Subjunctive 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, Subjunctive 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.
Subjunctive Mood (False Friends #1)
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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 love that the characters have been inspired by real people. The story itself is very unpredictable, even though it seems clear who the villains are and what happens most times. The international flair is brilliant. I love Spain and hearing a bit about South Africa and the taboo subject of grief made it even more interesting.
I love Spain anyhow, but this book was fascinating because it plays in two locations, Spain and South Africa, in which A.G. has actually lived. Plus, I studied Spanish in such a language school, so very interesting story/concept. Looking forward to book 2.