My Unfamiliar

by Mara Rutherford

Perfect for fans of Allison Saft and Catherine Bakewell, a grumpy mage and a familiar matchmaker navigate their surprising connection in Mara Rutherford's newest cozy fantasy novel.

Winslow Green is known far and wide for her ability to match mages with the perfect animal familiar. Though she doesn't possess any magic, she has a knack for knowing what her customers need, even if they can't see if themselves.

Still grieving the tragic death of his last familiar, Bastian Triplehorn reluctantly seeks Winnie's aid in finding a new partner. She's determined to live up to her reputation, despite Bastian's excessive grumpiness.
Until the inexplicable happens: Bastian sparks a familiar bond with Winnie instead.

Impossible to deny, the two agree to help each other until they can solve the mystery of their connection. As Bastian and Winnie train for a royal mage competition that could solve all their problems-or ruin their lives forever-Winnie gets a taste of what it's like to have magic herself. And Bastian discovers that all of these unfamiliar feelings are a little like magic, too.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Cozy, Fantasy Romance, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication December 1, 2026

About the author

Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara has lived all over the world with her diplomat husband and two sons. She is the author of YA books including Crown of Coral and Pearl, The Poison Season, A Multitude of Dreams, and A Curious Kind of Magic.

Reviews

[Ricarda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm devasted that this isn't my new favorite book ever. I had the highest expectations and wanted this to be my new obsession. Mainly because this is the top cover of the year for me, suggesting immaculate cozy magical creature vibes, but also because I had a really good time with a previous book by Mara Rutherford. But in the end this read like a generic YA fantasy romance for me. At first I was still very excited. We meet Winslow Green who helps matching mages with their animal companions, their familiars. She is cottagecore incarnate and lives in a little pink house full of magical creatures and flowers and magical creatures named after flowers. The exact vibes I wanted from this book. Unfortunately, the story moves in a different direction. Winnie meets Bastian Triplehorn, a mage who recently lost his beloved familiar and is now looking for a new one. There's a strong bond between mage and familiar which helps to amplify their magic altogether, so Bastian can't do without a new companion, especially since the royal mage competition is coming up. But instead of bonding with a different owl or a mini unicorn or a bumblebird, he bonds with Winnie. A human familiar is basically unheard of and it's causing quite the trouble for the two of them. Now they leave the cozy cottage and start looking for solutions and a way for Bastian to still enter the competition. Once they were bonded it started going downhill for me, if I'm honest. I didn't like this dynamic at all. The (mating)bond trope is awful enough on its own, but it's even worse when the characters basically don't know each other. They have met a day ago and now they completely depend on each other, probably for the rest of their lives? Just no. The mage-familiar bond of course doesn't aim at romantic love, but you can imagine where that relationship leads to. And don't get me started on the implications that Winnie takes the spot that would usually belong to an animal. That felt so wrong for me from the beginning and it was just never properly addressed. It also comes with the drawback that Bastian's matchmaking process ends up being painfully short. I wanted to meet different creatures and them really taking the spotlight of this book. Winnie does care so much about her work as a matchmaker and it was pretty interesting how she built a reputation for being the best in the business while she was also constantly having trouble with paying the rent and not being taken seriously. Why wasn't there more of that? Instead there's the half-baked mage competition starting halfway through the book. I wasn't thrilled about any of that either, because the different challenges were over in the blink of an eye and also very predictable. I also just never felt strongly for Winnie or Bastian. I guess they were perfectly fine as main characters, but maybe I'm just feeling that way because literally every other character was straight up awful with no complexity to their characters. Winnie's father, her kinda fiancée, Bastian's rival, the prince, the other competitors – all of them written to be awful and nothing more. As I said, I'm really bummed out about not loving this book, but as I write this review, I recognize that this story truly had many flaws. For me, at least.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.


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Pre-read: The story sounds like something I would swoon over and the cover looks like something I would hang on my walls. Will read, no questions asked.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out well enough, but the more I read, the more I lost interest.

The characters felt superficial, the dialogue was missing life, and there was way too much telling. Even the romance was done poorly. They barely know each other and yet it doesn’t take long for Winnie to start pining over Bastian and imagining being married to him. I think the animals had more personality than any of the characters.

But my main issue was the unbalanced power dynamic.

