The Woods Along Cherry Street

by Elizabeth Vaunt

Dark Hollows, 1996. Something strange lurks within the woods along Cherry Street. Vera has always been sensitive to energy, and what emanates from the mysterious motorcycle club that rode into town is as equally disturbing as what whispers between trees. Experts at dodging prodding questions, they keep to themselves, and no one can decipher the intricate symbols scrawled across the back of their leather jackets.

Vera has been searching for her missing mother for over three months without a single lead. She will do whatever it takes to find her, even if that means getting involved with the club, and Ryker, the man who seems to despise her existence, and the man she has a pathetic crush on.

After a séance gone wrong, Vera learns what brought them here.

But what she discovered only broke the surface, and what lies in the deep has been waiting to pull her under.

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

Elizabeth Vaunt writes romance of the fantasy, gothic, and paranormal variety. When she isn’t writing or reading, she’s working on her psychology degree, painting, adding to her faerie village in her garden, playing video games, walking around town, or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she is from.

Reviews

[Teddy Ganesky]

Okay so I feel the need to almost give this book two separate reviews because my thoughts on the story vs my thoughts on the writing are very different

Story: 3/5⭐️s

Overall, I did enjoy the concept and general storyline to this book. I really appreciate the elements of witchcraft and that it carried an almost spooky vibe throughout. The FMC was alright, I didn’t love her but also didn’t hate her. I think how she acted throughout felt very real and accurate to someone going through that. I wasn’t expecting the little twist towards the end and thought that was fun. I would’ve liked the big moment towards the end to be a little longer and more urgent in severity but it wasn’t bad.

Writing: 2.75/5⭐️s

This writing style left a lot to be desired for me. The part that bothered me the most was this use of jumping into something or describing something without telling us what exactly it was. I’m not sure if it was meant for suspense or to try and show more than tell but it often left me being like wait what? Like if you describe an action of something without telling us what the something is I’m imaging like a black blob because you haven’t said what you’re talking about. This happened enough times for it to be an actual bother. Additionally, there were just a few choices the character was making that would just make no realistic sense for them to be doing.

Overall, for a light read it was decent. Good enough to finish but not sure I would pick it up again.

[Tisa's Starlight Reads]

First off I wanted to say thank you to the author Elizabeth Vaunt for this ARC. I received a copy of this book for free and in exchange am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book. I did not expect it to be what it ended up being. We have magic, mystery, fae!

First I want to say I do not like the cover. It reminds me of the Blair witch project a movie that traumatized and I don't feel that it does the book any justice. I do my best not to judge a book by it's cover but this book deserves so much more.

Now for things I love. I love that the main characters are in their late 20s! I read a lot of fantasy and early 20's/late teens can be exhausting sometimes. I liked the character development. I was borderline getting annoyed with the MMC being a turd nugget but everything tied together and made more sense towards the end. A couple maybe excerpts from her mom or MMC point of view would have been helpful and probably gave it 5 stars for me. Over all I felt it was a good story about love, loss, friendship and discovery of self. I enjoyed this story and the way the author tied it together in the end.

[Kristina]

DNF at 25%

I'm not connecting with the world or the characters. It's not for me.

[Clover]

ARC review
Check author's website for content triggers
Any spoilers are minor and covered by a spoiler tag.
3.5 rounded down

Tropes:
- Small town
- Slow burn
- He falls harder
- Touch her and die
- Forced Proximity
- Hidden identity
- Parent loss/grief
- Fae
Spice level: 3/5

… but it was inevitable; there was nothing I could do to stop it. The future had already been woven into the fabric of fate. And there was just no stopping catastrophes like this. It was written in the cruel script of existence itself.

Pros:
- slow burn
- unique and interesting magic system: seances, ‘intuition’ of other people, magical properties of crystals. It felt well-rounded without being overwhelming or heavy-handed.
- the forest felt vast and mysterious
- FMC’s emotional journey
- the connection between FMC’s mom and what’s happening in the forest

Cons:
-world building was interesting, but weak: what is the town like outside the forest?
- I spent a lot of time confused about the world’s foundations and rules
-could be improved with editing: FMC was looking out the window at MMC, suddenly a large block of description of the building she’s in, then back to describing looking at the MMC outside.
- another example of the editing issue: chapter 11 explained how other people’s energy feels to the FMC. This should have been explained earlier in the novel

I really enjoyed the concept and the world-building in The Woods Among Cherry Street, but it could have been drastically improved with proper editing. I would read another novel by Elizabeth Vaunt

[Terri Walton]

⭐️⭐️🌶️
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book. After reading the tropes and vibes I thought this was going to be for me.

