What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
7 days and 15:44:22
5 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
The Pumpkin Bride
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26Win a free print copy of this book!
7 days and 15:44:22
5 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
Shrek meets The Princess Bride in this cozy, low-stakes romantic fantasy. The Pumpkin Bride delivers all the autumnal feels, a dash of spice, and a guaranteed HEA!
Some curses just need a cozy fire, a little magic, and a second chance to break them.
A cursed knight.
Sir Bram Duncan was once a knight of legend in Harvest Hollow—until the whim of a jealous prince and the trickery of an autumn sprite turned him into the hulking orc Jask Bone-Cracker, and tethered him to Grimroot Farm. For three long, lonely years, he’s hidden his monstrous form and the truth of what happened the night he lost everything, including his true love, Princess Marigold.
A runaway princess.
Fleeing an arranged marriage to the vain and intolerable Prince Crispin, Marigold finds a safe haven when she stumbles across Jask’s charmed pumpkin farm deep in the forest. Sensing glimmers of gentleness—and a surprising talent for baking—beneath the grumpy orc’s imposing exterior, she begins to feel a familiar longing she believed dead when her Bram disappeared.
One true love.
As magic stirs and pies are baked, truths about Jask’s curse begin to surface. But curses don’t break easily, and wronged princes don’t capitulate. As their peace is threatened, Jask and Marigold must decide: cling to the lies that protect them, or risk everything for a love that could set them free.
Tropes:
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Dark Secret
• Beauty and the Beast
• Hidden Identity
• Second Chance
• Childhood Sweetheart
• One True Love
Some curses just need a cozy fire, a little magic, and a second chance to break them.
A cursed knight.
Sir Bram Duncan was once a knight of legend in Harvest Hollow—until the whim of a jealous prince and the trickery of an autumn sprite turned him into the hulking orc Jask Bone-Cracker, and tethered him to Grimroot Farm. For three long, lonely years, he’s hidden his monstrous form and the truth of what happened the night he lost everything, including his true love, Princess Marigold.
A runaway princess.
Fleeing an arranged marriage to the vain and intolerable Prince Crispin, Marigold finds a safe haven when she stumbles across Jask’s charmed pumpkin farm deep in the forest. Sensing glimmers of gentleness—and a surprising talent for baking—beneath the grumpy orc’s imposing exterior, she begins to feel a familiar longing she believed dead when her Bram disappeared.
One true love.
As magic stirs and pies are baked, truths about Jask’s curse begin to surface. But curses don’t break easily, and wronged princes don’t capitulate. As their peace is threatened, Jask and Marigold must decide: cling to the lies that protect them, or risk everything for a love that could set them free.
Tropes:
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Dark Secret
• Beauty and the Beast
• Hidden Identity
• Second Chance
• Childhood Sweetheart
• One True Love
352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 1, 2026
About the author
Fiona Buttercup
1 book31 followersA big fan of romantic mash-ups, Fiona Buttercup writes novels full of enchanting settings, magical spells and cozy vibes. When she's not turning coffee into stories, Fiona is dancing around her kitchen to New Wave and '80's pop while whipping up an intimidating charcuterie board that she enjoys while deep-diving into docuseries and feel-good television.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
arcs-to-read
June 17, 2026Shrek and The Princess Bride??? Say less 🙂↕️🫶🏼
July 12, 2026
I absolutely loved the core of this story! The author’s description of this book being Shrek meets The Princess Bride is incredibly accurate, serving up massive Beauty and the Beast vibes—but with an orc, a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and a hidden identity trope that completely worked for me.
As it stands, The Pumpkin Bride is a fantastic, cheeky comfort read. It hits shelves just as all the pumpkin spice products come into play, making it the absolute perfect cozy autumn read for any millennial looking to curl up with a hot drink and a warm, magical romance.
As it stands, The Pumpkin Bride is a fantastic, cheeky comfort read. It hits shelves just as all the pumpkin spice products come into play, making it the absolute perfect cozy autumn read for any millennial looking to curl up with a hot drink and a warm, magical romance.
Read
July 6, 2026🎃🧡 The Pumpkin Bride 🧡🎃
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Cozy Romantasy
• Orc MMC
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Runaway Princess
• Hidden Identity
• Cursed Hero
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 1, 2026
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Cozy Romantasy
• Orc MMC
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Runaway Princess
• Hidden Identity
• Cursed Hero
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 1, 2026
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
June 12, 2026
I loved this story. The characters were so adorable and had great character development. I am a sucker for a grumpy sunshine. It was everything that it promised. My only issue was that the spice was somewhat awkward and rushed. I think it would be fine without the spice, or it could be slowed down with better descriptive language. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Great cozy start for a debut author.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
🍂 ARC Review | The Pumpkin Bride by Fiona Buttercup 🍂
This story gave me all the fairy tale vibes and I honestly felt like I was watching a Disney movie while reading. The charming pumpkin farm, magical forests, cozy fall activities, and vivid autumn atmosphere made Harvest Hollow feel like the perfect place to spend the season.
I absolutely adored Bram and Marigold, watching them fall in love all over again was everything. Their shared history, childhood friendship, and enduring connection made their romance feel both heartwarming and unforgettable.
Bram/Jaks is the ultimate hopeless romantic, strong, honorable, and willing to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves. He was hands down my favorite part of this book. The fact that Fiona Buttercup made an orc this sexy should be studied, she somehow took an orc and turned him into one of the most swoon worthy and I'm absolutely not mad about it.
Marigold was such a wonderful heroine, she was sweet yet incredibly resilient, with magical abilities and a special bond with her twin that added so much depth to the story.
The character development was fantastic and even the villain, Prince Crispin, had me fully invested in wanting to see him get what he deserved.
I wasn't expecting any spice in this book, so that was a fun surprise, just enough to add a little extra heat without taking away from the cozy fantasy feel.
This book has been described as Shrek meets The Princess Bride meets Beauty and the Beast, and honestly, I couldn't agree more.
The Pumpkin Bride was everything I want in a cozy fantasy, magical curses, pumpkin pies, second chance romance, fairy tale charm, and all the fall vibes I crave. If you're looking for a heartwarming escape filled with magic, friendship, and love, this book absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR
Thank you to The Hive and Fiona Buttercup for the eARC!
This story gave me all the fairy tale vibes and I honestly felt like I was watching a Disney movie while reading. The charming pumpkin farm, magical forests, cozy fall activities, and vivid autumn atmosphere made Harvest Hollow feel like the perfect place to spend the season.
I absolutely adored Bram and Marigold, watching them fall in love all over again was everything. Their shared history, childhood friendship, and enduring connection made their romance feel both heartwarming and unforgettable.
Bram/Jaks is the ultimate hopeless romantic, strong, honorable, and willing to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves. He was hands down my favorite part of this book. The fact that Fiona Buttercup made an orc this sexy should be studied, she somehow took an orc and turned him into one of the most swoon worthy and I'm absolutely not mad about it.
Marigold was such a wonderful heroine, she was sweet yet incredibly resilient, with magical abilities and a special bond with her twin that added so much depth to the story.
The character development was fantastic and even the villain, Prince Crispin, had me fully invested in wanting to see him get what he deserved.
I wasn't expecting any spice in this book, so that was a fun surprise, just enough to add a little extra heat without taking away from the cozy fantasy feel.
This book has been described as Shrek meets The Princess Bride meets Beauty and the Beast, and honestly, I couldn't agree more.
The Pumpkin Bride was everything I want in a cozy fantasy, magical curses, pumpkin pies, second chance romance, fairy tale charm, and all the fall vibes I crave. If you're looking for a heartwarming escape filled with magic, friendship, and love, this book absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR
Thank you to The Hive and Fiona Buttercup for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you’re looking for an entertaining, cozy romance story, this is the book for you.
