Yael Clauneck is the only scion of an obscenely wealthy banking family with its fingers in every pie in the realm. They’re on the precipice of a predetermined life when they flee their own graduation party, galloping away in search of…well, they’re not sure, but maybe the chance to feel like life can still be a grand adventure.
Margot Greenwillow—talented plant witch, tea lover, and greenhouse owner—has never felt further from adventure in her life. She’s been desperately trying to keep what remains of her family's magic remedies business afloat. So when her childhood friend and former crush, Yael, rides back into her life, she’s shocked. But perhaps this could be a good thing. After all, Margot could use an assistant in the greenhouses.
Yael has no experience or, honestly, practical skills, but they’re delighted to accept. They can lay low for a while, flirting with Margot while they figure out what to do next. Meanwhile, Margot has plans of her own—but plans are notoriously unreliable things, unlikely to survive a swiftly blooming mutual attraction, not to mention the machinations of parents determined to get their heir back . . . no matter the cost.
Cosy fantasy is my favourite recent genre, and this is a great entry. It has all the hallmarks; a greenhouse with magical plants, a frankly unhealthy amount of focus on food, a pining relationship and a village who collectively adopt one of the main characters. This is the kind of read you can get lost in for quite a while!
There's a lot of discussion in here about what you 'owe' to people in your life and what they can reasonably ask of you, but it's never too heavy or difficult. There's plenty of space in the plot for fun outings and beautiful descriptions of friendly spaces. There was a moment of 'why aren't you talking to each other!' near the end, but that's so common in novels I often don't notice any more!
If this is the kind of novel we're getting, the genre is safe for a good while yet. Long may it last.
Book Recommendation: Opinions differ on whether Legends and Lattes is the first of this genre, but it certainly solidified a lot of the conventions of it, and any fan should give it a try.
Movie Recommendation: Now hear me out on this one; Practical Magic has the same cosy, gentle feel as this, despite being set in the 'real' world rather than a fantasy realm.
Homegrown Magic publishes on the 11th of March, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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