The Curvy Bookworm

Author: Eva Marks
Genre: Dark romance, horror romance, retelling
My rating: ★★★☆☆
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️☆

I’d previously read another Eva Marks book and really enjoyed it, so when I came across Depravity, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up. The fact it’s inspired by House of Wax only made me more excited, as I love horror-inspired stories mixed with dark romance. It had all the ingredients of a book I’d normally fly through.

While I did enjoy it overall, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations, and I found myself wishing the story had delivered a little more in some key areas.

What’s the book about?

Depravity is a dark romance inspired by House of Wax, blending psychological horror, obsession and romance into a creepy, atmospheric read. It follows a heroine whose life becomes entangled with an MMC who is completely captivated by her from the moment he learns her name.

If you enjoy possessive heroes, unsettling settings and stories that lean into the darker side of romance, this definitely ticks those boxes.

What I loved

The premise immediately caught my attention. A dark romance with House of Wax vibes felt like such a fun and twisted idea, and the book definitely has that eerie, unsettling atmosphere running through it.

The horror elements worked well, and there’s a constant sense that something isn’t quite right. It’s creepy without feeling like it’s trying too hard, and I liked that the story leaned into obsession and psychological tension rather than just relying on shock value.

The MMC is exactly what you’d expect from this kind of dark romance. He’s intense, possessive and completely obsessed with the FMC from the start. If you like your fictional men morally questionable and absolutely fixated, then he’ll probably be one of the main reasons you enjoy this.

What didn’t quite work for me

The biggest issue for me was the pacing. Although I enjoyed the story, it did drag in places. There was a lot of internal monologue, and after a while I found myself wanting the plot to move forward a bit more.

I was also really interested in the relationship between the FMC and her twin. The question of why her twin seemed to hate her had so much potential, and I kept waiting for that storyline to really hit. We do find out more towards the end, but for me, it fell a little flat. I wanted more depth there and a stronger emotional payoff.

Because of that, the book didn’t grip me as much as I hoped it would. I was interested, but not completely hooked.

Is it worth reading?

I do think Depravity is worth reading if you’re in the mood for a horror dark romance with an obsessive MMC and a creepy, twisted atmosphere. It has a strong concept, and there were parts I genuinely enjoyed.

However, if you prefer a faster-paced story or need big emotional reveals to really land, this might not fully work for you.

My verdict

I’m glad I read Depravity, but I probably wouldn’t read it again. It had a brilliant premise, a creepy atmosphere and an MMC who was absolutely obsessed from the start, but the pacing and some of the emotional reveals didn’t quite deliver enough for me.

I’d still read more from Eva Marks, especially as I really enjoyed the previous book I read by her, but this one wasn’t a new favourite.

Would I recommend it? Yes, if you enjoy horror romance, dark obsession and don’t mind a slower pace. It’s good, just not one I think I’ll be rushing back to reread.