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Tressport Magic #1
Letters from the Last Apothecary
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26EMILY WILDE meets DIVINE RIVALS in this debut cozy historical romantic fantasy about a grumpy apothecarist, the whirlwind woman who comes to save his shop, and the letters that secretly unite them. You've Got Mail with a magical twist!
Nestled between steel skyscrapers lies a small shop stocked with old magic and experimental elixirs. This cozy historical romantic fantasy debut is a tale of mistaken identity, reluctant partnership, and the quiet, transformative magic of being truly seen—on and off the page.
Josephine Pinova doesn’t believe in fate. Yet, it must be fate when she walks into one of the last magical apothecaries in the city and they offer her a job after she’s just been fired.
Struggling against a tide of anti-magic sentiment amidst the city's rapid industrialization, the shop is slated to close in six short months unless Josie can save it. Luckily, she's no stranger to impossible odd—she's applying to study magic at the local university, something women are typically excluded from—even as the shop's prickly apothecarist, Aufidius Reid, seems determined to dislike her.
Reid finds her unbearably insistent. She finds him infuriatingly uptight—nothing like the sensitive scholar Josie has been exchanging anonymous letters with as they study together for entrance to a graduate magic program. A scholar who just so happens to be Reid himself, unbeknownst to either of them.
Letter by letter, they fall in love. But at work, Josie and Reid clash constantly about the direction of the business. As pressure rises, they discover the threat to the shop is more dangerous than they could have ever imagined, and working together to save it might be their only chance at true purpose, and at each other.
Nestled between steel skyscrapers lies a small shop stocked with old magic and experimental elixirs. This cozy historical romantic fantasy debut is a tale of mistaken identity, reluctant partnership, and the quiet, transformative magic of being truly seen—on and off the page.
Josephine Pinova doesn’t believe in fate. Yet, it must be fate when she walks into one of the last magical apothecaries in the city and they offer her a job after she’s just been fired.
Struggling against a tide of anti-magic sentiment amidst the city's rapid industrialization, the shop is slated to close in six short months unless Josie can save it. Luckily, she's no stranger to impossible odd—she's applying to study magic at the local university, something women are typically excluded from—even as the shop's prickly apothecarist, Aufidius Reid, seems determined to dislike her.
Reid finds her unbearably insistent. She finds him infuriatingly uptight—nothing like the sensitive scholar Josie has been exchanging anonymous letters with as they study together for entrance to a graduate magic program. A scholar who just so happens to be Reid himself, unbeknownst to either of them.
Letter by letter, they fall in love. But at work, Josie and Reid clash constantly about the direction of the business. As pressure rises, they discover the threat to the shop is more dangerous than they could have ever imagined, and working together to save it might be their only chance at true purpose, and at each other.
Audible Audio
Expected publication June 9, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The story takes place in a magical city where 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚, a spirited young woman freshly fired from her job, stumbles into the last surviving apothecary in 𝓣𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽. There she meets 𝐀𝐮𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝, a grumpy, meticulous apothecarist whose shop is fading under the weight of anti-magic sentiment.
⊹ ࣪ ˖
𓂃✍︎ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞: I ADORED the beautiful confessional tone in which this was written. The letters allowed the characters to reveal their flaws, fears and hopes in ways they could not face aloud. The melancholy, the ache of longing- it becomes the beating heart of the story. I loved how the intimacy of written words, the vulnerability of confessions and the thrill of discovering someone’s soul through ink was flawlessly captured here.
ꫂ❁ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭: I loved how Josie’s whirlwind energy collided beautifully with Aufidius’s stoic reserve. Their dynamic was so touching that it showed how 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝑜𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝓉𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝑜𝓅𝓅𝑜𝓈𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓈.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
.✦ ݁˖ anonymous pen pals × reluctant coworkers
.✦ ݁˖ grumpy × sunshine
.✦ ݁˖ cozy fantasy
And OMG!! I screamed so bad in the end. I love how Reid (mmc) put Josie's(fmc) surname as his surname. AHHHHHHHH!my dear future hubby, take notes.
𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ Unlike many romantic fantasies, this one here does not rely on grand battles or quests. It's just a matter of small gestures- a letter slipped under a door, a potion brewed with care, a shop saved against the odds...
𝐀 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻
╰───◤✦𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖞:✦◥───╯
update #6:
@82.0%- the yearning finally ends and they kiss.
Why am I screaming and giggling so bad?
update #5:
I love how "womanly time of the month" is mentioned here.
update #4:
The yearning >>>>
update #3:
This is so Divine Rivals coded.
I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.
an aspiring mage who lands a job at a failing magical apothecary in the city of Tressport × the "grumpy" owner of the shop who is struggling to keep his business afloat amidst rising anti-magic sentiment and industrialization
update #2:
I love how vividly descriptive this is. And the writing style is so amazing. Perfectly articulated.
"Chamomile rays of sparse morning light filtered through..."- ahh
update #1:
new word learnt: ostentatious
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿
The cover is absolutely gorgeous!
My first NetGalley read<3
Thankyou to NetGalley and Hay House LLC for providing me with this arc.
⊹ ࣪ ˖
𝕰𝖒𝖎𝖑𝖞 𝖂𝖎𝖑𝖉𝖊 𝖝 𝕯𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝕽𝖎𝖛𝖆𝖑𝖘
𓂃✍︎ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞: I ADORED the beautiful confessional tone in which this was written. The letters allowed the characters to reveal their flaws, fears and hopes in ways they could not face aloud. The melancholy, the ache of longing- it becomes the beating heart of the story. I loved how the intimacy of written words, the vulnerability of confessions and the thrill of discovering someone’s soul through ink was flawlessly captured here.
ꫂ❁ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭: I loved how Josie’s whirlwind energy collided beautifully with Aufidius’s stoic reserve. Their dynamic was so touching that it showed how 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝑜𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝓉𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝑜𝓅𝓅𝑜𝓈𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓈.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
.✦ ݁˖ anonymous pen pals × reluctant coworkers
.✦ ݁˖ grumpy × sunshine
.✦ ݁˖ cozy fantasy
And OMG!! I screamed so bad in the end. I love how Reid (mmc) put Josie's(fmc) surname as his surname. AHHHHHHHH!
𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ Unlike many romantic fantasies, this one here does not rely on grand battles or quests. It's just a matter of small gestures- a letter slipped under a door, a potion brewed with care, a shop saved against the odds...
𝐀 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻
╰───◤✦𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖞:✦◥───╯
update #6:
@82.0%- the yearning finally ends and they kiss.
Why am I screaming and giggling so bad?
update #5:
I love how "womanly time of the month" is mentioned here.
update #4:
The yearning >>>>
update #3:
This is so Divine Rivals coded.
I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.
an aspiring mage who lands a job at a failing magical apothecary in the city of Tressport × the "grumpy" owner of the shop who is struggling to keep his business afloat amidst rising anti-magic sentiment and industrialization
update #2:
I love how vividly descriptive this is. And the writing style is so amazing. Perfectly articulated.
"Chamomile rays of sparse morning light filtered through..."- ahh
update #1:
new word learnt: ostentatious
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿
The cover is absolutely gorgeous!
My first NetGalley read<3
Thankyou to NetGalley and Hay House LLC for providing me with this arc.
