This Damsel Is Not in Distress

by Tee Harlowe

A magical castle.
The woman who's to become queen.
And her growing feelings for the bodyguard that might just ruin it all.
When Niamh Merridon flees her war-torn kingdom, she doesn't expect to stumble upon a tower that provides the protection she's always wanted . . .
Until some idiot arrives to "rescue" her and somehow gets her locked out. Now she's stuck with Rafe "the Wolfe" Wolfgang, a grumpy guard who's wholly unsusceptible to her charms. Worse, he claims she's to marry his prince because of some prophecy.
Niamh isn't keen on the idea, especially when she arrives at a sentient castle and discovers she can't become queen until the castle presents her with a key. How does she get this key? No one seems to know.
Niamh quickly realizes this might give her the safety she seeks . . . if she can survive the disappearing doors, shifting rooms, and mysterious secrets, secrets more dangerous than her own. Yet the hardest part of it all might be resisting the broody guard who makes her feel brave. If she can't avoid the temptation, it won't just be her heart on the line, but her life.

This Damsel Is Not in Distress is a standalone cozy, spicy romantasy with a grumpy/sunshine forbidden romance, a mischievous castle, and a know-it-all magical bookwyrm.

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

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2026

Reviews

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You make me want so much more for myself than I’ve ever wanted before... But mostly, I just want you.”
------------
I love it when my impulsivity pays off.

Cozy (which is not my fave usually)
Funny
Magic
The FMC is 35
The MMC is 40
An actual book worm who talks

[Cozy Puppy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Damsel is Not in Distress is a total dream for anyone looking for a light, cute, and cozy romantasy with the perfect amount of adventure and spice. If you love the humor of The Princess Bride and Tangled, you need to get this book on your radar immediately.

The story follows Niamh, a strong, curvy female lead who is officially retiring from her role as a damsel in distress and is eager to train and learn to defend herself. Although she's engaged to his brother, she's linked with Wolfe, the protective, grumpy bodyguard tasked with teaching her self-defense. Their banter is laugh out loud funny—I was actually snorting and laughing unexpectedly at the clap-backs and jokes that flew between them and the entire supporting cast!

The world-building in this story is pure magic. The setting features a sentient castle and a magical library that give off the best Room of Requirement and Harry Potter vibes, making every corner of the world feel alive. The creatures are equally charming, from a magical bookworm to grumpy talking gargoyles that remind me of Bartholomew from The Night in the Moth. It is such a cozy and irreverent world, filled with disappearing rooms that truly bring the adventure to life.

The writing is sharp, witty, and funny, and the duet-style narration by Gail Shalan and Patrick Zeller was an absolute dream. The way they shift seamlessly between Niamh and Wolfe makes the story feel like a movie playing in your mind. They captured all the emotion and inflections for this cozy romantasy adventure perfectly. I usually listen at more than 2x speed, and while I had to find a happy medium to catch every word of Patrick’s performance, the production quality was top-tier.

This was such a refreshing escape from the real world, and the storytelling was both imaginative and fun! Thank you to The Nerd Fam and author Tee Harlowe for an advanced reader copy of this book. I am choosing to write this review voluntarily, and these are my honest opinions. I can't wait for the second book soon!

Read this if you liked:
❤️ A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames
🥰 Rewitched and Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood
✨️ The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
😂 The Princess Bride or Tangled (for the humor and vibes!)

Perfect if you love:
❤️ A cozy romantasy adventure with spice
😂 Amusing, witty banter
✨️ Standalone (and also the first part of a series)
🔥 A slow burn with tension
❤️ The MMC: Wolfe, a protective, grumpy bodyguard who is the ultimate opposite to Niamh’s sunshine.
✨️ The FMC: Niamh, who is sick of being the damsel and is ready to do the work to become stronger.
🎧 Audiobook notes: Duet-style narration that feels like a movie.

Tropes:
❤️ Protective Bodyguard
🔥 Forced Proximity
😂 Grumpy x Sunshine Dynamic
✨️ “I can defend myself!” energy
❤️ Body Positivity and Curvy FMC Representation
✨️ Magical Library & Sentient Settings

[Leanna Streeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this one. What a delightful, cozy romantasy.

From the very beginning, this book felt charming and warm while still delivering tension, magic, and swoony moments. The sentient castle was such a fun element, but let’s talk about the real star of the show… the bookwyrm. I would like one immediately. He completely stole my heart.

The grumpy/sunshine dynamic was adorable. I loved that she called him “sunshine” even though he was the grumpiest guard imaginable. There was something so soft and endearing about him having that nickname. Their banter felt playful and natural, and the chemistry built in a way that was both sweet and satisfying.

I also really appreciated the underlying message about self-reliance and not waiting around to be rescued. It added depth beneath all the cozy charm. And the fighting gargoyles? Such a fun touch.

This was magical, comforting, and romantic in all the right ways. A fantastic read that left me smiling. Thanks to the Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC! UPDATE I received the ALC and man was it good!! Duet narration and I just loved hearing the characters come to life especially my favorite bookworm!! If you are an audiobook listener then go listen to this!!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two guys, as per usual, can't solve their own problems, so they go and ruin the peace of a poor woman who’s just chilling in her magic tower with her bookwyrm and reading.

[litlindseyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But ever since I met you, I’ve wanted to be better at one thing.”

“What’s that” she whispered.

“Deserving you.”

This Damsel is Not in Distress by Tee Harlowe
Read on 3/26!

A big thank you to Tee Harlowe and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I thought this cozy romantasy was so damn cute. I love a big broody man who’s only soft for his girl. I loved the dynamics between Rafe and his brothers, and Niamh with pretty much everyone! I will definitely be reading the books in the series that feature the other brothers! (And that twist though! I’m looking forward to learning more about that…)

Things to Expect:
-Grumpy/Sunshine - he’s the grump and she nicknames him Sunshine.
-Cozy Romantasy
-She hears him making noises in his cottage (and peaks in his window) after he runs into her bathing in the pond outside…
-Forbidden Romance
-A Sassy Bookworm
-He trains her in self defense

[Kate groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold up oooook!!!! I think this one might end up blowing up on tik tok. This was SUPER cute and it’s going to definitely be a three part series- can already see that coming. And while it was whimsy and all that it definitely had a deeper meaning. Living in a tower but more about building walls so no one can get in and when they crumble you can be brave. Honestly I would give this a 4.75⭐️

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just the perfect cozy fantasy romance I was looking for! The characters were great, the story was fun, I adore a grumpy x sunshine trope, and this was perfect! Throw in some engaged to your brother, teaching them to fight, and a little bit of kidnapping, and this just had some perfect tropes in it! Not to mention the sidekicks - looking at you Morton and Marg! - I just loved them! How could you not love a sentient painting?! That was amazing! And a bookwyrm?! Like yes please! This goes right to the top of my absolute favorite cozy romantasy! ❤️
thank you to Nerd Fam and Tee for this ARC!

[❀ Jamie ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS ADORABLE. A talking bookworm, magic, and a forbidden love?! Sign me up. This was a cute , humorous and whimsical fantasy to the extreme This author may be an auto read for me now. I was entertained the whole time and when the spice hit, HIT. 🥵 I am so interested in how book two will go down! Will be reading it ASAP.

[Bre · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. This is super cute and cozy read! Niamh lives in a magical tower that supports her every need. She never needs to leave, which is just fine by her after she escaped the war in her kingdom. She even has a magical bookworm friend! Suddenly, she’s taken- rescued- from her tower to become a queen because of a prophecy. The guard, Wolfe, is mean and grumpy. The kingdom she’s taken to is invisible to all except those inside of it. Her soon-to-be husband is charming but just not for her. But the kingdom may give her the safety she craves… she just has to survive it first.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The story is just plain cute. I love the “animal” companion. The sentient castle is the cherry on top. The narrators were fantastic. Niamh’s narrator captured her worry, sass, and intelligence well. Wolfe’s bored and tired attitude is conveyed perfectly.

If you need a cozy, spicy, and just plain fun romantasy that has older characters, this is the perfect read!

Thank you NerdFam for the ALC!

[Mia fawnsandfairytales · Rating 1 out of 5]

* preface: I adore cosy fantasy with my whole heart and it's the fantasy sub-genre I read the most, so this review is by no means me complaining that this book was 'too cosy' or there 'wasnt enough action' *

𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔: *𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓* *𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*
 
THE PLOT & THE BROTHERHOOD
 
We begin this story with our fmc Niamh, who has been living in a tower for three years after her kingdom fell to The Brotherhood.
 
Our main plot points are as follows:
 
- The magic Castle of Fairwitch is losing its powers and only once it ‘finds’ its Queen will it be cured

- There is a prophecy that foretells a woman in a tower becoming Queen of Fairwitch Isle

- Niamh (who lives in said tower) is essentially kidnapped by the mmc Wolfe and his brother, High Prince Cillian

- Niamh must ‘earn a key’ (a tattoo on her skin) that will allow her to stay in Fairwitch

- The Brotherhood ‘steal magic’ and want Fairwitch’s magic for themselves

The Brotherhood plotline made the stakes seem really high. They were a looming mysterious threat, yet the majority of the book kept a light-hearted tone. I feel like there wasn't the right balance.
 
(I also don't mind a cosy fantasy with a blend of darker themes – I particularly enjoy T. Kingfisher’s works)
 
Instead of focusing on becoming Queen or saving the kingdom, Niamh was content to play librarian and clean the dusty library, taking no direct purposeful action to find a solution for Fairwitch.
 
The fate of the entire kingdom rested on her shoulders, yet she couldn't quite seem to grasp this.
 
Niamh's nonchalant attitude about 'The Brotherhood' made me feel the plotline could have been removed altogether. It just wasn’t handled correctly.
 
“.. at some point, we need to unite against them.” - Then do it! Why are you sitting still?
 
The Brotherhood was also extremely undeveloped:
 
- They were felling whole kingdoms – Tell the reader how. Was it just by fire magic? Wouldn't that destroy anything they wanted?
- What exactly IS the magic system? How is it used? What kind of magical objects? How do they wield them?
- How large is The Brotherhood? Where do they operate?
- What does ‘stealing magic’ actually mean?
- “It’s all these attacks. We’ve had at least two a week the last three weeks. The attacks are amping up.” - What attacks? We only ever see 2 of them.
 
There is a scene where a monster shows up and Niamh informs the reader that (due to past experience) she knows what will follow – The Brotherhood.
 
