This was a delightful cozy romantacy, that worked through character growth in a very gently way with limited angst.

Violet was raised to be a villian. Guy shadowfade, the man who raised her, is dead and she has the chance to start over anew. She has always wanted to own a flower shop.
Nathaniel Marsh is an alchemist who is running his family’s apothecary shop. His parents are dead. His sister lives there but doesn’t really have an interest in the shop. They are behind on their mortgage and the ship isn’t doing well. They are forced to rent half the rooms and half the shop in order to save money. Violet is their new tenant. Nathaniel is less than welcoming. He doesn’t want her there and he doesn’t do anything to hide his feelings. They are both keeping secrets about their pasts. They are both haunted by the mistakes of their pasts. Violet doesn’t want to be a villian. She wants to be good. Nathaniel wants to honor his parents and keep the shop as they had it even though he doesn’t really like being an apothecary.
Violet and Nathaniel keep running into each other and they begin to let the walls come down.

The beautiful cover drew me in. I was further entranced when I found out this was a cozy fantasy featuring a former villainess choosing to start over and open a flower shop next to a grumpy man who runs an apothecary. I enjoyed this book. It has dark moments but it is still a cozy fantasy. This is the authors first book and I am excited to see more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m just going to say it so no one can be disappointed when they start reading it. You are going to enjoy this book if you don’t compare it to The Spellshop. It may have the same vibes, but it’s totally different. It’s more of a cozy romance fantasy book than a cozy fantasy book. Let me explain.

This book focuses more on Violet Thistlewaite starting her life again. Violet isn’t the villain anymore, even though it’s hard to stop her villain thoughts. Thank goodness, Violet has to focus on opening her flower. She is beyond excited to open a flower shop, even if she has to deal with the cute yet grumpy alchemist, Nathaniel. 

You know I love a grumpy sunshine romance trope. And these two, Violet and Nathaniel, are grumpy sunshine trope coded, especially when they have to work together to save their quiet town. Yes, you heard it. Violet and Nathaniel have to spend time together, so we have a forced proximity trope as well. Perfect combination for a cozy romance fantasy read.

I thought this was a lot of fun to read. It’s interesting and entertaining for sure. It’s a bit of a surface level look at how you might change your life after being a villain instead of dealing with any deeper issues of it all, but it is a kind of cozy fantasy, so wasn’t necessarily expecting too deep of a sociological and psychological analysis. I do wish Violet had a little more bite as opposed to seeming entirely sweet but with a hidden temper.
The romance is well done, the supporting characters are all delightful and ultimately this is just an entertaining book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the arc.

What a delightfully fierce hug of a book! I was hooked from the opening line (seriously, I screenshotted it and sent it to a few friends immediately). In this cozy, richly detailed debut from Emily, VIOLET THISTLEWAITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE explores what it means to be good when you’ve done some awful things but want to change. The novel deals with some dark subjects, yes, but it’s all within the coziness of humor and redemption.

The plant magic that infuses the book is gorgeously detailed (and also wickedly funny - who doesn’t love a murderous plant fond of stealing sharp objects?) and builds on itself as the plot unspools. There are twists and turns, well-placed red herrings, and surprises that kept me turning page after page.

As for the romance, I will always be here for grumpy vs sunshine. And when sunshine is a recovering villain who just wants to create beautiful flowers and put her past behind her? Yes please! I adored the slow burn of Nathaniel opening up his broody heart to Violet, and the dueling shop signs had me grinning like an idiot as I read.

With a gorgeous allegory of an ending, Violet Thistlewaite will make a perfect fall read cozied up with a steaming mug of tea when it releases November 18th!

4.5 stars

I think that maybe I just really love plants, but this was incredible! I mean, how else am I supposed to react to Bartleby the murderous pothos??? I was side-eyeing my own pothos the entire time, making sure that it wasn't taking notes and snatching up my scissors...

But no, in all seriousness, this was a delightful read. I'm not sure if I'd describe it as cozy so much as warm, but it was incredible all the same. I loved the descriptions of Violet and Nathaniel's shops, there's just something about potion-crafting and plants that's so whimsical. With that being said, though, I do wish we'd gotten to see a bit more of the townspeople. One of the best things about cozy fantasies is the side characters, so I'm disappointed we only unlocked a few of them. It does seem like there's potential for spinoffs in the same world, though, so my hopes haven't been entirely dashed. Fingers crossed!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and while I don't see myself rereading it, I do see myself jumping at the chance to continue exploring this world.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, I think this was a decently solid debut. The first maybe 10-15% really had me hooked. Violet is a character that is trying so, so hard to hide her past as a villain and start over, do something for herself for once. I really appreciated her growth and her interactions with the varied townsfolk. And, initially, I did like the butting heads between Violet and Nathaniel. Nathaniel, as a character, was also really compelling. I liked seeing his struggle with his own guilt and anxiety, as well as his suppression of his own wants re: his job.

