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Maren and the Mischief Spirit
An enemies-to-lovers fantasy of ruin, wonder, and impossible choices.
Bakers don’t bargain with gods. But when Maren Greenbriar’s apprentice is stolen by the Court of Chaos, she trades her soul (and her common sense) to get her back.
The three deadly trials in a realm where stories eat their own endings.
The the Court’s ruler, a golden-eyed spirit who lives for ruin and calls her "darling."
He offers her a bargain she can’t refuse. She offers him a challenge he can’t forget.
Between labyrinths that rewrite memory and flames that burn the truth from bone, Maren will fight to bring her apprentice home and protect the last scraps of her mother’s legacy. But every victory binds her tighter to the Spirit who saved her life and might just undo her heart.
Caught between the warmth of her bakery and the hunger for wonder she’s tried to bury, Maren must decide which part of herself survives. The woman who kneads bread for a quiet village, or the one who was born to set realms on fire.
For fans of Once Upon a Broken Heart, ACOTAR, and The Cruel Prince, Maren and the Mischief Spirit is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers fantasy filled with biting banter, lush prose, death-defying trials, and a love story built on chaos itself.
Bakers don’t bargain with gods. But when Maren Greenbriar’s apprentice is stolen by the Court of Chaos, she trades her soul (and her common sense) to get her back.
The three deadly trials in a realm where stories eat their own endings.
The the Court’s ruler, a golden-eyed spirit who lives for ruin and calls her "darling."
He offers her a bargain she can’t refuse. She offers him a challenge he can’t forget.
Between labyrinths that rewrite memory and flames that burn the truth from bone, Maren will fight to bring her apprentice home and protect the last scraps of her mother’s legacy. But every victory binds her tighter to the Spirit who saved her life and might just undo her heart.
Caught between the warmth of her bakery and the hunger for wonder she’s tried to bury, Maren must decide which part of herself survives. The woman who kneads bread for a quiet village, or the one who was born to set realms on fire.
For fans of Once Upon a Broken Heart, ACOTAR, and The Cruel Prince, Maren and the Mischief Spirit is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers fantasy filled with biting banter, lush prose, death-defying trials, and a love story built on chaos itself.
441 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2025
2 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Rhianna Sylver
1 book4 followersRhianna Sylver is a romantasy author with a soft spot for sharp-tongued heroines, magic, and slow-burn tension that refuses to behave. When she is not writing, she is usually juggling the beautifully chaotic life of being a young mom, a full-time English teacher, and a storyteller with too many ideas and not enough hours in the day.
Her debut novel, Maren and the Mischief Spirit, introduces her signature blend of emotional stakes, mythology, and character-driven romance. Her stories are built for readers who love banter, longing, and worlds on the edge of unraveling.
Rhianna lives in Georgia with her husband, two children, and an ever-growing TBR pile she fully intends to conquer someday.
Her debut novel, Maren and the Mischief Spirit, introduces her signature blend of emotional stakes, mythology, and character-driven romance. Her stories are built for readers who love banter, longing, and worlds on the edge of unraveling.
Rhianna lives in Georgia with her husband, two children, and an ever-growing TBR pile she fully intends to conquer someday.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 23, 2026
Twisted. Dark. Divine. The plot twist absolutely destroyed me.
Holy mother of pearl! What in the Alice in Wonderland meets the Pantheon with a deliciously whimsical twist did I just read??? WOW. I have not read a book this lyrical and fascinating in a LONG, long time. This one is going straight on my shelf. Sylver, you’ve got a newly obsessed fan!
This story—and Maren, our FMC—had me in a chokehold from page one. A baker who wants more out of life than baking bread and who longs for wonder is such a deeply relatable character, and you cannot help but fall in love with her feisty spirit. Her wanting more in a world whose religion insists that desire itself will kill her is utterly riveting. Throughout the book, she’s practically watching a flame dance, desperately battling the urge to touch it—even though she knows she’ll be burned. And darn it, you absolutely want to touch the flames with her. Especially when it comes to Mischief!
Which brings me to our MMC… stars above, he’s a bad one. And in the best way. Let me just say, all that coin-flipping and banter had me reading way into the night and sighing dreamily. I want to believe he’s not just a monster but—yikes—my boy does not make it easy. He definitely has ulterior motives, and I am dying to peel back the layers to see what’s underneath. I’m nervous about a potential redemption arc, but honestly? I don’t care if I get burned. I just want to touch the fire that is Mischief. The Court is a terrifying place, but it sucked me in completely—and it’s not letting me go anytime soon.
I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. I am DYING to get my hands on the next one because that plot decimated every inch of my life and, for the sake of my mental health, I need to know what happens next.
Sylver has created a masterpiece. Pick it up immediately. You won’t regret it. 🔥📖
Holy mother of pearl! What in the Alice in Wonderland meets the Pantheon with a deliciously whimsical twist did I just read??? WOW. I have not read a book this lyrical and fascinating in a LONG, long time. This one is going straight on my shelf. Sylver, you’ve got a newly obsessed fan!
