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Ravished by the Rasselbock
Willkommen zum Oktoberfest!
Far from home and on her own for the first time, Gisi is determined to make a life in Munich work. With years of experience working in her parents' restaurant under her apron, she takes a job serving in the famed Festhalle Rasselbock, named for a fae creature from the Thuringian woods she calls home. But staff politics and bad weather leave her short of wages and out in the cold...until she catches the attention of a mysterious, bright-eyed stranger.
Now, re-assigned to the indoor balcony reserved for wealthy tourists, Gisi's dreams start coming true—along with a few minor desires she's only ever voiced to the statues of the Rasselbock within the festhalle. Weirder still, the bright-eyed stranger seems to be the one responsible for granting her wishes. If only Gisi could figure out what he wants in return.
~
Ravished by the Rasselbock is a lighthearted m/f romance set in the fictional festhalls of Oktoberfest. You'll find no Augustiner and Paulaner here, but the beer from Schwarzberg and Rasselbrau are as delicious as the fae entities that brew them.
Far from home and on her own for the first time, Gisi is determined to make a life in Munich work. With years of experience working in her parents' restaurant under her apron, she takes a job serving in the famed Festhalle Rasselbock, named for a fae creature from the Thuringian woods she calls home. But staff politics and bad weather leave her short of wages and out in the cold...until she catches the attention of a mysterious, bright-eyed stranger.
Now, re-assigned to the indoor balcony reserved for wealthy tourists, Gisi's dreams start coming true—along with a few minor desires she's only ever voiced to the statues of the Rasselbock within the festhalle. Weirder still, the bright-eyed stranger seems to be the one responsible for granting her wishes. If only Gisi could figure out what he wants in return.
~
Ravished by the Rasselbock is a lighthearted m/f romance set in the fictional festhalls of Oktoberfest. You'll find no Augustiner and Paulaner here, but the beer from Schwarzberg and Rasselbrau are as delicious as the fae entities that brew them.
- GenresRomantasy
244 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2025
14 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
B.L. Brown
17 books84 followersB.L. Brown is a writer of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy. She loves a good slow burn but recognizes that sometimes two characters collide with explosive chemistry that must be acknowledged. And boy, is it fun to read.
Random musings appear on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
There's also a newsletter that releases new material with less frequency than George R. R. Martin.
https://brittawritesthings.com/contact/
Random musings appear on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
There's also a newsletter that releases new material with less frequency than George R. R. Martin.
https://brittawritesthings.com/contact/
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 11, 2026
4,5 stars
Great German fairytale/folklore inspired fae romantasy set in a fictional Oktoberfest.
This book was so cute and I loved the whimsical, kind of dreamy and surreal feel of the story. The MMC, Wolf, was so down bad and yearning for the FMC, Gisi. I really enjoyed their storyline and learning more about them throughout the book.
I highly recommend checking this book out if you’re in the mood for something sweet, cozy and spicy. I can’t wait to read more from the author!
“I don’t need luck. Not when I have the Rasselbock to look after me.”
“You and I what, Gisela? Are they saying that you got down on your knees to worship me? That I rewarded you with this position?”
“Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy hearing you say my name?”
“If you wish to call me ‘your Highness’. Who am I to argue?”
“Once you know the answer, I can tell you anything you wish. Anything you ask, anything you need, I will give it to you; just find that answer before we run out of time.”
“How can I be careful if I don’t even know the danger?”
Great German fairytale/folklore inspired fae romantasy set in a fictional Oktoberfest.
This book was so cute and I loved the whimsical, kind of dreamy and surreal feel of the story. The MMC, Wolf, was so down bad and yearning for the FMC, Gisi. I really enjoyed their storyline and learning more about them throughout the book.
I highly recommend checking this book out if you’re in the mood for something sweet, cozy and spicy. I can’t wait to read more from the author!
“I don’t need luck. Not when I have the Rasselbock to look after me.”
“You and I what, Gisela? Are they saying that you got down on your knees to worship me? That I rewarded you with this position?”
“Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy hearing you say my name?”
“If you wish to call me ‘your Highness’. Who am I to argue?”
“Once you know the answer, I can tell you anything you wish. Anything you ask, anything you need, I will give it to you; just find that answer before we run out of time.”
“How can I be careful if I don’t even know the danger?”
August 28, 2025
I liked it. It was interesting, though it was a bit annoying how Gisi was just stubborn for no reason other than to create more drama.
And the mix of German and English made me think of Rufus Goodboy and his rendition of German Shepherds. I was laughing half of the time because of this, though I don't think that was the author’s intent.
And the mix of German and English made me think of Rufus Goodboy and his rendition of German Shepherds. I was laughing half of the time because of this, though I don't think that was the author’s intent.