Can you imagine bonding with someone you BARELY KNOW to help them enhance their magic, and willingly letting them turn you into an animal? Why would you give someone so much power over you? And what’s to say they wouldn’t keep you as an animal forever? If you think about it, this had a lot of potential to become a villain awakening story.

Anyway, I got the biggest ick when Bastian turned Winnie into a squirrel for the sake of winning a competition. And it got even worse when she turned back into a girl... naked… in front of him and another man she barely knew. I can’t even begin to express how much that scene ruined the book for me. And then it sadly became a central part of the plot.

I just didn’t see enough trust developing between them to make this situation even remotely okay.

The familiar bond between two humans sounded fun on paper, but the execution fell short because all of these issues were glossed over.

─ ✦ ────

✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: i may have picked this up solely for the cover. but can you blame me

⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the loveliest books I’ve ever read. It’s also so entertaining and compelling. I loved it! Mara knows how to write the perfect cozy fantasy book.

I would recommend it for all those who like animals, magic, love in many forms; and for all the fierce women out there who fend for themselves! This book reminds you to never forget about yourself.

Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC of My Unfamiliar by Mara Rutherford, to be published on December 1st, 2026.

[Maeghan 🦋 semi-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cover has got to be one of the prettiest things I’ve laid eyes on. HUGE thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc 🥹💗

My unfamiliar delivers on the whimsical & magical vibes. It was a cute story with a good prose.
I just really struggled with the power dynamics in this story. Bastian lost his familiar and needs another one for the royal mage competition. He goes to Winnie, who’s known as the best familiar match maker.

Little do they know, Winnie ends up being Bastian’s familiar. I just really really did not like this dynamic and the implications. And that goes for how animals were treated too. I don’t believe Winnie was getting anything out of this and it made me uncomfortable.
I liked the beginning well enough, but I wish we would’ve seen Winnie doing more of her match making. I did wonder why she was struggling to get by when she was known to be the best. And that brings me to my other issue… I’ve lived in extreme poverty from ages 0-18, so when you tell me you can’t make rent and then once you get money ; you spend it on a carriage… I was just sitting there like? Is this a joke. I know some people do stupid things with their money but that’s all they seemed to be doing. I just couldn’t take the money problems seriously because of all of this.

The decisions the fmc was taking were so impulsive and random. I genuinely had whiplash a few times. The secondary characters (the fiancé, the Prince & the rival) were so evil for the sake of being evil that they felt like a caricature.
I liked how attune to feelings the fmc was though, but I did feel that this was brushed off and never really brought up again.

Overall, I think this story had a lot of potential but ended up just going in too many directions. Helping the Prince, going to her parent’s house, then the competition starting around 50% and the whole assassination plot were maybe too much for this book. I wish more time would’ve been spent in her match making business.

[Sarah]

The cover...is simply ✨gorgeous✨ 😍🥹🫶🏼 I can't wait to read it! 🤭

[bookendipity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This book was fluffy pink bows, porcelain teapots, pinches of sparkly magic, and dainty smiles.🩷🌷🍓


And also...the BEST cozy fantasy I've ever read! 🧸☕🦉


What I adored:
The setting was absolutely spectacular. The whimsy and coziness is unmatched. It was atmospheric and impossibly cute.

The characters made my heart MELT. 🤧💗

I'm not always the biggest fan of cozy fantasies— because a lot of them just don't hit the right marks for me—but this one ABSOLUTELY did. It was adorable in all the right ways and solid in its cozy fantasy base while not being uninteresting or slow!


Let's dive deeper:

-Plot-
I was incredibly shocked to find myself invested by page one (that never happens 😭) especially in a book like this where the stakes aren't high.

I adored the overall plot direction and pacing. The end was a little tough to read—only because it was suspenseful and I wanted everything to work out for Winnie and Bastian—but ofc everything ends up fine, so I really have no complaints. 🙂‍↕️💗


-Writing-
This book was incredibly well-written!! I enjoyed the descriptions and the dreamlike quality this book possesses. Both characters had distinct character voices and nicely done povs.

I also thought the world itself was nicely built. It felt cozy, lived-in, and enchanting. 🙂‍↕️

I definitely will read more from this author! Her writing was incredibly pleasant to read.


-Characters-

Winnie
I love Winnie as a mc. 🩷 She is so sweet and soft-hearted and has an extremely caring soul. Her journey was really sweet and I loved seeing her grow. I also loved that she wasn't just a frilly, pink-loving wallflower of a girl—she had personality and well-defined characteristics! She reminded me of Evangeline from OUABH, not only because of her hair, but also because she was hopeful and determined, just like Evangeline.


Bastian
Bastian was a joy to follow. He starts our as a grumpy, touch-avoiding, slightly brooding man. You get to experience his softening process and how he falls in love with Winnie. He was delightful, respectful, funny, and caring. 🫶 I am a huge Bastian fan. 💕


OTHER:
This book made me GIGGLE sometimes. It was so funny and cuteeeee 🥹 There's a part where Winnie randomly uses a fluffy white bunny to wipe her tears and that definitely got to me 😂

I think my two favorite things about this book were:

1. The cozy atmosphere and cute details. If you love animals, pink, delicious treats, and soft fantasy vibes, this is definitely for you!!

2. The relationship and main focus on Winnie and Bastian. It's almost hard to explain but just reading about them was so entertaining and I was incredibly invested in them. Their thoughts toward each other were absolutely ADORABLE and I can't even explain how warm and fuzzy this book made me feel!

The aesthetic of this book is giving cozy idyllic cottage and I was soooo here for it. I've been looking like a book like this for forever!

Language: none! It replaces them with words like "fiddlesticks" 😂🫶

Spice: none! Totally respectful kissing and touching. 🙂‍↕️


⭐ 5 stars
Would 110% recommend!
(Make sure to check out my aesthetic video on YouTube for this book! https://youtube.com/shorts/FDk9HQru07...)

[Linn]

THE COVER OMG!!!

[Jena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year, I read an advanced copy of A Curious Kind of Magic. It was the first book of Mara Rutherford's I had ever read, and I became immediately besotted with her writing style. Every character felt fully realized, and the plot was whimsical and charming.

When I heard the premise for My Unfamiliar, I immediately added it to my list of high priority reads for 2026. But sadly, this story just didn't live up to what I thought it would be.

I'll get the obvious out of the way by saying that yes, this book is incredibly whimsical. You can tell a real effort was made to evoke playfulness and charm. The problem I kept running into while reading, however, is that this effort felt somewhat performative. The whimsical nature of the plot and characters felt very heavy handed, and as a result I never found myself overly invested in the depth of the characters or the world.

I've found myself in a bit of a monkey's paw situation. I went into this book wishing for whimsy and lightheartedness, like I had found in A Curious Kind of Magic. And while this book did deliver ten fold on the whimsy, everything else felt a little lacking. I must have forgotten to mention in my wish that I still wanted grounded, believable characters and a plot paced well enough I didn't want to put the book down.

Still, despite my complaints, I did have fun with this story. I particularly enjoyed the last 1/3rd or so of the book, when the focus pivoted away from the romance and towards the fantasy. So if you're looking for some lighthearted fun, I would recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher and MacMillan Audio for the digital ARCs in exchange for an honest review!

[lost in epilogue | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

She’d been a fool, she realized, to think there was no such thing as destiny. Of course there was. She just hadn’t been expecting it to wear glasses.

this was adorably cozy, silly, and comforting! after mysteriously making a familiar bond to another human (v taboo), mage bastian and familiar matchmaker winnie must find a way for bastian to still manage to partake in a competition to become a royal mage.

i had such a fun time reading this. perfect for fans of india holton, it has the propriety of classic regency with a more medieval fantasy setting and plenty of quirky humor throughout. bastian's loss of his previous familiar and winnie's struggle with her controlling father brought in more emotional depth and some teary eyed moments.

the plot itself was v entertaining as well. i personally love plots/themes around magical animals and animal welfare, so the familiar matchmaking and competition aspect definitely had my attention. i feel like rutherford went some interesting directions and while you could guess a few things, this was not a predictable copy/paste romantasy.

i think my one small critique was winnie acknowledging being in love w bastian around 60% which felt a bit too early still for me, at least to be put in explicit terms. beyond that, nothing really bothered me.

such a sweet and (mostly) light read, i def recommend giving it a go!

