Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings: A Norse Mythology Fantasy Romance

by Marissa Serrao

A cursed witch, a valkyrie who lost her way, and a journey through the underworld…

Rune Dragomir is a valkyrie who, after centuries of service to Odin, has grown weary of her duties in the most prestigious sect of the House of Wings. Each night, when she is expected to be gathering the souls of fallen warriors, she sneaks away to the quaint village of Stormheim. It’s there she watches the object of her deep, yet confusing Kari Kettlesdotter.

Kari comes from a long line of witches cursed to only see their eyes black and rotted. Like her ancestors, Kari's curse keeps her wary of her distorted reflection. Unlike the other Kettlesdotter women, her affliction came with a Kari can see the dead. Growing up, her gift felt more like a burden. It wasn’t until her entire family was murdered in a village raid that Kari grew to appreciate her sight. She has spent the years since trying to cope with her loss, all while gripping tight to her her stubborn orange cat, Tove, who refuses to pass over to his next destination.

With little warning, war bleeds into Stormheim, disrupting life for Kari and Tove. Rune knows better than to interfere in the lives of mortals, but when Kari is struck with an almost fatal arrow, Rune breaks her oath and flies the injured seeress on her pegasus to the realm for the bravest warriors killed in battle. Kari, though, is no warrior, and most importantly, she isn’t dead.

As Rune enters Valhalla, she soon understands her costly mistake. Kari, on the other hand, finds that life on the other side of the veil offers her things she has always dreamt of and refuses to return to her own realm. As the two women war over where Kari should ultimately reside, an unexpected love begins to blossom, fueled by the chaos of the unknown.

Will Rune finally come to her senses and send Kari back to the realm of mortals? Or will the valkyrie accept her new fate and succumb to the cursed witch’s desires?


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Your Guide to the Love X Magic

Between Mischief & Magic
A drunken demon, a princess who lost her magic, and a deal to save them both...
Cozy Cottagecore, Grumpy X Sunshine, & Slow-Burn
4/5
1/5

Between Salt & Serenades
A stubborn siren, a stranded selkie, and a deal to save the sea...
Seaside Adventures, Reluctant Allies, & Forced Proximity
2.5/5
1.5/5

Between Broomsticks & Beating Wings
A cursed witch, a valkyrie who lost her way, and a deal that changes the underworld…
Norse Mythology, Quest Through the Underworld, & Light Stalking
2.5/5
2/5

Connect with
TikTok, Instagram and @authormarissaserrao

Genres: Fantasy, Lesbian, Queer, Romance, Paranormal, Adult, LGBT

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 10, 2025

About the author

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Reviews

[Sam’s Sapphic Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very cutesy and I would count it as a cozy read, it just didn’t stick out to me. It took me a bit to connect with the characters and feel the connection between each other and is definitely worth the read, but not one I’d read again.

It did a good job of following Norse mythology which I loooove. This one wasn’t a crazy good one, just an average, safe read.

[Cassandra Lynn Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rune is hot and the ghost kitty stole my entire heart omg 🥹

[alyssa✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

my fav character was kari’s ghost cat <3

[Jav Elin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I liked it. It’s a true romantasy with a well-researched pantheon woven into the story. The characters develop steadily, and there’s a bit of spice. Most recent releases rely on repetitive tropes and feel rushed; this one doesn’t. Compared to what’s come out over the past year, it’s a 5. I enjoyed it, though I probably wouldn’t reread it, hence 4. I will, however, look for more books by this author.

[Renée (FatedBookReviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I'm obsessed with all of Marissa's book covers. A friend of mine had been talking about this series for a while, and I picked up the first two to see what they were about. I was immediately hooked! If you love sapphic Romantasy, I highly recommend this series.

BBaBW is no different. If you're looking for a sapphic fantasy with Norse mythology and some very cute MCs, this series is the one I'm going to recommend.

Kari is a seer who can't actually physically see. Her family murdered in a raid, she's left to her own devices, which includes a cuuuuute cat only she can see in Midgard. Do the locals think she's a bit off her rocker? Of course! But that doesn't stop her from living her best life in spite of all the circumstances.

On the other hand, there's Rune. Valkyrie. Odin's favorite with a penchant for being able to easily see who belongs in Valhalla. She stumbles into Kari at one point, and that's all she wrote 🥰. I mean, who doesn't lightly stalk someone they're immediately enamored with and takes notes on her likes and dislikes? Totally fine.

What happens when Kari is put in a life threatening situation and Rune is there to see it? Secrets come out and a budding relationship forms, but will it stay as enemies, or will the enemies become lovers?

