Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

by Heather Fawcett

A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montreal turns to a grouchy but charming wizard to help save the shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series.

Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life—and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a much-needed cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for lost cats.

But after she is forced to move the cat shelter, Agnes learns that her new landlord is using her charity as a front—for an internationally renowned and thoroughly disreputable magic shop. Owned by the disorganized—not to mention self-absorbed, irritating, but also decidedly handsome—Havelock Renard, magician and failed Dark Lord, the shop draws magical clientele from around the world, partly due to the quality of Havelock’s illicit goods as well as their curiosity about his shadowy past and rumors of his incredible powers. Agnes's charity offers the perfect cover for illegal magics.

Agnes couldn’t care less about the shop—magical intrigue or not, there are cats to be rescued. But when an enemy from Havelock’s past surfaces, the magic shop—and more importantly, the cat shelter—are suddenly in jeopardy. To save the shelter, will Agnes have to set aside her social conscience and protect the man who once tried to bring about the apocalypse—and is now trying to steal her heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy, Historical Fiction, Cozy Fantasy, Fiction, Historical

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 17, 2026

About the author

Hello! Welcome to my page.

I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.

I'm only occasionally on Goodreads, so if you want a more reliable way to get in contact with me, I'd recommend using social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or the contact form on my website.

Review policy: I only review books that I love, which is why you'll only see 4 and 5 star reviews here. Because readers often ask me about my favourite books and authors, I'm aiming to use this page as a place to collect all of my recommendations.

Also, I am NOT the author of More Than a Mom: Living a Full And Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. I've asked Goodreads to remove it from my page several times but it keeps getting re-added. If you have questions about this title, please direct them to the other Heather Fawcett!

Reviews

[Ricarda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be a dog owner, but I'm also a certified cat lover and I pet them at every given opportunity, so of course a book with this cover and that title can't just exist in the world without me reading it. And then it basically turned out to be Howl's Moving Castle with a lot of cats, and it might as well have been written just for me.

The title is not promising too much, because the book really is about 34-year-old Agnes, desperately trying to uphold her cat shelter in a fantastical 1920s Montreal. She is currently looking for a new place to stay, because the previous shelter was badly damaged in a ruthless magician fight. As a charity, the shelter barely has any funding and not every landlord is keen on housing dozens of cats, but Agnes luckily stumbles upon an ominously perfect location with suspiciously low rent. Beggars can't be choosers and so Agnes is willing to ignore that the previous renters all fled the place and that there is definitely some magic going on in the basement. She eventually crosses paths with the infamous Witch King Havelock Renard and gets dragged into some potentially dangerous magician business, but Agnes is fine with everything if it saves the cats. I loved her as the main character. She is down-to-earth and well organized and never really learned to do anything nice for herself. She's very caring and determined and so she is very fierce in her own way when facing problems. The perfect counterpart for such a character is someone who is seemingly reckless and a bit detached from human ways, and Havelock of course delivers all of that. It's the Sophie/Howl dynamic that I love from the movie and I will never not ship a nice, hardworking woman with a powerful, messy magician. I almost can't believe that I write this, but I would have liked it even more if there had been more romance. The book is very reserved in that regard and mostly shows affection through little and bigger gestures. It did match the perfect soft and cozy vibes of this book; the same vibes that were kinda missing in Emily Wilde for me. I'm now very willing to give that series another chance, though. But the book wasn't entirely low stakes either. There's trouble with the police and there's more than one intense magician fight and sometimes there are even missing cats, the horror!

I think that there was overall a good balance between maintaining the cat shelter and a more adventurous part about finding a magical artefact. The whole magician part even had plot similarities to Howl's Moving Castle, so if you really love the book or the movie you can do no wrong with this novel. But my absolute favorite part were all the cats of course. And there were plenty. They were described with different personalities and the love for cats was ever present. Please, "A cat is the soul of a house"? How can you not be in love with that? Overall, I have only very minor things to criticize about this book. For one, I never thought that Agnes read her age. She could have been in her early 20s and I would have believed it all the same. She was widowed and thus made a little older, but it was just a bit unbelievable to me. Maybe it was because the book felt kinda ageless, as in everyone from teen to adult reader could easily enjoy it. I also think that the setting / time period could have been utilized more, because it barely mattered if I'm honest. It was a nice urban setting without any modern technology but with common magic and that could have been shown more. But I'm not looking for the most intricate world building in a cozy fantasy anyway. There was enough information given to create a perfect standalone novel and I can't complain about that. All in all, I had a lovely read from beginning to end and I would recommend it to every cat and magic lover who is looking for a cozy fall/winter fantasy novel.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orbit / Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

--------------
Pre-read: I would have been upset if there had been fewer cats on the cover. Right onto the most anticipated list of next year.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the moment I saw that utterly charming cover—and Heather Fawcett’s name, an author who excels at creating enchanted, immersive worlds—that I was going to fall in love with this book from the very first chapter. And I was absolutely right. This story even made someone like me, who has never been a devoted cat person, seriously consider adopting one. (Not necessarily His Highness, of course—something more along the lines of a dramatic, slightly feral Banshee-type cat would be my preference.)

