Skip to main content

Member Reviews

Sarah Beth Durst’s sequel in The Enchanted Greenhouse is equally as magical and cute as the Spellshop.
Terlu is the greater of our fave sentient spider plant who was sentenced into being a statue. In this story Terlu comes into herself to be a stronger version of herself.

This cast of plants characters were so fun and Yarrow is a good counterpoint to Terlu.

If you were a fan of The Spellshop then you will for sure enjoy this story. Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Beth Durst and Macmillan Audio for this audio arc for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

This book definitely was one of my most anticipated reads and well it did not disappointed at all.
The audio was great and the narrator did an amazing job with the voices the characters. It was easy to follow the story and the characters thru it .
The story it was so good. Loved that is concentrated on Terlu , obviously since the first book you are left wondering more about her and what happened after the library burns.
I really enjoyed the cozy feeling. I liked all the plants and obviously our gardener. The way they both complement each other personality and how they help each other to heal. It was very well done. I definitely enjoyed immensely and I hope we can get more from this world.

Was this review helpful?

3.5/5 stars!
If you enjoyed The Spellshop, you’ll enjoy The Enchanted Greenhouse (and there are a few nice connections between them). It has the exact same charming, wholesome, cottagecore, cozy fantasy vibes without a very intense plot. If you’re a cozy fantasy lover, this is the PERFECT cozy fantasy book for late Winter/early Spring. Sarah Beth Durst’s writing really activates all 5 of your senses, and I’d love to live in this world! The only reason I didn’t rate this book higher is because it’s not very gripping or fast paced. Simply put, not much happens. But to be fair, these books are all about easy escapism, which they definitely provide!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Macmillan Audio, NetGalley & author Sarah Beth Durst for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This story is like a fairytale for grownups. With lovable characters, talking plants, an enchanted greenhouse and the undercurrents of a romance, it is the definition of cozy fantasy.

Caitlin Davies did a fantastic job with the narration. From our lovable main character Terlu, to the grumpy but endearing gardener Yarrow. Davies also voices an entire cast of sentient plants enhancing each of their personalities with changes in pitch, tone and cadence.

If you are looking for a book that feels like a warm hug, this is a great pick! 4.25/5 star read for me.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book!! Sooo cute and whimsical! It's just as good as the first book if not better! Cute, comfy, and cozy... a great series!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book more than the first! It was such a sweet cozy story. There is small references about the first book but it is not necessary to read this book but I do recommend because that’s a great read as well. Both characters are super sweet and I love the connection they grow together

Was this review helpful?

This was a wonderful fantasy book. It was hopeful and had mystery and romance and everything you could want. I liked that it wasn’t a war fantasy (although I like those novels too) because this book just felt uplifting and happy overall even though the journey for the characters wasn’t easy. The relationship between the main characters was so perfect. The tension was there and the relationship felt right throughout the whole journey.
The narrator did a spectacular job bringing the characters and stories to life and built a wondrous world with simply her voice and the author’s words.

Was this review helpful?

Terlu broke a law by performing a spell to create a sentient plant. Her punishment was to be made into a statue. One day she realizes she's alive again and on a remote island that is filled with magical greenhouses and a grumpy gardener

Except she realizes the gardener isn't really grumpy and that the magic on the greenhouses is breaking, one greenhouse at a time. Together, they have to figure out how to save the greenhouses. This is a great cozy novel about forgiveness and love. The narrator does an excellent job!

Was this review helpful?

this was a cozy good time. i really enjoyed the narrators on this one and the story was so fun!! i really enjoyed it

Was this review helpful?

x♾️
what an amazing book. I felt transported into this magical world. the writing and narration had me feeling like I was walking through the magical world with Terlu. I want to crawl inside the pages and live with Terlu and Yarrow and the enchanted plants. I'm obsessed with this book. The descriptions of the enchanted greenhouses made me feel like I was there. Amazing. I'm in awe of the writer. Cozy Fantasy at its best.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the gifted ALC of The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Beth Durst has created a delightfully whimsical world in The Enchanted Greenhouse—a heartwarming tale brimming with magic, charm, and just the right touch of romance.
At the center of the story are Terlu and Yarrow, two gentle souls whose love story unfolds with the softness of a blooming flower. Their romance is slow-burn in the most satisfying way—tender, thoughtful, and filled with mutual respect. Watching them open up to one another through shared purpose and quiet moments is as soothing as a cup of tea in a sunlit garden.
But it’s not just the romance that enchants. Sentient plants lean in to listen and share their moods. A regal, winged cat flits between rafters with knowing eyes. Mischievous dragonflies sparkle in the air like living jewels. And tiny dragons nestle among the leaves, puffing wisps of smoke and personality in equal measure. Each creature and magical element is lovingly described, making the world feel not just vivid, but alive.
Durst’s writing is cozy without ever being overly sweet. There’s humor, warmth, and a beautiful undercurrent of emotional healing as Terlu and Yarrow grow not only closer to each other, but to themselves and the magical place they call home.
The Enchanted Greenhouse is the literary equivalent of a warm hug and a walk through a fairytale garden. If you’re looking for a gentle, uplifting story filled with heart, enchantment, and a menagerie of utterly adorable magical creatures, this book will leave you smiling long after you turn the final page.

