4.5-4.75 ⭐. I absolutely ADORED the heck out of this book, and I kinda of knew I would going into it, based on all the previous reviews and hype I had seen from others who read the ARC earlier this year. I mean, c'mon, a sentient homicidal pothos, a plant witch and a nerdy alchemist falling for each other, mixed in with small town vibes and character growth? Sign me up! And that adorably well-designed COVER is what drew me in originally, lets be honest. I love it.

For a quick vibes check, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, or any of the books in the Glimmer Falls series by Sarah Hawley. Lighthearted fantasy, cottegecore vibes but with a plant shop instead, lot of small town goodness and community, all woven together with a lovely little romance and tons of plant and alchemy-based puns and descriptors all throughout the story (but in a well done sort of way, not [always] in a dad-joke way). The story was so well written and I absolutely sank deep into the story as soon as I started reading it... and then simply could not put it down until I reached the end.

I'm really hoping that the author decides to turn this book into a little series, because I would read the heck out of more stories from Dragon's Rest's eclectic group of townsfolk.

I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Honestly, I loved this book. As someone who enjoys cozy fantasy and cozy stories, especially between epic/high fantasy series, this was such a welcomed surprise. Another reviewer said that this is a recommendation for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and Emily Wilde, which I fully agree with. Unlike most stories where our MC is a villain, Violet is a former villain, trying to atone for her deeds and forge a new life of good…but, nothing is ever that cut and dry and we’ll just say perspective is everything. While a cozy story, there is some spice but it is pretty tame all things considered. The character development, struggles and ultimate relationships built throughout our FMC’s road to redemption are kept me interested and entertained This was my first title by Emily Krempholtz but it will not be my last. If you’re looking for a cozy read with witches, found family, redemption, life reboots, etc., then pick this one up!

I’m gonna need Emily Krempholtz to write many many more books; this is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read on NetGalley, and I’m dying for more!

I am loving the cozy fantasy moment, and Krempholtz perfectly executes this genre with “Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore.” The characters are Pitch Perfect, with excellent dialogue and character development. Both Violet and Nathaniel have realistic growth, relatable, challenges, and they make the reader want to be a better person.
Beside characters are utterly charming, from Pru the bard to Quinn, the nosy beekeeper about town, each secondary character feels like they have depths and room to explore (which I hope Krempholtz does in books!). Even the pets and plants have big personalities (looking at you, Bartleby). The town is charming, like a real-life renaissance festival, perfectly placed in a pseudo-medieval fantasy land, and the peril is perilous enough to keep me reading but not to stress me out.
The book is also well-written. The dialogue felt natural, it was never overly-descriptive or overly preachy and the romance was present without overpowering the plot.
Ten out of five stars; love this book! Can’t wait for more!!!

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore took my expectations and then absolutely blew them up. I did NOT know what I was getting into with this book until I was in it and I loved every.single.minute.

Violet and Nathaniel were such fun MCs- I love both of their inner dialogues and how they both battled with demons every single day. Having an ex-villain as the main character was such a fun concept, especially considering we got to see her fighting her instincts to be bad every so often. It made the whole story feel so much more authentic, although it is a cozy fantasy, Violet was so relatable. How often, every day do we have to choose to be good, to be kind and reading this book was such an important reminder that being a decent human being might not come natural to everyone, but it's really special to try to be better. Because at the end of the day, isn't that all we can do?

Nathaniel's haunted past was all another relatable component as well. This book was absolutely rife with deeper meanings. While it was funny and cute, it was also deep and healing too! It's rare for me to find an author who can balance the two so wonderfully and make me feel so much empathy for the MCs.

If you enjoyed The Spellshop, Assistant to the Villain or Long Live Evil- I would highly recommend picking this book up. It was the perfect formula for a fun cute fantasy read, while simultaneously catching you right in the feels to boot.

This was such a cute and fun read! The character development was just… chef’s kiss. Violet being a reformed villain is in the title of course, but it’s also the perfect way to give this cozy fantasy a little something extra. I loved hearing from her, and listening to her work her way through her negative self-talk was kind of therapeutic. I was literally kicking my feet and giggling over some of the scenes between the two love interests. I am discovering that I’m a sucker for grumpy/sunshine, and I loved the relationship between Violet and Nathaniel. Almost more than that, though, I loved all the friendships and the close community within the town. And there was a lot of great queer, disabled, and POC rep. Some points off for being (as is the nature of the genre) a little predictable and cliche, but overall I really loved this.

This book doesn't come out until November and it's last in my ARC TBR list in order of needing to be read.... so of course, it's the only thing I wanted to read this week! First off -- Is Cozy Romantasy becoming a Genre?!! PLEASE tell me this is the start of a new trend and that this charming blend of spicy romance, fantasy and cozy setting is a sign of great things to come! I was totally spellbound by this novel! The love story gave me literal tingles - it was soooo yearn-y and grumpy/sunshiney and comically sweet!

Most romantasy involves war, gore, death, high stakes drama/adventure but Cozy Romantasy is the genre I never knew I always wanted.
Just an ex-sorceress trying to be a florist and an ex-alchemist trying to be an apothecary teaming up together to save their sweet little village from a terrible (magical?) blight and falling in love in the process. Hell yeah! Dial me up another several books in this series PLEASE. Especially if they have a cast of loveable supporting characters and a HEA for two deserving leads like this one!

Ding Dong! The evil overlord has fallen and his minions have scattered to the winds....or rather the town of Dragon's Rest next door to the former evil lair. After having her life spared, the Thornwitch, Violet, decides to try using her magic for good and live a quiet "normal" life in the village. She befriends Pru who co-owns the local apothecary with her grumpy brother Nathaniel. Soon Violet is renting a room and shop space from them to launch her florist business and making friends, but forgiving herself and starting over won't be easy. When a great evil falls, there will always be repercussions.

Here's the only alchemical formula you need to know:
Violet + Nathaniel = Spicy Chemistry + Teasing Tension-Filled, Sign-Play Foreplay + Magical Mystery = One Giddily Happy Romance Reader

It's ultimately a story about overcoming past wrongs and grief to craft the life you want and the future you deserve. To do that, our characters need forgiveness and people who believe in them in order to believe they are deserving of true happiness as well. No Violet Thistlewaite, you were never a villain - just manipulated and abused by one.

The Cover is AMAZING! I think the cover will sell the book and readers who make their purchase based on the cover won't be disappointed. Props to the art department! The story is a ro-magical fairytale hug. How is this the author's first book (with her name on it)?! Readers, follow this colorful lady for more fun, fireside romantasy in the future!

This book was JUST what I was looking for!

I really loved Violet's story: a former villain yearning to atone for her sins, and start a new life of good. A new start is something we all want at times.

It is cozy, warm, and fantastical with a great message. Though the atmosphere is light, and the characters fun and quirky, the story held on to it's substance. While I found it to drag a bit towards the middle, this was not a deal breaker for me. Emily Krempholtz's writing was great, dropping profound, quotable gems here and there.

Overall, this was a solid debut from Emily Krempholtz!

I absolutely fell in love with Violet Thistlewaite Is Not the Villain Anymore! I devoured this book in a day and a half, I was so absorbed in the story, I couldn’t put it down. From the very beginning, Violet’s character grabbed me. Her introduction was beautifully done, showing us not a villain, but a girl who had been manipulated by one and was just trying to put all the darkness behind her.

Her move to Dragon’s Rest and her genuine struggle to be good felt incredibly real. I deeply connected with her imposter syndrome, the internal tug-of-war with the voice of her villainous adoptive father, and her love of plants, especially the mischievous little pothos she keeps around. She just wanted to belong, and that quiet longing made me love her even more.

