The Honey Witch
-
-
4.1 • 76 Ratings
-
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
AN INSTANT USA TODAY 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 debut 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 fantasy will set your senses buzzing. Marigold Claude has taken on her grandmother’s role as the Honey Witch on the island of Innisfree, tending the bees and employing their honey in beneficent spells. But once she accepted her magic, she also took on the curse placed on the family line by the Ash Witch, Versa—a curse that said Marigold would never know love. At first, Marigold thought she would have no problems with the curse…until she met prickly, skeptical, and lovely Lottie. But loving Lottie will only destroy her. Meanwhile, the sinister Versa lurks nearby, plotting to take Innisfree and end the line of Honey Witches forever. Immerse yourself in author Sydney J. Shields’ richly imagined, 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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Debut author Shields spins a lush web of family, lore, and love in this coming-of-power fantasy set in 1831 England. As the eldest daughter of a well-to-do family, Marigold Claude, 21, faces increasing pressure to marry—but she has absolutely zero interest in doing so. Instead, she yearns for the peace she finds alone in her secret meadow, communing with strange, mystical creatures. Then her grandmother, Althea, shows up unexpectedly from the island of Innisfree and reveals Marigold's destiny: "Every eldest daughter in our lineage is a witch." Specifically, they are Honey Witches, who draw their power from bees and swear to protect the sacred land of Innisfree and its denizens. Marigold is eager to embrace her new role, even after Althea reveals the Honey Witch curse: she'll lose her magic if she ever falls in love. Once in Innisfree, Marigold runs into her childhood friend, August, and his new best friend, the gorgeous, grumpily skeptical Lottie. With Innisfree's future in her hands and the curse hanging over her head, Marigold must resist her attraction to Lottie, all while staying on the lookout for her enemy, the Ash Witch. The plot largely meanders, luxuriating in atmosphere and introspection as Marigold comes into her own. Though not a page-turner, this has its charms.
Customer Reviews
Good
It’s a good book. Worth the money. Wholesome storyline. 2 main grievances. 1) self-deprecating character development ran on for too long. 2) I don’t think the words “Cant” and “salacious” are used correctly i’m the text. I would happily read again.