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micaelacccc's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I cannot say enough good things about this book! It's so adorable it had me giggling and kicking my feet, I want to read it again and again!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
thewordsdevourer's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
this was a rly cute read! a rival most vial was my first cozy fantasy, and it was a fun, lighthearted read w/ a lot of heart and also grounded in relatable issues.
the characters are truly what make this book; not only ames and eli, but also the other characters particularly those on rosemont street, who all shine both individually and together. for the main couple, i enjoy the true enemies-to-lovers relationship and seeing them both develop and grow thruout the book; their internal issues and conflict are v much relatable and add depth to the story, and theyre a v cute couple who gives me butterflies. i also love the bond between everyone on rosemont st that truly envelops the found family trope; theyre super wholesome and heartwarming.
meanwhile, the writing flows nicely and is never an issue, fitting at all the right moments. as for the worldbuilding, for the immediate vicinity it's nice, giving the reader an atmosphere of the scar but it doesnt rly extend much beyond that to the other parts of the kingdom. perhaps ashwick will explore that more in the sequels. i do like the unique layout of the scar tho, and it's undeniable that the setting makes the book cozy as much as the characters.
i have one main issue w/ the book, however, w/ how it doesnt focus enough on the consequences of some characters' actions. thruout the novel, whenever sth happens the fault is often pinned on ames and he's called to apologize, w/ no mention of the party's part in the issue, namely dawn and - towards the end - eli. for the latter it ends too abruptly, w/ no mention of the hows and whys whatsoever ofhis shop blowing up and the immediate aftermath of that is skipped . dawn is the one that upsets me more tho, doing what she did despite being aware of ames' deeper issues, and instead it's only ames whos expected to plan a whole apology tour for trying to save her. she also doesnt seem to have changed at all from the incident, remaining an overachiever (or more like overcommitter) despite the consequences it could wreak on not only herself but those around her, and there's no discussion of her issues at all, which is disappointing.
in conclusion this novel does have its issues, but it's still an enjoyable, lighthearted read thats could make one feel both giddy and cozy. i look forward to the sequel!
the characters are truly what make this book; not only ames and eli, but also the other characters particularly those on rosemont street, who all shine both individually and together. for the main couple, i enjoy the true enemies-to-lovers relationship and seeing them both develop and grow thruout the book; their internal issues and conflict are v much relatable and add depth to the story, and theyre a v cute couple who gives me butterflies. i also love the bond between everyone on rosemont st that truly envelops the found family trope; theyre super wholesome and heartwarming.
meanwhile, the writing flows nicely and is never an issue, fitting at all the right moments. as for the worldbuilding, for the immediate vicinity it's nice, giving the reader an atmosphere of the scar but it doesnt rly extend much beyond that to the other parts of the kingdom. perhaps ashwick will explore that more in the sequels. i do like the unique layout of the scar tho, and it's undeniable that the setting makes the book cozy as much as the characters.
i have one main issue w/ the book, however, w/ how it doesnt focus enough on the consequences of some characters' actions. thruout the novel, whenever sth happens the fault is often pinned on ames and he's called to apologize, w/ no mention of the party's part in the issue, namely dawn and - towards the end - eli. for the latter it ends too abruptly, w/ no mention of the hows and whys whatsoever of
in conclusion this novel does have its issues, but it's still an enjoyable, lighthearted read thats could make one feel both giddy and cozy. i look forward to the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Child abuse
Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual content
clarabooksit's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
silentrequiem's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was utterly delightful. If you ever wondered about the lives of the shopkeepers in the high fantasy adventuring games, wonder no more. Ashwick creates a wonderful world featuring the shopkeepers of Rosemond Street, who cater to the adventuring parties trying their luck deep in the caves where their town is built, or farther afield. Ambrose runs the potion shop, and Eli opens up another potion shop directly across the street.
This is a cozy queer romance, enemies to friends to lovers, found family, high fantasy tale that I absolutely fell into. I loved the characters, who were very flawed, the absurd circumstances that have them forced to work together, and the sweet family of Rosemond Street who all look out for each other. I highly enjoyed this.
Review copy courtesy of the author via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. I am leaving a review voluntarily and received no compensation for the review.
This is a cozy queer romance, enemies to friends to lovers, found family, high fantasy tale that I absolutely fell into. I loved the characters, who were very flawed, the absurd circumstances that have them forced to work together, and the sweet family of Rosemond Street who all look out for each other. I highly enjoyed this.
Review copy courtesy of the author via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. I am leaving a review voluntarily and received no compensation for the review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
wandering_not_lost's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, and my honest review is that this book is better than hot cocoa with an extra shot of purple sparkle-magic in it.
The book description says it all, really: two very different potion-makers find themselves owning shops across the street from each other, and sparks (and wands. and dangerous magical wildlife...) fly. This is cozy fantasy romance with a wonderful sense of place. The two main characters are both likable and well-rounded. They have their edges without being dumb about it, and I appreciate that in any romance. The setting is also wonderfully done: the other shopkeepers on the street each have their own personality and often their own place in the narrative. The street feels lived-in, from the beginning where the residents are all taking bets on what the new shop will be, to the subplots about the ups and downs of friendship and stress and ambition that wind their way through the main story. Also, even the CHAPTER NAMES showed the author's love for the potioneering schtick: all were given names of brewing steps.
If I had any quibbles, it's that the last little bit of tension seems a little bit overdone (Eli seemed very, very stuck on Having to Leave when it seemed very obvious that he had a perfectly serviceable in-town option that he was ignoring for some reason. ), but it's a very small quibble, compared to how much fun the overall book is. Really, I enjoyed this lots, raced through it, and will need to track down the author's other book (and future books!)
The book description says it all, really: two very different potion-makers find themselves owning shops across the street from each other, and sparks (and wands. and dangerous magical wildlife...) fly. This is cozy fantasy romance with a wonderful sense of place. The two main characters are both likable and well-rounded. They have their edges without being dumb about it, and I appreciate that in any romance. The setting is also wonderfully done: the other shopkeepers on the street each have their own personality and often their own place in the narrative. The street feels lived-in, from the beginning where the residents are all taking bets on what the new shop will be, to the subplots about the ups and downs of friendship and stress and ambition that wind their way through the main story. Also, even the CHAPTER NAMES showed the author's love for the potioneering schtick: all were given names of brewing steps.
If I had any quibbles, it's that the last little bit of tension seems a little bit overdone (
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse and Injury/Injury detail
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