An Instant USA Today Bestseller!
"Perfect for reading in the garden…and readers who’ve loved the fairy-adjacent historical romances of Robin McKinley or Mercedes Lackey will find themselves right at home.”—The New York Times
"The perfect escape for A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue fans.... Thistlemarsh is perfect for all genre lovers."—Parade
Faeries disappeared over one hundred years ago, as suddenly as slipping through a doorway. It was only the very foolish, or the very determined, who held out hope for their return.
Welcome to Thistlemarsh—a ramshackle estate where an impoverished orphan and a beguiling Faerie collide in an enchanting novel of love, revenge, and ruin.
In the wake of The Great War, the world is a decidedly unmagical place for Mouse Dunne. She once dreamed of becoming a Faerie anthropologist, but with one telegram, her world shattered. At the Battle of the Somme, her cousin’s body disappeared into the mud, and her brother was left with debilitating shell shock. It was time, she knew, to put aside childish dreams.
When Mouse receives news that her uncle has left her the Faerie-blessed Thistlemarsh Hall, a dilapidated manor in the English countryside, she must leave her brother’s side and return to her childhood home to claim her birthright. But there is a catch in her uncle’s offer: If Mouse does not rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month’s time, she will forfeit her inheritance and any hope of caring for her brother.
It quickly becomes clear it’s impossible to repair the manor in the allotted time, until a mysterious Faerie appears with a proposition. He offers to restore Thistlemarsh...for a price. Mouse knows better than to trust a Faerie—especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant—but she is out of options. There are dark and magical forces at work in the house, and Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets of her heart or lose Thistlemarsh, and herself, in the process.
A magical mansion full of secrets and longing
"Book review: 3. 75/5 ⭐️ Genre: cozy historical fantasy Themes: fae, inheritance, magical mansion, bargains 📖 Read if you like: Emily Wilde, The Spellshop, The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains Mouse Dunne has just gained an inheritance, but it is one that comes with many strings. In the wake of the war with her cousin killed at Somme and her brother badly shell shocked, she passes up a dream to become a faerie anthropologist to return alone to a family estate full of ghosts and memories. She is given an impossible task of fixing up the decrepit mansion or get married within one month lest she loose the title, property and all attached monies, therefore loosing the ability to care for her brother. With little choice but to persevere, Mouse makes a bargain with a faerie. What starts off as an attempt to restore the mansion becomes a search to uncover the locks keeping the magic at bay and protecting the humans from the faerie king. This book was so charming and quietly won my heart. Mouse and Thornwood were both well developed and compelling characters. Their relationship is fraught with tension and a reluctance to trust each other. Beneath the beguiling eyes and sharp mouth, something deeper crackles. Thornwood may be arrogant and distinctly faerie in nature and appearance, but he has a confident appeal with his own secret longings. Mouse is smart and determined with a heart of gold. She formed the balance between realism and wonderment and carried the weight of grief, longing and hope. There were also some underlying themes between humans and nature, nature and industrialisation that pinned the known world to the unknown. I liked the inclusion of this commentary and it made the storyline more well rounded. The writing was immersive with beautifully rendered imagery and spirited magic. Blending together folklore and the tragedy of war made for a rich landscape in which this tale unfolded. The romance was light, but the dynamic was witty. With layered characters and a well built world, this was an easy novel to enjoy. The plot twist was somewhat predictable and the magical puzzles were rather simple making this a conventional trajectory, but it did not alter my impression for the novel. This whole novel felt like a dream that enveloped me. Read this for an atmospheric and character driven narrative. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of this sumptuous fantasy blending together folklore, fae and history."
