Thank you to the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a Bridgerton-esque, queernormative Regency world, THE HONEY WITCH follows Marigold Claude, a 21-year-old young woman who wants nothing to do with the society she's a part of. She resents the idea of settling as someone's wife, preferring to spend her time under the full moon in the meadow near her family's estate. When her long-estranged grandmother comes to visit, Marigold learns she is a Honey Witch whose destiny lies in taking care of the remote magical isle of Innisfree. But embracing her magic comes with a price—thanks to a curse from an evil Ash Witch, Marigold will never find true love.

THE HONEY WITCH was one of my most anticipated books of the year. The premise sounded adorable, promising magic, romance and personal growth in a cozy fantasy setting. And it does deliver these things... but I found it really hard to push through some of the novel's problems early on.

I almost DNFd this book around 25% in. Part 1 set up the story, but I found myself not caring nearly as much as I wanted to about Marigold, her relationships, her personal desires or the magic system. While some of Shields' lines are poetic and beautiful, others felt stilted or completely strange. I recall one line referring to the isle's pond-like oasis as "a heart, or a bean for those with weak imaginations." 1) those two things look nothing alike, and 2) why is this third-person omniscient narrator insulting the reader for no reason?

I also felt like the relationships Marigold has with crucial characters like her grandmother, Althea, and childhood friend, August, were initially told rather than shown. We don't get a lot of yearning for her grandmother before she shows up to save the day, nor a lot of fondness between them

before Althea passes away—a crucial turning point in Marigold's narrative

. In August's case, Marigold couldn't even remember his name before coming to Innisfree and retained exactly one vague memory of him, but we're soon told that the pair rekindle their friendship as if no time has passed without actually seeing more than one brief interaction between them. These things left the relationships feeling very unbelievable to start off.

That being said, the novel hits a much more even and interesting stride from Part 2 (around 35%) and beyond. We actually see more of those important relationships and the fondness between the characters, which creates a lovely and cozy atmosphere. Marigold comes into her own as a witch and we get a much clearer picture of what is driving her. The descriptions of Innisfree and the Honey magic system are beautiful and engaging. And the love that grows between Marigold and her love interest, Lottie, was heartwarming. A lot of the story's beats were very predictable, but it was altogether cozy and fun enough to let it play out, anyway.

It felt like Shields crafted the heart of the story first but really struggled with how to get us there as readers. A less patient reader might have given up before they got to the good parts!

If you're in the mood for a cozy fantasy with a unique magic system and a little bit of WLW spice, THE HONEY WITCH might be perfect for you. ... You might just need to work a little to get there.