The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottage core tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published July 9, 2024

 by Bramble

4/5 stars

This book starts out as Kiela endeavors to save precious volumes from the great library of Alyssium, along with her trusty assistant Caz, who just happens to be a magical spider plant. They flee the city as fire engulfs it.

They flee to her childhood home where she takes refuge, to begin a new. Fearing the discovery of the stolen treasures, she tries to keep a low profile which isn’t easy. I guess this is what is called a romantasy debut for the author. I have read a couple of her previous books which I enjoyed, and looked forward to digging into this one.

I enjoyed this read. I enjoyed the magical characters, the world building and watching Kiela begin to make a life for herself.  She makes new friends and starts to feel comfortable. To risk doing any magic would be illegal and finally when she starts to feel comfortable strangers arrive. There is trouble afoot as.....lets just say things go awry and deceptions lurk.

The Spellshop is a story of friendship, trust and of course romance. The cover is one I love and with fingers crossed I hope there is a sequel just to see what this zany cast of characters are up to.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.