I think where I struggled beside some pacing issues was that there was a moment where it sort of felt like the initial tension between Nathaniel and Violet just... went away. Without any sort of work being done by either character. It almost felt like there was a scene missing because of how abrupt it felt to me. I would have appreciated if Nathaniel had kept kept up his distrust of Violet just a bit more into the book rather than just the pretense of it. It would have made later plot points and dramatic moments actually hit the way they were intended to, rather than falling a bit flat. And, really, this was just on Nathaniel's side of things because Violet's progression from being annoyed by him and his prickliness to seeing through to the softness underneath felt much more natural, I think.

While the writing, too, was mostly quite good, I do think the author had a tendency to rely a bit too much on metaphors back-t0-back. It wasn't to the point of them clashing in the same sentence, but they did settle a bit heavy in multiple paragraphs in a way that did get a bit tiring to read after awhile.

That being said, I see a lot of promise with this author and I think a lot of people are going to really, really enjoy this debut. Especially because Violet IS a villain and her journey to finding peace with herself is, I think, really quite well done. I just wish that the romance had hit a bit better for me because the characters were really quite vibrant.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I rounded this up to a 4! I don't usually enjoy books like this BUT I wanted to give them another shot and the title and cover were too cute to pass off. Violet being a villain, raised to me so is a trope I've seen before, but Krempholtz did a good job at not letting that trope not feel overdone.

It's a good book, even though Violet has done some dark things.

It's a cozy fantasy that does not feel TOO cozy that it almost feels like there's no plot.

📖 Book Review 📖 Emily Krempholtz puts a whole new magical spin on the notion of a green thumb in Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore. Violet Thistlewaite has spent her life using her powers for evil but like a true Scarlett O’Hara of the fantasy world, she is doing her best to turn over a new leaf. “Tomorrow, she promised herself. Tomorrow she would try again.” Tomorrows may be a little easier with some new friendly faces in this little town.. and more trying with her grumpy landlord Nathan. Emily Krempholtz creates a mystical world in Dragon’s Rest that is surprisingly relatable (though working through trauma might be amplified with supernatural proclivities). As both Violet and Nathan struggle to break free from turbulent pasts and impending threats, they might just be each other’s saving grace. Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore beautifully blends a cozy mystery, a fantastical world, generational trauma, found family, and love in the perfect blend to create a most delightful elixir for our reading pleasure.

I requested this book after seeing the cover and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. This was a wonderful cross between Assistant to the Villan and The Spellshop, both of which I loved. Magic, good villains, small town communities, sentient plants, romance and spice, and delightful pastries. What's not to love?! Thank you so much for this ARC - this was exactly what I was hoping for. Me thinks there will be a sequel!

I am a SUCKER for characters on any kind of redemption arc, and Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore is exactly the book for me! A delightfully cozy fantasy that explores redemption, second chances, and the struggle to rewrite your own story. Snatched as a child and raised to be a villain, Violet never truly wanted to be one—but what happens when the world only knows you as "Thornwitch, bane of all existence"? Now free, she’s determined to be good, settling into the quaint town of Dragon’s Rest to pursue her dream of running a flower shop. Along the way, she meets Nathaniel, a grumpy alchemist with his own regrets, and together they navigate personal growth, a magical plague, and their undeniable connection. The vivid worldbuilding, complete with three moons, quirky townsfolk, a sentient houseplant that loves sharp objects, and a rock goblin named Peri, adds warmth and whimsy to this heartfelt tale. If you’ve ever wondered what happens to someone after being labeled the villain, this book delivers a charming, hopeful answer.

Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore is a charming debut cozy fantasy that swept me away with its heartfelt story of redemption, second chances, and unexpected love. Though fantasy isn’t usually my go-to, I was completely drawn in by the author’s vivid worldbuilding—I could clearly picture the quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, its three moons, and the quirky, lovable characters who inhabit it. Violet, a former dark witch trying to start anew, and Nathaniel, a grumpy alchemist with his own regrets, made an endearing pair as they navigated personal growth, a magical plague, and their growing connection. The sentient houseplant Bartleby and Peri, the dog-like rock goblin, were delightful touches that added warmth and whimsy. A feel-good, hopeful read that left me smiling—I’d happily read this author again.

