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Flos Magicae #0.5

The Botanist's Apprentice

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An alternative cover edition for this ASIN B095NFNH6Z can be found here.

Recent college graduate Eli Katz is desperate to continue his studies in the field of magical botany. When a family friend arranges an apprenticeship for him with the most famous botanist in the country, Eli leaps at the chance without asking questions.

Robert Lord-Harding is a reclusive bachelor with an interest in dangerous plants. What he's not interested in is another apprentice—especially not after the scandal of his last one. But, intrigued by Eli's research, he offers Eli the chance to prove himself and earn access to his greenhouse.

Ever the keen student, Eli thrives under the attention. And if Lord-Harding is younger and more attractive than Eli had imagined, and if his teaching methods are more hands-on . . . Well, it's not the first time Eli has had a crush on an instructor. It doesn't mean he has to act on it.

But Eli and Lord-Harding aren't the only ones in the greenhouse. A carnivorous plant that emits pheromones to lure men into its deadly embrace has been watching them flirt for weeks. Its pollen is irresistible, and it has certain effects on male physiology that make it impossible to ignore. Eli and Lord-Harding might be able to resist their attraction to each other, but resisting the man-eater is something else altogether.

63 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2021

52 people are currently reading
1420 people want to read

About the author

Arden Powell

26 books412 followers
Arden Powell (they/them) is a Canadian author and illustrator with stories in Lightspeed Magazine, Baffling Magazine, and Haunt Publishing, and whose books include The Faerie Hounds of York, The Bayou, the Flos Magicae series, and their short story collection, The Carnelian King and Other Stories. A nebulous entity, they live with a senior rescue hound and an exorbitant number of houseplants, and enjoy the company of both.

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Read their exclusive Flos Magicae epilogues for free on Patreon:
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5 stars
183 (20%)
4 stars
319 (36%)
3 stars
300 (34%)
2 stars
59 (6%)
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17 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
Profile Image for Noah.
463 reviews367 followers
April 21, 2024
You are my heat, you are my fire / You make me weep with strong desire (Sweet Thing – Chaka Khan).

I'm going to sound really dorky for a second here, but this book had some immaculate vibes. Sorry, there's no other way for me to articulate it. Starting this was a trip, because I always find myself asking why, despite constantly being burned in the past, I always dive head-first into these vaguely “forbidden romance” type books without a second thought, every single time. I’m partially lactose intolerant on my dad’s side, but that’s never stopped me from ordering a cheesy plate of mac and cheese or indulging in an ice-cream cone, so… it’s just my nature, I guess. Yeah well, I always knew my self-destructive tendencies would pay off eventually, because The Botanist's Apprentice was the answer! The jokes not on me anymore, yay! Man, what a fantastic book. I think what made this work over many others is that it bravely traverses the murky waters of a potentially taboo subject matter without ever patronizing the reader. A lot of the times when I’m reading stuff of this nature, they often feel the need to halt the narrative in order to wax poetic about the morality of character actions. “Remember guys, this is bad, don’t do it!” Yes, thank you book. WE KNOW! We know. Got that P.S.A. prose, for real. Don't get me wrong, I definitely think every story should try to mean something in the end, but there’s a way to weave it into the narrative without talking down to the audience. I’m always going on and on about how books can feel so manufactured that you start seeing the seams, so it was so refreshing to read something without ever noticing I was even reading a book. I wish I could lose myself in every story the way I did with this one! I’ve never really understood the whole “sexy teacher” thing myself, but after this, who knows? A light bulb moment if I’ve ever seen one. I mean, Indiana Jones was always hottest when he was in professor mode… huh, I hope this book didn’t awaken anything in me. Anyway, while this is a pretty simple story, I still think that it’s very smartly written. It's super short, so it has to be careful with its content, and it felt nicely compact in the sense that not one word was wasted. How very economical! And while there are no traditional causes of conflict within the narrative, because both characters are so clearly defined by a lifelong repression of their lust, when the story does finally reach its climax (ha ha), it manages to mean much more than just being a simple sex scene on the page. Lovely book. With a breezy grace and punchy writing style, this turned out to be an absolutely blissful reading experience. Perfect for Spring!

Though truthfully, he had always experienced love and lust as intertwined, like ivy vines or lovers’ bodies.
Profile Image for Drusilla.
1,023 reviews399 followers
March 26, 2024
You probably have to love greens otherwise there is no point in reading this book. I love plants, I love magic and this week I especially love short books. And the shortness of the book wasn't a disappointment in this case either, I think for this story, it's the perfect length and a very satisfying read.
The characters and plot are interesting, the writing style is wonderful. Told only from the perspective of Eli, who is very adorable in his fascination with plants. Lord-Harding is a bit stiff in his manner and yet his hidden interest in Eli comes across quite well.

