Inventive and sparkling
—
Evoking the best of Diana Wynne Jones, Elizabeth Scarborough and Patricia McKillip, Eames gives us a new country mouse/magic house novel that is as inventive and sparkling as any of its forebears. With just one look from an unusual male enchanter, Foss Butcher is driven to seek him out in the unfamiliar capital city, and under the pretence that she’s there as his housekeeper, she investigates how to free herself from the curse, only to discover that the rot is deeper than anyone knows.

In Foss Butcher, we have a new heroine-despite-herself like Sophie Hatter, and her erstwhile puppet-master enchanter Sylvester is just as vain and infuriating (while being all too handsome) as Howl. The magic system is suitably gothic and gory and Foss’s fight to save herself from it and rescue all her loved ones is brilliantly handled. As in all the best fairytales, the dark is super dark and it’s only through death that Foss can save who she can. I thoroughly enjoyed this and I will eagerly devour Eames’s next novel.

Four and a half stars

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending this advance ebook to me in exchange for honest review.

This was my first time reading this author and it was sent as a recommendation from the Publisher; a lovely cozy read for the winter to spring season. The characters were fun and whimsical I enjoyed the steady pacing of the story and gradual reveals of the plot.
Easy read without out any over complicated backstory and magical history, I found myself invested in the characters and world.
3.5 Star ⭐⭐⭐ 1/5 for me.

A cute cosy story with similar vibes to Howl’s Moving Castle but also unique in its own way. The story had a great pace and the romance was subtle and adorable.

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from Andrea Eames.

The was a fun cute adventure. There were stakes but still some cosy vibes and the characters were cute. The inner monologues were insightful and I enjoyed the character growth. I especially enjoyed that we had a talking slightly sassy cat who offered commentary on Foss's situation. It was an interesting magic system, quite abstract in some ways but easy to understand in others and quite different from the usual magic. I also thought it was nice to show such a good relationship between Foss and her Dad. I did think that some of the plot points happened a bit too quick or easily and that some of the side characters could have been fleshed out a little more. I recommend for those who want cosy fantasy but higher stakes than in other books in the genre.

A Harvest of Hearts has an unique magic system, which I haven't read about before. It starts a bit slow but picks up the pace at the end of the book. And it was interesting to see how Foss had to deal with her own feelings. What was real and what was the magic that took hold of her? Overall, it was an interesting book with a fascinating world and a wonderful premise, that maybe needed a bit more work to really work for me, at least. Nevertheless, I can recommend A Harvest of Hearts to anyone who likes a love story in a fantasy setting.

Thanks to Andrea Eames and NetGalley for the ARC.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but it really surprised me in the best way. It has a Howl’s Moving Castle feel (a chaotic sorcerer, a strong and practical heroine, and a talking cat), but the story is definitely fresh and original.

Foss is a butcher’s daughter from a quiet village who, after being magically caught by Sylvester (a young sorcerer), travels to the capital and ends up working in his magical house (which has a mind of its own). From there, she starts uncovering the darker truth about the kingdom’s magic and the cost it demands.

I really liked Foss. She’s determined and grounded, and even though she doubts herself a lot, she keeps going and fights for what she believes is right. Her relationship with Sylvester is a sweet slow burn, with little moments that made me smile. I really enjoyed watching their connection grow naturally. Cornelius, the talking cat, is honestly one of the best parts of the book 😊 He’s funny, clever, and brings just the right mix of dry humour and heart to the story. His scenes were some of my favourites.

The world feels magical and cosy, but there’s also a darker side that gives the story more weight. I really liked the balance between the two. This isn’t just a love story; it’s also about choice, courage, and learning to value yourself. I found the magic system creative, the stakes felt real, the pacing of the story was good, and the world was well-developed. If you enjoy cosy fantasy with a touch of darkness, magic, a sentient house, and a little romance, this is definitely worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Howl's Moving Castle will find echoes of charm in this imaginative tale. The premise of down-to-earth Foss unexpectedly entering a magical world, complete with a captivating sorcerer and his spirited enchanted house, is delightful. Foss's practical nature provides a lovely anchor to the fantastical elements. While the world could be richer and the pacing a little smoother, the story offers a pleasant escape with hints of romance and a compelling underlying mystery. A promising and enjoyable read for those who appreciate lighthearted fantasy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-ARC!

4 stars
Content warning: magical entrapment, non-consensual organ removal, death, kidnapping
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

When I started reading A Harvest of Hearts, I'll be honest, I wasn't convinced I was going to like it. I'm a huge Howl's Moving Castle fan and will fall for marketing around anything being Howl-coded every time. Whilst this isn't a catfish novel as so many have been - it is definitely a story with a Howl-coded protagonist, a delightful talking cat that feels like Calcifer, and a no-nonsense FMC to rival Sophie Hatter, my first impressions were that Andrea Eames had taken inspiration from the original story by Diana Wynne Jones and was mimicking some of her writing style. This wasn't a complimenting beginning for me. I struggled a lot to have any interest in Foss, because of the choices Eames made in intentionally following a similar writing style that might have aged well enough with the classic, but not with the word choices and foundation here. It was jarring and repetitive, and I was somewhat alarmed as I laughed at crudely formed jokes as to what I had gotten myself into.

HOWEVER!! Thank goodness, Eames finds her feet and this story becomes totally its own even with Howl-coded characters. I ended up thoroughly enjoying Foss as a character. She grows so much from being a 'cursed' butcher's daughter, into someone formidable and relatable. She has her fair share of vulnerability, yet continues to fight for what she believes is right, and isn't swayed by the charms entirely of the sorceresses and Sylvester, which I loved. In fact, whenever she found herself swooning - thanks to the bond Sylvester accidentally put upon her - she would get irritable and frustrated, which kept her from falling flat as a character.

The storyline is quite sinister and takes a darker shape as soon as Foss reaches the capital and realises just how much the King and his sorceresses are taking from the villagers and keeping the people trapped in its kingdom for his nefarious reasons. Foss' determination to break everyone free and quite frankly, keep her own heart in the process, is compelling, especially as she and Cornelius, the delightful talking cat in residence at Sylvester's manor, embark on finding a way to help break the magic binding the kingdom as it is. I love Cornelius as a character, he's one of the best things about this world and is a great source of dry humour when it's needed. Add in the cowardly and extremely chaotic sorcerer that's caught Foss up in his magic, and you have the most delightful trio working together to stop further sorceresses being made, and hearts being used up for unnecessary magic. I loved the balance of whimsical charm inside Sylvester's sentient manor versus the rather frightening regime the King has over his people. It was nice to get a bit of both, with wholesome discoveries of humanity for both Foss and Sylvester, as well as having a goal to complete and people to save from the dark magic. The romantic subplot is slow to the point, but very sweet and rewarding when it reaches its culmination. I love it when the FMC sees herself as undesirable yet the MMC can't see anything but beauty within them. It was well done here, and Sylvester made me smile so many times when Foss was so oblivious to his affections.

Eames managed to create an entire world, with multiple obstacles, fully flesh out her characters and develop them, and wrap this all up in one book, and I'm impressed by it. I'm grateful that I didn't stop reading in the beginning when I was questioning my choice of picking up this arc. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Super slow to build cosy fantasy story that has been very clearly influenced by Howls Moving Castle. I liked a lot of this - the snarky talking cat Cornelius, a sentient house and overall feel for the world. However the world building itself was a little lacklustre and the characters didn't have any depth to them. Foss in particular is self deprecating to the extreme and ended up coming across as irritating rather than endearing. Sylvester is even more undeveloped, with just nothing about him at all.

So much potential here, and there are glimmers of intrigue and a good fantasy world, but overall I really dislikes the characters and felt no emotional connection to their story or romance.

This book starts extremely slowly, but it has a strong premise, good world-building, and likable characters. It is a bit chaotic at the start where we have a mash of lore and of Foss's (our FMC) own memories. It has magical elements similar to Howl's Moving Castle in its magical house and talking cat (Cornelius reminded me a bit of Calcifer honestly), and I appreciated the unique if gory take on magic. This is NOT, however, a cosy fantasy. I found it much darker than I'd expect from anything vaguely cosy, especially when describing the process of making magic-wielders and harvesting the hearts. There was also only one intimate scene which was not handled well. Foss is someone who a lot of women can relate to in that she's never seen herself as one of the "pretty girls", she's been ridiculed for her appearance and as such has never understood her own self-worth and beauty. So, when she and Sylvester have a moment together, and she is immediately making herself remove her clothing DESPITE thoughts we read of "reluctance" and "hesitancy" without any sort of immediate understanding or support from Sylvester, I was extremely uncomfortable. Yes, Sylvester did end up giving her reassurance and making her comfortable, but that should have happened prior to getting naked. I cannot support how this scene was written. So despite how impressed I am with how much story Andrea Eames managed to fit into this book, I think the act of intimacy was handled with insufficient care.

