I loved it! This author is a great story teller. The characters are sweet and funny and I can't pick a favorite because I adored them all. Discovering where the Name has been kept all these years was just perfect! I enjoyed this book very much.

I came across this book on Netgalley and thought it sounded really interesting so I wanted to give it a try. I had no idea after reading the description who this book would be about. I don't know I must have been have a day to not put two and two together, but Im actually glad I didn't. While reading this book I got the bets surprise ever when I finally put it together who this book as about and got so excited. Growing up I loved this fairy tale and was obsessed with a low budget(very) movie my dad would rent me every weekend he had me at the grocery store(I'm aging myself aren't I). But this brought all that back for me. This book as already great but adding that in made this book all the better on a personal level.

Giselle is the first born and since before her birth she has been promised to someone else, it doesn't matter that she was a twin and she happened to be born first that one act changed her whole life. She didn't have a life, everyone knew she would leave and soon it was too hard for even her family to be by her. Finally fed up Giselle leaves her castle and home to find the magical creature who after claimer her left and forget about her.

What she finds is not what she expects but what she knows is she will get her life back and he will make sure she does. What she never guesses will happen is that she ends up helping him in the process of freeing herself and finding others who may just care about her. In the process of saving herself and freeing herself she may just save the one who imprisoned her and come to realize she's free in ways she couldn't have believed.

This is such a good read, I enjoyed every minute of this book, another book that is just perfect for summer especially if you have a nice vacation but even if not such a good, good read. I loved the characters and the twists and turns this books takes. I also really loved this authors writing. Sometimes it pays to take a chance and though small really Im so glad I tried this new author(for me). It was such a fun read that I can't recommend enough.

*Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC.

This book felt like the exact kind of cozy fantasy I didn’t know I needed until I started reading it. I was hooked from the first few chapters — like, give me a magical house with attitude and a grumpy, mysterious fae with a soft side any day of the week.

Gisele was such a refreshing main character. I loved that she wasn’t the usual perfect fantasy heroine — she was dealing with real pressure, some not-so-great family stuff, and still held her own with this whole “you were promised to a fae lord before you were born” situation.
Mal was honestly a surprise. He’s not your typical dark and broody fae — more like an awkward, powerful, slightly feral stray cat you accidentally fall in love with. And his little quirks (the tail! the ears!) were oddly endearing. I loved how their relationship unfolded slowly, with banter, misunderstandings, and some really sweet moments.

The pacing was gentle (not slow, just cozy), and the writing had this lyrical, fairy-tale vibe without being too flowery. Also, the worldbuilding? Gorgeous. I wanted to curl up in that magical house and never leave.If you’re into soft magic, charming grumpy-sunshine energy, and fairy tales with heart, I think you’ll love this one.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

4.25

There's nothing I love more in a book than a sentient house and a talking cat! This was really nice read - a cosy romance that had fae in it, what more could you ask? I loved Gisele from her first meeting - she's older and yet vengeful after being locked away for so long due to a curse! (I mean she stabs someone) From their first meeting, they clash (literally)! It felt like being wrapped into a blanket half the time and also on the edge of my seat with their tension as they go on an adventure to find his true name.

The cover is so cute, the title hilarious and I found myself smiling through this! Would recommend if you're looking for a nice, chillaxing read to curl up with!

Cosy fantasy with a sentient house, talking cat, fae with a tail and cat ears, and a FMC that stabs someone with a poisoned blade and then immediately bandages the wound? So much yes.

This was a delight to read. The characters are well fleshed out, and the relationship between the FMC and MMC is a glorious cosy slow burn.

There was some spice which was unexpected because of the cosy vibes, but it genuinely didn’t feel out of place at all or like it had been shoehorned in.

The pacing is potentially a smidge on the slow side in one or two places, but honestly it wasn’t an issue at all, the world itself is such a delight to be in.

4.5/5 rounded up to 5

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

This book took me by surprise in the best way. I picked it up expecting a warm fantasy fae romance, and what I got was a clever, character-driven story with memorable banter, emotional tension, and a strong romantic thread between two older leads.

What immediately stood out to me was how funny the book is. The banter between the characters, the internal monologues, even the narration are all sharp, clever, and genuinely entertaining. The writing strikes a great balance of fantasy in setting, but contemporary in tone. It doesn’t lean into flowery or whimsical prose like some fair folk books I read tend to. Instead, it is grounded and witty, which made it all the more enjoyable for me.

The romance features older leads, which felt refreshing. Gisele, a 40-year-old princess determined to confront her fate, and Mal, a not really evil sorcerer, but a guarded fae with baggage of his own, have believable emotional layers and fun chemistry. Their dynamic—built on forced proximity, mutual intrigue, and emotional growth—was compelling and well-paced. I also loved the moments of vulnerability woven into their interactions.

The world building itself isn’t the focus, and while I found some elements a bit unclear (especially in terms of time period or broader lore), it didn’t pull me out of the story. This book is more about characters navigating personal conflict in a fantastical setting rather than an epic adventure. Also, the found-family thread adds a softer, heartwarming, and more emotional layer to the otherwise banter-filled tone, which I really really enjoyed.

For readers seeking a romantic fantasy rich with clever dialogue, mature characters, emotional tension, high-stakes drama, and some truly gaggy, steamy scenes, this book comes highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book brought me out of my reading slump!!

I have been on a cozy romantasy kick and this truly has keep me on that train. Giselle and Mal are everything.

I think my favorite part of this was that she was an older heroine and we see that she's no wiser, which is so real as someone who through growing up, I'd eventually have all the answers. The beginning where she was like waiting and waiting for the journey to be harder to validate her prolonging the journey is so me and my ADHD forever putting off things I need to and then being like oh, it was that easy? I feel like as the story went on and on I just connected with her so much - which I don't find often in romantasy books. We aren't the same age by any means but I definitely connected with her on a level I haven't with other characters before. I would definitely read more books by this author for this fact alone.

I love the yearning in this book and watching these two go from wanting nothing to do with each other to just pining so hard. It eats.
The grumpy/sunshine in this book was chefs kiss.

The fairytell retelling in this book was so different than other ones I've read before and I want more like this!!

This whole book is so magical, its witty, its fantastic. I just loved it.

Whimsically warm and wonderfully sweet, A.J. Lancaster’s new cosy fantasy ‘How to Find a Nameless Fae’ follows the journey of Gisele, a 40 year old angry princess who decides to hunt down her own fate… literally. Only, when she finds the almighty terrible fae sorcerer who claimed her in a first-born bargain all those years ago, he might not be as terrible as the stories make him out to be…

What to expect
➸ cosy fantasy romance
➸ rumpelstiltskin retelling
➸ forced proximity
➸ magical bond/curse
➸ human x fae

This novel was such a sweet little breath of fresh air. It ticked off many boxes: a magical bond that refuses to be broken, mature main characters who love tenderly, a talking cat who demands attention, and even a living house with a personality of its own. Gisele and Mal (a nickname Gisele gave him as he quite literally lost his name) both want the bond as little as each other in the beginning, and watching them slowly start to yearn for one another was just what I was looking for.

I enjoyed Lancaster’s take on the faerie world. Her lush prose and vivid descriptions painted such a magical picture, I could see the sentient house (Skymallow - what a name) bursting with life and moving things about as if I was watching a cosy cartoon. Moreover, though the plot progressed slowly at times (which could partly be put down to the genre), I really appreciated how the story tied together at the end.

Perfect for those chasing that feeling of being wrapped in a warm blanket.

Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7680821289

This book hits all my favorite notes: a house with a mind of its own, shared dreams, magical connections, curses, a chatty cat sidekick, a fae ball, found family, and real emotional depth. The world is rich and whimsical without feeling superficial. It’s packed with witty banter, slow-burn moments, and characters who genuinely come alive. I loved it!!

Really enjoyed this unique enemies to lovers cozy romantasy! The setup: A fae on the run made a “firstborn bargain” (think Rumplestiltskin), believing he’d be able to trade his true name and come back for it in a year it no problem; instead the queen’s firstborn lives a cursed, lonely life in limbo waiting for a bogeyman who never shows up to claim her. Our story starts as the princess, Gisele, sets off to find and demand answers from her erstwhile nemesis. Instead of the evil sorcerer she has envisioned, she finds a lithe, charming redheaded fae with cat ears, a tail, and a jaunty little earring, living in a sentient house called Skymallow. Turns out, he’s in hiding from a terrifying enemy, his true name has been lost (along with most of his power), and he’s utterly dismayed to learn of the unintended consequences of his unfulfilled bargain. Now that they’re together, the magical bond comes with forced proximity, delicious dream overlaps, and the uncertainty of not knowing if the bond is to blame for their growing feelings for each other. Top it all off with the perfect conflict: finding his true name will break her curse, freeing her from the need to be with him.

I loved how Gisele gets to see herself through Mal’s eyes—how much of a right she has to be angry at him and at her family, how brave and strong and resilient she is. Lancaster does a great job of illustrating her attachment difficulties (trusting, building relationship) given the isolation of her life till now. It’s a lovely arc as she learns what it feels like to be prioritized and fought for. The found family element is fun and endearing, I very much hope they will be future mc’s.

While I predicted the ultimate solution to the story’s problem pretty quickly, I still loved seeing the craft and care with which Lancaster facilitated it. Mal is one of my fave hero archetypes, which we’re thankfully seeing more of — he is not just gone for her, he is claimed, he is HERS.

Definitely recommend!!

THIS BOOK!! There is a feeling that you get when you start reading a book that you know is going to be a 5 star read. I’m not sure I can even properly put into words how much this book delighted me. First of all, I am OBSESSED with the fact that our main character Gisele is a 40 year old woman and she speaks her mind. I loved that she finally decided to take fate into her own hands, even though she was cursed by magic, and try to do something for herself. Our other main character, the nameless fae, is equally as charming. I love the intricacies of the plot and that the reader gets to explore and discover with the characters in “real time”. All of that aside, I also now want a sentient house! I didn’t want this book to end, but the ending was cozy and beautiful and everyone should read this book. I loved it so much!!

This ARC was provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you A.J. Lancaster, Victory Editing, NetGalley Co-op for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review
This is my first time reading something by A.J. Lancaster. Let's just say I now want to read everything ever written. I loved the no-nonsense FMC. This book was whimsical and magically cozy. It grabs you right from the beginning. The characters were likeable and relatable, the pace was great, and the plot was on point. I'm sad it's over, it was such a fun read. A.J. Lancaster is stuck with me now.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7644895529
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Thank you to Netgally, AJ Lancaster and victoryeditingngc for allowing me an early copy of this book. I love a fae story with tension, banter, antagonists to lovers vibes in my books and this one did not let me down.

Giselle is an older female character who decides to save herself and take her future into her own hands by tracking down the fae who cursed her as a child and forcing him to remove it. What she wasn’t expecting was a very handsome fae with who she has a connection to.

This book is absolutely hilarious. I found myself laughing so much throughout this story. The dynamic between the fae and Giselle is so fun and so full of banter.

Although we are watching these two try to remove the curse and mishaps start to happen it has this wonderful cozy feel which I enjoyed even though I’m not the biggest cozy fantasy reader.

The spice was spicy and I really enjoyed the shared dreams where things got spicy before we get to the real spice which was so fun.

The MMC is such a cinnamon roll which I really loved, he’s so cute and I love him so so much.

I’m so excited to jump into more of Aj’s work in the future.

First of all a huge thanks for getting to read this arc!
I absolutely fell in love with this book. The cozy vibes, the mmc & fmc, the connection between them and the found family? Love love love!!
It is such a fun and quick paced read, devoured it in basically 1 day!
Mal is a mmc that I haven’t seen very often. I loved how shy he’d get and everything. Absolutely adore him!
I would definitely recommend this book!

I'm utterly obsessed with this story. I adore cosy Fae fantasy books, and this story has all of the elements that makes those books so wonderful.
I loved the FMC from the first chapter, and it was amazing to read about a 40 year old FMC! The characters are all so entertaining and the world building is light and easy to follow. I also loved how the story tackled subjects like loneliness. I also liked the LGBTQ+ representation in this book. Overall this is a hilarious comfort read. If you're a fan of the Emily Wildes trilogy and Ella Enchanted, I highly recommend that you give this book a try.

Thank you NetGalley and Camberion Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review. Words cannot even describe how magical this book was. It reminded me of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries, Rumpelstiltskin, and Beauty and the Beast all wrapped up in a heartwarming, cozy package. It touched on serious topics with the main characters that felt relatable and created a connection to them while also maintaining that cozy feeling. I loved Gisele. She was strong and brave but also had insecurities just like everyone. I loved the fact that she was older too. Mal was just as loveable. He had a sweet side underneath the dark side. He showed his vulnerability which made him even more loveable. The found family trope in this book had me so happy! It is one of my favorite tropes and this was written perfectly. I absolutely loved this book and I really hope we get to dive back into this world in the future.


I published my review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Instagram. They were all published 6/26/25. Links available below for all but Barnes and noble. It is in review.

Very cute cozy fantasy. Princess Giselle, as a 40 year old cursed princess, was refreshing as a female main character, and Malediction was such a fun character to explore in this Rumpelstiltskin retelling. All of the side characters, including Skymallow the house were so charming and enjoyable!

I really enjoyed this book. Instantly loved it was an older FMC which is so rare now a days and it was a damsel who was taking matters into her own hands to get the job done. I enjoy a fairy tell retelling and the fact this was Rumpelstiltskin was great as it's not commonly done (my favourite storyline in the once upon a time tv show was Rumpelstiltskin and belle). This was a cozy romance with the edition of a sassy talking cat which always helps!

This is the beautiful story of Princess Gisele, a human who was cursed as a baby by an unnamed Fae. Expecting to have been claimed earlier in her life, when she hits 40, she chooses to go in search of the man who has held so much power over her for her life. Their connection leads her to him, and his sentient house, Skymallow, where she discovers he has lost his name, and without it, he cannot break their bond. In the absence of his name, Gisele refers to him as her Malediction - Mal. They embark on the adventure of finding his name, amidst their growing attraction to each other.

Gisele and Mal are both incredibly endearing characters, and their story is adventurous, entertaining, and full of heart. I can see this becoming one of my comfort reads, that I return to over and over. Beautiful

'How to Find a Nameless Fae' by A.J. Lancaster, its a fairytale retelling.
A cosy fantasy romance novel, that tells the tale of a cursed princess and her search of a fae lord with no name. Throughout the increasing havoc on her life, the FMC will stop at nothing until she finds him.

Full witty and whimsically quirky, scenes. This slow-burn mature romance is simply adorable. A wonderful cosy read for all who love this genre. I recommend it.

In this book you will find:
- Grumpy/sunshine pairings
- Protagonists over 35
- Cursed princess FMC
- Howl-esque MMC
- He has cat ears
- A magical and sentient house
- Banter and Wittiness
- Mild Spice (this book is considered steamy... but in my opinion is almost to none)