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How to Do Business in Fairie #1
A Fae in Finance
When investment banker Miri is purposely trapped in Faerie by her client, the Princeling of the Faerie realm, she does what any 20-something would: cries, eats cake, and worries loudly about her cat, Doctor Kitten. Instead of rescuing her, her boss simply confirms that she has solid internet access, leaving Miri stranded in a strange land with only a warning that the quality of her work should not decrease because of a change of address.
But Miri grew up reading fantasy, and she knows there are always ways to work around magic—she just needs to find them. To affect a daring escape, Miri must navigate Faerie political drama, lies by omission, deteriorating mental health, and a mother who never hangs up the phone.
But Miri grew up reading fantasy, and she knows there are always ways to work around magic—she just needs to find them. To affect a daring escape, Miri must navigate Faerie political drama, lies by omission, deteriorating mental health, and a mother who never hangs up the phone.
414 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2025
61 people are currently reading
2804 people want to read
About the author
Juliet Brooks
1 book41 followersJuliet Brooks lives with her spouse, two cats, and a lot of plants. In her free time, she plays board games with her friends while the Pride and Prejudice BBC miniseries plays on loop in the background. She’s been informed that someday, they may move on to the Lord of the Rings (extended editions).
If you want to see photos of aforementioned cats, follow her on Instagram at @babbling_jbrooks.
If you want to see photos of aforementioned cats, follow her on Instagram at @babbling_jbrooks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
October 22, 2025
[ARC Review]
I started with four stars but I am bumping it up because it still makes me smile just thinking about it. I don't reread books that often, but I'll be definitely coming back to this one.
Plot
When investment banker Miri gets trapped in the Faerie realm by her client, she is stuck juggling magical politics, her frantic inner thoughts, and worrying about her cat, Doctor Kitten, all while trying not to let her work slip.
What to Expect
🐱 Standalone
🌿 First-Person POV
🐱 Contemporary Fantasy/Romance
🌿 Snarky Humor
🐱 Cozy Chaos
Thoughts
I really liked this, maybe even loved it. It made mesnort laugh multiple times, which almost never happens when I read. The humor was absolutely chef’s kiss because it hits just the right balance of being funny without feeling silly or dull. It was even funnier than I expected, making the read cozy and comforting. I finished it in a day and would call that Peak Escapism.
Doctor Kitten stole my heart immediately and Miri’s inner monologues were hilarious and super relatable. I love stories where modern life collides with magical realms, especially when characters take things literally and the miscommunications are both funny and revealing. This book nails that.
These quotes capture the tone perfectly:
I definitely recommend this, especially if you like romcoms or lighthearted fantasy, but it is great beyond that too. The characters are wonderful and the writing style was super easy to get into. There is some good yearning, but the story isn't overly romance focused.
📖 Dates Read: July 28, 2025 t- July 29, 2025
📅 Publication Date: October 21, 2025
A huge thanks to Juliet Brooks, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I started with four stars but I am bumping it up because it still makes me smile just thinking about it. I don't reread books that often, but I'll be definitely coming back to this one.
Plot
When investment banker Miri gets trapped in the Faerie realm by her client, she is stuck juggling magical politics, her frantic inner thoughts, and worrying about her cat, Doctor Kitten, all while trying not to let her work slip.
What to Expect
🐱 Standalone
🌿 First-Person POV
🐱 Contemporary Fantasy/Romance
🌿 Snarky Humor
🐱 Cozy Chaos
Thoughts
I really liked this, maybe even loved it. It made me
Doctor Kitten stole my heart immediately and Miri’s inner monologues were hilarious and super relatable. I love stories where modern life collides with magical realms, especially when characters take things literally and the miscommunications are both funny and revealing. This book nails that.
These quotes capture the tone perfectly:
The voice in my head, which is of the dual opinions that violence solves everything and that I am bad at violence, growled.
I felt a rush of affection for the toilet, worthy of a refrigerator magnet poem (ah, my acquaintance, your tender caress; ah, my companion in misery).
I definitely recommend this, especially if you like romcoms or lighthearted fantasy, but it is great beyond that too. The characters are wonderful and the writing style was super easy to get into. There is some good yearning, but the story isn't overly romance focused.
📖 Dates Read: July 28, 2025 t- July 29, 2025
📅 Publication Date: October 21, 2025
A huge thanks to Juliet Brooks, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 28, 2025
This might be the only type of Fae story that I can get behind nowadays. It's rather unserious and the whole premise is silly, but if you have the right expectations, you will easily have a fun time with this book. It's the story of Miriam Geld who works for a company that integrates supernatural folk into human business affairs and who is currently sitting on a big deal with the Fae Princeling. Her job and her boss are awful and they get even worse when Miri gets trapped in Faerie during a client dinner. She has to make a bargain that not only keeps her in this unbearable situation for the next 10 years, but that also adds yet another task to her already full schedule. Now she's involuntarily living in Faerie, working her day job remotely, and teaching the Fae about the human ways as if she's an expert on it. Of course she's looking for a way to escape her bargain and she even makes some friends among the Fae, where literally everyone radiates chaotic energy. There's this one Fae who's really into Miri's cat and another one who always opens portals but really has no talent for it, and I haven't even mentioned this enchanted wicker basket that's trying to seduce everyone who is looking at it. I can't say that anyone was fleshed out as a character, but they were fun to read about. Some characters would have been worth a deeper exploration, like the sapphic Fae lady knight, but the book stayed really flat in that regard. On the other hand Miri's awful boss was highlighted multiple times throughout the story, making the character work feel kinda unbalanced. He's so over the top incompetent and mean that it's insufferable and repetitive to read about him. Miri also never stands up to him, so the entire book is her being talked down to. This is hardly the common Fae story, but Miri really could have needed some strong-independent-badass-for-no-reason energy of the basic female protagonist in this kind of books. She is a bisexual queen though, so that was nice.
