This book takes quite a while to get going, but I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book. Until then, it was fairly slow without a lot happening and there were not a lot of fantasy elements in the first half of the book. I guess I was really hoping for more of a magical fantasy feel.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

There is a series before this one and I personally think it's better to have read that before going in. Even though this is billed as the start of a new series, it just doesn't make as much sense without knowing the background. I thought this read towards a much younger audience than the 'adult gothic romance' category suggests, so I think I would be better listed as YA. There's a lot of character-driven writing, so if you're a fan of that style, you will enjoy this. I personally need more plot and world-building, so this was too slow paced for me to fully enjoy.

What a darkly delicious book The Witchwood Knot turned out to be! It's my first book by Olivia Atwater and I understand why her books are so beloved. The author has spun an interesting, dark, and alluring world full of deception, mischief, and secrets.

The protagonist, Winnie, is a young governess in her twenties. She is unafraid and prepared to face challenges. Thankfully she isn't a cluless damsel in distress who doesn't know what she's getting into. She's a smart woman aware of her surroundings and not easily fooled. The side characters make for interesting addition to the ensemble, each having traits unique to them. The push and pull romance keeps the reader wanting more.

The writing is delectable appropriate to the world. It draws you in and keeps you reading. Difficult topics are dealt with sensitivity and delicacy.

I finished it in just a few sittings. The story gets edgier and intense as it moves to the climax. I was so engrossed reading it that I didn't pay attention to predict any of what would unravel. The last half is even better than the first one. Truly shows the caliber of the author.

I have no complaints. It's an easy 5-star read, one which grasps you until you have finished it. Perfect for winters!

It pains me so much to say this but I had to dnf this book in 30%. I absolutely love Olivia Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales books, is one of my favorites series so I was extremely excited to learn she was writing another book in the same world, but unfortunately I struggled deeply to continue reading The Witchwood Knot, it was a lot more darker than her other books and somehow the magic of her other series wasn’t on this one, everything felt so dull and honestly a little bit like a chore to finish each chapter.
I hate to dnf books but if I had continued reading it I would probably give a very low star, so I rather make a pause right now and maybe pick it up in another moment when my mood suits this book better.

Thanks Netgalley and Starwatch Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

Spooky dark Faerie tale.

Winnie Hall is headed to Witchwood Manor to become the governess of Robert Longfell. She has been invited to fill the position by the Dowager, to whom she has known since childhood.
Winnie doesn’t like Lord Longfellow, or children for that matter, but she has other interests that take her there.

This isn’t the usual type of book that I would be drawn to, but the title did draw me to it.
It kept my interest and I went with the flow of the book, though at times I was confused as to what Winnie’s actual mission was? She had her agenda, plus trying to get back young Robert.
I would have liked her two sisters to have played a bigger part of the story as they seemed interesting, though it confused me a little as it mentioned how she met one sister, but not the other.
I thought the ending was left open a bit, maybe this book is to have a sequel?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

*thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc!*

i think the author did well on captivating the ‘victorian’ essence of the story. it totally gives off the gothic fantasy feel, which is what i loved so much! the story as a whole is very interesting and unique, as ive read many books with fae, the description of them in this book is very well done.

for me, i think i knew the romance was coming but it was still a curve ball. it was more on the back burner of the story, and i don’t know how i feel about the characters together, but ill be interested to see where their relationship goes.

This book seems to be written directed more towards a younger audience while being less promoted as an adult gothic romance. This book is slow pacing and the beginning seemed a bit like a mirror to other gothic books I’ve read recently. Why do they always show up to the house in the rain?

I think I would have had better context knowing there was another series before this one.

A thoroughly delectable gothic historical fantasy for autumn/winter! I really enjoyed this read - it was a fantastic balance of gothic horror, satire, and coziness in one book. I would preface that although it says 'romance' on Goodreads, it is quite a small component of the novel so don't go in expecting much (although the slow burn was fun, just not the primary theme). In Olivia's afterword she mentioned being inspired to write a gothic novel after reading Wuthering Heights; as a reader I definitely felt the Wuthering Heights influence and enjoyed is as such. The influence was especially evident amidst the backdrop of Victorian England in a haunted Manor. I would say that although this is the first book in this particular series, it feels part of a larger magic system from other books? I'm not sure if it's set in the same world as Olivia's other books but the world building / explanation of magic and faeries could've been better developed. All in all though, this is an excellent gothic read for fall!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was so delightful. Olivia Atwater's books always bring me immense comfort, and her regency faerie tales series is one I always go back to. In this book I think the romance here was the strongest point in the book-- the plot was solid, but it is the relationship between the leads that really kept me invested. This book definitely took a more sinister and darker path than her previous series-- it accentuated the predatory nature of men as well as the battle of overcoming trauma and regaining one's name. It was great read, and some of the lines really resonated with me. Besides that I want to comment on Olivia Atwater's writing because her diction, dialogue and exposition remains so rich and consistent, she outdoes herself with every new novel. It sinks you in, and you resurface with an overwhelming feeling of adoration.

Thanks to the publishers/ team at Netgalley for accepting my arc request for an honest and unbiased review!

Olivia Atwater's "The Witchwood Knot" ventures into the Victorian era, departing from her Regency Faerie Tales series with a darker, more engaging narrative. The story, while exploring themes of trauma and identity, introduces a captivating romance between the determined protagonist, Winnie, and her love interest.

The book, while light on detailed world-building, showcases Atwater's signature character-driven storytelling. Winnie's strength and wit shine, though the magic system takes a backseat to faerie knowledge. The Victorian setting lacks a strong gothic atmosphere, and the plot unfolds slowly, with major events delayed until the second half.

The connection to the Regency trilogy may confuse readers unfamiliar with the third book, suggesting a view of "The Witchwood Knot" as a fourth installment. Despite these considerations, the novel remains an enjoyable read, offering intense romance and a promising foundation for the series. Readers are left eager to see where Atwater takes the story next.

It’s been a while since I read a historical fantasy, so I was thrilled when I was offered a complimentary advanced reader copy of The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater from NetGalley and Starwatch Press in exchange for an honest review. This gothic romance was the perfect reintroduction to this genre for me.

The Witchwood Knot was a clever gothic fantasy full of folklore and fairytales. I loved the Victorian setting combined with a very fantasy premise; it felt part historical and part ethereal in the best possible ways.
The plot itself was well layered and paced, with aspects of The Witchwood Knot and its faerie squatters slowly unfolding as the plot thickened. I was never quite sure where things were headed or what would happen next, but the journey to get there was completely engrossing, especially as you grappled with the high stakes of The Witchwood Knot and the more human complications happening during the day in the Manor.

Winifred was a fantastic character with a lot of cleverness and wit for the era in which the story took place. She felt bold, assertive, and smart; all qualities that women of this age were supposed to minimize. I loved that Atwater chose to make her conscious of this decision to go against the grain and gave her the power to use that awareness in her favour as she saw fit. She was still often forced into an archetype that the men around her were comfortable with, but she manipulated it to the best of her abilities.

One aspect that I felt was incredibly poignant in Atwater’s exploration of Winifred’s character was her experience with sexual assault. I think there’s something so devastatingly depressing about this universal shared truth, that to be a woman means to understand what it means to be in danger, to be wanted without regard for your own feelings or preferences. I started mulling over this concept when reading A Study in Drowning, where the main character Effy was the victim of an abusive and manipulative relationship with a faculty member, and it’s reflected similarly in The Witchwood Knot. Just by holding any degree of beauty, Winifred is challenged by the men around her who feel entitled to her. She has to question every interaction, every exchange with the men she’s with to determine their intentions so she can somehow manage her safety alongside their egos. It’s frustratingly, achingly familiar, and even though these are fantasy environments, it’s so clear how women are still finding themselves in these situations and with these feelings today, particularly in scenarios where there is a power imbalance. I loved how resonant Winifred’s experience was, and simultaneously wished it would not feel so familiar to so many. That said, I felt like Atwater approached the concept from a place of power, where Winifred was eventually able to own her experiences and be stronger for them. It doesn’t make the fact that they occurred any better, but it’s encouraging to see a woman rise from the trauma.

From the second I picked this book up, I felt completely immersed, and when we finally reached the pinnacle of the action and began to see the plot close, I was both sad for it to be over and anxious to learn more about the loose ends that Atwater left. I felt like this was an exceptionally promising start to a series. I’ll certainly be happy to go back to Victorian England in another instalment to see where Winifred and Mr. Quincy go next.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the complimentary copy! I rated this book 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars on Goodreads and on Net Galley.

ChatGPT
"The Witchwood Knot" by Olivia Atwater weaves a delightful tale set in the enchanting world of Witchwood Manor, where faeries and magical beings reside. The story unfolds as Victorian governess Winifred Hall finds herself facing a con of magical proportions when her troublesome young charge is mysteriously transformed into a block of wood. Upon realizing that the real boy has been abducted by the mischievous Fair Folk, Winnie, armed with her wit and determination, sets out on a quest to rescue the young lord.

