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The Faraway Inn
Get cosy at The Faraway Inn, the YA fantasy from bestselling author of The Spellshop, Sarah Beth Durst.
When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s bed and breakfast for the summer, she’s shocked to find it run down rather than cosy. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.
To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundkeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B – and its residents. Something almost . . . otherworldly.
The inn is hiding a magical secret – but secrets are like doors. Once Calisa opens this one, she won’t be able to go back . . .
'Filled with magical mysteries, whimsical surprises, and a dash of sweet romance, The Faraway Inn is the perfect cozy read' – Axie Oh, author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s bed and breakfast for the summer, she’s shocked to find it run down rather than cosy. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.
To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundkeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B – and its residents. Something almost . . . otherworldly.
The inn is hiding a magical secret – but secrets are like doors. Once Calisa opens this one, she won’t be able to go back . . .
'Filled with magical mysteries, whimsical surprises, and a dash of sweet romance, The Faraway Inn is the perfect cozy read' – Axie Oh, author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
11 pages, Audiobook
First published March 31, 2026
About the author
Sarah Beth Durst
46 books8,872 followersSarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,989 reviews
May 18, 2026
So far, I’ve read every single book this brilliant author has released, and once again, she’s swept me off my feet. I’m sticking with my decision to crown her latest masterpiece with another magical, enchanting five stars. This novel transported me through shimmering portals into magnificent worlds, bursting with incredible creatures and dreamlike universes described in such vivid, lyrical detail that I felt like I was walking through them myself. At the heart of this adventure are two utterly adorable main characters: Calisa, a good-hearted, selfless, curious, and wonderfully adaptable young heroine; and Jack, a sweet, caring, and capable boy whose kindness and knack for fixing anything make him the perfect companion. Together, they stumble upon the strangest bed-and-breakfast inn imaginable, a place brimming with eccentric guests who come seeking healing, seclusion, and the safety of secrets.
The story opens in Brooklyn, where sixteen-year-old Calisa believes her whole future is planned around her boyfriend Ethan—until she catches him cheating and promptly dumps him. Heartbroken but determined to heal, she follows her two moms’ advice and heads to rural Vermont to spend the summer with her great-aunt Zee. Calisa hasn’t seen Zee or her beloved inn since childhood, but instead of warm memories, she finds a dilapidated shell of the place she once adored. Worse, her aunt greets her with hostility, telling her to return to the city, insisting she’s not a good fit for the inn or its secretive guests. Zee lays down strict rules: don’t pry into anyone’s life, don’t ask questions, and absolutely don’t open any closed doors. Yet curiosity—and a certain handsome boy—make following those rules impossible.
Enter Jack, the groundskeeper’s charming son, whose easy smile and hidden worries make him instantly captivating. Jack encourages Calisa to stay, even when Zee’s frosty demeanor suggests otherwise. As Calisa helps with chores—scrubbing dusty floors, rescuing gardens from invading weeds, baking cakes to serve with tea—she begins to uncover the inn’s mysteries. Its guests are unlike anyone she’s ever met: Mulligan, a night-dwelling gentleman who speaks like he’s stepped out of a Shakespearean tragedy (and may or may not be a vampire); Melidor, a green-haired girl with the unnerving ability to communicate with beavers and unleash ear-splitting screams; and Kendra, a commanding yet elegant woman who seems deeply tied to the sea. Each guest’s room, Calisa discovers, is more than it seems—each door opens to another world, a shimmering threshold between reality and dream.
As she digs deeper, Calisa realizes the inn is more magical—and more endangered—than she ever imagined. The thin veil between universes is fraying, her aunt is hiding family secrets about their ancestors, and the inn itself is on the brink of ruin. Determined to restore the inn to its former glory, Calisa throws herself into the project, even as Zee prepares to give up. Jack, of course, stands loyally by her side, and their friendship—perhaps even something more—blooms amid crumbling walls and enchanted doors.
Overall: I adored every page of this story. The tone is sweet yet mysterious, tinged with fairy-tale wonder, and the setting feels like a character in its own right. The cast is marvelously drawn—eccentric, layered, and endlessly fascinating. This is a book that made me smile, ache, and dream all at once. I highly recommend it to fantasy lovers craving a story filled with magic, heart, and discovery. I cannot wait to dive into Sarah Beth Durst’s next creation and see what wonders she shares with us next.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press for providing this enchanting fantasy’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The story opens in Brooklyn, where sixteen-year-old Calisa believes her whole future is planned around her boyfriend Ethan—until she catches him cheating and promptly dumps him. Heartbroken but determined to heal, she follows her two moms’ advice and heads to rural Vermont to spend the summer with her great-aunt Zee. Calisa hasn’t seen Zee or her beloved inn since childhood, but instead of warm memories, she finds a dilapidated shell of the place she once adored. Worse, her aunt greets her with hostility, telling her to return to the city, insisting she’s not a good fit for the inn or its secretive guests. Zee lays down strict rules: don’t pry into anyone’s life, don’t ask questions, and absolutely don’t open any closed doors. Yet curiosity—and a certain handsome boy—make following those rules impossible.
Enter Jack, the groundskeeper’s charming son, whose easy smile and hidden worries make him instantly captivating. Jack encourages Calisa to stay, even when Zee’s frosty demeanor suggests otherwise. As Calisa helps with chores—scrubbing dusty floors, rescuing gardens from invading weeds, baking cakes to serve with tea—she begins to uncover the inn’s mysteries. Its guests are unlike anyone she’s ever met: Mulligan, a night-dwelling gentleman who speaks like he’s stepped out of a Shakespearean tragedy (and may or may not be a vampire); Melidor, a green-haired girl with the unnerving ability to communicate with beavers and unleash ear-splitting screams; and Kendra, a commanding yet elegant woman who seems deeply tied to the sea. Each guest’s room, Calisa discovers, is more than it seems—each door opens to another world, a shimmering threshold between reality and dream.
As she digs deeper, Calisa realizes the inn is more magical—and more endangered—than she ever imagined. The thin veil between universes is fraying, her aunt is hiding family secrets about their ancestors, and the inn itself is on the brink of ruin. Determined to restore the inn to its former glory, Calisa throws herself into the project, even as Zee prepares to give up. Jack, of course, stands loyally by her side, and their friendship—perhaps even something more—blooms amid crumbling walls and enchanted doors.
Overall: I adored every page of this story. The tone is sweet yet mysterious, tinged with fairy-tale wonder, and the setting feels like a character in its own right. The cast is marvelously drawn—eccentric, layered, and endlessly fascinating. This is a book that made me smile, ache, and dream all at once. I highly recommend it to fantasy lovers craving a story filled with magic, heart, and discovery. I cannot wait to dive into Sarah Beth Durst’s next creation and see what wonders she shares with us next.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press for providing this enchanting fantasy’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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April 26, 2026
"Hi, Auntie Zee," Calisa began. "It's great to-"After having her heart broken by her cheating ex-boyfriend (and the embarassment was further compounded by the fact that nearly everyone knew BUT her), Calisa was really, REALLY, looking forward to going to Auntie Zee's.
"You can stay the night," Auntie Zee cut her off. "But then you have to leave."
Auntie Zee runs a bed and breakfast and with visions of tea times and cottage-y landscaping in her head, Calisa heads over to help her aunt for the summer.
Only one problem.
Despite Auntie Zee's protests, Calisa decides that she cannot return to her home this early with her tail between her legs. So she decides she will make herself useful.
"I neither need nor want your here."
She helps Jack (the gardener, handyman, and general helper) with repairs, then cleans up the inside...and the more Calisa helps out, the more strange things she notices about the place.
There's the battery-operated tea pot that always turns on when she's not looking. Then there's the fireplaces that don't burn wood. Oh and that one time she opened a broom closet only to find a swirling void.
The longer she stays, the more she suspects this isn't an ordinary Inn...in fact, it may actually be magical.
Oh this one was absolutely lovely and delightfully crafted!
"It's rare, a place like this," Jack said. "That's why it's so special. It's a place where people can come to escape. A real getaway, for whoever needs it."
I truly love all of the worlds that this author creates - and this one is no exception. I have always adored stories where the magic is there, though a bit hidden from sight. I had so much fun puzzling out the secrets of the inn along with Calisa!!
One thing that the author excels at is grounding her characters - yes the setting is full of magic and whimsy BUT the characters are still dealing with very real problems.
Auntie Zee doesn't want to give up her inn and yet she cannot run it on her own. Calisa came looking for a place to lick her wounds but instead needs to find a way to revitalize a family business.
It's such a great way to ground or balance out all the fun magic around the place.
Overall - absolutely fabulous!!
April 16, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚ Sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives in Vermont at her great-aunt’s B&B, hoping for a change of scenery and to stay away from her cheating ex-boyfriend. But what she wasn’t expecting was to find the inn rundown and falling apart, and to make matters worse, Auntie Zee doesn’t want her there. But Calisa doesn’t give up that easily, so she tries to convince Auntie Zee to keep her for the summer by fixing the inn, with the help of the groundskeeper’s handsome son, Jack. But the more time she spends at the inn, the more she realizes that there is something different about the place and the guests. It’s almost as if everything is magical, and to protect the place she’s grown to love, Calisa must find out the truth of the magic, with or without her great-aunt’s help.
⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: lettres d’amour by Helder Boutens
⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚ This reminded me of the magical aspect of Beauty and the Beast, and I am all here for it. At first, I was a little wary when I started this book because I’m not the biggest fan of reading fantasy. I can watch it–some of my favorite movies are fantasy–but reading it, I had a hard time with. Not only that, I’ve been struggling with reading lately because my mental health still isn’t 100% yet, but I am so happy that I was able to finish this book because I loved it.
I was literally so excited when Calisa started to realize that Faraway Inn was a magical place because that’s what I was here for: magic. I wanted to read a book that would be Anne Shirley approved, and I got it. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the mysteries Faraway Inn was harboring, but let’s just say that Steve the lizard is not a lizard and Auntie Zee is more than just an innkeeper. Ugh, it was just so freaking good!
