Published By: Storm Publishing
Pages: 262
Released On: 09/10/2026
Eden Martin has spent her days buried in books, more at home there than in the glittering New York life she’s supposed to want. Then, in a single shattering night, her beloved grandmother dies and her engagement falls apart—and Eden does the most impulsive thing she’s ever done. She leaves it all behind for a four-hundred-year-old thatched cottage in the sleepy English village of Barton Heath.
There she meets Hazel Welsh, the village herbalist, whose remedies have healed the village for generations—and who has been expecting Eden for longer than seems possible. As Eden learns the old ways, an unfamiliar magic tingling at her fingertips, she begins to wonder if Barton Heath was where she was always destined to live, and maybe even find love again…
But the life Eden left behind isn’t finished with her. As her old world reaches across the ocean to reclaim her—and the one person who understands her gift slips beyond reach—Eden must decide what she’s willing to fight for, before it’s too late.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I mean it has books an romance and there’s magic – what mor do you need?
It had me hooked from the very first page and I loved it.
The England that Heather has described here is one of a fairytale dream. I live about 20 minutes outside of London in a relatively big town, but I dream of living in the kind of place in this book. The thatched cottages, large open spaces, quiet evenings, local shops, country pubs, and that real sense of community. Magical.
I thought it would be this happy, lighthearted, fun story that I could spend a few hours with. And it does have that but it has so much more depth to it. There’s difficult topics – that I won’t spoil – and I just got so much more out of it than I was expecting.
The characters are delightful. Even the less-than-savoury characters are well written and fun to read about. Eden is a wonderful protagonist and I knew I was going to love her story straight away.
It’s a relatively short book, but even so, I sped through it. It’s so easy to read, so effortless, the characters were likeable. If anything I wanted it to be longer (and I never say that) so I could have more of it. Good thing I’ve already got the sequel waiting for me.
At about 70% through, something happens involving a clay pot – no spoilers – and I had to give myself a moment because it moved me to tears, it was so beautiful.
It was just so beautiful and amazing that I read it in one sitting.
This had been on my TBR list for a little while now and it was at risk of getting lost (my tbr pile has about 3,000 books on it), and I’m so glad it didn’t. It’s an absolutely fantastic book, so moving, full of love and family and friendship and second chances. I highly recommend it to everyone and it is the perfect wintery read.
EDIT: You can find my review of the sequel here.
