Enigma: A Dark Academia Romance

This book had me unhinged!!! Much like the sexy, mysterious man that is Cazimir!! 🥵🥵I love the dark, eerie, gothic writing and setting that RuNyx spins into her stories. Enigma is full of unique and mysterious characters with an even more dark, alluring and mysterious setting that makes you cautious but curious.I love Salem, she is such a unique, woman and my first thought of her as a child was Wednesday Adam’s. 😂 seemed like they were alike in many ways, but as Salem grew older I understood her loneliness and feeling like she didn’t belong anywhere and went unnoticed. She built up such high walls and became and icy shell. I love her curiosity and dark interests.Cazimir is such a mystery. So much is unknown about him, where he came from. The way he crumbles to his knees and devours Salem and claims her in public and private is absolutely delicious!! And boy the things he can do with his pencil ✏️ 🥵🥵🥵 OMG!!! 😱 I’ve never looked at a pencil in such an aroused way before until Cazimir.This book was an absolute 5🌟 read. Cazimir became one my new favorite book boyfriends, who can possess me any day. I could live in this eerie castle forever with all its mysteries and charms.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was lighter than her usual style of writing despite the subject matter being dark and the gothic theme. I enjoyed the way she seamlessly built upon Salem’s character and how unique it was to live inside her head. This character, while distinct, reminded me of liking Morana’s brainy ways so much. The essence of finding love and companionship between two lonely souls was so well portrayed. I remember feeling so sorry for Tristan and his life, and Caz’ backstory evoked some of that same empathy. Overall, a much sweeter take on a gothic dark romance with a bit of a rushed climax scene that could have been drawn out a bit more. It felt almost deliberate as though she did not want this book to seem as dark as her previous work. What it really did, was make me appreciate and plan to read Gothikana again for the spooky vibes. I recommend this to any fan of Runyx since I’m a diehard fan who will read anything she writes, always! It’s not likely to be one I reach for again and again like her other works, but it has moments that will resonate. 4 stars!

Give me an academic setting, a secret shadow society, mysterious deaths, and a slow burn romance—and I’m in. Enigma checked every box and kept me hooked the entire way through. Fair warning: this is definitely a slow burn, but the payoff is so worth the wait.I loved Salem as a main character—she wasn’t just quirky for the sake of being different. She felt original and real. Her social awkwardness, claustrophobia, and quiet resilience were written in such a relatable way. I especially appreciated her friendship with Aditi and Melissa—seeing her finally find connection and support was a subtle but powerful part of the story.Caz (Cazimir) remains mysterious throughout most of the book, with only sparse POVs that leave you guessing about his true intentions. But his tortured, protective, slightly possessive vibe? Absolute perfection. The banter and tension between him and Salem were exactly what I wanted—entertaining, sharp, and emotionally charged.Aditi deserves her own highlight—she’s a standout side character. Supportive without being pushy, observant, and fiercely loyal, she just slides into Salem’s life and becomes the kind of best friend everyone needs.I read this on Kindle while listening via Whispersync, and the audiobook narration by Jaclyn Kelso and Aiden Snow was excellent. They really brought the characters to life and captured both the emotional and mysterious tones of the story.If you’re into dark academia, shadowy secrets, and romantic tension so thick you could slice it with a dagger—Enigma is one to add to your list.

I felt that the revelation of the mystery aspect was anticlimactic and quite abrupt, which is why I’m giving it 3 1/2 stars. Reading such a lengthy book, I expected a more intriguing and suspenseful resolution. However, the identity of the murderer turned out to be quite predictable, and the resolution was even quicker than the initial investigation. This left me feeling somewhat frustrated throughout the rest of the book. On the positive side, the love story was enjoyable.

I love when gothic romance and dark academia mix! RuNyx is so good at creating the perfect dark and haunting atmosphere for these stories. I could picture every scene. Secret societies amongst the elite and the sinking feeling of something incredibly sinister makes for the best kind of suspense to me. The romance is so dark and steamy. The characters in this story develop so beautifully. I did feel like the plot dragged a tiny bit , but overall I really enjoyed it.

More than writing, Runyx works magic with words.She has a unique ability to create stories and characters that are more than captivating, they are addictive and unforgettable.Yes, after reading everything she's written I had high expectations for this book...and we all know that reader expectations can be a bad thing, a very bad thing.My expectations were high and they were far exceeded.Salem and Caz will stay with me forever, the way they grow and blossom, how they come out of the darkness finding the light in each other and in themselves is extraordinary.This book risks being the best I've read this year. I believe that only Runyx can surpass it.