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The Rune Tithe #1
A Spell for Heartsickness
In this charming MM romantic fantasy, cursed witch Briar Wyngrave has a date with destiny—but isn’t totally sure which man that date is with.
Witch Briar Wyngrave’s time is limited. The wasting curse that killed his mother is coming for him too, consuming his magic bit by bit. At least he’ll have the chance to make his name as a magical fashion designer with an elite placement in Pentawynn, the country’s glittering capital, after graduation. Until, that is, a prophecy sends him to the remote island of Coill Darragh instead, in search of a predestined lover with a mysterious mask.
When Briar arrives with his grumpy magpie familiar, Vatii, he finds an unwelcoming town, a murdered poltergeist named Gretchen in his apartment, and a handsome alderman named Rowan with a haunting scar. He also gets pulled into the mysterious magic of the darkly enchanted forest that surrounds the town and seems to have something to do with his curse . . . As if all that weren’t enough, famous witch Linden Fairchild has come to town, complete with a charismatic smile, an unreadable aura, and a surefire plan to cure curses.
How’s a cursed witch to know which enchanting man is his destiny? And can Briar possibly make an impact as a magical fashion designer in this tiny town? One thing is a witch’s magic requires a tithe—a berry, a feather, a cut into flesh—and Coill Darragh may take tithes Briar isn’t ready to give . . .
Witch Briar Wyngrave’s time is limited. The wasting curse that killed his mother is coming for him too, consuming his magic bit by bit. At least he’ll have the chance to make his name as a magical fashion designer with an elite placement in Pentawynn, the country’s glittering capital, after graduation. Until, that is, a prophecy sends him to the remote island of Coill Darragh instead, in search of a predestined lover with a mysterious mask.
When Briar arrives with his grumpy magpie familiar, Vatii, he finds an unwelcoming town, a murdered poltergeist named Gretchen in his apartment, and a handsome alderman named Rowan with a haunting scar. He also gets pulled into the mysterious magic of the darkly enchanted forest that surrounds the town and seems to have something to do with his curse . . . As if all that weren’t enough, famous witch Linden Fairchild has come to town, complete with a charismatic smile, an unreadable aura, and a surefire plan to cure curses.
How’s a cursed witch to know which enchanting man is his destiny? And can Briar possibly make an impact as a magical fashion designer in this tiny town? One thing is a witch’s magic requires a tithe—a berry, a feather, a cut into flesh—and Coill Darragh may take tithes Briar isn’t ready to give . . .
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2024
329 people are currently reading
3993 people want to read
About the author
Alistair Reeves
3 books75 followersAlistair Reeves (he/him) writes romantasy about messy queers and morally grey characters. Born in Canada, he moved to England to indulge his addiction to hot caffeinated beverages. His influences range from video games to Chinese danmei. When not writing, he can be found playing Dungeons & Dragons or tending to his frankly absurd collection of succulents.
In 2019 he won a Watty Award for his queer science fiction, Static Crush, and was a 2022 Pitch Wars mentee. A SPELL FOR HEARTSICKNESS is his debut novel, releasing with Podium in Fall 2024.
He graduated from Sheridan College with a Bachelors in Animation, but he mostly uses his artistic skills to draw his OC’s kissing.
In 2019 he won a Watty Award for his queer science fiction, Static Crush, and was a 2022 Pitch Wars mentee. A SPELL FOR HEARTSICKNESS is his debut novel, releasing with Podium in Fall 2024.
He graduated from Sheridan College with a Bachelors in Animation, but he mostly uses his artistic skills to draw his OC’s kissing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
October 12, 2024
Cursed to succumb to an early death just like his mother, Briar has one dream, to live his life and make a name for himself in the fashion industry. When he finally graduates from his apprenticeship and is looking forward to being placed in a bustling city, Briar is left shocked when he is moved to a small island town instead. Wanting answers, Briar seeks guidance from his prophetic teacher and is encouraged to follow his heart and destiny. However, when his heart sends him in two directions, one with the town's sweet and stoic guardian, Rowan, and the other with his celebrity crush, Linden, Briar is forced to decide if his life is worth giving up for love.
This was such a captivating and cozy romantasy! I loved the world building and vivid magic surrounding the plot. Briar and his journey to find love was just so fun. The romance kept me on my toes the whole time and truly had me hooked to the end, the dash of angst and how it tied into Briar's life was a perfect addition. I absolutely loved Rowan and Briar together, their relationship was so gentle and unraveled perfectly with the mystery and intrigue of the story. If you're looking for a magical and angsty queer romance for this spooky season, look no further! I think this would be the perfect read to hunker down with and dive deep into a world of magic, curses, love, and fate.
~Many thanks to Edelweiss and Alistair Reeves for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
This was such a captivating and cozy romantasy! I loved the world building and vivid magic surrounding the plot. Briar and his journey to find love was just so fun. The romance kept me on my toes the whole time and truly had me hooked to the end, the dash of angst and how it tied into Briar's life was a perfect addition. I absolutely loved Rowan and Briar together, their relationship was so gentle and unraveled perfectly with the mystery and intrigue of the story. If you're looking for a magical and angsty queer romance for this spooky season, look no further! I think this would be the perfect read to hunker down with and dive deep into a world of magic, curses, love, and fate.
~Many thanks to Edelweiss and Alistair Reeves for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
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November 14, 2024Dnf at 53%
It's lovely, cosy and whimsical, just not for me at this moment.
It's lovely, cosy and whimsical, just not for me at this moment.
October 3, 2024
The perfect cozy, tear-your-heart-out MM romantasy for the spooky season tbr.
THE PREMISE: Briar the witch doesn’t have long to live, and is determined to leave his mark upon the world, so the last thing he expects is for a prophecy to send him to a small forest town with a secret.
TROPES & VIBES:
- MM cozy romantasy with high stakes
- Love triangle
- Secrets, prophecies and ghosts
- Disability rep (terminal illness - curse)
- A long read (600+ Kindle pages)
4.5⭐️ 1🌶️
THE PREMISE: Briar the witch doesn’t have long to live, and is determined to leave his mark upon the world, so the last thing he expects is for a prophecy to send him to a small forest town with a secret.
