A cozy cottagecore read.
It was a very easy-going story which I think there are pros and cons to. One the one hand, it’s a very contained, small town story, but the downside of that is I found myself wanting to know more about the world, and how the magic works.
Are people going to love it? Yeah, definitely. I think there’s plenty of stories out there with complex magic systems and massive world-building, and maybe this is a nice break from that. Something smaller and maybe a little bit more simple.

I think there were times when maybe I wanted more out of the story. Particularly between the two main characters. We know that on some level that they like each other, but I felt like the tension was supposed to be there, and yet it wasn’t.

I’d say I liked the story enough to want it on my shelf when it releases. And even if I didn’t, the cover is beautiful and something I would most certainly want to display.

#Flowerheart #NetGalley Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out! Love the cover! Great novel.

This flower-filled fantasy is filled with mystery. As she races to cure her father from her own runaway magic, Clara is faced with the harsh realities of a powerful magic drug that renders people unconscious after inducing a state of euphoria. While her childhood friend Xavier offers to help her cure her father, he seems to have secrets of his own.

Flowerheart was an absolutely lovely cozy fantasy with light queer themes which made it even more delighted to have picked it up. The heartwarming characters, and setting made this such an easy read- but looking back, Bakewell touches on some darker topics like depression, estranged families, and addiction all the while keeping the reader engrossed in the story.

I will say that I wish that there was more time spent on character development, this could easily have been a longer book with a more plot driven narrative but all in all this was a cozy read for the all seasons and I would highly recommend! The conclusion of the book makes me think that there will be more to come from Bakewell and I am eager to see where this author goes.

Thank you to HarperTeen and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will not be posting my review until the Harpercollins Union has a fair contract, in order to not cross the picket line. Please help support the union in anyway you can whether that be spreading awareness or donating.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

It feels like an ASMR read. It's cute, cosy, and makes you feel good. It has the flavor of a Miyazaki film, or as some people have said 'Howls Moving Castle'. However, with this book I actually understand and can follow the narrative better than I did with Howl.

I just think the reason why I didn't rate it so highly is that nothing really happens in the story. The action / drama is focused on the two (Witch and Wizard) and nothing much else. I mean, there is the curse but I feel like nothing really goes on with it and or seems to be that big of a deal in the long run. I feel like it could have used a bit more world building. Yet some who read this might feel like it's just right.

So overall, it's cute and it will make you feel good but if you're looking for something a tad more meatier or lasting this book might not do it for you.

This was a very sweet, lighthearted read about a girl named Clara with wild magic, and her childhood friend Xavier who comes back into her life. When Clara’s magic accidentally hurts her father, she must learn to perform a blessing before it’s too late. The Council wants to take away her magic, but Xavier convinces them that he can help her.

My favorite relationship in this book was actually Clara and her father. It was hard to say at times whether Xavier was going to turn out to be good since his behavior was a little hot and cold and he was clearly hiding something. I did enjoy seeing the two of them get to know each other again after so many years apart and how they kind of taught each other to be better.

The vibe of this book was very cottagecore-esque as the synopsis says and I really enjoyed all of the descriptions of flowers and how Clara was able to grow different flowers based on her moods. Overall this was a very quick and captivating read!

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"We can love someone with all our might, but we cannot force them to change. That's up to them. Does that make sense?"

Clara Lucas is a young witch who is struggling to control her chaotic magic. She is distraught and needs immediate help when she causes poisonous flowers to bloom in Papa's chest. Clara is desperate to heal her father and figure out a way to control this magic. Xavier Morwyn was Clara's childhood best friend - she now needs to give her magic to him in hopes that he can not only train her to control it, but also help her find a cure for her Papa.

Xavier definitely has some secrets and isn't always completely forthcoming with his intentions. There are times when he comes off sweet and genuine and other times when we're not sure if he's being manipulative. Xavier is secretly making a potion called "Euphoria" to help with depression. This is a highly illegal practice, using magic to heal mental illness.


I really loved following Clara on this journey - the way she gets to know herself better and work through her feelings was really heartwarming. I loved the relationship she has with her father, and the ending was really surprising to me. The character who shows up in the last 25% was an unexpected twist, and turned things up a notch for an amazing ending.

This book has great representation - we have more than one openly transgender character, Clara is openly bi-sexual, and there are mentions of same-sex couples throughout. I appreciate Catherine Bakewell's "normalization" of not being heterosexual. She didn't make it a huge focus (it doesn't feel forced) but the way these commentaries are sprinkled throughout the book really help convey the acceptance in this world.


