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The Farewitch of Foxe Holler
Steel Magnolias meets Practical Magic in this charming contemporary fantasy debut in which a thirty-something kitchen witch whose recipes have the power to heal is recruited to help a reclusive warlock and discovers love on the other side of the next bake.
Self-taught chef and baker Honey Frost is Foxe Holler’s resident Farewitch. Proud of her family’s legacy for curing all manner of ailments with the right recipe, Honey is determined to be the Farewitch the Holler can depend on, even if she’s taken on the role twenty years too early.
Honey’s normal routine is disrupted when the reclusive Warlock living at the edge of the Holler appears for the first time in decades with a peculiar request: he needs a Farewitch. It seems the Warlock has been struck with a mysterious curse-born illness.
Initially reluctant to get involved—warlocks and witches do not get along—Honey changes her mind when he offers compensations she can’t refuse— access to his infamous library of old texts and kitchen grimoires. Now Honey is the newest resident of his moody farmhouse, Knight Manor. Which happens to have one gorgeous kitchen. And a lot of secrets. And a Warlock that maybe…isn’t so frightful at all. Or old. Or bad looking.
Curing people should a piece of Hummingbird cake for any Farewitch, but the grumpy farmhouse and even grumpier Warlock aren’t keen to help with their own healing. And that’s not the only trouble. The Widow Witch, century-long scourge of the region, is due to blow into Foxe Holler for her annual visit and this time, she has business with the Warlock.
Self-taught chef and baker Honey Frost is Foxe Holler’s resident Farewitch. Proud of her family’s legacy for curing all manner of ailments with the right recipe, Honey is determined to be the Farewitch the Holler can depend on, even if she’s taken on the role twenty years too early.
Honey’s normal routine is disrupted when the reclusive Warlock living at the edge of the Holler appears for the first time in decades with a peculiar request: he needs a Farewitch. It seems the Warlock has been struck with a mysterious curse-born illness.
Initially reluctant to get involved—warlocks and witches do not get along—Honey changes her mind when he offers compensations she can’t refuse— access to his infamous library of old texts and kitchen grimoires. Now Honey is the newest resident of his moody farmhouse, Knight Manor. Which happens to have one gorgeous kitchen. And a lot of secrets. And a Warlock that maybe…isn’t so frightful at all. Or old. Or bad looking.
Curing people should a piece of Hummingbird cake for any Farewitch, but the grumpy farmhouse and even grumpier Warlock aren’t keen to help with their own healing. And that’s not the only trouble. The Widow Witch, century-long scourge of the region, is due to blow into Foxe Holler for her annual visit and this time, she has business with the Warlock.
480 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m so lucky with arcs this year 🥹 huge thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!
I was really excited to read this because I was in the mood for something cozy. While I really liked the beginning and the initial set up for this novel, my enjoyment fizzled out because this tried to do too much.
We follow a fmc I would consider socially inept, in a small town where she cares for her family’s apothecary. The initial problem (her mother’s sickness) was well written and very plausible. The novel started losing me when the plot line with the warlock was introduced. I was already feeling that the fmc was socially inept (with her interactions with her mother’s replacement), but her meeting with the gardener was what threw me off. The way she was talking to him when she thought he was the warlock vs when she learned he was a gardener… it rubbed me the wrong way because since it wasn’t someone ‘in authority’ ; she immediately started making requests and trying to change his working habits. I know this is probably something silly to nitpick on but for me… there’s never been such a thing as someone whose more important than someone else. Her and the mmc had no chemistry whatsoever so I couldn’t get behind on the romance either.
This novel powered through with miscommunication. That’s what propelled the plot, and for what reason? I can’t really say. They both lied and kept secrets. Then again, this could also be attributed to social ineptitude.
It honestly could’ve been edited down. There’s a lot of repetition and internal monologues. The fmc tried too hard to be clever or funny and that made her seem inauthentic. The amount of internal monologues was overwhelming and I was eager to get out of her head (and I’m someone who overthinks a lot so that says enough).
Now like I said, this book tried to do a lot of things. There were multiple plots introduced and some were dropped early on so they felt unnecessary. I had the feeling the fmc didn’t like what she was doing at first but this wasn’t really explored. I wondered if the religion plot line was really necessary.
I think this author has promise ; this was a debut. I recommend reading this one and making your own judgement as reading is subjective.
I was really excited to read this because I was in the mood for something cozy. While I really liked the beginning and the initial set up for this novel, my enjoyment fizzled out because this tried to do too much.
We follow a fmc I would consider socially inept, in a small town where she cares for her family’s apothecary. The initial problem (her mother’s sickness) was well written and very plausible. The novel started losing me when the plot line with the warlock was introduced. I was already feeling that the fmc was socially inept (with her interactions with her mother’s replacement), but her meeting with the gardener was what threw me off. The way she was talking to him when she thought he was the warlock vs when she learned he was a gardener… it rubbed me the wrong way because since it wasn’t someone ‘in authority’ ; she immediately started making requests and trying to change his working habits. I know this is probably something silly to nitpick on but for me… there’s never been such a thing as someone whose more important than someone else. Her and the mmc had no chemistry whatsoever so I couldn’t get behind on the romance either.
This novel powered through with miscommunication. That’s what propelled the plot, and for what reason? I can’t really say. They both lied and kept secrets. Then again, this could also be attributed to social ineptitude.
It honestly could’ve been edited down. There’s a lot of repetition and internal monologues. The fmc tried too hard to be clever or funny and that made her seem inauthentic. The amount of internal monologues was overwhelming and I was eager to get out of her head (and I’m someone who overthinks a lot so that says enough).
Now like I said, this book tried to do a lot of things. There were multiple plots introduced and some were dropped early on so they felt unnecessary. I had the feeling the fmc didn’t like what she was doing at first but this wasn’t really explored. I wondered if the religion plot line was really necessary.
I think this author has promise ; this was a debut. I recommend reading this one and making your own judgement as reading is subjective.
July 5, 2026
GIRLLLL YOU WROTE THE HELL OUT OF THIS!!! I am a frequent flyer of cozy fantasy and I will go on record to say that this is the MOST well developed, most well planned and thought out cozy fantasy that I’ve read. The characters were all so richly fleshed out and individually themselves, all with such establish history in who they were. The setting was so well described that I felt like I was IN THE BOOK and the magic was so unique and lovelyyyy.
Honey was a beautiful main character choice. My golly her character is going to be one of my faves ever. Don’t even get me started about Lazlo!!! (Little king 👑 ).
This had so much history in the town and such a fun cast of silly characters. The town lore, the magic + curse lore and the spells that they had to do were so fun and not like anything I’ve ever read before.
This had so much heart and emotion that it brought me to tears on several occasions. This was the warmest hug of a book.
I know the author mentioned how she knows it was long in the acknowledgments, but honestly I wish it was longer due to how much of a role I felt like I was in the story. She did a phenomenal job making this the coziest of cozy fantasies that I didn’t want to leave.
Cannot wait to return to Foxe Hollar!!!
Honey was a beautiful main character choice. My golly her character is going to be one of my faves ever. Don’t even get me started about Lazlo!!! (Little king 👑 ).
This had so much history in the town and such a fun cast of silly characters. The town lore, the magic + curse lore and the spells that they had to do were so fun and not like anything I’ve ever read before.
This had so much heart and emotion that it brought me to tears on several occasions. This was the warmest hug of a book.
I know the author mentioned how she knows it was long in the acknowledgments, but honestly I wish it was longer due to how much of a role I felt like I was in the story. She did a phenomenal job making this the coziest of cozy fantasies that I didn’t want to leave.
Cannot wait to return to Foxe Hollar!!!
August 4, 2026
it's a pleasant read, perfect for summer relax.
But this book desperately needed an editor. and if it already had one, then it needed a new one (or maybe two).
I'm okay with slow-paced books, i'm okay with simple slice-of-life, what i'm not okay with is repetition and wasting my time waiting for the characters to lock TF in and just do something, anything, to move the plot forward. FFS for a whole HALF of the book we don't even know what "problem" the main character is supposed to solve because the guy simply refuses to tell her the important shit!
