The Beast Compendium of Stretland

by Chelsea Starling

Seren Cottingley comes from a family of great wealth in the capital, but her love for entomology and magic alienates her from society. She must cut away parts of herself to fit in. To stop their daughter from being ostracised, the Cottingleys arrange for her to be married off to a duke. With two dead wives already, Seren’s betrothal may as well be a noose.

With the fear of her scientific research being taken from her, as well as her life, Seren flees to the south. She enlists a grumpy mercenary to escort her through the infamous Waldeck Forest while she compiles a beast compendium before marriage locks her into a cage. Leander, who struggles with his foreign heritage, indulges all of her interests and teaches her how to survive in the forest that seems to have claws and teeth. Despite familial expectations laying heavy on her shoulders, Leander offers Seren a reason to never return to the capital.

This cozy, low-stakes book is perfect for romantasy lovers.

Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2025

About the author

Chelsea loves to have a cup of tea with a good book. She lives with her partner, who encourages her love of books by building her new shelves, and their menagerie of house plants.

She can be found on Instagram @chelseastarlingwriter.

Reviews

[Ruby Dalegendaryreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Love is an incredible force. There will always be songs and poems of love as we try to understand our hearts.’

All Seren wanted was to study insects and so she went on an adventure to explore the vast forest. She hired mercenary, Leander to keep her safe. As they journey together, they became much closer together but things are complicated.

Cozy fantasy is not my usual genre but I trust Chelsea and she delivered!

This book was a delight, and a breath of fresh air. Not a dull moment.

Seren's a rich and sheltered lady, but she's also intelligent and wanted to explore and learn things. She's loves to poke fun on Leander, and she's a great character. Leander was also a gentleman through and through. He got walls around him, but inside he's a softie.

I love their adventure of travelling from one place to another and finding different creatures and insects and even a [redacted]!!!

"What was the good in loving by halves? If it wasn’t done in excess, it wasn’t worth doing."

Their relationship was more of a forced proximity but they still were being themselves and not showing any mask or facade. I wished we had more built-in up to the romance. Maybe I am a slow burn girlie but danggg, I wished we had more lingering glances, feverent touches, etc. but I think Chelsea still nailed it.

Like I said, cozy fantasy is not my genre but if Chelsea will write another one, I will read it.

[Belinda Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into The Beast Compendium of Stretland hoping for toe-curling tension, heart-racing moments, and a slow-burn romance that would leave me breathless… and while I did get a tender, beautifully written love story, I found myself wishing for just a little more magic, danger, and swoon. ✨🫣💕

This story follows Seren Cottingley, a wealthy, sharp, and science-loving young woman who never quite fit into the society that raised her. Expected to marry a duke with two mysteriously dead wives (yes, two 💀💀), she does the most reasonable thing—she runs. Seren escapes into the infamous Waldeck Forest to create a magical bestiary before marriage traps her forever. 🏃‍♀️🌲🦴

Enter Leander, a gruff, foreign mercenary with a soft heart he guards behind mile-high walls 🛡️. He agrees to guide her through the forest, and what begins as protection quickly turns into something much deeper. The two face wild creatures, biting magic, unexpected monsters—and even more unexpected feelings. 🐍✨💘

Their chemistry? Sweet and funny, full of banter and quiet, charged moments. I loved watching Seren poke fun at Leander—her boldness made me grin more than once—and I adored Leander’s soft, respectful responses to her chaotic energy. 🐛🗡️💬 But I did wish for a bit more build-up. Maybe I’m just a slow-burn girlie at heart, but I craved more tension, more stolen glances, and more of those delicious almost-kisses. 😩🔥

The romance felt real, though, and that quote—
“What was the good in loving by halves? If it wasn’t done in excess, it wasn’t worth doing.”
—absolutely gutted me. 🥺💔

What really worked for me:
🌿 Their forced proximity in the wilderness
🪲 All the delightful magical creatures and bizarre insects
🏹 Seren’s cleverness and love of science
🥹 Leander being a grumpy teddy bear with honor
💬 The banter!! The sarcasm!! The absolute vibes

But the story overall leaned more cozy than intense. The magical creatures were intriguing but often felt like background features rather than plot-driving elements. The adventure had potential for more edge, and the ending—while emotionally sound—felt like a cold splash of water. I just wanted more of them. More time. More love. 💔🕰️

Still, it was a warm, wandering journey through enchanted woods with two people learning how to be, not just survive. If you’re in the mood for something soft and whimsical, with low stakes and high vibes, this might be your next comfort read. 🧺🪄✨

🧭 Tropes You’ll Love:
🌲 Forced proximity
💘 Grumpy x sunshine
🔮 Rich girl x rugged mercenary
📚 Slow burn (but make it gentle)
💞 Banter-filled bonding
🧸 Tough guy who’s secretly a softie
👑 Escaping arranged marriage

📖 The Beast Compendium of Stretland is perfect for fans of:
🐌 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
💛 The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
🌿 Cozy fantasy with just a touch of danger
🫶 Found-in-the-forest romance

Thank you again to BookSirens and Chelsea Starling for the ARC—I’m so grateful I got to meet Seren and Leander. 💛 I’ll be thinking about their soft love story for a while.

