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Wine for Roses
They say the stolen rose blooms best.
When Ethan Keating Mendoza is hired as a gardener at an old Victorian residence in central Indiana, he has one clear mission: make the roses bloom. Ethan's life is roses--he's the son of a hedge witch and a partner in his father's rose growing business--but he has no magic himself.
The Kilbride estate is wild and overgrown. The roses have not bloomed in decades, and Ethan fears he may be in over his head. Worse still is Louis, the peculiar trustee of the property, who lives under a bloodthirsty curse that ties him to the garden. But Louis gives Ethan a chance, and Ethan is determined to do right by the suffering roses. As Ethan and Louis grow closer, Ethan becomes increasingly desperate to save the man he loves from the garden's curse.
But the garden isn't letting them go without a fight.
When Ethan Keating Mendoza is hired as a gardener at an old Victorian residence in central Indiana, he has one clear mission: make the roses bloom. Ethan's life is roses--he's the son of a hedge witch and a partner in his father's rose growing business--but he has no magic himself.
The Kilbride estate is wild and overgrown. The roses have not bloomed in decades, and Ethan fears he may be in over his head. Worse still is Louis, the peculiar trustee of the property, who lives under a bloodthirsty curse that ties him to the garden. But Louis gives Ethan a chance, and Ethan is determined to do right by the suffering roses. As Ethan and Louis grow closer, Ethan becomes increasingly desperate to save the man he loves from the garden's curse.
But the garden isn't letting them go without a fight.
151 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2026
About the author
Emily O'Malley Liu
3 books7 followersEmily O'Malley Liu grew up in Palm Beach County, Florida and has lived in the American Southwest, the Midwest, New England, and Japan. Em now resides with her husband and three kids in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area, where she researches financial systems by day and devises magic systems by night. Her first novel, WINE FOR ROSES, will be published by Shiraki Press in Spring 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 17, 2026
If you want a quiet, slow-burn gay romance with plant magic that is loosely a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, this novella is absolutely for you. It's a really lovely debut that does some interesting things with the source material. There are gothic vibes at a remote mansion with an overgrown rose garden, a sentient house, and a reclusive caretaker with secrets.
Set in rural Indiana, it follows Ethan, a gay young man who is living at home to care for his father - a hedgewitch with plant magic who has MS and overwhelming medical debt. Ethan helps with the flower business they run, specializing in roses. While on a trip, his father is offered a job bringing a cursed rose garden back to life, and while the money would be life-changing he isn't physically well enough for that kind of labor. Instead Ethan goes to the estate to take the job. Despite his lack of magic and the brusque treatment from the caretaker who says he only wants someone with magic, Ethan stays and begins to care for the garden as secrets slowly unfurl...
The more I think about this the more I love it. The magical house making sure Ethan has what he needs is the best, and this slow-burn, quiet romance at the heart of it is really beautiful. I would read more from the author in the future! I received a copy of this book for review from the author, all opinions are my own.
Set in rural Indiana, it follows Ethan, a gay young man who is living at home to care for his father - a hedgewitch with plant magic who has MS and overwhelming medical debt. Ethan helps with the flower business they run, specializing in roses. While on a trip, his father is offered a job bringing a cursed rose garden back to life, and while the money would be life-changing he isn't physically well enough for that kind of labor. Instead Ethan goes to the estate to take the job. Despite his lack of magic and the brusque treatment from the caretaker who says he only wants someone with magic, Ethan stays and begins to care for the garden as secrets slowly unfurl...
The more I think about this the more I love it. The magical house making sure Ethan has what he needs is the best, and this slow-burn, quiet romance at the heart of it is really beautiful. I would read more from the author in the future! I received a copy of this book for review from the author, all opinions are my own.
May 9, 2026
From his travels, a father brings home a single beautiful rose for his beloved child …
This story has a thousand variations (as many as there are varieties of rose?), which is testament to the hold it has on writers’ and readers’ imaginations. Love can have transformative power, at its best, and who doesn’t dream that they might be capable of feeling something so vast and heroic?
But the story can, if the Beast is beastly enough, come off as a brief for kidnapping and for sticking with the worst of lovers: someday he’ll change, if we only love him hard enough.
It can also be a story of perceiving beauty in the absence of physical loveliness, and then throwing yourself headlong toward the beloved, whose assumption of physical beauty is then only the outward manifestation of their beautiful soul. But this is also a trap, because why isn’t the beloved’s beautiful soul sufficient?
And besides, is it possible to retell “Beauty and the Beast” in any new way?
Yes and no, how about that. From the very beginning of “Wine for Roses,” when Arthur Keating brings his son, Ethan, a single beautiful rose taken from a seemingly abandoned estate, and sadly reports that he was caught on the property by its hideous caretaker, you’ll know — mostly — what to expect in the following pages and you know — mostly — how the story will end.
The Beast isn’t threatening here, though he is repulsive to Ethan at first. He offers Arthur a great deal of money to bring the estate’s disastrously untended rose garden back into bloom. Arthur and Ethan sorely need the money to pay off medical bills incurred on account of Arthur’s MS, but that very illness makes it impossible for Arthur to take the job; Ethan shows up in his stead.
There is a magical house, which provides for Ethan’s needs. (Though groceries are delivered before being prepared somehow by the house.) The Beast, whose name here is Louis, is prickly and off-putting as well as physically unappealing, but proves to be kind, intelligent, and thoughtful. Ethan stops seeing Louis as repulsive and starts to think about kissing him. There is a curse.
And then there are a dozen small changes that make the story new again, none of which I’m going to itemize because so much of the pleasure of “Wine for Roses” is in the discovery of those changes. I’ll just say that O’Malley Liu steers clear of both the pitfalls I mentioned earlier — Patient Griselda-ing an abuser, and physical loveliness as the inevitable and to-be-desired manifestation of inner beauty. Because “Beauty and the Beast” doesn’t seem to exist in Ethan’s world (though “Sleeping Beauty” does!), you’ll anticipate some of the reveals. This can’t be helped, and anyway the satisfactions of a rich folktale don’t depend on narrative surprise.
Such a good retelling. To give it the highest praise I can think of: I’d rank it with my other favorite queer “Beauty and the Beast,” Aster Glenn Gray’s “Briarley.” Many thanks to Shiraki Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
This story has a thousand variations (as many as there are varieties of rose?), which is testament to the hold it has on writers’ and readers’ imaginations. Love can have transformative power, at its best, and who doesn’t dream that they might be capable of feeling something so vast and heroic?
But the story can, if the Beast is beastly enough, come off as a brief for kidnapping and for sticking with the worst of lovers: someday he’ll change, if we only love him hard enough.
It can also be a story of perceiving beauty in the absence of physical loveliness, and then throwing yourself headlong toward the beloved, whose assumption of physical beauty is then only the outward manifestation of their beautiful soul. But this is also a trap, because why isn’t the beloved’s beautiful soul sufficient?
And besides, is it possible to retell “Beauty and the Beast” in any new way?
Yes and no, how about that. From the very beginning of “Wine for Roses,” when Arthur Keating brings his son, Ethan, a single beautiful rose taken from a seemingly abandoned estate, and sadly reports that he was caught on the property by its hideous caretaker, you’ll know — mostly — what to expect in the following pages and you know — mostly — how the story will end.
The Beast isn’t threatening here, though he is repulsive to Ethan at first. He offers Arthur a great deal of money to bring the estate’s disastrously untended rose garden back into bloom. Arthur and Ethan sorely need the money to pay off medical bills incurred on account of Arthur’s MS, but that very illness makes it impossible for Arthur to take the job; Ethan shows up in his stead.
There is a magical house, which provides for Ethan’s needs. (Though groceries are delivered before being prepared somehow by the house.) The Beast, whose name here is Louis, is prickly and off-putting as well as physically unappealing, but proves to be kind, intelligent, and thoughtful. Ethan stops seeing Louis as repulsive and starts to think about kissing him. There is a curse.
And then there are a dozen small changes that make the story new again, none of which I’m going to itemize because so much of the pleasure of “Wine for Roses” is in the discovery of those changes. I’ll just say that O’Malley Liu steers clear of both the pitfalls I mentioned earlier — Patient Griselda-ing an abuser, and physical loveliness as the inevitable and to-be-desired manifestation of inner beauty. Because “Beauty and the Beast” doesn’t seem to exist in Ethan’s world (though “Sleeping Beauty” does!), you’ll anticipate some of the reveals. This can’t be helped, and anyway the satisfactions of a rich folktale don’t depend on narrative surprise.
Such a good retelling. To give it the highest praise I can think of: I’d rank it with my other favorite queer “Beauty and the Beast,” Aster Glenn Gray’s “Briarley.” Many thanks to Shiraki Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
May 25, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Shiraki Press for providing me with an ARC of Wine for Roses in exchange for an honest review.
Guess who stayed up until 6am inhaling the final chapters of this book in one sitting? Yes, me and I think that is probably the highest compliment I can give this book because by that hour my brain was no longer functioning on logic or coherent critical thought. It was operating entirely on atmosphere, emotion, and that very specific kind of reader desperation where you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” until suddenly the sun is rising and you are left staring at your ceiling, feeling slightly dazed and wondering how exactly a book managed to cast that much of a spell over you.
I do not even know how to begin talking about this book without sounding slightly bewitched myself because that is genuinely what this reading experience felt like. I think this is one of those books that reminded me why reading can feel so much like magic when it is done right.
There are some stories that impress you because they are sprawling in scale, impossibly intricate or so intellectually sharp that you can practically hear every moving part of the plot clicking into place. Then there are stories like this, stories that succeed in an entirely different. The kind of story that does not overwhelm you through sheer spectacle but instead settles into you gently, almost imperceptibly, until suddenly you realize it has rooted itself somewhere deep inside you.