The romance between Marigold and Bram/Jask was sweet, well written, and the best part of this book. I really enjoyed reading about Marigold falling in love with Bram for the second time.
The external conflict is very bad and felt like an afterthought.
Things are too convenient.
• Marigold needs to know something specific that will break the curse. Next chapter, a boy just tells her out of nowhere.
• All the major players just meet up at the festival, and hang out until Marigold and Bram return.
• Bram feels a frisson whenever someone enters the farm, but sometimes he misses that feeling if he’s busy or he’ll ignore it. Again, this only happens/doesn’t happen to push the plot forward.
Characters are 'Too Stupid To Live'
• Marigold is hiding yet they decide to have a giant festival and invite all the villagers. They discuss the possibility of the Prince and knights showing up, but hand wave it off and don’t make a plan.
• There’s two ways to break the curse - a potentially risky way and a 100% safe, easy way. Marigold chooses the risky way.
Things are dropped
• There’s no explanation for why Marigold initially stays with Bram after successfully hiding from Crispin. There’s no urgency. Conversely, Crispin is suspicious but doesn’t check in on Bram.
• One of the reasons why they’re throwing the festival is so the villagers stop being scared of Bram. This is never addressed during the festival.
• Bram doesn’t trust Corby, and then trusts Corby.
These are nitpicks that annoyed me
• This was a throwaway line, but Bram, who is an incredibly busy farmer, somehow made a dozen tables in a few weeks.
• Marigold’s mom reveals she has magic, and we never find out what her magic is.
• Bram doesn’t recognize a childhood friend he’s known for decades, but can tell Corby’s shadow through a door. This happens within pages of each other.
• When a character is catching someone else up on the plot, you don’t need to recap the book’s plot. You can have a cutaway scene!
• This was actually huge, because it broke immersion for me. Marigold referenced Greek mythology. I then spent some time wondering that if there’s a Greece, does that mean there’s also an England, China, etc?
Overall, I did find it entertaining and found the romance part to be great. The external conflict had great potential, but ended up just making me roll my eyes a lot..
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this book.
The romance between Marigold and Bram/Jask was sweet, well written, and the best part of this book. I really enjoyed reading about Marigold falling in love with Bram for the second time.
The external conflict is very bad and felt like an afterthought.
Things are too convenient.
• Marigold needs to know something specific that will break the curse. Next chapter, a boy just tells her out of nowhere.
• All the major players just meet up at the festival, and hang out until Marigold and Bram return.
• Bram feels a frisson whenever someone enters the farm, but sometimes he misses that feeling if he’s busy or he’ll ignore it. Again, this only happens/doesn’t happen to push the plot forward.
Characters are 'Too Stupid To Live'
• Marigold is hiding yet they decide to have a giant festival and invite all the villagers. They discuss the possibility of the Prince and knights showing up, but hand wave it off and don’t make a plan.
• There’s two ways to break the curse - a potentially risky way and a 100% safe, easy way. Marigold chooses the risky way.
Things are dropped
• There’s no explanation for why Marigold initially stays with Bram after successfully hiding from Crispin. There’s no urgency. Conversely, Crispin is suspicious but doesn’t check in on Bram.
• One of the reasons why they’re throwing the festival is so the villagers stop being scared of Bram. This is never addressed during the festival.
• Bram doesn’t trust Corby, and then trusts Corby.
These are nitpicks that annoyed me
• This was a throwaway line, but Bram, who is an incredibly busy farmer, somehow made a dozen tables in a few weeks.
• Marigold’s mom reveals she has magic, and we never find out what her magic is.
• Bram doesn’t recognize a childhood friend he’s known for decades, but can tell Corby’s shadow through a door. This happens within pages of each other.
• When a character is catching someone else up on the plot, you don’t need to recap the book’s plot. You can have a cutaway scene!
• This was actually huge, because it broke immersion for me. Marigold referenced Greek mythology. I then spent some time wondering that if there’s a Greece, does that mean there’s also an England, China, etc?