🎧 Narrated by: Caitlin Davies

The audiobook edition of The Enchanted Greenhouse is an absolute treat, made all the more magical by Caitlin Davies’ outstanding narration. With warmth and precision, Davies breathes life into Sarah Beth Durst’s whimsical world, capturing every tender moment, every flicker of wonder, and every spark of quiet romance between Terlu and Yarrow.
Davies has a particular gift for character voice work. She gives each character their own distinct tone and rhythm—Terlu’s gentle strength, Yarrow’s grounded warmth, and the lively personalities of the many magical creatures that fill the greenhouse. From the regal winged cat to the precious miniature dragons, even the sentient plants feel vividly real thanks to her expressive delivery.
What truly sets this performance apart is how naturally Davies captures the cozy, enchanting atmosphere of the story. Her pacing is spot on, giving listeners time to savor the lush descriptions and emotional beats. Whether it’s a soft conversation between Terlu and Yarrow or a moment of wonder as magical dragonflies shimmer through the air, she makes you feel as if you’re right there among the vines and glowing blossoms.
The production quality is also excellent—crisp, clean, and immersive without ever being distracting. Background noise is nonexistent, and the sound levels are perfectly balanced, making for a smooth, pleasant listening experience
Caitlin Davies’ narration transforms The Enchanted Greenhouse into something truly special. If you're looking for a cozy, magical escape with a gentle romance and an unforgettable cast of magical beings, this audiobook is an absolute must-listen.

Was this review helpful?

3 Stars ✨

Cozy Cottagecore Fantasy

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Spellshop by this author, and could not wait to read another book from this world. Unfortunately, this one was not as good to me as the first. We get new characters in this installment, and honestly I felt like Enchanted Greenhouse was just a copy of The Spellshop. It had the same world, same set up for romance, and same plot elements. The FMC in this installment was very high energy and often repeated herself. I couldn’t connect with her. I did love the greenhouse and all the talking plants! I just wished I liked this one as much as the first.

The narrator for this book was Caitlin Davies. She did a good job overall, but when it came to the main character, and certain “plants” - her voice was extremely high pitched and listening to this, especially with ear buds, made me constantly have to adjust the volume. That was a bit annoying and did hinder my listening experience. 3/5 stars for 🎧 narration.

Overall sweet, cute, clean and cozy read, just not my favorite.

Was this review helpful?

The sentient spider plant that we love from The Spellshop gets a little backstory in The Enchanted Greenhouse.
It feels like a prequel since we follow Terlu, she’s the librarian who created Kaz and worked at the Alyssium library prior to Keila from Spellshop. We also get a little more backstory on the revolution that was going on.
It was lovely revisiting this world and all of its whimsy. It had many elements that I loved from The Spellshop, the talking plants, the beautiful mental imagery and the super sweet storyline.
There was also a grumpy/sunshine romance which I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of. I don’t find it appealing when men are emotionally stunted or can’t communicate. I wanted to focus on Terlu and all the fun she was having in this winter wonderland, forget that man and his inability to use his words.

It’s set in the winter with some winter solstice preparations so this would be the perfect book for the colder months if you’re a mood reader. This was a super cute “full circle moment” for the readers who loved The Spellshop as much as I did.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this arc and allowing me to provide my honest feedback.

Was this review helpful?

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

When Terlu broke the law and created a sentient spider plant, she didn't think she would be punished to the law's fullest extent. She was turned into a statue, never expecting to ever be free again... and then she wakes up in an enchanted greenhouse. Terlu can't believe her luck, until the resident grumpy gardener on the pretty much deserted island tells her that the green houses are failing, killing all the plants inside. Terlu knows she'll have to use magic again and is afraid of the consequences, especially since last time ended with her becoming a statue. The only difference is, this time? She'll have her friends with her to help. Alongside the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu will have to unravel the secrets of the sorcerer who created the greenhouses and figure out the spells and enchantments he used in order to save them before it's too late.

I mean, let's be real, what's not to love about an almost deserted island with hundreds of greenhouses that are all magical? I'm not surprised Terlu wakes up and is like yeah I'm not leaving. I loved everything about this book. We got to see Caz in book one, and now we finally get to meet Terlu who created the sentient spider plant. The relationship between her and Yarrow was so sweet. There's just something about the grumpyXsunshine Trope that I love so much, and not only is it so well done here, but with Yarrow being the quiet introvert it was nice to see Terlu bring him out of his shell and really let his character shine. I love the sentient rose and how ridiculous she is from the moment we meet her. I loved the flying cat -- I thought that was a cute little companion for them. I really liked all the sentient plants and the way that magic is depicted here felt different from book one because she's already been punished for using magic, and to see her push through those fears of being caught again to help really showed her character as somebody who is willing to help a friend no matter what. I found her to be overall kind and a little too bubbly at times, but I loved it. This is definitely one of my favorite cozy fantasies and so far this series has been an absolute hit for me.

Was this review helpful?

over all this was a good listen, its sweet & cozy (a little too cozy at times truthfully.) but it was a nice stress relief listen in between a different more stressful book.

the narrator did a wonderful job helping to bring this book to life a bit. while i find that “cozy fantasy” may not be my thing, it is still a lovely book.

i personally found this book to be a tad too similar to “the spellshop” if you arent a fan of going through the similar notions of a previous book you may be better off skipping out on this one, however if you dont mind it and you loved the first book this’ll be another amazing read for you!!

Was this review helpful?

The Enchanted Greenhouse
Sarah Beth Durst
Terlu Perna was a librarian; the part of the library she worked in housed spell books. She rarely saw anyone, had no one to talk to. She found a spell and created a magical spiker plant. It was against the law to cast a spell unless you were specifically trained to be a sorcerer. The judge wanted to make an example of her; a spell was cast on her turning her into a wooden statue. She was placed on a pedestal in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.
All is not lost…Eventually Terlu awakens, six years later. She is on an island where there are hundreds of greenhouses. She is hungry and cold. There is one other human on the island, a gardener. He’s very grumpy but offers her use of his cabin and honey cakes. She is fascinated by the greenhouses. A sorcerer created them only to abandon them. The greenhouses need repair; the plants are dying. Magic is the only thing that will save them but it will mean breaking the law again. Terlu is willing to risk her freedom, her life to save the plants and their habitat. With the gardener’s assistance Terlu begins studying the spells left by the old sorcerer. Together she and the gardener find companionship, happiness and maybe love.
I find it hard to review and rate this fantasy tale. It is a rather calm book with humor. I enjoyed parts of it. I did not like the gardener’s family. I enjoyed the quiet romance between the gardener and Terlu. It was sweet and slow. They were perfect for each other. The two main characters were likable. The talking plants, winged cat and a few other creatures were fascinating. This tale offers hope, healing and shows us how important it is to love ourselves. I enjoyed the cat with wings and the dragon pollinators. The head librarian was a hero insistent on doing what was right. There was much of this book that felt like filler and could have been discarded. There were parts of this book I loved and parts I tolerated.


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

i tired so hard to listen to this but just couldn't push myself to suffer through this.

thankful i got the audio arc

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley!

I was so excited to read this since I loved the first book! However I didn’t care for this one. I was often bored reading it. I even double checked that the same author wrote this book. I’m so sad 😞. I had such high hopes for this. It felt middle grade at times.

Was this review helpful?

Sarah Beth Durst is quickly becoming one of my favorite Cozy fantasy authors.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is delightful cozy fantasy follow up to The Spellshop. I adored Caz (and well everyone) in book one and was so excited that we get to spend this book with his creator, I had so many questions! Terlu's story is so easy to get swept up into- a little heartbreaking, a little traumatic, but full of so much hope, love and light. She's such a lovable character. I adored her relationship with Yarrow (slow burn, closed door) they are just perfect for each other. This book is full of magic and whimsy but also dives into trauma, isolation, and problematic family situations and history.

It's interesting to see how the world and laws are changing in each book! I loved the tie ins to the characters from book one and look forward to more installments in this series.

I was lucky enough to get an advance audio copy via Netgalley (thank you to the publisher!) I just adore the audio narrator- Caitlin Davies. She brings the world and characters to life. Davies is the perfect fit for this series and I was so excited she narrated this one as well.

Was this review helpful?

Terlu was sentenced to be petrified as a statue indefinitely for her crimes of creating Caz the spider plant illegally. However, that sentence quickly becomes overturned amidst political turmoil, where she is sent to a nearly deserted island under false pretenses to help save a series of greenhouses from dying. While attempting to complete her goal, she clearly falls in love with the island and everything it has to offer, and is torn in multiple directions throughout the course of the novel.

I loved being able to enter the world Durst has created once more, as it's cozy, intriguing, and an easily accessible fantasy for those who are intimidated by the genre. Everything readers loved from The Spellshop continues to be expanded upon and flushed out, while creating a world that doesn't feel so far from our own.

Caitlin Davies has an excellent narration for the cozy fantasy genre, and I especially love the distinct personalities characters were given through her choices.

Was this review helpful?