🦄 Norse Mythology
🧹 Fun magic systems
🦄 Pegasus!
🧹 Some cute st*lking
🦄 Secrets

thank you so much to Marissa and Haus of Fables for the ARC!

[Gio.reads.sapphic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐ - 3 🔥

I have to admit this is my first book by this author and i devour the first 60% but after that it took me some time to finish it. I didn't really feel the slow burn, just the Valkyrie pining over Kari. however if you like:
- Norse Mythology
- Touch her and die
- Only one bed
- Forced proximity
- Forbidden love
- Age gap
- HEA
- Some cute light stalking
- Dual pov
- Valkyrie x seeress

you should give it a try!!

Tw: Previously deceased/murdered family - Diminished will to live-Self-sacrifice - Mild body gore - On page murder -Corpses -Ghosts - Death - Light stalking

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just wow 5/5 💫 read 2/5 🌶️🌶️ I haven’t read a book by Marissa Serrao nor about vikings. I enjoyed this book so much all the characters had great banter with each other the world building was fantastic. Thank you to Haus of Fable pr and Marissa Serrao for an eARC of this book.

Please check trigger warnings before reading.

🧹Dual Pov
🪽One Bed in the Inn
🧹Norse Mythology
🪽Age Cap
🧹Forbidden Romance
🪽 Light St@lking
🧹Animal Companions
🪽One Pegasus
🧹Curse Breaking Quest
🪽She can see the dead

[Erin Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sapphic? Check. Witches? Check. Valkyries? Check. Norse Mythology? Check. Curses? Check. Underworld quests and deals between gods? Check and check. An emotional support cat who refuses to accept he is dead and pass on? Triple check.

I’m not sure I could ask for more. But MISS MAM DID YOU GIVE ME MORE!

🐱a FMC with a light stalker issue.
🐱absolute pining and complete stubbornness from both FMCs
🐱a smug, dirty talking Valkyrie
🐱family ghosts that are jealous of your mortality
🐱a grumpy but secretly loves everyone 4000 wand-wed

I loved this. I love Norse mythology, so this book ticked so many boxes for me. My only complaint is that it was a standalone and I didn’t get more. I was pretty worried throughout on how the ending was going to tie together, I was STRESSED there was no HEA coming - I shouldn’t have worried.

This was my first book by the author, but she’s officially on my always read list.

Thank you to both Marissa and Haus of Fables for this gifted copy. My review is my own.

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

much like the first two books in the love x magic world, this was a delightfully cozy sapphic fantasy romance. there were times i laughed, times i loved, and some pretty good stakes for the protagonists to go through. if you’re a fan of queer cozy fantasy romance, like legends and lattes, this book - and the other two written by the author - falls right into that category! the tie ins with norse mythology and the magic system/world building is where this novel truly shines, and i could have spent a long time reading about the world and its characters.

however, where i really struggled was with the romance aspect. the novel does tw for light stalking, as rune watches kari in the first part of the novel, and maybe this is me learning that even “light” stalking isn’t it for me. i just find it weird that kari would even want to be with someone who admits to just watching her all the time?? and maybe that could have been changed if the romance had been built up a bit more. it felt as if kari went from hating rune to being obsessed with her in an instant, and i just couldn’t fall for the two of them as romantic interests. i needed more of a slow burn being shown, and the time skips in the novel i think took away from that being shown in any real meaningful way.

overall, though, i had a lot of fun reading the book and would love to have my own apple eating pegasus )): also where’s the side story of the valkyrie and dwarf falling in love tbh

thank you to haus of fables + the author for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Manuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You're worse. You're the thing goddesses fear."

I had been eagerly waiting for this book to drop and I was not disappointed! This story might be my favorite one yet when it comes to Marissa's books.
I loved the characters from the beginning but Tove / Apple were my favorite! So much personality between the two of them and I loved every moment they were mentioned.
Tove reminds me so much of my cats and the love Kari had for Tove vs him for Kari was so lovely to read.

I loved the pacing and the slow burn between Kari and Rune as well. I just kept screaming at my e reader ready for Kari to admit that Runes the one. I loved how passionate and strong Rune was but also vulnerable when it came to Kari. ugh, I love them so much.

If you're looking for a cozy / sapphic / vikings vibe, then this is for you!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything I could have asked for in a sapphic, Norse inspired cozy romance.

Kari is a quiet, helpful witch in her small hometown, doing her best to support herself after a great tragedy. Her cat, Tove, still there with her, even if it is as a spirit.

Rune is a valkyrie, hand chosen by Odin himself, who has developed an obsession with said witch, and she makes a rash decision to save “her mortal”.