Agnes Aubert is the kind of character you adore instantly. She is gentle, selfless, endlessly kind, and determined to see the good in everyone. Her devotion to rescuing stray cats—making sure they don’t freeze alone on the streets and caring for them in her shelter—is deeply moving. When a magical attack devastates her neighborhood and leaves her shelter barely standing, Agnes realizes she must urgently find a new location before winter sets in. Unfortunately, every realtor in Montreal seems determined to slam the door in her face the moment she mentions that the space will be used as a cat shelter.

Just as hope begins to fade, Agnes stumbles upon the eccentric and narrow Rue des Hirondelles, where she meets Yannick, a curious young man who shows her an available rental. The place smells like freshly baked pastries and was recently abandoned by its previous tenant under suspicious, possibly magical circumstances. Still, beggars can’t be choosers, and the unbelievably affordable rent makes it impossible for Agnes to walk away. She decides to take a chance.

It doesn’t take long for her to realize there is a very big catch.

Strange individuals appear and vanish through secret parts of the building. A terrifying encounter with a wildly unstable woman alters the very structure of the house itself. And then, the landlord finally reveals himself: the Wicked King—Havelock Renard, a powerful and infamous magician rumored to have nearly ended the world. Agnes can hardly believe her luck… or lack thereof.

Yet, what initially seems like the worst possible situation soon becomes an unexpected opportunity. With magic relocating her original shelter, Agnes begins to imagine expanding her work and opening a new branch. At the same time, police officer Laurent Rouzet begins sniffing around the building, investigating illegal magical activities. Determined and resourceful, Agnes believes her organizational skills may be the key to finding a secret book Havelock’s sister desperately needs—one that could prevent another magical disaster and stop a looming war between magicians.
As Agnes reluctantly teams up with Havelock—an artifact-obsessed, grumpy, cantankerous loner who is allergic to cats yet surprisingly compassionate, she quickly realizes how little she truly understands about magic, its rules, and the very real dangers lurking beneath the land and within the surrounding dark woods. With the help of her fiery, bold, and fiercely protective sister Elise, Agnes must navigate threats that stretch across realms, all while protecting her beloved shelter… and resisting the undeniable pull of falling in love with a man who once stood on the brink of destroying everything.

Overall: The vivid world-building of 1920s Montreal, the rich atmosphere, the charming character portraits, the lovable cats, and the heartwarming yet magical storytelling come together in a perfect recipe for joy. This book feels like a cozy Christmas melody I want to hum forever—comforting, enchanting, and full of wonder. It earned a glowing five cat-shelter stars from me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey / Random House Worlds / Inklore for providing me with this delightful enemies-to-lovers historical fantasy romance in exchange for my honest thoughts. 🐾

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This advanced copy was provided by Orbit, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me as soon as I read the word 'cat'.

Heather Fawcett writes the most interesting and memorable characters. Agnes is a strong-willed woman who will do everything for her cat rescue, even if she has to rent from a magician.

I think it's incredible how every single cat presented had its own personality, everything was very fleshed out.

I loved the Howl's Moving Castle vibes, and the magical elements.

And Banshee is the best!

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful exploration of grief & love after loss disguised as a cozy fantasy about magical cat shelter, complete with a broody dark lord and the most perfect cat side characters.

*best read in the company of a cat

A perfect cozy fantasy where the vibes are so utterly cozy but the stakes are high enough to keep you interested! I absolutely LOVED this book.

The setting, the found family, the magic, the romance, the plot, were all so well executed but what really stole the show were the cats and the portrayal of grief. These are not just simple animal companions these cats have personality and are a vital part of the plot (I LOVE THEM SO MUCH). The grief portrayal is so well interspersed, it always feels natural, well placed, and hopeful!

Whats to love…
- 1920s Montreal setting
- a disreputable magic shop + a broody dark lord
- interesting magic + world
- Strong 35+ widowed FMC with a type-A personality
- nerdy MMC who is also a shadow daddy
- jewelry wearing MMC (I heard we’re into men who wear rings now?!)
- She’s the one that does the saving!
- the sweetest romantic subplot
- CATS CATS CATS
- cozy in setting, compelling in plot

I read this in less than 24 hours, I couldn’t put it down!

Shout out to Toads & Tomes on IG for bringing this book to my attention!

| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Del Rey for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

This was such a cosy read, even though I’m more of a dog person the cats sold me. I fell in love with the feline family so badly that I felt so betrayed by something that happened towards the end, like so badly betrayed. The cats were such terrors added into the story which potentially made it so much cosier. Did Agnes annoy me at one point? yes. But that just who she is as a person and I’ve learned to accept it. Even though in my opinion we don’t get enough of Havelock as I would like, I still found him so intriguing.

I will say that I did struggle a bit with getting into the story and also with the pacing of it. The plot of the story I’d say may not potentially be the best and I could see why people would not like it but I had such a fun time with it that I’m not complaining. Heather has such a way of writing magical realism in her books that just attracts my attention and I honestly can’t seem to get enough of it. I do wish that the magic was a bit more explored as we barely see Havelock using it and when he is we don’t get to see enough of it. I also would’ve liked to see Agnes get a bit more involved with the whole magic system.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.







———————————————————————————————


𐙚⋆°. preread

I read the Emily Wilde series by this author and I absolutely adored it so I’m so so so excited to read her new release and so grateful for an early copy.

[AG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

"A cat is the soul of a house."

Heather Fawcett brings her signature wit and charm to an enchanting tale that's perfect to curl up with on a cold winter's night! Despite of my very few quibbles, 'Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter' won me over by the end.

The Good:
● I can't not start with the cats! I was initially worried that the story would be a romantic fantasy with the cat shelter as only a backdrop, but HF did a fantastic job at making the cats the soul of the story. I loved how they had such diverse personalities. His Majesty and Banshee the cat were a highlight for me. A significant portion of the book is indeed about running the cat shelter, so cat people rest assured, this won't disappoint you!
● Heather Fawcett's protagonists are always very endearing. I adored Agnes for her wholehearted dedication to running her shelter and the way she always prioritised the cats' well-being above all else. I loved how she unknowingly viewed Havelock as one of her cats in the way she looked after him.

" I knew in that moment that I would never abandon them — not for anything. I'd always known this, of course, but I suppose I'd never truly known how far my resolve would go, that it might even stretch wide enough to accommodate villainous monsters. The realization was both distressing and comforting."

● Havelock was a great love interest. The way the reader gets to know his true personality through Agnes' eyes was very rewarding.
● Although the book was humorous throughout, the stakes were pretty high.
● The side characters (including the cats) were well written. Agnes' sister Eloise was one of my favourites and her relationship with Agnes and her unwavering support were heartwarming.
● HF made some phenomenal decisions (including one that made me tear up) in the final quarter of the book which is why it finally ended up being a solid 4 star.

What could've been better:
● The pacing DRAGGED in the middle to the point that I was worried I'd end up giving it a 3 or 2.75.
● I wish there was more romance in the book. Agnes and Havelock's relationship was sweet and believable enough for me to root for them, but with the cat shelter and the artefact storylines the romance faded into the background. I'm not a huge fan of the Emily Wilde trilogy but Emily and Wendell is one of my favorite bookish romantic pairings. Yes, that developed over
the course of 3 books but I'd have loved to see more romantic moments between Agnes and Havelock.

Overall, I had a lovely time with 'Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter' and would love to read more books featuring this characters (yes, I know that this is a standalone but one can always hope). I'd highly recommend this to fans of cozy fantasy!

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 ★— Consider this a cozy treat for all the Howl/Sophie lovers out there!

I’ve been following this book since Heather Fawcett announced it, and I’m happy to say that reading it was such a delight! It’s warm, whimsical, filled with charming and eccentric characters, and infused with just the right amount of supernatural elements to draw you in as a reader.

The story’s heroine, Agnes, is a 35-year-old widow, dedicated and fiercely determined to keep her shelter open in order to care for the city’s ownerless cats. She’s emotional yet steady, balancing heart and resolve in her own way. From the blurb, I expected someone more in line with Emily Wilde from her previous trilogy, but Agnes stands entirely on her own, and I really appreciated that.

Havelock Renard definitely carries shades of Howl Pendragon! He wears outlandish yet stylish outfits, piles on layers of magical jewelry, and plays the chaotic foil to Agnes’ meticulous orderliness. Their relationship will definitely appeal to the Howl/Sophie crowd, though I was a little disappointed in how their romance ultimately unfolded. For me, it lacked some of the yearning and tension I look for in fiction. Instead, their connection sometimes felt a little flat, and the buildup underwhelming.

Agnes and Havelock do weather trials together throughout the story that endeared me to them, but I found myself a tiny bit let down, because compared to the romance in Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series, this part of the book came across as weaker. I think the story would have benefited from more scenes of them together. Or really, more scenes of Havelock in general, because I just wanted more of him.

As a character he still felt a bit indistinct to me, lacking the intrigue and charismatic pull I was expecting after his introduction. Of course, that’s entirely my expectation here, but it’s worth noting because it slightly tempered my enjoyment of their dynamic.

That said, I still adored the setting and the inviting, cozy atmosphere that runs through the book, especially with its winter backdrop. The side characters added depth and warmth, rounding out the story beautifully. And naturally, as a cat lover, I adored how Fawcett captured the mysterious and mystical(!) nature of cats with this story.

____________________

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖]

˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

pre-read : i still can't believe i'm blessed with an arc of one of my 2026 anticipated releases. pray for me, everyone ʚ₍ᐢ ›̥̥̥ ༝ ‹̥̥̥ ᐢ₎ɞ

update as of 01/30/2026 : OH MY GOD I FEEL LIKE I SUCCEEDED IN LIFE BC WDYM MY ARC REQUEST WAS APPROVED (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ

08/12/2025 - WE HAVE A COVER!!!!

08/22/2024 - PRESENT 💺💺💺

[Nancy •͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ {Comment restriction}]

I've wished for it on Netgalley since I was too late to grab an ARC. Sooo... fingers crossed?

[Laura❄️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher Little Brown Book Group for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was quite charming, I got completely swept up in Agnes and her cat shelter and I loved that all the cats had their own personalities, His Majesty was a little terror and Banshee was my favourite. Agnes was a force to reckoned with, she quite often gave Havelock a piece of her mind even if he is one of the world’s most powerful magicians. Havelock unlike his reputation was shy, awkward and had a bumbling personality, all he wants is to work in his workshop and be left alone. I would describe this book as a gentle romance with a hefty sprinkling of magic, it was very cosy and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the setting of this book, it kind of had an oldie worldy feel to it and the pacing was just right. This was a very easy book to get lost it, I really enjoyed the writing, the characters and the world building. I also liked Yannick Havelock’s apprentice and Agnes’s sister Eloise. Overall a very highly satisfying and enjoyable read.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cosy, cat-filled, cute, curiously magical.

Agnes runs a cat shelter charity in a place where most people see cats as pests. She is highly organised, type-A, lives by her checklists and order. (Is she me?)

When her shop is destroyed by duelling magicians, she rents a new, weirdly cheap, place where she finds out a magician is living in the basement. Not any old magician (which would be bad enough), but Havelock: the Witch King, failed world-ender. Who is allergic to cats and being hunted by his evil sister.

I have two cats who seem to think they’re human, so this story touched me, made me laugh, and cuddle with my own furballs: Pancake (born on Pancake day) and Cinder, (named after the Lunar Chronicles).

”You are a hurricane, aren’t you?” he said. “I’m half convinced that if I get in your way, I’ll find myself stuffed into a crate with a number glued to my forehead.”
“Oh, no,” I said. “You’d get your own shelf.”

Havelock is chaotic, disorganised, and a mess.
Agnes is stressed, persistent, and tidy.

The side characters are equally as charming, complementing and contrasting with our main characters wonderfully. Even the cats have more personality than other main book characters I have read.

This is an urban historical fantasy set in 1920s Montreal, perfect for the Fall/Autumnal season.

If this doesn’t convince you to go to a cat shelter, you have a stone heart.

Arc gifted by Del Rey.

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[Nicole is Reading Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not much of cozy fantasy reader, but throw a few cats into the mix and I’m hooked. This book delivered all the cozy vibes! The setting instantly draws you in, making it easy to picture our cat shelter and the quaint streets of 1920’s Montreal. I quickly connected with our characters; they made me laugh, and they even made me cry (once). Of course, the highlight of this book was the cats; I loved that they each had their own distinct personalities. It’s obvious that Heather Fawcett is a cat lover with how she perfectly captured the eccentricities of cat ownership.

Thank you NetGalley and DelRey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Samantha (ladybug.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely, cozy read. I would have liked a little bit more from the plot but the characters and cats were endearing enough to keep me entertained.

Full review to come closer to release.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the magical, cozy read that I didn’t know I needed. With charming characters, lovable cats, magical spells and artefacts, and an oven that produces pastries at midnight, what’s not to love?
This gave me Howl’s moving castle vibes which I adored. I also really liked the Montreal snowy atmosphere.
Once again, Heather Fawcett delivers a wonderfully unique story with the kind of writing that simply immersed me from the start. I always appreciate how her characters feel real in that they have quirks and traits that are not shied away from but explored in ways make them all the more endearing.
I found the romance to be heart-warming and I especially loved the final chapter with the attic scene (yes it made me smile because i will never not love the kind of ending that lets you imagine all the magical possibilities awaiting the characters in their future).

