Strong and sensitive sidekick, Echo, is everything Morgan ever dreamed of. And this powerful mage and flirty henchwoman is not letting the fact their employers are archenemies stand in the way of them starting a life together.
Faking her own death, Morgan starts anew as she and Echo head to the city of Laluna to open a bookshop inside a “barely haunted” church. They receive help from a shy tiefling carpenter looking to make a name for herself, and a chatty mousefolk librarian with big dreams. Igni—a feisty fire spirit who wants to eat the books—is more of a hindrance, but at least he keeps the shop warm.
Everything is perfect—as long as the villain Avery, Morgan’s old boss, doesn’t find out she’s alive. But the unexpected arrival of Broadshield, the annoyingly charming hero and Echo’s previous companion, puts Morgan’s cosy life in jeopardy. Can Morgan keep her happy ending or will her secrets destroy everything?
Enemies to Booksellers by Laura Catherine is a cosy, slice-of-life fantasy about new beginnings, found families, and heart-warming vibes—perfect for fans of Travis Baldree and Rebecca Thorne.
Laura Catherine is an indie fantasy author, specialising in cozy fantasy and YA fantasy with queer representation.
They are a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, an ADHD disaster, and hail from Melbourne, Australia. When they are not writing, Laura can be found raising two beautiful children with their partner, spending time outdoors camping, and snuggled up with their cats on the couch with a good book.
I think I have my favorite characters for 2025 already … and it isn’t either of the women on the cover or this book!
I LOVE the basic story - two women who work for a hero and a villain have fallen in love and want to get away from it all and plot their future together.
The setting, conflicts, and through lines of the plot are satisfying as well - there is a mystery to solve which requires tons of cooperation and collaboration which helps everyone grow.
I also love all of the characters, both Morgan and Echo are flawed but caring women who each has deep-seated flaws that could limit or destroy their lives and relationship. Even the hero and villain are interesting and layered characters.
I noticed that almost all of my highlights from the ebook were related to two characters in particular - and there was a mix of humor and deeply emotional moments represented.
The Cozy Fantasy genre has produced some of my favorite books of the last few years, and this story immediately joins those. Cozy doesn’t mean zero conflict or zero action, it just gives you the safety net of knowing that everything will work out. And I was absolutely satisfied with how everything worked out - and look forward to the next book, which the author says will have new protagonists in the same setting!
Hey book lovers! I'm the author of this sapphic cozy fantasy and I can't wait for you all to read this book and experience this world and its characters!
A massive thank you to Laura Catherine for sending me an ARC copy
📕 Cosy Fantasy 📗 Sapphic Relationship 📘 Haunted Bookshop 📙 Found Family
‘Enemies to Booksellers’ is about Morgan, a mage and former villain, starting a new life with her girlfriend (and former foe) Echo. Morgan believes that she can have a fresh start, but her past continues to haunt her. She buries her fears as deep as she can, finding ample distractions in a haunted bookshop, a mousefolk librarian, and a very unconventional ghost.
At its heart, this is a story about facing your fears and challenging yourself to grow and change. Morgan and Echo have both spent their lives as the sidekicks of larger-than-life characters and find it hard to step out on their own. They both learn to own their mistakes, speak up, and be honest with themselves and with one another.
The setting is a wonderfully realised fantasy world that feels both comfortingly familiar and distinct. I loved the emphasis on the non-human in this book: there’s a single human character in the main cast, and plenty of animalfolk around the city. There is plenty of whimsy, and a bit of danger to be found in this tale.
Perfect for fans of ‘Legends & Lattes’ and cosy fantasies in general.
5⭐️ Enemies to Booksellers is your next Cosy Fantasy read!
This book is the definition of cosy fantasy, it is purely delightful filling you with all the warm and fuzzies as you read. You get to spend time with an ecclectic found family in a barely-haunted bookshop as you relish in the sapphic romance of a forest-nymph and an elf mage.
