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Lady Agatha Speaks Her Mind
If anyone else had been her fairy godmother, Lady Agatha’s birthday party would have gone swimmingly.
It really wasn’t Agatha’s fault that she insulted all those guests. After preparing for years to receive a select list of suitors for her charming, fairy-blessed hand, the last thing she wanted to do was alienate the lot of them … but her godmother’s final gift was, well, difficult to control. Now her father doesn’t care that she didn’t mean to call the visiting foreign prince a pathetic little fungus–the damage has been done.
Prince Limplemoyne would’ve been more offended if he was actually attending the party to court Agatha, but that’s not what brought him to these backwoods, fairy-infested mountains. He just wants to find a godmother powerful enough to free him from the royal life he never asked for. But when a mischievous fairy answers his plea in an unexpected way, he finds himself suddenly stuck with the beautiful, sharp-tongued Lady Agatha. Fairies can’t help them get out of this unwanted alliance–they’ll have to stop bickering long enough to figure it out on their own.
Lady Agatha Speaks Her Mind is a no-spice, standalone reimagining of King Thrushbeard, perfect for readers who like both whimsy and comedy in their mutually-annoyed-strangers-to-lovers romance.
It really wasn’t Agatha’s fault that she insulted all those guests. After preparing for years to receive a select list of suitors for her charming, fairy-blessed hand, the last thing she wanted to do was alienate the lot of them … but her godmother’s final gift was, well, difficult to control. Now her father doesn’t care that she didn’t mean to call the visiting foreign prince a pathetic little fungus–the damage has been done.
Prince Limplemoyne would’ve been more offended if he was actually attending the party to court Agatha, but that’s not what brought him to these backwoods, fairy-infested mountains. He just wants to find a godmother powerful enough to free him from the royal life he never asked for. But when a mischievous fairy answers his plea in an unexpected way, he finds himself suddenly stuck with the beautiful, sharp-tongued Lady Agatha. Fairies can’t help them get out of this unwanted alliance–they’ll have to stop bickering long enough to figure it out on their own.
Lady Agatha Speaks Her Mind is a no-spice, standalone reimagining of King Thrushbeard, perfect for readers who like both whimsy and comedy in their mutually-annoyed-strangers-to-lovers romance.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2026
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April 24, 2026
I will read anything EAB writes. Her debut novel won me to her team, and this fairytale retelling has only solidified her status as an auto-buy author for me. Madcap, funny, thoughtful, sweet. And the fairy godmother is an icon.
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February 6, 2026Elisabeth Aimee Brown's debut novel, a Cinderella riff titled WHAT COMES OF ATTENDING THE COMMONERS BALL, was one of my favourite reads of 2025. When I learned that her second novel would be similarly inspired by King Thrushbeard, my delight knew no bounds.
I love this fairytale. Always have, probably always will, despite the ways that as I grow older I become more critical of some of the original story's implications. Among my favourite retellings so far are JM Stengl's and Kate Stradling's - twice! I'm delighted to say that Elisabeth Aimee Brown's is a worthy entry in this micro-genre.
As with COMMONERS BALL, this book is a screwball romp that takes the fairytale as a jumping-off point for a story that charts its own course to the end. Lady Agatha, like the princess in Sleeping Beauty, has been showered with fairy godmother gifts - some of which (like her unbreakably even teeth) she puts to...quite unorthodox use, and others of which she'd love to trade in for something more practical, like the Gift of Being Able To Wrestle Men Much Larger Than Herself. When Agatha's 21st and final birthday gift gives her the Gift of Speaking Her Mind, however, everything goes catastrophically wrong, especially once she gets entangled with a prince who doesn't want to be a prince but doesn't make a very good minstrel, either. Will they manage to battle their way back to the luxury of a kingdom...or does fate hold something a bit different in store?
There were such a lot of delightful little twists to this take on the story! First of all, I loved the very fitting ending, as identities are restored and callings are rethought. Without giving too much away, I loved how much this did to set right some of the implications of the original story in a way that I simply haven't seen done before.
Second, I was pleased to find that the original story's theme of humbling was not just extended to the female lead, but to the male lead, too, who discovers that he's just as bad at being a beggar as his new wife is. I've actually seen this element used before in another retelling, but I had to admire Brown's commitment to the theme, which is such that nearly every character, including the princess' father and other suitors, are also humbled by the end of the story.
Third and most of all, I adored what Brown does with the protagonist's insulting outburst which sparks the story. The themes at play here reminded me of Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK, which painstakingly discusses the difference between courtesy that flows from a pure and charitable heart, versus courtesy that is being wielded as a means to an end. Lady Agatha, with her magical gifts of Charm and Poise, is well accustomed to smothering up her true opinions and feelings with insincere politenesses. When her godmother unexpectedly gives her the Gift of Speaking Her Mind, it's a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's only now that she can truly be known and loved. On the other hand, Agatha's true feelings - many of them unflattering - have nowhere to hide and she finds herself having to build habits of real love and empathy.
This was another delightful story from Elisabeth Aimee Brown, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
I love this fairytale. Always have, probably always will, despite the ways that as I grow older I become more critical of some of the original story's implications. Among my favourite retellings so far are JM Stengl's and Kate Stradling's - twice! I'm delighted to say that Elisabeth Aimee Brown's is a worthy entry in this micro-genre.
As with COMMONERS BALL, this book is a screwball romp that takes the fairytale as a jumping-off point for a story that charts its own course to the end. Lady Agatha, like the princess in Sleeping Beauty, has been showered with fairy godmother gifts - some of which (like her unbreakably even teeth) she puts to...quite unorthodox use, and others of which she'd love to trade in for something more practical, like the Gift of Being Able To Wrestle Men Much Larger Than Herself. When Agatha's 21st and final birthday gift gives her the Gift of Speaking Her Mind, however, everything goes catastrophically wrong, especially once she gets entangled with a prince who doesn't want to be a prince but doesn't make a very good minstrel, either. Will they manage to battle their way back to the luxury of a kingdom...or does fate hold something a bit different in store?