The imagery here is so vivid, so lush and so immediate that it felt less like reading words on a page and more like watching an old fairytale film unfold in candlelight, that leaves you staring at the ceiling afterward, reluctant to fully return to reality. Every rose vine curling around weathered stone, every overgrown path swallowed by shadow, every corridor of the Kilbride estate humming with quiet secrets felt startlingly tangible. I could practically smell the earth after rain, feel the scrape of thorns against skin and hear the soft breath of the house itself as though it were alive and listening.
And this is going to sound oddly specific, but this gave me the exact same kind of immersive feeling I usually only get from really good RoFan manhwas. That very particular kind of escapism where everything feels lush and enchanted and faintly haunted. Finding that feeling in a novel is genuinely rare for me. There are only a handful of books that have ever managed to completely absorb me into their world in that way, and Wine for Roses absolutely joins that list.
What I appreciated most is that this book is not trying to reinvent fantasy, and I say that as genuine praise. I think readers sometimes forget that not every story needs to be some earth-shattering, genre-redefining masterpiece in order to matter. You cannot outplot weak execution but I also firmly believe the reverse is true. Great execution can elevate even the most familiar foundations into something memorable.
The premise here carries recognizable fairytale foundations. There are echoes of Beauty and the Beast, gothic house secrets, old curses rooted in grief, mysterious estates, and romance unfolding against impossible circumstances. On paper, none of that sounds particularly groundbreaking. And yet the way this story is executed made it feel utterly transportive. The prose carries so much of the magic. There is such tenderness in the way this book approaches themes of preservation, growth, loneliness, grief and care. Even the discussions of roses and cultivation never felt like aesthetic decoration added for atmosphere.
One of my favorite undercurrents throughout the novel is the idea of preservation, of tending to fragile things and nurturing what has been neglected. There is this beautiful thread running through the story about how care itself can become a kind of quiet, stubborn magic. I thought that thematic layer was especially beautifully handled through Ethan. He is such a lovely central figure to follow because his strength is rooted in patience and attentiveness rather than spectacle. He is not some grand heroic force who storms into a cursed estate and immediately conquers it. There is something deeply moving about a protagonist whose power lies in the simple but radical act of keeping things alive.
I really adored the romance here. There is so much queer joy woven into this story, which I think is part of what made it resonate so strongly for me. The contrast between the gothic atmosphere and the warmth at the book’s emotional center works beautifully. For all its darker imagery, bloodied undertones and eerie tension humming through the estate, this is ultimately such a hopeful story. There is a softness beneath the rot, warmth beneath the thorns. The affection between Ethan and Louis unfolds with this restrained, gradual tenderness that I found incredibly charming. It never feels loud or overblown.
That said, if I have one major critique, it is that I desperately wanted more. So much more! I really wanted more yearning, more slow burn, more time to sink into the world and its rules, more opportunities to linger with these characters in the spaces between major revelations.
This is one of those cases where finishing a book left me feeling less “that was enough” and more “please, I am begging, let me stay here longer.” The novella length works in the sense that the story feels elegant and tightly contained but I genuinely believe this could have been a five-star read (maybe even an all-time favorite) for me if it had been given just a little more room to breathe. The bones are absolutely there. The atmosphere is there, the heart is there and the magic is absolutely there. I just wanted a little more flesh on it. A little more time for the roots to deepen.
Still, what this novella accomplishes within its shorter length is genuinely impressive. It is whimsical without becoming saccharine, gothic without becoming oppressive, and romantic without losing sight of the strange, quietly unsettling beauty of its setting.
I closed this book feeling strangely comforted, like I had just been handed a warm cup of tea after wandering through a garden under the moonlight. I think Wine for Roses is for readers who crave atmosphere above all else, for people who want to feel immersed, for readers who love gothic fairytales softened by tenderness and stories draped in shadow but glowing quietly at the center. It may not be the most complex book in the world, and I do not think it needs to be. Its strength lies in its imagery, its emotional sincerity, its immersive beauty, and its quiet magic.
And even after the final page, it lingers, blooming slowly in your mind long after you have left the garden behind. I think that is exactly what made it so special.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shiraki Press for providing me with an ARC of Wine for Roses in exchange for an honest review.
Guess who stayed up until 6am inhaling the final chapters of this book in one sitting? Yes, me and I think that is probably the highest compliment I can give this book because by that hour my brain was no longer functioning on logic or coherent critical thought. It was operating entirely on atmosphere, emotion, and that very specific kind of reader desperation where you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” until suddenly the sun is rising and you are left staring at your ceiling, feeling slightly dazed and wondering how exactly a book managed to cast that much of a spell over you.
I do not even know how to begin talking about this book without sounding slightly bewitched myself because that is genuinely what this reading experience felt like. I think this is one of those books that reminded me why reading can feel so much like magic when it is done right.
There are some stories that impress you because they are sprawling in scale, impossibly intricate or so intellectually sharp that you can practically hear every moving part of the plot clicking into place. Then there are stories like this, stories that succeed in an entirely different. The kind of story that does not overwhelm you through sheer spectacle but instead settles into you gently, almost imperceptibly, until suddenly you realize it has rooted itself somewhere deep inside you.
The imagery here is so vivid, so lush and so immediate that it felt less like reading words on a page and more like watching an old fairytale film unfold in candlelight, that leaves you staring at the ceiling afterward, reluctant to fully return to reality. Every rose vine curling around weathered stone, every overgrown path swallowed by shadow, every corridor of the Kilbride estate humming with quiet secrets felt startlingly tangible. I could practically smell the earth after rain, feel the scrape of thorns against skin and hear the soft breath of the house itself as though it were alive and listening.
And this is going to sound oddly specific, but this gave me the exact same kind of immersive feeling I usually only get from really good RoFan manhwas. That very particular kind of escapism where everything feels lush and enchanted and faintly haunted. Finding that feeling in a novel is genuinely rare for me. There are only a handful of books that have ever managed to completely absorb me into their world in that way, and Wine for Roses absolutely joins that list.
What I appreciated most is that this book is not trying to reinvent fantasy, and I say that as genuine praise. I think readers sometimes forget that not every story needs to be some earth-shattering, genre-redefining masterpiece in order to matter. You cannot outplot weak execution but I also firmly believe the reverse is true. Great execution can elevate even the most familiar foundations into something memorable.
The premise here carries recognizable fairytale foundations. There are echoes of Beauty and the Beast, gothic house secrets, old curses rooted in grief, mysterious estates, and romance unfolding against impossible circumstances. On paper, none of that sounds particularly groundbreaking. And yet the way this story is executed made it feel utterly transportive. The prose carries so much of the magic. There is such tenderness in the way this book approaches themes of preservation, growth, loneliness, grief and care. Even the discussions of roses and cultivation never felt like aesthetic decoration added for atmosphere.
One of my favorite undercurrents throughout the novel is the idea of preservation, of tending to fragile things and nurturing what has been neglected. There is this beautiful thread running through the story about how care itself can become a kind of quiet, stubborn magic. I thought that thematic layer was especially beautifully handled through Ethan. He is such a lovely central figure to follow because his strength is rooted in patience and attentiveness rather than spectacle. He is not some grand heroic force who storms into a cursed estate and immediately conquers it. There is something deeply moving about a protagonist whose power lies in the simple but radical act of keeping things alive.
I really adored the romance here. There is so much queer joy woven into this story, which I think is part of what made it resonate so strongly for me. The contrast between the gothic atmosphere and the warmth at the book’s emotional center works beautifully. For all its darker imagery, bloodied undertones and eerie tension humming through the estate, this is ultimately such a hopeful story. There is a softness beneath the rot, warmth beneath the thorns. The affection between Ethan and Louis unfolds with this restrained, gradual tenderness that I found incredibly charming. It never feels loud or overblown.
That said, if I have one major critique, it is that I desperately wanted more. So much more! I really wanted more yearning, more slow burn, more time to sink into the world and its rules, more opportunities to linger with these characters in the spaces between major revelations.
This is one of those cases where finishing a book left me feeling less “that was enough” and more “please, I am begging, let me stay here longer.” The novella length works in the sense that the story feels elegant and tightly contained but I genuinely believe this could have been a five-star read (maybe even an all-time favorite) for me if it had been given just a little more room to breathe. The bones are absolutely there. The atmosphere is there, the heart is there and the magic is absolutely there. I just wanted a little more flesh on it. A little more time for the roots to deepen.
Still, what this novella accomplishes within its shorter length is genuinely impressive. It is whimsical without becoming saccharine, gothic without becoming oppressive, and romantic without losing sight of the strange, quietly unsettling beauty of its setting.
I closed this book feeling strangely comforted, like I had just been handed a warm cup of tea after wandering through a garden under the moonlight. I think Wine for Roses is for readers who crave atmosphere above all else, for people who want to feel immersed, for readers who love gothic fairytales softened by tenderness and stories draped in shadow but glowing quietly at the center. It may not be the most complex book in the world, and I do not think it needs to be. Its strength lies in its imagery, its emotional sincerity, its immersive beauty, and its quiet magic.
And even after the final page, it lingers, blooming slowly in your mind long after you have left the garden behind. I think that is exactly what made it so special.
May 22, 2026
A lovely queer Beauty and the Beast retelling: fluidly written with a lot of heart and a wonderfully depicted connection between the two MCs. An impressive debut!
