Of Swords and Soulmates
Is this a kissing book? Of Swords and Soulmates features two couples (and sometimes more), with varying reading preferences and experiences, as they read, listen, and sometimes watch romantasy stories and discuss plot, fantasy elements, romance, spice, theories, and more. Join us for our non-expert opinions as we discuss, argue, rave, rant, and hopefully entertain. We may just help you find your next reading obsession or at least contribute to that TBR list!
Of Swords and Soulmates
"The Enchanted Greenhouse" - Second Chances and Forgiveness
Sometimes the harshest punishment isn't death—it's complete isolation. For creating a sentient plant because she was lonely, librarian Terlu Perna spent six years as a wooden statue, hidden away in a library alcove. But when she mysteriously awakens on a remote island filled with magical greenhouses, she discovers a second chance at life alongside a grumpy gardener who offers her honey cakes and a temporary home.
Sarah Beth Durst's "The Enchanted Greenhouse" captivates with its perfect blend of cozy fantasy and profound themes. The magical setting—an island of enchanted greenhouses housing sentient plants with distinct personalities—serves as both a wondrous escape and a powerful metaphor. As Terlu discovers the island's magic is failing and the plants are dying, she must risk breaking magical law once again to save this newfound haven.
What elevates this novel beyond typical fantasy romance is its thoughtful exploration of deeper issues. Through the story of refugees seeking sanctuary and a secluded gardener learning to open his doors, Durst examines how isolationism fails both gardens and societies. The romance develops naturally between two damaged people finding healing in each other's company, creating a "grumpy-sunshine" dynamic that feels authentic rather than forced. As one character wisely notes, "Pain doesn't require approval"—a reminder that our hurts are valid regardless of external validation.
While set in the same world as "The Spell Shop," this standalone story requires no prior knowledge, though fans will appreciate returning to this richly imagined magical realm. With its PG-level romance, talking roses, pocket dragons, and themes of forgiveness, "The Enchanted Greenhouse" reminds us that there is "light after darkness, warmth and wonder to be found even in the coldest of winters, and kindness in the world that can heal us." Ready to lose yourself in a greenhouse where plants talk back and second chances bloom? This winter read delivers magic and heart in equal measure.
Links from the News Segment and Show:
- JR Ward releasing a new book
- After the End, a post apocalypse dystopian romance Kickstarter by Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera
- Fabled Fantasy announced the locations and dates for 2026
- Barnes and Nobles has an exclusive special edition version of When the Moon Hatched, ships November 2025
- The Ballad of Falling Dragons second draft is done
- BookCon tickets on sale September 22
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Views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the participants. The hosts make no claim to be literary experts and their opinions are exactly that opinions. All creative works discussed or reviewed are the intellectual property of the creators of said stories and is being used under the Fair Use Doctrine.
Mari:Hello and welcome to Swords and Soulmates, a podcast where we read, watch and discuss romanticist stories. I'm one of your hosts, mari, and with me I have Kelly.
Kelly:Hey everyone, it's Kelly. We also have Ashley.
Ashley:Hey guys, it's Ashley. We also have Jonathan.
Jonathan:What's good, everybody? It's JP. How's everybody feeling today?
Ashley:Today's been a Monday for me.
Mari:Yeah, yeah, but it's a Monday, that's almost fall, it's already HHN season, it's getting to the good time of the year.
Ashley:The good time of the year, yeah.
Mari:Yeah.
Ashley:Christmas is coming.
Mari:I guess it is. Yeah, he brings that too, he's reaching deep guys.
Mari:First thing is JR Ward, who wrote the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, is releasing. Well, she's releasing several new books. To be honest, she's releasing the latest book in the series. I believe that's coming out this week. I've got that in preorder so I'm not paying attention when it comes out, but I think that's coming out this week. I think it's book like 23 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I'm on book 11, so I'm not there yet. And then she's releasing like a fandom book in December. It's called the Black Dagger Brotherhood 20th Anniversary Insider's Guide. It comes out December 2nd and it's got like little short stories Like I think part of it is. It's her interviewing her characters from the novels and like where they are now. And I'm a sucker for that stuff. I love all that little like you know, stories after the stories kind of thing. So I'm excited for that.
Mari:I was on the. I was waffling, you know, on the edge about whether or not I was going to buy it. But then I saw that JR Ward is going to be in Orlando at an event done by Writer's Block Bookstore and when you buy a ticket to go see her there you get the book. So I bought the book, so I'm going to go meet her, I guess, listen to her talk and get that book. And I found out about it. I was like, oh, she's going to be there. I think I want to go. And I asked Kelly and he was like I don't know that I'd be that interested. You buy a ticket for you and I'll do something else.
Kelly:Right.
Mari:Something to that effect. You said, kelly, yeah, pretty much. And so then I was like, ok, well, yeah, that's fine, I'll go. And then I think I messaged you guys about it, and I messaged Sarah from Hissing and Kissing about it, because she's in that area, and she was like, because she had they had talked about it on their podcast a few times about her liking JR Ward, so she's going to go, so she and I are going to go, so we're going to go together to meet JR Ward at this event in Orlando, and it like sold out within an hour of me getting it. And then, apparently, like a few more tickets opened up the next day and they sold out super fast. Good, yeah. So then they were like, well, next time I think I don't remember if she posted it or if Writer's Block posted it, but they were like, well, next time she comes down, we'll just have to get a bigger venue, right, yeah?
Ashley:Well, I love that for her and for you.
Mari:Yeah, I have seen a few of her live, like talks and things at different book events or whatever she does, and she seems like a very entertaining person to listen to. Yeah, so I think it'll be a fun time. I think it'll be good, so I'm enjoying the series. If anyone likes vampires and that like very 90s goth vibe, highly, highly recommend that's the one yep, that's it.
Mari:that is that, is it? The other thing that came out was I don't know if you guys have heard of this After the End it's a post-apocalyptic dystopian romance Kickstarter done by Allie Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera. Have you guys heard of this? I don't think so.
Mari:I haven't, and it's eight novellas combined into four volumes and they did a Kickstarter and the Kickstarter goal was like $10,000. So far it's $889,000 of backing, so it's like funded multiple times over. So you can get e-book, audio book, hardcover, paperback beautifully illustrated. If you do the paperback or the hardcover, the Kickstarter ends September 23rd, I believe, and if you end up buying the e-books as your option or as one of your options, being the e-books with it, the e-books will ship in October.
Jonathan:Oh sorry, the e-books will ship in October.
Mari:Yeah, so they're basically already written.
Jonathan:Okay, and what about the paperbacks?
Mari:It doesn't say, and I think with those you get into things that are out of their control because you have, like, things have to be manufactured and shipped and I don't know that they can say right away exactly when those are going to ship. At least I didn't see anywhere where it said where the physical stuff was going to ship estimated delivery june 2026 how much?
Mari:is the kickstarter so it depends on which one you get. Oh yeah, you can get just like the ebook. It's the cheapest where you get all the ebooks, but I want to say $60, something around that range 40 for the eBooks. Okay, 40 for the eBooks, and then you can get eBooks and audio right.
Jonathan:Correct. You can get eBooks, then you can get the audio book. Audio books only at 50, and then eBooks plus audio books at 65, which seems like a bargain. And then eBooks plus audio books plus merch at a hundred dollars. And then paperback pack one or I I can't tell $125. And but it looks like it. So to me it looks like it's. So it's a set of four paperback volumes. Each volume two stories and and the ebook collection. So that's should be noted there.
Jonathan:Paperback pack number two or ii is the paperback volumes and this is it's a, it's a 25 difference between it. So I think that's going to be the paperbacks, the audio and the ebook versions, and then it's paperback pack III, aka 3 at 185. And that'll include some of that merch. And then what goes on to? Same things are repeated in hardcover packs. And then there's a swag box option. I see why they raised about a million dollars so far, because, holy smokes, this keeps going. The most Mac Daddy package, I think, is a bookseller hardcover bundle and it's listed at about $1,200. So, yeah, they are trucking right along. They have gained. What did you say?
Mari:they were at $889,541.
Jonathan:And they got another $1,500 in since then Like this afternoon, since early this afternoon, yeah, exactly, yeah. So, yeah, good for them. I am a fan of Allie. I have not read anything from her partner here.
Mari:I haven't read from any of the other authors that are there. I don't believe, but I'm down for it, like I'm down to try them out. The stories and the concepts sound kind of interesting and wild and out there it's dystopian. So you have like end-of-the-world kind of stuff. You have some different stories being told so apparently they're all told. They're all stories that ties them together. They're all romance stories that are told about the or at the end of the world, but they're not necessarily like interconnected oh, this is a collection, so it's they.
Jonathan:They all got together and wrote a novella. Yeah, so is this like eight different?
Mari:eight different authors yeah, yeah so it's ali and adriana and like eight different authors yeah, yeah, so it's Ali and Adriana and like six other authors who I don't believe I've read anything of theirs, but they're popular because I've heard people talk about them. I just haven't read anything by them. So yeah, I'm going to get some version of this. I just haven't decided if I'm going to do like the digital stuff or if I'm going to get a physical version, but I'm going to get some version of it before the Kickstarter is over, for sure.
Jonathan:I'm going to be honest here, mari, I think I think there's a bargain to be had for you to get, get a physical and ebook. I mean let's just, let's just go right to those packages.
Mari:Are you being an enabler?
Jonathan:Yes, I think good.
Mari:I'm not an enabler but a supporter. I mean, I know I'm going to read it regardless, like if Ellie Hazelwood writes it, I'm going to read it. That's how it's been. I've enjoyed, to different levels, everything she's written, some I like more than others, but they've all been worthy reads to me. I thought she does a good job of making you feel for the characters and getting you involved in their story.
Jonathan:So yeah, my only concern with this for you and this is for you is that it's a variety of colors and envisioning your library there tends to be like all colors, but rolled into one, you know, one shade of all colors.
Mari:Here's how it's going to go, though. If they're dystopian, I think they're going to go on my sci-fi side rather than my fantasy side. My sci-fi side's got a little more colors, because a lot of sci-fi books tend to be more colorful. All right, I've already potentially have a place for it A girl with a plan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we'll see. We'll see you guys getting any of them you thinking.
Jonathan:It's probably not my cup of tea, although I do enjoy Allie's work. I'm still waiting. I'm very upset, still bothered by her not being at the Romanacy Con next month, but I am very excited to see Mate coming out. I think that's kind of where, like I know, her body of work is correct me if I'm wrong. Like I know she had, her body of work is correct me if I'm wrong. Mostly on that, on romance and the romancy side of things with bride and mate, although I don't know, I don't know if they're relatively new for her, but it didn't seem like
Mari:it fit into her her main writing genre. So she, I believe everything she's written at least everything I've written by read by her, everything she's written, at least everything I've written by read by her. Everything she's written is is romance. It's romance something. It's. Maybe what she's mostly known for is contemporary romance, like stem romance. But what she started off before she was published was a03 fan fiction kylo ren star wars. So star wars fan fiction, kylo Ren's Star Wars. So Star Wars fan fiction is what she started off on. So between that and her having written Bride, I feel like she is one of us, a nerd geek type person.
Jonathan:Oh yeah, yeah, no, no, I don't doubt that, like I wouldn't question that. I think, no matter what people tend to write, you know, I think that the hat that they put on for their writing style, that's just the hat today, the idea that she isn't writing in every type of genre and environment until she finds what works for the masses, would be. You know, I'm sure she's doing that stuff right.
