#thistlemarsh

TL;DR: Historical Fairy Fantasy with a splash of romance Source: NetGalley, thank you so much! Plot: Mouse needs help to restore her family’s manor before it leaves the family, and to do it she makes a fairy bargain. Characters: I loved Mouse and Thornwood. The side characters were great, but these two leads stole my heart. Setting: Thistlemarsh became it’s own person in this, I could see a lot…

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Publication Date: April 21, 2026

About the Book:

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 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.

My Review:

5 stars

This was delightful! I thought I knew where it was going, and was hugely enjoying it, when suddenly the plot took a Turn and I wasn't sure what was up and what was down suddenly. Once I got reoriented, I ended up loving it even more!

The characters are wonderful. Mouse is an excellent protagonist, with her pragmatism mixed with a sense of wonder. Thornwood is an excellent fae character, arrogant and haughty and well, untrustworthy. They work well together, especially as they work to remodel Thistlemarsh and prevent it from falling to the ground and taking Mouse's inheritance with it.

I love a good faerie storie, espeically one where the faeries have teeth and magic is wondrous and beautiful but not necessarily kind. This one fit the bill just right.

I do have to disagree with the comp titles though. I would not immediately think of a Court of Thorns and Roses. Invisible life of Addie Larue, hmmm, maybe. If I were choosing comp titles, I'd rather choose An Enchantment of Ravens.

Available April 21, 2026

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 offer: 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.

✨🐁🌿 Some Big News! Coming Spring 2026...

The last few months have been an absolute whirlwind. I am so grateful to my brilliant agent Sarah Landis, the amazing rights team at Sterling Lord Literistic, and the crews at Berkley Publishing, Del Rey UK, Harper Italia, and PRH Grupo Editorial for taking a chance on Thistlemarsh (and me!).