Enemies to Booksellers is easy to read, the perfect book to cosy up to for a snuggling bookish weekend but what makes it so good?
Let me tell you all the story goodness you'll enjoy: - beautiful sapphic romance - new start in a busy city - soul filling found family - cast of lots of different fantasy creatures - community connections - building a bookshop in a haunted church - portal jumping foxfolk - every day use of magic - enough stakes to keep the plot moving at a cosy pace - friends to enemies to friends - Two FMC finding starting a new life - magical familiars
I think my favourite part of this reading experience was finding a connection with Morgan as she didn't trust anyone, had anxiety over so much and loved so big. Watching her build her family and accept Echo's love felt so therapeutic for this bookish loner with anxiety!
Enemies to Lovers is a magical book where all the well thought out details and endearing characters make sure you never want to put it down.
I cannot wait for book 2, but while I do I think I am going to keep talking about this special book and telling the world so that we can all continue basking in its magic.
I loved this book so much!!! This is what cosy fantasy dreams are made of.
Any time I read a book like this, I wish I could just transport myself inside it and live this life with these characters. I get so emotionally invested in every part of them and the life they’ve built themselves.
I loved Echo and Morgan. Their relationship was complicated at times, and yet so absurdly simple in their love for one another. Everything they had to face, they faced together. I loved their growth both together and separately over the course of this book as they learned to navigate the new life they’d carved together.
I adored every side character in this book, honestly. Igni, Fae, Nigel, Kalli and Kit have my whole dang heart and all I want is to be a part of this found family. Even most of the barely-there characters were loveable and warm.
The plot was also engaging. Low enough stakes to remain cosy throughout but high enough stakes to keep me absolutely hooked. I could not put this one down.
Thanks so much to the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this one. I can’t recommend it enough.
I was really looking forward to this story but unfortunately it fell flat. The main character is quite anxious and instead of talking about her feelings with her partner she will make some not so great choices.
The many side characters is the reason I've given this a 3 instead of a 2. We have a fire spirit that has a lot of similarities to Calcifer (from HMC). A librarian mouse with similarities to Dobby. And a carpenter tiefling.
I really enjoyed the found family vibes.
I would love to read a prequel of the MC and LI falling in love.
Arc recieved from author in exchange for an honest review.
What a cozy read! I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. If you like Legends and Lattes, Pumpkin spice and poltergist, you will enjoy this. It's LGBTQIA represent and you get a feel for the characters straight away. Also, who doesn't love al the little super natural side characters in a book?! This certainly has a few, I especially loved Igni. Found family, new beginnings and HEA.
let’s start with the vibes: enemies to booksellers is exactly the kind of book you want when you’re looking for something warm, cozy, and low-stakes. picture curling up with a blanket, sipping tea or hot chocolate, and reading about quirky characters starting a new chapter in their lives—it’s the ultimate comfort read. i haven’t read much cozy fantasy before, but this one totally delivered. the writing is easy to follow, the plot is simple but engaging, and the characters are full of charm. plus, it pulled me out of a reading slump, which honestly deserves extra points.
what really stood out to me was the structure of the story. instead of focusing on the classic “will they/won’t they” romance trope, the book opens with morgan and echo already established as a couple. i loved that it skipped the chase and dove straight into their shared journey of building a new life together. it’s such a refreshing approach to romance in fantasy, and it allowed the story to focus more on their growth as individuals and as partners. there’s plenty of sweetness and flirtiness between them, but also some real challenges as they try to leave their villainous pasts behind. morgan especially stood out to me—her flaws felt very real, and while she had a great character arc, it wasn’t some magical, overnight transformation. she’s still learning, still figuring things out, and that made her journey feel believable.
but let’s talk about the supporting cast, because they were such a highlight! igni, the fire spirit who just wants to eat books, and fae, the mousefolk who's expert in all book genres with big dreams, were everything. they brought so much personality and humor to the story, and i found myself looking forward to every scene they were in. fae especially was a standout—his energy and optimism were infectious—but i do wish we’d gotten a little more depth for igni. we learned a lot about fae’s backstory, which was great, but igni felt more like comic relief at times. don’t get me wrong, i still loved them, but a bit more backstory or development for igni would’ve taken things to the next level.
