A Fellowship of Curses & Cats (Standard Edition)

Adenashire #4

by J. Penner

When life gives you cats, open a café.

When a spell gone wrong brings more than just magic to Theo Brylar’s life, things in Adenashire get a little… purrplexing. Suddenly, cats of all shapes and sizes are drawn to him, much to the amusement of Faylin the forest lynx (and Theo’s “house cat”). But when Faylin suggests opening a cat café next to Arleta’s bakery, Theo finds himself juggling more than feline antics.

Between his long-lost father reappearing, his mother’s distaste for that fact, and the lingering grief of his brother’s death, Theo’s family drama surfaces at the most inconvenient time. With Arleta pregnant and facing her own fears, Theo must untangle his emotions and reconcile with his past...all while keeping his cat café (and family) from spiraling out of control.

Escape to Adenashire for a heartfelt, cozy fantasy filled with warm drinks, the healing power of love, friendship, and furry companions.

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

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

USA Today bestselling author, J. Penner bakes a little magic into every page of her cozy fantasies which are filled with friendship, found family, good food and the sweetest romance. She lives in sunny San Diego with her family, and of course, her cats.

Reviews

[Tyler Hancsak · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH golly I just love love love this world -- I am totally captivated by it. I don't think I will ever rate a book in this series under 5 stars. The characters, Adenashire, the found family, the magic -- it just feels like such a warm hug.

These characters are so precious to me and J. Penner has done such a fantastic job making them feel like home.

[Lacrima Mundi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cosy fantasy book, set around the soon-to-be-parent-anxiety of Theo, very much.

The only reason it's not five stars: as much as I like Arleta and Theo, they are not my favourite characters in this series. The orcs Ervash and Verdreth, gargoyle Sarson, and fennex Jez are the characters close to my heart and, rather unfortunately, they all played a very minor side role in this book of the series.

Nonetheless, the story's been still a very cosy, [mostly] relaxing, and enjoyable one.

But now I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, because ... those bookshop owning orc dads... 🥰🥰🥰

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Transparency info: Read via Kindle Unlimited.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This instalment was just as cute and cozy as all the others in this series! I love Theo and Arleta’s relationship. It feels so realistic and honest and true to reality—not everything is going to be great all the time, but you need to be each other’s safe space. Just perfect! Loved all the cats and the real look at complex familial relationships. I’m so glad that we’re getting more instalments in this series!

[Lotey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 ⭐️

Які ж щирі та прекрасні персонажі/ки! Ніколи б не подумала, що мені буде настільки сильно емпанувати гг в подібному cozy фентезі сетингу. Але, ось вона я, зі схожими реалістичними переживаннями, але з набагато меншою долею відповідальності irl. Хоча я теж маю котів, але (на щастя) вони не розмовляють, як цей харизматичний пан кітик.

Спіймала себе на думці, що взагалі не хочу ставити аудіо на паузу - настільки сильно захопив сюжет та вся ця дружня атмосфера. Хоча в житті Тео існує його противна мама, до котрої в мене багато питань, це не заважає йому знаходити відраду в друзях та власній сім'ї. Яка ж нього чарівна жинка, ох, матінко. Так, тут є троп fated mates, але це прописано так мило і щиро, що я вірю в їх почуття.

Разом з тим, існує й доля стресу, адже ніхто не очікував, що данне зілля подіє саме таким чином. Чи створило це проблеми? Так, беззаперечно. Чи поговорили гг, та обійнялись, як нормальна сімейна пара? Hell yeah. Чи нова ідея cats cafe? Очевидно, що ні. Але в цю історію я вірю, бо вона про дорослих людей, котрі вирішують свої проблеми словами через рот🤌

Обов'язково піду читати інші історії з цієї серії, бо навіть другорядні персонажі знайшли чим зачепити 🔥

[Lyndsay Juhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cozy and makes me hungry

Another warm hug by J. penner. Her books are always so positive. This one was no different. Theo is struggling about becoming a dad, so he takes a potion to help with his nerves and panic attacks. Instead of helping it attracts dozens of cats. This theme in all of these books is to be yourself, problems and insecurities included. That those who love you the most will always be there to help you along the way. That everyone has “issues” that they deal with and it’s ok to ask for help! In this case Theo need to take time to himself and give himself time to calm down and think things through, talk with Arleta about what’s he’s thinking. I love this cozy little world and all the amazing characters in it. They’re all so different but fit together. I always love getting to see what each character is up to in each new book. It feels like visiting old friends.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

the most boring character possible to focus on from the group. It was so very saccharine and repetitive

what a slog to get through. I think I am done with this series now

[RavenReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just a cozy fantasy, but a cozy fantasy about an overly anxious elf opening a cat café with the help of his found family? J. Penner, did you write this specifically for me?

