Mosswood Apothecary

by J.P. Rindfleisch IX

Rowan Mosswood, recent graduate from Flamel University with a degree in Botanical Alchemy, now finds that his true test begins outside school walls.

Tasked with a postgraduate assignment to research the magical depletion in a town called Frostfern Valley. He, alongside Marley, a metallurgical alchemist, Jimson, a local carpenter and love interest, and Elara, a quantum alchemist, must uncover the mystery behind the dwindling magic and revitalize the land.

Can they bring life back into the town?

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Queer, Romance, Gay, Cozy Fantasy

390 pages, Paperback

Published October 13, 2025

About the author

Hello! I am a writer of things Dark, Strange, and Queer. I currently live with his partner of eleven years in Illinois with a menagerie of animal children, including a Siberian husky, miniature dachshund, African grey parrot, Quaker parrot, and suspiciously immortal cat. I love creating art, nerding out over science, video games, tabletop RPGs, and spending hours in the kitchen crafting up delectable vegan grub.

Reviews

[Marcos “MSMDragon” · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Mosswood Apothecary! The story was so cozy and full of heart, magic, and queer joy. The mix of botany and alchemy was really cool and made the story super interesting. I loved all the baking and herbal remedies that were added to the story, both of which I’m a huge fan of. All of the characters were so lovable and greatly written. Rowan and Jimson are just the best!! But the shadow ferret, Wisp, was my favorite! Now I want an animal familiar!!

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! I highly recommend.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mosswood Apothecary is a cozy fantasy novel that follows Rowan Mosswood, a gentle, anxious botanical alchemist who accidentally grows invasive fungi during exams and packs dirt in his suitcase because it helps him think. After barely securing his graduation, he’s sent north to Frostfern Valley to study the region’s dwindling magic. What he finds there isn’t just a research assignment. It’s a quiet mountain town with withering crops, a long-abandoned greenhouse, a warm carpenter named Jimson, and a community that slowly becomes his home. The book blends slice-of-life pacing, soft magic, queer romance, and small-town healing, ending with Rowan opening his own apothecary and saying yes to a wooden ring carved from the oldest tree in the forest. It’s all very tender and very intentional.

The writing is simple in the best way: unhurried, a little vulnerable, and often funny without trying too hard. The worldbuilding leans more cozy than epic, even though the setting includes universities, automatons, and intricate alchemical sigils. What grounded me most were the sensory details that weren’t flashy: dirt under Rowan’s nails, windows iced in delicate patterns, the smell of elderflower tea hanging from the rafters.

I also loved how the story lets Rowan be soft. In so much fantasy, magic is about power or destiny, but here it feels like craft, patience, and care. Rowan’s magic grows wilder and more unpredictable the farther north he goes, and instead of turning that into a high-stakes threat, the author uses it to show how Rowan is changing, too. The romance builds the same way. Jimson isn’t swoony in a scripted sense; he’s solid, warm, and fully part of the town’s rhythm. Their relationship grows like something planted, slow at first, then steady, then suddenly blooming so clearly that by the time the Winter Festival proposal arrives, it just feels right. Even the townsfolk, with their worn-down farms and quiet pride, become part of Rowan’s chosen family, which gives the whole book the emotional softness of queer cozy fantasy at its best.

Mosswood Apothecary feels like TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea crossed with the gentle, craft-centered magic of Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes, delivering a story that’s just as warm, queer, and quietly transformative. If you enjoy cozy fantasy, queer romance, or stories where magic supports character growth rather than overshadowing it, this book will be completely your vibe. It’s especially lovely if you like narratives about chosen family, rural communities, and soft magic that feels more herbal than explosive.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful read that I sincerely hope is going to become a series as I need more of these characters and this world. The worldbuilding was phenomenal and more detailed than I was expecting for a cozy fantasy. When someone has taken the time to figure out different types of alchemy and the logistics of using them, you know you have met a fellow nerd, especially when they do it well like the author has here. There was a good balance of show vs tell with the worldbuilding, and I’d love to see it further expanded on in more books.

I also greatly enjoyed the characters. The banter gave found family vibes, which I love, and there were numerous parts where I burst out laughing (plant daddy vs plant twink was my favorite). I also enjoyed the small town side characters and cozy fantasy vibes.

My one complaint that kept this from being a 5 star for me was the pacing. The story would end the chapter with a mini cliffhanger, then the next chapter would start three weeks later, with a follow-up explanation for what happened after the cliffhanger. It threw me out of the story to be told what happened after the fact vs actually seeing it play out like I was expecting. Furthermore, it was hard to see why Jimson and Rowan got together because again, they kiss, and then time skip, and suddenly it’s gotten very serious between them. I wish we’d gotten to see more of these moments play out rather than only seeing part of the scene and then being given a summary of the rest.

Overall though, this was a well-written cozy fantasy with great worldbuilding, entertaining characters, and found family vibes. I will definitely keep my eyes out for a potential sequel and highly recommend giving this a try.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nina Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, and in some ways, it delivered. The characters were amazing and I liked the general plot of the book.

Unfortunately, I felt it got a little lost in the execution. The story couldn't decide if it was a cozy fantasy or one filled with action. This led to a story that led up to tense moments and then swept them away as characters took leisurely strolls through markets or explored a city. It felt a little like whiplash and made it hard to keep reading sometimes.

Another issue I had was that there were all these parts of the story that could have made it so epic, but were just glossed over. Students do public exams that could destroy a whole area to see if they can graduate. There is this strange sigil magic where everyone's power has a different color. There is an ongoing war that is leading to hunger and power struggles. There is a strange forest, animals, and voices. But it's hard to really appreciate how strange everything is when we aren't given the knowledge to know what is normal. Sure, everyone is telling us it isn't, but as far as I am concerned, there ar people who can do magic (and pick their field of study) but yet a magical forest is out of the question? How does the magic work? Does everyone have the ability? Why do some areas seem to block power? Where does this power come from?

I found myself getting heavily caught up in questions with no answers, and it ended up retracting from the story a lot.

Overall, I think this book has good bones, but it needs some work to be really good.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌿✨ “Herbs, Hearts & Shadow Ferrets” — Mosswood Apothecary by JP Rindfleisch IX
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First and foremost: this book is absolutely stunning. A literal work of art. The kind of book you proudly display on your shelf because the cover alone whispers, “I am magical—worship me.” And honestly? I do. I’m so glad I supported it, because wow does it deliver.

This is my second read by JP Rindfleisch IX, and just like the first, it wrapped me up in warm, witchy vibes and refused to let go. Jimson and Rowan? Pure sweetness. Their dynamic was gentle, tender, and so achingly earnest that I kept smiling at the pages like a gremlin. And don’t even get me started on the little shadow ferret—I would die for that creature. Protect it at all costs.

The writing feels like wandering through an herb garden at dusk: soft, mysterious, quietly powerful. Cozy magic with emotional depth. Queer joy. Found family. Healing. It’s everything I wanted and didn’t realize I needed.

✨ Themes:
• Cozy queer fantasy
• Found family
• Healing & gentle magic
• Soft romance
• Wholesome creature companions (shadow ferret supremacy)

#FiveStarReview #MosswoodApothecary #JPRindfleischIX #CozyFantasy #QueerFantasy #BookArtGoals #ShadowFerretForever

[Jim Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is apparently Amazon’s answer to the serialized novel alá Dickens. It is a Vella, not quite a novel or a novella, and is structured to constantly produce little dribbles of income by having the reader pay to unlock “episodes” and apparently the episodes aren’t even written. That caveating done the tale is by necessity episodic but not unpleasant (it is advertised as a cozy LGBQT fantasy after all) cleverly imagined magical world, the characters broad strokes of stereotypes (hello bear, say hi to twink etc.). I am uncertain that I will want to finish this but dam it I paid my money and I will at least finish what I paid for! And I just noticed it counts as read as you finish each episode, very difficult within the kindle app to download and navigate.

[Jennifer Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across Mosswood Apothecary and found it to be a charming and immersive cozy fantasy. J.P. Rindfleisch IX creates a magical small-town world filled with quirky characters, botanical wonders, and a touch of romance that makes the story feel warm and inviting. The slow-burn romance, enchanting setting, and delightful humor kept me engaged throughout. I genuinely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves whimsical, heartwarming fantasy.

[Emma Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mosswood Apothecary is pure cozy queer magic—a warm hug of a book filled with soft enchantment, botanical whimsy, and the kind of found family that quietly steals your heart.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carriebooksandart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is cozy and magical. A warm tale of love, learning, and filled with spirit and hope. It’s about doing what is right, not what will get you rich. Helping those in need and looking for nothing in return.

[bug · Rating 3 out of 5]

so cute. so cozy. i really enjoy the world-building here