This story—and Maren, our FMC—had me in a chokehold from page one. A baker who wants more out of life than baking bread and who longs for wonder is such a deeply relatable character, and you cannot help but fall in love with her feisty spirit. Her wanting more in a world whose religion insists that desire itself will kill her is utterly riveting. Throughout the book, she’s practically watching a flame dance, desperately battling the urge to touch it—even though she knows she’ll be burned. And darn it, you absolutely want to touch the flames with her. Especially when it comes to Mischief!
Which brings me to our MMC… stars above, he’s a bad one. And in the best way. Let me just say, all that coin-flipping and banter had me reading way into the night and sighing dreamily. I want to believe he’s not just a monster but—yikes—my boy does not make it easy. He definitely has ulterior motives, and I am dying to peel back the layers to see what’s underneath. I’m nervous about a potential redemption arc, but honestly? I don’t care if I get burned. I just want to touch the fire that is Mischief. The Court is a terrifying place, but it sucked me in completely—and it’s not letting me go anytime soon.
I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. I am DYING to get my hands on the next one because that plot decimated every inch of my life and, for the sake of my mental health, I need to know what happens next.
Sylver has created a masterpiece. Pick it up immediately. You won’t regret it. 🔥📖
February 17, 2026
Rhianna Sylver’s Maren and the Mischief Spirit is a masterful slow burn fantasy that blends enemies to lovers romance, high stakes adventure, and a richly imaginative magical realm. The story’s strength lies in its inventive world, where the Court of Chaos bends memory and challenges perception, creating trials that are as psychologically gripping as they are fantastical.
Maren Greenbriar is a nuanced and compelling protagonist. Her determination to rescue her apprentice, coupled with her internal struggle between her quiet life as a baker and the allure of wonder and chaos, makes her journey emotionally resonant. The golden eyed Mischief Spirit is a perfect counterpoint dangerous, charming, and unpredictable, creating a tension filled dynamic that drives the narrative.
Sylver’s writing is lush and evocative, balancing poetic description with taut pacing and high stakes trials. The novel’s themes of choice, loyalty, and self discovery are interwoven seamlessly with romantic tension, making it an immersive read for fans of character driven fantasy with a romantic edge.
For readers who enjoy slow burn, enemies to lovers fantasy, morally complex protagonists, and magical worlds full of peril and wonder, Maren and the Mischief Spirit is a captivating and emotionally satisfying journey.
Maren Greenbriar is a nuanced and compelling protagonist. Her determination to rescue her apprentice, coupled with her internal struggle between her quiet life as a baker and the allure of wonder and chaos, makes her journey emotionally resonant. The golden eyed Mischief Spirit is a perfect counterpoint dangerous, charming, and unpredictable, creating a tension filled dynamic that drives the narrative.
Sylver’s writing is lush and evocative, balancing poetic description with taut pacing and high stakes trials. The novel’s themes of choice, loyalty, and self discovery are interwoven seamlessly with romantic tension, making it an immersive read for fans of character driven fantasy with a romantic edge.
For readers who enjoy slow burn, enemies to lovers fantasy, morally complex protagonists, and magical worlds full of peril and wonder, Maren and the Mischief Spirit is a captivating and emotionally satisfying journey.
December 12, 2025
A delightfully cozy, magically-infused tale that smells as sweet as the bakery it inhabits. Bread Witch of Eldenwick captures the perfect balance of charm, humor, and understated magic.
From the very first page, the aesthetic is immaculate: the scent of vanilla and burnt sugar, the cracked bell that refuses to stay silent, and the tiny keys hidden under hearthstones, it’s all vividly alive. Maren, our slightly exasperated bread witch, is instantly relatable as she battles a stubborn lump of dough, while the exuberant Penny Thornwick brings brightness and energy into the scene like literal sunshine in a violently yellow apron. The attention to detail, the flour dusting, rosemary-crowned braids, and the daily Fury ward ribbon, makes the world feel tactile and whimsical.
What I loved most is how the story blends ordinary tasks, like kneading dough, with hints of superstition and magic. It’s charming, funny, and just a little mischievous, perfectly suited for readers who adore character-driven, atmospheric fantasy with a sprinkle of culinary magic.
This is the kind of book that makes you want to bake your own bread just to see if some tiny enchantment will sneak into your kitchen.
From the very first page, the aesthetic is immaculate: the scent of vanilla and burnt sugar, the cracked bell that refuses to stay silent, and the tiny keys hidden under hearthstones, it’s all vividly alive. Maren, our slightly exasperated bread witch, is instantly relatable as she battles a stubborn lump of dough, while the exuberant Penny Thornwick brings brightness and energy into the scene like literal sunshine in a violently yellow apron. The attention to detail, the flour dusting, rosemary-crowned braids, and the daily Fury ward ribbon, makes the world feel tactile and whimsical.