an honest arc review <3

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute!
Winslow helps mages find their perfect familiars and after having lost his, Bastian enters her shop and ends up making a bond with her.
This reminds me of the fairy tale feel of once upon a broken heart, but with a completely different story. The stakes are very low, so we could really focus on the animals and the characters.
It was a fast read, the writing is fluid and from the very start I was sucked in.
And the cover perfectly encapsulates the story, I love it.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

[strawberrymatchaprincess (s.ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚♡
“𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙄𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙.”
𝕄𝕪 𝕌𝕟𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕣 (Spoiler free review!)
⇢ ˗ˏˋ 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐃𝐞𝐜 𝟏 ࿐. ྂ

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴:
𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 - 𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵
0:09 ━●────────── 2:47
ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ
-------˖⁺. ༶ ❤︎ ⋆˙⊹ 𐦍 ˖⁺. ༶ ❤︎ ⋆˙⊹-------

₊˚⊹♡ ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
🧺Magic
🪷Dual Pov
🎀World Building
🩰Romance
💗Found Family
🌷Mystery sub plot
🌸Trials
🦄 Familiars

💌𝒫𝓁𝑜𝓉: a grumpy mage and a familiar matchmaker navigate their surprising connection and are forced to work together in this cozy fantasy 🌸✨

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈

🐦‍⬛𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧: He is still grieving the tragic loss of his last familiar and so he goes to Winnie, the matchmaker who helps mages find their fated familiars.

🎀𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰: ANOTHER PINK HAIR SOFT FMC? 🥹 my shayla she is so sweet glittery pink FLUTTERSHY coded and I love the grumpy x sunshine bond and banter that winnie and Bastian have because they are forced to work together and then suddenly they cannot afford to stay away from each other without THEIR HEARTS LITERALLY UTTERLY physically hurting.

And the familiars i loved them all especially Poppy the unicorn, although they do not speak but they prove that love is proven through actions, not words to their mages. 🦄✨💘

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

𝐹𝒶𝓋 𝒬𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈:
“𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘣𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥.”

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦.”

"𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘔𝘳.
𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯?”

“𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦."

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

🤍🎀🧸🌷🍭𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: This is so beautifully written, I admit i was not expecting to enjoy a cozy fantasy book this much and it captivated me so much by the gorgeous pink whimsical cover and the plot was so entertaining!! AND THE YEARNING & SACRIFICES?!! And there was so much love languages shown This gave me the therapy i needed from reading dark fantasies 😩. I was so in love with the setting and concept of this book too because my favourite colour is pink and i would die to live in Winnie’s pink fairy coded cottage and i can relate to Winnie because she tried so hard to be daughter her parents wished they had.
I recommend this for those who seek a story that caresses your soul with the tenderness of a petal, animal lovers, those who find beauty and love in everything, and magic and for all the independent women with ambition because you should never give up on your dreams and always put yourself first! ✨🌸💘
Love, Avrielle 💌
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣’𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙘 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!







⋆⭒˚.⋆🌷🎀 𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: should i be reading 1-2 week before finals? Probably not but I saw that CUTE COVER, on read now and i need a fresh reset from dark fantasy books!! ☺️😛💐

[daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the cover of this one, I knew it would be right up my alley. My Unfamiliar was such a cozy read - it honestly felt like a warm hug. I was completely besotted with Winnie and Bastian’s dynamic and the whole familiar aspect was so much fun to read. I too, would love to own a pink cottage filled with animals, thank you very much.

Mara’s writing was absolutely stunning as well (consider me a fan!). I honestly can’t recommend this one enough, especially if you’re a fan of Heather Fawcett’s work.

the vibes ™:
- 2 idiots fall in love with each other whilst trying to win a contest together
- whimsy
- yearning
- most highlightable quotes
- animals/familiars <33

🦄🩷✨

[Aamna Qureshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS SOOOO MUCH!!! this was soooooo good, one of my top reads of the year, literally obsessed!! tension had me screaming, buzzy as hell!!!

official blurb:

"Utterly enchanting, Rutherford's cozy fantasy easily hits every note, from the whimsical world to the swoon-worthy romance. I adored Winnie and Bastian as individuals and loved seeing their connection grow. Absolutely delightful!"

