I have to start this by saying that I don't generally read romance novels, but anything witchy grabs my attention so I thought I'd give this a try. Reading this book has made me realize that I don't dislike romance novels, I just am extremely picky about them - because I LOVED this book. I couldn't put it down. The witchy vibe was a huge attention grabber for me, and I loved how that carried throughout the whole book, but the small-town drama was cozy and sweet, and the romance was genuinely great as well. I love a fictional couple that actually has chemistry, and these characters definitely do - in addition to the stoic businessman meets eclectic small-town girl trope, which I adore. All of the characters were perfectly adorable and made the overall atmosphere so fun, and now all I want is to read more cozy witch romance novels. I plowed through this book so quickly, which definitely made it end way too soon, but this is a romance worth devouring. Cannot recommend enough - but now I need all the cozy, witchy romance recs for myself so I can get over this book hangover.

I plan to share my review of this on my bookstagram in the next few days (@divinereadswithem if needed) but as of today it is not posted so I cannot link it below.

This was so cute and cozy! I loved all of the characters but especially Fitz. Charlie's parents were hilarious. I was heartbroken when Broomhilde was no more. This is the perfect books to read around Halloween.

ARC REVIEW

The Cottage Around the Corner
Rating:🌟⭐️⭐️🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

An ode to the 1998 romantic comedy “You’ve Got Mail”, The Cottage Around the Corner features a sixth generation, earthy family of witches who are pitted against a sleek, modern mage by happenstance and the universe. Charlie is the 32 year old daughter of the present owners and, having spent most of her life involved with the cottage, can see nothing else as mattering in her life. Then Fitz enters the scene. Inexplicably drawn to him, Charlie struggles with her growing attraction and the threat to the Cottage his presence and business represents. They can’t possible coexist in the same small town. Could they? Maybe she could ignore the problem and it will go away? Or maybe she’ll just soak up the days with him until the axe falls upon the neck of “whatever they are”. Let chaos ensue.

Ok first off, for a family of witches that are all about balance and cleansing auras, there wasn’t a single bit of balance or clarity to any one of these women’s emotions. Charlie was an absolute basket case. I nearly stopped reading due to her alone. Her parents are charming but honestly not very helpful. Fitz is entertaining, though it felt like the author was trying to make him pushy considering Charlie’s responses to him at times. I didn’t get that at all. His sister, Elinor, is also quite enjoyable and funny. The banter was what I enjoyed most about this book, and it took on the style of You’ve Got Mail to that effect and was absolutely hilarious. My biggest complaint about the book was the FMC, Charlie. She’s supposed to be 32, but acts like a 24yr old in every way from her emotional maturity to her level of responsibility (not guilt, that’s a different matter in the book). She didn’t feel like a 30-something with her absolute lack of, well anything most 30 year olds have outside a sex drive, which in this case was still pretty low honestly. She quite literally annoyed the stuffing out of me. 90% of the drama in this book is because she has no idea how she feels about anything, assumes everyone else’s feelings in relation to herself, and won’t stop question her own merits and abilities. Initially the self-doubt felt like a solid characterization due to some past incidents, but by 70% through the book I was completely done with and irritated by it.

Sweet romance despite certain aggravations. Perfect for a cozy fall read or for fans of You’ve Got Mail.

Ahhh. omg. I didn'tknow what to expect with this book. I loved the magical element, the wholesome moments and especially the witt and humor. There were numerous times where I was literally laughing out loud at 2am because it was so funny. I gave major fall vibes.

The Cottage Around the Corner is a delightful contemporary fantasy romcom that weaves magic, romance, and community into a cozy world. Chanterelle Cottage, where Charlie Sparrow practices witchcraft with her moms, is the heart of Owl’s Hollow.

Pros:
Atmosphere: The author creates an enchanting setting that draws readers in - think cozy nooks, mystical spells, and a charming small town.
Romance: The chemistry between Charlie and Fitz (the handsome mage) sizzles on the page. Forbidden romance fans, take note!
Community: Owl’s Hollow feels like home, with quirky characters and a strong sense of belonging.

Cons:
Predictability: While the plot is engaging, some twists are familiar. Readers seeking surprises might find it lacking.
Lack of Risk: The stakes don’t escalate dramatically.

Beyond pacing, the book’s predictability and moderate stakes contribute to the rating. Still, if you crave cozy magic and heartfelt romance, this is a must-read.

This is the cutest, coziest witchy romance and absolutely perfect to kickstart your fall reading list! The plot gives a nod to You've Got Mail while managing to stand on its own as an adorable and heartwarming tale. If you liked The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and Divine Rivals, you'll like this one too.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House, Del Ray, for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Cottage Around the Corner by D.L. Soria is a cozy, witchy romance that invites readers into Owl’s Hollow, a town unsurprisingly reminders of Stars Hollow. While I found I enjoyed this setting and the characters, I never fully connected with the story. The pacing of the first half dragged for me, and the thoughts of the main character were often repetitive, leaving her feeling flat instead of fleshed out.

That said, this novel is perfect for readers who want to be immersed in a witchy, small town romance without feeling rushed through the story. The stakes are never too high, making it an easy, cozy read.

I’ll be recommending this book to:
-fans of Gilmore Girls
-lovers of all things fall
-cozy romantasy readers

3.5 rounded up. I really enjoyed this sweet little book. The story kept me engaged from the very beginning, The two MCs were well developed as well as some of the side characters, but I would have liked to see more development of the townie type characters. There could have been such a rich community feel in this small town, but it was a little lacking. I felt like there was a real missed opportunity for how to wrap up the conflict based on hints that were dropped throughout the story, but that doesn't mean the ending was bad. I just wished it had gone another way for the MCs. Overall, this was a really fun magical romance. If you want a cozy fall read, this would be an excellent choice.

Charlie and her moms run the spellshop that has been in their family for generations. It will one day be hers, if she can turn it around and start making money again. Which will be especially hard now that the big corporate Mage company has opened an office in town, run by Fitz, the handsome son of the owner of Maven Enterprises. Then bad spells start to take over the town and Charlie and Fitz must work together to stop them.

The Cottage Around the Corner pays tribute to the 1998 Romantic Comedy in a cozy way. There seems to be trouble in the town and the bad spells reek some havoc, but just like in the movie, you know everything is going to work out and that there will be romance between our two characters. It was a fun and easy read, although when Charlie does witchcraft its gets a little too technical. Her process is very detailed and its gets in the way of the magic a little bit.

Thank you #NetGalley and #DelRey for this ARC! I enjoyed this book so so much! The Cottage Around the Corner is essentially "You've Got Mail"/"The Shop Around the Corner" meets magic. You won't even get 25% into the book without a reference to "You've Got Mail" which I found thoroughly enjoyable. I really loved our main characters, and the town this is set in. I thought it was interesting to add magic into the world, to have witches and mages and what the difference between the two magic types are, how they wield magic, and how their magic(s) can work together. I enjoyed how our main character had to challenge their own biases about mages, and how they viewed themself and their magic. Our main character was stuck with thinking they had a binary choice; their family business or the person they love...an ultimately makes the best choice for themselves.

What makes this book so great for me is I wanted more of this world. I want to know what happens after happily ever after; I want more witch/mage advocacy; I want to know how the town's mayoral election goes. I am definitely ready for more Owl’s Hollow and cannot see what D.L. Soria writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Cottage Around the Corner is an atmospheric novel centering around Fitz and Charlie, both magic wielders in a world where magic is a commodity. Fitz's business opens putting the already fiscally in trouble Chanterelle Cottage in further danger. When mysterious magical illnesses start to pop up around town they need to put their differences aside for the sake of Owl's Hollow.

I loved this book with my whole heart. Charlie's mothers were hilarious, Fitz and Charlie have great banter, and the small town is full of history and quirky characters that make them feel as though they are real people. The setting of the cottage and Owl's Hollow gives major Stars Hollow vibes from Gilmore Girls, but with a magic twist. The witches' magic system is also incredibly flushed out.

The only things holding this back from being a perfect read for me is Charlie's constant self-doubt became borderline annoying. Even after many successes, hearing her constantly unable to believe in her own capabilities was painful. I also thought the book could have cut out about 50 pages and still have been as impactful, but the length was a minor issue causing it to feel like the pace slows a bit during the middle.

A cute and cozy romantasy retelling of Shop Around the Corner, set in our world but the only difference is that there are witches and mages. Charlie, our Kathleen Kelly, is a witch who lives at the Chanterelle Cottage with her mothers. The Cottage is the local small town spell shop. Charlie wants to take over the struggling family business, but a mistake with her magic in the past has made her mothers reluctant to step back and let her take the reins.

Sterling Fitzgerald III ("Fitz") is a wealthy mage, from a family of wealthy mage shop owners, who strolls into town and opens up a new spell shop around the corner from Charlie's Cottage. He's stuck up and can't stop commenting on Charlie's business, and he seems to have some disdain at first for witches. Of course, Charlie and Fitz, and their businesses, naturally start competing for the small town's customers while Charlie aims to stop Fitz from becoming a permanent part of her town. But as a series of mysterious magical disasters start cropping up, Charlie and Fitz reluctantly begin to work together to try to solve the mystery and save their town. And still find time to date-not-date? OF COURSE.

In addition to being cute, I loved the world-building that Soria does here. Even though it is set in our world and I was thrown off by the characters directly referring to Starbucks or You've Got Mail (!), the magic system and the differences between witch magic and mage magic is so intricate. There is a lot of dedication to describing how Charlie casts her magic, the connection between her intent and the earth and language and movement it was fascinating. Charlie and Fitz are adorable but I felt the tension and frustration between them as Charlie's livelihood was threatened even though I've seen You've Got Mail a million times. This was an enjoyable addition to the catalogue of Shop Around the Corner remakes/rewrites? Yes.

The Cottage Around the Corner is charming (and a little spicy) contemporary fantasy (witches with cell phones!) where a witch and her rival have to team up to save the town from a string of weird curses. The characters were delightful, the chemestry was very much there, and there was so much heart. Bonus points for all the queer and PoC representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this arc! It will be made available wide on 9/3/24!


Ok this was a cozy sweet read full of family, magic, witchcraft, small town vibes. Charlie and Fitz are low stakes competitors in terms of selling their witchy wares. Honestly this isn’t my normal genre but I had fun reading it. I highly recommend it for the cozy fantasy girlies and guys

Another cute cozy fantasy. Although I had some misgivings, I overall really enjoyed this and would love to read more set in Owl's Hollow.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book had major Gilmore Girls and You’ve Got Mail vibes. It was a very cozy read, perfect for fall. I really enjoyed the setting and the magic systems. Sometimes I felt the narration delved way too much into the magical aspect and less on the development of plot; things tended to feel rushed. However! If you’re looking for a little Hallmark witchy romance, this is for you!

I wasn't too sure what to expect with this book. Reading a new author to you is always a risk, but this one also had a beautiful cover so I was hoping the inside matched the outside. I thought this was a really cute story. If I had to describe this story, maybe a cross between Gilmore Girls and Charmed. The main character has good wit and that comes out in banter with mostly everyone. The You've got mail inso is evident and loved the referencing to that as well. I thought the story could've used a bit more spice but even more flirty romance would have been nice. There was one spicy scene and a few kisses. I still really enjoyed this read. I will say I wish there was more closure for the characters at the end, unless their story is going to continue.

I loved The Cottage Around the Corner. I couldn’t put this book down. The witchy vibes were perfect. I loved the Cottage. The characters all felt so real to me as well. I adored Charlie and her moms. I loved the relationship between them. I loved Mama and Mim’s relationship. I cracked up at the family banter. I enjoyed the romance, the family relationships, and the coming into your own. Charlie’s unpredictable actions and words always made me laugh out loud and I loved Fitz’s reactions to them. I felt like this book unfolded more organically than other books I’ve read. There were very real life reasons for the tension between the character and they were resolved realistically. It was refreshing. I will add this author to my list of books I automatically plan to read.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an advanced copy of this book!

Charlie is steadfast and loyal to her family. She used to be a very confident witch, until a spell went wrong the year before. She’s not a bad witch by any means, and is still able to cast spells and do magic. But her lack of confidence rears its ugly head many times over the course of the novel. It doesn’t help that her moms won’t let her buy into the family business, Chanterelle Cottage, the local spellshop. The shop is failing, not drawing in enough money to continue business. And of course, now is the time for Maven Enterprises, a magecraft firm, to come to town. Mages and witches draw their power from different sources, though both can perform magic. Mages seem to do so without a thought while witches need thought out spells, herbs, crystals, and intent, above all. Maven Enterprises is headed by Fitz, a newcomer to town who is looking to escape his own problems in the city.

With the arrival of Maven Enterprises comes a series of misfortunes for the town. From residents turning into animals to all written or typed words disappearing to a sleeping sickness, there seems to be no end of bad luck. It’s down to Charlie, and maybe the alluring Fitz, to fix it. But if Fitz is able to fix it, it may put Chanterelle Cottage out of business. After all, who needs cottage witchery when they can have magecraft?

Charlie’s lack of confidence is something I heavily identify with in many ways. She went to Duke and then almost immediately returned home to work at Chanterelle Cottage, a family business. Her parents wanted her to explore the world and find her own path. But Charlie has already found it, if only she could make her parents believe her. Though she suffers from a lack of confidence, she surges forward anyway, allowing her intuitive grasp of magic to guide her. She has a sense for these things, even under stress.

Charlie constantly fights against Fitz, even when Fitz is only trying to help. Her defensiveness and anger lead to hilarious moments, as well as moments of high passion for the two. From the moment they meet, they are at odds, though Fitz seems to want to be allies, if not friends. It’s hard for Charlie to resist him but it’s in her nature to fight against a man who threatens her livelihood simply by existing.

The characters and writing overall are incredibly solid and well planned. The pacing is perfect and takes its time in the perfect places, while speeding forward at the right time. With well placed banter to diffuse moments of tension, as well as solid characters, the plot is carried very competently. I feel like it just made sense, with human flaws and all.

I highly recommend this book for fans of high stakes cozy romance (as high stakes as a cozy world can become). It’s inspired by The Shop Around the Corner, which also inspires You’ve Got Mail. Funnily enough, I’ve never seen You’ve Got Mail, though I have seen its predecessor. There are many hilarious moments, great banter, as well as excellent queer rep. It’s cute, it’s a quick read, it’ll be great for the fall and halloween season. Being set during the fall, it’ls the perfect read to get in the mood to go pick pumpkins or wander around a fall festival. Good vibes all around!

As has been the case lately, this book’s blurb intrigued me, so I requested it. At first, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It seemed a little too slow at the beginning. However, once everything was in place, the book flowed very well. Everything is cute and fun in this, including the characters. I loved the small-town feel, and the slow build up with the main characters. Although, towards the end, the two acted a little too…immature about what was happening. All in all, the book was well-written, I loved the characters, the mystery was intriguing (I did figure it out pretty quickly), and my favorite part was the town and its inhabitants. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.