Thistlemarsh Book Review

Synopsis

Faeries disappeared over one hundred years ago, as suddenly as slipping through a doorway. It was only the very foolish, or the very determined, who held out hope for their return.

Welcome to Thistlemarsh—a ramshackle estate where an impoverished orphan and a beguiling Faerie collide in an enchanting novel of love, revenge, and ruin.

In the wake of World War I, the world is a decidedly unmagical place for Mouse Dunne. She once dreamed of becoming a Faerie anthropologist, but with one telegram, her world shattered. At the Battle of the Somme, her cousin’s body disappeared into the mud, and her brother was left with debilitating shell shock. It was time, she knew, to put aside childish dreams.

When Mouse receives news that her uncle has left her the Faerie-blessed Thistlemarsh Hall, a dilapidated manor in the English countryside, she must leave her brother’s side and return to her childhood home to claim her birthright. But there is a catch in her uncle’s will: If Mouse does not rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month’s time, she will forfeit her inheritance and any hope of caring for her brother.

It quickly becomes clear it’s impossible to repair the manor in the allotted time, until a mysterious Faerie appears with a proposition. He offers to restore Thistlemarsh...for a price. Mouse knows better than to trust a Faerie—especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant—but she is out of options. There are dark and magical forces at work in the house, and Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets of her heart or lose Thistlemarsh, and herself, in the process.

REVIEW

I read this back in April but somehow forgot to post my review here, so here we are! What I really loved about this book was how completely it transported me to a cozy, atmospheric, alternate post-WWI (and post-magic!) England. I adored the relationships between Mouse, Roger, Bertie, and John, and honestly wished we’d gotten even more of their dynamic. The setting and world-building was perfect, and I especially enjoyed the premise of Mouse having to restore the Faerie-blessed manor she grew up in to inherit it.

Where it faltered a bit for me was the pacing—it started off steady, then kinda slowed down, before turning into a rushed fever dream by the end??? I also wanted more development in the relationship between Mouse and Thornwood… as much as I enjoyed the way they end up, it didn’t feel quite “earned” or made sense given how it progressed (or didn’t). Still, this cozy fantasy found me at exactly the right time, and I loved reading it.

Thanks to Berkley for the gifted copy for review!

Original publication date was 21 April 2026.