Thanks for NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC of Sarah Beth Durst's newest cozy, stand-alone novel, The Enchanted Greenhouse. The magical narration was provided by Caitlin Davies (the same narrator of The Spellshop).

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. Before she can find her way home, she must decide if "home" is where she really wants to be. But before she think of herself, she is challenged with saving the island. This will require her newly found family to explore the island's mysteries and unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer — only then can she have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

This warm and delightful second-chance novel is the feel-good book readers have been waiting for. With nods to The Spellshop, readers will be gifted with sweet characters (even if they start out grumpy), beautifully described settings, and a story that reminds readers to never give up on themselves or others because happiness could be just around the next corner - or in the next greenhouse.

Do NOT miss this next cozy fantasy from bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst. She has done it again!

This book was just as good if not even better than The Spellshop. The characters were fantastic and felt very relatable. The audiobook narrator did an amazing job bringing them to life. I would absolutely read anything else set in this world

What a delightful time! This story is like all my little girl imaginings. We have a main character who went through a statue phase, sentient plants including singing ones, a wizard-created garden island, and the cutest pollinating dragons. Terlu is a bit anxious about helping the greenhouses with magic, which is well-justified since she's only recently been released from a punishment for using magic.

I thought a little sprinkle of sentient plant with Caz was enough. There are a lot more sentient plants in this one, and it takes a second to get used to. I liked Terlu and Yarrow's relationship! They've both been through a lot and found true partners in each other. The scene where everyone had to unite together to save some plants made me cry! Definitely a good cozy read.

I listened to the audiobook and thought Caitlin Davies did a great job!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this eARC.

I received an ALC for review. In terms of the audiobook quality the production and narration is very well done. You can tell the narrator is really giving a performance, complete with making voices for the characters.

In terms of the book itself, it’s a loosely interconnected standalone to The Spellshop. The highlight of the prior book was the talking plant Caz. The Individual responsible and punished for his creation is the FMC of this book and follows what happened to her. As the book is called the enchanted greenhouse, I don’t think it’s a stretch or a spoiler to say there’s many more plants involved in this book. This definitely is a cosy fantasy and was just missing something to get to the next star for me personally.

3.5 average rounded up to 4.

The Enchanted Greenhouse marks my third Durst book.  I first met Durst’s writing in 2020 in Race the Sands.  I loved it.  Naturally, I hoped The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse would be similar at least in terms of writing vibe, but they’re just not.  Aside from the fact that they’re cozy romantasy, they contrast in essence also.  Durst’s narrative voice in Race the Sands felt more genuine, but it seems the newer books in The Spellshop series attempt to get a piece of the romantasy/cozy fantasy train before it stops at the station or just runs out of track.

The Enchanted Greenhouse can serve as a standalone in the universe, but we still have glimpses of characters from The Spellshop.  Readers will also see magic used quite a bit more than in the first, and the coziness factor gets turned down quite a bit.  In fact, I feel the stakes in this story may be too high for what I would consider “cozy.”  One can have cozy settings and atmosphere in high-stakes fantasy, but that doesn’t make it a cozy fantasy.

I do like some of the concepts put forward in the Spellshop series.  In particular, talking flora once had a sinister connotation for me by way of Little Shop of Horrors, but they're wonderful companions with quirky personalities in this book. In fact, the Plant Group's dynamics bolster the narrative's attempt at a cozy atmosphere and story.

Davies' narrative style and voice match the cozy genre, but I wish TEG would have had a different narrator to correlate with the new main characters this book follows. As that's my only serious criticism, and it really only has to do with the publisher's choice and not the performance, it doesn't affect the rating overall.