May 18, 2026
I was lured by the promise of a cozy magical apothecary, but instead I got a miscommunication romance murder mystery or whatever this mess was supposed to be. I can totally see where the comp titles for this book are coming from, but in the end it's not similar to Divine Rivals or Emily Wilde and just lends a singular aspect from each of these series. There's the unknowing letter-writing between rivals and somewhere in the background of the story is a magical university and while the characters do not actually attend it, they talk all academically for some reason. Especially the female main character, Josephine Pinova. I just couldn't stand her. At the beginning of the story she is fired from her typist job for no apparent reason, but a few days later she wants to buy some witchy ingredients in an apothecary and leaves with a new job instead. She got the job because she apparently knows everything and never shuts up, even if you ask her to. Aufidius Reid is already working at the apothecary and he is immediately annoyed by her, and I'll be honest: I didn't understand why the two of them didn't like each other. But I didn't like them either, so maybe it's just their personalities. So at the shop, Josie and Reid don't get along, but they don't know that they have been anonymously exchanging letters and slowly falling for each other for a while now. I must admit that the letter thing is rather cute to me in theory, but the execution was lacking a lot in my opinion. The letters seemed like an excuse to drop whole backstories all at once and later they were about boring magic theory that I didn't connect with either. I also really didn't like how the letters were from months ago and didn't really play a role in the current plot. I had quite the problem with structure and pacing in general here. For instance, the introduction to a cozy story is very important to me. Usually characters learn a craft or start a business or something like that, having to get familiar with new people and surroundings. Here, Josie gets the job and then the book immediately skips her first three weeks in the apothecary. Like, I wanted to see her learning about magical ingredients and potion making and plant care, and I got absolutely nothing of that. That's criminal to me! I think the book just didn't know what it wanted to be. It takes so long before any actual plot is introduced, and then it's a cozy fantasy romance murder mystery all at once without executing any of these things well. The coziness wasn't there for me, the murder mystery was introduced so late that I didn't bother caring at that point and the romance also didn't make sense to me. Josie and Reid just completely lacked meaningful moments together while also talking about marriage right away. At least the last thing was due to the time period that this book was set in, but it wasn't like the time and place were developed much either. To me this book was somehow both boring and convoluted at the same time, and it just wasn't what I had hoped for.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hay House LLC for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hay House LLC for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.0 ★— Oh, epistolary romance, how much I adore you! This was another great example of why I do.
Following Reid and Josie, two people aspiring to get into the Institute of Magic and to finally fulfill their passions, the story unfolds as they anonymously exchange letters, starting with them bonding as university hopefuls and eventually developing feelings for each other.
Let me just say: this was so cute! I am not the biggest dual POV fan, but because the book is interspersed with the main characters' own letters to each other, I thought their different viewpoints enhanced the story very well.
Josie and Reid are two characters who immediately make a bad impression on each other when they meet for the first time, with Reid being annoyed and slightly intimidated by Josie’s expertise and by how well she gets along with his boss, who he’s always felt a little distant from, and Josie being put off by his stand-offish behavior around her. The story did a perfect job of illustrating why these two would never suspect that they're each other’s secret letter writer.
As a heroine, Josie was solidly written, and I liked how this book incorporated her struggles as a woman in a historically inspired world that is very misogynistic, as well as the scrutiny she faces because of an ethnic background that makes her place in society even more precarious.
The book explores a similar theme with Reid, who himself is of a mixed heritage and also has to deal with the otherness and classism of the academic spaces he wants to belong to.
While I did think the book’s slice of life vibes and the day-to-day apothecary happenings were quite fun to follow in the beginning, I also thought the book suffered from feeling a little stretched out and slow until the mystery plot in the latter half unfolded, which reawakened my excitement and interest. Coupled with an ending that felt like it wrapped the story up in a neat way, this really did work for me!
🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
This is one of those books I think benefits heavily from being listened to in audiobook form! The two narrators were perfect for their respective characters, and I loved listening to them read the letters that preceded each chapter. Because this is a slower story, the audiobook really was a perfect companion to have on during walks and quieter moments!
__________________
Thank you to Hay House for the ARC and to Penguin Random House for the ALC.
Following Reid and Josie, two people aspiring to get into the Institute of Magic and to finally fulfill their passions, the story unfolds as they anonymously exchange letters, starting with them bonding as university hopefuls and eventually developing feelings for each other.
Let me just say: this was so cute! I am not the biggest dual POV fan, but because the book is interspersed with the main characters' own letters to each other, I thought their different viewpoints enhanced the story very well.
Josie and Reid are two characters who immediately make a bad impression on each other when they meet for the first time, with Reid being annoyed and slightly intimidated by Josie’s expertise and by how well she gets along with his boss, who he’s always felt a little distant from, and Josie being put off by his stand-offish behavior around her. The story did a perfect job of illustrating why these two would never suspect that they're each other’s secret letter writer.
As a heroine, Josie was solidly written, and I liked how this book incorporated her struggles as a woman in a historically inspired world that is very misogynistic, as well as the scrutiny she faces because of an ethnic background that makes her place in society even more precarious.
The book explores a similar theme with Reid, who himself is of a mixed heritage and also has to deal with the otherness and classism of the academic spaces he wants to belong to.
While I did think the book’s slice of life vibes and the day-to-day apothecary happenings were quite fun to follow in the beginning, I also thought the book suffered from feeling a little stretched out and slow until the mystery plot in the latter half unfolded, which reawakened my excitement and interest. Coupled with an ending that felt like it wrapped the story up in a neat way, this really did work for me!
🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
This is one of those books I think benefits heavily from being listened to in audiobook form! The two narrators were perfect for their respective characters, and I loved listening to them read the letters that preceded each chapter. Because this is a slower story, the audiobook really was a perfect companion to have on during walks and quieter moments!
__________________
Thank you to Hay House for the ARC and to Penguin Random House for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Letters from the Last Apothecary
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟳𝟱
Release Date : June 9, 2026 ⟢
⌞ What To Expect: ⌝
⌗ 1900s Chicago
⌗ Anonymous Pen Pals
⌗ Magical Apothecary
⌗ Office Romance
What a delightful debut by Bita Behzadi! For those who know me, I'm a fan of "Divine Rivals" and the Emily Wilde series. When I learned that this book was compared to those, I became very excited and curious about the similarities. Behzadi's writing is straightforward and easy to understand, yet thoughtful, providing just the right amount of description and information. The world she creates feels similar to our modern environment, with a touch of magic woven throughout.
Now that I've read it, I can see that the overall atmosphere and anonymous letters definitely remind me of Divine Rivals, while our female lead's thoughts and attitude toward academia remind me of Emily Wilde.
𓏲⋆💌.* Josephine 'Josie' Pinova: I admire a strong, independent woman. She knows what she wants and does her best to prove herself. If that doesn't work, she'll do her best to talk her way into getting it.
𓏲⋆✨.* Aufidius Reid: I have mixed feelings about this man. He was pretty stuck-up for most of the book and clearly needs therapy for his anger issues. Just when I think he's an okay guy, he does something that makes me dislike him again. I don't blame Josephine for the strong dislike at the start because I see it too. By the end, I guess he was okay.
The romance didn't develop immediately, which I loved, and I admired how they took the time to get to know each other and learned to respect one another during the months they've worked together in the apothecary. There were also themes surrounding prejudice based on ethnic backgrounds, and since there is a growing anti-magic sentiment in the city, people's perception of those with magic is scrutinized.
Another thing that threw me off was when the mafia act comes in. I enjoyed the slow pace and day-to-day work in the apothecary, but when the action and high stakes kicked in, the vibe changed completely for me, unfortunately.
The audiobook version is such a delight to listen to with the e-arc. I absolutely loved Samara Naeymi's portrayal of Josephine. I loved her enunciation, and her voice was such a treat to listen to. I wouldn't mind if she narrated the whole book because, unfortunately, Reid's narration was lacking and sometimes doesn't do the scene justice.
Overall, I was pleased with the story and can't wait for Book 2 of the Tressport Magic series. Hopefully, we follow Josephine's sister, Juniper, since I loved her character so much, and her clairvoyance magic is such an intriguing aspect to see.
Thank you to Hay House, LLC and, of course, Bita Behzadi for providing an advance copy of this ebook and audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑
ഒ·˚ ⊹ ࣪ ˖
pre-read : i saw that the audio arc was on 'listen now' on netgalley and since i had the e-arc for a while now, i thought it'd be a great immersive read! NOW, letters between strangers and workplace set in a magical apothecary. they say it's giving divine rivals and emily wilde, so ofc i'm seated!
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟳𝟱
⁀જ➣ ❝ This may read as daft, but I am glad I can write to you, because I do not have to wonder if some secret of mine will eventually put you off. I do not have to hold my breath in anticipation that you will recognize something terrible in me. ❞
Release Date : June 9, 2026 ⟢
⌞ What To Expect: ⌝
⌗ 1900s Chicago
⌗ Anonymous Pen Pals
⌗ Magical Apothecary
⌗ Office Romance
What a delightful debut by Bita Behzadi! For those who know me, I'm a fan of "Divine Rivals" and the Emily Wilde series. When I learned that this book was compared to those, I became very excited and curious about the similarities. Behzadi's writing is straightforward and easy to understand, yet thoughtful, providing just the right amount of description and information. The world she creates feels similar to our modern environment, with a touch of magic woven throughout.
Now that I've read it, I can see that the overall atmosphere and anonymous letters definitely remind me of Divine Rivals, while our female lead's thoughts and attitude toward academia remind me of Emily Wilde.
୭˚ ❝ Truthfully, I do not know where my future leads. If any of the immovable pillars of my identity, my gender, or my race are what triggered my rejection, then there is nowhere I can climb. ❞
𓏲⋆💌.* Josephine 'Josie' Pinova: I admire a strong, independent woman. She knows what she wants and does her best to prove herself. If that doesn't work, she'll do her best to talk her way into getting it.
❝ You have cut into my center in a way so few have. You are so complete in my mind, so fully formed, and I can only hope that you see me just as completely. ❞ ་࿐
𓏲⋆✨.* Aufidius Reid: I have mixed feelings about this man. He was pretty stuck-up for most of the book and clearly needs therapy for his anger issues. Just when I think he's an okay guy, he does something that makes me dislike him again. I don't blame Josephine for the strong dislike at the start because I see it too. By the end, I guess he was okay.
❝ Truthfully, I do not know where my future leads. If any of the immovable pillars of my identity, my gender, or my race are what triggered my rejection, then there is nowhere I can climb. This is where I am competent, and it did not matter. I have spent my entire life fighting to be seen, and I am not sure if I can continue much longer without anything to show for it. ❞
The romance didn't develop immediately, which I loved, and I admired how they took the time to get to know each other and learned to respect one another during the months they've worked together in the apothecary. There were also themes surrounding prejudice based on ethnic backgrounds, and since there is a growing anti-magic sentiment in the city, people's perception of those with magic is scrutinized.
Another thing that threw me off was when the mafia act comes in. I enjoyed the slow pace and day-to-day work in the apothecary, but when the action and high stakes kicked in, the vibe changed completely for me, unfortunately.
The audiobook version is such a delight to listen to with the e-arc. I absolutely loved Samara Naeymi's portrayal of Josephine. I loved her enunciation, and her voice was such a treat to listen to. I wouldn't mind if she narrated the whole book because, unfortunately, Reid's narration was lacking and sometimes doesn't do the scene justice.
Overall, I was pleased with the story and can't wait for Book 2 of the Tressport Magic series. Hopefully, we follow Josephine's sister, Juniper, since I loved her character so much, and her clairvoyance magic is such an intriguing aspect to see.
❝ When you live with someone, you say hello, you give them a little kiss, every day. You don’t think about it. But when you are drawn apart, letters are the only way to touch. They are proof, a reminder, that you think of one another. Every one is a window into your heart. ❞
Thank you to Hay House, LLC and, of course, Bita Behzadi for providing an advance copy of this ebook and audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑
ഒ·˚ ⊹ ࣪ ˖
pre-read : i saw that the audio arc was on 'listen now' on netgalley and since i had the e-arc for a while now, i thought it'd be a great immersive read! NOW, letters between strangers and workplace set in a magical apothecary. they say it's giving divine rivals and emily wilde, so ofc i'm seated!
Want to Read
February 9, 2026✉️ Letters from the Last Apothecary ✉️
📘 Bookish Thoughts
I will be posting my full review closer to publication date.
📅 Pub Date: June 9, 2026
📝 Thank you to Hay House LLC and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
📘 Bookish Thoughts
I will be posting my full review closer to publication date.
📅 Pub Date: June 9, 2026
📝 Thank you to Hay House LLC and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
March 19, 2026
rival coworkers but also anonymous lovers over letters <3 (3.75 stars)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed this book and how easy it was to read, the writing has such a beautiful flow about it and the world and characters only made this cosy fantasy all that more enchanting.
One of my favourite things is when characters unknowingly write letters to each other and slowly fall in love, I feel like it always adds such an interesting dynamic to the story especially as these two characters had such a dislike for the other and I adored the letters that were exchanged.
Though it did take a little while to fully get into the story at the start, I soon found myself flying through it and found it so hard to put down. It was such a beautiful and enchanting story.
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.
One of my favourite things is when characters unknowingly write letters to each other and slowly fall in love, I feel like it always adds such an interesting dynamic to the story especially as these two characters had such a dislike for the other and I adored the letters that were exchanged.
Though it did take a little while to fully get into the story at the start, I soon found myself flying through it and found it so hard to put down. It was such a beautiful and enchanting story.
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.
May 14, 2026
I really enjoyed the world-building in this cozy historical romantasy (a perfect blend of my favorite genres). It’s a slow burn with low spice but a lot of emotional impact. I loved the You’ve Got Mail style romance and watching the characters unknowingly fall for each other through letters while clashing in real life. The writing was beautifully immersive, and the audiobook made the experience even better. Having both a female and male narrator really helped the dual POVs feel natural (I can’t stand male narrators do female voices). If you love cozy fantasy, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and emotionally driven romances, this is definitely worth picking up. I’m looking forward to the next book in the Tressport Magic series! Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Did Not Finish
February 15, 2026dnf'ed at 33%
this was so insubstantial i couldn't get through it any further.
the protagonists have no personality whatsoever, there is absolutely no basis for their dislike of each other in real life and no chemistry between them at all and the letters they write are nondescript and feel like a very lazy way of trying and failing to give these two any sort of character traits or background story.
on top of that, the world building is practically nonexistent. there is no real substance to the magic system, the same three terms are repeated over and over again without offering any other information about what they mean and how the world works etc and there is no clear direction as to where the story is supposed to lead at all. there's just no plot, no characters, no interesting world building/crafting.
maybe i just dnf'ed right before the turning point of the story (i don't think i did though because there was no buildup to anything) but idk, if a story doesn't manage to capture any sort of interest on my part in the first 25%, i'm out.
this is so wrongly marketed as emily wilde (which i loved) meets divine rivals (which i liked alright) because it has nothing even remotely resembling these two stories to offer. it's not magical or whimsical or innovative and just overall not very well written.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hay House for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
this was so insubstantial i couldn't get through it any further.
the protagonists have no personality whatsoever, there is absolutely no basis for their dislike of each other in real life and no chemistry between them at all and the letters they write are nondescript and feel like a very lazy way of trying and failing to give these two any sort of character traits or background story.
on top of that, the world building is practically nonexistent. there is no real substance to the magic system, the same three terms are repeated over and over again without offering any other information about what they mean and how the world works etc and there is no clear direction as to where the story is supposed to lead at all. there's just no plot, no characters, no interesting world building/crafting.
maybe i just dnf'ed right before the turning point of the story (i don't think i did though because there was no buildup to anything) but idk, if a story doesn't manage to capture any sort of interest on my part in the first 25%, i'm out.
this is so wrongly marketed as emily wilde (which i loved) meets divine rivals (which i liked alright) because it has nothing even remotely resembling these two stories to offer. it's not magical or whimsical or innovative and just overall not very well written.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hay House for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 7, 2026
3.5⭐️
"This may read as daft, but I am glad I can write to you, because I do not have to wonder if some secret of mine will eventually put you off. I do not have to hold my breath in anticipation that you will recognize something terrible in me."
...
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The Letters from the Last Apothecary is a debut cozy fantasy novel that takes a twist on the classic You've Got Mail recipe. This is one that I love because I love the concept, but I hate how he destroyed her family business. So anything that can bring in the beauty of the story of tender love notes shared, while removing that otherwise glaring faux pas, is welcome in my book. This book harnesses those elements and also adds in deeper layers with our characters facing prejudice. Truly, a refreshing take!
The world itself has light elements of magic, making it a welcoming world to enter without the heavy world-building. I would mirror it akin to books like The Spellshop or Half a Soul in this regard. The book itself is quite cozy, and the romance feels earned rather than rushed!
This book is one that sounded perfect in theory, but the characters fell a little flat to me, and it had a bit of a lull in the middle. I thought it picked up in the last 30% and kept me captivated through the end. I sort of chalk this up to it being a debut. I think the author has talent and I would love to read their future works!
I know this is comped as Divine Rivals and Emily Wilde, which I see in some regards. I would sooner recommend it if you enjoy the writing style of authors like Sangu Mandanna, Freya Marske, or India Holton, along with enjoying the movie You've Got Mail!
"This may read as daft, but I am glad I can write to you, because I do not have to wonder if some secret of mine will eventually put you off. I do not have to hold my breath in anticipation that you will recognize something terrible in me."
...
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The Letters from the Last Apothecary is a debut cozy fantasy novel that takes a twist on the classic You've Got Mail recipe. This is one that I love because I love the concept, but I hate how he destroyed her family business. So anything that can bring in the beauty of the story of tender love notes shared, while removing that otherwise glaring faux pas, is welcome in my book. This book harnesses those elements and also adds in deeper layers with our characters facing prejudice. Truly, a refreshing take!
The world itself has light elements of magic, making it a welcoming world to enter without the heavy world-building. I would mirror it akin to books like The Spellshop or Half a Soul in this regard. The book itself is quite cozy, and the romance feels earned rather than rushed!
This book is one that sounded perfect in theory, but the characters fell a little flat to me, and it had a bit of a lull in the middle. I thought it picked up in the last 30% and kept me captivated through the end. I sort of chalk this up to it being a debut. I think the author has talent and I would love to read their future works!
I know this is comped as Divine Rivals and Emily Wilde, which I see in some regards. I would sooner recommend it if you enjoy the writing style of authors like Sangu Mandanna, Freya Marske, or India Holton, along with enjoying the movie You've Got Mail!
December 9, 2025
a heartfelt tale of refreshing magic, gorgeously written letters, and secret love, bita behzadi's debut LETTERS FROM THE LAST APOTHECARY bowled me over with its fantastic cast of characters, nuanced world, and emotional stakes that i was invested in every step of the way. this is the beginning of a very promising series of interconnected standalones that's ideal for readers of EMILY WILDE and DIVINE RIVALS, and i can't wait to see what else behzadi has in store for us!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
- Emily Wilde meets Divine Rivals
- cozy romantic fantasy
- rivals irl, lovers in letters
- grumpy apothecarist
- beautiful writing
- yearninggggg
- magic in academia
One thing about me is that I'll always eat up an anonymous pen pals who hate each other irl story.
I also love when magic is a study field, the magic system is really interesting, so I loved the descriptions and exploration of it, the intuitive vs structured study, etc
Overall it was the perfect light, fun, fluffy read I needed.
I received a digital arc via Edelweiss+. All opinions are my own.
- cozy romantic fantasy
- rivals irl, lovers in letters
- grumpy apothecarist
- beautiful writing
- yearninggggg
- magic in academia
One thing about me is that I'll always eat up an anonymous pen pals who hate each other irl story.
I also love when magic is a study field, the magic system is really interesting, so I loved the descriptions and exploration of it, the intuitive vs structured study, etc
Overall it was the perfect light, fun, fluffy read I needed.
I received a digital arc via Edelweiss+. All opinions are my own.
Read
May 5, 2026The last 20% of this book was maybe a 3.5 or 4/5, but the beginning 70% was painful and made me want to DNF. Probably averages out to a 2/5 for me.
What didn't work for me:
- there are dual POV chapters but there's not a miscommunication or silly little banter stirring up their animosity-- he genuinely dislikes her from the start. [I want to swoon and see the MCs secretly pine for each other, not consider them below notice unless they're actively aggravated]
- the MMC also just dislikes eeeeeeveryone and everything and is a bitter little tantrum thrower because his lot in life is soooo bad (this ends up being part of his personal growth in the story, but wayyyy too late because I already hated him by then)
- the mystery bit is so, so late in the story so it doesn't have time to breathe and feel setup and satisfying. it just ends up kinda being there and tying up some loose ends
- the FMC is pretty boring and her main character trait seems to be that she's a woman in olden times who refuses to be relegated to solely feminine roles/jobs. tbf, this seems to be in near 100% of historical fiction and I already know the genre isn't for me
- only to counter what I just said-- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FANTASY BOOK. THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OUR WORLD BUT LIVE IN A PLACE CALLED TRESSPORT. THE PRIMARY RELIGION IS BAPTIAN. and yet the book is quick to remind at the chapter headings that the year is 1905 or 1906... but why do I care the year number of a fully fictional world? there was nothing grounding or establishing the importance of that date. I don't understand having our same timeline and technology development and that I'm supposed to superimpose my knowledge of Victorians onto this fantastical world. it's lazy and never comes to any sort of meaning in the novel. why isn't this just set in the US or England if that's the case? why include the dates of their correspondences if it's not?
But overall I thought the ending was decent. However because the main characters seemed so unlikable and he genuinely seems to dislike her because of his own internal issues for such an incredibly long time, I can see a lot of romance readers being dissatisfied and bouncing off this one.
Audiobook Notes:
Samara Naeymi:
I don't truly know how to rate this audio because I actually really really enjoyed the female narrator enought that I'll be looking up her works to listen to more of her catalog. Her voice has this slight raspiness quality that I find immediately soothing and pleasant. Her cadence and emotion is far more endearing than the actual character is written and I feel like she enhanced the experience.
E.M. Wylde:
...the male narrator on the other hand? I don't want to be cruel, but I was also granted this ARC to give my honest opinion and I'm not sure he's a fully capable reader with mastery over the English language. Words like "candor" (which he pronounced like "can door"), important, potent, similarly... if you've ever watched Schitt's Creek then you'll be familiar with the comedic way that Moira pronounces many words; that's almost the exact delivery that this man gives (just without the comedy and over the top accent). It was incredibly jarring and while he could go whole pages or paragraphs without a misstep, it was also so bizarre on such commonplace words (similarly? really?) that I started to question if it was AI or something. Do not like. Will actively avoid this narrator in future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hay House LLC (of Penguin Random House) for granting me both an eARC and audio ALC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What didn't work for me:
- there are dual POV chapters but there's not a miscommunication or silly little banter stirring up their animosity-- he genuinely dislikes her from the start. [I want to swoon and see the MCs secretly pine for each other, not consider them below notice unless they're actively aggravated]
- the MMC also just dislikes eeeeeeveryone and everything and is a bitter little tantrum thrower because his lot in life is soooo bad (this ends up being part of his personal growth in the story, but wayyyy too late because I already hated him by then)
- the mystery bit is so, so late in the story so it doesn't have time to breathe and feel setup and satisfying. it just ends up kinda being there and tying up some loose ends
- the FMC is pretty boring and her main character trait seems to be that she's a woman in olden times who refuses to be relegated to solely feminine roles/jobs. tbf, this seems to be in near 100% of historical fiction and I already know the genre isn't for me
- only to counter what I just said-- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FANTASY BOOK. THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OUR WORLD BUT LIVE IN A PLACE CALLED TRESSPORT. THE PRIMARY RELIGION IS BAPTIAN. and yet the book is quick to remind at the chapter headings that the year is 1905 or 1906... but why do I care the year number of a fully fictional world? there was nothing grounding or establishing the importance of that date. I don't understand having our same timeline and technology development and that I'm supposed to superimpose my knowledge of Victorians onto this fantastical world. it's lazy and never comes to any sort of meaning in the novel. why isn't this just set in the US or England if that's the case? why include the dates of their correspondences if it's not?
But overall I thought the ending was decent. However because the main characters seemed so unlikable and he genuinely seems to dislike her because of his own internal issues for such an incredibly long time, I can see a lot of romance readers being dissatisfied and bouncing off this one.
Audiobook Notes:
Samara Naeymi:
I don't truly know how to rate this audio because I actually really really enjoyed the female narrator enought that I'll be looking up her works to listen to more of her catalog. Her voice has this slight raspiness quality that I find immediately soothing and pleasant. Her cadence and emotion is far more endearing than the actual character is written and I feel like she enhanced the experience.
E.M. Wylde:
...the male narrator on the other hand? I don't want to be cruel, but I was also granted this ARC to give my honest opinion and I'm not sure he's a fully capable reader with mastery over the English language. Words like "candor" (which he pronounced like "can door"), important, potent, similarly... if you've ever watched Schitt's Creek then you'll be familiar with the comedic way that Moira pronounces many words; that's almost the exact delivery that this man gives (just without the comedy and over the top accent). It was incredibly jarring and while he could go whole pages or paragraphs without a misstep, it was also so bizarre on such commonplace words (similarly? really?) that I started to question if it was AI or something. Do not like. Will actively avoid this narrator in future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hay House LLC (of Penguin Random House) for granting me both an eARC and audio ALC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Bita Behzaldi and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
✨️Plot:
Josie dreams of enrolling in a магister-level magic program at the Institute of Magic. While women are technically allowed to study magic, the academic world remains deeply sexist. After losing her job, Josie unexpectedly finds herself working at a barely surviving apothecary, hoping to help revive the business and attract new customers.
There, she meets Reid — a grumpy, solitary apothecarist who also hopes to apply to the Institute’s магister program. Reid wants to save the shop from bankruptcy, but is less than thrilled to work alongside the bright, confident Josie.
Their approaches to magic are completely opposite: Josie’s is controlled and methodical, while Reid’s is intuitive and chaotic. Yet they share more than they realize, including an anonymous correspondence that has slowly grown into something much deeper.
✨️My thoughts:
This is a slow-paced, cozy fantasy with a strong focus on atmosphere and character. At times, the pacing felt a bit too slow for me, particularly in the first half, where the amount of worldbuilding detail occasionally slowed the story more than necessary. That said, this is the author’s debut, and the care put into building the world and magic system is evident.
The magic itself is thoughtfully constructed and tied closely to both characters’ love for studying it. While I personally would have enjoyed slightly fewer technical descriptions and more emotional focus early on, the second half of the book balances this much better. The characters interact more, the stakes rise, and a small mystery subplot adds welcome momentum.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its characters. Josie and Reid feel like real, flawed adults rather than idealized romantic leads. Their fears, mistakes, and emotionally charged decisions make them relatable and believable. I especially appreciated that their relationship develops slowly and is grounded in shared interests and mutual respect. How the switch from "annoyed" to "lovers" happened too fast in my opinion.
I also enjoyed the contrast between “scientific” and intuitive magic, and how differently the characters approach learning and growth.
Overall, this is a comforting, character-driven fantasy that works especially well as a cozy read. While I felt the story sometimes tried to tackle too many themes at once — sexism, discrimination, religion, crime, and social tension.
A warm and thoughtful debut that I would recommend to readers who enjoy slow-burn romance, letters, and cozy fantasy settings.
✨️Plot:
Josie dreams of enrolling in a магister-level magic program at the Institute of Magic. While women are technically allowed to study magic, the academic world remains deeply sexist. After losing her job, Josie unexpectedly finds herself working at a barely surviving apothecary, hoping to help revive the business and attract new customers.
There, she meets Reid — a grumpy, solitary apothecarist who also hopes to apply to the Institute’s магister program. Reid wants to save the shop from bankruptcy, but is less than thrilled to work alongside the bright, confident Josie.
Their approaches to magic are completely opposite: Josie’s is controlled and methodical, while Reid’s is intuitive and chaotic. Yet they share more than they realize, including an anonymous correspondence that has slowly grown into something much deeper.
✨️My thoughts:
This is a slow-paced, cozy fantasy with a strong focus on atmosphere and character. At times, the pacing felt a bit too slow for me, particularly in the first half, where the amount of worldbuilding detail occasionally slowed the story more than necessary. That said, this is the author’s debut, and the care put into building the world and magic system is evident.
The magic itself is thoughtfully constructed and tied closely to both characters’ love for studying it. While I personally would have enjoyed slightly fewer technical descriptions and more emotional focus early on, the second half of the book balances this much better. The characters interact more, the stakes rise, and a small mystery subplot adds welcome momentum.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its characters. Josie and Reid feel like real, flawed adults rather than idealized romantic leads. Their fears, mistakes, and emotionally charged decisions make them relatable and believable. I especially appreciated that their relationship develops slowly and is grounded in shared interests and mutual respect. How the switch from "annoyed" to "lovers" happened too fast in my opinion.
I also enjoyed the contrast between “scientific” and intuitive magic, and how differently the characters approach learning and growth.
Overall, this is a comforting, character-driven fantasy that works especially well as a cozy read. While I felt the story sometimes tried to tackle too many themes at once — sexism, discrimination, religion, crime, and social tension.
A warm and thoughtful debut that I would recommend to readers who enjoy slow-burn romance, letters, and cozy fantasy settings.
April 30, 2026
Unfortunately this was a major miss for me.
First, let me start by highlighting some of the things I liked about this book. I loved the concept. I am a sucker for secret pen pals who actually hate each other in person. I loved the idea of a whimsical, historical fiction set in 1906 setting with a cool magic system and apothecary vibes. I got this audiobook as an ALC and another thing I enjoyed about this was the narrator’s voice. It was giving “Samantha Brentmoor” (pretty sure it was her, actually).
However, as a whole it missed the mark for me. The author had a lot going on with this book. Too much. And because of that nothing really felt well executed in the process. The dialogue didn’t feel authentic to the time period and the way this story was written felt very disjointed. It just was not good if I’m being honest.
On a personal note, the random jabs at “white men” is growing quite tiresome. Maybe if the author had focused more time on her quality of writing and less on her jabs this would have been a more enjoyable experience. ❤️
First, let me start by highlighting some of the things I liked about this book. I loved the concept. I am a sucker for secret pen pals who actually hate each other in person. I loved the idea of a whimsical, historical fiction set in 1906 setting with a cool magic system and apothecary vibes. I got this audiobook as an ALC and another thing I enjoyed about this was the narrator’s voice. It was giving “Samantha Brentmoor” (pretty sure it was her, actually).
However, as a whole it missed the mark for me. The author had a lot going on with this book. Too much. And because of that nothing really felt well executed in the process. The dialogue didn’t feel authentic to the time period and the way this story was written felt very disjointed. It just was not good if I’m being honest.
On a personal note, the random jabs at “white men” is growing quite tiresome. Maybe if the author had focused more time on her quality of writing and less on her jabs this would have been a more enjoyable experience. ❤️
January 26, 2026
You’ve Got Mail, Emily Wilde, and Divine Rivals???? UH YEAH I’m in😂 just those 3 titles made me click on this and request (thank you net galley😘)
It was very good! It was cute, it was heartwarming, the magic system was something I’ve never read about before (in a good way!), and the romance was sweet💛😋 It didn’t give me 5 star feelings, but I still loved it nonetheless. I really enjoyed the world it was set in and I really loved both characters! They were both relatable and understandable their progression from rival coworkers to friends to lovers (even though the letters😉) was seamless! Definitely plan on buying this for my shelves once it comes out! Please read this in’s beautiful spring day and enjoy every moment of it!
It was very good! It was cute, it was heartwarming, the magic system was something I’ve never read about before (in a good way!), and the romance was sweet💛😋 It didn’t give me 5 star feelings, but I still loved it nonetheless. I really enjoyed the world it was set in and I really loved both characters! They were both relatable and understandable their progression from rival coworkers to friends to lovers (even though the letters😉) was seamless! Definitely plan on buying this for my shelves once it comes out! Please read this in’s beautiful spring day and enjoy every moment of it!
May 6, 2026
Thank you to Penguin Random House | Hay House LLC and author Bita Behzadi, for providing me with the ALC of “Letters From The Last Apothecary”.
This is one where I will tell you, audiobook only. At least for me, I enjoyed it being read to me versus me trying to read it. While it does have some mystery it is a slow build up.
Josie is strong and willing to do anything in order to make her dreams come true. Even after she gets that dreaded denial letter. Her sister is not my favorite, but thankfully she barely shows up.
Reid is GRUMPY. Way too much for my liking, but it is his character and past that made him that way. But he really could use a couple head smacks….
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice Level:
Dual POV (I think it’s in 3rd)
Fantasy
Magic
Grumpy x Sunshine
Office Romance
Penpals
Banter
1900s Chicago
Mystery Twist of Who Did It
🎧 Dual Narration 11h 14m at 2x
🎙️ E.M. Wylde and Samara Naeymi
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Penguin Random House
E.M. and Samara narrated this book wonderfully. Their tone and cadence was perfect. Loved the story so much as an audio.
TW: Death of a loved one
This is one where I will tell you, audiobook only. At least for me, I enjoyed it being read to me versus me trying to read it. While it does have some mystery it is a slow build up.
Josie is strong and willing to do anything in order to make her dreams come true. Even after she gets that dreaded denial letter. Her sister is not my favorite, but thankfully she barely shows up.
Reid is GRUMPY. Way too much for my liking, but it is his character and past that made him that way. But he really could use a couple head smacks….
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice Level:
Dual POV (I think it’s in 3rd)
Fantasy
Magic
Grumpy x Sunshine
Office Romance
Penpals
Banter
1900s Chicago
Mystery Twist of Who Did It
🎧 Dual Narration 11h 14m at 2x
🎙️ E.M. Wylde and Samara Naeymi
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Penguin Random House
E.M. and Samara narrated this book wonderfully. Their tone and cadence was perfect. Loved the story so much as an audio.
TW: Death of a loved one
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Letters from the Last Apothecary is described as having similarities to Emily Wilde, Divine Rivals, and You've Got Mail. I'll set aside my rants about You've Got Mail and focus on how I don't really see the comparisons. Yes, there's an epistolary structure in which people who dislike each other in person like each other over letters, yes, the setting is a magical world... For me, that's where the comparisons end.
This was a rough read for me: the formatting was super off with random page numbers, random line breaks, inconsistent paragraph spacing, and some lingering typographical errors.
I did like the general world building and structure of the magic system, and thought it had a lot of potential. Josie and Reid were both flawed individuals which was interesting but I don't think I ever really found any character compelling or memorable. This book felt like it was trying to deal with a lot: cozy fantasy, religion, institutional sexism, a murder mystery, the mafia, tradition vs industrialization, capitalist greed... Which means that the pacing was weird and I think the impact was lessened throughout what could have been several large significant moments. As a standalone, I think this could have been more compelling if a few key elements had been focused on. As for Josie and Reid's relationship, I felt like the letters fell flat and didn't connect for me: which made the sudden leap into a relationship seem jarring.
Overall, I think the concept had a lot of potential but I never really connected with the story and found this pretty challenging to push through.
Thanks to the author, Hay House, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
This was a rough read for me: the formatting was super off with random page numbers, random line breaks, inconsistent paragraph spacing, and some lingering typographical errors.
I did like the general world building and structure of the magic system, and thought it had a lot of potential. Josie and Reid were both flawed individuals which was interesting but I don't think I ever really found any character compelling or memorable. This book felt like it was trying to deal with a lot: cozy fantasy, religion, institutional sexism, a murder mystery, the mafia, tradition vs industrialization, capitalist greed... Which means that the pacing was weird and I think the impact was lessened throughout what could have been several large significant moments. As a standalone, I think this could have been more compelling if a few key elements had been focused on. As for Josie and Reid's relationship, I felt like the letters fell flat and didn't connect for me: which made the sudden leap into a relationship seem jarring.
Overall, I think the concept had a lot of potential but I never really connected with the story and found this pretty challenging to push through.
Thanks to the author, Hay House, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
May 8, 2026
3.75 Rounded up
Letters from the Last Apothecary is a slow-paced cozy fantasy set in the early 1900s, at a time where magic intersects with a rapidly industrializing society with a mystery subplot. Josie and Reid have been unknowingly corresponding for sometime time before the events from this book, as they pursue entrance to the local university, falling over each other as they correspond. In reality, this is far from the truth when they meet, when Josie works her way into the apothecary where Reid is employed and is determined to keep afloat. Together, they have to work together in order to keep the last remaining independent apothecary open in the face of several sabotage events. I adored the old timey industrial ambiance and the pacing - it feels true to the time and very reminiscent to early Chicago.