If you liked Sarah Beth Durst's "Spellshop" or other cozy romantasy, this book may be just what you're looking for.

The whimsical cover pulled me in and the easy content kept me coming back for more! This was a really great rainy weekend read for me! I absolutely loved Violets character and I really really hope the next book is a prequel because honestly- while I loved rooting for Not-Evil Violet I kind of really really want to also get to know evil violet!

Between 4 and 5 stars - but we are rounding this up because it was such a lovely, cozy read! And the cover definitely drew me in - pure magic with the cover art! From the very start, I loved how you could see the goodness inside Violet. The author does a great job throughout the book of making readers feel how much Violet wants to belong somewhere. I was definitely 100% cheering for her!
As always, the "found family" aspect is a wonderful accompaniment to the story. The side characters in the village felt very unique and real - not just paper cutouts to move along the story. There's a clever reveal as to why the villagers were always trying to nudge Violet to join them for their weekly evening hangout, I just loved that.
As far as the romance goes, there's some spicy scenes for cozy romantasy fans - I felt overall that the author did an amazing job balancing the fantasy plot and the romance back-and-forth. We've seen a LOT more cozy fantasy in the publishing world the last few years, some of it is not as well-written, but this one most definitely is! Very fulfilling ending - can we hope for another in this fantasy world? Perhaps a story of Pru going on tour as a musician? Thanks again to Ace publishers for granting my wish to read this book!

So....I read this title and a smile. I don't know why but I do. In fact, I wanted this book based solely on the title alone (the cover isn't bad....but that title!!). I suppose on some level it reminded me of Assistant to the Villain by the title. And this book is just as whimsical, crazy (in a good way) and fun as Assistant to the Villain. The FMC, Violet, was raised by a villain. Her whole life she was trained to be a villain - she was a villain; terrorizing villages, killing people and committing other crimes. But when the villain who raised her and trained her is dead Violet has a change of heart. She wants a simple life of growing plants and helping people (yeah no more killing and terrorizing for our delightful FMC!). I liked the interacting between the FMC, Violet, and her landlord (the MMC) and the way their relationship develops. Not really enemies to lovers but certainly an I-don't-like-you to a lovers situation. Even becoming allies to fight evil - the same evil Violet Thistlewaite once committed.

In short this is simply a fun read. And...I smile every single time I think about this title!!!!

I also really loved the overall message of the book. That good is not something you are, it's something you do. I will definitely read more from this author

4.25 stars. Great writing. Hooked from the first page. Great representation of trauma and familiar manipulation, and understanding we must accept our past to move forward. Highly recommend. Also, the romance in here was top notch.

I’m new to cozy fantasy and this book was everything I could have ever dreamed of. I truly can’t think of a single critique I just lived every second of this and can’t wait to see what Krempholtz does in the future. Dragon’s Rest was such a cute and charming setting and the entire cast of characters (aside from Shadowfade and Sedgwick) were so loveable and funny and their stories were so sweet.

Snatched at a young age and raised to be a villain, Violet is an interesting lead in this fun cozy read.

So often we see the underdog in books, raising up from the ashes of some village or other, and here, we have the one that made the ashes. Violet never really wanted to be a bad guy, and was more a victim of the big bad defeated before the story began, and thankfully one of the plucky heroes who took him down noticed and left her be free with a simple message. "Be good"

"Be good" becomes Violet's mantra as she works on her dream and goals, and breaking free from her past, taking the first steps towards a future not as the "Thornwitch, bane of all existance" and instead as Violet, the local florist. Almost like a reformed Poison Ivy from DC Comics. She even has a plant that likes sharp things.

I really enjoy these after the adventure type books, after reading This Will Be Fun (another good read, highly recommend checking it out!) I was hoping to find another interesting book in the same vain, and this did not disappoint. I mean, what DO you do, after 'peaking' in a fantasy setting at 20-something? Or in this case, after being declared evil incarnate for your whole life?

Recommend this one for anyone who wants to know about the other people after the heroes beat the bad guy and have their happily ever after, and the how the world adjusts to it as well.

Thank you to Berkley and to NetGalley for the ARC.