I only wish the curse was better explained. This is a world like our own but with magic -- where hedge magic is seemingly the most prevalent, if not common, while magicians who do more advanced or theoretical magic remain rare -- and I quite liked how the author just dropped these little facts into the narrative without wasting a lot of time on explaining the magical backdrop. The difference is that the hedge magic stuff is easily explicable from context, unlike the curse, which is never properly articulated -- Louis doesn't seem to understand it himself -- and seemingly has little or no relation to the other enchantments, most obviously the house. I suspect the author wished to get away from the "true love's kiss" aspect of the story, at least in terms of Louis's understanding; it's an interesting idea to have an MC grappling with his own ignorance as to how the curse works and how it can be broken. But the fact that it's so muddled -- I still don't understand how the curse was broken, especially as Louis states several times that making the roses bloom doesn't affect it -- makes for a tentative, somewhat underwhelming resolution. It's there and then it's not, and we -- or at least, I -- are none the wiser for how. What in Louis and Ethan's relationship and actions made the difference? It's frustratingly unclear, which makes me feel a bit robbed.
That said: given my oft-stated inability to absorb magical worldbuilding, it could be that the curse thing is glaringly obvious and I'm just that dumb. In any case, the actual love story between Louis and Ethan is delightful; and while I would have liked more clarity in how it all resolved, I respect the author's willingness to tweak a much-trod tale. Will definitely look for more from this author in the future!
I got an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I only wish the curse was better explained. This is a world like our own but with magic -- where hedge magic is seemingly the most prevalent, if not common, while magicians who do more advanced or theoretical magic remain rare -- and I quite liked how the author just dropped these little facts into the narrative without wasting a lot of time on explaining the magical backdrop. The difference is that the hedge magic stuff is easily explicable from context, unlike the curse, which is never properly articulated -- Louis doesn't seem to understand it himself -- and seemingly has little or no relation to the other enchantments, most obviously the house. I suspect the author wished to get away from the "true love's kiss" aspect of the story, at least in terms of Louis's understanding; it's an interesting idea to have an MC grappling with his own ignorance as to how the curse works and how it can be broken. But the fact that it's so muddled -- I still don't understand how the curse was broken, especially as Louis states several times that making the roses bloom doesn't affect it -- makes for a tentative, somewhat underwhelming resolution. It's there and then it's not, and we -- or at least, I -- are none the wiser for how. What in Louis and Ethan's relationship and actions made the difference? It's frustratingly unclear, which makes me feel a bit robbed.
That said: given my oft-stated inability to absorb magical worldbuilding, it could be that the curse thing is glaringly obvious and I'm just that dumb. In any case, the actual love story between Louis and Ethan is delightful; and while I would have liked more clarity in how it all resolved, I respect the author's willingness to tweak a much-trod tale. Will definitely look for more from this author in the future!
I got an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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December 16, 2025This is a queer remix of The Beauty and the Beast—think ill father, devoted child, mysterious mansion, cursed inhabitant with plenty of secrets—set in a version of rural Indiana where hedge witches take summer jobs magically helping crops grow. Ethan, who has dropped out of college to help take care of his father and his father’s business, takes an impossible job rehabilitating the rose garden of an isolated Victorian estate, and ends up falling for Louis, the mysterious, cursed trustee.
This was much less Gothic than I expected and much more sweet—magic house that loves you and gets named after a Clue character! Louis starts out gruff but arguably hasn’t hurt anyone but himself! There is a vaguely defined magic system operating mainly in the background. Hedge witches are a thing, which seems to mean a lot of people have a sort of natural magic talent for a specific thing, cue subplot of Ethan reckoning with his magical abilities/apparent lack thereof. The house has an equally vaguely sketched tragic past.
The book’s big strength is, in my opinion, talking about things that really exist. Ethan’s dad has multiple sclerosis and crippling medical debt, but before that, he was a rose rustler—a person who goes on old estates looking for rare, forgotten varieties of roses that can be revived and propagated. The author’s research about roses is what really shone, at least for me. I kept Googling things to do with roses and finding out they were real (delightful, although as the author points out, maybe don’t sacrifice wine to your roses in real life). This and Ethan’s relationship with his father add a lot of character to what would otherwise be a much less memorable romance, and make this well worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was much less Gothic than I expected and much more sweet—magic house that loves you and gets named after a Clue character! Louis starts out gruff but arguably hasn’t hurt anyone but himself! There is a vaguely defined magic system operating mainly in the background. Hedge witches are a thing, which seems to mean a lot of people have a sort of natural magic talent for a specific thing, cue subplot of Ethan reckoning with his magical abilities/apparent lack thereof. The house has an equally vaguely sketched tragic past.
The book’s big strength is, in my opinion, talking about things that really exist. Ethan’s dad has multiple sclerosis and crippling medical debt, but before that, he was a rose rustler—a person who goes on old estates looking for rare, forgotten varieties of roses that can be revived and propagated. The author’s research about roses is what really shone, at least for me. I kept Googling things to do with roses and finding out they were real (delightful, although as the author points out, maybe don’t sacrifice wine to your roses in real life). This and Ethan’s relationship with his father add a lot of character to what would otherwise be a much less memorable romance, and make this well worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 12, 2026
Interesting short novel and quite endearing. A sprinkle of magic, a relationship or two and gardening. Enjoyed it. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
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April 16, 2026Apparently I forgot to review this, even though I blurbed it. Whoops.
This is a lush little novella about hedge witchery, roses, and love set in rural Indiana. The romance is a real slow burn, and the characters are all complex. I enjoyed how well the estate the MC finds himself living at becomes a character in the story. Loved the different types of magic we get to see, too.
This is a lush little novella about hedge witchery, roses, and love set in rural Indiana. The romance is a real slow burn, and the characters are all complex. I enjoyed how well the estate the MC finds himself living at becomes a character in the story. Loved the different types of magic we get to see, too.
June 13, 2026
gotta love a b&tb retelling (this is an m/m contemporary romance of the understated/slowburn variety with light magical elements) that commits to describing its love interest repulsive not once but TWICE. I call that dedication!
there's also some, uh..........let's call it "period-typical" lite misogyny ("Christ, are you always such a woman?") that goes totally unchallenged and unquestioned (in fact, the character to whom this line is spoken is "relieved" upon hearing it), which is kind of weird in a book that digs into other biases and stuff (I learned more about the dynamics re: class, catholicism, and big box churches in indiana than I expected to, although whether it's true to life I can't say—and, only tangentially relatedly, I also learned that corn is a grass! makes sense but I'd never thought about it before!), but I guess kind of refreshing in its own way in an era in which contemporary romance novelists are rabid about giving all characters perfectly modern sensibilities in ways that don't hold water or result in satisfying books? sure, let's go with that.
all right, here's one nitpick that's so super nitpicky, but I can't seem to stop my fingers from typing: a character says, "I teach history. American, but only because I've been waiting for the World History teacher to retire or die," but then says, "I always take my AP Seniors on a field trip to [an old victorian house in indiana] in the spring." US History, including APUSH, is, almost inevitably, a junior class. there are rare exceptions to this (at some schools, rarely, students might take it their sophomore year). seniors typically take some variety of gov & econ, including the AP versions of those classes (at some schools, rarely, students might take these their junior year). I have basically never heard of a school offering APUSH to seniors. perhaps this character predominantly teaches us history and one section of AP US Gov, but that feels like a clarification she would have made earlier on (even "I teach social studies" would have encompassed this), and it also feels weird to take a gov class on a more history-aligned field trip, but I've seen seniors take weirder field trips; you gotta find something to do with them at the end of the year lol. anyway, if someone who attended high school in indiana took APUSH their senior year, I would honestly LOVE for you to #letmeknowinthecomments, because now I've spent this whole stupid paragraph writing about this totally inconsequential detail and I mostly just feel like an ass who's wasted everyone's time, most of all my own lol.
I also think o'malley liu once used the word "pursue" where she actually meant "peruse" (in context, a character being told "you're welcome to pursue my collection [of books]" after complaining about the limited selection of books available to him in the other library isn't...WRONG, but it would be a bit of an unusual usage).
anyway. all of that is just my broken brain picking at what's really quite a solid debut novel from a small indie press, and this has a lot to recommend it. it was a nicely enjoyable read.
3.5 stars rounded up
there's also some, uh..........let's call it "period-typical" lite misogyny ("Christ, are you always such a woman?") that goes totally unchallenged and unquestioned (in fact, the character to whom this line is spoken is "relieved" upon hearing it), which is kind of weird in a book that digs into other biases and stuff (I learned more about the dynamics re: class, catholicism, and big box churches in indiana than I expected to, although whether it's true to life I can't say—and, only tangentially relatedly, I also learned that corn is a grass! makes sense but I'd never thought about it before!), but I guess kind of refreshing in its own way in an era in which contemporary romance novelists are rabid about giving all characters perfectly modern sensibilities in ways that don't hold water or result in satisfying books? sure, let's go with that.
all right, here's one nitpick that's so super nitpicky, but I can't seem to stop my fingers from typing: a character says, "I teach history. American, but only because I've been waiting for the World History teacher to retire or die," but then says, "I always take my AP Seniors on a field trip to [an old victorian house in indiana] in the spring." US History, including APUSH, is, almost inevitably, a junior class. there are rare exceptions to this (at some schools, rarely, students might take it their sophomore year). seniors typically take some variety of gov & econ, including the AP versions of those classes (at some schools, rarely, students might take these their junior year). I have basically never heard of a school offering APUSH to seniors. perhaps this character predominantly teaches us history and one section of AP US Gov, but that feels like a clarification she would have made earlier on (even "I teach social studies" would have encompassed this), and it also feels weird to take a gov class on a more history-aligned field trip, but I've seen seniors take weirder field trips; you gotta find something to do with them at the end of the year lol. anyway, if someone who attended high school in indiana took APUSH their senior year, I would honestly LOVE for you to #letmeknowinthecomments, because now I've spent this whole stupid paragraph writing about this totally inconsequential detail and I mostly just feel like an ass who's wasted everyone's time, most of all my own lol.