Josie and Reid’s romance is nuanced and real and develops over time, much like the romance that started over correspondence. I could sympathize with Josie as a character with a singleminded drive, while being caring for the people around her, she isn’t inherently selfish. Reid reads standoffish, but he contains a multitude - a troubled childhood and uneasy adolescence that leads him to become stoic as an adult. While the characters cannot initially stand each other, they start to see each other’s merits much like how they recognize each other as intellectual matches.
I would have liked to see some more fleshed out world-building, as the author seemed to tackle quite a few topics such as sexism, racism, religion and anti-magic protesters, as well as the beginnings of Josie and Reid’s romance. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook and would recommend to readers of Heather Fawcett.
Thank you NetGalley and Hay House LLC, for the ALC; the opinions are my own.
Letters from the Last Apothecary is a slow-paced cozy fantasy set in the early 1900s, at a time where magic intersects with a rapidly industrializing society with a mystery subplot. Josie and Reid have been unknowingly corresponding for sometime time before the events from this book, as they pursue entrance to the local university, falling over each other as they correspond. In reality, this is far from the truth when they meet, when Josie works her way into the apothecary where Reid is employed and is determined to keep afloat. Together, they have to work together in order to keep the last remaining independent apothecary open in the face of several sabotage events. I adored the old timey industrial ambiance and the pacing - it feels true to the time and very reminiscent to early Chicago.
Josie and Reid’s romance is nuanced and real and develops over time, much like the romance that started over correspondence. I could sympathize with Josie as a character with a singleminded drive, while being caring for the people around her, she isn’t inherently selfish. Reid reads standoffish, but he contains a multitude - a troubled childhood and uneasy adolescence that leads him to become stoic as an adult. While the characters cannot initially stand each other, they start to see each other’s merits much like how they recognize each other as intellectual matches.
I would have liked to see some more fleshed out world-building, as the author seemed to tackle quite a few topics such as sexism, racism, religion and anti-magic protesters, as well as the beginnings of Josie and Reid’s romance. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook and would recommend to readers of Heather Fawcett.
Thank you NetGalley and Hay House LLC, for the ALC; the opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
At first, this book was so promising to me . You will always get me with an epistolary book novel and a know-it-all female protagonist. And then I continued reading and that was about all that i loved about it. The elements I liked were a treat for slogging through a truly confusing relationship between the two romantic lead. They meet and immediately jump to conclusions about the other with little to no proof or communication. Even as a hater of miscommunication, I was willing to look past this because of the parts of the books I liked. Then the murder mystery came into play and all my complaints got so much worse. All the character motivation and sense went out the window. They started not only accusing each other but every other person in their life of being the murderer. Ultimately, I think it was just juggling too many genres at once and the author needed to refine some of the murder mystery elements and characters motivations a bit more. This was her debut novel though, so I would be willing to try another book by her, maybe just not in this series. (I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be a series!)
I did receive this as an audiobook and the both narrators were phenomenal. They portrayed the characters perfectly and I was so immersed. I have no notes as this as a narration.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hay House Publisher for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review!
I did receive this as an audiobook and the both narrators were phenomenal. They portrayed the characters perfectly and I was so immersed. I have no notes as this as a narration.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hay House Publisher for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review!
May 17, 2026
Thanks so much to Penguin Random House and Hay House LLC for the ALC of this book!
Samara Naeymi (AKA Samantha Brentwood) and E.M. Wylde narrate this cozy fantasy romance that's been likened to Divine Rivals (Rebecca Ross) meets Emily Wilde (Heather Fawcett) - or You've Got Mail with a magical twist ✨
This was a cute premise, with an interesting magic system! The letters back and forth between Josie and Aufidius were cute and plentiful.
The plot moved at a glacial pace, which I guess can be expected when you see "cozy fantasy" but I almost feel as if I could have started it at the halfway point and not missed out on enough that it would have hindered my understanding of the second half.
Samara Naeymi is one of my favorite narrators, so when I saw her name I was immediately sold on this audio-
I only wish the sample audio had clipped E.M Wylde, and I might have reconsidered. It seemed like every tenth word was pronounced incorrectly (e.g. miserly - mizzerly) and often just stressing the wrong syllable- which is ultimately not the biggest deal but it was distracting, and I found myself wishing I had a DRC so I could skip his chapters in the audio and eyeball read them instead.
Samara Naeymi (AKA Samantha Brentwood) and E.M. Wylde narrate this cozy fantasy romance that's been likened to Divine Rivals (Rebecca Ross) meets Emily Wilde (Heather Fawcett) - or You've Got Mail with a magical twist ✨
This was a cute premise, with an interesting magic system! The letters back and forth between Josie and Aufidius were cute and plentiful.
The plot moved at a glacial pace, which I guess can be expected when you see "cozy fantasy" but I almost feel as if I could have started it at the halfway point and not missed out on enough that it would have hindered my understanding of the second half.
Samara Naeymi is one of my favorite narrators, so when I saw her name I was immediately sold on this audio-
I only wish the sample audio had clipped E.M Wylde, and I might have reconsidered. It seemed like every tenth word was pronounced incorrectly (e.g. miserly - mizzerly) and often just stressing the wrong syllable- which is ultimately not the biggest deal but it was distracting, and I found myself wishing I had a DRC so I could skip his chapters in the audio and eyeball read them instead.
May 6, 2026
Divine Rivals, but make it cozy. You’ve Got Mail, but with a magical twist. Part reluctant (unknown for a time) workplace romance + murder mystery?
This book takes the rapid industrialization of a city with rising anti-magic sentiments and throws Josephine into one of the last magical apothecaries where she lands a job after just being fired moments before stepping inside. Paired with the grumpy apothecarist, they come to realize there are dangerous threats to the shop and working together may be the only way to save it.
Sadly this one missed for me. I wanted to be invested in their back and forth with the mystery pen pal letters, but as the book progressed I felt like we were only getting the two discussing their studies for the entrance into a magical graduate program. I also felt like a lot of the actual magic systems weren’t addressed… aside from the consistent mentions of things being warded.
While I was pleasantly surprised to hear the FMCs narrator was a familiar one under a different name, the MMCs narrator took me out of this story completely. Something about his tone and voice could not get me interested in his chapters. Which is unfortunate as they are pretty long chapters! Admittedly, I’m not the biggest cozy fantasy fan, but I really wanted to give this one a try (big Divine Rivals fan!) and thought this cute, low stakes, historical fantasy would be a fun listen.
***Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.***
This book takes the rapid industrialization of a city with rising anti-magic sentiments and throws Josephine into one of the last magical apothecaries where she lands a job after just being fired moments before stepping inside. Paired with the grumpy apothecarist, they come to realize there are dangerous threats to the shop and working together may be the only way to save it.
Sadly this one missed for me. I wanted to be invested in their back and forth with the mystery pen pal letters, but as the book progressed I felt like we were only getting the two discussing their studies for the entrance into a magical graduate program. I also felt like a lot of the actual magic systems weren’t addressed… aside from the consistent mentions of things being warded.
While I was pleasantly surprised to hear the FMCs narrator was a familiar one under a different name, the MMCs narrator took me out of this story completely. Something about his tone and voice could not get me interested in his chapters. Which is unfortunate as they are pretty long chapters! Admittedly, I’m not the biggest cozy fantasy fan, but I really wanted to give this one a try (big Divine Rivals fan!) and thought this cute, low stakes, historical fantasy would be a fun listen.
***Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.***
Did Not Finish
May 10, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and Hay House for the e-ARC in return for an honest review.
DNF @ 54%
I have a feeling this may be a me issue and that this book just wasn't for me, but I've found myself battling through the last 50 or so pages. I'm just over 200 pages in now and sadly I feel no connection to the characters or any real desire to continue reading.
I will however say that the writing style is really lovely and I think if you want a slow paced rivals to lovers romance, you may very much enjoy this.
For me though, there just wasn't enough else happening to make me want to keep reading. I'm not massively rooting for the romance and the tension feels quite manufactured in a tell don't show way. They often talk about their distaste for each other but it doesn't really reflect in their interactions.
I did really want to enjoy this as a more relaxed read, but at over 300 pages, it's perhaps too relaxed to properly hold my attention.
DNF @ 54%
I have a feeling this may be a me issue and that this book just wasn't for me, but I've found myself battling through the last 50 or so pages. I'm just over 200 pages in now and sadly I feel no connection to the characters or any real desire to continue reading.
I will however say that the writing style is really lovely and I think if you want a slow paced rivals to lovers romance, you may very much enjoy this.
For me though, there just wasn't enough else happening to make me want to keep reading. I'm not massively rooting for the romance and the tension feels quite manufactured in a tell don't show way. They often talk about their distaste for each other but it doesn't really reflect in their interactions.
I did really want to enjoy this as a more relaxed read, but at over 300 pages, it's perhaps too relaxed to properly hold my attention.
April 16, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Hay House, and Bita Behzadi for allowing me to read the ARC of Letters from the Last Apothecary.
I will say for me personally, while the book was enjoyable, it was a tough for me to grasp onto until I got to 13%. I did enjoy the beginning of the book starting out with “Miss Pinova’s” character, it was just when I got to the part about Mr. Reid it sort of lagged. I tend to read at night and it took me weeks to surpass 11% - I just kept falling asleep and not remembering anything I’d read previously. Once I got past this part, I thought that the story picked finally started to pick up.
Overall, I think the book’s description is a perfect description of the interactions between Reid and Josephine. They truly are like two people who almost can not stand each other, yet something pulls at their spidey sense when they are around each other. I enjoyed the back and forth arguments. I think if you are looking for a light romance, this is the book for you. For me, because of the sluggish parts, I’d rate it a 3. If you’re looking for spicy material, this is not quite it, but it’s sweet and fun.
I will say for me personally, while the book was enjoyable, it was a tough for me to grasp onto until I got to 13%. I did enjoy the beginning of the book starting out with “Miss Pinova’s” character, it was just when I got to the part about Mr. Reid it sort of lagged. I tend to read at night and it took me weeks to surpass 11% - I just kept falling asleep and not remembering anything I’d read previously. Once I got past this part, I thought that the story picked finally started to pick up.
Overall, I think the book’s description is a perfect description of the interactions between Reid and Josephine. They truly are like two people who almost can not stand each other, yet something pulls at their spidey sense when they are around each other. I enjoyed the back and forth arguments. I think if you are looking for a light romance, this is the book for you. For me, because of the sluggish parts, I’d rate it a 3. If you’re looking for spicy material, this is not quite it, but it’s sweet and fun.
Did Not Finish
May 5, 2026I've trying my best to love this book as I really love the premise of Emily Wilde meets Devine Rivals but too bad this one is not for me and I had to DNF it.
I have always loved it whenever there's letters exchange between the characters, be that real letters with envelopes and all or emails or chat messenger unfortunately not this one.
What if fails to me:
1. I see no chemistry between the two of them
2. There's no heart fluttering witty banters between them, both in letters and real life
3. The letters too full of menial details that instead of reading about two people getting to know each other it more like reading an essay about their jobs
Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC!
I have always loved it whenever there's letters exchange between the characters, be that real letters with envelopes and all or emails or chat messenger unfortunately not this one.
What if fails to me:
1. I see no chemistry between the two of them
2. There's no heart fluttering witty banters between them, both in letters and real life
3. The letters too full of menial details that instead of reading about two people getting to know each other it more like reading an essay about their jobs
Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC!
May 17, 2026
Review of ARC received from net galley for an honest review
Verdict: A tender and atmospheric romantic fantasy rewarding readers who enjoy slow-burn love stories, cozy witchy vibes, and intimate storytelling.
Bita Behzadi’s Letters from the Last Apothecary is a cozy romantic fantasy that blends epistolary storytelling with a gently mysterious apothecary setting.
Set in the atmospheric city of Tressport, the novel follows Josie Pinova, a recently unemployed young woman who unexpectedly finds work in a struggling magical apothecary. There, she encounters the reserved and often irritable apothecarist Aufidius Reid. Their dynamic in person is defined by friction and ideological differences, yet an anonymous exchange of letters between them reveals a more vulnerable and authentic connection, one that neither realizes is developing with the very person they clash with daily.
Josie is portrayed as determined and intellectually curious, while Reid is reserved, meticulous, and emotionally guarded. Their interactions evolve organically, moving from antagonism to reluctant collaboration and eventually to romance.
Limitation: Slow moving plot. It starts to get really exciting around 40%!
Very PG rated romance for those looking for more spice.
Verdict: A tender and atmospheric romantic fantasy rewarding readers who enjoy slow-burn love stories, cozy witchy vibes, and intimate storytelling.
Bita Behzadi’s Letters from the Last Apothecary is a cozy romantic fantasy that blends epistolary storytelling with a gently mysterious apothecary setting.
Set in the atmospheric city of Tressport, the novel follows Josie Pinova, a recently unemployed young woman who unexpectedly finds work in a struggling magical apothecary. There, she encounters the reserved and often irritable apothecarist Aufidius Reid. Their dynamic in person is defined by friction and ideological differences, yet an anonymous exchange of letters between them reveals a more vulnerable and authentic connection, one that neither realizes is developing with the very person they clash with daily.
Josie is portrayed as determined and intellectually curious, while Reid is reserved, meticulous, and emotionally guarded. Their interactions evolve organically, moving from antagonism to reluctant collaboration and eventually to romance.
Limitation: Slow moving plot. It starts to get really exciting around 40%!
Very PG rated romance for those looking for more spice.
March 23, 2026
Thank you Hay House and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.
I really liked the letters that the main characters send to each other, it really gave You’ve got mail vibes. The book was a nice read, but you can see that it is a debut. Overall a nice book to read.
May 10, 2026
3.25 ⭐️ Cozy, charming and a cute blend of the fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery genres. The best part of this book was the vibes of the apothecary, but a woman can’t survive off of vibes alone. I needed more from the relationship than the letters. It was like the letters were pulling all of the weight, and their in person interactions could never catch up.
May 5, 2026
this was SO FUN!!!! Cosy romantic fantasy GALORE!! The audiobook narrators were brilliant also!!
Thank you penguin for the proof xx
Thank you penguin for the proof xx
Did Not Finish
May 6, 2026DNF @ 26% on audio
I'm bored 🤷🏻♀️
I'm bored 🤷🏻♀️
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