I loved how reasonable Calisa was, and that right there deserves a whole star. I am so tired of main characters being selfish people with no common sense or emotional IQ, so this was a breath of fresh air. She was super understanding yet didn’t take anyone’s BS, she communicated with others to the best of her ability, and tried to look at all aspects of a situation or circumstance, without jumping to conclusions and causing conflict that didn’t need to be there. I was literally over the moon about this while I was reading because I am not in the mood to deal with stupidity right now. I’m not. 😅
And all the other characters were amazing as well. Jack (lol, I had to check if I got his name right because I forgot 😂) was really sweet and super helpful when he chose to be (😏), and I rooted for the little romance between him and Calisa. Auntie Zee took some getting used to, but I understand her sentiments and feelings. Calisa’s moms were super supportive and genuinely cared for their daughter, which was so nice to read. The guests at the inn were also great, and I loved it every time they appeared in a scene. And Steve, the maybe-maybe-not lizard, was the absolute best. ☺
All in all, this was such a fun and enchanting read, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a sweet, cozy fantasy story that will make you smile and wish you were a magical creature from another world. ✨
✶ Thank you to Random House Children’s Books | Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ✶
❗Content Warnings❗
Missing parent.
Swearing: Some.
Spice: No–only kissing. (🌶/5)
⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚ Sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives in Vermont at her great-aunt’s B&B, hoping for a change of scenery and to stay away from her cheating ex-boyfriend. But what she wasn’t expecting was to find the inn rundown and falling apart, and to make matters worse, Auntie Zee doesn’t want her there. But Calisa doesn’t give up that easily, so she tries to convince Auntie Zee to keep her for the summer by fixing the inn, with the help of the groundskeeper’s handsome son, Jack. But the more time she spends at the inn, the more she realizes that there is something different about the place and the guests. It’s almost as if everything is magical, and to protect the place she’s grown to love, Calisa must find out the truth of the magic, with or without her great-aunt’s help.
⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: lettres d’amour by Helder Boutens
⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚ This reminded me of the magical aspect of Beauty and the Beast, and I am all here for it. At first, I was a little wary when I started this book because I’m not the biggest fan of reading fantasy. I can watch it–some of my favorite movies are fantasy–but reading it, I had a hard time with. Not only that, I’ve been struggling with reading lately because my mental health still isn’t 100% yet, but I am so happy that I was able to finish this book because I loved it.
I was literally so excited when Calisa started to realize that Faraway Inn was a magical place because that’s what I was here for: magic. I wanted to read a book that would be Anne Shirley approved, and I got it. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the mysteries Faraway Inn was harboring, but let’s just say that Steve the lizard is not a lizard and Auntie Zee is more than just an innkeeper. Ugh, it was just so freaking good!
I loved how reasonable Calisa was, and that right there deserves a whole star. I am so tired of main characters being selfish people with no common sense or emotional IQ, so this was a breath of fresh air. She was super understanding yet didn’t take anyone’s BS, she communicated with others to the best of her ability, and tried to look at all aspects of a situation or circumstance, without jumping to conclusions and causing conflict that didn’t need to be there. I was literally over the moon about this while I was reading because I am not in the mood to deal with stupidity right now. I’m not. 😅
And all the other characters were amazing as well. Jack (lol, I had to check if I got his name right because I forgot 😂) was really sweet and super helpful when he chose to be (😏), and I rooted for the little romance between him and Calisa. Auntie Zee took some getting used to, but I understand her sentiments and feelings. Calisa’s moms were super supportive and genuinely cared for their daughter, which was so nice to read. The guests at the inn were also great, and I loved it every time they appeared in a scene. And Steve, the maybe-maybe-not lizard, was the absolute best. ☺
All in all, this was such a fun and enchanting read, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a sweet, cozy fantasy story that will make you smile and wish you were a magical creature from another world. ✨
✶ Thank you to Random House Children’s Books | Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ✶
❗Content Warnings❗
Missing parent.
Swearing: Some.
Spice: No–only kissing. (🌶/5)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sarah Beth Durst really is in her cozy fantasy era and I can only approve of that. This year she even provides cozy goodness for multiple audiences by publishing two books - another Spellshop companion novel and this young adult standalone. As the title suggests this book is all about a magical inn, but the main character Calisa has to be introduced to its otherworldly qualities at first. After a dramatic break-up she travels from Brooklyn to Vermont to stay with her estranged aunt for the summer. Her plan is to busy herself with working around the inn to keep her thoughts as far away from her heartbreak as possible. But upon arrival the inn is less charming than she remembered, not to say shabby, with only a few quests who barely make an appearance and her aunt is also not exactly welcoming. But the groundkeeper's son Jack is nice enough and Calisa is determined to stay and so she just starts cleaning and baking and talking to the guests. She only slowly realizes strange things, like the tea making itself or guests coming out of the broom closet or a huge lizard that's totally not a dragon. I personally think that the introduction to the magic takes a bit too long. It really only starts a third of the way through and while I really enjoyed the inn as a magical place, it is only fully utilized late in the book. That's also why I prefer both The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse to this new cozy novel by the same author. They both take place in a fantastical world and while the characters still have to learn about magic, they are not oblivious to it like Calisa is. It still was a cute and lighthearted read. Nothing outstanding to me, but a nice palate cleanser with charming characters and cozy magic. I especially liked that the inn was a calm place of recovery for people who just need a break. Sure, the characters stayed kind of shallow under their quirky surface, and I really don't understand why there had to be a romance when Calisa literally just had the worst breakup ever apparently, but I had a very pleasant time with this book anyway. I would totally read more stories about the inn, because there are basically endless possibilities and now that Calisa is familiar with everything, another book would have the potential to be truly great. I will keep my eyes and ears open for some news about that.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2026
4.6 stars!!
This book was such sweet and cozy fantasy about friendship, family, love, second chances, and discovering your purpose in life. The Faraway Inn follows 16 year old Calisa comes to Vermont to help her great Aunt at her Bed and Breakfast, but discovers that the B&B is run down. Auntie Zee won't accept help from Calisa, but Calisa is determined to fix the inn and has the groundskeeper son, Jack assist her. Calisa realizes that there is something magical about the inn and stops at nothing to find out what it is.
Thoughts
I was completely swept away by this cozy fantasy from the very first page. I appreciated that this book focused on family and building a home instead of battles. I loved the inclusion of fantasy creatures including dragons, firebirds, witches, fae, plant people, a sea witch and more. This book felt like reading a book by a warm fire. This book was so wholesome, I couldn't stop smiling. The writing was witty and descriptive. The descriptions of the food made me hungry. The plot was intriguing and kept me engaged. I loved the splash of magic throughout the book which was the perfect amount for this cozy fantasy. The ending was so heartwarming and beautiful. I'm so happy the conflict was resolved and it ended on a happy note.
Characters
I loved Calisa, she was hardworking, brave, resilient, helpful, caring and determined. I'm glad that Calisa spoke her mind when she didn't agree with something. I was inspired by her bravery and determination, she didn't give up on the inn or her friends. Calisa's character development was excellent, she found purpose in life and opened herself up to other people she cared about. I adored Jack, he was charming, sweet, helpful, hardworking and brave. I loved that over time he opened up to Calisa about himself and was honest with her. Jack was such a cinnamon roll with a heart of gold. The side characters were also great especially Steve (mini dragon), Mulligan, Melidor and Calisa's moms. I didn't like Aunt Zee at first but other time she grew on me and showed a kinder side of herself. I loved the interactions between Calisa and Steve and Mulligan.
Romance
The romance between Calisa and Jack was perfection. I loved that the romance was slow-burn, it took a while for their feelings to develop. The romance was also realistic and relatable. I could feel the deep connection between the characters. I loved that Calisa and Jack listened to each other and understood each other. They let each others personality shine without trying to change one another. The romantic scenes made me giggle and smile. Calisa and Jack deserve each other.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy fantasy, awesome characters and a sweet romance.
This book was such sweet and cozy fantasy about friendship, family, love, second chances, and discovering your purpose in life. The Faraway Inn follows 16 year old Calisa comes to Vermont to help her great Aunt at her Bed and Breakfast, but discovers that the B&B is run down. Auntie Zee won't accept help from Calisa, but Calisa is determined to fix the inn and has the groundskeeper son, Jack assist her. Calisa realizes that there is something magical about the inn and stops at nothing to find out what it is.
Thoughts
I was completely swept away by this cozy fantasy from the very first page. I appreciated that this book focused on family and building a home instead of battles. I loved the inclusion of fantasy creatures including dragons, firebirds, witches, fae, plant people, a sea witch and more. This book felt like reading a book by a warm fire. This book was so wholesome, I couldn't stop smiling. The writing was witty and descriptive. The descriptions of the food made me hungry. The plot was intriguing and kept me engaged. I loved the splash of magic throughout the book which was the perfect amount for this cozy fantasy. The ending was so heartwarming and beautiful. I'm so happy the conflict was resolved and it ended on a happy note.
Characters
I loved Calisa, she was hardworking, brave, resilient, helpful, caring and determined. I'm glad that Calisa spoke her mind when she didn't agree with something. I was inspired by her bravery and determination, she didn't give up on the inn or her friends. Calisa's character development was excellent, she found purpose in life and opened herself up to other people she cared about. I adored Jack, he was charming, sweet, helpful, hardworking and brave. I loved that over time he opened up to Calisa about himself and was honest with her. Jack was such a cinnamon roll with a heart of gold. The side characters were also great especially Steve (mini dragon), Mulligan, Melidor and Calisa's moms. I didn't like Aunt Zee at first but other time she grew on me and showed a kinder side of herself. I loved the interactions between Calisa and Steve and Mulligan.
Romance
The romance between Calisa and Jack was perfection. I loved that the romance was slow-burn, it took a while for their feelings to develop. The romance was also realistic and relatable. I could feel the deep connection between the characters. I loved that Calisa and Jack listened to each other and understood each other. They let each others personality shine without trying to change one another. The romantic scenes made me giggle and smile. Calisa and Jack deserve each other.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy fantasy, awesome characters and a sweet romance.
April 16, 2026
For everyone who needs an escape,
a refuge,
a moment to breathe
😌 💖 ✨
This was exactly the heartwarming fantasy novel I needed 🥰 Sarah Durst does cosy fantasy like no other, combining mystery and romance with her gentle whimsical style of writing.
The Faraway Inn sees sixteen-year-old Calisa arriving in Vermont to help her cantankerous Great-aunt at her bed-and-breakfast for the summer. She soon finds it shockingly run down and her eccentric Auntie Zee refuses to take any help. Calisa is determined to fix up the inn and convince her aunt to keep her around for the summer, but the longer she stays, the more curious she becomes…there is something unusual about this B&B…something mysteriously mystical ✨ There is a secret and Calisa won’t stop until she finds out what is behind the closed doors…
I was utterly charmed by this uber cosy fantasy. Sarah captured by attention from page one with her smooth, flowing narrative that was clear and easy to follow. Fantasy novels can often employ heavy world-building but Sarah keeps us rooted in the modern world, allowing her to explore other themes whilst still giving the book a mystical charm. I particularly enjoyed the mystery element to the plot; prior to reading, I hadn’t expected there to be such an in-depth puzzle to be solved. It held my full attention and made it almost impossible to put down. Furthermore, I loved the wholesome family focus. It brought a real sense of grounding to the story.
As for the fantasy side of things, I absolutely loved how Sarah blended the mystical with real world. I hadn’t expected there a permanent smile on my face whilst reading of the array of imaginative creatures including flying lizards, plant people, dragons, firebirds, a sea witch, and more! They were all such unique characters that held strong personalities. The vivid descriptions along side the witty vocabulary was perfect.
Sarah Durst has a great skill at writing memorable characters and that was clearly demonstrated throughout this novel. Our MFC, Calisa, is a hardworking, courageous, caring, and determined young woman. Her motivation and determination to help safe the inn was very admirable and she would stop at nothing. I also appreciated her characters development over the course of the story. In the beginning, she was looking to move on from her ex, but she grew into a new, confident person who had found a purpose and cared deeply for the people (and creatures) around her.
Meanwhile, Jack is a total golden retriever of a boy. I loved his sweet, caring soul and the vulnerability he showed was so genuine and heartfelt. But I also admired him for his incredible work ethic and bravery. There isn’t a bad bone in this guy’s body.
There were also some very strong side characters/creatures including Calisa’s mums, Mulligan, Melidor, Steve, and of course, Auntie Zee. Zee was a tough cookie to crack but she definitely grew on me overtime as her kinder, less guarded side came out. The interactions and sense of found family between them ALL was so heartfelt and uplifting 😌💖
Aside from the major plot, there was definitely romance in the air between Calisa and Jack. This book is actually targeted at YA which was a pleasant change. Their romance was so sweet and youthful. And although Calisa most definitely had feelings for him from the start, it was definitely a slow-burning romance. Personally, I felt this was more genuine and realistic given both their age and the circumstances. It was an understated but meaningful relationship in which they allowed each other to shine.
Overall, this book was a magical feast for the senses. It was everything I wanted and more - cosy, gentle, and mysterious story, unique and memorable characters, and a sweet, loving romance 💕
💖 Finally, I would like to conclude by sharing something special that the author, Sarah Durst, shared with us: ‘Everyone should have a great-aunt with a magical inn. Also, a pet dragon. And enchanted tea. That's why I wrote this book: I believe that everyone deserves a magical escape…Escape is a beautiful and essential tool that enables us to cope with the world more effectively. It's a deep breath before the plunge. It isn't a display of weakness; it's a gathering of strength. It's taking a moment to remind yourself that there's good in the world-that there's wonder and magic and friendship and love and kindness and cake. Please know that there is good out there—and also cake. Please know that there is light after the darkness, and there will always be another door to open.’ 💖
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
a refuge,
a moment to breathe
😌 💖 ✨
This was exactly the heartwarming fantasy novel I needed 🥰 Sarah Durst does cosy fantasy like no other, combining mystery and romance with her gentle whimsical style of writing.
The Faraway Inn sees sixteen-year-old Calisa arriving in Vermont to help her cantankerous Great-aunt at her bed-and-breakfast for the summer. She soon finds it shockingly run down and her eccentric Auntie Zee refuses to take any help. Calisa is determined to fix up the inn and convince her aunt to keep her around for the summer, but the longer she stays, the more curious she becomes…there is something unusual about this B&B…something mysteriously mystical ✨ There is a secret and Calisa won’t stop until she finds out what is behind the closed doors…
I was utterly charmed by this uber cosy fantasy. Sarah captured by attention from page one with her smooth, flowing narrative that was clear and easy to follow. Fantasy novels can often employ heavy world-building but Sarah keeps us rooted in the modern world, allowing her to explore other themes whilst still giving the book a mystical charm. I particularly enjoyed the mystery element to the plot; prior to reading, I hadn’t expected there to be such an in-depth puzzle to be solved. It held my full attention and made it almost impossible to put down. Furthermore, I loved the wholesome family focus. It brought a real sense of grounding to the story.
As for the fantasy side of things, I absolutely loved how Sarah blended the mystical with real world. I hadn’t expected there a permanent smile on my face whilst reading of the array of imaginative creatures including flying lizards, plant people, dragons, firebirds, a sea witch, and more! They were all such unique characters that held strong personalities. The vivid descriptions along side the witty vocabulary was perfect.
Sarah Durst has a great skill at writing memorable characters and that was clearly demonstrated throughout this novel. Our MFC, Calisa, is a hardworking, courageous, caring, and determined young woman. Her motivation and determination to help safe the inn was very admirable and she would stop at nothing. I also appreciated her characters development over the course of the story. In the beginning, she was looking to move on from her ex, but she grew into a new, confident person who had found a purpose and cared deeply for the people (and creatures) around her.
Meanwhile, Jack is a total golden retriever of a boy. I loved his sweet, caring soul and the vulnerability he showed was so genuine and heartfelt. But I also admired him for his incredible work ethic and bravery. There isn’t a bad bone in this guy’s body.
There were also some very strong side characters/creatures including Calisa’s mums, Mulligan, Melidor, Steve, and of course, Auntie Zee. Zee was a tough cookie to crack but she definitely grew on me overtime as her kinder, less guarded side came out. The interactions and sense of found family between them ALL was so heartfelt and uplifting 😌💖
Aside from the major plot, there was definitely romance in the air between Calisa and Jack. This book is actually targeted at YA which was a pleasant change. Their romance was so sweet and youthful. And although Calisa most definitely had feelings for him from the start, it was definitely a slow-burning romance. Personally, I felt this was more genuine and realistic given both their age and the circumstances. It was an understated but meaningful relationship in which they allowed each other to shine.
Overall, this book was a magical feast for the senses. It was everything I wanted and more - cosy, gentle, and mysterious story, unique and memorable characters, and a sweet, loving romance 💕
💖 Finally, I would like to conclude by sharing something special that the author, Sarah Durst, shared with us: ‘Everyone should have a great-aunt with a magical inn. Also, a pet dragon. And enchanted tea. That's why I wrote this book: I believe that everyone deserves a magical escape…Escape is a beautiful and essential tool that enables us to cope with the world more effectively. It's a deep breath before the plunge. It isn't a display of weakness; it's a gathering of strength. It's taking a moment to remind yourself that there's good in the world-that there's wonder and magic and friendship and love and kindness and cake. Please know that there is good out there—and also cake. Please know that there is light after the darkness, and there will always be another door to open.’ 💖
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
March 26, 2026
initially I was like damn this girl is really taking all these new magical elements of her life in stride for a 16 year old and then I remembered she’s an nyc kid raised by two moms so she’s actually a well adjusted 25 year old in a 16 year old’s body so ofc she doesn’t react to her lizard being a dragon when she’s survived subway rats popping out of nowhere.
this book is genius and I would go to war for this inn
this book is genius and I would go to war for this inn
April 6, 2026
4.25 ★— I think every person that gets cheated on should get to spend a summer in a magical inn surrounded by mythical creatures, while making cakes.
So... this was cute, which is absolutely no surprise to me! Durst managed to enchant me with the coziness of this book just as much as she has with her Spellshop series, only this time through a YA story featuring a teenage heroine, Calisa, who’s lived her life growing up in a non-magical world.
Looking to heal her broken heart, she goes to Vermont to her aunt’s inn that… surprise, surprise, isn’t just a normal inn as is slowly revealed.
This story features a lot of Durst’s staples: interesting and quirky plants, magical animals, otherworldly beings and a very kind male love interest that helps the heroine in her efforts at the inn.
A major part of the story is the aforementioned ex-boyfriend’s infidelity that Calisa is reeling from in the beginning, which I found was thoughtfully explored as Calisa processes the feelings of her breakup and works through those emotions that come with it. I came away really liking the portrayal of teenage heartbreak and the confusion that is common at her age!
The book's other major character, Auntie Zee, was delightfully grumpy! I liked that she actually was someone that didn’t immediately warm to Calisa and that it truly felt like Calisa had to earn her aunt’s trust and respect, and the book did a good job weaving that in with a lot of the familial issues that are present in the story.
Overall, The Faraway Inn was filled with the cozy goodness you'd expect, while still having aspects of a fun mystery, a lot of really cool and different fantastical moments and some well-explored emotional healing that made this all a great read!
__________
Thank you to Delacorte Press for the ARC.
So... this was cute, which is absolutely no surprise to me! Durst managed to enchant me with the coziness of this book just as much as she has with her Spellshop series, only this time through a YA story featuring a teenage heroine, Calisa, who’s lived her life growing up in a non-magical world.
Looking to heal her broken heart, she goes to Vermont to her aunt’s inn that… surprise, surprise, isn’t just a normal inn as is slowly revealed.
This story features a lot of Durst’s staples: interesting and quirky plants, magical animals, otherworldly beings and a very kind male love interest that helps the heroine in her efforts at the inn.
A major part of the story is the aforementioned ex-boyfriend’s infidelity that Calisa is reeling from in the beginning, which I found was thoughtfully explored as Calisa processes the feelings of her breakup and works through those emotions that come with it. I came away really liking the portrayal of teenage heartbreak and the confusion that is common at her age!
The book's other major character, Auntie Zee, was delightfully grumpy! I liked that she actually was someone that didn’t immediately warm to Calisa and that it truly felt like Calisa had to earn her aunt’s trust and respect, and the book did a good job weaving that in with a lot of the familial issues that are present in the story.
Overall, The Faraway Inn was filled with the cozy goodness you'd expect, while still having aspects of a fun mystery, a lot of really cool and different fantastical moments and some well-explored emotional healing that made this all a great read!
