I wasn’t a big fan of The Spellshop, but I decided to give this companion sequel a chance. Unfortunately, this one was another miss for me. At this point, I’m starting to think this author just might not be for me.

I did appreciate that there’s no spice and no strong language, which is always a plus in my book. However, there are gay side characters, and some of the plants and flowers use “they” pronouns, which honestly didn’t make much sense to me in the context of the story. It came across as forced and felt more like modern woke messaging being inserted into a whimsical fantasy world, which pulled me out of the experience a bit. *eye roll

This is marketed as a cozy fantasy, and while there are definitely cozy elements, some of the darker themes felt out of place. There’s a childhood incident involving Yarrow, the MMC, that was a little unsettling and didn’t quite match the cozy tone the story seemed to be going for. That said, the setting itself is lovely. The greenhouse scenes were easily the highlight for me, filled with magical plants, curious creatures, and a whimsical atmosphere that gave me strong Alice in Wonderland vibes. Even though the story takes place during winter, all the greenery and plant life made it feel like a perfect spring read.

Sadly, the creativity wasn’t enough to carry the story. It felt far too long for what it was trying to do. The pacing dragged, the plot felt weak, and things quickly became repetitive. I listened to the audiobook, and while the narrator did a great job, I still found my attention drifting. At over 13 hours, it really could have been trimmed down to 8 or 9 hours.

The characters didn’t leave much of an impression either. They all felt pretty flat and forgettable. Terlu, the MFC, started off sweet, but her constant insecurity and repetitive inner monologue made her frustrating over time. Yarrow, as the love interest, felt bland and lacked any real spark or uniqueness. Lottie, the talking rose, came across as more whiny than charming, and the rest of the plants and flowers didn’t stand out enough to be memorable.

As for the romance, I just didn’t feel any chemistry between Terlu and Yarrow. Their relationship didn’t pull me in, and I found myself more interested in what was happening with the greenhouses than in their connection. Also, it was supposed to be a grumpy/sunshine romance, but I didn’t get much of the grumpiness from Yarrow. 

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did, but it just didn’t land for me. I might try another series by this author down the line, but this particular one isn’t it. I wouldn’t personally recommend it, though if the premise sounds appealing, it might still be worth trying for yourself. It just didn’t work for me, and I’ve definitely read better cozy fantasies.