After learning the consequences of her actions, Rune does everything she can to help Kari, even if it wasn’t always taken the right way. Even as Kari tries to resist, she eventually learns to see Rune and her actions in a different light.

The adventure these two go on once they’re in Asgard is incredible. Seeing so many different pieces of Norse Mythology brought to life on the pages was, honestly, amazing. The gods, the realms, the communities and people… Every piece was woven together in a way that made it all feel so real. Every step of their journey was believable and understandable.

Watching Kari grow into her own powers and accepting them was so cool. And seeing Rune grow beyond what she had stagnated in for centuries was refreshing.

Both women went through a lot of self-reflection and personal growth, but it was so nice to read.

Overall, 4.5⭐ from me. Highly recommended if you enjoy cozy romantasy and/or Norse inspired books.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Earc from Haus of fable. Loved Tove (the cat). I also loved all the characters. It has a cozy Viking vibe. Similar to Can’t Spell Tea without Treason series. (Spoiler) I also loved Rune and Kari’s relationship.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

An overall cute sapphic romantasy. The writing style was a bit heavy handed at times (characters monologuing explanations and world building) and the pacing of the romance felt slightly off, but I had a good time regardless.

[Ambi Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to the author who gifted me an ARC for a review**

This is my first book by this author and I really liked it, I fell in love with the premise, the book cover and especially the characters.

I love Rune, she is amazing. My favourite character from this book is Rayna, I found her to just be so funny mostly because I am a Rayna lol. I liked Kari too, Rune will always be my kinda girl, but I did enjoy Kari’s POV. (That cat was the best thing ever). Rayna will always have my heart, me and little gay heart.

I love the mythology and the folklore and the world here. I thought the pacing was good, a little slow in the beginning but it picks up, starting a new book is always hard for me.

My only feedback to the author would be that there were some sentences that didn’t quite make sense, the writing felt a little but underdeveloped in a couple small areas, there is a moment in one of the opening chapters where I’d suggest a revision HOWEVER I did read the ARC version, the Uncorrected Proof, so it might just be because of that, I don’t know, so take that with a pinch of salt.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves Norse mythology, is looking for a super cute sapphic couple, and magical adventures through the underworld.

I am very very excited to read her other books.

Thanks
Ambi

[Emily Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norse mythology, adventure, and a truly wonderful sapphic romance.

I am always hesitant with mythology reads because often we’ll get one brief mention of mythology and then it’s rarely brought up. This makes you feel like you’re in the lands with them and the landscape, characters, and story are steeped in Norse mythology. It’s well researched and packed to the brim with adventures into different realms.

The writing itself I enjoyed and is effortless to read, I flew through this, but I did feel like the pacing at some points was a bit slow.

There is a dash of spice (a couple short scenes) and it felt natural and well written.

All in all I had so much fun reading this. The characters are both interesting and lovable, and the quest itself is packed with adventure. It’s emotive, a bit angsty with the action side, but still veers into the realm of cozy which I appreciated. Marissa knows how to balance romance without forgoing a solid adventure plot, and I felt completely submerged in the world.

Rep// bi/pan woman MC, sapphic/queer woman MC. Central romance is WLW/Sapphic.

TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.








TW// sex (on page, just a dash), death, loss of family (past), murder/killing, mentions of war, blood drinking, alcohol, stalking (light), injury, blood, slight violence.

[Britin Frazey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book early as an advanced reader’s copy, and I’m so happy that I did. While I’ve never held much interest in Norse mythology, I was immediately intrigued when this novel was announced on Instagram several months back. If you’re like me and unfamiliar with Norse mythology, this book serves as a great introduction to it! This being the third Marissa Serrao novel I’ve read, I could feel her unique takes on world building, which I always adore.

(Vague spoilers ahead)

The best thing about Serrao’s sapphic romances is, in my opinion, the lack of concentration on traditional genders and roles. In all three of the Love X Magic novels, the challenges posed to the relationships are never related to the relationships being queer, because the worlds Serrao creates are exactly how our own world should be: no one cares the gender of who you love, and everyone is accepted. However, Serrao is still really good at writing conflict into relationships, striking the perfect mix between characters making mistakes while still remaining forgivable.

