Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I wanted way more development in these scenes but it did have things I liked. I felt like they had an emotional pull I appreciated)
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑 (It’s pretty short, a few paragraphs to a page)
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (they are pretty short)
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person point of view from heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: pretty soon in – 6% (chapter 3 of 42)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No

Should I read in order?
I think this is a stand alone?

Basic plot:
Gisele has been waiting 40 years for the sorcerer her mother bargained with to show up – she’s done waiting and decides to find him and demand her life back.

Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy romance
- Rumplestitlskin inspired
- princess heroine
- fae hero / human heroine
- close proximity – she finds him and they work to break the curse together
- a magical house and animal friends with telepathy
- he cooks for her
- magic
- lower steam – there’s 3ish full scenes but they are shorter and it’s a long book

Ages:
- heroine is 40, I didn’t catch him but he’s older (as he made a bargain with her mother...)

My thoughts:
I’m so sad this one didn’t work for me because I loved the setup. Honestly Rumplestiltskin is one of my least favorite fairy tales because it’s kinda creepy (I mean, I guess they all are on some level) but I was curious how this one would spin. And I loved the idea of a bargain made and them being connected together by a bond. And how she goes to find him. I loved that. I loved the house and the magic elements.

But this book was so boring to me. So, so boring. Two people moping around a house for hundreds of pages….I wanted better tension at least. And when we did get to the intimacy it was disappointing. The scenes were so short and over before I even realized they were starting. (and like….he has a knurl??? for pleasure??? and it’s BARELY MENTIONED. Why even give it to him?)

I did find the chapters really jarring. Some of them would end in a spot that felt abrupt to me and then just kind of continue on. I didn’t see the point of the point breaking in the middle of a conversation and then continuing especially when there was no perspective shift or like suspenseful action or change of scenery.

So overall this was a miss for me. But if you want a gentle fantasy read with some light steam and magical elements I’d give this one a go.

Princess Gisele in the FMC we deserve! She had me from the first sentence of the first chapter. What a breath of fresh air she is! She had initiative, self reliance and A Plan. She is endlessly optimistic and doesn't give up.

Her capacity for self reflection made her my favourite FMC. She has her thoughts and emotions conflicting but never lies to herself or beats around the bush. She feels her emotions, acknowledges them and names them.

I don't know if therapy was part of her princesses training, but she sure had a lot because that level of emotional maturity sets her light years ahead of the the typical 18 YO FMC who's stubborn just to be stubborn and obfuscates things just to annoy everyone around her.

Gisele is kind and thoughtful but also on the clock - she's wasted 40 years anticipating an eerie evil coming for her and she has had enough of that - she's going after it determined to face it head on. I enjoyed and felt connected to her struggle with loneliness, the determination to not let any more of her life pass her by and the search for a place she truly belongs.

Overall, a 5 star read for me and a FMC I will endlessly keep recommending!

This book was so fun! I had such a good time reading it! I loved the characters and Gisele was such a genuine character that you couldn't help but root for. I laughed so much at their banter and their romance was so good. I really enjoyed this book!! It was so cozy and such a vibe! I loved the garden being overgrown (maybe bc I relate because mine hasn't been tended to). It was such a good book!

What a fabulous time I had whilst reading this book!

I came to love Gisele & Mal so effortlessly. The way in which these two wonderful characters allowed me to have such an incredible time throughout the book.

I truly need to praise A.J. Lancaster for their work, because I haven’t had that much fun since Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries (and I mean that so sincerely.

I hope that one day this book is found by the masses and launched into fame like I know it deserves.

The environment was so magical, and so different to books that I’ve read previously, that I wish I was able to pick up a book in the same world just to stay there for a little longer. The characters, even those with a small role, felt so well developed and whimsical, even Skymallow!

If all of A.J.’s books are like this, I need to pick them up and read them immediately (I’ve already purchased the hard copy of this one!

Such a cozy and fun read. The vibes were perfect and kept my attention the entire time. Loved seeing a 40yr old character.

This book was such a cute cosy little fairytale re-telling! I adore the possessive cat vibe from the MMC, the sentient house and mind-speaking cat made me want to live in Skymallow. Highly recommend if you are a fan of slow burn, cute, cosy romantasy.

First off thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this wonderful story! This is my first time reading from this author but it won’t be my last. I have always loved romantasy but this is one of the first I’ve read that is a more cozy humorous adventure. It honestly is 1. Such a good book but 2. It would be an amazing palate cleanser after some of the other books out there in the romantasy genre. Besides if nothing else there is an adorable and hilarious cat who you will instantly fall in love with :)

Thank you to A.J. Lancaster, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for this ARC!

⭐️- Worldbuilding
Finally, I find a book that really respects faerie folklore and utilizes it in such a creative and compelling way! The descriptions, types of magic and the imagery of faerie land were absolutely beautiful, and very reminiscent of The Cruel Prince. I’m glad we got to see other aspects of faerie land as well from other inhabitants to various monarchies! In terms of the human land, I think the amount of information was just enough to distinguish such a contrast between the two worlds. The world followed the rules of faerie while still being unique enough and true to its own.

⭐️- Plot
The plot was refreshing. While a romance and a retelling of a classic faerie tale, it didn’t feel like it in a way that was detrimental. It supplemented the story but did not feel like the overall point. I’m not much for romance, but this story was satisfying in a way I didn’t anticipate. I found myself intrigued with what would happen next, especially with the climax of the book!

⭐️- Character Development
I found myself absolutely intrigued by the two protagonists, and wanted the absolute best for them. The arcs made perfect sense between the individuals and the way their stories and personalities intertwined made for good lore and banter through if the book. Their magic and how it worked in compliment and contrast had me ever curious how it would play out throughout the book. The side characters also made the story more palpable. It’s finally nice to see a female main character in a romance book who is able to have friends outside of the love interest and his friends/acquaintances. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to access easy relatability with a protagonist twice my age, but I found that she acted somewhat around my age. That being said, I realized this made more sense than I thought it would given how the curse took place and how Gisele’s people skills might have been developed based on who she was able to interact with and so on.

⭐️-Writing
I’m thrilled the story was in third person! Ever a fan, I raced through this book with excitement! The author’s voice was very thorough in characterization for Gisele, which I thought really served the story well in the way it was told. The descriptions and imagery excited the senses, especially in how faerie and it’s magic was explained!

⭐️- Personal Preference
I got a couple chapters in, before I knew I would need to actually buy this book. This book is a definite reread and one I will be recommending to the readers I know. It is exactly what I’ve been waiting for.

Thank you again, this was such a pleasure to read!

Princess Giselle has always known she would be taken to the Fae lands by a wicked fae as a result of a first born bargain her mother made, and so she waits. And waits. Until her 40th birthday passes and she decides to take the matter into her own hands and find her Malediction herself. Unfortunately he's not the evil fae sorcerer she'd thought him to be and he actually needs her help to find his name before they can truly resolve the bargain.

I really enjoyed the nod to Howl's Moving Castle in this one from Malediction's Howl-esque personality to the gorgeousnes of the sentient house Skymallow (seriously I wish my flat was sentient and cleaned itsself!). This is a much more mature retelling of Rumplestiltskin than others I've read and there are some spicy scenes so avoid if thats not your sort of thing with fairytale retellings - I found them to be well written and well deserved after so much yearning!

Its been a while since I read a fairytale retelling and this was a delightful visit back to the genre that bought me so much joy when I was at university 😊

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

Thank you so much for the reading opportunity! This was whimsical, sweet and cozy. I appreciated the unique spin on Rumpelstiltskin!

I adored Zingiber and his hilarious demanding personality. It was so fitting for a house cat. I also loved how Skymallow had its own little personality. I’ll always love a magical sentient house.

I appreciated that Gisele was older, however, I do feel like she acted a bit young for being 40. I thought Mal’s cat-like features and reactions were so much fun though! His tail flicking or fluffing up and his ears flattening or perking up depending on his mood added such a cute touch.

My main critique is that I would have either added a bit more action throughout to pick up the pacing just a little bit, or shorten the book overall. It just felt a little slow at times, especially in the first half. But overall, I truly think this is a fun read that will be enjoyed by many fantasy lovers!

My official review is posted to Goodreads and Fable!

Thank you again A. J. Lancaster, the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I must admit to avoiding retellings of well-known tales, but this is very much an exception. It's a really fun take on Rumpelstiltskin and probably improves on the original story considerably. Our heroine is Princess Gisele and she's been cursed in a deal made by her mother before she was born. As she gets older, her curse affects her more and more as time goes on. Finally, when she is middle-aged, and her curse and magic are wreaking more havoc than ever, she decides she will seek out the sorcerer who made this deal. She manages to find her way into faerie and, after much walking, runs into Skymallow, the house owned by the sorcerer. Except the situation is nothing like she expected and the two of them embark on a quest to break the curse.

My favorite part of the book is Skymallow, an amazing house that is sentient and built upon the magic of the Malediction (the sorcerer). It can welcome those is likes and trusts and will keep out those it doesn't. It changes shape and size according to its whims and is just a joyous place to be if you are welcomed. Both Gisele and Mal are characters who have long suffered loneliness and disappointment due to curses and own actions and have quite a bit in common. Both have to move outside of comfort zones, or should I say safe zones. It's probably the continued narrowing of Gisele's space that forces her to take action. And to fix Gisele's problem, Mal is forced to let others in and to move away from safe. There are some side characters who I liked, like Apfela and Nissa who are known to Mal, but not really known. And, of course, we have the villain who caused much of the trouble who is likeable in an evil sort of way but obviously not a good person.

This was an excellent read and I rate it 4.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley for sharing this advanced reader copy for free. I have provided my feedback under no obligation.

4 out of 5 stars.

Funny, cozy, and delightfully whimsical—a charming twist on Rumpelstiltskin with witty banter, heart, and just the right amount of magic. A feel-good fairytale retelling you won't want to put down!

This is definitely going to be good for someone dipping their toes into fantasy for the first time or fans of cosy romantasies.

This is a whimsical, cosy rumplestiltskin retelling with an FMC in her 40s which i loved about this book, we need more mature fmcs in our fantasies lol

I did however find this story slow in places and found myself skipping parts, plus the MMC wasn't as morally grey as I would liked him to be.

That being said we can't all like the same things in books we read can we as reading is subjective.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the eArc copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you AJ Lancaster for providing this ARC of How to Find a Nameless Fae in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:
Princess Gisele has spent her life waiting for an evil fae sorcerer to collect on a long-owed magical debt: one royal first-born, in exchange for her mother's gold-spinning gift. But decades later, the mysterious fae still hasn’t come — and the unfulfilled fairytale bargain is growing restless.

Review:
This book was the epitome of a slow burn — not just romantically, but in its rich, steady unfolding of story and world. Honestly, the pacing was perfect. I’d half-forgotten the original fairytale behind this, but AJ Lancaster’s reimagining was clever, enchanting, and just the right amount of eerie.

Mal is the classic sarcastic, grumbly love interest, and I was absolutely sold. Gisele? An utter badass. Stabbing first and asking questions later? Iconic behaviour.

Their slow shift from reluctant allies to something more was gorgeously done. The romance, the curse, the emotional weight behind it all — it just worked. Magical in every sense (yes, pun intended).

And let’s talk about the house. Skymallow. I don’t just want to live there — I think my soul already does. No words. Just obsession.

In How to Find a Nameless Fae, Princess Gisele is a breath of fresh, furious air, a middle-aged woman, sharp-tongued, and completely done with waiting around for a mythical fae to ruin her life. Instead of cowering from the consequences of a decades-old bargain, Gisele storms headfirst into faerie territory with a knife, a plan, and zero patience. What makes her so compelling isn’t just her determination, but how she grapples with resentment, loneliness, and the slow, reluctant growth of connection with the reclusive, maddeningly formal fae lord she’s magically bound to. The tension between them crackles, and while the romance takes a cozy, slow-burn path, Gisele’s stubborn spark and no-nonsense attitude keep the story brisk and addictive. This is definitely the perfect little witty romance.

📖 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook.
I felt very immersed in the world this author created. It was a bit slow to pick up, but I flew threw the second half. I would read more by this author.

Thank you Netgallery for allowing access to the ARC!

This book is an enchanting and adventurous romp through the Fae realm that mixes danger, wit, slow-burn romance, and mystery in all the right doses and honestly who doesn't love a book with all of this mixed together?! 😍

The banter between the main characters is electric, with just enough romantic tension to keep you rooting for them without overshadowing the main plot. I've found recently that a lot of books are riding a thin line of overshadowing the plot with a lot of spice and romance but this book does it just right!

The world-building is rich, the stakes are high, and the pacing keeps you flipping pages long into the night which is when ideally i get my reading done between kids.

What stood out most was how the story balanced magic, politics, identity, and romance while delivering some deep emotional moments.

Will be published on my Instagram

Picked this up because I adored the author's Stariel series, so I was curious to what this standalone novel would be like. Unfortunately I didn't realise that it was a fairytale retelling, and they're just not my fave!!

There were things I liked about this book - Skymallow, the sentient house, is a wonderful character, and the 'found family' vibes as more characters come into the story are very sweet. While it was great to see an older MC, I found her immature and hard to relate to - I just never quite got invested in the story. Overall, the writing was probably a bit too cosy for me, but it definitely improved throughout the story.

Not a bad book at all - just not the right book for me!

f cozy fantasy had an awards show, How to Find a Nameless Fae by AJ Lancaster would be winning Best Ensemble Cast in a Heartwarming Yet Chaotic Adventure. This book is an absolute delight—a charming mix of humor, magic, and just the right dose of existential fae drama wrapped in a story as comforting as your coziest blanket.

At its core, the story follows Princess Gisele in her attempt to solve her unfulfilled fae debt, but of course, nothing in her world is as simple as ticking a task off a to-do list. Enter the paranoid and absolutely exasperating fae sorcerer who is determined that he doesn’t need help—but spoiler alert, he totally does. Their dynamic is a delightful dance of sarcasm, reluctant teamwork, and growing mutual reliance that practically sparkles with humor and heart.

The real MVPs of this story? The side characters, who are anything but "side." There's the chaotic cat (because no cozy fantasy is truly cozy without a pet making trouble) and a sentient house with a full-blown obsession with interior decorating magazines. Yes, you heard that right. The house itself has schemes—not the mildly annoying kind, but the ones that make you burst into laughter and wonder, "Why isn’t this a trend in fantasy books?"

Easily one of my new favorite reads, How to Find a Nameless Fae is the perfect mix of cozy, funny, and heartwarming. Whimsical, relatable, and unforgettable!

This was a great retelling and the one I didnt know I needed. This is the fairy tale retelling you need to read.