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Tales of Aedrea #3

The Halfling's Harvest

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At the Dew Drop Inn, good times are only a sip away.

Marigold Bramblefoot has spent the past decade as the proprietor of her family’s inn and vineyard, a quaint and cozy haven famed for its wine made in the halflings’s grape stomping tradition.

As autumn approaches, so does the annual harvest festival. The event marks the end of the farming season with celebrations, wine tastings, and spirited contests. Marigold, forever chasing the acclaim of her renowned father, dreams of finally clinching first place in the wine competition.

With an inn full of eclectic travelers, and a festival to prepare for, Marigold’s cup brims with responsibilities. She must play humble host while navigating the complexities of competition, unraveling the vineyard's hidden mysteries, and perhaps, for the first time, setting the roots of her own legacy.

Welcome to the enchanting world of Tales of Aedrea, where small-scale stories, low-stakes adventure, and cozy fantasy come to life within an epic, high-fantasy realm.

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2025

292 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read

About the author

S.L. Rowland

20 books530 followers
S.L. Rowland is a cozy fantasy and LitRPG author known for crafting immersive worlds filled with adventure, heart, and a touch of humor. A lifelong gamer and fantasy enthusiast, he draws inspiration from tabletop RPGs, video games, and the fantastical. When he’s not writing, he enjoys weightlifting, hiking with his Shiba Inu, and enduring the heartbreak of being an Atlanta sports fan.

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5 stars
320 (44%)
4 stars
250 (34%)
3 stars
131 (18%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
Profile Image for TL *Humaning the Best She Can*.
2,341 reviews166 followers
June 7, 2025
Audible audio
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Cozy and wonderful visit to this beautiful world the author has created 😍.
I definitely wouldn't mind seeing these places in person and staying in each for awhile :).

There's a charm and energy that draws you in and doesn't let you go ❤️.

Highly recommend the audiobook if you can, the narration was beautifully done !
Profile Image for Kitty G Books.
1,684 reviews2,973 followers
May 8, 2025
This is book #3 in the series, and it's a really fun one which focuses on a lovely quaint little Inn (pictured on the cover) and the lady who runs it, Mari (Marigold). She owns the Inn and also the vineyard next to it, and she's a Halfling. Halfling culture, as we quickly come to find out, is all about coming together and sharing stories, wine and fun. They have a wonderful festival each year with all kinds of competitions, and Mari always enters the Wine tasting competition, but despite her ffather having won it many times, in 10 years she has not yet achieved that accolade.... will this be her year?

The magic of this world is very traditional, although there are some fun magical creatures in this book which I hadn't seen too much of before. I liked them and the story here is a cosy vibe, so the creatures are pretty cosy too.

We have a really serene, and easy-going plotline here, which glides through and brings you along for the ride. I found the tale to be super fun, and filled with charming and sweet moments, especially when Poppy (our love interest) shows up to document the festival.

Overall, exactly what I like in a cosy and easy read. Solid 4*s
Profile Image for Ali Gray.
185 reviews2 followers
August 2, 2025
A cozy inn, a wine contest, cozy baked goods, and magic. This author has stolen my heart with this series and the ending had me kicking my feet squealing and crying tears of joy. I can’t wait for the next book
Profile Image for Stacey Markle.
598 reviews32 followers
March 25, 2025
I've fallen in love with this world!
Cozy fantasy has my whole heart and the Tales of Aedrea book #3 just fit right in. 
This is a small tale, small in scope not heart or pages, that perfectly captures a sense of community, history and a little sweet romance to round things out. 
Wine making is our central theme but we also are treated to seeing our characters grow and expand their thinking, forgiving past mistakes, gain self confidence and learn what is really important. 
So much heart to the story. Absolutely stunning descriptive language and imagery makes you feel as if you're in Willowbrook yourself. I would happily wander among the vines, pick grapes in the harvest and stomp grapes to make the wonderful sounding  wines. 
There are savoury and sweet recipes and tables laden with delicacies during the harvest festival and it all sounded delicious! I came away very hungry lol
I adored the first two books in this series and will happily continue to enjoy the next several books if we get lucky enough to have them!
Profile Image for Lacrima Mundi.
199 reviews40 followers
October 3, 2025
This is definitely the most cosy book of the Tales of Aedrea series. The stakes are quite low and most of the book is simply about good wine, good food, and good company. It shines by its vibes and characters, not by means of action.

Yes, there is a story, but it's more a light-hearted philosophical story - with a bit of romance sprinkled in, which also supports it -, than a lot of stuff happening. Some are allergic to this, and if that is you, then you might want to stay away from this book.

Speaking of some being allergic: Yes, there is also lesbian romance, but there is no spice (unless you consider hand holding, hugging, and kissing spicy - I certainly don't).

If you ever wanted to pack your bags and move to the Shire, then this book is for you. If you ever wanted to visit the Shire during one of its major celebrations, then this book, centred around the Halfling's Harvest Celebration (who'd have guessed?), will scratch an itch you didn't know needed scratching.

It's a perfect book for autumn, best read with a glass of your favourite wine, some delicious snacks, and perhaps good company (although, one could make a point that books are the very best of company).

I loved everything about this, from start to finish. I absolutely love books that are just vibes and not much action - our lives are hectic and 'high stakes' enough these days, it's nice to entirely slow down every now and then and literally zen-out.

In a way one could say that this is literary cosy fantasy - if that were a thing. Why is that not a thing? We should make that a thing!

My only - very minor, very nitpicky - qualm with this is that it caters to my massive pet peeve of someone saying 'Here, here!' (twice, I think), while what they really mean is "Hear, hear!" (and it's also correct in there, once, if memory serves).

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Transparency info: Read via Kindle Unlimited.
Profile Image for Jenna.
95 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2025
“Woe unto anyone who tries to come between a halfling and the simple pleasures in life”!

I thoroughly enjoyed this adorable cozy fantasy, the characters were diverse and lovable. The plot was a little bit predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable. As a wise gnome once said, pobody’s nerfect. I caught myself grinning and kicking my feet at all the cute moments. Elara and Locke were my favorites! Plus, did I spot a Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea reference?

The beautiful cover art really sets the tone for the story. I enjoyed the details of winemaking and cooking were accurate (as far as I could tell!) This entire book radiated the comforting feeling I am after when reading cozy fantasy.

“If we look to the stars, they will always guide us home”
4.5/5 stars from me. Can’t wait to read more books in the Tales of Aedrea setting.

Good luck in the 578th Willowbrook Annual Harvest Festival, Merigold!

Note: The author provided me with this pre-release in the hope that I would write an honest review.
Profile Image for Tim.
28 reviews
March 25, 2025
ARC review: This is the third installment in the Tales of Aedrea series. The writing style was great, the world very immersive with likeable characters and companions and an overall heartwarming cozy fantasy story. Although the stakes were a little too low for my personal taste (Sword & Thistle was the perfect level for me) the story kept me interested and wanting to be read. Highly recommend checking out this book (and series) if you like the cozy fantasy genre.
Profile Image for Marcos “MSMDragon”.
634 reviews20 followers
May 5, 2025
S.L. Rowland is a master of cozy fantasy! This world that he has created has so much joy and life to it. The Halfling’s Harvest is such a beautiful story and the characters are so special. You can tell the author really put a lot of heart into this series.
7 reviews1 follower
March 26, 2025
I am so grateful to have received an ARC for this book because I loved the first two books in the series. This is a true cozy fantasy with a gentle closed-door sapphic romance. I love this world. Books one and two had a bit more adventure than this one which is the only reason this wasn’t a five star read for me. It was almost too cozy (if that’s even possible.) If you’re a wine drinker, this book has a lot of great vineyard details.
Profile Image for Ava Van den Bergh.
19 reviews
March 27, 2025
I had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC, and I absolutely loved it! Like in the previous books in the series, I love the writing style and how effortlessly immersive it is. I can practically taste the food and drinks just from the descriptions! I like to imagine the characters are all connected in some way: Dobbin visiting the inn, or Rhoren serving the Vineyard's wine in his bar.

This is the perfect cozy fantasy, it made me long for fall, with pumpkins, hot chocolate, and corn mazes. I don’t even drink wine, but this book made me want to learn, just to experience the flavors the characters describe. I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting! I only wish I could visit a place like Marigold’s, join in the harvest, wine stomping and experience the warmth of the community firsthand.
Profile Image for Emma.
566 reviews29 followers
March 27, 2025
In the larger reading world, I’ve loved watching the cozy fantasy world blossom over the last few years - especially in our current world, there is something lovely and simple and calming about these books.

This series in particular has been fun because it’s pushing away from the Legends & Lattes mold in a lot of fun ways and this one is no exception.

Come for the wine and baked good and stay for some really wonderful worldbuilding and thoughtful, wonderful characters who feel like friends.
Profile Image for ARR62.
256 reviews4 followers
April 7, 2025
So, So Heartwarming

I love this series and each book offers a different slice of life from this world. This book celebrates joy, love, the expertise of time and loving what you do. Its the answer to greed and power, kindness, love, and joy. Highly recommend!
1 review
March 28, 2025
ARC Review
It was a joy to immerse myself in Aedrea again, this time in a region not unlike The Shire, where our heroine is preoccupied with the grape harvest and the upcoming wine contest. As with the previous books in the series, the biggest pleasure for me is the found family element, all of whom are as fully realised as our heroine Marigold - as is the wider community. It’s a lovely book about growing through learning to accept oneself, with a sweet romance, a (mostly) likeable cast and some truly hunger inducing descriptions of food and drink.
Profile Image for Ed Parker.
85 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2025
I was provided an ARC by the author (thank you very much!).