I think this book is most enjoyable if you just don't question anything. Sure, the worldbuilding is basically non-existent and the reason why Miri gets trapped in the first place is beyond stupid, but the book has other strengths – mostly the humor for me. I laughed out loud multiple times at these absurd situations and the comedic tone is more or less ever present. There just is something about fairies talking on a business video call or about their reaction to the human world in general. The Fae in this book can't lie while Miri can make shit up all day long, and some conversations really cracked me up because of that. I wish there was more of an intriguing plot, though. The synopsis talks about Miri navigating fairyland with her knowledge from reading fantasy novels for all her life and that just … doesn't happen. She is a very passive character and she basically doesn't do anything without someone telling her to first. I don't think that she contributed anything to the plan of escaping Faerie and she's very lucky to be always led by someone. She's dragged onto a random quest pretty late in the book and then everything just plays out in a convenient way for her. But I honestly also didn't expect a grand twist or a clever solution, so it was fine by me. I'm sure this book will not be for everyone, but I had a good time for the most part and I'm not ashamed of it. 3.5 stars.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book is most enjoyable if you just don't question anything. Sure, the worldbuilding is basically non-existent and the reason why Miri gets trapped in the first place is beyond stupid, but the book has other strengths – mostly the humor for me. I laughed out loud multiple times at these absurd situations and the comedic tone is more or less ever present. There just is something about fairies talking on a business video call or about their reaction to the human world in general. The Fae in this book can't lie while Miri can make shit up all day long, and some conversations really cracked me up because of that. I wish there was more of an intriguing plot, though. The synopsis talks about Miri navigating fairyland with her knowledge from reading fantasy novels for all her life and that just … doesn't happen. She is a very passive character and she basically doesn't do anything without someone telling her to first. I don't think that she contributed anything to the plan of escaping Faerie and she's very lucky to be always led by someone. She's dragged onto a random quest pretty late in the book and then everything just plays out in a convenient way for her. But I honestly also didn't expect a grand twist or a clever solution, so it was fine by me. I'm sure this book will not be for everyone, but I had a good time for the most part and I'm not ashamed of it. 3.5 stars.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
while this was a fun and quirky read, i don’t necessarily think this one was for me; it was a tad corny and cringey, and i just feel that mythical creatures should not be in boardrooms and worrying about optimizing the shareholders’ profits…
i also listened to the audio and the narrator just wasn’t for me - maybe if she had more emotion, the quirky humor would have landed better.
i’m sure this book will find its audience but it’s not me
—
squeezing in the audio thru spotify before my october hours expire!!
while this was a fun and quirky read, i don’t necessarily think this one was for me; it was a tad corny and cringey, and i just feel that mythical creatures should not be in boardrooms and worrying about optimizing the shareholders’ profits…
i also listened to the audio and the narrator just wasn’t for me - maybe if she had more emotion, the quirky humor would have landed better.
i’m sure this book will find its audience but it’s not me
—
squeezing in the audio thru spotify before my october hours expire!!
October 20, 2025
A Fae in Finance by Juliet Brooks
How to do Business in Fairie Book series. Fantasy.
A client dinner meeting ends up Mari stuck in the Faerie realm. She’s seen the notices in the subway, not to eat the food, but believes her boss when he assures her all will be fine. But she’s the one that’s now stuck while he’s able to go back to the office. His only concern, that her WiFi allows her to work from this new location.
Mari is allowed her cat, but she can’t leave. She’s contracted to teach classes while also working for the Princeling for the next ten years. How will she survive?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Emily Lawrence who goes a wonderful job with voices, emotions and bringing the story to life. Following Mari through her travels and frustrations with rules and her boss was vividly portrayed as well as her uncertainty with her cat talking with one of the Fae. The snark and depression were portrayed so well.
The performance is upbeat and entertaining. I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to match local conversations.
Amusing with a couple of surprising connections to why Miri is in the Faerie realm. From the Gray Knight to the fae that communicates with her cat, the strange food and the lessons she must teach, her life is definitely going through an unusual phase.
I received a copy of this from Hachette Audio.
How to do Business in Fairie Book series. Fantasy.
A client dinner meeting ends up Mari stuck in the Faerie realm. She’s seen the notices in the subway, not to eat the food, but believes her boss when he assures her all will be fine. But she’s the one that’s now stuck while he’s able to go back to the office. His only concern, that her WiFi allows her to work from this new location.
Mari is allowed her cat, but she can’t leave. She’s contracted to teach classes while also working for the Princeling for the next ten years. How will she survive?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Emily Lawrence who goes a wonderful job with voices, emotions and bringing the story to life. Following Mari through her travels and frustrations with rules and her boss was vividly portrayed as well as her uncertainty with her cat talking with one of the Fae. The snark and depression were portrayed so well.
The performance is upbeat and entertaining. I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to match local conversations.
