No, my dear, be warned, if you are looking for a romance or a moral, this is not the tale for you.
For this tale is a horror.
Coming May 12, 2026
A maiden with dark magic becomes the apprentice to Lord Death—for a price.
A swirling mirage of dark fairy tale, gothic romance, and historical fantasy, A Dark and Wild Wood is a novel best devoured all at once.
Ever since she was a child, Salomé has been plagued by visions of spirits and dangerous powers she can’t control. After watching her foster mother burn as a witch, she and her beloved sister Rochelle are raised together in a convent, a grim and dreary existence. Until one day, Rochelle vanishes.
Determined to find a way to save her, Salomé runs: first to a brothel, and then, after a terrible accident, away from the village and into the woods. Deep amongst the trees of the wild Black Forest, she comes face-to-face with Lord Death.
Rather than taking her life, he brings her to his home at the heart of the woods, a strange manor full of locked rooms and mysterious corridors, crumbling one moment, magnificent the next. He promises to make her his apprentice and teach her how to harness her mind and magic. His words are as seductive as his presence—but should one trust Death?
A swirling mirage of dark fairy tale, gothic romance, and historical fantasy, A Dark and Wild Wood is a novel best devoured all at once. But proceed with caution, as everything is not what it seems...
Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of gothic fantasies.
“A gorgeously gothic fairy tale that goes down as sweet and bitter as blackberry wine. I would follow Lemon’s voice into the fey depths of the forest.”
Hannah Whitten, NYT/Indie/USAToday Bestselling author of The Wilderwood duology.
“A Dark and Wild Wood reads like a grimoire for overcoming, a hypnotic spell that pulls you under and then pushes you out into the light. I can’t wait for whatever Sarah Nicole Lemon writes next.”
S. Jae-Jones is the New York Times bestselling author of the Wintersong duology
“A spellbinding and eldritch story. ”
About the Author
Sarah Nicole Lemon is the author of forthcoming adult fantasy A DARK AND WILD WOOD. She has lived many lives and earned every story. These days, she resides in North Carolina with her partner, four sons, and a rescue chihuahua named Shorty. When not writing, she works as a VP of Brand & Content and still reads voraciously—everything from romance to Žižek.
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Patrice Caldwell
The Caldwell Agency
hello@thecaldwellagency.com