I also think o'malley liu once used the word "pursue" where she actually meant "peruse" (in context, a character being told "you're welcome to pursue my collection [of books]" after complaining about the limited selection of books available to him in the other library isn't...WRONG, but it would be a bit of an unusual usage).
anyway. all of that is just my broken brain picking at what's really quite a solid debut novel from a small indie press, and this has a lot to recommend it. it was a nicely enjoyable read.
3.5 stars rounded up
May 25, 2026
I have never felt more permission to treat myself like a rose and water myself with some rosé.
That said. This debut is so much more than that. If you want a graceful toe dipping into the gothic elements without things going too dark... this is your reflection pool at the ready.
The author accomplishes so much depth for a queer beauty and the beast retelling in a short window.
Midwest cozy gothics should be all the rage. Give me corn fields. Give me thunder and rain. Give me crunching gravel.
This was a gorgeous read.
[My only add is that Ethan would have been so much more at home at Purdue than IU. Boiler up!]
--love an Indiana girl transplanted in the PNW
That said. This debut is so much more than that. If you want a graceful toe dipping into the gothic elements without things going too dark... this is your reflection pool at the ready.
The author accomplishes so much depth for a queer beauty and the beast retelling in a short window.
Midwest cozy gothics should be all the rage. Give me corn fields. Give me thunder and rain. Give me crunching gravel.
This was a gorgeous read.
[My only add is that Ethan would have been so much more at home at Purdue than IU. Boiler up!]
--love an Indiana girl transplanted in the PNW
June 11, 2026
This was a delightful Beauty and the Beast retelling. Up there with Aster Glenn Gray's Briarly. This was a great balance of enchanting and grounded in the contemporary setting and I appreciate that the author simply omits some of the more problematic parts of the tale while keeping the heart of the story intact. A lovely read that I would heartily recommend.
I received a digital Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and Shiraki Press in exchange for an honest review.
I received a digital Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and Shiraki Press in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2026
Wine for Roses is my favorite book of 2026.
A queer Beauty and the Beast retelling set on a Victorian-era (or Edwardian-era) estate in modern day Indiana with a cursed rose garden, a sentient house, and some very anomalistic and truly creepy weather to set the mood. What more could I want?
This book manages to blend the modern gothic with cozy fantasy seamlessly. There is a house that has sat stagnant for decades, but has no dust. That sometimes makes tea and cakes and draws a warm bath, and other times won't let people leave the premises. There is an overgrown garden that is at turns breathtakingly beautiful, with sun glinting off green leaves, that becomes foreboding and dark with thorns scraping skin and vines slithering underfoot.
Wine for Roses is a fragrant note, followed by a complex bitterness, that ultimately leaves a sweet flavor behind.
I adored this book and I highly recommend it, especially for fans of Emily Tesh's Silver in the Woods.
A queer Beauty and the Beast retelling set on a Victorian-era (or Edwardian-era) estate in modern day Indiana with a cursed rose garden, a sentient house, and some very anomalistic and truly creepy weather to set the mood. What more could I want?
This book manages to blend the modern gothic with cozy fantasy seamlessly. There is a house that has sat stagnant for decades, but has no dust. That sometimes makes tea and cakes and draws a warm bath, and other times won't let people leave the premises. There is an overgrown garden that is at turns breathtakingly beautiful, with sun glinting off green leaves, that becomes foreboding and dark with thorns scraping skin and vines slithering underfoot.
Wine for Roses is a fragrant note, followed by a complex bitterness, that ultimately leaves a sweet flavor behind.
I adored this book and I highly recommend it, especially for fans of Emily Tesh's Silver in the Woods.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Emily O'Malley Liu, Shiraki Press & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
CW: Every CW happens either off-screen, is only mentioned, or is just very mild.
My chosen soundtrack: Now (Vine's Version) - Vines, ~Nois, Shelly Washington | The Thrill Of Loneliness - Hana Stretton
Representation
╰┈➤ Gay MCs, Ethan and
╰┈➤ MLM dynamic between MCs
╰┈➤ Latinx MC, Ethan, is Irish and Mexican
╰┈➤ Chronic illness/disability rep, Arthur Keating has MS and is an ambulatory cane user.
╰┈➤ Sapphic background character, Suzy, has a wife.
Themes
Roses, botany, money being tight/money problems/debt, urban fantasy, otherness/outcasts, social solitude, loneliness, sacrifices for the ones you love, self-worth issues/low self-confidence, sentient plants/nature, curses, responsibility, secrets, mysteries, the limits of our bodies, emotional repression, healing.
What I liked
✧ Believable yet interesting world-building. I haven't read a lot of realistic/urban fantasy, but this one definitely opened my eyes to the genre. Even though the story takes place in modern times, the setting retains that fantastical whimsy due to the estate being like a blast from the past.
✧ I love that this story is centered around male characters participating in a career that in the real world might have been deemed as something feminine. Nurturing, witchy, flowers could very quickly be classified as something 'soft'. I like any story that doesn't play into toxic gender norms.
✧ Very loosely a queer retelling of 'Beauty And The Beast', but definitely very unique. The story shines on its own without relying on a pre-established concept.
✧ I didn't know beforehand, but was elated to find out there is disability representation in this book! And it's not a lazy representation either. Instead of just being a footnote, there are actual conversations and discourse about living with a chronic illness/disability and how it could affect one's life. I don't know if the author has personal experience, but as someone who has a chronic illness, I felt like the representation was really well written. I also love that Arthur is an ambulatory cane user, it's a type of representation I haven't seen a lot.
✧ As someone who deals with chronic pain, this quote hit me:
✧ The prose was lovely. I enjoy when prose follows the themes of a story. In this case, many botany terms, flower/rose imagery, and nature-based metaphors were used.
✧ Ethan's mother, who passed away, somewhat haunts the plot. Her absence has shaped the Keating-Mendoza home as well as influenced big life choices Ethan has had to make. I enjoy it when grief is implemented in a meaningful way instead of a plot device serving as an edgy backstory. In this case, the mother felt like a real person who actually impacted the characters we read about.
✧ The house/estate being a character of its own?? Yeah, love that!
✧ Discourse on capitalism and privilege or the lack thereof. Inequality, specifically when it comes to the working class, and how privatized healthcare affects those who become or are disabled/sick.
✧ Discourse on loneliness/isolation.
✧ Discourse on growing up as someone who is gay and how that influences someone's day-to-day life. Our MC, for example, feels weird about attraction and can't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable. Yet at the same time, there are some hints of being touch-starved, especially the longer Ethan stays on the estate, where he gets quite lonely.
✧ I liked the first half of the book, but the second half is definitely where it shines. I loved the sense of mystery and tension.
✧ There were some things I picked up on quite early and thus was able to predict some things, but there was enough there to surprise me still, which kept me invested.
✧ The reveal that , I saw it coming, but that didn't influence how it hit me. I'm just always grateful for representation like this.
✧ I loved the mirroring between the house and Edward as something that preserves good things.
✧ Similarly, I enjoyed the mirroring between the garden and Louis.
✧ The concept of 'otherness' being explored through our characters is something I really enjoyed. Be it about being queer, not fitting in for any reason, or, specifically in this case, feeling inadequate while trying to follow in someone's footsteps. There is a coming-of-age/self-discovery arc that felt realistic and relatable. Our MC struggles at times with his self-worth and tries to fill a role that might just be ill-fitting, only to discover that he has the power to excel if that role were to take a different form.
✧ I loved the author's note hahahahahha
What I didn't like/felt lackluster about
✦ Okay, so this might just be me, not being familiar with urban fantasy, but at times I was confused if the author meant things literally or figuratively. For example, when talking about plants or the house being sentient. At the beginning, the 'rules'of this universe were just not fully clear to me yet.
✦ I didn't really enjoy it when our MC had an epiphany about something without sharing this revelation with the reader. We do find out, but most of the time at a later moment. Once again, this could just be me being a little idiot and missing stuff, but sometimes I got a little confused.
Conclusion/Notes
Came for the intriguing sentient rose garden, stayed for the amazing disability representation, intriguing characters, and a story about reinventing yourself.
Wine for Roses is a cozy urban fantasy story with a healthy dose of mystery. It explores 'otherness' on a personal, cultural, and structural level. This book's world is filled with unique, yet realistic magic. It's populated by well-rounded, believable, and lovable characters who take us on a journey of self-discovery and eventual fulfillment.
This is definitely a very fitting book to pick up and get cozy with during spring.
Follow 'VERAKELLY' on Spotify for specific reading playlists like this one: 📚 Contemporary (Romance) Reads
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
CW: Every CW happens either off-screen, is only mentioned, or is just very mild.
My chosen soundtrack: Now (Vine's Version) - Vines, ~Nois, Shelly Washington | The Thrill Of Loneliness - Hana Stretton
“My mother was fond of roses,” he said at last.
“So was mine. She admired the way they protect themselves. They don’t let themselves be used easily.”
He really was like a plant, I thought. A rose bush. He was prickly, but all he really needed was some care and sunlight. Even the wine helped. I huffed.
Representation
╰┈➤ Gay MCs, Ethan and
╰┈➤ MLM dynamic between MCs
╰┈➤ Latinx MC, Ethan, is Irish and Mexican
╰┈➤ Chronic illness/disability rep, Arthur Keating has MS and is an ambulatory cane user.
╰┈➤ Sapphic background character, Suzy, has a wife.
Themes
Roses, botany, money being tight/money problems/debt, urban fantasy, otherness/outcasts, social solitude, loneliness, sacrifices for the ones you love, self-worth issues/low self-confidence, sentient plants/nature, curses, responsibility, secrets, mysteries, the limits of our bodies, emotional repression, healing.
What I liked
✧ Believable yet interesting world-building. I haven't read a lot of realistic/urban fantasy, but this one definitely opened my eyes to the genre. Even though the story takes place in modern times, the setting retains that fantastical whimsy due to the estate being like a blast from the past.
