Aurelia has no desire to take polite society by storm. As long as she has a friend by her side and a book in hand, she is perfectly content to linger on the edges of the ballroom. She certainly has no intention of joining the admiring throng around the Earl of Windward, the capital’s most eligible bachelor.
But ignoring the Earl’s captivating smile proves easier than ignoring the magnificent pegasus he rides. After one look at the regal creature, Aurelia cannot ignore the danger threatening the royal pegasus herd—even if it means a closer association with the dangerously handsome Earl.
Helping save the herd shouldn’t put her heart in too much danger—as long as she reminds herself she has no interest in charming flirts and the Earl has no interest in bookworms. Any interest he might show in her is purely pegasus related…isn’t it?
This cozy fantasy romance, filled with regency vibes and fantasy creatures, can be read in one sitting.
Melanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels. She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
4 stars ⭐️ Clean Fiction - YA Fantasy (Regency-inspired setting with magical creatures, but no actual magic)
When I first heard about this series, I can’t say I was super excited for it—mainly because I’m eagerly awaiting for the author’s fairytale retelling series, ‘Kingdoms of Legacy’, to be continued, but also because I wasn’t sure about the regency setting that would have fantasy elements and creatures. Overall, though, once I started this book and got my footing on the world, I enjoyed it!
Aurelia was adorable and awkward which reminded me of Anna from Frozen. Danton was a good cross between a cinnamon roll and charming flirt, and made me laugh so I quite liked him. The romance/confession happened fast, but it is a novella so that’s to be expected really. They were cute together so I can’t complain about it. I will note that one kissing scene at the end felt a little scandalous for a regency-inspired setting, though. 😅
I’ll completely blame the Pegasus element to this story, but this book and world felt like a Barbie movie and it was definitely a selling point. I need to rewatch Barbie and the Magic of the Pegasus soon now. I’m having to hold myself back from starting the next novella right away!
Main Content- Magic- In this world, there are creatures like pegasi, unicorns, & griffins; There is also an “oncaryx” (like a polecat) that can shift into an inanimate object (including a weapon) and are unable to be hurt in that form; Most of these are seen, discussed, and/or mentioned; Some will bond to humans and the two of them will be able to communicate through their minds together afterwards (seen on-page).
A couple mentions of luck.
Negative- Pain & Injuries (up to a couple sentences); Seeing sick animals & grief over their conditions (up to a few sentences).
Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of sick & injured animals (including pegasi who may be near death because of a sudden illness); Mentions of deception; Mentions of rumors; A few mentions of deaths; A couple mentions of dead bodies; A couple mentions of jealousy.
Parental content- Mentions of a mother who isn’t a “good mother” & hasn’t seen her children in many years; Mentions of a mother struggling with self-worth & a critical mother-in-law.
Romance- Staring at lips, 1 kiss on the neck, 1 almost kiss (a few sentences), 1 kiss lasting a couple sentences, 1 kiss lasting 4-6 sentences.
Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Warmth, Shivers/Tingles, Nearness (including sharing a horse), Noticing, & Staring (up to a few sentences); Blushes & Flirting.
Mentions of proprieties & those of the opposite gender not being alone together; Mentions of flirting, flirts, & girls trying to gain the attention of a young handsome man; A couple mentions of kisses.
What can I say… this novella was super cute and sweet. The romance was absolutely precious, the kind that makes you smile without even realizing it. And the fantastical creatures? I loved every single one — they added so much charm and whimsy to the story.
It’s a clean read that would be perfect for teen readers or anyone who wants something light, magical, and heartwarming.
This short sweet novella is everything you need in a cozy fantasy with a dash of regency on the side. I think what really makes this story shine is the magical creatures. Why can’t they be real? The romance is just as sweet. A great read for one sitting. I really hope that Phoebe gets her own story!
Recommended reading age (12 yrs+) No spice (just kisses) No explicit language use G Rated violence/gore ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️super cute novella
Violence: A young animal gets trapped in a crevice. A girl gets scrapes and bruises from climbing.
Sexual: A character is described as a charming flirt. Characters note physical features like eyes, smiles, and such. Butterflies in the stomach feeling of attraction described. Swoony on the mouth kisses. Leaning heads on shoulders and holding hands.
At just over 100 pages, this was a sweet cozy fast read. Especially if, like me, you love animals. Especially mythical ones.
This first novella (of many to come I hope) is set in a fantasy kingdom with regency rules and vibes. There are earls and kings and nobility, a "season" where they all get together, and marriage is foremost in the minds of all the ladies to see themselves well situated.
But then there are the adorable mythical creatures. Some I've heard of, and some I believe were made up by the author? Peagsi feature the most in this, but there are also creatures called Oncaryx and vendrillon, which I hope to see more of as well as the mentions of griffins. The best part is that all these creatures are sentient and intelligent...and able to bond with a human of their choice, becoming a life-long companion and friend.
Who wouldn't want that?!
Aurelia is a bookworm that makes friends with a fellow book lover in her first season in the capital. She is also desperately trying to avoid the Earl of Windward, a charming flirt who also earned the name The Pegasus Tamer for saving the King's herd of pegasi. When Aurelia sees her first peagsus, she's enamoured. When she finds out the king's herd is ill, she's determined to help. The problem is...the Earl is also determined to do anything possible to save them. We readers all know where that will end. Hehehe.
If you need a cute quick read that will give warm-happy feels with mythological animal companions, this is the perfect novella for you. Highly recommend!
It is very short; it is also very good. Cellier's tone lends itself to regency wonderfully, and her worldbuilding and magic is superb as always.
- POV: third person - Tense: past - Length: 2ish hours - Age: it is perfectly clean; anyone who can read it should be fine to. Maybe early teens and up. - One brief reference to women holding jobs as guardsmen - LGBT: none - Aurelia seems to be Autistic, and this comes across in a really lovely and realistic way - Mature content: the MMC is viewed as a flirt, but isn't really
This is absolutely lovely, a perfect blend of gentle fantasy and Regency romance with one of the best depictions of a certain type of teenager I've read in a long time. (It hardly matters that she's a pegasus.) If you just need to cleanse your mind of all the world's ills, I highly recommend picking this up.
A Cute Story The Bookworm and the Pegasus Tamer offers a first glimpse of Wynkara, a cozy fantasy world with a Regency era feel.
The plot is quite simple and the romance is very sweet, even though I’m not a huge fan of instalove. Aurelia, Phoebe and Danton were well developed, as was the lore surrounding the fantastical creatures of Wynkara; while Pegasi are the focus of this book, we also meet another incredible creature, an oncaryx named Fable, and just like Aurelia, I wish I could have one too!
There are many secondary characters who appear only briefly and will likely have their own stories in the future. The fantastical elements are very interesting, but the aspects of Wynkara’s society that evoke the Regency era are somewhat superficial; I hope the author manages to develop them further in the upcoming books in the series, given that she is a big fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.
I was fascinated by the magical creatures and their special bond with humans; this series is promising, and I can't wait to read the next novella.
This was a nice, sweet read! Since it’s intended to be cozy and short, I won’t complain about it being that, although I hoped for a longer story in this world, as I liked it so much. I just had a few unanswered questions that tempered my enjoyment a bit. I will definitely read the next book, though — Cellier is a favorite author!
Side note: HALF STARS HALF STARS HALF STARS!!!!! Content Rating: 5/5 Theme Rating: 4/5 Age Rating: 12+
This was another sweet romance novella from Melanie Cellier, and it was so much fun to dive into a new fantasy world! It was a quick, easy read, too, which was awesome, and I found Aurelia very relatable because I, too, can occasionally be found in the corner of social functions reading. (I’ve been doing better about it since moving to school, though.) I also loved the love interest, and the little adventure and the way things were resolved at the end. Overall, such a fun read!
*Series or Connected Books?* 1st of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
*Point Of View:* Aurelia
*Any Cursing Or Possibly Offensive Language?* None!
*Romance?* Yes! Just kisses
*Things To Know:*
–nothing I noted!
Review:
It’s been a little bit since I had the chance to catch up on my reading of Melanie Cellier’s books, but this book made it so easy to at least get one in!
I loved the sweet and cozy vibes of the Wynkara world! It was so cute to meet some of the magical/fantasy creatures and how they interacted with humans. I loved getting to know Aurelia, her new friend, Aurelia’s love interest, and the pegasi especially.
I’m excited to see what the next book in the series will be like!
Summary:
Aurelia is more content staying on the outskirts of society’s balls with her friend and a book rather than being someone with attention on her. She especially doesn’t want to follow the crowd of adoring women throwing themselves at the Earl of Windward. He might be the most eligible bachelor this season, but he certainly seems to know it and like the crowd.
The only thing Aurelia likes about the earl is his work with the royal pegasi. Pegasi are magnificent creatures and Aurelia would love to find out more about them. But when she discovers an unknown sickness ails the royal pegasus herd, Aurelia finds herself working with the Earl of Windward to try and fix it. His attention to her ideas is only for the pegasus herd, it’s not about her. After all, he said he doesn’t like bookworms…
4.5 stars. Clean cozy fantasy combines with an AU Regency setting in this new lovely romantic Novella. The world is populated by mostly normal people and magical creatures - including some animals who can shapeshift into various objects. Sometimes they bond with a human (they can speak too but rarely do unless it's to their person). This is the first book in a new series set in the fantasy country of Wynkara and it's a great start. Aurelia is a bookworm who is not really into high Society events but has to go to the capital city and take part in the season this year. Like me she carries a book with her wherever she goes - just incase!! (even if it's to a ball!) - I love that! The only thing that catches her attention more than her books are the various magical animals, especially the Pegasi.. and reluctantly the handsome Earl of Windward who rides one. He is popular and usually surrounded, but thankfully he is not what he seems and I really like how he turns out. The two are thrown together in an adventure when the pegasi at the palace need help. Phoebe is also an interesting character and I'd like to know more about her in future adventures. Bramble is adorable! I would have given 5 stars if it was full length so the characters could be more rounded out and we'd see more interactions between them, but it was fun and sweet, heartwarming and just the thing to relieve a stressy day. I'll happily be reading the rest of the series when they are published.
The Bookworm and the Pegasus Tamer is the prequel of a new series in which sentient animals bond with Regency types in an antiquated modern fantasy.
Readers will find themselves within a season of social events in which we find our typical couple - the most eligible and enchanting Prince Charming as the drink of a town and our rather aloof heroine who would rather be anywhere else. She's grounded enough to know he's above her league even though she is everything he wants once he meets her. And from there it was a bit predictable.
As mentioned although there are some personalities to be seen, they were too watered down by the cardboard cutouts and the need for a fastest paced story, which meant less plot building and more convenient placing to force a most convenient end.
It makes for a decent read but not an encouraging one to get the reader to return to Wynkara.
This was such a cute little read. It’s short, easy to get through, and has that light, charming fantasy feel with just enough romance to keep it sweet. The best way I can describe it is Bridgerton meets fantasy, with books, society vibes, and a pegasus thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed the overall atmosphere and how easy it was to sink into. My only complaint is that because it’s a novella, I wanted a little more time with the characters and the romance. It wraps up pretty quickly, and I definitely could have stayed in the story longer. I’d recommend it if you want something light, cozy, and magical without committing to a huge fantasy epic. It’s a perfect little palate cleanser between heavier reads.
The story is rather sweet though, because it is a novella, it moves rather quickly, as does the plot development.
I really enjoyed the fantastical creatures… I am a big fan of Jeff Wheeler, so this was a perfect fit for me.
Of course, I wish that it hadn't been such a quick read because I really liked Aurelia, Danton and Phoebe; but the author creates a well developed and engaging story that took about an hour to read. However, short, it was time well-spent--and entertaining.
Magical creatures, likable characters, and some excitement… A perfect combination.
I read this to finish the last challenge in the Kindle Summer Challenge and chose it based on the cute premise. I didn’t realize that it was YA, but it was adorable and a fun short read in a setting I really enjoyed. This was a non-spicy “if Bridgerton had fantasy creatures” world, and I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. A lot of the plot is very “and then we arrived” rather than narrating it all out, and I actually liked it even more for that reason. I’ll continue this series and look forward to more cute adventures in Wynkara.
This was a really cute, quick read combining elements of regency romance with fantasy. The novella tells the story of a bookish young woman who is tasked to help the season’s most eligible bachelor -the pegasus riding Earl- in trying to save the King’s pegasi.
In typical Melanie Cellier fashion this is a “clean” (aka non-spicy) romantic story with HEA and makes for a quick escape from the daily grind. I’ll be downloading the second book now to read and listen to as I’m going about MY daily household grind on this weekend day.
Cute and cozy regency-style romance in a fantasy world with magical creatures that bond with humans?! Yes please! It’s very well-written, I adored the characters and the glimpses at the world, and I can’t wait to read more from this author. My only gripe? I wish it was a full length story! I enjoyed it so much that I want more time with the characters (although it’s admittedly perfectly contained as is).
This book was suggested to me by Amazon to finish up a challenge. I'll be honest, I didn't have high hopes for it but I was pleasantly surprised! Yes it was pretty much instalove but what do you expect from a very short book? It was very well written and wasn't cheesy in my opinion. Definitely a good palate cleanser in between dark and heavy romantasies. This should definitely be on everyone's TBR!
Well, that was adorable, though I'm sad it wasn't the same Aurelia I remember so vividly
To be fair, I think she was written by a different author. And it's a nice change to be releasing novellas instead of novels. Much easier to fit in around my exploding schedule. It needs pictures, though!
The Bookworm and the Pegasus is a sweet fun adventure. A great happily ever after when you need one to come quickly. There is adventure, regency social scene, no spice romance, pegasi, and a fantastical creature made for book lovers named Fable. Aurelia is creative, kind, and easy to root for. Altogether another delightful book from Melanie Cellier.
My biggest complaint is that I wish it was a full length book and not a novella. That being said, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading more in this world. Highly recommend for a cute, cozy, quick read. Excellent for sitting down with a cuddly blanket and a mug of something warm and delicious.
This tale is absolutely delightful. It is tightly woven, and the characters are perfect, from the bookwyrm to the fellow bookwyrm that you just knew was somehow related to the drop dead gorgeous Earl. The pegasus stuck in the mountain crevis was her own special kind of character. I easily fell in love with Bramble! I urge you to enjoy yourself with this novella.
Danton and Aurelia are characters that I fell in love with. I just enjoyed their interactions. How fun to read a world with Pegasus. Melanie Cellier's characters are always engaging and their story keeps your attention. I read this in one sitting as it was just so good. Great for all ages! Just amazing clean story.
Danton and Aurelia are characters that I fell in love with. I just enjoyed their interactions. How fun to read a world with Pegasus. Melanie Cellier's characters are always engaging and their story keeps your attention. I read this in one sitting as it was just so good. Great clean story appropriate for all ages. There is just the right amount of whimsy.
I picked it up on a whim and it was so cute, magical, and fast-paced! Perfect book for someone who loves fantasy, but maybe wants a bite-sized romance. Loved the story, it didn't feel rushed and I think the romance was well developed even for such a short book.
This is a cute little novella. It’s light and fun, without a great deal of depth in regard to plot, characters, or the romance. I loved the mix of regency and fantasy, though, and all the mythical creatures.
Content: There is no foul language, sex, or violence. The romance is limited to a lightly descriptive kiss. There are mythical creatures, but no magic. There is no message of faith or God.
I loved books like this as a young girl! The joy of discovering more of yourself and the world is priceless. The fantastical creatures befriending humans helps too! Thank you, Ms. Cellier, for such amazing stories, hours and hours of fantastic adventures, and awesome writing - and grammar!
A cozy romantasy that I read in a single evening sitting.
Although the characters aren’t well-developed (cozy and novella, so that tracks), the world building was great. The characters were likable and the secrets were revealed with perfect timing.