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The Thistlewood Return
Thistlewood was built on a lie, a beautiful one.
Eloise Quinn made sure of that.
But as the spell that’s kept her town suspended in a perfect, endless autumn begins to unravel, so do the pieces of her past she tried to forget.
Memories return in fragments, time starts moving again in unexpected ways, and the life she carefully chose begins to shift beneath her feet.
Especially when Bash walks back into it.
Caught between the boy who never left and the one she lost, Eloise is forced to confront a truth she can’t outrun—her magic didn’t just protect her, it changed everything.
Now, as the town begins to remember alongside her, Eloise must decide what she’s willing to hold onto…and what she’s finally ready to let go.
Even if it means breaking the life she fought so hard to keep.
Eloise Quinn made sure of that.
But as the spell that’s kept her town suspended in a perfect, endless autumn begins to unravel, so do the pieces of her past she tried to forget.
Memories return in fragments, time starts moving again in unexpected ways, and the life she carefully chose begins to shift beneath her feet.
Especially when Bash walks back into it.
Caught between the boy who never left and the one she lost, Eloise is forced to confront a truth she can’t outrun—her magic didn’t just protect her, it changed everything.
Now, as the town begins to remember alongside her, Eloise must decide what she’s willing to hold onto…and what she’s finally ready to let go.
Even if it means breaking the life she fought so hard to keep.
408 pages, Paperback
Published October 2, 2026
About the author
Nicole Ryan
9 books142 followersHey, I’m Nicole Ryan. I write romance with heart, heat, and just enough emotional wreckage to keep things interesting. My books are for anyone who loves messy characters, slow burns, and maybe shedding a few tears when they least expect it.
I’ve been writing since I was a kid, mostly as an escape, and the one bright spot back then was hanging out with my grandma at the local paper where she worked as a copy editor. She believed in my stories before I did.
My debut, Second Chance Vacation, came out of the kind of grief that reshapes you after losing my youngest sister back in 2022. Since then, I’ve written Mostly Loathing You and The Very First Night, where love gets a second chance and time stops playing by the rules.
I’m a Libra, but let’s be honest, my Virgo moon is the one running the show. I spend an alarming amount of time convincing myself I need just one more book, blaming my moods on the moon or retrograde, and pulling tarot cards I probably wasn’t ready for. If there's a little magic in the air, I’m probably already halfway to plotting a book about it.
Thanks for being here. The story’s just getting started.
I’ve been writing since I was a kid, mostly as an escape, and the one bright spot back then was hanging out with my grandma at the local paper where she worked as a copy editor. She believed in my stories before I did.
My debut, Second Chance Vacation, came out of the kind of grief that reshapes you after losing my youngest sister back in 2022. Since then, I’ve written Mostly Loathing You and The Very First Night, where love gets a second chance and time stops playing by the rules.
I’m a Libra, but let’s be honest, my Virgo moon is the one running the show. I spend an alarming amount of time convincing myself I need just one more book, blaming my moods on the moon or retrograde, and pulling tarot cards I probably wasn’t ready for. If there's a little magic in the air, I’m probably already halfway to plotting a book about it.
Thanks for being here. The story’s just getting started.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 30, 2026
Oh man was the second book even better than the first! I adored book 1 but this book had so much more! I loved the dual POV between Bash, Ezra and Eloise! We got to see what everyone was thinking and feeling! This book definitely had more spice🌶️🌶️🌶️ and i really honestly was not expecting the romance to go the way that it did but i really loved the outcome in the end! Eloise is finally able to right her wrong and everyone finds and new future together! I loved this Duology and am really bummed it is the end! I finished this book in just a few days! I will miss the cozy magical house Miranda and the Apothecary and the whimsical town of Thistlewood!
October 3, 2026
Thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is the second book in this duology and I really enjoyed it and had the best time reading it. This series is completely unique to me, and I haven't read anything like it before. The false utopia is something new to me.
It is slow at times, but hey?? What's the hurry? And honestly, it's also part of its charm and fits the story perfectly. This is one of those books where you actually have to use your brain, look for clues, meanings and things that stand out.
The setting is perfect, so beautiful, and it feels like I'm also in Thistlewood. It's so cozy, I just wanna sit on the porch drinking tea. But at the same time, it's also very eerie and kind of creepy. Cozy creepy, the perfect mix and balance.
Also, this second book was a little scarier than the first one. I was genuinely afraid at times. But also, I'm a chicken, so this isn't a scary book in that sense.
The love story, the love triangle, is also so interesting. Won't say anything that would spoil anything for anyone, but I think love is more at the center of this story, and it's so beautifully written.
If the first book had a soft, kinda love triangle, the second book definitely has a love triangle. So if that's something you don't like, just bear that in mind. I think the way it all wraps up is great, but I'm just sending out a warning.
Kinda sad that this was just a duology. I love this series and its messy, lovable characters.
This is the second book in this duology and I really enjoyed it and had the best time reading it. This series is completely unique to me, and I haven't read anything like it before. The false utopia is something new to me.
It is slow at times, but hey?? What's the hurry? And honestly, it's also part of its charm and fits the story perfectly. This is one of those books where you actually have to use your brain, look for clues, meanings and things that stand out.
The setting is perfect, so beautiful, and it feels like I'm also in Thistlewood. It's so cozy, I just wanna sit on the porch drinking tea. But at the same time, it's also very eerie and kind of creepy. Cozy creepy, the perfect mix and balance.
Also, this second book was a little scarier than the first one. I was genuinely afraid at times. But also, I'm a chicken, so this isn't a scary book in that sense.
The love story, the love triangle, is also so interesting. Won't say anything that would spoil anything for anyone, but I think love is more at the center of this story, and it's so beautifully written.
If the first book had a soft, kinda love triangle, the second book definitely has a love triangle. So if that's something you don't like, just bear that in mind. I think the way it all wraps up is great, but I'm just sending out a warning.
Kinda sad that this was just a duology. I love this series and its messy, lovable characters.
September 17, 2026
Thank you sooooo much Nicole Ryan for having me on your ARC team again! I can’t believe this series is over! 😭
Book 1 I finished in 3 days and book 2, I have also finished in 3 days haha these books just know how to draw you in! They convey so much emotion through the pages that it just makes you go through an emotional roller coaster! The entire book, just like the first book, you get that sense of something isn’t right or something is different and it makes your skin prickle at the feeling! The characters lay their hearts on their shoulders and you can feel the heartbreak and sadness as if you are in this situation with them! The suspense is just soooo good and I got scared reading this at night haha
This is why I love this duology! It makes you question everything and forces you to use your brain to try to figure out how to solve the mystery! The spice was unexpected but I did enjoy it! I didn’t think it would be that spicy but it still flowed well!
It was a satisfying conclusion for me and I’m so glad everything wrapped up the way it did! This story is different from those that you will read! It is a beautiful mix of magic with a contemporary romance! These characters are desperate and will do anything to help out one another! I am going to miss the town of Thistlewood, but I cannot wait to see what else Nicole has in store for other writings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book 1 I finished in 3 days and book 2, I have also finished in 3 days haha these books just know how to draw you in! They convey so much emotion through the pages that it just makes you go through an emotional roller coaster! The entire book, just like the first book, you get that sense of something isn’t right or something is different and it makes your skin prickle at the feeling! The characters lay their hearts on their shoulders and you can feel the heartbreak and sadness as if you are in this situation with them! The suspense is just soooo good and I got scared reading this at night haha
This is why I love this duology! It makes you question everything and forces you to use your brain to try to figure out how to solve the mystery! The spice was unexpected but I did enjoy it! I didn’t think it would be that spicy but it still flowed well!
It was a satisfying conclusion for me and I’m so glad everything wrapped up the way it did! This story is different from those that you will read! It is a beautiful mix of magic with a contemporary romance! These characters are desperate and will do anything to help out one another! I am going to miss the town of Thistlewood, but I cannot wait to see what else Nicole has in store for other writings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really wanted to love this book as I adored book 1 and couldn't wait to see what happened next. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect to it as much. This book picks up right after that cliffhanger ending of book 1. It almost seemed as if none of the main characters actually cared much that they were basically cursed by Eloise, as they all just kept living their lives and fixing new problems. Speaking of new, I really enjoyed meeting Bash. He was a fresh perspective to the whole situation and it seemed like we were getting a proper love triangle. However, to me, it felt like how the love triangle situation played out didn't really fit with the characters, especially Eloise. It confused me and took me out of the story when I realized what was happening. I did like how the spell situation was resolved overall (love a good scavenger hunt). I also liked the fact that they were all happy in the end.
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July 19, 2026Beta read so no official review or rating :)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews