ARC Review: An Archive Of Romance (A Study in Drowning Novella) by Ava Reid

“I will love you to ruination,” the Fairy King said, brushing a strand of golden hair from my cheek.

“Yours or mine?” I asked.

The Fairy King did not answer.

Effy and Preston have been torn apart by the wars of men, the power of words, and the specter of magic—but it was through stories that they found each other. Relive Effy and Preston’s love story through their own pens in this immersive collection of mementos, illustrations, maps, blueprints, diary entries, and more. Read Angharad with Effy's annotations; sneak excerpts of Preston's diary; see the architectural sketches that brought Effy to Hiraeth; get your own ticket to Saltney; and experience the never-before-seen epilogue to Effy and Preston’s romance. 

A perfect gift for fans of A Study in Drowning and A Theory of Dreaming and anyone who wants to embark on their own dark academia journey, this gorgeously illustrated novella collects ephemera from Effy and Preston as they remember the romance and prepare for a new chapter in their lives—together.

Title: An ARchive of Romance (A Study in Drowning Novella)

Author: Ava Reid

Publisher: HarperCollins

Expected Publication Date: December 9, 2025

Review:

Thank you to HarperCollins, NetGalley, and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I truly adore this series so much. The world building and character development are great. Plus I love the story lines from both book 1 and book 2. When I saw there was a novella, I had to have it and I'm so glad I got a chance to read this one early.

I will say, as a PDF/Kindle version, this book doesn't work quite as well as I would have liked. I definitely will need the print version to put on my shelf, and to re-read. I loved how the entire book up until you reach the novella towards the end is just a collection of snippets from the stories explained in the books to the journals and letters written and received by the characters. And, in the end, to find out why it is all laid out as it is was so great.

Of course, the novella part was the best part of it all. I loved seeing Effy, Preston, and their crew again. I loved watching as Effy and Preston glided towards their vows. And then to see it all connect, it was chef's kiss.

Definitely do not read this one before you read the other two. It is pretty much an epilogue to book #2. What a beautiful edition to a beautiful story!

Author:

Ava Reid is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning, A Theory of Dreaming, Lady Macbeth, Juniper & Thorn, and The Wolf and the Woodsman. Her books have been published in over fourteen territories. She lives in the New York area. Follow her on Instagram @avasreid and find her online at tumblr.com/avasreid.