Sangu Mandanna won my heart with "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches," so I was eagerly awaiting this new adult book from her. It did NOT disappoint. She writes such beautifully complex characters and creates such loving and warm settings. If you are looking for a cozy fantasy romance, to warm your heart, then look no further. Sera and Luke are so charming, and the side characters are a real treat. The chemistry between the two MCs is palpable, and Sera's quest to get her magic back is truly heartbreaking. Mandanna deftly deals with hard topics like depression, racism, xenophobia, and others in a kind and gentle way. My heart broke for all of these characters at different times in the book, and I cried more than once. I cannot recommend this book enough. Simply beautiful.

Phew, the wait for this book was the longest. I love a grumpy/grumpy match, and the found family in this book is enough to warm the coldest of hearts so I was more than happy to add this book to my collection. I loved the twists and humor of this book - it was so lighthearted despite what could have been a very dark story. Instead we see that there are moments of light and dark and complicated mess in everyone and that doesn't mean they don't get a HEA. These are the books that I love to see in cozy fantasy because they have depth and dark without losing the cozy.
While I think the author's first book will remain my favorite, this book was still so good I will be first in line to read whatever she writes next.

This is the second book from this authir thay I have read. This is the kind of cozy romance I enjoy. It had like one spicy scene in it which honestly is fine with me, some romance books don't need all the spice. I loved the found family aspect in this. All the characters and representation in this was amazing.

I loved this book! Such a great cozy read. The found family was so charming. Lots of great mental health and disability rep. This is going to become one of my comfort reads that I return to. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Berkley for the advance reader copy of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna.

This next story follows Sera, who had to leave her Guild when she resurrected her great-aunt and befriended a semi-villainous fox. Sera now spends her days running an inn. She learns of a way where we may be able to restore her power. A magical historian, Luke, agrees to help Sera.

Sangu Mandanna creates an enjoyable universe of characters. The romance part of any story is typically a big draw for me and I enjoyed Sera and Luke working together on the spell. Most of all though, I loved Luke’s sister, Posy. Posy was the highlight of the story for me.

This is such a bittersweet, warm, cozy and cute read!

I wanted to be a part of the Batty Hole Inn! The author made me feel all the feels! Her writing transported me inside the book!

Loved the side characters, aunt Jasmine, Theo, Posey & mainly Roo-Roo! I would've kicked Clemmie out of the garden into the hills if I could!

I was also so angry about the outcome of Sera's battle! I wish it didn't have to be that way!

Thanks to Berkeley Publishing for an early copy!

While ultimately not the book for me, I know that many of my patrons will love this cozy fantasy read.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a whimsical fantasy that delivers all of the cozy vibes!

It follows Sera Swan, a once powerful witch who lost most of her magic when she performed a forbidden spell to resurrect her great aunt Jasmine, her only family member. Aside from losing her magic, Sera was also exiled from the witch’s Guild and now runs a magical inn with Jasmine, along with a snarky fox who has some morally gray tendencies. Sera learns of an old spell that could help her get her magic back, if she can figure out how to translate it. Help arrives in the form of a handsome but grumpy historian who comes to stay at the inn with his magical sister. At first he wants no part of helping Sera with the spell, but the more time he spends with her, the harder it is to resist her charms, especially since her inn has given his sister a safe space where she can be herself, which she has never had before.

I’m already hoping that there will be more books in this cozy series but it’s just so charming and heartwarming. I adored the enchanted inn and all of its little magical quirks, and I loved the full cast of characters and that the story delivers not only found family vibes but also two slow burn romances, although I would say both romances are secondary to Sera’s personal journey of getting her powers back and confronting a monster from her past.

4 1/2 STARS

I do love a cozy, witchy fantasy and I adored the first book. Mandanna’s writing is a perfect blend of whimsical and grounded. The themes of grief, belonging, and second chances are handled with nuance, never losing the comforting, low-stakes charm.

This book is for readers who love found families, magical settings with real heart, and stories that feel like a warm hug with a dash of enchantment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5. This book is the literal definition of a found family and I loved every second of it. From the magical house causing mischief, the misfits finding their way to the inn when they needed it most, Clemmie being Clemmie and Sera and Luke finding the love and comfort they both needed growing up in this new family.

Thank you for the free book @penguinrandomhouse and @berkleyromance! #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleyIG #BerkleyBookstagram.

To all of us who have waited almost 2 years for this book - it’s finally coming tomorrow and it was sooo worth the waittt!!!

So basically, Sera Swan is one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Her aunt died, she performed a resurrection spell with the help of a witch trapped in a fox’s body. When The Guild heard about it, she got exiled from the witch society and lost her magic. The last spell she casted was towards her aunt’s inn. The inn cannot be seen by everybody and will only appear to those who needed it the most.

That’s pretty much the plot because I don’t want to spoil it for you guys!

But omg the found family here is so adorable! They’re all so chaotic and hilarious together. The cast of this book is one of my favorite ensembles ever! I laughed so many times while reading the dialogues between characters 😂

The inn is giving magical cozy vibes which definitely helps set the mood for the whole book.

There’s romance, there’s the adventure of Sera trying to get her magic back, and just an overall fun cozy fantasy read that can take your mind off things while you’re reading it!!

Definitely definitely recommend for you guys to pick it up tomorrow!! It was sooo cute and whimsical!

Although I did love her first book more, i still really
Enjoyed this story & cast or characters! I did get a little lost in some of the mundane details, but really loved the cozy atmosphere. I wish this had been a fall read though because i think it would have fit the vibes a little better. Overall, a solid 4 ⭐️

I LOVED this book! I think I like it even better than this authors other book. It was so cozy and the magically community was interesting. I would highly suggest this book to anyone!

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a new favorite of mine, creating the perfect combination of fantasy, romance, and conflict that’s both cozy and compelling. I loved the characters, the setting, and all of the little details that made this world, and its inhabitants, so easy to fall in love with. I was a huge fan of Mandanna already and this book has solidified that. If you want a few hours of time spent immersed in a place you wish you could visit with people you wish you could know, this is the book for you.

The Best Bits

The Inn - it’s the perfect backdrop to a cozy story
Matilda and Jasmine - I was nearly crying by the end
Another grumpy academic romantic lead - I’m always here for it

A Few of My Favorite Things

Good Ol’ Batty Hole
Everything about the inn is perfection. A construction that’s all corners and cozy nooks and rooms upon rooms. The cozy meets cluttered feel of a home well loved and looked after. The magic that literally flows through every molecule of the property, making it a magical wonderland of sorts. The wild name that somehow works perfectly. Throw in a supporting cast I couldn’t adore more, a zombie chicken, and constant baking, and I’ve found my ideal setting for any story. It’s the kind of place I would 100% visit for a night and never leave.

All the Love
It’s a love story but so much more than a romance. We see the love between a great niece and her great aunt, the love between friends who found each other in times of need, the love that a well-lived in home provides. There’s romance, of course, for our main character Sera and her grumpy academic Luke, but it’s about more than their love story. At the heart of everything was the love Sera needed to feel for herself, to accept the things about herself she hated and realize there’s more to life than accomplishment and magic spells. And a final shoutout to Matilda and Jasmine’s story - the scene with them dancing in the snow had me a bit teary eyed.

The Magical Test
I can’t get over the stunning visuals of Sera’s original test to see how powerful her magic was. The description of sunlight bursting from her skin, nearly blinding the judging old men around her is mesmerizing and I found myself continuously going back to it as I kept reading. I’ve read a lot of magical fiction and have never seen it described quite like this.

Final Thoughts
For me, this was one of those books that I put off reading because I knew how much I’d love it and didn’t want it to end. Just the anticipation of reading it fueled me for a few weeks and when I finally read it, I couldn’t put it down. I love stories like this and am in awe of how well the author was able to incorporate so many characters in such a well-drawn setting, complete with a full magical world and any number of conflicts and problems to solve. It’s somehow better than Mandanna’s other witchy romance, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, which I didn’t think would be possible. I’m honestly upset that it’s over but I love that I got to experience it.

Sangu Mandanna’s stories feel like a hug, so cozy, magical, and heartwarming. It’s a lovely found family story with quirky, fun and sweet characters.

Sera is a powerful witch, the most powerful in centuries, but she is not accepted at all by the wizard's guild, when she uses her magic to resurrect her aunt (the only person who loves her), the guild exiled her and now 15 years later she is in charge of a special Innkeeping, where only those who need a safe place can enter.

The guests are delightful, among them are: Sera, the witch who only has a little residual magic left, just enough to maintain the inn, Jasmine her aunt, Theo her 11 year old wizard nephew, Roo-Roo, a rooster who is literally in his bones, Clemmie a witch turned fox and her newest residents Luke and Posy, Luke a magical historian researcher and her little sister, Posy an cute autistic witch who is carefree and lives her magic to the fullest.

Love them all. It’s a quirky fun and messy family, you can tell they love each other, it’s sweet and heartwarming. It’s light but still touches themes like problematic family, disability, mental health. The main theme is friendship that feels like family, but there is also a very slow burn romance. And the magic system is not complex, but its enchanting, The magic feels alive and reacts to the needs of the residents, especially Sera, magic is just a part of her.

Although it's set in winter, it feels like cozy autumn, that time when the temperature is dropping and you want to read inside with a soft blanket and a hot drink.

Read it if you like:
• Found Family
• Diverse Characters
• Heartwarming Story
• Cozy Witches

Ok this was adorable and a breath of fresh air. Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Diverse characters, grumpy/sunshine. Emotional. I loved and cried at this story.

PSA: This is not set in the same world as The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. It is, however, incredibly similar in tone, themes, and witchyness.

Strong found family. Witches being wholesome. A woman undergoing character development. A cute, tension filled romance.
This book is an easy Yes. Loved it, and I think most everyone else will too.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkeley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a delightful escape into a world filled with magic. From the moment I stepped into the inn, I didn’t want to leave — I adored every single beautiful character I encountered.

The story is full of warmth and whimsy, with a unique magical system that feels fresh, yet comfortingly familiar. The inn itself is practically a character, and the way the author brings it to life made me wish it were real. Sera is wonderfully relatable — resourceful, kind, and growing into herself, with or without her magic.

If you love The House in the Cerulean Sea, you will absolutely adore this book! I can'r recommend this one enough!

A cozy witchy fantasy that was a pretty fun read. There were a lot of interesting characters that formed a really nice found family, and the disability, queer, and autism representation in it was all done really well. The writing was filled with humor and I was cackling to myself more than once. Most of the book was filled with a lot of heart and was very enjoyable.

However. The romance was awkward and felt very shoehorned in. There was one spicy scene and it felt so jarring with the rest of the tone of the book. I really think this book would have been better with either less focus on this aspect, or just no romance at all, because it just did not work.

I really enjoyed this delightful and whimsical tale! Sera lost most of her magic years ago after performing a forbidden spell that drained most of her power. Now years later, she has a second chance to try and get it back. And all the quirky people/animals that have found her throughout the years by staying at her enchanted inn may be exactly what she needs to succeed. My favorite part is the found family from all different walks of life all supporting each other in the best albeit chaotic way 😂. This heartwarming and inclusive story will wrap you up in a nice big warm hug 💖.

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆:

🌸 Cozy fantasy
✨ Slow burn
🌸 Found family
✨ A talking fox
🌸 Neurodivergent rep