I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book thinking that it would revolve around the Goode family's curse and the magic tulips that grow in their garden. I knew this was YA but the premise sounded very interesting and I do enjoy a good YA fantasy from time-to-time. This book was disappointing to me. The beginning of the book started out with the background of the Tulip garden and how the Goode family's curse came to be. which I enjoyed. However, it felt as if the whole story was put on the back burner in exchange for Larke's infatuation with Oak. I personally think this was a missed opportunity because the Tulip and curse premise would have been a lot better had our FMC focused more on "breaking the curse" rather than her relationship with Oak. My main complaint besides the lack of character depth was that the whole book Larke said she avoided the tulips and did not want anything to do with the curse, but in the end she keeps one single tulip to ensure Oak stays with her. Where did Larke go? Her character did a complete 180.

Ah, cursed tulips. Never thought I'd read (and enjoy!) a book whose premise was literally "cursed tulips", but here we are. First, I enjoyed the deep dive into the real, historical event that the book bases its premise on, the Dutch Tulip Mania of the 1600s. And honestly, I am high key mad at my Dutch tour guide for taking us through fields up tulips and not giving us all the tea on this little slice of historical weirdness!

Lark and her brother basically attract people to them via tulip insanity, I guess. So everyone at school, when the tulips bloom, are drawn to these folks like moths to a flame, and they cannot trust that anyone's feelings are ever genuine. Which sure, that sounds like a bummer, but Lark is next-level over it. Their mother has conveniently left town, their father is hardly in the picture, so these two teens live alone in the tulip house. What? Where's CPS at? I needed to really suspend disbelief because that just isn't how that works. But I'll put that aside for the sake of the story. I liked that Lark tried to distance herself from her classmates because she didn't want them to fall in fake-love with her, that earned her some points with me.

But when she meets Oak, she really wishes she could trust feelings, because she's starting to feel some for him. She also is bound and determined to leave Tulip Town as soon as graduation is over, which complicates her budding feelings even more. Here's the thing: I understand all of that, but Lark spends the whole book saying "I cannot trust my feelings!" then "I'mma go ahead and do it anyway" and then "Oh noes, I shouldn't have trusted my feelings!" over and over. I get that she's young, but isn't that the definition of insanity? Regardless, I was still mostly enjoying the story, especially the complicated relationship she has with her twin Archer. The atmosphere was also definitely on point. But the ending, I really did not like the ending. It felt like... (view spoiler)

Bottom Line: An atmospheric romance, I liked it more than I didn't, despite the flaws.

I absolutely loved the beautiful way this book was written! It really made it for me. The character development was done really well and the world building was easy to understand

I thought the vibes are this were great, especially if you're a fan of not only Shea Ernshaw's writing style but also magical realism! It's haunting(but in a very low key way), mysterious and also romantic too. It's steadily paced with characters that are easy to love, but it's truly the vibes I loved the most.

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for my ARC!

4/5

2.5 🌟

This one wasn’t quite for me. I really liked the concept, but the story felt flat in places and lacked depth. I found myself wishing for more development throughout.

That said, I did enjoy the author’s writing style—it felt almost poetic at times. I also enjoyed that it was a quick read!

“The Beautiful Maddening” is a very reflective and somber young-adult romance with magical realism. The writing was lyrical and descriptive which was very beautiful, BUT the descriptions got a bit repetitive throughout the book.

I personally was hoping for more background on the magic of the tulips and a stronger focus on the two main characters actively falling in love. Overall, this was a very nice read!

Read if you love:
- Curses
- Magical realism
- Flower power
- Lyrical writing

Thank you NetGalley, Simon Teen, Simon & Schuster, and Shea Ernshaw for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC! This was my first read as a SimonTeen Influencer, and I was NOT disappointed! :)

I finished this romantic, magical realism book yesterday, and I'm still stewing in my feelings about it. For starters, I loved the writing style. Shea Ernshaw's descriptions of this "beautiful madness" creates a suspenseful, but also cozy atmosphere. Its set in the summer--when the cursed tulips bloom--but I think this book easily fits Fall vibes as well, when readers are looking for something a little magical and eerie. The story had me hooked from the first chapter, and I was as enchanted by Oak as Lark was.

On the flip side, I still have a LOT of questions, and I believe this is a standalone....so I won't be getting answers lol. I was a bit frustrated with the lack of origin story with the tulips(WHY do they cause this love delirium? How does it affect people differently by who holds it? Would the Goodes' problems been all solved if they'd simply moved away and took no tulips with them?) And while I can usually appreciate a fast-paced book, I would have liked seeing what was "normal" for Lark before everything went crazy. I felt it was only alluded to that people would fall madly in love with Lark and her twin brother, but we saw VERY few instances of that happening before the tulips were all over town and attracting others to the tulip-holders.

I was very relieved that there was an HEA, but it maybe wasn't AS satisfying as I'd hoped. We still don't know if their relationship had to do with the cursed power of the flowers, or if it was real, genuine love...Oh well. To sum up, I really did enjoy this book but I also have some problems with it haha.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book! This story is about a family cursed by a tulip garden in their yard. Every year when the tulips bloom all the kids at school fall head over heels for Archer and Lark, the twins who live in the Goode house still. Their Mom and Dad have both left. Lark wants to get out of town after she graduates this year, but someone breaks into the tulip garden and steals tulips, the first time this has ever happened. The school goes crazy with love and lust and greedy to get a tulip to find love. But once the tulips die so do the feelings that they bring to everyone. It was a different fantasy, about fate, love, loss, and a curse that leaves Lark and Archer trying to figure out what is next in life.