There were such a lot of delightful little twists to this take on the story! First of all, I loved the very fitting ending, as identities are restored and callings are rethought. Without giving too much away, I loved how much this did to set right some of the implications of the original story in a way that I simply haven't seen done before.
Second, I was pleased to find that the original story's theme of humbling was not just extended to the female lead, but to the male lead, too, who discovers that he's just as bad at being a beggar as his new wife is. I've actually seen this element used before in another retelling, but I had to admire Brown's commitment to the theme, which is such that nearly every character, including the princess' father and other suitors, are also humbled by the end of the story.
Third and most of all, I adored what Brown does with the protagonist's insulting outburst which sparks the story. The themes at play here reminded me of Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK, which painstakingly discusses the difference between courtesy that flows from a pure and charitable heart, versus courtesy that is being wielded as a means to an end. Lady Agatha, with her magical gifts of Charm and Poise, is well accustomed to smothering up her true opinions and feelings with insincere politenesses. When her godmother unexpectedly gives her the Gift of Speaking Her Mind, it's a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's only now that she can truly be known and loved. On the other hand, Agatha's true feelings - many of them unflattering - have nowhere to hide and she finds herself having to build habits of real love and empathy.
This was another delightful story from Elisabeth Aimee Brown, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
March 13, 2026
Lady Agatha is a fairy-enhanced, externally perfect human specimen with a hoard of drooling suitors but also, fortunately for her, a rogue godmother who decides her final fairy gift will be The Gift Of Not Smelling Like Lies—so truth serum all day every day—as well as an unspillable teapot with super insulation powers.
Prince Limplemoyne, aka Lem, is the Prince who wishes he wasn’t one, and ends up in the glade of the selfsame rogue godmother trying to get out of his royal position. He ends up with a… *different* transformation.
She’s not used to having to control her rude thoughts about people and is throwing out very funny insults left and right.
He IS a little bit pathetic, but in an endearing sort of way.
There’s a forced marriage they both despise. (That’s not a spoiler: it says right on the back that it’s a King Thrushbeard retelling).
There is a journey over the Candoori mountains, which feels very much like a more magical Appalachia.
There is tea, bad guitar playing, SO many insults, a lot of ascending and descending of switchbacks, and some very slapsticky heroics as they try to make their way in the world with their newfound godmother gifts/curses.
I think what I love most is the vulnerability dance throughout this story—each is wary, cautiously putting out a toe to see how much weight the bridge will hold. If I let myself be known, will I still be accepted? Loved?
Yes, there are godmothers and magic and Wolpertingers (don’t check my spelling) and royalty and spells and enchanted teapots (just one actually) — but the core of the story is very much the common human question:
When everything is stripped away, will you still love me?
On my worst day, will you still be there?
Anyway. Highly recommend. Also, great inscription.
Prince Limplemoyne, aka Lem, is the Prince who wishes he wasn’t one, and ends up in the glade of the selfsame rogue godmother trying to get out of his royal position. He ends up with a… *different* transformation.
She’s not used to having to control her rude thoughts about people and is throwing out very funny insults left and right.
He IS a little bit pathetic, but in an endearing sort of way.
There’s a forced marriage they both despise. (That’s not a spoiler: it says right on the back that it’s a King Thrushbeard retelling).
There is a journey over the Candoori mountains, which feels very much like a more magical Appalachia.
There is tea, bad guitar playing, SO many insults, a lot of ascending and descending of switchbacks, and some very slapsticky heroics as they try to make their way in the world with their newfound godmother gifts/curses.
I think what I love most is the vulnerability dance throughout this story—each is wary, cautiously putting out a toe to see how much weight the bridge will hold. If I let myself be known, will I still be accepted? Loved?
Yes, there are godmothers and magic and Wolpertingers (don’t check my spelling) and royalty and spells and enchanted teapots (just one actually) — but the core of the story is very much the common human question:
When everything is stripped away, will you still love me?
On my worst day, will you still be there?
Anyway. Highly recommend. Also, great inscription.
April 30, 2026
2/2.5 stars ⭐️ Clean Fiction - Fantasy - Fairytale Retelling (with magic)
Like the author’s debut book, this second book was very quirky and zany. Perhaps not as much as “What Comes of Attending the Commoner’s Ball”, but it writing style is very unique with the first-person POVs, descriptions shared, and overall plot.
Unlike many King Thrushbeard retelling female main characters, I actually felt bad for Agatha at first. She had her life mapped out and planned well—until her eccentric godmother decides that Agatha is telling too many falsehoods (which were really because of her charming diplomatic talents) and blesses (curses) Agatha to be able only say what she is truly thinking. So as soon as Agatha opens her mouth, the truth falls out. Not a terrible problem in the grand scheme of things, really, but it definitely makes dealing with others a bit…complicated when she’s in a bad mood. Agatha did become like the typical King Thrushbeard FMC quickly and became incredibly rude and mean with her comments. Honestly, I was a little glad that Lem was grumpy and rude too at times towards her because then I didn’t have to feel so bad for him because he didn’t deserve it because he did deserve some of her comments. So they were both bickering and kind of at each other’s throats for the majority of the book—which I didn’t really care for, but at the same time, it kind of made sense because they are both upset that their plans were completely changed from what they wanted—that would make most people grumpy. So forget about the Sunshine x Grumpy trope. This is the Grump x Grumpier trope. I’ll let you read and decide who is who.
I did like some elements of this book, mainly:
- Agatha’s love for tea. We’re kindred spirits for that fact alone.
- Our main characters were flawed. Neither were perfect and had a lot to work on, so lots of character development happens (and honestly, definitely still to come even when the book finishes, I’m sure).
However, I think there were more things that didn’t work for me:
- a lot of bickering between the main couple that just felt harsh, not funny, to me and definitely not playful or flirty. Just mean.
- basically every man (except Lem) leers at Agatha and/or is a jerk or a pig.
- it ended a little…silly? I have questions about what will happen next, but at the same time this book already felt too long due to their bickering, so I’m a bit glad it’s over.
So, ironic as it is to say: I think this book frankly wasn’t my cup of tea, unfortunately. I can see why some friends have enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t my favorite style nor kind of characters to read.
Main Content-
Magic-
Agatha’s country is known for fairy godmothers which is why Lem visited (wanting to talk to a fairy godmother for help). Agatha has a fairy godmother and has received blessings on every birthday (ending on her 21st birthday) and they range from the Gift of Cleverness to the Gift of a Charming Voice; Her godmother deviates from the planned blessings at times, including the last one making Agatha unable to lie; Agatha thinks she was designed to be “something of a goddess” and made for her role due to the 21 years of blessings, but *Major Spoilers* .
Magic is shown on-page with a fairy godmother’s actions & also Agatha and Lem being under magic (and sometimes being unable to talk about the spell/magic); Lem also calls the fairy godmother a “witch”, but it seems to be more used as an insult than actually calling her one.
All about & many mentions of magic, fairy godmothers and their blessings, curses, spells, & the effects of it all (including altering appearances); Mentions of other magical & fantasy creatures (including nymphs, enchantresses, and sorcerers); Mentions of luck & being lucky; A mention of God.
Language + Attitudes-
No language stronger than ‘stupid’, ‘idiot’, and ‘blasted’ (said often); Mentions of curses (said, not written; including Agatha letting out all the profanity she knows at one point); The phrase “Godmothers help me” is said once; Agatha curses the womb that bore a man; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Lying.
Agatha thinks about how no one will miss her or mourn for her if she disappears, and struggles with the darkness calling her in a sad moment; Agatha is hurt by her father’s actions of giving her away to a man they don’t know; Agatha feels worthless and unwanted; *Spoiler* .
Agatha & Lem exchange hurtful/mean words to the other (asking for forgiveness or apologizing happens after some of them).
Negative-
Fighting, Being grabbed, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences).
Agatha & Lem have ale at a tavern; Lem wishes for something stronger than tea at one point; Agatha’s father is drunk on-page & ignores her wishes/pleas (and thus marrying her off with her consent).
Mentions of deaths & grief (including of parents); Mentions of fights/fighting, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of lies, lying, liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks (including Agatha’s father getting drunk); Mentions of gambling; A few mentions of it being the law that wives cannot desert their husbands & the shame that will follow a wife if she does leave her husband; A mention of a man running a dog-fighting ring.
Romance/Sexual-
Staring at lips,
1 forehead kiss,
1 almost kiss,
3 kisses lasting a sentence,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences),
Remembering kisses (up to a couple sentences).
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Butterflies, Nearness, & Smelling (up to a few sentences); Blushes.
Agatha & Lem share a bedroom twice, but a bed only once (nothing happens besides noticing nearness and bad breath).
Men often leer at Agatha’s figure/body and some even lick their lips when looking at her or drool/salivate (she comments a couple of times about being concerned that they will try to do something to her); One man says the best kind of woman is one that can’t talk & that he’ll help Agatha if she give him something in return; A man yells a “lewd remark” at Agatha and she tells her that he is incapable of that yet “perhaps in a few years” once he’s finished developing; Another man looks at Agatha with lust.
A handful of men comment about taming Agatha, grab or shake her, and/or beating or punish her (one comments about cutting out her tongue); Agatha’s father and a couple other men comment about not wanting a clever wife and/or make other comments against women; Agatha realizes that marriage to some men will make her wither away.
Mentions of the fairy godmother’s blessing of fertility on the girl’s 21st birthday (which Agatha’s godmother adds that “most women have babies without any fairy help, so it’s a waste when you don’t even know if you’ll need it.”); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & blushes; A few mentions of illegitimate children; A couple mentions of a man offering to runaway with a married woman; A couple mentions of men’s “baser desires”; A mention of a handsy man.
Like the author’s debut book, this second book was very quirky and zany. Perhaps not as much as “What Comes of Attending the Commoner’s Ball”, but it writing style is very unique with the first-person POVs, descriptions shared, and overall plot.
Unlike many King Thrushbeard retelling female main characters, I actually felt bad for Agatha at first. She had her life mapped out and planned well—until her eccentric godmother decides that Agatha is telling too many falsehoods (which were really because of her charming diplomatic talents) and blesses (curses) Agatha to be able only say what she is truly thinking. So as soon as Agatha opens her mouth, the truth falls out. Not a terrible problem in the grand scheme of things, really, but it definitely makes dealing with others a bit…complicated when she’s in a bad mood. Agatha did become like the typical King Thrushbeard FMC quickly and became incredibly rude and mean with her comments. Honestly, I was a little glad that Lem was grumpy and rude too at times towards her because then I didn’t have to feel so bad for him because he didn’t deserve it because he did deserve some of her comments. So they were both bickering and kind of at each other’s throats for the majority of the book—which I didn’t really care for, but at the same time, it kind of made sense because they are both upset that their plans were completely changed from what they wanted—that would make most people grumpy. So forget about the Sunshine x Grumpy trope. This is the Grump x Grumpier trope. I’ll let you read and decide who is who.
I did like some elements of this book, mainly:
- Agatha’s love for tea. We’re kindred spirits for that fact alone.
- Our main characters were flawed. Neither were perfect and had a lot to work on, so lots of character development happens (and honestly, definitely still to come even when the book finishes, I’m sure).