This is, without question, my favorite installment in the Adenashire series so far, and that’s saying something, because every book has been a five star read. Theo has lingered in my mind since his earlier appearances, enigmatic and quietly compelling. I’ve been waiting for his back story, and this novel absolutely delivers.

Theo is vulnerable, flawed, and achingly real. His anxiety isn’t treated as a quirk or a punchline, it’s woven thoughtfully into his character arc. Watching him build something gentle and beautiful for himself, supported by the found family we’ve come to adore, felt both comforting and deeply moving. He’s no longer just a side character; he’s fully realized, complex, and unforgettable.

This book had me cackling one moment and tearing up the next. Penner has such a gift for balancing humor with emotional sincerity. Beneath the soft magic, baked goods, and feline charm lies a powerful message about community, healing, and allowing yourself to take up space in the world.

Thank you, J. Penner, for this tender, heartfelt installment in what has become one of the most comforting and life affirming cozy fantasy series I’ve ever read.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5 | 3.5 rounded down

Perect for quick and cozy palette cleanser

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute story of found family. Plus it has some starting to heal of estranged blood family relationships.

[Mandii · Rating 5 out of 5]

really cute. im enjoying this series

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly just love this series so much. Penner does cozy fantasy so well, and every one of these books feels like a warm hug

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good to catch up with the characters. I'll read the next book

[Dotti · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cute addition to the Adenashire series. Theo is an elf whose wife, Arleta, is expecting a child imminently. Between the baby and the opening of a new cafe, Theo starts to feel some anxiety. To help, he takes a potion from the local potion shop, and as a result, cats start following him around. Chaos ensues—very snuggly chaos.

The previous books in this series have all been romances, and this one is moving into straight cozy fantasy. We’re still keeping things single POV, and the story isn’t about our characters falling in love so much as them journeying through the world. The world is still very cozy, and the stakes remain very low, but the sweet love story that I’ve expected from the story is missing. The addition of the cats was very whimsical and cozy, and the setting of the teashop is a nice change to the story.

Theo experiences some character development, but all of the other characters feel rather one note, having experienced their own character development in their individual stories and plateaued.

The conflict between Theo and his estranged mother often came across as preachy in the second half of the book. Theo isn’t reflective about why he responds to his mother so aggressively and assumes the worst of her, and his aggression is justified at the end of the story.

Overall, another cute story, but with some missteps along the way.

[Insert Name Here · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Sometimes the best kind of magic is finding somewhere you belong.**

## ✶ PRE-READING ✶

It's been about a year since I read the first three books in the Adenashire series, so I was very happy to have an excuse to immerse myself in this world again. Inevitably, some of the details had faded over that time, but thankfully *A Fellowship of Curses and Cats* handles that very neatly.

Rather than stopping the story for a lengthy recap, Theo walks through Adenashire reflecting on everything that has happened over the past year, giving us the information we need while allowing the story itself to carry on.

I was particularly intrigued to see Theo take centre stage this time, especially because I remembered him rather differently than the anxious young man we meet here.

## ✶ POST-READING ✶

**As I thought...** this is exactly the sort of warm, comforting fantasy I've come to expect from Adenashire. There is magic and there are problems to solve, but the real pleasure comes from watching people build lives together.

**It surprised me by...** how anxious Theo is. Perhaps I'd simply forgotten that aspect of him over the year, but seeing the world from his perspective makes it impossible to miss. His worries about his family, his brother's death, his father's return and the changes happening around him all feel very immediate.

That makes the found-family element particularly lovely. Adenashire is full of people with different backgrounds, skills and experiences who nonetheless keep showing up for each other. The cat café becomes another little place where those connections can grow, and the result is a story that feels less like a group of people who happen to live in the same town and more like a genuine community.

And, obviously, there are cats.

Lots of cats.

I am not sure that the Adenashire economy can survive the number of cats involved, but I am entirely willing to find out.

## ✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

**Book Recommendation:** *The Spellshop* by Sarah Beth Durst. Both have that lovely combination of cosy fantasy, community-building and the idea that making a home can be an act of healing.

**TV or Movie Recommendation:** *Kiki's Delivery Service*. It has that same gentle feeling of watching someone find their place through work, friendship and the small connections that make a community feel like home.

## ✧ VIBE CHECK ✧

**A colour palette:** warm cream, raspberry red and leafy green.

**A soundtrack:** soft acoustic guitar, gentle piano and the occasional cheerful folk tune.

**A season:** late summer, when the fruit is ripe and the kitchen is always busy.

**A mood:** cosy, affectionate, slightly anxious and deeply reassuring.

**A scent:** fresh bread, ripe fruit and warm spices, with the occasional hint of cat fur.

## ★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

**Three of Cups.**

There are considerably more than three people in Adenashire, but the number isn't really the point. The Three of Cups is about friendship, community and the joy of people coming together to support one another.

That's what makes this instalment so warm. Theo isn't navigating his problems alone. The people around him bring different skills, experiences and perspectives, and together they create something none of them could have built by themselves.

The cat café becomes almost a physical manifestation of that idea: a place where people can gather, work, worry, celebrate and simply be together.

## ✦ THE TRUE QUESTION ✦

**Can the people we choose become our family?**

*A Fellowship of Curses and Cats* is interested in the ways family can be complicated, painful and sometimes impossible to return to—but also in the families we create through friendship, trust and everyday acts of care.

Theo doesn't have to solve everything on his own. Sometimes healing means allowing other people to stand beside you.

## Final Thoughts

*A Fellowship of Curses and Cats* publishes on the **18th of August**. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

We return to the village of Adenashire, where our cozy found family is preparing for some big things! They are opening a cafe attached to the bookshop, and Theo and Arleta are expecting! Things seem to be going great, but poor Theo's anxiety gets the best of him! He visits the potion shop, and the wizard offers himself something experimental, that should help. Next thing he knows, he is overrun with cats! At home, at the shop, all over town, what's an elf to do? And then his judgy mother Shalina shows up, oh no! Well, off to seek advice and assistance from the rest of the crew!

This might be my favorite installment. Everyone is settled into their relationships, meaning no romance drama, and we see little tidbits of day to day life for them. Faylin the lynx continues to be adorable, and acerbic, only offering his assistance when Theo is at his wits end. Theo is definitely a wife guy, and I am here for it. I love that Doli is still making clothes, and magicing tea for everyone. The cats are all distinctive and the featured ones are given unique personalities. I am very tickled by the fantasy cat cafe. The recipes in this one are not as attention grabbing as previous books, but that's ok, simple things are amazing too!
The only thing I truly dislike is the mother's behaviour, and the quokka guy who is a jerk in every book.

[florence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a lovely lighthearted series that delves just deep enough into difficult dynamics to make you think and feel relieved when they are solved, but not too deep for it to be stressful.

Seeing Theo stress over impending fatherhood was both sweet and stressful for me, because as much as I enjoyed him wanting to be the best father possible, it did lead to him not communicating with Arleta which just felt odd considering how much he confided in her before. Once he did speak to her he was able to calm himself down, so I suppose that if they had communicated from the start this book wouldn’t have happened.

As a cat lover, I do think that cats can resolve most issues. I think more and more of them appearing until I have a revelation might be more stressful than beneficial, but overall seeing Theo learn that he was enough and that he could handle it did work.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent a good bit of the first half of this book really disliking Theo. Like, yeah I know he has anxiety but he came across as just a coward. Once the cat cafe opened and he wasn’t trying to hide everything from everyone anymore, he became more bearable. I couldn’t quite bring myself to care too much about his relationship with his mother, which is too bad since that’s about half of the plot. The “cats are magically amazing” thing was aaaalmost too twee and whimsical for me, and that’s saying something. I will admit to being interested in the next book because it’s about Verdreth and Ervash, after this book teased that they were a bit enemies-to-lovers. In conclusion, Faylin is the best character in this book.

[Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puuuurfectly enjoyable

A Fellowship of Curses and Cats just became my new favorite in the Adenashire series, and the only one,besides A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, to get 5 ⭐ from me. An abundance of cats, a new cafe, Theo finally coming to terms with his fears from the past, the love and support of Found Family plus those cozy Adenashire vibes made this an enjoyable read. The one caveat is the tiresome overuse of referring to Arleta as Fated. Yes, we get it. She and Theo are Fated Mates. But must she be referred to as "my Fated" over and over in every book when "she" "her" or Arleta would suffice?

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the newest Adenashire book, Theo is very anxious. His partner Arleta is pregnant with twins and while he's ecstatic, he also extremely afraid that he's going to be a terrible father. A trip to the local apothecary gets him an experimental potion that should help. But Theo feels no different. He has, however, acquired a feline problem. They follow him around town and the more anxious he gets, the more cats arrive. But he's loathe to admit his feelings to anyone, even Arleta. But soon he'll have no choice. More low-stakes cozy fantasy with your favorite group of misfits abounds in A Fellowship of Cursed & Cats!

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so cute! If you love cozy fantasies and cats, then this is the perfect book. The book had a lot of sweet moments, and the characters are adorable. When I think of cozy fantasy books, this series is one of the first ones that come to mind. I've really enjoyed all the books in this series so far, and I think the author has one more left planned. I think when that one comes out, I'll reread all of them together before. These books are all really lighthearted, cute, and cozy. It's definitely perfect for when you are in the mood for a lighter read.

[Kendra Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can be more nerve wracking than becoming a new parent and starting a business? Becoming a new parent, starting a new business…with tons of cats! In this fourth book of the Adenashire series, the focus is shifted back onto Theo and Arleta, more so Theo. This book was much more in the cozy fantasy than romance as opposed to the other books but it was still entertaining and light. I kind of wished we delved more into the complicated relationship with Theo and Shalina as well as Theo’s anxiety but that would’ve probably made it a bit less cozy. Oh, and my favorite part, recipes!

[Holwanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been very happy with this series, a lovely way to escape real-world anxieties, and as this one returned to my favorite pair, Arleta and Theo, and was perfectly plotted, five stars it is. The author makes a wonderful world, and the primary points of conflict were both amusing--the ever burgeoning cat population--and convincingly stressful--Theo's mom. The book is full of constant details that only enhance the situation and the backdrop. Very well-written and recommended! And I still love the food, especially the bakery (but not every expectant mother craves yucky pickles!).

[Tiffanie Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fellowship of Curses and Cats

I loved this book just as much as the others in the series! It hit home with how many of us feel with family relationships. It brought a few tears to my eyes when he was realizing how he mattered and how his life was full of joy and love. Less of and active adventure compared to the other books. But still an amazing read, about life, handling anxiety and learning to love yourself.

I also recommend this book as a stand alone or part of the series.

[Marina Gibbons · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I purchased this book due to a huge Barnes and noble discount event, not realizing it was the fourth in a series. Regardless, I don’t believe I missed out too much in reading just book 4. I missed the entire drama/backstory between Theo and his mother but in time, snippets were revealed to me.

This was an adorable read! Full disclosure I am a cat lover and have my own familiar at home. I also related to Theo and his anxiety and want to know how I can get some of that potion! All in all, a charming, comfy read.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is would be a 3.5 if Goodreads allowed it. I enjoyed this final (published) book in the series but not nearly as much as the other 3. From about halfway I got in to it but for first half I was finding myself getting frustrated by the decisions being made in the story. I liked where it ended up and I liked the character growth. I kept reading because I’ve enjoyed being in this universe but it definitely wasn’t my favourite.

[Chaos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oof! Theo, sir, whatever charm you had went out the window. Wow! He was such a jerk in this one. I get parental issues, but dude! I would kill for an apology from my parents. Arleta I still absolutely adore. I also love the cat distribution system and Faylin! They are the reason I finished this book and am rating it as high as I am! Faylin had me laughing and the absolute chaos of the cats! I do like this series but Theo having his own book didn't work and it made me hate him.

[Ian Sellers · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was very fun to spend time with the Adenashire found family again. Theo doesn't make for the most interesting protagonist and the author used the phrase 'his fated' any time Arleta was mentioned in his presence which felt ...weird. she is his fated mate but say, his love, his wife, Arleta ....anything but 'fated' all the time.

that issue aside it was a very cozy and fun read.

[Alicia Scarborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting

What I really like are the recipes at the end. Would be great if the series came out with a recipe book containing all the recipes of the series. I’d buy it.
Besides the fantastic recipes, the story itself was whimsical and flowed well with good key points on acceptance and forgiveness.

[Cynthia Blendowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an adorable addition to the Fellowship series. I love cats and this made me want another one in my life. I love that this was Theos story and we got a little more of his back story. I can’t wait for the final book in the series. Also I now get to try the recipes in the back which is always fun!

[Samantha Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats!

Another cute little book in this series, I love that they are easy to read!

This one is all about Theodmon(Theo) and it was nice to learn about him, though I wish there would have been a tad bit more about his past. That being said, what was revealed to us in this book made sense with what he was dealing with.