thank you net galley for the opportunity to review the audio book version of The Enchangted Greenhouse. -the narrator did a great job at differentiating each voice in a way that made sense and helped me stay focused in the story. Although, I thought it was funny when she said rifled, because I hadn’t heard it said that way.
The pacing of the book seemed a bit slower the first 30%, but I liked I how it picked up. Also, the pacing did help with the feeling of a slow cozy story. I enjoyed how the love bloomed slowly. The magic system is a little difficult to understand since we aren’t privy to the magic used by a mage. But it wasn’t overly complicated. I loved the subtle hints to the first book with the end of the book having a fun mention of the first. This is definitely a lazy day or rainy day read

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst was an absolute cozy fantasy dream. The book follows Terlu Perna, the librarian who was turned into a statue for doing the spell that gave Caz sentient life. Terlu wakes up from years of being a statue in a freezing cold place and cannot find the sorcerer who woke her. Before she freezes to death she finds a magical greenhouse and the grumpy gardener who takes care of it. Together they must revive the dormant sentient plants and protect the magic from destroying the greenhouse after the sorcerer who created it died.

I loved this book. I've been reading not great books lately so this was an absolute dream. I got the chance to listen to the audiobook and it is the same narrator from the Spellshop which I loved because her narration there was great in my opinion. I really liked that we have plenty of sentient plants that get their own personalities. I did not think that they were the same as Caz but thought they were still great in their own way. I also enjoyed the little side romance that we got, I thought it was sweet even if the FMC was a little naive at times.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes cozy fantasies or is looking for a nice cozy book to get lost in. I do not recommend this book for anyone looking for action, twists and turns, and really cunning characters. I recommend the audiobook a million times because it was absolutely delightful! I had to do a long drive and popped it on and it made my drive so pleasant.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Beth Durst for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Like sinking into a warm bath or getting a big bear hug, this series is so comforting. The writing is so style evokes beautiful imagery but isn't too flowery. The plot was low stakes but involved enough to keep me engaged. And as a romance reader I enjoyed that the romantic plot line was just a bit more prominent in book 2.

I reviewed the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener’s copy!

The Enchanted Greenhouse starts strong with an imaginative premise and a main character who is impossible not to root for. The protagonist—a sweet, smart, short, plump, and deeply lonely librarian—illicitly uses magic to ease her solitude and is punished for it. Ultimately, she later ends up transported to a lush and whimsical land of enchanted greenhouses. From there, a gentle and quirky adventure unfolds, featuring sentient plants, dragons, a winged cat, and a shy gardener who brings a mild slow-burn romance.

This story has so many of my favorite elements and truly engaged all my senses. I wanted to live in this world! It’s packed with heart and overflowing with messages of empathy, kindness, inclusion, body positivity, and the importance of finding community and your “people.” The tone had the nostalgic feel of a Saturday morning cartoon episode that is stretched into a full-length audiobook.

The sweetness of the story eventually began to feel almost too much. The positivity, while admirable, started to crowd out the plot, making parts of the book feel more like a lesson in good values than a compelling narrative. For example, I started to fall asleep during a scene where plants were introducing their preferred pronouns.

Caitlin Davies’ narration, however, was a true highlight. Her performance pulled me in from the very start. With a voice that felt like a Disney princess come to life, she captured the cheerful and whimsical tone of the story perfectly. Each character was given a distinct voice, the pacing was spot-on, and her clarity made listening a joy.

All in all, I felt like this could work better pared down to a chapter book for youth, but I’m sure there will be adults this works for who are looking for something light, kind, and hopeful. Still, I appreciate what the author was aiming for in so much positive messaging.

Sarah Beth Durst’s The Enchanted Greenhouse is a cozy, magical story about second chances and discovering your true self. It follows Terlu Perna, who gets turned into a wooden statue after creating a sentient spider plant out of loneliness. But her story doesn’t end there—she wakes up on a mysterious island filled with dying greenhouses, and with the help of a grumpy gardener and a clever, sentient rose, she sets out to save the magic and uncover long-lost secrets.
What I love about this book is how nostalgic and enchanting it feels—like wandering through singing flowers and sipping honey cakes. It’s full of warmth, heart, and adventure, with themes of redemption and finding where you belong. If you’re into cozy, magical tales that give you hope and a sense of community, The Enchanted Greenhouse is just the thing. Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the digital review copy!

Such a sweet, cozy read! I loved the characters, the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and the slow burn romance.

When I first read The Spellshop last year, I was introduced to the cozy fantasy genre. The Spellshop was a 5-star read and was one of my favorite books of 2024. The Spellshop opened me up to several books of the cozy fantasy genre, I had not seen before. When I discovered that Sarah Durst would be creating another book in the same world, I could not wait to get my hands on it. The Enchanted Greenhouse is everything I was hoping it would be and more.

The Enchanted Greenhouse focuses on Terlu Perna, a librarian who broke the law and created a sentient spider plant named Kaz. As punishment for casting a magical spell, she was turned into a wooden statue and placed in the Great Library of Alyssium as a reminder. Suddenly, Terlu wakes up on a mysterious island filled with enchanted greenhouses and no one around except for a grumpy Gardner named Yarrow. Yarrow believes that Terlu was sent to help with the magic that sustains the greenhouses. Terlu knows if she helps, she is breaking the law, but determined to keep the island alive, agrees to help. With the assistance of Yarrow and a sentient rose named Lottie, Terlu might save the island and find where she is meant to be along the way.

This book is the perfect companion story to The Spellshop. The descriptions of the different greenhouses and the magical creatures that lived on the island were so detailed, the story was truly brought to life for me as I listened. I also loved the main characters. This book is definitely an opposite attracts romance. Where Yarrow seems to only shrug as an answer, Terlu who has been a statue for several years, can't keep quiet. Even with the different dynamics of these characters, I loved the slowburn romance throughout this story. Overall, this book is beautiful and a story that I will be rereading many times.

Although The Enchanted Greenhouse is a standalone novel, I recommend reading The Spellshop before reading this book. There are so many easter eggs hidden in this story that brings us back to the events of The Spellshop, and I loved the many connections between these two stories.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is out July 15th.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review The Enchanted Greenhouse. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was very excited to be able to return to the world from THE SPELLSHOP to follow another librarian from the Great Library of Alyssium AND this time to learn about the woman who gave us Caz. Once again Durst does a wonderful job of giving readers a cozy magical island to explore and wish they could visit in person. I want to know more about the dream flowers!

I did spend most of the time hoping that Kiela and Caz would make an appearance and was bummed that they didn't, but I enjoyed how Durst connected these two books together with the potential for more adventures to come. I think I enjoyed Kiela's story more, but Terlu and Yarrow were a great storyline on their own.

Overall this was a great addition to the cozy fantasy collection and I am hopeful for more books within this world.

Caitlin Davies does a good job with the audiobook narration though the recording is very breathy which is distracting at times.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely cozy fantasy! I enjoyed this one even more than The Spellshop, I think. I know it’s a little bit contradictory, but I prefer my cozies to still have high stakes, and this delivers that so effectively! There’s risk, tension, a ticking clock, but it’s all paced and crafted so well that the tension feels cozy-appropriate. The romance is lovely, the fat protagonist has my whole heart, and MORE TALKING PLANTS is all I need in my life!

Thank you Macmillian Audio, Bramble, and Netgalley for the ARC!

AHHHHHHH What a perfect sequel? LIKE PERFECTION. Yes, it started out with me crying and ended with me crying but I was crying because I was happy! I loved the characters in this one, Terlu is so different of a FMC but yet her love of books, sweet things, and desire to fit in makes her similar. I enjoyed learning more about this world, how magic works, and what's going on with the rebellion. The love story was ALSO SO ADORABLE I CANNNOT HANDLE IT.

Also, talking plants? LIKE A LOT OF THEM? and the cat/dragon thingy? I loved it.

This book is a warm hug

ALC review
Publication date: 15 Jul 25

“The Enchanted Greenhouse” by Sarah Beth Durst is a cozy fantasy novel about second chances.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Terlu Perna was turned into a wooden statue because she used magic.
One day, she wakes on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses.
The only human on this island is a grumpy gardener that offers her a place to sleep, clothes and food.

This is a beautiful story about second chances, magic, friendship and love.
The world is described very well, with vivid details and a lot of imagination.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies. She has a beautiful voice that was perfect for this story.
Listening to the narration helped me go into the magical world of the book and fell part of the plot.

The romance is a sweet slow burn between two people that were lonely for a long time.
They work together and the get to know and understand one another better.
Also, there are some magical creatures, including a very cute flying cat.

If you like cozy fantasy books, this book is for you.

This story was so cozy and lovely! The narrator was lovely as well and really added to the story. The story was super unique (she gets turned into a statue! She can turn plants sentient!) and the romance was super sweet. I LOVED the setting and felt so transported. The cover is gorgeous too!