__________
Thank you to Delacorte Press for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My favorite go-to cozy fantasy author. Her stories are so whimsy and sprinkled with smiles and joy, how can you say no to a feel good story? Sarah Beth Durst is truly the queen of comfort, soft hugs and a coziness that you can't say no to. Honestly, her books are for all ages & it's the peace I come to when I need a soft and soothing read!
(This is a YA fantasy story that focuses on healing from a breakup)
Full RTF!!
Many thanks to the publisher, Delacorte Press and the author, Sarah Beth Durst for sending an early copy!
Publication date: March 31, 2026
(This is a YA fantasy story that focuses on healing from a breakup)
Full RTF!!
Many thanks to the publisher, Delacorte Press and the author, Sarah Beth Durst for sending an early copy!
Publication date: March 31, 2026
May 9, 2026
A stunning cozy fantasy!
Full of magic, magical beings and lively depicted strange, beautiful, wondrous, faraway worlds in infinite dimensions!
Calisa, sixteen years-old, is spending 2 summer months in Vermont with her great-aunt Zee at The Faraway Inn, after her boyfriend Ethan broke and stomped on her heart!
The last time she was there, with her moms, she was 5 years-old, and remembered it to be a lovely, beautiful and cute place, surrounded by pine trees and flower gardens.
Ater a long and tired journey she reaches The Faraway Inn and can't believe her eyes!
The 3 stories inn is run-down.
Tilted and lopsided roof, shutters hung crooked on the windows and some boarded up with plywood, the porch buried beneath the grown greenery, the garden a mess jungle.
She walks in and falls through the porch.
Jack a boy about her age, handsome, strong and ou-of-a-movie, who is the groundskeeper's son, has to do a task first before he can help her!
So she helps herself and enters the house.
The lobby, the reception desk, the sitting room, the dinning room, are full of dust, cobwebs, half the furniture covered, and it seems like they hadn't been used in years.
She only sees an elderly white cat, Portia, on a chair.
She finds the kitchen, cleaned, but seemed not to be used too.
Where is everybody?
And then her Auntie Zee appears.
She's grumpy, very wrinkled, looking much older than her 82 years-old, and says she can't stay, doesn't need her help.
Just sleep the night and leave.
But after Calisa tells her the reason she's there, Ethan, she lets her stay for 3 days, but must follow her rules: don't open doors without permission and don't ask questions.
She'll stay in room 2, that had once been adorable, smells like lavender, cleaner than the others, but rug and quilt frayed.
Jack and his father live in room 6.
Of course she cant sleep, it's so quiet.
Heard a noise, thought it was Jack and went to the kitchen where she meets the first of the 3 guests, one still arriving, Mulligan, room 8, a very thin man dressed all in black, humming a song, happy to see her, and helps him doing tbe best hot chocolate she ever tasted, "like the warmth of a hug from a friend who just wanted you to feel better."
She told Jack she knew how to do pancakes he loves so much, and the next morning he's already there when she arrives, and the guests will have them for breakfast too.
Calisa wasn't convinced there was anything ordinary about the inn!
The broom closet that first howled, before Auntie Zee closed it and opened it again, the statue of a woman that keeps moving from place to place, the whispers she heard under the porch, Kendra, room 3, that she could swear arrived from the cleaning supplies closet near the refrigerator!
She wants to change Auntie Zee's mind so decides to do some cleaning.
The sitting room, where the white cat usually is, where the teapot starts by itself and the fireplace too, the upstairs bathroom where suddenly, as she opens the towel closet, a huge lizard tumbles out, later named Steve, that's actually a small winged dragon, that is always near Calisa, protecting her, or on her shoulder and that she takes to the greenhouse, later approved by Auntie Zee.
And after that there's no more talk about her leaving the inn.
Next the dinning room, and the garden, with Jack 's help, where she's almost attacked by Melidor, the last guest, Steve to the rescue, a girl with green hair and that talks to plants and beavers.
Jack is always deflecting her questions, and that she could go back to Brooklyn.
Calisa sees he's scared, deciding to find for herself.
She enters room 12, that she knows is empty, opens the closet, no clothes hanging, but with a swirl of colors, walks through it and meets a woman with green skin running after walking flowers, that gives her a message to her daughter Melidor!
Returing to the room she wonders where she went.
Opens another one and finds another swirling portal.
When Jack comes to the kitchen where she's doing a cake for tea, he ends up telling everything he knows after Calisa promises she wouldn't tell Auntie Zee, because she would fire him, and the iin is his home!
The B&B is a nexus of realms, meaning lots of doors to other worlds.
That's why it's special.
A place where people can come to escape, a getaway, for whoever needs it.
Not other planets but other dimensions!
His dad went through one to look for something to help the inn and has been gone for 3 years, because the portal doesn't work anymore and wouldn't reopen.
So he has to come to Jack, Auntie Zee told him.
If the inn doesn't stay in business his dad won't have a place to return to!
And then Auntie Zee goes out to buy supplies for her cakes and doesn't come back!
What will they do now?
How will they be able to run the B&B alone and search for Auntie Zee in the suppliers portals at the same time?
Will the "friendship", with lots of kisses , develops into something more between Calisa and Jack?
The ending is not only amazing but absolutely surprising!!
My first book from this author and it won't be my last!!
Full of magic, magical beings and lively depicted strange, beautiful, wondrous, faraway worlds in infinite dimensions!
Calisa, sixteen years-old, is spending 2 summer months in Vermont with her great-aunt Zee at The Faraway Inn, after her boyfriend Ethan broke and stomped on her heart!
The last time she was there, with her moms, she was 5 years-old, and remembered it to be a lovely, beautiful and cute place, surrounded by pine trees and flower gardens.
Ater a long and tired journey she reaches The Faraway Inn and can't believe her eyes!
The 3 stories inn is run-down.
Tilted and lopsided roof, shutters hung crooked on the windows and some boarded up with plywood, the porch buried beneath the grown greenery, the garden a mess jungle.
She walks in and falls through the porch.
Jack a boy about her age, handsome, strong and ou-of-a-movie, who is the groundskeeper's son, has to do a task first before he can help her!
So she helps herself and enters the house.
The lobby, the reception desk, the sitting room, the dinning room, are full of dust, cobwebs, half the furniture covered, and it seems like they hadn't been used in years.
She only sees an elderly white cat, Portia, on a chair.
She finds the kitchen, cleaned, but seemed not to be used too.
Where is everybody?
And then her Auntie Zee appears.
She's grumpy, very wrinkled, looking much older than her 82 years-old, and says she can't stay, doesn't need her help.
Just sleep the night and leave.
But after Calisa tells her the reason she's there, Ethan, she lets her stay for 3 days, but must follow her rules: don't open doors without permission and don't ask questions.
She'll stay in room 2, that had once been adorable, smells like lavender, cleaner than the others, but rug and quilt frayed.
Jack and his father live in room 6.
Of course she cant sleep, it's so quiet.
Heard a noise, thought it was Jack and went to the kitchen where she meets the first of the 3 guests, one still arriving, Mulligan, room 8, a very thin man dressed all in black, humming a song, happy to see her, and helps him doing tbe best hot chocolate she ever tasted, "like the warmth of a hug from a friend who just wanted you to feel better."
She told Jack she knew how to do pancakes he loves so much, and the next morning he's already there when she arrives, and the guests will have them for breakfast too.
Calisa wasn't convinced there was anything ordinary about the inn!
The broom closet that first howled, before Auntie Zee closed it and opened it again, the statue of a woman that keeps moving from place to place, the whispers she heard under the porch, Kendra, room 3, that she could swear arrived from the cleaning supplies closet near the refrigerator!
She wants to change Auntie Zee's mind so decides to do some cleaning.
The sitting room, where the white cat usually is, where the teapot starts by itself and the fireplace too, the upstairs bathroom where suddenly, as she opens the towel closet, a huge lizard tumbles out, later named Steve, that's actually a small winged dragon, that is always near Calisa, protecting her, or on her shoulder and that she takes to the greenhouse, later approved by Auntie Zee.
And after that there's no more talk about her leaving the inn.
Next the dinning room, and the garden, with Jack 's help, where she's almost attacked by Melidor, the last guest, Steve to the rescue, a girl with green hair and that talks to plants and beavers.
Jack is always deflecting her questions, and that she could go back to Brooklyn.
Calisa sees he's scared, deciding to find for herself.
She enters room 12, that she knows is empty, opens the closet, no clothes hanging, but with a swirl of colors, walks through it and meets a woman with green skin running after walking flowers, that gives her a message to her daughter Melidor!
Returing to the room she wonders where she went.
Opens another one and finds another swirling portal.
When Jack comes to the kitchen where she's doing a cake for tea, he ends up telling everything he knows after Calisa promises she wouldn't tell Auntie Zee, because she would fire him, and the iin is his home!
The B&B is a nexus of realms, meaning lots of doors to other worlds.
That's why it's special.
A place where people can come to escape, a getaway, for whoever needs it.
Not other planets but other dimensions!
His dad went through one to look for something to help the inn and has been gone for 3 years, because the portal doesn't work anymore and wouldn't reopen.
So he has to come to Jack, Auntie Zee told him.
If the inn doesn't stay in business his dad won't have a place to return to!
And then Auntie Zee goes out to buy supplies for her cakes and doesn't come back!
What will they do now?
How will they be able to run the B&B alone and search for Auntie Zee in the suppliers portals at the same time?
Will the "friendship", with lots of kisses , develops into something more between Calisa and Jack?
The ending is not only amazing but absolutely surprising!!
My first book from this author and it won't be my last!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2026
༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°
Edit: The realese date changed
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy read with my sweet friend Mildly Mad Hatter
The cover is so beautiful, I love it! I want to stay at 'The Faraway Inn' even though it's in the middle of nowhere and is kinda falling apart, lol. This is a great summer read (Even though I read it in the fall) I liked the writing style snd the characters were pretty good as well.
Calisa and Jack were so awkward around each other and had a few slightly cringe-worthy moments, but other than that I liked them both. The humor in this book was great! in my opinion anyway, I was laughing every few pages. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. You should consider reading this when it comes out March of 2026.
