Okay so… I went in expecting whimsical fantasy romance (forbidden charms! necromancy!) and got… historical romance with a side of ✨vague magic✨. I was so tempted to DNF this... so many times...

The marketing vs. reality whiplash is REAL. This is 90% spicy historical scheming, 10% "oh right, charms exist." The magic? So thin I could’ve missed it if I blinked. How do Hilde’s charms work? Why combine them? crickets Just vibes, I guess?

And the miscommunication trope? 😅 It’s not a wall—it’s a fortress. Every character avoids simple conversations like they’re allergic to clarity. I spent so much of the book yelling "JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER" at my tablet. It started out funny with the whole, "she wants to sleep with me," ; "bring my husband back from the dead," thing but that got old VERY fast.

Hilde and Elmwood? Couldn’t connect. Their chemistry felt like lust-driven plot devices, not genuine emotion. (Though Rollo the dog? 10/10. Good boy. He’s the real charm here.)

BUT, Caitlyn Paxson writes beautifully, and the last 10%? Genuinely cute. If you want spicy historical romance with a side of "why won’t they just communicate?!"—this is your jam.

Final verdict: Not the fantasy rom-com I craved, but a decent historical palate cleanser. Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I went into this craving cozy, low-drama vibes, something sweet like macarons (not a five-alarm chili). And this delivered exactly that. No high-stakes chaos, just a motorcycle-riding wolf shifter, a second-chance romance, and a small-town cafe that smelled like cinnamon and second chances.

Rosemary’s career-driven anxiety? Felt that. Their slow-burn reconnection? Like watching embers catch fire—gentle, warm, and oh-so-satisfying.

Was it spicy? Barely a flicker (perfect for slump recovery). Was it cute? So cute I giggled into my tablet at 2am.

Fleur DeVillainy writes comfort like a warm blanket, no unnecessary drama, just two flawed people finding their way back to each other (and some very patient baked goods).

Thank you to the author for providing me with this ARC. All my thoughts are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

The Story: Botanical Body Horror & Gothic Angst

I have a real soft spot for YA botanical horror, and Hazelthorne delivered on the creeping, gothic atmosphere I love.

The story centers on Evander, a ward of the Hazelthorn estate who is suddenly forced to confront his past when his guardian is murdered. This leaves him inheriting the creepy old mansion and, more importantly, its notoriously bloodthirsty and very alive garden. Oh, and he has to team up with Laurie, the hot-but-dangerous boy who tried to kill him seven years ago.

C.G. Drews creates such a rich, unsettling world where the house and garden are characters in themselves. I was instantly pulled in by the mystery and the intense, angsty queer yearning between Evander and Laurie. It's a dark ride that blends murder mystery with truly unsettling body horror.

The Audio Experience Narrated by: Michael Crouch

This is where I hit a bit of a personal snag. While the narrator, Michael Crouch, did a genuinely good job—specifically capturing the main character's deep internal angst and distress—I wasn't fully immersed in the book.

I really don't think this was any fault of the narrator; his delivery was clear and emotional. It might just be that the lyrical, heavy prose of the book is something I personally struggle to absorb in an audio format. I found myself needing to rewind constantly to catch all the dark details.

Because of this, I plan to check out a print copy of Hazelthorne. I have a feeling the physical text will help me connect with the story's dense atmosphere and plot without the disconnect I felt while listening.

Final Verdict Hazelthorne is a fantastic choice for readers looking for a creepy, queer, gothic YA horror that focuses heavily on atmospheric writing and emotional turmoil. While the audiobook didn't quite make it a five-star experience for me, I absolutely recommend it for the unique plot and masterful world-building.