The Honey Witch
-
-
4.0 • 76 Ratings
-
-
- $22.99
Publisher Description
In this instant bestseller, the Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet romantasy novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.
Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.
When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.
"The Honey Witch is a sweet feast, brimming with whimsy, magic, and tender longing.” —Rachel Gillig
"Featuring a grumpy/sunshine queer romance, lovely imagery, and a distinctly cozy aesthetic, this one is a charmer." —Paste Magazine
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This sweet romantasy will set your senses buzzing. Marigold Claude has taken on her grandmother’s role as the Honey Witch on the island of Innisfree, tending to the bees and employing their honey in beneficent spells. But accepting her magic also meant taking on a curse placed on her family line by the Ash Witch, Versa—a curse that said she would never know love. The independent Marigold didn’t really think she’d mind the curse…until she met the prickly, skeptical, lovely Lottie. Your heart will simply ache for Marigold as she struggles with the knowledge that loving Lottie will only destroy her. Narrator Mia Hutchinson Shaw’s alluring Irish accent elevates the poetry in Sydney J. Shields’ writing while keeping the story humming right along. Immerse yourself in this rich, sensuous fantasy world where true soulmates exist, honey drips with magic, and the possibility of hope is present even in the depths of despair. You’ll be glad you did.
Customer Reviews
Great Debut
Stars: 4.5
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Mia Hutchinson Shaw
Series: Stand Alone
Steam Level: One steamy scene
The only reason I picked this up was because it was on sale and more than a few people I follow really enjoyed it. So glad I did. It lived up to the hype.
Quick Thoughts:
- Loved that this is a historical setting where queer relationships are just an everyday normal thing and not the drama pushing the story forward
- Even though I KNEW the grandmother had to die, I still choked up when she passed
- I found it hard figuring out how time passed in the story. At one point I thought a few years had gone by but it was only a few months
- There were a few plot twists that I could see coming a mile away but I didn’t mind them when they finally popped up because I was interested to see how they would play out
- This is the first time I’ve listened to something read by this narrator and will be on the look out for more from her
- The cover is gorgeous and I’m seriously tempted to get a physical copy to stare at
- I’m a sucker for Lottie type characters and she was fantastic
- Was not expecting how things went down when the big bad appeared, excellent execution in putting me through the wringer
Overall a great debut novel and I will be picking up the next book Sydney J. Shields writes. I knocked off half a star because the ending felt a little rushed and it like there should have been more to the book beyond what was there
DnF
This bool just feels so FORCED.
Captivating
Loved this unexpected gem. Longed for more.