I loved how quirky all the guests were. I also really liked the magic system. When I was reading this with Mildly Mad Hatter we were just messaging back and forth about everything and it was so fun! I love buddy reading with her, she's the sweetest!
TL;DR this has a great magic system and tons of humor it's really a great summer read.
The characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Calisa ~ she did annoy me at times with how she refused to follow the simple rules given to her, but other than that I did really like her.
Jack ~ I really liked him he was so awkward and funny, but at the same time he was really sweet and protective towards Calisa.
Auntie Zee ~ she was grump. But she did eventually warm up to Calisa and become slightly less grumpy.
Mulligan ~ He was hilarious! I loved how he took simple normal things and made them sound so magical. But i didn't like his relationship with Zef.
Kendra ~ she was kinda stuck up and posh so I didn't like her as much as the other characters.
Melidor ~ I loved seeing how she grew and decided what she wanted to do with her life.
What to expect
🪻Cozy Fantasy x contemporary
🪻 Magical Portals
🪻 Summer vibes
🪻 Friends to lovers
🪻 A hilarious magic mirror
🪻 Awkward Cinnamon Roll MMC
Quotes
~~~~~~~
(All quotes may be subject to change because this is an arc)
☕ She glanced at him, and he was smiling at her, his warm brown eyes like a mug of hot chocolate.
💖 "Is it helping?" Melidor asked. Given that she hadn't so much as thought the name Ethan in days... He didn't fit into a place with portals and cake and magic and a friendly winged lizard and an infuriatingly hot groundskeeper who may or may not have the answer to every question she wanted to ask. "Definitely yes."
🍰"Can we stop talking about murder and talk about cake instead?"
Content
~~~~~~~
❤️🔥Romance| several semi detailed kisses, Calisa wonders if Jack would be "a gentle kisser or one of those kissers who want to swallow you whole" and she can't decide which one she wants him to be,
🤬Language| Hell, -sshole, -ssholery, bullsh!t, God used as a curse word,
🗡️Violence| None this was really cozy!
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| Calisa has two moms, she wonderers if Jack likes girls or boys, a character is upset because he is separated from his partner who is also a guy (They talk about how much they love each other and they hug) A realm has two queens I think they are like a couple but it doesn't actually say
✝️ Religion/spirituality | Calisa keeps saying that Jack is Angelicly beautiful,
⚠️Other| Calisa's ex boyfriend cheated on her (she walked in on him with his hand up some girl's shirt, which is referenced multiple times), gaslighting (past), Calisa says if her ex boyfriend wants to fix things between them he should go to the local veterinarian to "fix" himself so he won't be tempted to cheat anymore,
Edit: The realese date changed
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy read with my sweet friend Mildly Mad Hatter
The cover is so beautiful, I love it! I want to stay at 'The Faraway Inn' even though it's in the middle of nowhere and is kinda falling apart, lol. This is a great summer read (Even though I read it in the fall) I liked the writing style snd the characters were pretty good as well.
Calisa and Jack were so awkward around each other and had a few slightly cringe-worthy moments, but other than that I liked them both. The humor in this book was great! in my opinion anyway, I was laughing every few pages. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. You should consider reading this when it comes out March of 2026.
I loved how quirky all the guests were. I also really liked the magic system. When I was reading this with Mildly Mad Hatter we were just messaging back and forth about everything and it was so fun! I love buddy reading with her, she's the sweetest!
TL;DR this has a great magic system and tons of humor it's really a great summer read.
The characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Calisa ~ she did annoy me at times with how she refused to follow the simple rules given to her, but other than that I did really like her.
Jack ~ I really liked him he was so awkward and funny, but at the same time he was really sweet and protective towards Calisa.
Auntie Zee ~ she was grump. But she did eventually warm up to Calisa and become slightly less grumpy.
Mulligan ~ He was hilarious! I loved how he took simple normal things and made them sound so magical. But i didn't like his relationship with Zef.
Kendra ~ she was kinda stuck up and posh so I didn't like her as much as the other characters.
Melidor ~ I loved seeing how she grew and decided what she wanted to do with her life.
What to expect
🪻Cozy Fantasy x contemporary
🪻 Magical Portals
🪻 Summer vibes
🪻 Friends to lovers
🪻 A hilarious magic mirror
🪻 Awkward Cinnamon Roll MMC
Quotes
~~~~~~~
(All quotes may be subject to change because this is an arc)
☕ She glanced at him, and he was smiling at her, his warm brown eyes like a mug of hot chocolate.
💖 "Is it helping?" Melidor asked. Given that she hadn't so much as thought the name Ethan in days... He didn't fit into a place with portals and cake and magic and a friendly winged lizard and an infuriatingly hot groundskeeper who may or may not have the answer to every question she wanted to ask. "Definitely yes."
🍰"Can we stop talking about murder and talk about cake instead?"
Content
~~~~~~~
❤️🔥Romance| several semi detailed kisses, Calisa wonders if Jack would be "a gentle kisser or one of those kissers who want to swallow you whole" and she can't decide which one she wants him to be,
🤬Language| Hell, -sshole, -ssholery, bullsh!t, God used as a curse word,
🗡️Violence| None this was really cozy!
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| Calisa has two moms, she wonderers if Jack likes girls or boys, a character is upset because he is separated from his partner who is also a guy (They talk about how much they love each other and they hug) A realm has two queens I think they are like a couple but it doesn't actually say
✝️ Religion/spirituality | Calisa keeps saying that Jack is Angelicly beautiful,
⚠️Other| Calisa's ex boyfriend cheated on her (she walked in on him with his hand up some girl's shirt, which is referenced multiple times), gaslighting (past), Calisa says if her ex boyfriend wants to fix things between them he should go to the local veterinarian to "fix" himself so he won't be tempted to cheat anymore,
February 15, 2026
I really wanted to love The Faraway Inn, and in a lot of ways I did. Sarah Beth Durst writes cozy fantasy in a way that always makes her books feel like cozy video games to me, very Stardew Valley vibes, and this one fits right in. The inn itself was hands down my favorite part of the book. I loved all the scenes of Calisa cleaning, fixing things up, and slowly bringing the inn back to life. Those moments were genuinely comforting, and the inn felt like its own character.
The magical guests and creatures were fun and creative, and I liked a lot of the side characters we meet along the way. I also noticed what felt like little nods to some of her other cozy books, which was a nice touch. The romance with the groundskeeper’s son was sweet and low key, and it worked well with the overall healing, summer in Vermont vibe.
That said, the book moved pretty slowly for me, and I had a hard time figuring out what the main plot was supposed to be. I kept waiting for things to really kick into gear. I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere, but at times it felt more like a collection of nice moments than a story that was actually going somewhere.
I also did not love the sociopolitical commentary that was woven into the story. When I pick up cozy fantasy, I am looking for an escape, and those moments pulled me out of the book rather than adding anything meaningful for me.
Overall, The Faraway Inn was a cozy, comforting read with a great setting and some really charming ideas, but the slow pacing and unfocused plot kept it from being a favorite. I think fans of cozy fantasy and Sarah Beth Durst will still enjoy it, especially if you love magical inns and quiet, restorative stories. Just do not go into it expecting a fast paced or plot heavy read.
AHHHH I am so glad I got sent an ARC of this. I really cannot wait! Thank you for Netgalley for sending me a copy.
The magical guests and creatures were fun and creative, and I liked a lot of the side characters we meet along the way. I also noticed what felt like little nods to some of her other cozy books, which was a nice touch. The romance with the groundskeeper’s son was sweet and low key, and it worked well with the overall healing, summer in Vermont vibe.
That said, the book moved pretty slowly for me, and I had a hard time figuring out what the main plot was supposed to be. I kept waiting for things to really kick into gear. I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere, but at times it felt more like a collection of nice moments than a story that was actually going somewhere.
I also did not love the sociopolitical commentary that was woven into the story. When I pick up cozy fantasy, I am looking for an escape, and those moments pulled me out of the book rather than adding anything meaningful for me.
Overall, The Faraway Inn was a cozy, comforting read with a great setting and some really charming ideas, but the slow pacing and unfocused plot kept it from being a favorite. I think fans of cozy fantasy and Sarah Beth Durst will still enjoy it, especially if you love magical inns and quiet, restorative stories. Just do not go into it expecting a fast paced or plot heavy read.
AHHHH I am so glad I got sent an ARC of this. I really cannot wait! Thank you for Netgalley for sending me a copy.
June 24, 2026
✩ 4 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ YA Coming of Age
➼ Young Love
➼ Portal Magic
➼ Fixing Up the Inn
➼ Uncovering Family Secrets
➼ Self-Discovery
➼ Healing After a Breakup
➼ Winning Over Her Grumpy Aunt
➼ Magical/Otherworldly Creatures
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Soneela Nankani
➼ Third Person POV
Another adorable cozy read from Sarah Beth Durst! I swear, when almost anyone else writes cozy I’m like “that’s boring,” but SBD’s are always so lovely. I really enjoyed the setting of the inn and it DID remind me a lot of the inn from Clean Sweep by Illona Andrews, so I was a happy camper!
I do think this could have been slightly more romantic… just maybe a few more cute interactions between the two MC’s, and I think I would have liked a few more interactions between her and her aunt as well. I’m not sure what I would really be looking for with those, maybe just a few instances where her aunt let her walls down just a bit so we could have gotten to know her a little better. I get that she had given up on a lot of things at that point in the story, but surely someone with access to magic would maintain some glimmer of hope. I thought her character was just a little bit too severe.
Overall, this was a very sweet read! I also did really enjoy that this was YA just for a little change of pace from what I normally read from this author. I’m excited to read Sea of Charms soon! I just realized it comes out next month, woohoo!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: This premise sounds a lot like the Innkeeper Chronicles series, so I think I’ll have a good time! 🙌🏻
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
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What to Expect:
➼ YA Coming of Age
➼ Young Love
➼ Portal Magic
➼ Fixing Up the Inn
➼ Uncovering Family Secrets
➼ Self-Discovery
➼ Healing After a Breakup
➼ Winning Over Her Grumpy Aunt
➼ Magical/Otherworldly Creatures
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Soneela Nankani
➼ Third Person POV
Another adorable cozy read from Sarah Beth Durst! I swear, when almost anyone else writes cozy I’m like “that’s boring,” but SBD’s are always so lovely. I really enjoyed the setting of the inn and it DID remind me a lot of the inn from Clean Sweep by Illona Andrews, so I was a happy camper!