In BBABW, Rune is a valkyrie who has been lightly stalking a mortal seeress, Kari, since her family was all killed two years ago. Having previously had an actual stalker in real life, I tend to avoid books with these premises, but I trust Serrao and her romance writing senses to the end of Earth (or Midgard), and I was right to. Kari is aware of a presence watching her, and all that isn’t put off by it, because she’s not a typical seeress— she can see ghosts and has strange visions, so home girl is a bit of a freak in the best way, and it takes a lot to put her off lol. The first fully dual perspective Love X Magic novel immediately informs readers that Rune has very strict rules regarding what she can and cannot do in stalking Kari, and as the novel goes on we learn she even interacted with the spirits of Kari’s deceased family, which is truly heartwarming and shows Rune’s true care for her. When the valkyrie stops by to check on her beloved mortal one night, she watches as Kari nears death, and sweeps her away on the back of her pegasus and flies her to the realm of the gods. But with Kari being a living mortal, this only serves to complicate where Kari now belongs.

At first, Kari resents Rune for stealing her from her humble little life, because even if her only companion is a ghost that no one else can see, it was still her own life to determine what to do with, of course. Knowing Rune was the one who’d been watching her these years, Kari only grows more frustrated when the valkyrie evades her questions. But as time goes on, forced proximity and having no choice but to rely on one another starts to break down Kari’s walls. Well, that and Rune’s big, bulging biceps and ability to conjure Kari any food or drink at will.

The pining is heavy on both ends, and the slow burn certainly burned. It was all so well-written, and I adored reading the way that Rune and Kari got to know each other throughout their journey, and how they each grew as characters as a result of that. I won’t spoil any of their character arcs, because I honestly think that was where so much of this novel’s brilliance came from. It’s honestly incredible how much they both grow as people. And it wasn’t just those two, but there were noticeable arcs within the side characters, too, which was really sweet.

But that’s not all, this book also has the best sidekicks, from Tove the gremlin of a ghost cat, to Apple, Rune’s stubborn and food-motivated pegasus. All of these aspects felt super well developed, including side characters that barely had any page time in comparison to others— which is typical of what I’ve come to love of Serrao novels, but stuns me every single time.

All in all, BBABW was a 5 star read for me. Serrao has once again stunned me with her words, creating a beautiful world to explore with developed characters, and watching them fall in love and overcome adversities together. There is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and cozy.

More people need to read these books, and the world needs more books like this.

[-ˋˏ ༻ Persie ༺ ˎˊ- (TheSapphicStorybook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of both other books in Marissa Serrao's Love x Magic series, BBABW delivers the same magic and then some!!
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
It's a rare thing for me to give a book a 5 star rating, and have not one single critique, but this was a beautifully written, wonderfully fleshed out, absolutely magical story and hands down my favorite book in the series, and probably going to be my favorite book of 2025! Serrao knows how to world build in such a way where you really feel like you know the places, the environment. I can picture the smallest details and vibes of the worlds we are introduced to perfectly, because she writes and describes the surroundings with such vivid and loving detail. It's never feels like we're just given details described to us either. We are shown, not told, and that is so important in writing. This was made obvious to me when I ready Between Mischief & Magic for the first time, but I wanted to bring it up because I feel Serrao absolutely deserves her flowers for bring so many beautiful worlds to life!
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Let me start this review proper with my thoughts on the characters!

Kari, a cursed witch, is one of our MCs, and she is instantly so likeable. She's lost her family and her only remaining companion is the spirit form of her cat, Tove (who, by the way, is an adorable, mischievous baby who must be protected at ALL COSTS!) She has faced hardships, is a bit outcasted as the town's seer, and has a lot of inner turmoil due to these traumas as well as her curse.

Rune, a super hot and brooding Valkyrie, is our other MC. She is Odin's favorite and excellent at her job. Lately though, she has taken to drinking mead to cope with growing tired of her duty of collecting souls for Odin. She encountered Kari, a couple years before the start of the story, and has since been sneaking away from her duties to watch and observe Kari with fascination and wonder, It's just a little bit stalkerish, but she's hot, so it's fine! Like Kari has Tove, Rune has Epli, a feisty (and adorable) Pegasus. Rune is a really great character who goes through so much character development during the story. I absolutely adore her!

If I wrote about all of the characters I loved and enjoyed, this review would be soooo long! So I'll just say this. every character, be it supporting characters like Rayna and Ama, to random side characters, all the characters are fully fleshed out and with personalities that set them apart.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
Story-wise, I loved how this was cozy, adventurous, dramatic, and the MUTUAL PINING OHMYGOD!
Kari and Rune's chemistry is so intense right from the start, even when they were squabbling at the beginning, you could just feel the spark. I was so sold on them right away. This story centers heavily around Norse mythology, and while I've always enjoyed Norse mythology, I have never found a sapphic romance around it, and this is IT! It's a beautiful and fascinating mythology and I can tell Serrao did her research, because this felt so authentic while still having all the elements of a great sapphic romantasy!
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Tropes:

Immortal x Mortal
Only one bed
Norse mythology
Stalking (light)
Animal Companions
Touch her and die
Gods + Goddesses
Age gap
Dual POV
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Content Warnings:

Deceased family
Ghosts/Death
Mild body gore
On page murder/corpses
Diminished will to live
Self-sacrifice
Light Stalking
Sexual situations
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Spice Level:

🌶️🌶️ / 5 Spice
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
This is amazing story and I Highly recommend it to lovers of cozy romantasy that still leaves you excited for what's going to happen next, as well as sapphic fiction enthusiasts. BBABW gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5 stars for me. GO READ THIS!! I promise you will love it! 💖
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Thank you Marissa Serrao & Haus of Fables for this gifted ARC!

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of Between Broomsticks & Beating Wings ! As always, all opinions are my own and this review is being left voluntarily.

4.25 stars rounded down

✨ Sapphic Adult Fantasy Romance
✨ First Person, Dual POV
✨ 3/5 Spice Level
✨ Series of Stand-alones
✨ Rep: bisexual/pansexual rep

I recommend if you enjoy…
- Norse mythology inspired fantasy
- Slow burn romance with one-sided pining
- Fantasy with some romance
- Low-stakes adventure (but still plenty of plot)
- Animal side characters (a cat and Pegasus)

Content warnings after review.

Initial Thoughts
I was super excited for this one. I really enjoy Norse mythology, and I was particularly drawn to the idea of a Valkyrie infatuated with a mortal (granted a mortal seeress who can see ghosts). Also I love that the Valkyrie’s name is Rune.

Plot
The plot overall feels pretty low-stakes considering the majority takes place in realms other than the mortal realm, where death is not an end-all-be-all. I would consider this book pretty adventurous as much of it is journeying from place to place and uncovering information. Along with the mortal, Kari, learning more about the other realms as well as herself. I don’t know that I would consider this a cozy fantasy though because despite being low-stakes there is a lot of adventure and not as many cozy elements in my opinion. (I may also have a pretty strict definition of what makes a “cozy fantasy”, so take that with a grain of salt.)

Characters
I really liked how strong-willed Kari was. I thought Rune would be my favorite, but I thought Kari’s personality stuck out so strongly. And I loved how she cared for Tove, her cat. I wouldn’t say there was a lot of character growth in the sense of the characters changing in any major ways; however, they experienced self-discovery that I enjoyed seeing.

Romance
This was a slow burn romance where one side was pining somewhat hopelessly after the other who had a dislike-to-lovers arc. Or perhaps it was more of a distrust-to-lovers arc. I did enjoy the romance, and there was some good spice. Somehow the romance felt like both a central part of the plot and also secondary to the main plot. I think this is because of the one-sided yearning and because nothing much happened for a while due to the slow burn. If you are looking for a romance with a side of fantasy, I don’t know that this would meet your needs.

World-building
The world-building is strong because it is heavily based in Norse Mythology. One thing I really liked about this book was that the mortal realm was not set during modern times. It was still set in the times of the Vikings, and I think that helped the setting/world-building feel natural and not forced. I enjoyed that the story took place in multiple realms and because of that it felt like the world had depth beyond what I saw as a reader. (Also, I appreciated the pronunciation guide!)

Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It was my first book by the author, and I’m now curious to read more books within this series of stand-alones. The main fantasy plot kept me interested throughout the book, and the romance was the frosting on top.

(beware potential spoilers below)

Content Warnings
(may not be all inclusive)
de*th/m*rdered family (past), diminished will to live, self-sacrifice, mild body g*re, m*rder (on page), c*rpses, ghosts, de*th, swarming insects, s*xual content, intoxication, profanity, light stalking

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Valkyrie, a Witch, and an Orange cat go to Hel. It's frozen. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings” by Marissa Serrao is the third installment in the spicy Sapphic romantic fantasy, “Love x Magic.” This collection of cozy interconnected standalones takes us across mythos to explore magic and the love that blooms from it. Utilizing Norse mythology, Serrao’s “Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings” takes us on a journey through the realms as a Seer, a Valkyrie, and an incorporeal cat attempt to change fate. There is a content warning in effect- take heed!

Kari can see the dead. Two years ago, her family was slain by raiders, and she alone survived, having gone to the market instead. This puts her in the path of Rune, a 600-year-old Valkyrie of Valhalla. Having grown tired of drunken revelry, she finds her comfort in Kari and her daily rituals…from afar. When raiders attack Kari’s village of Stormheim again, Rune saves her from certain death, taking from her an opportunity to bask in Valhalla. Will Kari return to Midgard, or will she find herself at the mercy of Odin?

🪽 What to Expect/Tropes: 🪽
- light stalking
- “one bed at the inn”
- age gap
- “touch her and 💀”
- found family
- Animal companions!

Through dual POVs, we can see how each character, Kari and Rune, evolves. The characters are constantly growing throughout the story. We can observe changes within their personality, their thoughts on death and mortality, magic, and their love/feelings for each other. We can understand Kari’s curse and how it affects her worldview, as well as how Rune’s 600 years as a Valkyrie have affected her thoughts on identity and duty. This story works so well with its dual POVs, showing us each character’s true nature.

I would place this story at 🌶🌶 spice level. While there are “intimate” scenes, they do occur later in the story, with our characters preferring the slow descent into passion and love.

Serrao takes readers on a slow-paced journey through the realms (although we do not see them all), choosing to paint vivid pictures and scenery over an adrenaline-fueled ride. I wouldn’t necessarily describe this book as an “adventure” novel, because it’s not action-oriented. They travel longer distances, but the story focuses more on each destination and the relationship that develops through the course of the story. Serrao does not take liberties with the Norse Myths beyond a reasonable scope, presenting us with a plausible journey story full of characters from the Pantheon that one may encounter.

[Tita · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

„I wanted you long before you knew me, but gods, I could’ve never imagined this. No figment of my mind could’ve been crafted in your image, because there’s nothing like you. No one like you.”

First, I want to thank House Of Fables PR and Marissa Serrao for allowing me to read and review this book ahead of release!

This book was perfect. I don’t know how to describe it, but it gave me the perfect mix of nostalgia and beautiful romance. When I was younger, my favourite books were the Magnus Chase books, which are also based on nordic mythology, and every time a new place or mythological character was introduced, I had this short moment of recognition. But at the same time, this book interpreted the mythology completely differently and made and entirely new story out of known stories.

On the topic of mythology, I love how the relationships of the gods are described and how they contribute to the plot. It was also really interesting to see a story from a valkyries point of view, which I don’t remember ever seeing before. I think the worldbuilding was well done, it never felt overwhelming. The magic of the world was explained in a understandable way, and I never felt like the worldbuilding was just thrown at the reader without context if that makes any sense.

The main characters were both really well rounded, and the POVs were easily distinguishable. I feel like I actually understood both their motives while reading this, which I find to be extremely rare.
Their chemistry was insaneeee and by the second chapter I was already sure that they would be one of my favourite book couples. The romance didn’t feel rushed and was really sweet, despite the whole stalking thing… I feel like I could see their personal growth throughout the story, which I think is extremely important in romance books, but often overlooked for the love interest.

Overall, I’d recommend this to literally anyone who asks for recs, and also everyone who doesn’t. If you are looking for cozy but still thrilling Romantasy, please add this your tbr immediately.

[Leigha Lennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings by Marissa Serrao is a spellbinding blend of Norse mythology, witchy curses, and emotionally charged romance. With atmospheric worldbuilding, rich emotional undercurrents, and two deeply compelling heroines, it’s a queer fantasy romance that soars—though occasionally stumbles—on its journey through life, death, and love beyond the veil.

Rune Dragomir is a valkyrie in crisis. After centuries of ferrying souls to Valhalla, her immortal purpose has grown brittle and empty. Sneaking away to the quiet mortal village of Stormheim, she finds herself drawn—helplessly, wordlessly—to Kari Kettlesdotter, a cursed witch who sees the dead and carries centuries of grief behind her obsidian eyes.

Kari is prickly, stubborn, and utterly magnetic. Her curse, which distorts her reflection and isolates her from others, is the same affliction that allows her to commune with the dead—including her own cat, Tove, who refuses to pass on. When war disrupts her fragile peace and leaves her gravely wounded, Rune makes a fateful decision: break every law of the House of Wings and carry Kari, still living, into the hallowed realm of Valhalla.

This is where the book shines: Serrao crafts a gorgeous liminal space between duty and desire, myth and mortality. Valhalla is vividly rendered, with haunting beauty and eerie stillness, and Kari’s wonder at a world she was never meant to see is mirrored by Rune’s spiraling guilt and yearning. Their dynamic is layered and tender, filled with quiet tension, stolen glances, and the ache of two broken women unsure whether they’re meant to save each other—or destroy what little peace they’ve found.

The romance is slow-burning but emotionally charged, woven through with themes of loss, longing, and the search for meaning in impossible circumstances. The tension between fate and free will grounds every scene, especially as Rune must choose between loyalty to the gods and loyalty to her heart.

[Alyssa Waltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I suppose I haven't been content for a long time now, but you have both been the bandage on that pain and the source of it."