Amusing with a couple of surprising connections to why Miri is in the Faerie realm. From the Gray Knight to the fae that communicates with her cat, the strange food and the lessons she must teach, her life is definitely going through an unusual phase.
I received a copy of this from Hachette Audio.
October 13, 2025
An overworked, underappreciated investment banker gets trapped in Faerie as a result of her poor judgement and the incompetence of her useless boss. The good news is Miri’s hot Fae co-worker is kind enough to fetch her cat, so she’s not imprisoned alone. The bad news is someone keeps trying to poison her and she can’t stop ogling the Princeling’s aloof henchwoman. Miri is passionate about integrating humans and supernaturals, so she agrees to teach “how to be human” classes on top of working her 9-to-5, where she’s constantly apologizing for doing nothing wrong because she’s a woman in finance. There’s an evil queen planning a coup, not enough sunlight, and a colony of vampire nudists that deserved more page-time. We learn that faeries have preferred hobbies, and I was particularly drawn to the one who sits in the courtyard and screams at irregular intervals (mood). Is it better to be expunged or eviscerated? Perhaps Miri will escape before she’s forced to find out.
*Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions*
*Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions*
July 2, 2025
This book has everything: An ineffective and mean boss, cat friends, cool magic, and faeries who can't understand human idioms.
A Fae in Finance is funny, inventive, and an easy read. The book starts off strong, introducing us to the protagonist who grew up reading fantasy books, is justice minded, and is trying to do some good under capitalism a few years after magical creatures have started showing up in New York. A snappily-paced plot finds her stuck in faerie and on a quest to get back to the human world. The book manages to cram in cool magic, the banal terror of a shitty job with shitty colleagues, and fae bargains. That said, the real highlight are the constant snortable jokes and the characters who became my friends by the end of the book. This is an incredible debut novel and I'm raring to read book 2 in the series.
Thanks to the author for providing me an advanced copy as a beta reader.
A Fae in Finance is funny, inventive, and an easy read. The book starts off strong, introducing us to the protagonist who grew up reading fantasy books, is justice minded, and is trying to do some good under capitalism a few years after magical creatures have started showing up in New York. A snappily-paced plot finds her stuck in faerie and on a quest to get back to the human world. The book manages to cram in cool magic, the banal terror of a shitty job with shitty colleagues, and fae bargains. That said, the real highlight are the constant snortable jokes and the characters who became my friends by the end of the book. This is an incredible debut novel and I'm raring to read book 2 in the series.
Thanks to the author for providing me an advanced copy as a beta reader.
November 25, 2025
If there's one thing we could all agree on is that A Fae in Finance is a light, funny reading not to take too seriously.
Such as, don't expect any explanation about things like the world-building, the characters in this supposedly normal reality, or even who we are supposed to root for.
All of these things bother me a lot for the mere reason that I'm not in JB’s head, not now and not when she was writing this story, so I don't know what's happening or why or how and I'm confused all of the time — bad confused, like the tiniest of things is enough for me to have at least ten questions.
Which is, in a few words, annoying and borderline pissing me off.
Now, if we tone down the forced wittiness a bit, and stop pretending the FMC is so smart thanks to the romantasy she’s read all her life — and still falling into the first trap in front of her —, it’s bearable.
But then I’ll contradict myself while asking about the romance because, essentially, there isn't any and, at the same time, it seems any of them could be “it”.
Is it too much for a girl to ask to have some brief exchange of looks or even a couple of words before we reach half of a book?!
↠ 2 stars (DFN @42%)
Thanks to Orbit Books, Orbit and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Such as, don't expect any explanation about things like the world-building, the characters in this supposedly normal reality, or even who we are supposed to root for.
All of these things bother me a lot for the mere reason that I'm not in JB’s head, not now and not when she was writing this story, so I don't know what's happening or why or how and I'm confused all of the time — bad confused, like the tiniest of things is enough for me to have at least ten questions.
Which is, in a few words, annoying and borderline pissing me off.
Now, if we tone down the forced wittiness a bit, and stop pretending the FMC is so smart thanks to the romantasy she’s read all her life — and still falling into the first trap in front of her —, it’s bearable.
But then I’ll contradict myself while asking about the romance because, essentially, there isn't any and, at the same time, it seems any of them could be “it”.
Is it too much for a girl to ask to have some brief exchange of looks or even a couple of words before we reach half of a book?!
↠ 2 stars (DFN @42%)
Thanks to Orbit Books, Orbit and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
August 10, 2025
this was funnn
i don't typically read or enjoy fantasy, so this was a breath of fresh air that didn't make me feel stupid.
the writing was fun and easy to read and miri was a great protagonist.
one thing i found hard to follow was how the two worlds – human and magical – blended together. it felt like stuff just got handwaved as "that's just how it works", so i think the series should try to explore the worldbuilding a bit more.
another issue i had was with the relationship pacing. something happened, with little to no build up, and then it was promptly dropped and barely addressed again. it felt like there was no proper resolution.
overall this was quite a nice read and something i'll definitely recommend to anyone who wants a palate cleanser to suspend their disbelief. just roll with it. don't think too much.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
i don't typically read or enjoy fantasy, so this was a breath of fresh air that didn't make me feel stupid.
the writing was fun and easy to read and miri was a great protagonist.
one thing i found hard to follow was how the two worlds – human and magical – blended together. it felt like stuff just got handwaved as "that's just how it works", so i think the series should try to explore the worldbuilding a bit more.
another issue i had was with the relationship pacing. something happened, with little to no build up, and then it was promptly dropped and barely addressed again. it felt like there was no proper resolution.
overall this was quite a nice read and something i'll definitely recommend to anyone who wants a palate cleanser to suspend their disbelief. just roll with it. don't think too much.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
July 17, 2025
In A Fae in Finance, debut author Juliet Brooks delivers a witty blend of high-stakes capitalism with a female perspective and fantasy. Investment banker Miriam “Miri” finds herself unexpectedly trapped in the magical realm of Faerie after innocently partaking in enchanted food. Stuck in a land where contracts are as binding as spells and office politics involve actual court intrigue, Miri must juggle remote work deadlines, magical bureaucracy, and the looming question of how to return home.
Brooks’s writing expertly balances the dry grind of corporate life with the sparkle of fae society. The tone is light yet sharp, filled with laugh-out-loud moments and sly commentary on both mortal and magical workplaces. I could relate to Miri’s deadpan humor and pragmatic resilience as well as a female protagonist in a male dominated career. Her feline companion Doctor Kitten adds charm and occasional chaos.
It’s rare to find a book that so seamlessly marries spreadsheets with spell work, or performance reviews with prophetic curses. Brooks creates a world that feels rich and rule-bound, yet wonderfully weird. It’s ideal for readers looking for something smart, and a little strange—in all the best ways. I am thrilled to have read an advanced copy and recommend this enchanting novel by a talented debut author. Curl up, grab a cup of tea, just don’t eat anything you didn’t pack yourself.
Brooks’s writing expertly balances the dry grind of corporate life with the sparkle of fae society. The tone is light yet sharp, filled with laugh-out-loud moments and sly commentary on both mortal and magical workplaces. I could relate to Miri’s deadpan humor and pragmatic resilience as well as a female protagonist in a male dominated career. Her feline companion Doctor Kitten adds charm and occasional chaos.
It’s rare to find a book that so seamlessly marries spreadsheets with spell work, or performance reviews with prophetic curses. Brooks creates a world that feels rich and rule-bound, yet wonderfully weird. It’s ideal for readers looking for something smart, and a little strange—in all the best ways. I am thrilled to have read an advanced copy and recommend this enchanting novel by a talented debut author. Curl up, grab a cup of tea, just don’t eat anything you didn’t pack yourself.
August 3, 2025
if you liked assistant to the villain this might be the perfect read for you. It's a mix of fae fantasy and corporate America, I'd describe it as office comedy.
It's funny and shows the oddities of Americans and fae.
This is a very American office culture book. The work ethics were as foren to me as the Fae. But the MFC is very passionate about her work and wants to help integrate the Fae in human society.
thank you NetGalley and the author for trusting me with an eARC for this book.
It's funny and shows the oddities of Americans and fae.
This is a very American office culture book. The work ethics were as foren to me as the Fae. But the MFC is very passionate about her work and wants to help integrate the Fae in human society.
thank you NetGalley and the author for trusting me with an eARC for this book.
October 23, 2025
I don't read many fantasy rom-coms but every now and then, one calls out to me and this was one of them. Such a fun, magical, cozy romance book. I really did enjoy this one. It was nice to escape into the faerie realm and watch Miri, the MC, navigate this magical world and try to find her way home. It was just a light, quick and funny read.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
October 21, 2025
I don’t know that we need to sub-sub genre every book with a hyper-specific, bespoke name. I actually think this trend doesn’t serve readers in a lot of ways…but if I were to start naming subgenres, I would call this book Normantasy. Normal, mundane annoyances exist right alongside the charmingly fantastic. In this case, investment banking and the mythical realm of Faerie.
I can’t call it romantasy because it’s not a romance, really (at least that’s not the main focus) and I can’t in good conscience call anything that features the Microsoft Teams incoming call sound “Cozy Fantasy.” I mean, that’s basically horror.
I settled on calling it Normantasy because A Fae In Finance, much like its protagonist, does not want to be confined to one space. It’s satire, it’s romantic comedy, it’s a romp and it’s a guide on how to not succeed in business while really, really trying.
And as a result it’s both relatable (painfully so at times) and a great escape. I mean, who among us hasn’t been betrayed by a grain bowl at least once? Plus, no matter how bad your boss may be, you can at least take solace in the fact that they haven’t gotten you trapped in Faerie on a client visit. Jeff is objectively the worst while being upsettingly believable. He doesn’t even have to be physically in a scene to make your skin crawl.
A few chapters of this book are the perfect antidote for a bad day at the office: it’s funny, charming and just all around a good time.
Oh wait, AND there’s also a truly fantastic cat. I can’t believe it took me this deep into the review to mention that! The cat’s name is Doctor Kitten. So if that doesn’t bring a little joy into your heart I really don’t know what will.
Can’t wait to see what comes next!
I can’t call it romantasy because it’s not a romance, really (at least that’s not the main focus) and I can’t in good conscience call anything that features the Microsoft Teams incoming call sound “Cozy Fantasy.” I mean, that’s basically horror.
I settled on calling it Normantasy because A Fae In Finance, much like its protagonist, does not want to be confined to one space. It’s satire, it’s romantic comedy, it’s a romp and it’s a guide on how to not succeed in business while really, really trying.
