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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spoiler-Free Summary
Fae-cursed Spinster-Princess Gisele travels to Fairyland to demand her freedom from the fearsome monster who bargained for her life. That's... not what she finds.
What Worked for Me
✅ Zingiber!
✅ The house!
✅ 40-year-old heroine!
✅ Mal's absolute devotion.
✅ The banter!
✅ Actually, the writing in general.
✅ Germanic folklore.
✅ Neat magic system.
✅ Poetic if sparse intimacy.
✅ The house!
✅ 40-year-old heroine!
✅ Mal's absolute devotion.
✅ The banter!
✅ Actually, the writing in general.
✅ Germanic folklore.
✅ Neat magic system.
✅ Poetic if sparse intimacy.
What Didn't Work For Me
❌ I'm just... not into cat boys.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely loved this. At its core, this is a story about loneliness and building relationships. On the surface, it's a beautifully written and surprisingly wholesome reverse fairytale starring a stubborn but kind heroine and a charming hero who would do anything for her... and also their house.
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy read and witty but amiable banter, especially if they have an orange cat or previously enjoyed The Spellshop.
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy read and witty but amiable banter, especially if they have an orange cat or previously enjoyed The Spellshop.
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
AJ Lancaster builds beautiful worlds and in this case beautiful houses as well. I've had a run of books lately with magical houses and I can confirm I would like to live in one!
Gisele leaves the confines of her home and her world to figure out how to end the curse that was put on her at birth. She's off to find the fae who cursed her so she can get on with living around people without them being uncomfortable in her presence or without mucking around with the properties of gold. Gisele finds her Malediction, who is not at all what she expected, and his sentient house. Together they work to figure out how to get Gisele out of the curse.
There was a lot to like about this book, older characters (wohoo for a 40 year old FMC!), found friendship with all sorts of fae characters & a cat, a solid retelling Rumpelstiltskin where you root for him, characters you want to like and a story that doesn't let you down by pulling the rug out from under you, it has light and humor.
In the acknowledgements it's mentioned that this was initially a novella, and I feel like the reader can tell. It doesn't have the quick wit the Stariel series has, and in my opinion it doesn't maximize the use of the page count.
I adored Stariel and this was a fine follow up, I think I just had greater expectations. Keep 'em coming AJ! I'll still be reading.
Gisele leaves the confines of her home and her world to figure out how to end the curse that was put on her at birth. She's off to find the fae who cursed her so she can get on with living around people without them being uncomfortable in her presence or without mucking around with the properties of gold. Gisele finds her Malediction, who is not at all what she expected, and his sentient house. Together they work to figure out how to get Gisele out of the curse.
There was a lot to like about this book, older characters (wohoo for a 40 year old FMC!), found friendship with all sorts of fae characters & a cat, a solid retelling Rumpelstiltskin where you root for him, characters you want to like and a story that doesn't let you down by pulling the rug out from under you, it has light and humor.
In the acknowledgements it's mentioned that
I adored Stariel and this was a fine follow up, I think I just had greater expectations. Keep 'em coming AJ! I'll still be reading.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. This was fun and I should have figured out his name WAY EARLIER. My fault for reading when having PEM. I especially adored the main side characters.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I was so bored)
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I wanted way more development in these scenes but it did have things I liked. I felt like they had an emotional pull I appreciated)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 (It’s pretty short, a few paragraphs to a page)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (they are pretty short)
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person point of view from heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: pretty soon in – 6% (chapter 3 of 42)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy in e-book form through NetGalley
Why I chose this book: I love fairy tale retellings and this is a Rumplestiltskin spin...
Mains: This is a M/F romance between a fae hero and human heroine
Should I read in order?
I think this is a stand alone?
Basic plot:
Gisele has been waiting 40 years for the sorcerer her mother bargained with to show up – she’s done waiting and decides to find him and demand her life back.
Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy romance
- Rumplestitlskin inspired
- princess heroine
- fae hero / human heroine
- close proximity – she finds him and they work to break the curse together
- a magical house and animal friends with telepathy
- he cooks for her
- magic
- lower steam – there’s 3ish full scenes but they are shorter and it’s a long book
Ages:
- heroine is 40, I didn’t catch him but he’s older (as he made a bargain with her mother...)
First line:
On her fortieth birthday, Princess Gisele of Isshia realised she was going to have to save herself.
My thoughts:
I’m so sad this one didn’t work for me because I loved the setup. Honestly Rumplestiltskin is one of my least favorite fairy tales because it’s kinda creepy (I mean, I guess they all are on some level) but I was curious how this one would spin. And I loved the idea of a bargain made and them being connected together by a bond. And how she goes to find him. I loved that. I loved the house and the magic elements.
But this book was so boring to me. So, so boring. Two people moping around a house for hundreds of pages….I wanted better sexual tension at least. And when we did get to the sex it was disappointing. The scenes were so short and over before I even realized they were starting. (and like….he has a knurl??? for pleasure??? and it’s BARELY MENTIONED WTF. Why even give it to him?)
I did find the chapters really jarring. Some of them would end in a spot that felt abrupt to me and then just kind of continue on. I didn’t see the point of the point breaking in the middle of a conversation and then continuing especially when there was no perspective shift or like suspenseful action or change of scenery.
So overall this was a miss for me. But if you want a gentle fantasy read with some light steam and magical elements I’d give this one a go.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one by default
World Building/Hero notes
- There is a portal to Fairyland where the fairies live.
- The hero is a fae who has a tail, an earring in one ear, freckles, retractable claws and a tail
- The hero and heroine have matching mismatched eyes – one blue and one gold
- they have a connection that the heroine can feel like a rope in her chest, pulling her to him
- He lives in a magical house that moves walls/floors to protect him.
- he has a retractable knurl that pleasures (I pictured it like a Ice Planet Barbarian clit pleaser???)
(hide spoiler)]
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- some scenes of violence, death, and injuries
Author given content warnings: Didn’t catch any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: I don’t know I think there’s some kind of magical aspect here?
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? I don’t think anything is mentioned
Chapter 22 – 🔥kisses, fingering for her, start of a handy for him (dream, but he experiences it too)
Chapter 32 – kisses
Chapter 33 – 🔥kisses, her on top, missionary
Chapter 38 – 🔥oral for her
Total chapters: 42
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I was so bored)
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I wanted way more development in these scenes but it did have things I liked. I felt like they had an emotional pull I appreciated)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 (It’s pretty short, a few paragraphs to a page)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (they are pretty short)
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person point of view from heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: pretty soon in – 6% (chapter 3 of 42)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy in e-book form through NetGalley
Why I chose this book: I love fairy tale retellings and this is a Rumplestiltskin spin...
Mains: This is a M/F romance between a fae hero and human heroine
Should I read in order?
I think this is a stand alone?
Basic plot:
Gisele has been waiting 40 years for the sorcerer her mother bargained with to show up – she’s done waiting and decides to find him and demand her life back.
Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy romance
- Rumplestitlskin inspired
- princess heroine
- fae hero / human heroine
- close proximity – she finds him and they work to break the curse together
- a magical house and animal friends with telepathy
- he cooks for her
- magic
- lower steam – there’s 3ish full scenes but they are shorter and it’s a long book
Ages:
- heroine is 40, I didn’t catch him but he’s older (as he made a bargain with her mother...)
First line:
On her fortieth birthday, Princess Gisele of Isshia realised she was going to have to save herself.
My thoughts:
I’m so sad this one didn’t work for me because I loved the setup. Honestly Rumplestiltskin is one of my least favorite fairy tales because it’s kinda creepy (I mean, I guess they all are on some level) but I was curious how this one would spin. And I loved the idea of a bargain made and them being connected together by a bond. And how she goes to find him. I loved that. I loved the house and the magic elements.