TROPES & VIBES:
- MM cozy romantasy with high stakes
- Love triangle
- Secrets, prophecies and ghosts
- Disability rep (terminal illness - curse)
- A long read (600+ Kindle pages)
4.5⭐️ 1🌶️
May 10, 2025
i have several gripes with this novel, enough so that i feel the need to say something maybe others who’ve read this book already might disagree with right off the rip. if there’s one review i recommend reading fully, it would be the one i’m currently writing – for the benefit of future readers expecting a certain vibe with this novel.
[EDIT 2025-05-09: i don’t know why i come back to this review every so often, yet here i am, and i have some news! i decided to revisit the Amazon store page for this novel and i guess my criticisms regarding the “cozy romantasy” advertising were listened to, as the novel has been essentially rebranded as just a romantasy. good on you, Podium Publishing – if it was your team that helped to make the change happen. it was very necessary in my opinion, considering the rise in popularity of slice-of-life-type cozy fantasy novels that are being published in today’s market. anyway, this did kind of cause my initial review of this novel to be a little redundant but i’ll happily bump up my rating to 4 stars given this change in how this book is marketed.]
[ORIGINAL REVIEW: 2024-11-20]
the first thing i want to comment on is how this book is advertised as a “cozy romantasy” both on the Amazon product page, and by the author themselves in the Content Warning section before the story begins within the novel (who then only goes onto admit, in the same paragraph, that the book’s stakes are intense). this novel is far from that. what i expected to be a cute fantasy love story with a very low-stakes remedy for the main character’s—Briar Wyngrave—problems and ailments turned out to be a pretty intense mystery romance novel that had me sitting up reading this novel well into the early morning hours and very much past my usual bedtime. i enjoyed the story, and don’t get me wrong, i will absolutely talk about how i enjoyed this novel (despite the false advertisement of what i was getting myself into) within this review. i personally feel that if a book is being advertised as a “cozy romantasy,” then it needs to be just that. a cozy, light-reading novel that meanders peacefully through a low-stakes plot line without too many twists and turns that make you actively unable to put the book down. i expected more moments of some reprieve and received none. maybe i’m a sensitive little snowflake and future novels within the fantasy genre i have on my TBR shelf will prove my initial notions of this novel to be wildly off-base... but this novel just wasn’t at all what i was expecting. to be clear, i’m not trying to imply the book is a terrible work of fiction. this is Alistair Reeves’s debut novel, and albeit not super polished and perfect, it was a very good debut in my opinion. i’m just not personally a fan of the misleading claim of “coziness” as i was promised.
another thing i want to immediately address is the lack of content warnings. hear me out: while i completely understand it’s not ever required of an author to provide content and/or trigger warnings for their novel(s), and i certainly do appreciate when they are given—looking pointedly at the one fantasy novel i was interested in reading, only to read the sample and be immediately accosted with descriptions that triggered my arachnophobia so badly i had to immediately stop and throw it far from my mind—but if one is provided... include everything in it, please. despite that a content warning was issued in this novel, i actually felt it didn’t appropriately prepare me at all. Reeves preludes their novel to issue content warnings regarding the MC’s curse that affects him physically and magically with a pretty apt description – no notes there. Reeves also includes CW for mentions of death of a parent, one incident of DV not between the MC and LI—not entirely inaccurate—and mentions of past homophobia. and that’s it. no other mentions whatsoever. this does not cover everything that happens in the novel that i personally feel the need to address for this novel. there’s multiple murders of parents in this novel. the DV instance does affect the MC directly (so the trigger warning issued within the novel is slightly misleading in my opinion), and there’s also instances of mental/emotional abuse that happens to the MC. there’s a lot of body mutilation that takes place in this novel caused by a malevolent magical entity to various characters, including the LI. there are scenes depicting death of multiple side characters, and while Reeves’s narration of the story doesn’t go into incredible heebie-jeebies-creep-level amounts of detail, the narration also doesn’t leave enough room for the imagination. lastly, one could argue that the specific type of magic used by the MC depicts themes of self-harm, which isn’t exactly a bold or unique mechanic in fantasy, i realize, but that, plus the other non-mentioned trigger warnings i’ve listed here, strays too far from the aforementioned coziness that this novel was supposed to make me, the reader, feel.
if you can’t already tell, i’m very hung-up on the fact that i felt i was mislead by both the author and the publisher, Podium Publishing, and i recognize that. i’m simply trying to warn others that this should have been advertised as a mystery romantasy, not a cozy fantasy. if it had been advertised as such, i probably wouldn’t be writing this review and giving it the 3-star rating that i am. i literally lost sleep because of this novel (more in a good way than a bad, if i’m totally honest), so my emotions might be a little more charged than usual. however, that’s mostly all i wanted to mention to help forewarn future readers about what they’re getting into with this novel.
as i’ve said throughout this review, i thought the book was pretty good overall. i found it a very interesting read that didn’t provide a lot of moments of reprieve for me to put the book down and finally get some much needed shut-eye, nor did Reeves’s writing make me feel nothing for the characters. i certainly felt many emotions for all of the characters we’re introduced to throughout this novel. from rooting for Briar Wyngrave to overcome his challenges, to intense curiosity for the LIs Rowan O’Shea and Linden Fairchild (at one point, i literally thought one of them was a werewolf). i reeled from the secrets that slowly unfolded about the tiny town (village might be more of a correct word, considering how small this place is) of Coill Darragh. as a mystery novel, this book did everything it set out to do: it pushed you along in the narrative, it didn’t drag out unnecessarily on parts that were inconsequential, and every plot point had meaning. and the ending was a beautiful one that left me feeling satisfied and happy this novel came across my Facebook timeline. i give huge (fellow Canadian) props to Reeves and the team that worked on making this novel a reality, because they truly did make a wonderful world and cast of characters come to life.