However, I think there were more things that didn’t work for me:
- a lot of bickering between the main couple that just felt harsh, not funny, to me and definitely not playful or flirty. Just mean.
- basically every man (except Lem) leers at Agatha and/or is a jerk or a pig.
- it ended a little…silly? I have questions about what will happen next, but at the same time this book already felt too long due to their bickering, so I’m a bit glad it’s over.
So, ironic as it is to say: I think this book frankly wasn’t my cup of tea, unfortunately. I can see why some friends have enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t my favorite style nor kind of characters to read.
Main Content-
Magic-
Agatha’s country is known for fairy godmothers which is why Lem visited (wanting to talk to a fairy godmother for help). Agatha has a fairy godmother and has received blessings on every birthday (ending on her 21st birthday) and they range from the Gift of Cleverness to the Gift of a Charming Voice; Her godmother deviates from the planned blessings at times, including the last one making Agatha unable to lie; Agatha thinks she was designed to be “something of a goddess” and made for her role due to the 21 years of blessings, but *Major Spoilers* .
Magic is shown on-page with a fairy godmother’s actions & also Agatha and Lem being under magic (and sometimes being unable to talk about the spell/magic); Lem also calls the fairy godmother a “witch”, but it seems to be more used as an insult than actually calling her one.
All about & many mentions of magic, fairy godmothers and their blessings, curses, spells, & the effects of it all (including altering appearances); Mentions of other magical & fantasy creatures (including nymphs, enchantresses, and sorcerers); Mentions of luck & being lucky; A mention of God.
Language + Attitudes-
No language stronger than ‘stupid’, ‘idiot’, and ‘blasted’ (said often); Mentions of curses (said, not written; including Agatha letting out all the profanity she knows at one point); The phrase “Godmothers help me” is said once; Agatha curses the womb that bore a man; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Lying.
Agatha thinks about how no one will miss her or mourn for her if she disappears, and struggles with the darkness calling her in a sad moment; Agatha is hurt by her father’s actions of giving her away to a man they don’t know; Agatha feels worthless and unwanted; *Spoiler* .
Agatha & Lem exchange hurtful/mean words to the other (asking for forgiveness or apologizing happens after some of them).
Negative-
Fighting, Being grabbed, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences).
Agatha & Lem have ale at a tavern; Lem wishes for something stronger than tea at one point; Agatha’s father is drunk on-page & ignores her wishes/pleas (and thus marrying her off with her consent).
Mentions of deaths & grief (including of parents); Mentions of fights/fighting, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of lies, lying, liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks (including Agatha’s father getting drunk); Mentions of gambling; A few mentions of it being the law that wives cannot desert their husbands & the shame that will follow a wife if she does leave her husband; A mention of a man running a dog-fighting ring.
Romance/Sexual-
Staring at lips,
1 forehead kiss,
1 almost kiss,
3 kisses lasting a sentence,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences),
Remembering kisses (up to a couple sentences).
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Butterflies, Nearness, & Smelling (up to a few sentences); Blushes.
Agatha & Lem share a bedroom twice, but a bed only once (nothing happens besides noticing nearness and bad breath).
Men often leer at Agatha’s figure/body and some even lick their lips when looking at her or drool/salivate (she comments a couple of times about being concerned that they will try to do something to her); One man says the best kind of woman is one that can’t talk & that he’ll help Agatha if she give him something in return; A man yells a “lewd remark” at Agatha and she tells her that he is incapable of that yet “perhaps in a few years” once he’s finished developing; Another man looks at Agatha with lust.
A handful of men comment about taming Agatha, grab or shake her, and/or beating or punish her (one comments about cutting out her tongue); Agatha’s father and a couple other men comment about not wanting a clever wife and/or make other comments against women; Agatha realizes that marriage to some men will make her wither away.
Mentions of the fairy godmother’s blessing of fertility on the girl’s 21st birthday (which Agatha’s godmother adds that “most women have babies without any fairy help, so it’s a waste when you don’t even know if you’ll need it.”); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & blushes; A few mentions of illegitimate children; A couple mentions of a man offering to runaway with a married woman; A couple mentions of men’s “baser desires”; A mention of a handsy man.
July 8, 2026
DNF @ 40%
Ugh, I really wanted to love this, but it was so abysmally boring. I found Elisabeth's debut novel, What Comes of Attending the Commoner's Ball, charming, if odd, and I've never read a King Thrushbeard retelling, but I found myself so reluctant to read this that I just decided not to torture myself and gave up.
The two main characters were vastly annoying, and instead of doing anything sensible after being cursed by a fairy godmother, they just wander around the woods with nothing but an enchanted teapot. Both the main characters were annoying and very mean to each other, but it turned into attraction far too fast, which was just hammered into the pages. Can we go three paragraphs without talking about how beautiful Agatha is or how Lem blushes when he looks at her lips?!?!
All the side characters were so one-dimensional, and all the men were old creeps. Also, I about lost it when the MCs had blisters after a day of walking around the woods, and when they got to a village and were offered shelter, they washed each other's feet and put ointment on each other's blisters. *vomits* Ever heard of DIY: do it yourself? I don't care how beautiful you think Agatha is or how much you admire scruffy beards on men; no way I am ever doing that to anyone. Except Jesus.
Elisabeth Aimee Brown has a problem with naming her prince characters. We had Prince Inglebert in WCOATCB, then Prince Limplemoyne in this one. I kid you not. Limplemoyne. I enjoy giving my characters hilarious names, but that's...something, for sure.
Violence: None
Romance: Marriage of convenience, mentions of kissing, leering men
LGBTQ: None
Language: None
Ugh, I really wanted to love this, but it was so abysmally boring. I found Elisabeth's debut novel, What Comes of Attending the Commoner's Ball, charming, if odd, and I've never read a King Thrushbeard retelling, but I found myself so reluctant to read this that I just decided not to torture myself and gave up.
