Hollow Vows: A Dark Academia Romance (The Hemlock Court Book 1)

Name: Hollow Vows: A Dark Academia Romance (The Hemlock Court Book 1)
Author: Sabine Marlowe

Sabine Marlowe

Book 1 in the The Hemlock Court series · Reading order →

SpiceDarkness

How we rate spice & darkness

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Spice & darkness rated — content warnings listed below

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Why we recommend it

A dark academia romance laced with broken promises and dangerous loyalties, perfect for readers who love secretive elite worlds. Expect a heroine bound by hollow vows, a brooding love interest whose intentions stay murky, and an atmosphere thick with menace and longing. High-heat and morally grey, it leans into forbidden attraction, simmering rivalry and the slow unraveling of trust. Immersive and tense, it rewards fans of shadowed institutions and ruthless desire.

At a glance

Hollow Vows is a dark academia romance by Sabine Marlowe. With 4/5 for spice and 4/5 for darkness it sits mid-range for dark academia romance (of the 191 dark academia romance books on Readark, 28% rate lower for darkness and 56% lower for spice). Its tropes include slow burn, enemies to lovers and forbidden romance. 3 content warnings are listed below, hidden until you tap.

Tropes

Enemies to Lovers Forbidden Romance Morally Grey MC Possessive-Obsessive MC Slow Burn

Book details

Published: June 2026

Hollow Vows spice level

Hollow Vows is rated 4/5 for spice on Readark’s scale: explicit and frequent, meaning multiple detailed scenes, with heat central to the story. Its darkness rating is 4/5: heavy, meaning sustained cruelty, trauma or non-consent central to the relationship. How we rate