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Flos Magicae #2
A Novel Arrangement
A dressmaker who secretly publishes thrilling romances. Her handsome war-veteran fiancé. And his best friend, a charming artist of ill-repute determined to ruin their relationship.
There are two things standing between Elizabeth Turtledove and her happily-ever-after: her fiancé’s best friend, who despises her, and the blackmailer scheming to steal her savings.
Arthur and Coxley have been inseparable since their schooldays, and Coxley will stop at nothing to keep Arthur for himself. Although he’s all bite and bad manners, Elizabeth can tell there’s a better man hiding beneath that prickly exterior. As she gets to know Coxley and the depth of his friendship with Arthur, she finds another thing in the way of her happy ending. She’s taken their case of mutual pining and inadvertently turned it into a love triangle.
She has a plan to deal with her ridiculous blackmailer by summer’s end. Unfortunately, as much as she’d like to handle this love triangle with equal efficiency, matters of the heart are rarely so simple.
A Novel Arrangement is a full-length FMM novel in the Flos Magicae series, set in an alternate 1920s universe with magic. All the books are standalones and can be read in any order.
There are two things standing between Elizabeth Turtledove and her happily-ever-after: her fiancé’s best friend, who despises her, and the blackmailer scheming to steal her savings.
Arthur and Coxley have been inseparable since their schooldays, and Coxley will stop at nothing to keep Arthur for himself. Although he’s all bite and bad manners, Elizabeth can tell there’s a better man hiding beneath that prickly exterior. As she gets to know Coxley and the depth of his friendship with Arthur, she finds another thing in the way of her happy ending. She’s taken their case of mutual pining and inadvertently turned it into a love triangle.
She has a plan to deal with her ridiculous blackmailer by summer’s end. Unfortunately, as much as she’d like to handle this love triangle with equal efficiency, matters of the heart are rarely so simple.
A Novel Arrangement is a full-length FMM novel in the Flos Magicae series, set in an alternate 1920s universe with magic. All the books are standalones and can be read in any order.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2023
54 people are currently reading
1154 people want to read
About the author
Arden Powell
26 books419 followersArden Powell (they/them) is a Canadian author and illustrator with stories in Lightspeed Magazine, Baffling Magazine, and Haunt Publishing, and whose books include The Faerie Hounds of York, The Bayou, the Flos Magicae series, and their short story collection, The Carnelian King and Other Stories. A nebulous entity, they live with a senior rescue hound and an exorbitant number of houseplants, and enjoy the company of both.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
March 8, 2023
I’ll come back to write more later about how delightful this book was but I wanna say before I forget that this is probably the most believable “guy who is a total asshole to a woman becomes a romantic partner” progression I’ve ever seen in romance and in a book that’s less than 300 pages?? My god, it can be done.
February 28, 2023
Really enjoyed this one. The dynamic between Coxley, Arthur, and Elizabeth is very well done going from dislike to friendship to lovers (with Coxley and Elizabeth). The relationship progression was realistic, sweet, and well worth it.
March 14, 2025
This is a lovely book and a fun read. I wasn't sure what to expect when a paperback copy of this arrived on my doorstep unexpectedly with no indication of who sent it, and I had never heard of the author. Then the electrical power went out for the day—the weather was raining and blustering like crazy—so I started reading. Well, I ended up curled up with the book all evening by candle-light, and followed up the next day (after power was restored) to finish the last couple of chapters.
The writing is quite nice. From the start, the reader is led to expect a little bit of magic, and it's low-key magic, not the giant world-shattering magic we usually see in high fantasy novels. Definitely in the realm of slightly magical realism. The milieu is alternate early mid-twentieth century England, post WWI, among the fairly well-to-do. So we have people dancing the Charleston, wearing slinky dresses that show their knees, and so forth. At the beginning, we see a proposal between Arthur (who does some legal whatever for work) and Elizabeth (a dress-maker by day and romantic novelist by night). Then the narrative flips back a couple of years to when Arthur first introduced Elizabeth to his oldest and best friend Coxley, who initially comes off as rather an unpleasant person. After the expected wedding, E tries to make nice with hubby's friend. Then a weird blackmail note arrives to complicate the plot. Overall, I liked the way things played out, unconventionally.
This is an indie publication, sixth in a loosely connected series that can apparently be read in any order. The editing is very good, the physical book production fine, and it's definitely worth a silver rodent award. I'll probably come back to this author another time, as some others in the series sound intriguing.
The writing is quite nice. From the start, the reader is led to expect a little bit of magic, and it's low-key magic, not the giant world-shattering magic we usually see in high fantasy novels. Definitely in the realm of slightly magical realism. The milieu is alternate early mid-twentieth century England, post WWI, among the fairly well-to-do. So we have people dancing the Charleston, wearing slinky dresses that show their knees, and so forth. At the beginning, we see a proposal between Arthur (who does some legal whatever for work) and Elizabeth (a dress-maker by day and romantic novelist by night). Then the narrative flips back a couple of years to when Arthur first introduced Elizabeth to his oldest and best friend Coxley, who initially comes off as rather an unpleasant person. After the expected wedding, E tries to make nice with hubby's friend. Then a weird blackmail note arrives to complicate the plot. Overall, I liked the way things played out, unconventionally.
This is an indie publication, sixth in a loosely connected series that can apparently be read in any order. The editing is very good, the physical book production fine, and it's definitely worth a silver rodent award. I'll probably come back to this author another time, as some others in the series sound intriguing.
April 15, 2023
Quick, light, and super charming. Even though this is set in the 20's, it is still very much a fantasy of manners. I would recommend this to anyone who loved A Marvellous Light, Half a Soul, or Witchmark, although bear in mind it's much lighter and breezier than any of those comps.