And as a result it’s both relatable (painfully so at times) and a great escape. I mean, who among us hasn’t been betrayed by a grain bowl at least once? Plus, no matter how bad your boss may be, you can at least take solace in the fact that they haven’t gotten you trapped in Faerie on a client visit. Jeff is objectively the worst while being upsettingly believable. He doesn’t even have to be physically in a scene to make your skin crawl.
A few chapters of this book are the perfect antidote for a bad day at the office: it’s funny, charming and just all around a good time.
Oh wait, AND there’s also a truly fantastic cat. I can’t believe it took me this deep into the review to mention that! The cat’s name is Doctor Kitten. So if that doesn’t bring a little joy into your heart I really don’t know what will.
Can’t wait to see what comes next!
September 17, 2025
The marketing on this is so bad. It’s not a romance, it’s a contemporary portal fantasy comedy with romantic elements. And those elements are a love triangle. And she’s not *looking* for a fae in finance.
All that said, it’s better than I expected and I’m kind of relieved it’s not what it says on the tin.
It’s a good time. No HEA for now, but clearly we will have more adventures.
All that said, it’s better than I expected and I’m kind of relieved it’s not what it says on the tin.
It’s a good time. No HEA for now, but clearly we will have more adventures.
October 17, 2025
This book was an absolute gem. As someone who has worked many years in an office and have always been a people pleaser, this one hit me in all the feels.
A modern day fantasy, Miri is an investment banker for a company that caters to supernatural clients who, now that they're "out" are integrated into regular human society. On a work trip for her horrible boss, Miri finds herself not only stuck in Faerie, but still attached to the job that treats her like crap. Basically, work from home, but make it Faerie.
A Fae in Finance is full of heart, humor, and doesn't take itself seriously, which was a bonus for me. There is a slight romance hinted at throughout the book, but it is not the plot, and this is definitely not a romantasy novel. The side characters are true to life and multifaceted. I had no problem distinguishing between characters and although some of the magic was not well explained, for a fun fluff fantasy read, was really not necessary.
I feel like the author has put in the leg work for building the foundation for a really fun, lighthearted series and I can't wait to see where it goes next. I will be recommending this one to anyone who loves fantasy and has worked in an office setting. The relatability is strong.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Juliet Brooks for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
A modern day fantasy, Miri is an investment banker for a company that caters to supernatural clients who, now that they're "out" are integrated into regular human society. On a work trip for her horrible boss, Miri finds herself not only stuck in Faerie, but still attached to the job that treats her like crap. Basically, work from home, but make it Faerie.
A Fae in Finance is full of heart, humor, and doesn't take itself seriously, which was a bonus for me. There is a slight romance hinted at throughout the book, but it is not the plot, and this is definitely not a romantasy novel. The side characters are true to life and multifaceted. I had no problem distinguishing between characters and although some of the magic was not well explained, for a fun fluff fantasy read, was really not necessary.
I feel like the author has put in the leg work for building the foundation for a really fun, lighthearted series and I can't wait to see where it goes next. I will be recommending this one to anyone who loves fantasy and has worked in an office setting. The relatability is strong.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Juliet Brooks for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2025
If he doesn’t bring me a perfect leaf as a gift, I don’t want him 💅
This was such a cute, wholesome and funny debut with witty banter and a super relatable FMC.
Juliet Brooks has somehow found a way to bring humour to the stress of working under an incompetent and mean boss and the overwhelming pressure of trying to do good in the world under the crushing pressure of capitalism.
Combining classic faerie magic, spreadsheet shortcuts and judgemental cats brings a book that I found myself giggling at throughout. The faerie and human miscommunication was definitely the star of the show.
We were introduced to a couple of characters who I felt could be fleshed out a little more, but there is room for this if the series continues. Outside of this I really liked the main characters and especially the found family.
I will absolutely be reading more from this author.
I read this book as an ARC but all thoughts are my own.
This was such a cute, wholesome and funny debut with witty banter and a super relatable FMC.
Juliet Brooks has somehow found a way to bring humour to the stress of working under an incompetent and mean boss and the overwhelming pressure of trying to do good in the world under the crushing pressure of capitalism.
Combining classic faerie magic, spreadsheet shortcuts and judgemental cats brings a book that I found myself giggling at throughout. The faerie and human miscommunication was definitely the star of the show.
We were introduced to a couple of characters who I felt could be fleshed out a little more, but there is room for this if the series continues. Outside of this I really liked the main characters and especially the found family.
I will absolutely be reading more from this author.
I read this book as an ARC but all thoughts are my own.
September 21, 2025
This was a lot of fun. The descriptions of Miri's work days - Teams calls, Excel sheets and endless emails - sometimes sounded a little too much like my job to be the escape I wanted. (Though luckily I have much nicer coworkers and don't have to deal with a Jeff!) But this was a great contrast and juxtaposition with the traditional faerie lore that was brought in after Miri consumed Faerie food at a work dinner and "working from home" turned into "working from Faerie" - the Fae have Wi-fi, so Miri's boss couldn't care less about her getting stuck there.
I loved the humor in this book. I already knew it was going to be my kind of funny when I saw the chapter titles, and I was not disappointed! I snort-laughed multiple times. The world-building was intriguing, with supernaturals having recently "come out" and now trying to integrate into human society, resulting in some fear and prejudice on both sides. Miri was a great main character. I found her very likeable, funny, and believable in how she reacted to her situation. I also loved Sahir, Gaheris and Lene - Miri's (and her cat Doctor Kitten's) new faerie friends. Miri's human friends and family were great too. I hope they get to play a larger role in the next one. Her mom and grandma were hilarious! There's some very early budding romance in this one that might turn into a love triangle later. If it does, I definitely have my preference but it's not set in stone and I could be convinced to swing either way... or even the non-monogamous way, who knows?
I'd recommend this to fans of Sarah Rees Brennan. A Fae in Finance is the first book in a series, and I'm looking forward to the next one - especially to finding out where the budding romance will go.
Thank you to the publisher, Orbit Books, for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I loved the humor in this book. I already knew it was going to be my kind of funny when I saw the chapter titles, and I was not disappointed! I snort-laughed multiple times. The world-building was intriguing, with supernaturals having recently "come out" and now trying to integrate into human society, resulting in some fear and prejudice on both sides. Miri was a great main character. I found her very likeable, funny, and believable in how she reacted to her situation. I also loved Sahir, Gaheris and Lene - Miri's (and her cat Doctor Kitten's) new faerie friends. Miri's human friends and family were great too. I hope they get to play a larger role in the next one. Her mom and grandma were hilarious! There's some very early budding romance in this one that might turn into a love triangle later. If it does, I definitely have my preference but it's not set in stone and I could be convinced to swing either way... or even the non-monogamous way, who knows?
I'd recommend this to fans of Sarah Rees Brennan. A Fae in Finance is the first book in a series, and I'm looking forward to the next one - especially to finding out where the budding romance will go.
Thank you to the publisher, Orbit Books, for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 31, 2025
Don’t judge a book by its name! Or do, if it means you’ll read this book!
A Fae in Finance starts with Miri, our overworked and stressed FMC, working for an absolute d-bag. During a client dinner, she ends up getting stuck in the fae world. This is where our story really starts, and I became obsessed! Seriously I stayed up until 2:30am to finish this.
I was so genuinely surprised with how good this book was, because I’ll be honest, I didn’t have the highest hopes due to the name. The title doesn’t quite capture the silly cuteness that is this book! It will have you (me) feeling mad and trapped, feeling touched (I cried), and feeling plenty of ‘giggling and kicking my feet’ moments (with multiple potential love interests, you go Miri our bi queen!)
Cons: the name, the first 15 pages (push through, I’m personally of the opinion 97% of books start weak)
Pros: literally everything else, especially Doctor Kitten and Sahir ❤️🔥
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and Orbit Books, but the opinions and feelings are all my own.
A Fae in Finance starts with Miri, our overworked and stressed FMC, working for an absolute d-bag. During a client dinner, she ends up getting stuck in the fae world. This is where our story really starts, and I became obsessed! Seriously I stayed up until 2:30am to finish this.
I was so genuinely surprised with how good this book was, because I’ll be honest, I didn’t have the highest hopes due to the name. The title doesn’t quite capture the silly cuteness that is this book! It will have you (me) feeling mad and trapped, feeling touched (I cried), and feeling plenty of ‘giggling and kicking my feet’ moments (with multiple potential love interests, you go Miri our bi queen!)
Cons: the name, the first 15 pages (push through, I’m personally of the opinion 97% of books start weak)
Pros: literally everything else, especially Doctor Kitten and Sahir ❤️🔥
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and Orbit Books, but the opinions and feelings are all my own.
August 3, 2025
4.2 ✨
This was the exact story I needed! I knew I had to read this after seeing the title. Once I started reading I couldn't stop!
Miri is everything I look for in a FMC! She's sassy and hardworking. The effort she put into her work was inspiring no matter how tough or crappy her boss is (literally he is the worst) I liked her relationship dynamics with her friends in family. I loved her inner monologue so much.
After being stuck in Faerie (at least someone brought her Doctor Kitten OBSESSED) she's trying to find every possible way to leave even making an insane bargain. From still working remotely to teaching human classes which I found super funny along the way she makes incredible friends and even journeys on a quest.
While I felt the pacing lagged around the middle it picked up and I absolutely loved this low stakes, minimal romance, cozy read!
Thank you orbit and NetGalley for the gifted ebook!
This was the exact story I needed! I knew I had to read this after seeing the title. Once I started reading I couldn't stop!
Miri is everything I look for in a FMC! She's sassy and hardworking. The effort she put into her work was inspiring no matter how tough or crappy her boss is (literally he is the worst) I liked her relationship dynamics with her friends in family. I loved her inner monologue so much.
After being stuck in Faerie (at least someone brought her Doctor Kitten OBSESSED) she's trying to find every possible way to leave even making an insane bargain. From still working remotely to teaching human classes which I found super funny along the way she makes incredible friends and even journeys on a quest.
While I felt the pacing lagged around the middle it picked up and I absolutely loved this low stakes, minimal romance, cozy read!
Thank you orbit and NetGalley for the gifted ebook!
July 16, 2025
A Fae in Finance is such a fun take about a woman experiencing existential depression in a horrible job environment with a difficult boss and not very helpful colleagues. Miri is trapped in Faerie after eating faerie food and is immediately worried about her cat, Doctor Kitten. She makes friends, goes on a quest and figures out her life while being a prisoner in Faerie. Includes bisexual representation. Would recommend to people looking for a funny story about a woman in a bad situation making the best of things.