i will admit, however, that as i read the first handful of chapters, i was a little put-off by Reeves mentioning a specific idea, which only then got repeated and slightly re-worded in the next chapter within a similar context, and it took me out of the immersion a bit. that might just be a me-thing, however. this happens again about 60% of the way into the novel, where an idea or a past event is mentioned and then is repeated in the next chapters, and i’m not entirely confident that’s a typical occurrence within the fantasy genre, but i might very well be wrong. my reading ventures will soon tell.
another gripe that i have – this book is entirely set in a modern, fictional fantasy world, with fictional names for places and most things. Instagram is essentially rebranded to Alakagram, a fun play on the word alakazam. prescription medications aren’t the little pills we all are well-acquainted with, and witches utilize brooms that, like a used car, can break down and become unusable (but instead of utilizing a mechanic shop, there’s a simple home-brew treatment that can make a broom as good as new again). there’s all these neat imagined replacements for many of the things we take for granted every day, and yet... and yet this world has Post-It notes. no, seriously. Reeves straight-up mentions Post-It notes in this novel. in case anyone is wondering why i’m bringing this up, Post-It Notes is a registered brand name. while i’m not discrediting the idea that Post-It Notes can exist in an entire fantasy world, name and all. if we’re going to have Post-It Notes in this world, why rebrand Instagram? (searching the eBook, i actually only found one instance of Post-It notes being mentioned – i for some reason thought there had been more than two.) it was another portion of this novel that briefly took me out of the immersion, since “sticky notes” would have worked just as well to get the point across.
other than that, i have no other notes of importance. i cannot stress how miffed i am about feeling misled by how the novel was advertised and presented, and i hope that this won’t be repeated for Alistair Reeves’s future novels, but i also cannot stress how good this story is and how much i enjoyed it. the writing, albeit a little clunky in some parts, has such wonderful potential and i will be looking forward to Reeves’s works.
[EDIT 2025-05-09: i don’t know why i come back to this review every so often, yet here i am, and i have some news! i decided to revisit the Amazon store page for this novel and i guess my criticisms regarding the “cozy romantasy” advertising were listened to, as the novel has been essentially rebranded as just a romantasy. good on you, Podium Publishing – if it was your team that helped to make the change happen. it was very necessary in my opinion, considering the rise in popularity of slice-of-life-type cozy fantasy novels that are being published in today’s market. anyway, this did kind of cause my initial review of this novel to be a little redundant but i’ll happily bump up my rating to 4 stars given this change in how this book is marketed.]
[ORIGINAL REVIEW: 2024-11-20]
the first thing i want to comment on is how this book is advertised as a “cozy romantasy” both on the Amazon product page, and by the author themselves in the Content Warning section before the story begins within the novel (who then only goes onto admit, in the same paragraph, that the book’s stakes are intense). this novel is far from that. what i expected to be a cute fantasy love story with a very low-stakes remedy for the main character’s—Briar Wyngrave—problems and ailments turned out to be a pretty intense mystery romance novel that had me sitting up reading this novel well into the early morning hours and very much past my usual bedtime. i enjoyed the story, and don’t get me wrong, i will absolutely talk about how i enjoyed this novel (despite the false advertisement of what i was getting myself into) within this review. i personally feel that if a book is being advertised as a “cozy romantasy,” then it needs to be just that. a cozy, light-reading novel that meanders peacefully through a low-stakes plot line without too many twists and turns that make you actively unable to put the book down. i expected more moments of some reprieve and received none. maybe i’m a sensitive little snowflake and future novels within the fantasy genre i have on my TBR shelf will prove my initial notions of this novel to be wildly off-base... but this novel just wasn’t at all what i was expecting. to be clear, i’m not trying to imply the book is a terrible work of fiction. this is Alistair Reeves’s debut novel, and albeit not super polished and perfect, it was a very good debut in my opinion. i’m just not personally a fan of the misleading claim of “coziness” as i was promised.
another thing i want to immediately address is the lack of content warnings. hear me out: while i completely understand it’s not ever required of an author to provide content and/or trigger warnings for their novel(s), and i certainly do appreciate when they are given—looking pointedly at the one fantasy novel i was interested in reading, only to read the sample and be immediately accosted with descriptions that triggered my arachnophobia so badly i had to immediately stop and throw it far from my mind—but if one is provided... include everything in it, please. despite that a content warning was issued in this novel, i actually felt it didn’t appropriately prepare me at all. Reeves preludes their novel to issue content warnings regarding the MC’s curse that affects him physically and magically with a pretty apt description – no notes there. Reeves also includes CW for mentions of death of a parent, one incident of DV not between the MC and LI—not entirely inaccurate—and mentions of past homophobia. and that’s it. no other mentions whatsoever. this does not cover everything that happens in the novel that i personally feel the need to address for this novel. there’s multiple murders of parents in this novel. the DV instance does affect the MC directly (so the trigger warning issued within the novel is slightly misleading in my opinion), and there’s also instances of mental/emotional abuse that happens to the MC. there’s a lot of body mutilation that takes place in this novel caused by a malevolent magical entity to various characters, including the LI. there are scenes depicting death of multiple side characters, and while Reeves’s narration of the story doesn’t go into incredible heebie-jeebies-creep-level amounts of detail, the narration also doesn’t leave enough room for the imagination. lastly, one could argue that the specific type of magic used by the MC depicts themes of self-harm, which isn’t exactly a bold or unique mechanic in fantasy, i realize, but that, plus the other non-mentioned trigger warnings i’ve listed here, strays too far from the aforementioned coziness that this novel was supposed to make me, the reader, feel.
if you can’t already tell, i’m very hung-up on the fact that i felt i was mislead by both the author and the publisher, Podium Publishing, and i recognize that. i’m simply trying to warn others that this should have been advertised as a mystery romantasy, not a cozy fantasy. if it had been advertised as such, i probably wouldn’t be writing this review and giving it the 3-star rating that i am. i literally lost sleep because of this novel (more in a good way than a bad, if i’m totally honest), so my emotions might be a little more charged than usual. however, that’s mostly all i wanted to mention to help forewarn future readers about what they’re getting into with this novel.