I do think this could have been slightly more romantic… just maybe a few more cute interactions between the two MC’s, and I think I would have liked a few more interactions between her and her aunt as well. I’m not sure what I would really be looking for with those, maybe just a few instances where her aunt let her walls down just a bit so we could have gotten to know her a little better. I get that she had given up on a lot of things at that point in the story, but surely someone with access to magic would maintain some glimmer of hope. I thought her character was just a little bit too severe.
Overall, this was a very sweet read! I also did really enjoy that this was YA just for a little change of pace from what I normally read from this author. I’m excited to read Sea of Charms soon! I just realized it comes out next month, woohoo!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: This premise sounds a lot like the Innkeeper Chronicles series, so I think I’ll have a good time! 🙌🏻
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
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June 7, 2026
⊹ ࣪ ˖⌇𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐧
╰⪼〝𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦, 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘨𝘦, 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦〞
──── .✦
⋆ 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒗 (𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏)
⋆ 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆: none! just kissing that never goes further
⋆ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: infidelity, cursing(minor), abandonment by a parent (unintentional)
──── .✦
. ݁⋆ ꫂ᭪⌇𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
╰⪼ 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝟓/𝟓 ✰
this book was exactly what i needed, everything was just so perfect and i loved it sm, and it really was nice to get immersed in the story, it really was like a breath of fresh air 🥹
.☘︎ ݁˖ ⌇𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
i loved her development throughout the story sm. i also really admired her perseverance and it was so interesting to see her slowly piece things together about the inn and what was really going on there!
oh my goodness he was SO sweet!!! 🥹 i'm so happy about his ending and that he doesn't have to carry everything on his shoulders anymore
they felt so real to me. i honestly feel like sometimes characters just feel too perfect if that makes sense, but that was absolutely not the case here! both characters had their struggles, and i loved their relationship and how they both really helped eachother !!
➵ . ݁⋆ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ . ݁⋆
𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
⋆ 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝟓/𝟓 ✰
ᯓ im actually so excited to start this it sounds so interesting!! i feel like im gonna have to listen to noah kahan while im reading since its set in vermont lol, also the sprayed edges on this are so prettyyyyyyy
ﾒ૦ﾒ૦
╰⪼〝𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦, 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘨𝘦, 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦〞
𑣲 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: june 4th, 2026 ⌝
⌞ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: june 7th, 2026 .ᐟ.ᐟ
──── .✦
⋆ 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒗 (𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏)
⋆ 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆: none! just kissing that never goes further
⋆ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: infidelity, cursing(minor), abandonment by a parent (unintentional)
──── .✦
. ݁⋆ ꫂ᭪⌇𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
╰⪼ 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝟓/𝟓 ✰
this book was exactly what i needed, everything was just so perfect and i loved it sm, and it really was nice to get immersed in the story, it really was like a breath of fresh air 🥹
.☘︎ ݁˖ ⌇𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
⊱ 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚
╰⪼ 〝𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.〞
i loved her development throughout the story sm. i also really admired her perseverance and it was so interesting to see her slowly piece things together about the inn and what was really going on there!
⊱ 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤
╰⪼ 〝𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.〞
oh my goodness he was SO sweet!!! 🥹 i'm so happy about his ending and that he doesn't have to carry everything on his shoulders anymore
⊱ 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚 + 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤
╰⪼ 〝𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯.〞
they felt so real to me. i honestly feel like sometimes characters just feel too perfect if that makes sense, but that was absolutely not the case here! both characters had their struggles, and i loved their relationship and how they both really helped eachother !!
➵ . ݁⋆ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ . ݁⋆
𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
⋆ 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝟓/𝟓 ✰
ᯓ im actually so excited to start this it sounds so interesting!! i feel like im gonna have to listen to noah kahan while im reading since its set in vermont lol, also the sprayed edges on this are so prettyyyyyyy
ﾒ૦ﾒ૦
April 21, 2026
The most lovesick of Durst’s heroines.
Calisa, a teen trying to escape her cheating ex, spends her summer in Vermont helping her reluctant great-aunt run a rundown inn. There are a few peculiarities as well as a kind guy who actually listens to her.
This was sweet and cozy like all of the author’s recent books, but it missed that magical element for me despite it being a, you know, magical B&B.
Calisa can never stop thinking about Jack, despite this entire endeavour supposed to be an opportunity for self-development and to STOP thinking about guys.
I appreciated that the romance was built on mutual respect and helping with each other’s weak spots, but it was soulmates and pining from day one in Calisa’s head.
I wish we got to spend more time with the guests and learning their quirks/growth. Similarly, getting better understanding of the other worlds was not the point of the story, but if you set up a portal fantasy, I am always going to be curious about more.
I would say this on the younger side of YA, despite Calisa being 17 years old.
Physical arc gifted by Tor.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Calisa, a teen trying to escape her cheating ex, spends her summer in Vermont helping her reluctant great-aunt run a rundown inn. There are a few peculiarities as well as a kind guy who actually listens to her.
This was sweet and cozy like all of the author’s recent books, but it missed that magical element for me despite it being a, you know, magical B&B.
Calisa can never stop thinking about Jack, despite this entire endeavour supposed to be an opportunity for self-development and to STOP thinking about guys.
I appreciated that the romance was built on mutual respect and helping with each other’s weak spots, but it was soulmates and pining from day one in Calisa’s head.
I wish we got to spend more time with the guests and learning their quirks/growth. Similarly, getting better understanding of the other worlds was not the point of the story, but if you set up a portal fantasy, I am always going to be curious about more.
I would say this on the younger side of YA, despite Calisa being 17 years old.
Physical arc gifted by Tor.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
April 22, 2026
4.25✨
Calisa is a 16yo trying to get over a heartbreak by spending the summer at her great aunt’s bed & breakfast.
This story was absolutely cute! It definitely provides the promised escape.
I loved the bits with the customers and a few instances brought me tears of joy. It was wholesome & cute!
Calisa is a 16yo trying to get over a heartbreak by spending the summer at her great aunt’s bed & breakfast.
This story was absolutely cute! It definitely provides the promised escape.
I loved the bits with the customers and a few instances brought me tears of joy. It was wholesome & cute!
October 11, 2025
Buddy read with my amazing and wonderful friend Jaida!!🥰 I’m so glad that I got to read this with you! It was so much fun!
What I liked:
The magic mirror, I wish there was more of it! It had me cracking up whenever it appeared.
The romance was sweet and had some cute moments. Steve.
All the cake.
What I didn’t like:
All the language, h*ll 2, *sshole 4, b*llsh*t 3, taking the Lords name in vain 2. A girl wonders if a guy is from h*ll.
LGBTQ: the main character had two moms who were mentioned quite frequently throughout the book.
A guy is in a relationship with another guy and it was honestly just very weird.
Possibly a third couple, two queens who were probably together.
The main character had a boyfriend cheat on her, it was said that he had done it multiple times with multiple girls. He had his hand up another girls shirt.
It was kinda like the girl was obsessed with Jack’s outward appearance for most of the book, that’s all she would think about and it felt very shallow, until later on that it grew and became cute.
The main girl did one of the things that really really annoys me, she broke a very clear rule for no other reason than she wanted to.
So while I did like several parts of this book and it was cute and cozy, the content in it made it hard for me to enjoy it. I can’t personally recommend it because of the content.
Check out Jaida’s review of this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book!
What I liked:
The magic mirror, I wish there was more of it! It had me cracking up whenever it appeared.
The romance was sweet and had some cute moments. Steve.
All the cake.
What I didn’t like:
All the language, h*ll 2, *sshole 4, b*llsh*t 3, taking the Lords name in vain 2. A girl wonders if a guy is from h*ll.
LGBTQ: the main character had two moms who were mentioned quite frequently throughout the book.
A guy is in a relationship with another guy and it was honestly just very weird.
Possibly a third couple, two queens who were probably together.
The main character had a boyfriend cheat on her, it was said that he had done it multiple times with multiple girls. He had his hand up another girls shirt.
It was kinda like the girl was obsessed with Jack’s outward appearance for most of the book, that’s all she would think about and it felt very shallow, until later on that it grew and became cute.
The main girl did one of the things that really really annoys me, she broke a very clear rule for no other reason than she wanted to.
So while I did like several parts of this book and it was cute and cozy, the content in it made it hard for me to enjoy it. I can’t personally recommend it because of the content.
Check out Jaida’s review of this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book!
April 4, 2026
Calisa's looking for an escape this summer—she's recovering from a broken heart, and her great-aunt's inn, deep in Vermont without even a whisper of mobile data, seems like the place to be. Only: Aunt Zee doesn't want her there. And the inn has fallen into disrepair. And the closer Calisa looks, the more she understands that the inn is a little more...complicated...than Calisa first thought.
I read this largely on the strength of The Lake House, which gripped me by the throat for much of the book. The Faraway Inn is something else entirely—still a delight to speed through, but much more on the "charming" end of the scale than the "throat-gripping" end. I'm reminded of the phone game Matchington Mansion (which I did not reinstall when I had to get a new phone, because it is too much of a time suck), in which rooms gradually open up to the player...new place after new place to discover and restore. The inn isn't quite like that (we don't get enough details of, e.g., the library), but...at the same time, it kind of is. Every time a door opens, Calisa discovers something entirely new to her.
I was prepared for, I don't know, dark forces trying to bring the inn down, but the reality of the book is a lot calmer. There are problems, and Calisa ends up having to do quite a lot of problem-solving (and quite a lot of work), but not so much a Big Bad. I could have used a little more by way of details about what went wrong and how they're sure there's a long-term fix, but the general vibe is just very cozy in a way that turned out to be just what I was looking for in a book at the time.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
I read this largely on the strength of The Lake House, which gripped me by the throat for much of the book. The Faraway Inn is something else entirely—still a delight to speed through, but much more on the "charming" end of the scale than the "throat-gripping" end. I'm reminded of the phone game Matchington Mansion (which I did not reinstall when I had to get a new phone, because it is too much of a time suck), in which rooms gradually open up to the player...new place after new place to discover and restore. The inn isn't quite like that (we don't get enough details of, e.g., the library), but...at the same time, it kind of is. Every time a door opens, Calisa discovers something entirely new to her.
