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The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne
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12 days and 06:50:01
25 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
Love grows in the most unimaginable of places in Summer N. England's sweet and spicy cozy romantasy debut, for fans of The Spellshop and For Whom the Belle Tolls!
Most stories end with a happily ever after. But mine? Well, it begins with one ...
After a lonely childhood, Clara Thorne is living out her happy ending as the magically gifted gardener for the town of Moss. Sure, her closest companion is a surly hedgehog, and she’s forever stuck on the first line of her novel, but she has a home. That is, until The Goddess chooses Clara for an important quest—travel to the cursed town of Dwindle and grow them a garden. In less than a month.
Only Clara’s hiding a terrible her magic doesn't work outside Moss. Worse, The Goddess has assigned the absurdly sexy, annoyingly cheerful Hesper Altanfall to keep her safe. Clara would rather eat thorns than accept help—especially since Hesper insists that Clara’s magic is bound to her heart, not her home.
Nevertheless, the two can't help growing closer as they traverse enchanted woods and share tavern beds. But with an ancient evil threatening from the shadows, saving Dwindle will require more than enchanted crops. Clara will need to unearth a magic she’s always believed impossible.
Most stories end with a happily ever after. But mine? Well, it begins with one ...
After a lonely childhood, Clara Thorne is living out her happy ending as the magically gifted gardener for the town of Moss. Sure, her closest companion is a surly hedgehog, and she’s forever stuck on the first line of her novel, but she has a home. That is, until The Goddess chooses Clara for an important quest—travel to the cursed town of Dwindle and grow them a garden. In less than a month.
Only Clara’s hiding a terrible her magic doesn't work outside Moss. Worse, The Goddess has assigned the absurdly sexy, annoyingly cheerful Hesper Altanfall to keep her safe. Clara would rather eat thorns than accept help—especially since Hesper insists that Clara’s magic is bound to her heart, not her home.
Nevertheless, the two can't help growing closer as they traverse enchanted woods and share tavern beds. But with an ancient evil threatening from the shadows, saving Dwindle will require more than enchanted crops. Clara will need to unearth a magic she’s always believed impossible.
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Expected publication April 7, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I don't know, maybe the author bit off more than she can chew when writing a "spicy debut cozy romantasy", because I was pretty underwhelmed by the spicy, the cozy, the romance and the fantasy parts of this book. For me this simply was a messy read that did not know its own tone. I guess the book relies on readers who like any of these genres to just find something that they enjoy in here, instead of telling a story with coherent vibes. I'm a huge fan of cozy fantasy for instance. There doesn't need to be much worldbuilding and I'm generally happy with a little magic and lovable characters, and adding a romance is also fine by me. But cozy + spicy is already a questionable mix in my opinion, because it just serves so different vibes. It was throwing me off so badly in this book, especially since I lowkey hated the main character and didn't think that she deserved the romance that she got.
But back to beginning when I still thought that this could be a nice and cozy read. I was looking forward to reading about town gardener Clara Thorne who is living in a small town where lesser magics are very common. There's kitchen magic and garden magic and beauty magic and I was intrigued. She lives in a cottage with a little hedgehog and is preparing the flowers for an upcoming celebration. It was a bit infodumpy, but it still was solid cozy fantasy material for me. But Clara is soon sent on a quest, meaning that she has to leave the cozy town. Her Goddess gives her the task of growing a garden in another town many miles away, and so a good chunk of the book is about the mostly boring journey from one place to another. Clara is accompanied by her protector Hesper, meaning that I had to suffer through one of the most incomprehensible romances I've ever read about. There is supposed to be some kind of enemies-to-lovers thing going on, but it is literally just Clara hating Hesper for absolutely no reason. She's blaming her for things that aren't her fault, she's rude and inconsiderate while constantly complaining about everyone and everything. She's oh so plain (she isn't) and she has no magic (she does) and she is of no value to the town (she does and literally everyone tells her so) and leaving means the end of the world (it doesn't and she is supposed to return in one month) and she just despises Hesper (she doesn't). I honestly don't understand how anyone would like her, but Hesper is just in love with her from their first meeting and calls her by the cutesy (and nonsensical) nickname "princess" on every occasion (ew). Everything was either overly dramatic or very childish until it turns into full-blown smut all of a sudden. The book doesn't transport the cozy vibes that I expected from the cute cover at all and I also had to wait up to the 70% mark until I got something that resembled the impossible-garden part from the title. The book is so long without ever really delivering the cozy garden magic that I actually came here for and my disappointment is immeasurable. I don't think that it's written poorly, but it sure has a lot of tone issues and is structured in a weird way. Like, at the end there suddenly is a villain who has no impact on the overall story and is fought off in 20 pages, so what the hell was the point? But you know, the book is probably not as bad as I make it sound like. It just annoyed me with many unnecessary things, resulting in a personal distaste. It might be fine for other readers, though.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
But back to beginning when I still thought that this could be a nice and cozy read. I was looking forward to reading about town gardener Clara Thorne who is living in a small town where lesser magics are very common. There's kitchen magic and garden magic and beauty magic and I was intrigued. She lives in a cottage with a little hedgehog and is preparing the flowers for an upcoming celebration. It was a bit infodumpy, but it still was solid cozy fantasy material for me. But Clara is soon sent on a quest, meaning that she has to leave the cozy town. Her Goddess gives her the task of growing a garden in another town many miles away, and so a good chunk of the book is about the mostly boring journey from one place to another. Clara is accompanied by her protector Hesper, meaning that I had to suffer through one of the most incomprehensible romances I've ever read about. There is supposed to be some kind of enemies-to-lovers thing going on, but it is literally just Clara hating Hesper for absolutely no reason. She's blaming her for things that aren't her fault, she's rude and inconsiderate while constantly complaining about everyone and everything. She's oh so plain (she isn't) and she has no magic (she does) and she is of no value to the town (she does and literally everyone tells her so) and leaving means the end of the world (it doesn't and she is supposed to return in one month) and she just despises Hesper (she doesn't). I honestly don't understand how anyone would like her, but Hesper is just in love with her from their first meeting and calls her by the cutesy (and nonsensical) nickname "princess" on every occasion (ew). Everything was either overly dramatic or very childish until it turns into full-blown smut all of a sudden. The book doesn't transport the cozy vibes that I expected from the cute cover at all and I also had to wait up to the 70% mark until I got something that resembled the impossible-garden part from the title. The book is so long without ever really delivering the cozy garden magic that I actually came here for and my disappointment is immeasurable. I don't think that it's written poorly, but it sure has a lot of tone issues and is structured in a weird way. Like, at the end there suddenly is a villain who has no impact on the overall story and is fought off in 20 pages, so what the hell was the point? But you know, the book is probably not as bad as I make it sound like. It just annoyed me with many unnecessary things, resulting in a personal distaste. It might be fine for other readers, though.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I found The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne to be magical, cozy, and just adventurous enough to keep me engaged. The beginning felt slow, though not in an immediately obvious way. I enjoyed settling into the characters and getting to know the town, but after a while, it felt like the story was lingering without moving forward. When the plot finally picked up, that’s when I was the most interested. There were many unique stops along the way that I wish had been explored more. Unfortunately, because the adventure portion was rushed, the beginning and ending ended up feeling somewhat repetitive, which threw off the overall pacing.
Once the story reached Dwindle, I had a lot of fun meeting new characters and seeing the world expand. Overall, I enjoyed this book for its charm and heart. While it didn’t do anything particularly new within the genre, I still found it to be a warm, endearing read.
Honestly, I think the cover alone made me like this book at least 10% more. It’s a perfect cover in my eyes.
Thank you Forever Pub for an eARC of this book.
Once the story reached Dwindle, I had a lot of fun meeting new characters and seeing the world expand. Overall, I enjoyed this book for its charm and heart. While it didn’t do anything particularly new within the genre, I still found it to be a warm, endearing read.
Honestly, I think the cover alone made me like this book at least 10% more. It’s a perfect cover in my eyes.
Thank you Forever Pub for an eARC of this book.
Did not finish
January 14, 2026I’m not sure what I hated more — the whiny main character or the transparent plot. I put it down maybe a quarter of the way in and backed away. Clearly other people love it and good for them — not my cup of tea. And the random spelling of shoppe (and only the word shoppe) just made my teeth itch.
Advanced Readers Copy provided by edelweiss
Advanced Readers Copy provided by edelweiss
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is a cozy romantasy standalone, with a few spicy scenes but I didn't feel like that was the focus of the book. It has a sort of slapstick, physical comedy that I could see really clearly in my mind. I didn't fall in love with Clara or her love interest Hester though, so that meant I didn't get swept into the story. The book has a bit of a slow start, but I think readers who particularly click with Clara as a character will enjoy that it takes the space to breathe before getting into her quest properly.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
March 4, 2026
This was such a FUN time - Think Legends and Lattes x The Spell Shop but make it sPicY! Cosy AF with cottagecore vibes, the story of Clara Thorne’s impossible garden is both playful and warm with a wonderful cast of colourful characters. It’s a low stakes kind of plot but is not without obstacles and the feeling of community is at the heart of the story. There’s magical beings a plenty, a sapphic romance and the cutest hedgehog shaped companion to keep you company as you follow Clara on her adventures.
Being a longtime follower of Summer’s content I’m not at all surprised to have enjoyed her gorgeous debut to the fullest! I love, love, loved it! 🌷🦔✨
Being a longtime follower of Summer’s content I’m not at all surprised to have enjoyed her gorgeous debut to the fullest! I love, love, loved it! 🌷🦔✨
March 22, 2026
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓛;𝓓𝓡 ✧˖°
A wholesome sapphic romantasy perfect for readers looking for a sweet small-town community, an opposites attract love story with tension, and a feel good conclusion that leaves you wanting more!
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
3.75 ⭐
3 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
"Fuck you," I seethed.
"What foul language for such a pretty mouth," they tutted.
"Clara Thorne"-she pulled me close to her, our mouths centimeters apart-"you're very much a brat, but I never said that was a bad thing."
"Clara, dear," she whispered into my ear. "I'll wake every monster on the Irk if I come on your mouth."
"We're all just trying our best. It is a hard, odd, wonderful thing to be alive."
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
Magical Gardener Clara must grow a garden in cursed town Dwindle but her magic is failing. With cheerful bodyguard Hesper at her side, she discovers adventure, unexpected love, and her deeper power.
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
♀️ Sapphic Romance
🌞 Grumpy x Sunshine
1️⃣ Chosen One Quest
🪄 Bound Magic
🫶 Found Family
🦔 Animal Sidekicks
🔗 Forced Proximity
😬 Reluctant Hero
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🌶️ Some explicit sexual content
🩸 Mild Violence
💨 Parental Abandonment
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ The Hobbit x Barbie Swan Lake
+ Cosy, Magical Atmosphere
+ Strong Small-Town Community Feel
+ Great Chemistry and Banter between the Leads
+ Flirting, Emotional Intimacy, and Spice
+ Mystical Creatures and Settings
+ Wholesome Side Characters
+ Healing Arc for all
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Slow, Low Stakes opening lacked impact
- Lots of Info Dumping early on slowed pacing
- FMC's stubbornness could be repetitive
- Ending didn't suit a standalone (no cliff hangers but more could be explored)
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
This book reminded me of a cross between The Hobbit and Barbie Swan Lake... Clara is Bilbo Baggins in female form and Goddess Elderene and Villain Thanadyn with their history and current war felt straight out of Swan Lake!
As a result, I was immediately charmed by the little town of Moss and the folk within it. Clara is grumpy and proud but she loves her hedgehog friend Warty and the garden she grows for the village. She struggles with her magic, though, and doesn't share her woes with her wonderful friends.
The small-town community is obvious from the start, and we're introduced to many of the characters right away - including Hesper (Clara's future bodyguard) when Clara bumps into her while chasing a squirrel. Hesper is the complete opposite to Clara, and has no qualms with reminding her of that fact!
Hesper and Clara have their own faults (Clara's too stubborn, and Hesper too distant/lighthearted), but together their chemistry is off the charts. I laughed at several comments from their many back and forths! Yet even getting on each other's nerves, they help and heal together.
Their flirting and eventual spice is lovely to watch, and I really enjoyed how the emotional parts of Clara's experience were portrayed. They're both bashful yet commandeering and they take turns leading the way.
The vast array of magical creatures spread throughout the book was wondrous to behold! I felt just as awed as Clara whilst reading. I also loved the various side characters for their wholesome yet distinct personalities!
However, one area for me that was a bit lacking was the slower start to the book! Clara is chasing a squirrel that's stolen a tulip bulb, but it ends up not amounting to anything as Hesper finds it straight away. It feels painfully obvious as an excuse to get the characters to meet, and the stakes fall a bit flat. I'd have loved for the story to start in the Goddess Celebration instead!
Also, Clara spends a lot of time info dumping to the reader about the town, the culture, and her past. This is helpful later on but made the story drag a bit first thing. Not to mention, Clara's stubbornness gets a bit too repetitive as time goes on. It feels like a fairly easy blocker to be resolved, only it lasts through most of the story.
Even though the story was resolved, it felt like there was more unfinished. The ending was satisfying in it's own way, but it doesn't feel like the ending to a standalone! It's like there should be at least a sequel exploring the elements that are ongoing. I can appreciate that this might make the ending look more realistic, but as a reader, I'd want to know what happens next!
Despite this, I still loved reading The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne, and found it to be a wholesome and charming experience!
Thank you to Summer N. England and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A wholesome sapphic romantasy perfect for readers looking for a sweet small-town community, an opposites attract love story with tension, and a feel good conclusion that leaves you wanting more!
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
3.75 ⭐
3 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
"Fuck you," I seethed.
"What foul language for such a pretty mouth," they tutted.
"Clara Thorne"-she pulled me close to her, our mouths centimeters apart-"you're very much a brat, but I never said that was a bad thing."
"Clara, dear," she whispered into my ear. "I'll wake every monster on the Irk if I come on your mouth."
"We're all just trying our best. It is a hard, odd, wonderful thing to be alive."
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
Magical Gardener Clara must grow a garden in cursed town Dwindle but her magic is failing. With cheerful bodyguard Hesper at her side, she discovers adventure, unexpected love, and her deeper power.
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
♀️ Sapphic Romance
🌞 Grumpy x Sunshine
1️⃣ Chosen One Quest
🪄 Bound Magic
🫶 Found Family
🦔 Animal Sidekicks
🔗 Forced Proximity
😬 Reluctant Hero
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🌶️ Some explicit sexual content
🩸 Mild Violence
💨 Parental Abandonment
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ The Hobbit x Barbie Swan Lake
+ Cosy, Magical Atmosphere
+ Strong Small-Town Community Feel
+ Great Chemistry and Banter between the Leads
+ Flirting, Emotional Intimacy, and Spice
+ Mystical Creatures and Settings
+ Wholesome Side Characters
+ Healing Arc for all
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Slow, Low Stakes opening lacked impact
- Lots of Info Dumping early on slowed pacing
- FMC's stubbornness could be repetitive
- Ending didn't suit a standalone (no cliff hangers but more could be explored)
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
This book reminded me of a cross between The Hobbit and Barbie Swan Lake... Clara is Bilbo Baggins in female form and Goddess Elderene and Villain Thanadyn with their history and current war felt straight out of Swan Lake!
As a result, I was immediately charmed by the little town of Moss and the folk within it. Clara is grumpy and proud but she loves her hedgehog friend Warty and the garden she grows for the village. She struggles with her magic, though, and doesn't share her woes with her wonderful friends.
The small-town community is obvious from the start, and we're introduced to many of the characters right away - including Hesper (Clara's future bodyguard) when Clara bumps into her while chasing a squirrel. Hesper is the complete opposite to Clara, and has no qualms with reminding her of that fact!
Hesper and Clara have their own faults (Clara's too stubborn, and Hesper too distant/lighthearted), but together their chemistry is off the charts. I laughed at several comments from their many back and forths! Yet even getting on each other's nerves, they help and heal together.
Their flirting and eventual spice is lovely to watch, and I really enjoyed how the emotional parts of Clara's experience were portrayed. They're both bashful yet commandeering and they take turns leading the way.
The vast array of magical creatures spread throughout the book was wondrous to behold! I felt just as awed as Clara whilst reading. I also loved the various side characters for their wholesome yet distinct personalities!
However, one area for me that was a bit lacking was the slower start to the book! Clara is chasing a squirrel that's stolen a tulip bulb, but it ends up not amounting to anything as Hesper finds it straight away. It feels painfully obvious as an excuse to get the characters to meet, and the stakes fall a bit flat. I'd have loved for the story to start in the Goddess Celebration instead!
Also, Clara spends a lot of time info dumping to the reader about the town, the culture, and her past. This is helpful later on but made the story drag a bit first thing. Not to mention, Clara's stubbornness gets a bit too repetitive as time goes on. It feels like a fairly easy blocker to be resolved, only it lasts through most of the story.
Even though the story was resolved, it felt like there was more unfinished. The ending was satisfying in it's own way, but it doesn't feel like the ending to a standalone! It's like there should be at least a sequel exploring the elements that are ongoing. I can appreciate that this might make the ending look more realistic, but as a reader, I'd want to know what happens next!
Despite this, I still loved reading The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne, and found it to be a wholesome and charming experience!
Thank you to Summer N. England and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 25, 2026
I think this is one of those books where the vibe carried a lot for me. The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is soft, magical, a little whimsical, and just adventurous enough to keep me from fully sinking into full cozy mode.
That said, I did feel the pacing a bit. The beginning was nice at first and I liked getting to know the town and the characters, but eventually it started to feel like we were just hanging out there without much forward momentum. And then once things did pick up, it almost swung the other way and moved a little too quickly. There were so many interesting little moments and places along the journey that I wish we had more time with. It felt like the adventure section could’ve been stretched just a bit, because some of the payoff didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to. Getting to Dwindle was good! I loved the new characters, the expanded world, all of it. That was probably my favorite stretch of the book.
The audiobook narration is fantastic! I felt like the narrator did a great job giving a voice to Clara and setting the tone of the story.
Overall, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is warm, charming, and easy to enjoy. I am looking forward to hearing more from Warty now that he can talk!
Thank you to Forever and Hachette Audio via NetGalley for gifting me copies of the book and audiobook.
That said, I did feel the pacing a bit. The beginning was nice at first and I liked getting to know the town and the characters, but eventually it started to feel like we were just hanging out there without much forward momentum. And then once things did pick up, it almost swung the other way and moved a little too quickly. There were so many interesting little moments and places along the journey that I wish we had more time with. It felt like the adventure section could’ve been stretched just a bit, because some of the payoff didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to. Getting to Dwindle was good! I loved the new characters, the expanded world, all of it. That was probably my favorite stretch of the book.
The audiobook narration is fantastic! I felt like the narrator did a great job giving a voice to Clara and setting the tone of the story.
Overall, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is warm, charming, and easy to enjoy. I am looking forward to hearing more from Warty now that he can talk!
Thank you to Forever and Hachette Audio via NetGalley for gifting me copies of the book and audiobook.
March 22, 2026
What I didn’t realize going in because I did go in blind, I went in for the aesthetic of a cover is that this is a Saphic fantasy romance…and I love that. Clara Thorne is the gardener for the town of Moss. But she does have a secret her magic doesn’t actually work outside of Moss. So when she’s chosen by the goddess for an important quest to grown a garden for the town of Dwindle what could go wrong…right?
I really liked the world building and I did like the characters for a debut. I’m very interested to see what else the author does next. I think it is a solid start and this is described as spicy and cozy. I’m not sure if I would say it’s all as cozy as some of the other books it is compared to. I do really appreciate the narrator, Frankie Porter. I really think her narration is the thing that brought this book to life for me. I liked the array of voices she used. Her tone was great and pacing was perfect. It made it easy to adjust to my favorite speeds and be able to understand her easily without losing anything.
Thank you to Forever and Hachette for the complementary copies. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really liked the world building and I did like the characters for a debut. I’m very interested to see what else the author does next. I think it is a solid start and this is described as spicy and cozy. I’m not sure if I would say it’s all as cozy as some of the other books it is compared to. I do really appreciate the narrator, Frankie Porter. I really think her narration is the thing that brought this book to life for me. I liked the array of voices she used. Her tone was great and pacing was perfect. It made it easy to adjust to my favorite speeds and be able to understand her easily without losing anything.
Thank you to Forever and Hachette for the complementary copies. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 21, 2026
eARC from NetGalley
I wanted to like this so much more than I did.
The writing was overly wordy with too many unnecessary adjectives. The foreshadowing was so obvious and a lot of the time it was telling rather than showing especially in the beginning.
Clara as a character was so annoying and it didnt feel like her history was equivalent to the amount of trauma and repression she presented. Also she was just really dumb.
The world building was ok. The places themselves were cute and cozy, but I thought the magic system and history of the world was kind of flimsy if you really looked at it. Also it seemed like every piece of clothing was made of tissue paper.
CAWPILE: 5.81
Characters 6
Atmosphere/Setting 8
Writing 6
Plot/Logic 5
Intrigue 5
Relationships 6
Enjoyment 5
I wanted to like this so much more than I did.
The writing was overly wordy with too many unnecessary adjectives. The foreshadowing was so obvious and a lot of the time it was telling rather than showing especially in the beginning.
Clara as a character was so annoying and it didnt feel like her history was equivalent to the amount of trauma and repression she presented. Also she was just really dumb.
The world building was ok. The places themselves were cute and cozy, but I thought the magic system and history of the world was kind of flimsy if you really looked at it. Also it seemed like every piece of clothing was made of tissue paper.
CAWPILE: 5.81
Characters 6
Atmosphere/Setting 8
Writing 6
Plot/Logic 5
Intrigue 5
Relationships 6
Enjoyment 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2026
Thank you to Hodderscape & NetGalley for the ALC! This is an easy to read, sapphic (!!!) cosy fantasy with a well developed world, and fun cast of characters. However, for me, it was just….fine? I wasn’t a huge fan of when the big reveal regarding Clara’s powers was done, and it left the rest of the book quite flat. I’m also really sorry but if I hear the pet name “Princess” anytime in the next year it’ll be too soon.
November 28, 2025
3.25-3.5/5
Oh my goodness, I love this cover so much. I think it is so stinkin/ pretty!
This has cozy vibes, a magical garden, and a very complicated relationship.
I didn't really like the relationship in this. It was too complicated. It was complicated in a way where I think they just need to break up and never see each other again. Just move on with your lives. And that will probably be a very hot take. It was just made way too hard to root for them.
And I think there's non-binary rep in here, but those pronouns did change about halfway through and I got confused (I don't know if that was no purpose or not. I don't know if I missed a whole conversation on that or not. Possibly. I don't know.).
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Oh my goodness, I love this cover so much. I think it is so stinkin/ pretty!
This has cozy vibes, a magical garden, and a very complicated relationship.
I didn't really like the relationship in this. It was too complicated. It was complicated in a way where I think they just need to break up and never see each other again. Just move on with your lives. And that will probably be a very hot take. It was just made way too hard to root for them.
And I think there's non-binary rep in here, but those pronouns did change about halfway through and I got confused (I don't know if that was no purpose or not. I don't know if I missed a whole conversation on that or not. Possibly. I don't know.).
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy - all opinions are my own.
3.75-4 ish!
I loved this more and more as I kept reading! I'm an avid fan of cozy fantasy, and what I loved about this one was that it felt different. There's everything I wanted and have come to love from the genre - found family, quirky characters, charm, and love. At the same time, there's more humor and spice in here than in other cozy fantasies, which I personally adored!
I absolutely fell in love with the author's writing style! The humor? Absolute yes. The quirky characters? Please give them my address. The charming, subtle magic? I totally felt like I was in a magical little village with a pep in my step while I was reading (envision the opening scenes of Beauty and the Beast as Belle goes through the village).
Following Clara and Hesper's adventure was such a fun adventure. Throughout the whole journey, we get to know more about the magic and world, which I thought was intriguing - there's a sort of 'darkness' with the withering magic and evil prince working against the Goddess, Eldrene. That added some tension and stakes that drove the story forward. In general, the history of the realm, towns, and types of characters in the story were compelling, and I really enjoyed getting to know about it all through little details and new experiences and interactions Clara and Hesper had along with way. The world was a tad confusing to me at the start, but I got more acquainted with the world as the story went on.
Again, I had a lot of fun with the adventure of the story, and I adored the characters! They're quirky, fun, and distinct. They're funny, diverse, and utterly compassionate. The found family is town-wide, it seemed, and it absolutely warmed my heart!
I will say I didn't like Clara, to be honest. She's approaching 30, yet I felt that she acted quite immature. I thought she was whiny and rude, cruel without cause. That said, I correspondingly didn't feel attached to her character and, honestly. . . I wanted better for Hesper. Hesper is such a compassionate, loving, observant, supportive person/partner (just list all the good qualities). Despite this, Clara blames Hesper for everything and anything. She explodes at Hesper at every turn, taking out all of her anger and emotions on her, and Hesper just takes it (to support Clara). Clara just didn't have the emotional maturity I expected or wanted from her character. I did appreciate the sapphic rep and spice in here! There are other queer characters, as well!
One other struggle I had with Clara's character was that she is incredibly self-deprecating and repetitive about her feelings of inadequacy, being a failure, and being afraid/avoidant of getting close to others. I entirely understand and can relate to those feelings, as I think most people can in some way, but I thought it was extremely overdone/overwritten in the story (especially in the beginning) to the point of being distracting and bringing down my enjoyment.
Hesper, particularly, had an interesting background that was enigmatic at first and made me feel even more for her character when it was revealed!
In terms of the magic, it was cool! There's different kinds in this world, and I liked getting to learn about them. I thought that the way Clara's magic worked with/within Moss could have been explained more to make it clearer (not in terms of revealing any of the 'truths' about her magic, but more so at the beginning as she is actually practicing/doing magic and saying that it ignites with Moss? It wasn't totally clear). I did feel like the 'reveal' about her magic was pretty clear from the start, which made the ending predictable, but I didn't mind.
Speaking of the ending, it absolutely made me love the story! The little town of Dwindle is such a lollipop of a town, if that makes sense. It's super cute, quirky, and charming! The townspeople are just the same! As much as I enjoyed the adventure Clara and Hesper went on to get to Dwindle, I loved reading about their time there even more! The pacing picks up a bit and the tension/danger comes to a peak as the mysteries surrounding magic get unraveled (even though they're pretty predictable). The way it ends, though? MY HEART! Even though I didn't really think Clara and Hesper belonged together, I still loved the ending they got. The world, the realm, the towns, everything was perfect at the end and made my heart melt.
I will say that the whole aspect of the quest could've used a little more depth at the start of the story. From what we learn, there's no real stakes to it - there's no consequence noted for the town or realm if 'the chosen one's' quest isn't completed or successful (aside from the person themself getting punished by Eldrene). So, at the start, it's kind of like. . . what's the point, then? Clara notes that it's just to show dedication to Eldrene, which didn't totally 'do it' for me in terms of adding purpose. Clara's particular journey gets some more weight as the story goes on, but I think I would've liked there to have been some kind of 'purpose' to these quests in general.
Overall, I'd absolutely recommend this to cozy fantasy lovers who are wanting something different - the same quirky characters, settings, magic, and charm, but with lots of humor and some fun sapphic spice! I would only note that Clara is pretty insufferable as a main character and hard to root for, but the story as a whole (and especially the ending) is so worth it!
3.75-4 ish!
I loved this more and more as I kept reading! I'm an avid fan of cozy fantasy, and what I loved about this one was that it felt different. There's everything I wanted and have come to love from the genre - found family, quirky characters, charm, and love. At the same time, there's more humor and spice in here than in other cozy fantasies, which I personally adored!
I absolutely fell in love with the author's writing style! The humor? Absolute yes. The quirky characters? Please give them my address. The charming, subtle magic? I totally felt like I was in a magical little village with a pep in my step while I was reading (envision the opening scenes of Beauty and the Beast as Belle goes through the village).
Following Clara and Hesper's adventure was such a fun adventure. Throughout the whole journey, we get to know more about the magic and world, which I thought was intriguing - there's a sort of 'darkness' with the withering magic and evil prince working against the Goddess, Eldrene. That added some tension and stakes that drove the story forward. In general, the history of the realm, towns, and types of characters in the story were compelling, and I really enjoyed getting to know about it all through little details and new experiences and interactions Clara and Hesper had along with way. The world was a tad confusing to me at the start, but I got more acquainted with the world as the story went on.
Again, I had a lot of fun with the adventure of the story, and I adored the characters! They're quirky, fun, and distinct. They're funny, diverse, and utterly compassionate. The found family is town-wide, it seemed, and it absolutely warmed my heart!
I will say I didn't like Clara, to be honest. She's approaching 30, yet I felt that she acted quite immature. I thought she was whiny and rude, cruel without cause. That said, I correspondingly didn't feel attached to her character and, honestly. . . I wanted better for Hesper. Hesper is such a compassionate, loving, observant, supportive person/partner (just list all the good qualities). Despite this, Clara blames Hesper for everything and anything. She explodes at Hesper at every turn, taking out all of her anger and emotions on her, and Hesper just takes it (to support Clara). Clara just didn't have the emotional maturity I expected or wanted from her character. I did appreciate the sapphic rep and spice in here! There are other queer characters, as well!
One other struggle I had with Clara's character was that she is incredibly self-deprecating and repetitive about her feelings of inadequacy, being a failure, and being afraid/avoidant of getting close to others. I entirely understand and can relate to those feelings, as I think most people can in some way, but I thought it was extremely overdone/overwritten in the story (especially in the beginning) to the point of being distracting and bringing down my enjoyment.
Hesper, particularly, had an interesting background that was enigmatic at first and made me feel even more for her character when it was revealed!
In terms of the magic, it was cool! There's different kinds in this world, and I liked getting to learn about them. I thought that the way Clara's magic worked with/within Moss could have been explained more to make it clearer (not in terms of revealing any of the 'truths' about her magic, but more so at the beginning as she is actually practicing/doing magic and saying that it ignites with Moss? It wasn't totally clear). I did feel like the 'reveal' about her magic was pretty clear from the start, which made the ending predictable, but I didn't mind.
Speaking of the ending, it absolutely made me love the story! The little town of Dwindle is such a lollipop of a town, if that makes sense. It's super cute, quirky, and charming! The townspeople are just the same! As much as I enjoyed the adventure Clara and Hesper went on to get to Dwindle, I loved reading about their time there even more! The pacing picks up a bit and the tension/danger comes to a peak as the mysteries surrounding magic get unraveled (even though they're pretty predictable). The way it ends, though? MY HEART! Even though I didn't really think Clara and Hesper belonged together, I still loved the ending they got. The world, the realm, the towns, everything was perfect at the end and made my heart melt.
I will say that the whole aspect of the quest could've used a little more depth at the start of the story. From what we learn, there's no real stakes to it - there's no consequence noted for the town or realm if 'the chosen one's' quest isn't completed or successful (aside from the person themself getting punished by Eldrene). So, at the start, it's kind of like. . . what's the point, then? Clara notes that it's just to show dedication to Eldrene, which didn't totally 'do it' for me in terms of adding purpose. Clara's particular journey gets some more weight as the story goes on, but I think I would've liked there to have been some kind of 'purpose' to these quests in general.
Overall, I'd absolutely recommend this to cozy fantasy lovers who are wanting something different - the same quirky characters, settings, magic, and charm, but with lots of humor and some fun sapphic spice! I would only note that Clara is pretty insufferable as a main character and hard to root for, but the story as a whole (and especially the ending) is so worth it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne" by Summer N. England is a charming and spicy sapphic cozy romantasy debut, following a grumpy garden witch and her sunshine bodyguard. The book enchanted me from the first word with its warm, fuzzy atmosphere, catching me hook, line, and sinker.
Clara Thorne lives happily in a cozy cottage in the town of Moss with Warty, her sidekick hedgehog, along with books, writing, and her garden. She has one friend, an orc named Rosie, and prefers to keep to herself. Believed to possess garden magic, she was appointed Town Gardener upon her arrival in Moss at the age of 13 and has lived there ever since. Fast-forward 15 years, and her life takes a turn when the Goddess Eldrene sends her on a seemingly hopeless quest—to travel to the cursed town of Dwindle, which is on the edge of withering, and grow them a garden in a month.
Clara believes the quest is doomed since her powers are weak and don’t exist outside of Moss—or so she thinks. The Goddess appoints her a bodyguard, a warrior named Hesper, who has a crow companion named Edge. The two hit a false note from the moment they meet. Clara dislikes Hesper at first sight, blaming her for all her woes and being openly hostile toward her, so their journey doesn’t start on the right foot. Hesper keeps insisting that Clara has magic, which only further irritates her. Add to that an ancient enemy on their trail, an eclectic cast of characters—nymphs, fae, water nymphs, dryads, dwarves—and magic, and you get one hell of an adventure.
The book had everything I enjoy: a fantasy world with magic, talking animals, enemies to lovers, and a heroine forced out of her comfort zone and placed in situations that test her strength and heart. The whimsical names worked for me, Warty and Edge were delightful, and I enjoyed the friendship between Clara and Rosie, as well as the emotional dynamics between the characters. The novel thoughtfully explores themes of loss, found family, duty, hope, self-growth, believing in yourself, and the power of love.
This is a highly entertaining cozy fantasy with rich world-building, vivid characters, and a captivating magical setting. The division between major and lesser magic was especially fun—kitchen magic, beauty magic, garden magic, heart magic—and paired nicely with the whimsy of the tale and the banter. I smiled every time Hesper called Clara “princess” and at their comebacks. The chapter-opening quotes were also a nice touch.
I did find Clara to be a bit of a brat. Since she’s almost 30 years old, it didn’t always fit, and she lived up to her name—thorny. She was often whiny and irrational, hating Hesper for no real reason, treating her badly, and refusing to accept certain truths. Because it felt so one-sided, the enemies-to-lovers arc came across as a bit too constructed for the sake of the trope. That said, I still liked her. Hesper, on the other hand, was a delight, and I would love to read more about her past.
Overall, I enjoyed the book greatly and would happily read more stories set in this world. The writing was top-notch and kept me hooked all the way through. Fans of cozy fantasy, fleshed-out characters, and those who don’t mind spicy sapphic romance and a somewhat forced enemies-to-lovers arc will enjoy this book. I know I did!
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...
Clara Thorne lives happily in a cozy cottage in the town of Moss with Warty, her sidekick hedgehog, along with books, writing, and her garden. She has one friend, an orc named Rosie, and prefers to keep to herself. Believed to possess garden magic, she was appointed Town Gardener upon her arrival in Moss at the age of 13 and has lived there ever since. Fast-forward 15 years, and her life takes a turn when the Goddess Eldrene sends her on a seemingly hopeless quest—to travel to the cursed town of Dwindle, which is on the edge of withering, and grow them a garden in a month.
Clara believes the quest is doomed since her powers are weak and don’t exist outside of Moss—or so she thinks. The Goddess appoints her a bodyguard, a warrior named Hesper, who has a crow companion named Edge. The two hit a false note from the moment they meet. Clara dislikes Hesper at first sight, blaming her for all her woes and being openly hostile toward her, so their journey doesn’t start on the right foot. Hesper keeps insisting that Clara has magic, which only further irritates her. Add to that an ancient enemy on their trail, an eclectic cast of characters—nymphs, fae, water nymphs, dryads, dwarves—and magic, and you get one hell of an adventure.
The book had everything I enjoy: a fantasy world with magic, talking animals, enemies to lovers, and a heroine forced out of her comfort zone and placed in situations that test her strength and heart. The whimsical names worked for me, Warty and Edge were delightful, and I enjoyed the friendship between Clara and Rosie, as well as the emotional dynamics between the characters. The novel thoughtfully explores themes of loss, found family, duty, hope, self-growth, believing in yourself, and the power of love.
This is a highly entertaining cozy fantasy with rich world-building, vivid characters, and a captivating magical setting. The division between major and lesser magic was especially fun—kitchen magic, beauty magic, garden magic, heart magic—and paired nicely with the whimsy of the tale and the banter. I smiled every time Hesper called Clara “princess” and at their comebacks. The chapter-opening quotes were also a nice touch.
I did find Clara to be a bit of a brat. Since she’s almost 30 years old, it didn’t always fit, and she lived up to her name—thorny. She was often whiny and irrational, hating Hesper for no real reason, treating her badly, and refusing to accept certain truths. Because it felt so one-sided, the enemies-to-lovers arc came across as a bit too constructed for the sake of the trope. That said, I still liked her. Hesper, on the other hand, was a delight, and I would love to read more about her past.
Overall, I enjoyed the book greatly and would happily read more stories set in this world. The writing was top-notch and kept me hooked all the way through. Fans of cozy fantasy, fleshed-out characters, and those who don’t mind spicy sapphic romance and a somewhat forced enemies-to-lovers arc will enjoy this book. I know I did!
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
2.5 stars but rounding up for Goodreads.
This book is full of ideas that never felt fully realized and relies heavily on the reader recognizing common tropes of the romantasy genre in order to fill in the blanks the text leaves. Our love interest, Hesper, is introduced as being shadowy and mysterious. We later find out that She bickers with Clara at any given opportunity, is described as cocky and self-assured, and of course is very tall. There's genre conventions, and then there's just another generic love interest. She never felt like a character all on her own, just a trope to fill the spot. I had the same issue with Clara. She's guarded, grumpy, and a jealous "harlot shamer" that describes herself in the text as "painfully average." Just your regular old girl next door who needs a big, strong woman to come spoon feed her character growth just for Clara to then spit it right back out. The two of them felt like dolls being smushed together so they kiss rather than people existing in a living, breathing world. Which would have been at least understandable if the spice had taken more of a center focus of the book. Instead, we get two short, incredibly cliche sex scenes--right down to Hesper roaring--and then a third, brief fade to black right at the end. Both the sweet and the spicy are just so disappointing.
The discussions about Clara's magic feel mind numbingly circular and the plot is thin at best. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, Clara refuses to reevaluate her belief in her own magic until it practically hits her in the head with a brick. So much time was unnecessarily spent in Moss, then we get a brief journey where we fly past all the potential world building and plot thickening, and finally make a pit stop in Dwindle where, again, tropes are used to try and make the reader care enough about side characters so that the sudden climax of the story feels impactful. It didn't work. The villagers of Dwindle blurred together and so much time had been spent outside of the town that the cozy atmosphere didn't have time to build. I cared more about Moss than I did anyone in Dwindle. And speaking of the plot's climax:
Genuinely, I'm not sure who the audience is for this book. It never settles enough to build a cozy atmosphere, the romance is lackluster, the fantasy doesn't feel engaging, and the spice is basically nonexistent. So many things were attempted that none of them were given enough space and care to flourish. Which is incredibly disappointing because I've been trying to read more sapphic books and I was hoping this would be a good one. That being said, it's not bad either. It's cliche and won't be something I remember in a few months but it wasn't frustrating enough to DNF, either. Maybe fans of Assistant to the Villain (another extremely tropey romantasy) or Asiri and the Amaru (another cozy and slightly spicy romantasy) will want to give this one a shot as the vibes are similar.
2.5 stars but rounding up for Goodreads.
This book is full of ideas that never felt fully realized and relies heavily on the reader recognizing common tropes of the romantasy genre in order to fill in the blanks the text leaves. Our love interest, Hesper, is introduced as being shadowy and mysterious. We later find out that She bickers with Clara at any given opportunity, is described as cocky and self-assured, and of course is very tall. There's genre conventions, and then there's just another generic love interest. She never felt like a character all on her own, just a trope to fill the spot. I had the same issue with Clara. She's guarded, grumpy, and a jealous "harlot shamer" that describes herself in the text as "painfully average." Just your regular old girl next door who needs a big, strong woman to come spoon feed her character growth just for Clara to then spit it right back out. The two of them felt like dolls being smushed together so they kiss rather than people existing in a living, breathing world. Which would have been at least understandable if the spice had taken more of a center focus of the book. Instead, we get two short, incredibly cliche sex scenes--right down to Hesper roaring--and then a third, brief fade to black right at the end. Both the sweet and the spicy are just so disappointing.
The discussions about Clara's magic feel mind numbingly circular and the plot is thin at best. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, Clara refuses to reevaluate her belief in her own magic until it practically hits her in the head with a brick. So much time was unnecessarily spent in Moss, then we get a brief journey where we fly past all the potential world building and plot thickening, and finally make a pit stop in Dwindle where, again, tropes are used to try and make the reader care enough about side characters so that the sudden climax of the story feels impactful. It didn't work. The villagers of Dwindle blurred together and so much time had been spent outside of the town that the cozy atmosphere didn't have time to build. I cared more about Moss than I did anyone in Dwindle. And speaking of the plot's climax:
Genuinely, I'm not sure who the audience is for this book. It never settles enough to build a cozy atmosphere, the romance is lackluster, the fantasy doesn't feel engaging, and the spice is basically nonexistent. So many things were attempted that none of them were given enough space and care to flourish. Which is incredibly disappointing because I've been trying to read more sapphic books and I was hoping this would be a good one. That being said, it's not bad either. It's cliche and won't be something I remember in a few months but it wasn't frustrating enough to DNF, either. Maybe fans of Assistant to the Villain (another extremely tropey romantasy) or Asiri and the Amaru (another cozy and slightly spicy romantasy) will want to give this one a shot as the vibes are similar.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How many times will I consume this book before it even comes out? Twice so far! Being so fortunate to have read the ARC and now been given access to the ALC I feel as though I got to experience the story again with fresh excitement - Frankie Porter's brilliant narration brings so much life to Clara's already emotionally complex internal world.
Right from the beginning as we're introduced to Clara's attempts at writing her happily ever after (or at least, the one she's settled for) I knew I was going to love this book. Summer N. England's writing is lyrical and charming, and it's easy to hear Clara's voice coming through. She is an endearing character, a silly goose (affectionate) refusing or unable to see the truth in front of her face in a manner so charming that it's no wonder Hesper falls so hard.
The setting is whimsical, all the characters with their own delightful charm and sense of life about them independent of Clara's interactions with them. There is so much to learn and know about this world, and I dearly hope that England returns to tell more stories from it (or perhaps a certain future story of Hesper's...did I sense an opening for a follow-up or is that just wishful thinking??).
Clara's moments of emotional turmoil are gut-wrenching; I can't count how many times I cried listening to the strain in the narrator's voice as Clara fights with herself and the raw emotion in her narration of Hesper as our strong protector tries to convince this silly goose (affectionate) that she is so much more than she's allowing herself to be. This is a cozy novel with a whimsical story about a woman who has locked herself up so tight trying to convince herself that she needs to stay that way. She unwinds and then snaps back, over and over, and it is so painful to see. We get to sit and watch with all Clara's friends who want the best for her, but just like them we have to wait for her to find it herself. The payoff at the end is well worth any amount of tears.
I loved Hesper, the big strong protector who is also SO so gay, the waves of sapphic energy just wafting off her building tension with Clara ("don't call me princess" "then stop looking like one" is absolute fire). She had an emotional depth and purpose/background that made both she and Clara the exact right kind of damaged the other could help prop up. She doesn't need fixing, but everyone can use a hand up sometimes. I loved the husky tones that Porter chose for Hesper, it captured perfectly the way I imagined the character on the page.
The audiobook adds so much to England's writing. The narrator's choices of tone, pitch, and intensity of expression in different parts of the book/with different characters brought this world to life; not just listening to a text being read but getting to experience a full performance of the story.
This is a book to sit with, to take some time with, to smile and giggle with and roll your eyes and cry with. Anyone who has ever felt "not enough" unless (or even if) they give everything they've got - Clara's impossible garden is waiting.
Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this ALC and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me access to the e-ARC, I am leaving this review by my own choice and it is my unbiased opinion.
“Clara Thorne of Moss, you will embark on the quest. To travel to the town of Dwindle, and there, grow a garden.”
Right from the beginning as we're introduced to Clara's attempts at writing her happily ever after (or at least, the one she's settled for) I knew I was going to love this book. Summer N. England's writing is lyrical and charming, and it's easy to hear Clara's voice coming through. She is an endearing character, a silly goose (affectionate) refusing or unable to see the truth in front of her face in a manner so charming that it's no wonder Hesper falls so hard.
The setting is whimsical, all the characters with their own delightful charm and sense of life about them independent of Clara's interactions with them. There is so much to learn and know about this world, and I dearly hope that England returns to tell more stories from it (or perhaps a certain future story of Hesper's...did I sense an opening for a follow-up or is that just wishful thinking??).
Clara's moments of emotional turmoil are gut-wrenching; I can't count how many times I cried listening to the strain in the narrator's voice as Clara fights with herself and the raw emotion in her narration of Hesper as our strong protector tries to convince this silly goose (affectionate) that she is so much more than she's allowing herself to be. This is a cozy novel with a whimsical story about a woman who has locked herself up so tight trying to convince herself that she needs to stay that way. She unwinds and then snaps back, over and over, and it is so painful to see. We get to sit and watch with all Clara's friends who want the best for her, but just like them we have to wait for her to find it herself. The payoff at the end is well worth any amount of tears.
I loved Hesper, the big strong protector who is also SO so gay, the waves of sapphic energy just wafting off her building tension with Clara ("don't call me princess" "then stop looking like one" is absolute fire). She had an emotional depth and purpose/background that made both she and Clara the exact right kind of damaged the other could help prop up. She doesn't need fixing, but everyone can use a hand up sometimes. I loved the husky tones that Porter chose for Hesper, it captured perfectly the way I imagined the character on the page.
The audiobook adds so much to England's writing. The narrator's choices of tone, pitch, and intensity of expression in different parts of the book/with different characters brought this world to life; not just listening to a text being read but getting to experience a full performance of the story.
This is a book to sit with, to take some time with, to smile and giggle with and roll your eyes and cry with. Anyone who has ever felt "not enough" unless (or even if) they give everything they've got - Clara's impossible garden is waiting.
Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this ALC and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me access to the e-ARC, I am leaving this review by my own choice and it is my unbiased opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 ⭐
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is the kind of cozy romantasy that feels soft and magical on the surface—but hides a deeply emotional journey underneath.
Clara is a gardener who only wants a quiet life in Moss, her beloved town. So when the Goddess sends her on a quest to grow a garden in the cursed lands of Dwindle, she’s convinced it’s a punishment disguised as destiny. She believes she has no magic of her own, and once she leaves Moss, she fears she’ll fail and be banished forever. Enter Hesper; a gentle but fiercely protective warrior assigned to accompany her. And suddenly, Clara’s biggest battle isn’t the cursed land… it’s her own guarded heart.
I’ll be honest: Clara is not an easy character to love at first. She’s defensive, moody, and pushes everyone away; especially Hesper. It took me about halfway through the book, once her backstory unfolds, to truly understand her. Before that? She could be frustrating. But once I saw the hurt behind her walls, everything shifted. Even so, I appreciated that beneath her prickly exterior was someone who cared deeply about others, often more than herself. Watching her growth by the end felt rewarding. She simply needed someone—Hesper—to remind her that love is worth the risk and that she is worthy of it.
Hesper completely stole my heart. She’s warm, patient, steady; the emotional backbone of the story. I adored how persistent yet gentle she was with Clara. If anything, I wish we had gotten more of her perspective and more of her warrior life, especially after that ending.
As for the romance, I did struggle with fully believing it at times. Clara spends much of the story pushing Hesper away and trying to resent her, which made it hard not to feel like Hesper deserved better. While understanding Clara’s childhood trauma helped contextualize her behavior, the push-and-pull dynamic occasionally tested my patience. Still, their banter was enjoyable, and I appreciated that the author didn’t rush the emotional development. Their resolution felt earned, and seeing them finally come together was genuinely satisfying.
At its core, this is an entertaining magical tale about friendship, found family, and discovering one’s power. However, I do think the world-building took a slight backseat to the personal growth arc. The different settings and magical beings—nymphs, fae, dryads, dwarves—were intriguing, but I felt like we only scratched the surface of the world’s larger magic system. While the execution was solid, I anticipated both Clara’s power reveal and the villain’s arrival, which made those moments feel less striking.
The pacing was another minor issue. The story doesn’t truly pick up until the quest begins; before that, it feels somewhat stagnant. It wasn’t boring, but I wasn’t fully immersed either. Thankfully, once the journey starts, the narrative gains momentum. The writing itself is dreamlike yet grounded, which helped create a vivid and immersive atmosphere.
Overall, this is a cozy fantasy about self-worth, found family, and healing, wrapped in a gentle slow-burn romance. Perfect if you’re looking for low angst, soft magic, and a story about learning that sometimes the power you’re searching for has been inside you all along.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the eARC—I really appreciate the chance to read this early!
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is the kind of cozy romantasy that feels soft and magical on the surface—but hides a deeply emotional journey underneath.
Clara is a gardener who only wants a quiet life in Moss, her beloved town. So when the Goddess sends her on a quest to grow a garden in the cursed lands of Dwindle, she’s convinced it’s a punishment disguised as destiny. She believes she has no magic of her own, and once she leaves Moss, she fears she’ll fail and be banished forever. Enter Hesper; a gentle but fiercely protective warrior assigned to accompany her. And suddenly, Clara’s biggest battle isn’t the cursed land… it’s her own guarded heart.
I’ll be honest: Clara is not an easy character to love at first. She’s defensive, moody, and pushes everyone away; especially Hesper. It took me about halfway through the book, once her backstory unfolds, to truly understand her. Before that? She could be frustrating. But once I saw the hurt behind her walls, everything shifted. Even so, I appreciated that beneath her prickly exterior was someone who cared deeply about others, often more than herself. Watching her growth by the end felt rewarding. She simply needed someone—Hesper—to remind her that love is worth the risk and that she is worthy of it.
Hesper completely stole my heart. She’s warm, patient, steady; the emotional backbone of the story. I adored how persistent yet gentle she was with Clara. If anything, I wish we had gotten more of her perspective and more of her warrior life, especially after that ending.
As for the romance, I did struggle with fully believing it at times. Clara spends much of the story pushing Hesper away and trying to resent her, which made it hard not to feel like Hesper deserved better. While understanding Clara’s childhood trauma helped contextualize her behavior, the push-and-pull dynamic occasionally tested my patience. Still, their banter was enjoyable, and I appreciated that the author didn’t rush the emotional development. Their resolution felt earned, and seeing them finally come together was genuinely satisfying.
At its core, this is an entertaining magical tale about friendship, found family, and discovering one’s power. However, I do think the world-building took a slight backseat to the personal growth arc. The different settings and magical beings—nymphs, fae, dryads, dwarves—were intriguing, but I felt like we only scratched the surface of the world’s larger magic system. While the execution was solid, I anticipated both Clara’s power reveal and the villain’s arrival, which made those moments feel less striking.
The pacing was another minor issue. The story doesn’t truly pick up until the quest begins; before that, it feels somewhat stagnant. It wasn’t boring, but I wasn’t fully immersed either. Thankfully, once the journey starts, the narrative gains momentum. The writing itself is dreamlike yet grounded, which helped create a vivid and immersive atmosphere.
Overall, this is a cozy fantasy about self-worth, found family, and healing, wrapped in a gentle slow-burn romance. Perfect if you’re looking for low angst, soft magic, and a story about learning that sometimes the power you’re searching for has been inside you all along.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the eARC—I really appreciate the chance to read this early!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Cozy fantasy/romantasy books have always been pretty hit or miss for me, and this was a hit! The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is whimsical and charming, but it was also full of more heat, heart, and emotional depth than I was expecting.
"Belief, while not inherently magical, is a powerful thing."
This cozy romantasy balances softness and spice in a way that genuinely surprised me. It has all the staples I love—found family, quirky townsfolk, gentle magic—but with an added layer of humor and open-door romance that gives it a fresh, slightly edgier feel. It’s the kind of book that feels warm and comforting one moment, then destroys you the next. The spice definitely made me enjoy this more— my issue with cozy fantasy/romantasy is usually because I find them dull and boring, but that wasn’t the case with this book!
Clara is… complicated. I didn’t always like her, but I was still rooting for her. Her journey is very much rooted in insecurity and self-doubt, and she clings to those emotions a little too tightly. At times, her constant self-deprecation and tendency to lash out made her frustrating to connect with, especially considering her age. But at the same time, her growth feels intentional and hard-won. Watching her slowly unravel—and then rebuild—was painful but vulnerable.
And then there’s Hesper. I LOVED Hesper. She is sweet, steady, and emotionally intelligent. She was easily my favorite part of the book. The way she sees Clara—not as she is, but as she could be—adds so much depth to their dynamic. Their slow-burn sapphic romance is filled with tension, tenderness, and just the right amount of spice, even if I occasionally found myself wishing Clara met her halfway a bit more. For the most part, they balanced each other out perfectly.
The world itself is whimsical yet shadowed, with hints of darker magic and an underlying threat that keeps the story moving (and not boring). While the magic system and broader stakes could have used a bit more clarity, I loved how the story gradually unfolded through small details and discoveries. I also wish we got more backstory—especially for Hesper, whose past felt incredibly intriguing but not fully explored. There’s so much there, and I wish we could’ve explored other characters on the same level as we did Clara.
The ending was emotional, hopeful, and satisfying—it made the entire journey feel worth it. This cozy fantasy is a little messier, a little spicier, and a lot more emotionally raw than you might expect. If you’re looking for something familiar yet different—with heart, humor, and sapphic longing woven throughout—this is absolutely worth the read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this adorable eARC!
"Belief, while not inherently magical, is a powerful thing."
This cozy romantasy balances softness and spice in a way that genuinely surprised me. It has all the staples I love—found family, quirky townsfolk, gentle magic—but with an added layer of humor and open-door romance that gives it a fresh, slightly edgier feel. It’s the kind of book that feels warm and comforting one moment, then destroys you the next. The spice definitely made me enjoy this more— my issue with cozy fantasy/romantasy is usually because I find them dull and boring, but that wasn’t the case with this book!
Clara is… complicated. I didn’t always like her, but I was still rooting for her. Her journey is very much rooted in insecurity and self-doubt, and she clings to those emotions a little too tightly. At times, her constant self-deprecation and tendency to lash out made her frustrating to connect with, especially considering her age. But at the same time, her growth feels intentional and hard-won. Watching her slowly unravel—and then rebuild—was painful but vulnerable.
And then there’s Hesper. I LOVED Hesper. She is sweet, steady, and emotionally intelligent. She was easily my favorite part of the book. The way she sees Clara—not as she is, but as she could be—adds so much depth to their dynamic. Their slow-burn sapphic romance is filled with tension, tenderness, and just the right amount of spice, even if I occasionally found myself wishing Clara met her halfway a bit more. For the most part, they balanced each other out perfectly.
The world itself is whimsical yet shadowed, with hints of darker magic and an underlying threat that keeps the story moving (and not boring). While the magic system and broader stakes could have used a bit more clarity, I loved how the story gradually unfolded through small details and discoveries. I also wish we got more backstory—especially for Hesper, whose past felt incredibly intriguing but not fully explored. There’s so much there, and I wish we could’ve explored other characters on the same level as we did Clara.
The ending was emotional, hopeful, and satisfying—it made the entire journey feel worth it. This cozy fantasy is a little messier, a little spicier, and a lot more emotionally raw than you might expect. If you’re looking for something familiar yet different—with heart, humor, and sapphic longing woven throughout—this is absolutely worth the read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this adorable eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is a cozy fantasy debut with a warm, lyrical voice and an imaginative heart. Summer N. England’s writing style was an immediate draw for me, and I appreciated the gentleness and care she brings to her prose, especially when exploring themes of self-doubt, healing, and belonging.
The story follows Clara, her town’s gardener, who quietly uses magic to help plants grow while deeply doubting her own abilities. Her lack of confidence is rooted in a traumatic upbringing, and that emotional history shapes much of her internal struggle. When a goddess selects Clara for a daunting quest to grow a garden in the desolate city of Dwindle, her fears intensify. Clara believes her magic is intrinsically tied to the loving, fertile town she calls home and that it cannot possibly survive, much less thrive, in a place defined by barrenness.
Accompanying her on this journey is a hooded protector named Hesper, who eventually becomes Clara’s love interest. While I found Hesper consistently kind, thoughtful, and supportive, I struggled with Clara’s instant and seemingly irrational hatred toward them. This reaction felt incongruous with Clara’s otherwise compassionate and reflective nature. I would have fully understood emotional distance or guardedness stemming from her trauma and the immense pressure she was under, but the intensity of her hostility felt less like an organic character response and more like an attempt to force an enemies-to-lovers trope into place. This disconnect nearly caused me to put the book down.
That said, I am glad I pushed through. Once the story settled into its rhythm, the strengths of the novel truly began to shine. The imaginative settings, curious creatures, and sense of wonder infused into the journey made for a delightful and engaging adventure. England clearly has a talent for world-building and for creating moments that feel both magical and emotionally resonant.
Readers should also be aware that while this is categorized as cozy fantasy, it includes multiple open-door romance scenes. For the right audience, that will be a feature rather than a drawback.
Overall, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne shows a great deal of promise. Despite some characterization choices that did not fully work for me, this debut left me interested in what Summer N. England will create next, and I think many readers who enjoy cozy fantasy with higher emotional and romantic stakes will find much to love here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The story follows Clara, her town’s gardener, who quietly uses magic to help plants grow while deeply doubting her own abilities. Her lack of confidence is rooted in a traumatic upbringing, and that emotional history shapes much of her internal struggle. When a goddess selects Clara for a daunting quest to grow a garden in the desolate city of Dwindle, her fears intensify. Clara believes her magic is intrinsically tied to the loving, fertile town she calls home and that it cannot possibly survive, much less thrive, in a place defined by barrenness.
Accompanying her on this journey is a hooded protector named Hesper, who eventually becomes Clara’s love interest. While I found Hesper consistently kind, thoughtful, and supportive, I struggled with Clara’s instant and seemingly irrational hatred toward them. This reaction felt incongruous with Clara’s otherwise compassionate and reflective nature. I would have fully understood emotional distance or guardedness stemming from her trauma and the immense pressure she was under, but the intensity of her hostility felt less like an organic character response and more like an attempt to force an enemies-to-lovers trope into place. This disconnect nearly caused me to put the book down.
That said, I am glad I pushed through. Once the story settled into its rhythm, the strengths of the novel truly began to shine. The imaginative settings, curious creatures, and sense of wonder infused into the journey made for a delightful and engaging adventure. England clearly has a talent for world-building and for creating moments that feel both magical and emotionally resonant.
Readers should also be aware that while this is categorized as cozy fantasy, it includes multiple open-door romance scenes. For the right audience, that will be a feature rather than a drawback.
Overall, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne shows a great deal of promise. Despite some characterization choices that did not fully work for me, this debut left me interested in what Summer N. England will create next, and I think many readers who enjoy cozy fantasy with higher emotional and romantic stakes will find much to love here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2 stars
Thank you to the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.
I'll be honest, this book ended up being a bad choice for me personally. I applied for this arc and did read that it would be a spicy cosy fantasy. I thought the synopsis sounded delightful, and I assumed I would have no issue with cosy fantasy with a bit of spice. Unfortunately, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne was quite impossible to get invested in because it floundered around on what it actually was. As a cosy fantasy enthusiast, I came into this looking forward to Clara embarking on this gardening adventure where her magic would be seemingly out of reach to get the task done. However, most of the book is not spent on the quest, but the journey to get there, is ridiculously paced with highly unrealistic romantic elements, and Clara herself was so unlikeable with little to offer. She's needlessly grumpy about literally everything and then contradicts herself, and feels like the author wanted her to be some plain overlooked person who ended up being cliche and "not like the other girls". Hesper, Clara's sunshine bodyguard, falls into instalove with Clara far too quickly for me to even enjoy her as a character, and together, the romance quickly lost my interest. Given that the cosy start is soon forgotten about, I started to miss the setup from the beginning, around the world's magic and the delightful township of Moss as Clara embarks to Dwindle to grow the garden. Admittedly, I should have DNF'd early into this story, and by the time I finished it, I was exasperated that it took so long to feel like the book I came in expecting to read. The insanely gorgeous cover also depicts something more than what I felt I read here, showing me yet again that cosy vibes can be shown but not achieved within books that are leaning towards spicy romantasy now.
I assume if you come into this wanting more spice in a cosy setting (that loses its cosy qualities early on), then you probably will enjoy this more than I did. However, I've discovered recently, after DNFing another book that is coined as spicy cosy fantasy, that the balance of keeping the world feeling magical and full and developing solid characters, whilst also then making it spicy, just never comes out as successful for me. So that's why I think this is more of a personal "not here for it" than a terribly written book, as echoed by other negative reviews shared on this book. I do think England needs to work on pacing, character development, and defining what her story is about, but this is not badly written for a debut novel. I just wish this had offered more of the cosiness proposed in the synopsis.
Thank you to the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.
I'll be honest, this book ended up being a bad choice for me personally. I applied for this arc and did read that it would be a spicy cosy fantasy. I thought the synopsis sounded delightful, and I assumed I would have no issue with cosy fantasy with a bit of spice. Unfortunately, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne was quite impossible to get invested in because it floundered around on what it actually was. As a cosy fantasy enthusiast, I came into this looking forward to Clara embarking on this gardening adventure where her magic would be seemingly out of reach to get the task done. However, most of the book is not spent on the quest, but the journey to get there, is ridiculously paced with highly unrealistic romantic elements, and Clara herself was so unlikeable with little to offer. She's needlessly grumpy about literally everything and then contradicts herself, and feels like the author wanted her to be some plain overlooked person who ended up being cliche and "not like the other girls". Hesper, Clara's sunshine bodyguard, falls into instalove with Clara far too quickly for me to even enjoy her as a character, and together, the romance quickly lost my interest. Given that the cosy start is soon forgotten about, I started to miss the setup from the beginning, around the world's magic and the delightful township of Moss as Clara embarks to Dwindle to grow the garden. Admittedly, I should have DNF'd early into this story, and by the time I finished it, I was exasperated that it took so long to feel like the book I came in expecting to read. The insanely gorgeous cover also depicts something more than what I felt I read here, showing me yet again that cosy vibes can be shown but not achieved within books that are leaning towards spicy romantasy now.
I assume if you come into this wanting more spice in a cosy setting (that loses its cosy qualities early on), then you probably will enjoy this more than I did. However, I've discovered recently, after DNFing another book that is coined as spicy cosy fantasy, that the balance of keeping the world feeling magical and full and developing solid characters, whilst also then making it spicy, just never comes out as successful for me. So that's why I think this is more of a personal "not here for it" than a terribly written book, as echoed by other negative reviews shared on this book. I do think England needs to work on pacing, character development, and defining what her story is about, but this is not badly written for a debut novel. I just wish this had offered more of the cosiness proposed in the synopsis.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I KNEW I would love this book from literally the cover alone, then I read the description and somehow managed to love it more, when I eventually got accepted for the arc and started to read it I just knew it would be a special story.
I love all the characters so much, they are all just so perfectly written and beautiful and make the story so magical and cozy. Each character has growth and it’s just heartwarming. My favorite characters have to be Clara and Rosie, their relationship was just so perfect and everyone truly needs a best friend like Rosie, she is just pure sunshine and lit up every page she was on. I also liked the character who owned the clothes stall Clara visited on her quest, the fact Clara didn’t know who she was at first? That whole part actually, the whole Lore Isles section of the book was amazing, and the journey there, I loved all the book but the Lore Isles was such a good part of the adventure part.
Moss is the town where Clara found herself arriving to when she was young, soon running into Rosie and Sylvie, Clara’s ‘Garden Magic’ became apparent and she was quickly appointed Town Gardener and appointed a home.
I was so sad when Clara had to leave Moss, Moss and its people were just so cozy and warm and happy and welcoming and everything, I know one of the lessons of the book is to go outside of your comfort zone but I loved Moss so much. It was quite literally filled with love.
The worldbuilding was fantastic, excellent, perfect, everything anyone could dream of. Every single place Clara and Hesper visited I felt instantly connected to, each place was well described, had its own look and personality and ugh every place was just so perfect and beautiful and CHARMING (that’s the word I have been looking for) Each place had its own Charm, as did the residents.
Hesper is also such a good love interest, I really really hope we get a second book so Hesper can take a little bit more of the spotlight. Hesper is mysterioua, incredibly hot, funny, flirty, just everything you would want in a partner for yourself. Obviously she is more than just Clara’s love interest though and I LOVED Hespers story, it’s so mysterious and even by the end we truly don’t know much about her, but I could still connect to her, understanding her and her emotions. Everything in this book is just so perfect, the character building, the world building, the storytelling, everything. I am so incredibly grateful for this book and the magic of the story, I recommend this book so so highly and I truly do think everyone needs this book.
I love all the characters so much, they are all just so perfectly written and beautiful and make the story so magical and cozy. Each character has growth and it’s just heartwarming. My favorite characters have to be Clara and Rosie, their relationship was just so perfect and everyone truly needs a best friend like Rosie, she is just pure sunshine and lit up every page she was on. I also liked the character who owned the clothes stall Clara visited on her quest, the fact Clara didn’t know who she was at first? That whole part actually, the whole Lore Isles section of the book was amazing, and the journey there, I loved all the book but the Lore Isles was such a good part of the adventure part.
Moss is the town where Clara found herself arriving to when she was young, soon running into Rosie and Sylvie, Clara’s ‘Garden Magic’ became apparent and she was quickly appointed Town Gardener and appointed a home.
I was so sad when Clara had to leave Moss, Moss and its people were just so cozy and warm and happy and welcoming and everything, I know one of the lessons of the book is to go outside of your comfort zone but I loved Moss so much. It was quite literally filled with love.
The worldbuilding was fantastic, excellent, perfect, everything anyone could dream of. Every single place Clara and Hesper visited I felt instantly connected to, each place was well described, had its own look and personality and ugh every place was just so perfect and beautiful and CHARMING (that’s the word I have been looking for) Each place had its own Charm, as did the residents.
Hesper is also such a good love interest, I really really hope we get a second book so Hesper can take a little bit more of the spotlight. Hesper is mysterioua, incredibly hot, funny, flirty, just everything you would want in a partner for yourself. Obviously she is more than just Clara’s love interest though and I LOVED Hespers story, it’s so mysterious and even by the end we truly don’t know much about her, but I could still connect to her, understanding her and her emotions. Everything in this book is just so perfect, the character building, the world building, the storytelling, everything. I am so incredibly grateful for this book and the magic of the story, I recommend this book so so highly and I truly do think everyone needs this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First of all thank you to the folks at NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DNF at 33% February has been the month of DNFs which is something new to me. I generally try to give a book a fair shot by reading all the way through but I recently started law school and figured it’s not productive for me as a reader or reviewer to push myself through a book that I’m not enjoying. So, take everything I say with a grain of salt.
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is such a hard book to rate because I *wanted* to love it. I mean look at the freaking cover!!! It’s gorgeous!!! When done right, cozy fantasy is one of my favorite subgenres. In practice, however, I feel like cozy fantasy stories are always toeing the line between genuinely beautiful and comforting reads (the type of book you curl up in bed with on a rainy day) and bland milk toast, slow-as-molassas reads that make me wish I had spent my time elsewhere. I’m afraid this falls into the latter.
I never really connected with the FMC despite the fact we’re pretty similar in terms of personality. It felt like a lot of the supporting cast was also just there to fill out the obligatory roles in a whimsical cozy fantasy. They were ‘quirky and unique’ without feeling like they had depth or interiority to them. The romance, despite being marketed as a ‘slow-burn’, felt incredibly insta-lovey where there is instant and apparent physical attraction between Clara and the love interest.
I saw a couple people talking about how they didn’t like the spicy scenes in this book and (though I didn’t get to those parts) I understand how a smut scene could feel out of place here. The writing in the Impossible Garden, with its infodumps, lack of character depth, simplistic diction and sentence structure, feels quite middle grade or early YA. So when there is a spicy scene I can understand how it would feel incredibly jarring to read. Even a lot of the humor felt more juvenile with a lot of slapstick and cussing (again not bad per se but just clashed with the intended tone of the book). The worldbuilding and town characters similarly just felt so flat.
I don’t really want to bash on this book too much because it is a debut novel and I understand how difficult that can be. Kudos to the author for writing the book she wanted to write! I’m sure this will find its intended audience but it just wasn’t for me.
DNF at 33% February has been the month of DNFs which is something new to me. I generally try to give a book a fair shot by reading all the way through but I recently started law school and figured it’s not productive for me as a reader or reviewer to push myself through a book that I’m not enjoying. So, take everything I say with a grain of salt.
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is such a hard book to rate because I *wanted* to love it. I mean look at the freaking cover!!! It’s gorgeous!!! When done right, cozy fantasy is one of my favorite subgenres. In practice, however, I feel like cozy fantasy stories are always toeing the line between genuinely beautiful and comforting reads (the type of book you curl up in bed with on a rainy day) and bland milk toast, slow-as-molassas reads that make me wish I had spent my time elsewhere. I’m afraid this falls into the latter.
I never really connected with the FMC despite the fact we’re pretty similar in terms of personality. It felt like a lot of the supporting cast was also just there to fill out the obligatory roles in a whimsical cozy fantasy. They were ‘quirky and unique’ without feeling like they had depth or interiority to them. The romance, despite being marketed as a ‘slow-burn’, felt incredibly insta-lovey where there is instant and apparent physical attraction between Clara and the love interest.
I saw a couple people talking about how they didn’t like the spicy scenes in this book and (though I didn’t get to those parts) I understand how a smut scene could feel out of place here. The writing in the Impossible Garden, with its infodumps, lack of character depth, simplistic diction and sentence structure, feels quite middle grade or early YA. So when there is a spicy scene I can understand how it would feel incredibly jarring to read. Even a lot of the humor felt more juvenile with a lot of slapstick and cussing (again not bad per se but just clashed with the intended tone of the book). The worldbuilding and town characters similarly just felt so flat.
I don’t really want to bash on this book too much because it is a debut novel and I understand how difficult that can be. Kudos to the author for writing the book she wanted to write! I’m sure this will find its intended audience but it just wasn’t for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
⭐️=3.25
summary: a woman who doesn’t have magic needs to grow a magical garden in order to fulfill a quest from a goddess and she has to cooperate with a (sexy mysterious very hot possibly an assassin or at least gives assassin vibes but is somehow also the sunshine of the grumpy/sunshine dynamic) woman
thoughts: okay, so this sometimes had some irritating prose as far as things that just bother me specifically: way too much winking (how many people do you know irl that regularly wink that aren’t at least adjacent to kinda creepy great-uncle vibes?? none.), screaming, squealing, giggling, truly an excess of descriptive dialogue tags overall. but like, none of these things are a crime, and probably most people dgaf about this? but for me it’s like, why are these adults screaming so frequently in situations other than terror?? in another world you would have a mortgage. idk. but also this is literally not that serious.
also so glad this is sapphic and Hesper wasn’t a man, because omg it would have been totally unbearable. like this is the kind of book that makes me realize just how much ACOTAR et al. is not for me because the stuff she was saying but said by a man would have made me DNF. but she’s not a man, so it’s okay, or at least better?? I don’t know?? I’ve truly never seen a romantasy like this before, where
BUT all this said I really appreciate the way that Clara’s magic is so directly tied to her emotional state. it’s like a very concrete, literal way to track character growth, but it also kinda resonated to anyone who has ever had or has known someone with a disability—like, you have better days and worse days but you as a person are infinitely wonderful regardless of how “productive” you are. so yay for Clara and learning how to love, bc learning how to love is difficult!! this was fun!
⭐️=3.25
summary: a woman who doesn’t have magic needs to grow a magical garden in order to fulfill a quest from a goddess and she has to cooperate with a (sexy mysterious very hot possibly an assassin or at least gives assassin vibes but is somehow also the sunshine of the grumpy/sunshine dynamic) woman
thoughts: okay, so this sometimes had some irritating prose as far as things that just bother me specifically: way too much winking (how many people do you know irl that regularly wink that aren’t at least adjacent to kinda creepy great-uncle vibes?? none.), screaming, squealing, giggling, truly an excess of descriptive dialogue tags overall. but like, none of these things are a crime, and probably most people dgaf about this? but for me it’s like, why are these adults screaming so frequently in situations other than terror?? in another world you would have a mortgage. idk. but also this is literally not that serious.
also so glad this is sapphic and Hesper wasn’t a man, because omg it would have been totally unbearable. like this is the kind of book that makes me realize just how much ACOTAR et al. is not for me because the stuff she was saying but said by a man would have made me DNF. but she’s not a man, so it’s okay, or at least better?? I don’t know?? I’ve truly never seen a romantasy like this before, where
BUT all this said I really appreciate the way that Clara’s magic is so directly tied to her emotional state. it’s like a very concrete, literal way to track character growth, but it also kinda resonated to anyone who has ever had or has known someone with a disability—like, you have better days and worse days but you as a person are infinitely wonderful regardless of how “productive” you are. so yay for Clara and learning how to love, bc learning how to love is difficult!! this was fun!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is one of those rare debuts that feels both tender and mischievous, a story that blooms with colour even as it tugs at something quieter and more vulnerable beneath the surface. From the first pages, Clara is instantly endearing: a prickly, solitary gardener whose magic thrives only in the safety of Moss, and who would much rather hide behind her hedgehog companion than be chosen for a divine quest. Yet the Goddess has other plans, and suddenly Clara is thrust into a journey she feels wholly unprepared for.
What makes this novel so charming is the way its magic is rooted in emotion rather than spectacle. Clara’s belief that her power is tied to place rather than heart gives the story a lovely ache, and watching her navigate enchanted forests, cursed towns, and her own self-doubt is deeply satisfying. The world feels whimsical without losing its stakes, threaded with humour, danger, and that soft, glowing sense of wonder that makes a fantasy feel lived‑in.
And then there’s Hesper—sunshine to Clara’s thorns, infuriatingly optimistic, and exactly the kind of travelling companion she doesn’t want but absolutely needs. Their chemistry is deliciously slow and warm, unfolding through shared beds, stolen glances, and the kind of banter that hides real longing. The romance is sweet and spicy in equal measure, always grounded in character rather than trope.
As the shadows around Dwindle deepen, the story leans into themes of courage, chosen family, and the quiet bravery of believing in your own worth. By the time Clara begins to unearth the truth of her magic, the emotional payoff feels earned and deeply satisfying.
A cozy, enchanting queer fantasy romance with a beating heart, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is perfect for readers who love their magic tender, their quests hopeful, and their love stories rooted in growth. It’s whimsical, warm, and quietly empowering—a debut that feels like stepping into a garden at dusk, where everything is just beginning to bloom.
With thanks to Summer N England, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
What makes this novel so charming is the way its magic is rooted in emotion rather than spectacle. Clara’s belief that her power is tied to place rather than heart gives the story a lovely ache, and watching her navigate enchanted forests, cursed towns, and her own self-doubt is deeply satisfying. The world feels whimsical without losing its stakes, threaded with humour, danger, and that soft, glowing sense of wonder that makes a fantasy feel lived‑in.
And then there’s Hesper—sunshine to Clara’s thorns, infuriatingly optimistic, and exactly the kind of travelling companion she doesn’t want but absolutely needs. Their chemistry is deliciously slow and warm, unfolding through shared beds, stolen glances, and the kind of banter that hides real longing. The romance is sweet and spicy in equal measure, always grounded in character rather than trope.
As the shadows around Dwindle deepen, the story leans into themes of courage, chosen family, and the quiet bravery of believing in your own worth. By the time Clara begins to unearth the truth of her magic, the emotional payoff feels earned and deeply satisfying.
A cozy, enchanting queer fantasy romance with a beating heart, The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is perfect for readers who love their magic tender, their quests hopeful, and their love stories rooted in growth. It’s whimsical, warm, and quietly empowering—a debut that feels like stepping into a garden at dusk, where everything is just beginning to bloom.
With thanks to Summer N England, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For Fans Of: The Teller of Small Fortunes, The Spellshop, In Other Lands, Terry Pratchett
Spice: 3/5
Within the first few pages I knew I was going to love this book. England's writing is lyrical but not overly-so, and it is easy to hear Clara's voice coming through. Each step of the way was meaningful to the characters as themselves, to the story, and to character growth; the plot and narrative felt purposeful. England is not just telling us a story but taking us along with as passengers.
I appreciated the whimsy of the world, the names were delightful (a town called Dwindle at the edge of the withering? perfect), and the normalization of fantasy creatures (humans, orcs, dryads, dwarves, all living alongside each other; water nymphs rare but not unheard of) added to the sense of immersion in this cozy setting.
Clara's moments of emotional pain absolutely came through and affected me; this is cozy but you will probably cry to see a woman who has locked herself up so tight trying to convince herself that she needs to stay that way. She unwinds and then snaps back, over and over, and it is so painful to see. You want the best for her, but you have to wait for her to find it herself. The payoff at the end is well worth any amount of tears.
I loved Hesper, the big strong protector who is also SO so gay, the waves of sapphic energy just wafting off her building tension with Clara. She had an emotional depth and purpose/background that made both she and Clara the exact right kind of damaged the other could help prop up. She doesn't need fixing, but everyone can use a hand up sometimes.
This is a book to sit with, to take some time with, to smile and giggle with and roll your eyes and cry with. Anyone who has ever felt "not enough" unless (or even if) they give everything they've got - Clara's impossible garden is waiting.
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC, I am leaving this review by my own choice and it is my unbiased opinion.
Spice: 3/5
"Belief, while not inherently magical, is a powerful thing."
Within the first few pages I knew I was going to love this book. England's writing is lyrical but not overly-so, and it is easy to hear Clara's voice coming through. Each step of the way was meaningful to the characters as themselves, to the story, and to character growth; the plot and narrative felt purposeful. England is not just telling us a story but taking us along with as passengers.
I appreciated the whimsy of the world, the names were delightful (a town called Dwindle at the edge of the withering? perfect), and the normalization of fantasy creatures (humans, orcs, dryads, dwarves, all living alongside each other; water nymphs rare but not unheard of) added to the sense of immersion in this cozy setting.
Clara's moments of emotional pain absolutely came through and affected me; this is cozy but you will probably cry to see a woman who has locked herself up so tight trying to convince herself that she needs to stay that way. She unwinds and then snaps back, over and over, and it is so painful to see. You want the best for her, but you have to wait for her to find it herself. The payoff at the end is well worth any amount of tears.
I loved Hesper, the big strong protector who is also SO so gay, the waves of sapphic energy just wafting off her building tension with Clara. She had an emotional depth and purpose/background that made both she and Clara the exact right kind of damaged the other could help prop up. She doesn't need fixing, but everyone can use a hand up sometimes.
This is a book to sit with, to take some time with, to smile and giggle with and roll your eyes and cry with. Anyone who has ever felt "not enough" unless (or even if) they give everything they've got - Clara's impossible garden is waiting.
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC, I am leaving this review by my own choice and it is my unbiased opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book (thank you to the author and publisher). My review reflects my honest impressions and neither the author nor publisher solicited my review. Content and pacing may differ slightly from the final published version.
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne was such a fun, immersive read. Clara’s world of garden magic, goddesses, and looming darkness is clever and unique.
The writing style is one of this book’s biggest strengths. It’s humorous, self-aware, and occasionally breaks the fourth wall in a way that pokes fun at romance tropes without undermining the emotional core. The tone keeps the story feeling light even when the stakes rise, and it makes the book incredibly easy to read. I flew through it.
Clara is a standout protagonist because she is flawed, stubborn, fiercely devoted, and painfully self-aware. I loved that she acknowledges her shortcomings while still doubling down on her choices. Her emotional journey feels personal and relatable, especially her complicated relationship with magic, identity, and worth. The supporting cast adds depth and texture, and the female/female romance is a surprising highlight. The chemistry builds with sharp banter, tension, and vulnerability, and the representation feels natural and woven into the heart of the story rather than decorative.
The plot unfolds steadily, with strong worldbuilding and an intriguing magical system. That said, the ending felt a bit abrupt to me. The shift from tension to emotional resolution happened quickly, and I would have loved a little more space to fully sit in that transition. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did pull me slightly out of the story right at the finish line.
Overall, this is a charming, humorous fantasy with heart, magic, and strong character work. While I may not feel the need to reread it, I absolutely enjoyed the journey and would recommend it to readers who love character-focused fantasy romances with wit, warmth, and a touch of heat.
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne was such a fun, immersive read. Clara’s world of garden magic, goddesses, and looming darkness is clever and unique.
The writing style is one of this book’s biggest strengths. It’s humorous, self-aware, and occasionally breaks the fourth wall in a way that pokes fun at romance tropes without undermining the emotional core. The tone keeps the story feeling light even when the stakes rise, and it makes the book incredibly easy to read. I flew through it.
Clara is a standout protagonist because she is flawed, stubborn, fiercely devoted, and painfully self-aware. I loved that she acknowledges her shortcomings while still doubling down on her choices. Her emotional journey feels personal and relatable, especially her complicated relationship with magic, identity, and worth. The supporting cast adds depth and texture, and the female/female romance is a surprising highlight. The chemistry builds with sharp banter, tension, and vulnerability, and the representation feels natural and woven into the heart of the story rather than decorative.
The plot unfolds steadily, with strong worldbuilding and an intriguing magical system. That said, the ending felt a bit abrupt to me. The shift from tension to emotional resolution happened quickly, and I would have loved a little more space to fully sit in that transition. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did pull me slightly out of the story right at the finish line.
Overall, this is a charming, humorous fantasy with heart, magic, and strong character work. While I may not feel the need to reread it, I absolutely enjoyed the journey and would recommend it to readers who love character-focused fantasy romances with wit, warmth, and a touch of heat.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne follows Clara Thorne, a gardener who wants to live "happily ever after" in the town of Moss, until Fate has other plans and throws an impossible quest at her - travel to a cursed and abandoned town and grow a garden - in one month. It seems simple, right? Wrong - she doesn't have magic outside of moss and the price of failure means banishment from everything she loves.
The plot for this one was very enjoyable. I really liked working through the storyline of the book and I felt like it flowed pretty well - it did seem very quick in some areas, especially towards the end as days seemed to pass by compared to other parts of the book.
The characters were all lovely. They were whimsy and extremely likeable. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet all the different side characters throughout the book, although in some cases, some of the characters did feel like carbon copies of one another - which was not a bad thing for me, but could be off-putting for others. I enjoyed the relationship dynamic between Clara and Hesper and felt like it progressed at a good pace.
The writing style was pleasant and simple. The pacing at the beginning was a little slower but it did speed up when you got halfway through the book. I think this suited the climax of the book even though I would've liked the ending to be drawn out a little longer.
The world building was simplistic, there was a lot of adventuring so getting to know Moss, Dwindle, Lore, etc. was very enjoyable and I enjoyed the journey part of the book the most because it was unique and full of imagery.
The ending was predictable but warm and cosy. I was happy with the ending and I was left with wanting a little more, I'd like to explore the world a bit more.
Overall, this is a book which I'd recommend to cosy fantasy romance readers who want that warm and fuzzy feeling, cute animal companions (hedgehog) and gardening galore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for allowing me to read this in exchange for a review.
The plot for this one was very enjoyable. I really liked working through the storyline of the book and I felt like it flowed pretty well - it did seem very quick in some areas, especially towards the end as days seemed to pass by compared to other parts of the book.
The characters were all lovely. They were whimsy and extremely likeable. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet all the different side characters throughout the book, although in some cases, some of the characters did feel like carbon copies of one another - which was not a bad thing for me, but could be off-putting for others. I enjoyed the relationship dynamic between Clara and Hesper and felt like it progressed at a good pace.
The writing style was pleasant and simple. The pacing at the beginning was a little slower but it did speed up when you got halfway through the book. I think this suited the climax of the book even though I would've liked the ending to be drawn out a little longer.
The world building was simplistic, there was a lot of adventuring so getting to know Moss, Dwindle, Lore, etc. was very enjoyable and I enjoyed the journey part of the book the most because it was unique and full of imagery.
The ending was predictable but warm and cosy. I was happy with the ending and I was left with wanting a little more, I'd like to explore the world a bit more.
Overall, this is a book which I'd recommend to cosy fantasy romance readers who want that warm and fuzzy feeling, cute animal companions (hedgehog) and gardening galore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for allowing me to read this in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is a whimsical cozy sapphic romance with unique magic and on paper its everything I should want from a novel, but somehow it didn't quite hit the mark for me.
Clara Thorne is living in a quaint village called Moss where she's the town gardener, supplying veggies for everyone, especially for the Goddess at for the annual festival. She's just finished her major work of the year when she can kick back and relax and watch the Goddess address her subjects and give out any quests that need doing. The only problem is, Clara get assigned a quest - and she's not able to fulfill it as it involves traveling to the faraway town of Dwindle, a town in desperate need of a garden. The problem is, Clara's unpredictable magic doesn't work outside of Moss.
There are a lot of elements I like here. Any book with animal companions is a win for me, and I love hedgehogs and Crows. However, I can suspend my disbelief only so far, and looking past talking animals that can do abilities they can't do in real life only goes so far. I can almost accept the image of a hedgehog climbing a ladder, but I draw the line at being able to throw quills at bad guys.
There's also the fact that Hester has information on Clara's magic that is rather pertinent, and doesn't mention anything about it until 75% of the way into the novel, even though she insists the entire time that Clara does have magic when she feels she doesn't. The reveal of what is going on happens and then suddenly their relationship issues and Clara's magic issues are solved. Pacing for the last part of the book was rushed and the bad guy easily defeated. And Clara's attitude made me realize rather far in that I don't actually enjoy her personality.
This might all be issues with me finding cozy fantasies hit or miss, but I really wanted to love this one. It was an easy read and I enjoyed a lot of the writing, and it was a good debut. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Clara Thorne is living in a quaint village called Moss where she's the town gardener, supplying veggies for everyone, especially for the Goddess at for the annual festival. She's just finished her major work of the year when she can kick back and relax and watch the Goddess address her subjects and give out any quests that need doing. The only problem is, Clara get assigned a quest - and she's not able to fulfill it as it involves traveling to the faraway town of Dwindle, a town in desperate need of a garden. The problem is, Clara's unpredictable magic doesn't work outside of Moss.
There are a lot of elements I like here. Any book with animal companions is a win for me, and I love hedgehogs and Crows. However, I can suspend my disbelief only so far, and looking past talking animals that can do abilities they can't do in real life only goes so far. I can almost accept the image of a hedgehog climbing a ladder, but I draw the line at being able to throw quills at bad guys.
There's also the fact that Hester has information on Clara's magic that is rather pertinent, and doesn't mention anything about it until 75% of the way into the novel, even though she insists the entire time that Clara does have magic when she feels she doesn't. The reveal of what is going on happens and then suddenly their relationship issues and Clara's magic issues are solved. Pacing for the last part of the book was rushed and the bad guy easily defeated. And Clara's attitude made me realize rather far in that I don't actually enjoy her personality.
This might all be issues with me finding cozy fantasies hit or miss, but I really wanted to love this one. It was an easy read and I enjoyed a lot of the writing, and it was a good debut. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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⭐️⭐️½ (2.5 stars)
I went into The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne expecting a cozy, whimsical sapphic fantasy—the kind of soft, magical escape you sink into and don’t want to leave. And honestly? The vibes were there. The cover is adorable, the premise is charming, and there are moments where you can see the story it could have been.
But for me, it felt like this book was trying to do too much at once—and never fully committed to any one thing. The cozy elements were there, but constantly undercut by plot threads that felt heavier or underdeveloped. The romance, which I was most excited for, didn’t land with the emotional depth I wanted, and I found myself struggling to connect with Clara in a meaningful way.
There’s a version of this story that feels tighter, softer, and more focused—and I kept wishing I was reading that book instead. As it stands, it felt a bit scattered, like too many ideas competing for space without enough payoff.
I also experienced this via audiobook, and while the narration was pleasant and easy to listen to, it didn’t quite elevate the material. The tone felt a bit too even for a story that needed more emotional nuance, which made it harder to stay fully immersed—especially when the pacing already felt uneven.
Overall, I didn’t hate it, but I definitely walked away disappointed—especially given how excited I was going in. If you’re here purely for the aesthetic and a light magical concept, it might still work for you, but it didn’t quite deliver the cozy sapphic fantasy experience I was hoping for.
⭐️⭐️½ (2.5 stars)
I went into The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne expecting a cozy, whimsical sapphic fantasy—the kind of soft, magical escape you sink into and don’t want to leave. And honestly? The vibes were there. The cover is adorable, the premise is charming, and there are moments where you can see the story it could have been.
But for me, it felt like this book was trying to do too much at once—and never fully committed to any one thing. The cozy elements were there, but constantly undercut by plot threads that felt heavier or underdeveloped. The romance, which I was most excited for, didn’t land with the emotional depth I wanted, and I found myself struggling to connect with Clara in a meaningful way.
There’s a version of this story that feels tighter, softer, and more focused—and I kept wishing I was reading that book instead. As it stands, it felt a bit scattered, like too many ideas competing for space without enough payoff.
I also experienced this via audiobook, and while the narration was pleasant and easy to listen to, it didn’t quite elevate the material. The tone felt a bit too even for a story that needed more emotional nuance, which made it harder to stay fully immersed—especially when the pacing already felt uneven.
Overall, I didn’t hate it, but I definitely walked away disappointed—especially given how excited I was going in. If you’re here purely for the aesthetic and a light magical concept, it might still work for you, but it didn’t quite deliver the cozy sapphic fantasy experience I was hoping for.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Received an audiobook arc from netgalley and Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review.
Narrator: Female single narrator
Speed: 1.25-1.5x
POV: first person
I had high hopes for this book but I was disappointed with the pacing and the characters. I almost DNF the book so many times bc I was just frustrated with Clara.
The good:
the world building: I do like the magic system. there are garden witches responsible for growing plants and food for the town. I do like the different type of witches.
the narrator wasn't bad. I honestly thought she couldn't do a male voice until I found out that hesper was a woman. I had to double check the book synopsis and the tags bc I had no clue it was a sapphic book. idk if that was intentional. I do love sapphic books so I was surprised they didn't market it as sapphic bc people who are looking for sapphic books can find them.
The bad:
the pacing wasn't great. so the synopsis said she had to travel to Dwindle to complete a job. guess when she finally leaves the town, 40% in.
You have to deal with her mental breakdown at leaving her hometown (sure she had reasons) but I was just rolling my eyes bc she was acting immature instead of a 30 year old woman.
the romance: it's more of a me thing but I get the ick when you give a stranger a nickname and fall in love instantly. it was a poor attempt at enemies to lovers bc it was just one sided lol. since we are only in Clara pov, I was just like girl you are stupid lol.
Overall, I didn't like the book. I wanted her to start traveling like 10-20% in and then we can deal with the reveal that she is not really a garden witch to move the story along. it would have been better if she arrived at dwindle early on then we get more backstory and learn more about the town. if it's in the synopsis and I have to wait like 40% in for the main part to start, then the pacing isn't great especially for a standalone.
Narrator: Female single narrator
Speed: 1.25-1.5x
POV: first person
I had high hopes for this book but I was disappointed with the pacing and the characters. I almost DNF the book so many times bc I was just frustrated with Clara.
The good:
the world building: I do like the magic system. there are garden witches responsible for growing plants and food for the town. I do like the different type of witches.
the narrator wasn't bad. I honestly thought she couldn't do a male voice until I found out that hesper was a woman. I had to double check the book synopsis and the tags bc I had no clue it was a sapphic book. idk if that was intentional. I do love sapphic books so I was surprised they didn't market it as sapphic bc people who are looking for sapphic books can find them.
The bad:
the pacing wasn't great. so the synopsis said she had to travel to Dwindle to complete a job. guess when she finally leaves the town, 40% in.
You have to deal with her mental breakdown at leaving her hometown (sure she had reasons) but I was just rolling my eyes bc she was acting immature instead of a 30 year old woman.
the romance: it's more of a me thing but I get the ick when you give a stranger a nickname and fall in love instantly. it was a poor attempt at enemies to lovers bc it was just one sided lol. since we are only in Clara pov, I was just like girl you are stupid lol.
Overall, I didn't like the book. I wanted her to start traveling like 10-20% in and then we can deal with the reveal that she is not really a garden witch to move the story along. it would have been better if she arrived at dwindle early on then we get more backstory and learn more about the town. if it's in the synopsis and I have to wait like 40% in for the main part to start, then the pacing isn't great especially for a standalone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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