Overall, I did find it entertaining and found the romance part to be great. The external conflict had great potential, but ended up just making me roll my eyes a lot..
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me a read.
With a book like The Pumpkin Bride, you know what you're getting into: a mashup between The Princess Bride, Shrek, and maybe a smidge of Beauty and the Beast?
The synopsis is as it is: princess has a love who has been changed into a Orc and he is forbidden to tell her who he really is when she shows up five years later on his doorstep, looking to escape from the prince who doomed him to the form.
There is also a coziness to it, which has to do with the fact that no longer a knight of the realm, the orc has resulted to baking and tending to his new home daily. There is a lot of cooking, cleaning, etc. etc.
I think the problem I have with this book, which is why I marked it down, is how modern it read / came off. Some of the things the princess would say and some of the things that they would do felt like I was watching two modern-day folk hanging out in ye'olden-days. Which, I get, the author can have her characters talk how they should talk. But I *do* think that you're going to give them unique voices (the princess is very independent and revolutionary), you can make them that way with making them seem like they come from the lands that you're putting them in.
Overall it's cute, and if you like easy reads then you'll enjoy this. But if you want something with depth and more non-modern characters, this might be a bit o
With a book like The Pumpkin Bride, you know what you're getting into: a mashup between The Princess Bride, Shrek, and maybe a smidge of Beauty and the Beast?
The synopsis is as it is: princess has a love who has been changed into a Orc and he is forbidden to tell her who he really is when she shows up five years later on his doorstep, looking to escape from the prince who doomed him to the form.
There is also a coziness to it, which has to do with the fact that no longer a knight of the realm, the orc has resulted to baking and tending to his new home daily. There is a lot of cooking, cleaning, etc. etc.
I think the problem I have with this book, which is why I marked it down, is how modern it read / came off. Some of the things the princess would say and some of the things that they would do felt like I was watching two modern-day folk hanging out in ye'olden-days. Which, I get, the author can have her characters talk how they should talk. But I *do* think that you're going to give them unique voices (the princess is very independent and revolutionary), you can make them that way with making them seem like they come from the lands that you're putting them in.
Overall it's cute, and if you like easy reads then you'll enjoy this. But if you want something with depth and more non-modern characters, this might be a bit o
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was a delightful read that’s perfect for a lazy afternoon. The Princess Bride/Shrek mashup is perfectly balanced and works well together. Buttercup created a magical world full of whimsy that’s fun to get lost in.
This is the type of book that’s pretty straightforward and low on angst. I was expecting more conflict to be honest, but it’s a fairly smooth ride. Marigold and Bram/Jask were lovely characters. I liked that we got glimpses of their relationship and his character through her stories as she got to know Jask. The side characters are fun and add humor, though I’ll say the novel is pretty lighthearted. This is an enjoyable little novel with likable characters, no third act conflict, and little angst.
This was a delightful read that’s perfect for a lazy afternoon. The Princess Bride/Shrek mashup is perfectly balanced and works well together. Buttercup created a magical world full of whimsy that’s fun to get lost in.
This is the type of book that’s pretty straightforward and low on angst. I was expecting more conflict to be honest, but it’s a fairly smooth ride. Marigold and Bram/Jask were lovely characters. I liked that we got glimpses of their relationship and his character through her stories as she got to know Jask. The side characters are fun and add humor, though I’ll say the novel is pretty lighthearted. This is an enjoyable little novel with likable characters, no third act conflict, and little angst.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The comparisons in The Pumpkin Bride's blurb are spot on, as the plot is a real blend of Shrek and The Princess Pride. The autumnal vibes and cozy low stakes make it an easy, seasonal read.
There were two factors that resulted in my rating. I think I wanted more from the second chance romance, perhaps more angst or yearning between the two main characters, Princess Marigold and Sir Bram Duncan (in his orc form as Jask Bone-Crusher), before they got together. And secondly, I think there were some plot inconsistencies and plot points that sort of petered out.