I wanted a little more development between Elizabeth and Jules, and the mystery/blackmail element wraps up very simply and is somewhat underwhelming. Altogether though I still really enjoyed this!
I wanted a little more development between Elizabeth and Jules, and the mystery/blackmail element wraps up very simply and is somewhat underwhelming. Altogether though I still really enjoyed this!
February 24, 2023
I'd like to start this review by thanking the author, Arden Powell, for the ARC. I've read a lot of his works - all of which I absolutely loved - and it comes with no surprise that I fell in love with this novel as well.
A Novel Arrangement is set in an alternate 1920s fantasy world filled with magic, and follows the story of Elizabeth Turtledove, a seamstress by day, a spicy romance author by night. She is soon to be wed to the gentle and kind Arthur Leicester, but there is someone who will do anything to prevent their union: Arthur's best friend and roommate, Jules Coxley, an infamous painter who dallies in the art of nudity. But more than that, Elizabeth is faced with a blackmailer who is intent on exposing her pseudonym in exchange for her royalties.
This book is everything I've ever wanted in a FMM relationship. It's got slowburn, enemies to lovers, best friends/roommates to lovers, more than fifteen years' worth of pathetic pining, and just the right amount of jealousy. I loved seeing familiar faces - Alphonse, Jacobi, Aaliyah, and Jasmine - since The Bachelor's Valet is one of my favorite comfort reads. The writing style was amazing as always, and I absolutely loved the humor. I was grinning from ear to ear while I tore through the pages, effectively bringing me out of my reading slump.
I had to tick off a star, though, since the blackmailer's reveal and backstory felt sudden, out of the blue, and a little bit too convenient; I believe that it could've used a little more foreshadowing. Arthur's backstory could've also been explored further, but maybe there'll be a sequel where we get just that. There were also some scenes where changing of POVs would've been more fitting for the plot (ie. the confession scene between Arthur and Jules), and created more impact for the reader. Nevertheless, this is still an amazing read, perfect for anyone who's looking for slowburn, pining, and healthy relationships between characters.
A Novel Arrangement is set in an alternate 1920s fantasy world filled with magic, and follows the story of Elizabeth Turtledove, a seamstress by day, a spicy romance author by night. She is soon to be wed to the gentle and kind Arthur Leicester, but there is someone who will do anything to prevent their union: Arthur's best friend and roommate, Jules Coxley, an infamous painter who dallies in the art of nudity. But more than that, Elizabeth is faced with a blackmailer who is intent on exposing her pseudonym in exchange for her royalties.
This book is everything I've ever wanted in a FMM relationship. It's got slowburn, enemies to lovers, best friends/roommates to lovers, more than fifteen years' worth of pathetic pining, and just the right amount of jealousy. I loved seeing familiar faces - Alphonse, Jacobi, Aaliyah, and Jasmine - since The Bachelor's Valet is one of my favorite comfort reads. The writing style was amazing as always, and I absolutely loved the humor. I was grinning from ear to ear while I tore through the pages, effectively bringing me out of my reading slump.
I had to tick off a star, though, since the blackmailer's reveal and backstory felt sudden, out of the blue, and a little bit too convenient; I believe that it could've used a little more foreshadowing. Arthur's backstory could've also been explored further, but maybe there'll be a sequel where we get just that. There were also some scenes where changing of POVs would've been more fitting for the plot (ie. the confession scene between Arthur and Jules), and created more impact for the reader. Nevertheless, this is still an amazing read, perfect for anyone who's looking for slowburn, pining, and healthy relationships between characters.
March 2, 2024
This is a full 5 stars romance, this is exactly what I want and it's so beautiful and happy, and I LOVED them all so much!!! I really wanna read more from this author, they made me curious about another polyamorous dynamic (in a different way, and falling in the queerplatonic way as well) in this book, so I want to be picking that up!!!
But getting back into this one, I LOVE the dynamics here so much!!! The present angst and pining you have with Coxley about Arthur is so good, you get to see where he's coming from with the dislike of Elizabeth - then their friendship developing is just so good - the loving someone for years is such a good trope!!! And I LOVE Elizabeth realizing that, and her reaction being that she wants that happiness for her husband, I love them, and I LOVE her making plans with her friends to get them together!!! This is just happy, and adorable, and I really love having both the established relationships (both romantic and platonic) contrasting with the new relationships or changing relationships!!!
The relationships are the true beauty of this book, but I also just want to talk a bit about the world, this is truly cozy fantasy and I really love how there no consequences to the magic - I love how it's lowkey on the background and more the beauty of how it looks - and then I do not get why it's historical, no reason for it, and it's very much not historical accurate, but it fits it so nicely still!!! It's part of the charm!!!
I just truly LOVED this romance!!! It's beautiful and happy and light, it brought me so much joy, and it's certainly a five stars!!!
But getting back into this one, I LOVE the dynamics here so much!!! The present angst and pining you have with Coxley about Arthur is so good, you get to see where he's coming from with the dislike of Elizabeth - then their friendship developing is just so good - the loving someone for years is such a good trope!!! And I LOVE Elizabeth realizing that, and her reaction being that she wants that happiness for her husband, I love them, and I LOVE her making plans with her friends to get them together!!! This is just happy, and adorable, and I really love having both the established relationships (both romantic and platonic) contrasting with the new relationships or changing relationships!!!
The relationships are the true beauty of this book, but I also just want to talk a bit about the world, this is truly cozy fantasy and I really love how there no consequences to the magic - I love how it's lowkey on the background and more the beauty of how it looks - and then I do not get why it's historical, no reason for it, and it's very much not historical accurate, but it fits it so nicely still!!! It's part of the charm!!!
