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A review by waywardbookshelf
The Spellmaster of Tutting-on-Cress by Sarah Wallace
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? No
5.0
This book was such a lovely read, probably even more so than I expected - and I've been hoping for Gerry's book ever since finishing Letters to Half Moon Street! In the series thus far, we've watched Gerry becoming pretty protective of her independence after having found purpose in taking over the running of the spellshop in Tutting on Cress, while also enjoying the support and proximity of her family and friends. And having a book focused on Gerry means we also got a lot of time with this world's magic system, which is always fun.
Basil is our newest character, and is a very thoughtful and somewhat lonely man, who's found himself a little out of his depth after becoming the head of a family consisting of whole pack of little siblings and his widowed stepmother. I found it touching to watch this particular family's dynamic unfold, while also getting to know all 7 of the little siblings and their antics.
One thing I didn't expect from this book, was to start to feel differently about John, the Hartford siblings' eldest brother, who up until this point has been quite awful. I appreciate how Wallace has built up his arc over several books at this point, and we're starting to see something like growth. (His wife, Veronica, is still The Worst. So if you need a character to dislike, you've still got one for now).
The very best thing about these books in general are the alternate historical England that has an inclusive society, wonderful queer representation, and the way in which the found family takes care of each other through a lot of well-meaning meddling. (And this book in particular had almost comedic levels of meddling - it was great!) These are incredibly cozy, hopeful reads, and I often find myself smiling while reading them. Highly recommended for fans of regency romances or cozy fantasy!
Basil is our newest character, and is a very thoughtful and somewhat lonely man, who's found himself a little out of his depth after becoming the head of a family consisting of whole pack of little siblings and his widowed stepmother. I found it touching to watch this particular family's dynamic unfold, while also getting to know all 7 of the little siblings and their antics.
One thing I didn't expect from this book, was to start to feel differently about John, the Hartford siblings' eldest brother, who up until this point has been quite awful. I appreciate how Wallace has built up his arc over several books at this point, and we're starting to see something like growth. (His wife, Veronica, is still The Worst. So if you need a character to dislike, you've still got one for now).
The very best thing about these books in general are the alternate historical England that has an inclusive society, wonderful queer representation, and the way in which the found family takes care of each other through a lot of well-meaning meddling. (And this book in particular had almost comedic levels of meddling - it was great!) These are incredibly cozy, hopeful reads, and I often find myself smiling while reading them. Highly recommended for fans of regency romances or cozy fantasy!