This was really sweet!

If you go in here expecting some deep philosophical diatribe on the nature of romance and belonging, you'd be knocking at the wrong door. This is a lovely little book about sapphic witches falling in love, set in some parallel world where being gay is a thing you can totally do in the 1830s. It's more cozy fantasy than some other "cozy fantasy" books I've been reading, while also being a comforting tale of life after loss. The author talks in her acknowledgements about how she wrote this book to give her own grandmother a better death, and that is exactly what I felt. Because while the main love story in this book is between the main characters Marigold and Lottie, there is also the secondary love story of Marigold and her grandmother, Althea. A bittersweet tale, which ends just as all things do, and yet asks the question: Is it better to have loved and lost, or to never have loved at all?

Unfortunately, the one thing that irked me about this book were the anachronisms. From the characters overusing the word "okay" to the frequent drinking of Earl Grey tea (which did not exist in 1832, yet), sometimes I felt as if a bit more research into the time period would have been beneficial. Or, alternatively - I feel like not much would be taken away from the story if it had been transported into a different time period. Cottagecore dreams are eternal and enduring, after all.

TLDR: A sweet, lighthearted cottagecore romance, intensely readable and diverting.

Thank you, Little Brown Book Group, and Netgalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Honey Witch follows Marigold Claude, who never felt as she belonged to the Bardshire’s society. She gets taken by her grandmother to Innisfree to become her successor as Honey Witch. Marigold finally found her true calling and is ready to continue in her grandmother’s footsteps. However, their legacy comes at a cost, the Honey Witch must live a lonely life as no one can ever fall in love with them.

I honestly had a great time with this book. Even though I was able to guess the twist almost straight away, I found the plot interesting and kept flicking the pages. The story is beautifully written, and I really liked the cosy and homey vibes. The magic system in the story was also very unique. I mean it’s based on honey, and I have never read something like that before. I can definitely recommend this if you want to read a light cosy fantasy story with witchy vibes and sapphic romance.

2.75⭐ rounded up. Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC.

The Honey Witch was one I'd hope to be a next fave, what with the cottagecore witchy aesthetic and sapphic romance. The story really picks up once Marigold's, our heroine, witch grandmother comes into the picture to reveal the former's magical capabilities and legacy. Althea brings her granddaughter to the isle of Innisfree, where she then proceeds to teach Marigold on what it is to be a Honey Witch like her. I immensely enjoyed their familial moments! I have to commend Althea being quick to chastise Marigold when the latter had a Not Like Other Girls moment, a character trait best left behind in the 2000s. Author Sydney Shields was also able to pull my heartstrings just 25% in.

Unfortunately, that's when THW peaked and never really reached that high for me again, once Lottie the eventual love interest came in fully. The romance fell so far flat that I can't help but be disappointed at the lost potential. Marigold—cursed never to be romantically loved—and Lottie went from "Can't Stand Each Other Because Lottie is Nasty" to "Secretly Head Over Heels From the Moment We Met" in a period of a mere week. The attraction they feel for each other was so rushed and jammed in, such that their declarations of love felt unearned to me. It is a shame because had the book taken its time with them, the slowburn would have likely worked better given the novel's overall cozy vibes.

I do however enjoy Shield's writing style, one that I'll describe as poetic and breezy to read after you've finished a particularly heavier novel beforehand. That coupled with her interesting ideas will have me picking up a possible sophomore novel, as the disappointing execution in this debut nonetheless showcases her potential.

The Honey Witch follows a young woman Marigold who is whisked away too Innisfree by her grandmother when she discovers she shares the powers of all women in her family but she also bears their curse - a honey witch can never be fallen love with if they choose this path. Her loveable grandmother, knowing she is not long for the world, does everything she can to train Marigold to take over as the honey witch and protect Innisfree and it’s inhabitants when she is gone.

Marigold is content if not a little lonely with her new life when a childhood friend brings a grumpy skeptic to her doorstep. Lottie refuses to believe in Marigold’s magic due to her own baggage but Marigold accepts this challenge and the challenge of her generational curse.

The first 40%-50% of The Honey Witch is incredible! I was having the best time with Marigold discussing her magic and the new world with her grandmother by her side. It was giving cozy fantasy with stakes but you could tell there wasn’t going to be immediate conflict. Personally I think that’s what this book should’ve been because the romance came too late and to half-heartedly for a fantasy romance. The romance plot was super trope-y and predictable when put next to the fun and creativity the author put into the fantasy of the book. Without spoiling anything, you figure out what’s going on with Lottie very early on but the plot just gets so dragged out for the sake of ticking the slow burn box (in my opinion).

This is a debut and I do want to read future work from this author even if I didn’t love this book because I do think her writing was beautiful and whimsical.

The Honeywitch is a delightful debut - ripe with longing and magic. Cried less than 30% of the way into this book.

This book is beautifully written, and I was almost in tears at the ending too - Marigold and Lottie and sapphic yearning. This is such a perfect summer-y read, and Sydney has written a wonderful book which I long to read again.