I thought this was excellent!! I loved that it was set in the universe of the first one but in a different place and with just loosely related characters. I really enjoyed the story and both of the main characters (and the many talking plants!) and I loved how the author weaves real-world implications into the books. Will definitely be continuing this series!

A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the audio version of The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst.

Although I haven’t read the first book in the series (The Spellshop), I didn’t feel lost at all while listening to this one. Durst crafts a warm-hearted fantasy set on a magical island that checks many boxes for a cozy, family-friendly read. For the most part, it was a story I felt comfortable playing in the car with my children — though we did pause a couple of times during Terlu’s reflections on her romantic frustrations.

While the plot didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat, it was the kind of book I could return to easily and enjoy zoning out with. The gentle pacing and whimsical setting made it a comforting listen, perfect for winding down or sharing with younger listeners.

So freaking cute! I think I preferred the romance and found family more in book one, but I was so pleasantly surprised when I started reading and found out who our heroine was! She's dropped in this small town and has to help save the green houses with the grumpy man whose house she has to stay in. They work together and a lot of the book is confined to mostly them, so I really loved when more people were brought in later on in the book. The magical element was fun as they worked to solve the mystery of what was happening to the greenhouses. I loved the heroine's connection with magic and watching her trust herself and learn how to wield magic from her books. I just love the settings and whimsey in this author's books and cannot wait to read more of them!

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Themes: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emotional: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑
Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A sequel to “The Spellshop” we meet Terlu, the librarian who created Caz the talking spider plant from the first book. Caught using illegal magic she was punished and sentenced to being turned into a wooden statue to serve as a warning to all, not to use magic.

While she is still “alive” and hears what is going on while she is a statue, she is put into storage of the Great Library. She fears this is where she will spend the rest of her days.

But one day she wakes up in a nearly deserted island in the cold snow where she sees hundreds of magical greenhouses. She meets a grumpy gardener who was sent the statue and was given a spell to recite to bring Terlu back to life. He is under the impression that since she created Caz she is a sorcerer who can help save his failing greenhouses.

He is disappointed when he finds out she is “just” a librarian who used illegal magic to bring a plant to life because she was lonely. He offers her a place to stay, clean clothes, and food and she is surprised he is willing to help her, when she can be of no help to him.

Terlu finds out that the greenhouses were created by a long dead sorcerer whose magic is failing now that he is not around. She decides to use his notes to uncover why the magical greenhouses are failing.

Through this process Terlu finds new friends, and realizes she has a second chance at life. This is such a sweet and cozy romance, full of funny moments of awkwardness and finding oneself. I definitely recommend to anyone who wants to read a clean romance. I actually listened to the audiobook version narrated by Caitlin Davies. She did a wonderful job. Her voice inflicts so many different emotions where needed. She has a magical quality to her voice that fits with the story.

This is a second installment in the Spellshop series. It combines what we learned in the first book and embellishes on it in the second,
I have to give a thumbs up high five to the narrator of the audio books. You do a great job! Very enjoyable to listen to while I get lesson plans ready for the students and my daily chores.
Terlu has a history you might remember, she was the poor librarian that turned to stone for using magic to make a familiar plant into an equal.
By some fate she has been sent to an island where she is magically awakened to find herself with a very cute gardener and a lot of magic going on. One thing she is not certain of is how she got there or why her sentence was cut short for her punishment.

This cute story tells how Terlu must help this island and save it with the help of this handsome gardener and his many magical creatures.

I hate giving away spoilers so just read it. Not too spicy for sensitive readers, but it does touch on politics and sensitive subjects.

This was such a delightful second book to the Spellshop! We follow Kaz’s creator on a nearly empty island of enchanted greenhouses and one gardner.

The plot and connection to the first book were so enjoyable. The grumpy gardener, talking plants, and overall feel of this book was so cozy and lovable. If you enjoyed The Spellshop, you’ll love this. You can even read it as a standalone if you didn’t read The Spellshop. The sentient plants were my favorite.

(4.5 ⭐️ rounded up )

This is a cute cozy fantasy story. An abandoned island filled with greenhouses and a lonely gardener. I loved the entire storyline. I loved Terlu and Yarrow, along with the whole host of plant friends. This story had me grinning ear to ear. And dare I say that I loved this one even more than its predecessor. I really hope there is an another book in this series. These books make me want to curl up on my couch with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket and a dog.

I love the narrator of this series. She does the voices very well and she’s easy to listen to even on 2.0 speed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Beth Durst, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to review this book.

Loved this followup that wasn't fully a follow up, and it was a great and cozy world and set of characters... loved the mysterious world and the great emotional depth and expanded building

I ended up not finishing this book. I personally found it a little bit slow and uninteresting. I did read the first book and thought it was cool that you kind of get a timeline in reference to the events happening in the Kingdom that are also happening at the same time as the first book. In regards to the revolution. But overall I was not interested enough to continue listening to the audiobook.

I did not leave a written review on any platform so there is no review link.

3 stars

This was cute! I definitely loved book 1 a bit more, but they both just put me in a such good mood! I definitely would rec if you want a super silly and sweet story.

I did officially decide to DNF this book at 72%

I want to be clear: I did not find issue with the story nor the writing. I found both to be lovely and whimsical. For some reason, I just found myself slowly losing interest. I do not know if it was timing or what, but if I do choose to restart this book in the future, I will come to update this review.

I am giving this 4 stars because I think that’s a very fair assessment of how I was going to rate the book up until I started losing interest.

<b>4.5⭐</b>

At first, I wasn't in the right headspace for this one, but I'm glad I pushed on because once I settled into the rhythm, I really enjoyed this cozy-adjacent fantasy romance.

It’s fairly slow-moving, and there were a couple of parts plot-wise that dragged just a bit, but in retrospect, everything felt necessary to the story. It wasn’t a deal-breaker for me, and the pace of the romance specifically? Spot-on.

The timing of the romantic ‘dance’ they did was perfect. How Terlu and Yarrow moved together, when they were apart, it all worked seamlessly. No contrived dramatic fight or years-long separation. The drama was external. I love stories that are “us vs. the problem” rather than “me vs. you vs. your ex vs. the world.” And these two presented a united front.

They also encouraged growth in each other in a way that feels grounded and healing. Even when Yarrow is having extra big problems with his family, he's still present with Terlu.

As for Terlu, at the beginning of the story she felt very “blank canvas," like an avatar for the reader with little personality of her own. That did not last and she blossomed over the course of the narrative.

And most notably, the author seems to have a deep grasp of human nature and that comes through in the writing. Even quiet moments have a resonant emotional core, and this feels born of Durst’s genuine understanding of people.

<b>Audio-Specific 🎧:</b> Caitlin Davies does a good job with this one (as ever!) I did increase the default speed, which is pretty common for me these days. An interesting note: I’d mentioned in my review of her performance in The Executioners Three that the over-enunciation of certain words felt purposeful, but after this one I realized that's just how she reads. It's not a bad thing, just noticeable.

<b>📌 TL;DR: </b> A slow-moving, sweet romance that has a few nice worldbuilding surprises you won't expect.

This story returns us to the world of The Spellbook. While it can be enjoyed as a standalone, it does reference events and characters from the first book. We follow Terlu, who was condemned to life as a statue after unlawfully creating a sentient spider plant named Caz. The twist is that she remained awake and aware during her time as a statue. Eventually, someone rescues her, and she finds herself on an island with just one other occupant, Yarrow. Yarrow is a gardener and the sole caretaker of a vast, enchanted collection of greenhouses. After the sorcerer who maintained these greenhouses passed away, Yarrow needs Terlu's help to save the plants.

Along the way, the story introduces a variety of sentient plants, tiny dragons, and bat cats, along with some elements of romance. Similar to the first book, this story falls into the Romantasy genre, but it is undeniably cozy cottage-core fantasy. Although there is more yearning and romance in this tale, these elements are not the central focus. Instead, the narrative centers on themes of forgiveness, acceptance, healing from trauma, and discovering one's true place in the world.

The sentient plants, especially Lottie, also reflect this journey, having to grow beyond their trust issues after the person they relied on most forced them into a state of hibernation. I appreciated the callbacks to characters from the first book; weaving familiar names and personalities into this story really helps connect the two worlds. I hope for a future story where all the characters can meet.

The narrator does a fantastic job, especially with the talking plants, each of which has a life of its own. This is a heartwarming story filled with a small amount of adventure and an abundance of emotional depth.

Absolutely adorable. I love this so much. Such a sweet and cozy story. The love story was so heartwarming and I laughed out loud a lot too while reading this. Perfect cozy magical romance.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance listener copy! I loved the narrator and the book was very well written! Such a great plot and characters- don’t know which I enjoyed more- this one or Spell Shop!

The Enchanted Greenhouse was a cute read. I really liked the narrator. She did bring the talking plants to life. Although this book had elements of a romance, I would not consider this a romance.. It’s a cute, cozy fantasy. I do have the first one that I have yet to read and this book peaked my interest a little bit more to pick it up.

I actually just cried over a spider plant. This book was so cute and cozy. I loved everything about it. My favorite part was all the greenhouses, especially because I work in greenhouses. The intricacies of each greenhouse and the way Sarah paints them. GOD. And all the crumbs from the Spellshop, and even all the hints pointing towards the next book. I love this little world she’s created. I’d read a thousand books in this series. The sentient plants have the be my favorite part. They’re always so full of personality and they make me laugh. I loved everything that they included the bit at the end with Kiela and Caz’s book. Hopefully we can see a reunion in the future for Caz and Terlu. DENDY! I loved him too, when we thought he died I almost cried… OVER A PLANT!!! I don’t even know what else to say because it was the perfect cozy fantasy read!!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for this advanced listening copy!!!

I loved this enchanting book with enchanting characters - it was so cozy.

I really enjoyed *The Spellshop* and was excited to dive back into this world with *The Enchanted Greenhouse*. This setting was just as cozy as the first book and, dare I say, even more magical. I love the idea of a magical greenhouse. All of the characters were so lovable - Terlu, specifically, is such a delight. As an introvert, the plot and setting of this is a dream. The idea of ending up on a remote island with several spelled greenhouses, a large house full of books, and magical creatures and plants to keep me company is enough for me to die happy. But throw in a handsome and sweet person that loves to cook and bake and I truly don’t think I need anything else. Unlike me, though, Terlu has a tenacity and well of knowledge that makes her perfect for helping the greenhouses with their magic.

I loved meeting each new character and watching the friendships, family relationships, and romance grow. The ups and downs were perfect in the sense that they felt important for the character growth but weren’t high enough stakes that I ever had that sinking feeling making this a great cozy read. There’s mystery as well, that kept me turning the pages.

It looks like there’s a third book in this series coming that I am so excited to read. I highly recommend this as an audiobook. The narrator is wonderful and brings each character to life. It’s super easy to get lost in the story and forget this is only one person you are listening to.

3.75 stars - audiobook ALC

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC!

The enchanted greenhouse is a cute standalone sequel to The Spellshop, perfect for those that love cozy fantasy.
This book is bubbly and sugar sweet in character and writing. Sarah Beth Durst creates an array of characters, both human, magical, that are energetic countering the gruff gardener. It works on its own in addition to its spin-off “sequel” of The Spellshop feel good.

I felt a bit lukewarm on this one (compared to The Spellshop). This follows the majority of general cozy fantasy tropes that I’ve encountered 1.baking, 2.side character cat that doesn’t do much, 3.found family, 3.opening a store (In this case everyone keeps moving to this island) which isn’t bad, it’s just not engaging me as quickly. This story continued an issue I had with is predecessor in how much Terlu consistently voiced how she doesn’t want to get caught by the authorities every other page. Its repetitiveness made it hard to connect to her as she is only POV. In general, this book follows a very similar plot to The Spell Shop, but in a more laid back setting. If you’re looking for a continuation of world building from the bit seen in The Spellshop, you won’t see that here. The island Terlu lands on is very isolated and deserted island with limited connection to the outside world.

The audiobook’s narrator, Caitlin Davies, does an excellent job bringing to life Terlu and the other inhabitants of the island. Her voice for Terlu matches her energy and the story in general. The organization has a general and easy to understand flow both audiobook and text. My only gripe is a personal preference in that the energetic voice used for both Terlu and Cassie—albeit matching their personalities—drained my socialization battery from just listening especially passages where they were conversing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

The Spellshop was one of my favorite fantasies last year so I was excited to see The Enchanted Greenhouse set in the same world. You don’t have to read The Spellshop first, but I think you will be more comfortable with the setting if you do. (Plus it’s such a wonderful, cozy fantasy.) This book follows Terlu Perna, who created the beloved Caz, a sentient spider plant that simply dominated my fascination with The Spellshop. For practicing this forbidden magic, Terlu was punished and turned into a statue banished to a reading room in the library of Alyssium.

This story truly begins when Terlu is brought back to life in a strange place under circumstances that she eventually comes to believe may have been some misunderstanding since the only other human around is a grumpy gardener inhabiting an island filled with magical greenhouses that are deteriorating. He sent for help and in return received her statue indicating that she was a sorceress who could heal the greenhouses, while Terlu has no idea what has transpired in the kingdom nor what happened to Caz.

This story is filled with many plant characters that I came to love dearly. Not to mention a grumpy gardener with a complicated family of yet more eccentric personalities. It’s a cozy fantasy that I found inspiring and heartwarming. I primarily listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Caitlin Davies. She did a splendid job with Terlu and all the fascinating characters in this cozy fantasy, just as she did with The Spellshop. I didn’t want to let this world go and hope there is more to come!

Recommended to fantasy lovers for a light, uplifting read.