While I still haven’t gotten around to reading the second two books in the trilogy, I really enjoyed Rowenna Miller’s fantasy novel “Torn” when I read it several years ago. This is definitely one of those situations where my failure to complete the trilogy is completely due to my own lack of self-control in managing my TBR list and nothing to say about the series itself. That being the case, I was excited to see that the author was releasing a stand-alone fantasy novel this spring. Phew! Can’t drop the ball on a stand-alone!

While the world continues its steady march forward into modernity and industry, the family who owns the orchard on Prospect Hill still understand and honor the old, magical ways. A woven hay wreath for prosperity. A twist of nickel and ribbon for a good harvest. And while these time-tested bargains are reliable and sure, it is understood that the Fae are never to be trusted. But when two sisters find themselves confronting the limitations of a world that sees only limited roles for women, they must chance a new bargain to create a way forward for themselves and their family.

It’s no surprise that this book was a hit with me. There are so many things I like, right there in the description! A story with a historical setting that tackles the culture and challenges of that period of time. A plot that focuses on the softer, wilder side of magic. And two characters who are sisters and must navigate the beauties and pitfalls of that relationship. And Miller came through on all three points!

I really enjoyed the way this book navigated the historical time period during which it is set. Throughout the book, we see Alaine and Delphine come up against the limitations placed on them by a society that doesn’t yet recognize women’s value. But change is also in the air, with many references to the suffragettes who are hard at work fighting for women’s rights. Alaine and Delphine represent the everyday women in this period of time. Neither would label themselves as a suffragettes; indeed, Delphine’s politically-minded husband wants her to have nothing to do with the “radical” movement. However, they are still fully realized characters and women and thus quickly come up against the limitations placed on them. Delphine is interested in art and learning, forming a friendship with another female scholar. And for her part, while Alaine operates a farm and is active in local agriculture decisions, we see her again and again come up against those who would wish to see her fail. I especially liked a conversation and theme that came up towards the end of the book about how if something is a challenge for one person, there’s a good chance it’s a challenge for others. And that’s why it’s important to work towards changes that will benefit society as a whole, rather than just oneself.

I also really liked Alaine and Delphine as characters in their own right. They both felt like complete, fully-fleshed out women, complete with their own unique strengths and their own personal failings. But I particularly appreciated the way they were portrayed as sisters. The story alternates between the two of them, so we very quickly learn to see how each sister is misinterpreting and misunderstanding the other. Here are two women who are as close as you can be, but their relationship is constantly strained by their inability to clearly see the other one for who she truly is without viewing it through their own lens. It was such an honest and relatable portrayal, and I think the most successful depiction of adult sisterhood that I’ve seen in some time.

This is definitely a slower, quieter story. It takes a while for all of the pieces to come into place, so readers must be prepared to spend a good portion of the beginning of the book setting up our characters and their relationships with each other and the world around them. But then about two thirds through the book, the story takes a massive shift in what it’s doing. I wouldn’t say that it ever becomes action-packed, but it definitely went in a direction that I wasn’t expecting, but that I enjoyed the heck out of. Looking back on the read as a whole, this left me feeling as if the pacing of the book felt a bit choppy. But as I enjoyed both halves of the book so much, I’d hardly hold this against it.

Rating 8: Fairy circles and whimsical magic weave in and out of a thoughtful, quiet fantasy story that tackles important themes of sisterhood and feminism.

Link will go live March 17

An enjoyable and cozy read about fairies and the price of bargains made. Alaine and Del Fairborn live at Prospect Hill,; A large orchard that was given to the Fairborn family after a bargain was struck. Alaine has always loved farming and working on the Orchard but Del has dreams of the big city. After Del gets married she discovers her husband is not a good man and Alaine will end up striking bargain after bargain to protect and save her sister. After a major bargain the family learns how high the stakes are with the fae.