I just truly LOVED this romance!!! It's beautiful and happy and light, it brought me so much joy, and it's certainly a five stars!!!
February 28, 2023
I am so pumped I was able to snag an ARC of this. Oh my God I am IN LOVE with this addition to the Flo's Magicae series. This was SO fun and had me gripping my seat. I couldn't have put it down if I wanted to.
The pacing was great. I think all the conflict went nicely with the story and didn't feel shoved in around the romance parts, they were both present in equal parts. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the “blackmail” (it’s not just a trope or plot point I particularly care about one way or the other) but this managed to be fun, sexy, heartwarming, and exciting all in one.
I adored all the characters, they complimented each other so well. There wasn't a single one I felt just so about, they're all amazing. I LOVED Coxley, he was near insufferable, and I hold him so close and dear to my heart. The way his relationship developed with Elizabeth was delightful. I was, quite literally, squealing while I read.
Arden Powell’s melancholy gothic horrors will always be my first love, but this author is an instant buy for me.
The pacing was great. I think all the conflict went nicely with the story and didn't feel shoved in around the romance parts, they were both present in equal parts. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the “blackmail” (it’s not just a trope or plot point I particularly care about one way or the other) but this managed to be fun, sexy, heartwarming, and exciting all in one.
I adored all the characters, they complimented each other so well. There wasn't a single one I felt just so about, they're all amazing. I LOVED Coxley, he was near insufferable, and I hold him so close and dear to my heart. The way his relationship developed with Elizabeth was delightful. I was, quite literally, squealing while I read.
Arden Powell’s melancholy gothic horrors will always be my first love, but this author is an instant buy for me.
June 24, 2023
4.5 stars.
I’ve never really read historical romance before, but this is one of my favorite tropes/premises. I got in my head that this is Sherlock fanfic (I don’t know if that’s true, and you def could ignore it if so, but I very much enjoyed that aspect.) I don’t think I typically like a romance where the couple is already established, but in this case it really worked and was lovely. The female MC is a bit of a Mary Sue, but it was so satisfying that I didn’t mind. The magic is subtle and lovely. The ending was soo satisfying, and overall I highly recommend it. It was mostly fade-to-black, with one more detailed scene, and mostly had a very sweet vibe without shying away from the realities of sex or the queerness of it all.
I’ve never really read historical romance before, but this is one of my favorite tropes/premises. I got in my head that this is Sherlock fanfic (I don’t know if that’s true, and you def could ignore it if so, but I very much enjoyed that aspect.) I don’t think I typically like a romance where the couple is already established, but in this case it really worked and was lovely. The female MC is a bit of a Mary Sue, but it was so satisfying that I didn’t mind. The magic is subtle and lovely. The ending was soo satisfying, and overall I highly recommend it. It was mostly fade-to-black, with one more detailed scene, and mostly had a very sweet vibe without shying away from the realities of sex or the queerness of it all.
April 18, 2024
4+⭐
I don't usually read FMM books but I make an exception with my favourite writers and/or series. (I'm not really that much into it to risk trying to find the pearls among the mediocre fantasies of just boinking two guys.) This one was lovely, and light, and funny like most of the Flos Magicae books. I like the world and the relationship dynamics here were good. Still, I do love some other books in the series more.
I don't usually read FMM books but I make an exception with my favourite writers and/or series. (I'm not really that much into it to risk trying to find the pearls among the mediocre fantasies of just boinking two guys.) This one was lovely, and light, and funny like most of the Flos Magicae books. I like the world and the relationship dynamics here were good. Still, I do love some other books in the series more.
March 6, 2023
Delightfully lovely. Magically queer.
An absolute delight of a romance, and mmf done in such a sweet way. Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. A light smattering of mystery and low-stakes drama to bring it all together and make it interesting. I am loving all of these Flos Magicae books so far 🥰
An absolute delight of a romance, and mmf done in such a sweet way. Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. A light smattering of mystery and low-stakes drama to bring it all together and make it interesting. I am loving all of these Flos Magicae books so far 🥰
September 13, 2023
This story was a cozy read with an enjoyable cast of characters and a satisfying resolution to the romantic conflict presented at the start.
My only complaint is that magic adds nothing to this story, to the point that I often forgot it was part of the world at all. It felt so tacked on that I think I would've enjoyed the story more without it.
Similarly, the blackmailer subplot doesn't add much to the core Elizabeth/Arthur/Jules story; it too feels tacked on, like the author was padding for word count. I would've been perfectly happy to seeing morenof the genuine drama of Elizabeth and Jules trying to repair years' worth of damage to their relationship rather than the artificial drama of Elizabeth having to protect her good name (which she doesn't even care about, so again, why bother with the subplot at all?)
Other than that, this was fun. I don't feel compelled to read more work in this universe, but I'm glad I read this one.
My only complaint is that magic adds nothing to this story, to the point that I often forgot it was part of the world at all. It felt so tacked on that I think I would've enjoyed the story more without it.
Similarly, the blackmailer subplot doesn't add much to the core Elizabeth/Arthur/Jules story; it too feels tacked on, like the author was padding for word count. I would've been perfectly happy to seeing morenof the genuine drama of Elizabeth and Jules trying to repair years' worth of damage to their relationship rather than the artificial drama of Elizabeth having to protect her good name (which she doesn't even care about, so again, why bother with the subplot at all?)
Other than that, this was fun. I don't feel compelled to read more work in this universe, but I'm glad I read this one.
October 7, 2023
Cute and I loved the characters.
4 stars
4 stars
March 2, 2023
I loved this, I was hooked from the beginning. The characters are believable, so is the magic, and I really wanted them to solve their predicament and get together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 21, 2023
EDIT: I reviewed the wrong book originally, but clearly I'm binging Arden Powell because I've read three in a row with no intention to stop.
This one was good! Definitely a sweet, low-conflict story with equal parts pining and practicality. I really loved the main character and the complexities of the different characters. The conclusion was a bit rushed, but still good.
This one was good! Definitely a sweet, low-conflict story with equal parts pining and practicality. I really loved the main character and the complexities of the different characters. The conclusion was a bit rushed, but still good.
May 22, 2025
Yeah this was a low-stakes, quick read that took very little brain power so I had a fine time.
January 10, 2024
A fun enough read with an interesting enough plot. I wanted it to be a bit more scandalous considering the subject matter but it was pretty tame.
February 23, 2023
A 4.5★ rating, rounded down.
First in the agenda: I would like to thank the author, Arden Powell, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“A Novel Arrangement” is an amazingly cosy read. I’m sure that, had I waited to read it at the beginning of summer - maybe sitting on a garden bench -, I would have enjoyed it even more.
The book, set in the 1920s, tells the story of Elizabeth Turtledove; business owner, seamstress, passionate young woman, who writes salacious romances on the side. Beth is happily in love, and ready to marry the love of her life, Arthur Leicester, the gentleman she has been dating for the past couple years.
Arthur is kind, hardworking, and lets Elizabeth keep all her freedom. Never even thinks about stopping her from pursuing her more unsavoury dreams, as long as she’s as happy as possible.
But her husband comes with a plus one: Jules Coxley, renowned artist, Arthur’s childhood best friend (and housemate), an all around menace. He’s the black sheep of London’s high society, and also completely in love with Arthur.
As Beth and Arthur decide to get married, enthusiastically and intensely ready to be The One for each other, Jules has one last chance to ruin their relationship. Oh, there’s also blackmail involved, completely unrelated.
In all honesty, it took me some time to get into the story. The beginning is slow, and I felt like it was much to dragged out. As much as I appreciated Jules fumbling, being a complete idiot and doing his best to ruin his best friends’ happiness (yes, this is how well thought-out his plans and attempts feel), I do wish it could have been a bit shorter.
I absolutely adored the rest of it.
I loved Elizabeth as a main character. She’s a beast of a woman (meant as a compliment), but still a product of her time. She’s independent, strong-willed, and a little bossy. She’s pretty, and well-spoken, and has been brought up in the midst of high society. She’s a lady. She can’t tell the world she’s the infamous writer everyone is salivating after, and that can give other people the upper-hand over her.
Arden Powell is amazing at writing blooming relationships, developing them at a pace that is both believable and absurdly enjoyable.
Coxley’s growth throughout the story was unmistakable. More than the romance, I am particularly fond of his and Beth’s friendship. It looked so hopeless in the beginning, but I couldn’t hope but root for them.
The background characters are also a fulcral part of the narrative, and such a delight. Every single one of them has a distinct and multi-dimensional personality. All I can say is: beard-weddings, and finding happiness and love, even when society would prefer you didn’t. Strong personalities, unwavering friendships, and people that always ready to fight (physically, if needed be) for Elizabeth.
The blackmail part was also incredibly well planned. It was mysterious and funny, Elizabeth’s reaction to the incompetence of her blackmailer never failed to make me laugh. The reasoning was congruent, it felt like the blackmailer’s ire and spite were well-placed, at least from their perspective. And their description? There’s a passage where Arden Powell writes (and I paraphrase) “(they) looked like a bulldog, without any of the typical kind-disposition of the breed” and it was at that moment I knew I adored this book.
I came for Coxley being a sarcastic little imp, and stayed for the amazing and well-placed humour.
“A Novel Arrangement” is a light read, but it still does an excellent job at tackling all things with the proper intensity. The resolution - both of them, actually - were so incredibly satisfactory. It couldn’t have turned out better, honestly.
I give it a very solid 4.5 stars, only as a consequence of the slow initial pace. I'd say that's purely a personal preference, if you like slice of life you'll thoroughly enjoy it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, every single page, and would recommend it to anyone who likes: regency era fiction (even though this book is set a century too late, it has a very similar feel), bossy but caring women, a spiteful short-king who is actually a secret romantic, friends and partners who actually support each other, a gossipy light-read to take with you on a picnic. Or to the beach. Or just to relax with.
Once again, I have to give my thanks to Arden Powell for the ARC, and for the opportunity to read this beautiful book. I'll keep an eye out for their next releases.
First in the agenda: I would like to thank the author, Arden Powell, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“A Novel Arrangement” is an amazingly cosy read. I’m sure that, had I waited to read it at the beginning of summer - maybe sitting on a garden bench -, I would have enjoyed it even more.
The book, set in the 1920s, tells the story of Elizabeth Turtledove; business owner, seamstress, passionate young woman, who writes salacious romances on the side. Beth is happily in love, and ready to marry the love of her life, Arthur Leicester, the gentleman she has been dating for the past couple years.
Arthur is kind, hardworking, and lets Elizabeth keep all her freedom. Never even thinks about stopping her from pursuing her more unsavoury dreams, as long as she’s as happy as possible.
But her husband comes with a plus one: Jules Coxley, renowned artist, Arthur’s childhood best friend (and housemate), an all around menace. He’s the black sheep of London’s high society, and also completely in love with Arthur.
As Beth and Arthur decide to get married, enthusiastically and intensely ready to be The One for each other, Jules has one last chance to ruin their relationship. Oh, there’s also blackmail involved, completely unrelated.