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆ 4 stars

My Unfamiliar by author Mara Rutherford is cosy YA Fantasy filled with endless magic and whimsy as it transports its reader into an unputdownable experience. I immediately fell in-love with the unique premise paired with an enchanting illustrative cover that immediately captured my attention at a side glance. The many magical creatures introduced were quick to win me over as their own distinctive personalities added endearing quirks and liveliness to the events that were occurring on-page. The plot itself a bit on the slower side to build-upon but I personally really enjoyed the dedicated time to delve into the intricacies of our two main characters to better understand their motivations and the believability of their new partnership. I saw a fellow reviewer regard this story as being ‘aggressively adorable’ and I couldn’t agree more with its cosy vibes paired with a gruelling adventure throughout the second-half that shows both characters enduring more hardship than they could’ve ever anticipated from their very first meeting. I had the best time with this story with it being my first experience with Rutherford’s work… and it most definitely won’t be my last.

I absolutely adore Winslow ‘Winnie’ Green in the way that her earnest authenticity shines through the pages with her bright demeanour and genuine love for animals. I sympathised with her struggles as a young woman yearning for the independence to chase after her dreams outside of societal pressure and the expectations from her difficult father. Her complicated feelings regarding her relationship with her parents felt like an honest and realistic reflection of an only daughter who simply yearns to be loved and respected in the way she would already be had she been born as a son. I loved getting to witness Winnie recognise her own value in her willingness to accept the potential hardship that comes with choosing her own life instead of falling into the comforts that can be found with conforming to her father’s will. Her entire existence is a soft rebellion fighting against the narrative that her only value is the role she is supposed to play as an obedient wife, homemaker and a mother. Winnie is a wonderfully bright young woman that exudes nothing but warmth and vibrancy to the people (and creatures) around her. Her innate kindness and determination to be a helping hand to everybody that lands on her doorstep makes her instantly likeable. She’s confident and assured within her femininity despite years of belittlement from the people that are supposed to love her the most without conditions. I had the best time getting to follow Winnie on her journey towards true happiness as she learns how to push herself further out of her own comfort zone and speak up in defence of her own wants and needs, alongside learning how to trust in others and the magic around her. It was beautiful to witness the beautiful family that she manages to attain by the end of her story and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of her story.

Bastian Triplehorn is equally a delight to get to know with his grumpy deposition and inner softness that is shown to be struggling in the throes of grief after the sudden loss of his familiar. I truly sympathised with Bastian’s loss of Oberon as it quickly becomes clear that the owl was not just a familiar to be used to bolster his magical potential, but also the dearest friend to a young mage that struggles with human connection. I personally found his grumpiness to make him all the more endearing, especially with his clear bafflement and uncertainty when it comes to interacting with the sunshine-personified familiar matchmaker. Bastian is not the kind of man who shoves his thoughtfulness in the face of others with loud declarations and bold actions. His approach is quieter and filled with authentic intent. With the hesitation of somebody that has faced unwarranted derision and unkindness purely because of his lack of title or family influence. I adored Bastian simply because every decision he makes is made for the betterment of not only himself, but also for the parents that arguably might not be as deserving of him as they believe. His passion for magic and knowledge was charming to experience, as was his growing care for a young woman that he accepted might never be his and his determination to protect her anyway. Bastian is yet another top-tier yearner that left me consistently smiling in my giddiness in hope that everything would work out on his behalf. It broke my heart to continually see how little value he regards within his own self-worth, and it was wonderful to witness him slowly learn how to unpack all of the old hurts that left him feeling this way. Bastian undergoes an immense journey from beginning to end, and I had the best time getting to see his growth as he recognises what’s truly important as he fights for the life he yearns to attain.

Winnie and Bastian’s interactions are definitely one of the biggest highlights of the story for me as the journey they find themselves embarking upon helps to bring them closer than ever. I think my favourite aspect is the fact that they remain consistent through to the end even as their feelings continue to evolve. Bastian is determined to remain grumpy and aloof whilst Winnie makes it her own personal responsibility to reach the end of their partnership with his happiness secured. They were as adorable as they were (sometimes) frustrating in the way that their romantic feelings were glaringly mutual… with neither character being able to recognise how the other feels. I adored how deeply they become entwined and attuned within one another without truly realising. The trust that is forged through patience and security was beautiful to recognise between two lonely souls that yearned to be loved for who they are, not what society demanded of them. Their love being connected to the magic that surrounds them made me feel all warm and gooey inside, and there’s no denying that this gentle-hearted pair were destined to be from their very first interaction.