… But nothing comes of it. Everybody resumes normal activities straight after.
 
The Brotherhood threat loomed over scenes for a minute and then was forgotten entirely.

THE RELIGION
 
What stood out as a really unique and fascinating aspect of this story was the religion. The entire continent, it seems, worships ‘The Godwitches’.
 
Unfortunately, that is as much as I’m able to tell you about them, as all information about them has been “lost to time”.
 
Any possibility of immersing the reader was snatched away by phrases such as:
 
“At some point, I’d try to figure out why.”
“The knowledge was lost.”
“Nobody knows.”
“I imagined they must’ve been related to earth, maybe a garden godwitch or something?”
 
There were statues and paintings of the Godwitches everywhere. They prayed to them. They used the word “Godwitches” as a swear word. Yet no one seemed to know anything about them.
 
It left so many unanswered questions:
 
- Who was making these statues?
- Were the statues recent or old?
- Where did the paintings come from?
- If it was a surprise to Niamh when she saw a painting of the Godwitches on dragons, how had the painter gained the knowledge?
- Why was it a surprise to Niamh?
- Why was the Castle’s library the only one that may have knowledge of the Godwitches within?
- Were there no scholars dedicated to and trained in this topic?
- Did the world have preachers or people who spread the religion? How was it so widespread?
- How many Godwitches were there?
- Where did Niamh learn that the Godwitches made human sacrifices if she knew nothing else about them?
 
There is an amazing foundation here for such a cosy, nature and witch themed religion, but it’s not expanded on whatsoever.
 
Cosy fantasy doesn’t have to be like this. It’s not an excuse for minimal detail. It CAN have depth.

THE SETTING
 
The hidden isle setting was very undeveloped. I shouldn’t have had so many questions about something as basic as the books setting – my biggest one being the scale of it.
 
Is it a town or is it a city? Because it is referred to as both. Yet due to the descriptions we receive of it, it felt much more like a village.
 
For instance, there is a scene where the citizens of the “entire city” are fit into the ballroom of the Castle.
 
We are also given a piece of detail on how the kingdom runs:
 
If you run a shop, you live above the shop in the city, and if you don't run a shop, you are given a cottage in the hills behind the castle.
 
This rule felt unnecessary to include as it didn’t give an in-between and made me wonder how many cottages there actually were dotted about the countryside; because surely there were more non-shop owners than shop owners.
 
THE CHARACTERS
 
While I appreciate what the author was trying to do by having more 'mature' main characters in their 30s and 40s, not for a second did they behave that way. They acted like teenagers and were incredibly self-centered and focused all on the wrong things.
 
NIAMH
 
Our fmc Niamh was perhaps the most dislikable and infuriating fmc I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.
 
Her contribution to the 'grumpy x sunshine' trope wasn't being bubbly and wonderful; she instead was careless, irritating, disrespectful, and someone who overstepped boundaries and was never EVER thinking.
 
She was incredibly naive and uneducated despite living in a tower library and having a bookwyrm best friend who could literally devour books in a second and consume every piece of knowledge within.
 
“Is Fairwitch Isle by the sea?” – Hm, what do you think Niamh?
 
Instead of being a 'soft' and sweet fmc, which some of my all time favourite fmcs are, (and I genuinely don't mean to be rude here) she was lazy. She had the most nonchalant, passive, and uncaring attitude.
 
She absolutely WAS a damsel in distress and she remained in distress the entire book.
 
She constantly just accepted her fate without putting up a fight and didn’t have a single survival instinct.
 
There is nothing wrong with wanting a comfortable lifestyle, but being cowardly and constantly saying you are 'too weak' doesn't make for the most compelling fmc.

WOLFE
 
Our mmc Wolfe was resolved to have one purpose – to protect the High Prince.

*𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*
 
After losing another of his brothers – Lor – to The Brotherhood, Wolfe shut himself off from companionship of any kind, feeling guilty and responsible for losing one brother and determined to keep Cillian safe.
 
*𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*

He considered this the most urgent and important job and his only purpose left in life, but as soon as Niamh entered the picture, he kept getting side tracked by Niamh's frivolous activities and distracted by her bosom.
 
He was determined with single minded intensity to protect Cillian, yet in every scene, he was searching for his brother because he had LOST him.
 
Wolfe had ptsd, he was short tempered, frantic, easily panicked, depressed, overworked, and overwhelmed. And he wasn’t just cold and grumpy, he was downright mean.
 
I didn’t like him.

*𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*

THE ATTACKS
 
ATTACK 1
 
Niamh makes the ingenious decision to break the High Prince’s wrist so she can take his sword and fight the monster on his behalf, even though he presumably had some sort of combat training and she DID NOT.
 
ATTACK 2
 
During the second monster attack, Wolfe abandons Niamh in the streets (where she surely would not have known her way around) to go find Cillian and protect him instead of Niamh.
 
Could he not have just... taken her with him?
 
After the attack, Niamh doddles back up to the castle and starts mopping up the library some more, while the rest of the townspeople try to recuperate and heal themselves. What a fantastic queen-to-be she is!
 
Once Wolfe finds Cillian, he suddenly realises he left Niamh and she might be dead. He goes in search of her and eventually finds her cleaning the library.
 
As he watches her, he thinks to himself:
 
“I needed her to know that what she’d done had been wrong. That she couldn’t just f*cking leave and make me think she’d died. Make me think I’d lost her and that once again it had been my fault. I’d never forgive myself if I was the one responsible for snuffing out her brilliant light.”
- Blaming Niamh for not coming to him to let him know she wasn’t dead, when HE left HER.
 
*𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*

I am truly baffled by Niamh and Wolfe's decision making at every turn.
 
ROMANCE
 
As far as the romance in this book goes, there wasn’t any.
 
Wolfe seemed genuinely infuriated and sick of Niamh and that attitude showed no signs of budging even by way past the halfway mark. I love a grumpy mmc as much as the next person, but the dynamic in this didn't make for a romantic time in the slightest.
 
Some of the things Wolfe thought about Niamh were:
 
“She was bubbly and bright and unaware.”
“Incessant questions.”
“Clueless.”
“That chirpy, annoying voice.”
 
Her only redeeming feature to Wolfe was her “two round globes”.
 
THE SPICE
 
This book felt very teen/YA leaning in its simple plot and characters. The spice scenes almost felt out of place.
 
The first spice scene (Wolfe by himself) isn’t until past the halfway point, and it’s a rather jarring one as it comes out of nowhere, there had been no spice previous to it.
 
The first kiss is at 70%.

*𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*
 
The first love scene takes place in the last 10% while the kingdom is being attacked.
 
They conveniently find a stone tent with plush blankets, candles, and food, deciding to stay there for the night despite sending poor Morton the bookwyrm back to the Castle alone to warn everyone of the coming attack from The Brotherhood.

*𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*

Basically, If you’re looking for a spicy time, this isn’t the book.

*𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*

THE WATERFALL SCENE
 
I’m choosing to nitpick this particular scene in my review because there were so many distracting and contradictory moments that stood out to me.
 
Wolfe decides he needs a “cold, cold bath” after the events of the day, particularly the time he spent staring at Niamh’s heaving bosom, so he decided to head for a cold shower at the waterfall near his cabin.
 
As he is describing the wonders of this waterfall to the reader, he tells us that luckily it is heated, so he WONT GET COLD…
 
Make it make sense.
 
When he gets to the waterfall, Niamh is there. She tells Wolfe it was because she couldn’t find a bathing chamber. So of course her solution to that was to wander unarmed out of the Castle at night and down to the cliffs to find a waterfall she’d never seen before, despite the kingdom experiencing multiple attacks a week from magical monsters.
 
Of course its easy to see that this scene was set up to get our two love interests naked with each other, but it has to actually make sense.
 
Boxes were being ticked to play into classic tropes, but no thought was made beyond this.
 
Niamh ends up almost freezing to death in this scene, yet:
 
- its described earlier in the book as summer season.
- the pool Niamh bathes in is magically heated
- she knows her body has a sensitivity to the cold already because she’s mentioned to the reader that her fingers turn blue, so why did she leave the castle to bathe outside?
- she doesn’t even bring a towel?
 
THE ENDING
 
I don’t even know where to start with how this book ended. Here's just some of the things that happened near the end which I just couldn't wrap my head around:
 
- Wolfe decides to leave Fairwitch (without telling Niamh) for a journey of self-discovery while the kingdom is on the brink of collapse... 🤔

- It never crosses Wolfe’s mind the glass jar of bugs he wants to return to Niamh has likely been smashed to smithereens after a whole giant tower fell on top of it AND a stone dragon stomped all over it

- Wolfe also thinks Niamh will be happy to see him when he returns instead of furious and completely confused with why he left
 
- The Brotherhood have the most bizarre almost casual conversation with Niamh along with some lore dumping

- Niamh hides behind a stone and The Brotherhood just WAIT for her to come out, saying “We haven’t got time for this", giving Morton opportunity to escape

- Wolfe and Niamh head back to the Castle to join the fight against The Brotherhood, but it starts to rain and they decide to fondoodle in a cosy tent they find instead

- In the morning, Niamh tells Wolfe:
 
“Did I not tell you? The Butcher is here in this area.” (The Butcher is the BIG bad). She forgot to tell him while they were having spicy time, and by the time she did, it was too late; The Butcher had attacked the Castle.

- Niamh and Wolfe completely forget about how they sent Morton out alone in the rain overnight to warn the kingdom of the coming attack, and that if The Brotherhood got a hold of him they would become even more powerful
 
- They get to the entry-hall of the Castle for 'the big fight" and discover that The Brotherhood were defeated while they were away and that a chandelier fell on them all 😑 (what do you mean this all happened behind the scenes?)

- After interrogating The Brotherhood, The Brotherhood 'reveal' they hadn't meant to attack the Castle and “it was a complete mistake”??? 🤨

What do you MEAN?!

THIS DAMSEL IS IN DISTRESS
 
Niamh threw away her chance to prove herself and show her character development by telling Wolfe to go on without her once they reached the Castle. She told him she wouldn’t be any help and would wait outside.
 
Her final act was to BE a damsel and not rush in and save the day.
 
When they arrive at the Castle and find The Brotherhood defeated, everybody tells Niamh, "you saved us". By doing what?! 😭
 
WRAPPING UP THE PLOT
 
The following quote at the end of this book left me so frustrated:

“Nevan found a book that mentioned only the Castle can choose its queen. No one else. So I guess the castle will choose my wife when it sees fit.”
 
This quote is what Cillian tells everyone when it becomes clear that Niamh will not be becoming Queen.
 
This is absolutely baffling to me because we already know the Castle “chooses the queen”. So what has this book they found possibly solved?
 
How is the magic of the Castle suddenly saved? IT NEEDS A QUEEN. THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE BOOK.

I also couldn’t tell you what happened with The Butcher and the members of The Brotherhood that were waiting outside the kingdom. Nothing came of it.
 
MORTON (SIDE CHARACTER)
 
Theory: Morton is the big bad and is absorbing all the knowledge in the library to give it to The Brotherhood.
 
You see, Morton forgot to warn ANYONE that Niamh and Wolfe were in danger, or that The Brotherhood were coming.
 
He even told Margaret (a talking painting), who saw The Brotherhood flying on brooms outside the window, that she was “seeing things”.
 
*𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓*

FINAL THOUGHTS
 
I'm gutted these books aren't for me. The covers and all the artworks are so cute, and cosy fantasy is my favourite genre, but the execution was poor.
 
I’d hoped some of the issues I had with the first book in this interconnected series would be resolved with the longer page length of this book, but it only made things worse.
 
The writing style didn’t work for me either. Characters actions were over-explained and their conversations felt unnatural and stuttered.
 
The best part of this book for me was the panic attack and ptsd rep, which I really related to and loved to see, but everything else fell flat.
 
* these are my honest thoughts on the advance readers copy of this book I received from the author in exchange for a review*

[Chasing Silhouettes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"....I’ve eaten so many romance books, and I always thought the lusting and trysts were a little over-the-top, but you’ve proven me wrong.” (Ch 40)

This Damsel is Not in Distress
(Brothers of Fairwitch Isle Book 1)
By Tee Harlowe
Narrated by Patrick Zeller and Gail Shalan
eBook Released: 03.26.26
Audiobook Released: 03.20.26
298 Pages; 9 hrs 40 mins
ALC/ebook Review

Cozy Fantasy Rom-Com | Grumpy x Sunshine | Forbidden Romance | Magical Bookwrym | Magical Tower and Magical Castle | Prophecy | Thirty-something FMC | Anxiety /Panic Attack Rep

Audiobook: I didn't realize that the same female narrator that another audiobook that I've recently reviewed. Though, I do believe I like her much better in this one. Also enjoyed the male narrator's voice and the audio production.

“It was foretold that a woman trapped in a magical tower would become the prince’s bride. Do you know of any other women trapped in magical towers?” (Ch 3)

If you like cozy fantasies with some romance and a little romantic comedy, you like this one. And/or if you liked This Princess Kills Monsters by Ry Herman, you'll probably like this one, too.

“I knew it was too good to be true. I knew there was no way I just found a magical castle where I get to be queen and live happily ever after.” (Ch 11)

Actually liked all the characters! Morton was cute, even if his magic method was a touch ick, but fascinating nonetheless. Wolfe was like a loveable, stubborn, gruff, overprotective bear. Cillian was... well, Cillian — kind of reminded me of Shrek's Prince Charming x Donkey. All the looks and charm paired with all the energy and playfullness.The castle inhabitants were interesting, too. And Niamh was a curvy, naturally extroverted, inquisitive, book enthusiast who found new footing and family in the enchanted hidden kingdom.

'....she’d become so entwined in my thoughts, so enmeshed in my soul, that there was no future without her.' (Ch 34)

ALC courtesy of The Nerd Fam

[Kelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

New cozy rec incoming 🎉🎉🎉

***************

Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam and the author for the gifted ALC!

If you know me, you know I just love cozy fantasy. And I’m always looking for new ones to recommend to people. And let me just say, this one’s going right up at the top for me. I loved it from the moment it started, and Niamh and Morton the bookwyrm immediately stole my heart. And as soon as Wolfe and Cillian showed up I knew I was sold. This book had such an incredible cast of characters, and I want to see each and every one of them get a happy ending 🥹.

I loved watching Niamh and Wolfe grow. And how they helped each other. It was so touching to watch them work through grief, guilt, and trauma, and in Niamh’s case, seeing how little acts of bravery can help you learn to save yourself. This story was not only entertaining, it also brought me a lot of comfort and joy, and reminded me to celebrate the little acts of bravery in my life as worthwhile actions.

While I highly recommend this story as a whole, I recommend the audio even more . The duet narration is STELLAR. Both narrators bring the characters to life in such beautiful ways, and they’re so dynamic and differentiate between characters so well. I would have loved this story no matter what, but the narration really brought it to a whole new level for me. Also there’s a growl and it’s 🔥.

Definitely check this one out if you’re looking for a new cozy rec!!!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED This Damsel is Not in Distress by Tee Harlowe!

This was an absolutely beautiful story with all the comfort of familiar fairytale tropes, a sentient magical castle, lovely townspeople as side characters, a trio of brothers (including one broody bodyguard😏), and a plus sized, bookish FMC who’s foretold to be the future queen.

Wolfe is the grumpiest, most serious bodyguard who is constantly trying to take care of everyone around him, and Niamh is full of sunshine and wants nothing more than to stay safely tucked away in her tower, surrounded by books and her bookwyrm BFF Morton… until Wolfe and his brother, the crown prince, rescue her and take her back to their kingdom because she’s destined to become their future Queen—or so the prophesy says.

