Recently I have been getting into cozy fantasy and when I saw this book, I immediately wanted to read it. I loved the plot, and the whole vibe of this book! It was exactly what I needed and it was light hearted and fun! I would love to see this expanded into a series. I would have liked to see more character exploration as I felt the characters could have been made a little deeper to feel a bit more connection to them, but it didn’t pull me away from enjoying the characters and rooting for them.

This was very nicely written and by that I mean that prose is tightly woven and the author achieves everything she set to achieve. Based on the quality of writing by itself, the book is easily four stars. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly the target for this novel, which kinda makes me stupid since I asked for it on NetGalley. Whatyagonnado. I expected something more along the way of typical urban fantasy fare based on the works of Laurell Hamilton, such as Kate Daniels or Hidden Legacy novels by Ilona Andrews, for instance, but what I got was an essentially cozy fantasy romcom. The parts I had a problem with were "cozy" and "com" when put together. I prefer my fae warriors to be more badass and my female protagonists to be more stubborn and capable, but I guess that makes me an old grumpy bastard of a reader. Anyway, I'm giving this one a 3* review, but in all probability, for a reader who knows what this book is about and looks for that kind of content, it's at least 4*.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Vibe/Mood: .5
Characters: .5
Plot: (what plot….) 0
Scratched my ADHD brain: 0
Hyperfixation Potential: 0

1/5 🌟

I WAS SO HOPEFUL WITH THIS BOOK! Rating it so low because it’s a DNF genuinely hurts because I hardly EVER DNF.

This book had such a fun concept to me. A corporate slice of life set in a blended contemporary fantasy world where the fae are real and are building relations with humans through marketing and corporate engagement? Like… this is so unique to me! I would LOVE to see this be an overall story concept used more than in places. And this genuinely has soooooo much potential.

My issue was every character felt so flat and almost a caricature of who they were trying to be and not actually thought out characters with backstory and personality. Which then made it even harder to get into the story itself because overall it didn’t even have any kind of plot or stakes? Yeah, it’s supposed to feel cozy but then it didn’t even feel like that? I don’t know.

It was very clearly not for me. It’s definitely for someone but not for me.

A cozy, laugh-out-loud queer fantasy set in modern NYC. Brooks’ sharp humor, strong bisexual heroine, and immersive (but never heavy) world-building make this a must-read.

I found myself wanting to slow down just so the magic wouldn’t be over too soon. Reminiscent of Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, A Fae in Finance is a witty workplace comedy with a sarcastic New York edge and a lot of hilarious cat content. While there are both male and female love interests, the story lets the plot and character growth take center stage, which I appreciated. I’ve already reread it twice - don’t miss it! It’s set to be the queer fantasy of the year.

Miri finds herself trapped in Faerie by the Princeling of the realm. She immediately makes sure her cat, Doctor Kitten, can join her...and then she gets to work continuing her normal job while also teaching the faeries classes about humans and trying to find an escape.

This was one of those books that I knew I would love from the very first chapter. It's cozy, cute, and fun in all the best ways. It has the perfect amount of humor, adventure, and magical political drama mixed in. Miri was relatable in all the right ways and I would love to be besties with her in real life. She's smart, funny, resilient, and wonderful at naming cats. I loved the way her human life and job with terrible colleagues was seamlessly woven into her life in Faerie. While this is a romcom with bisexual representation, it isn't too heavy on the romance or spice.

I listened to the audio while reading along which was such a fun way to experience this book. Emily Lawrence's narration was absolutely incredible and I really felt like she embodied Miri's character.

Thank you to Orbit and Hachette Audio for the advance copies!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book fits the bill on all the aspects of cozy fantasy I love - and I have to give it credit for fully fleshed out characterization. You really get a strong sense of who our FMC was, and then slowly bit by bit learn mroe about the fae and their world. The author also made a huge effort to make the language of the fae separate from average human English, and was thoughtful and consistent about the ways in which their traditions may differ from ours. The fish out of water feeling is there, written into the language - and unfortunately, that was its fault for me. I felt so much like a fish out of water, that I ended up finding this read to not be the cozy fantasy I had hoped for, but rather parsing through the grammar structure and a little alienating at times. The book takes its time to introduce the romance in the story, but rather takes its time fleshing out the characters - I loved the grey knight and also our main character's cat!!! I feel like with some editing, this book would be a favorite for me.

4.25/5 Stars | Powerpoints and Fae Princes 🧚‍♂️👑📊✨

What I liked:
This was the perfect mashup of high fae court intrigue and quirky modern office comedy. Did I know I needed a book about fae editing PowerPoints? No. Did it instantly become my new obsession once I started reading? Absolutely. This had all the dry, chaotic humor of Assistant to the Villain with sharper character development and a surprisingly heartfelt look at mental health. The romance subplot was just that—a sub subplot—and somehow I loved it more for being in the background. What really shone was the cast of characters: nuanced, hilarious, and tender in ways that made the silly premise feel strangely profound. Juliet Brooks, you’ve created a series I’ll be buying on release day every single time.

What I didn’t like:
If you’ve never dipped your toes into the glittering, scheming chaos that is fae lore, this could leave you confused. The worldbuilding was thinner than it needed to be, and the pacing went from “office hijinks” to “full-on magical adventure” a little too abruptly in the last quarter. A smoother integration would’ve taken this from great to phenomenal.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

A nice, lighthearted, fun read that’s perfect for casual fantasy vibes. I honestly loved the lore behind Faerie and the other magical creatures in this book and I hope it gets expanded on in the next book. The characters were really well developed, especially given how short and quick this book is. I loved the relationship between the Grey Knight and Miri! And I love any books with a cat so that’s a score.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a more easy adult fantasy!

This book was fun and silly. It was enjoyable and a bit ridiculous sometimes but in the best way. This is definitely a palette cleanser book and I loved it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance reader e-book copy of A Fae in Finance by Juliet Brooks in exchange for an honest review. This enchanting read will be officially published on October 21, 2025, and I cannot wait for more readers to get their hands on it!

A Fae in Finance was such a refreshing and fun story! Juliet Brooks perfectly blends the whimsy of fantasy with the sharp edges of corporate life, creating a world that feels unique and engaging. I loved the witty banter, clever fae-inspired twists, and the fast-paced storyline that made it nearly impossible to put down. The main character was both relatable and entertaining, with just the right balance of ambition and heart.

What stood out most to me was how the worldbuilding slipped in naturally without overwhelming the story, the magical details felt alive and made every chapter even more enjoyable. It’s the perfect mix of lighthearted escapism with a clever twist that fans of fantasy-romance will adore.

I think everyone’s mileage is going to vary, with this one. It’s going to mostly come down to, does the humour work for you?

For me, it didn’t. The tone is going for light, and quirky, but Brooks goes hard on making the situation Miri is in really, truly terrible. I wanted to stab her boss every time he spoke or emailed; he’s horrific, and I just don’t find that funny. The scene where Miri is throwing up in her bathroom, miserable from poisoning, and is still emailing back and forth with this asshole – what part of this am I supposed to be laughing at?

I knew going in – from the premise, the style of the cover, etc – that this wasn’t going to be a worldbuilding-heavy book, so I’m not too bothered that we didn’t really get any. That being said, I didn’t love the Fae here; Brooks seems to be going for something between Maas’-style and Actually Otherworldly, and it just doesn’t work for me at all – the way the Fae talk and think, for example, came across as deeply annoying instead of deeply alien. It doesn’t help that Mira is inexplicably blase about all the strangeness – she meets a faerie made out of fire and has no reaction whatsoever! All the impossible things, all the magic – she just shrugs and carries on; there’s no freaking out, but also no wonder or excitement, which is extra disappointing from a character who supposedly really loves fantasy and the idea of the Fae in particular. (To the point that she kind of fetishizes them at first, but even by the time I DNFed she had learned better and stopped doing that, so I give her a pass.) Given that the book is in first-person, her non-reactions kind of flattened any fantastical elements, so I couldn’t enjoy them either.

The synopsis is pretty misleading: Miri is not using her fantasy-nerd powers to navigate Faerie. That would have been so extremely cool, but it just wasn’t happening. She spent all of three seconds negotiating a deal with the Princeling, very badly – but it’s her mother, after the fact, who tells her she should turn the deal into a well-defined contract. Miri isn’t the one who thinks of that. She’s just generally a very passive character – which is in some ways pretty understandable, in the situation she’s in; I suspect a lot of real people would be too. But this is a novel! I’m here for a pro-active heroine utilising her extensive fantasy-genre knowledge! Getting the best of her captors because she knows how faeries work! I mean, she gets stuck in Faerie because she eats faerie food – ma’am, WHAT? And she KNOWS faerie food gets you trapped, but she eats it anyway because her boss glares at her. MA’AM?! Given the opening chapter, I expected the boss – who also eats the food – to be the one who got stuck, and then Miri would trade herself for him or something like that because she’s a Good Person. But nope!!!

I read the first third, then skipped to the end to see if there was anything worth reading through the rest of the book for, and nope. Some cute friendships with some adorable Fae, and a five-second ‘fuck you’ speech to the boss. (She also has a knight now, but I read up to where that happened so that wasn’t news to me.) The best friends we meet at the start of the book not only don’t play any significant part in the story, they don’t even know where Miri has been all this time! And were fine with that?!

Which is all to say: Fae in Finance is trying to be light and cute, but I found it pretty heavy and grim (even without the mental health episode I know Miri has later in the book). If you’re not light and cute, then I demand better prose and worldbuilding, and since we didn’t get that, this pretty much fails on all fronts for me. I don’t recommend it to anyone.

A Fae In Finance introduces us to our friendly FMC that used to work a govt job and is now in finance.. seeking to be purposeful and aide supernatural persons and humans to get along. Her take is that government moves too slow, but business .. money moves fast.

I’m pleasantly surprised at how the differences between the people is approached.. which is something many of us could take some practice in.. but it all does it in a fun and charming fantastical way.

I love nothing more than a cozy, fun, atmospheric and thought provoking adventure! The added romance is chefs kiss as well!

Thank you to Juliet Brooks for this wonderful and tongue in cheek humor filled story! Jeff deserves a forehead kick from a 12 ft tall horse, btw! & thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for making it possibly!

This book was absolutely hilarious! It was romantic and funny, and the banter was top-tier. The cover grabbed me from the beginning and then the story was just so fun that I couldn’t stop turning the pages! I cannot wait to see more from this author in the future

Miri works in finance and is working on a project with the fae. After a business dinner with her clients she gets trapped in Faerie.

Unfortunately I didn't vibe with this book. I didn't feel connected to the characters, especially the main character. I felt like I didn't really got to know her that much. I liked some of the side characters, who were fun and quirky. The plot was a little vague to me, as was the world building. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't for me. I think it might be more entertaining if you have worked in a similar work environment. To me, a lot of the book was just sad.

This book was super cute and I enjoyed it a lot!! The characters were delightful, the story was original and heartfelt and the world building was fantastic. I can’t wait to read the next one!!

The Spellshop meets The Office in Juliet Brooks' laugh-out-loud cozy fantasy debut: A FAE IN FINANCE. Equal parts charming, magical, and hilarious, I adored every minute of it!
Miri Geld doesn't want much; just time to spend with her cat, her friends, and her family. Oh, and a boss that doesn't suck. She's about to get one of those when she becomes trapped in Faerie (small spoiler alert: it's time with her cat, Doctor Kitten, because he's there too). But since there's also Wi-Fi in Faerie, her boss makes her keep working.
Join Miri as she navigates Fae relations, observes random intermittent screaming, and dodges calls from her mom, all with uproarious results.

I wanted to like this one, really I did, but it ended up just being okay.

Pros: Interesting premise, great side characters, some very entertaining dialogue and inner monologue

Cons: The workplace was unbelievably bad, and it really strained my belief that the character would have worked there as long as she had, even at the beginning of the book.

I like my books a little light-hearted. This was not. A Fae in Finance opens with Miri having no life except for her job. She works at all hours, her demanding boss is surprisingly ever present, and she has no backbone. Many things around her change, but essentially she is that same unhappy person for [redacted] percent of the book.

If you like found family stories and don’t mind a depressed main character, you will like this one. Ditto if you like stories where the village surrounds someone to help them up, rather than the main character taking charge. Hate your boss and wonder what trading him in for a faerie would be like? Also a good fit for you.

Spoiler: If I could have edited this, I would have turned some of Jeff’s over the top comments into lack of response at crucial times. I would have added in one lone compliment amongst the heap of work he was piling on Miri. That would have made it more believable that she would have stayed there long enough for the rest of the action in the book to take place.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for the ARC. All reviews are my own.

A Fae in Finance was a great read. The beginning was slightly confusing as I wasn't prepared for a world with Fae that takes place in normal-day America. However, the story quickly progressed and I caught up. The plot is interesting with enough twists to keep my turning the pages. I enjoyed the characters, including the less-than-desirable boss character! The book was also nicely written with plenty of visual descriptions to really transport you into each world. Highly recommend!

A Fae in Finance is a delightful read. Juliet Brooks has created a vibrant world, wonderfully meshing conventional tropes of the genre with her own additions to craft a story full of heart … and humor.

I wanted to like this book. I found the concept really interesting, the juxtaposition of human investment banking with Faerie politics had so much potential. There were some genuinely funny moments in this book, but there was also a lot of heavy handed similes and jokes that fell short. I spent much of the book confused whether or not it was a romance or a comedic fantasy story. When it came to the plot I didn't even realize I had read the climax of the story and when it ended I felt a bit cheated. I would have loved to see more of Miri in Faerie, maybe finding some kind of agency despite her situation, some kind of growth. I have no issue with a protagonist who loses their hope the way Miri did but it felt like it was resolved with much fanfare.

All in all, this was a quick and easy read with some laughs.