surprisingly cosy (despite the, y'know, stalking and whatnot). The environment and overall vibe of the setting was so perfectly written, allowing me to easily immerse myself in the characters' world.

The character development throughout this book was so damn satisfying. I loved that we got more chapters written from Alex's point of view compared to the first book, and I adored how much he was dedicated to providing the best possible life for the women in his life. He was such a sweetheart! And the yearning, Oh Lord, the YEARNINGGG — I fear no future book boyfriend will ever compare.

I also found the way Alex's depression was written to be incredibly realistic and well incorporated. It was handled in a manner that perfectly balanced sensitivity and the bone-crushing realities of depression.

And Ophelia! Oh Ophelia, I'm so proud of you! I was begging for her to let her guard down and accept the love and support from those around her, and I am SO glad she finally learned to trust people. My gal just needed a support network and some peace; I'm so happy for her I could cry!

Also, a moment of appreciation for that epilogue! It was so so sweet, and such a wholesome addition to the story. I think it was the perfect way to end this duet!

I am devastated that my time in Sorrowsong has come to an end but I'm so grateful that I was able to be reunited with Alex and Ophelia three months early! And yes, I'm lucky enough to have received this arc copy, but I've still pre-ordered my own physical copy because it was just THAT good! I'm not a very big re-reader of books, but this duet is one I will absolutely be reading again!

Thank you to NetGalley, Autumn Woods, and Pan MacMillan for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Saranya [uni- s.ia.]]

pre-read:
buddy reading with my baby girl, Mani<3. Here we come for our shared hubby, aka Alex Corbeau-Green;p

[Roxy · Rating 1 out of 5]

i stood up, and i walked away...dnf @ 15%. botched everything, everyone and their moms.


im sat.

[lena ♱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳ three point seven five happy to be a mess stars ⟢

i’m so sorry but who can resist cigarette smoking, rugby thighs, tattooed broody french man alex corbeau green?

i can’t and ophelia cannot either.

going into this book, i was expecting a sequel that correlated with book 1 - one that would take place in the university, with the same set of characters and a plot that made sense. unfortunately, only half the things that happened in book two made sense or even needed to happen in the sequel. this could’ve easily been a standalone. add 200 pages more to your 350 page book: and bam! a standalone that will grip your attention through the length AND it doesn’t even need to be a series.

was this book perfect? no. far from it actually - but my attachment to these characters added a layer of emotional connection that i wouldn’t have had if i hadn’t read book one and loved it.

so let’s break it down :

the bad:

- the stupid miscommunication = could’ve been prevented if they had an actual adult conversation without wanting to fuck. every other chapter, either alex or ophelia (especially the latter) got mad over something stupid and then ignored the other one for a week. one of them begged for forgiveness (mostly alex,) and to reconcile their relationship, they fucked. fucked, fucked and fucked 🌝

- the smut. please, i’m begging on my knees, someone tell autumn woods to never write smut again. oh my god this was the most cringe enduring, corny, unrealistic, made me drier than the sahara desert smut scenes written in the history of spicy books. this could’ve been closed door without the HORRID dirty talk. please never fuck on a painting ever again and NO more phone sex 😐

- the murder mystery. corny. predictable. a mess. came from the ass crack of my great aunt twist removed = came outta nowhere.

- insta lust. yearning where? 🥸

- the setting. please no more books being set in nyc. i’m tired of reading about yellow taxis, bars and cheap pizza. scotland being a setting was so much more spooky with an eerie vibe that was perfect for autumn.

- i needed more of the university. definitely the highlight of book one, and nothing was even mentioned. no classes, no students, no professors. the principal? dead apparently.

the mid :

basically everything else in this stupid book 🌚

the good:

- the found family. a found family that doesn’t secretly hate each other and with dynamics that truly make sense? unheard of! i absolutely loved everyone in this found family. it was so adorable & definitely a highlight.

- alex’s sisters. if autumn ever decides to set another book in this world - i want one of the sisters to be the protagonists. badass, funny, and stables for alex and ophelia’s relationship.

- bingable as fuck. i read this book in a day and a half, whilst on vacation. definitely kept me hooked!

