Monarch by Sophie Lark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In a desperate bid to get out of town, twenty-seven-year-old virgin and bookstore nerd Elena Zelenska becomes the world’s most unlikely mail-order bride. Her gamble pays off when she’s swept off her feet by Lorne Ronson, handsome single father and (gasp!) actual published author. Elena’s new fiancé seems almost too good to be true. Her life is turning into a fairytale, especially once Lorne starts building her a castle in the woods. But when Elena arrives in Grimstone, her fairytale turns darker.

The castle in the woods is a macabre labyrinth of hidden chambers, and Lorne is no Prince Charming. In fact, he might just be a monster.

Isolated far from home, Elena’s only ally is Atlas Covett, owner of the Monarch hotel. Massive and stern, even Atlas’ employees are terrified of him. He becomes Elena’s unexpected protector, offering sanctuary from the darkness that threatens to consume her.

As Elena’s bond with Atlas deepens, her jealous fiancé exerts his control in increasingly twisted ways. Elena must find a way out before the castle he’s building becomes a prison she’ll never escape…

Monarch

Haunted Hearts and Hidden Monsters

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚❤️💙🤎
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋😉😎🤓
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary

In Monarch, Elena Zelenska arrives in the United States from Ukraine with hopes of building a better life through an arranged marriage. Elena is intelligent, resilient, and quietly determined, but she is also vulnerable because she is completely isolated in a foreign country. Her fiancé, Lorne Ronson, initially appears to be the perfect man. He is wealthy, charming, successful as an author, and devoted enough to promise Elena a fairy tale future in a secluded castle hidden deep in the forest. Sophie Lark does an excellent job creating the unsettling feeling that something beneath the surface is not quite right, even during the early romantic moments.

The story takes a darker turn when Elena becomes entangled with Atlas Covett, the enigmatic owner of the Monarch Hotel in Grimstone. Atlas carries a dangerous aura from the moment he appears on the page. He is observant, calculating, and morally gray in the most compelling way possible. The tension between Elena and Atlas builds steadily as Elena begins to realize that the carefully crafted dream Lorne offered her may actually be a nightmare.

The setting plays a major role in the story’s atmosphere. Grimstone feels gothic, isolated, and deeply eerie, which perfectly complements the psychological tension running throughout the book. The Monarch Hotel itself almost feels like a living presence, full of secrets and hidden dangers. While the romance remains central, the novel also leans heavily into suspense and emotional manipulation, making it feel darker and more intense than a typical contemporary romance.

Highlights and Limitations

One of the strongest aspects of the audiobook is the atmosphere. Sophie Lark creates a gothic and unsettling world filled with paranoia, obsession, and emotional danger. Especially after Elena discovers the castle Lorne is building is so creepy, like the dark “cavity” in the bedroom which he says will be a closet but seems to go down and down.

The pacing gradually tightens as Elena uncovers disturbing truths, and the sense of dread keeps the listener engaged throughout. The romance is intense and emotionally charged, particularly once Atlas becomes more deeply involved in Elena’s life.

Elena is also a strong protagonist because her vulnerability never makes her weak. Her immigrant experience and isolation add emotional weight to the story, and listeners can understand why she struggles to trust her own instincts. She also has a secret. There is a reason she put herself up as a mail-order bride to get out of Ukraine.

Atlas stands out as the most fascinating character in the novel. He has the mysterious and dangerous qualities that dark romance fans tend to love, but there are also glimpses of protectiveness and emotional depth beneath his cold exterior. He is the owner of the hotel but also acts as a doctor if anyone gets sick, he went to medical school like his brother, who is the town doctor.

The book’s biggest strength may also be a limitation for some listeners. The story embraces dark romance themes wholeheartedly, including manipulation, emotional intensity, and morally questionable behavior. Readers looking for a lighter or more traditionally romantic love story may find the atmosphere too heavy or unsettling. I know it is all part of the suspense building and plot development, but I kept thinking that there were too many red flags with Lorne and that even if she feared having to return home, she should have just asked Atlas to help get her out of her engagement. She was living in a state of anxiousness and fear of saying or doing something that would upset him.

The pacing in the middle portion occasionally slows while the mystery elements are being established, but the final act delivers enough tension and emotional payoff to keep the overall experience satisfying.

Narration

CJ Bloom gives a strong performance as Elena. She captures Elena’s vulnerability, confusion, and growing inner strength very effectively. Bloom’s emotional delivery helps ground the character, especially during the more emotionally intense scenes. Her performance makes Elena feel sympathetic even when the character is uncertain or conflicted.

Aaron Shedlock is especially effective in bringing Atlas to life. His deep, controlled delivery adds to the character’s intimidating and mysterious presence. Shedlock excels at portraying emotionally restrained but dangerous men, and that style works perfectly for Atlas. His performance adds tension to nearly every interaction.

Together, the narrators create strong chemistry that enhances both the romance and the suspense elements of the story. The dual narration style helps separate perspectives clearly and keeps the audiobook engaging from beginning to end. I do really enjoy Aaron Shedlock and would have liked some more chapters in Atlas’s point of view.

Final Opinion

Monarch is a dark, atmospheric romance filled with psychological tension, dangerous attraction, and gothic suspense. Sophie Lark combines romance and thriller elements effectively, creating a story that feels unsettling in the best possible way. Elena’s journey from isolated newcomer to someone fighting for control of her own future gives the novel emotional depth beyond the romance itself.

Listeners who enjoy morally gray characters, haunting settings, and emotionally intense relationships will likely find this audiobook incredibly addictive. The strong performances from CJ Bloom and Aaron Shedlock elevate the experience further, making the tension and emotional stakes feel even more immediate. While some of the darker themes and dramatic twists may not work for every listener, fans of dark romance and gothic suspense will probably have a hard time stopping once they begin.

The one thing that I really didn’t like about this one was the cheating. I know a lot of romance readers hate cheating in their books. Though some don’t think of it as cheating as long as the heroine doesn’t cheat on the Hero and in this one Elena cheats on Lorne with Atlas, and some people can forgive that since Lorne is not a nice man and not the romantic Hero of the book. Though in my opinion cheating is wrong no matter who you cheat on, so I didn’t like that aspect.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Pinterest|BookBub



View all my reviews