I liked the premise of this book but unfortunately it was too slow for me. The writing was descriptive, the characters were likeable, but I kept waiting for more to happen. Right around the 60% mark is where the plot picked up and that was what saved the book, it's where the most fae interaction happens(which is what I was expecting from the get go) It also covers the struggles of the sisters both striving to find their voices in a patriarchal society, and how even in their separate worlds(city vs country)they were both faced with expectations on how they should act. I'd recommend this book but just know it's a slow journey!

This was so entertaining and spellbinding. I loved everything about this. I was entrantsed from the very beginning to the last page.
I just reviewed The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller. #NetGalley
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The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller is an enchanting historical fantasy about how far one is willing to go for those they love and what, if anything, someone is willing to trade for it.

The story takes place in Prospect Hill a charming idyllic countryside setting where the orchards are in full bloom. The land, unbeknownst to many sits on the cusp of the land of the fae where little bargains or trades with the fae are exchanged for little bit of luck. Two sisters Alaine and Delphine call Prospect Hill home as it was bestowed to the family generations prior with the help of the magical creatures. Alaine and Delphine have grown up with the folk traditions of fairy bargains and things become complicated when the sisters begin to break the bargaining rules, putting themselves and those they love the most in harm's way.

This was a whimsical story right out of a folk tale book. The author created a complex world of fairy bargaining with rich detail which added a sense of realism to the story. The settings were beguiling and the suspense spellbinding. Despite the fairy magic, this story was about family and the love that can bind and break those we love the most. Even with the best intentions, boundaries (and fairy rings) can be crossed which can disrupt the delicate balance between free will and fate.

With that being said, the pacing was a little off. It started off slow without much conflict which took up most of the book. Only when one of the sisters began directly interacting with the fae did the story pick up. I think the author could have brought a little more danger and suspense to the first and middle half of the book. Also the time period and location of the story was not very clear.

The tension between freedom, love, and desire glistened throughout this story, tempting and taunting each character until something very precious was nearly lost. Legends tell us that fairies can be dangerous because of their trickery and the sisters in this story might have gotten more than what they bargained for.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller. This book is being published by Hachette Book Group. It will be out on March 28, 2023.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This historical fiction novel is said not to be about magic, only bargains made with the Fae and a family living in Prospect Hill to make specific things happen for them. There's a wedding and it turns out that the new husband is not as he had seemed.

I want to start off by saying this author has a lovely writing style. I enjoyed the premise of the story which is why I requested it. I think it's the perfect read for someone who likes a sweet and slow start to their books. The other audience, in my opinion is people who really love Fae stories. However, this quite honestly was a DNF for me. Personally, I cannot deal with slow beginnings. I'm still giving this 4 stars due to writing style and premise.

#netgalley #dnf #bookstagrammer #writingstyle #lovebooks

4.5/5 stars! This cover is stunning. That was what first drew me to this story. Additionally, I adore fae-based tales, so I was excited to read this book. This book did not disappoint. This book was intricate and had so many aspects addressed. I enjoyed both sisters, but have an especially soft spot for Alaine. The depiction of fae in this book is great. My only complaint was that, at times, the pacing was a bit slow.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I really wanted to like this one, but I just could not do it. The main problem I had was that I really didn't like either of the two sisters so I didn't care about what happened to them. I found them both to be boring and whiny. The story dragged and I lost my interest.

I wanted to enjoy this one but I found the plot, story, and characterizations hard to follow and not really resonate the best for me at times.

The perfect escapist fantasy read. This was magical and so much fun. Highly recommend it if you enjoy comfort fantasy that feels like a warm hug.

A great story of fairies in the beginning of the modern age, slowly hemmed in by iron and losing access to the human realm. I loved the world building and the characters, things did get a little slow pacing-wise in the middle but I still enjoyed it greatly.

A slow moving but compelling story about sisterhood in a rustic town at the beginning of the twentieth century. The author adeptly weaves in a magical element - the folkloric bargaining with faeries.

I was drawn in by the characters and their individual struggles to find their voices in a patriarchal, rigid society. I remained captivated until the end.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest review.

