The Enchanted Greenhouse

Spellshop #2

by Sarah Beth Durst

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Romantasy

384 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2025

About the author

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Beth Durst’s The Enchanted Greenhouse is a beautifully written tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the healing power of community. At the heart of the story is Terlu Perna, who is punished for creating a magical, sentient spider plant out of loneliness. Her punishment—being turned into a wooden statue and left forgotten in a library—seems like the end of her story. But one winter day, Terlu wakes up on a mysterious, nearly deserted island filled with magical greenhouses, where her journey truly begins.

Cold, hungry, and uncertain, Terlu finds an unlikely ally in a grouchy gardener who offers her warmth, food, and kindness. As she explores the enchanting greenhouses, she discovers they are dying, their once-thriving magic fading. Determined to save the island, Terlu teams up with her new friend and a witty, sentient rose to uncover the secrets of a long-lost sorcerer. Together, they face challenges that test their courage and resilience, proving that sometimes, breaking the rules is worth it when it’s for a greater good.

This novel shines with its vivid imagery and rich details, from the wonder of singing flowers to the comfort of freshly baked honey cakes. The greenhouses are magical spaces filled with surprises, and the interactions between the characters are warm and heartfelt. Durst masterfully weaves themes of forgiveness, redemption, and belonging into a story that feels as comforting as it is adventurous.

Whether you’re already a fan of Durst’s previous works or discovering her for the first time, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a treat for the imagination. It’s a story of hope, love, and the beauty of finding your place in the world, perfect for readers who enjoy cozy, magical tales with a lot of heart.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sharing this unique fantastic journey's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical COTTAGE CORE romantasy for all plant lovers! Felt like a cozy gardening session on a sunny Sunday with your favorite grumpy boyfriend.

✨🌱🌸💛🐈‍⬛💚🌸🌱✨

Terlu is a chatterbox librarian who illegally used magic to create a talking plant. Punishment: gets turned into a statue 🗿 ROUGH! When she reawakens she finds herself on a deserted island with a ginormous magical greenhouse & a handsome grumpy gardener. To save millions of plants she will have to decode sorcerer’s spellbooks & eat lots of cake…

COZY COTTAGE CORE! Just like the Spellshop this book was filled with adorable magical creatures, a small town mission & cozy romance 🐈‍⬛✨ it’s the “making a go of it” in a new adorable magical world for me!

🌱 color changing butterflies, baby dragons, singing flowers & a flying cat

🌱 loner gardener that dislikes everyone BUT loves to bake for her

🌱 discovering ancient spells in deserted towers

🌱 he believes in her!

🌱 over 300 greenhouses with unique ecosystems & hidden puzzles

Way MORE ROMANCE in this one than the Spellshop! The romance is clean with no smut but I LOVED IT 💚 Terlu and Yarrow are adorably precious & their lonely hearts are a perfect match for each other.

grumpy x sunshine
forced proximity
sentient plants
found family
HEA

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩ 4 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Lonely x Lonely
➼ A Winged Cat
➼ Sentient Talking Plants
➼ Found Family
➼ Healing
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Caitlin Davies
➼ Third Person POV

Nobody does cozy fantasy like Sarah Beth Durst! I was completely charmed by this sweet story but it wasn’t without depth. This is a classic tale of two lonely people finding each other. Terlu’s story begins with her standing trial for the crime of using forbidden magic to create a sentient spider plant to keep her company in The Great Library. She is given the heavy sentencing of being turned into a living statue and is forced to live in frozen detached darkness for years when she is shut away in a storage closet.

Terlu’s back story made her the perfect match for a grumpy gardener named Yarrow who had been living alone on the Island of Belde caring for the enchanted greenhouses. He was the epitome of a caretaker and she desperately wanted to help and be useful. I loved how well their strengths and weaknesses complimented each other and the lengths they were each willing to go to for the other. The island had its challenges, but it ended up being such a soft place for her and many others to land. This book truly felt like a warm hug! Just the sweetest read. 💖

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: Don’t let me down girl. 🤞🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Connect with me on Instagram

[Ricarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Beth Durst really is in her cozy fantasy era and I can only approve of that. She's back with a companion novel to The Spellshop, but the two books are only loosely connected and you can totally just read The Enchanted Greenhouse if you want to. This time we get the cozy goodness on a lonely island inhabited by a handsome gardener and his winged cat, a bunch of singing and talking plants, flower birds, and the cutest little pollinating dragons. The island is also home to said enchanted greenhouse, which actually is a huge structure of hundreds of greenhouses, one more magical than the next. It's also the place where the main character Terlu finds herself after she spent some time as a statue, now back in flesh and bone and with no idea how and why she ended up there. She meets the handsome but unsocial gardener Yarrow and soon learns that the greenhouses are progressively dying as the old spellwork begins to falter. It seems like it's up to her to renew the spells, although that's what got her severely punished via statuefication in the first place. Still, Terlu can't just do nothing, and so she starts to sort out the mess of the previous sorcerer while also making a new home for herself. Learning a new craft or fixing something up is an important part of a cozy fantasy for me, and I'm glad that it's included in this story as well. There was way less gardening than I expected there to be, at least by the main character, but Terlu was more responsible for the "enchanted" part than for the "greenhouse" part of The Enchanted Greenhouse. I also liked her as a character in general. She was craving human connection but had a hard time with actually finding it, because she just always ends up in lonely places and tries way to hard when it comes to other people. Yarrow is a good match as her quiet counterpart, only getting chatty when it comes to the plants of the greenhouse. He did feel almost too perfect in the beginning, though. He was passionately working on the island all alone, but as soon as Terlu arrived he was super considerate to her as a stranger, letting her live in his house and providing her with a sheer infinite amount of delicious food. It was a bit too much for me. His character eventually got some depth when his relationship with his family was explored, so it was fine in the end. Terlu and Yarrow's relationship was ok, but it was annoying how Terlu thought that Yarrow actually disliked her while she was also strangely horny for him since their very first meeting. It's the same dynamic as in The Spellshop, and I couldn't stand it there either. (Girl, if he cooks and bakes for you everyday and lets you sleep in his bed and helps you with literally everything all day long, he likes you.) I also must admit that I wasn't a big fan of the talking plants. I can deal with one or two, but a whole group is a lot, especially with the severe lack of human characters in the first half of the story. They were quirky and diverse, but they just didn't feel like actual characters to me. It got better when more humans joined the story and I liked how the lonely island slowly turned into a lively community again. The theme of loneliness was interesting and I liked how it was portrayed in such a variety: being left behind, being forced to be alone, being peacefully by yourself, being lonely even when surrounded by people. That part was done very well in my opinion and it gave more depth to an otherwise cozy and light story. I think it could have been a little shorter, but overall a good read for me.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan / Tor for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Alylally⛰️⛺️⛈️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so very cute. Still low stakes and cozy fantasy, but I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one. I almost didn't love the characters all that much. I loved the first book characters wayy more.

We still have our talking plants and very minimal romance. The love interest was kinda boring so that wasn't a good plus for this one. The magic is fun but it is still lacking from book one. I am sooo disappointed 😩

Oh well. Hopefully onto better! ❤

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

i found the story interesting but i didn’t think the fmc and the mmc had any chemistry at all, they genuinely felt like just friends to me. i thought the fmc was very basic and boring like a typical main character that’s supposed to just move you through the plot.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You make my world better. Every day, in a million ways. You brought me to life.”

This book was great! It was such a heartwarming and magical cozy fantasy about family, second chances, love, finding your purpose in life and never giving up. This book felt like a warm hug on a chilly day. I loved the fall and winter vibes. The magic in the book was great, especially the talking plants and the spells. I loved the fantasy creatures including the cat with wings, the tiny dragons and the magical plants. The writing was engaging and witty, the description of the setting was well done. The plot was slow at times, but I was invested in the book because of the writing and characters. The characters were also a highlight of the book. I loved Terlu, she was bubbly, fun, helpful, kind, outgoing and resilient. Terlu’s character development was wonderful, I loved watching her find her purpose and have a second chance on life again. I also loved Yarrow, he was gruff at first but inside he has a heart of gold and was cinnamon roll. I loved that he’s a great cook and baker. Yarrow was such a sweetheart to Terlu, he helped her in any way he could and was protective of her. I was swooning at all the sweet things he did for Terlu. I liked a side characters immensely as well especially Lotti, Dendy, Marin, and Rowan. The romance and chemistry between Terlu and Yarrow was amazing! They cared and understood each other by communicating. The ending was heartwarming and I’m glad it ended on happy note.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy fantasy, awesome characters and a magical world.

[Kendall (worst reading slump of my life) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fear cozy fantasy may not be for me.

Some things to expect inside:
~ Cozy vibes
~ Sentient plants
~ Grumpy X Sunshine
~ Unique Creatures
~ Magic


This book was almost a copy paste of the last one. The personalities of the two main characters were almost identical, and sadly, I found myself bored. There were moments I really enjoyed, but this book was extremely repetitive and it was hard to read over the same thoughts and conversations.

I hate being in the minority for books that have a really good rating! I wanted to love this so bad since I did enjoy the last one. I feel like she was trying to recreate the most popular things in that book and just put them in this one, and for me, it didn't pan out. I ended up skimming the last 20%.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful companion to The Spellshop! The Enchanted Greenhouse is a cozy fantasy set in the same world but with different characters. It follows librarian Terlu Purna, the creator of Kaz (the sentient spider plant from book 1) who was punished for using illegal magic by being turned into a wood statue. Years later, she awakens in a magical greenhouse on a distant island where the lone remaining gardener (a gruff and introverted man who is handsome and an excellent baker) is struggling to maintain things after the death of the death of the island wizard and the degradation of the spells maintaining the greenhouses.

We get a grumpy/sunshine slowburn romance with a plus-size heroine, more sentient plant companions, and a lovely story about letting people in, finding healing, and embodying your purpose. If you liked The Spellshop you should definitely pick this up. The audio narration is great, the perfect cozy vibes with wonderful characters! I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So freaking cute! I think I preferred the romance and found family more in book one, but I was so pleasantly surprised when I started reading and found out who our heroine was! She's dropped in this small town and has to help save the green houses with the grumpy man whose house she has to stay in. They work together and a lot of the book is confined to mostly them, so I really loved when more people were brought in later on in the book. The magical element was fun as they worked to solve the mystery of what was happening to the greenhouses. I loved the heroine's connection with magic and watching her trust herself and learn how to wield magic from her books. I just love the settings and whimsey in this author's books and cannot wait to read more of them!

[✨Yuhh✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 38%

The cover is cute, the characters not so much. Everyone was annoying and there was a lot of repetitive thoughts/conversations. The side plant character was whiny and bossy, the male love interest remote, non-communicative, and lacking in interest of FMC. FMC had low self esteem and only did things to make others like her, hopefully she grows out of this but I wasn't really interested in following the journey.

[Hunter Ross · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am flabbergasted that this is the same series as The Spellshop which I had given five stars. The story was weak and uninteresting. The main character was so insecure and the insecurities so repetitively droned on and beaten into us it became distracting. The entire story seemed rushed, unedited, rambling and super repetitive-almost like a stream of consciousness. Could I have given this two stars? Maybe but it was so annoying and I even preordered this which I almost never do because I was so excited about the first book. The first 15% are living in the head of Terlu and again super repetitive and frankly uninteresting.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 stars.

This was so beautiful. I was crying towards the end in love and hope and all the warm feelings.

The author says, "I wrote The Enchanted Greenhouse because I believe that everyone deserves hope and love and friendship and second chances and magic in their lives. Also, honey cakes, tiny dragons, and a winged cat. I wrote it because I believe there is light after darkness, warmth and wonder to be found even in the coldest of winters, and kindness in the world that can heal us."

And once again, the author achieved what she attempted. This book is a light in the darkness and ignites hope for love and a future in a world of violence and unjust laws.

If you've read book 1, this is a delight because you get to learn about the librarian who brought Caz to life. If you haven't read book 1, GO READ IT!!!!!

Terlu is a librarian for the Great Library and is LONELY when she creates a sentient plant to keep her company. She's an extrovert who has left her home in search of meaning and a mission. But, she ends up alone more often than she expected and her aching loneliness drives her to break the law and create a companion for herself. She's found out and condemned to be a statue to act as a warning to others who would try to take power for themselves. Her boss doesn't agree that this is a just punishment, but the system is unjust and corrupt and the prologue sees her turned into a wooden statue and forgotten.

I was concerned that she was a statue for many years and I cannot deal with the heartbreak for her to have missed out on tons of life. Thankfully, it's only been 6 years (though that's still a long time) so the world isn't completely different when she wakes on a strange island.

The only other person on the island is a gardener, Yarrow, who is trying to save a failing enchanted greenhouse and hopes that Terlu holds the answers. She does, but it takes the whole book to find them and their journey towards each other, towards healing, and towards a more just and loving world. There is a winged cat, tiny dragons, talking plants, and so much more.

The romance is light while being so meaningful and lovely.

Everyone needs therapy, but they still get healing and help even without a trained professional.

This is a cathartic story where we get to see healing from childhood hurts. There's a part where Yarrow's dad acknowledges harm he did. It was beautiful and probably the biggest fantasy part of the book!

I loved this. It was sweet and cozy and wonderful.

[Sophie Arsenault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait for this to come out!! The Spellshop was so magical! Also heard it will be set in the same world!!! 💜💜💜

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this series, The Spellshop, was my introduction to this genre called Cozy Fantasy. Upon finishing, I became a big fan of this genre and couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Enchanted Greenhouse!

The book summary indicates The Enchanted Greenhouse can be read as a standalone but I personally recommend starting with The Spellshop. It’s true that The Enchanted Greenhouse focuses mainly on different characters but I think starting with The Spellshop gives a good introduction to this amazing world that Sarah Beth Durst has created.

Once again, I am thoroughly enchanted by this gorgeous cover! And yes that is a cat with wings on it! I remember my favorite character in The Spellshop being a spider plant. Well, The Enchanted Greenhouse has no shortage of talking plants! In fact, some of these plant characters are more self-aware and emotionally intelligent than a lot of humans I know! 🙃

The Enchanted Greenhouse provided all the sugary sweetness I was hoping for. If you enjoyed The Spellshop, I believe you will enjoy The Enchanted Greenhouse as well!

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️ Can a fantasy be a little too cozy? Yes it can, especially if it reads like a bedtime story. It’s rich, descriptive, brimming with whimsical charm. Something that is so straightforward and brings feel-good vibes. There’s a sprinkle of romance that gives off grumpy x sunshine vibes and sassy characters that make you giggle and smile. It’s a comfort read for those who need something chill. I just wanted to crawl under my comforter and transport myself to the Enchanted Greenhouse!

Terlu is a librarian who drifted through life, always wanting and reaching but never having. Never fitting in, a little empty and always feeling lonely. Until she meets Yarrow, a gardener who settles her doubts and weeds out her fears. After being stone-ified for six years, she wakes up on island of Belde, an island full of creatures, magical plants and a cute gardener who is working himself tirelessly trying to save the greenhouses. Together, they begin rebuilding this enchanted island.

The book alone wins on the beautiful and charming imagery of enchanted, cozy green house that you just want to snuggle in. The romance was cute and slow and the story didn’t have much world building—it was basic and completely appropriate for kids 12+. The warmth, the characters were the heart of the story. From a sassy rose, a winged cat and little dragon pollinators, the gentle little creatures stole the show. The sentient plants somewhat reminded me of the Little Shop of Horrors!

As this is not my first book by Sarah Beth Durst, I noted that her writing heavily focuses on the inner thoughts’ and fears’ of the main character. While this does remind the reader of the characters’ worry, I think the repetition gets in the way of natural order of things. Less is always better, in my opinion. Nevertheless the author did a terrific job.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Beth got me over here crying over houseplants and craving vegetable casseroles . . . how does she do it?!

So precious and cozy! So romantic! So delicious! Like a warm hug and a cup of hot chocolate in book form! And there are even dragons!

[Amy Cobb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited for this release that I ordered it as a signed edition. I really disliked the story.

I had to force myself to read this book since I paid for it and Spellshop had enchanted me. I’m shocked that it took me eight days to finish this…but then again, I forced myself. I wish I would have just DNF’ed.

Possible spoilers
****

For as much as I adored Spellshop, I equally disliked this story. It lacked any real depth.

The romance is instantaneous and lacks any genuine chemistry. Whether or not you like slow build romance or in your face spice—there was zero build here. Our MC instantly falls for the only person she’s seen in six years and the story itself is one long boring walk through greenhouses with an endless winter landscape outside. It’s extremely boring and lackluster with 2d characters in a flat world.

It reads like the author made an outline of exactly what was going to happen and then just failed to fill in the details in a way that engaged readers.

Also, adding in token gay characters and gender neutral sentient plants doesn’t come across as inclusive—it comes across as tossing crumbs to scream hey, I’m LBGT+ friendly! In both books I feel like gay and gender themes lacked depth and just got tossed in for cookies. Attaboy.

[Jace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely everything I love in a cozy fantasy! It’s set in such an atmospheric island with the most lovable and quirky characters. It’s full of wonderful imagery that makes you feel so warm inside {just like a greenhouse}. It’s a magical slice-of-life following Terlu and Yarrow as they discover and recover the magic of the greenhouse on their remote island. It’s a story of healing and loving yourself. It’s a story full of hope, found family, and a tender quiet romance. It’s a book that is meant to be taken slow with a cup of tea and honey cake. Definitely for fans of House in Cerulean Sea and Emily Wilde. I absolutely loved it and was just what I needed! Thank you so much NetGalley for the early copy— can’t wait for you guys to read this one!!

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. I'm never disappointed with Sarah Beth Durst's cozy fantasy books. The Enchanted Greenhouse is everything I needed and wanted ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

If you loved The Spellshop, you're going to adore this one so much as well. The setting is another magical island, but this time, you'll get to enter some pretty impressive, enchanted greenhouses. HUNDREDS OF THEM! Our protagonist Terlu arrives there in the form of a wooden statue after being convicted and punished when she made Caz (aka the sentient spider plant in The Spellshop). It was such a nice connection between one book and the other. You basically know in The Spellshop that someone made Caz and that person was punished for doing magic, and that's pretty much everything you know about Terlu back then. But in The Enchanted Greenhouse, you meet her and fall madly in love with her story as well.

If you also are a fan of romance, the romance in this book is wonderful, sweet, and soooo wholesome. It's a slow burn between two very lonely people who have been left behind by a lot of people. So, they are unfamiliar with love, care, friendship, and overall the feeling of being wanted and needed. When these two meet and realize they're perfect for each other? MAGIC! ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Finally, someone who understands them and loves them completely.

I highly recommend everyone to read this if you love cozy fantasy books. There's intrigue, magic, romance, hilarious moments, a fascinating group of characters, AND LOTS OF TALKING PLANTS. Also a flying cat. It is such a beautiful book and I hope everyone gives it a chance!

[Maeghan 🦋 HIATUS on & off · Rating 4 out of 5]

W•I•N•G•E•D••C•A•T•S
« If you’re hurt, you’re hurt. It doesn’t matter if anyone else thinks you don’t have a good enough reason. Pain doesn’t require approval. »

4.5✨
This was just way too sweet! I spent the last 30 pages CRYING my soul out of wholesomeness. This was the most perfect endings of endings I’ve ever read.

Sarah Beth Durst has been my favourite author for a while now, my love for her starting with her book The Bone Maker. I always felt like her writing had a unique touch and her acknowledgment sums it up : « I wrote the Enchanted Greenhouse because I believe that everyone deserves hope and love and friendship and second chances and magic in their lives. Also, honey cakes, tiny dragons and a winged cat. I wrote it because I believe there is light after darkness, warmth and wonder to be found even in the coldest of winters, and kindness in the world that can heal us. »

The romance was so soft and sweet in this novel. The understanding, empathy & compassion seeped through the pages. I sincerely enjoyed this novel very much and am looking forward to reading the next book. I can’t get enough of this series.

« I think you could do anything you want to do. »

—-•pre read
My last most anticipated read of 2025 😭 the year just flew by I swear

[greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

not gonna lie, this felt longer than what it was lol. i definitely preferred the spellshop, but this one was cute, too!

the characters were sweet, especially the plants and terlu, it was nice seeing them thriving.
i didn't particularly have an opinion on yarrow though, he was way too blunt for my liking. i get that he was supposed to be a grump, but his relationship with terlu didn't do anything for me because of how extremely blunt he was for the most part.
also, the more i read, the more i couldn't relate to terlu anymore. i liked the spellshop's fmc better because i could relate to her more.

the writing style at times felt like a warm hug to me, but for some reason this book felt so slow... i felt like i was reading it forever. however, the atmosphere of a cozy island in winter time was definitely there.

the sentient plants idea made the book even more cozy, but at the same time it felt a bit too juvenile for me. at times it felt like a book for early teenagers.
it had a cute ending with nods to the spellshop which i appreciated.

overall, i would still recommend this, i just definitely prefer the spellshop over this one.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adored The Spellshop. Finished it in record time. This one? Kinda meh. Great premise, average storytelling. Some things made no sense. And it went on about 5% too long (read as an e-galley). The romance is a little too much, too soon. If you like the grumpy man/clueless woman trope, then this is def your story to read. If there is a third book, I’ll likely pass.

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, a HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is cosy fantasy perfection.
It's a warm and whimsical, magical story full of sentient plants, tiny dragons, and a flying cat.

The author mentioned in her acknowledgements that it's her "hope that this book can be a bit of light and warmth and a dose of kindness that a reader might need" and I feel like she fully delivered that.

I loved the gentle pacing, the whimsical setting, and how wholesome this book felt the whole way through.

Terlu is such an adorable FMC. I wanted to protect her from the start and was fully rooting for her. And Yarrow? Grumpy, patient, and soo quietly supportive. If you're looking for a green flag MMC, look no further.
Their relationship is full of care and respect, and I was SQUEALING when they finally kissed. That bed scene was everything. (no spice!)

The greenhouse itself also completely stole my heart. I could honestly read five more books set in this world and be perfectly happy. (seriously)

5 stars. I adored it.

[Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful tale set in the same world as her Spellshop book!

This one started out stronger than the last – with a main character who immediately came across much more likable and a setting that was to die for. Terlu as a story lead was endearing and I liked the level of caring she exuded. That’s not to say I didn’t like the lead in the previous book – a woman who was a bit unapproachable and more in her own way (with a great growth arc!) – but Terlu here made for a much more relaxing reading companion.

And the setting!! A huge cluster of individual greenhouses hosting a wide variety of habitats and species. Truthfully I could’ve spent an entire book just reading about them taking care of plants and solving soil issues, but alas that’s not as marketable. It was the world-building component that kept my interest sparked and ultimately provided my favorite takeaways from the book. I especially loved the pollinator dragons.

So even though the best elements remained strong throughout the entire book, there were a few minor things that eventually knocked me off a slam-dunk high rating: conflicts and pacing.

The conflict in this story was off somehow, perhaps not quite robust enough for the length of the story. On one hand it’s a cozy fantasy and the conflict in those can be anything as simple as “Gosh I really need to spruce up this cottage because it’s filthy.” So maybe needing a more robust conflict wasn’t the problem, but it definitely needed something… more. More cozy-world problems. More day in the life of a greenhouse gardener-type of vibes. The grand conflict overarching the story I thought was great, but the solution didn’t require enough elements to merit a large page count, so it was kind of in and out.

And then you have a third drama point where the main character is fixated on the problems of a different character – that was the part I really didn’t like. It felt like she didn’t have enough going on to drive a story, so she had to borrow problems. So I think between her not having enough internal conflict and the simple overarching plot is why the pacing felt a little off. And there wasn’t enough of that cozy “nesting into our new environment” element to keep me engaged in the meantime.

While the romance in the first book was so subtle and lovely that it didn’t even feel like a major component to the book – in this one the romance was much more heavy-handed. I like that Durst’s male leads are kind people with a lot of compassion and and positive regard for the main characters. I also like that they both managed to showcase these attributes in completely different ways. I will admit that in this one, I found the back-and-forth between the two a bit too saccharin. But it’s a cozy fantasy so I just leaned into it.

Despite a couple of minor issues that kept the book from being higher rated than the first one, the last couple of chapters really brought it home for me and I ended up walking away really glad that I had read it. I’m especially excited for Sea of Charms currently slated for release on July 21, 2026

Recommendations: if you’re in the mood for a cozy fantasy with a touch of romance (and I mean only just a touch in the first book) this series is an absolute delight… give it a try!

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Tracey, Poochtee, Kinsey, and Alysa! <3

Find me on Booktube at: The Obsessive Bookseller

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

Other books you might like:

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed this cozy, cottagecore, feel-good, hopeful, relatable fantasy.

Terlu created a sentient spider plant, to keep her company in the empty stacks of the Great Library of Alyssium. This illegal act of magic by a librarian sentences her to being turned into a statue.. that is until she awakens six years later back in flesh on an island where there are magical greenhouses with every kind of plant.

She doesn’t know why she is there, but the lone shy, grumpy gardener seems to think she was sent to fix the failing magic on the island despite the fact she is not a sorcerer.

We have a winged cat, a sassy, talking rose called Lotti, an ex-librarian who cannot be alone and feels like she is too much for everyone, and a shy gardener who is the only one left looking after enchanted greenhouses and magical plants (and tiny dragons). Also, he is a VERY good cook and baker.

”What do you call a bee that’s been put under a spell?” Lotti asked.
Terlu raised her eyebrows at the little rose.
“Bee-witched.”
“No,” Yarrow said.

I much preferred this to The Spellshop. The plot was more compelling (even if it was just trying to fix the greenhouses and dealing with sentient talking (and singing) plants. The characters and their desires, fears, interactions felt more authentic and relatable.
It felt more wholesome and satisfying.

She’d tried so hard for so long to be friendly, to make friends, to be useful, to please, and she’d been told so often: Stop trying so hard. You try too hard.

This was soft and low-stakes and perfect for a book to binge in one sitting after finishing all my exams!

It did feel repetitive as the inner monologue is repeated and the uncertainties of Terlu are referred to again and again with such similar words.
There is growth though!

One thing that did make me raise my eyebrows (if you want zero spoilers, skip the next paragraph - nothing major) - at one point, they were running out of oxygen and they decide to light a fire? Ummmm…

You don’t need to have read The Spellshop to read this. This actually takes part before and then alongside that book’s timeline. You get Easter Eggs to The Spellshop, but nothing that would mean missing out on this one.

“Then we’d be statues together.” He’d moved closer, only inches away. “They’d have to make a double pedestal for both of us, because I won’t let go.”

Arc gifted by Tor.

Bookstagram
Tiktok

[Jackie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay, this was cute! I need to read more cozy fantasies, and the Spellshop series is a master class in how to create a charming, cozy book with endearing characters.

Excited for the next one!!!

Pre-read:
Now after reading The Spellshop I want to read this SO BAD!!! I requested it on NetGalley and I NEED them to approve it

Edit: I was denied 😭😭😭

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cozy fantasy from Sarah Beth Durst! 🥰 ✨

I loved coming back to this universe, and I was pleasantly surprised to find who the main character from this second book was! I'm glad we got to know Terlu's story.
Although this is the sequel of The Spellshop, both books are mostly stand-alone.

I actually enjoyed this one more than the first book, mainly because here we go a bit deeper into the magic system and the world building. Also this book felt a bit more complex than the previous one (in a good way) while still being cozy and mostly mid/low stakes.

The slow burn romance was really sweet, but I also liked the friendship and "found family" theme.

I've seen there’s a 3rd book announced in this series, I hope the author keeps writing many more of these because they’re adorable! 😊❤️

Thanks to Pan Macmillan | Tor via NetGalley for providing an eARC

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terlu is an assistant librarian who illegally performed a spell creating a sentient spider plant. When someone reported her, she was sentenced to be turned into a statue, despite the head librarian's plea for mercy. Six years later she finds herself on a strange island, freed from being a statue by the only inhabitant of the island, Yarrow, who tends to the enchanted greenhouses there. Terlu sets out to help Yarrow restore the greenhouses and sentient plants. I loved the descriptions of the talking plants, the enchanted greenhouses, the winged cat, and the tiny dragon pollinators. The other characters were wonderful, too (except for the judge that sentenced Terlu.) The head librarian sums up her actions: "I did what I thought was right....in fact, I believe it's every person's duty, especially those in power, to reject unjust laws. To choose kindness and empathy whenever we can." Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for permitting me to review this ARC.

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another warm hug of a cozy fantasy by this author, in the same overall world as The Spellshop, but with only a slight connection to that tale so very much a standalone (with a tiny itty bit of a spoiler at the end of this about a part of the ending for those characters). I was sick all weekend, almost immediately after finishing this so some of my impressions are kind of dulled. This story is one of second chances though, for the main characters and side characters, actually for the location they find themselves in as well. There are trauma responses and healing, growth and love (of more than the romantic kind). It’s a lovely, heartwarming story.

Written in third person, single POV of the h. No ow/om drama and only the h’s experience is mentioned in a vague way. I assumed the H was inexperienced based on his description but unknown.

Some tropes/themes:
☆ FMC technically commits a crime
☆ Second chances for everyone
☆ Magical setting
☆ Lots of confusion at first - who’s what and why is the FMC there
☆ Librarian FMC who was lonely in her past life
☆ MMC is reticent and reclusive
☆ She’s very talkative and he’s not
☆ He’s also totally a cinnamon roll and caretaker
☆ She’s somewhat on edge still
☆ He’s a gardener
☆ She’s a linguistic expert and a boss at researching
☆ Allllll the plants one could ask for in a story, literally
☆ Sentient plants again but multiplied
☆ Saving their home
☆ Magic ✨

The story begins with Terlu (h) being prosecuted for the crime of casting a magic spell, which is forbidden for all but sorcerers. The punishment is severe to make an example of her and there’s a touch of understanding about what’s happening to her, before the meat of the story happens and Terlu awakens on an island filled with enchanted greenhouses. She has no idea where she is, how she got out of her punishment, and the only other person on the island, Yarrow (H), has a tendency to become discombobulated and walk away from her before giving her answers. He also thought she was a sorcerer and she thought he must be one. Neither of them being a sorcerer thankfully doesn’t hold Yarrow back from caring for Terlu in his quirky way or Terlu from trying to establish how to help him with his problem. Because the enchantments on the island are dying.

Terlu and Yarrow are both sympathetic characters with amazing depth in their backstories. Their feelings and behaviors fit what their lived experiences had been. They also encouraged each other to, gently, push past some of those negative feelings at times. The romance aspect of this story is light and sloooooooow burn (with no steamy times, just some kisses, cuddling, and allusions I think at the end). The intimacy of the story lies in their characterizations, growth, and the love that develops between them.

I loved how the side characters of the story are introduced, from the plants to the creatures, to some of the humans that eventually arrive to interact with the main characters. There’s even a spirit. The magic itself felt like its own side character at times too, it was such a living and complex part of the book. The tiny dragons with their love of treasures (and honey) were probably my favorites however. Even over the other humans, because they came with some messiness and less cuteness lol.

Solving the mystery of what’s happening with the island takes the bulk of the book, with missteps, mishaps, and victories along the way. Soothing Terlu’s fears of working with magic again and nudging Yarrow to face some discomfort related to his isolation also make for emotional plot points. Of course they’re ultimately successful and there’s a wonderful HEA. The end also includes the nod to The Spellshop that gives Terlu some closure related to what happens at the start of the book. The theme of second chances is one of my favorites and here it comes to life and becomes simply magical. Once again, the author’s note is also beautiful.

I do still have the same conundrum with this book as the other one I’ve read by this author. I love my romance on the heavier side and my steaminess to be present. I knew going in though what to expect and I had wanted a palette cleanser, which this served very well.