Not all books have to have action and adventure in order to hit me right where I need it to. This one is one of those.

This book is a cozy, slice of life, book where the main character is trying to find herself after her world turns upside down. Instead of getting on a plane to go home towards her family, she gets on a plane across the pond and finds herself in Ireland and on a new path in life. The land of faerie lore and legends welcomes her in an odd sort of way but she sticks around because, for the moment, she has nothing else going on in her life other than drowning her sorrows in the bottom of a bottle.

When she finds an old diary in a tree near her rented cabin, the diary takes her on a mental journey of discovery and exploration, of faerie lore and loss. I think the one thing I wasn't a huge fan of, was the idea of her finding a new love interest so soon after separating from her husband. Though it seems as though their feelings had been waning for some time, it still seemed she needed time to be on her own and not have the complication of a potential (grumpy sunshine) love interest, and climbing walls with his daughter.

This book made me feel all sorts of feelings but in all of the best kinds of ways.

Stepped outside of my comfort zone with this one. I’m not usually into books with fantastical elements, in this case the fairies. I really enjoyed Anna and Harold’s story, but I was sad with their ending. Sarahs story was interesting but could have used a little more excitement. The fairy elements didn’t really appeal to me, but I can see how they would be interesting to someone with that interest. The historical fiction aspect was enough for me to give this three stars, but it’s not a book I would shout from the rooftops for everyone to read.

The Story Collector is a good afternoon's read and Evie Woods does do the two-timelines well, but if the "modern" story were stand-alone it wouldn't stand well.

Sarah was struggling with every aspect of her life. Instead of going home for Christmas she decided (in the airport 😱) to go to Ireland instead. She found a journal of a young girl who lived 100 years previously. Both timelines are playing out at the same time.

It has some magical realism aspects. The ending was not as happy as I wish it would have been but I think that was the point of the story.

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Thank you NetGalley and Evie Woods for the ARC of The Story Collector! I was so excited to get into this story after The Lost Bookshop!! It was a beautifully written book and it lived up to the hype of the first, it just took a little bit to pick up but once it did I FLEW through the pages!!

I had an ARC of this book from NetGalley and it hooked me fast. I’ve always been drawn to books set in Ireland. The premise is the narrator is almost starting a new life more or less. She ends up in Ireland and is wrapped up in friendly people and history and fairies. It’s really well done. The author’s gift for description made me feel as though as was there and I loved to two parallel time periods. The one ending was different than anything I’ve read in another book and after a few days of thinking about it, I’m ok with it, I just needed to process that it wasn’t ending as I wanted it thought, but not all endings are perfect and it’s good to see that in a book, or better yet not everyone’s happy choice is the same as someone else’s. I will definitely be reading her other book.

Thank you for the ARC! I wanted to read this book because I had read The Lost Bookshop previously. The Story Collector, in my opinion, turned out to be pretty close in ratings for me. It took me a moment to get into the story, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Thank you #netgalley

Evie Woods' *The Story Collector* is an emotionally resonant novel intertwining historical fiction and magical realism. Set in both 1910 Ireland and present-day New York, it follows Sarah, who escapes her troubled life to uncover local legends, and Anna, a farm girl entangled with an American anthropologist. Readers praise the book for its relatable characters, enchanting writing, and rich descriptions of folklore, making it both captivating and comforting. The dual timelines enhance the narrative's depth, blending the ordinary with the extraordinary, and leaving a lasting impression on its audience.

I love the author's elegant lyrical writing in this book. She captures the readers imagination and takes us on atmospheric journey to Ireland through different times periods that are each in their own exciting and emotional. This book is engaging and beautiful. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley and for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

I loved the main character Sarah who on a whim at a airport boards a plane for Ireland . She has suffered the loss of her marriage , her home and was dreading the holidays with her family. She lands into a unknown city and so begins her grand adventure and life of independence. She finds kindness through a inn keeper who takes her to the perfect cottage rental where she can heal and explore the countryside. In a early morning panic attack she walks in the dark to a wooded area and finds a diary hidden in a tree trunk. The diary is the story of a young girl from another time and her journey into fairy lore with a scholar researcher. Anna explores with him the history and local lore of fairies and in doing so she expands her world and her independence.

A wonderful read that I read in one day. It is a book that engages you from beginning to ending. Give yourself the gift of Ireland in different time periods and embrace this wonderful book for all that it offers the reader. I look forward to further works by the author.

I will be going to Ireland in October, and this was a great book to get me in the mood. “The Story Collector” by Evie Wood is a quick read, but you need to suspend some disbelief while reading the book, it is about fairies after all. I was able to get past what happens regarding the plot e.g. how Anna arrives in Ireland, how she finds what she finds, etc. Additionally, the “diary” is written more as a novel. However, the story is a quick read where you will want to continue reading to find out what happens and what happened. If you are looking for a fun, quick read that will transport you to Ireland the land of fairies you won’t do better than Wood’s book. Highly recommend.

I found this book to be just OK, which is unfortunate. I had such high expectations. The pacing was kind of slow and it didn’t really pick up until about 60% in. There were several characters that I wish had a bit more backstory. Having the ending that we want isn’t realistic, but I would have liked to have something that felt final. Although, technically given, the ending still felt empty.

The Story Collector is two parallel stories. Sarah heads home to Boston for the holidays but doesn't want to deal with the incriminating looks and feels from her family. When she comes to after a drunken binge, she finds herself landing in Ireland. She finds a diary from 100 years ago that details Anna's exploits in helping Harold research faeries. Both Sarah and Anna are on a journey to find themselves. Central to both journeys is Irish folklore and the persistent belief in faeries.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The premise of this book was really appealing to me. My entrance to the romance/romantasy genre was via Nora Roberts. My favorite books of hers were set in Ireland and contained references to fae/the supernatural. This synopsis felt like it would be a homecoming.

I enjoyed this book overall, but had a hard time getting invested at the beginning. The first 40-45% was pretty slow moving for me. I struggled to connect with the protagonist because of the dual POV. Both perspectives felt similar to me and I struggled for a paragraph or two to mentally shift from Sarah to Anna.

I also had some practical struggles at the very beginning…like with the manner in which Sarah finds herself in Ireland.

Once I got past those initial struggles, the book picked up for me at the halfway mark. I was most intrigued by the fae theories surrounding some of the characters and their motivations, and the mild mystery that invoked. The academic approach to fae lore was fun and some of it (bees) were things I’ve not read about before.

Overall, I recommend this as a cottage core quick read. The ending left something to be desired and felt rushed. And I’d caution that the fae interactions are limited to the academic and hypothetical. But I was glad that all of the storylines did receive a finale!

* Trigger warnings for assault and pregnancy loss.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper360 for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had read The Lost Bookshop (also by Evie Woods) just before reading this one, so I went into expecting it to be great. And I liked it, just not as much as The Lost Bookshop.

The plot was simple. In 2010, we have Sarah, who is going through a bad marriage and decides to move back to her parents’ home before deciding what she wants to do next. But through drunk choices, she somehow ends up in Ireland instead. She, again somehow, ends up living in a cottage in a village. In the cottage, she finds the diary of a girl, Anna, from 1910. Anna is our second narrator, and we learn about her story through her diary as Sarah is reading it. Anna’s family lives in the same cottage Sarah is staying at. Harold, an American scholar studying at Oxford, takes Anna as his assistant to help gather stories and beliefs about fairies.

The first half of the book just seemed to introduce the characters and their two worlds. By this point, I felt as though I knew enough about Anna and could connect with her, but I didn’t feel the same way about Sarah. I still felt like I knew nothing about her or her story. The focus of the book seemed to be on Anna’s story and later, the connection between Sarah and Anna.

In the later half, there was ONE moment that set off a chain reaction. And at this point, I was completely hooked. First, my heart was racing. And then, I was giggling. Then, I was holding my breath, waiting and hoping. And finally, I was… content. I can’t say I was happy, but I was relieved things didn’t get worse. The ending, although bittersweet, was realistic, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

An interesting part of this book is how it’s written. Everything in the present was written in 3rd person, while Anna’s story was in 1st person. Overall, I thought the plot was perfect, the romance was sweet and cute, and the magical realism enhanced the plot and message. I liked everything about this book, except the pacing for the first half. It took me almost a week to read this just because of the first. But then I had to stay up late to finish it because it got so much more interesting.

This book was totally unexpectedly delightful. It's historical fiction but also about Irish beliefs of fairies, and superstitions. The book is written in a way that it's alternating between past and present, which is a style I love. It's very beautifully and skilfully written in my opinion. I loved the main characters. I loved the different stories integrated into the main stories. I didn't know about Irish beliefs of supernatural events happening that are related to people who died. I definitely want to read about this. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love to travel through time, or to different places and learn about different customs happening somewhere else.
I will pick up other books from this author. It's a gem.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital arc to preview.

I enjoyed this light, easy read. The story is set in Ireland and centers on self-discovery, grief, and a little folklore. The timeline switches between 2010 and 1910. While it was a little predictable at times, it was still a nice read.

4.5 stars rounded up!

I really enjoyed this book. After reading The Lost Bookshop, I had to read another book by Evie Woods. This one had a good amount of “magic” and her integration of Irish folklore throughout the story was seamless. It gave her writing a magical quality that was different from her previous book in a good way. A must read if you love fantasy, magical realism, and folklore stories. Top notch storytelling!

I think this is such a lovely story. One that shows how powerful beliefs in different cultures can be. The fae have played a role in so many different cultures throughout history. They may go by different names but for the Irish they truly hold a place in their culture’s hearts. This book is enchanting and heartbreaking. I loved how the past and present play out in tandem. Readers are going to fall in love with it right away. This is the perfect book for your upcoming book club, or even if you’re just looking for a lovely book to get lost in.
Thank you so much to Harper 360 and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Seeing as I started this book yesterday morning and already finished it in less than 24 hours, that says it all.

**Rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
**Format:** eBook

Our story begins with one of the two protagonists, Sarah, who boards a plane to Ireland to escape her life falling apart. In Ireland, Sarah has no plan but discovers an old journal in a tree and begins forming connections with the locals, especially a conservationist named Oran. Reading the journal starts our second protagonist's journey, Anna. Anna, a local farm girl from the 1920s, lives in the same cottage where Sarah (in the present) is staying. Anna meets the scholar Henry, who hires her to introduce him to the locals and explain the village's fairy lore. Readers are taken on a whimsical, cozy, and page-turning adventure, balancing between Anna helping Henry uncover fairy myths and Sarah’s budding relationship with Oran.

**Highlights:**
⭐️ Dual POV chapters between Sarah and Anna.
⭐️ Evie Wood’s writing style. Every time I read one of her books, I’m immediately transported into that world. I lose track of time and find myself 65% through the book before I know it.
⭐️ The world-building. The woodsy, whimsical, and magical setting of Ireland adds a cozy and warm feeling to the book.
⭐️ The plot. Fairies. Strong female protagonists. A whimsical, woodsy setting. Character development. It has it all.
⭐️ THE. TWIST.

**Pitfalls:**
❌ None.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper360, for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An absolutely charming Irish tale!
Ireland✓
Alternate timeline✓
Discovery✓
Romance✓
Magickal realism✓
Destined to be a best seller✓✓
I loved Everything about this book!