House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

Here is a summary with spoilers of House of Roots and Ruin

Years after the first book, we’re reacquainted with Verity, now 17, living at Highmoor with her sister Camille, who has taken ownership of the estate. As the youngest of the sisters, Verity is still being looked after by Camille, though the rest of the sisters have moved on with their lives. Verity has little memory of her childhood—something Camille insists is for the best, as those years were traumatic, especially for Verity herself. Though she loves Camille and her children, Verity longs to discover her own purpose and path in life.

One day, Verity receives a letter from her sister Mercy. A friend of Mercy’s saw one of Verity’s paintings and wants to commission a portrait of her son. The opportunity would require Verity to move into their home. Thrilled, Verity immediately accepts and sends her response—only to face Camille’s disapproval. Camille demands she retract the acceptance and storms off. That night, Verity tries to make amends, and Camille reveals her sadness over watching her family drift away—she doesn’t want to lose Verity too. Moved, Verity tells her she won’t take the commission after all.

Soon after, Verity begins seeing two apparitions—her sisters who died when she was younger. At first, she believes it’s a cruel joke, but then Camille admits that Verity used to see ghosts as a child too. Verity refuses to believe her, assuming Camille is manipulating her to keep her from leaving. She insists she won’t believe any of it unless she hears it from Hanna, their old maid. But then everyone falls silent—Hanna has been dead for ten years.

That night, Verity returns to her room and finds the ghost of Hanna waiting. Hanna says she couldn’t bear to leave Verity behind and chose to stay at Highmoor. Though Verity asks Hanna to come with her if she leaves, Hanna says she can’t—ghosts cannot leave the estate—and warns Verity not to go either, for her own safety. Verity, however, decides she must go regardless.

A week later, Verity arrives at the Bloem residence. She meets Duchess Dauphine and her son Alexander, the subject of the commissioned portrait. She also meets Gerard Bloem, the master of the estate. Though the house is vast and easy to get lost in, Verity is excited for a fresh start.

As Verity begins her painting sessions with Alex, she learns that he was injured in an accident and is now confined to a wheelchair. They share their stories—Verity’s “curse” and tragic past, Alex’s struggles—and grow close. She also spends time in the greenhouse with Gerard, helping him sketch his unique botanical experiments. During one walk, Gerard notices the scent of a candle Verity brought from home, one made by her sister Annaleigh. He mentions that the scent is traditionally used to keep ghosts at bay. That night, when the candle goes out, Verity hears screaming.

The next morning, Verity learns the estate’s peacocks are the source of the strange cries. She and Alex bond further, sharing a kiss—but Verity is disappointed that she doesn’t feel the spark she hoped for.

As days pass, Verity notices Alex suffers from intense fits of pain. Not wanting her to see him like that, he distances himself, so she seeks solace in the greenhouse with Gerard. There, she suddenly faints and sees visions of her dead sisters—nightmares brought on, she learns, by a hallucinogenic plant nearby. Gerard apologizes, but Verity begins questioning her sanity. Were the ghosts real? Was Hanna?

Alex checks on her the next day and confesses his love. Verity says she feels the same, but secretly still has doubts. While wandering the estate, she starts to suspect Gerard’s past isn’t as innocent as it seems.

Soon after, Alex prepares a surprise for her—a proposal. Though worried, Verity accepts, hoping for magic in their kiss... but again, she feels nothing. She shares the news with her sisters, including Camille, whom she hasn’t heard from since leaving.

Despite the engagement, Verity’s night terrors worsen. She starts questioning reality when Duchess Dauphine denies ever having the maid Verity has been speaking to. Later, she speaks with the maid again, who reveals a dark past with Gerard and warns Verity to leave. During their conversation, Verity realizes that the tea Gerard has been giving her is laced with poppy—known to cause hallucinations. That night, reality blurs. In a haze of visions and horror, she decides she must tell Alex.

The next morning, during their painting session, Verity realizes something’s off—Alex introduces himself as Viktor. He and another ghost, Julian, reveal they are Alex’s triplet brothers. They were exiled by Gerard for their supernatural abilities—Viktor can manipulate fire, Julian can read minds—while Alex was deemed the “favorite.” The brothers tell Verity she’s part of Gerard’s grand plan: he wanted her to have a child with Alex. But a child with Viktor or Julian would be “volatile.” They ask her not to tell Alex yet and enlist her help to uncover the truth.

That night, Verity, Julian, and Viktor break into Gerard’s office. They discover his journals—he has been impregnating daughters of gods and experimenting on their offspring. In a hidden room, they find the bodies of failed experiments—stillborn and deceased children. Among the notes, Verity’s name appears next to all three sons’, with a note that she and Alex would be the safest pairing.

Horrified, Verity summons the goddess who once cursed her. The goddess confirms their connection is why Gerard targeted her and warns that if Verity bears a child with Viktor, the gods themselves will fear it. After the goddess vanishes, Alex appears—he’s seen everything. Verity explains, and the brothers appear to back her up. Alex is shaken but agrees they must turn Gerard in.

Later that night, Viktor asks Verity for a walk. He kisses her, and for the first time, Verity feels something real—but she pulls away, guilt-ridden about her engagement to Alex.

The next day, Verity talks to Dauphine. At a bar, slightly drunk, Dauphine confesses that she knew everything—Gerard, the boys, and the plan to pair Verity and Alex. That night, Verity returns to Alex’s room, where she falls asleep. In the morning, they are awakened with terrible news: Dauphine has been poisoned.

Alex confronts his father, grieving but angry. Gerard admits—perhaps unintentionally—that he poisoned Dauphine and exiled his other sons. When Alex confirms everything, Julian and Viktor appear. A fight breaks out. Gerard is killed.

In a shocking twist, Viktor stabs Julian, then turns on Alex. Verity helps Alex escape, but the brothers’ fight continues. It ends with one body falling down the stairs. Verity runs to the body—but it isn’t Alex or Viktor. It’s Camille.

Suddenly, someone strikes Verity, and she blacks out.

She awakens to find Camille beside her, having come to support Verity’s wedding. Camille confirms that the body was Viktor’s—Alex is alive. Verity reunites with him, and they decide to proceed with the wedding three days later.

In the epilogue, someone is preparing the bodies of the deceased—Alex’s mother, father, grandmother, and two brothers—for their funeral. As the embalmer tends to them, one of the young men’s fingers twitches.