Mari:I think she's doing. I think she's choosing the genre based on what works for the story, which I think I like that. So T Kingfisher, I believe, does that too, and I think that's part of what I like about her. Like her fairy tale stories have a different voice than her, romancy stories, which have a different voice than her romancy stories, which have a different voice than her. Like middle, middle grade, middle school stories, which have a different voice than her horror stories, because not every story you want to tell has the same tone. You know what I mean. Yeah, so, yeah, I, I'm interested in seeing what it, what it does.
Mari:I was just floored by how quickly it got funded and overfunded. So, yeah, I hope it does. Well, I hope that they're, you know, fun reads. They look beautiful, the artwork in them looks beautiful. The artwork in them is enough. That. That's what's making me think about buying the physical books, because the stories, I mean, I'm going to read the stories regardless. I could read them, you know, as an ebook or whatever, but the artwork looks pretty cool too. So we'll see All right. Next bit of news Fabled Fantasy, who's going to be doing the Romanesque Con event we're going to in Orlando in October, have announced the locations and dates for their 2026 Romanesque retreats. So they did one this year Remember we talked about it was in Savannah, yep. So they've announced that the ones in 2026 are going to be in Chicago for May 2026, san Francisco for July 2026, and Salem for September 2026.
Mari:But they have not announced who the authors are going to be All right. So Barnes Noble has an exclusive special edition version of when the Moon Hatched, which is really pretty. It's like a cream color and turquoise. It's very different coloring than some of the other versions. It is $34, and it ships November 18th of this year. And also, same author news, the sequel to that book, which has been pushed back several times. If you've pre-ordered it, like I did, you'll notice that it keeps getting pushed back.
Mari:She just announced that she finished writing draft two of the sequel, which is the Ballad of Falling Dragons 2. So it's supposedly done. We'll see how. Done, done, done it is but it's done-ish, which you know take however long you need. Those are big, thick books. They need to be written well, but I'm excited about it. I don't know that I'm going to get the special edition, but it's pretty, yeah, just because I already have one of the regular ones, and it was pretty too.
Mari:So it's fine, it's all fine, yeah. Next bit of news BookCon tickets go on sale September 23rd. So if anyone is in the New York area or going to be going to the New York area or is interested in going to that, there's like day tickets or weekend tickets and there's different tiers of tickets, right, depending on how much you know, whether you want to do like VIP or whatever. So I'm curious to see how that goes for people. I don't I'm not going to be going or anything, but I'm just curious to see how it goes and who all is going to be there.
Ashley:Now I don't think I did all the research into the lore of this one. This is like a Barnes and Noble event, no, or like it's something that they used to host pre-pandemic or heavily sponsor this book con. But I thought it was very heavily Barnes Noble influenced and it kind of fell off just before the pandemic or around the pandemic and now it's being brought back to life.
Mari:Yeah, I think, if it's what I remember correctly, it did stop during the pandemic because of the pandemic and then just hadn't come back. Now I don't know if something else was going on, but officially all I heard was it was stopped because of the pandemic. And then now, just now kind of coming back and I looked at like prior authors that had been there and it was a lot of like the ones that were in the news article I read, which makes sense, it would be. What was in the news was like some of the maybe movie star kind of people who had written books. They were like the ones that were highlighted, which is it's fine. It's not what I tend to read, which is why I'm just like I'm just going to sit this one out and see how that one goes.
Ashley:Yeah, Maybe I'm conflating the Barnes and Noble connection, but it was something that was around for a while and then it yeah, it fell off because of the you guys know anything about it, kelly Jonathan.
Jonathan:You boys, I don't.
Ashley:Created to boost the image and attendance of long-running book fair. Book Expo America is what Wikipedia is saying. No, it could be me, I might be the problem.
Mari:There's a lot of news out there. We get everything. We can get things conflated, it's all good. The last bit of news I have is that the Nightmare Before Kissmas, which is written by Sarah Roche, it's a Halloween meets Christmas fantasy romance story. It's getting a special edition version, an Owlcrate special edition version. It's $32.99.
Mari:And I read this book last year and I enjoyed it. I read it and the sequel and I enjoyed it. I thought they were, it was a fun world. It's a world where, like all the holidays are represented by these basically aristocratic families. You know, like there's a princess of Easter and a prince of Halloween and a prince of Christmas, like that kind of thing. So it has a little bit of like royalty romance kind of stuff going on. But then there's also magic because there are holidays. So yeah, I hope there are more in that world because I enjoyed reading them. But the same author just released a book this month. It's a different series. It's called the Entanglement of Rival Wizards and it's another like romance story set in a like a fantasy, magical world, like a Dungeons and Dragons-esque world I think is what the description was. That one's on my list to read. I haven't read it yet, but I do enjoy her writing style. I think she does a good job of making you feel immersed in the world without it being overwhelming. They're like light reads.
Mari:We need that these days yeah absolutely Absolutely Any other news before we move on.
Jonathan:Did you not news per se? But did you get your? Did you get the new Ruby Dixon book?
Mari:I have not gotten it yet.
Jonathan:Me too.
Mari:Did you get it?
Jonathan:Yeah, it just it came in. It's as pretty as Bull Moon Rising, was it's? Of course it just came in. It's as pretty as Bull Moon Rising, was it's part two, right by the Horn. So yeah, it's a lovely looking book. I don't think I'm close to it right now. No, I think it's just it's as pretty. If you have seen or haven't seen, I'm sorry if you have seen Bull Moon Rising, just the cover, yeah, and then the edges, it's the same. It's just, you know, slightly different coloring but same concept there. I'm excited to read that one. I did enjoy that one.
Mari:Yeah, I'll definitely be reading it. I just haven't gotten it yet.
Jonathan:I'd like to bump into her somewhere.
Mari:She doesn't travel outside of Texas. She's famous for not she doesn't do a lot of the book stuff. So generally, if you're going to see her, you have to go to her events in Texas, which I thought about. That's what I'm gathering. Yeah, there's one that happens. It's so close after Dragon Con. It's the only reason I've never been. I want to say it's called saints and sinners and saints, um, that she's at and I'm seeing all these pictures of her there and I would love to go, but it's it's like days after dragon con and that just seems like a lot. We'll see. Maybe I'll do some planning and make it happen one year. So yeah, I would love to meet Ruby Dixon. That would be really cool.
Jonathan:Yeah, agreed.
Mari:I will say, if you are interested in hearing more from Ruby Dixon, they did an interview of her on Hissin' and Kissin'. There's a little interview which was fun. Which was fun. So I just did recently get though that I pre-ordered haven't read yet is Hemlock and Silver by T Kingfisher, which is her Snow White retelling. That just came out, yeah, like August 19th, so it arrived just before I left for DragonCon to meet T Kingfisher, which is great. But Kelly will tell you, I was having myself a little mini I don't know what to call it mini breakdown, mini catastrophe, going to DragonCon trying to pack, trying to decide which books, which T Kingfisher books, to bring to have her sign, because I have a shelf that's the T Kingfisher shelf, that's just hers, that's just hers.
Mari:Yeah, yeah, yeah I, I in the end I whittled it down to five hardcover heavy books and then I ended up getting three signed because I I did not go to more than one of her of her signing events because there was just a lot going on and I had low energy, but I stood in line for two and a half hours for the one I did get to have her sign and she was amazing and I can't think of any other author that I would do that for, but I would do it again to talk to her.
Mari:Yeah.
Ashley:That's really cool.
Mari:Very, very cool. All right, Any other news bits?
Jonathan:No, I'm good over here, Ashley.
Ashley:I was going to say I can dig.
Mari:No, we're good, we got a lot, all right. So let's talk about the book and why we chose this book. So we wanted to as we try and do read some of the authors that are going to be at the con we're going to at the Romanesty Con in October, and she is one of the authors that's going to be there. Plus, this is the sequel to the Spell Shop, which we read and enjoyed and talked about on this podcast, which you can download that episode and listen to it if you're wanting a little refresh before you read this book. So it was this book. The Enchanted Greenhouse was published July 15th, 2025, so fairly recent, and it's part of the Spell Shop series. I'm going to read the synopsis and then we'll get into it.
Mari:Terilu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the north reading room of the Great Library of Elysium. This should have been the end of her story. Yet one day Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She's starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes and freshly baked honey cakes, at least until she's ready to sail home. But Terlu can't return home and doesn't want to.
Mari:The greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing, causing the death of everything within them, terilu knows she must help, even if it means breaking the law again. This time, though, she isn't alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island and have a fresh chance at happiness and love. Funny, kind and forgiving. The Enchanted Greenhouse's story about giving second chances to others and to yourself Aww, that tells you what I thought of it. So what would we think?
Ashley:overall thoughts should I go first? Jonathan's looking at me, I think I've been going first. Your choice. However, you want to do it, listen, I.
Ashley:It's not that I didn't love the book. I think, personally, this, this full moon situation that happened yesterday and whatever was leading up into it my entire world has gone sideways in the last couple of weeks. Also, we pushed the deadline of when I had to read the book, so I kept putting it off. It's a series of unfortunate events. It's not that I didn't like the book. I think I actually liked the book.
Ashley:I personally was the problem here and so I didn't get the chance to enjoy it as much as I think I would have in a more normal circumstance. I'm rambling, so it's a three, but I think it's because I'm the problem and not because I disliked the story. I thought it was cute, I thought it was fun. I laughed out loud. I did miss Kaz. I don't think I knew fully going into it that this was in the world, but not like a sequel. Again, I'm the problem, I fully acknowledge. But I did. I kind of liked the characters. I liked the world. It was very cozy. It was maybe a little predictable, but not in an unpleasant way. Jonathan is meditating on the other side of the office right now. He's got feelings. You guys Does.
Mari:Jonathan need to talk next before he explodes. Husband, do you want to go next?
Jonathan:Oh, I don't have to talk next. Listen, I cheated a little bit and I saw Kelly's ranking on Goodreads, so I am very anxious to hear what Kelly thought.
Ashley:So it was a three for me. I'm going to wrap up, sorry.
Mari:No, no, no, as much as you want to say. Well, okay, who wants to go next? Jonathan Kelly or I can go.
Jonathan:I'd like to put some peer pressure on Kelly. Kelly, would you like to go next? He's been excited.
Ashley:Pure spite Kelly.
Jonathan:I'll trade you entry positioning HHN this weekend. You know like who you want to see. Go win the house first, for you going next.
Ashley:No pressure, nope Denied.
Mari:Mari, what do you got me? Okay, so I loved this. I did not think I would. So maybe it is all about the headspace you're in and your expectations because, honestly, I was like I really like the spell shop. I there's no way, there's no way this is going to live up to it. Like the spell shop made me buy a spider plant I have managed to keep not one, but two actually, because they came in a pack of two and I didn't want them to be lonely. So I've got two little Kazas. I've managed to keep alive. So I love the spell shop. So I was like there's no way. There's no way that this is going to be anything like that. It just can't. And I think I actually liked it more than the spell shop, to be honest really yeah so I I really, really liked the themes of, like self-acceptance, forgiveness, like redemption.
Mari:I like those that ran through this book. I liked how her anxiety she had to deal with her own self-doubt and anxiety the main character. I liked that the story wove in themes of empire and colonialism and world refugees and what you do after revolutions and after empires topple, like the story that has to happen to start over. Yes, like, I really enjoyed it. It's a five star read for me. If I hadn't already pre-ordered the book, I would buy it to put on the bookcase.
Mari:I enjoyed the main character. I enjoyed how she was like a victim of her situation because, let's face it, the crime that she did by creating Kaz did not fit the punishment of six years of petrification. But she was, you know, an example. You know an example, a political example, and she had to overcome all that. I love a grumpy, like grumpy sunshine romance situation. So that grumpy little gardener that like didn't talk but he made her honey cakes every day. What a delight. Yes, yes, yeah, I.
Mari:There were a few parts of it that dragged a little bit. There were some parts that were predictable, but I loved, like, all the different sentient plants. I enjoyed a lot of the quotes from it like really stood out to me, me, um, I yeah, I, I also procrastinated on reading this book. I literally started and finished it yesterday, oh dang, and only because when I got home from being out of town this weekend, kelly, kelly was working, but uh, he called me and we were talking and he's like so you know, we're recording tomorrow, right, I'm like what we're doing tomorrow. Right, I'm like what we're doing what?
Mari:Yeah, because I forgot to put it on our calendar. So I was like, well, I guess this is what I'm doing until I'm done. Let's hope I can get it done. And I actually was able. I was able to finish it and I didn't feel rushed because I just I got into it. I didn't feel like I was pushing it, but, yeah, I enjoyed it like. One of the quotes that really got me was Terlu. She said if you're hurt, you're hurt. It doesn't matter if anyone else thinks you don't have a good enough reason.
Jonathan:Pain doesn't require approval, that's a, that's a that's a solid quote done yeah.
Ashley:So what do did think the writing was super good.
Mari:Yeah.
Ashley:Go ahead Hudson.
Jonathan:So, okay, let's see here, knuckle, cracking, uh-huh, I really like. So I'll tell you right off the bat I'm gonna. If I saw this book on a shelf, I'd pick it up. I would buy this book based on its cover. I am judge this book on a shelf. I'd pick it up. I would buy this book based on this cover. I am judge this book by its cover, number one, and it's a lovely cover. I really enjoy looking at the colors on the book. I like the colors of the pages. I've got the hardcover with these like teal pages. It's a delightful book to look at.
Jonathan:I think for me and I'm not going to talk trash on the book it wasn't a Jonathan book, but it's nothing wrong with the book a cozy, happily ever after kind of story that takes place in a fantasy space with magical mystery and like a journey. I this is. This is a good read for you. I, I, I, I. My tastes may, might vary a little bit, but that doesn't mean that it's a bad book in any way. I think this is a delightful read, delightful, cozy, warm, has the elements of the relationship with my wife where she's sweet and kind and I'm a bit of a jerk. So like you, yeah, so like I, I get that and it resonates with me.
Jonathan:I, it is a it's. It's an, it's not a part two, it's an adjacent story, and if it's they stand, they read as standalones. Right, I mean, that's how I perceived it. I could be wrong, but I felt like this and the spell shop read as standalones and they just happen to take place in the same, in the same universe, so to speak, and I thought that was delightful. Um, because then you don't have to feel weird about reading them in an order or out of an order. I feel like they because they're in that same space. They share a lot of the same character types. So maybe you're not a spider plant person, maybe you're a rose person, and if that's the case, then you have that character there. Um, so I thought what I want to see, if there's a book three, sarah is my friend.
Jonathan:Uh, yeah, I would like. I would like to know is does she think she goes by Sarah Beth?
Ashley:I mean, she uses her whole name.
Jonathan:Okay, that's cool. I mean, yeah, uh, I use my whole name with my driver's license. I would like to see a journey right. So, like I want to know, I want her to get on the boat and go like reunite with Kaz. I mean, like, I want that whole like, but I want some some. I want some trauma to pop up on this boat journey, like I can't. I don't want it to be like smooth sailing, like oh, what a kind and gentle sea it is today, in this pleasant weather, as, like palm tree controls the oars, like you know, whatever I want it to, you want some drama. I want it to. Let's get some drama. I want some drama. But just because that's what I want doesn't mean that's what I should get.
Jonathan:The whole, the series it could be. It could be a series of like this is what's happening and this is the story, that this is the way. There's a lot of drama in the world and maybe we don't need more drama. Maybe we need more more cozy, um, uh, like slow burn kind of, and and polite. I feel like, hmm, this is the hallmark movie of romancy. Um, maybe it's just enough to tease some stuff out, but still quite cozy, like a Christmas time type of book. Yes, that's where I stand with it. I think it's a great read. I just I prefer a little more action. But if you're the type of reader who wants a cozy, romantic, mystery-solving, reuniting kind of journey, I think you get there with this. I think it does have a little bit of everything. It's got the magic eight ball of ghosts.
Mari:Yeah, I wasn't expecting ghosts, for sure.
Jonathan:Right, yeah, I wasn't either. Or like pocket dragons Little babies.
Mari:Anne McCaffrey, all the way, was like.
Jonathan:It's ann mcafree, it's the, the little shoulder dragons, yeah I, you know I, so you know what I've been reading lately too, that kind of like, and I like this. It made me want to read another one was the what's that story? How to train your dragon like he's. He's. He's a tiny dragon in this topless is tiny in this in the books, right. So when I, when I, when I was reading about this, I was like, oh, they got like they.
Jonathan:Like she went into a lot of things with bravery on her side, like she, she didn't know that the dragons were the dragon. Hey, did you talk? Are the dragons gonna to be friendly? Do we know? Well, can we leave the door open? Yeah, I mean, why not? What if they don't come back? Well, so who cares? They'll come back if they want to come back. If they don't want to come back, they don't have to come back. You don't have to own these things, right? I like that. When I get into the same space with Sarah, I want to.
Jonathan:The question I want to ask her is how much of her work is influenced by Brene Brown. There was, I think it was a, I can't remember where I read it, but it was. It was in this book, obviously, but it was like a line along the like that was kind of reminiscent of awkward, brave and kind, and it was, and that's straight out of like Renee's work. It might actually have been. She might've actually said awkward, brave and kind. Can you do?