Sadly it didn’t hit the spot.

The premise of the story it’s self had potential, set in the 90’s witchy / The craft, woodsey vibes, I was all for it, but I really struggled to get into a flow. Not one to DNF I persevered, but I have to say overall it just wasn’t for me.

I found it all a little disjointed and didn’t really flow. I struggled to connect with the story and at times couldn’t follow what was actually happening. I felt like certain parts were over described, or one thing was happening but a total other was being talked about, making me lose interest in what was actually going on, or then you had characters that were relevant but you didn’t really know anything about them or actual back story. The FMC and MMC were late 20’s but the way they were written made me feel like they were a lot younger than that and I didn’t really connect with either of them or feel invested in their story for the big moment to then feel slightly rushed at the end. It also didn’t overly feel like that were in the 90’s, it could have easily been current in a small town.

I did like that there was ‘human’ magic such as seances, crystals and intent rather than just the magical powers and the author did a good job of describing Vera’s grief.

Although this book wasn’t for me, it maybe for you if you love a slow burn, witchy vibes, small town, fae romance and love to Support new upcoming indie authors.

[Gabrielle Chirco]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

There were many aspects handled with great care. Vera’s “training arc” of understanding and using the power she had was handled very well and didn’t seem too rushed. She wasn’t immediately the strongest, greatest fae of all time which I greatly appreciated. The plot twists of her mother being dead, her mother visiting Vera in the form of a bunny, her being fae, etc. was all handled very well as well! It wasn’t something that I was expecting and I feel as though some fantasy books can become monotonous and predictable which wasn’t the case here.

The pacing of the story was also fabulous. Often times with books below 400-500 pages, the plot can feel rushed or incomplete. However, the plot in this book felt to move at just the right pace without leaving out important details or causing plot-holes along the way.

The only thing that bugged me and why this isn’t a 5 star read: there were some small gramatical and structural errors in a couple of the sentences that took me out of my reading flow-state. Along with that, I thought Vera’s specific type of being able to read energies was over-explained. I don’t think it needed to be rehashed almost every time it was brought up.

Overall, a very wholesome and plot-driven book with a side of romance that didn’t overshadow the story. I love that when it came to the climax of the story, the love Vera had for her friends was focused on more than the relationship she had with Ryker.

[Ashley - ReadingGamer]

"My home is wherever you are."

✨ ARC Review - The Woods Along Cherry Street by Elizabeth Vaunt ✨

⭐ 4 / 5 stars

Spoiler-free summary:
Set in 1996, The Woods Along Cherry Street follows Vera, a young woman with a sensitivity to energy who has been desperately searching for her missing mother. When a mysterious motorcycle club arrives in town and strange things begin stirring in the woods, Vera finds herself drawn into a world of secrets, magic, and things that are far more dangerous than she could have imagined.

Desperate for answers, Vera gets closer to the club - and Ryker, the brooding man who seems determined to dislike her. But after a séance goes horribly wrong, Vera discovers that the club's arrival and her mother's disappearance may be connected to something much darker lurking beneath the surface.

And whatever is waiting in the woods has been waiting for her.

My Thoughts:

This was another really enjoyable ARC read from Elizabeth Vaunt! 🖤

This is my second ARC from Elizabeth and I've really come to love her writing style. There's something so witchy and ethereal about the way she writes, and this book really played to those strengths.

I really enjoyed the story, the worldbuilding, and the characters, but one of my favourite things was Vera herself. Having an FMC in her late 20s was so refreshing, and I really enjoyed watching her navigate everything that was thrown at her.

And then there's Ryker 👀

Their relationship was such a lovely slow burn, and I really enjoyed watching it develop throughout the story rather than everything happening instantly.

There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged and constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next. I also really enjoyed the world Vaunt created and would happily jump back into it again.

Overall, I'm once again really impressed with Elizabeth Vaunt's writing and I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye out for whatever she writes next! 🖤📖✨

[Nebulosa]

Review of advanced copy received from Author

3.5

"To the ends of space and time and beyond"
The story follows Vera, a young woman who has a strange connection with energies while dealing with her mother's disappearance and a group of bikers who have arrived in town.
The story is quite interesting — the magic system it's based on, the connection with nature, and the fact that the read itself is fast-paced.
I've never been a big fan of slow burn, because sometimes it's way too slow, but in this case the slow burn combined with the male protagonist falling first made it more enjoyable.

"I was warning him of the devil as I danced along with him myself"

However, my biggest issue with the book was the way it was written. There were times when it over-explained or described things excessively, while at other times it said nothing and abruptly changed scenes, and this caused the image of what was happening to be cut off a bit.
I really liked that the chapter names were related to herbs, but I would have liked them to also have a connection to what was happening in the chapters. Sometimes it kind of matched, but that's more of a personal preference.
Another thing that left a bitter taste in my mouth was the lack of context and explanation about the town itself. How it came to be what it was, what happens beyond the territory, how it was created, and maybe a bit of the history of the Fae who run this place or how they got there.
Overall, a light and fairly quick read.

[Macaela Stone]

ARC reader review.
I really enjoyed this one! One thing I especially loved was the character descriptions. I could actually see the characters in my head, which made it so much easier to get invested in the story. And I have to say… I have a whole new love for the nickname “darling.”

The slow burn was SLOOOOW, and honestly, I wanted more! 😂 I’m always here for a good slow burn, but I found myself wishing we got a little more of the romance building between the characters.

The beginning was definitely a slower start for me, but once things picked up, they REALLY picked up. The pacing almost felt like a complete flip by the end. Things moved so quickly that the ending felt a little rushed—especially because it seemed like right when the story was getting really good, I was suddenly at 95%!

I also didn’t get a particularly strong sense that the story was set in 1996. Aside from the use of a pay phone, I could have easily forgotten what time period I was in.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend it! I’m glad I got the chance to read this one as an ARC. 💕📚
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica LaDuke]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! At its heart, the story explores the complicated process of finding your way through loss while suddenly being thrust into a world of new abilities, unfamiliar magic, and completely uncharted territory. Watching the characters navigate their grief while learning to understand and wield these newfound abilities made for an intriguing and emotional journey.

The descriptive writing was absolutely beautiful and made it so easy to visualize every scene in my head—it genuinely felt like I was watching a movie unfold as I read. The pacing was definitely a slow burn, but in a good way, allowing the story and characters to develop naturally. I did find myself wishing there had been a little more romance woven into the storyline.

And the witchy vibes? Absolutely loved them! ✨🖤 The magical atmosphere, mysterious elements, and overall storyline created such an enchanting experience. This was a captivating read that pulled me into its world and left me wanting more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

[Alex]

Let me start by saying this quickly became one of my favorite books I've read this year.

The vibes: 90's autumn, spooky, eerie feelings, foggy forests, X-Files style science fiction meets magical fantasy

The movie of this book played out in my mind in perfect vision as I read, Vaunt built the world perfectly.

That being said, I wish this book had been given more time. I found myself wishing scenes were more drawn out, deeper backstories on our cast of characters, a second book to give the culmination the time it deserved.
A duology would have been perfect, but I would have also kept reading if this book was twice the size it is now.

There were a couple scenes that felt like "wait how did we get here, what is happening", that I think would have been avoided by extending this book...but maybe it was meant to be that way? It is eerie and spooky and we're experiencing the weird phenomenon at the same time as our main character. The ending felt a tad rushed and again... I wanted MORE 😂

Overall, I loved this book and will probably read it again. It's the perfect transition into fall. I look forward to exploring Vaunt's other book and following along to see what she writes next!

[India Benjamin]

3.75 ⭐️ There is a lot I like about this book: it has a unique take on fae, the author does an amazing job of exploring Vera’s grief over her mum’s disappearance, the FMC is older (late twenties) and less helpless than standard in romantasy books. I like that it’s an urban fantasy that has “normal” witchcraft (crystals, moon ceremonies, intent based spells, rather than real magic) and other worldy magic too, it makes it feel like something that could happen in real life.

The storyline is a bit slow for the first half, but the ending felt a little rushed - it was a bit like next, next, next and I was a bit lost with what was happening. I would have liked more time world building, especially behind the veil and veil walking as that was interesting!

Overall I enjoyed as a light standalone read. Thank you for the advanced reader copy!

[Rebecca Williamson]

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily*

I really enjoyed this book. The vibes were very Sabrina the teenage witch so this is definitely a great read for autumn. I loved the three friends, their relationship and banter were funny and they were really likeable. And the MMC is a mysterious guy from a motorcycle club. I mean what more could you want?

I couldn’t quite give this 4 stars because I felt it needed to be a little bit longer, maybe even a duology. The pacing at first was great, but all of a sudden things were happening super quick with not a lot of explanation/world building. It just needed a little bit more foundation before we jumped into the finale with The Nine I think.

[Heather Van Ness]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"The Woods Along Cherry Street" is an interesting twist on the fairy genre. Without going into spoilers it follows our protagonist as she navigates the disappearance of her mother and the sudden appearance of a very tall and very sexy man.

It has the autumn aesthetics of The Craft and Practical Magic with the small town vibes of True Blood and Twilight. That's a pretty killer mix if you ask me.

For me, TWACS kept me reading even when I noticed that some scenes lacked appropriate buildup or characters felt a little one dimensional at times.

Overall, I found it enjoyable for the vibes alone. It's the perfect fall read. This book and a latte at a cozy cafe--unf. Yes, please.

[Eve]

The story idea itself was actually pretty cool, but my biggest issue was the way it was written. The descriptions often felt vague and confusing, without enough concrete details to help me understand what was actually happening.

Because of that, I struggled to fully grasp the story or connect with it. Instead of getting immersed, I kept finding myself pulled out of the narrative because I was spending so much time simply trying to figure out what was going on.

Overall, the story felt disjointed, and the different pieces never quite flowed together for me. There was an interesting idea underneath it all, but unfortunately, the execution made it difficult for me to enjoy.

[Allanna Butler]

It took me a little while to get through the first few chapters, but once the story pulled me in, I was absolutely hooked. I loved watching Vera and Ryker’s relationship grow, and I especially loved Inky and what she represented for Vera.
As someone who also carries grief for a person I never imagined living without, this story hit close to home. I thought Elizabeth told it beautifully. Keep tissues nearby for the last few chapters… I may just be a crybaby, but I was a total wreck.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book in advance, and I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth comes up with next. ✨

[Patti S]

Thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy. I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

When I started reading this book I was a little hesitant thinking it might not be for me. I’m so glad I stuck with it, because I do love paranormal romantasy genres. It didn’t take long for me to be captivated by Elizabeth’s writing. It’s beautifully written and Vera and Ryker’s relationship just pulls you in. Please support this newish author and support her. She now has two books out that are very much worth reading!

[Emily]

When I first started the book I wasn't sure if I was the target audience, but as I kept going I was drawn into the story. Elizabeth's writing paints a picture of Vera's journey through grief and it felt very real to me. And I love a grumpy MMC. In fact, I would have liked to have had more time with Ryker.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tatiana Ventura]

Do you want yearning? Do you want mysterious men that ride bikes and have leather jackets? Do you want to talk about grief, getting lost in emotions and still knowing your friends are going to have your back?

The Woods Along Cherry Street is for you!

It was a really lovely read, had me curious and it was just the right level of witchy and soft and loving that I was looking for. <3

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brooke Ishly]

The Woods Along Cherry Street by Elizabeth Vaunt is a captivating gothic paranormal romance filled with witchcraft, fae, mystery, and hidden worlds. Vera’s search for her missing mother leads her into the mysterious woods—and toward the enigmatic Ryker, whose secrets change everything. Atmospheric and fast-paced, the story blends romance, suspense, and supernatural intrigue into an immersive read.

[Scott S]

I found this story to be a well done, thrilling read. Elizabeth did a wonderful job on creating the cast, and mixed with her strong world-building she has crafted a story both intriguing and highly entertaining. The twists worked perfectly, keeping me on edge as the pages turned.
This may have been the first book of Elizabeth’s that I have read, but it will not be the last.

[Alexa Stevens]

ARC reader review-
I thoroughly LOVED this book. I could not put it down! I never expected the twists, which were amazing and mind blowing! The author's descriptive writing literally painted a picture of the characters and scenes, I felt like I could see everything. I loved the tension and slow burn! Overall, a perfect cozy and captivating read.

[Hadassah Ajayi]

The Woods Along Cherry Street had me from the very first page and didn't let go until the last page.
It's such a well written book with a grumpy MMC and a FMC who came into her own power. Here's to more women finding their spine and walking in their power.

I am grateful I received an ARC of this book for free. This is a voluntary review

[Becky Hill]

I think this book could have used a little more editing and a little less access to a thesaurus. The world building was a little clunky, more tell than show. That being said, I really enjoyed the story and the relationships between the characters. It’s spooky and moody and a really fun world to get into.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lorraine Whiteley]

Oh my goodness, all I can say is WOW!!!! Absolutely riveting!!! I couldn’t put this book down if I was drowning and I am thrilled to have discovered this author! I hope there is a truck load of more books!!! Fantastic!!!

[Kati]

3.5 Stars.
I enjoyed this book, its plot and storyline. I liked the combined fae and human world and the human magic (like pagans or wiccans) instead of fantasy magic. The tone of the book had a semi-dark theme, like soft gothic with her choice of words which gave way to a slight eeriness in the writing (imo). And I don’t know why, but while I imagined the scenes in my head it played out with a sepia filter (like how twilight has a blue tone) haha. I loved the developing connection between Vera and Ryker and the push and pull of their relationship.

[Jessica]

It was beautifully written. But I did find this book to be very slow and some of the concepts lost me. Thank you to author for the arc.

[Lexi Husted]

• This is a review of an advance reader copy received from the author •

I love the witchy, spiritual themes in this book. There’s also some lovely cozy, fall vibes that don’t take away from the spooky monster-in-the-woods narrative. Without spoiling anything, you also get a fun mystical, magical plot. While being set in the 90’s, there’s few details in the book to suggest the 90’s nostalgia.

I appreciate the main characters being in their late 20’s. It is much easier to relate/fall in love with a FMC/MMC that is not a sweet summer child. We loved a seasoned veteran. Be prepared for a sllloooowwwww burn.

It is clear the author values literary devices and spent a great deal of time cultivating the metaphors and similes. I feel like the imagery may have been a bit excessive at times, but overall was done well and achieved its purpose.

I would recommend this book to fans of the following:
- witchy/spiritual/energy
- fantasy
- grumpy MMC with a soft spot
- slow burn
- imagery galore

[Katrina]

ARC Review


3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)

I loved the setting of this book with its creepy, witchy, small town vibes. It was a really interesting plot but some elements fell a bit flat for me. The development of the romance between the FMC and the MMC felt strange. The main conflict of the story was intriguing, but it felt rushed through. Overall, it is a good Fall read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Johnna]

Thank you to the author for the ARC

I loved the witchy, fall, small town, 90's vibes of this book. AND hot fae riding motorcycles!

Veras mother has been missing for months now, no one knows where she could have gone, so Vera has been searching for her to no avail. She can't even reach her through a seance. Then this motorcycle club rolls through town and Vera can't help being drawn to their leader, Ryker, since Vera can sense people's energy. Vera lives past the woods along Cherry Street, and these woods give off bad vibes, and one night she finds Ryker in the woods, and he tells her she shouldn't be there and to stay out of the woods. After another failed seance Vera thinks that Ryker can help her find her mom, and Ryker also thinks that Vera can help him with his problem. Together, Ryker helps Vera develop her powers so she can help him and hopefully find her mom at the same time.

I loved the pace of this book; I finished it so fast and I just ate it up. I loved how Ryker and Vera's relationship develops along the way, the ending was fast paced and could have been a little more detailed, but I still enjoyed it and would recommend if you're looking for a good book perfect for fall and love books set in the 90's about Fae then you won't be disappointed if you pick up this book.