Heartline

by E.M. Leander

In the enchanting New England town of Fairhaven, magic has gone quiet—and everyone says it’s Ivy Winthrop’s fault. Once part of a thriving coven, Ivy now spends her days stitching hems and mending human costumes, quietly avoiding the whispers that follow her wherever she goes.
When her friend insists she try Heartline, the new matchmaking app that pairs witches and warlocks through palm readings, Ivy reluctantly agrees—if only to prove that fate has better things to do. But her match is the one person she least the handsome and charming warlock Rowan Hale… nephew of the formidable Madame Patience Hartwood, Ivy’s greatest critic.
Rowan’s in town to investigate why Fairhaven’s ley lines have faltered. Ivy’s the last person he should trust—but the only one who might hold the key to restoring the town’s lost magic. As they unravel the threads of an old mystery, sparks fly, stitches tangle, and destiny begins to weave a pattern of its own.
In Heartline, love will prove to be the most powerful magic of all.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2026

About the author

E. M. Leander lives in the American South with her husband, two children, and two ragdoll cats. A life-long lover of all things literary, when she’s not spending free time with family, she can be found devouring books and coffee in equal measure.

Reviews

[Nicole Darius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute paranormal cozy read. I enjoyed Ivy and her inner monologue. The mental internal struggle and inner dialogue is so relatable and really helps illustrate the point that you don't always know what others are going through. The small town gives me Gilmore Girls vibes and I am a sucker for a sentient plant sidekick ♥️ This was the perfect read to pull me out of a stressful week.

Thank you to the author E.M Leander for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Bevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

{4.5/5}

CW: referenced loss of family, referenced serious illness (cancer)

Thank you to the author for the ARC! “Heartline” is available now!

It’s not an April Fool’s Day prank–this one’s out today!

Magic’s been banned in Fairhaven, but threadwitch Ivy can’t help sprinkling just a bit of magic into her projects. When a friend recommends a witchy dating app to help Ivy find a wizard, she never expects to match with the nephew of the one woman in town who despises Ivy the most. Rowan’s in Fairhaven to discover what’s wrong with the ley lines, but he’s going to need some help from a particular green-haired witch.

Okay, how cute was this book? It’s a rhetorical question since you probably haven’t read it yet, but you should fix that problem immediately. Seriously, if the cover doesn’t give you some indication that this story was adorable, I don’t know how to help.

First of all, the vibes? Immaculate. It’s sweet, it’s cozy, there’s a nice little sprinkle of mystery in there; I loved it. There are some pieces that tug at the heartstrings a little, and more than a few moments that are likely to frustrate you, but overall this one hits all the positive notes.

Also, witchy familiars. I love them, you (might) love them, they’re a great concept, right? Right. And this book provides them in spades. The golden retriever on the cover? Familiar. Our FMC? Mouse familiar (also on the cover, just tiny). And a sentient, pushy plant to boot. A++ on the magical creatures.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. The plot is lovely, the interpersonal interactions are incredible, and the overall effect is just perfect. It’s such a delightfully bingeable book, and I could not put it down. Bring snacks and a fluffy blanket.

[Jessi L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Small town, cozy romance is typically not my thing. Give me triggers, give me morally grey, give me enemies to lovers, a pitch black mmc. Heartline is so far from my usual and typical reads, and I am so glad I ventured out.

Maybe part of me embraced and loved it more because of the magical elements; I've always been a bit witchy. Heartline is warm, inviting and cozy. A perfect book to enjoy with a hot drink, a cup of maple pecan tea or a seasonally appropriate pumpkin spice latte perhaps?

As I sit here and think about the book to review, I am hard pressed to find anything about the book to critique. The story is so well written, the characters are fleshed out with perfect amounts of backstory. The town of Fairhaven feels like a real town in the Northeastern US. And my absolute favorite thing about the story was all the different animal familiars and the sentient mistletoe, Marvin. I found it absolutely hilarious to read about Marvin pelting Ivy with berries.

Heartline is a fantastic slow burning, found family romance. I don't know if there are more books planned and if there will be more books in the Fairhaven Witches series. However, I will surely be reading more of E.M. Leander's books and look forward to following her work.

[Mackenzie Gaventa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really liked this book. The flow of the writing was captivating from start to finish. This book gives me all the small town vibes with a dash of romance. The FMC is so complex with her witty running commentary in her head to all the trauma she had endured in her life. She totally deserves her golden retriever MMC. Did I mention he literally has a golden retriever? There are so many animals in this book and that is one of my favorite parts about it! Whether you’re a cat person or a dog person or even a tiny little mouse person there is something for everyone to fall in love with. This book doesn’t just give you the feel goods of a cozy romance, it will also make you tear up in places but that just makes the ending that much better. It’s a short, easy read and I definitely recommend it to anyone that loves paranormal romance.

[Jessica Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and really enjoyed it! Overall rating 4.5 stars.

I loved the magic in this book and I really enjoyed the overall feel of the story. It has a nice easy flow and is a light read that I speed through so quickly, I wanted more! The town is very cute and the characters are all loveable. I really enjoyed the magic and the writing because it seemed believable. The only reason it did not get a perfect 5 from me is the quick timing of everything. I felt as though the year went by too quickly and I wanted more time with interaction of the characters. I luckily know the witchy holidays (which is why I knew the timeline) but if you don't, it really doesn't affect the overall story. I want more of these characters and more of their stories! Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to someone because it is a very cute whimsical read.

[Hannah E Ladd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to E.M Leander for the ARC of this book! 

I went into this few expectations, and came out of it completely in awe. 
This was the perfect witchy romance novel, complete with a golden retrieve  MMC, a dash of small town drama, tons of cute animal familiars and an amazing plot! 
I literally binge read this in one day. 
The writing was fast paced, and just the right amount of descriptive. 
This was a cute, whimsical read that was both cozy and heartfelt all at once! 
5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Hope Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC read through Book Funnel and absolutely loved this story. I loved the quirky and awkward relationship between Ivy and Rowan. The story of how Ivy eventually has to learn to trust Rowan with some of her secrets for the greater good is so well written. I also really enjoyed the various personalities of the familiars and ghosts. Highly recommend!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to E.M Leander for the ARC!

This was an adorable, whimsical and witchy read! I devoured this book in a day. And while this was a quicker easy read the story was not lacking. It was the perfect pacing that kept me engaged and wanting more!

I recommend this to anyone who loves a paranormal romance with a golden retriever MMC and all the cute familiars you could ask for!

[Misty Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC reader
This was one of the cutest books I've had the pleasure to read. Loved the small town cute romance. Had just enough spice to make this a cute cozy read. This book had me captivated from start to finish. I will definitely be reading this book again.

[Sheleah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC! 3.5*

I enjoyed this book and wish it were a little longer. The ending felt a bit rushed but the story would have been perfect for a fall witchy read! I’d recommend this book if you’re looking for a cozy read!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet and easy read. I loved the characters and the world building and hope we get more stories with some of the side characters.

EM Leander is quickly becoming an author whose books I will immediately read.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
This book was so cute!
This was an amazing witchy romance book. The writing, the characters and the world was fantastic!

[Christa Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this cozy romantasy. It's so wholesome and cute, really just a breath of fresh air.

[Sami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this arc read!
Definitely recommend to anyone who wants a cute witchy romance book.
I dont want to spoil anything but I will just say im very happy with how this story ended.🥰