Thornyhold

A nice tale of finding oneself in the countryside, with some slight sinister and romantic undertones.

I wasn't totally sure what to expect from this novel–it was interesting, but a bit muted in all aspects. (For example, the romance is sweet, but understated.) The beginning is sad and a bit longer than necessary, I thought, and then the end happens rather quickly. I loved seeing how the main character's life came together, but often found myself waiting for something more.

Overall it was a quiet story, fascinating in it's own way, but not quite what I had been hoping for. Good for a rainy afternoon of reading though!

I think I'm on a quest to find the most cottagecore books I can get my hands on. This one fits the bill. Gilly Ramsey inherits a cottage from her godmother, also called Gilly. The cottage, Thornyhold is adorable, there is a pigeon coop on the second floor, a rescued dog, and hot neighbor with an adorable son.
Gilly, it turns out, has some skills. Skills that are similar to her godmother's skills. There is some drama with a rival “witch” in town called Agnes Trapp.
Happy endings abound.