- alex. no lube, no protection, all night, all day, from the kitchen floor to the toilet seat, from the dining table to the bedroom, from the bathroom sink to the shower, from the front porch to the balcony, vertically, horizontally, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, while I gasp for air, scream and see the light, missionary, cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, doggy, backwards, sideways, upside down, on the floor, in the bed, on the couch, on a chair, being carried against the wall, outside, in a train, on a plane, in the car, on a motorcycle, the the bed of a truck, on a trampoline, in a bounce house, in the pool, bent over, in the basement, against the window, have the most toe curling, back arching, leg shaking, dick throbbing, fist clenching, ear ringing, mouth drooling, ass clenching, nose sniffling, eye watering, eye rolling, hip thrusting, earthquaking, sheet gripping, knuckles cracking, jaw dropping, hair pulling, teeth jitterbug, mind blogging, soul snatching, overstimulating, vile, sloppy,moan inducing, heart wrenching, spine tingling, back breaking, atrocious,gushy, creamy, beastly, lip biting, gravity defying, nail biting, sweaty, feet kicking, mind blowing, body shivering, orgasmic, bone breaking, world ending, black hole creating, universe destroying, devious, scrumptious, amazing, delightful, delectable, unbelievable, body numbing, bark worthy, can't walk, head nodding, soul evaporating, volcano erupting, sweat rolling, voice cracking, trembling, sheets soaked, hair drenched, flabbergasting, lip locking, skin peeling, eyelash removing, eye widening, pussy popping, nail scratching, back cuts, spectacular, brain cell desolving, hair ripping, show stopping, magnificent, unique, extraordinary, slendid, phenomenal, mouth foaming, heavenly, awakening, devils tango ever bro could cause a nuclear bomb inside me and I'd still ride.
me if i ever got my hands on my man, alex corbeau green. oui oui baguette. my french passport will come in clutch 💦

- depression and grief representation = one of the best. i really enjoyed the fact that alex had a stable “perfect” life yet was still diagnosed as depressed - usually, in books, the depressed character that we are introduced to has lost their parents, their partner, has turned to drugs, and while alex has gone through so much - i still thought it was a really refreshing take on mental health.

- ophelia!!!! another highlight. still such a raw, honest and vulnerable character. even though her flaws are blaring in your face 99.9 percent of the time - i can’t help myself but to love her. but please, for the love of god, MISCOMMUNICATION is never THE SOLUTION!!!!!

- autumn woods’ writing is so easy to read, fast paced and with beautiful metaphors. my favourite comparison that she brought up a lot was that ophelia was alex’s color in his life. count me in for a delicate, thoughtful metaphor and i’m all in. the depiction of his depression gradually getting worse and how the colors turned to grey..? stunning. clever. amazing 🥹

whilst i do understand the complaints, of it being too long, or the romance dragging (which it did,) or even the mystery being unpredictable in a bad way - i thought that this book was executed well, with care and i enjoyed being back with our characters.

i’m so excited to see what autumn is publishing next! 🩷

[dak · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟 “𝒰𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝓂𝒾𝒹𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉?”
“𝒜 𝒽𝓊𝓃𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓌.” 🖤✨

𝟏. 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝟒 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀
𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘦: 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘥, 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘴
🄰🄻🄴🅇

…and inhaled i did 🙂‍↕️

god i love these characters + this world so much!!

Ophelia my grumpy witty baddie!! LOVE HER 💗💞💘
Alex Corbeau-Green 🫦 the yearning UGHH!! and the way he cares for his family. like HELLLLOOO???? this man is 10/10 i am obsessed!! 💖💕💓
and THE ROMANCE??? soo fucking good 💝

˚˖➴ 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘺 ₊˚⊹♡

i really enjoyed the plot + the mystery and suspense aspect. it was gloomy and had my heart aching the whole time

once again i love the use of the crossword puzzles and emails. soo cute hehe 💌

overall this duology was perfection. that epilogue was absolutely everything 🥹💟 sad to be leaving this world and characters but my heart is full.

⋆ 𖤓.˚𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚞𝚗 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐, 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎, 𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 ⋆˚࿔

[morgan ۶ৎ]

⸺ 𑣲⋆˚࿔ preread

my boyfriend got me this hehe it is time to be reunited with alex corbeau-green 😽 please be fun!

[enola (semi-hiatus)]

WAR IS OVER I can finally buy and read the first book THANK GOD it's a duet and OMFG the cover??? hellooo???

[monica ✨ romantasyreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

this should’ve been one book… so incredibly boring

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i just can't stay away from alex so here we go 🤭

[☀️Meg- · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man…. I can kinda see why people struggling with this second book I wanted to love it but despite the book being so slow especially in the plot when your wanting things to happen… like fine fair there setting the scene with the whole father drama. It was still an easy read book still couldn’t put this down once it started even with it being slowburn still had fun time especially with having Alex back in my life 😭 I missed him so much since read Nightshade. I do feel like he did make the book what it was I know Ophelia was the main female aswell here but I found her pretty boring and too annoying at times I got so excited to deep when his povs came up.!



˚┊✦Alex :
That man just has my heart throbbing for him I get so excited when his povs comes up he just has the purest heart especially when it comes to his loved ones wants to keep them all safe. Like can he be any hotter? Had me kicking my feet when it came to Alex like he actually shined in this one a lot more than the first book!

˚┊✦ Ophelia:
Ugh that girl pisses me off idk why I think wanna say it’s her humour at times she just drove me insane with how stupid she can be especially when she’s acting like one always making wrong decisions that could put her or others in harms way… I loved her in first book but the writer just made her seem so self absorbed throughout.



The romance:
To say that they had such a rocky moment after that huge drama in first book from being stalked people threatening their families they would do anything to keep there families safe even if it meant sometimes to not be together for a sacrifice 😭
I just loved how they act like they hate each other after being let down together but once there together again man is the sex and the banter together is so hot ! 🥵 like mannnnnnn.

I do feel bad for some scenes I can’t reveal for spoilers but fuck I didn’t expect that to happen if you read this book hopefully you know what scene I’m on about which the two didn’t expect to be together in same room 😭😭



The ending :
Okay the ending I can’t tell you how hard I was crying with Alex pov and his situation I can’t reveal for spoilers but fuck that got me so bad 😭I just love how Alex is so down to earth when it comes to his family and Ophelia he just melts me in so many ways…
The reveal of that stalker though I kinda suspected it was them!! Wasn’t flabbergasted was highly known really.. I am glad Alex is known he needs help and healing process after years of mental health issues which I highly respect when someone recognises there own struggles when they have support around them such as Ophelia and his team 😭with someone who had deep thoughts with mental issues I can understand this completely don’t feel neglected for the support system they need!

I get why this isn’t the perfect book for everyone but I do get the same struggles of some aspects of this book it written beautifully for mental health I can’t wait for next one whenever it gets releeased hope it even better too!

🏖⭒˚.⋆ 🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🏖 ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🏖 ⋆⭒

﹏﹒✦﹒✶﹏﹒✦﹒﹏✦﹒

Side characters

˚┊✦ Belladonna :
I loved belladonna here to say she’s so grumpy such a hard ass I do feel like she’s also really brave with the line of work she’s doing aswell even when she doesn’t get on with most people she is still willing to help but always for a price especially when it comes to danger of her own life which is pretty understandable. She’s by fav my favourite side character.




﹏﹒✦﹒✶﹏﹒✦﹒﹏✦﹒

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋🍉⋮ ⌗ pre read ⋆˙⟡
⤷ ゛ ˎˊ˗ Started August 2026

i am getting fomo with. everyone reading this book! i cant wait to finally start reading. this one i remember enjoying first one alot so hopefully it doesn't disapoint !!!

﹏﹒✦﹒✶﹏﹒✦﹒﹏✦﹒


Pre release 🥳😈❣️💋

OMGGGG I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS TO COME OHT WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE JULY THOUGH!! I saw this on my kindle immediately added it to my list on my journal for that month !

[Gabi Koz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite literally could not have loved this duology more!!!! 6⭐️ for both books and quite possibly my favorite romance ever. The way their love healed each other 😭 Ophelia & Alex are so 3D they just jump out of the page. The inner monologue, banter, and pure LOVE are the best I’ve ever read

[♡✿Mania⁠✿♡ ꒰ drained ꒱]

♡⁠˖⁠꒰⁠ 💌 ꒱ Pre release
OMGGG SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP — life is worth living again autumn finally gave us the release date, you guys are not ready for the person I'll become when this releases litr one of my most anticipated releases ever!!!
I NEEEED THE ARC PLSSSSSS !!!

[shaelinslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

i just binged tf out of the last half of this book. i love this world so much

i already miss alex and ophelia, i need more romances where one character is depressed and the other is a huge grump, lol. the banter that comes from this dynamic is everything to me quite frankly

lowkey hope we could maybe get a story on colette and vincenzo since we don’t know if they’re together or not in the epilogue, heheheh

tbh, because i read this so fast and had such a good time i need to rate this 4.5 stars ⭐️

this was just great

[liza palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ll never get over this book

[Erin (erinsreadingroom) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Daybreak just as much as it finished me. 6 stars. Infinity stars. There is no rating scale in existence that will do this book, and the duology in its entirety, justice.

My emotions and my brain are a scattered, illegible mess that that no words will ever truly do justice to encapsulate everything that I am experiencing right now. The way that this duology has captured my heart and consumed my every waking thought needs to be studied because I didn't think it was possible to get any better than Nightshade... until I read its sequel and was immediately proven wrong.

Daybreak is such a beautifully raw and vulnerable exploration of young love, self-discovery, trauma recovery and mental illness that reduced me to tears on multiple occasions. I devoured this book within the same day (with a few breaks where I just disassociated to stare at my ceiling and process my emotions) and I cannot express just how perfect the entire experience was. The discussions surrounding mental illness and the way that Woods refuses to diminish and understate the devastating impact this can have on not only the individual fighting within themselves, but also on their circle of loved ones, reduced me to tears on more than one occasion. This is a heavy and emotionally draining journey in the best possible way. The found family elements were perfect as always and I loved every moment that we get to share with Vincenzo, Belladonna, Collette, and all of the other incredible side characters. I feel like this wasn’t just a book that I read but a journey that I have had the privilege to share alongside our two main characters, and I would gladly return to this universe time and again throughout the narrative of our wonderful side characters should the opportunity arise.

Alex and Ophelia are everything to me and I couldn't be happier in the way that their story evolves throughout the entire duology. This is as much their story as two young individuals battling through their struggles and fears as it is their journey as a couple.

Alex, as always, broke my heart on multiple occasions and I desperately wished that I could reach through the pages to give this beautiful and selfless man a hug. His love and devotion for his family is such a beautiful attribute to his character which borders on self-sacrifice on several instances. His experience with depression felt all-consuming and exhausting in the most realistic way, especially in the emphasis that this isn’t something that can just be ‘fixed’ and is often a life-long battle. I was so happy to see Alex slowly learn how to communicate better his needs better when his struggles become too great and to allow the people that he trusts to shoulder some of that emotional weight. Seeing him willing to fight against his foes for the happier life that realises can be attainable was everything that I had been hoping so see, and I couldn’t with the way that Alex’s journey concludes in a way that is as much a beginning as it is an ending. His story is far from over… it’s just the end for us readers and what we get to see.

It might sound silly to say that you’re proud of a fictional character but I truly couldn’t feel anything but for our darling, grumpy Ophelia throughout this book. She truly progresses in leaps and bounds throughout her journey as she finally begins to recognise that she has a place and community within Sorrowsong University. That she has a family of people that are willing to choose her day after day despite sharing no biological relation which is what makes those connections all the more powerful. Ophelia has a lot of love to give to the right people and I felt nothing but sheer joy in getting to witness her find a permanent home with those who genuinely care for her. I adore that she’s stayed true to herself from beginning to end and hasn’t tried to change in order to better fit in amongst her wealthier peers. Ophelia really steps up in support of Alex throughout this book and I couldn’t be more proud in the growth that her character undertakes in tackling her fears as a result. She truly deserves the happy ending that we leave her upon and I couldn’t feel any more settled in knowing the bright future that Ophelia has waiting for her.

The chemistry and banter between Alex and Ophelia during Nightshade was easily one of the highlights of the entire book so I’m thrilled to see that dynamic continue into Daybreak. The witty remarks and dry flirtations work so well for two characters that desperately attempt to fight against a deeper emotional connection that will leave them feeling vulnerable and exposed. The yearning was written to absolute perfection (obviously) and I just loved getting to explore the story about two young, broken people who desperately want to be together and yet cannot presently do so. The time, patience and understanding that Alex and Ophelia regard each another with is so vital to the success of their relationship which shows so much growth and maturity. Their love is so gentle and filled with tenderness which is such a breath of fresh air to experience. They continue to show up for one another no matter what and I loved getting to see both characters continue to lean on one another without second thought. I adore Alex and Ophelia’s love story with everything that I have and I’m equally devastated and relieved that it’s over. Devastated because I will never tire of them and always wish for more… and yet relieved in knowing that their suffering if finally over.

This is such a beautiful conclusion for a beautiful couple who deserve nothing but the world. It feels bittersweet to be saying goodbye to the world of Sorrowsong University... unless our man Vincenzo decides to step forward and demand a love story of his own? I'd run to read that should it ever exist. Just saying.

All I have to left to say is preorder this book. Right now. You haven’t gotten around to reading Nightshade yet? That’s okay. Order your copy and preorder Daybreak at the same time because now is the perfect time to do so. You won’t regret it.

Alex and Ophelia how I love you so. What an utterly perfect duet for all Romance lovers to devour and obsess over just as much as I have.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.

The 'Sorrowsong University' duology:
1. Nightshade - 5 stars
2. Daybreak - 5 stars

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars ✨

“Until midnight?”
“A hundred years from now.” ✨

Ohh Alex Corbeau -Green how I missed you and your big rugby thighs so much 😩

It felt so good to be back in Sorrowsong and with these characters!! I truly missed the dark academia vibe, the banter, the beautiful writing, the suspense and after the way the last book ended I’m glad we finally got some answers.

Alex Corbeau-Green, I am still so obsessed with this man as much I was in the first book!! 🧎🏻‍♀️He went through so much in this book , but he never wavered. I was so happy we got more chapters of him because we truly get to see him going through the deepest depression yet trying to heal himself to be there for Ophelia and his family. My mans was going through it so bad all I wanted to do was go in that book and save him 🥲 and the yearning he had towards Ophelia , some of the best yearning I’ve seen. He was still so pathetically in love with her. I love this emo ,grumpy man and I’m so sad I won’t be reading about him anymore 😭 the unset emails he had for Ophelia, yeah I’m never getting over those.

Ophelia , I love that she grew a backbone and found a way to let go of her dark thoughts and revenge aspect and finally learned to be free of what was holding her back. It was so wholesome to see her walls come down and create a new family. I also loved how her personality never changed once. She was still her grumpy, sarcastic self and I loved her even more for that.

The romance in this one was pretty good , I will say that I liked the romance aspect much more in book one, but I loved how both Alex and Ophelia yearned for each other and slowly stitched each others hearts together. ❤️‍🩹 it was also so perfect to see them both still emailing each other and speaking through crosswords.

The side characters and Alex’s family were some of my favorite parts as well. I really liked that we got to know so much more about each one of them and am I the only one rooting for Vincenzo and Colette and wouldn’t mind a book about them?!!

Another thing that was important in this book and done so well was the mental health representation. Autumn Woods showed us that healing isn’t always linear, but trying is so worth it in the end and that was something that truly resonated with me.

Now as much as I dearly love these characters and this world there are a few things that felt a bit underwhelming and why I couldn’t rate this any higher. I feel like not much happened for the first 60% of the book in terms of plot and we didn’t get as much suspense as we did in the first book. I got bored at times. I felt like certain areas of the story were rushed and others were too slowed down. I also wish we got to see Alex grovel a bit more for Ophelia, I just needed a tad bit more imo. As well I just feel like this book didn’t hold the same spark as the first book and maybe it’s a me thing, but I feel like so much more was missing, nonetheless I still enjoyed it a lot!!

Also the epilogue, It was so beautiful!! Im so beyond happy Ophelia and Alex got their hea. It was the perfect ending to this duology. 🥲

“A future without you in it doesn’t feel much of a future at all.”

“She’s the color in my paint set, and the brush that turns them into something beautiful.”

“Something about that moment feels like daybreak. The first ray of sun after a long, dark night. The first shard of hope, illuminating two people who were on the edge of giving up.” 🖤

[✨Julie✨]

Loved this book! Review to come!

Best believe I will drop everything to read this one the instant I have it in my possession! July, please come quickly!

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

—꒰ ✉️ ꒱ 3.85 stars

i don't know where to even begin because i'm completely speechless, and definitely not in a good way. nightshade was my absolute top read back in 2025. i completely fell in love with alex, ophelia, vincenzo, belladonna, and the rest of the crew. i fell hopelessly in love with that dark, gothic, scottish atmosphere. and lastly, i fell deeply in love with autumn’s writing style. i used to think it was marvelous, so poetic, so touching. and that cliffhanger? it was so good.

you truly know a heartbreak is real when the most anticipated book of your year turns out to be a big, fat disappointment. i could literally hear my heart breaking into little pieces the moment i finished reading this sequel.

okay enough with the dramatics.

let me be clear: my feelings for the characters have not changed a single bit. i still love them thoroughly with my entire being. so, was it probably my fault for expecting way too much from this book? is this just my own cross to bear? probably. but that does not soften the blow.

i adore ophelia. this girl is literally everything to me. while reading nightshade, i could feel her sadness right through my own heart. i felt the weight of how she was grieving her parents, and how she felt like the luckiest girl in the world just to exist in alex’s orbit. ophelia is me, and i am her. so can someone please tell me why she completely lost her spark in this book?

don’t get me wrong, she is still my sweetheart. but why was she acting like this? why did she constantly obsess over her own problems when there were so many people around her who loved her and were going through things too? why, just why? this honestly bugged me a lot. yes, i know she was yearning for alex here, too. i know she was terrified that he would leave her again. but why did she have to come across as so whiny? thankfully, by the end, there was genuinely great character development from her, which saved it a little bit.

alex corbeau-green. the man of my dreams. this man literally shares a throne of yearnilism right alongside cyrus of nara from this woven kingdom. alex is such a complex character to me, yet he is written with so many well layered dimensions. at his core, he is just a sad, depressed man who is barely hanging on by a thin, frayed string of sanity, and that string's name is ophelia. he is so broken, yet somehow he manages to find the tiny bits and pieces of his remaining sanity just to love ophelia with every ounce of his being. i actually cried a little bit for this man. he carries such a heavy baggage of having to protect the eight women in his life. it hurts just thinking about it.

despite loving the characters, there are very clear reasons why this book was such a letdown. the most important aspect was the whole stalker plotline. again, maybe this is just my cross to bear since i had built up my expectations so high. i was waiting for a massive, mind blowing plot twist when it came to the stalker’s identity, but no...

on top of that, the pacing was all over the place. a lot of things were happening way too quickly, while at the same time, things were dragging and happening way too slowly. at times, it honestly felt like NOTHING was happening at all. there was so much emotional gap, so much unnecessary miscommunication, and the main characters barely even spent any quality time together. that hurt the most because their dynamic is what made the first book so special.

but even with all my complaints, i still love autumn and her incredible work. that ending, despite everything, was quite beautiful. it is honestly so sad to say goodbye to these characters, but i'm holding onto a tiny glimmer of hope that we will get to see at least a little bit of them in belladonna’s and vincenzo’s book.

P.S. just a quick side note—even though the book broke my heart, the audiobook version was THE BEST.

ending this review with a quick thank you to my other half in everything, and my best friend, manas. i'll never tire of reading books with you x
________

dear alex and ophelia,

you might just be characters in a story, but you taught me what it means to love deeply, to wait for the right person, and to believe in a kind of magic that feels too big for the real world. even if you only exist on a page, the feeling you left in my heart is completely real.

thank you for showing me that true love is worth waiting for, and for making me fall in love with the very idea of love itself.

you ruined me. and i am so glad you did.

hopelessly,
vee x