Grimstone Audiobook – Grimstone, Book 1

It was a rainy Oregon evening—one of those perfect, brooding nights that beg for a haunting story—when I pressed play on Sophie Lark’s Grimstone. Curled up in my favorite armchair with the wind rattling the windows, I felt instantly drawn into Remi Hayes’ world: a dilapidated mansion full of secrets, an enigmatic neighbor who might be more danger than savior, and whispers of something ghostly lurking just out of sight. As someone who loves both romance and the gothic touch (not to mention a little supernatural chill), this audiobook had me riveted from its first haunted note.

Remi is such a beautifully relatable protagonist. Her grief over her fiancé’s betrayal felt raw and honest—a wound many listeners will understand all too well—and her struggle to hold together family ties while facing down ghosts (literal or metaphorical) resonated deeply with me. The way she throws herself into renovating Blackleaf Manor reminded me of times I’ve tried to fix my own life by throwing myself into creative projects after heartbreak; it’s both cathartic and sometimes terrifying to face what lurks beneath old surfaces.

Then there’s Dane Covett—a character oozing dark charisma but shadowed by scandal. Connor Crais delivers Dane’s lines with just enough gravel and restraint to keep you guessing about his true motives; at points I found myself swooning, at others, glancing over my shoulder! Victoria Connolly voices Remi with an emotional honesty that makes her courage shine but also leaves space for doubt and fear. Together, their dual narration brings so much intimacy—the shifting perspectives feel like two souls circling each other in the candlelit halls of Grimstone itself.

What really struck me was how well Lark balances tension: one minute you’re wrapped up in romantic chemistry so palpable it almost aches (seriously—the “spicy” moments are not oversold!), and the next you’re jumping at every creak as Remi discovers another mystery behind Blackleaf Manor’s crumbling walls. The supernatural elements never feel gimmicky; instead, they serve as metaphors for trust issues and buried trauma. The town of Grimstone breathes as its own entity—secretive neighbors, lingering stares—all adding layers to the suspense.

I also appreciated how Lark doesn’t shy away from darker content or high emotional stakes. This isn’t just about falling in love under ominous circumstances—it’s about learning when to let go of suspicion versus when your intuition is trying desperately to save you from harm (supernatural or otherwise). For me, this echoed moments in life where trusting again feels both dangerous and necessary.

If there were any drawbacks, I wished for slightly more development around some supporting characters like Jude—Remi’s brother—but given this is only book one in the series, I suspect future installments may dive deeper into their backstories. And while Bloom Books always impresses with audio production quality here (no distracting background noise or mismatched pacing), I did occasionally want just a bit more atmospheric sound design during key spooky scenes.

Still: listening late into that stormy night felt like wandering through echoing corridors alongside Remi—a testament not only to Lark’s evocative writing but also Connolly and Crais’ pitch-perfect performances. By dawn (yes—I finished it in almost one sitting!), Grimstone had left me feeling deliciously unsettled…and hungry for whatever shadows await next in this series.

For anyone craving romance laced with suspenseful dread—and delivered via top-tier narration—Grimstone is pure audio magic on Ezaudiobookforsoul.com.