♡ Sapphic Seerer/Valkyrie
♡ Norse Mythology
♡ Animal Companions
♡ Coziness 3.5/5
♡ Slow Burn 🔥

If you're craving a low stakes, cozy fantasy with a slow burn sapphic romance - if you had a crush on Valkyrie from Thor: Ragnarok - if the idea of a ghost kitty companion makes you smile - this is the book for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed traversing (some of) the nine realms with Kari and Rune. The immersive world building did a fantastic job of painting clear imagery of the lands of legend, as well as the gods and monsters that reside there.

There are no epic battle scenes, but there are a few close encounters, loads of banter, and SLIGHT stalking. The pacing was a little slower than I would have liked in some places, perhaps a little long winded for a cozy fantasy, but getting glimpses into this Nordic universe made it worth the ride.

As far as the romance goes, it's more of a slow build of trust and understanding rather than a passionate whirlwind.

Ultimately, this is a tale of self-discovery and learning to love the version of yourself that YOU make, and not allowing the expectations of others to determine your future.

"I've loved every version of you, and I will continue to love you until every last star in the sky has faded."

Thank you to Haus of Fables and Marissa Serrao for the advanced reader copy!

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚✨ Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings by Marissa Serrao
⭐️4/5 | 🌶️2/5

Thank you Haus of Fables for the gifted ARC!

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did—and I mean really love. I’m not big on Norse mythology, but something about this book had me instantly curious when I saw it on Instagram. And I’m so glad I trusted that gut feeling.

This book gave me the best kind of nostalgic hit. I grew up loving the Magnus Chase books, and even though this is completely its own thing, it had that same spark. I kept catching little references I remembered, but Marissa Serrao takes those threads and spins them into something totally new and so freaking magical.

The valkyrie POV? Obsessed. The gods’ dynamics were so fun to watch unfold and actually mattered to the story (instead of just being fun name drops). And the worldbuilding? Chef’s kiss. Never too much, never confusing, just that perfect drip-feed of info that keeps you turning pages.

The romance? OH. MY. GOD. Their chemistry was insaneee and I was fully sold by chapter two. Like, "immediately yes." I could feel their emotional arcs, and even though the stalking part made me side-eye at first, it surprisingly worked?? The growth they both go through made the love story hit even harder.

This book felt like curling up in a blanket with a shot of adrenaline. If you want a cozy romantasy with mythological vibes, sweet-but-spicy romance, and characters you’ll want to scream about, you need this on your shelf.

[Chelsea | Mrs Viking Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not prepared to fall headfirst into a story where a brooding valkyrie with a god complex catches feelings for a cursed witch who talks to ghosts and has an undead emotional support cat named Tove (icon btw). Like. BE SERIOUS.

This book is slow-burn sapphic yearning served on a dark fantasy platter and I was eating it like a hexed banquet. There’s underworld drama, ancient magic, death bureaucracy, and so much reluctant pining. Rune is like “I have a sacred duty” and Kari is like “cool but I’m hot and emotionally damaged,” and you just KNOW it’s over from there.

Things I loved:

✨ The ache between them?? That slow-burn yearning?? Like ma’am just kiss the witch already.
✨ VALHALLA POLITICS. Who knew I needed morally grey underworld drama in my sapphic romance.
✨Tove the cat being aggressively dead but refusing to leave. Honestly relatable.
✨Rune’s entire identity crisis. We love a tall girl who breaks the rules for love and then panics about it for 300 pages.

I am but a simple girlie who screams over sword-wielding lesbians and ancient curses, I am who I am 🤷‍♀️

TL;DR: A cursed witch, a depressed valkyrie, an undead cat, and the slowest of slow-burns. This book gave me wings and witchery. Would absolutely fly into the underworld again 🖤

Thank you so much @haus.of.fables_pr and @authormarissaserrao for the arc 🫶

[Ali (Valentine's Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an arc & I really enjoyed it!

Rune is a Valkyrie, and when she comes to Kari's town while it's being raided, to do her duty to Odin by taking brave souls for Valhalla, she finds Kari's family being slain by the raiders. Kari is left alive, but her family goes to live in Helheim due to a familial gift/curse on the firstborn daughters (Kari's mother and Kari herself). The gift/curse allows them to have visions, but they have eyes that appear dead! 😵 Rune takes an interest in Kari and every time there is a raid on Kari's town, Rune comes back to watch her and observe how she lives.

Eventually they meet, for real, after Kari nearly avoids death again, and is rescued/captured by Rune, and adventure ensues!

This book was not what I expected! I enjoyed the beginning, my interest was lost in the midsection a bit, and really enjoyed it again from about 65% through to the ending. There is very little spice, but it had two very small sex scenes! I think they were tastefully done and the book was overall very enjoyable. It was a romantic fantasy and felt to me very cozy, but as someone who isn't very into cozy reads, still had enough stakes to keep me interested in the direction of the plot.

I recommend this book if you love sapphic romance, romantasy, Nordic inspired tales, gods/goddesses, familial curses, and cozy fantasy.

[El Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌶🌶
Another lovely and adventurous tale from Marissa Serrao! I am just obsessed with the Love x Magic series and this was a fantastic edition to this series of standalone sapphic romances!
Let me start by saying, where can I get me a totally hot and powerful valkylrie? I am in love with Rune and totally jealous of Kari. If Rune would like to swoop down on Epli and kidnap me from this human existence, I am willing and ready.
Rune was such a strong, multilayered and hilarious FMC. I loved her inner monologue and wit.
Kari is an incredibly relateable character. I appreciated the inner battles she faced throughout the story and her journey of coming into her power.
The whole of the story was a beautiful encapsulation of owning your power, femininity as strength, feminism, powerful women, fighting for what's right and the struggles of existence in a world that doesn't quite feel like home. I found the story beautiful and empowering.
My only small grievance with the story was that the romance felt like less of a focal point. More romance and spice is experienced towards the end of the book but it felt like a slow burn but without anticipated buildup or the usual persistent longing.
The overall reward was worth it and the plot made the book incredibly enjoyable and worth it.
I am very excited to see what else might be added to the Love x Magic series in the future!

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Valhalla didn’t compare. All the gold, all the wonder did not compare to this creature before me. ”

This book was soooo good, and I love Marissa Serrao’s writing! Rune and Kari were so so cute together hehe I loved all the tropes in this book! The hair washing scene was so sweet, the one pegasus scenes were filled with tension and the forbidden romance was perfect. Plus, I’m obsessed with Apple, Rune’s pegasus, and Tove, Kari’s demon orange cat haha. I haven’t read many Norse mythology books but I had some background because of movies so I really enjoyed diving into the world of Norse gods and goddesses. I love reading books with mythology so this was no exception. I can’t get over how cute Rune and Kari were. I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. There were so many good quotes, and I was practically melting the entire time. Besides the romance though, I also really enjoyed the adventure Kari and Rune went on. I feel like Serrao does an amazing job at balancing fantasy and romance elements. I can’t wait to read Serrao’s next book, although I’m hoping the Love x Magic series isn’t quite over!

Thank you Marissa Serrao and Haus of Fable for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightfully cozy Norse-inspired sapphic romantasy book.

Rune is a tired valkyrie shirking her duties in favor of watching over Kari, a cursed witch who sees the dead and carries the trauma of losing her family far too young. There’s something so tender about the way Rune watches over Kari, how both of them are carrying grief and loneliness and don't quite know what to do with it. Cozy, but there's also a little bit of grief, guilt, resentment, and a deep slow-burn connection that develops so naturally that I found myself holding my breath waiting for them to finally say something to each other.

The mythology is fun without being overwhelming, and the world feels lived-in despite its fantastical, mythology-rich nature. It somehow manages to be more character-focused than lore-heavy; which is kind of rare. I also have to shout out the cover: absolutely stunning. The vibes here are immaculate.

If I had one critique, it’s that the pacing in some parts slows just a touch too much. It’s a very gentle story, but that’s also kind of the charm. This is more about healing, about choosing life after loss, and about finding someone who sees all your jagged edges and still wants to stay.

This book hits that perfect balance between whimsical and emotionally grounded. If you love quiet yearning, Norse mythology with a twist, sapphic witches, and a ghost cat who refuses to move on, this one’s for you.

Thank you to the author and Haus of Fables for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

I really really wanted to love this one given the setting of it and it just kept missing that extra oomph for me. That is not to say I didn’t enjoy it, cause I did and I would definitely read this author again.
Norse myths are one of those things that interest me and that you don’t get as much of in books so a huge plus for me. Unfortunately it felt like I was supposed to know more about the intricacies in the world before they were actually told to me. I am all for learning things along with the main character vibe, but with one of the dual POV being a Valkyrie I just felt I was missing things for a while that she knew when in her POV.
The oomph in the romance was missing for me. I wanted a few more moments shown and thoughts had to really convince me of how their feelings were changing and growing. I did appreciate that both characters had a personal growth outside of the romance. I did really enjoy the journey and overall plot outside of the romance.

Overall a good book that I just wish had a few refinements and that extra bit that pulled everything together more fully.


***thank you for giving me the change to arc read this book***