"If you’re willing to keep teaching me, that is.”
“Oh, I am. I must admit, I find your responses to my methods rather gratifying.”
😳

The story lulls you in quite well. I was already expecting nothing special to happen. And I was caught a bit on the wrong foot by the murderous plant going into action and my goodness. That scene was so hot, I'm still all warm hours later.

Their mouths met open and wet, crushing the breath between them before lips turned to tongues and teeth and Eli could only cling to Lord-Harding’s shoulders for balance. 🥵

Very nice perfect ending, a tiny bit romantic but without getting cheesy. Heavenly.
Profile Image for Teal.
608 reviews248 followers
dnf
July 11, 2021
A perfectly nice, seemingly well-written story that I impulsively downloaded from KU, only to realize that it's simply not for me. It's all about magic (snooze), and the relationship has a big age gap and power disparity (ugh). DNF @ 30%, and I'll pick something else by this new-to-me author to try instead.
Profile Image for * A Reader Obsessed *.
2,651 reviews566 followers
August 28, 2021
3.5 Stars

The blurb really does say it all as Eli and Lord Robert form a nice student teacher dynamic, both set on maintaining propriety until a mishap in the greenhouse unleashes a dangerous plant’s predatory amorous will.

Admittedly an unusual topic - 1920’s magical realism - but nonetheless, I enjoyed this little novella and according to the author, more related stories are to come! Currently on KU, I urge you to give this a go if the above catches your fancy.
Profile Image for Stitching Ghost.
1,432 reviews372 followers
June 18, 2025
I don't think I was quite the right reader for this one, for some reason in was in my recommendations for the horror genre. You have to be quite flexible with the idea of what constitutes horror to consider this one horror. For what it was it was a pleasant enough.
Profile Image for Achim.
1,287 reviews83 followers
April 3, 2024
3.5
Dangerous plants, magic in a historical setting and an age-gap, no-angst romance without cheesiness? What's not to like. Did I get what I expected? Most of it, yes. The romance was exactly how I liked it to be without the setbacks of the real 1920s. There was even a hot, pheromone-induced scene and the guys didn't pretend afterwards that nothing really happened. So that was surprisingly nice. Of course the plant activities could have been more but for a short story and the greenhouse setting I was quite satisfied. What I wasn't satisfied with, was the magic concept because there wasn't one. We see some lightning orbs and sparkling firework and we're informed there's even something like jewish magic but that's it. Would have worked without magic just the same.
Profile Image for Moraa.
853 reviews9 followers
October 18, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I felt this giddy after finishing a book.



Everything about it — the characters, the writing, the spice — was perfect.

I’m so glad I took a chance on this and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.


“Can I call on you for a repeat demonstration?” He raised one finger. “And I do mean just the lights.”

“In fact, I should rather like to give you a repeat demonstration. And I don't mean just the lights. If you’re amenable, sir.”


Profile Image for Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~.
1,876 reviews139 followers
January 26, 2024
3.5 stars

Good for a short story. This was a nice little morsel that gives a peek at this world of magical plants and some idea of the different way magic works for those who practice it. Obviously (hopefully), most of the world building is going to be found in first full book in the series.

I liked the MCs, though I was wondering the whole time why one of them is addressed as "Lord" since this was set in America in the (I'm guessing) early 1900s. Since each book seems to feature different MCs, I'm not sure if we'll see these characters again in some capacity in other books.

This was pretty quick and the relationship development a bit rushed, but I liked the writing for the most part. It flowed well, and there's a lot of promise here, so I'll be moving on to the next one.
Profile Image for lauraღ.
2,322 reviews166 followers
May 23, 2022
Truthfully, he had always experienced love and lust as intertwined, like ivy vines or lovers' bodies.

3.5 stars. An interesting magical read, set in an alternate historical 1920s era where magic is the norm. Eli is a recent college graduate with an eye towards specialising in botany, though he has an unexpected aptitude for other types of magic. He finds himself the new apprentice for Robert Lord-Harding, a wealthy reclusive botanist. It's too short for me to say anything else, and even though I knew this was a just a novelette, the shortness was still disappointing. But the romance is still very sweet and engaging, with a sexy twist. I'd have loved to read a full length version of this, but for what it is, I enjoyed it a lot. An interesting magical world; I might try the other stories some time.

Content warnings:
Profile Image for ~David~.
86 reviews5 followers
January 9, 2024
4.5 Stars Rounded Up!

This was my introduction to Arden Powell, and I think their prose is beautiful. It has a very whimsical and magical feel to it. The dialogue was the standout for me, though. It was witty and captured that sophisticated feel that I enjoy in a historical romance.

The romance was well done for a novella of only 63 pages. I enjoyed the tension and flirtation between Eli and Lord-Harding as much as I enjoyed them together after the timeskip.

I won't comment too much on the worldbuilding because this is a short novella in a longer series, but I liked the idea of a whimsical early 1900s historical fantasy.

My one complaint is that I wish this was a full-length novel. This was begging to be a well-developed, cozy, slowburn romance!
Profile Image for Grace.
3,278 reviews217 followers
October 29, 2023
Enjoyable historical supernatural short story. The timing here was a bit confusing to me--based on the blurb and general vibe I'd taken this as taking place in Victorian/Edwardian England, but it actually takes place in America sometime after cars & telephones are in use, which I did find a little distracting--the setting didn't always feel consistent for me. The pacing is also a little off--this felt like it wanted to be a full length book, with some occasional weird time jumps. Also, surprisingly low heat given the premise. Not a bad read though, and I'm curious about the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Perfektionaise.
413 reviews14 followers
January 25, 2022
I really liked this short story.
The characters are interesting, the worldbuilding is very well executed. Can't go wrong with some sex pollen to be honest. XD

The only flaw for me was that the characters were a bit sketchy but that is a problem most short stories have because of their limited length.
Profile Image for Rishika Aggarwal.
Author 2 books35 followers
June 4, 2023
Utterly adorable, pure fluff, and the perfect pick me up!

Honestly, the only reason this doesn't get a full 5 stars is the fact that I'm a sucker for worldbuilding and I wanted to know SO. MUCH. MORE. about the world. Still, it's the first in a collection apparently, so fingers crossed!

Note: I received an ARC via Booksprout

***
Review on second readthrough

I enjoyed this novella just as much as I did the first readthrough. It's extremely low stakes, and a perfect read when you need something light and fluffy to act as a pick-me-up after a more serious read.

I can't wait to get started with the rest of the series, though I do think I'll leave them to act as palate cleansers as well - Arden Powell's fluffy work is a great way to break up longer books, I'm finding!
Profile Image for Loren.
11 reviews2 followers
November 1, 2025
3.5 out of 5 stars

A super cute story that, despite it's length, delivered a well fleshed out world and characters. I also love the pheromone-drunk trope so big bonus points!!

I'm just not a fan of flowery and/or poetic language used during intimate scenes. It just kinda throws me out of it 🤷‍♀️

I am very interested in checking out more in this series though! I think a longer book by Powell would hit the spot!
Profile Image for peach.
562 reviews40 followers
April 20, 2024
I enjoyed the world building in this book, it felt fresh and balanced considering the length of the story. Unfortunately I didn't really feel the chemistry between the MCs, it felt like there wasn't much buildup which in turn made it less satisfying when they got together. There was a bit of flirting at the beginning, but instead of pushing it I felt like the author pulled back, and lost the tension. It was a nice little novella, but I feel like it didn't really get where it needed to be for me to fully enjoy it.
Profile Image for Jo.
964 reviews48 followers
March 10, 2023
Needed some fluff and this is definitely fluff. There's an age gap and some power play going on, but mostly this is just two men who are super into plants and also each other, being extra about both things, and it's pretty cute.
Profile Image for Mariella Taylor.
Author 6 books34 followers
July 15, 2024
A sweet little fantasy world. This seems like it might be a prequel to a bigger story world, and I definitely got the extent of that. While the characters are sweet, they did feel a little rushed in their development. Their romance happens very quickly, as does their friendship. And a great portion of the development happens off-screen, something I rarely approve of.

That said, I am half in love with this world. A world where magic is common place in the 1920s and people are doing scientific studies on "normal" facets of things utilizing their magic to understand what we would consider mundane is very interesting. I also loved getting to see some of the magical plants the author developed for the world. It gave me a little bit of "Fantastic Beasts" vibes but with plants, in that regard.

There is some content, so if that's not your thing, don't read it.
Profile Image for Jen.
393 reviews37 followers
May 28, 2021
This was such a lovely little story. Super gentle and extremely low angst/conflict. A perfect comfort read. Despite the short length, I felt like the characters were well developed and interesting and I loved the setting and magical elements. A sweet, slow burn romance with both MC's being very mindful of one another's well being. I love somewhat buttoned up, nerdy MC's and really adored them having this unusual shared interest. And the set up of mentor/apprentice worked really well here. Sex pollen is not always my jam, because I really like characters doing things of their own volition, and don't like non-con type situations at all, but that wasn't an issue here for me so much because both characters clearly do want one another and it is set up as the plant kind of picking up on the UST between them rather than creating it. And the sex scene was gorgeous and hot. I also really loved their reaction afterwards, being thoughtful and honest with one another. All the details of the setting just really came alive and added to the overall feel of the story. I would have happily read about these two for longer, but I think this did a great job of letting their relationship unfold slowly, while also painting a clear picture of what their future together would be like. This is a great one for when you want a quick escape or need something to lift your mood.

* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kara Jorgensen.
Author 21 books201 followers
June 1, 2021
I feel that the hallmark of a good novella is finishing it and wanting more of the characters and the world, and I certainly did with "The Botanist's Apprentice."
I loved the way magic exists in this world, that it co-exists with science and sometimes butts heads with religion, but that it is something that can be wild and completely reliant upon school to form. The plants were probably my favorite part because we got the mixing of real v. exaggerated/imagined magical fauna. I'd LOVE to see more of that because Eli's studies piqued my interest.
The romance/relationship was quick, but I understood why. I might have wanted a little more of Robert's personality/background to get to know him more like how we know Eli.
Overall, a very enjoyable read that left me wanting more books set in this world. I hope there's a next one coming out in the future!
Profile Image for Victoria (Eve's Alexandria).
830 reviews444 followers
February 14, 2022
3.5* rounded up. This is a short novella but incredibly rich, in the writing sense. The love story between Eli Katz and Lord-Harding is subtle and heated; and I very much enjoyed the world building. The 1920s-esque fantasy elements work nicely - the conceit (‘let’s study dangerous plants together’) could easily have been underbaked, but it isn’t. I like when two characters share a passionate interest in something that isn’t each other, and that is much in evidence here.

There are still questions in my mind about the master-student power dynamic. Powell addresses it head on but I’m not sure it’s really resolved between the characters - especially because a key scene occurs when they’re both under the influence of a powerful drug.
Profile Image for Bekka.
1,258 reviews162 followers
December 4, 2023
a very sweet and cozy magical novella. I could have done with a bit more relationship development from

So 3 stars although it could have been 4.

NSFW infos:
- Sex pollen induced frottage half-clothed/clothed
Profile Image for M'rella.
1,458 reviews174 followers
December 31, 2022
There is definitely more about plants in this short story than about the two main characters.
2 stars.

If plant porn is your thing, you might actually enjoy this book. There is one naughty plant in particular that... ok, no spoilers!... 🤣🤪🤣🤪 one naughty plant in particular that might end up being your favorite 😉😊

🌱🌵☘️🎋🍃🍄🌸

PS I wish I had a were-plant shelf 😉
Profile Image for Rellim.
1,676 reviews47 followers
April 21, 2022
Low angst, age gap, fantasy romance short story. I liked Powell’s ability to build such a lush world in so few pages. 20-something Eli Katz & 40-something Robert Lord-Harding are pushed together by a mutual friend. Eli’s apprenticeship means an opportunity to learn about magical plants found few places in the world.

Easy read and enjoyable characters with a lovely, and sometimes dangerous, fantasy element. Looking forward to more of Powell’s work.
Profile Image for Kat.
346 reviews315 followers
Read
March 26, 2024
I’m really glad I read A Novel Arrangement before this, because if the Botanist’s Apprentice had been my introduction to this series I definitely would not have read any more. I love Arden Powell but this one was not my cup of tea. The combination of age gap + power imbalance + forced to bang by a magic sex plant (?) was too ethically dicey for me personally and I didn’t really care for either of the characters - I would’ve dnf’d if not for the fact that it was 60 pages.
Profile Image for J Kuria.
546 reviews15 followers
May 16, 2023
I lost it when he started talking about the magical venus flytrap's veiny, throbbing pitcher 🤣🤣 but I rallied and pressed on with this ridiculous little story and I can't say that I hated it in the end. Enjoying the series too.
Profile Image for Olosta.
208 reviews6 followers
Read
January 19, 2022
a friend: You only read high brow literature!

me: Hold my beer...

I don't know why I even read this one and I don't know how to rate this
Profile Image for Natalie  H.
3,731 reviews30 followers
May 17, 2022
Short story with plants and magic. I liked how neither of them rushed into anything and it all built up. The flower stalking was creepy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for dobbs the dog.
1,022 reviews32 followers
August 9, 2023
I quite enjoyed The Botanist’s Apprentice by Arden Powell! It was a short little story, but had a lot packed into it.

I liked the idea of the magical plants and enjoyed how the plants played a fairly key role in the relationship of Lord-Harding and Eli. 😉

I had been seeing these books popping up on my feed and on Goodreads, but completely didn’t realize that Powell is a local author to me! So, that gave me the extra push I needed to give them a try and I wasn’t disappointed. Looking forward to reading more books in this series and by Arden Powell.
Profile Image for Nora.
880 reviews16 followers
January 4, 2024
expected better. hopefully the others have that.
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