The two main characters were vastly annoying, and instead of doing anything sensible after being cursed by a fairy godmother, they just wander around the woods with nothing but an enchanted teapot. Both the main characters were annoying and very mean to each other, but it turned into attraction far too fast, which was just hammered into the pages. Can we go three paragraphs without talking about how beautiful Agatha is or how Lem blushes when he looks at her lips?!?!
All the side characters were so one-dimensional, and all the men were old creeps. Also, I about lost it when the MCs had blisters after a day of walking around the woods, and when they got to a village and were offered shelter, they washed each other's feet and put ointment on each other's blisters. *vomits* Ever heard of DIY: do it yourself? I don't care how beautiful you think Agatha is or how much you admire scruffy beards on men; no way I am ever doing that to anyone. Except Jesus.
Elisabeth Aimee Brown has a problem with naming her prince characters. We had Prince Inglebert in WCOATCB, then Prince Limplemoyne in this one. I kid you not. Limplemoyne. I enjoy giving my characters hilarious names, but that's...something, for sure.
Violence: None
Romance: Marriage of convenience, mentions of kissing, leering men
LGBTQ: None
Language: None
May 21, 2026
Absolutely charming! I think the fairy godmother must have put the Gift of a Pleasing Story on this book because I LOVED it.
I don’t usually get pulled into cozy stories or light-hearted comedy, but this was a sweet fantasy romance with substance. The themes were woven in beautifully in a way I could feel and not be told. It was original and yet still kept that cozy fairytale structure. I actually liked both main characters (which is rare for me) and was so happy with the ending!
And the humor. It was glorious. I haven’t laughed so much while reading in a long while. Even the acknowledgments made me smile.
I’ll be reading everything this author writes. May the fairy godmother grant her a speedy pen (or keyboard) and an abundance of tea so us readers can enjoy the next adventure 🫖🍵🧋
I don’t usually get pulled into cozy stories or light-hearted comedy, but this was a sweet fantasy romance with substance. The themes were woven in beautifully in a way I could feel and not be told. It was original and yet still kept that cozy fairytale structure. I actually liked both main characters (which is rare for me) and was so happy with the ending!
And the humor. It was glorious. I haven’t laughed so much while reading in a long while. Even the acknowledgments made me smile.
I’ll be reading everything this author writes. May the fairy godmother grant her a speedy pen (or keyboard) and an abundance of tea so us readers can enjoy the next adventure 🫖🍵🧋
May 21, 2026
what an utterly delightful novel this is. I liked "what comes of attending the commoners ball" but I LOVED this one! the character arcs are so good, and the twists on the original fairy tale are so fun. I really loved Agatha and Lem by the end, and I'm a little sad to say goodbye. 5 stars from me!
*content warnings for some violence and a generally gross villain
**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
*content warnings for some violence and a generally gross villain
**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
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Review of advance copy
3.5 ⭐️
Pretty good! I kinda feel like this one was definitely less funny than WCOATCB, she did add some funny things don’t get me wrong, but it kinda felt forced in my opinion.
Agatha as a character was kinda falling flat for me as well, so that kinda made me drop my rating a little. But lem was pretty fun, so that kinda made up for it.
The plot itself was kinda meh for me, but that could just be because I’m not a huge fan of books where they’re traveling the whole time so idk.
I did go into this having no idea whatsoever of king thrushbeards story, so that could also be why it was a bit bland for me personally as well.
I would say that it was a pretty easy thing to read and get into, and the story itself was very well written.
But other than that, I did overall enjoy it for the most part, and I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth does next!
Content:
Sexual-
Some kissing that was not descriptive
And they share a bed once.
Language-
None.
Spiritual-
None.
Pretty good! I kinda feel like this one was definitely less funny than WCOATCB, she did add some funny things don’t get me wrong, but it kinda felt forced in my opinion.
Agatha as a character was kinda falling flat for me as well, so that kinda made me drop my rating a little. But lem was pretty fun, so that kinda made up for it.
The plot itself was kinda meh for me, but that could just be because I’m not a huge fan of books where they’re traveling the whole time so idk.
I did go into this having no idea whatsoever of king thrushbeards story, so that could also be why it was a bit bland for me personally as well.
I would say that it was a pretty easy thing to read and get into, and the story itself was very well written.
But other than that, I did overall enjoy it for the most part, and I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth does next!
Content:
Sexual-
Some kissing that was not descriptive
And they share a bed once.
Language-
None.
Spiritual-
None.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a fun fairy tale journey! If you liked the author's debut novel, What Comes of Attending the Commoner's Ball, I think you'll enjoy this one. It is firmly in the fantasy/fairy tale genre, complete with fairy godmother and an enchanted teapot, but doesn't get *overly* heavy in the magic department, which is good for me. Love the comedic asides and rhythm of the writing.
Did Not Finish
April 29, 2026DNF 41%
I understand that this is a King Thrushbeard retelling and she’s supposed to be a brat, but I was nearly halfway through and NOTHING WAS CHANGING!!!! She was getting worse and bullying the prince and I couldn’t do it anymore. The prince would apologize when he messed and try to do better. But she was just mean and honestly didn’t care. I also didn’t like how everyone was going on about how pretty she was and that’s all they could see. It came up all the time and the prince would just be speechless thinking about it. Almost every page. Plus mentions of people leering at Agatha.
Not for me, it’ll probably get better but I was done with Agatha.
I understand that this is a King Thrushbeard retelling and she’s supposed to be a brat, but I was nearly halfway through and NOTHING WAS CHANGING!!!! She was getting worse and bullying the prince and I couldn’t do it anymore. The prince would apologize when he messed and try to do better. But she was just mean and honestly didn’t care. I also didn’t like how everyone was going on about how pretty she was and that’s all they could see. It came up all the time and the prince would just be speechless thinking about it. Almost every page. Plus mentions of people leering at Agatha.