The romance? Chef’s kiss. The MMC starts out grumpy and very anti-Violet, but watching him slowly warm up to her and reveal his own struggles while falling in love? Perfection. Their chemistry was a lovely slow burn that balanced cozy fantasy and heartwarming romance so well.

My only (minor!) gripe (and the reason for the 4.5 instead of a full 5 stars his that the spicy scenes felt a little… tease-y. Not quite open-door, not quite closed-door, but more like cracked-door: just enough to get your heart racing, only to have the door slammed shut right before the good stuff. That said, the romance and emotional intimacy were still beautifully done.

Overall, this book felt like being wrapped in a soft blanket while sipping tea in a magical cottage. I loved every minute of it, and the author did an incredible job of making me feel like I was right there with Violet. Highly recommend for fans of cozy fantasy and emotionally rich romance.

Violet Thistlewaite is NOT a Villain Anymore was a lovely cozy read. The characters were wonderfully silly, and the setting was somewhere I’d absolutely love to visit. Magical, and at times mysterious, I enjoyed this book from start to finish. This wasn’t a 5-star read for me, unfortunately it dragged in the 20-40ish% area. Otherwise this was a breeze to get through. I have to say, the pothos plant with twitchy fingers was my favorite.

Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore

This book is so cozy, I loved it! I love Violet, I love the quirky side characters and the knife wielding sentient plant🪴 This one will be perfect autumn read. I recommend this for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and Emily Wilde.

~Witches
~Magic
~GrumpyxSunshine
~Found family
~Starting over
~Secret past

“I see you, thorns and all” ✨swoon✨

OSD- November 18th, 2025

I received a copy of this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#TeamPRH #NetGalley#VioletThistlewaiteIsNotaVillainAnymore

Thank you for the opportunity.
I truly enjoyed the banter and puns. Violet and the mmc were so likable. I love a good grumpy sunshine element. Fantasy and dragon lore al always a great plot with plants.. chefs kiss for this cozy romantasy.

This is a cozy fantasy romance with plenty of magic. Violet comes to Dragon’s Rest after her evil mentor, Guy Shadowfade was killed. When she lived at his castle, she was known there as the Thornwitch where she used magic to grow dangerous poisonous plants. Now she is free to start over and she wants to grow beautiful flowers to sell in a flower shop. She rents half of a greenhouse from twins, Prudence (Pru) and Nathaniel.

Nathaniel is a grumpy alchemist who returned home to help his sister with their family’s apothecary shop only to find they have bank debts and he's is trying to find a way to make the shop profitable. He and Violet bicker with each other about clearing out clutter and sharing their space in the greenhouse, but their bickering quickly turns to attraction.

The townspeople are friendly and quirky and I loved that they welcomed Violet into their found family. There are delightful characters like Pru, who plays the violin and shares stories about old legends and Peri, a dog-like rock goblin who is obsessed with Pru and her music. Violet also has a special plant she has to keep all sharp objects away from. She is excited to grow flowers and surround herself with blooms but someone from her past appears at her door to cause her trouble. When Violet and Nathaniel realize a blight is threatening their village, they decide to work together to uncover the mystery of what evil magic is causing it. As they work together, they grow closer. There was a moment towards the end, where I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but I went along with it and enjoyed the surprising twists and turns in the story.

I'm happy I got to read this magical cozy fantasy romance and hope there will be another story to follow. This was 4 and 1/2 stars and I rounded up because of the beautiful cover. Thanks to the author, Ace and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. My full review will be at All About Romance closer to the release date.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!!
3.5✨
« It is no simple thing to rise anew from the ashes of your old life. »

This was really unique and a fun time! The dilemma the FMC was facing around good vs bad was really well portrayed in the first 25%. I did find some things were resolved too quickly but it was nice to follow her through her healing journey. I think I would’ve liked to see her fall more, especially considering her past.

For the first 25% - I was completely hooked. But then the pacing started to be an issue and the tension just resolved extremely quickly. I wish the romance would’ve been more slow burn, because once it started - it was rushed. Nathaniel fell super fast, which I normally like but I think that for the sake of this story, was rushed. The ending was also extremely fast paced compared to the rest of the story.

The set of characters were cute and heartwarming. I think this was really good for a debut and would recommend it.

« You can long for something all you want, but you’ll never unlock the door if you’re too afraid to turn the key. »

There were some really great scenes and I loved the whole concept of it, unfortunately it wasn’t for me. But that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a perfect read for someone else. I think it had a hard time deciding if it wanted to be cozy or not. I do see how a lot of people liked it because there are spicy moments and very witty moments. I loved the creatures and plants, I just think the writing style is what I wasn’t sold on. I do plan on reading more from this author in the future as a second chance!!

"Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore"by Emily Krempholtz
Emily Krempholtz's "Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore" unfolds in the quaint small town of Dragons Rest, where the imposing ruins of sorcerer Guy Shadowfade's castle loom above – a constant reminder of Violet's past as his adopted daughter. This unique setting is populated by a delightful array of characters, both primary and secondary.
At the center are Violet and Nathaniel, both grappling with the mistakes of the past as they navigate life in Dragons Rest. Krempholtz explores their journeys of coming to terms with their histories within the close-knit community. Their relationship becomes the heart of the novel, built on a shared, unspoken understanding of carrying personal weight. Adding delightful quirks to this world are a few memorable secondary characters: a seemingly ordinary pothos plant with a surprising penchant for "violence," a rock goblin who shares a unique bond with Nathaniel's new puppy, Daisy, and Pru, Nathaniel's vivacious twin sister who stands in stark contrast to his quiet, brooding nature. These characters, in their own unique ways, add layers of humor, warmth, and unexpected connection to the story.
More than just a personal story, the book offers a poignant reflection on the universal experience of grappling with past errors and the importance of recognizing the inherent goodness in ourselves and others. In the intimate setting of Dragons Rest, with its memorable inhabitants, Krempholtz subtly reminds us that everyone carries hidden stories, encouraging empathy and understanding. The interactions between Violet, Nathaniel, and the engaging secondary cast further illuminate these themes of acceptance and community.
"Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore" is an insightful read about forgiveness and connection, and it also weaves a mystery and a challenge into the narrative. It's a testament to the enduring possibility of finding light even in the shadow of the past, surrounded by the surprising friendships and bonds that make life in Dragon's Rest so distinctive.
M. Roberts
With the help of AI

I tried to finish reading this book but I really just couldn't get into it. The writing is good, and I love the premise, but it's like I can't feel the characters. There seems to be more talking about what they're doing. I stopped at about 34% in.

This was so cozy and managed to be low stakes but still have plot twists that had me gasping. The third act breakup broke my heart and was immediately pieced back together. I loved the grumpy sunshine dynamic of the love interests who learned to grow and become more complete individuals with the help of the other. I loved the cast of side characters and was sad to let them all go when I finished.

What a delight! This is a magical cozy fantasy about Violet Thistlewaite’s journey from villain to small town shop keeper. It has everything you want from a cozy fantasy. Friendly rivalry to romance. Sentient plant with a penchant for sharp objects. A charming cast of townsfolk. Magic and a little bit of low stakes mystery.

Excellent writing and storytelling. Slight lull in the middle but over all it has classic, cozy pacing. I love Violet’s journey and how she realizes the importance of all facets of herself.

It’s a good one!

Violet was a villain who got a second chance. The author provided a light, cozy fantasy with mild spice. Going in I expected to laugh, enjoy the basic formula romance and was pleasantly surprised when I got to the end. Sure, there are predictable elements but there were also things I didn't see coming which made it worth reading. Great for fans of assistant to the villain.

There is so much heart packed into this story. It celebrates growth, healing, and the idea that we are not defined by our worst mistakes. I loved how the author let the magic feel vibrant and alive without ever overpowering the emotional journeys. This book is a warm hug and a breath of fresh air and I am already counting the days until I can read whatever this author writes next.