Jonathan:I don't have the ability to search it in this book, but is there a way on Kindle to search words like a phrase? I'll try. Yeah, I'll try, but it's like that's one of like the kind of the core elements of Brene's work is just trying to remind everybody to, hey, remain awkward, brave and kind and it's okay to be of this different thing. The other thing that I like about her books that makes it almost like a wholesome romanacy, is that there's external and internal forgiveness that's taking place along the way, like she's living, and she's living as a fugitive in fear, and she's a fugitive for the crime of A not wanting to be lonely, but then b she's like, oh, I'm gonna do this again. But why am I doing this? I'm doing this because I want to save living creatures, like you know it's, and and then at the end everything's kind of just, it's okay.
Ashley:And you didn't love it.
Mari:Yeah, you're sounding like you're.
Ashley:I can't tell if you're trying to sell us or yourself. Right, it sounds like you loved it.
Jonathan:I like listen, I like the book. It's just not for me. I don't want to. I wouldn't if you were like, hey, jonathan, you got to take one book with you everywhere you go. This isn't the one for me, but I don't want to deter people from reading it just because it wasn't the one for me. It was, I think. I feel like it has an abundance of resolutions at the end.
Mari:Yeah, there were several parts at the end where I was like, oh, it's at the end, nope, nope, that's not the end. What's the movie that does that? Is it Inception?
Jonathan:Star Wars.
Mari:Inception, that does like a billion endings yeah. There is no there is no Frava but Awkward Brave. There's none of that in there. I just searched for Awkward and there's nothing like that in there.
Jonathan:All right, cool, Maybe I, maybe I, I just I conflated it with something else.
Mari:It's in your version, yeah.
Jonathan:Yeah. So I think that if you're, if you're on the fence about reading it and you enjoy, if you enjoy romantic comedies, love stories and kind of wholesome love stories, I think this could be, this could be right up your alley.
Mari:Kelly, what'd you think?
Kelly:I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the first one but I enjoyed this one, I think, more. This one had definitely more themes of you know somebody getting a second chance, more of themes of you know somebody getting a second chance, kind of giving you know themes of second chances starting over you know, that kind of stuff, which I enjoyed that theme a lot. I think that the writing was very good. I think it did a good job of portraying insecurities that people have, the insecurities that both of the main characters had and how they dealt with it, and that's something that I think is that humanization is missing in a lot of romancy stories that everyone tends to be you know I'm a badass and maybe I have this one problem or whatever but it's actually, you know, a benefit and not a hindrance, and that's much more common in romancy fit and not a hindrance, and that's much more common in romanacy. So it was nice seeing characters that had very realistic flaws, very, very realistic behaviors, and I enjoyed that aspect of the writing.
Kelly:I think that there was a lot of other themes in there a wizard, sorcerer, trying to create this utopia, to keep his daughter home, and then she still left, and then he's filled with regret and pushes everyone away. You know those are very human stories and very human elements to have in there. You know, not just oh, there was a crazy wizard who created this. You know, there was a real compelling human, emotional story behind it and that's some really detailed and thought out background information and world building. So I appreciated a lot of that work that went into it because it definitely helped flavor everything. Now I did get a little bit of some Little Prince vibes from this very needy rose Me too, from this very needy rose, me too. But that's I think that's a classic anthropomorphization of a rose is making a rose very kind of, you know, needy and High maintenance, high maintenance.
Kelly:Because that's you know, to what people tend to think of roses is that they're high maintenance. So that's fine. I thought it was amusing to do it that way. Definitely missed the humor from Kaz, which was definitely one of the high points of the first book, but I enjoyed a lot of this book. I enjoyed a lot of the subtle themes in it. You can't keep your greenhouses and your country running without, without getting outside help, no matter how much you want to push them away isolationism doesn't work right.
Kelly:Isolationism just makes everything fall apart. Um so I enjoyed it. I thought it was a a pretty good book, probably the best book, the best romancy book I've read this year high praise nice.
Mari:Yeah, I, I definitely got a lot of that like refugee world vibe out of it too, like there's a. There's a quote I highlighted. Where I want to say it was that when the second round of refugees came in, where she was like more people mean more mouths I'm sorry, more people meant more mouths, but it also means more ideas and more dreams I was like, yes, yes, it does.
Ashley:Yes, girl, yes, it does.
Mari:Yeah, yeah, like I think Sarah Beth Durst does this thing that for me that T Kingfisher does too where it's like there'll be kind of almost a throwaway thing that she didn't have to go that deep and yet she does, and it stays in your head. So, like in Nettle and Bone, there's a throwaway character, it's like an innkeeper that has a thing. If anyone's read it they'll know what I mean and to me that particular innkeeper lives right free in my brain. Anyone who's read that book I'll be like but do you stink?
Mari:You still think about x, y and z, and to me, this one, this book has that in the whole you know refugees and and all that vibe, but also in the, can you imagine you have these sentient plants, these plants that have personalities that you like are getting to know as friends that they're, you know the ones you've taught spells to and you interact with every day. And then you're in the middle of this like almost wartime, traumatic emergency event where, like you're having to dig up this entire greenhouse room together to save the other plants. And it's like to me that was super traumatic when they were like trying to save the last trees or whatever, and they had to, like pull the plants away because they were freezing to death and like the philodendron plant or whatever, like almost died. I'm just like this is really traumatic.
Ashley:She went hard.
Mari:She went so hard, or maybe it just hit me visually, but I'm just like this is like a war scene, this is like a traumatic post-earthquake, post-hurricane you know, like that kind of a scene in my head. I was just like, did not expect this anxiety in the middle of my cozy fantasy. Um, yeah it, I, yes, I liked it, I liked it a lot. Um, I too got the little prince vibes kelly. I wrote that down. I'm like, oh, it's a little prince rose, she's back. Yeah, so that's overall thoughts, fantasy world building To me. I agree with you, jonathan, that the books are standalone. They could definitely be read as standalone, but it also continues the overarching story a little bit more when you do read them in order, because this book resolves some of the storms and the empire rebellion falling apart, situation that was still a little bit up in the air at the end of the spell shop. I think that if she's going to write a third book, I think it's going to be that. What's her name? The mariner yeah, oh the boat lady.
Mari:Yeah, like her adventures maybe that would be cool her and the myrtle plant or whatever yeah, it's like they're like, um, almost like.
Jonathan:Yeah, it's like they're like, almost like the Uber of this world.
Mari:Yeah, uber, yeah. Anything else you want to say about the book before we decide whether or not it's a kissing book?
Kelly:Did you read the author's note at the end?
Mari:Oh, I did.
Jonathan:I did not, it was read to me.
Mari:So she basically said and let me know if I miss anything, kelly, but she basically was like after she wrote the Spell Shop, she couldn't stop thinking about the story of the creator of Kaz and what happened to her and you know how she was petrified as a statue for her crime or whatever and she wanted an ending for her. She wanted some happiness for her and that's what caused her to write this book. And I did highlight a quote at that end there where she said this is the author in the author's notes. I believe there is light after darkness, warmth and wonder to be found even in the coldest, coldest of winters, and kindness in the world that can heal us.
Ashley:Thanks sarah beth. Yes, yeah, I mean I definitely appreciated the tone in the book. I thought it, you know it. It felt a little long for me, but I think again this was just my own headspace. You know, I did get very like and this seems to be like a reoccurring theme that I've been mentioning in the last few months is where it feels like it would be like a really good TV series, yeah, or, like you know, movie, where it's just like there's so much happening in the world, building part of it, that we're not catching it all and it's not anybody's fault other than you know, it's not even lack of imagination, because I have it. You know what I mean.
Mari:It's just so much possibility, I think.
Ashley:Yeah, there's a lot of that's a really good way to put it the possibilities, the possibilities, and I think we see that, you know, with, like, hannah Nicole Meyer, with, with her assistant to the villain series as well, and other things like that, where there's just such a unique world building system and while it's not overly complicated, but, man, I think it would just reflect very awesome in a visual sense If we ever got to that point. Yeah, and it's, but it's not complicated either. Yeah, but it's not complicated either. Right, like it's not a dense read, it's not a hard read, but it is, you know, a unique magical system and a different quote world, right, yeah, yeah, I'd like to see them bridge the stories, for sure.
Mari:I agree, like I think this story would do really well as a and maybe it's just the kick I've been on lately but as a Studio Ghibli story, like an animated magical, like there's coziness, there's wonder, there's magic, but there's also serious things that are going on.
Ashley:You know what I mean. Yeah, they definitely touched on some very serious topics.
Mari:Yeah, anything else about the fantasy world, billy, anybody wants to say Romance and spice wise, I would say that this is much like the spell shop, where it's kind of like very, very light, very much like kisses and glimpses kind of thing. Very sweet, very PG, but still well told romance. It's just not getting into like the nitty gritty.
Jonathan:I agree there was that accidental like oh, you're in my bed, but it was a warm mistake. Yeah, it's like yeah, I made a mistake. Are you cool if I just kind of stick with my mistake? And he was like I guess, yeah, that's cool with me, get over here.
Mari:Cuddles. Yeah mistake, and he was like I guess yeah that's cool with me get over here cuddles. Yeah, yeah, I think they were just so sweet, like they were just so sweet together. I I really enjoyed this. Yeah, I really enjoyed the pairing a lot, so it didn't feel.
Jonathan:It didn't feel like it was like for you know, a lot of times you like force, proximity and stuff. It didn't feel like that, especially with like limited characters, right?
Ashley:yeah, that was a little odd to to deal with in the beginning like he didn't.
Jonathan:He didn't ask for her help. He didn't ask for her help period. He asked for a sorcerer right and that he that's just what he got yeah was that so? And I'm sure there were like slim pickings, right. So for them, for for her to find the place that she wanted to be through all of this it was and it wasn't. You know, I guess there's something we said for her being lonely and her not only was she, she received the ultimate punishment for being lonely, which was just like more lonely.
Mari:Yeah, I mean she was in a closet, she was a prisoner of war, basically.
Jonathan:Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Mari:Political prisoner, you know.
Jonathan:Yeah, and she was just kind of like. And then they I think it was like one of the things she touched on at the end or nearish the end was like, you know, like I was just, I remember being so grateful that they took me out of the closet yeah, it's like not the closet yeah, she's like, I'm just like I may you know, and then she's just like, at the end it was nothing.
Mari:I just stopped listening one day, I just uh, you know, so anyway, um not traumatic at all yeah it's just things like that with like, yeah, it's cozy, it's cozy, but like you're petrified as a statue for six years of your life because you were lonely and and curious. I guess, because that's one thing that I think she has is why she was able to do what she was able to do is because she was so curious. As a librarian, she was able to, like, use her skills and do magic, um, yeah, and even even him yarrow. He was like abandoned. Basically, he was by himself for however, many years on this island with no one to talk to.
Mari:Yeah, you have some very traumatized characters, but it worked, it worked yeah um anything else before we ask the final question, oh, I will say I did very much appreciate their love of garlic. I think those people are after my own heart crushed it.
Jonathan:You know there are good. They like maybe and maybe this is a side note like if the series kind of continues, part of the compendium should be like a cookbook, because I think they talk about cooking a lot.
Mari:I want to know how to make these honey cakes.
Jonathan:Well, the jam recipes from the spell shop, the honey cakes, the you know did I see something like twice baked potato in there? I was like every once in a while there'll just be like a food reference and it should be like, hmm, yeah that zucchini, tomato, whatever layered dish like I want.
Mari:That, yeah, I would that.
Jonathan:It'd be a delightful treat to have a recipe yeah, yeah, absolutely I don't know.
Ashley:I think I'd just like to have a tiny dragon or a dragon cat.
Jonathan:Is it like a flying cat?
Ashley:Flying cat, because the flying cat can take itself outside to go potty, and then I wouldn't need the litter box.
Mari:I would love the sentient plants, because then they can tell me what they need. You need more water Cool. You need more light Cool.