My Unfamiliar is a beautifully heartwarming tale surrounding a lonely young mage and the sunshine human woman that captures his heart during the most unexpected moments. This is a story about love, sacrifice and trusting in yourself to make your own way in a world that demands you do something different. The animal familiars added so much personality to the page alongside the many magical moments that will leave you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what comes next. The warm and cosy vibes are bound to leave you yearning for the comfort to be found in the upcoming colder months under your favourite blanket. If you’re looking for an enchanting standalone to lose yourself into filled with magic, self-discovery and a slow-burn romance that will leave you feeling giddy… then look no further.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.

[tai ⋆☀︎. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Unfamiliar is probably the pinkest book I've read in a while — and I absolutely loved it! It’s filled with adorable animal familiars, magic, and all the cosy vibes I could ask for. The characters are so lovable, and Bastian’s grumpiness never felt too much. Watching both main characters grow and change throughout the story brought me so much joy.

My Unfamiliar was my first book by Mara Rutherford, but it definitely won’t be my last. So many of my bookish friends keep recommending her other titles, and I’m excited to check them out too — once my TBR pile gets a little smaller!

If I had to describe Winnie and Bastian’s relationship with a sticker, it would definitely say “grumpy × sunshine.” Even though Winnie has her own struggles, she remains a small ray of sunshine in Bastian’s life. I loved seeing them slowly warm up to each other in such a natural way. Their interactions never felt forced, which made their connection all the more enjoyable to read.

If you are looking for cosy book and good time in magical world with sweet animal companions, then My Unfamiliar is definitely for you!

Thank you Mara Rutherford, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and Netgalley for opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for honest review!

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Unfamiliar is about Bastian, who ends up matching with Winnie instead, the matchmaker who was supposed to find him a new familiar! Such an interesting premise, plus, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and really eye-catching.

Winnie is a character I immediately liked when they first met. She loves pink so much, everything is pink, she wears clothes with cute frills and lace, and she really loves her animals. She even named them after flowers. Then there's Bastian, who just lost his owl familiar, and whose only goal is to participate in and pass the Royal Mage competition. Up until the first few chapters, I was really interested and even planned to give this book 5 stars. But unfortunately ....

I think this story started going downhill when the side characters came in and created conflicts that I didn't really like: Winnie's father and Nathaniel. I didn't like the whole issue of Winnie having to marry and get engaged to Nathaniel. Especially when the three of them traveled out of town together. At this point, it almost felt like a love triangle, which made me lose the excitement I had at the beginning of the book. It just made me feel less motivated to keep reading, and it felt like it took away 1 star.

Then, the closer it got to the Royal Mage competition, the more things started to feel off. For example, there's Clough, Bastian's rival, and Prince Pendragon. What bothered me was that all the male characters who appeared somehow suddenly became interested in Winnie. It just didn't make any sense to me that everyone immediately liked her and started acting like creepy freaks. And let's not forget the Royal Mage competition, which felt half-baked and honestly not that interesting either.

Sadly, I could only give this book 3 stars in the end. It really was very cute and promising at the beginning. But reading this book felt like chewing gum. It was sweet at first, but started becoming bland around the middle and stayed that way until the end.

[Nikola · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

I love Winnie and I love her job as a matchmaker to find your familiar. It was just so adorable and I wish we got just a hint more of her work. The magical creatures were definitely so much fun especially since each one was unique in their own way. Bastian is a grumpy man but honestly I fell in love with him also. I also felt for him when he said that he lost his familiar owl, Oberon. I liked how Winnie was immediately distraught to learn that Bastian lost his familiar and how empathetic she was towards him. Besides this, the plot was very interesting and I liked the trials aspect of the story. I wished we got a bit more of the conflict and issues explained at the end but overall this was a nice cozy read.

I also listened to the audiobook version and I liked all the narrators and how they kept me in the story. Each narrator fit each character well and it was easy to follow along.

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very lucky to receive an e-ARC of this title releasing in Dec 2026.

4.5/5⭐️

This is a cozy romantasy story - opposites attract, grumpy-sunshine and throw in the ease of a Sarah Beth Durst book. This is magic, familiars (animal companions to mages), pink cottages and magic competitions. It’s not all flash and action, but the chemistry and connection keeps you hooked. And it almost has like a Victorian era fantasy feel, which I really liked. It’s definitely a slow burn, with some miscommunication trope - the only thing that i wanted more of, was the HEA (After all that waiting).