In all honesty, it took me some time to get into the story. The beginning is slow, and I felt like it was much to dragged out. As much as I appreciated Jules fumbling, being a complete idiot and doing his best to ruin his best friends’ happiness (yes, this is how well thought-out his plans and attempts feel), I do wish it could have been a bit shorter.
I absolutely adored the rest of it.
I loved Elizabeth as a main character. She’s a beast of a woman (meant as a compliment), but still a product of her time. She’s independent, strong-willed, and a little bossy. She’s pretty, and well-spoken, and has been brought up in the midst of high society. She’s a lady. She can’t tell the world she’s the infamous writer everyone is salivating after, and that can give other people the upper-hand over her.
Arden Powell is amazing at writing blooming relationships, developing them at a pace that is both believable and absurdly enjoyable.
Coxley’s growth throughout the story was unmistakable. More than the romance, I am particularly fond of his and Beth’s friendship. It looked so hopeless in the beginning, but I couldn’t hope but root for them.
The background characters are also a fulcral part of the narrative, and such a delight. Every single one of them has a distinct and multi-dimensional personality. All I can say is: beard-weddings, and finding happiness and love, even when society would prefer you didn’t. Strong personalities, unwavering friendships, and people that always ready to fight (physically, if needed be) for Elizabeth.
The blackmail part was also incredibly well planned. It was mysterious and funny, Elizabeth’s reaction to the incompetence of her blackmailer never failed to make me laugh. The reasoning was congruent, it felt like the blackmailer’s ire and spite were well-placed, at least from their perspective. And their description? There’s a passage where Arden Powell writes (and I paraphrase) “(they) looked like a bulldog, without any of the typical kind-disposition of the breed” and it was at that moment I knew I adored this book.
I came for Coxley being a sarcastic little imp, and stayed for the amazing and well-placed humour.
“A Novel Arrangement” is a light read, but it still does an excellent job at tackling all things with the proper intensity. The resolution - both of them, actually - were so incredibly satisfactory. It couldn’t have turned out better, honestly.
I give it a very solid 4.5 stars, only as a consequence of the slow initial pace. I'd say that's purely a personal preference, if you like slice of life you'll thoroughly enjoy it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, every single page, and would recommend it to anyone who likes: regency era fiction (even though this book is set a century too late, it has a very similar feel), bossy but caring women, a spiteful short-king who is actually a secret romantic, friends and partners who actually support each other, a gossipy light-read to take with you on a picnic. Or to the beach. Or just to relax with.
Once again, I have to give my thanks to Arden Powell for the ARC, and for the opportunity to read this beautiful book. I'll keep an eye out for their next releases.
February 26, 2023
*I receiced an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An absolutely delightful read. I believe this is the first in the Flos Magicae series that is linked to another (it clearly takes place after The Bachelor's Valet, the 2 main couples from that book are supportive characters and friends of this book's MC Elizabeth) and I did actually really like how they build on each other. Elizabeth is fiercer than she first appears, while also possessing an open-minded, empathetic and pragmatic nature that made her a pleasure to read.
As usual Powell's world is both immersive and vividly rendered, with lots of beautiful flowers and colors.
This is a sort of slow burn MMF, with an established couple, and the husband's best friend who is at first determined to be Elizabeth's enemy. I really enjoyed being drawn into the artistic world with Coxley the painter best friend, but not to such an extent that it became too overwhelming or distracting for a layman. The blackmail plot-line added a nice bit of spice and tension that was needed while the romance took its time to build up.
I gobbled up this first full-length novel in the series in less than a day, and I think it is Powell's best so far! I attritbute that partly to its length: there was ample room for the characters and relationships to develop and be more complex than a novella allows. I look forward to their future additions in the series, if they plan any.
An absolutely delightful read. I believe this is the first in the Flos Magicae series that is linked to another (it clearly takes place after The Bachelor's Valet, the 2 main couples from that book are supportive characters and friends of this book's MC Elizabeth) and I did actually really like how they build on each other. Elizabeth is fiercer than she first appears, while also possessing an open-minded, empathetic and pragmatic nature that made her a pleasure to read.
As usual Powell's world is both immersive and vividly rendered, with lots of beautiful flowers and colors.
This is a sort of slow burn MMF, with an established couple, and the husband's best friend who is at first determined to be Elizabeth's enemy. I really enjoyed being drawn into the artistic world with Coxley the painter best friend, but not to such an extent that it became too overwhelming or distracting for a layman. The blackmail plot-line added a nice bit of spice and tension that was needed while the romance took its time to build up.
I gobbled up this first full-length novel in the series in less than a day, and I think it is Powell's best so far! I attritbute that partly to its length: there was ample room for the characters and relationships to develop and be more complex than a novella allows. I look forward to their future additions in the series, if they plan any.
February 28, 2023
I am so grateful that I was able to snag an ARC! A Novel Arrangement is an absolute delight of a book. It was a light enjoyable read with such endearing characters. Elizabeth was strong willed and determined, Arthur kind and wholesome and Coxley a complete lovable menace to society. They were great separate and even better together (not to mention the delightful cast of side characters). The book at its core is a slow burn FMM and the characters relationship bloomed naturally and as they slowly grew into their feelings (or the realization of their feelings).
While mostly bring a romance, the plot was spiced up further when Elizabeth found herself blackmailed as an unknown individual threatens to out her as the writer behind a series of scandalous romance novels. It added a touch of intrigue and drama though I do personally feel like it was solved a bit too easily and the culprit a bit obvious (mostly because there was a lack of other suspects).
Outside of that my only other critique is that I wish we had been given more depth into the characters backgrounds. In particular I would have loved to see more of how Arthur and Elizabeth’s relationship originally bloomed and likewise more about the history of Arthur and Coxley’s friendship.
Overall I give this book a 4.5 stars (rating up) and would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a fun, light, wholesome romance.
While mostly bring a romance, the plot was spiced up further when Elizabeth found herself blackmailed as an unknown individual threatens to out her as the writer behind a series of scandalous romance novels. It added a touch of intrigue and drama though I do personally feel like it was solved a bit too easily and the culprit a bit obvious (mostly because there was a lack of other suspects).
Outside of that my only other critique is that I wish we had been given more depth into the characters backgrounds. In particular I would have loved to see more of how Arthur and Elizabeth’s relationship originally bloomed and likewise more about the history of Arthur and Coxley’s friendship.
Overall I give this book a 4.5 stars (rating up) and would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a fun, light, wholesome romance.
April 15, 2024
This is the first work I've read by Arden Powell, and I adored it! I love books set in the 1920s, fantasy novels, "why choose" romance, and people being nice to one another, and this had all of those things. It's more of what used to be called a "sweet" romance rather than an explicit one, which is fine with me because my preference is to have an author focus on character and plot development rather than a laundry list of possible sex positions.
One of the things I liked best was that the main (female) character was kind, intelligent, and sensible, the latter of which is refreshing in any kind of romance novel but was especially welcome in this sub-genre. I also was impressed by some genuinely witty dialogue and some cute meta-narrative sprinkled throughout. I do admire a clever author!
As for flaws, if I could take half a star off it would be for the magic system, which wasn't showcased much and didn't seem necessary to the book. However, I will certainly be reading more in this series and hopefully the worldbuilding will flesh out a little. I also was hoping for more of a mystery, á la Dorothy Sayers, but that is probably on me for reading too much into the book description.
In any case, it was delightful read and I highly recommend!
One of the things I liked best was that the main (female) character was kind, intelligent, and sensible, the latter of which is refreshing in any kind of romance novel but was especially welcome in this sub-genre. I also was impressed by some genuinely witty dialogue and some cute meta-narrative sprinkled throughout. I do admire a clever author!
As for flaws, if I could take half a star off it would be for the magic system, which wasn't showcased much and didn't seem necessary to the book. However, I will certainly be reading more in this series and hopefully the worldbuilding will flesh out a little. I also was hoping for more of a mystery, á la Dorothy Sayers, but that is probably on me for reading too much into the book description.
In any case, it was delightful read and I highly recommend!
March 21, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
A Novel Arrangement is a historical fantasy from author Arden Powell set in 1920’s England and part of the Flos Magicae series, a group of standalone stories in a shared world. There are historical norms regarding gender, class, and sexual identities that mix with social constructs that seem specific to this story, notably the social difference between individuals who do and do not have magical abilities. One thing that caught my attention was how premarital sex and interracial marriages seemed to be an acceptable social norm, but only as one-man/one-woman arrangements; any other combination is still apparently shunned. With that cultural background and a hefty love-triangle on offer, I was desperate to know how the Elizabeth-Arthur-Coxley dynamic would play out.
Ultimately, I thought this was a good book, but not really my cup of tea. My biggest reservations stem from how the love triangle unfolds and concludes.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
A Novel Arrangement is a historical fantasy from author Arden Powell set in 1920’s England and part of the Flos Magicae series, a group of standalone stories in a shared world. There are historical norms regarding gender, class, and sexual identities that mix with social constructs that seem specific to this story, notably the social difference between individuals who do and do not have magical abilities. One thing that caught my attention was how premarital sex and interracial marriages seemed to be an acceptable social norm, but only as one-man/one-woman arrangements; any other combination is still apparently shunned. With that cultural background and a hefty love-triangle on offer, I was desperate to know how the Elizabeth-Arthur-Coxley dynamic would play out.
Ultimately, I thought this was a good book, but not really my cup of tea. My biggest reservations stem from how the love triangle unfolds and concludes.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
August 9, 2023
This is a cute, cozy-adjacent fantasy romance between two dudes and a lady in an alternate Edwardian London.
Elizabeth is relieved when her good-natured, caring but somewhat oblivious beau Arthur proposes...but the real challenge is getting married when Arthur's obnoxious friend Coxley seems determined to ruin everything. Can Elizabeth win that battle of wills? And what if taming Coxley puts all three of them on an altogether surprise trajectory?
I admit I wasn't sure the premise would pan out: if Coxley is so obnoxious to begin with, am I going to be annoyed by his inclusion into Elizabeth & Arthur's relationship? In fact, Coxley's redemption arc begins quickly, and evolves nicely through this slim novel. The story is v. light on magic and world-building, and the blackmail subplot doesn't take up much room, but I was charmed throughout. The romance is a little less chaste than what you'd usually get in a cosy fantasy: there are a couple of on-page sex scenes, but they aren't particularly "throbbing"...stylistically speaking.
If you're in the mood for something cute and uplifting-but poly/queer/MMF-I highly recommend this.
Elizabeth is relieved when her good-natured, caring but somewhat oblivious beau Arthur proposes...but the real challenge is getting married when Arthur's obnoxious friend Coxley seems determined to ruin everything. Can Elizabeth win that battle of wills? And what if taming Coxley puts all three of them on an altogether surprise trajectory?
I admit I wasn't sure the premise would pan out: if Coxley is so obnoxious to begin with, am I going to be annoyed by his inclusion into Elizabeth & Arthur's relationship? In fact, Coxley's redemption arc begins quickly, and evolves nicely through this slim novel. The story is v. light on magic and world-building, and the blackmail subplot doesn't take up much room, but I was charmed throughout. The romance is a little less chaste than what you'd usually get in a cosy fantasy: there are a couple of on-page sex scenes, but they aren't particularly "throbbing"...stylistically speaking.