The banter is *chefs kiss* and I absolutely loved the healing journey that both MCs go on—dealing with past trauma, learning to love yourself, and facing your fears. It really resonated with me and felt so, so relatable. I listened to the audiobook and it was so well done with duet narration (Morton’s lines are my favorite because he’s SO sassy🤣).

I’ve already preordered the next book in the series, which will follow another one of the brothers 😄

👑Plus-sized FMC future queen
⚔️Broody bodyguard
💍She's betrothed to his brother
✨MCs over 30
❤️‍🔥Forbidden romance
📖Talking animal sidekick
🏰Mischevious sentient castle
❤️‍🩹Healing journey and facing your past
🗡️He trains her to fight
☀️Grumpy x sunshine banter
🏡Quirky townspeople side characters
🔥Trio of brothers

[Natalie Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book about a damsel hiding out in a magical tower when she is rescued by a grumpy knight. Though this damsel did not want to get rescued!

She gets taken to a magical castle that is definitely playing matchmaker between her and the knight. I need a wingman like that.

The romance was a cute little fairytale. It was whimsical and fun. Nothing too dark or serious. Just a cozy story.

[Celise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO FUN. It sort of felt like a mix between Tangled and Discworld for the first half - a hilarious, magical fairytale.

In the end I kind of wish it wasn't spicy, because it switched up the tone of the book. Maybe if it had been done in a fluffier way to match the rest of the story? I found I cared a lot more for the plot, the world, and the characters than I did for the romance. Not that the romance was bad (a touch repetitive on the angst), but the premise was just so fun outside of it.

This book also hooked me right from chapter one, which has been tough to find these days!

[Christy Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

People who like cozy romantasy will like this one. I’m not sure that’s my subgenre. Seemed too simplistic and not fleshed out. Had lots of potential though.

[Ágnes Malta-Lakó · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a nice cosy vibes read!
It is a perfect palette cleanser between high-stakes complex reads.
It got me completely addicted, and I loved the bookwyrm and sentient castle.
I enjoyed the characters and liked their ages.
The boy mom is hilarious with her matchmaking needs.
I liked the emotional parts too!
And to see there’s gonna be a sequel!!

Deffo recommend. Also, thank you very much for the ARC.

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨This Damsel is Not in Distress✨

Gosh, I just love jumping into a story written by the wonderful Tee. I always know that I will feel so good, laugh a whole lot, swoon indefinitely, and be completely sufficed by the end. TDINID was exactly that.

We follow a dual point of view, adventuring into a new and magical realm of enchanted objects and scheming brotherhood. Our FMC, Niamh, has been living inside an enchanted tower for three years, ever since her kingdom was captured and burned down, leaving her alone. She is content to stay safe, because safe = good. But when the tower crumbles and she’s “saved” by a prince and his bodyguard, Wolfe, Niamh begins a new journey: one to marry the prince and hopefully save a kingdom. Except she isn’t brave and she doesn’t want to marry the prince.

Niamh, along with her talking bookwyrm, work to gain acceptance to a sentient castle and learn to overcome her fears. She does all this from the conviction brought about by her grumpy bodyguard and prince’s brother, Wolfe. Both MCs struggle with the need for safety and find themselves overcoming battles + healing because of the other. This story was sweet, calm, and so whimsical. I laughed often (Morton, the gargoyles, Margaret, Cillian). I adored the grumpy x sunshine dynamics and banter. The way things moved made me happy and appreciative of the author. And the slow burn pay off was 👩‍🍳💋. I can see myself rereading this. I’m already so excited for book two. 🤭

Tropes you may find in TDINID are grumpy x sunshine, sentient castle, bookwyrm buddy, she calls him sunshine, bodyguard, he falls first, forced proximity, forbidden love, banter, he only likes/opens up to her, slow burn to medium spice, found family, over 30+ MCs, and a HEA.

Thank you, Tee and Nerdfam for this gifted arc. I just love reading your stories and meeting all your hilarious characters.

[Kassyreadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: ThisDamsel Is Not In Distress

Author: Tee Harlowe

Synopsis: A magical castle.

The woman who’s to become queen.

And her growing feelings for the bodyguard that might just ruin it all.

When Niamh Merridon flees her war-torn kingdom, she doesn’t expect to stumble upon a tower that provides the protection she’s always wanted . . .

Until some idiot arrives to “rescue” her and somehow gets her locked out. Now she’s stuck with Rafe “the Wolfe” Wolfgang, a grumpy guard who’s wholly unsusceptible to her charms. Worse, he claims she’s to marry his prince because of some prophecy.

Niamh isn’t keen on the idea, especially when she arrives at a sentient castle and discovers she can’t become queen until the castle presents her with a key. How does she get this key? No one seems to know.

Niamh quickly realizes this might give her the safety she seeks . . . if she can survive the disappearing doors, shifting rooms, and mysterious secrets, secrets more dangerous than her own. Yet the hardest part of it all might be resisting the broody guard who makes her feel brave. If she can’t avoid the temptation, it won’t just be her heart on the line, but her life.


Review: what a delightful cozy book! The story had me intrigued from the start! I adore the grumpy/sunshine trope! I loved the side characters Morton and Marg! They were absolutely perfect!! I loved that Niamh and Wolfe were both in their mode 30’s to early 40’s it’s so refreshing! This book left me feeling so happy and calm!

Thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!

[Margeaux (meg_booklover7) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely judged this book by its cover and oh did it deliver! This Damsel is Not in Distress was absolutely enjoyable! I devoured it in one day! This novel is the perfect cozy fantasy romance. The pairing of the grumpy Wolfe and the sunshiny Niamh was done so well.

One of the things I love about the novel is the sassy but super kind-hearted Niamh who is not your typical romantasy FMC. She’s a curvy, plus-size, 35-year-old who is dealing with anxiety attacks triggered by trauma and suffers from Raynaud’s disease. She’s not perfect. But, it is her struggle with her trauma and eventually, her determination to overcome limitations that makes her such a good character to read. To top it off, she’s a bookish gal who loves to read and whose best friend is a magical bookworm!

Wolfe definitely couldn’t resist Niamh’s charm. . .despite the fact that she is supposed to be meant for his brother. There’s definitely yearning in this pairing and a slowish burn as the main characters try to resist the attraction between them. Their attraction though, is not the only thing that magnetizes them to each other. Like Niamh, Wolfe is dealing with his own trauma. And yes, Niamh and Wolfe’s bond is born out of trauma as well.

But despite the trauma bond, this is a cozy book that is full of whimsy. With a magical, sentient castle, gargoyles that squabble, a gossipy lady who moves from painting to painting, and a suit of armor that asks for the password, the world of This Damsel is Not in Distress is whimsical and wonderfully crafted.

I did an immersive read, listening to the audiobook while also eyeball-reading and that made this whole experience even more. The duet narration of the audiobook was just AMAZING!!! The voicing of the characters definitely added to the whimsy and the coziness of the book. An easy 5-star read and listen for me!

Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC and ALC. #thisdamselisnotindistress #thenerdfam

[Macee Grisenti · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: k!lling, fires

Omg I was hooked like instantly in this book and it only took me 9 days to read it because I was listening to this one mostly while I worked and made more calls than usual this week.

It was 10/10

She’s a strong heroine and she has a talking bookworm as a companion. It was super fun and the magic was honestly new and interesting.

This is a super cozy Romantasy with insta attraction but a little enemies to lovers vibes. Also forbidden love as she is supposed to be with his brother.

Again. This was sooo good! Also I listened to the audiobook and it is a duet narration and was amazing. Both the voice actors did a fantastic job and I would read with them again!!!

Tropes: touch her and ☠️, who did this?, protective MMC, grumpy/sunshine, forbidden love, he hates everyone but her, magical animal sidekick
Micro tropes: he teachers her to fight, she catches him self loving 🌶️, you can take it, he’s convinced he’s not good enough for her, magic 🤝science


Spice:🌶️
Steam:🔥🔥
Sweetness:💗💗💗💗

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and ALC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. I absolutely loved the dual narration of this book! This was a cute romantasy with magical feel good vibes. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. I love the bookwyrm and need to have one now. I can’t wait to read the other books i. This series.

“This Damsel Is Not in Distress is a standalone cozy, spicy romantasy with a grumpy/sunshine forbidden romance, a mischievous castle, and a know-it-all magical bookwyrm”

[Amanda Hopwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NerdFam for the advanced listening copy!

The narrator was amazing !

A fantasy that is Cute, Cozy and spicy!!!! I am here for it !

Not to mention a funny talking book worn; a gossip that lives in paintings, and some argumentative gargoyles.

I love that our FMC is older and curvy and the MMC is also is older and grumpy !

It’s about time is older readers get a FMC that is not 20

[Shendel C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I wait so long to read a cozy romantasy??

This Damsel is Not in Distress is FANTASTIC! I'm struggling to write a review because I enjoyed it so much I don't know where to start. I loved everything about this book. It draws you in from the very start with a witty girl living in a tower with a magical bookwyrm. Then along comes two Princes (one the High Prince and the other a bodyguard) to rescue her despite that she does in fact, not need rescuing. The action and banter from then on out is creative and imaginative. The banter between all of the characters is hilarious. The mental health rep for so many of the characters is done so well and it truly hit home. And let's not forget the forbidden romance! The yearning between the bodyguard and the Prince's betrothed is scrumptious! It's such a slow burn but when it ignites, it's spicy and oh so perfect.

My only comment is that it ended too soon! The book ends kind of abruptly but I can see how it will seamlessly flow into book 2 with all the same characters but focused on another Prince.

Don't sleep on this one! There is also a prequel novella available that I cannot wait to read.

Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Tee Harlowe for the early copy (seriously, thank you!). All opinions are my own!

[Amanda Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the absolute pleasure of listening to "This Damsel Is Not In Distress" by @teeharlowe and it was the best time!!
This book has everything one needs in a romance: a fun/ honest bookwyrm sidekick named Mort, a leading man who is super grumpy a to everyone else but eventually is
sunshine for her, fight scenes i, and a leading lady
who has curves and is in her 30s. I love that the representation of non-mainstream characters is becoming more frequent in the book world, as most Fantasy book main characters are: short, petite, and non-curvy teenage to 20-year-olds. @teeharlowe does a beautiful job of writing these characters; giving them fun banter and real world problems that we as readers can connect to even in a fantasy world!