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for this ARC.

[Brok3n · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy goes hardcore

Heather Fawcett wrote a series of fantasy novels, the Emily Wilde series, which I really enjoyed. I liked them because Fawcett pulled off an impressive bit of magic of her own: she wrote three novels about a powerful, child-torturing, royalty-poisoning enchantress and convinced the world that they are cozy fantasies. In my reviews, I described Emily as formidable, terrifying, and capable of anything -- the last is a direct quote of something her romantic interest Wendell Bambleby said about her. And he was right!

The trick is all in the packaging. Emily is an introverted professor who drinks HAC Beverages in large amounts. ("HAC" = "Hot Alkaloid-Containing" is a shorthand that includes tea, coffee and cocoa. HAC Beverages are of course the defining feature of cozy literature. Check out any novel that has been designated "cozy" and you will find that the characters spend much of their time offering each other and consuming HAC bevs. In fact, I posit that HAC bevs in large quantities are not just a necessary, but a sufficient condition for coziness.)

Fawcett, in Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter has shone light into all of Emily's dark places while turning the cozy to the max. We have not only HAC beverages, but also a variety of pastries, and -- get this -- our heroine runs a shelter for distressed stray cats. She literally lives with dozens of them and finds them homes. This is Beatrix Potter levels of cozy, but for adults!

The heroine, of course, is Agnes Aubert. She and her shelter are located in 1920s Montréal. It is not our version of the 1920s, however. There is magic in this world. Agnes, like all right-thinking folk, despises magic. Magicians are lawless and powerful and cause endless trouble. A few years ago one of them almost effected the End of the World. More recently, dueling magicians blasted a hole in the wall of the building that housed Agnes's shelter. Thus, as the story begins Agnes is looking for a new home. She finds one at a suspiciously low rent. Well, you can guess why the rent is so low. (And the publisher's blurb, which is full of major spoilers, will tell you why even if you can't guess.)

I didn't enjoy this as much as the Emily Wilde series. Agnes was too sweet for me. I'd have preferred a protagonist with more spice or sour notes. That's just me, though. If hard-core cozy is your thing, you'll enjoy Agnes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advance reader's copy of Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter. Release date 17-Feb-2026.

Blog review.

[Rina | Worldsbetweenpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Little, Brown Book Group UK for the arc!

„Would not the world be better off if we contented ourselves with the small miracles of life?“

🐈 protagonist in her thirties
🐈‍⬛ cozy Fantasy
🐈 magical artifacts
🐈‍⬛ hidden shop
🐈 time travel

What I liked:
- The cats of course! They were all adorable little personalities with their own tics. Some reminded me so much of my cats! I especially loved His Majesty and Banshee’s dynamic and I was so happy when they got more involved in the plot!
- The magician (and love interest), Havelock, and his hidden shop full of magical artifacts! He was so adorable socially awkward and slightly eccentric, just hiding away all day in his hoard of collected stuff, babbling about magic more to himself than to everyone else.

What I didn’t like:
- Besides the cat shelter the worldbuilding felt a little underdeveloped. The story is set in Montreal in the 1920s, but it could just as easily have been any city, real or imagined, nothing really stood out. I won’t even get started on the development of the magical world. I can’t believe all magicians are reckless and evil and that there were no real consequences when one of them nearly triggered the apocalypse.
- I wish the process of rescuing cats and setting them up for adoption had been a bit more realistic at times. It’s not that easy to just pick up homeless, sometimes feral cats from the street and immediately have them adopted just because people suddenly fancy cats and the shelter runs out.

✍🏻 Writing style: 4/5
👥 Characters: 4/5
🌍 Worldbuilding: 3,75/5
📝 Story & Plot: 3/5
✨ Vibes: 4,5/5

•Is this my go to genre?
I’m usually very picky with Cozy Fantasy and I rarely rate them over 3 stars, because I tend to miss urgency and action.
•Will I buy a physical copy: yes
•Will I read more books by the author: yes
•Where would I place it on my bookshelf: I’m unsure, near The Spellshop and The Bookshop Below … maybe I built a section for magical shops.

