Master of Salt & Bones by Keri Lake

The Myth: Lucian Blackwood is a reclusive, brilliant man living in a crumbling cliffside estate called Blackwood Manor. Thought to be dead or a monster by the local townspeople, he hides away from the world due to severe physical scarring and a past shrouded in tragedy and scandal.

The Intruder: Isadora "Isa" Vignote takes a job at the manor as a live-in tutor/companion to Lucian’s fragile niece. Isa is running from her own dark past and financial desperation, but she soon finds herself deeply unsettled—and intrigued—by the shadow-dwelling master of the house.

The Obsession: When Lucian discovers Isa on his property, an intense, dark, and highly psychological relationship blooms. They are forced together as old town secrets, generational curses, and an all-consuming obsession threaten to unravel them both.