Not for me, it’ll probably get better but I was done with Agatha.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2026
2.5 ⭐️A fun lighthearted tale, but I’m sad to say I didn’t enjoy it as much as What comes of attending the commoners ball. It did get a bit repetitive with all the men looking at/making comments about Agatha. Overall it just didn’t give me that wonderful contentedness from the story. Lem was definitelymy favorite out of the all characters and I did like the scenes with Bert and Berta’s family.
July 27, 2026
Rating: 4.5 stars
Age rating: 15+
I have been reading entirely too many cheesy fairy tale retelling romances, but no one shall stop me. This book did have noticeably less cheese than the authors first book, however.
This book was hilarious, witty, adorable, and overall sweet as pie. Would read again!
Age rating: 15+
I have been reading entirely too many cheesy fairy tale retelling romances, but no one shall stop me. This book did have noticeably less cheese than the authors first book, however.
This book was hilarious, witty, adorable, and overall sweet as pie. Would read again!
September 22, 2026
Elisabeth Aimee Brown is one the funniest, most charming authors I've ever read. This book is laugh out loud hilarious, completely adorable, squeaky clean, and full of heart.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got an early copy via the Kickstarter and devoured it within the day!
Delightful characters and a marvelous twist on the King Thrushbeard fairytale with very relatable female and male lead and the only instance of the Miscommunication Trope that I think I've actually enjoyed
Highly recommend!
Delightful characters and a marvelous twist on the King Thrushbeard fairytale with very relatable female and male lead and the only instance of the Miscommunication Trope that I think I've actually enjoyed
Highly recommend!
May 1, 2026
3.5 stars. Fun and easy to read. The bickering between the MCs lasted for more of the story than my personal preference.
April 25, 2026
Five gorgeous blossoming stars for Lady Agatha Speaks Her Mind!!! It was so delightful!!
* Tea appreciation
* Forced proximity
* a guitarrr
* CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
* the way they're both so helpless is just hilarious to me XD
* highkey love the themes in this book. If you saw me, truly saw me, would you still love me??
* this is such a spring read; we are in optimal Lady Agatha reading weather here. Take advantage of your opportunity here, folks!!
* didn't even realize it but I read it the day of/after it came out and I feel so on top of my reading life now hehe
* FAIRY GODMOTHER!!! Love how tricky and yet goodhearted she is. Three hours is also "ages," in case you wondered.
* the way they were so annoyed by each other but still so tender drove me insane. By the end it felt as if insults were their love language and honestly I was unprepared for such banter.
* that ending was *kisses fingers* perfection. HERE FOR IT.
* did I mention the cHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?!?
* cozy fantasy at its finest, ladies and gents.
* I love the way Elizabeth writes. It's just so darn *funny* and as such I would read her grocery lists.
Don't take my word for it though!! GO READ!!!
* Tea appreciation
* Forced proximity
* a guitarrr
* CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
* the way they're both so helpless is just hilarious to me XD
* highkey love the themes in this book. If you saw me, truly saw me, would you still love me??
* this is such a spring read; we are in optimal Lady Agatha reading weather here. Take advantage of your opportunity here, folks!!
* didn't even realize it but I read it the day of/after it came out and I feel so on top of my reading life now hehe
* FAIRY GODMOTHER!!! Love how tricky and yet goodhearted she is. Three hours is also "ages," in case you wondered.
* the way they were so annoyed by each other but still so tender drove me insane. By the end it felt as if insults were their love language and honestly I was unprepared for such banter.
* that ending was *kisses fingers* perfection. HERE FOR IT.
* did I mention the cHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?!?
* cozy fantasy at its finest, ladies and gents.
* I love the way Elizabeth writes. It's just so darn *funny* and as such I would read her grocery lists.
Don't take my word for it though!! GO READ!!!
May 5, 2026
This just became my favorite read of 2026 so far!
I originally bought the e-book for this story through Kickstarter, and now I regret that I didn't back the special edition hardcover! I plan on buying two physical copies of this book, one for me, and one for a teen who just had a birthday.
This book is absolutely DELIGHTFUL!!!!
I couldn't stop kicking my feet and laughing at all the spectacularly ironic and playful scenarios and the fabulous banter in this story, and the theme of being real and honest hit home so wonderfully.
Warning: I drank about 4 cups of tea while reading this in one day... it will make you crave lots and lots of tea!
I originally bought the e-book for this story through Kickstarter, and now I regret that I didn't back the special edition hardcover! I plan on buying two physical copies of this book, one for me, and one for a teen who just had a birthday.
This book is absolutely DELIGHTFUL!!!!
I couldn't stop kicking my feet and laughing at all the spectacularly ironic and playful scenarios and the fabulous banter in this story, and the theme of being real and honest hit home so wonderfully.
Warning: I drank about 4 cups of tea while reading this in one day... it will make you crave lots and lots of tea!
May 26, 2026
Delightful
This book is clean, cozy, witty, and fun. I loved watching the characters grow and develop. Agatha’s insults are pointed and hilarious, and I enjoyed every minute. Highly recommend.
This book is clean, cozy, witty, and fun. I loved watching the characters grow and develop. Agatha’s insults are pointed and hilarious, and I enjoyed every minute. Highly recommend.
Read
April 26, 2026Delightful and very much in the vein of Gail Carson Levine’s Biddle fairytales! You really won’t want to miss this retelling of King Thrushbeard!
June 26, 2026
Well! That was wonderful! I really liked this story. I also liked it because it is hilarious. The door-gnawing bit was a favorite of mine. Agatha is so mean and I love her. And Lem. I like him too. The characters are very flawed and that is just how I like it.