Winslow (Winnie) is a familiar matchmaker - meaning she matches mages up to animal companions that help bolster their magic and skills. Living a life her family doesn’t approve of, she’s struck out on her own (think Victorian era - women are only good for marriage vibes). Her newest client is Bastian. A mage who just lost his familiar in a horrible accident and who now needs to create a new bond so that he can train for a royal mage competition and set himself up for life and supporting his parents. However, during their appointment something odd happens when Winnie and Bastian touch - this sparks a magical bond between them.

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover is so pretty that i had to read it. But this was such a let down. The romance was flat to me I tried but this was I guess for me.

[bailey elizabeth smith · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

"Magic hadn't made them fall in love with each other. It had simply recognized that they would."

...

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for both an ALC and an ARC of My Unfamiliar by Mara Rutherford.

I, like I imagine many others, was immediately drawn in by this book's gorgeous cover. I cannot deny that a beautiful cover influences my decisions in picking up a book. However, it is always a delight when you also enjoy the contents within,

My Unfamiliar was just about everything I was hoping it would be. It was cozy, whimsical, romantic, and left the reader with warm and fuzzy feelings. While I may not have thought the pacing was always perfect, I greatly enjoyed the dynamic between Bastian and Winnie. While they were clearly meant to be inevitable, they had lovely chemistry and charm in the lead-up.

As I read in two formats, I must also mention that both Abbie Andrews and Louis Hill did a fantastic job bringing depth to this dual pov narrated story, making it a great pick for audiobook if you choose to go that route.

This book had an interesting mystery that pulled you along, and what I thought was a satisfying conclusion with its epilogue. All in all, it was a delightful read that I would recommend to cozy fantasy romance readers to enjoy!

[louise ʚଓ · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This is like if Ella Enchanted and Heartless Hunter had a baby.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the e-ARC!

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Unfamiliar is a wonderfully cozy read, perfect for fans of Once Upon a Broken Heart, or The Tales of Arcana Fortune.

Rutherford captured a delightfully sweet tale without being overly descriptive, yet it was detailed enough that I could picture the scenes perfectly. The banter between Winnie and Bastian was enjoyable to read and the yearning between the two of them was *chefs kiss*
A pink haired, sugary sweet FMC who loves animals, and a grumpy mage who needs her help finding a familiar? Sign me up.

This checked so many boxes for me, and up until the very end I would’ve absolutely considered this a 5 star read. But my sole reason for giving it a 4 is that I felt the ending wasn’t given enough attention. As I was nearing the end of the book, I kept noticing that there were several loose ends yet not many pages to tie them up. And although I appreciate that this has a happily ever after, it was a little underwhelming due to the fact that it felt rushed.

The plot wasn’t an overly in-depth, intricate thing- but it worked well for the coziness of the story, and I was perfectly content with how it was going. However, I wish it could’ve been a little more detailed or even just a little bit longer in the end. It felt like the author wanted to keep it at a certain page count and started wrapping things up even though she could’ve kept going; because in my opinion, this could’ve easily been a duology. I would have happily read a second book that followed these characters and their story, just to give them the ending they deserved.

I don’t say all of that to dog the book, I enjoyed it and I’ll be giving it a reread once I get the physical copy. It’s just one of those books that I wanted more from because the potential was right there, ya know?

Huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced digital copy.

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing me with advanced copies.

This was a nice book but not exactly what I expected. I really enjoyed A Curious Kind of Magic by the author but this didn't feel the same. It started out quite well with the cozy animal (familiar) shop and everything. But the whole bonding thing felt really off to me. I'm in general not a big fan of the whole mating, imprinting and all the other variations that exist in the typical romantasy books. This one felt worse because Winnie was taking the place of an animal, which is supposed to be a platonic bond between a human and his familiar. It was insta-love and insta-trust which makes it worse honestly. Don't let someone you've just met turn you into an animal and be bonded potentially for life 😭😭. The story itself was fine and the magical contest and all its drama was fast-paced but entertaining. The romance between Winnie and Bastian didn't really click for me. It would have been a lot better if they'd just ended up friends. There was a lot of forced proximity (sort of) also which I don't like as much. Overall, this was entertaining but felt more like a low-stakes romantasy than a general cozy fantasy. I know the general idea is expected to be similar but I don't like seeing some of those usual tropes here. I would recommend it to those who like cozy romantasy though.