This was my first "cozy" fantasy, and it didn't disappoint. In anime terms, I would almost compare this to a "slice of life" story about a halfling who owns an inn/winery, an annual wine tasting competition, rivalry, and her personal growth .

Avoiding spoilers, the author does a great job of setting the mood of the story. The buildings, food, wine, and characters themselves are described in warm detail, invoking mental images of comfort. This story, on numerous occasions: made me hungry, crave a glass of wine (which I don't even like the taste of), and long for the autumn.

If you enjoy fantasy as a whole, with some loving nods to Tolkien, good food/wine and fellowship I encourage you to give this story a try. It was my first outing with this author, it won't be my last.
Profile Image for Megan.
5 reviews
April 9, 2025
ARC Review: I'm gonna keep this simple (like the book) if you've always wanted to be a hobbit in the Shire then you should read this. Overall I really enjoyed the story and cared about the characters in the book. The overall vibe of the book was warm and cozy and ended up being a pretty fast read. The story was heartwarming and paced well, it fits the cozy fantasy genre very well, keeping the focus on the winery and it's residents/guests. The romance was very sweet and I found myself kicking my feet more than once. This book is best enjoyed with a favorite beverage and a sweet treat, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
450 reviews5 followers
July 25, 2025
very different from the first two books

I really struggled to read this book. It is VERY different from the first two books and focused on the emerging love story between the halfling owner of the inn/vineyard Marigold and a visiting gnome researcher Poppy. In the first 11 chapters you learn about Marigold’s unhappiness over taking over the vineyard from her father and never winning an award for the wine after her father had won for years.
After that the book focuses on Marigold’s quiet infatuation with Poppy. The most excitement comes when Marigold falls out of the apple tree while showing Poppy how to pick apples.
After forcing myself to continue reading this snooze fest, a Mage shows up, but even this turned boring.
I’m not one to quit reading a book after investing 13 chapters but I just couldn’t keep reading. Not sure why the author decided to focus on this inter species adolescent level love story but it just didn’t work.
I recommend the first two books but can’t recommend reading this one. So incredibly dull.
Profile Image for Emma Rose.
1,358 reviews71 followers
March 29, 2025
Absolutely wonderful - such a heartwarming book, I couldn’t stop smiling throughout. I’ve loved all the books in this cosy fantasy series and I completely fell in love with this one about halfling Marigold, an innkeeper and winegrower who’s trying to keep up with all her work and all her guests while competing with another winery that uses magic. The world is rich and lovely, ripe with characters that instantly feel like friends - blunt and no-nonsense Elara, sweet baker Locke, a researcher named Poppy and more. This is a sweet, sweet tale of good food, good wine and good company with love and friendship at its heart. Mouthwatering descriptions of dishes and beverages. I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want to leave. ❤️❤️
Profile Image for Lara R..
380 reviews10 followers
March 26, 2025
This is exactly what I want when it comes to cozy fantasy. A slice of life story with lots of great characters where the community is coming together to help each other out and where a festival still means something.

Marigold is such a wonderful, relatable character. Someone who wants to make her parents proud and live up to her own standards. As we know, we're our own worst critics and this is also true for Marigold.

The reader learns a lot about the history of the world the Halflings live in, about their traditions, their community, the way of wine making and the art of celebrating.
It's not only about Halflings though, but you will also meet Humans, Dwarves and Gnomes when visiting Willowbrook.

I really liked the romance between some of the characters - so wholesome and lovely to read about.

I'm usually not a cat person, but Onyx has stolen my heart🧡

It's a fantastic read and will make you smile...I just wish a place like this would exist irl.
Profile Image for Courtney (moyashi_girl) .
283 reviews6 followers
August 5, 2025
I'm sad to say that The Halfling's Harvest disappointed me a bit. Don't get me wrong it's not a bad book and I did like it but I just really loved the other 2 books in this series so much! Cursed Cocktails is even one of my absolute favourite cozy fantasy books!
I just felt that The Halfling's Harvest wasn't nearly as good as them.
I still love the world that the author has created it's the best!
Also, all the side characters were great and I especially loved Elara and Locke.

One of my biggest issues was how much the book focused on the romance. I wouldn't have minded it if I liked the romance but sadly I wasn't a big fan. Marigold was an okay character and I liked her but I wasn't a huge fan of Poppy and found her rather dull.
While I didn't love this book I would still recommend it as I know many others would love it more than I did.
Also, I will continue to read this series as I really do love the world and most of the characters in it. Also, the next book sounds amazing!
Profile Image for Liz Delton.
Author 32 books162 followers
April 2, 2025
The Halfling's Harvest is a standalone set in the Tales of Adrea, but there are some cameos which I enjoyed! It's like a delightful slice of life in the Shire, complete with romance, wine-making, and gorgeous world building.

The ending was supremely satisfying, which was no surprise after I'd read the other books in this series. Incredible writing and never a dull moment, just a cozy tale, and wine bringing people together :)

Also, the wine descriptions were really fun. I'm not a fancy beverage connoisseur by any means, and I didn't even spell connoisseur right the first time I tried just now, but the wine was described really incredibly, all of the different blends and names for them were really fun. Marigold is determined to win the harvest festival after 10 years of defeat, and the lessons she learns along the way are truly heartwarming.
Profile Image for Erica N.
4 reviews
March 27, 2025
I  had the honor of being able to beta read for this book, The Halfling's Harvest, and I cannot express how much love I have for it.
Marigold is impossible not to root for and I found myself relating to the trials and self doubt she faces throughout the story. S.L.Rowland writes fantastic characters that will leave you intrigued, amused, turning pages to see what happens next. It really felt like I was able to slip into another world, one that welcomed me with open arms, a glass of wine, and said “why don't you stay a while?”
Grab your drink of choice, a nice fall scented candle to really get into the harvest mood, and join the characters at the Dew Drop Inn - I promise the time will be well spent
Profile Image for Star.
200 reviews7 followers
March 18, 2025
4.5 rated up!

I love all the snippets of the world we get through the characters' eyes in each of these books. It's so fun and cozy. It hits everything I want in my cozy fantasies and with each entry into this series it feels like they get better and better. The storytelling, the characters, the world, and the dialogue are very natural. And this is the perfect read for fall.

Thank you so much for the ARC of this book I seriously couldn't put it down and couldn't recommend it more!
3 reviews
March 23, 2025
Hearty & wholesome

All the characters felt unique, and Marigold especially felt like a fully fleshed out person. She's been struggling with living in the shadow of her father's accomplishments, and faces challenges all her own. The relationships the characters have with one another and how they treat each other are especiall nice.

I received an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved the book so much, I pre-ordered a copy.
Profile Image for Taylor.
11 reviews2 followers
March 27, 2025
It gives the same simple comfort that Cursed Cocktails has always given me and I am here for it. I felt like I was transported to Hobbiton and saw a lot of the same silliness I've come to love about halflings. Not to mention how wonderful the characters are. As always, they have so much personality, even the ones you see for only a second. I've loved this book and I am so excited for it to be fully released.
Profile Image for SeasaltRose.
160 reviews13 followers
May 4, 2025
3.5 stars. This was my least favorite book in the series so far.

It was cozy and cute but the first two had more momentum in the plot despite being cozy reads.

The author did a good job with creating atmosphere. His descriptions were perfect for a cozy book.

One of my most read genres is Romance and the relationship was more pronounced in this installment but it fell a little flat for me.

Overall it was good and I would recommend it to fans of slow paced character driven Cozy Fantasy.
Profile Image for Pujashree.
740 reviews54 followers
October 8, 2025
Yet another cozy read, and it doesn't get cozier than a half long vineyard and inn. Marigold and cast were all incredibly personable and textured. The stakes were extremely low but the vibes were immaculate. That said, I did read this in audiobook format which is excellently performed, but some of the writing could use more editing. sometimes the handwavinness throws the worldbuilding. Still an easy cozy commute read.
1 review
March 27, 2025
The Halfling's Harvest is the warm hug you didn't know you needed. S.L. Rowland is a master at creating a world that you melt in to. The characters develop so nicely throughout the story and I think it would be difficult to not find bits of yourself in them. This is one I know that I will be coming back to when I need that bit of comfort and to remind myself that I'm not as alone as I may think.
Profile Image for Jason Kivela.
357 reviews3 followers
March 17, 2025
Really enjoyed it! The perfect level of cozy, a lot of good fall vibes! Also there is a lot of wine making information, which was a lot of fun to read about. Always enjoy the expansion of a great fantasy world. Read an ARC.
587 reviews4 followers
March 26, 2025
This is such a cute story! If you love the Hobbits from Lord of the Rings, you're sure to love these characters! Such a fun story with all the cozy feels! The food and drink descriptions are absolutely drool worthy. I adore the characters, and the setting was pure cozy magic.
11 reviews
March 27, 2025
Excellent cozy fantasy

Note that I was a beta reader for this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and setting of The Halfling's Harvest. The imagery that the story invoked for me was super cozy and I'd recommend this as a perfect book to read on a warm spring day.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews

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