Read
June 21, 2026That was quite a lot of fun! Made me laugh which was precisely what I needed.
February 4, 2026
Elisabeth Aimee Brown is fast establishing herself as a new favorite of mine. She has this utterly charming way with words: they leap off the page, effervescent and bright and terribly funny.
How she can take two fairly unlikable characters and still draw you in, get you invested, keep you interested in their histories and character development, and take them on an entertaining journey leading to a satisfying conclusion... well. That’s quite a gift.
Here you have Agatha: who from all appearances is perfection itself. Poised, graceful, clever, beautiful. But upon receiving her godmother’s final gift on her 21st birthday, (deviating from the Standard Progression of Gifts) the internal ‘ugliness’ that she’s been able to keep hidden for so long is now on display for all to see. She wrestles with what it means to be truly seen, and discovers that all the external beauty in the world can never replace an honestly lived life.
And there you have Lem: an unwitting prince who is a bit whiny, a bit awkward. A grumpy, grumbling bumbler. But an upright person with an internal goodness that comes out from time to time, and most of all a wonderful sincerity. He just is who he is and he knows what he is not. The most unlikely hero that I’ve come across in a book in quite some time, who surprises even himself by the end of the story.
It really was a fun, quirky misadventure these two characters went through: full of mistakes, tangents, frustrations and hilarity. You never knew what was around the corner, and each bend in the road held a twist that was a joy to encounter.
I’m not super familiar with the original Thrushbeard tale, and so cannot compare it to that story. But I appreciated the overall messaging of this story. Unlikeable-and-yet-somehow-lovable characters that grow and learn a lesson, and get into a lot of hijinks along the way. Can it really get any better than that?
P.S. I was so incredibly proud to support this book through Kickstarter, and I can’t wait to see more from Brown.
How she can take two fairly unlikable characters and still draw you in, get you invested, keep you interested in their histories and character development, and take them on an entertaining journey leading to a satisfying conclusion... well. That’s quite a gift.
Here you have Agatha: who from all appearances is perfection itself. Poised, graceful, clever, beautiful. But upon receiving her godmother’s final gift on her 21st birthday, (deviating from the Standard Progression of Gifts) the internal ‘ugliness’ that she’s been able to keep hidden for so long is now on display for all to see. She wrestles with what it means to be truly seen, and discovers that all the external beauty in the world can never replace an honestly lived life.
And there you have Lem: an unwitting prince who is a bit whiny, a bit awkward. A grumpy, grumbling bumbler. But an upright person with an internal goodness that comes out from time to time, and most of all a wonderful sincerity. He just is who he is and he knows what he is not. The most unlikely hero that I’ve come across in a book in quite some time, who surprises even himself by the end of the story.
It really was a fun, quirky misadventure these two characters went through: full of mistakes, tangents, frustrations and hilarity. You never knew what was around the corner, and each bend in the road held a twist that was a joy to encounter.
I’m not super familiar with the original Thrushbeard tale, and so cannot compare it to that story. But I appreciated the overall messaging of this story. Unlikeable-and-yet-somehow-lovable characters that grow and learn a lesson, and get into a lot of hijinks along the way. Can it really get any better than that?
P.S. I was so incredibly proud to support this book through Kickstarter, and I can’t wait to see more from Brown.
February 11, 2026
What a DELIGHT and joy it was to read this book!
I knew going into this that I would most likely enjoy it as I had thoroughly enjoyed Elisabeth Aimee Brown’s previous release, What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball.
But this!! This surpassed my expectations! I truly adored it. The characters are flawed and wow are they ever stubborn.. but I loved them all the more for it. Where they began as people just made where they ended up so much more meaningful and so worth the journey.
The wit and humour written into this book was just. so. good. It had me giggling multiple times!! Agatha gains (or is cursed by?) a rather unsavoury gift from her Fairy Godmother but it made for hilarious situations. Poor girl. 😅
The pacing was perfect and the romance was well earned and felt genuine.
For all of those of us who yearn to simply be seen.
Agatha is for us.
Also.. for all of us who are recovering people pleasers. Love this representation. 🙂↕️
Loved this!!!! Read it so fast I gave myself a literal headache!!
Five stars of COURSE!
Thank you to the author for the eARC! I give my review freely and whole heartedly 🫶🏻
I knew going into this that I would most likely enjoy it as I had thoroughly enjoyed Elisabeth Aimee Brown’s previous release, What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball.
But this!! This surpassed my expectations! I truly adored it. The characters are flawed and wow are they ever stubborn.. but I loved them all the more for it. Where they began as people just made where they ended up so much more meaningful and so worth the journey.
The wit and humour written into this book was just. so. good. It had me giggling multiple times!! Agatha gains (or is cursed by?) a rather unsavoury gift from her Fairy Godmother but it made for hilarious situations. Poor girl. 😅
The pacing was perfect and the romance was well earned and felt genuine.
For all of those of us who yearn to simply be seen.
Agatha is for us.
Also.. for all of us who are recovering people pleasers. Love this representation. 🙂↕️
Loved this!!!! Read it so fast I gave myself a literal headache!!
Five stars of COURSE!