If you're in the mood for something cute and uplifting-but poly/queer/MMF-I highly recommend this.
December 20, 2023
Such a lovely novel. Charming and sweet, it was delightful to read.
This isn't the book if you're looking for something overly complicated, it's more of a light read. The storylines in the book are dealt with promptly and in quite a straightforward manner which, while suiting the female lead and her personality, comes off both refreshing and a little disappointing. (Yes, I know it shouldn't be both, but it is.)
The three mains are all likeable characters but as it is all in Elizabeth's POV I did feel that I missed out on some of the bigger and deeper emotional moments between Arthur and Jules. Elizabeth is a wonderful lead - strong, kind, she makes decisions that make sense and it was lovely watching her relationships with Arthur and Jules form and grow but the limited POV did leave me a little adrift from both of the men.
The world building, whilst also not very in depth, was enough to keep it interesting. Loved the little touches of magic and the 1920's setting didn't try to overwhelm the story which was nice.
Overall, this was, as I said above, a lovely light read.
3.75 STARS OUT OF 5.
This isn't the book if you're looking for something overly complicated, it's more of a light read. The storylines in the book are dealt with promptly and in quite a straightforward manner which, while suiting the female lead and her personality, comes off both refreshing and a little disappointing. (Yes, I know it shouldn't be both, but it is.)
The three mains are all likeable characters but as it is all in Elizabeth's POV I did feel that I missed out on some of the bigger and deeper emotional moments between Arthur and Jules. Elizabeth is a wonderful lead - strong, kind, she makes decisions that make sense and it was lovely watching her relationships with Arthur and Jules form and grow but the limited POV did leave me a little adrift from both of the men.
The world building, whilst also not very in depth, was enough to keep it interesting. Loved the little touches of magic and the 1920's setting didn't try to overwhelm the story which was nice.
Overall, this was, as I said above, a lovely light read.
3.75 STARS OUT OF 5.
October 9, 2023
Of the three main books in this series, this one took me the longest to get into. It definitely felt like the first third dragged along without the characters or relationships developing much and even the larger blackmail plot just sort of there. But once it did get going, it was a lot of fun and very engaging. I continue to enjoy the world building here, and I love seeing the characters from the other books come in and out of the story. I also really enjoyed the discussion of art and painting and, of course, the ultimate love reveals and happy throuple ending. Any sort of polyamorous relationship, I feel, can be tricky to do right, but I really bought this one and the way it developed. Just wish the plotting and pacing had worked a bit better overall, but once again, a very enjoyable read. I have to say at this point but that I definitely recommend this series for enjoyers of queer, alternative magical history romance because i've definitely gone on to read whatever other works and novellas I can grab within this universe. It's just that good and engaging as a whole!
April 11, 2024
this is how you write polyamory people! i’m sick and tired of the borderline cheating dynamics that ppl usually end up writing when they write polyamory but this was absolutely perfect in every way imaginable
to start off, we have 3 wonderfully charming characters (all in their own ways mind you). elizabeth is a romance author and seamstress who is headstrong and just a badass really, arthur is a sweet man with a lot of trauma but he’s trying his best goddammit, he’s also her husband. and coxley. my darling coxley. he is an artist of… questionable morals (he paints people in the nude which is violently scandalous for the time) and he also happens to be arthur’s best friend… and he might be just a tiny bit in love with him.
this book combines 1920s england, very whimsical magic that definitely isn’t a focal point of the story but it is there! along with the idiots to lovers trope, a healthy taste of blackmail and ruining the lives of misogynists, and overall just a good time with a surprisingly emotional aspect to it, so yeah, i loved this book
to start off, we have 3 wonderfully charming characters (all in their own ways mind you). elizabeth is a romance author and seamstress who is headstrong and just a badass really, arthur is a sweet man with a lot of trauma but he’s trying his best goddammit, he’s also her husband. and coxley. my darling coxley. he is an artist of… questionable morals (he paints people in the nude which is violently scandalous for the time) and he also happens to be arthur’s best friend… and he might be just a tiny bit in love with him.
this book combines 1920s england, very whimsical magic that definitely isn’t a focal point of the story but it is there! along with the idiots to lovers trope, a healthy taste of blackmail and ruining the lives of misogynists, and overall just a good time with a surprisingly emotional aspect to it, so yeah, i loved this book
February 26, 2023
4.5*
This was such a fun and enjoyable read! I'm always weak for stories that say 'why have a love triangle when you can have a triad?' and this did that really well. The characters of Elizabeth and Jules were especially excellent- as with Aaliyah in The Bachelor's Valet (who makes some always welcome appearances here), Powell writes their main female characters as interesting, three dimensional people that I want to befriend. Jules is the kind of prickly-but-compelling person that gets under your skin. I would sometimes have liked a teeny bit more grovelling for his initial behaviour to Elizabeth but overall I couldn't help but ne drawn to him.
I did feel that Arthur suffered a little in comparison to the other two, being just more straightforwardly nice, although he did serve as a good foil to Elizabeth and Jules.
Overall another excellent addition to the Flos Magicae series!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a fun and enjoyable read! I'm always weak for stories that say 'why have a love triangle when you can have a triad?' and this did that really well. The characters of Elizabeth and Jules were especially excellent- as with Aaliyah in The Bachelor's Valet (who makes some always welcome appearances here), Powell writes their main female characters as interesting, three dimensional people that I want to befriend. Jules is the kind of prickly-but-compelling person that gets under your skin. I would sometimes have liked a teeny bit more grovelling for his initial behaviour to Elizabeth but overall I couldn't help but ne drawn to him.
I did feel that Arthur suffered a little in comparison to the other two, being just more straightforwardly nice, although he did serve as a good foil to Elizabeth and Jules.