The Pumpkin Bride is a low stakes, cozy romantasy though, so it could be exactly what you're looking for in an Autumn/Fall read.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
There were two factors that resulted in my rating. I think I wanted more from the second chance romance, perhaps more angst or yearning between the two main characters, Princess Marigold and Sir Bram Duncan (in his orc form as Jask Bone-Crusher), before they got together. And secondly, I think there were some plot inconsistencies and plot points that sort of petered out.
The Pumpkin Bride is a low stakes, cozy romantasy though, so it could be exactly what you're looking for in an Autumn/Fall read.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is a little out of my norm but I loved the premise and had to read it because Shrek meets Princess Bride…sign me up!
Bram and Marigold’s story is heartfelt and absolutely adorable in every way! Yes their journey to forever is filled with some obstacles but they show that if you truly love someone you don’t lose hope and love will find its way.
This story was so much fun because there are some hilarious side characters that truly brought the charm. Marigold is amazing. She’s a strong heroine who speaks her mind and follows her heart. Bram…he is the best. Even when his world has been turned upside down he still kept his gentle spirit and loving heart.
This is such a fun read. So light and just all about love. I am hoping we get more because Princess Rosamunds story seems it’s just about to start.
Bram and Marigold’s story is heartfelt and absolutely adorable in every way! Yes their journey to forever is filled with some obstacles but they show that if you truly love someone you don’t lose hope and love will find its way.
This story was so much fun because there are some hilarious side characters that truly brought the charm. Marigold is amazing. She’s a strong heroine who speaks her mind and follows her heart. Bram…he is the best. Even when his world has been turned upside down he still kept his gentle spirit and loving heart.
This is such a fun read. So light and just all about love. I am hoping we get more because Princess Rosamunds story seems it’s just about to start.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a great story -and I can't believe Harlequin is doing fantasy romances - it totally blew my mind - I guess I haven't been paying attention to them lately.
We have an evil prince - I knew he was evil about 1.5 pages in - and I was like "don't trust him, don't trust him" - ah he got the good guy.
We have a princess who is going to be wed to said prince, (he made her beloved become a ...), we have an evil ladies maid, a main hero Orc -a sprite that is caught up in having to curse people for said prince, a pig named Paloma and a cat named Fuzzles.
We have found family -saved kingdoms and hopefully a romance between the new Queen and Cade - a friend of the orc :)
I was wondering if Mare would become an orc to be with Bram, but you'll have to read it to find out :)
I would rate the book a 4.5
We have an evil prince - I knew he was evil about 1.5 pages in - and I was like "don't trust him, don't trust him" - ah he got the good guy.
We have a princess who is going to be wed to said prince, (he made her beloved become a ...), we have an evil ladies maid, a main hero Orc -a sprite that is caught up in having to curse people for said prince, a pig named Paloma and a cat named Fuzzles.
We have found family -saved kingdoms and hopefully a romance between the new Queen and Cade - a friend of the orc :)
I was wondering if Mare would become an orc to be with Bram, but you'll have to read it to find out :)
I would rate the book a 4.5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cute escapism - excited to see what else Fiona Buttercup releases in the future.
The epitome of low angst, fall-loving, cozy fantasy. Like if you took all the best pieces of Shrek, the Princess Bride, and Beauty and the Beast, and combined into one book.
The plot is slow moving, building out the fall descriptions and farm-life setting. Its release in fall is perfectly timed with all the pumpkin and apple related topics (e.g., making apple cider, pumpkin carving, etc). And very wholesome undertones about loving people for who they are, seeing their true selves, and accepting people who are different than you.
Thanks to Fiona Buttercup, Mira, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The epitome of low angst, fall-loving, cozy fantasy. Like if you took all the best pieces of Shrek, the Princess Bride, and Beauty and the Beast, and combined into one book.