as i’ve said throughout this review, i thought the book was pretty good overall. i found it a very interesting read that didn’t provide a lot of moments of reprieve for me to put the book down and finally get some much needed shut-eye, nor did Reeves’s writing make me feel nothing for the characters. i certainly felt many emotions for all of the characters we’re introduced to throughout this novel. from rooting for Briar Wyngrave to overcome his challenges, to intense curiosity for the LIs Rowan O’Shea and Linden Fairchild (at one point, i literally thought one of them was a werewolf). i reeled from the secrets that slowly unfolded about the tiny town (village might be more of a correct word, considering how small this place is) of Coill Darragh. as a mystery novel, this book did everything it set out to do: it pushed you along in the narrative, it didn’t drag out unnecessarily on parts that were inconsequential, and every plot point had meaning. and the ending was a beautiful one that left me feeling satisfied and happy this novel came across my Facebook timeline. i give huge (fellow Canadian) props to Reeves and the team that worked on making this novel a reality, because they truly did make a wonderful world and cast of characters come to life.
i will admit, however, that as i read the first handful of chapters, i was a little put-off by Reeves mentioning a specific idea, which only then got repeated and slightly re-worded in the next chapter within a similar context, and it took me out of the immersion a bit. that might just be a me-thing, however. this happens again about 60% of the way into the novel, where an idea or a past event is mentioned and then is repeated in the next chapters, and i’m not entirely confident that’s a typical occurrence within the fantasy genre, but i might very well be wrong. my reading ventures will soon tell.
another gripe that i have – this book is entirely set in a modern, fictional fantasy world, with fictional names for places and most things. Instagram is essentially rebranded to Alakagram, a fun play on the word alakazam. prescription medications aren’t the little pills we all are well-acquainted with, and witches utilize brooms that, like a used car, can break down and become unusable (but instead of utilizing a mechanic shop, there’s a simple home-brew treatment that can make a broom as good as new again). there’s all these neat imagined replacements for many of the things we take for granted every day, and yet... and yet this world has Post-It notes. no, seriously. Reeves straight-up mentions Post-It notes in this novel. in case anyone is wondering why i’m bringing this up, Post-It Notes is a registered brand name. while i’m not discrediting the idea that Post-It Notes can exist in an entire fantasy world, name and all. if we’re going to have Post-It Notes in this world, why rebrand Instagram? (searching the eBook, i actually only found one instance of Post-It notes being mentioned – i for some reason thought there had been more than two.) it was another portion of this novel that briefly took me out of the immersion, since “sticky notes” would have worked just as well to get the point across.
other than that, i have no other notes of importance. i cannot stress how miffed i am about feeling misled by how the novel was advertised and presented, and i hope that this won’t be repeated for Alistair Reeves’s future novels, but i also cannot stress how good this story is and how much i enjoyed it. the writing, albeit a little clunky in some parts, has such wonderful potential and i will be looking forward to Reeves’s works.
January 21, 2025
3.5 stars!
December 31, 2024
I found the last 40% of this book to be immensely frustrating. I don't like third act break ups they never go well and the way Rowan is treated just made me so frustrated and I couldn't keep dealing with Briars self sacrificing stupidity over trying to force himself to fall in love with Linden. It took up to much of the book and just ended up making it so I didn't buy it when Briar finally went back to Rowan. I will also say the scene of domestic violence content warning is misleading because it is actually between the Mc Brair and the second would be fake love interest Linden. Points for being an actual magic witchy fantasy book and not the barely their magical fabulism fiddle faddle being paraded around as witch romances.
The audio book is also worth the time at least until Briars stupid self sacrificing nature becomes to annoying to listen to
The audio book is also worth the time at least until Briars stupid self sacrificing nature becomes to annoying to listen to
December 22, 2024
A Spell For Heartsickness follows Briar Wyndgrave, a witch cursed to die young, as he investigates a cure for his curse while caught between two men: The famous Linden Fairchild, and small-town Rowan, the friend with benefits he begins to catch feelings for.
I think Alistair Reeves is a great writer, and the found family dynamic created in Coill Darragh is great. The presence of Gretchen, Briar's ghostly roommate, is a breath of fresh air. And I found the main romance plot itself really charming.
That being said, I struggled with Briar as a protagonist to some degree. I never really resonate with 'fated romance' dynamics, and I just felt like I quickly got to a point of frustration with the angst, rather than excitement. The love triangle was fun to follow for a while, but once I knew who would win, I somewhat lost interest.
I admit in my heart of hearts I really just enjoyed the sequel/companionship novel A Hex For Hunger a bit more.
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I think Alistair Reeves is a great writer, and the found family dynamic created in Coill Darragh is great. The presence of Gretchen, Briar's ghostly roommate, is a breath of fresh air. And I found the main romance plot itself really charming.
That being said, I struggled with Briar as a protagonist to some degree. I never really resonate with 'fated romance' dynamics, and I just felt like I quickly got to a point of frustration with the angst, rather than excitement. The love triangle was fun to follow for a while, but once I knew who would win, I somewhat lost interest.
I admit in my heart of hearts I really just enjoyed the sequel/companionship novel A Hex For Hunger a bit more.
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November 3, 2024
I’m conflicted on how to rate this. I think if I’d had known there was a love triangle, I might’ve skipped this book. I’m sorta glad I didn’t know because I did enjoy the characters and definitely want to continue the series. I just really fucking hate love triangles.
The narrator was phenomenal. 10/10 for the audiobook alone. This is set in a fantasy Ireland and even if I hadn’t had known that beforehand, I would’ve picked up on it fairly quick by the accent and how the characters speak. The author has either spent a lot of time here, or has spent a lot of time in the company of Irish people. He got all the phrases down perfect.
I think I’d have given this 4 stars without the love triangle, and maybe 3 stars with it. So I’ll probably settle on 3.5 but round it up since I don’t think the rating should suffer for me not knowing about the love triangle.
The narrator was phenomenal. 10/10 for the audiobook alone. This is set in a fantasy Ireland and even if I hadn’t had known that beforehand, I would’ve picked up on it fairly quick by the accent and how the characters speak. The author has either spent a lot of time here, or has spent a lot of time in the company of Irish people. He got all the phrases down perfect.
I think I’d have given this 4 stars without the love triangle, and maybe 3 stars with it. So I’ll probably settle on 3.5 but round it up since I don’t think the rating should suffer for me not knowing about the love triangle.
June 8, 2025
I loved the coziness, the magic, the yearning ❤️ I want to come back to this book again and again. I preordered the next book and I can hardly wait.
July 4, 2025
What a cute book🥹🥹
June 16, 2024
Wooow, this was a wild ride and I feel like my eyes are bloodshot from sitting in one spot reading because I just had to finish this today. Thanks so much to the publisher and Edelweiss for such an early look at this title.
Like the synopsis reads, Briar has some decisions to make and I was as equally stressed as he was while reading. Prophecies are such tricky things that always lead people to the wrong path because of easy misinterpretations. But, I enjoyed the journey of getting to know Briar and subsequently Vatii, Rowan, Linden and the island of Coill Darragh. I enjoyed the lore of the forest and that while the storyline was a bit easy to figure out who the culprit was, it held up as a lighthearted romantasy. I actually walked away understanding what the heck happened, which does not always happen.
Ugh, I loved Rowan and his family who opened their arms for Briar so easily and stood by him through it all.
Being able to see auras was also such a cool part of the story that further highlighted Briar’s true feelings long before he admits them to himself. I’d forever choose someone whose aura felt like the coziest bowl of soup over fame any day. I will indeed recommend to people who enjoy a quick MM fantasy read that has some fantasy that is easily digestible.
Like the synopsis reads, Briar has some decisions to make and I was as equally stressed as he was while reading. Prophecies are such tricky things that always lead people to the wrong path because of easy misinterpretations. But, I enjoyed the journey of getting to know Briar and subsequently Vatii, Rowan, Linden and the island of Coill Darragh. I enjoyed the lore of the forest and that while the storyline was a bit easy to figure out who the culprit was, it held up as a lighthearted romantasy. I actually walked away understanding what the heck happened, which does not always happen.
Ugh, I loved Rowan and his family who opened their arms for Briar so easily and stood by him through it all.
Being able to see auras was also such a cool part of the story that further highlighted Briar’s true feelings long before he admits them to himself. I’d forever choose someone whose aura felt like the coziest bowl of soup over fame any day. I will indeed recommend to people who enjoy a quick MM fantasy read that has some fantasy that is easily digestible.
March 11, 2025
Briar Wyngrave is a witch rapidly running out of time. He just wants to be a famous fashion designer but a mysterious prophecy may prevent this goal from being achieved.
Accompanied by his crotchety magpie companion, Vatii, Briar must weigh his options of how to break the curse, get the guy (is it the grumpy protective Rowan or the charismatic curse-curing witch Linden?) and make an impact on a small town surrounded by a haunted magic forest?
It sounds fun right? I really wanted to like it. It wasn't in my wheel-house this go-round. The characters are well-written and Briar deals with a lot of of negative circumstances and (potentially) triggering topics. The pacing, world-building and keeping the reader engaged is there. The spice wasn't what I wanted. It may be for other readers, but this one wasn't for me (and I like romantic m/m fantasies).
Accompanied by his crotchety magpie companion, Vatii, Briar must weigh his options of how to break the curse, get the guy (is it the grumpy protective Rowan or the charismatic curse-curing witch Linden?) and make an impact on a small town surrounded by a haunted magic forest?
It sounds fun right? I really wanted to like it. It wasn't in my wheel-house this go-round. The characters are well-written and Briar deals with a lot of of negative circumstances and (potentially) triggering topics. The pacing, world-building and keeping the reader engaged is there. The spice wasn't what I wanted. It may be for other readers, but this one wasn't for me (and I like romantic m/m fantasies).
June 11, 2025
Um, excuse me, I came here to pick up my order of a cute little cozy book about a cute twink who makes clothes in a small town and falls in love with a bear, not *one of the best books I've read so far this year*, pardon me????
Wow. Just... wow. From Briar's (sometimes frustratingly) impulsive, dramatic nature being so flawlessly depicted, to the sweet (but not goofy) animal companion, to Rowan being the absolute perfect man (I shall hear no criticism), to the fraught, tense, layered plot, this book started as a surprise and kept up from there.
I DO have to say, though, this is **not**a cozy fantasy romance. Cozy elements? Absolutely! But it's very intense and plot-driven and emotional, so if you're looking for something to just coast through, be prepared for a more intense roller coaster.
I loved everything about this whole experience, and I won't stop recommending this book for a while. Needless to say, I pre-ordered the next book 40 pages from the end of this one. Not even sorry.
Wow. Just... wow. From Briar's (sometimes frustratingly) impulsive, dramatic nature being so flawlessly depicted, to the sweet (but not goofy) animal companion, to Rowan being the absolute perfect man (I shall hear no criticism), to the fraught, tense, layered plot, this book started as a surprise and kept up from there.
I DO have to say, though, this is **not**a cozy fantasy romance. Cozy elements? Absolutely! But it's very intense and plot-driven and emotional, so if you're looking for something to just coast through, be prepared for a more intense roller coaster.
I loved everything about this whole experience, and I won't stop recommending this book for a while. Needless to say, I pre-ordered the next book 40 pages from the end of this one. Not even sorry.
February 16, 2025
I wish I loved this book, but it just didn’t work for me.
You clock the villain as soon as he enters the page. And then you have to see Briar (the sole POV) be stupid with him. And do the self sacrificing for absolutely no reason. Just no.
The best thing about the book for me was the cover. It is gorgeous.
You clock the villain as soon as he enters the page. And then you have to see Briar (the sole POV) be stupid with him. And do the self sacrificing for absolutely no reason. Just no.
The best thing about the book for me was the cover. It is gorgeous.
Read
June 15, 2025DNF 53%
If I’m still rolling my eyes at everything that is happening up to 53%, then it’s not going to improve.
If I’m still rolling my eyes at everything that is happening up to 53%, then it’s not going to improve.
February 17, 2025
This book really worked for me, maybe even more than it should? I was immediately captivated by the world, the magic, and Briar as a character. So many of Briar’s actions in this book are obviously mistakes, but almost all of them made sense to me as realistic mistakes someone his age and in his position would make, so my response was to want him to figure things out, rather than annoyance (though I can understand how others might just have been frustrated). I thought the explanation for why Briar couldn’t talk about certain things mostly worked and allowed this to be a story where conflict occurs because people aren’t talking to each other but I wasn’t constantly mentally screaming at them to just have a conversation. That being said, I think there should have been more moments of Briar wishing he could talk about things and being upset about the magical prohibition, both because it would have made sense for his character and because I needed the reminder.
I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author.
I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author.
October 28, 2024
The writing style was beautiful. My only gripe is that Rowan deserves someone better than Briar. I didn't enjoy Briar's "will he, won't he," bit. It's not my favorite plot line for anything. This book started really interesting, but I was pretty frustrated by chapter 18.
January 4, 2025
i am healed but also crying
June 25, 2025
Rounded up from 3.75
This book does precisely what it says on the tin.
The prose was generally solid and occasionally excellent. Briar was relatable and charming, and Rowan was swoonworthy and a straight hottie. I loved Briar and Gretchen's friendship and its impact on the plot.
I found myself wanting more nuance from the plot and characters— both of whose predictability inhibited my personal enjoyment of the story. Also, a lot of the relationship development between our main two leads happened via montage, which I found less compelling. Other than innate compatibility and being generally kind, I didn't get a strong sense of why they cared so deeply for each other.
That said, if you are looking for a sweet, cozy MM mystery romantasy with a heaping spoonful of angst, fashion-related subplots, and a spooky forest, this is absolutely the book for you.
This book does precisely what it says on the tin.
The prose was generally solid and occasionally excellent. Briar was relatable and charming, and Rowan was swoonworthy and a straight hottie. I loved Briar and Gretchen's friendship and its impact on the plot.
I found myself wanting more nuance from the plot and characters— both of whose predictability inhibited my personal enjoyment of the story. Also, a lot of the relationship development between our main two leads happened via montage, which I found less compelling. Other than innate compatibility and being generally kind, I didn't get a strong sense of why they cared so deeply for each other.
That said, if you are looking for a sweet, cozy MM mystery romantasy with a heaping spoonful of angst, fashion-related subplots, and a spooky forest, this is absolutely the book for you.
July 29, 2025
This took me far too long to complete and it was a bit clunky at parts but dang I’m still a sucker for angst with a happy ending. The magic was very cool to read about and the author has a really nice way of describing magical elements and shenanigans. Idk why it was so hard for me to get through. Regardless, a lovely debut novel with interesting characters and BIG MEN WHOM I LOVE lol
November 10, 2025
I'm finally free of this book!!!! Disclaimer: I don't think this is a bad book, it just did not agree with me. I got so annoyed at the main character's stubborn naïvety that I just couldn't take it anymore. The book took me almost 5 months to finish, which is insane. I think a lot of other people might love this book, and the rest of the series, but I am officially steering clear lmao.
March 19, 2025
I'm so disappointed that this book didn't work for me, because the audio book narration with the different dialects was great! Plus I quite enjoyed the first half of the story; unfortunately, after that it kind of went off the rails and I felt increasingly frustrated and even angry by the end.
First off, I think this book is just too long. I couldn't believe how much of the audio book was left when I checked again and agin. The reason for the length was another issue for me: there were too many story lines and themes smashed together that didn't quite work together very well. There was Briar and his curse, the village's history, Gretchen and her death, Linden and his whole situation, Rowan and Briar's romance, Rowan's history and family, Briar and his desire to endear himself to the village vs. making it in the world, various magical instruments and plants etc, etc. I often forgot about one subject that hadn't come up for some time before it was suddenly mentioned again. And yes, I guess by the end all of it did tie together, but I couldn't enjoy it, because I was just distracted by figuring out who exactly had done what and if the forest was actually evil or not (still not sure about that).
I think this book could have been at least 100 pages shorter, which could have been achieved easily enough by, for example, getting rid of the character of Linden. Why not make this what it seems to be in the first 30 or 40%? A nice cozy romantasy in a small village with Briar as the sunshiny character and Rowan showing him that he isn't 'too much'. The villain could've been Rowan's father or the magic forest or whoever! Why not focus on the lovely atmosphere and fun character of Briar that were set up in the first chapters of the book? Instead, the story became increasingly depressing as the book went on with Briar's health deteriorating, him sabotaging his relationship with Rowan involving a lot of them just not communicating or being interrupted in a frustrating way when they were about to say something important to each other, the poltergeist being more and more annoying and apparently just wishing Briar to die - and of course, Briar's relationship with the other part of the love triangle who was clearly the villain from the get-go and then devolved into Briar being slapped in the face and manipulated for chapters and chapters. It was just such a turn-around I couldn't believe it. I started to speed through the chapters focused on Briar and Linden, because it was just so clear what was going on and I wanted it to be over with quite desperately at that point.
I also have to say that I had some issue with the writing style. The scenes and dialogue themselves were well written, but parts of the world building were a bit strange and pulled me out of the story again and again. I'm thinking here, for example, of all these tourists suddenly turning up in a tiny village and the villagers just seemed fine with it? Even though the village was previously described as unknown and mostly isolated from the rest of the world.
Overall, I'm sad that this didn't work for me because the audio book was well narrated and the cover is gorgeous!
First off, I think this book is just too long. I couldn't believe how much of the audio book was left when I checked again and agin. The reason for the length was another issue for me: there were too many story lines and themes smashed together that didn't quite work together very well. There was Briar and his curse, the village's history, Gretchen and her death, Linden and his whole situation, Rowan and Briar's romance, Rowan's history and family, Briar and his desire to endear himself to the village vs. making it in the world, various magical instruments and plants etc, etc. I often forgot about one subject that hadn't come up for some time before it was suddenly mentioned again. And yes, I guess by the end all of it did tie together, but I couldn't enjoy it, because I was just distracted by figuring out who exactly had done what and if the forest was actually evil or not (still not sure about that).
I think this book could have been at least 100 pages shorter, which could have been achieved easily enough by, for example, getting rid of the character of Linden. Why not make this what it seems to be in the first 30 or 40%? A nice cozy romantasy in a small village with Briar as the sunshiny character and Rowan showing him that he isn't 'too much'. The villain could've been Rowan's father or the magic forest or whoever! Why not focus on the lovely atmosphere and fun character of Briar that were set up in the first chapters of the book? Instead, the story became increasingly depressing as the book went on with Briar's health deteriorating, him sabotaging his relationship with Rowan involving a lot of them just not communicating or being interrupted in a frustrating way when they were about to say something important to each other, the poltergeist being more and more annoying and apparently just wishing Briar to die - and of course, Briar's relationship with the other part of the love triangle who was clearly the villain from the get-go and then devolved into Briar being slapped in the face and manipulated for chapters and chapters. It was just such a turn-around I couldn't believe it. I started to speed through the chapters focused on Briar and Linden, because it was just so clear what was going on and I wanted it to be over with quite desperately at that point.
I also have to say that I had some issue with the writing style. The scenes and dialogue themselves were well written, but parts of the world building were a bit strange and pulled me out of the story again and again. I'm thinking here, for example, of all these tourists suddenly turning up in a tiny village and the villagers just seemed fine with it? Even though the village was previously described as unknown and mostly isolated from the rest of the world.
Overall, I'm sad that this didn't work for me because the audio book was well narrated and the cover is gorgeous!
November 12, 2024
Truly one of the best debut novels I've ever read. The prose alone was fabulous, and then the story had so many twists and turns, the magic was fully fleshed out and fascinating, the plot had depth, the characters were all so loveable, and the relationship felt so warm and natural and true. Particularly that sledding scene. God I felt the magic! An enthusiastic 5 stars from me. I think cozy(adjective) better describes the general setting and characters, but this was high angst, which is NOT Cozy(genre).
April 6, 2025
My tolerance for twee is very low right now.
Also, I’ve already seen one anime with a surprisingly similar plot, are they all pulling from the same source material? What is the original source material? Is it also unbearable?
Also, I’ve already seen one anime with a surprisingly similar plot, are they all pulling from the same source material? What is the original source material? Is it also unbearable?
Read
December 3, 2024DNF @ 45% I hate love triangles. Screw this…
July 5, 2025
Unlikable MC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
After being locked in on Warhammer for a solid few weeks, I needed a little something to take the edge off, and this was pretty damn good, though not perfect.
Positives! The world building was fun; I love magic at a price, and the animal familiar was well done. It's not particularly deep, but, in all raw honesty, I did not need this to be deep and thoughtful world building. I needed it to be nebulous modern with magic, to borrow parlance from ao3, and it was, and I was satisfied. The love triangle/choice for Briar to make between partners was very solid, and it kept the tension building. In general, the characters are quite good, though nothing particularly groundbreaking (more tropes done well, but tropes are tropes for a reason). The sex scenes were GREAT and made me blush on public transportation. I really liked the ending as well, less so the epilogue, but the ultimate handling of the curse.
With that said, this book is 100% not for everyone. It is VERY twee, and I'm lucky that I have a high tolerance for that right now (again, finished multiple Warhammer books in a few weeks), because some of it could have pissed me right off. I could see many people being DEEPLY frustrated by Briar; he reads as emotionally immature and the text frequently mentions him dramatically moping. I found it camp; I could easily see other people (or even me at the wrong time) finding it annoying. He is the POV character throughout, so if that grates, steer clear.
There are also a few general things that I disliked. I found Vatti's support of Linden as a love interest a little baffling frankly; I completely buy that Briar doesn't see it for a good while, but not Vatti. The romance is also a little bland and lightly toeing the line of instalove. I quite like Rowan and Briar as people, their relationship in the novel has a lot of little details that make them "work" as a couple, and their sex was very hot, but they do go from being just basically nice to each other to madly in love very quickly. I tend to prefer my romantic leads a little more tortured than these two were.
I'll be honest, I'm mostly reading this so I don't miss anything in the sequel, which I have been assured by reliable sources is even better, but this was still very fun.
Positives! The world building was fun; I love magic at a price, and the animal familiar was well done. It's not particularly deep, but, in all raw honesty, I did not need this to be deep and thoughtful world building. I needed it to be nebulous modern with magic, to borrow parlance from ao3, and it was, and I was satisfied. The love triangle/choice for Briar to make between partners was very solid, and it kept the tension building. In general, the characters are quite good, though nothing particularly groundbreaking (more tropes done well, but tropes are tropes for a reason). The sex scenes were GREAT and made me blush on public transportation. I really liked the ending as well, less so the epilogue, but the ultimate handling of the curse.
With that said, this book is 100% not for everyone. It is VERY twee, and I'm lucky that I have a high tolerance for that right now (again, finished multiple Warhammer books in a few weeks), because some of it could have pissed me right off. I could see many people being DEEPLY frustrated by Briar; he reads as emotionally immature and the text frequently mentions him dramatically moping. I found it camp; I could easily see other people (or even me at the wrong time) finding it annoying. He is the POV character throughout, so if that grates, steer clear.
There are also a few general things that I disliked. I found Vatti's support of Linden as a love interest a little baffling frankly; I completely buy that Briar doesn't see it for a good while, but not Vatti. The romance is also a little bland and lightly toeing the line of instalove. I quite like Rowan and Briar as people, their relationship in the novel has a lot of little details that make them "work" as a couple, and their sex was very hot, but they do go from being just basically nice to each other to madly in love very quickly. I tend to prefer my romantic leads a little more tortured than these two were.
I'll be honest, I'm mostly reading this so I don't miss anything in the sequel, which I have been assured by reliable sources is even better, but this was still very fun.