The uniqueness of the plot lies in the fact that the lord of Witchwood Manor, the very person who should be well-versed in faerie lore, is the one individual in England who staunchly denies the existence of faeries. This leaves Winnie in the challenging position of having to navigate the perilous journey to rescue the young heir all on her own.

Witchwood Manor, as Winnie discovers, is a place of expansive proportions, filled with otherworldly dangers. As she ventures into the hidden corners of the manor, she forms an uneasy alliance with Mr. Quincy, the dark and dubious faerie butler. Behind his charming smile lie several dreadful secrets, adding layers of mystery and intrigue to the narrative.

The strength of the story lies in Winnie's character, a governess with both wit and cleverness, determined to unravel the mysteries of Witchwood Manor. However, as her usual tricks prove ineffective in the face of magical challenges, the narrative raises the compelling question of who Winnie can truly trust.

Olivia Atwater's storytelling skill shines through in "The Witchwood Knot," creating a whimsical and magical atmosphere. The blend of Victorian sensibilities with fantastical elements adds a charming touch to the narrative. As readers follow Winnie's journey through the twists and turns of Witchwood Manor, they are treated to a delightful mix of humor, suspense, and the timeless allure of faerie folklore.

In "The Witchwood Knot," Olivia Atwater crafts a spellbinding narrative that will captivate readers with its magical intrigue and endearing characters. With a governess at the helm, armed with determination and facing the unknown, this tale is a delightful exploration of faerie realms, trust, and the power of cleverness in the face of enchanting challenges.

Faeries, enemies to lovers, halloween Gothic vibes....it was a good escape and perfect for the season.

Special thanks to Starwatch Press and Netgalley for providing me an advance copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review..

The Witchwood Knot is a fast paced dark fantasy filled with Fae, magic and a hint of romance. Winifred Hall knows all about the Fae, so when she takes a position as a governess and her charge suddenly has a personality transplant she knows what has happened. He has been abducted by the Fae that call Witchwood Manor home and replaced. Her path to claim him back won't be easy, not least because his father, the lord of the manor, claims that magic and the Fae are nothing but children's stories. To get the young lord back, Winnie will have to enlist the help of the dark and dubious fae butler, Mr Quincy, and when her usual tricks fail, she may just have to put her trust in the one person whose secrets might do more harm than good.

I didn't expect The Witchwood Knot to be quite as creepy as it was, and it definitely became a day time only read for me, but not because of any obvious frighting scenes, more from the incredible atmosphere that Atwater creates with her reading. It was gothic and creepy, and I especially enjoyed how she played around with the idea of monsters, showing the differing forms they can come in, and how they might not be who you expect from first glance. There was also a tension to this story, especially in the scenes where the Lord of the Manor was present and, at times, I felt uncomfortable reading them, following his actions, but again this adds to the atmosphere and overall dark nature of the book, and ensured it was one that never quite put me at ease.

The were a few things that I didn't love, one being the pacing. In general, the book was incredibly fast paced, there weren't many lulls in the story and everything moved along well, but I do think it took a bit too long to get to the nitty gritty of the main plot. This didn't bother me too much because of the overall pace, but it did affect my enjoyment of other parts of the book, namely the romance. Because the main plot only starts around 40-50% of the way through I felt the romance between the two characters felt incredibly rushed and a little forced. We don't really get to see them bond, they spend very little time together for the first half of the book, so all of the progression has to happen fairly swiftly, and it just felt a little forced and I think I might have enjoyed it more had it just been left out.

Winnie was a great MC. Forceful, not easily afraid, she was someone I had no issue bonding with. Seeing her delve into the dark side of Witchwood Manor, allowed us to learn about her past, especially that involving the Fae, and we learn fairly swiftly that she was specifically picked for this posting. I think what I loved the most though, was how Atwater used her to show how monsters aren't always who we assume they are. There were some pretty uncomfortable moments in the book that especially showed this, but they also allowed us to see a softer, more wary side of Winnie than the formidable force of nature she usually shows. Alongside Winnie, we have the staff from the Manor, The Lord and his son and Mr Quincy, the Fae butler who first lets Winnie into the house. He is a character we have a complicated relationship with, never quite knowing if he's on Winnie's side or not, but through the story we learn more about him and his past and Atwater uses this to set up the ending which I'm hoping will lead onto more books in the series.

Overall, I did enjoy this one, I just thought it was let down a little by pacing and sometimes repetitive nature, which in a book this short just isn't needed at all. That being said, the atmosphere and characters saved it for me and the ending definitely had me intrigued enough that I would pick up the next book in the series. If you're ok with a slow burner that seems to be more of a set up book for a larger series then I would definitely give this one a go.

The Witchwood Knot made it to my request list because I am such a dark anything lover, and this did not disappoint. I loved the world building and I love Winnie and her "take no shit" attitude and how she grows and really morphs into something more than she thought she was. Idk, I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it for someone looking for a hauntingly beautiful gothic faerie tale.

Atwater’s writing is so beautiful, cozy and full of whimsy. Set in the Victorian era filled to the brim with fae and quite the complex world building, this novel did not disappoint.

Winniefred is everything I expected. Kind, filled with empathy with quick wit. I loved the growth seen from beginning to end, and that the villain in this story was not your typical villain.

The story was great even if the plot felt a little thin at times. The epilogue left me wanting and honestly I can’t wait to read the next novel in the series and maybe seeing more of Winniefred’s magic, which I thought was a little lacking in what was written, and I expected more.

This novel passed the dark fairytale vibe check with flying colors!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for the eArc!

I throughly enjoyed Ms. Atwater’s other works, so I was thrilled to return to the world of fae. Compared to her other books this is much darker and tackles much heavier themes, despite taking place seemingly in the same universe. I adored the MC and her give no shits attitude (am I allowed to swear in a review?) It took a while for the plot to pick up, but once it did I was pulled in. I loved Winnie, loved the romance (which arguably is a much smaller aspect of this book compared to Half a Soul), and the overall theme of confronting and overcoming trauma. I enjoyed this book and I hope to read more from the author in the future.

I found this novel to be very beautiful, mixing cosiness with darker themes all in a Victorian setting.
At first, I thought this would be a "haunted house" type of book but it was much bigger than a house, with a complex world-building of the fae world with mazes, monsters, and a "strange cat thing".

Things I love:
The writing is beautiful and whimsical making everything so cozy.
Victorian era.
The short faerie stories are my absolute favourite chapters. I found these to add a "fairytalesque" vibe I love.
The FMC, Winniefred is such a refreshing character setting herself apart with her intelligence, wit, kindness, and empathy.
The subplots tie in so nicely to the main plot and don't take away from it.

Things I didn't like so much.
Towards the middle, I got slightly lost as to what was the purpose of everything.
The magic, we are told that Winnie is a magician but we see that most of her magic tricks are reading cards. I wish there was more to it.

I really cannot wait for the next book, I think the last few chapters were some of the best and reveal so much of what could be included in the second book and I absolutely cannot wait to continue the story. I am very invested in Mr. Quincy, and I am hoping to see some chapters narrated from his point of view, he is just so fascinating.


3,5 stars as I wasn't really drawn into the story until the last 30%.
Slow pace at times.

This was my first Olivia Atwater book, but it certainly won’t be the last.

The Witchwood Knot is magical, dark, and drips with gorgeous, well-crafted prose. Though the plot itself of the book didn’t grip me entirely, I was entranced by Atwater’s writing and the dimension she gave to her characters.

This book has a plot, but in my mind, falls very carefully into the “no plot, just vibes” category, which is common in a lot of cozy fantasy stories. That said, this is not so much cozy as it is gothic and all-encompassing, with themes that made my heart pang.

Winnie is such a phenomenal main character though, and the real shining star of this book. While I guessed her worst fear rather early on, it wasn’t because of a heavy-handed delivery, but because it’s a fear so many women—myself included—have. I absolutely adored Winnie’s growth and the reclaiming of her sexuality as the book continues (which Atwater explores in the afterword if you wanted to know more about that!), and most importantly, I loved that the villain was a very real monster and not a faerie or other creature.

This book receives 3.5 stars from me because at times, I felt like the plot was too thin and that the ending was too rushed. I know the epilogue is supposed to establish a conflict in book two, but it didn’t work for me the way I wanted it to. Also, the book blurb doesn’t even begin until the second half of the book, which affected my enjoyment of it slightly.

That said, I really did like this book and its cast of complicated, sharp, and strong characters.

Special thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc to review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Starwatch Press, and Olivia Atwater for the opportunity to receive an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.

My Review:
A gothic fantasy novel that is dark without leaving you with nightmares.

I thought that the book was slow to start out, but it is part of a series and information is needed before the story can pick up. Once the story got going though it was hard to put down! I really enjoyed the characters and the world building - it was easy to picture both the Witchwood Manor and the Witchwood Knot and they are beautifully done.

When I finished the book I was left wanting more - more of the characters, more of the story, wanting to know what happens next. I will definitely be finishing the series when it is available.