Subjective Mood is the first novel in the False Friends series — a psychological thriller inspired by the author’s own experience studying at a real language school in southern Spain.
Bianca, living in South Africa, meets Ramón, a language teacher whose fascination with grammar and control extends beyond the classroom. When she is invited to join Instituto Guerrera in Málaga, the move promises reinvention through language and belonging. What she encounters instead is a carefully balanced system of influence, dependency, and silence.
As Bianca settles into the institute, the boundaries between professional guidance and personal manipulation begin to erode. Language becomes more than a subject of study — it becomes a mechanism through which behaviour is shaped and autonomy quietly compromised.
Drawing on real observations of language-school dynamics, Subjective Mood explores power, suggestion, and the subtle ways environments can alter identity. It introduces a series in which grammar is not metaphor, but structure — and uncertainty is built into every decision.
(Some of the reviews refer to Subjunctive Mood, which was the original title.)
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Reviews
The story drew me in straight away, as it’s inspired by a real Spanish language school the author attended in Málaga. It starts with Bianca and immediately feels uneasy. When Ramón comes in, the tension deepens, helped by a strong but non-romantic sexual charge between them. The SA setting also feels authentic, which makes everything more believable. It’s uncomfortable, understated, and stayed with me after I finished. I'm intrigued what the school has to hide. I like the twist. Bring on book 2.
I like dark academia / school-based psychological suspense, and this series definitely has that atmosphere, but in a much stranger and more unsettling way than I expected. The school setting gives it that closed, intense feeling, but the real strength is the psychological tension underneath everything. It is less about big twists and more about control, manipulation, and the slow feeling that something is deeply wrong. It asks a lot from the reader, but that is what makes it memorable.
What worked best for me was the characters. Bianca especially felt like a real person rather than a typical thriller heroine, and that made it easy to become invested in her story. I also liked that the relationships changed naturally instead of following obvious patterns. The psychological side of the novel comes through the characters' decisions and interactions, which made it feel more believable. A solid read, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.
I connected with Bianca more than I expected. I’ve tried learning Spanish before and remember how difficult it was to adapt, especially when you’re trying to connect with people and don’t quite have the language for it. My situation was different, but that feeling of searching for connection felt very real. The book captures that uncertainty really well. It’s not just about what happens, but how it feels to be slightly out of place, and I thought that was done brilliantly.
I almost gave up after the first few chapters because the book does things differently, but I’m glad I kept reading. Once I settled into the style, I really started to appreciate what the author was doing. The characters feel believable, and the tension comes from uncertainty rather than constant twists. I also liked that the story takes its time instead of rushing from one dramatic moment to the next. It’s an unusual psychological thriller that rewards a bit of patience.