The plot is slow moving, building out the fall descriptions and farm-life setting. Its release in fall is perfectly timed with all the pumpkin and apple related topics (e.g., making apple cider, pumpkin carving, etc). And very wholesome undertones about loving people for who they are, seeing their true selves, and accepting people who are different than you.
Thanks to Fiona Buttercup, Mira, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"The Pumpkin Bride" is a mixture of Shrek and Beauty & the Beast. It embodies a cute, cozy fall fantasy.
Bram Duncan gets cursed and turned into an orc due to a jealous prince. He takes the name Jask and is stuck on Grimroot Farm. It's been years since he lost his normal life and his one true love, Princess Marigold.
Marigold is running away from her arranged marriage to Prince Crispin. As luck would have it, she discovers Jask's cute pumpkin farm. She's never truly healed from losing Bram but slowly starts to fall for the tender, thoughtful, and surprising orc.
I loved seeing Bram and Marigold fall for each other all over again. It shows that it's not what's on the outside that matters, but the inside. They develop a routine, working together on the farm and making it a home.
Perfect if you love:
🍂 Grumpy/Sunshine
🍂 Childhood Sweethearts
🍂 One True Love
🍂 Hidden Identity
🍂 Second Chance
🍂 Fall Vibes
Bram Duncan gets cursed and turned into an orc due to a jealous prince. He takes the name Jask and is stuck on Grimroot Farm. It's been years since he lost his normal life and his one true love, Princess Marigold.
Marigold is running away from her arranged marriage to Prince Crispin. As luck would have it, she discovers Jask's cute pumpkin farm. She's never truly healed from losing Bram but slowly starts to fall for the tender, thoughtful, and surprising orc.
I loved seeing Bram and Marigold fall for each other all over again. It shows that it's not what's on the outside that matters, but the inside. They develop a routine, working together on the farm and making it a home.
Perfect if you love:
🍂 Grumpy/Sunshine
🍂 Childhood Sweethearts
🍂 One True Love
🍂 Hidden Identity
🍂 Second Chance
🍂 Fall Vibes
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wish my husband was a Orc.
Not to age myself but I’m a millennial. The Shrek, Princess Bride, Beauty and the Beast, jelly sandals, Brittany spears millennial.
This book hit three of those.
The pumpkin bride is the perfect combination of the Princess Bride and Shrek with just a touch of Beauty and the Beast.
A medium to low stakes cozy book that makes me want hot apple cider and to listen to Smash Mouth. The love is sweet like honey cakes and the absolute giggles I had at the mean Orc trying to scare off his Princess made me kick my feet as I yelled FIGURE IT OUT ALREADY.
The book is that sweet read on a Sunday with an Apple fritter and coffee.
Not to age myself but I’m a millennial. The Shrek, Princess Bride, Beauty and the Beast, jelly sandals, Brittany spears millennial.
This book hit three of those.
The pumpkin bride is the perfect combination of the Princess Bride and Shrek with just a touch of Beauty and the Beast.
A medium to low stakes cozy book that makes me want hot apple cider and to listen to Smash Mouth. The love is sweet like honey cakes and the absolute giggles I had at the mean Orc trying to scare off his Princess made me kick my feet as I yelled FIGURE IT OUT ALREADY.
The book is that sweet read on a Sunday with an Apple fritter and coffee.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book for free.
🎃🍎🍏🍁🍂
This book felt like a warm blanket on a cold day, even in July. Fiona Buttercup swept me straight into Grimroot Farm, the forest surrounding it, its pumpkin patch, the apple orchard and its wonderfully chaotic barnyard. I adored Barnaby who added personality and heart to the story that the farm felt truly alive. I fell for the setting just as hard as Marigold and Bram were falling for each other. Their relationship is the sweetest kind of second chance, tender and hopeful in all the right ways. I loved every moment.
🎃🍎🍏🍁🍂
This book felt like a warm blanket on a cold day, even in July. Fiona Buttercup swept me straight into Grimroot Farm, the forest surrounding it, its pumpkin patch, the apple orchard and its wonderfully chaotic barnyard. I adored Barnaby who added personality and heart to the story that the farm felt truly alive. I fell for the setting just as hard as Marigold and Bram were falling for each other. Their relationship is the sweetest kind of second chance, tender and hopeful in all the right ways. I loved every moment.
July 5, 2026
This book is The Princess Bride meets Shrek and I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s such a nice cozy fantasy. I loved reading about the cozy farm life Bram lived, seeing Marigold come into her own, as well as seeing the drama and fantasy elements of the curse.
Bram and Marigold are so charming. They read like a very realistic couple and seeing them overcome everything and use the resources they had in this book was great.
I loved this world and especially the cozy autumn setting. This book is perfect to put you in the mood for a pumpkin patch and apple orchard on a crisp fall day.
Bram and Marigold are so charming. They read like a very realistic couple and seeing them overcome everything and use the resources they had in this book was great.
I loved this world and especially the cozy autumn setting. This book is perfect to put you in the mood for a pumpkin patch and apple orchard on a crisp fall day.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
3.5 stars (rounded up)
This book is described as "Shrek meets The Princess Bride" and honestly, that is EXACTLY what this book is. Cozy, autumnal and a little fairy tale with a side of spice. Some parts did feel a little rushed, but this isn't the book you read when you are looking for depth, world building and intricate plots. This is the kind of book you read in cosy PJs on a weekend and just enjoy the low-stakes adventure. It isn't reinventing the wheel here but makes a great seasonal read to get in the mood.
This book is described as "Shrek meets The Princess Bride" and honestly, that is EXACTLY what this book is. Cozy, autumnal and a little fairy tale with a side of spice. Some parts did feel a little rushed, but this isn't the book you read when you are looking for depth, world building and intricate plots. This is the kind of book you read in cosy PJs on a weekend and just enjoy the low-stakes adventure. It isn't reinventing the wheel here but makes a great seasonal read to get in the mood.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This book was an ARC provided by Harper-Collins through Edelweiss in exchange for review.
I loved the cozy vibes of this book! It was very autumn centric. Think Stars Hollow fall festival with a fairytale twist! MC is fun and a lot like Winnifred from Once Upon a Mattress. Plot was a little twisty and just predictable enough to make it a great addition to your fall reading list!
I loved the cozy vibes of this book! It was very autumn centric. Think Stars Hollow fall festival with a fairytale twist! MC is fun and a lot like Winnifred from Once Upon a Mattress. Plot was a little twisty and just predictable enough to make it a great addition to your fall reading list!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Literally the coziest an and the perfect mix between the princess bride and shrek! That are my all time favorites! And hello fall in summer! It’s the perfect read
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was so whimsical and cute!
It took me a minute to get into it but once everything started happening I was hooked! The author kept me captivated throughout the book. Not only with world building but with emotion. You feel for Marigold when she looses the love of her life. The betrayal and manipulation hits hard. I love the story of loving someone for who they are on the inside and out. Never fails at being an amazing story!
I definitely got princess bride themes with a mix of magic and beauty and the beast. In my opinion it is a slow burn. I didn’t get spice until 50% through the book. Just an fyi. Would definitely buy for a trophy for my shelf. I can’t wait to recommend this book!
Thank you to the author, The Hive, and NetGalley for the gifted arc!
It took me a minute to get into it but once everything started happening I was hooked! The author kept me captivated throughout the book. Not only with world building but with emotion. You feel for Marigold when she looses the love of her life. The betrayal and manipulation hits hard. I love the story of loving someone for who they are on the inside and out. Never fails at being an amazing story!
I definitely got princess bride themes with a mix of magic and beauty and the beast. In my opinion it is a slow burn. I didn’t get spice until 50% through the book. Just an fyi. Would definitely buy for a trophy for my shelf. I can’t wait to recommend this book!
Thank you to the author, The Hive, and NetGalley for the gifted arc!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews