The Education of Imryn Dyre, Wizard's Apprentice: A Cozy Romantic Fantasy

by Artemis Whelan

A luckless healer who reluctantly accepts a magical apprenticeship must find an impossible cure—and uncover his charming mentor’s secret—before it’s too late.

Half-goblin Imryn “Imi” Dyre hasn’t had an easy life. Born into a poor family and now a student on scholarship, he’s marked as an outcast amongst the wealthy magical families. So despite studying and honing his craft for years, it’s no surprise when he’s rejected from joining the ranks of healers. Just like that, his dream of opening a clinic in his impoverished neighborhood dies.

Out of options, Imi has no choice but to accept an apprenticeship under the master wizard Elim Greenwood. Talented despite his relative youth and—to Imi’s dismay—indisputably handsome, Elim seeks a cure for vultrism, a mysterious curse that compels people to feed on the souls of others. And though many before have failed, Imi’s magic might actually be the one solution to the fatal affliction. Unfortunately, all his tests are met with failure . . .

But Elim’s elusive behavior has Imi thinking something else might be afoot. Not to mention he can’t deny the deep affection growing between them. Elim’s cheerful and impulsive nature brings out a new side of Imi, but to pursue a romantic relationship with him would incite a scandal within the magical guilds that could cost Imi his professional future. If he’s going to make any progress, he’ll need to avoid all distractions—and identify a live host to continue his experiments.

With no time to waste, Imi and Elim devise a plan to capture a rogue vultara. But when the creature attacks Imi, his fate lies with Elim and the impossible choice he must make: give up his apprentice’s soul to a monster or risk everything they’ve worked for—and more—to save him.

Happily-ever-after has never felt more out of reach. But one selfless act might just prove to Imi he’s finally exactly where he belongs . . .

Genres: Queer, Fantasy, Adult, LGBT, Cozy

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication November 24, 2026

About the author

Artemis Whelan is an author of speculative fiction and romance whose stories are set in feminist, diverse, and queer normative worlds. When not writing, they spend their free time playing video games and reading way too much fanfiction. The Education of Imryn Dyre, Wizard’s Apprentice is their debut novel.

Reviews

[Maeghan 🦋]

Such a cute cover! Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc

This story follows a healer who was born in poverty and is forced to become a mage’s apprentice if he wants to make his dreams come true. He applied to have his own healing clinic but was rejected because of his social class, despite being super talented.

The author is very talented in writing unique & flawed characters. I was rooting for both mmc’s and just wanted the best for them. They’re very lovable.
This novel did fall victim to what I see often in cozy fantasy ; setting the plot for 80% to then have a super busy ending that just feels rushed. I liked the actual plot better than the subsequent ones, which sort of impacted my overall enjoyment.
The animal companions were important to the storyline & were well incorporated. But certain secondary characters only had one scene, to serve a purpose, and were never spoken about again.
The world in which Imryn came from was well fleshed out but not the world that Elim came from, which is where we spend more than half the time. Some scenes did feel very convenient & the characters did for back and forth on their emotions/feelings very often. The magic system was vast & unique, so were the curses.

Overall, this was a balanced debut.

[Sara Hernandez]

When Imryn Dyre is rejected for his magical license to open his own medical clinic, the only recourse left for him is to accept apprenticeship to an eccentric wizard. But Elim is more than talented and whimsical. He’s hising more secrets than Imi could ever dream of, including a magical curse, a demon-born cousin who preys on souls, and a shady past that will come back to haunt him. As Imi begins to fall for his unconventional employer, he must decide to remain in his apprenticeship and give up the dream of his clinic or allow himself to be happy with the man he cares about.

Imi was such a wonderful protagonist. Calm and pratical, humble and compassionate, brave and perhaps a little bit self-unaware. He is a family man who cares deeply for his mother and younger siblings. He doesn’t hold prejudice against the people that meet him (due to his rather obvious heritage). Where others might allow themselves to become bitter over such unfairness, Imi moves about his life working hard and helping others.