✧ I love that this story is centered around male characters participating in a career that in the real world might have been deemed as something feminine. Nurturing, witchy, flowers could very quickly be classified as something 'soft'. I like any story that doesn't play into toxic gender norms.
✧ Very loosely a queer retelling of 'Beauty And The Beast', but definitely very unique. The story shines on its own without relying on a pre-established concept.
✧ I didn't know beforehand, but was elated to find out there is disability representation in this book! And it's not a lazy representation either. Instead of just being a footnote, there are actual conversations and discourse about living with a chronic illness/disability and how it could affect one's life. I don't know if the author has personal experience, but as someone who has a chronic illness, I felt like the representation was really well written. I also love that Arthur is an ambulatory cane user, it's a type of representation I haven't seen a lot.
✧ As someone who deals with chronic pain, this quote hit me:
He inclined his head towards his good shoulder, a subtle motion that avoided moving his upper chest. “Throbs a bit,” he said in an understated tone. He wasn’t being brave. He would have said if it hurt. But he was also far too used to pain.
✧ The prose was lovely. I enjoy when prose follows the themes of a story. In this case, many botany terms, flower/rose imagery, and nature-based metaphors were used.
Plants didn’t care how you dressed or what you had to say as long as you came with a watering can and maybe some fertilizer. (...) Plants had no expectations. They never wanted more than you could give.
✧ Ethan's mother, who passed away, somewhat haunts the plot. Her absence has shaped the Keating-Mendoza home as well as influenced big life choices Ethan has had to make. I enjoy it when grief is implemented in a meaningful way instead of a plot device serving as an edgy backstory. In this case, the mother felt like a real person who actually impacted the characters we read about.
✧ The house/estate being a character of its own?? Yeah, love that!
✧ Discourse on capitalism and privilege or the lack thereof. Inequality, specifically when it comes to the working class, and how privatized healthcare affects those who become or are disabled/sick.
✧ Discourse on loneliness/isolation.
I was lonely. I knew I was lonely, but talking about it didn’t make it better. I had chosen the things that were the most important to me. The business and my father. If finding my people had to be put on the back burner for a little while, then so be it. I refused to regret prioritizing the things I loved.
✧ Discourse on growing up as someone who is gay and how that influences someone's day-to-day life. Our MC, for example, feels weird about attraction and can't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable. Yet at the same time, there are some hints of being touch-starved, especially the longer Ethan stays on the estate, where he gets quite lonely.
✧ I liked the first half of the book, but the second half is definitely where it shines. I loved the sense of mystery and tension.
✧ There were some things I picked up on quite early and thus was able to predict some things, but there was enough there to surprise me still, which kept me invested.
✧ The reveal that , I saw it coming, but that didn't influence how it hit me. I'm just always grateful for representation like this.
✧ I loved the mirroring between the house and Edward as something that preserves good things.
✧ Similarly, I enjoyed the mirroring between the garden and Louis.
It was a wreck, overgrown and choked with weeds and not healthy enough to bloom. Abandoned but alive, improbably and stubbornly alive. All it wanted was care, and I could be the one to give it.
✧ The concept of 'otherness' being explored through our characters is something I really enjoyed. Be it about being queer, not fitting in for any reason, or, specifically in this case, feeling inadequate while trying to follow in someone's footsteps. There is a coming-of-age/self-discovery arc that felt realistic and relatable. Our MC struggles at times with his self-worth and tries to fill a role that might just be ill-fitting, only to discover that he has the power to excel if that role were to take a different form.
✧ I loved the author's note hahahahahha
What I didn't like/felt lackluster about
✦ Okay, so this might just be me, not being familiar with urban fantasy, but at times I was confused if the author meant things literally or figuratively. For example, when talking about plants or the house being sentient. At the beginning, the 'rules'of this universe were just not fully clear to me yet.
✦ I didn't really enjoy it when our MC had an epiphany about something without sharing this revelation with the reader. We do find out, but most of the time at a later moment. Once again, this could just be me being a little idiot and missing stuff, but sometimes I got a little confused.
Conclusion/Notes
Came for the intriguing sentient rose garden, stayed for the amazing disability representation, intriguing characters, and a story about reinventing yourself.
Wine for Roses is a cozy urban fantasy story with a healthy dose of mystery. It explores 'otherness' on a personal, cultural, and structural level. This book's world is filled with unique, yet realistic magic. It's populated by well-rounded, believable, and lovable characters who take us on a journey of self-discovery and eventual fulfillment.
This is definitely a very fitting book to pick up and get cozy with during spring.
Follow 'VERAKELLY' on Spotify for specific reading playlists like this one: 📚 Contemporary (Romance) Reads
June 14, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a digital review copy.
After sort of trespassing into a beautiful estate and stealing a single rose-that he made bloom from his magic- from there, Ethan's father is offered a job to tend the rose garden. The trustee of the house-who had caught Ethan's father sort of trespassing (ahem, awkward)- had offered him the job to tend the garden for a whole season. The pay was high enough to clear all their debts and he had magic to make the garden bloom. But the problem? Ethan's father was sick. The garden was huge and dying on top of it. It grew but never bloomed. And a single man with a disease that made him weak could not do it. So Ethan offered to take the job in this eerie, haunted-house looking manner. It didn't help the fact that the trustee preferred to stay inside like a vampire.
I usually don't read the description of books before reading them but I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this one. So I read the description and it was the biggest mistake I made. It contains spoilers. If you have not read the description yet, good. Don't read it. If you have, I'm sorry. What was mentioned in the description was revealed after 50% of the book. The part about
Now onto the book. I could see that the author new what she was talking about when she talked about gardening and roses. Like either she has done a really deep research on it or she was a gardener herself. Unfortunately for her, I am not a gardener so I had no idea what was up with that. Even some parts of the plot were a bit confusing for me. Not about the garden. But about Louis and
Although the book was barely 120 pages, I loved how things didn't feel rushed. They progressed at their own pace. I especially loved the pace of romance and how gradually it developed. Though I hoped that there would be more subtle hints of budding romance throughout the book. And I LOVED the side characters (not Kay). Especially Suzy and her niece. Even if they appeared for only few pages, they were so sweet. I love my lesbian witches. Maybe the author could make a separate book for them (Suzy and her wife)?
The book wasn't my cup of tea because half the time I was a bit confused. It was okay though. Maybe someone else will like it more than me?
After sort of trespassing into a beautiful estate and stealing a single rose-that he made bloom from his magic- from there, Ethan's father is offered a job to tend the rose garden. The trustee of the house-who had caught Ethan's father sort of trespassing (ahem, awkward)- had offered him the job to tend the garden for a whole season. The pay was high enough to clear all their debts and he had magic to make the garden bloom. But the problem? Ethan's father was sick. The garden was huge and dying on top of it. It grew but never bloomed. And a single man with a disease that made him weak could not do it. So Ethan offered to take the job in this eerie, haunted-house looking manner. It didn't help the fact that the trustee preferred to stay inside like a vampire.
I usually don't read the description of books before reading them but I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this one. So I read the description and it was the biggest mistake I made. It contains spoilers. If you have not read the description yet, good. Don't read it. If you have, I'm sorry. What was mentioned in the description was revealed after 50% of the book. The part about
Now onto the book. I could see that the author new what she was talking about when she talked about gardening and roses. Like either she has done a really deep research on it or she was a gardener herself. Unfortunately for her, I am not a gardener so I had no idea what was up with that. Even some parts of the plot were a bit confusing for me. Not about the garden. But about Louis and
Although the book was barely 120 pages, I loved how things didn't feel rushed. They progressed at their own pace. I especially loved the pace of romance and how gradually it developed. Though I hoped that there would be more subtle hints of budding romance throughout the book. And I LOVED the side characters (not Kay). Especially Suzy and her niece. Even if they appeared for only few pages, they were so sweet. I love my lesbian witches. Maybe the author could make a separate book for them (Suzy and her wife)?
The book wasn't my cup of tea because half the time I was a bit confused. It was okay though. Maybe someone else will like it more than me?
June 9, 2026
A queer fantasy novella set primarily on the mysterious Kilbride estate outside of Indianapolis, Ethan Keating Mendoza takes up a job meant for his ill father, a hedge witch with an affinity for growing and blooming roses. Ethan himself has no known magic, and he has his work sorely cut out for him, navigating both the mysterious, unblooming garden and the hostile trustee, Louis. This is a fun and heart-felt spin on Beauty and Beast with an imaginative setting and guided by predictable but satisfying story beats. The closest comparison I can think of is this is the cosy and romantic counterpart to C.G. Drews’ Hazelthorn.
Ethan is a great narrator as his connection to his father and growing up in the contemporary world grounds his perceptions of the Kilbride estate and the strange happenings there. He has basic knowledge of the magic at play but not so much that there isn’t anything to discover. I really enjoyed how Ethan settled into the house, and how he readily nicknames it Colonel Mustard, playfully imbuing it with its own identity. I also liked how Ethan connected to Louis, Suzy, and the handful of other characters he encounters because he initially doesn’t have much in common with them but is willing to learn and meet them where they are. The issues Ethan faces in regards to his father and his own health are very real, and I felt Liu handled them realistically and well.
I found a lot of the action in this to be tell not show, which is a shame as space is limited with a novella and the descriptions of scenery and plant life are comparatively lush and enchanting. I had mixed feelings about Louis and Ethan’s romance as Louis is mostly inaccessible for the first half of the novella, and they bridge the initial tension between each other in one scene; I did, however, like the rising action and climax of their relationship and how closely it relates to the resolution of the story. I would be willing to read more in this universe and from this author overall, and I hope to see another story from her in the future.
My copy was provided through NetGalley.
Ethan is a great narrator as his connection to his father and growing up in the contemporary world grounds his perceptions of the Kilbride estate and the strange happenings there. He has basic knowledge of the magic at play but not so much that there isn’t anything to discover. I really enjoyed how Ethan settled into the house, and how he readily nicknames it Colonel Mustard, playfully imbuing it with its own identity. I also liked how Ethan connected to Louis, Suzy, and the handful of other characters he encounters because he initially doesn’t have much in common with them but is willing to learn and meet them where they are. The issues Ethan faces in regards to his father and his own health are very real, and I felt Liu handled them realistically and well.
I found a lot of the action in this to be tell not show, which is a shame as space is limited with a novella and the descriptions of scenery and plant life are comparatively lush and enchanting. I had mixed feelings about Louis and Ethan’s romance as Louis is mostly inaccessible for the first half of the novella, and they bridge the initial tension between each other in one scene; I did, however, like the rising action and climax of their relationship and how closely it relates to the resolution of the story. I would be willing to read more in this universe and from this author overall, and I hope to see another story from her in the future.
My copy was provided through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"He really was like a plant, I thought. A rose bush. He was prickly, but all he really needed was some care and sunlight."
This was a lovely read!
The story pulled me in from the very beginning with its vivid descriptions and introduction of our protagonist. The writing style has a nice flow that will keep you going long past your bedtime.
I really enjoyed exploring the rose garden through Ethan’s eyes. His relationships with the other characters were also explored very well, especially with his father. This is Romantasy, however I felt that while yes, there is romance involved (love the ace rep by the way!), I felt that the real love story is between Ethan and the roses.
I have to admit that I don’t know anything about flowers, let alone roses, so I was very intrigued by all the details we learn as the book goes on. The magic system that operated in the background was a nice touch and worked very well together with the "real" magic of tending to plants.
I also really enjoyed how the book tackles real issues that a lot of people deal with: chronic illness, (medical) debt, bullying, grief—to name just a few. It does so in a way that feels very natural to the story’s flow but also adds some layers to our protagonists and the people around him.
My one and only criticism is perhaps that I think the book could have benefitted from some more interactions between Ethan and Louis in the first half of the story. Louis is not very welcoming at first but very quickly invites Ethan in for lunch. I think I was missing some of his earlier hostility, and that he warmed up to Ethan rather quickly. However, this is a novella and there’s only so much pages you have so this is only a very minor criticism.
Last but not least: the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS and I cannot wait to to get my hands on a physical copy!
I received an ARC via NetGalley after being contacted by the author. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very cute novella, but I think it flagged a bit in the middle-end.
The pros: I really liked Ethan and his dad, and Louis was also very interesting. I did like the two of them together :> And of course the supporting cast also deserves a shout-out - Suzy, Telegraph, and my favorite character, Colonel Mustard. I'm a big Clue fan, lmao. I also love all the stuff with the roses! I don't know enough to discern what's real and what's fictional, but it all came together very well for me. It was a cute little romance, I loved the hedge magic, and I loved the various little bits and pieces of representation (in addition to the obvious queer rep) that we got, though I'm not an expert on them so maybe other people would be able to point out issues.
The cons: Like I said above, after the halfway point I feel like we lose steam a bit. We have something of a third-act breakup that... didn't really make any sense. And it was so sudden that I got whiplash lol, I truly just couldn't wrap my head around it. I also thought the curse was too unclear to really provide much tension. I kept expecting we'd learn more about it than just vague folklore, but... we didn't. So I wasn't even sure how it was resolved, because I didn't understand how it worked or what it was doing to begin with. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, while I like Ethan and Louis as a couple, I don't really understand why they like each other. I feel like we kind of just skip over the initial attraction part straight into crushing, and then we barely get any development on that before they're getting together. In a romance, that's 100% a necessary thing. It makes me think that this needed to be more than a novella, but on the other hand, I don't think there's enough going on in the plot to stretch this out to 300-odd pages or something. I don't know.
Overall, it was a cute and quick read (once I had time to sit down and read it lol).
This was a very cute novella, but I think it flagged a bit in the middle-end.
The pros: I really liked Ethan and his dad, and Louis was also very interesting. I did like the two of them together :> And of course the supporting cast also deserves a shout-out - Suzy, Telegraph, and my favorite character, Colonel Mustard. I'm a big Clue fan, lmao. I also love all the stuff with the roses! I don't know enough to discern what's real and what's fictional, but it all came together very well for me. It was a cute little romance, I loved the hedge magic, and I loved the various little bits and pieces of representation (in addition to the obvious queer rep) that we got, though I'm not an expert on them so maybe other people would be able to point out issues.
The cons: Like I said above, after the halfway point I feel like we lose steam a bit. We have something of a third-act breakup that... didn't really make any sense. And it was so sudden that I got whiplash lol, I truly just couldn't wrap my head around it. I also thought the curse was too unclear to really provide much tension. I kept expecting we'd learn more about it than just vague folklore, but... we didn't. So I wasn't even sure how it was resolved, because I didn't understand how it worked or what it was doing to begin with. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, while I like Ethan and Louis as a couple, I don't really understand why they like each other. I feel like we kind of just skip over the initial attraction part straight into crushing, and then we barely get any development on that before they're getting together. In a romance, that's 100% a necessary thing. It makes me think that this needed to be more than a novella, but on the other hand, I don't think there's enough going on in the plot to stretch this out to 300-odd pages or something. I don't know.
Overall, it was a cute and quick read (once I had time to sit down and read it lol).
April 20, 2026
I would like to thank NetGalley and Shiraki Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Ahhhhhh 🍷Wine for Roses🌹 was completely enchanting, and I could have read a thousand pages more!
This beauty and the beast retelling was every kind of intriguing, with a magical estate tucked behind some Midwestern cornfields, a cursed rose garden that went H A R D, a tender-hearted gardener trying to do right by everyone, and a surly trustee who was as much a captive of the legacy garden as he was its steward!
It was lovely to learn about roses, and to discover the sweet, earthy, nuanced, hedge witch magic. I loved the ambience of a mysterious, thorny wildness with its own British weather system, a black cat familiar traipsing around, and ofc a sentient, Victorian home that "clued" into every need as soon as it was needed! iykyk😉🤭
I loved this story's whole VIBE, even though the modern world was a bit jarring when the narrative emerged from its luscious focus on Ethan's work in the garden, and all the atmospheric, secret, hidden places within it. My mind went to A Marvellous Light (🥀roses🌹) + Lady Chatterley's Lover (Ethan😏), which added complex touches to Kilbride's disinherited son, in addition to how a flourishing magical rose garden replenishes and breaks bloodline curses.
I also loved the expansive role of the rosarian in this, which was part adventurer, part cultivator, part garden tamer to unruly roses, who trade in the tender's blood, sweat, and in THIS story's case, wine offerings as sacrifice and symbiosis.
I can't wait to read more from Emily O'Malley Liu, because 🍷Wine for Roses🌹 was brilliant, and gorgeous, and the perfect kind of Magical Rose Garden Core I could luxuriate in forever! Wonderful!
Ahhhhhh 🍷Wine for Roses🌹 was completely enchanting, and I could have read a thousand pages more!
This beauty and the beast retelling was every kind of intriguing, with a magical estate tucked behind some Midwestern cornfields, a cursed rose garden that went H A R D, a tender-hearted gardener trying to do right by everyone, and a surly trustee who was as much a captive of the legacy garden as he was its steward!
It was lovely to learn about roses, and to discover the sweet, earthy, nuanced, hedge witch magic. I loved the ambience of a mysterious, thorny wildness with its own British weather system, a black cat familiar traipsing around, and ofc a sentient, Victorian home that "clued" into every need as soon as it was needed! iykyk😉🤭
I loved this story's whole VIBE, even though the modern world was a bit jarring when the narrative emerged from its luscious focus on Ethan's work in the garden, and all the atmospheric, secret, hidden places within it. My mind went to A Marvellous Light (🥀roses🌹) + Lady Chatterley's Lover (Ethan😏), which added complex touches to Kilbride's disinherited son, in addition to how a flourishing magical rose garden replenishes and breaks bloodline curses.
I also loved the expansive role of the rosarian in this, which was part adventurer, part cultivator, part garden tamer to unruly roses, who trade in the tender's blood, sweat, and in THIS story's case, wine offerings as sacrifice and symbiosis.
I can't wait to read more from Emily O'Malley Liu, because 🍷Wine for Roses🌹 was brilliant, and gorgeous, and the perfect kind of Magical Rose Garden Core I could luxuriate in forever! Wonderful!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An absolutely lovely book to ease into the New Year. I adored this almost short story, with similarities and a likeness to a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It’s written quite beautifully, very descriptive and a little mysterious.
I love when books not only draw you deeply into their storyline, but also make you inquisitive about things you might not already know about. Roses are a fascinating topic written into this, and you’ll be looking up all sorts of tidbits about their history. One significant piece is that the main character Ethan has a father who was and continues to be an exceptional rose rustler (something for you to look up and learn about!).
In his continuous quest for rare varieties of roses, Ethan’s father Arthur stumbles onto a mysterious estate and is asked to return to act as the hedge witch for the gardens. Knowing Arthur is unable to physically care for the overgrown gardens, Ethan offers to take the work even though his magic is marginal compared to his father’s.
What follows is a story of care and sacrifice to a seemingly magical estate and its owner who desperately seeks to have the overgrown garden tended and the roses to bloom once again.
I very much enjoyed this book. It’s a great read for someone who is a little inquisitive about roses, enjoys a bit of mystery, and is ok with a very soft barely there love story. It also has very fun side characters, the “living” house who so quickly welcomes Ethan, and a cat so full of cat personality it’s hard to not smile when she’s around.
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars so I’m settling with a
3 and 1/2! Thank you netgalley for an early opportunity to read this!
I love when books not only draw you deeply into their storyline, but also make you inquisitive about things you might not already know about. Roses are a fascinating topic written into this, and you’ll be looking up all sorts of tidbits about their history. One significant piece is that the main character Ethan has a father who was and continues to be an exceptional rose rustler (something for you to look up and learn about!).
In his continuous quest for rare varieties of roses, Ethan’s father Arthur stumbles onto a mysterious estate and is asked to return to act as the hedge witch for the gardens. Knowing Arthur is unable to physically care for the overgrown gardens, Ethan offers to take the work even though his magic is marginal compared to his father’s.
What follows is a story of care and sacrifice to a seemingly magical estate and its owner who desperately seeks to have the overgrown garden tended and the roses to bloom once again.
I very much enjoyed this book. It’s a great read for someone who is a little inquisitive about roses, enjoys a bit of mystery, and is ok with a very soft barely there love story. It also has very fun side characters, the “living” house who so quickly welcomes Ethan, and a cat so full of cat personality it’s hard to not smile when she’s around.
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars so I’m settling with a
3 and 1/2! Thank you netgalley for an early opportunity to read this!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wine for Roses is a cute, cosy, queer, and magical retelling of beauty and the beast, centred around Ethan Keating Mendoza, the son of a hedge witch with an affinity for roses. The family of two is barely holding on when Ethan's father receives the job offer of a lifetime - only, he physically can't take it. In comes Ethan, who takes the job in his father's stead, and must complete the impossible task of making the roses bloom in an ancient garden. However, this isn't the only challenge that greets him there, as the elusive groundskeeper seems to be hiding something. Something, very, very important.
This book was very short and sweet, with very cute characters. The plot was definitely secondary to the development of the characters, which worked quite well in this context. While not exactly likeable, the characters were certainly interesting, which made this novel not completely immersive but still quite fun to read. I would reccomend this book to all cosy fantasy readers, especially for fans of The Honey Witch and the Legends and Lattes series.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I am also quite glad that it was not particularly long, as while the characters were good the plot simply could not sustain the novel any longer, and was fraying at the edges by the end. My rating for this novel is 3.75 stars out of five. Thank you to Shiraki Press for providing Wine For Roses for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This book was very short and sweet, with very cute characters. The plot was definitely secondary to the development of the characters, which worked quite well in this context. While not exactly likeable, the characters were certainly interesting, which made this novel not completely immersive but still quite fun to read. I would reccomend this book to all cosy fantasy readers, especially for fans of The Honey Witch and the Legends and Lattes series.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I am also quite glad that it was not particularly long, as while the characters were good the plot simply could not sustain the novel any longer, and was fraying at the edges by the end. My rating for this novel is 3.75 stars out of five. Thank you to Shiraki Press for providing Wine For Roses for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 15, 2026
The premise is right up my alley. A cursed rose garden, a quiet, lonely gardener, and a mysterious man tied to the estate. The book delivers such an amazing vibe.
The atmosphere is easily the strongest part. It's very gothic, a little eerie, but also weirdly cozy at the same time. The constant rain, the isolated estate, the garden descriptions, it all feels immersive. I also really liked the symbolism around roses and thorns. There are some genuinely beautiful lines and ideas in here that stuck with me.
That said, the romance didn't quite work for me. It felt underdeveloped and a bit rushed, the connection wasn't fully built. I kept waiting for that emotional depth or a moment where it really clicked, but it never fully got there for me. Because of that, the relationship didn't feel as convincing or impactful as I wanted it to be.
I also felt like the story hinted at deeper layers, especially with the mystery and the themes, but didn't fully explore them. The ending, in particular, felt a bit too simple compared to the buildup. I was expecting something with more weight or complexity.
Overall, this is a book I enjoyed for its mood and aesthetic more than its plot or romance. It has a lovely, dreamy quality and some strong imagery, but I wish it had gone deeper emotionally and followed through more on the ideas it introduced.
*I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
The atmosphere is easily the strongest part. It's very gothic, a little eerie, but also weirdly cozy at the same time. The constant rain, the isolated estate, the garden descriptions, it all feels immersive. I also really liked the symbolism around roses and thorns. There are some genuinely beautiful lines and ideas in here that stuck with me.
That said, the romance didn't quite work for me. It felt underdeveloped and a bit rushed, the connection wasn't fully built. I kept waiting for that emotional depth or a moment where it really clicked, but it never fully got there for me. Because of that, the relationship didn't feel as convincing or impactful as I wanted it to be.
I also felt like the story hinted at deeper layers, especially with the mystery and the themes, but didn't fully explore them. The ending, in particular, felt a bit too simple compared to the buildup. I was expecting something with more weight or complexity.
Overall, this is a book I enjoyed for its mood and aesthetic more than its plot or romance. It has a lovely, dreamy quality and some strong imagery, but I wish it had gone deeper emotionally and followed through more on the ideas it introduced.
*I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ethan versus a rose garden that needs to bloom. Ethan versus a strange man who gives Ethan little information and a whole lot of money to bloom said roses. Ethan versus a garden with a bit of a secret.
The prose for this novel is so nice. I think it has a good balance of introspective and description. This kind of prose tends to be my favourite. Ethan is also...ace? I think? maybe? idk. +1 for me if true.
The novel is rather short, which I think works against it. If it were longer, it would be able to expand more on things I think it is lacking: worldbuilding (why is there magic all of a sudden--why can't we get more information about this) and the relationship between Ethan and Louis. What I do understand is we have a bloodthirsty rose garden, but I don't understand how any of the magic in this world works, who inherits it, why it's being used even, or if it's really that relevant to the plot. And then, while I understand Ethan and Louis are end game, I think their relationship needs to be developed a lot more for me to believe it. There are so few scenes, and I think it's lowkey desperation.
Wine for Roses has the making of a solid novel. I just need more.
thank you to netgalley and shiraki press for the eARC!
The prose for this novel is so nice. I think it has a good balance of introspective and description. This kind of prose tends to be my favourite. Ethan is also...ace? I think? maybe? idk. +1 for me if true.
The novel is rather short, which I think works against it. If it were longer, it would be able to expand more on things I think it is lacking: worldbuilding (why is there magic all of a sudden--why can't we get more information about this) and the relationship between Ethan and Louis. What I do understand is we have a bloodthirsty rose garden, but I don't understand how any of the magic in this world works, who inherits it, why it's being used even, or if it's really that relevant to the plot. And then, while I understand Ethan and Louis are end game, I think their relationship needs to be developed a lot more for me to believe it. There are so few scenes, and I think it's lowkey desperation.
Wine for Roses has the making of a solid novel. I just need more.
thank you to netgalley and shiraki press for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5★
I really enjoyed this twist on a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Instead of the MC being a reader and interested in books, Ethan helps his hedge witch father in the rose-growing business. I learned so much about growing and maintaining flowers. For example, I’ve seen the Madame Alfred Carrière flower but never knew it was a type of rose or what its actual name was. I found myself searching up some things because it was a lot to process at times, and I was confused about the meaning. But the story overall was beautiful.
Ethan’s relationship with his father felt genuine and real. His father has some health problems that have made Ethan put his life on hold to take care of him and his business. His father appreciates it but wishes he lived for himself. I liked the way his relationship with the reclusive Louis was developed. Because it’s a short story, it didn’t have time to delve into more of Ethan’s and Louis’s relationship, which is a bummer because I enjoyed their time together and how much they helped each other emotionally.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and characters.
Thank you NetGalley and Shiraki Press for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this twist on a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Instead of the MC being a reader and interested in books, Ethan helps his hedge witch father in the rose-growing business. I learned so much about growing and maintaining flowers. For example, I’ve seen the Madame Alfred Carrière flower but never knew it was a type of rose or what its actual name was. I found myself searching up some things because it was a lot to process at times, and I was confused about the meaning. But the story overall was beautiful.
Ethan’s relationship with his father felt genuine and real. His father has some health problems that have made Ethan put his life on hold to take care of him and his business. His father appreciates it but wishes he lived for himself. I liked the way his relationship with the reclusive Louis was developed. Because it’s a short story, it didn’t have time to delve into more of Ethan’s and Louis’s relationship, which is a bummer because I enjoyed their time together and how much they helped each other emotionally.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and characters.
Thank you NetGalley and Shiraki Press for the ARC.
April 9, 2026
grateful to NetGalley, the Author and Publisher for granting me this e-ARC!
this was honestly an intriguing book but, unfortunately, it never went past that. it is drenched in gothic, fairytale atmosphere from the very first page. the writing is evocative and expressive, lingering on imagery in a way that feels intentional but for some reason, it doesn’t have a voice of its own and feels quite derivative.
also, while the mood is strong, the story itself felt oddly paced and a little disjointed. i personally needed more explanations and much smoother transitions from scene to scene as events often seemed to blur together without enough grounding.
the world-building also left me confused. it's set in a modern period, yet layered with fantastical, magical elements that aren't fully clarified, so the logic of the world never quite made sense to me. it probably could have been a bit longer too.
in the end, it felt more atmospheric and listless than purposeful. i appreciated the craft and the aesthetic vision, but i finished it feeling slightly detached and unsure of what it was all building toward.
this was honestly an intriguing book but, unfortunately, it never went past that. it is drenched in gothic, fairytale atmosphere from the very first page. the writing is evocative and expressive, lingering on imagery in a way that feels intentional but for some reason, it doesn’t have a voice of its own and feels quite derivative.
also, while the mood is strong, the story itself felt oddly paced and a little disjointed. i personally needed more explanations and much smoother transitions from scene to scene as events often seemed to blur together without enough grounding.
the world-building also left me confused. it's set in a modern period, yet layered with fantastical, magical elements that aren't fully clarified, so the logic of the world never quite made sense to me. it probably could have been a bit longer too.
in the end, it felt more atmospheric and listless than purposeful. i appreciated the craft and the aesthetic vision, but i finished it feeling slightly detached and unsure of what it was all building toward.
May 31, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Emily O'Malley Liu and Shiraki Press for this eArc.
I really enjoyed reading this book and give it a strong 3.5!
The descriptions of the manor, gardens and field beyond had me feeling like I was walking amongst the roses, from brambly hedges to bushes in full bloom. Also, who wouldn't want to live in a sentient manor that prepped meals for you every day!
I also liked Ethan as a character - he was both likeable and relatable, and as I kept reading I felt like I learnt new things along the way. Louis was a character I got to know through the eyes and ears of Ethan, and his impression of Louis went from disgusted, to charmed and smitten, to love. I would have liked to maybe have had a chapter or two from Louis's pov, just to get more insight in his character. Reading along it felt a bit onesided - probably on purpose - and I wished I could have learnt a bit more about him and his motivations. At the end I was left with a feeling of still not fully understanding the curse and its' relation to Louis, and vice versa.
All in all this was a delightful read, and one I would recommend.
I really enjoyed reading this book and give it a strong 3.5!
The descriptions of the manor, gardens and field beyond had me feeling like I was walking amongst the roses, from brambly hedges to bushes in full bloom. Also, who wouldn't want to live in a sentient manor that prepped meals for you every day!
I also liked Ethan as a character - he was both likeable and relatable, and as I kept reading I felt like I learnt new things along the way. Louis was a character I got to know through the eyes and ears of Ethan, and his impression of Louis went from disgusted, to charmed and smitten, to love. I would have liked to maybe have had a chapter or two from Louis's pov, just to get more insight in his character. Reading along it felt a bit onesided - probably on purpose - and I wished I could have learnt a bit more about him and his motivations. At the end I was left with a feeling of still not fully understanding the curse and its' relation to Louis, and vice versa.
All in all this was a delightful read, and one I would recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a breath of fresh air this is! A gay midwestern Beauty and the Beast retelling that actually lives up to all you would hope it to be. It manages to be cozy without being cloying, and our protagonist's insecurities manage to avoid veering headlong into god-help-us whinging and instead make him sympathetic and loveable - and I'm happy to admit that he has one of my favorite personalities in any book I've read over the last year. Subtle, yet profound in his loneliness and kindness. Humble and grounded in a way that is extremely endearing. He's just my type of sad boy for real 🩷🩷🩷
I've always been a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, but they so rarely hit the mark for me. Wine for Roses was a straight bullseye. I would recommend this for anyone who, like me, feels burned by a lot of "cozy fantasy" for being mind-numbingly boring conflict-free on-page cotton candy, but yearns for a genuinely cozy gay fiction experience. I only wish there were more of it to read!
What a breath of fresh air this is! A gay midwestern Beauty and the Beast retelling that actually lives up to all you would hope it to be. It manages to be cozy without being cloying, and our protagonist's insecurities manage to avoid veering headlong into god-help-us whinging and instead make him sympathetic and loveable - and I'm happy to admit that he has one of my favorite personalities in any book I've read over the last year. Subtle, yet profound in his loneliness and kindness. Humble and grounded in a way that is extremely endearing. He's just my type of sad boy for real 🩷🩷🩷
I've always been a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, but they so rarely hit the mark for me. Wine for Roses was a straight bullseye. I would recommend this for anyone who, like me, feels burned by a lot of "cozy fantasy" for being mind-numbingly boring conflict-free on-page cotton candy, but yearns for a genuinely cozy gay fiction experience. I only wish there were more of it to read!
March 7, 2026
Thank you Shiraki Press and Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
This was a really beautiful cosy fantasy with big fairytale vibes. I really love plant magic and this has that in abundance.
Ethan is such a soft, sweet, kind character. He just wants to help in any way he can. He second guesses himself a lot and he’s dealing with an awful lot but he’s stronger than he thinks. I loved his quiet calm, the kindness he extended to the house and his employer who didn’t even want him there, the way he worked the magic he doesn’t believe he has. I loved that his magic was never truly defined, too.
Louis was so mysterious and brooding, a proper gothic hero trapped in a curse he can’t undo. I loved that Ethan gave him life and vitality just as he did the garden, and I loved watching Louis soften towards Ethan. Their love was sweet and slow and tender.
I would have loved to have spent more time with the two of them and their blossoming relationship as this is a very short book, but overall it was a really lovely story.
This was a really beautiful cosy fantasy with big fairytale vibes. I really love plant magic and this has that in abundance.
Ethan is such a soft, sweet, kind character. He just wants to help in any way he can. He second guesses himself a lot and he’s dealing with an awful lot but he’s stronger than he thinks. I loved his quiet calm, the kindness he extended to the house and his employer who didn’t even want him there, the way he worked the magic he doesn’t believe he has. I loved that his magic was never truly defined, too.
Louis was so mysterious and brooding, a proper gothic hero trapped in a curse he can’t undo. I loved that Ethan gave him life and vitality just as he did the garden, and I loved watching Louis soften towards Ethan. Their love was sweet and slow and tender.
I would have loved to have spent more time with the two of them and their blossoming relationship as this is a very short book, but overall it was a really lovely story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sweet Beauty & the Beast reworking, with so much love for roses!
Although this uses a fairytale theme, it does become a creation of its own, well-grounded in the magical gardens and mysterious house. Main character Ethan is a nice guy to read about, tackling what comes his way with pragmatism and positivity, without being twee or naive. Louis was rather harder to get to know, since this is a single POV story, but I did have a good sense of him by the end.
What I would have loved, though, is a little more about the world, since it does differ from ours only because there are various levels of magical ability. And quite a bit more about their relationship as it develops -- both Ethan and Louis come into the story with baggage for different reasons, and I'd very much like to have seen it explored on page further.
Shoutout to Lisa Marie Pompilio for the gorgeous cover.
Rating: 14/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
Although this uses a fairytale theme, it does become a creation of its own, well-grounded in the magical gardens and mysterious house. Main character Ethan is a nice guy to read about, tackling what comes his way with pragmatism and positivity, without being twee or naive. Louis was rather harder to get to know, since this is a single POV story, but I did have a good sense of him by the end.
What I would have loved, though, is a little more about the world, since it does differ from ours only because there are various levels of magical ability. And quite a bit more about their relationship as it develops -- both Ethan and Louis come into the story with baggage for different reasons, and I'd very much like to have seen it explored on page further.
Shoutout to Lisa Marie Pompilio for the gorgeous cover.
Rating: 14/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
May 31, 2026
Thank you to Shiraki Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of Wine for Roses.
This little novella was a delightful reimagining of a classic story. I loved the magic system in this story and the imagery was absolutely stunning. The characters were complex but lovable, and I found myself wishing for a longer story about them!
My only wish about this book was that the romance was further developed, as I felt they fell in love rather quickly. I wanted more tension and pining. I also found myself wishing that this were a full-length novel. I think this would have allowed for more character development and a better exploration of their world and relationship with each other.
Overall, I loved the garden setting and the plant magic. I think this story was very unique and the writing was very engaging and evocative. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author and this publisher!
This little novella was a delightful reimagining of a classic story. I loved the magic system in this story and the imagery was absolutely stunning. The characters were complex but lovable, and I found myself wishing for a longer story about them!
My only wish about this book was that the romance was further developed, as I felt they fell in love rather quickly. I wanted more tension and pining. I also found myself wishing that this were a full-length novel. I think this would have allowed for more character development and a better exploration of their world and relationship with each other.
Overall, I loved the garden setting and the plant magic. I think this story was very unique and the writing was very engaging and evocative. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author and this publisher!
June 3, 2026
First things first, credit where it's due: I could read this through NetGalley with the approval of Shiraki Press. I think I have to review it but I always review what I read so it doesn’t change much.
So the review. This was a gentle experience.
Ethan’s POV is filled with just the right details to convey where he stands. Emotionally, socially. It’s also filled with love for his work, gardening. Every action feels like it’s done by an expert full of confidence in what he thinks is best, without ever being overbearing.
He listens to others, even when they don’t speak with words.
I love those moments where emotion floats around. Almost as if it would shatter, if the rhythm of the bodies or of the words uttered were slightly faster.
It’s quite short and very straightforward though.
To me it was the perfect length.
A fable, with just the good amount of magic.
So the review. This was a gentle experience.
Ethan’s POV is filled with just the right details to convey where he stands. Emotionally, socially. It’s also filled with love for his work, gardening. Every action feels like it’s done by an expert full of confidence in what he thinks is best, without ever being overbearing.
He listens to others, even when they don’t speak with words.
I love those moments where emotion floats around. Almost as if it would shatter, if the rhythm of the bodies or of the words uttered were slightly faster.
It’s quite short and very straightforward though.
To me it was the perfect length.
A fable, with just the good amount of magic.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Gorgeous, short, and really hopeful botanical fantasy gay romance! Ethan is hired to become a gardener at a Victorian residence in Indiana. His dad is a hedge witch and his family business is in roses, so when he's told his only task is making the roses bloom, he expects it to be not bad. But when he faces the actual estate, wild, overgrown, without having bloomed for years, he's concerned. Then there's the trustee, Lewis.
The romance is impeccable, and this was sorta light compared to a typical botanimance, really a fantasymance with some darker elements, which I think worked really well in this story. I'm looking forward to reading more by Liu. Thanks to Shiraki Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
The romance is impeccable, and this was sorta light compared to a typical botanimance, really a fantasymance with some darker elements, which I think worked really well in this story. I'm looking forward to reading more by Liu. Thanks to Shiraki Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
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