Thank you to the author for the eARC! I give my review freely and whole heartedly 🫶🏻
March 9, 2026
4/5 ⭐️
Blessed with fairy crafted beauty and grace, Lady Agatha appears to be the perfectly docile daughter and potential wife, and she intends to keep up that image in order to snag the wealthiest man she can… until her Fairy Godmother gives her the Gift of Sincerity which compels her to speak her mind, which is especially inconvenient when you’ve got a bit of a mean streak and are presented with some unsavoury suitors. Coddled for most of his life, Prince Limplemoyne has an unwanted royal title, an unfortunate name… and seemingly not much else to his credit besides wealth. He’s definitely not your typical strong, tall, and impossibly gorgeous love interest, and he has no interest in being a prince any longer… so the aforementioned Fairy Godmother switches his identity for that of a penniless minstrel. Now this deeply flawed, stubborn, and shallow duo are stripped of their comforts and forced to traipse through the forest together. They’re also unwillingly married. But as their struggles bring out their strengths they (grudgingly) begin to see the good qualities in each other and within themselves. This was so much fun! It’s the kind of tale where you don’t have to overthink, just relax and enjoy the character antics. Melusine the chaotic Fairy Godmother was my favourite! I love a romance between two flawed people who need to go through some character growth; especially when it’s a slow burn (emphasis on the slow). It’s also based on one of my favourite fairytales to see retold, ‘King Thrushbeard’, it’s very rare to see a retelling even though the story has so much potential, so I was glad to learn of this one. I must say I also have an appreciation for tea as a romantic plot point. And a grimacing respect for onions as a romantic plot point. I would have liked an epilogue to see more of Agatha and Lem’s happy ending. If you’re nostalgic for stories like Ella Enchanted or Shrek with themes of embracing one’s true self and finding courage through love with a good dose of humour, I highly suggest picking this one up! This is a no spice fairytale retelling romance, it’s YA demographic-friendly as well. Thank you to the author for the eARC!
Blessed with fairy crafted beauty and grace, Lady Agatha appears to be the perfectly docile daughter and potential wife, and she intends to keep up that image in order to snag the wealthiest man she can… until her Fairy Godmother gives her the Gift of Sincerity which compels her to speak her mind, which is especially inconvenient when you’ve got a bit of a mean streak and are presented with some unsavoury suitors. Coddled for most of his life, Prince Limplemoyne has an unwanted royal title, an unfortunate name… and seemingly not much else to his credit besides wealth. He’s definitely not your typical strong, tall, and impossibly gorgeous love interest, and he has no interest in being a prince any longer… so the aforementioned Fairy Godmother switches his identity for that of a penniless minstrel. Now this deeply flawed, stubborn, and shallow duo are stripped of their comforts and forced to traipse through the forest together. They’re also unwillingly married. But as their struggles bring out their strengths they (grudgingly) begin to see the good qualities in each other and within themselves. This was so much fun! It’s the kind of tale where you don’t have to overthink, just relax and enjoy the character antics. Melusine the chaotic Fairy Godmother was my favourite! I love a romance between two flawed people who need to go through some character growth; especially when it’s a slow burn (emphasis on the slow). It’s also based on one of my favourite fairytales to see retold, ‘King Thrushbeard’, it’s very rare to see a retelling even though the story has so much potential, so I was glad to learn of this one. I must say I also have an appreciation for tea as a romantic plot point. And a grimacing respect for onions as a romantic plot point. I would have liked an epilogue to see more of Agatha and Lem’s happy ending. If you’re nostalgic for stories like Ella Enchanted or Shrek with themes of embracing one’s true self and finding courage through love with a good dose of humour, I highly suggest picking this one up! This is a no spice fairytale retelling romance, it’s YA demographic-friendly as well. Thank you to the author for the eARC!
July 24, 2026
This was a fun, light read! I’ve been looking forward to reading this since last year. It reminded me why Elisabeth Aimee Brown is one of my auto-read authors.
It was almost a 5-star read for me, but the ending was not like what I personally enjoy, so I ended up giving it a 4-star rating.
Also, Lem, at the last few chapters of the book, was amazing! So book husband material! Talk about protectiveness overload.
An example of a quote I loved (I’m not sure if it’s a spoiler):
“She’s still perfect. She’s always been perfect. She’ll always be perfect. And I’ll fight anyone who tries to make her feel less-than.”
You should definitely read this if you want a fun time.
God bless you all! Jesus loves you.
It was almost a 5-star read for me, but the ending was not like what I personally enjoy, so I ended up giving it a 4-star rating.
Also, Lem, at the last few chapters of the book, was amazing! So book husband material! Talk about protectiveness overload.
An example of a quote I loved (I’m not sure if it’s a spoiler):
“She’s still perfect. She’s always been perfect. She’ll always be perfect. And I’ll fight anyone who tries to make her feel less-than.”
You should definitely read this if you want a fun time.
God bless you all! Jesus loves you.
September 17, 2026
This book took me a long time to finish because of other library books that had a time factor. It’s not as funny as the authors previous book, and the main characters lacked the charm that was so apparent in the previous mcs. I enjoyed the setting and the world building, but Lem and Agatha really grated on me as the story progressed. The author spent way too much time on the bickering and trading insults. The secondary characters, other than Agatha’s little brothers, were just too gross or horrible. The ending was okay, but it was also odd. I enjoyed this just enough to be curious to see what the other does next.
Read
June 9, 2026"If there’s one thing I hate, and always will hate, it’s menus."
I'll update with more of my favorite quotes when my kindle syncs. I didn't know the fairy tale this one was based on, so it was my first time with this particular story. Elisabeth does a delightful job with turns of phrasing and whimsy, making it a fun read.
I'll update with more of my favorite quotes when my kindle syncs. I didn't know the fairy tale this one was based on, so it was my first time with this particular story. Elisabeth does a delightful job with turns of phrasing and whimsy, making it a fun read.
July 7, 2026
Absolutely delightful!! Elisabeth's writing-tone had me laughing out loud rather frequently & when I wasn't, I still found myself smiling my way through each chapter. Lem & Agatha grow on you like they grow on each other. I found the ending refreshing as they each learn important lessons that lead to big character growth & development.
August 24, 2026
This was such a fun, quirky, absolutely delightful fairytale retelling! Such a blast from beginning to end, and a sweet tenderness and vulnerability is layered in with the banter and laughs. Definitely recommend.
May 10, 2026
This book was the most fun and I had the best time reading it. I just gobbled it up like the treat it was
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