It begins when two young boys discover a 100-year-old skeleton buried near the grounds of Belle Reve, a Greek revival-style mansion built in the 1870s. As police investigate, strange and eerie occurrences plague the mansion—footsteps in empty hallways, slamming doors in empty rooms.

The owner of Belle Reve, Rachel Belmond, beautiful and still young at 44, is also in failing health, her condition deteriorating. It’s her niece, Nicole, who begins to suspect that something deadly has invaded the house. And it is Nicole who meets someone who might be able to find answers…

As the incidents grow more intense, Rachel’s niece, Nicole Belmond, begins to suspect that something otherworldly may have invaded the house.

Lucas Devereaux is the owner of the Baton Rouge Youth Center, where Nicole’s teenage half-brother has been sentenced for a juvenile crime. The attraction between Lucas and Nicole is instant. Hearing rumors that Lucas, a former priest, has the ability to deal with supernatural events, Nicole shares her worries about Belle Reve. But Lucas can’t begin until he has more information.

Fearing for Rachel’s fragile health, trying to ignore their growing attraction, Nicole and Lucas work to find the link between the mysterious old bones and the terrifying events in the house that grow more ominous every day. Can Nicole and Lucas protect Rachel and stop the demonic forces that threaten the very existence of Belle Reve? Or is more happening than anyone can imagine?

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  The Unseen
Series:  ~Standalone~
Author:  Kat Martin
Published:  September 30, 2025
Publisher:  Kensington Books
My Rating:  4.5 stars

The Unseen is a standalone paranormal romance, perhaps even a paranormal thriller, as there are things that go bump in the night, and very real, very nasty humans doing their evil things as well.  Everything that you’d need to know about this story before picking it up can be found in the Cover Description.  What you won’t find there is the slowly escalating tensions and dangers that face several people on separate, yet connected fronts.  An unexpected love story, a haunting by the most evil of spirits, a love that reaches beyond time and dimensions, an attempted land grab by unscrupulous people, a young man accepting his past actions and bravely taking on his future, and a romance between two people who have trust issues, have faced betrayal, and now stand between the living and the dead… all this, and more, await you in The Unseen by Kat Martin.

The discovery of a box of human skeletal bones by two young boys will set some events in motion at Belle Reve, a mansion set within the bayou, owned by Rachel’s family for over a hundred years.  A somewhat frail woman who is battling a rare form of muscular dystrophy will begin to question her sanity as she starts to hear footsteps in the mansion when no one lives there but her.  Her niece, Nicole, who is an artist, lives in the carriage house attached to the property.  Nicole’s step-brother, Sean, lives there on the weekends, but during the week is serving his time in a youth center run by Lucas, facing the consequences of a very bad decision.  Each will face different aspects of the unusual things happening at Belle Reve, and all the players will soon be in place to bring an end to the dangers of the evil intentions, in both spirit and physical forms, taking place around the mansion.

I was easily drawn into this story from the opening scene, and was kept on edge throughout the events unfolding to the characters and at Belle Reve.  It’s a slow-burning love story in many ways; it’s also not only a paranormal thriller but a very real crime mystery.  Yet, all aspects of this story come together to tell a haunting, compelling tale that kept my emotions and my curiosity engaged throughout.  If you enjoy a well-written story with paranormal elements, a love story that defies explanation, or simply a really good page-flipping mystery, then you’d love The Unseen by Kat Martin.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)