March 10, 2026
Ravished by the Rasselbock, by B. L. Brown
No spoiler review
5 Stars for the story. 5 smokin' habaneros for Spice.
Slow-burn Romantasy, Grimm-style fable/lore, Extra-spicy
Set in contemporary Munich, Germany, and steeped in rich Oktoberfest lore. The legend of the Rasselbock comes alive in the pages of this slow-burning, steamy romance involving a young serving girl, Gisela, and a mysterious, devilishly handsome stranger named Wulf. The magic happens within the celebratory halls of Festhalle Rasselbock, an enchanted and uniquely sentient beer hall that comes alive during the acclaimed 2-week festival. The gravity of the story stems from the irresistible attraction between the two and a secret that Gisi must unravel before they can truly be together. But time is ticking; once Oktoberfest ends, the magic will be lost forever, along with her fated love.
Pros & Cons
Okay, cons first. What didn’t work for me—
The hook—there wasn’t one. In fact, the first five chapters were so slow that I began to question my decision to go through with the book club assignment.
Terminology—I appreciate how German terminology can add authenticity to a uniquely German tale, but even with the glossary, it became tedious to encounter so frequently. The German phrases offered no translation.
Tension—the romantic tension was there, and it was engaging, if only just. Same with the inter-character rivalries that sprang up throughout the story. I feel like the hostile feelings between Gisi and Emmi could’ve been escalated a bit.
Pros. What worked—
I enjoyed the descriptive, enlightening account of Oktoberfest and the legends surrounding it. The author did a masterful job of merging fiction with fact as she developed the narrative surrounding the fable of the Rasselbock and the festival.
As a slow-burn it quickly developed into a raging inferno with spicy scenes that were captivating and hot-as-hell.
The story was very well written with very few (if any) misspellings, mispunctuations, or grammatical errors. There were none that I caught, anyway.
While the romantic tension of falling in love felt rushed, the heat between Gisi and Wulf was dynamic and engaging. More so, the penultimate conclusion was full of suspense to the very end. It was a climactic, nail-biter that left me second-guessing the foregone conclusion on several occasions. So too was the tension and growing hostility between Jonas and Gisi, which was spot-on and developed into a plot twist I did not expect.
No spoiler review
5 Stars for the story. 5 smokin' habaneros for Spice.
Slow-burn Romantasy, Grimm-style fable/lore, Extra-spicy
Set in contemporary Munich, Germany, and steeped in rich Oktoberfest lore. The legend of the Rasselbock comes alive in the pages of this slow-burning, steamy romance involving a young serving girl, Gisela, and a mysterious, devilishly handsome stranger named Wulf. The magic happens within the celebratory halls of Festhalle Rasselbock, an enchanted and uniquely sentient beer hall that comes alive during the acclaimed 2-week festival. The gravity of the story stems from the irresistible attraction between the two and a secret that Gisi must unravel before they can truly be together. But time is ticking; once Oktoberfest ends, the magic will be lost forever, along with her fated love.
Pros & Cons
Okay, cons first. What didn’t work for me—
The hook—there wasn’t one. In fact, the first five chapters were so slow that I began to question my decision to go through with the book club assignment.
Terminology—I appreciate how German terminology can add authenticity to a uniquely German tale, but even with the glossary, it became tedious to encounter so frequently. The German phrases offered no translation.
Tension—the romantic tension was there, and it was engaging, if only just. Same with the inter-character rivalries that sprang up throughout the story. I feel like the hostile feelings between Gisi and Emmi could’ve been escalated a bit.
Pros. What worked—
I enjoyed the descriptive, enlightening account of Oktoberfest and the legends surrounding it. The author did a masterful job of merging fiction with fact as she developed the narrative surrounding the fable of the Rasselbock and the festival.
As a slow-burn it quickly developed into a raging inferno with spicy scenes that were captivating and hot-as-hell.
The story was very well written with very few (if any) misspellings, mispunctuations, or grammatical errors. There were none that I caught, anyway.
While the romantic tension of falling in love felt rushed, the heat between Gisi and Wulf was dynamic and engaging. More so, the penultimate conclusion was full of suspense to the very end. It was a climactic, nail-biter that left me second-guessing the foregone conclusion on several occasions. So too was the tension and growing hostility between Jonas and Gisi, which was spot-on and developed into a plot twist I did not expect.
June 25, 2025
I 100% bought this book for the cute illustrated cover (which I guess is not listed on GoodReads, but it’s heckin’ adorable). Judging this book by its cover worked out well for me.
There were times where I was confused my some details—having been a waitress for many years, I was somewhat bewildered by how the payment system worked, and we spend so much time on it that I got a little fixated. I also have a couple of questions about the magical components of this story, which may be answered in later books. (Ugh, please tell me Heidi is 🌈 and get her a hot girlfriend in the future.)