if i had one issue with the book, it’s that it sometimes felt a bit much. the story has a lot of moving parts—new beginnings, old enemies, quirky characters, random hijinks—and there were moments where it felt like everything was happening all at once. it wasn’t hard to follow, but it could feel overwhelming, like the story was trying to do too much at times. that said, the low-stakes nature of the plot kept it from becoming stressful, so it didn’t take away too much from the overall reading experience.
all in all, enemies to booksellers is a delightful, feel-good story about second chances, found families, and, of course, a love for books. it’s packed with cozy vibes, quirky characters, and plenty of heartwarming moments. if you’re into slice-of-life fantasy, charming creatures, and stories that leave you with a smile, this one is definitely worth picking up. perfect for anyone who just wants a break from the usual high-stakes fantasy drama.
thank you, @lauracatherineauthor, for the e-arc. 🩷
~ I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review, and I am also on the authors street team ~
Enemies to Booksellers is fantasy at its cosiest, with two former enemies, now a couple, running away together to open up a bookshop. There are little episodic plot lines are scattered throughout the overall plot line of protagonist Morgan, trying to out run her previous villainous boss, and her own lies.
I have some mixed feelings overall about this delightful tale. Most of my problems lie with the overall writing and Morgan. I think this was definitely a challenging task for an Indie author, and I think some parts were masterfully crafted, while other areas struggled a little. For instance, all the little wholesome details such as the ducks and side characters built a very memorable, warm found family atmosphere that really moved me at times. But an area I struggled with was the pacing, sometimes meandering or messy plot lines, and felt it was too long and overwritten at times. Despite that, I did feel some areas could have been fleshed out more, but again, for a huge challenge that this would have been, as an Indie author, I think this is definitely a commendable achievement, and has me looking forward to their future work! I do want to note I was not a fan of Morgan, and while I appreciate the authors intentions of showing a character trying to break out of the villainous role and stop self sabotaging in shame, I do feel it was a bit much for me, personally. I found with little likeable qualities sprinkled amongst the lies, manipulation and selfishness, she was a character I unfortunately did not feel compelled to read about. The side characters must have sore backs from carrying this story! Honestly, every other character was delightful, and majority were written to in my opinion, perfection. They had their own plot lines and motivations, without overshadowing the main characters. Perhaps there might have been too many side characters, but I loved them all and couldn’t pick one to go, so I didn’t mind. I do recommend this for fans of cozy fantasy. I haven’t read a lot in this genre and I’m aware it may be becoming oversaturated with all the releases, but I feel Enemies to Booksellers has some unique elements that would help it stand out amongst the noise.
Thank you Laura for the ARC, I’m so excited to see you grow as an author, and if you write many more Faezyre’s I might become goop. What a little cutie!
If you've never thought of faking your own death, running away with your former enemy turned girlfriend, and opening a "barely haunted" bookshop, employing a mousefolk librarian, and housing a feisty fire spirit, you're lying.
Enemies to Booksellers is a cosy fantasy by Lauren Catherine. We follow the MC, Morgan, on her journey, leaving her old life behind and opening the bookshop of her dreams with her girlfriend Echo. We watch the pair grow together while accomplishing their tasks and meeting friends who become family along the way. Everything is fine so long as Avery, Morgan's old boss doesn't find out she's alive, their "barely ghost" stops causing trouble and the fire spirit doesn't eat the books.
Every now and then, you come across a book that truly resonates with you in one way or another, and for me, this is that book. As a result, this has turned out to be one of the hardest reviews I have written in a long time. I would not have believed you if you'd told me this novel would end up being one of the most important books for my mental health that I have read in recent years. The way Morgan struggles with her insecurities, the feelings she has, and the way she deals with them, all spoke to me on a level I really was not prepared for.
I've had Enemies to Booksellers on my radar for a while. Found family and enemies to lovers are two tropes that will have me interested in a story right off the bat. While this particular enemies to lovers story starts differently to any I have read before, it certainly didn't take away from it.
The queer normative world and the mental health representation were what really sold this as a five star book for me. Throw in the cosiest of vibes and I will not stop talking about Enemies to Booksellers for a long time to come.
This is such an adorable cozy, sapphic fantasy novel. D&D inspirations, magic, realms, forbidden love and bookstores. Not sure what else you could ask for.
I loved the way that reading this felt like experiencing a new relationship, or relationship stage - for real life. You could feel the way that Morgan’s anxiety, self esteem and abandonment issues drove her decisions. It was really well written. And her hyperactivity too. We love some ADHD rep. The same is said for Echo and her inability to communicate based on her people pleasing traits. Liam and Avery and their nemesis status was written well but also so funny to me.
This book presented characters with unique, but very current and real-world concerns, and the author wrote them in such a way that they learnt from their mistakes, and grew as characters - I think that is sometimes so hard to do, but I feel like it was achieved.
And let’s not forget to mention our adorable side characters! A grumpy frog - I never knew I was missing this in my reading life, but Nigel was everything I needed. An incredibly well-read and book smart mouse, Faezyre is amazing & he brought me so much joy. And Igni. Lord Igni, master of heat and flames, shaker of worlds. My absolute favourite Iggy. Kit, who had had the hardest run of things, my heart broke for his story. Kallie, the most misunderstood being that just wanted to be wanted. Petra, the spunky tavern owner.
I really enjoyed this book, my little gay heart is happy, and I can’t wait for everyone else to read this.
Let me preface by saying I don’t *typically* read cozy fantasy, but now I’m definitely going to!!
At first, I was annoyed with our main character always mentally spiraling to the worst possible outcome. Then, I started thinking about why that bugged me so much. I realized it was because she and I are so similar in that way but our love for our family and partner is what settles and grounds us. This conclusion was unexpected but not in a bad way!! I love seeing myself in the characters.
I really enjoyed this story and its characters. The plot and conflicts are things that could happen to almost anyone (ya know, except the magic part). I am insanely jealous of the life Morgan and Echo build together with their bookstore filled with plants and wooden ducks! I’ll be having dreams about it.
What really made the story for me were actually the side characters! I love Fae, Nigel, Kit, Iggy, Kallie, Petra, and even Liam. They added humor and drew emotion from me in the best way. Each had their own vibrant and lovable personalities that added so much to this story. Iggy and Fae being my favorites by far with their quotes and big personalities.
Thank you, Laura for the opportunity to read this story early! I’ll be recommending to cozy fantasy readers especially if they’re looking for LGBTQ+ representation.
“Here at Enemies to Booksellers, we do not condone any sort of inappropriate behaviour toward others" - Morgan
ARC provided by @lauracatherineauthor in exchange for an honest review.
When Echo, companion to the hero and Morgan, mage to the villain fall in love they decide to leave the adventuring life behind to start their own bookstore. The key issue? Morgan faked her death to get out of service to villain Avery. How long before she finds out and their cozy future is jeopardised!
I adored this book. It had all the usual things I look for in a cosy fantasy from found family, medium-low stakes and lovable characters. I particularly loved seeing how certain characters grew throughout the book and how the idea of the villain/hero dynamic limits how we see people and characters.
My biggest complaint which is going to sound mad is that the world, magic systems and politics felt too developed. Everything felt so lived in and made me want an epic fantasy set in the same world so I can only hope Laura has something up their sleeve because I would love to see more of the materiawilds and the other plains!!
This book is the cutest, coziest, most adorable, heartwarming book in the entire world, I loved it so much! My favorite character by far is Faezyre, his story is everything- I love him, the little guy had me in tears in nearly every scene. Echo and Morgan’s love is so perfect, they are in such a beautiful relationship throughout the book and it’s so clear they love each other so much. I also love Echo, she is so sweet, I love her duck collection and her love of plants, I also love how patient and understanding she was with Morgan when Morgan panicked or made a mistake and how Morgan helps Echo speak up for herself and realize her voice is valid. Morgan has so much growth throughout this book and I loved reading it, I loved experiencing her grow and watching her find her family, people that she can finally trust. I can’t wait for the next book! I hope we get more of Kallista, she’s also such a beautiful character who deserves the whole world.
I’ll be honest - I did struggle a bit with this one. I’m a little disappointed because I’ve been so excited to read this book for a long time, and have followed the author’s journey for many months.
Unfortunately, I felt no connection with the characters with the exception of the flame sprite and the mouse 🤣 they’re my people. Morgan and Echo I guess I kind of just didn’t “get it”, Morgan I found to be really naive and hotheaded throughout a lot of the book, but not in a good way.
I found the plot dragged a bit, and don’t believe this should be as long as it is. The point of the story could have been done more succinctly, but the bits that I did like I felt didn’t really go on for long enough either.
It’s not a bad read, just a bit overwritten for my taste but I think if you’re looking for a cute and sweet romance set in a barely haunted bookstore, this one is for you.
Thank you to the author for an early copy of this book for review
I’ve been looking forward to reading Enemies to Booksellers ever since Laura started the WIP. I was so glad to have the opportunity to go ARC read this book.
I really enjoyed reading about Morgan and Echo, and of course Igni has my heart too. I’ve not read many cozy fantasies, but if more are like this, I can imagine myself diving more into this cute little genre within fantasy.
I thought the premise of the story was delightful - who wouldn’t want to leave behind a life of crime and/or wandering around after a hero, to open up a bookshop with their partner? I know I would!
This is the first book I’ve read of Laura’s and I’m definitely drawn to her writing style. It flows effortlessly and is so evocative that I can imagine myself standing in that dusty, old church, watching as it is transformed into a beautiful store.
I had very mixed feelings about this book in the first half - One of the main characters was deeply flawed (personality wise) and reading about her was irritating, to say the least. I would not be friends with this version of this person. When you dislike a main character it can definitely take away from the enjoyment of a story.
But stay with me - Her redemption arc was fantastic. So glad I stuck it out! And I did enjoy everything else about the first half! It was cosy and exciting.
The extra characters were fantastic and wholesome. I loved every one of them. The off page sapphic romance was sweet and supportive and vulnerable - We should all dream of having a partnership that comes with that level of understanding.
I'm wondering if the next book is going to be about the town's resident tiefling!
And bonus points for cute duckies at every chapter heading. ❤️
Story of two adventurers from opposing gangs who fell in love and wish to escape their past lives, choosing instead a quieter life together.
However, they soon find that adventure has continued to follow them into their new life. Purchasing a run down, haunted church as their bookshop and home, they begin their new life attracting not only adventure but a whole group of misfit ghosts, sprites and other creatures. For Morgan, this is a transformative experience as she attempts to curb her villainous ways and accept the help and friendship of others. An overall charming tale full of twists and turns and misadventures. This is a sweet YA fantasy that I believe young readers would love!
"Books are filled with history and tales of adventure. They're for escaping your life and experiencing something new that you might otherwise never get to experience. They're full of love, loss, and laughter. Books are everything." - Morgan
What a story! Full of magic, lies, books, love, tea, and magical creatures.
You follow the two FMCs in their journey of self development, trusting and finding their family, and where they belong in the new city.
They meet a few magical creatures along the way, and my favourite is Iggy the fire spirit. All I can picture in my head is the fire spirit from spirit away. He is such a sassy character and was the glue that was holding them all together.
What a beautiful, different story. And I enjoyed it.
