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…

Lark Notes:
Halloween is my favorite time of year. Even though I'm a huge baby, I can't seem to resist true crime, thrillers, and movies that keep me up all night. Monarch is my love letter to Spooky Season, a romance-thriller mashup for those of us who crave the dark and scary, as long as we know there's a happy ending somehow. – Sophie

"Monarch" is a dark contemporary romance and a complete standalone. Listener beware: it has spicy scenes and triggering content not suitable for all.