Ashley:I don't know to get, just talk back. We got enough of that at work and stuff.
Mari:I don't know that I need more talking things I just I want to know how not to kill my plants yes, stop when they say ow yeah yeah, I think maybe I need the kaz version and not the the rose version.
Ashley:What's her?
Mari:yeah, lottie was a little high maintenance.
Ashley:Lottie, yeah, I liked.
Mari:Dendy, the philodendron, the older plant. I liked him. I thought he was cool.
Jonathan:I did not, but the reason I didn't was because of the audiobook version when he speaks oh, who had funny accents?
Ashley:I've been wondering.
Jonathan:It's just like nobody really, Dendy. That was it Like it was like. Was it like Scottish? No, it was just slow. It was like molasses. I was like it's been around a while. Yeah, stop it. No, I was mad. I was like every time we spoke I was like speed it up, come on Today, junior.
Ashley:I was like every time he spoke I was like speed it up, come on Today Junior Stuff to do my friend.
Jonathan:Yeah, it's like I had enough of this already. And then, when things were cold and they were moving slowly to begin, I was like come on, I'm done Moving along.
Ashley:Such an interesting perspective. We should add that to our list of questions. Mari Jonathan, who had the funniest or the least amusing voice in the audiobook.
Jonathan:Some of the books are interesting. No.
Ashley:I know. That's why I'm saying we should add it to the list, because that's a fun topic that I don't think we always address.
Jonathan:I want to know audiobook.
Mari:how do you say the librarians' names? They have librarians Rigis, the one that sent her to the island.
Jonathan:I get. There are so many different names in the book that, like I, definitely struggled to keep track of the names.
Ashley:There was like four characters in this book.
Jonathan:Yeah, but the whole like 90% of the book for me is trying to like I want to know if she's gonna, if she's gonna like reunite with Kaz and then like where was Kaz, where did she leave?
Mari:caltrop okay she's at caltrop you just gotta get back to caltrop.
Jonathan:Yeah, and it's just like. So I'm just like here's dandy again that's not kaz.
Mari:Do we think this is a kissing book? Is this a kissing book? I don't think so.
Ashley:I think she was to do the right thing the whole time, and it didn't necessarily involve the love of this other singular human on the island.
Mari:Jonathan, what do you think?
Ashley:That's so much sighing.
Jonathan:I know.
Ashley:You haven't been thinking about this all week long.
Jonathan:I have I'm on the spot about this all week long. I have I'm on the spot right, so I got to decide I have to pick a side of the fence to stand on. You know what I'm going to say? It is a kissing book, but for reasons unbeknownst to me, Kaz, because of Kaz Not because of Kaz the answer is Kaz.
Ashley:to everything, the answer is always Kaz.
Jonathan:No, because I think she was just. She was lonely from day one and she's not lonely anymore.
Mari:And because of that one overarching resolution. It's. Everything came from that. Okay, yeah, kelly, what do you think?
Kelly:This is a hard call to make because I agree with Ashley that I think she was going to do the right thing, no matter what. Yeah, Even without the romantic element. So it makes it hard to say that it was a kissing book. But at the same time I think that he would not have ever accepted his family back on the island, accepted help or any of that, had he not been in love with her and supportive of her. So in that aspect I would say it's a kissing book.
Ashley:Is it her book or his?
Kelly:book. I think it's a kissing book for him because he was the one who has? Changed and he was the one who his story became different because of it, I think she was going to do the right thing, no matter what, but without being in love with her. He was never going to write to his family. He was never going to do any of that.
Ashley:You know what, kelly, you just sold me. I feel like there's been a revelation. I don't know if it was just for me or for like an epiphany, for just for me or anybody else, but I think the kissing book question should apply to both the female and the male main character. Right, like so, like the, the quote couple of the story, um, and if it applies to one that it should apply as a whole yeah, that's a good point and I do believe this is the same discussion we had with the spell shop I agree, was that it?
Kelly:was a kissing book for him and not for her. I think we had this exact, nearly exact same discussion about that book dang you, sarah bess good points.
Mari:So I was gonna say that I didn't think it was a kissing book. But I agree with you, kelly. I think for him it absolutely was a kissing book.
Ashley:And, by default, jonathan was also right, because there were reasons unbeknownst to him, but I think we've identified the reasons so good job husband.
Jonathan:I'm a trendsetter.
Mari:Yeah, no, because I agree, I think that if he had not fallen in love, he would not have let them come back. She wouldn't have known like he wouldn't have opened up to her, so she wouldn't have known to like ease the transition for him, because there's points where she protected him from his own family. You know, she like eased the transition of of them all being there. Um, yeah, I, I look at us, it's a, kissing us, it's a kissing book.
Ashley:Yes, it's a kissing book, look at us all agreeing.
Mari:Good job everybody, Alrighty. Anything else you want to say about the book?
Ashley:Kaz, we miss you. It's a beautiful looking book too.
Jonathan:It's like I think if you're the kind of reader who judges a book by its cover, buy this one.
Mari:I think this is a good winter read too. I mean it takes place in the winter, so you have a lot of like because I do like to do seasonal reading. So I have on my profile on Fable I have lists and I have like autumn reads, spring reads, and I listed this under the winter reads because I think this would be a good book to read in winter. A good point, yeah, okay, thanks for listening to Of Swords and Soulmates.
Mari:Before we go, make sure to check the show notes, rate, review and subscribe to us on your podcast app of choice. It helps others to find us and it helps us know what you are and are not enjoying about the show. Follow us on Instagram, tiktok, youtube, facebook or Goodreads at of swords and soulmates. Check us out on our website of swords and soulmatescom. If you'd like to offer suggestions for future episodes, books, topics, et cetera, feel free to reach out to us. If you want to read along with us as we prep for new episodes and get chapter by chapter interaction, join our fable app book club by searching for of swords and soulmates book club on there. All right bye, thank you.
