Margaret, Lady Riven, never expected to find herself married, much less enjoying a honeymoon with her vampiric husband. Obviously, they’ve only agreed to stay married for logical, practical reasons, but Lord Riven has kept his promise to supply her with excellent tea and even better company as they travel together across the continent. Unfortunately, her newfound notoriety has traveled along with them – so she’s delighted when they arrive at a secluded inn deep within the Black Forest, far from high society.
However, the inn is full of lethal supernatural creatures who find Margaret’s arrival anything but welcome—and for all of Margaret’s academic prowess, she’s infamously inept at making friends. When a new threat appears in her own mirror, she realizes that the greatest danger is to her heart…and she’ll have to rely on a remarkable assortment of newfound allies to help her save the immortal vampire who holds it.
A sparkling sequel to A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience that includes strong tea, light banter, and an introvert learning that she can find true community and acceptance after all.
This second novella in the series takes everything I loved about the first book and makes it even better. Lord and Lady Riven are now newly married, and what began as a marriage of convenience has blossomed into something deeper, tender, and ever so fresh. It is still early in their marriage, and they are adjusting to each other, discovering what it means to truly love someone without taking each other for granted.
“There will be no disparaging my wife,” he said firmly. “I’ll have you know, if I were offered the choice between freedom to roam the world without you or a return to my imprisonment forevermore—but with you by my side—I would choose you above all other considerations. I didn’t ally with you in hopes that you would make idle small talk for me with strangers; oddly enough, I’m actually capable of managing that for myself.”
Margaret, human and spirited, and Lord Riven, a vampire, complement each other beautifully. She dislikes society balls and small talk, he thrives in a crowd. Together they form a balance of strengths, stepping in where the other struggles. Margaret is not antisocial, she simply prefers clarity, science and straight talk over the intricacies of social performance. She is fiercely loyal and wise. As someone who is autistic and who experiences social anxiety, I resonated so deeply with her perspective. Seeing her honored for who she truly is felt comforting and powerful.
The setting this time adds its own magic: a secluded inn deep in the Black Forest. The inn is quirky, a little chaotic with so many different supernatural guests and their quirks, but also deeply cosy and welcoming. It becomes a true safe haven, where strange beings can gather without judgment, and that warmth seeps through the pages. Right from the very start the book shows its blend of cosy banter, playful humour and adventurous charm. Just look at this little snippet:
“Ohhh.” The word was half-sighed, half-moaned as the eyes disappeared and the door began to creak shut once more. “Oh noooo. Foolish mortal! This is not a place for such as youuuuu.”
“Nonsense!” said Margaret sharply, and stepped forward to hold the heavy door in place with both hands. “This stop was chosen with great care, and I believe you’ll find that our reservation for the month has been paid in full.”
“But… wait, stop that… no, you can’t understaaand…ouch!” A high-pitched yelp sounded as the rough bottom edge of the door at the center of their skirmish apparently scraped against an invisible foot.
“Has there been some difficulty with our booking?” Lord Riven’s voice was mild, but as he stepped up behind Margaret, he braced one strong hand beside hers in support, effectively ending the physical battle.
“Oh, you poor, innocent fools!” the voice groaned. “If you only had any notion of the dark horrors that lie in wai—oh.” The voice’s tone shifted abruptly as the glowing eyes reappeared and fixed on Lord Riven’s face. “You’re no human.”
“Indeed not.” Lord Riven smiled thinly, the tips of his sharp canine teeth visible by the dim glow of the nearby carriage lamp. “Nor have I been innocent for quite some centuries now, I assure you.”
That mix of wit, banter and gothic atmosphere runs through the whole novella, and it is enriched by the folklore that fills the inn. Wolpertinger, Tatzelwurm, Nixe, Nachzehrer and more appear, each with their own quirks and strengths. They are strange and otherworldly yet oddly endearing, and together they create a sense of found family that is both magical and comforting. My personal favourite was the Nachzehrer, a creature I had never come across before despite being German. Watching her arc unfold was a highlight, and the fact she stood out among such a wonderful ensemble says a lot.
Although it is a novella, the story never feels shallow or hurried. It carries a surprising amount: humour, romance, loyalty, friendship, folklore, adventure, banter, and emotional resonance. The chemistry between Margaret and Lord Riven feels lived in even in this short span. Stephanie Burgis shows how richly layered a novella can be.
A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence is cosy fantasy at its best, filled with supernatural folklore, found family warmth, and the fresh spark of newlywed romance. A short book with a big heart, it is the perfect escape into magic, humour and love.
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About the author:
I grew up in America, but now I live in Wales with my husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, our two sons, and our sweet (and extremely vocal) tabby cat, Pebbles. I write fantasy rom-coms for adults (most recently Claws and Contrivances and Good Neighbors) and fun MG fantasy adventure novels, too (most recently The Raven Crown duology). My next series will be the adult romantasy trilogy The Queens of Villainy, published by Tor Bramble, starting in 2025 with Wooing the Witch Queen.