This book was so sweet. I love the cozy sapphic fantasy books. Everything the main character went through felt so organic. The struggles with self doubt and insecurity that Morgan went through were incredibly relatable and I love the growth that she has through out the story. You can see early on the she learns from her mistakes and is constantly striving to be a better person. The relationship between the hero and villain was great also. The story within the story. I really enjoyed getting to learn what happened to but everyone in the situation to begin with.
Cosy, sweet, a barely hunted bookshop, found family, magic, wooden duckies, tea, cake and curses. This book has it all and more.
It is like reading a warm hug, that sometimes gets interrupted by complicated pasts and dark magic. But you know, keep calm and drink tea.
I laughed, I cried, I sat at the edge of my seat.
Thank you Laura Catherine for letting me read your book baby, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute reading it and I will recommend it to many, many people!
I really liked the premise of this book. The idea of opening a bookstore and starting life afresh with that someone special sounds incredible!
Early in the book one of the MC's made it plain she knew she was trying to build a relationship on lies and hoped her partner wouldn't find out because dire consequences would ensue. I don't like that trope and the fact it was clearly stated early on meant I could not settle in and enjoy the book. I'm sure other readers will enjoy it though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Looking for a sapphic cozy fantasy with a bookstore and lots of magical creatures? Then this might be up your alley!
I loved all the side characters; at times I did find Morgan a little frustrating, but I did grow to love her. I believe this could’ve been a little bit shorter than it was; however, it was still enjoyable.
I loved following along Laura’s journey on social media in the lead-up to this release, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to read this early.
This was such a different narrative from the typical enemies to lovers. We get to meet Morgan and Echo after they've fallen in love. We get to witness the reality of happily ever after. This story is full of wonderful side characters that make up a delightful little found family. Thank you for the author for an ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Such a great cozy fantasy book! I love their relationship and the insecurities Morgan has. She overcomes trauma she has from her past and learns from that. The side characters were also my favorites! Igni was great from the beginning! Then I love Faezyre, he was adorable! Great book if you’re looking for a cozy fantasy with some romance but not too much!
What a lovely world is that one in Enemies to Booksellers. I was immersed right away in this magical fantasy world full of diversity in the creatures, the genders, the personalities. The set is a big city and a "barely haunted" cathedral turned into a cozy bookshop. There's a lot of books, a lot of tea, cute and snarky characters, coziness and fluffiness with a dash of danger a'd adventure.
We read the story through Morgan's PoV, a young elf mage who ran away from her villain boss to change life and settle down with her girlfriend Echo, a forest nymph who was the hero's sidekick. I found it interesting to be in Morgan's head who used to live amongst bad people so she sees evil everywhere, doesn't trust anyone and thinks everybody wants to trick everybody. That's the way she was raised. With sweet Echo, she's learning to love and to trust, others and herself, it is not as easy as one can think.
We live the preparation and the opening of the bookstore as long as settling in a new way of life. It reminds me of some slice of life stories, you want to live there and visit the bookshop (honestly, I want to live in that bookshop!) The characters are so relatable and emotionally real, they grow well and learn so much about life and sharing. I loved the secondary characters so much, I want to be their friend (still want to live in that bookshop)
It's for you if you're into : *cozy fantasy *found family *cute sapphic romance *learning to live and grow together *starting a new life *learning to trust *daily life in a new environment *cute familiars and magical creatures *all the fantasy people (like in LoTR or DnD) *magic as a way of life
Honestly I didn't know what to expect, but in the end I liked it. it's a sweet, cozy romance between a villain mage and a hero's sidekick nymph . This book deals with themes such as redemption, new beginning and trust issues. it's based on the fact that the MCs start their relationship as enemies as you can understand from the title, but this part is not narrated as the book begins with them already in love (this was a bit disappointing). The majority of the tale is based on solving a mystery which is why i would not classify the book strictly as a romance. you will like it if you're looking for: ✨HEA ✨opposite attraction ✨redemption ✨found family ✨ Queer normative world ✨diversity Acceptance ✨cozy vibe but don't expect spice there are just some kisses here and there