I get that it's a romance and the point is for these two airheads to get to know each other, but MORE THAN HALF BOOK of "throwing things at the wall to see what sticks" only to find out that nothing sticks because girly pop doesn't have the full picture? oh absolutely not, smells like wasting the readers time (tyme) to me.
There are also some repetition and things that... shouldn't be there? dare i say.. editing errors?
For example, the warlock's age is still treated like a mystery long after we've been given all the information needed to figure it out (girl, he literally told you he was when the happened, and you already know that the was years ago. It's okay to be bad at math, but don't act like his age is some cryptic code that needs to be cracked when it's just simple addition. Get a calculator)
And then, when she finally does the math, it's treated like this huge revelation.
I know it's a minor complaint, but it's giving no one bothered to read it front to back in one sitting before sending it to print.
That said, there are things I genuinely appreciated. The relationship develops at a believable pace and doesn't feel rushed, and it's also nice and refreshing to read a romance between two 30+ years old that
a) isn't a second chance romance
b) doesn't have the mcs acting like they're racing against the clock to get married and have kids like it's still the 1800
c) doesn't throw exes, divorces, or kids from previous relationships in the mix to add drama (and annoy me)
But this book desperately needed an editor. and if it already had one, then it needed a new one (or maybe two).
I'm okay with slow-paced books, i'm okay with simple slice-of-life, what i'm not okay with is repetition and wasting my time waiting for the characters to lock TF in and just do something, anything, to move the plot forward. FFS for a whole HALF of the book we don't even know what "problem" the main character is supposed to solve because the guy simply refuses to tell her the important shit!
I get that it's a romance and the point is for these two airheads to get to know each other, but MORE THAN HALF BOOK of "throwing things at the wall to see what sticks" only to find out that nothing sticks because girly pop doesn't have the full picture? oh absolutely not, smells like wasting the readers time (tyme) to me.
There are also some repetition and things that... shouldn't be there? dare i say.. editing errors?
For example, the warlock's age is still treated like a mystery long after we've been given all the information needed to figure it out (girl, he literally told you he was when the happened, and you already know that the was years ago. It's okay to be bad at math, but don't act like his age is some cryptic code that needs to be cracked when it's just simple addition. Get a calculator)
And then, when she finally does the math, it's treated like this huge revelation.
I know it's a minor complaint, but it's giving no one bothered to read it front to back in one sitting before sending it to print.
That said, there are things I genuinely appreciated. The relationship develops at a believable pace and doesn't feel rushed, and it's also nice and refreshing to read a romance between two 30+ years old that
a) isn't a second chance romance
b) doesn't have the mcs acting like they're racing against the clock to get married and have kids like it's still the 1800
c) doesn't throw exes, divorces, or kids from previous relationships in the mix to add drama (and annoy me)
August 23, 2026
⋆୧ ‧₊˚🍯 ⋅
★★★★★
➤Characters:
Honey Frost - I freakin love her, when things got boring she was there to make it funny. I need some of her humor in my life
The Warlock - He is being added to my list of 156412 book boyfriends as I'm writing this review
➤ Setting:
I love the whimsical vibe of the town, you know the worldbuilding is good when you start hoping it was real so you could live there
➤ Plot:
What makes this book not stressful to read is how most of the supposed villains are actually kindhearted people (except for the pastor). It's hard to believe this is a debut novel because it's so well written and by the end of the story everything comes together
★★★★★
➤Characters:
Honey Frost - I freakin love her, when things got boring she was there to make it funny. I need some of her humor in my life
The Warlock - He is being added to my list of 156412 book boyfriends as I'm writing this review
➤ Setting:
I love the whimsical vibe of the town, you know the worldbuilding is good when you start hoping it was real so you could live there
➤ Plot:
What makes this book not stressful to read is how most of the supposed villains are actually kindhearted people (except for the pastor). It's hard to believe this is a debut novel because it's so well written and by the end of the story everything comes together
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
“It takes two slices of bread to make a stubborn sandwich.”... :))
This was such a sweet and cozy read, even if it occasionally dipped into darker and more emotional territory.
Honey was a lovely FMC, and I really appreciated that she was older than many of the main characters I’ve been reading lately. She felt warm, caring, stubborn...
As the blurb says, Honey is the Farewitch of her small town, using recipes and baked goods to help cure ailments and comfort people. But while she spends her days helping others, she’s desperately trying to find a cure for her own mother’s mysterious illness.
Then one day, the town’s feared and mysterious Warlock hires her to help cure him in exchange for access to his massive magical library.
Honestly, I adored the entire setup.
The grumpy warlock, the adorable ward, the slightly terrifying governess/housekeeper and even the grumpy house itself. :D
The baking and healing magic were probably my favorite parts of the story. Honey’s recipes sounded SO good that reading this while recovering from tooth surgery was honestly cruel 😭 There I was at 4am craving cakes and baked goods while surviving on soup.
I also loved the modern setting mixed with whimsical magic. Phones, microwaves, wifi… but also magical recipes and cursed illnesses. That combination always works really well for me.
The romance was a very slow burn, but in a good way. It genuinely grows from almost nothing into something soft and beautiful, and the banter between Honey and the Warlock was adorable.
I also appreciated Honey’s character growth. She starts out very stubborn and unwilling to rely on others, but slowly begins opening up and accepting help from the people around her.
My only real complaint is that the book probably could’ve been a bit shorter. Toward the middle/end, the multiple plotlines started to feel slightly overcrowded, and the pacing slowed down for me there.
Still, for a debut? This was genuinely charming, cozy, and heartfelt.
⭐ 4.5 stars
Thank you to Saga Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
This was such a sweet and cozy read, even if it occasionally dipped into darker and more emotional territory.
Honey was a lovely FMC, and I really appreciated that she was older than many of the main characters I’ve been reading lately. She felt warm, caring, stubborn...
As the blurb says, Honey is the Farewitch of her small town, using recipes and baked goods to help cure ailments and comfort people. But while she spends her days helping others, she’s desperately trying to find a cure for her own mother’s mysterious illness.
Then one day, the town’s feared and mysterious Warlock hires her to help cure him in exchange for access to his massive magical library.
Honestly, I adored the entire setup.
The grumpy warlock, the adorable ward, the slightly terrifying governess/housekeeper and even the grumpy house itself. :D
The baking and healing magic were probably my favorite parts of the story. Honey’s recipes sounded SO good that reading this while recovering from tooth surgery was honestly cruel 😭 There I was at 4am craving cakes and baked goods while surviving on soup.
I also loved the modern setting mixed with whimsical magic. Phones, microwaves, wifi… but also magical recipes and cursed illnesses. That combination always works really well for me.
The romance was a very slow burn, but in a good way. It genuinely grows from almost nothing into something soft and beautiful, and the banter between Honey and the Warlock was adorable.
I also appreciated Honey’s character growth. She starts out very stubborn and unwilling to rely on others, but slowly begins opening up and accepting help from the people around her.
My only real complaint is that the book probably could’ve been a bit shorter. Toward the middle/end, the multiple plotlines started to feel slightly overcrowded, and the pacing slowed down for me there.
Still, for a debut? This was genuinely charming, cozy, and heartfelt.
⭐ 4.5 stars
Thank you to Saga Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
May 4, 2026
A testy warlock hero, a sunshiny kitchen-witch heroine, a sentient farmhouse, country fantasy charm make up the ingredients to a tale as delicious as downhome cooking. Ellen Goff is a new to me author and this is her debut fantasy novel which drew me in as soon as I saw the title and description.
The Farewitch in Foxe Holler opens with Honey Frost working the family bakery, Apothekery, serving customers the magic-induced baked goods while listening to her customers’ Kentucky small town gossip, worrying she’s good enough to keep the Frost women’s bakery alive after her grandmother dies, worrying her mom is wasting away no magic seems to be able to help, and contemplating her life as the girl who left home with dreams and come home feeling inadequate.
