From the publisher:
Thanks to house tamer Hulda Larkin, the mischief infesting Whimbrel House has calmed. But if Hulda’s job is done, what does that mean for Merritt Fernsby, inheritor of the remote Narragansett Bay estate, who’s only now coming to terms with his enchanted place in the world?

Merritt has realized his own burgeoning powers, which draw the thoughts of every plant, insect, and dog. His nights are sleepless, with an uncontrollable cacophony of voices that compel a long-overdue search into his uncanny bloodline. It’s not the only puzzle uniting Merritt and his ex-housekeeper, Hulda. Her friend and former employer at the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has disappeared. Hulda herself is up for the now-vacant position of institute director, and her rival for the role is a stranger who’s suspiciously curious about Whimbrel House—and could have connections to an old foe.

As Merritt struggles to face his estranged family and Hulda dives into the institute’s secrets, the two are brought intimately closer than ever into the mysteries of wizardry, chaos, and love.

Heir of Uncertain Magic by Charlie N. Holmberg is expected to be released April 11, 2023 from 47North.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this follow up to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg. Once again we are following the adventures of Hulda Larkin and Merritt Fernsby. We get to see how their relationship grows and how they feel about each other deepens.

While the villain in this one is less physically active than the previous, he is still a bad egg. He affects people's emotions and how they feel about what they are experiencing or thinking. He's still villainous. And I hesitate to say that there may be a small opening for the villain from book one to return at some point in a future volume. There is definitely room for a book three in the series.

The pace of the book is somewhat faster than book one. There are still lulls, but they are naturally occurring, make sense, and don't detract from the story. The closer the story gets to the end of the book, the faster the action goes. It is very difficult to put down as it approaches the climax.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's a well written historical fantasy. I would recommend it to people who enjoy tales of magic, historical fantasies, and historical urban fantasies. I enjoyed reading how the magic in this world works. Everything has a price. The more fantastic the magic, the bigger the price. This is a must-read if you've read book one in the Whimbrel House series. I'm already looking forward to the third book. This is definitely worth a read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the follow-up to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms and a delightful follow-up. Merrit Fernsby is back writing but is struggling with his newly awakened magic abilities, particularly communionism (sp?), which means he hears not only Owein (his eight times great uncle), who now resides in a cute dog, but also the grass, trees, flowers, and it is causing a cacophony in his mind that keeps him from sleeping. Not to mention he has past familial issues he needs to handle and put to rest in order to know if there are relatives who might help him learn to control his magic. Hulda, the no-longer spinster who is new to relationships, an employee of BIKER (Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms), is navigating an investigation from LIKER (London Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms) and trying to navigate with utmost propriety her blossoming relationship with Merrit. It's all so daunting for our found family who is living at Whimbrel House. And things only intensify as the mystery of BIKER'S director, Myra, builds and suspicious characters come to light.

All of this keeps you entertained as Hulda tries to solve the mystery, and Merrit works to keep Hulda safe and protect Owein and the rest of Whimbrel House while still hearing the wind and trees talking to him. Owein (the precious and precocious pup that he is) does not want to be alone. It makes for a delightful cozy fantasy mystery and will undoubtedly leave you smiling and hopeful Merrit and Hulda might have future adventures.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is a quaint and unputdownable book in the Whimbrel House series (there’s more to come!). It has budding romance, unique magic, mystery, and character development. Charlie has done it yet again. Her books are an instant buy for me and I recommend them to anyone and everyone. I cannot wait to read more in this series!

Thank you #47North , #CharlieNHolmberg and #NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I received a copy of this work from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the second novel in the Whimbrel House series and is a fascinating novel. I enjoyed this book quite a lot, even going into it blind as I had not read the first book. The authors ability to invoke and handle an oddly intriguing alternate timeline and an unusual system of magic shows a strong foundation and an adept hand at worldbuilding. I look forward to more from Charlie N. Holmberg.

The novel embraces detective, fantasy, period piece and alternate history aspects and would be appealing to anyone who enjoys such themes. 9 out of 10.

Heir of Uncertain Magic brings readers back to the enchanting world of Whimbrel House. After the dramatic ending to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, Merritt Fernsby is determined to find out more about his heritage and whatever power he may possess. Hulda Larkin has begun to think of a life beyond being a “housekeeper” as her relationship with Merritt grows. With the disappearance of her former boss, the BIKER office gains new overseers. Hulda soon finds herself having to prove that she is not only valuable to BIKER but that neither she nor Merritt are magical threats.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the second book in the Whimbrel House series. It can not be read as a stand-alone. A majority of the characters and the storyline carry over from the first book, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. The two books take place almost back to back. There is about a month from the end of book one to the start of book two.

Now that everything with Whimbrel House has settled, this book focuses predominantly on Merritt and Hulda. There is more of a romance growing between the pair but they both also display a great deal of personal growth throughout the story. While they are working together at times, they also show their strengths as they work through their own difficulties. I loved seeing the variety of relationships that develop throughout the book, especially with Owein. I don’t want to play favorites but he might be my favorite.

I found the plot of this book to be more intricate than the first book. Keeper of Enchanted Rooms has a solitary focal point, while Heir of Uncertain Magic has several additional side plots that are all delicately woven together. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger but it sets readers up nicely for the next book in the series. I know it’ll be well worth the wait.

This is such a unique series! I can’t wait to see how it finishes out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and 47North!

Wow. Just wow. You'll never know what you'll get with the second book in a series. Will you love it as much as you loved the first book? Or will it disappoint you? In this case ... it definitely did not disappoint. The characters that you grew to love in the first book show more of their personalities (and secrets). A whole new crazy problem presented itself (and I didn't know where else this book could go after the amazing conclusion of the first book!). I don't want to give anything away. Just do yourself a favor and read it already!

I loved this book!! I loved being back in the Whimbrel House world! Loved that there is more romance between Merritt and Hulda! Loved the mystery and the constant twists that kept me guessing how things would work out. Such a good book! I had a hard time putting it down! I was sad when it ended!

Content: attempted murder, suspenseful moments
Romance: kisses/make outs

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Cosy Fantasy, Cottagecore Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Romance Fantasy
Spice Level: Sweet
Tropes: Snob/Slob, Grumpy/Sunshine
Format: Multi-POV

HEIR OF UNCERTAIN MAGIC is the second, and this is one you must read in order.

I love to see the progression of the relationship of Hulda and Merritt. It's definitely a slow burn.

The heat notches up tremendously in the last third of the book. In the beginning, I was a little confused not understanding where the trajectory of the story was heading. And really that was a me problem—I just kept wondering if I was really supposed to care about Myra after her previous choices. However, I was anxious for the company BIKER.

And I was even more concerned for how the bad wizards, chaos surrounding Merritt's magic, and the back and forth with Hulda would cause in the central love story. I laughed aloud over Hulda several times, especially with her visions (*cough* one in particular). Merritt's family situation had me invested in him to see IF he could resolve it. There's great stuff in here to pique your interest all around.

I'm thinking there's going to be another in this series. There's certainly room to grow with this one to answer more questions. HEIR OF UNCERTAIN MAGIC gave me a satisfying ending point even though I have other questions.

I highly recommend this book!

Happy reading!

Without having read the first book in the series, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. While I didn't realize it was part of a continuous story when I first picked it up, the author's skillful descriptions and attention to detail provided ample background information to understand the characters and plot.
This novel is a captivating blend of magical and fantasy elements woven into a suspenseful story about friendships, betrayal, and romance. The author spares nobody's feelings as the story unfolds, from the young and still-learning Owein to the big changes happening at the highest levels of the company.
At first, I was a bit confused about where the story was heading, but once I became familiar with the main characters, I was hooked. The big picture soon emerged, and I found myself fully engaged until the very end. Now, I am left with a sense of curiosity and a desire to know what happens next. The open ending left me with so many questions that I hope will be answered in future installments.
Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of magical and fantasy fiction, as well as those who enjoy suspenseful and character-driven stories. While I don't plan to go back and read the first book, I think it's necessary to fully appreciate and enjoy this one if you want to read it.

Thank you NetGalley and 47North for the ARC! In the Heir of Uncertain Magic, a sequel to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, Merritt Fernsby discover the secrets of his lineage and seek out a method to control his new-found abilities. Meanwhile Hulda, housekeeper of Whimbrel House is dealing with the disappearance of her boss, Myra, and BIKER (her place of employment) is under investigation by the LIKER which could either cost Hulda her job or offer her a promotion. This volume also continues the adorable romance between Merritt and Hulda. It's a worthwhile read perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle.

The first half of this book was very meandering and I wasn’t really sure what the plot was going to be. It was disappointing after the first book which had pretty constant action. The book picked up quite a bit in the second half but was kind of confusing. There were some annoyingly big words used that pulled me out of the story and Hulda is so uptight and stubborn that I really got annoyed with her personality. I appreciate the advance copy from Netgalley!

After reading and loving Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, I was excited to return to Whimbrel House with Hulda, Merritt, and of course Owein. Hulda no longer has Silas to worry about, and Merritt sets about learning about his newly discovered magical abilities, but life is not all sunshine and roses. They are now faced with problems at BIKER as the previous head of the organization has quit and disappeared and members of LIKER have swept in to determine how to move forward. Unfortunately, these folks are not entirely who they appear to be and trouble ensues for the residents of Whimbrel House. Also, Owein is a dog and is learning how to manage his magic while also facing the idea of immortality.

As much as I loved Keeper, this one fell short for me. I didn't connect with the characters or feel invested in the problems. It felt like they weren't connected with one another either. It was okay as a second book, but I wanted something more engaging.

Beautiful 9.5/10

Whimbrel House is an enchanted house (is it?! read the first book!) Merritt Fernsby its heir with uncertain magic has to discover his potential with his (former) housekeeper, Hulda, luckily they are not alone, family is important, with the help of eight-times-great-uncle, lovely Owein and chef Baptiste, they can pass his challenge (Can they? read this book)

Honestly Whimbrel House Series is so unique, spectacular, the idea is special, very engaging and heartwarming story with lots of fun, the characters are exceptional and I LOVE it.

The story continues after the events of book one, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, there are more secrets to reveal and adventures to go. I suggest reading this series in order to better know of characters and their relationship and also finer understanding of the story to follow.

If you did not read the first book, is better to avoid the below for a spoiler

and what the story is about?!

Merritt Fernsby is communionist for sure (besides other magical gifts he may have from his unknown ancestors), He can communicate with Owein (Oh, how much I love him!) and also with, trees, mouses, moths, spiders and you know, all...
Wiiiiiiiiind. hide. hide. hide. hunt. hunt. hunt. food. food. food. food. run. run. run...

When I was a child, my greatest wish was to have this gift...

I get sentimental...

right, the story

Myra Haigh, the director of BIKER (Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms) vanished and some not-very-straight-forward people came from LINKER (London Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms) to investigate and assign a new director.

Hulda Larkin, my favorite housekeeper, as much as she wants to be the director and take care of BIKER, also wants to protect her friend, Myra. Hulda is worried about her and starts searching for any clue to find Myra.

"Merritt didn’t think Hulda Larkin could relax. God had made her out of steel and concrete and laced her together with thick whale-boned corsets. Something they would have to work on."

Things get messy and complicated as couple of the year, Hulda and Merritt digging the past and look for Myra. Someone is/or are using illegal magic!

In the end, I should mention as a geologist I love the stones part, now I just keep thinking about how manipulating elements with quartz, how to use my obsidians for chaocracy, or how to read people's minds with azurite (I'm going to regret that!), and where the hell I can find selenite for communication??!!

My huge thanks to 47North via NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this beautiful book, Heir of Uncertain Magic (Whimbrel House #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg, I have given my very honest review.

Another enjoyable tale by an enjoyable author. I do feel like this story/series hasn't been as strong as some of her others, but it was still worthy of reading, to be sure. The flirtation fell a little flat for me this time around, with Hulda barely playing along, mostly just calling Merritt a rake... but that's probably my only complaint.

Sweet gentle period fantasy. Lovely romance too. Very PG, PG-13 if you prefer to avoid the explicit. Definitely a book for someone that likes good characters. I don’t think I’ve read quite everything by this author but I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by them.

I did not like this book quite as much as the first, but I love the characters and the world and will continue to read the series. It is still a quick and fun read, engaging my curiosity about what is to come and keep reading. I love a good chosen family story with just enough mystery and suspense. I am also excited to know there is more to come in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

I have long been an admirer of Charlie N Holmbergs works but have found a new passion in this series. It is just so compelling and quirky, the second in the series being just as good as the first, loving it.

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms was one of my favorite books of 2022. The whole historical fantasy meets mystery aspect was so unique and well done. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

When I saw the book 2 was available as an arc I knew I had to give it a read as soon as possible!

Book two picks up where book one left off. Merritt is figuring out where he fits into this magical world. Hulda is trying to work out what her role will be at BIKER now that Myra is missing. And there's still the question of whether or not Silas hogwood is actually dead.

Heir of Uncertain Magic has the same feel as book one but the mystery side is a little less mysterious.

The characters are still as quirky and likable as always. Owein is the absolute best. I love him and can feel both the child and dog radiating out of him with everything he does.

I missed the enchanted house aspect but Owein does a great job of filling that quirkiness. The only thing that was really missing compared to book 1 was the minor creep factor that Silas brought.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading book 3 when it comes out in 2024!

Read if you like:
- Historical Fiction
- Magical Affinities
- Dash of Mystery
- Quirky Pets
- Whodunits
- Family Drama
- Found Family

REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I think I have a favorite couple, Hulda and Merrit are couple goals and they were my favorite part of this book. They're the kind of couple that don't need any spice because they've got enough chemistry already.
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Now, for the book, I loved it and it was easy for me to follow and understand the storyline even it was the second book.
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I also loved the magic, the author was thoughtful enough to put a glossary before the first chapter. I also liked that the magic was realistic and practical
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Finally, the mystery was okay, the MMCs had it tough this time, but it all got ironed out in the end, there was a leadership drama in BIKER(Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms). I also liked how I was able to get insights into the MCs family members.
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I'll be reading the first book in the series and I can't wait for the next one I the series

Charlie Holmberg’s writing feels like coming home after a long day to your favorite people. I adored the first book in this series and honestly loved this one even more. These are the definition of “cozy fantasy” books. It’s so easy to fall in love with the characters and feel their emotions with them. I am continually impressed by Holmberg’s ability to write about her characters’ emotional states. There were more than a handful of times while reading that I got misty eyed from her descriptions of feelings and her creation of wholesome relationships. At times it feels like she’s poetically portraying my own feelings that I never knew how to voice. She normalizes the uncomfortable emotions that are all part of the human experience in a way that makes them seem beautiful and acceptable. This book is delightful and warm with some magic and a touch of mystery, what’s not to love?