The audiobook was great though. The narration kept me quite engaged with the story despite my issues with it. It definitely improved my reading experience. Would recommend!

[BookishKB]

💫✨ My Unfamiliar ✨💫

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

🧡What to Expect
• Cozy Fantasy
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Magical Bond
• Animal Familiars
• Royal Competition
• Found Family
_ _ __
📅 Pub Date: December 1, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Emily Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about as close to perfect as a book can be. It made me so happy and I was engrossed the whole time. Somehow it managed to end both in a surprising way and also exactly the way I wanted it to. The romance was slow and believable and not overly spicy. It was easy to relate to what the characters wanted. The animals were fun. The villains had moderate and believable motivations instead of being pure evil. There were dangerous but not stressful stakes. I am very interested in this author for the future.

I started this book in ebook form and switched to audiobook partway through. I thought the narration was good.

[Christiana Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m pretty sure my review is skewed by my not being the target audience for this title.

I love a cozy romance, but this was a bit too cozy for me. But it’s not because it wasn’t good! This was grade A YA cozy fantasy romance.

Don’t be put off because an old dragon wanted more violence, and gore. This is sweet, and engrossing.

[Aya ☕︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got the eARC AND the ALC 🥹 thank you so much Netgalley, ST. martin’s press, and Macmillan Audio 🩷🖤

[⟢₊ ᴀɴᴀ ₊⟢ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚢 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎.”

I requested this book because the cover is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen 🥹🩷 (I’m literally obsessed with it)

And I’m sooo glad to say the story did not let me down!! It was such a cute and cozy fantasy read. I loved Winslow the FMC, and all her animals!! I couldn’t stop rooting for her and Bastian, and the yearning was sooo good. The story was written so beautifully, and I enjoyed the plot!! It’s easy to get through and the ending was so sweet.

Read if you like/what to expect:
✨Cozy fantasy (with romance)
🦄 Dual pov
✨ Trials
🦄 Animal Familiars
✨ Magical bond
🦄 Found family

Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday books for the ARC!!

[Karolina Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might be the pinkest, fluffiest, most aggressively adorable book I’ve read in a while and honestly? I had a great time. This book is packed with magic, animal familiars, cozy vibes and enough cuteness to make me seriously consider whether I, too, need a magical animal companion.

Winnie was impossible not to love. She doesn’t have magic, but she somehow manages to be the most magical person in the room simply because she’s kind, determined and willing to help everyone around her. Then there’s Bastian Triplehorn, who arrives carrying grief, emotional baggage and the personality of a rain cloud. Thankfully, he’s the entertaining kind of grumpy and not the “I need to put this book down and go outside” kind.

The best part of the story was definitely watching Winnie and Bastian interact. Their grumpy sunshine dynamic was adorable from start to finish. Winnie is basically a walking ray of sunshine, while Bastian spends most of the book trying very hard to maintain his grumpy reputation. Spoiler: Winnie does not make that easy for him. Watching their relationship slowly develop had me smiling like an idiot more than once.

And can we talk about the familiars? Because every time one appeared, my brain immediately went, “I would die for this creature.” The magical world felt warm, whimsical and comforting, like stepping into a fairy tale designed specifically to cure a bad mood.

My only small complaint is that some parts of the plot felt a little predictable, and I would have loved to spend even more time exploring the magic system. But honestly, I was having so much fun with Winnie, Bastian and the adorable chaos of the familiars that I didn’t mind too much.

Overall, this book felt like a warm hug wrapped in glitter and sprinkled with magical animal sidekicks. If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy romance with lovable characters, grumpy sunshine energy and enough charm to make you smile through the entire book, this one is absolutely worth picking up. It was my first Mara Rutherford book, but it definitely won’t be my last assuming my TBR mountain doesn’t collapse on me first.

A special thank you to Mara Rutherford, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[rachel x]

"Perfect for fans of Allison Saft and Catherine Bakewell, a grumpy mage and a familiar matchmaker navigate their surprising connection in Mara Rutherford's newest cozy fantasy novel."

i'm counting down the days for this one!!!