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the honour of reading the ARC of this book ✨
I love a fantasy book with a little spice and a sense of danger. It took me a bit to get hooked in the beginning, but once I got into the flow it was a great ride ~
I don’t want to spoil anything in my review, so if the premise intrigues you… just go for it!
+ the bonus chapter is just what I needed after reading this book!!

!!Small ending spoiler maybe?? Cliffhanger yes/no
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Normally I wouldn’t read book one in a series if the rest isn’t out yet, but this one works well on its own while still making me curious for book two 🤗

[Manon Clvt · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars rounded down
This book overpromised and underdelivered. It was okay but very naïve. The characters are supposed to be old enough not to talk like teenagers yet I felt like I was reading YA...

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars. This was such a fun cozy fairytale adventure with just a bit of spice! This book was just what I needed after many traditional romantasy stories this coxy romantasy was perfect and i finished it in just one day. This book featured our FMC Niamh (pronounced knee-v), a curvy over 30 damsel who quite literarily lives in a sentient tower with her best friend the book worm. Upon meeting Niamh I think you could say with a fair amount of certainty she was in quite a bit of distress. Her life is shaken up again by two brothers who desired to save their kingdom by fulfilling a prophecy that if they found the prince's bride they would save their kingdom from it's failing magic. Our Prince, Cillian and our grumpy bodyguard, Wolfe, don't know what they got themselves into with Niamh. Niamh is slow to trust because her traumatic past filled with grief but eventually she starts building trust with Cillian, Wolfe, and her other new friends in the Kingdom of Fairwitch Isle.

Niamh doesn't care to be queen and has no romantic connection to Cillian, a well known "bachelor". But that doesn't bother Niamh, who is just looking for a safe place to life for fear of the evil brotherhood who is after her looking to finish her off like they did with her family. This works fine for Cillian who has no desire to marry for love. Niamh, determined to find her own place in Fairwitch Isle and the secure the safety she has so desperately wanted, does her best to get the castle in Fairwitch Isle, to accept her, allowing her to stay forever.

Niamh doesn't know what to do when she starts falling for the other brother, the ultra broody body got for Cillian, Wolfe. This grumpy/sunshine pairing have some excellent banter and their relationship builds with such emotional depth you can't help but smile.

This story was lovely, and it was so easy to get lost in. The whimsey of the magical items, people, and places kept the world building simple, yet effective. I really enjoyed that the FMC/MMC were mature (30-40), the FMC was curvy, and there was a lot of mental health representation. I also am a sucker for grumpy/sunshine trope and Wolfe's grumpy but sensitive personality quickly grew on me. I also really enjoyed Tee Harlowe's story telling I am definitely wanting to pick up more of her work. Also, I think this is being marketed as stand alone but in the title you will notice "book 1" and there is definitely room for uncovering more about this story. I wonder if a book 2 might be in the future??

If you're looking for a quick, cozy, fairytale, romantasy book with medium spice, you need to pick this one up. I listened to this as audiobook and really enjoyed the duet narration. Thank you so much to the Nerd Fam for providing me with this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Eternity's Raven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute and cozy palate cleanser read that scratched the itch I had for something low stakes with a romance.

I appreciated Niamh, our FMC's personality, and her struggles with self confidence. It made her very relatable. Her willingness to learn and push herself when given the chance was respectable and it felt like she had quite natural character growth.

Wolfe, our MMC, felt a tad generic at the start but as we learnt more about him I began to appreciate his deep sense of loyalty and protectiveness towards his family, even if it was overbearing at times. I also thought the way his guilt was written and manifested in his actions was very well written.

Morton was one of my favourite bits of this book. Love his lil pink bookwyrm self.

I thought the magical castle was a really cool idea but I wish we had gotten a bit more to that, as it just felt a tad glossed over. Such a big deal was made out of how the castle could shift rooms, change things etc etc but it didn't feel like a major element even when it was so critical to the plot.

Overall, this book scratched the itch I had but didn't fully meet my expectations, though I will definitely pick up book two as I feel like the MMC for that may be slightly more up my alley.

[thebookish.dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️.5


This Damsel is Not in Distress gave me Beauty & the Beast’s enchanted castle vibes, where household items do tasks for you (brooms clean, dishes wash themselves, books go back to their shelf, etc) and Rapunzel & Pascal vibes with Niamh and Morton the sassy talking book wyrm 🐛 (who I really imagined as a tiny worm-sized Chinese dragon, once scales were mentioned).

The trauma and PTSD rep for both MCs was so well done 👏🏼 The FMC has survivor’s guilt and fire PTSD, and the MMC has survivor’s guilt and sibling loss.

The Audio — the narrators did an amazing job in this duet audio, and Patrick Zeller showed SO much personality and range with all the characters he got to voice. Morton & Wolf couldn’t have been more different and he voiced them PERFECTLY.

This is book 1 in what appears to be a series of interconnected standalones - The Brothers of Fairwitch Isle.

Notable tropes & themes —

🐛 Grumpy bodyguard MMC
📖 Plus-Sized FMC
🐛 Dual POV
📖 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐛 Mischievous enchanted castle
📖 Forbidden Romance
🐛 Sassy book wyrm
📖 Brother’s Bethrothed
🐛 Older MCs (30+)


Thank you to author Tee Harlowe & The Nerd Fam for the gifted ALC and the opportunity to listen and review!