I thought this was a very good idea. The romance felt very insta-lovey and confusing. I was annoyed with them both in the middle and at the end of the story, but it worked itself out. Overall, I think it was a nice and sweet story. I was super mad at what her brother did. I am glad that they got the ending they wanted.

This leaned a little more heavily into the YA territory than I had originally anticipated, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. The prose was lush, lyrical, and deliberate.

This is a great magical realism book. It was an interesting story to have the girl that everyone wanted to want the one boy who didn’t, but in a unique way. I do feel like the story setup was slower pace (which felt appropriate - we’re in a small town) but the ending and epilogue moved to resolve things much faster. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

DNF at 30% I just wasn’t really feeling the overall book, I think this will work great for other people! It just felt too young for me

The Beautiful Maddening is captivating. It's a story where the roots of obsession and love are hopelessly twisted. When you have the power to nudge someone, to put a sparkle in your eye, how can you trust anyone's feelings? If we assume we've bewitched someone, then how can we know if their love is for real? If it's not just a passing spell, a flight of fancy, gone when the season ends? The Beautiful Maddening exists at this intersection. Not only does it ask whether we can trust anyone else, but it also explores whether we can trust our own feelings.

I LOVE Shea’s books. They’re so incredibly unique and beautifully written; there’s nothing else like them. They’re atmospheric and heartbreaking and truly encapsulate what it means to be a person.

This book is YA, and while I know that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I will say this: I am not much of a YA reader anymore, and I loved this book. It’s about a set of twins who live on their family’s land which happens to have a tulip farm. The tulips seem to be magic, as anyone who comes in contact with one, or its scent, is instantly taken over by feelings of love. This becomes an obsession within their graduating class, everyone eager to get their hands on a Goode tulip so they can hold the attention of those they’re crushing on.

Incredible story and really unique premise!

"Heartbreak is a powerful thing," she says. "It casts spells and conjures up dangerous magic-I've seen it happen. Never stand in the way of someone with a broken heart," she warns. "It can curse a whole town. Never underestimate what heartbreak can do."

I have been a fan of Ernshaw's writing for many years, and this is the first book of hers that I really haven't enjoyed. But I will say that I think it's more a "me" thing than a book thing, and I think that there will be a perfect audience for the book out there...it just wasn't me. The writing was beautiful and dreamy and even poetic at times, so if you love flowery writing and magical romance then you may really enjoy this book. (For instance, if you loved Rachel Griffin's Bring Me Your Midnight, Stephanie Garber's Once Upon a Broken Heart series, and Adalyn Grace's Belladonna, this feels along the same lines in terms of writing and romantic plot.)

Some issues I had with the book were the insta-love, the nonstop ruminations about tulips and love and being cursed, minors being abandoned with no lawful repercussions, and the issues with consent or lack thereof that happened several times throughout the book. I felt like there wasn't enough depth to the characters, and I was hoping for more.

That being said, romantasy books often focus on the sweetness of the romance and not character/plot depth, so this may not be a deal-breaker for many of you romantasy girlies out there! This is a quiet story that feels bittersweet in its exploration of enchantment versus love, while the characters spend their every moment trying to discern between the two. The curse of the tulips was an interesting premise that forced confusion and obsessive longing into the narrative. I felt empathy for the main character as she wrestled with the uncertainty of not knowing what was illusion from the curse and what was real.

This book wasn't for me, but if you love quieter romantasy, it might be for you! Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book!

This book was lovely and it was well written. Full of elegance and gothic vibes, we’re treated to the story of Lark Goode and her family’s curse. It’s a slower book, but it’s so beautifully written that it keeps you hooked. There are so many layers to this book and it builds upon each other in a way that you’re captivated instead of bored. Definitely love this one.

Earnshaw could write a dishwasher manual and I would prob devour it with as much charisma as I did this book. This book truly is one big atmospheric blanket that you could snuggle in and all would feel right. I thought that the concept of the Goode Tulips was interesting and the effect that it had on the kids of the town was unhinged and I was here for it. I thought the story line of what happened to Lark's mother was compelling and I was really happy to see everything eventually come to light. I thought that Lark was a thoughtful and well written character. A lot of times I found myself really sad for her. I really liked Oak. I thought that his depth and the way he brought Lark to life was sweet. It hard to really put into words a review to accurately explain how I feel about pretty much everything the Shea writes. The beautifully lyrical writing and atmosphere is always the best vibe.

A family’s curse tied to enchanted tulips causes locals to fall helplessly in love with anyone within the Goode bloodline.🌷

Shea Ernshaw delivers a haunting, atmospheric romantic fantasy for young adult readers. This was a slower, character focused story.

It was my first time reading Shea Ernshaw, and I think fans of modern young adult fantasy will enjoy this one. Perfect for a young adult reader looking for an angsty, romantic book with magical realism. I enjoyed the beautiful writing, and I highlighted many quotes. It was a little slow for me, but I did enjoy the overall atmosphere and darker tone.

My rating: 3.75⭐️

Posted to Goodreads: 6/8/2025

This book follows the story of Lark, who happens to be a part of the cursed Goode family. The tulips that grow on their property cause people to fall in love with the Goode family, but when the tulips wither and die, so does the lovesickness that the citizens of Cutwater feel. Two questions remain to be answered: What happens when someone else possesses a tulip? Can Lark ever trust love?

If you enjoy very rich and detailed writing, this YA contemporary fantasy just might be for you. The author captures both the depth and desperation of love, weaving together unique characters and an interesting town lore. I was given the chance to review this book through NetGalley, and I hope other readers enjoy the writing and adventure the author takes them on.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced readers copy for this book. It has beautiful writing that really brings the environment and characters alive. I did feel like the book didn't know where it wanted to end up. As I was getting close to finishing I started to question how this could end. I wouldn't say that I loved or hated the ending but overall this was a good book.