But this book was so boring to me. So, so boring. Two people moping around a house for hundreds of pages….I wanted better sexual tension at least. And when we did get to the sex it was disappointing. The scenes were so short and over before I even realized they were starting. (and like….he has a knurl??? for pleasure??? and it’s BARELY MENTIONED WTF. Why even give it to him?)
I did find the chapters really jarring. Some of them would end in a spot that felt abrupt to me and then just kind of continue on. I didn’t see the point of the point breaking in the middle of a conversation and then continuing especially when there was no perspective shift or like suspenseful action or change of scenery.
So overall this was a miss for me. But if you want a gentle fantasy read with some light steam and magical elements I’d give this one a go.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one by default
World Building/Hero notes
- There is a portal to Fairyland where the fairies live.
- The hero is a fae who has a tail, an earring in one ear, freckles, retractable claws and a tail
- The hero and heroine have matching mismatched eyes – one blue and one gold
- they have a connection that the heroine can feel like a rope in her chest, pulling her to him
- He lives in a magical house that moves walls/floors to protect him.
- he has a retractable knurl that pleasures (I pictured it like a Ice Planet Barbarian clit pleaser???)
(hide spoiler)]
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- some scenes of violence, death, and injuries
Author given content warnings: Didn’t catch any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
Chapter 22 – 🔥kisses, fingering for her, start of a handy for him (dream, but he experiences it too)
Chapter 32 – kisses
Chapter 33 – 🔥kisses, her on top, missionary
Chapter 38 – 🔥oral for her
Total chapters: 42
Princess Gisele in the FMC we deserve! She had me from the first sentence of the first chapter. What a breath of fresh air she is! She had initiative, self reliance and A Plan. She is endlessly optimistic and doesn't give up.
Her capacity for self reflection made her my favourite FMC. She has her thoughts and emotions conflicting but never lies to herself or beats around the bush. She feels her emotions, acknowledges them and names them.
I don't know if therapy was part of her princesses training, but she sure had a lot because that level of emotional maturity sets her light years ahead of the the typical 18 YO FMC who's stubborn just to be stubborn and obfuscates things just to annoy everyone around her.
Gisele is kind and thoughtful but also on the clock - she's wasted 40 years anticipating an eerie evil coming for her and she has had enough of that - she's going after it determined to face it head on. I enjoyed and felt connected to her struggle with loneliness, the determination to not let any more of her life pass her by and the search for a place she truly belongs.
Overall, a 5 star read for me and a FMC I will endlessly keep recommending!
Her capacity for self reflection made her my favourite FMC. She has her thoughts and emotions conflicting but never lies to herself or beats around the bush. She feels her emotions, acknowledges them and names them.
I don't know if therapy was part of her princesses training, but she sure had a lot because that level of emotional maturity sets her light years ahead of the the typical 18 YO FMC who's stubborn just to be stubborn and obfuscates things just to annoy everyone around her.
Gisele is kind and thoughtful but also on the clock - she's wasted 40 years anticipating an eerie evil coming for her and she has had enough of that - she's going after it determined to face it head on. I enjoyed and felt connected to her struggle with loneliness, the determination to not let any more of her life pass her by and the search for a place she truly belongs.
Overall, a 5 star read for me and a FMC I will endlessly keep recommending!
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Victory Editing Co-op via NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review! Publish date June 26th, 2025.
This book is the literary equivalent of a warm cup of coffee on a rainy morning-sweet, cozy, and delightfully funny. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
Our protagonist, Gisele, is a 40-year-old woman who was promised to a fairy before she was even born. But that fairy never showed up. Rather than continue living in limbo and burdening her family with the curse, she devises “A Plan”
This book is the literary equivalent of a warm cup of coffee on a rainy morning-sweet, cozy, and delightfully funny. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
Our protagonist, Gisele, is a 40-year-old woman who was promised to a fairy before she was even born. But that fairy never showed up. Rather than continue living in limbo and burdening her family with the curse, she devises “A Plan”