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a little, in tone at least, of Assistant to the Villain. I liked the way that Foss was written. No nonsense and practical. Despite finding herself in thrall to Sylvester the sorcerer through a spell gone awry, she sets out to get back the piece of her heart that was taken. While doing so, she discovers that all is not well in the kingdom, and her feelings for Sylvester? Are they simply the fault of the spell? This is for the most part a cosy read, although if you stop to think of it, taking people's hearts to power your magic is pretty gruesome! But then all the old fairy tales have a dark side. This has a lovely slow burn romance and a talking cat. Loved it!

I found this story to be an enchanting cosy tale that combines whimsy, mystery, and a little romance. The story centres on Foss Butcher, a strong, endearing village girl whose world shifts when her heart is unknowingly (and accidentally) snagged by Sylvester, a young sorcerer with an interesting history. Determined to take charge of her fate, Foss sets off to the enchanted city. There she enters Sylvester's sentient house, meeting a charming talking cat, and uncovering the secrets hidden within the kingdom's magical heart-snatching practices.

The setting is immersive, filled with whimsical details that evoke Howl's Moving Castle. The house is a fascinating work of magic that is fun to explore along with Foss. Cornelius, the witty talking cat, adds a much-needed companion for Foss. He has a good sense of humour and a needed warmth for Foss.

Eames' writing is colourful and tender, particularly in portraying Foss’s blend of bravery (or stubbornness) and self-doubt in the face of powerful magic. I must confess that Foss’s constant negative self-talk began to drag on me. It was demonstrated perfectly in the first quarter of the book and didn’t need to continue through the book.

While the plot hints at romance, the slow-burn relationship between Foss and Sylvester might not be worth the wait for some and may be considered underwhelming. It would have been lovely to see more development in Sylvester's character to sell the connection as being more than just the magic that Foss is a victim of.

Even so, this book’s unique, character-driven story will resonate with readers who enjoy novels like "Howl’s Moving Castle" and "The House in the Cerulean Sea". With its mix of medieval village charm, sinister magic, and a hint of melancholy, this debut novel is perfect for those who appreciate whimsical fantasy with a touch of depth and enjoy a slow burn.

Thank you so much for this arc!! To be fully honest this will not be my firm rating for this book because I read it while in a complete slump, so I'm going to grab a physical copy soon and give it a reread before reviewing on other sites because I think I'll really love this book!!
First of all I have to mention how much I loved Foss- she's real, she's not conventionally attractive, and there's no weird thing where she's cursed and is actually more beautiful than anyone else underneath (was an actual fear of mine when reading this).
The magic system in this was explained just the right amount to keep it mysterious and interesting without being tedious. I found the pacing a bit slow to start with but then around 60% I couldn't stop reading - again, this may just be because I was in a reading slump so take that with a pinch of salt, but also yay for it pulling me out!
I loved wee Cornelius and found this to be a heartwarming fantasy read that was just a few steps above cozy so its perfect for anyone who wants stakes without the stress!

When I requested a review copy of this book through Netgalley I was not entirely sure what to expect. I have to admit that this genre of books is always a hit or miss for me. I either love the book or I'm bored out of my mind. However, HaperVoyager granted me a digital review copy and I was really curious to get started. With the release day coming closer and closer it was finally time to dive in and to see what it was gonna be: a hit or a miss.

After a few chapters I already knew that this was gonna be a hit. It's hard to describe this book and even harder to label. Yes, the book has a cosy vibe. Our heroine is, quite literally, following her heart, but mostly simply trying to live and be happy. However, the book also has a dark and sinister undertone. The more we learn about the magic, the more we see that this magic is ugly and bad and most of all leading to some very gruesome outcomes.

And yet, no matter how big the danger gets, no matter how dark the magic gets, our heroine still wants the same thing: live and be happy. And that gives the book a different vibe. It never feels like this book is about saving the kingdom, even though it technically is. It also makes it easy to connect with the heroine of the story. She's not pretty, she's not well liked, she's not used to being loved. And yet, she does what needs to be done. Well, as long as it doesn't mean hurting her loved ones.

Although the magic is dark and sinister it also has a pretty side. The talking cat is the true star of the book with witty comments and true, but not always wanted, observations. I think everyone is also quite jealous of the magic house, giving its inhabitants whatever they need, but not always what they want. And, this might be a slight spoiler, I'm glad that we get to see more pretty magic by the end of the book. Because even in this book: It's not the magic that's bad, it's the person wielding it.

A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames is a beautifully whimsical adventure, brimming with enchantment, mystery and the irresistible charm of classic fairy tales. Perfect for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle, this book blends sharp wit, magic and an unlikely heroine who stumbles into a world far beyond her quiet village.

Foss Butcher has always been plain and practical, never expecting to catch the eye of a sorcerer—until she does. With a curse upon her, she is swept away to an enchanted house filled with secrets, a talking cat and walls that seem to have moods of their own. But as Foss learns more about magic, she realises she is not the only one trapped in its grip. Even the arrogant, devastatingly handsome Sylvester is bound by forces beyond his control. To break free, Foss must uncover the truth at the very heart of the kingdom.

Andrea Eames crafts a mesmerising tale full of clever twists, rich world-building and a magic system that feels both original and deeply immersive. The mystery unfolds with precision, keeping the reader guessing at every turn. With its endearing characters, sparkling dialogue and moments of genuine warmth, A Harvest of Hearts is an absolute delight—a book that lingers in the imagination long after the final page.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

DNF at 40%.

I was really looking forward to A Harvest of Hearts. Howl's Moving Castle is one of my favourite books and the premise sounded good.

The writing style seemed good at first but started to grate on me. It was trying to hard to be witty and rustic-sounding at the same time (take a shot every time Foss refers to children as 'sprouts'). The pace was slow and it took an inordinate amount of time for anything to happen. When Foss got to the House I thought the story would pick up, but the author somehow managed to make a sentient house and talking cat boring too. The dialogue is flat and completely devoid of charm. The love interest displayed no personality and spent most of his time sitting in a chair doing nothing. Foss herself is the most three-dimensional character, but she alternated between bossy housekeeper and pathetically insecure girl in a way that felt both repetitive and artificial. I have no interest in continuing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

"A Harvest of Hearts" by Andrea Eames is an adventure-cosy fantasy book about the down-to-earth butcher girl Foss and the handsome magician Sylvester (and an utterly charming talking cat). Foss gets snagged by Sylvester; her heart now belongs to the wizard, and she can't live without him (whether she wants to or not). With plenty of witty banter (Foss is quick-witted and entertaining in spades), we see a sweet love story unfold. This is innocent, sweet, and cheerful. But they must embark on a quest! The king (also Sylvester's "father"/creator) wants to harvest hearts for his magic, and no one in the land is safe.

This is a detailed, well-written adventure-fantasy with lots of charm! I loved how the author takes her time to let the story unfold. If you're used to action-packed fantasy with suspense and cliffhangers in every chapter, this isn't for you. But the book has plenty of the charm I love from the cosy-fantasy genre, and I enjoyed the company of the characters. Add a talking cat to the story, and I'm sold! I think this will be the next big talk in the cosy-fantasy genre. Fantastic literature, great language, and I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book. Wonderful!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A beautiful tale of love, courage and acceptance. I wouldn't call it cosy fantasy, since it has truly dark themes, and the author doesn't try to hide them, but if you like Howl's Moving Castle - try it! Also, there is a talking cat!!!!

3.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for inviting me to read this very enjoyable title in exchange for an honest review!

A Harvest of Hearts is a standalone adult fantasy set in a kingdom where Sorcerers take pieces of people's hearts to fuel their spells. Citizens are generally okay with this because they don't (usually) die… and the Sorcerers are there to protect everyone anyway. The start of the book sees the protagonist, Foss, being accidentally "snagged" by a Sorcerer's clumsy spell. Forced by an inescapable pull toward him to travel to the City to find the Sorcerer who bespelled her, Foss starts working as his housekeeper in a magical House and befriends a talking cat. Except, as she discovers, the Sorcerer is still learning to use his powers and had no intention of taking her heart… While at the House, Foss starts to learn that there might be a much darker side to magic than the kingdom knows and that she might need to dig deeper into it all if she wants to be free!

Half of this novel was a fun, semi-cozy read… and then the other half took a turn for the dark—and I really enjoyed this combination! There is a very unique (and dark) magic system and interesting world-building. The pacing was consistently good, keeping the reader engaged and the twists coming, even if occasionally a little predictable.

The protagonist annoyed me at times, with her constant wanting to save everyone, regardless of the danger it put the larger plan into, and her need to put down her own looks all the time (why was that so necessary?)… BUT she was an interesting character overall, and I liked the development of her relationship with the Sorcerer. The villain here was inexcusably awful, and I enjoyed him having absolutely no redeeming arc or backstory. Oh, and I absolutely loved the talking cat.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this to lovers of fantasy, magic, and slow-burn romance. I look forward to reading more from the author!

I didn’t know if this would be my cup of tea but I actually ended up really enjoying it! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.