I have heard this book referred to as "cottage core" and I don't necessarily disagree. This book moves quickly and has good descriptions without being too wordy. There isn't a whole lot of world building - we really jump right into what's happening with Clara. I would definitely recommend this book to young readers, as a 32-year-old woman, I loved it, but I can definitely see how a high school or middle school-aged reader would really benefit from consuming and having this literature available during those teenager years. I think Catherine Bakewell does an excellent job touching upon issues that the young generation on currently dealing with. If you want a quick read with some magic that will make your heart warm, check out Flowerheart!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Flowerheart was such a sweet lighthearted read! It was a fun story with a strong hearted FMC while the MMC was shy, blushed and tried him best to have healthy communication! It was adorable to watch the progression from ex-friends to apprentice to lovers! I also really loved how we got her magics thoughts too! I’ve never read a story where we got to see how the magic was trying to influence her thoughts. Over all I felt it was a cozy fantasy read with adorable main characters, I also learned so many different flower meanings!
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. I loved this book!!! It had a wonderful writing style that entranced me, e at her-daughter relationship had my heart🥺. My first time reading a fantasy book with magic/mages/apprentices that has to do with flowers!!!This is the first time I liked reading about a shy guy!!
Tropes: cottagecore fantasy romance, slow burn romance, former best friend to lovers, angsty romance, apprentice/mentor romance, morally grey characters, witches/wizards, truth serum

Clara Lucas is a witch, but a bad one. When things go really bad, she must call upon a forgotten friend & past teachers to help her overcome the unruly magic and save her father’s life.
What stands out about Flowerheart is the diversity of characters without making it the focus of the plot. The main character is bisexual openly bisexual. There is a trans-Master Wizard, who is also a person of color. Finally, there is a trans/non-binary character. Towards the end of the story, rather than conforming this NBN character to the Witch/Wizard title, they give them the title of Magistrate, meant to be a gender-neutral title. It's important to have these identities and races represented in literature. What is even more important is that it wasn’t a big deal. Many authors make gender or sexual identity the main personality trait of characters, which seems like the author is trying too hard to appeal to that community.
Aside from the wonderful queer community representation, the world of magic Catherine Bakewell has created is delightfully beautiful. It easily can be described as a cottage-core fantasy. The gorgeous imagery is accompanied by a protagonist who uses anti-anxiety techniques to help manage her unruly magic. Using these techniques to manage magic help the readers to relate more with the protagonist. What is more important than utilizing those techniques was the theme of allowing emotions to take up space. Too often people feel as though they have to repress emotions that are not ideal, but this book teaches otherwise. Combine the two and the reader walks away with a toolbox to help conquer each day.
With all the queer representation and tools, this book will be a valuable addition to school libraries.

<i>Flowerheart</i> is a cute, fun fantasy novel that would be perfect for fans of <i>Howl's Moving Castle</i> and <i>Sorcery of Thorns!</i> It has a fun, flowery vibe that gives the whole book a very cozy feel.

The romance is very sweet, and Clara's growing confidence by the end is heartwarming to see. The magic system is softly-defined, but that definitely works in favor of preserving the Ghibli-esque level of wonder and mystery in the world. One scene I especially loved is that early scene of Clara and Xavier's picnic with the porcelain; it reminded me so much of the meadow scene with Howl and Sophie. Another thing I really loved was Clara's relationship with her mother. It was interesting to see her struggle with how she saw herself in light of her mother's actions, and the scene where <spoiler>she confronts her mother</spoiler> was well-done and approached with a lot of care, in my opinion. It really mirrors the development of her relationship with her own magic, and I loved the ending for how it resolved her complicated relationship with it.

One thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was Xavier's character very early in the book; I didn't mind how turbulent his feelings toward Clara seemed in her eyes, but I do wish some of that early awkward tension between them had been drawn out a bit more. Some tension was added back in after some secrets came to light, but Clara's anger felt a bit forced, and I would rather it have been more of a slow progression of trust between them instead of the ups and downs that they have as more information is revealed.

Overall, though, I thought this was a fantastic read, perfect for times when you want to immerse yourself in a lighthearted romance set in a fun, vibrant world!

FLOWERHEART was a charming YA fantasy debut that manages to be both comfortingly familiar and quite refreshing given the current market for its genre. There is a sense of timelessness to the story and world that make me feel as if it will become a classic à la Diana Wynne Jones' work—and indeed, there are a fair number of parallels to HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. Most of the charm lies in the details, particularly the utilization of flower language in the magic system. This book just exudes springtime whimsy, which made me a little more forgiving when it came to the weaker worldbuilding, storyline, and characterization. I unfortunately wasn't terribly invested in the outcome of the romance, which is the crux of the story and much of the plot, but I'm sure other readers might feel differently. The characters on their own read a little bit flat; they seem to be simplified, perhaps, to keep the story from feeling too heavy and weighing down the pitch-perfect atmosphere.

Overall: While at times the story itself didn't fully pull me in, this was an enjoyable read with wholesome vibes. I'd definitely recommend this to YA readers looking for a romantic fantasy that's on the lighter side and features a clear HEA.

Howl's Moving Castle x The Luminaries. Wonderful and warm and full of love. Magic as a representation of anxiety. Victorian Novel Disease. Flower magic. Childhood friends to strangers to lovers. Strong girl x soft boy but full of hope.

Flowerheart is a sweet, light-hearted young adult fantasy romance. Unfortunately, I found it a little too lighthearted, given the story stakes that were presented and the themes that the story attempted to address.

Flowerheart follows Clara Lucas, a girl whose magic has always been wild and uncontrollable. When a magical outburst puts her father's life in danger, she offers her magic to her estranged best friend Xavier Morwyn in exchange for training that she believes will allow her to save her father's life. Throughout the story, we also learn that there is an illegal magical potion called Euphoria that offers a world of bliss but with the side effect of making you catatonic.

I thought the way mental illness was discussed in this story was interesting, if not as nuanced as I would have preferred. We eventually learn that Euphoria was intended as an attempt to treat depression, or "melancholy," that went poorly. Apparently in this world, using magic to treat mental illness is illegal, but they don't actually have an alternate system in place to help people with mental illnesses, which leads to people being desperate enough to submit themselves to Euphoria. I don't feel this aspect of the world-building is explored as deeply as it could have been and ultimately it was left rather unresolved at the end of the story, but it was interesting.

Clara's relationship with her magic also seems almost like a metaphor for anxiety. Her magic is sort of personified and seems to be the direct source of all of her negative self-talk and doubt. This was, again, interesting, but I wish it had been set up more clearly and resolved further. What are the implications of an individual's magic having a literal mind of its own? We don't find out. At the beginning of the story I wasn't sure if the personification of her magic was a metaphor but as it turns out, it is quite literal.

I quite appreciated that Catherine Bakewell went out of her way to write a fantasy world where LGBTQ+ identities are normalized. There are two trans characters (who are specifically called transgender in the text, interestingly enough), multiple mentions of various same-gender couples, and Clara herself references being attracted to boys and girls. It was a nice touch. This fantasy world may not have anti-depressants, but at least they support LGBT rights.

The pacing of this story moves very quickly and so does the timeline. If I'm not mistaken, the entire book takes place over about three weeks. I wish the timeline had been stretched out a little, as it's a little hard to believe that Clara could make such strides with her magic or such progress in her relationship with Xavier in so little time, but I suppose it's not that important. This book feels more like a cute, quick read for someone wanting a fantasy romance than something you're really supposed to analyze and pick apart. The descriptions are vivid and definitely make you wish you could visit the locations in this world, but the actual worldbuilding is pretty sparse. The stakes never really feel pressing, but the relationship between Xavier and Clara is probably cute enough to satisfy most readers.

Although this is a young adult book, I think it would be suitable for middle grade readers as well. The darker themes are dealt with simply enough that I doubt they would be too challenging for slightly younger readers. The overall effect of this book is that it's very sweet, but rather lacking in the substance I hoped it would have.

This was an interesting concept and the cover caught the mood of the character pretty well. It was a bit slow and repetitive for me but I liked the visual of her magic being related to flowers. It just didn't excite me. Their relationship was sweet and the mood of it reminded me of the musicals I love, but I didn't like the main character enough to make a connection. Perhaps a fan of the genre will find it delightful, sweet, and emotional.

Clara is a young witch with uncontrollable magic. She’s a dash of Sabrina Spellman, Anne Shirley, and Kiki (from Kiki’s Delivery Service). When her magic harms her father, a childhood friend steps in to be her mentor. There’s obviously strain, tension, and old feelings bubbling up as their apprenticeship starts up. Xavier is keeping secrets, vows have been made, and Clara just wants to remove the curse she’s placed on her father. There’s also the pesky problem of this illegal potion going around causing serious harm to people. Can Clara and Xavier accomplish it all?

This is the perfect cozy, cottage core fantasy. It feels like a Studio Ghibli movie (not one specific one, just the overall warm hug that the movies give you). This is also the kind of book that demands to be read as a physical copy. It was sheer perfection in the cozy fantasy genre.

Flowerheart is a beautifully written story, with intriguing characters, set in a magical, whimsical world, with dire events, and a mysterious love interest.

The pacing and writing style is easy to get into and follow. The events of the story happen in a steady manner. The world building is quite lovely and colorful. There is a great cast of diverse characters. I felt very engaged while reading Flowerheart.

Clara is quite easy to ready for, and has qualities that are relatable and endearing. The honest relationship she has with her father is heartwarming.

Overall, Flowerheart was very well written and I would highly recommend it to other readers. Flowerheart is another favorite read of mine and I could see myself rereading it in the future.

I would like to note, that Flowerheart has a certain je ne sais quoi, that is perfect for a spring read, which will be the upcoming season when Flowerheart releases.

I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy through Netgalley and I give my honest review voluntarily. My review is my own thoughts and opinion; my experience in reading this story.

I was lured in by a cover for once and not betrayed by what lat waiting for me inside! An absolutely adorable book. I'm willing to forgo some details that I would have had on my wishlist, if it means I get to keep these characters.

4.5 Stars — This was such a fun read. It’s the perfect cottage core comfy read. There are *so* many LGBTQ+ characters. The way the author talks about them without making their queerness a big deal is so refreshing.

Clara and Xavier are incredibly adorable and so much fun to follow. Xavier isn’t your typical male love interest. He’s fragile, talks about his feelings, and truly cares about Clara.

This is a soft, quick read with minimal conflict, but it’s a lot of fun all the same. I’m typically a fan of fast-paced books with lots of actions, but I enjoyed reading this all the same. Flowerheart is such a nice break, a little vacation in a novel. I would read so much more about these characters.