October 20, 2024
“A Spell for Heartsickness” by Alistair Reeves completely swept me away with its perfect blend of cozy vibes and high stakes. From the moment Briar Wyngrave, the cursed witch, set foot on Coill Darragh’s shores, I was hooked. The portrayal of his disability as a curse that’s eating away at his magic and health was brilliant, offering a poignant representation of living with a debilitating illness. The way it was handled with such care and respect made me feel deeply connected to his struggles. Even though the stakes were high, the atmosphere of the small town, with its mysteries and magical quirks, felt surprisingly cozy and immersive.
The central mystery surrounding Briar’s curse, the enchanted forest, and Rowan’s haunting scar was absolutely fascinating. I found myself constantly speculating about how they were all linked, eager to uncover the truth. Every twist and turn kept me on my toes, and while there were moments where I wasn’t entirely sure how all the puzzle pieces would fit together, the ending tied everything up in the most satisfying and surprising way. The pacing was well-balanced, and despite Briar’s occasionally frustrating decisions (which, let’s be honest, are understandable given his circumstances), I stayed invested in his journey, knowing that everything would eventually make sense.
Rowan and Briar’s relationship was nothing short of magical. Briar’s sass and fiery personality paired beautifully with Rowan’s warm, protective nature—Rowan is the epitome of a teddy bear, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Their dynamic was sweet and touching, with moments of tension and charm that made their bond feel real. Despite Briar testing my patience with some of his choices, I could always see the logic behind them. In the end, “A Spell for Heartsickness” left me with a smile on my face and a sense of wonder at how masterfully everything came together. This is a must-read for anyone who loves romantic fantasy with deep emotional layers.
The central mystery surrounding Briar’s curse, the enchanted forest, and Rowan’s haunting scar was absolutely fascinating. I found myself constantly speculating about how they were all linked, eager to uncover the truth. Every twist and turn kept me on my toes, and while there were moments where I wasn’t entirely sure how all the puzzle pieces would fit together, the ending tied everything up in the most satisfying and surprising way. The pacing was well-balanced, and despite Briar’s occasionally frustrating decisions (which, let’s be honest, are understandable given his circumstances), I stayed invested in his journey, knowing that everything would eventually make sense.
Rowan and Briar’s relationship was nothing short of magical. Briar’s sass and fiery personality paired beautifully with Rowan’s warm, protective nature—Rowan is the epitome of a teddy bear, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Their dynamic was sweet and touching, with moments of tension and charm that made their bond feel real. Despite Briar testing my patience with some of his choices, I could always see the logic behind them. In the end, “A Spell for Heartsickness” left me with a smile on my face and a sense of wonder at how masterfully everything came together. This is a must-read for anyone who loves romantic fantasy with deep emotional layers.
December 9, 2024
A great book for readers who like a little darkness to make the light burn brighter.
This book is eminently bingeable! Reeves weaves a deeply enchanted, whimsical world that is so easy to get lost in. It really captured the same sense of magic and wonder as many of my favorite childhood stories. I saw several reviews mention that this book is perfect for spooky season, but it is also perfect for the holidays as well, especially the Christmas scenes. It’s a delightful blend of cozy set against relatively high personal stakes, which makes the tender moments really shine.
To echo what others have mentioned, and what the author includes in the preface of this novel: while cozy, this is not a low-stakes story. For me, these aspects are part of what made me really fall in love with the novel. It deals with very real issues, such as chronic illness, loss, and financial hardship, and is about how, despite all the darkness of the world, true love and happiness is still possible. It makes what the main characters share all the more precious. I walked away from the novel feeling a touch more hopeful about our own world.
The plot of this novel, which is centered on the mysterious magic of Coill Darragh and Briar’s own dark curse, is fantastic. But what truly spoke to me were the characters, who were each unique and relatable in their own distinct ways. Even the relatively minor side characters felt very real and fleshed out. Briar’s personal struggles—living with a debilitating curse, the challenges of being without family, enduring economic hardship—make him a character you really root for and gives great motivation for the choices he makes throughout the novel. I really appreciated how unapologetically himself he is, down to his dialogue and outrageous sense of style (which is described in stunning detail). Every interaction with Rowan felt like returning to the warmth and safety of a crackling hearth, seasoned here and there with a dash of spice. Even cool, aloof Linden Fairchild, who struggles under the burden of societal expectation and fame, is understandable, even if his actions are deeply flawed. But Vatii’s dialogue (read: sass) is a true highlight of the novel!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is a heart-pounding, hope-inspiring cozy romantasy filled with twists and turns.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is eminently bingeable! Reeves weaves a deeply enchanted, whimsical world that is so easy to get lost in. It really captured the same sense of magic and wonder as many of my favorite childhood stories. I saw several reviews mention that this book is perfect for spooky season, but it is also perfect for the holidays as well, especially the Christmas scenes. It’s a delightful blend of cozy set against relatively high personal stakes, which makes the tender moments really shine.
To echo what others have mentioned, and what the author includes in the preface of this novel: while cozy, this is not a low-stakes story. For me, these aspects are part of what made me really fall in love with the novel. It deals with very real issues, such as chronic illness, loss, and financial hardship, and is about how, despite all the darkness of the world, true love and happiness is still possible. It makes what the main characters share all the more precious. I walked away from the novel feeling a touch more hopeful about our own world.
The plot of this novel, which is centered on the mysterious magic of Coill Darragh and Briar’s own dark curse, is fantastic. But what truly spoke to me were the characters, who were each unique and relatable in their own distinct ways. Even the relatively minor side characters felt very real and fleshed out. Briar’s personal struggles—living with a debilitating curse, the challenges of being without family, enduring economic hardship—make him a character you really root for and gives great motivation for the choices he makes throughout the novel. I really appreciated how unapologetically himself he is, down to his dialogue and outrageous sense of style (which is described in stunning detail). Every interaction with Rowan felt like returning to the warmth and safety of a crackling hearth, seasoned here and there with a dash of spice. Even cool, aloof Linden Fairchild, who struggles under the burden of societal expectation and fame, is understandable, even if his actions are deeply flawed. But Vatii’s dialogue (read: sass) is a true highlight of the novel!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is a heart-pounding, hope-inspiring cozy romantasy filled with twists and turns.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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