January 6, 2025
YA authors Pacton and Podos (who previously collaborated on Furious) make their adult debut with this low-impact queer romantasy. Plant witch Margot Greenwillow struggles to honor the legacy of her renowned grandmother Fern by completing the potion recipe she left unfinished upon her death. Margot’s talents are considerable, but she’s overwhelmed with the demands of running her greenhouses alone and she’s getting nowhere with the recipe. Enter her childhood friend Yael Clauneck, who shows up on a stolen mechanical horse looking for a place to stay in exchange for work. They seem like the answer to Margot’s prayers, especially since Yael has only gotten more attractive since Margot’s youthful crush on them. But Yael has run away from their very powerful family—who happen to hold the deed to the entire town, including Margot’s greenhouses. If Margot can’t impress the Claunecks by getting her grandmother's potion right, Yael’s parents will seize everything she holds dear. The magical small-town atmosphere is cozy, and the slow-burning romance delivers plenty of heartwarming moments, but the authors have an odd tendency to back away from or elide entirely any opportunity for true emotional stakes. Still, readers looking for something light and sweet will be pleased.