Elim gave me such Howl vibes (Howl’s Moving Castle) that I almost wonder if he wasn’t a little bit inspired by him as a character. He’s spoiled but not rotten, a playboy and a flirt, but when he falls he falls hard and fast. He did his very best to always put Imi first and to think of Imi’s comfort before his own. He was such an absolute sweetheart by the end I was going to be mad if they did not end up together.

The world building is unique, the characters relatable and interesting, and the conflict original in a sea of cozy fantasies. If you are looking for a fun and sweet read that will leave you feeling warm inside, I cannot reccomend this one enough! I would love to see more adventures with them!

[Drew]

I liked the characters and thought the world had some really interesting ideas, but the execution felt pretty lackluster. The first 80% was extremely slow, while the last 20% suddenly became rushed, and the beginning could also feel dense and difficult to follow at times. There were a lot of magical terms and concepts that seemed to assume you already knew what was being talked about, and I wish there had been more context throughout. The main characters were reasonably developed, but the side characters, especially Jenny and the gardener, felt like they were only included for a scene or two and then forgotten. The roughly 10-year age gap between Imryn and Elim also made me uncomfortable at times, especially with their apprentice and mentor dynamic. I also found the explanation surrounding Elim’s parents being killed because of high-society shenanigans really strange and underdeveloped, like the story expected me to accept that people would casually do something like that. There were a lot of interesting ideas here, but it felt like the book was trying to do too much at once, which somehow left very little of it feeling fully developed or impactful.

[Sissi and the Books]

Pick this up for an inventive magic system, diverse species, and a world where even the characters studying magic don't have all the answers.

I loved that magic wasn't treated like an exact science. Imi and Elim have to experiment, fail, and try again, with the situation becoming increasingly dire until everything goes to shit. 😂 There are no convenient magical solutions, and I really enjoyed figuring things out alongside them.

The romance, unfortunately, didn't work as well for me. They seemed to fall in love almost instantly, then spent most of the book tiptoeing around feelings they already had. It felt a little juvenile at times, and I almost wished this had just been a fantasy adventure.

Still, the world and magic were fascinating enough to keep me invested, and I loved that the characters had to learn their way through the impossible.

Thank you NetGalley and Artemis Whelan / Podium Entertainment for the eARC. The review reflects my own honest opinions.

[Jennybeast]

I enjoyed this — I like the world a lot, even if it is as stratified as our own. I really like Imryn and Tuna, and the rest of Imryn’s family. I also liked Elim, but after a while I had a hard time with his behavior. He’s a textbook case of apologizing without changing his behavior, and he does it over and over again. I’m not sure if I’m more charmed by the attitude of love him how he is, or annoyed by the way he repeatedly leads everyone into danger. I also feel like quite a few of the obstacles they face are overcome in a rather unbelievable manner, but it’s a quibble, not a complaint. I’ve read a lot of debut romantasies lately and this is a good one — good characters, an interesting magical system, an interesting world.

Advanced Readers Copy provided by edelweiss

[Eric]

Thank you to NetGalley, Artemis Whelan, and Podium Entertainment

The cutest book I have read this year! If Hallmark and Fantasy ever teamed up, it would be this book. Imi and Elim are immediately lovable and relatable. Two different personalities, two different worlds. A wonderful example of seeing past the facade to the person beneath. The old adage of never judging a book by its cover really comes to life, metaphorically speaking. My only disappointment was that the ending felt a little rushed. Overall, a feel-good book and a happy ending with everything neatly tied up. Bravo!

[M. Stevenson]

Assured, warmhearted, and with a compassionate sensibility that doesn’t hesitate to fight for a better world, The Education of Imryn Dyre, Wizard’s Apprentice is a gem of a debut. This is the sort of fantasy novel you’ll wish to step inside, with characters who are a pleasure to spend time with and a vibrant setting where you’ll want to linger. I loved every minute of it.

[Molly]

So much love for Imryn and Elim. I genuinely loved both of these characters. The way the interaction with each other seems like real life. There were some parts of the book I did not expect coming! I did expect that ending. I felt as if the first half of the book was pretty slow in my opinion, but it did pick up in the last half. The way that Artemis gives attention to the side pets made me smile every time. I would recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley