A Remedy for Fate

by M.A. Kuzniar

'Steeped in glorious magic and filled with fantastic friendships and eternal love' SARAH BETH DURST

CAN SHE RECOVER HER HEART?

Prague, 1769. In the Magic Quarter of the jewel-box city of Prague, Thea runs Stiltskin's Apothecary. There, she brews potions to chase away nightmares and soothe heartache - and strikes bargains to change her customers' fates. The only fate she cannot change? Her own.

Seven years ago, Thea bargained away her heart and her memories to the apothecary's owner, the cold, yet enigmatic Jasper, for reasons she cannot remember, and a reward she cannot recall.

Then one day a stranger arrives with an unusual request. One that will upturn Thea's entire existence - and offer her a precious chance to recover her heart . . .

Prepare to be enchanted by this spellbinding historical fantasy romance from the author of Midnight in Everwood, steeped in magic, found family and love.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Historical, Romantasy, Historical Fiction

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 12, 2026

About the author

M.A. Kuzniar is also published under the name Maria Kuzniar.

Reviews

[Rina | Worldsbetweenpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for the arc!

„Do not make the mistake of underestimating me. I will not be caged for your comfort.“

✨Prague 1769
🗝️secret Magic Quarter
✨characters in their thirties
🗝️magic hunters
✨memory loss

What I liked:
- I’m absolutely obsessed with the idea of a secret Magic Quarter hidden in the middle of Prague! I wish I could explore the streets and shops myself and that the protagonist had taken us into every single one of them. Besides the magical shops, like the apothecary and the Gingerbread Café, time-telling owls and messenger ravens are part of the quarter. Weather witches, pixies, shapeshifters, spirits, and gifted humans roam the streets and I wish I could watch them all!
- I don’t think I disliked a single character. The side characters in particular were amazing! The protagonist’s friends (a kitchen witch and a human with second sight), the grumpy old witch and the neighboring garden witch were my favorites.

What I didn’t like:
- Although the protagonist is in her thirties she often behaves much younger. She has one simple task: inform her employer (the most powerful person she knows) when unusual things happen. The Magic Quarter is in danger; she doesn’t tell him. His shop gets damaged; she doesn’t tell him. A threat is pinned to the shop door; she doesn’t tell him. Magic hunters visit the shop and confiscate items; she still doesn’t tell him. All because she has an exaggerated hatred for the shop owner because of a deal she made with him and the price she had to pay, even though she was the one who initiated it. For a woman in her thirties, she seems to live far too much in her world of romance novels and self-righteous ideas to act rationally.
- The plot twists were quite obvious (and I’m really not even good at predicting them) and it made me roll my eyes that the protagonist didn’t see them coming.

Writing style: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Worldbuilding: 4,25/5
Story & Plot: 3,5/5
Vibes: 4,5/5

Will I buy a physical copy: yes
Will I read more books by the author: yes
Where would I place it on my bookshelf: Somewhere between The Moonlight Market and The Spell Shop

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 5 out of 5]

M. A. Kuzniar’s adult books always have this unique fairy tale vibe that works perfectly for me, especially in winter. This one was no different. I really enjoyed the novel and I think it will appeal both to readers already enchanted by this author’s work and to those discovering her for the first time.

Remedy for Fate follows Theodora, a 35-year-old woman who runs an apothecary in the Magical Quarter of late eighteenth century Prague. Although she has found a sense of community there, she cannot fully live her life. Seven years earlier, she made a bargain with Jasper, the apothecary owner, which ultimately erased her past and cost her her heart for reasons she can no longer remember. One day, a man named Malek arrives at her shop with an unusual request, and the consequences of this meeting soon become far more serious than Thea could have imagined.

What I liked most about the book are the elements I tend to enjoy in all of Kuzniar’s work: the beautifully enchanted setting and the romance. The atmosphere carries clear Faustian inspiration, but also touches of Slavic folklore. As for the romance, I will not say too much to avoid spoilers, but I can say that it is one of my favourite enemies-to-lovers arcs I have read this year. Honestly, it is not truly enemies, more irritation mixed with fascination, but the banter is handled wonderfully. As always in Kuzniar’s books, there are a few bittersweet notes woven into the story, and for me they added the emotional balance that a fairytale-like narrative needs.

I must admit that I did not always understand Thea’s behaviour. At times she felt almost too stubborn to be believable, and a few of her choices seemed more like plot necessities than natural reactions. The ending also felt slightly rushed. But in the end, these quibbles are easy for me to overlook because the overall atmosphere was exactly what I hoped for, and the romance was genuinely sweet.

I will read everything this author publishes, and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an enchanting tale that is not too dark, yet still clearly inspired by classic fairy tales.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning fairytale reimagining that perfectly combines lyrical romance with found family.