I was prepared for, I don't know, dark forces trying to bring the inn down, but the reality of the book is a lot calmer. There are problems, and Calisa ends up having to do quite a lot of problem-solving (and quite a lot of work), but not so much a Big Bad. I could have used a little more by way of details about what went wrong and how they're sure there's a long-term fix, but the general vibe is just very cozy in a way that turned out to be just what I was looking for in a book at the time.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
November 6, 2025
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own honest thoughts
3.5🌱
‧₊˚ 🍮thoughts
⋅ ☆
while this book was cute and cozy, it was lacking in a few things that made it not as enjoyable to me, mainly in the way some of the relationships were handled (such as our fmc and her love interest and our fmc and her ex-boyfriend, etc) i wasn't a fan of the way the romance was set up but that was completely a me thing! all in all it was a cute cozy read but not one i'd be re-reading again. it also felt very textbook set up in the way that i could practically feel the air of 'heres the stuff i explained it for you' and it felt very childish.
i wasn't a fan of the romance between jack and calisa but i'm not the hugest fan of a friends to lovers set up that way so if you like friends to lovers this will probably slay for you !! it's just not my personal fav and i didn't like how much camisa focused on jack's outward appearance. like we get it, he's hot. understood. but he had no personality or interests!
like babes we need a man with a personality.
all in all this was a cozy read but not cozy enough for me to give it higher than 3 stars.
✩°｡🧸𓏲⋆.🧺𖦹 ₊˚
pre~reviewfull review to come tomorrow morning 🌱💮🍵
3.5🌱
‧₊˚ 🍮thoughts
⋅ ☆
while this book was cute and cozy, it was lacking in a few things that made it not as enjoyable to me, mainly in the way some of the relationships were handled (such as our fmc and her love interest and our fmc and her ex-boyfriend, etc) i wasn't a fan of the way the romance was set up but that was completely a me thing! all in all it was a cute cozy read but not one i'd be re-reading again. it also felt very textbook set up in the way that i could practically feel the air of 'heres the stuff i explained it for you' and it felt very childish.
i wasn't a fan of the romance between jack and calisa but i'm not the hugest fan of a friends to lovers set up that way so if you like friends to lovers this will probably slay for you !! it's just not my personal fav and i didn't like how much camisa focused on jack's outward appearance. like we get it, he's hot. understood. but he had no personality or interests!
like babes we need a man with a personality.
all in all this was a cozy read but not cozy enough for me to give it higher than 3 stars.
✩°｡🧸𓏲⋆.🧺𖦹 ₊˚
pre~reviewfull review to come tomorrow morning 🌱💮🍵
March 22, 2026
Across the very ordinary, very green guest room was an open closet door. And what was inside was not ordinary.
This was the perfect definition of Cozy Fantasy. I absolutely adored every second of this book. From the main characters, Calisa, Jack, and Auntie Zee, to Steve the lizard dragon, the Wheeping Angel, the teapot, the Inn's guests, the magical ladder, and asshole mirror. It was light-hearted but deeply emotional down to its core.
4.75 stars
“You’re allowed to grow up at your own pace.”
From the afternoon tea, cleaning the rooms, planting seedlings, and saving the ocean, this exceeded my expectations. It was about growth and moving on, aging and beginning, life and living. It was filled with romance, whimsy, raspberry jam, chocolate cake, tea, peace, coziness, and comfort.
Allow yourself to feel what your heart wishes to feel. Do not deny your pain.
I loved Calisa and Jack as characters. I thought they both brought things to the story. And I felt so bad for Jack! Auntie Zee was great, what a grumpy, determined woman who didn’t want to ask for help.
Thank you so much to Random House and the author for this ARC!
He smiled at her, and it was like the sun coming out after the rain.
____________________
I could not have asked for more 🥹
Rtc
This was the perfect definition of Cozy Fantasy. I absolutely adored every second of this book. From the main characters, Calisa, Jack, and Auntie Zee, to Steve the lizard dragon, the Wheeping Angel, the teapot, the Inn's guests, the magical ladder, and asshole mirror. It was light-hearted but deeply emotional down to its core.
4.75 stars
“You’re allowed to grow up at your own pace.”
From the afternoon tea, cleaning the rooms, planting seedlings, and saving the ocean, this exceeded my expectations. It was about growth and moving on, aging and beginning, life and living. It was filled with romance, whimsy, raspberry jam, chocolate cake, tea, peace, coziness, and comfort.
Allow yourself to feel what your heart wishes to feel. Do not deny your pain.
I loved Calisa and Jack as characters. I thought they both brought things to the story. And I felt so bad for Jack! Auntie Zee was great, what a grumpy, determined woman who didn’t want to ask for help.
Thank you so much to Random House and the author for this ARC!
He smiled at her, and it was like the sun coming out after the rain.
____________________
I could not have asked for more 🥹
Rtc
April 2, 2026
The Faraway Inn
by Sarah Beth Durst
Cozy YA Fantasy
Booktrovert eARC (NetGalley)
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
Random House Children's Books/Delacorte Press
Ages: 14+
After sixteen-year-old Calisa catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she goes to rural Vermont for the summer to spend time at her great-aunt's B&B, only to find out that Auntie Zee had never agreed for her to stay there, and the inn was rundown instead of the magical place in her memories.
Only allowed to stay a few nights, Calisa makes it her mission to show her aunt that she can help fix up the inn. Making pancakes and befriending the groundskeeper's son, Calisa starts to make herself known to the few guests staying there, but she starts to notice strange things about them, Auntie Zee, and the inn itself, something that seems magical.
While the main characters are teenagers, sadly, the adults also act like kids, thus making this a very cozy fantasy that both YA and adults would like. It moves along at a good and steady pace, and there's no violence, and the romance is clean and mostly filler.
The lead-up to the mystery was a slow build, though I felt 'Steve' should've had some more drama, but overall it keeps the reader curious.
The only character I didn't care for was the groundskeeper's son. He came across as flat and a lot younger than Calisa, even though he was supposed to be older.
With the wonderful world-building, I could see this becoming a series, one I would be interested in reading.
3 Stars
by Sarah Beth Durst
Cozy YA Fantasy
Booktrovert eARC (NetGalley)
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
Random House Children's Books/Delacorte Press
Ages: 14+
After sixteen-year-old Calisa catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she goes to rural Vermont for the summer to spend time at her great-aunt's B&B, only to find out that Auntie Zee had never agreed for her to stay there, and the inn was rundown instead of the magical place in her memories.
Only allowed to stay a few nights, Calisa makes it her mission to show her aunt that she can help fix up the inn. Making pancakes and befriending the groundskeeper's son, Calisa starts to make herself known to the few guests staying there, but she starts to notice strange things about them, Auntie Zee, and the inn itself, something that seems magical.
While the main characters are teenagers, sadly, the adults also act like kids, thus making this a very cozy fantasy that both YA and adults would like. It moves along at a good and steady pace, and there's no violence, and the romance is clean and mostly filler.
The lead-up to the mystery was a slow build, though I felt 'Steve' should've had some more drama, but overall it keeps the reader curious.
The only character I didn't care for was the groundskeeper's son. He came across as flat and a lot younger than Calisa, even though he was supposed to be older.
With the wonderful world-building, I could see this becoming a series, one I would be interested in reading.
3 Stars
May 7, 2026
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚ 3 stars ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
the first half was very fun and interesting but after Auntie Zee disappeared i just couldn’t find myself to care really.
the characters weren’t all that interesting either. i think kendra was my favorite, she was such a diva. the main characters were so bland and meh. no personality i fear.
the first half was very fun and interesting but after Auntie Zee disappeared i just couldn’t find myself to care really.
the characters weren’t all that interesting either. i think kendra was my favorite, she was such a diva. the main characters were so bland and meh. no personality i fear.
April 29, 2026
Ich muss zugeben, dass ich am Anfang ehrlich gesagt etwas verwirrt, warum es in „The Faraway Inn“ von Sarah Beth Durst plötzlich um eine High-School-Schülerin geht und musste erst einmal in die Geschichte reinfinden.Keine Ahnung warum, aber ich hatte angenommen, dass es sich um eine erwachsene Cozy Fantasy handelt. Daher sollte es einem vorher bewusst sein, dass es ein Jugendbuch ist. Was prinzipiell nicht schlimm ist, wenn man auch mit dieser Erwartungshaltung mit dem Lesen startet!Dennoch habe ich dann schneller reingefunden als gedacht und war sehr angetan von der Geschichte, und überhaupt, von dem ganzen Setting!
Es gibt einfach so Bücher, die sich anfühlen wie eine warme Decke auf der Couch oder süßer Kakao auf der Zunge… und genau so ein Buch ist dieses hier. Wirklich einfach nur kuschelig schön und unglaublich süß!
Vor allem die Figuren mochte ich total gern. Sie sind alle irgendwie zuckersüß, zeigen Mut und haben einen guten Kern – selbst solche wie Tante Zee, die erstmal nur mürrisch durch die Gegend schlurft.^^ Oder der grummelige Spiegel mit seinen eher abweisenden Antworten, aber tief drin sind sie gut.
Und genauso fühlt sich auch die gesamte Handlung an. Es gibt zwar Dinge zu lösen, Calisa muss sich Herausforderungen stellen und über sich hinauswachsen, aber es wird nie wirklich ungemütlich oder gefährlich. Alles bleibt in so einer wundersamen Wohlfühl-Blase, in der man das Gefühl hat, dass am Ende schon alles gut wird. Diese Stimmung mit den kleinen magischen Momenten mochte ich wirklich sehr. Und auch diese Türen! Ich mag auch in so ein Inn reisen! 😀
Da ich das Buch als Hörbuch gehört habe, kann ich mir aber richtig gut vorstellen, mir das Taschenbuch später mal für meine Kinder zu holen. So mit etwa 15 Jahren würde es super passen mit der ersten Liebe, noch recht unschuldig, aber mit einem kleinen Prickeln. Und Jack… er ist einfach so ein super cuter und guter Charakter. Vielleicht manchmal etwas verpeilt, aber genau das macht ihn sympathisch. Es muss nicht immer der Bad Boy sein, es dürfen auch mal die „guten Jungs“ sein, die einen überzeugen und eine non-toxic Beziehung zeigen. Das fand ich wirklich erfrischend.
Was für mich der kleine Wehrmutstropfen war: Die Geschichte ist ziemlich vorhersehbar und auch sehr geradlinig. Gerade am Anfang hätte es für mich etwas flotter gewünscht, weil es sich dadurch etwas gezogen hat.
Aber alles in allem hatte ich wirklich schöne Hörstunden damit und kann es gerade für Cozy-Fantasy-Einsteiger auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Es gibt einfach so Bücher, die sich anfühlen wie eine warme Decke auf der Couch oder süßer Kakao auf der Zunge… und genau so ein Buch ist dieses hier. Wirklich einfach nur kuschelig schön und unglaublich süß!
Vor allem die Figuren mochte ich total gern. Sie sind alle irgendwie zuckersüß, zeigen Mut und haben einen guten Kern – selbst solche wie Tante Zee, die erstmal nur mürrisch durch die Gegend schlurft.^^ Oder der grummelige Spiegel mit seinen eher abweisenden Antworten, aber tief drin sind sie gut.
Und genauso fühlt sich auch die gesamte Handlung an. Es gibt zwar Dinge zu lösen, Calisa muss sich Herausforderungen stellen und über sich hinauswachsen, aber es wird nie wirklich ungemütlich oder gefährlich. Alles bleibt in so einer wundersamen Wohlfühl-Blase, in der man das Gefühl hat, dass am Ende schon alles gut wird. Diese Stimmung mit den kleinen magischen Momenten mochte ich wirklich sehr. Und auch diese Türen! Ich mag auch in so ein Inn reisen! 😀
Da ich das Buch als Hörbuch gehört habe, kann ich mir aber richtig gut vorstellen, mir das Taschenbuch später mal für meine Kinder zu holen. So mit etwa 15 Jahren würde es super passen mit der ersten Liebe, noch recht unschuldig, aber mit einem kleinen Prickeln. Und Jack… er ist einfach so ein super cuter und guter Charakter. Vielleicht manchmal etwas verpeilt, aber genau das macht ihn sympathisch. Es muss nicht immer der Bad Boy sein, es dürfen auch mal die „guten Jungs“ sein, die einen überzeugen und eine non-toxic Beziehung zeigen. Das fand ich wirklich erfrischend.
Was für mich der kleine Wehrmutstropfen war: Die Geschichte ist ziemlich vorhersehbar und auch sehr geradlinig. Gerade am Anfang hätte es für mich etwas flotter gewünscht, weil es sich dadurch etwas gezogen hat.
Aber alles in allem hatte ich wirklich schöne Hörstunden damit und kann es gerade für Cozy-Fantasy-Einsteiger auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Want to Read
March 27, 2026If this is even half as cozy as the Spellshop I WILL LOVE IT ✨💜
April 26, 2026
When Calisa goes to stay at her Aunt Zee's inn on the advice of her Moms, it's not at all what she expected. Firstly it's falling to bits and there are hardly any guests staying and secondly, and most important, Auntie Zee doesn't want her there. She makes it very plain she can stay for three days and then she must go home. Calisa determines to make herself useful and indispensable as she doesn't want to go back before the Summer ends.
Then she discovers the inn is magical and begins to meet some very strange people. Something crops up that enables her to stay on but she has a mystery to solve.
I have never even considered reading fantasy, never mind a YA with a dash of romance. I read a review on GR of this book, liked the word 'cosy' added to fantasy and became interested. I'm so glad I took the plunge. I enjoyed it very much. Calisa is a lovely main character and there are some great people along the way. Even though he wasn't in it a lot, I loved Mulligan and I adored Steve!
There are some great messages entwined throughout the writing and these are cleverly done. The only reason I dropped a star, it was a little slow at the start and dragged slightly.
I've already ordered two other books by this author and now have a new avenue of reading I never thought could happen. I have to mention the beautiful cover too!
Would recommend this to any age who likes to disappear from reality for awhile. Enjoy!
Then she discovers the inn is magical and begins to meet some very strange people. Something crops up that enables her to stay on but she has a mystery to solve.
I have never even considered reading fantasy, never mind a YA with a dash of romance. I read a review on GR of this book, liked the word 'cosy' added to fantasy and became interested. I'm so glad I took the plunge. I enjoyed it very much. Calisa is a lovely main character and there are some great people along the way. Even though he wasn't in it a lot, I loved Mulligan and I adored Steve!
There are some great messages entwined throughout the writing and these are cleverly done. The only reason I dropped a star, it was a little slow at the start and dragged slightly.
I've already ordered two other books by this author and now have a new avenue of reading I never thought could happen. I have to mention the beautiful cover too!
Would recommend this to any age who likes to disappear from reality for awhile. Enjoy!
April 30, 2026
Een echt cosy YA verhaal over een bijzondere B&B, familiebanden, ontluikende liefdes en een vleugje magie ✨. Ik las dit boek in een avondje weg en ik vloog er doorheen. De schrijfstijl was fijn, het verhaal was cute en het was gewoon echt heel erg cosy. Denk aan interessante gasten, bijzondere dieren, heerlijk eten, mysterieuze gebeurtenissen en een vleugje jeugdliefde 🥰. Het perfecte luchtige boek voor tussendoor! Goed om te weten: het is echt meer YA, de hoofdpersoon is namelijk 16. Maar de serieusheid van de besproken onderwerpen vond ik wel echt volwassen, dus dat vond ik mooi gedaan.
Ik ben nu ook echt benieuwd naar Sarah’s andere boeken, want dit boek beviel me goed 🤗.
Ik ben nu ook echt benieuwd naar Sarah’s andere boeken, want dit boek beviel me goed 🤗.
June 4, 2026
I want to fix up an old inn that has a magic teapot and have a pet "lizard" named Steve. Book did its job.
If this was an adult book I just know it would have been five stars, but SBD wanted to specifically write a cozy book for young people, so they could get an escape, too. A very pleasant, cute, heart-lifting read. But for sure this is YA.
If this was an adult book I just know it would have been five stars, but SBD wanted to specifically write a cozy book for young people, so they could get an escape, too. A very pleasant, cute, heart-lifting read. But for sure this is YA.
May 10, 2026
Narrated by Soneela Nankani
Presented by Macmillan
This one might have just been a little too cosy for my action-loving heart.
A young girl, Calisa, goes to help her eccentric great-aunt at The Faraway Inn for the summer, but her great-aunt doesn't want her there. Seeing the place is quite rundown, Calisa decides if she helps to fix it up, she might be allowed to stay.
For me, this was just a little too slow to start with the fantasy. There's a lot about Calisa escaping an ex, about how rundown the place is, and how handsome the local lad is. Then the great-aunt tells her she can't stay, and it becomes all about cooking and cleaning.
Some odd things happen, suggesting the magic we're really here for, but nothing really gets started in that direction for a while. I found myself waiting for something exciting to happen.
Finally, when the whimsy comes it is indeed quite sweet and fun, with quite a wholesome feel to it all.
The narration was pretty solid, if a little slow. There are a lot of characters and the narrator did a fair job of giving them all unique voices, while injecting life into the story.
The vibes are very strong cosy fantasy, where everyone dreams of settling into the routine of maintaining a magical B&B. So if you like that kinda thing, you should adore this one.
A little too slow for my personal tastes, but a wonderfully whimsical story for the cosy-fantasy-inclined.
With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC
Presented by Macmillan
This one might have just been a little too cosy for my action-loving heart.
A young girl, Calisa, goes to help her eccentric great-aunt at The Faraway Inn for the summer, but her great-aunt doesn't want her there. Seeing the place is quite rundown, Calisa decides if she helps to fix it up, she might be allowed to stay.
For me, this was just a little too slow to start with the fantasy. There's a lot about Calisa escaping an ex, about how rundown the place is, and how handsome the local lad is. Then the great-aunt tells her she can't stay, and it becomes all about cooking and cleaning.
Some odd things happen, suggesting the magic we're really here for, but nothing really gets started in that direction for a while. I found myself waiting for something exciting to happen.
Finally, when the whimsy comes it is indeed quite sweet and fun, with quite a wholesome feel to it all.
The narration was pretty solid, if a little slow. There are a lot of characters and the narrator did a fair job of giving them all unique voices, while injecting life into the story.
The vibes are very strong cosy fantasy, where everyone dreams of settling into the routine of maintaining a magical B&B. So if you like that kinda thing, you should adore this one.
A little too slow for my personal tastes, but a wonderfully whimsical story for the cosy-fantasy-inclined.
With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC
May 12, 2026
This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last. Calisa is visiting her Auntie Zee at her inn. I loved both of these characters. I also loved the purpose of the Faraway Inn. This story was charming, intriguing and heartwarming, if you enjoy a whimsical story, this is a must read. Outstanding narration.
I was blessed with an ALC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
This is a review of the audiobook.
I was blessed with an ALC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
This is a review of the audiobook.
July 20, 2025
[Advanced reader copy]
Cozy. Cute. My kind of easy comfy read.
I did keep getting confused around the protagonists age. I imagine this is intended to be YA. But I kept thinking she was 18+ but acting younger. However, for someone exploring the summer before their senior year, the character is feasible in a cozy comfy novel.
I was surprised this title and cover look so much like her “The Spellshop” series but are set in an entirely different world.
Unless… they are ultimately linked?
The first two in that series were obviously the same world/realm. This is more modern day, current universe.
Will continue to look forward to Sarah Beth Dursts releases and hope this one proves to be a success for her.
4.5? I’d come back to this world / characters again.
Cozy. Cute. My kind of easy comfy read.
I did keep getting confused around the protagonists age. I imagine this is intended to be YA. But I kept thinking she was 18+ but acting younger. However, for someone exploring the summer before their senior year, the character is feasible in a cozy comfy novel.
I was surprised this title and cover look so much like her “The Spellshop” series but are set in an entirely different world.
Unless… they are ultimately linked?
The first two in that series were obviously the same world/realm. This is more modern day, current universe.
Will continue to look forward to Sarah Beth Dursts releases and hope this one proves to be a success for her.
4.5? I’d come back to this world / characters again.
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