What I loved most is how the story blends ordinary tasks, like kneading dough, with hints of superstition and magic. It’s charming, funny, and just a little mischievous, perfectly suited for readers who adore character-driven, atmospheric fantasy with a sprinkle of culinary magic.
This is the kind of book that makes you want to bake your own bread just to see if some tiny enchantment will sneak into your kitchen.
December 22, 2025
My Newest Romantasy Obsession
If you love the "cozy vibes" of Legends & Lattes but crave the "deadly trials and biting banter" of The Cruel Prince or ACOTAR, this is your next obsession. Maren is a bread witch who refuses to bargain with gods—until the Court of Chaos takes her apprentice. To get her back, Maren must survive a realm of ruin and a golden-eyed Spirit who wants her heart as much as her soul.
The aesthetic is immaculate, blending flour-dusted kitchens with dark, bone-chilling labyrinths. You'll find all the best tropes here: enemies-to-lovers, "Who did this to you?", and a sophisticated, morally grey hero who is impossible not to love. Beyond the romance, the humor truly shines through hilarious side characters and endless bread puns that lighten the dark fantasy backdrop. It’s a lush, atmospheric, and heart-pounding journey about a woman who must decide if she belongs in a quiet village or if she was born to set realms on fire.
If you love the "cozy vibes" of Legends & Lattes but crave the "deadly trials and biting banter" of The Cruel Prince or ACOTAR, this is your next obsession. Maren is a bread witch who refuses to bargain with gods—until the Court of Chaos takes her apprentice. To get her back, Maren must survive a realm of ruin and a golden-eyed Spirit who wants her heart as much as her soul.
The aesthetic is immaculate, blending flour-dusted kitchens with dark, bone-chilling labyrinths. You'll find all the best tropes here: enemies-to-lovers, "Who did this to you?", and a sophisticated, morally grey hero who is impossible not to love. Beyond the romance, the humor truly shines through hilarious side characters and endless bread puns that lighten the dark fantasy backdrop. It’s a lush, atmospheric, and heart-pounding journey about a woman who must decide if she belongs in a quiet village or if she was born to set realms on fire.
December 1, 2025
A book for all of us who desire more in life.
I love this book. A romantasy tale about hidden desires and funny bread puns. What really stood out to me is the humor. The dark fantasy backdrop is lightened by such hilarious characters sometimes! I won’t give names and spoil anything… but wait for the fox and the cat. You’ll know.
The romance is a veryyy slow burn that had me at the edge of my seat. It’s an enemies to lovers and I really like the antagonist. If you’re into sophisticated gentlemen… look no further ladies 💅
There are some heavy themes and memorable chapters. “A sound not made for ears. The sound of flesh being stitched from the inside” gave me goosebumps.
All in all I would highly recommend this book. Come for the dark fantasy but stay for the giggles if you’re anything like me.
I love this book. A romantasy tale about hidden desires and funny bread puns. What really stood out to me is the humor. The dark fantasy backdrop is lightened by such hilarious characters sometimes! I won’t give names and spoil anything… but wait for the fox and the cat. You’ll know.
The romance is a veryyy slow burn that had me at the edge of my seat. It’s an enemies to lovers and I really like the antagonist. If you’re into sophisticated gentlemen… look no further ladies 💅
There are some heavy themes and memorable chapters. “A sound not made for ears. The sound of flesh being stitched from the inside” gave me goosebumps.
All in all I would highly recommend this book. Come for the dark fantasy but stay for the giggles if you’re anything like me.
January 11, 2026
After reading the Adenashire series, I got a real taste for the cozy fantasy series. I found this book through Booksirens and decided why the heck not? It delivered in all ways. It definitely has the cozy fantasy vibes combined with humor and hilarity. I absolutely love the vivid writing and descriptions which brought Maren and Penny's world to life. It also made me hungry because anytime they talked about food I could taste it. Bread 🤤🤤 Book is charming and adorable! I would read a thousand adventures featuring these two and this world. I loved all the little details sprinkled through the story. Simple stuff felt like magic. Now maybe I need to go bake something
January 25, 2026
A story full of twists and turns, Maren quickly draws you in with her dry humor and passion for her friend. You feel all the feels as Maren fights to get Penny back and learns about herself in the process. The author really does well with character development and creating a world that is truly chaotic.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 4, 2025
Perspective and characters could've been more clear! Great fun read! - unfortunately i couldn’t finish this as it sadly just wasn’t my cup of tea. I really wanted to try but I just wasn’t able to push by what I know vs getting more into a different fantasy sub genre
December 12, 2025
I really enjoyed your book! The pacing, the characters, and the overall storytelling pulled me in from start to finish. Great work
December 30, 2025
Such a good book! The world building and characters are great. It’s got a little romantic tension/chemistry. And even a little twisty at the end!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews