When Victorian governess Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor, things are not as they seem. For the mansion is haunted and Winnie is not as she seems. Winnie is actually a magical practitioner sent to protect the manors bratty child, Robert. When he changes into a rule abiding child overnight, Winnie just knows that something is now very, very wrong. Along with gruff Mr Quincy, the story unravels into a deeper story of mystery and gothic romance.

I dove into this one headfirst, very excited because nothing should make me happier than Faeries in Victorian times. The addition of the "factual" texts about faeries were such a smart way to help wind the story together without being an overwhelming story element. This is very slow burn, taking quite a little bit to get up to speed, but once the story started rolling I couldn't put it down. The Witchwood Knot is a lighter gothic fantasy with romantic elements perfect for fans of Gallant with T Kingfishers darker fairytale stories.

Thank you to everyone involved in this advanced copy for honest review, The Witchwood Knot is available now.

A gentle tale in Victorian times, with plenty of faeries. A sprinkling of romance and necromancy makes a showing. For those who like gentle fantasy and faerie tales. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Olivia Atwater never fails to delight. Whimsical, lighthearted, but with real enough emotional stakes, her books are always a treat to get cozy with. Great fun.

While it did take me a bit to fully engage with this book, once the plot gained momentum, I was hooked and found it difficult to set aside. As someone who typically leans towards romance-heavy reads, I appreciated the subtle touch of romance towards the story's end. The overall vibes of the book were captivating, but I must admit there were moments when the plot felt sluggish. Some scenes, in particular, seemed unnecessarily prolonged and, for lack of a better word, 'frilly.' The story and characters, with their unique and intriguing qualities, were a highlight. However, the pacing, unfortunately, didn't align with my preferences. In conclusion, The Witchwood Knot presents a mesmerizing journey into a fantastical realm where magic and mystery intertwine, leaving a lasting imprint on the imagination well after the final page.

This was SO GOOD. All the things I love in a gothic esque book . I feel the characters will stick with me for a long time

I enjoyed this a lot but not as much as some of her previous work. I feel that parts of the plot dragged slightly, however I loved the atmosphere and setting. It was a dark tale filled with adventure, magic, and romance.

I read "Half a Soul" earlier in December and fell in love with this world! Was it wild for me to skip from the first book in the series to the most recent? Probably. Do I think it negatively impacted me? Absolutely not. Can I wait to read the rest of the books? NOPE!

I enjoyed this so much. Things were a little darker than the regency fairie tales (which you would expect) and so wonderful. I enjoyed the darkness. I enjoyed Winnie. I enjoyed seeing our favorites from Half a Soul coming back into the story. I cannot wait to see where this is going. As long as Olivia Atwater writes a story about a girl dealing with meddlesome fairies, you better believe I am going to read it. :)

Worthy continuation of the universe that we discovered in Half a Soul. If that book was whimsical and romantic, this was darker and grittier, and a little more sinister. Loved the main leads and their slow burn romance, and how they help each other find their own autonomy. Loved the cat, as well. And though some may complain about the ending, I thought the openness of it was perfect, leaving the author plenty of room to explore the universe further-- which she definitely should. Would love to read more of her work.

Victorian gothic fantasy - say no more!!

A gothic dark but whimsical fantasy romance that is somewhere between Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Pride and Prejudice 🤭

Winifred got a job in a strange house as a governess to the young master, but all the things are not as they are... When the boy got takes to the faerie and replaced with a changeling she has to seek help from the unusual ally.

Overall it was super entertaining, I listened to the audio witch made this book better! I loved the magic in the book and all the revelations that came with it got me sitting on the edge on the seat.

🚨 TW: sexual harassment / child grooming (not on page but omg, made me sick to my stomach)

I loved this book it was so fun and atmospheric i also loved how the whole story came together. I absolutely loved Winifred and how she went about things, she was such a great main character. I also loved her familiar ollie he was adorable. I also loved the romance in this book. Overall I enjoyed this book and the author's writing and hope to continue the series in the future and read her other series. Thank you to Starwatch Press and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for our honest review.

This is the second book by Olivia Atwood that I have read and overall I have really enjoyed her writing. I find that the style is really consistent and I don’t find myself being pulled out of the world with out of place words or phrases like other books.

I do think that I slightly preferred Half A Soul more than this one because it was more of a cozy vibe which is what I was looking for. Also, I found that the magic (especially Winifred’s) felt a little bit underdeveloped. There was mention of her being a black magician but I don’t think it was truly explored or that it made that much of a difference to the story.

Finally, I just wanted to mention the romance and relationship between Winifred and Mr Quincy. Although I think I preferred the romance on Half A Soul I did think this was a good slow burn. However, please can we stop giving MMCs tails?!

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and am glad to have read it. I didn’t expect it to be so closely related to the Regency series and think if I had known I probably would’ve read the other books first.

3.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this - interesting characters and a whimsical setting. Lots of fun and i particularly enjoyed that the characters’ intentions were not always what you thought they’d be to start with

I was absolutely thrilled to receive an ARC of the Witchwood Knot since I have read and enjoyed some of Ms. Atwaters work already! This book is much darker than her previous stories but I would still consider it whimsical and cozy.

The gothic yet cozy vibe in this book reminded me of T Kingfisher to an extent (but less scary) which from me is the highest of compliments.

The reason why this was not a 5 star read for me was because the story was a little confusing at times and the romantic subplot didn't capture me the same way as it did in her other books.

I would give it a 4.25 which means I still thoroughly enjoyed it! It is also paced really well and feels like a complete story even though the ending leads me to believe book 2 will be even better!

Having been a huge fan of Half a Soul, I was glad to continue into the same universe. While Soul was light, romantic, and whimsical, the was a darker, more mysterious, grittier in tone. Still equally good. I found the main leads quite intriguing, and thought that open ending leaves the author room to explore sequels. Sequels I would definitely welcome!

My first dive into Olivia Atwater's writing was a pleasant surprise. The Witchwood Knot is a mix of fun, eerie vibes, and a gripping plot—an ideal modern fairy tale for those who love dark, magical tales. While the pacing could be better, I enjoyed the overall story and can see myself returning to it for the characters and the magic woven into the story.

Winnie is a talented Victorian governess with many hidden abilities. A dying matriarch requests Winnie to come to Witchwood Manor to care for her grandson, whom the magic might attack. When Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor, she discovers a powerful and dark force there, and she remains cautious, especially around her male employer.

I appreciate an intelligent protagonist, and Winnie is brilliant. She reminds me of Emily from Emily's Encyclopedia of Fairies, which, according to both books, is a great way to handle the Faire folk. The gothic romance blends perfectly with the setting. There is a romantic element, but it's beautifully non-romantic.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

What a brilliant book.

I very much enjoyed this, my attention was captured from the first few pages.

Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor to be a governess and is greeted by a rather rude butler - Mr Quincy. But not all is as it seems and the manor may be haunted!

I didn’t realise this was a spin off book but I 100% need to go back and read the others if they’re as good as this was!

All of the characters see development, whether they are the main characters or simply the maid. The romance is very gradual but satisfying.

Oliver is the best familiar ever, he stole the show. I just loved him.

If you’re looking for a clean, slow burn romance set in a gothic haunted mansion with faeries and magic, this is for you!

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. The magic system took a while to get my head around but once I understood it I really enjoyed this story. Winnie is a new favourite fmc, she's hilarious, intelligent and bold. I really enjoyed seeing her out of her comfort zone too with interactions with Robert. The unexpected romance at the end was a pleasant surprise. I hope we get to see more of quincy in the future. I would recommend this book to others.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my arc!

I absolutely adored this. This was my first Olivia Atwater novel and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the story and the characters. Just a perfect cozy fantasy.

The Witchwood Knot is about a governess named Winifred Hall who was hired by the dowager of Witchwood manor. She was hired for her very specific set of skills. Winnie is tasked to care for the dowager’s grandson, Robert, when things take a turn and he is swept away by the fae. Winnie’s only task, now, is to get Robert back. This book was great! It has a very steady cadence throughout the story. Winnie is an amazing FMC and is capable of standing on her own strengths. Atwood does a great job at making all of her characters lovable. Although there isn’t a large contrast for character growth with the main character, the relationships Winnie builds make you want to befriend her! Overall, the only reason I’m only giving this 4 stars is because the story feels very even-keel. This might be a preference, but I love a solid twist and this book only had some sharp turns. A great read!