Overall, 3/5 for the story and 4/5 for the narration. Durst can craft good stories, but I prefer those that don't fit into repetitive genre boxes and wipe out an author's creative voice and individual talents. Davies' voice fits the cozy fantasy niche almost perfectly. Perhaps that's where my 4 comes in, as the pitch goes much too high and gives of excessive squeak for my taste.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

With its dreamy, whimsical and magical worldbuilding and heartwarming/unique characters the Enchanted Garden is like getting a warm hug from a book. This is the second book in an interconnect standalone series set in the same world as the Spellshop. I loved that this book was not only magically charged, enchanting, heartwarming, and charming but also filled with mystery and secrets. Told through 3rd person POV the book is about our FMC Terlu a Liberian, turned into a wooden statue as punished for using forbidden/illegal magic to awaken a sentient spider plant named Caz to be her friend. Six years later Terlu awakens on a deserted island with no explanation on how or why she is there. Soon she discovers a magical greenhouse and our MMC Yarrow, the grumpy gardener. Terlu learns that Yarrow has brought her to the island as a last ditch effort to save the greenhouse from dying and in order to do that he needs her help to determine what is causing the magic in the greenhouses to fail. Terlu has to decide if she wants to face her fears of using magic again and possibly being punished or embracing magic to help Yarrow save the greenhouses with the use of spells from the former/departed sorcerer who created the greenhouse. What follows is an amazing story filled with mystery, friendship, healing and a second chance at life. I absolutely loved the sentient plants, especially Lottie, as well as Emerald the winged cat. I thought that the sweet banter, yearning, and slow burn romance between Terlu and Yarrow was chef's kiss. This book will have you asking yourself not only what can be done to save the green house but will Terlu finally find the acceptance and true happiness she so desperately wants. Caitlin Davies did an amazing job narrating this book and absolutely brought this book and its characters to life! I highly recommend the audio version of this book as well.

The enchanted greenhouse

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced readers copy of The Enchanted Greenhouse audiobook!

I spent quite a while thinking about what to put in this review, but honestly, my thoughts on it are quite simple: 10/10.

If you liked the first book (The Spellshop), you’ll love this one. It’s got the same whimsical feel to it, the same level of world building, and the romance is more developed in this one. I also loved how we got another FMC who is dealing with things most women are shamed for dealing with (the spellshop was quite a few things, but neurodivergence in particular, this one was loneliness).

The narration was perfect. Caitlin Davies has the perfect voice for this series. It was always 100% clear when something changed with the perspective (switching from internal thoughts to dialogue, switching from character to character, etc), which is not always easy to do.

The ONE note I have is: it was a tiny bit repetitive, we did hear Terlus internal thoughts say the same thing a couple of times. But outside of that, I loved it.

Absolutely LOVED this cozy story! It was so fun to explore what happened to Caz's creator, Terlu, who was turned into a wooden statue as punishment for doing magic. Terlu's exploration of the greenhouses and getting to know the grumpy gardener, Yarrow, was an adventure. This story is complete with cozy tea, sentient plants, magnificent animals, a sweet love story, and building connections.

Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 4.5⭐️
Plot: 4⭐️
Themes: 3.5⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Overall rating: 3.75/5⭐️

A cozy comfort whimsical fantasy. I loved the imagery and imagination Sarah Durst has when creating her fantastical worlds. She has this ability to draw readers in with her captivating storytelling and vivid, picturesque imagery. This story is filled with unique characters, a heartfelt story and second chance. From the sanctuary of the magical greenhouses to the vivid descriptions of tiny dragons and an unlikely friendship between a winged cat and a sentient rose this story has it all.

Tropes: second chance & found family

Synopsis: Set in the same world as The Spellshop we follow our FMC Terlu Perna a librarian who once cast an unlawful spell and is then turned into a wooden statue. She awakes years later on an island with hundreds of magical greenhouses.

I wanted to love this . . . . .but I just didn’t.

I will say that I think that people will love this. However I am not sure if I just wasn’t in the mood or maybe I have moved away from cozy romances for the future. I might try it again in a couple months.

I did really enjoy the narration.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sarah Beth Durst and audio for their ALC

The Enchanted Greenhouse was a cozy, warm hug of a book. I love the soft romance between Terlu and Yarrow that develops, but the highlight is absolutely the magical gardening. The spell work Terlu uncovers as well as the logistics of crafting magic greenhouses that can recreate far off biomes was excellent. Yarrow’s baking as a subplot also shined - I’m a sucker for a baked good. Durst has a wonderful imagination that populated the island of Beld with all sorts of whimsical creatures, plants, and people. Terlu’s mental growth over time was well handled but occasionally repetitive, and I sometimes wondered if I’d accidentally gone back a couple chapters. Aside from that, this was yet another installment of sweet found family and the desire to help those in need.

This was by far, one of my top five books of the year in 2025. Though I did not read The Spellshop which seems to be an accompanying novel, they certainly are independent of each other and can fully stand alone, It is so cute, cozy, and heartfelt, that I really loved every minute of it.

Terlu was a librarian who accidently (on purpose) broke the law of using magic because she was lonely. She had a hard time making and keeping friends so she makes a spider plant sentient. We learn this is a reference to The Spellshop which has a sentient spider plant named Caz which is adorable. Caz is sent away but Terlu is punished and made an example of by being turned into a wooden statue.

A few years later, she finds herself being turned back into a human and in front of an enormous greenhouse surrounded by snow. She does not know who returned her to her human state or why but she is grateful. She does eventually find Yarrow who is the soul gardener and a bit grumpy. It seems as though the magic may be fading or changing or even being sabotaged as greenhouses start to fail and now Terlu has to try and use the bit of magic she was able to learn to try and save the remaining greenhouses.

There's a bit of cozy romance and lots of cozy fantasy. There are talking plants, grumpy sunshine, and lots of magic. I don't want to say too much because I want you to pick this up and read it as soon as you can.

Welcome to The Enchanted Greenhouse.

I want to climb inside this magical cottage core dream of a book. The Enchanted Greenhouse is a cozy hug with beautiful imagery, fantastic characters, and just the right amount of humor. Think winged cats, talking plants, a magical private island, and tiny dragons. The characters are warm and lovable, especially the side characters who made me laugh and tear up all at the same time. Speaking of characters, a green flag MMC? No, Yarrow is an entire greenhouse. This was my first time reading anything by Sarah Beth Durst and I will IMMEDIATELY be grabbing the Spellshop now.

Description: Terlu, a librarian, breaks the law forbidding the unauthorized casting of spells by creating a magically sentient spider plant due to her loneliness. Her punishment? To be turned into a statue. Years later, she wakes on a nearly-deserted island full of magical greenhouses and soon meets the lone, prickly gardener in need of someone trained in magic to help save his beloved plants. 

This book is a standalone but is set in the same world as @sarahbethdurst 's previous title, The Spellshop. Trust me, you do not need to have read The Spellshop to jump headfirst into The Enchanted Greenhouse and fall in love with this world. 🖤

Genres: Second Chance, Grumpy x Sunshine, Forbidden Magic, Found family, (Light) Forced Proximity

What a cozy, vibrant read! The Enchanted Greenhouse is absolutely brimming with charm. Sarah Beth Durst’s writing is rich and descriptive, you can practically smell the flowers, feel the sunshine, and see every magical, beautiful detail spring to life. This story is full of heart, exploring second chances, complicated family dynamics, and the journey of finding "home" and self. There's even a sweet sprinkle of romance to round things out.

Caitlin Davies does a wonderful job narrating, adding warmth and whimsy that really bring the characters and setting to life.

My only issue is that the story sometimes felt a little repetitive, and the ending dragged on more than I would have liked. Still, it’s a delightful read that feels like curling up in a sun drenched greenhouse...lush, comforting, and filled with wonder.

I really liked the narrator for this series so far, I think she does a really great job for each character in both books.

This book was just as cute as the first one with another really likable main character and cute animal and plant sidekicks. I liked Yarrow and his softness beneath a rough exterior and how he is pretty much the exact opposite of Lorran.

This is like a cozy cottage hallmark movie all in a single book and I loved it. I also loved getting a little bit of peace of mind for Kiela, from book one even though we seen her get a happy ending already. Honestly if she releases another I would love to read it, you can go wrong with animal and plant sidekicks with magic.

I loved popping back over to the world of “The Spellshop” for another cozy, magical adventure!

While it isn’t required to have read “The Spellshop” first, the books are connected through this one’s lovable main character, Terlu Perna (you may remember her as the one who brought Caz the sentient spider plant to life).

Terlu - formerly turned into a statue for using magic illegally - finds herself suddenly human again on an unfamiliar island that houses a huge, magical greenhouse. There she meets the gardener, Yarrow, who needs her help to rescue the failing greenhouse and the beloved plants within it.

I’m newish to cozy fantasy and don’t always enjoy the slower plots, but I feel like Durst’s take on the genre is universally enjoyable. She vividly creates places I desperately want to visit and makes sure to balance the relatively low stakes with plot points that still draw you in and make you care.

As a plant girlie, I was itching to explore more greenhouses and sometimes felt like certain plot points got repetitive or drawn out too long, but it didn’t detract too much from the story as a whole. The voice actor was also very talented and engaging, and I felt like she brought the charm of it to life.

With a sprinkling of heartwarming messages of self-acceptance, a dollop of romance, a heaping cup of “men who cook,” and a tiiiiny pinch of the supernatural, I think if this book was a honey cake it would put Yarrow’s to shame.

(And I’d like to personally request a story for every single one of the Crescent Islands, please and thank you.)

Thanks a ton to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC of this book.

📖 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙝 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙝 𝘿𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙩
🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙨

This audiobook/story was the definition of a cozy, whimsical fantasy! I loved Sarah’s first book The Spellshop and this one tied into that story so well! ✨

Caitlin Davies was flipping phenomenal in her narration. I highly recommend consuming this story via audio!

The characters were so fun! Terlu is the lonely librarian that used magic to create a sentient spider plant named Caz. She was convicted of magic use and harshly punished.

When she wakes up years later trembling in the snow she’s so confused! Luckily she stumbles upon an enchanted greenhouse surrounded in mystery, a solo gardener and a winged cat named Emerald.

Every moment spent describing the unique greenhouses and the plants created such a vibrant scene! The author put so much care into capturing readers and bringing them along for the journey.

All of the sentiment plants were so unique in their personalities, I loved them!

The plot was fun and unique. I truly enjoyed how everything played out! I will 1000% be reading/listening to future stories by Sarah Beth Durst because I have loved both of her stories so far!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✨ 𝘊𝘰𝘻𝘺 & 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭
❄️ 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 & 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺
☀️ 𝘎𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺 𝘹 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦
🔥 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
💗 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
🌷𝘚𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘺 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Much like its predecessor, The Spellshop, The Enchanted Greenhouse promises a low-stakes romantic cozy fantasy with a guaranteed happy ending. It is no surprise that it delivers, with the familiar elements of humor, good food, and found family that were so prevalent in the first book.

This book deals with a character mentioned in the first book–the creator of the talking Spider Plant–but otherwise all characters are new. The two main characters are each dealing with their own traumas (themes of abandonment, family estrangement, loneliness, etc), but the author takes a light hand with these elements. While it would be easy (and very appropriate in a different kind of book) to really get into the grit of these kinds of traumas and grief, The Enchanted Greenhouse touches on them without going too deeply. You can expect a book where the characters are safe to be vulnerable and will eventually receive the validation and closure that they need. Is this true to real life? No. But then, neither is magic and talking plants.

All characters were instantly likeable and sweet, and the light tone made this an incredibly relaxing read/listen. The narrator has an engaging and lighthearted style that matches the tone of the book perfectly, and it feels very much like being read a bedtime story.

If you enjoyed The Spellshop, you will love this audiobook and meeting the new characters within it. A fantastic way to wind down the summer.

Oh so cozy!

The Enchanted Greenhouse is miles better than The Spellshop in my opinion. The greenhouse itself is much more interesting than the spellshop and this story moved along at a better pace. Yarrow and Terlu were adorable and I loved how we got Terlu as a character considering all we heard about her in the first book. I would definitely read a third book set in this cozy world.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audiobook.

This is the coziest, most fantastical, cutest series. Such a comfort read. Like this is about a couple of people growing fond of each other while they try to save some plants and I was so invested.

This story opens with a spider plant on trial and I knew then that I didn't stand a chance against its charm. Never mind the grumpy gardener, adorably awkward librarian, winged cat and many, many sentient plants. This is the kind of world you just sorta want to settle into and remain there as long as possible.

Also, I adore Caitlin Davies, and definitely don't get to hear her narration enough. I love that she's the narrator for this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. This was a delight.