{"product_id":"the-scarlet-ball","title":"The Scarlet Ball by Nghi Vo","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003egothic fantasy • dark romantasy • demonic suitors • deadly debutante season • morally gray heroine\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eGilded Age glamour hides a world of blood-soaked rituals, dangerous bargains, and monstrous desires. When Judith Ban is offered the chance to impersonate a missing heiress, the reward could buy her the freedom she has always wanted. But entering New York's elite society means playing a deadly game where marriage is power, beauty comes at a terrible price, and the most desirable suitors may be the most dangerous of all. The Scarlet Ball is a lavish, unsettling blend of gothic fantasy, dark romance, and supernatural horror, perfect for readers who love beautiful settings with sinister secrets lurking beneath the surface.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"x1ll2q23 x1a4oops x132q4wb\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe Vibe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eJudith Ban is a survivor. A former convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief, she has learned to reinvent herself whenever circumstances demand it. When the powerful Howard family offers her a chance to secure her future, she accepts a bargain that thrusts her into the glittering, ruthless world of New York's elite.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eDisguised as a wealthy young debutante, Judith must navigate a society where appearances determine status and marriage can grant extraordinary power. The season's eligible bachelors, however, are far from ordinary. Behind their handsome faces lie demonic forces capable of devastating destruction, and the women who seek to marry them must risk far more than their reputations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eAs Judith enters a world of extravagant ballrooms, sinister traditions, and supernatural courtship, she must rely on her cunning and adaptability to survive. A dangerous attraction adds another layer of tension, challenging her to decide how much she is willing to risk for the future she desires.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSet in an alternate version of Gilded Age New York, The Scarlet Ball combines opulent historical atmosphere with grotesque magic, darkly seductive romance, and sharp commentary on wealth, race, gender, and social power. Nghi Vo transforms the rituals of high society into something genuinely nightmarish, creating a story where the monsters are not always the ones with fangs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003ePerfect for readers who love gothic romantasy, morally complex heroines, demonic love interests, and dark fairy tales that twist familiar romance conventions into something dangerous and unexpected. This is a darker, more horror-inflected fantasy, with graphic imagery and disturbing themes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSpice Level\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"x7amdea\"\u003e🌶️🌶️\u003c\/strong\u003e (2\/5)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"x1ll2q23 x1a4oops x132q4wb\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eTropes \u0026amp; Tags\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eGothic fantasy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eDark romantasy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eHistorical fantasy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMonster romance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eDeadly courtship\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMarriage as power\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMorally gray heroine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eDangerous bargain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSecret identity\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSupernatural rituals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eDark glamour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSlow-burn romantic tension\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eBody horror\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSocial hierarchy and power\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eAtmospheric, unsettling storytelling\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Romantasy Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50027584979203,"sku":"125090496X","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0767\/7843\/8915\/files\/thescarletball.png?v=1793216789","url":"https:\/\/romantasybookshop.com\/products\/the-scarlet-ball","provider":"Romantasy Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}