Then, the ordinary day is interrupted by a message from the reclusive, cranky warlock living on the edge of town whom most of the town blame for every thing gone wrong in their lives. He and his sentient farmhouse need a farewitch to heal them and he will pay generously. And, he has grimoires that might possess the right magic to help her mom. Its worth a try even though everyone from the pulpit-pounding pastor who hates magic on down to one of the local farmers warns her the warlock is bad news.
And, as Honey works out at the farm concocting her magically infused foods, she and Mr. Knight have their encounters, Honey is not doing well trying to hold her own. Only when she opens herself to her hometown, relying on friends, and embracing who she is along with her found family group does the magic start to happen.
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a warm hug, comfy food, delightful friendships, everyone-knows-everyone small town charm. It’s a gently-paced piece that delves deep into the Kentucky-Southern setting and character sketching, foodie and fantasy world details. Relationships of family, friendship, and romance are all woven into the story.
There are conflicts- the local pastor, the curse on the warlock and her mom’s health (interesting mystery), slow build relationship with said grumpy warlock (who is also a mystery element) and Honey’s personal growth thread among others. However, its definitely a cozy with no sharp edges.
It felt long at times, but was also in a mood tone that this drawn-out storytelling made sense. The author wrote her family soul and food into it and it shows. I think those who want a Southern-fried cozy fantasy should give The Farewitch of Foxe Holler a taste.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 7.1.26.
The Farewitch in Foxe Holler opens with Honey Frost working the family bakery, Apothekery, serving customers the magic-induced baked goods while listening to her customers’ Kentucky small town gossip, worrying she’s good enough to keep the Frost women’s bakery alive after her grandmother dies, worrying her mom is wasting away no magic seems to be able to help, and contemplating her life as the girl who left home with dreams and come home feeling inadequate.
Then, the ordinary day is interrupted by a message from the reclusive, cranky warlock living on the edge of town whom most of the town blame for every thing gone wrong in their lives. He and his sentient farmhouse need a farewitch to heal them and he will pay generously. And, he has grimoires that might possess the right magic to help her mom. Its worth a try even though everyone from the pulpit-pounding pastor who hates magic on down to one of the local farmers warns her the warlock is bad news.
And, as Honey works out at the farm concocting her magically infused foods, she and Mr. Knight have their encounters, Honey is not doing well trying to hold her own. Only when she opens herself to her hometown, relying on friends, and embracing who she is along with her found family group does the magic start to happen.
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a warm hug, comfy food, delightful friendships, everyone-knows-everyone small town charm. It’s a gently-paced piece that delves deep into the Kentucky-Southern setting and character sketching, foodie and fantasy world details. Relationships of family, friendship, and romance are all woven into the story.
There are conflicts- the local pastor, the curse on the warlock and her mom’s health (interesting mystery), slow build relationship with said grumpy warlock (who is also a mystery element) and Honey’s personal growth thread among others. However, its definitely a cozy with no sharp edges.
It felt long at times, but was also in a mood tone that this drawn-out storytelling made sense. The author wrote her family soul and food into it and it shows. I think those who want a Southern-fried cozy fantasy should give The Farewitch of Foxe Holler a taste.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 7.1.26.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I will start off by saying this is not necessarily a bad book, despite my rating. I think there is a lot of good here and a lot to love.
However, it needs editing. Heavy editing. There is no need for this book to be as long as it is. After the first few chapters, about 10% in after everything was set up, absolutely nothing important or interesting happened for the next 40%. I could not believe how much I had read where nothing but chit chat was happening. Very little progression of the plot, not much characterization, just a bunch of useless conversations happening. It almost feels like this was meant to be a duology or trilogy? There was enough plot squished in that easily could have been fleshed out into more books. As it is, a lot could've been shaved if it was only going to be one book.
I personally do not consider this a true slow burn?.Slow burn is meant to be progression and laying groundwork and development. These two are immediately and obviously attracted to each other but then the author just stretches it out like taffy for a fairly unsatisfying romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, it needs editing. Heavy editing. There is no need for this book to be as long as it is. After the first few chapters, about 10% in after everything was set up, absolutely nothing important or interesting happened for the next 40%. I could not believe how much I had read where nothing but chit chat was happening. Very little progression of the plot, not much characterization, just a bunch of useless conversations happening. It almost feels like this was meant to be a duology or trilogy? There was enough plot squished in that easily could have been fleshed out into more books. As it is, a lot could've been shaved if it was only going to be one book.
I personally do not consider this a true slow burn?.Slow burn is meant to be progression and laying groundwork and development. These two are immediately and obviously attracted to each other but then the author just stretches it out like taffy for a fairly unsatisfying romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2026
The nitty-gritty: A modern fairy tale that embraces the idea of “cooking is magic,” The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a delightful, feel good fantasy with wonderfully relatable characters and plenty of Southern charm.
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is an absolutely stunning debut, and I am still on a high after finishing it. If you are looking for a book that is guaranteed to make you happy, then look no further. This is a cozy, grumpy/sunshine fantasy romance with an emphasis on the characters and world-building. The story takes place in rural Kentucky, so there’s a wonderful Southern sensibility to it as well, especially when it comes to the fact that Honey, the main character, is a Farewitch, someone who uses baking and cooking to cure illness. The dialog is perfectly pitched and hysterically funny, and Ellen Pauley Goff seamlessly incorporates some thoughtful themes into her story for depth. Despite its length, it only took a few days for me to read, simply because I could not put it down.
Honey Frost is the Farewitch of Foxe Holler. Her life revolves around running the family bakery, the Apothakery, and imbuing her baked goods with magic for all the town’s various ills: headaches, stomach aches, the pains of pregnancy and more. In addition to keeping the townsfolk healthy, Honey is desperately searching for a cure for her mother, who has come down with a wasting disease and isn’t getting any better.
At the edge of town lives the Warlock, who hasn’t been seen for twenty-five years, and the folks of Foxe Holler blame him for everything that goes wrong. Honey is shocked one day when she receives a letter from him, asking for her help. The Warlock claims to be dying, and because none of the spells he’s tried on himself have worked, a Farewitch is his last chance, and Honey is the only Farewitch in Foxe Holler.
Despite the Warlock’s gruff demeanor, the nasty governess Ms. Zeen (the Warlock's nine-year-old ward Lazlo lives there too), and the horrible state of his house—there is dirt everywhere and the house itself is a bit…antagonistic—Honey agrees to help. But the Warlock, who insists Honey call him Mr. Knight, is hiding secrets, and Honey’s magic will only work if her patient works with her. Trying to come up with the right recipe for an exceedingly stubborn man (who also has the most beautiful hazel eyes) is going to be a challenge. The clock is ticking, and Honey only has until the Summer Solstice to save him.
This is only a bare bones synopsis of the story. Goff has written a complex, nuanced tale that includes several side plots, a host of quirky side characters, danger, high stakes and best of all, a to-die-for slow burn romance. In the author’s notes, she mentions that The Farewitch of Foxe Holler started out as a duology, but the publisher suggested it would work better a single book, and I have to say they made the right choice. Despite being almost 500 pages long, the pace never lags. Readers also get the benefit of a complete story (without what I suspect would have been a cliffhanger in the middle), and that is the best thing of all.
The magic system is well thought out and interesting, with different kinds of witches whose magic is used for specific purposes. Honey’s magic involves pulling memories from the person she’s trying to heal, and that’s how she decides on a recipe to use. Of course there is also an evil witch in Foxe Holler called the Widow Witch (she claims the life of a man every season, thus leaving his wife a widow), and I loved the unexpected direction her character takes later in the story. Little details like the Warlock’s magical, sentient house added a lot of fun, as well as the fact that he smells like thyme (to Honey) every time he does a spell.
While the magic system and world-building are a high point, it’s the characters who really steal the show. Honey was simply delightful, a vivacious thirty-one year old who has been thrust into a life she isn’t ready for (most Farewitches don’t take on the job until they are in their 40s, but because of her mother’s sickness, she has no choice). She’s extremely selfless and always thinks about others first, but she’s also bossy and head strong, and when she arrives at Knight Manor to help the Warlock, she immediately takes over the house and breaks every rule he gives her. Honey also has the ability to bring people together and changes them for the better—even the grumpy ones.
Speaking of grumpy, Mr. Knight (who won’t tell Honey his first name until later in the story) was the perfect foil for Honey’s sunshiny personality. He has depth, secrets, and he’s immediately attracted to Honey, even though he doesn’t show it. Their dialog is laugh-out-loud funny at times, while also managing to be sweet and heartfelt. Their interactions go from formal to more intimate, and Goff wrote these scenes brilliantly. Don’t expect any spice in this book—it’s just not that kind of story—but the kissing scenes were *chef’s kiss.*
I also want to mention that I noticed all sorts of similarities to Beauty and the Beast, although it might just be me: Mr. Knight, the "beast" that needs saving; Honey, stuck in his big old house until the curse is broken; lots of restricted areas in the house, but Honey is allowed to use the immense library anytime she wants; and even a scene where Mr. Knight invites Honey to dinner! If anyone else has read this, let me know if you noticed these things as well.
Goff herself is from the South, and her experiences infuse the story and give it so much warmth and heart. The publisher is using the comparison “Practical Magic meets Steel Magnolias,” and I thought it was a good one. The ensemble cast includes archetypes that Southerners might recognize, like church ladies Gertha Fudge and Beulah Buchanan, two hard as nails older women with grudges against anyone who uses magic and doesn’t go to church (but deep down they have a squishy side!). Southern cooking is one of the main story elements, and the book itself includes Honey’s recipe tips and life lessons that relate to cooking at the beginning of every chapter, and these bits of wisdom added so much to the story. Not to mention the descriptions of food, like fried green tomatoes, were mouth-wateringly good!
The last section becomes more of an adventure tale, as secrets are revealed and all the various story threads come together in a thrilling quest to save the Warlock. I was so happy to read the author’s notes at the end, which confirm that she will be returning to Foxe Holler for more stories. Highly recommended!
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is an absolutely stunning debut, and I am still on a high after finishing it. If you are looking for a book that is guaranteed to make you happy, then look no further. This is a cozy, grumpy/sunshine fantasy romance with an emphasis on the characters and world-building. The story takes place in rural Kentucky, so there’s a wonderful Southern sensibility to it as well, especially when it comes to the fact that Honey, the main character, is a Farewitch, someone who uses baking and cooking to cure illness. The dialog is perfectly pitched and hysterically funny, and Ellen Pauley Goff seamlessly incorporates some thoughtful themes into her story for depth. Despite its length, it only took a few days for me to read, simply because I could not put it down.
Honey Frost is the Farewitch of Foxe Holler. Her life revolves around running the family bakery, the Apothakery, and imbuing her baked goods with magic for all the town’s various ills: headaches, stomach aches, the pains of pregnancy and more. In addition to keeping the townsfolk healthy, Honey is desperately searching for a cure for her mother, who has come down with a wasting disease and isn’t getting any better.
At the edge of town lives the Warlock, who hasn’t been seen for twenty-five years, and the folks of Foxe Holler blame him for everything that goes wrong. Honey is shocked one day when she receives a letter from him, asking for her help. The Warlock claims to be dying, and because none of the spells he’s tried on himself have worked, a Farewitch is his last chance, and Honey is the only Farewitch in Foxe Holler.
Despite the Warlock’s gruff demeanor, the nasty governess Ms. Zeen (the Warlock's nine-year-old ward Lazlo lives there too), and the horrible state of his house—there is dirt everywhere and the house itself is a bit…antagonistic—Honey agrees to help. But the Warlock, who insists Honey call him Mr. Knight, is hiding secrets, and Honey’s magic will only work if her patient works with her. Trying to come up with the right recipe for an exceedingly stubborn man (who also has the most beautiful hazel eyes) is going to be a challenge. The clock is ticking, and Honey only has until the Summer Solstice to save him.
This is only a bare bones synopsis of the story. Goff has written a complex, nuanced tale that includes several side plots, a host of quirky side characters, danger, high stakes and best of all, a to-die-for slow burn romance. In the author’s notes, she mentions that The Farewitch of Foxe Holler started out as a duology, but the publisher suggested it would work better a single book, and I have to say they made the right choice. Despite being almost 500 pages long, the pace never lags. Readers also get the benefit of a complete story (without what I suspect would have been a cliffhanger in the middle), and that is the best thing of all.
The magic system is well thought out and interesting, with different kinds of witches whose magic is used for specific purposes. Honey’s magic involves pulling memories from the person she’s trying to heal, and that’s how she decides on a recipe to use. Of course there is also an evil witch in Foxe Holler called the Widow Witch (she claims the life of a man every season, thus leaving his wife a widow), and I loved the unexpected direction her character takes later in the story. Little details like the Warlock’s magical, sentient house added a lot of fun, as well as the fact that he smells like thyme (to Honey) every time he does a spell.
While the magic system and world-building are a high point, it’s the characters who really steal the show. Honey was simply delightful, a vivacious thirty-one year old who has been thrust into a life she isn’t ready for (most Farewitches don’t take on the job until they are in their 40s, but because of her mother’s sickness, she has no choice). She’s extremely selfless and always thinks about others first, but she’s also bossy and head strong, and when she arrives at Knight Manor to help the Warlock, she immediately takes over the house and breaks every rule he gives her. Honey also has the ability to bring people together and changes them for the better—even the grumpy ones.
Speaking of grumpy, Mr. Knight (who won’t tell Honey his first name until later in the story) was the perfect foil for Honey’s sunshiny personality. He has depth, secrets, and he’s immediately attracted to Honey, even though he doesn’t show it. Their dialog is laugh-out-loud funny at times, while also managing to be sweet and heartfelt. Their interactions go from formal to more intimate, and Goff wrote these scenes brilliantly. Don’t expect any spice in this book—it’s just not that kind of story—but the kissing scenes were *chef’s kiss.*
I also want to mention that I noticed all sorts of similarities to Beauty and the Beast, although it might just be me: Mr. Knight, the "beast" that needs saving; Honey, stuck in his big old house until the curse is broken; lots of restricted areas in the house, but Honey is allowed to use the immense library anytime she wants; and even a scene where Mr. Knight invites Honey to dinner! If anyone else has read this, let me know if you noticed these things as well.
Goff herself is from the South, and her experiences infuse the story and give it so much warmth and heart. The publisher is using the comparison “Practical Magic meets Steel Magnolias,” and I thought it was a good one. The ensemble cast includes archetypes that Southerners might recognize, like church ladies Gertha Fudge and Beulah Buchanan, two hard as nails older women with grudges against anyone who uses magic and doesn’t go to church (but deep down they have a squishy side!). Southern cooking is one of the main story elements, and the book itself includes Honey’s recipe tips and life lessons that relate to cooking at the beginning of every chapter, and these bits of wisdom added so much to the story. Not to mention the descriptions of food, like fried green tomatoes, were mouth-wateringly good!
The last section becomes more of an adventure tale, as secrets are revealed and all the various story threads come together in a thrilling quest to save the Warlock. I was so happy to read the author’s notes at the end, which confirm that she will be returning to Foxe Holler for more stories. Highly recommended!
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
July 6, 2026
Want a slice of good, Southern charm? This is it. The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a love letter to the Southern US (Kentucky!) in the form of a cozy fantasy novel. It’s cornbread cooked just right. It’s ice cold sweet tea in the sweltering heat. It’s the persnickety old southern grandmas who you can’t help but love. To put it plainly: I loved this story. The book is dripping with southern charm, culinary puns, and tear-jerking moments. I was laughing out loud throughout the entire book, even in between the parts that made me tear up.
Honey is the town Farewitch (aka Kitchen Witch) in Foxe Holler, Kentucky. She cures many ailments with the right recipe and a dash of magic. The surly town Warlock invites her to help him cure a mysterious ailment. Sure, the Warlock is hated by all, reclusive, and an all around grump who won’t tell her anything- but Honey is a Farewitch. Her job is to make people better. Of course she will move in with him to help heal him, especially if he has a library of grimoires that may have the recipe to help heal one of beloved family members. Unfortunately, there’s more secrets than answers and whisking up a simple dish won’t heal the Warlock, the town, or Honey.
Let me tell you that this is one of those books I forced myself to read slow so I could savor it. I couldn’t put it down. Honey’s sarcasm, the way the story portrayed a southern holler to a T, and the Dolly Parton references!! The romance is so incredibly sweet. All of these things make this one of my all-time favorite cozy fantasies- and I’ve read a lot of those recently!
Thank you SagaPress for the gifted eARC and finished copy.
Honey is the town Farewitch (aka Kitchen Witch) in Foxe Holler, Kentucky. She cures many ailments with the right recipe and a dash of magic. The surly town Warlock invites her to help him cure a mysterious ailment. Sure, the Warlock is hated by all, reclusive, and an all around grump who won’t tell her anything- but Honey is a Farewitch. Her job is to make people better. Of course she will move in with him to help heal him, especially if he has a library of grimoires that may have the recipe to help heal one of beloved family members. Unfortunately, there’s more secrets than answers and whisking up a simple dish won’t heal the Warlock, the town, or Honey.
Let me tell you that this is one of those books I forced myself to read slow so I could savor it. I couldn’t put it down. Honey’s sarcasm, the way the story portrayed a southern holler to a T, and the Dolly Parton references!! The romance is so incredibly sweet. All of these things make this one of my all-time favorite cozy fantasies- and I’ve read a lot of those recently!
Thank you SagaPress for the gifted eARC and finished copy.
July 27, 2026
The lack of communication is a lazy trope and made this story drag longer than it needs. The warlock just needed to tell Honey why he’s sick, he needed to open up about his past. That’s it. That’s the plot. Maybe if he were likable or funny I’d appreciate it but he’s just mean to Honey, who HE HIRED TO CURE HIM. Also I find it weird the author doesn’t reveal the warlock is Asian until 40 percent. The author could’ve mentioned it earlier rather than almost halfway into the book. As a reader, I imagine characters having the same ethnic background as the author unless they mentions it.
July 7, 2026
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a charming and heartwarming small town, witchy romance. I love how it really leans into its small town setting and feels distinctly Appalachian. I enjoyed following Honey, a witch who heals ailments with food, as she tries to cure a reclusive warlock of his mysterious illness. I loved the suuuuuper slow burn romance and the banter. My favorite part was all of the food descriptions. I definitely got hungry reading this one! I thought both main characters had great development and I thought the book had a satisfying ending. The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is one to add to your tbr
Read
September 22, 2026Meeting the author tonight for work! ❤ Cute characters, I really like the inclusion of a kid, it always makes it fun. Plus like 800 mentions of Dolly- she must've taken that loss hard 😭😭. I'd say it's a sure fire win for people who do like Practical Magic.
September 18, 2026
5 flipping fantastic ⭐️ This book owns my heart & the audiobook was chefs kiss! If you like a southern drawl, slang terms that us southern folks completely understand & use on the daily & believe that foods do cure illnesses then this book will be right up your alley! I loved everything about this book & will absolutely recommend it! Oh & it’s her DEBUT novel!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 4.5 stars
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a cozy fantasy novel featuring a witch in a small Kentucky town and the found family she finds along the way. Honey’s magic heals through baked goods, making her Apothekery a vital part of the services of Foxe Holler. When Honey receives a job offer from the mysterious Warlock, asking for help and healing, Honey embarks on a journey that saves her town, her new friends and maybe even herself.
This book really leaned into the cozy elements of the genre, giving extra attention to the flavors of the baked goods and the descriptions of various plants. There is a grief storyline that might be triggering for some readers, but it felt well done without being overwhelming.
The story is set in a small town in Kentucky, and the author did a good job of grounding the story in a specific place and time. The main character is one of the daughters of this small town, with all the history and passive-aggressive condescension that comes with it. She’s also very rooted in the experience of modern millennials, the dream deferred by economic instability. She has a cell phone and uses it for group chats, she installs WiFi, and she makes jokes about the millennial v Gen Z divide. I think I would have liked if the generational differences were more stark (it would have been easy for the older folks to get radicalized on Facebook rather than at church), but I also understand wanting to root your story into something more timeless than the specific 2026 era.
The conflict in the story comes from two sources: a pastor at the local parish who is against magic and rallies the townsfolk against it, and the illness of our Warlock (and other characters) and the mysteries involved. The storyline with the magic feels like an easy stand-in for sexism, racism or homophobia, which could be triggering for some readers, but it wasn’t explicitly sexist enough to be triggering for me. Both conflicts are well done and eventually connect in a variety of interesting ways, allowing the story’s conflicts to escalate well and nearly simultaneously. This helped the pacing feel very well done, which can be a problem in a cozy fantasy novel. The stakes in the story also stayed relatively small, which feels important for cozy fantasy.
This story has a major romantic subplot that dominated the story. The romance was not explicit but did have some kissing. The characters felt into a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. There are a number of well-developed side characters, and I could see some of them potentially becoming leads in their own stories.
Altogether, this was a really fun cozy fantasy novel about baked goods, gardening, love and family. There were a number of good mysteries throughout, and some of the twists were unexpected. I love a good cozy fantasy and I think this book is an excellent example of the genre.
This advanced reader copy was provided by Saga press in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a cozy fantasy novel featuring a witch in a small Kentucky town and the found family she finds along the way. Honey’s magic heals through baked goods, making her Apothekery a vital part of the services of Foxe Holler. When Honey receives a job offer from the mysterious Warlock, asking for help and healing, Honey embarks on a journey that saves her town, her new friends and maybe even herself.
This book really leaned into the cozy elements of the genre, giving extra attention to the flavors of the baked goods and the descriptions of various plants. There is a grief storyline that might be triggering for some readers, but it felt well done without being overwhelming.
The story is set in a small town in Kentucky, and the author did a good job of grounding the story in a specific place and time. The main character is one of the daughters of this small town, with all the history and passive-aggressive condescension that comes with it. She’s also very rooted in the experience of modern millennials, the dream deferred by economic instability. She has a cell phone and uses it for group chats, she installs WiFi, and she makes jokes about the millennial v Gen Z divide. I think I would have liked if the generational differences were more stark (it would have been easy for the older folks to get radicalized on Facebook rather than at church), but I also understand wanting to root your story into something more timeless than the specific 2026 era.
The conflict in the story comes from two sources: a pastor at the local parish who is against magic and rallies the townsfolk against it, and the illness of our Warlock (and other characters) and the mysteries involved. The storyline with the magic feels like an easy stand-in for sexism, racism or homophobia, which could be triggering for some readers, but it wasn’t explicitly sexist enough to be triggering for me. Both conflicts are well done and eventually connect in a variety of interesting ways, allowing the story’s conflicts to escalate well and nearly simultaneously. This helped the pacing feel very well done, which can be a problem in a cozy fantasy novel. The stakes in the story also stayed relatively small, which feels important for cozy fantasy.
This story has a major romantic subplot that dominated the story. The romance was not explicit but did have some kissing. The characters felt into a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. There are a number of well-developed side characters, and I could see some of them potentially becoming leads in their own stories.
Altogether, this was a really fun cozy fantasy novel about baked goods, gardening, love and family. There were a number of good mysteries throughout, and some of the twists were unexpected. I love a good cozy fantasy and I think this book is an excellent example of the genre.
This advanced reader copy was provided by Saga press in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 29, 2026
2.5 stars rounded down. This was: WAY. TOO. LONG. It could have easily been 150-200 pages shorter. The story had a great idea, wonderful opening line and slow, very slow development. I love a fun witchy book but this just dragged. I pushed through only because I paid full price for the book. While it had witchy promise, it was buried in long drawn out discussions and events. And zero chemistry... they felt like employer and employees, nothing more. Like she was the old lady who cared for his house so even shorter, it still probably would not have been for me. The FMC wanted to be witty but she was just awkward, in my opinion. It didn't fit right at all. While I did root for them... at first... I was mostly rooting for it to end... almost 500 pages later!
Also, the audiobook narration was incredibly cringy to me and I am from Texas. I very quickly turned it off. I really wish the characters (other than Lazlo and Mrs. Buchanan) were just more interesting and engaging but in the end I just wanted to find out why and was like. Ok, got through it, time to read something more fun and witchy.
Also, the audiobook narration was incredibly cringy to me and I am from Texas. I very quickly turned it off. I really wish the characters (other than Lazlo and Mrs. Buchanan) were just more interesting and engaging but in the end I just wanted to find out why and was like. Ok, got through it, time to read something more fun and witchy.
October 6, 2026
Hi there folks! I'm Ellen, author of THE FAREWITCH OF FOXE HOLLER, and I just wanted to give y'all a huge thank you for taking a chance on FAREWITCH and spending time with Honey the kitchen witch and her sour-then-sweet Warlock. There's such a wealth of great fantasy and romance and cozy whimsical books out there, I'm truly honored you chose to read this one. Welcome to the Holler! You're always a neighbor here :)
-Ellen
-Ellen
October 5, 2026
SO CUTE
How have I not heard of this book? I had to find it randomly at my local bookstore and now it’s one of my favorites😭😭
How have I not heard of this book? I had to find it randomly at my local bookstore and now it’s one of my favorites😭😭
August 4, 2026
This book was a DELIGHT! I was completely enamored with the world of Foxe Holler and the witty banter between our two main witch and warlock.
Truly a cozy, fantastical delight.
Truly a cozy, fantastical delight.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I struggled with this one. The pacing felt very off; it was very slow in the first half. It seemed like none of the characters had any sense of urgency, even though there are multiple people whose lives are in danger. It got a little more eventful in the second half, and the urgency finally kicked in at that point, but it still felt like things were dragged out more than they needed to be.
I also found myself confused multiple times, but it wasn’t necessarily the plot that was confusing, it was the conversations between characters. They would take weird, unexpected turns, like stray fireworks, and it was hard to follow. I kept having to reread stuff and then eventually shrug and hope it wasn’t super important to the main story.
I will say I did like Honey and Mr. Knight and their relationship with each other. I enjoyed their banter, and the romance was sweet. I also appreciated the character growth throughout the book. Also, there were a lot of great side characters who felt very fleshed out and really added to the scenes they were in.
I think if you like cozy fantasy, this book is worth a try, but it ultimately just wasn’t for me.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I also found myself confused multiple times, but it wasn’t necessarily the plot that was confusing, it was the conversations between characters. They would take weird, unexpected turns, like stray fireworks, and it was hard to follow. I kept having to reread stuff and then eventually shrug and hope it wasn’t super important to the main story.
I will say I did like Honey and Mr. Knight and their relationship with each other. I enjoyed their banter, and the romance was sweet. I also appreciated the character growth throughout the book. Also, there were a lot of great side characters who felt very fleshed out and really added to the scenes they were in.
I think if you like cozy fantasy, this book is worth a try, but it ultimately just wasn’t for me.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2026
THE FAREWITCH OF FOXE HOLLER is a delightful and charming cozy read that I absolutely devoured! Honey is the Farewitch of a small town, Foxe Holler. As a Farewitch, she bakes and cooks recipes that she infuses with her magic to help heal people. For instance, she may use a dish to help with insomnia or arthritis pain. Although it is a small town, she is very busy and has no time for a personal life. What little time she does have, she spends looking for a recipe or spell that might help cure her mother, who is wasting away much the same way her grandmother did.
When she receives a mysterious letter from the warlock who resides in their town, Honey is intrigued and willing to travel to his house to see what he will ask - especially with the promise of a large payment that could help with her mother's care. Warlock Knight is aloof and secretive, also suffering from a mysterious ailment that will have him gone by the solstice. Honey agrees to help him and also secures the use of his library, which she hopes may have something that could help her mother.
Things are more complicated than anticipated, and Honey begins to find a home with the warlock, his ward, and the old, cranky governess who reside there. With a deadline looming, they will need to be creative and work fast to find a path forward.
This was a consuming read, told from Honey's perspective. She is dedicated to her job and cares very deeply for all the people around her - though she does not always get the same level of care in return. She was a compelling character that I connected with immediately. She wants desperately to help her mother and to save everyone, but some things may be out of her limited control. Guilt (undeserved) is a thread that runs through her story as well as the warlocks and others.
Other themes around community, time, regret, grief/loss, and the need to slow down are all really strong in the book. The community is challenged by its ongoing battle over magic and the reliance on a few for so much. Honey begins to understand the ways that community can and should flow in ways that make so much difference. It is only with community and neighborly care that some of the outcomes she desires can come to be.
The world-building was strong, and I loved the information we receive about hollers, witches and warlocks, and the types of magic there are. I could definitely see this becoming a series, following other characters in the future, and I would fully be on board with more. The romance was background and this was a pretty low steam read, but I still loved every second of it. The book is filled with banter and slow-burn getting-to-know-you scenes that add up to a lot of tension. The story is propelled forward by the mysteries of the illness and the conflicts with the town/church over magic. The ending was ultimately satisfying and wraps up Honey's story beautifully.
THE FAREWITCH OF FOXE HOLLER is a consuming and fascinating cozy fantasy read that I highly recommend! With themes around community, healing, forgiveness, and grief, this is a strong and unforgettable story that readers will absolutely devour!
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
When she receives a mysterious letter from the warlock who resides in their town, Honey is intrigued and willing to travel to his house to see what he will ask - especially with the promise of a large payment that could help with her mother's care. Warlock Knight is aloof and secretive, also suffering from a mysterious ailment that will have him gone by the solstice. Honey agrees to help him and also secures the use of his library, which she hopes may have something that could help her mother.
Things are more complicated than anticipated, and Honey begins to find a home with the warlock, his ward, and the old, cranky governess who reside there. With a deadline looming, they will need to be creative and work fast to find a path forward.
This was a consuming read, told from Honey's perspective. She is dedicated to her job and cares very deeply for all the people around her - though she does not always get the same level of care in return. She was a compelling character that I connected with immediately. She wants desperately to help her mother and to save everyone, but some things may be out of her limited control. Guilt (undeserved) is a thread that runs through her story as well as the warlocks and others.
Other themes around community, time, regret, grief/loss, and the need to slow down are all really strong in the book. The community is challenged by its ongoing battle over magic and the reliance on a few for so much. Honey begins to understand the ways that community can and should flow in ways that make so much difference. It is only with community and neighborly care that some of the outcomes she desires can come to be.
The world-building was strong, and I loved the information we receive about hollers, witches and warlocks, and the types of magic there are. I could definitely see this becoming a series, following other characters in the future, and I would fully be on board with more. The romance was background and this was a pretty low steam read, but I still loved every second of it. The book is filled with banter and slow-burn getting-to-know-you scenes that add up to a lot of tension. The story is propelled forward by the mysteries of the illness and the conflicts with the town/church over magic. The ending was ultimately satisfying and wraps up Honey's story beautifully.
THE FAREWITCH OF FOXE HOLLER is a consuming and fascinating cozy fantasy read that I highly recommend! With themes around community, healing, forgiveness, and grief, this is a strong and unforgettable story that readers will absolutely devour!
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
July 11, 2026
Excellent debut novel with magic examined in a different capacity than we typically see: in the southern cooking kitchen. The author’s voice is equally unique and entertaining and I found myself cackling at Honey’s hilarious inner (and often outer) monologue multiple times. From ruminating on her quarter life’s crisis of bangs to her primary concern of death by plants being her Winnie-the-Pooh state. Which brings me to…. The banter! 🤌 Chef’s kiss. The Warlock and Honey verbally spar throughout, including once feelings are involved which I always appreciate (tension of enemies to lovers doesn’t just evaporate y’all). Honey and Miss Zeen are also wonderful in a very begrudging honorary parental/fairy godmother/disapproving governess type of way (Iron Mary Poppins indeed lol). The story and the Holler wrap you in a warm hug which is a feat considering the amount of people trying to cheat death. I would love a return to Foxe Holler, maybe with a certain Bookwitch?
Random things that stuck with me:
- Where to keep something priceless: where I can look at it every day ☺️
- Definitely a deeper emotional foundation, more lit fic with some fantasy over romance
- Lots of internal rumination. The chapter breaks with cooking tips are a fun touch.
- Sentient house with Howls Moving Castle vibes.
- The dichotomy of time/thyme and Honey/honey sweetness ❤️
Thank you Saga Press for providing this ebook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Random things that stuck with me:
- Where to keep something priceless: where I can look at it every day ☺️
- Definitely a deeper emotional foundation, more lit fic with some fantasy over romance
- Lots of internal rumination. The chapter breaks with cooking tips are a fun touch.
- Sentient house with Howls Moving Castle vibes.
- The dichotomy of time/thyme and Honey/honey sweetness ❤️
Thank you Saga Press for providing this ebook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 15, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
——
2.8 stars.
What I liked:
- This book highlights the power of community, specifically that of witches/women.
- It also points out the very reality of the church expanding interest beyond the churchgoers, and how shady these organizations can be.
- I appreciate the progressiveness of the power of women in a story set in Kentucky. And there’s diversity!
What I didn’t like:
- Cozy fantasy can be slow and have a more flat plot, but the first half of this book was painfully slow. This book did not need to be this long and I struggled finishing it.
- There is much more romance than fantasy. The magic system is unique, but doesn’t seem to serve much purpose.
- The reveal of Lazlo being the one who is sick came out of nowhere.
- At 62% I finically decided I didn’t like the warlock. Maybe the author was trying to make the enemies to lovers trope, but it really just wasn’t done right. The warlock is annoying. How can you expect a farewitch to cure you or anyone if you literally don’t tell them what’s going on? And it took more than half a book for you to reveal the actual cause of the illness? That just doesn’t make sense. I don’t love miscommunication. Then warlock went from cold as ice to cracking jokes that are hard to understand.
- Honey and the warlock’s quarrels happen way too often and don’t serve the purpose to push forward the plot. Smart-mouth not achieved.
- A turning point can come out of nowhere, and it just “makes sense because the author said so”.
I understand the author tried to balance a bunch of big themes in this book, and I appreciate every one of them, but find the execution overall bland, messy, and hard to follow at times.
——
2.8 stars.
What I liked:
- This book highlights the power of community, specifically that of witches/women.
- It also points out the very reality of the church expanding interest beyond the churchgoers, and how shady these organizations can be.
- I appreciate the progressiveness of the power of women in a story set in Kentucky. And there’s diversity!
What I didn’t like:
- Cozy fantasy can be slow and have a more flat plot, but the first half of this book was painfully slow. This book did not need to be this long and I struggled finishing it.
- There is much more romance than fantasy. The magic system is unique, but doesn’t seem to serve much purpose.
- The reveal of Lazlo being the one who is sick came out of nowhere.
- At 62% I finically decided I didn’t like the warlock. Maybe the author was trying to make the enemies to lovers trope, but it really just wasn’t done right. The warlock is annoying. How can you expect a farewitch to cure you or anyone if you literally don’t tell them what’s going on? And it took more than half a book for you to reveal the actual cause of the illness? That just doesn’t make sense. I don’t love miscommunication. Then warlock went from cold as ice to cracking jokes that are hard to understand.
- Honey and the warlock’s quarrels happen way too often and don’t serve the purpose to push forward the plot. Smart-mouth not achieved.
- A turning point can come out of nowhere, and it just “makes sense because the author said so”.
I understand the author tried to balance a bunch of big themes in this book, and I appreciate every one of them, but find the execution overall bland, messy, and hard to follow at times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2026
Title: The Farewitch Of Foxe Holler
Author:Ellen Pauley Goff
Synopsis: Self-taught chef and baker Honey Frost is Foxe Holler’s resident Farewitch. Proud of her family’s legacy for curing all manner of ailments with the right recipe, Honey is determined to be the Farewitch the Holler can depend on, even if she’s taken on the role twenty years too early.
Honey’s normal routine is disrupted when the reclusive Warlock living at the edge of the Holler appears for the first time in decades with a peculiar request: he needs a Farewitch. It seems the Warlock has been struck with a mysterious curse-born illness.
Initially reluctant to get involved—warlocks and witches do not get along—Honey changes her mind when he offers compensations she can’t refuse— access to his infamous library of old texts and kitchen grimoires. Now Honey is the newest resident of his moody farmhouse, Knight Manor. Which happens to have one gorgeous kitchen. And a lot of secrets. And a Warlock that maybe…isn’t so frightful at all. Or old. Or bad looking.
Curing people should a piece of Hummingbird cake for any Farewitch, but the grumpy farmhouse and even grumpier Warlock aren’t keen to help with their own healing. And that’s not the only trouble. The Widow Witch, century-long scourge of the region, is due to blow into Foxe Holler for her annual visit and this time, she has business with the Warlock.
Review: I can’t remember the last time I read a book that constantly left me hungry and wanting to eat the things that the main character was making! This was so warm and I loved the slow burn romance with our two main characters! Our two main characters are very endearing and I loved their banter! It had me cackling if your looking for a cozy witchy book that feels similar to practical magic I think you will have a great time reading this book! I found it so refreshing that it was a stand alone!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
Author:Ellen Pauley Goff
Synopsis: Self-taught chef and baker Honey Frost is Foxe Holler’s resident Farewitch. Proud of her family’s legacy for curing all manner of ailments with the right recipe, Honey is determined to be the Farewitch the Holler can depend on, even if she’s taken on the role twenty years too early.
Honey’s normal routine is disrupted when the reclusive Warlock living at the edge of the Holler appears for the first time in decades with a peculiar request: he needs a Farewitch. It seems the Warlock has been struck with a mysterious curse-born illness.
Initially reluctant to get involved—warlocks and witches do not get along—Honey changes her mind when he offers compensations she can’t refuse— access to his infamous library of old texts and kitchen grimoires. Now Honey is the newest resident of his moody farmhouse, Knight Manor. Which happens to have one gorgeous kitchen. And a lot of secrets. And a Warlock that maybe…isn’t so frightful at all. Or old. Or bad looking.
Curing people should a piece of Hummingbird cake for any Farewitch, but the grumpy farmhouse and even grumpier Warlock aren’t keen to help with their own healing. And that’s not the only trouble. The Widow Witch, century-long scourge of the region, is due to blow into Foxe Holler for her annual visit and this time, she has business with the Warlock.
Review: I can’t remember the last time I read a book that constantly left me hungry and wanting to eat the things that the main character was making! This was so warm and I loved the slow burn romance with our two main characters! Our two main characters are very endearing and I loved their banter! It had me cackling if your looking for a cozy witchy book that feels similar to practical magic I think you will have a great time reading this book! I found it so refreshing that it was a stand alone!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
August 13, 2026
Would you enjoy reading about Dolly Parton as a witch in small town Kentucky? ♥️
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler was the coziest fantasy and a delightful surprise. I really enjoy books like this that feel like a warm hug.
Honey Frost is a Farewitch in Foxe Holler, Kentucky. Farewitches practice a kind of magic in which they use cooking and baking to heal. First of all, I love that premise: the healing power of food. Honey has inherited the Apoth-akery from her grandmother and mother and works tirelessly and selflessly to help her community, but she cannot find a cure for her own mother’s debilitating illness.
The town’s Warlock, self-sequestered in a manor farmhouse on the edge of town, hires Honey to cure him of his own mysterious illness. The town hates and distrusts him for their suspicions about his involvement in their library’s burning many years ago. But Honey not only needs the money to fund her mom’s treatments, but she also really believes that every person deserves her help, including broody Warlock Knight. (You know where this is going, but Honey and Knight’s sunshine/grump dynamic brought me a lot of joy.) 🥰 The book’s romance was deliciously slow burn and, refreshingly, pretty wholesome.
Some might wince at the depiction of Christians in the book - the primary villain is the town’s pastor. How original 🙄 But the portrayal of Christians bears a closer resemblance to a generic ‘Footloose-Reverend-Moore’ brand of religion. It’s too hackneyed and stale of a characterization to actually offend me as a Jesus-follower. That’s just my own opinion of course.
The Farewitch of Foxe Holler was the coziest fantasy and a delightful surprise. I really enjoy books like this that feel like a warm hug.
Honey Frost is a Farewitch in Foxe Holler, Kentucky. Farewitches practice a kind of magic in which they use cooking and baking to heal. First of all, I love that premise: the healing power of food. Honey has inherited the Apoth-akery from her grandmother and mother and works tirelessly and selflessly to help her community, but she cannot find a cure for her own mother’s debilitating illness.
The town’s Warlock, self-sequestered in a manor farmhouse on the edge of town, hires Honey to cure him of his own mysterious illness. The town hates and distrusts him for their suspicions about his involvement in their library’s burning many years ago. But Honey not only needs the money to fund her mom’s treatments, but she also really believes that every person deserves her help, including broody Warlock Knight. (You know where this is going, but Honey and Knight’s sunshine/grump dynamic brought me a lot of joy.) 🥰 The book’s romance was deliciously slow burn and, refreshingly, pretty wholesome.
Some might wince at the depiction of Christians in the book - the primary villain is the town’s pastor. How original 🙄 But the portrayal of Christians bears a closer resemblance to a generic ‘Footloose-Reverend-Moore’ brand of religion. It’s too hackneyed and stale of a characterization to actually offend me as a Jesus-follower. That’s just my own opinion of course.
August 30, 2026
This was a well-written debut that I thoroughly enjoyed my time with! It was sweet, had some great life lessons about the balance between supporting people and living the life you truly want to live. This also had some found family elements, and while not every character felt distinct, it still gave the vibes I am always looking for in stories with this trope - kindness and caring and being human to and with one another.
I really liked Honey and relationship - it was slow burn as heck and I was definitely swooning. I think it helped that I didn't know that there was going to be a romance in here when I started it, which is why I added the spoiler card there. Proceed with caution!
The writing is very unique and creative, using humour and cooking/baking functions to tell the story. Though at times it felt a bit stilted/forced, it was a delight to discover, and I settled into the style eventually.
The pacing felt a bit off, especially towards the beginning, but overall, this was a good time! I think it will be "too simple" for lots of people, so I will only be recommending this one to fans of the cozy genre already, but I liked it and that's all that matters :)
If you are interested in reading this one, it mostly takes place in spring, so I would recommend reading it in that season for full immersion!
I really liked Honey and relationship - it was slow burn as heck and I was definitely swooning. I think it helped that I didn't know that there was going to be a romance in here when I started it, which is why I added the spoiler card there. Proceed with caution!
The writing is very unique and creative, using humour and cooking/baking functions to tell the story. Though at times it felt a bit stilted/forced, it was a delight to discover, and I settled into the style eventually.
The pacing felt a bit off, especially towards the beginning, but overall, this was a good time! I think it will be "too simple" for lots of people, so I will only be recommending this one to fans of the cozy genre already, but I liked it and that's all that matters :)
If you are interested in reading this one, it mostly takes place in spring, so I would recommend reading it in that season for full immersion!
May 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eGalley!
I love reading cozy fantasy books especially one with witches in small towns doing every day magic and miracles! This reminded me of some favorite books including the Ex Hex trilogy and A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping. Also lowkey gave Encanto with Honey, the Fairewitch, being able to heal with food. Immaculate vibes all around, I felt immersed in the setting of the holler, and I thought the mystery element of the plot was really well done. The main conflict with the warlock did get a little clunky, but I thought the subplots and social commentary on the way difference can be villainized, about men being power hungry, and women bending til they break to keep communities together was timely (and heard as a recovering perfectionist and people pleaser). The plot was fun, quirky, heartwarming, and marketed perfectly as a cross between Steel Magnolias and Practical Magic. And the characters were lovable—folks you instantly want to root for. An amazing debut and another one I’d save for the fall to stay on theme! Would absolutely read more from this author!
I love reading cozy fantasy books especially one with witches in small towns doing every day magic and miracles! This reminded me of some favorite books including the Ex Hex trilogy and A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping. Also lowkey gave Encanto with Honey, the Fairewitch, being able to heal with food. Immaculate vibes all around, I felt immersed in the setting of the holler, and I thought the mystery element of the plot was really well done. The main conflict with the warlock did get a little clunky, but I thought the subplots and social commentary on the way difference can be villainized, about men being power hungry, and women bending til they break to keep communities together was timely (and heard as a recovering perfectionist and people pleaser). The plot was fun, quirky, heartwarming, and marketed perfectly as a cross between Steel Magnolias and Practical Magic. And the characters were lovable—folks you instantly want to root for. An amazing debut and another one I’d save for the fall to stay on theme! Would absolutely read more from this author!
October 5, 2026
4 ⭐
Okay, I’m impressed! 😍 Especially because this was a reading challenge pick and definitely not something I would normally reach for.
I actually really enjoyed this charming little mix of contemporary fantasy, witches, warlocks, baking, magic, and romance. Honey being a kitchen witch whose recipes can literally heal people was such a fun concept, and I loved the whole cozy atmosphere of Foxe Holler.
And of course, give me a grumpy, mysterious warlock living in a creepy farmhouse with a gorgeous kitchen and a whole library of forbidden texts… and suddenly I’m interested. 😂
I really enjoyed watching Honey and the Warlock slowly figure each other out. The magical world, the secrets surrounding Knight Manor, and the Widow Witch added enough mystery to keep things interesting without taking away from the cozy feeling of the story.
Was it perfect? No, but it was way more enjoyable than I expected, and that’s why I’m giving it 4 stars. I went into this one because of the reading challenge and came out pleasantly surprised.
Definitely a win for stepping outside my usual genre. ✨📖
Okay, I’m impressed! 😍 Especially because this was a reading challenge pick and definitely not something I would normally reach for.
I actually really enjoyed this charming little mix of contemporary fantasy, witches, warlocks, baking, magic, and romance. Honey being a kitchen witch whose recipes can literally heal people was such a fun concept, and I loved the whole cozy atmosphere of Foxe Holler.
And of course, give me a grumpy, mysterious warlock living in a creepy farmhouse with a gorgeous kitchen and a whole library of forbidden texts… and suddenly I’m interested. 😂
I really enjoyed watching Honey and the Warlock slowly figure each other out. The magical world, the secrets surrounding Knight Manor, and the Widow Witch added enough mystery to keep things interesting without taking away from the cozy feeling of the story.
Was it perfect? No, but it was way more enjoyable than I expected, and that’s why I’m giving it 4 stars. I went into this one because of the reading challenge and came out pleasantly surprised.
Definitely a win for stepping outside my usual genre. ✨📖
August 5, 2026
A kitchen witch is hired to help a wealthy cursed warlock in this new cozy fantasy romance. This was just an okay read for me. I found it overly long and I struggled to care about the main characters. There was just something about their chemistry that felt off. I didn't think they were well matched or that the story was very romantic. Decent on audio but not one for me unfortunately. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 30, 2026
This is not that type of Oh Wow, this is so a five ⭐ read. This is a five ⭐ read because the story envelopes you, draws you in, reminds you that friendship is powerful and isolation is never good for one's soul. On the blurb of this book, the story is described as Practical Magic meets Steel Magnolias and it was a perfect description. I want to forget the whole story so I can pick it up again and enjoy it all for the first time!
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