November 5, 2025
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
Mari is a low-level investment banker for a firm specializing in helping the fae, newly outed as real, integrate into human society in a profitable way. Her boss is realistic and horrible, a miserable, misogynistic wreck of a man. After a client dinner ends up with her stuck in fairyland, her life is extra complicated: 100 hour weeks in a hostile magical environment where entities want to harm or kill her, and also now hosting classes to try to teach the fae about humans. The good news: her cat, named Doctor Kitten, is brought over to join her, and she has a growing cadre of charming friends that perhaps could become even be more than friends.
This book is absolute fluff and I greatly enjoyed it. Mari is bi and the romance angle is a low-key aspect. The bigger theme is building confidence and breaking free of a soul-sucking life. The book is amusing throughout, though the only bit that had me cackling out aloud involved a fae misunderstanding of what LGBTQ means. Also, I want an entire book about Doctor Kitten.
Mari is a low-level investment banker for a firm specializing in helping the fae, newly outed as real, integrate into human society in a profitable way. Her boss is realistic and horrible, a miserable, misogynistic wreck of a man. After a client dinner ends up with her stuck in fairyland, her life is extra complicated: 100 hour weeks in a hostile magical environment where entities want to harm or kill her, and also now hosting classes to try to teach the fae about humans. The good news: her cat, named Doctor Kitten, is brought over to join her, and she has a growing cadre of charming friends that perhaps could become even be more than friends.
This book is absolute fluff and I greatly enjoyed it. Mari is bi and the romance angle is a low-key aspect. The bigger theme is building confidence and breaking free of a soul-sucking life. The book is amusing throughout, though the only bit that had me cackling out aloud involved a fae misunderstanding of what LGBTQ means. Also, I want an entire book about Doctor Kitten.
November 10, 2025
You all, I can't do it. I tried so hard to love this, and it is just too flippant and confusing for me. It isn't complex, I just don't get it. The world is strange the language is strange. I REALLY wanted to love it, but I was cringing and confused.
October 11, 2025
This book is the COVID era update to The Devil Wears Prada I didn’t even know I needed in my life. Miri, stuck in a job that doesn’t appreciate her, with a boss who sucks so bad I’d like him to become real for five minutes just so I could punch him back into fiction, gets trapped in Faerie when she’s there for a work trip--because it turns out that having a faerie prince on your client books comes with more downside than upside, and now she’s got to figure out how to escape Faerie, while still working remotely.
Satire is a genre with a VERY high degree of difficulty as Jonathan Swift knows all too well. But when it is done well it can really highlight the absurdity of the current environment. And Juliet Brooks (who I will disclose here is a close personal friend so this review is probably a little biased), does it quite well. Because the unrealistic demands of a faerie prince, it turns out, aren’t all that different from the demands of a boss who’s never heard of work-life balance, and Miri has to deal with both now!
People talk a lot about books they had to put down due to second hand embarrassment. I had to put this one down a couple times from first hand embarrassment, because Miri would do something and I would be like, oh boy, I too have done this embarrassing thing--and I don’t even have the excuse of being trapped in faerie land. I’m not saying Brooks has secretly been recording my work meetings for the last year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it came out that she had been.
Recommended for fans of The Office, Men in Tights, Murderbot, and the Dealing with Dragons series. Also recommended for anyone who says “Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss” ironically, or has ever tried to use VLOOKUP in excel. Brooks feels your pain.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
Satire is a genre with a VERY high degree of difficulty as Jonathan Swift knows all too well. But when it is done well it can really highlight the absurdity of the current environment. And Juliet Brooks (who I will disclose here is a close personal friend so this review is probably a little biased), does it quite well. Because the unrealistic demands of a faerie prince, it turns out, aren’t all that different from the demands of a boss who’s never heard of work-life balance, and Miri has to deal with both now!
People talk a lot about books they had to put down due to second hand embarrassment. I had to put this one down a couple times from first hand embarrassment, because Miri would do something and I would be like, oh boy, I too have done this embarrassing thing--and I don’t even have the excuse of being trapped in faerie land. I’m not saying Brooks has secretly been recording my work meetings for the last year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it came out that she had been.
Recommended for fans of The Office, Men in Tights, Murderbot, and the Dealing with Dragons series. Also recommended for anyone who says “Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss” ironically, or has ever tried to use VLOOKUP in excel. Brooks feels your pain.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
August 17, 2025
ARC REVIEW
This may be my favorite cute book of the year so far.
It's a very easy read. I was able to pick it up and put it down without any difficulty and it kept my attention. I love the authors depiction of Fae in the book, where they are off the wall, don't understand humans (like humans don't understand them) and aren't just pretty humanoid creatures.
I loved the relationship building and how it wasn't all high spice instalove. No one was really inherently evil, everyone had reasons even if they didn't make a ton of sense. Sure, she was trapped in Faerie but the Princeling seemed to be convinced it was best for his people.
I liked how they depicted her depression at being trapped. Miri's interactions with everyone.
I really hope there's more. especially with Sahir and Miri's bloodline which might be partially Fae!
Also what is up with Milo?
This may be my favorite cute book of the year so far.
It's a very easy read. I was able to pick it up and put it down without any difficulty and it kept my attention. I love the authors depiction of Fae in the book, where they are off the wall, don't understand humans (like humans don't understand them) and aren't just pretty humanoid creatures.
I loved the relationship building and how it wasn't all high spice instalove. No one was really inherently evil, everyone had reasons even if they didn't make a ton of sense. Sure, she was trapped in Faerie but the Princeling seemed to be convinced it was best for his people.
I liked how they depicted her depression at being trapped. Miri's interactions with everyone.
I really hope there's more. especially with Sahir and Miri's bloodline which might be partially Fae!
Also what is up with Milo?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2025
It was an okay book. I thought it would be a light and funny story about someone working in finance that goes to the land of the fairies and that is exactly what this book is. I would like for this to be more romance-oriented, but that's just me - I was honestly confused throughout the first half, thinking who would be the romantic partner. I was divided between thinking all of this was so unreal (the reason why she stayed, the ten years initial negotiation, the fact that she put up with that insufferable POS of a boss) and thinking that was exactly the point of a light book (not high fantasy, I mean). All in all, it was a good experience.
July 17, 2025
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the arc!
This was so much fun!! Full rtc
This was so much fun!! Full rtc
July 20, 2025
Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC!!!! This was such a fun read, full rtc
October 30, 2025
For a book I picked up on a whim this was better than I could have hoped. Seriously, I had such a hard time putting it down.
I love how soul-crushing her job was and just how ridiculous the demands on her time were because it is so real. Hilariously exaggerated at times-- I hope. There are quite a few avenues for a future romance. There is one route that is pushed more than the others, but there is a possibility for the other two. That being said, the main character is bisexual and the fae... I believe Sahir said they don't concern themselves with differentiating gender soooo they are all pansexual perhaps?
This was such a funny read and I wish it dived into how overworked and burnt out she was --- just how bad that is for her. Maybe a harder look into depression?
But otherwise, I mean I enjoyed this immensely and will probably re-read it. I look forward to reading more in this series.
I love how soul-crushing her job was and just how ridiculous the demands on her time were because it is so real. Hilariously exaggerated at times-- I hope. There are quite a few avenues for a future romance. There is one route that is pushed more than the others, but there is a possibility for the other two. That being said, the main character is bisexual and the fae... I believe Sahir said they don't concern themselves with differentiating gender soooo they are all pansexual perhaps?
This was such a funny read and I wish it dived into how overworked and burnt out she was --- just how bad that is for her. Maybe a harder look into depression?
But otherwise, I mean I enjoyed this immensely and will probably re-read it. I look forward to reading more in this series.
October 26, 2025
There were parts of this book I really enjoyed but sadly also so many parts that just didn’t work for me at all.
I really enjoyed the exploration of culture differences between magical beings like fae and humans. I haven’t really seen a lot of that in other books, especially not in the funny way it was showcased in this book.
But thats where the pleasant surprises ended. The plot never really made any sense to me. She seemed way too unbothered with literally anything in her life. There’s like sort of a war but it’s also unclear if you have to care about that or not because there seems to be zero urgency about it. The cover gave me love triangle and the story gave me two very vague crushes.
I do think the book has some fun elements and I can imagine that it works really well for the right reader. But it sadly didn’t work for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the arc.
I really enjoyed the exploration of culture differences between magical beings like fae and humans. I haven’t really seen a lot of that in other books, especially not in the funny way it was showcased in this book.
But thats where the pleasant surprises ended. The plot never really made any sense to me. She seemed way too unbothered with literally anything in her life. There’s like sort of a war but it’s also unclear if you have to care about that or not because there seems to be zero urgency about it. The cover gave me love triangle and the story gave me two very vague crushes.
I do think the book has some fun elements and I can imagine that it works really well for the right reader. But it sadly didn’t work for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the arc.
August 4, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and OrbitBooks for the ARC!
This was a cute and very funny book. The MC is stuck in a horrible job and then literally gets stuck in the Fae world, where she starts to teach human classes to the fairies. A lot of the book's humor comes from the misunderstandings between the two groups, and the author does a great job defining the differences between humans and fae.
The story itself is light and not too complicated. I wished it went a bit deeper sometimes, but the lighter story is very consistent with the tone.
There is some romance very light, which was fine for me but could be disappointing if you're looking for more romance in the story. I did really appreciate the bisexual representation in the book.
I just really enjoyed it, it was a very fun book.
This was a cute and very funny book. The MC is stuck in a horrible job and then literally gets stuck in the Fae world, where she starts to teach human classes to the fairies. A lot of the book's humor comes from the misunderstandings between the two groups, and the author does a great job defining the differences between humans and fae.
The story itself is light and not too complicated. I wished it went a bit deeper sometimes, but the lighter story is very consistent with the tone.
There is some romance very light, which was fine for me but could be disappointing if you're looking for more romance in the story. I did really appreciate the bisexual representation in the book.
I just really enjoyed it, it was a very fun book.
September 3, 2025
*3.5
This book was quirky and fun! Especially if u are a corporate girly who loves fantasy - the mix of the two was super fun to read
I found the first part of the book a bit more engaging than the second half and the romantic storyline was kind of confusing to me and either should have been a bit stronger or removed completely
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC
This book was quirky and fun! Especially if u are a corporate girly who loves fantasy - the mix of the two was super fun to read
I found the first part of the book a bit more engaging than the second half and the romantic storyline was kind of confusing to me and either should have been a bit stronger or removed completely
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC
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