[Cups and Thoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

i won an early copy through a giveaway hosted by hachette!

this felt like a studio ghibli film in that there was little to no context most of the novel — you just go with the flow, vibe along, and obsess over cute cats and cool magical artefacts! ✨🐈 the MMC is SOOOO howl coded (in the way he dresses and acts?!?), and all the food descriptions were 🤤🤤 sooo good! it made me bust out my cutest tea set and tasty biscuits because i was really craving them!

the romance was so cute too despite it being a little insta lovey. tho for some reason i didn’t mind it?! maybe it’s cause you don’t see the characters pining over one another constantly. they’re just sort of revolving around one another, and i love them both individually so when we see them start developing feelings for each other you feel happy for them! 🥰🥰 they were SO cute and the romance wasn’t over the top with i love yous and cringe moments — they were filled with sweet and thoughtful gestures, revealing tucked away parts of themselves with each other slowly, and also making little sacrifies for one another 🥹

this was just so different and not at all what i expected it to be. ultimately tho i had such a great time reading this :) so much whimsy and cozy cuteness, a sweet romance, and an even sweeter sister duo dynamic (which i’m biased cos i adore my sisters) 🫶🏼 LOVEEE!!!

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

this was my first book by this author & certainly won’t be my last!!

what i adored:
- the romantic subplot (VERY much on the side)
- 1920s montreal
- the portrayal of grief
- magic system & concept of artefacts
- agnes!!! my type a queen i loved her so much
- havelock, you & your bespectacled jewelry wearing self have bewitched me
- the CATSSSSSS i adored them and really loved how the author put a lot of thought into giving them each their own stories and personalities
- the whimsicalness of it all
- the writing style!!!!!!

what i didn’t love:
- the ending felt a bit rushed to me
- i wish we had gotten some more insight into havelock’s character
- a teensy bit more yearning please

overall, i loved this & was fully immersed in this cozy world!!

[Vavo ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy fantasy is not really a genre that works for me because no matter how much I love the vibes, I like my stakes a little bit higher. This of course is the reason why Heather Fawcett's books work for me. The aesthetic is there, cats and pastries and snow but the plot is also about illegal artefacts and the apocalypse and, most importantly, about love and grief.

I did not expect this book to make me cry but here we are none the less. Agnes is juggling her goal of saving every stray cat in Montreal, her feelings about magic and the loss of her husband while also finding love after that. Havelock is also grieving in his own way but he also wants to be left alone. The way these two found each other, a woman who sees the good in everyone and a man who can't even see the good in himself was beautiful and made me feel all the feels.

The best thing though is that the cats are characters in this book AND I got my cat to cuddle with me will reading it. Truly the best way to enjoy this book.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this fantasy novel leads to more people loving cats. I'm already a life-long cat lover and this made me love them even more! Agnes needs to find a new location for her cat shelter but has no idea her new place is a front for the dreaded Witch King aka Havelock, who is not that dreadful at all.

I adored everything about this! Havelock opining on magic theory, just wants to be left alone with his books and Artefacts. Agnes organizing his Artefacts because she can't handle what a mess his rooms are and how on earth can he ever find anything?! All the cats' personalities and the people who come to adopt them. The way this explored Agnes's grief after the death of her husband Robin. The slow burgeoning romance between Agnes and Havelock. Agnes's stalwart sister Elise! I would read so many more stories about Agnes, Havelock, and crew.

Note: There is some danger and peril in the form of Havelock's sister Valérie but no cats are harmed.


Characters: Agnes is a 35 year old white cat rescue charity owner. She owns two cats: His Majesty and Banshee. Her sister is Elise. Havelock (aka Witch King) is a 32 year old white magician and landlord who wears glasses. Yannick is his apprentice. This is set in Montréal.

Content notes: toxic sister, past child neglect, cat abduction, murder, attempted murder, police abuse of power, jail, lacerations, allergy to cats, fainting, vomit, animal endangerment, past and present animal injuries, abandoned cats, past death of pet cat, recent death of rescue cat's owner, cat diet, cat vomit, spiders, fleas, forgetting to eat, brief fatshaming joke, past death of FMC's husband (heart defect), past death of FMC's parents at 16, past death of MMC's mother, past parental rejection for being a magician (secondary character was passed to other relatives who kicked him out once he turned 18), past homelessness (secondary character), past foster care (secondary character), alcohol, ableist language

Disclosure: I received a free advance copy from Del Rey.

[Mirinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted this book to last forever.

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter is cozy fantasy perfection, funny, soft, a little sad, and full of absolute chaos in cat form. Agnes runs a magical cat shelter that gets destroyed right after she loses her husband, so she is grieving, stressed, and still somehow holding everything together for a bunch of deeply unhelpful cats. Then a dark magician shows up, very Howl coded, very grumpy, very talented, and very bad at feelings.

The romance is a super slow burn and mostly in the background, but it works because the heart of the story is Agnes, her shelter, and all the people and animals who find their way there. The cats are incredible, each with their own ridiculous personality, and watching Agnes match them with the right humans was weirdly emotional.

I also loved how much this book cares about kindness, about helping strays, about using power to protect instead of harm, and about quiet bravery that does not need to be loud or violent to matter. Agnes is gentle but fierce when it counts, especially where her cats are concerned.

It is whimsical, a little dangerous, deeply warm, and honestly just made me happy. If you love Howl’s Moving Castle, Emily Wilde, or just want to hide in a soft magical world for a while, this one is such a good pick.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Rishali Dey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cozy, enchanting, and deeply heartfelt read this turned out to be. Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter completely captured my heart from start to finish, and I truly did not want it to end.

This story felt like a warm hug. The magic was gentle yet enchanting, and I found myself wishing I could step into the pages and volunteer at Agnes’s cat shelter just to be around her and her wonderfully mystical cats. Each cat had its own personality, and I absolutely loved how Agnes matched them with adopters so thoughtfully, like she could see straight into their souls.

What made this book especially meaningful to me was how it addressed real and important themes such as the street cat population and the need for neutering. As someone who advocates for reducing stray animal populations in Asia, this aspect of the story tugged hard at my heartstrings. Agnes’s compassion for animals felt incredibly genuine, and when she hurt for her cats, I felt that pain right alongside her.

The emotional depth of this book surprised me in the best way. Agnes’s grief after losing her husband was handled with such tenderness, and seeing how she found comfort and healing through caring for her cats was both heartbreaking and beautiful. I laughed, I cried, and more than once I wanted to reach through the pages and hug her.

I also adored the magical elements woven throughout the story — from enchanted artifacts to Havelock’s experiments with magic — and yes, I want to be adored the way Banshee adored Havelock. 🥹

This book is full of warmth, kindness, and hope, and it’s a love letter to lost souls finding their way back home — whether they walk on two legs or four. If you love cozy fantasy, cats, gentle magic, and stories that lead with heart, I cannot recommend this enough.


Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange of my honest review!

[Monica Hills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great story especially if you love cats! There were so many wonderful little touches that will draw you in. From the magical oven that bakes pastries at midnight, intelligent characters willing to do whatever it takes to save others, and cats who steal the show; this is a fantastic, wonderful book filled with magic, action, and a little romance.

Agnes is a woman in her 30s who is grieving the loss of her partner and has now dedicated her life to saving cats. She runs a cat shelter and is desperate to find a new home. When a shop she can actually affords comes up she jumps at the chance to rent it. However she finds out that a magician named Havelock is using her shelter as a front so that he stays hidden from the police. Havelock is a world famous magician who almost ended the world. Agnes would be ok with this until one day another magician shows up and almost destroys her shelter and the cats in her quest to find a magical book. Agnes is determined to do whatever it takes to find this book and destroy it so that everyone she loves will be safe.

This book was a unique blend of heart warming characters, magic, and action. I really hope that there are more books to come as I truly loved all of these characters and the cats.

Thank you to Del Rey Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Rachel Rowell]

I need this in my life

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

It felt very fitting to start the year with a new Heather Fawcett book, which seems to be becoming some kind of tradition for me and my reading buddy. I started this book when I expected to struggle to focus, but against the odds, this book pulled me in immediately. I ended up having a hard time putting it down. I absolutely loved Agnes, who I thought felt very relatable. I also loved Havelock, and their dynamic reminded my friend and me a lot of Howl's Moving Castle. While this was a mostly cosy read, there were still real stakes, and there was a great mix of tension and humour, with some really funny and chaotic moments. And of course, there were SO many cats. Just SO many. And they were fleshed out too! Some of them actually felt like characters, which really added to the story.

[Hillary (abookishmarriage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was unbelievably charming.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kindly sent this book for a review, and I am so glad I was as it was definitely right up my alley with the theme and the plot. It’s a cosy story through and through, but it’s also got a lot of great characters, cats and magical plot.

We follow Agnes, a lady who runs a cat shelter and has a strong desire to care for all the cats in her city. She’s come on hard times and is in need of a new shop, but the one she ends up in is quite unique and might be magically-infected too.

Agnes and her straight-forward and level-headed approach to making things work even in hard times is a particularly useful quirk to her personality when the magicians of the world start to cause problems. She even manages to convince some of the magicians to help with her cat endeavours as the story goes on.

Agnes’ sister Elise and the mysterious Yannick and Havelock are the key characters. They are all well developed and offer a decent bit to the storyline with their own personalities. The cats themselves are also characters with His Majesty, Banshee and many more featuring as key parts of the plot and endearing you (the reader) to them.

I am 100% a cat lover, so this book ticked many boxes for me and I was very pleased to read it. 4*s and I’d happily read future books set with the same world and characters.

[patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I just told you that I stopped an apocalypse, and all you can think about is your cats.”

This was another CAT-astic book by Heather Fawcett. At this point, I have accepted that Heather’s definition of cozy fantasies involve the world ending and the apocalypse – or, the aPAWcalypse – and that is exactly why I read Heather’s books. The perfect blend of the world ending, a whimsical magician and cats.