Overall another excellent addition to the Flos Magicae series!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 26, 2023
4.5
I'll be honest, I love everything Powell writes. It always feels like sinking into a world I want to live in.
A NOVEL ARRANGEMENT does not disappoint. We revisit old characters (do I have a thing for Jacobi? Yes I do!) and are introduced to new. The polyamory was deftly handled. I loved the way Jules slowly grew to trust Elizabeth, and how she so quickly understood his own longings. Her easy understanding was just SO Elizabeth.
Powell does magic brilliantly in this series. It's both important and a side note. Just...part of the natural world.
I bumped off half a star just because I never felt terribly worried for Elizabeth when it came to the blackmailer plot. Mostly because I don't think she ever felt terribly worried for herself. I knew she could easily handled it and
I begged for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest, I love everything Powell writes. It always feels like sinking into a world I want to live in.
A NOVEL ARRANGEMENT does not disappoint. We revisit old characters (do I have a thing for Jacobi? Yes I do!) and are introduced to new. The polyamory was deftly handled. I loved the way Jules slowly grew to trust Elizabeth, and how she so quickly understood his own longings. Her easy understanding was just SO Elizabeth.
Powell does magic brilliantly in this series. It's both important and a side note. Just...part of the natural world.
I bumped off half a star just because I never felt terribly worried for Elizabeth when it came to the blackmailer plot. Mostly because I don't think she ever felt terribly worried for herself. I knew she could easily handled it and
I begged for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2025
Why is this such a perfect polyamory story?
It's hard enough to write a compelling romance between two people, let alone juggling the dynamics among three characters. Yet that's exactly what is pulled off masterfully here. Elizabeth, Jules and Arthur each complement the other two in different ways. As a throuple, they feel so balanced. It's legitimately blowing my mind.
Elizabeth and Arthur are an established couple at the start of the book, and Jules and Arthur have a longstanding mutual pining thing going (granted, with only one of them aware of that). Those relationships simmer in the background - the juggling I mentioned - while most of the focus is on transforming the dynamic between Elizabeth and Jules from antagonism to attraction. And it works? And feels so natural and right? In less than 300 pages?
Seriously, I think the quality of this might have ruined me slightly for any polyamorous relationships I might read about in the future.
It's hard enough to write a compelling romance between two people, let alone juggling the dynamics among three characters. Yet that's exactly what is pulled off masterfully here. Elizabeth, Jules and Arthur each complement the other two in different ways. As a throuple, they feel so balanced. It's legitimately blowing my mind.
Elizabeth and Arthur are an established couple at the start of the book, and Jules and Arthur have a longstanding mutual pining thing going (granted, with only one of them aware of that). Those relationships simmer in the background - the juggling I mentioned - while most of the focus is on transforming the dynamic between Elizabeth and Jules from antagonism to attraction. And it works? And feels so natural and right? In less than 300 pages?
Seriously, I think the quality of this might have ruined me slightly for any polyamorous relationships I might read about in the future.
March 1, 2023
Gentle three
Even though there is a blackmailer in this book, if I had to sum it up I would call it gentle. I found it lots of fun reading about the developments in the relationship between the three main characters and having glimpses of characters from other books. Elizabeth, Arthur and Coxley work their way towards a relationship but the gymnastics are not written very explicitly which is maybe why I feel like the whole novel is rather gentle. Arden Powell does a great job mixing the different elements of plot together and the pacing is particularly good at evoking the slower pace of life in the 1920’s. While there is magic in this series it’s not the focus of the stories. I actually like this as it’s part of what I mean when I say that the author mixing the elements together well. It’s a mystery, magic, romance, triad adventure story and I recommend it highly.
Even though there is a blackmailer in this book, if I had to sum it up I would call it gentle. I found it lots of fun reading about the developments in the relationship between the three main characters and having glimpses of characters from other books. Elizabeth, Arthur and Coxley work their way towards a relationship but the gymnastics are not written very explicitly which is maybe why I feel like the whole novel is rather gentle. Arden Powell does a great job mixing the different elements of plot together and the pacing is particularly good at evoking the slower pace of life in the 1920’s. While there is magic in this series it’s not the focus of the stories. I actually like this as it’s part of what I mean when I say that the author mixing the elements together well. It’s a mystery, magic, romance, triad adventure story and I recommend it highly.
August 21, 2023
DNF @ 28% as this felt so insubstantial as to be not worth continuing with.
Admittedly, reading almost anything was going to be a letdown after C.L.Clark’s ‘The Faithless’ but this was like falling off a cliff.
Irritations set in almost from the word go. Our cities are not laid out on a grid system, so we do not have ‘blocks’ in the American sense. We eat biscuits not cookies, and in the period in which this is set we absolutely do not cheer and applaud in church! The book is replete with blunders like these and other anachronisms such as ‘designer dress’. It’s silly to be so annoyed at such trivia, but why write about an English milieu without doing some basic research?
Hardly anything in the story rings true except for rare instances such as the scene where Elizabeth and Croxley talk on the bridge.
Admittedly, reading almost anything was going to be a letdown after C.L.Clark’s ‘The Faithless’ but this was like falling off a cliff.
Irritations set in almost from the word go. Our cities are not laid out on a grid system, so we do not have ‘blocks’ in the American sense. We eat biscuits not cookies, and in the period in which this is set we absolutely do not cheer and applaud in church! The book is replete with blunders like these and other anachronisms such as ‘designer dress’. It’s silly to be so annoyed at such trivia, but why write about an English milieu without doing some basic research?
Hardly anything in the story rings true except for rare instances such as the scene where Elizabeth and Croxley talk on the bridge.
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