Alaine was superstitious and uses small bargains with Fae to make a little easier. When her sister Delphine confides her new husband isn't who she thought he was, Alaine does everything to help.... The bargain turns out to be bigger than she thought...

I love the relationship of Alaine and Delphine... A terrific fantasy... It gets very exciting half-way in the middle with lots of action and plot reveals.... Really enjoyed it.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Fictional books based on fae lore are rarely realistic, but The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill has all the hallmarks of great historical fiction while maintaining the element of magic. The characters and their concerns are well-developed and the slower pace allows for a buildup of tension and suspense without sacrificing the everyday details about the world of Prospect Hill that make it feel real and immediate. The prose is simple, but still vibrant and never comes off as overwrought or pretentious. I'll take a dozen more books like these, please!

tl;dr
Sisterhood sits at the core of this story about fae bargains and the danger of relying too much on magic.

Thoughts
I typically don't enjoy slow-paced novels, but there's something about the creeping dread of this book that kept me invested even as the story slowly unfurled. Seemingly innocent events lead into each other, ramping up the tension until the final piece drops into place about halfway through, and by then I was screaming. Unlike lots of books that take place primarily in the fae lands, the bulk of the story takes place on the human side with very human stories and concerns. While the story revolved around making bargains with fae, the heart of it was a carefully wrought tale of sisters trying to find their way in the world. The balance between love and resentment was a very realistic family portrayal, and my heart ached for them both. The portions about keeping the farm and orchard going also appealed very much to my love of all things that grow in the ground. For anyone looking for a book about fair folk that doesn't revolve entirely around romance, this is a very strong entry in the genre.

This book was magical and delightful. The writing is incredible, the characters are believable and lovable, and the fairy lore has clearly been well researched and thoughtfully written. I knew from the first page I was going to love it and I was right.

This book is Practical Magic meet fairies, and is a great read for lovers of Alix E. Harrow and Rebecca Ross. It is historical fantasy meets fairy tales, and ultimately a story about sisters. It is about the way women have to make their own way in the world, but unlike many books it tows the line between real hardship and hope perfectly. I will definitely be purchasing this book for my shelf once it comes out as I anticipate reading it again and again.

Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller is an adult fantasy book that you won't be able to put down! The story revolves around adult sisters Alaine and Delphine. For generations, their family has made bargains with the Fae for small things, like good crops and fair weather. But when Delphine gets married to an abusive husband, it's up to Alaine to make a bargain bigger than any that has been made before. Can Alaine succeed and come out on top or will she end up giving up more than she bargained?

Here is a magical excerpt from Chapter 1:

"WHEN THE MADISON Railroad laid the tracks at the base of Prospect Hill, there were no roads cleaving the thickly forested slopes and no houses overlooking the distant river. A few farmsteads were nestled into the beech woods on the other side of crest, out of view of the rail workers driving spikes through oak ties into untouched clay. Horatio Canner was one of those rail workers, and when he looked up into the tapestry of boughs, he thought it was the most beautiful place he’d ever seen.
...
A girl. Not a girl, exactly, he amended, as he stood hastily and swept his hat off his close-cropped hair. A young woman, hovering on the edge of adolescence, eyes wide and thin lips parted to speak. Instead she turned and slipped between the trunks. After a moment’s hesitation, he followed. It seemed almost as though she led him on purpose, slowing when he’d lost the pale form of her white dress through the trees, hastening again when he came too close, until she stopped beneath a linden tree in full blossom."

Overall, The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill is an amazing adult fantasy that will appeal to fans of Emily Wilde's The Encyclopaedia of Faeries or Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales. One highlight of this book is that it is a lovely tale of sisterhood. The relationship between Alaine and Delphine is great. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that the first half can be slow-paced and there is a lot about farming. The Fae in this book are like the ones in traditional folktales, not like the ones in ACOTAR. But the second half gets very exciting, and the book becomes unputdownable. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of fantasy books in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!