I have no doubt that cat lovers will love this one. Heather’s latest novel is a love letter to all the cat lovers out there and I loved that all of the cats in the novel – and there are several – have distinct personalities. They all had memorable names that fit into their different personalities too. I don’t want to spoil too much, but Banshee was my favorite cat for sure!

Apart from Heather paying homage to the cat lovers out there, this novel was also a love letter and homage to Howl’s Moving Castle. You cannot tell me otherwise that Heather took inspiration from the book and its respective Ghibli film!! This genuinely felt like a loose retelling of Howl’s Moving Castle in the best way possible. There are so many similarities to Howl yet Heather reimagines it where it feels new and original and stands out on its own. Again, not spoiling, but there are so many scenes that had me GRINNING when I recognized the overlap.

And of course leave it to Heather to write memorable cats AND characters, and one heck of a memorable entrance for Havelock Renard. I have no doubt fans of Heather’s previous series, Emily Wilde will enjoy this one just as much – the book has the same sharp, witty banter found in Emily Wilde. There were a lot of times where I could not stop laughing. Agnes in general is a likable character. While rational and logical, Agnes has a huge heart, openly cares for everyone in general and tries to see the best in people. But she also has the biggest loyalty to the cats! Havelock is an enigma and a puzzle piece to be solved, someone so invested in magic he gets caught up in his craft and forgets how to be human at times. But I love unravelling the mystery that is Havelock Renard. It’s also a bonus that he’s so funny without trying. There’s never a dull moment whenever Agnes and Havelock interact.

But my favorite part of the novel was learning about the magic and the lore around it. I found it surprisingly fleshed out and developed and it genuinely felt like Heather could write a high fantasy novel. It left me wanting more from the world – especially learning about the Rivenwood, which was so ominous, spooky yet fascinating. I’d love to see Heather try her hand at a gothic novel.

If there was one thing that I wanted a bit more from, it was the villain of the novel that fell a bit on the generic side for me. The novel felt like it attempted to give some context, backstory and motive, but it felt like it wasn’t expanded on as much as I thought it would, so the villain did feel a bit one dimensional to me. The novel also lost a bit of momentum towards the half way mark, but pulled me back in afterwards. There were also some plot conveniences, especially towards the end and I found the ending a bit abrupt too. Heather definitely has me craving more from this world and to explore more of the magic we were introduced to. Please turn this into a series one day!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lindsay (pawsomereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter was a super cozy and immersive read. The writing pulled me straight into 1920s Montréal and the world felt vivid, layered and whimsical. The magical elements blended so naturally with the real-life setting. I found myself caring equally about the main characters and the side characters, which was one of the book’s biggest strengths. Every person and animal alike felt intentional and memorable. The shelter volunteers, the magicians and the cats all mattered just as much as Agnes and Havelock did. It made the emotional moments land even harder because I had a real investment in everyone’s outcomes. The tone was a perfect balance of heartfelt, emotional moments and light, charming humor with just a touch of romance. It was comforting, funny, tender and exactly the kind of story that I could recommend to anyone.

[Nils | nilsreviewsit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett invites you in for a read full of warmth, magic, hope and love.

Agnes Aubert runs a cat shelter to rescue and rehome strays but after two warring mages burn down her shop, she desperately seeks for a new one. The problem is no one will lease her a shop that’s affordable or be willing to accommodate her cats. Yet she is drawn to one shop in particular and when she goes inside to inquire she finds that it’s the perfect place for her charity to continue, in fact it’s a little too good to be true. Agnes begins to question much and when there are strange happenings in the basement, she finds the notorious wizard, Havelock, hiding there.

This is a story that features plenty of cat shenanigans (you’re all going to love Banshee and His Majesty!), it includes magic that is outlawed and explosive to see in use, and there is also a gentle slow burn romance. Agnes’ personality immediately shone through, she’s organised, punctual and the type of person to get things done. I adored that about her, all these nuances made Agnes feel real, feel relatable and made me care for her almost instantly. Havelock was first described as being quite the dark lord and yes he was a touch of a shady, grouchy mage, one who was quite self-centred to begin with but well… he made me laugh! And we all know I love a humorous character. I found Havelock possessed a certain charm—I loved his bantery dialogue with Agnes, the way they both playfully poked fun at each other’s quirks—he was just so much fun.

The novel falls into a wonderful cosy read where our characters, Agnes and Havelock go on a journey of facing their grief and loneliness and eventually healing as they discover that they deserve happiness. From start to finish I was enveloped with delights, with whimsy and I did not want to leave these characters behind. A perfectly enchanting read!

ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy!