Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?
Ava Reid delivers gorgeous prose in this dark academia sequel where Effy and Preston navigate wartime prejudice, addiction, and the question of whether love can survive when the world is drowning. Atmospheric and deeply emotional.
book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden
At a Glance
The sequel to A Study in Drowning that fans have been waiting for. Dual third-person POV lets you feel both Effy and Preston as they face xenophobia, mental health battles, and political upheaval at university. Heavy content warnings but the emotional payoff is worth it. Not a standalone — read book one first.
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Book Details
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Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?
Romantasy
PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.
M/F
POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).
Dual POV
Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.
Slow Burn
CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.
reveal ending
AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
Yes
TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.
World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.
gothic
Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.
University campus in a Welsh-inspired secondary world (Llyr)
RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.
biracial heromental health repracism explored
Reading Context
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Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.