[Lulu [at] Reckless Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something so wholesome and comforting about girls with an atypical hyperfocus. When I read the synopsis for The Beast Compendium of Stretland by Chelsea Starling, I was so excited to pick it up. I hate bugs, but I love girls that love bugs. Like, hell yeah girl, be better than I could ever be. And she absolutely was!

After reading so many dark romances in a row (interspersed with billionaire romances,) Seren was such a refreshing FMC. She acknowledges her privilege and her duties, but never whines about it. She simply understands that is the lot she was given in life and seeks to make the most of it while she can. Everything Seren does is to the fullest. She is so exuberant and bubbly, but at the same time, realistic. She made for an amazing sunshine character to match with Leander, the pessimist grump who agrees to accompany her on her journey to ensure her safety. Unlike MMCs in a lot of other romances, Leander absolutely has a good reason to start off gruff and negative. Not only is he nursing a broken heart, and the consequences of unfounded faith and optimism, but he’s also trudging through larger societal issues of racism and colorism. Even still, Seren’s undimming positivity is infectious and Leander slowly begins coming to terms with his past. Watching him realize he needed to stop stewing and start taking control of his life, to begin accepting the past and move on. It was great character growth. Seren also went through a satisfying development, though technically, a big part of the payoff IS off page…

The romance itself was absolutely sweet and cozy. This felt just so warm and tender, I couldn’t help but smile as I read. Watching how Seren and Leander influence one another, encourage the other’s growth, and eventually decide to come together, felt so natural and organic. The worldbuilding was super interesting and it felt like Starling had a good grasp on her world, and I wanted a lot more! Though, I think if we did get deeper into the specifics of the world, I fear it’d take away from the cozy romance feel of it all. Still, the creatures were super interesting and I loved the actual entries from Seren’s budding compendium.

If you are a romance or romantasy reader and just want something cozy and tender and warm hearted, I definitely think you’ll love The Beast Compendium of Stretland by Chelsea Starling. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, has well fleshed out characters, a sweet romance, and a solid foundation for a new fantasy series. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, BUT not an unsatisfying one.

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. //

[Anais (atrailofpages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seren runs away to venture into the Waldeck Forest to research beasts for a month before having to return home to be married to the cruel Duke of Westrin. She hires a mercenary named Leander to help her, and along the way learns what it’s like to just be yourself, and maybe even love.

This was a very cute read! It’s like Emily Wilde, but Leander is the grumpy one and Seren is the sunshine of the pair.

I love a good grumpy/sunshine romance! One of my favorites! And this one is perfect. The dynamic between the two was too cute and how it slowly built into something more. I felt the same about Seren as Leander did at first because that girl loves to talk and tells you everything you don’t need to know! However, overtime, it became endearing for Leander and for me. I mean for me to change my view of a character overtime like that is impressive.

I just adored their slow burn relationship! It had just the right amount of spice. It was a bit odd with how she’s raised in a way that calls for modesty and a chaperone, and I get why she wanted to do what she was doing, but it was a bit odd and surprising that she wouldn’t be ruined, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I do wish there was more world building. I was kind of thrown into a story with a world and I learned a bit about it, but I wanted to know more about the places they came from and who they were, etc. despite that, the world or forest we were in, I learned a lot and I learned a lot of facts about insects and I’m curious to know if they’re true 😆

It’s definitely worth the read just to experience the romance and Seren’s eccentricities. The banter and just Seren really made the book. And that ending is not what I expected and I think added even more to the uniqueness of this book.

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a wonderful read! I was hooked by the first page.

Seren is a delightful character, I loved her a lot. even though she comes from a royal family, she is not at all the typical condescending rich character; she is kind, witty, smart, and her love for bugs made her all the more charming. her teasing of Leander was always fun to read, her boldness surprised me, honestly. her storyline of deconstructing the narrative that she is “too much” or “weird” because of her family putting down her research created a lot of depth and I found myself relating to her at times.

Leander is so sweet despite his grumpy exterior. I like how even though he was the “grumpy” character, he was never rude to Seren, something that often happens with “grumpy x sunshine” romances. it was executed perfectly.

what I loved about Chelsea Starling’s writing is that when she writes the other character’s POV, they commonly point something out about the other person that they wouldn’t notice. they observe their quirks, their personality, what makes them unique. a nice touch.

the romance itself was super cute. I love a slow burn romance all the way, and this delivered. even with Seren’s playful flirting, I still felt the slow burn tension and the connection these two built throughout the novel. the ending had me gripping the edge of my seat, I swear.

the short chapters including information on different beats they encountered was super cool! I also loved the little illustrations on each chapter.

overall, exactly what I loved in a cozy fantasy. absolutely recommend this, especially if you liked the emily wilde series. shares the same vibes!

thank you to Book Sirens and Chelsea Starling for the free arc. review is completely my own.

[Moonburst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seren Cottingley knows that her upcoming marriage to a duke will end her ability to pursue her scientific endeavors. With the duke's previous two wives dying under suspicious circumstances, her marriage may result in her own death. Determined to at least live out one of her goals before she is married, she travels to the dangerous Waldeck Forest to create a compendium of magical beasts found within the forest. She hires a grouchy mercenary, Leander, to act as a guide and a guard as she travels. As the two explore the forest, the relationship between guard and employer blend until Seren has to decide if her familial expectations outweigh the needs of her heart.

The Beast Compendium of Stretland is a delight on every page. Seren is an intelligent, passionate researcher who can't help but question everything around her. Leander is a more guarded person, having been hurt in the past, but he soon realizes that Seren is an incredible person. Both characters have substantial character growth as they confront their past and determine what they truly are willing to live or die for.

A wonderful read with fantastic banter, a plethora of insect facts, and fun magical animal descriptions.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Beast Compendium of Stretland was a combination of cozy and slight chaos. It's a sweet, funny, and cozy fantasy that kept my attention until I realized I was done with the book. To start off, the main characters were genuinely lovely and so incredibly quirky that I got attached quickly. It was nice to see them stay true to themselves for the entire journey, but also watch their dynamic grow.

The slow burn aspect was absolute perfection. There were so many moments where I caught myself asking how are they not seeing this?? I'm seeing this! It was the little moments that had me giggling. I'm giving it four stars mainly because I found myself wanting more of the beasts! The build up to this being such a magical experience was good, but I wish they had more of a presence. Without giving anything away, I also wish this piece would've been added more in the ending. Overall it was a cute story with a talkative main character who added a whismy feel. I recommend it if you want some great banter and a tough guy who might as well be a teddy bear.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[rach:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

This is a dual pov cozy romantasy with a fairytale-like setting. The story jumps right in at first, but it settles into a slower paced adventure. Throughout their adventure, there are lots of discoveries to read about, but they're more so there for vibes and enjoyment rather than for propelling the plot. With each new beast they encounter, there are journal entries describing them, which I thought was a really cute touch that made this more immersive.

The only real complaint I have is that I wish there was a map to better visualize the areas that are continuously referenced. I found myself getting confused about where every area was in relation to one another as well as what was a city vs a country vs a continent.

Overall, this was a really sweet read that reminded me of a chill dnd campaign (if that makes sense?) and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a slower laid-back read. :)

Thank you so much to booksirens for providing me with this arc in exchange for a review!

[Natalie Doll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic broody man and joyful, quirky female main character eventually wearing him down to a caring and warm person. I honestly think this is a great trope, so no complaints from me on that. The book follows the two as they journey through a previously unexplored forest searching for mythical creatures. The catch is the girl is on a time crunch, trying to enjoy her last bits of freedom prior to her arranged marriage to a wife-killing duke. I enjoyed this element because it added a moral element to the will they/wont they since she was betrothed. I also enjoyed that the creatures were not all ones that you typically see in fantasy books, it was a good mix of familiar and new which kept it exciting. One thing I wish there was more of was Leander’s backstory with his culture and why everyone in the land has the prejudices they do.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful read this was! The story starts off quickly and then we settle into the cozy cadence of a lovely adventure with our characters. I didn't anticipate it to be so romance-y but I LOVED the relationship that developed between these two. It was fun, tender and honest. I felt it was a good level of slow burn as well.

The interactions with the forest and creatures continued throughout the book at a great pace. We get little summaries of the encountered beasts which was a nice addition. I appreciated the mix of dangerous, adorable and mysterious qualities that each one had.

I never could quite tell how this book was going to conclude. Reading up to the very last short section at the end of the book, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the last couple pages to resolve. Very well done!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Isabel Jarnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You feel like home, and I have been homesick for so long."

Thank you Book Sirens for the ARC!

Seren, the FMC, hires Leander, the MMC, to help guide her through the magical Waldek forest. Seren wants to find magical creatures, and document them for her research before she is forced to go through with an arranged marriage.

I loved seeing Leander warm up to Seren, and actually be interested in all her yapping about insects. An MMC who is grumpy for everyone else but her....sign me up!

This was surprising and different than anything I've read in a long time! I loved the magical creatures that were discovered along the way.

Tropes:
grumpy x sunshine
forced proximity
only one tent/horse/bed
magical forest

[Holli D.W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cozy fantasy was the perfect combination of a quirky sunshine FMC and a big protective, but grumpy MMC. The propriety of high society has no place around Seren. She sneaks away from her family estate to go on an adventure of a lifetime (with a mercenary for a guide) before she’s forced to marry her betrothed.
Leander decides to be a guide for Seren because he knows she will be swindled and most likely put in danger if left to her own devices to choose a guide. He vows that she is just a job and nothing more.

The ending was perfect! 🥹

Slow burn
Forced proximity
Grumpy sunshine
Cozy fantasy
Found family
Opposites attract

Thank you BookSirens and Chelsea Starling for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book! I usually prefer first-person point of view, but the third-person perspective worked exceptionally well for this story. I don't even know where to begin—there was so much to admire! The writing style, the characters, the relationship development, and the pacing of the story—everything was just perfect. The writing style reminds me a bit of Rachel Gillig’s in The Shepherd King duology, although the stories themselves are quite different.

I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next installment in the series!

[Bksm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

This was such a charming, cozy fantasy read! I absolutely adored Seren, the FMC. Her desire to learn and do things herself, rather than relying on others, was really inspiring. And her knowledge about insects was so unique and interesting!
I also really liked Leander, the MMC. He's definitely the grumpy to Seren's sunshine, and their dynamic was just perfect. Learning about his mixed heritage and the struggles he's faced added a great layer of depth to his character. The slow burn romance between them was incredibly well done, too. 
Overall, a lovely, low stakes fantasy that I really enjoyed.

I received an advanced reader copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boisterous, curious, and full of heart, The Beast Compendium of Stretland is a wildly fun adventure through a forest on an expedition to find magical creatures—some that want to cuddle, others that definitely want to kill. Seren’s infectious exuberance drags Leander out of his lifeless routine and straight into danger, discovery, and maybe even love. It’s part creature catalog, part chaotic exploration, and all kinds of delightful.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sara Jesus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoy Seren scientific mind, her knowledge about insects and the way she was not afraid of dangerus beasts. Also I love her relationship with Leander, she accept him with all his flaws and do not try to change him. Leander is a grumpy mercenary that was suppose to be her bodyguard, to escourt her to the forest for Seren do her research, but he falls for her beauthiful mind and her shinnig personality. To think that all their lives they thought that they were not enought, when both did have heart of gold and they are always there for the ones they care.

[Leda Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Chelsea Starling book, and I love the Eddanor Chronicles. It feels very reminiscent of that world but stands alone as its own story. The relationship that develops between Seren and Leander is so lovely and touching. This is cozy fantasy at its best: slow burn romance, smartly written, with intriguing world building, characters that live and breathe beyond their baseline tropes, and I learned some stuff about folklore to boot! I finished it this morning and miss reading it already.

[Mariva · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute read!
I'd benefit of some editing. There were quite some typos and something was off with the punctuation, I often had to re-read sentences to understand what they meant.
It was a sweet love story, and I loved the entries about the magic animals sprinkled around the book.
The ending felt rushed, I wish we got more time with the characters in their happily ever after! Also, I thought something more would happen with Eric's storyline, since (I think) he came from the same place the Duke was from? But he was never mentioned again.

[Rhéanne Solange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little book! It wasn’t particularly tense or adventurous but a nice feel good fantasy romance. There were a few spots that could have been better edited (sentence structure ect). I found myself more interested in the second half of the story as it is a fairly slow paced book compared to my usual tastes.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alba Dorado · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a breath of fresh air this book has been! The story starts off quickly and then we settle into the cozy - here recommendable - cadence of a lovely adventure with the characters. I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for the last couple pages to resolve. And I've adored the romance in this. 4,25⭐

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the warm cosy hug that I needed today.
Seren's enthusiastic love for life and research, and the chance to unapologetically be herself is addicting.
I absolutely loved Seren and Leander's story.

(ARC provided by BookSirens)

[Mackaylie Nava]

I enjoyed the book but it was a little slow for me!

[❉spore loser❉ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✴︎ One of my favorite reads of 2025. I was so excited to start this and Miss Starling did not disappoint. A cozy fantasy that reading felt to me like the sun's rays in a golden sunset. Loved everything about the protagonists and their story. And the ending—Perfect!