Drawing on the story of Rumplestiltskin, A Remedy For Fate creates a world where magic thrives - provided its kindly users remain undiscovered. I really enjoyed the historical setting, and as with her previous books, M A Kuzniar has a fantastic ability to effectively explore both the real world and the fantastical - I particularly liked how she included a blended community of magic users/ beings!

Friendship and romance were perfectly balanced, and none of the character relationships ever felt gratuitous to the protagonist's experience of her surroundings. While this works completely as a standalone, I would love to see what happens next with these characters!

Books with similar vibes - The Curse of the Wolf King by Tessonja Odette, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett, The Honey Witch by Sydney Shields, Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett, and Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.

[Ulrike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Prague in 1769, A Remedy for Fate follows Thea, who made a bargain with the fateweaver Jasper Stiltskin seven years ago—a bargain that cost her her heart and all her memories. Now living in the Magical Quarter, Thea runs Jasper’s apothecary and has found a place within the magical community. Longing for romantic love, she struggles to forgive Jasper for taking not only her memories, but also her sense of self. When the city’s hunters begin to threaten the Magical Quarter and a strikingly handsome customer starts courting her, Thea becomes increasingly determined to uncover who she truly is.
I particularly enjoyed the historical setting, the strong sense of friendship between Thea and her female companions, the rich magical atmosphere, and the central mystery surrounding Thea’s past. The tension between Thea and Jasper adds emotional depth, and the vivid descriptions make for an engaging reading experience. While some plot developments were predictable, parts of the resolution still managed to surprise me, and I found the ending very satisfying.
That said, I occasionally struggled with Thea’s contradictory behaviour. Even after moments of closeness, she repeatedly pushes Jasper away, gets herself into trouble through sheer stubbornness, and yet continues to defy him. This was not always easy for me to understand. In the final third of the novel, the pacing also felt a little slow.
Overall, I read this story with pleasure and would recommend it to readers who enjoy the cosy feel of a close-knit community standing together against outside threats—romance included.

[Michelle (Bamamele.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Hodderscape for the preview. All opinions are my own.

I am SO EXCITED that my tears at the end of a Kuzniar book were finally happy tears instead of heartaching tears! A Remedy for Fate has everything I've come to expect from this author: beautiful writing, a lush setting, food descriptions that make me drool and hunger, and amazing characters with a fairytale-esque story. I loved Prague as the setting for this story; it feels like exactly the type of place a hidden Magic Quarter would really be. Our main inspiration is mostly Rumplestiltskin, but we also have a variety of magics like a gingerbread house, magic plants, magic dresses, and a lovely bookstore.

The characters are just marvelous. I loved Thea's friends so much--this is truly a found family story. Jasper is so enigimatic and aloof to start, but I knew we were going to see his hidden depths eventually. I did suspect nefarious intentions from a certain character to begin with. Thea was at times a super frustrating character. She made some really bad decisions (repeatedly). I know she was mad at Jasper (for the deal she herself made!), but ugh I wanted to scream at her a lot. I did have so many tears in my eyes when the truth was all revealed. I'm so happy my theories were correct! And the end was just wonderful.

Highly recommended!

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

M.A. Kuzniar delivers another enchanting tale, this time set in the glittering Magic Quarter of 18th-century Prague. A Remedy for Fate is steeped in atmosphere, weaving together historical detail, fantasy, and romance with effortless grace.

Thea, an apothecary who trades in potions and bargains, is bound by a haunting past—her heart and memories lost to a deal she cannot recall. When a stranger arrives with a request that promises change, Thea is offered the chance to reclaim what was taken and to confront the enigmatic Jasper, whose presence lingers at the center of her fate.

This novel shines with lyrical prose and a strong emotional core. Themes of memory, love, and destiny are explored through vivid worldbuilding and characters who feel both magical and deeply human. The friendships are tender, the romance carries a bittersweet ache, and the sense of found family adds warmth to the darker threads of the story.

A beautifully written, atmospheric fantasy romance that will captivate fans of Midnight in Everwood and readers who enjoy stories of bargains, magic, and second chances.

With thanks to MA Kuzniar, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Hodderscape for the early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with this book…

The concept was really interesting, a girl has lost her heart, memories, and ability to love in a deal with a fate-weaver and must work in his apothecary until she guesses what her real name is.

And it’s set in Prague which I loved visiting (even if it was with an ex of mine I’d rather not remember myself…), in a magical quarter hidden by spells.

But the writing felt disjointed, the plot points almost patched together without a real flow between them. The characters had the potential to be really interesting, with a dash of Terry Pratchett about them, but I forgot a lot of their names and their personalities blended together in a mush of “Thea’s friends” for me.

The antagonist was a bit two dimensional for me also, and too much lead up for a rather quick resolution that gave Deus Ex Machina vibes.

I struggled to pick up this book and remember what had been going on, so it took me longer than usual to get through also.

All in all a bit of a let down but interesting enough that I wanted to know what happened at the end.