Mostly, though, what stood out to me was the style of the storytelling. This is very dreamy and surreal, and after reading a bunch of books with very direct commercial prose, I wafted along on this fairytale logic of this book. At times I was confused and I just let go and trusted that things would make sense eventually. For the most part, they did.
I’m not a big fan of fae romance for a number of reasons, including the gross age gap. Hey, this was a fae-adjacent romance that DIDN’T make it weird once we got the full story. While I could have done with less of the same three German phrases repeated to remind us of our location, I enjoyed the smaller details peppered throughout the story. And the spice was spicing. 🌶️
I have a few more B.L. Brown books on my TBR and I’m looking forward to seeing her other work. Gimme those sapphic forest girlies!
There were times where I was confused my some details—having been a waitress for many years, I was somewhat bewildered by how the payment system worked, and we spend so much time on it that I got a little fixated. I also have a couple of questions about the magical components of this story, which may be answered in later books. (Ugh, please tell me Heidi is 🌈 and get her a hot girlfriend in the future.)
Mostly, though, what stood out to me was the style of the storytelling. This is very dreamy and surreal, and after reading a bunch of books with very direct commercial prose, I wafted along on this fairytale logic of this book. At times I was confused and I just let go and trusted that things would make sense eventually. For the most part, they did.
I’m not a big fan of fae romance for a number of reasons, including the gross age gap. Hey, this was a fae-adjacent romance that DIDN’T make it weird once we got the full story. While I could have done with less of the same three German phrases repeated to remind us of our location, I enjoyed the smaller details peppered throughout the story. And the spice was spicing. 🌶️
I have a few more B.L. Brown books on my TBR and I’m looking forward to seeing her other work. Gimme those sapphic forest girlies!
March 26, 2025
First time reading this author, will not be the last! Great book, I used to live in Germany when my (ex) husband was stationed there.
The book is amazing, centered around Oktoberfest and the Rasselbock. At the beginning of the book you learn his sad tale, then the story begins.
Gisi has gone to Munich in order to be a server at Oktoberfest and works at the Festhalle Rasselbock. It is her first time and she has some troubles there, but she is determined to do well.
This book is amazing, filled with magic, wonder and a mystery underneath it all. I whole heartedly recommend reading it! It does have German words, but they do have them at the beginning of the book so you can refer back to that in order to verify the word as you’re reading, if necessary.
Grab it and read it, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The book is amazing, centered around Oktoberfest and the Rasselbock. At the beginning of the book you learn his sad tale, then the story begins.
Gisi has gone to Munich in order to be a server at Oktoberfest and works at the Festhalle Rasselbock. It is her first time and she has some troubles there, but she is determined to do well.
This book is amazing, filled with magic, wonder and a mystery underneath it all. I whole heartedly recommend reading it! It does have German words, but they do have them at the beginning of the book so you can refer back to that in order to verify the word as you’re reading, if necessary.
Grab it and read it, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 25, 2025
What, you thought I WOULDN’T read an Oktoberfest romance, during Oktoberfest, that I first heard about the day I went to a local Oktoberfest celebration? Come on
Overall a very cute story, but could use some TLC (grammatical and spelling errors and a few poorly structured sentences that could be quickly corrected)
The love story is very cute (a man who YEARNS and loves consent, we stan) and good step into a less used source of fantasy books: German Folklore. I’d argue that it’s different than Germany Fairytales because this gets more into regional fae and mythical creatures than say a Snow White retelling
I did find the repetitiveness of Gisi not remembering a bit, well, repetitive (send this girl to a library or something to do research but oh no, the pages on Rasselboch have been torn out) but I do look forward to more of this world building and further adventures
Also, WTF Goodreads?? KU has that absolutely stunning cover and you don’t??
3.5 ⭐️
Overall a very cute story, but could use some TLC (grammatical and spelling errors and a few poorly structured sentences that could be quickly corrected)
The love story is very cute (a man who YEARNS and loves consent, we stan) and good step into a less used source of fantasy books: German Folklore. I’d argue that it’s different than Germany Fairytales because this gets more into regional fae and mythical creatures than say a Snow White retelling
I did find the repetitiveness of Gisi not remembering a bit, well, repetitive (send this girl to a library or something to do research but oh no, the pages on Rasselboch have been torn out) but I do look forward to more of this world building and further adventures
Also, WTF Goodreads?? KU has that absolutely stunning cover and you don’t??
3.5 ⭐️
September 26, 2025
This book was a cute, fairy-tale-like book that was just right for me. As it's currently Oktoberfest, this was both a timely read and quite fun to read! I liked the German speech mixed in: as a German and English speaker, it was a joy to see my meine Muttersprache included in the telling of this tale. While you won't find Rasselbocks in the Brothers Grimm, they ARE part of German folklore, though in Bavaria (where this book takes place, they are called Wolpertinger ("jackalopes," but with wings, too).
If you are looking for a cozy, slightly fae read, and would like to read something in a German setting, this book is just right for all of that! I really enjoyed it and hope that the author writes more in this tradition and setting.
If you are looking for a cozy, slightly fae read, and would like to read something in a German setting, this book is just right for all of that! I really enjoyed it and hope that the author writes more in this tradition and setting.
March 24, 2026
Spicy German fairy tale
This stupid book had no business being that beautifully written. The opening scene was so gorgeous it reminded me of the hardcover fairytale books I poured over as a kid - and then cue a Rollercoaster ride of our fmc being pleasured by the mmc and the hints of things I totally didn't see until it was over and it was way better than I could've guessed. It was great.
I did hate the gripping, edging sensation the entire book had me trapped in that made me binge read it in a single sitting cause I'm weak. But if you love the edging romance with lots of spice leading up to all the way at the end this book is perfection.
This stupid book had no business being that beautifully written. The opening scene was so gorgeous it reminded me of the hardcover fairytale books I poured over as a kid - and then cue a Rollercoaster ride of our fmc being pleasured by the mmc and the hints of things I totally didn't see until it was over and it was way better than I could've guessed. It was great.
I did hate the gripping, edging sensation the entire book had me trapped in that made me binge read it in a single sitting cause I'm weak. But if you love the edging romance with lots of spice leading up to all the way at the end this book is perfection.
January 24, 2026
Blocked
A delightful tale of a Fae and his bride who are separated for centuries due to the cruelty of a curse. Her memories are blocked and the only way for them to reunite is for her to realize what brought her to Octoberfest. Her groom remembers but magic binds him from telling her. That it was based in Munich and used a lot of German terms and tales only made it more special to me. My maternal grandfather was of German descent and the phrases used in the book gave me warm and fuzzy feelings.
A delightful tale of a Fae and his bride who are separated for centuries due to the cruelty of a curse. Her memories are blocked and the only way for them to reunite is for her to realize what brought her to Octoberfest. Her groom remembers but magic binds him from telling her. That it was based in Munich and used a lot of German terms and tales only made it more special to me. My maternal grandfather was of German descent and the phrases used in the book gave me warm and fuzzy feelings.
May 3, 2026
If you’re looking for a good book, that’s not going to take too long, but is also well written I highly recommend. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I was obsessed and I really like the spiciness and plot in general!
Finding out that Gisi is Wulf’s wife had me squealing! The fae Oktoberfest imagining was so good! If you’re looking for something that’s super spicy with a well rounded plot then I highly recommend. You’ll fall in love with Gisi and Wulf!
Finding out that Gisi is Wulf’s wife had me squealing! The fae Oktoberfest imagining was so good! If you’re looking for something that’s super spicy with a well rounded plot then I highly recommend. You’ll fall in love with Gisi and Wulf!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2025
This is just what I needed for the perfect fall read. The atmosphere and pacing were perfect. I felt like I was at the festival with Gisi and was rooting for her the whole time. It has strong fairytale and Octoverfest vibes with a lot of whimsy, lore, and of course a riddle.
Mild spoiler: the MMC is a patient consent king and is down so bad. The spice was extra spicy with wonderful build up.
Mild spoiler: the MMC is a patient consent king and is down so bad. The spice was extra spicy with wonderful build up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2025
This was an interesting story with some elements of German fairy tales interwoven in it. I hope we will get more stories with some of the other characters that have been cursed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 27, 2025
A lot of fantasy stories pull most of their inspiration from the folklore is the British isles, so it's always refreshing to read a story inspired by less well known folklore.
Ravished by the Rasslebock weaves together Germanic folklore and Oktoberfest into a fun and compelling romance tale as we follow Gisi's adventures as a beer maid at Festhalle Rasslebock during Oktoberfest in Munich. And Wulf? That walking green flag is such a sweet, charming consent king. 😍
Ravished by the Rasslebock weaves together Germanic folklore and Oktoberfest into a fun and compelling romance tale as we follow Gisi's adventures as a beer maid at Festhalle Rasslebock during Oktoberfest in Munich. And Wulf? That walking green flag is such a sweet, charming consent king. 😍
June 28, 2025
I totally picked this up for the cute cover it has on Amazon and I was not disappointed! It was spicier than the books I normally read, but it also had a really unique story and setting that I have never seen done before. I thought it was really well-written and I flew through it!
September 27, 2025
I LOVED this book. It sounds like it's the start of a series and I'm going to need more ASAP. Oktoberfest and Fae? Sign me up!!!
November 10, 2025
for someone who needs to "think less," she sure doesn't think about anything at all
December 13, 2025
Well written, but I was confused about some things that felt a bit unresolved.
January 16, 2026
Such a fun, quick read! I felt like I was in Germany during Oktoberfest! Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews