Escape Into Cottagecore: Embrace Cosy Countryside Comfort in Your Everyday

by Ramona Jones

Find happiness in the natural world, be fully present where you are and free yourself from the expectations of others. Embrace a more peaceful life with cottagecore – a soft, fairytale world that combines traditional comforts with a modern existence to create a sense of magic and retreat. While we may not be able to uproot ourselves and settle entirely off-grid in the middle of a forest, Escape into Cottagecore will help you rekindle your love of nature and rediscover simple joys, wherever you may live. Full of practical advice and inspiration, and covering topics from home décor and herbology to eating with the seasons and mindfulness, this beautiful book will invite you on a cottagecore odyssey, bringing the nostalgia, relaxation and beauty of countryside living to every part of your life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Lifestyle, Self Help, Nature, Cozy, Design, Gardening

208 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2021

Reviews

[June Zimmerle]

I would have given it a four if they had left out the chapter encouraging people to pursue tarot cards and witchcraft. If that is a part of Cottagecore count me out. Just being real.

[Ebony]

There’s nothing in this book you couldn’t find on Pinterest. Only a few of the photos are original and a lot of the author’s writing she admits to pulling from online cottage core blog spaces. Nothing really original here. The recipes are interesting, forest bathing was definitely a must try (though it’s not her idea so again you could just google this), and if you want to be a cottage core influencer there are excerpts on how to do that too; but all and all this book was very meh. Tbh, I know I won’t remember that I read it a month from now.

[Marina]

It’s not enough to live the cottage fantasy (or , should that be : the fantasy cottage fantasy?), you have to know how to photograph it so you can share it on social media.

[Hannah Kaye]

Me: “Hey, can you give me some practical tips for forming slow-living habits and incorporating intentional seasonal rhythms in my day-to-day life?”
This book: “To get the perfect, instagram-worthy shot, just swoosh your flowy skirt and run slowly into the woods.”
Me: ?????

I don’t know how else to put this except that it is PAINFULLY obvious that this book was written by an influencer. A more appropriate title would be “how to cosplay a vintage country aesthetic: a guide for wealthy, performative social media wannabes.”

[Lee]

Really informational and has some delicious looking recipes as well. Beautiful photography, too! Also, it's not mentioned in the book but I saw on the author's Instagram (which is the beautiful cottagecore aesthetic all the way) that she has autism, so I really love that neurodiversity representation.

[Angela]

While the author claims that cottagecore can be embraced in the city, the reality presented in the book feels disconnected from urban life. Many of the activities described—like foraging and crafting with nature—are simply not possible without access to the countryside.

I found myself wanting more of the author's personal reflections, especially her childhood memories at her grandfather's cottage, which could have added depth and authenticity. Additionally, I was surprised by the lack of her beautiful, atmospheric Instagram photos in the book. Instead, it features random stock images, which feels like a missed opportunity to make the book visually more cohesive and inspiring.

[Ana]

I wish I could live in that fantasy 💔

[Clara]

The book had some interesting recipes and info on plants and herbs, but overall this felt like a book written by an influencer for wannabe influencers. You’ll find tips on how to photograph your clothes, food and home (tidying up is necessary but just not that much, because some clutter is apparently part of the cottagecore aesthetic…). It seems that an important part of cottagecore is showing off your trendy lifestyle on social media. The author has a popular Instagram account, which makes the use of mostly other people’s photographs in the book a bit puzzling.

[Sarah Kirwood]

Sorry but everything in this book can be found on Pinterest for free, and almost all of the images are Shutterstock® photos. There is no originality whatsoever.

[Shriya]

Brilliant book about cottagecore and a lovely unique scone recipe that I will make soon.

[Hannah Watson]

A lovely whimsical read about the importance of a slow, paced life. Perfect addition for the coffee table or a gift for that stressed friend.

[Anika]

A very sweet book for people interested in the Cottagecore aesthetic.

I do agree with some reviews that I have read of this book, namely that one can also find all this information by using Google or going on Pinterest.

Nevertheless, I still really liked the book and I would recommend it if you are interested in learning more about Cottagecore, as it is more than just the "cottage aesthetic" which the name might solely suggest. It's also about valuing certain older traditions, reconnecting with nature, being mindful and content in the here and now and much more.

Ramona actually introduces the reader to quite broad aspects of Cottagecore and not just mainstream ones like clothing or home decor.
Her book includes the following aspects of Cottagecore:

1. Mindfulness
2. Home
3. Fashion
4. Gardening
5. Food
6. Outdoor Life
7. Herbology
8. Magick and Enchantment
9. Culture
10. Entertaining

I'd recommend it either as a guide and gift for yourself or others!

[Laura Bang]

An okay little intro to the "cottagecore" aesthetic. I follow the author on Instagram and I was disappointed the book didn't feature more of her own photography.

[Nina Reads]

It's a cute book with nice ideas. I liked most her little stories and memories about family, sadly, there wasn't enough of that.

Too much of the book is about social media as opposed to recipes or other ideas. I wish it was a little more developed and detailed.

It was a nice thought, I just wanted it to have a lot more meat on its bones than it does.

[Kasey Erickson]

I’m a sucker for cute, vibey books like this. I found the photography beautiful, and it had some motivating ideas. However, personally I wouldn’t say any of it was crazy memorable to me. Don’t regret grabbing it from the library and flipping through it though!

[Ikschikdersoms]

3,5 You’ll find all tricks, receipts and even descriptions of flowers :0 (but those pictures were too much). It would be better if they used doodles instead of photos.

[elizabeth]

very cool. i feel like i’m in 1984

[shannon✨]

This wasn’t the most exciting read, but it was nice to learn a bit more about cottagecore beyond seeing the aesthetic on Instagram.

[Mae Leveson]

I hadn’t heard of this book or the philosophy behind Cottagecore before I read a book review here. I was intrigued and decided that I’d like to read it.

I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed with it. I found nothing new or different in the content from many other books of its kind on the market. I already incorporate the traditional comforts of home in my daily life and enjoy knitting and gardening, as well as a ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ philosophy.

I also feel that a book intended at returning to a simpler way of life should not be focused on staging for social media, as this puts additional pressure on people to comply and worry that their lifestyle is not good enough to keep up with their peers.

[D. Réka]

At the beginning of the book I really loved the vibes, but I got bored pretty quickly. One positivity though is that the language was easily understandable.

My first problem was when in almost every chapter, like home or food, it was always mentioned how to take photos about everything to post it on your socials. I'm sorry, but why you need to ruin the cozy vibes?

But overall my biggest issue with this book was that it talked about a ton of topics but with the least detalis possible. Recipes, books, furniture, gardening, mindfulness, herbs, movies, i could go on. The author mentioned 2-4 examples for each topic (ones that everybody knows anyways), and towards the end it had a chapter called: 'How to throw a tea party'. I mean, please...

Good vibes tho

[Nolwenn]

I actually bought this five years ago and I’m certain I already read it, but I completely forgot. So while I was cleaning my shelves, I grabbed it and decided to read it again (and record it on Goodreads so I remember I read it).

While reading other reviews, I learned that the author is an influencer, which doesn’t surprise me. At the end of several chapters, she gives advice on how to photograph your “cottagecore life”. Well, cottagecore is actually cosy, genuine, slowing down and taking the time to embrace your surroundings. Social media is the absolute opposite!

I was expecting some ways to incorporate cottagecore for people who live in a (small) flat in cities, but we learn about gardening or going to a forest. Aren’t people living in houses with a garden and near a forest already living the cottagecore life? Is the author teaching people how to live their current life while reminding the others that it’s not their life?

I didn’t mind the chapter about magick and stuff, although it was way too short and superficial to really teach anything. At least I learned that if you live in a cottage, you’re supposed to be a witch. Good to know for later, if I ever live in a cottage.

The recipes and party tips were useless to me. It’s not a recipe book, so the few recipes were a bit underwhelming.
I don’t live in a cottage with a garden, so I won’t add bunting or faerie lights around the party table, but I could try that tip in the loo. I’m sure my visitors will be thrilled to feel the full cottagecore party ambiance and take pictures for Instagram.

Two stars solely for the book cover which is gorgeous and matches perfectly my favourite colours. Unfortunately, the content didn’t fulfill my expectations.

And note to self: this review is here to remind me that if I see this book on the shelf, I should leave it where it is because it’s only there to decorate (beautifully), not to be read again.

[Rose]

Two for the photos - even though the bulk of them were just gleaned from the internet.
Who invented Cottagecore? Are we talking about the word here? Maybe that was invented by the LBGTQ community, as the author mentions several times,but if so, who cares? It is just a word. The actual aesthetic of cottagecore was invented hundreds of years ago by guess who? The people who lived in cottages!
This is a very shallow book that pulls together snippets on information on different topics that may (or may not) fit into the theme. There is no deep dive here.
The author talks about music that may fit into the fairy fantasy theme of cottagecore but, surprisingly to me, mentions no New Age music by people like Mike Rowland.
But the biggest no was the terrible social media aspect of it - why do you have to share all of it on social media? Telling you how to take photos of all of it and post it when later on the author literally tells you to step away from social media.
No, there are better books out there. This one felt hastily cobbled together.

[Sheri]

This little book was quite adorable, actually. It offered suggestions and advice on how to create a cozy, cottagecore home and lifestyle. While a lot of the content would benefit those in European or English areas, as an American I still felt it could be related to. I especially liked the garden section of the book, as it was very informational. I loved the parts that suggested walking in the woods and foraging, although this is where the information didn't pertain to me in my location. I liked the music and movie suggestions, as I already had a playlist on Spotify that has a very cottagcore vibe, I just had it named something else (I've since renamed it my Cottagecore Playlist!).

The cover of the book is charming, the ebook itself has beautiful images in it, but it's not one to pick up time and again. There are some recipes at the end, but nothing that I'd probably make myself. Overal it was an enjoyable book that I looked forward to picking up and thumbing through!

[Kara Jacobi]

This is a lovely little book with some beautiful imagery and design. It gives the reader a basic sense of the tenets of Cottagecore -- mindfulness, connecting with nature, sustainability and upcycling, enjoying the local, engaging in whimsy and fantasy, returning to childhood hobbies and playfulness -- but it does remain fairly superficial. I enjoyed the recipes and recommendations for music and reading, but I would've liked a fuller list, as I am already familiar with most of the recommendations. Like others, I found the tips on photographing a little annoying and somewhat confusing given the advice to unplug and take social media breaks, but I guess it is a reminder that Cottagecore is also an aesthetic that is hugely popular online. All in all, I'm happy to have read the book and it's a pretty little item to keep on the mantle and refer to every now and then for recommendations.

[Heather]

There are far better books out there if you want to read about/ learn old fashioned domestic skills. I rate the Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brockett if you’d like to learn how to live your life differently, rather than photograph it for social media.

I was annoyed by the Americanisms in this book I expected better. The author is from the U.K. and it’s a U.K. publisher so how did a ghastly phrase like “speak with your doctor” slip through? We “speak to our doctor.” Or more likely to our GP.

I’m sad to say I read this book cover to cover and learned nothing new. It was my “bath” read and I felt no urge to continue when not in the bathroom. It’s several hours of my life I won’t get back.
Not a keeper

[Tedders]

Suspect this book was sponsored by Meta. 🌺How to make your home a cozy whimsical showpiece for INSTAGRAM🌺 🪻Vintage off beat sustainable fashion your followers will love🪻 🌻Disconnect with a little trip to a flower field to promote mindfulness... and film it for social media🌻 🌼Witchcraft?🌼

Mandatory shoutout to the gayfolx of the 2010s for founding the appreciation for the simple life and love of the Shire. And to "The East"™️for bringing knowledge of living in the moment and doing things with intention.

Performative, shallow, safe-marketable slop.
Could literally get everything in this book on my Pinterest front page.

[Charlotte Kluskens]

I loved this read. It was just what I needed. It’s a guide into what cottagecore is and how you can implement it in your life. There are plenty of ideas, each explained briefly in the different chapters which are accompanied by gorgeous photos. After reading this book I’m left with motivation and excitement to start researching some of these themes in more depth and start implementing these in my everyday life.

[Sarah Lee]

I really enjoyed reading Escape into Cottagecore by Ramona Jones. It is a lovely little book that you can pick up and read a few chapters and then put down again. I found nothing really out of the ordinary and I didn't really learn anything amazing but I did really enjoy reading this book. At the price of it, it is much nicer to buy this book than a magazine which about costs the same. A lovely little escape book full of lovely cosy chapters and photos.

[Donna Cope]

I was soo excited to read this book as I follow the author on Instagram and love everything she posts, so I thought it would be similar to her Instagram. It wasn’t unfortunately, I felt the book just had random facts about things to do with cottagecore which you could find online… lastly, not all photos were her own. Which was a bit disappointing as she takes such lovely photos.
Anyway it is a cute little book so if you know nothing about cottagecore I would suggest getting it.