“The Witchwood Knot” is an eery and whimsical story, perfect for fans of “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.” I have not read Olivia Atwater’s other books, so I cannot speak to the connection between this book and the others. But I can tell you that I greatly enjoyed this curious tale of a visiting governess, a mysterious butler, and an overlapping faerie world. This cozy, gothic fantasy has romance and speculative world-building that fits well with the autumn season.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

"Olivia Atwater returns to the world of Half a Soul with "a sharp and beautiful gothic romance" (Alix E. Harrow). Dive into The Witchwood Knot, and enjoy a dark faerie tale set in a magical version of Victorian England.

The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.

Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn't believe in faeries - which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.

Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness...but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?"

Olivia Atwater is THE AUTHOR with the most books on my TBR list. I think I better start working on that...

*taps mic* ladies we have a new fae butler to add to the fae/sorcerer/demon butler/steward shelf

Half a Soul was fun but this was for ME, SPECIFICALLY. Enjoyed it so much. The fae are tricksty and sinister but somehow not the worst thing bumping around the gothic mansion at night. Lovely brand of faerie gothic. Definitely run to the bookstore and treat yourself to this one (and sign me up for the sequels!!! MORE PLEASE!!!)

I will say having read Half a Soul definitely helped with background. I have not read the other two HAS sequels so I don’t know if they’re necessary, but having some knowledge of prior world and character events was helpful.

Heat level: just kissing
The author has cws at the start of the book for anything folks might be sensitive to.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. The Witchwood Knot releases Nov 28. All opinions are my own and this is my honest review.

The Witchwood Knot is a beautiful and dark gothic fantasy with delightfully rich world-building. Set in Victorian England where faeries are feared for their cruelty, Winnifred Hall sets out on a journey to an eerie potentially haunted manor in the middle of an ancient mystical forest. Winnie is a determined and resourceful young magician summoned to Witchwood Manor by an old acquaintance with the goal of protecting her grandson from the nefarious faeries who mean him harm. Upon her arrival at the ominous-looking manor, she meets the butler, Mr Quincy, a curious fellow who appears and disappears in a most suspicious fashion just in time to cause mischief. Winnie’s work is made all the more challenging in that her charge, the Honourable Robert Murray the Third, is hell-bent on disobeying her at every turn and putting himself in further danger, not to mention his father, the lord of the manor, has taken a very overbearing and unwelcome interest in her.

Throughout his tutoring, Winnie tells Robert faerie stories, which are a delightfully clever way to give the reader more insight into the world, Winnie’s history, and the current problems plaguing her world. As Winnie begins to unravel the mysteries at the heart of Witchwood Manor, she begins to wonder which monsters she should be more worried about.

There are plenty of references to Atwater’s Regency series that I have possibly missed, this being my first book by her, but the story is set within the same magical England, sometime after the events of Half a Soul. We get mentions of Lord Sorcier Elias Wilder, Magician to the Crown of England, as well as some of his friends, who appear to be background players in the overall plot of this story.

I appreciate that Atwater has included a content warning, showing a dedication and duty of care to her readers' mental health. Most scenes including Lord Longfell thoroughly made my skin crawl. He was written in such a way as to have absolutely no redeemable qualities and I believe Atwater captured the intense uneasiness many women face at least once in their life under the male gaze, without ever reducing Winnie’s character. Despite her experiences, Winnies retains her autonomy and fights back.

Atwater’s newest novel is a dark and ethereal gothic fantasy with a hint of romance, a strong female lead and a richly crafted world that you will not want to pull yourself away from. You will be eagerly awaiting the next installment with bated breath!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for providing this ARC. I am now fully invested in Atwater's work and she has now become an auto-buy author for me!

This book wasn't for me. Not to say it wasn't well written- it was. The book is a gothic fairy tale and gives all the haunting, dark fantasy vibes. A great read for the Halloween/Spooky season. I wouldn't say it is a romance just because that part doesn't happen until the book is almost finished. It's more of a detail than a description.

Things I enjoyed:

The FMC was smart and wasn't taking anything from anyone.
-I absolutely loved Oliver the main character's familiar who is a cat.
-The banter
-The setting

What I didn't:
-For me the pacing was slow, and I felt it didn't pick up until over halfway through the book.
- Even though I understood it to be a stand alone, I believe I would have a better appreciation if I read Atwater's other books.

I was a huge fan of Half a Soul, less of the remainder of that trilogy, so I was excited to read Oliva Atwater's newest book. Unfortunately, this story felt very much like her latter two books in the distinct coldness and woodenness of the characters. I had a very difficult time feeling anything about them. Further, the pacing was very clunky. I just had the most difficult time with this book despite loving the darker themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I was instantly drawn in by the setting of this story! Atwater uses such striking Victorian gothic imagery that kept me hooked throughout. The narrative relies on a very traditional view of witchcraft and the fae and yet it never felt stale or overdone. The whole aesthetic of the novel was simply stunning!

The pacing was a little slow in the first few chapters as the characters and setting were introduced, but it soon picked up and after a while it was hard to put down! I wasn't overly fond of Winnie at the beginning as it felt like the narrative was creating a bias toward her. As I kept reading though, she definitely grew on me! I did get a little muddled with some of the names (especially the faeries) being too similar at times but the characters were distinct enough that it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.

I really loved the way the story was written from Winnie's POV as if it were being told in the Victorian era. It had the characteristics of a classic novel but her mindset, thankfully, was much more akin with women in the present day.

I can't finish this review without mentioning Oliver. Winnie's undead, one-eyed cat familiar was a highlight of this book for me! Their mutual distrust (maybe hatred in Ollie's case) of men make them a formidable duo.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Witchwood Knot, and will definitely keep an eye out for the continuation of the Victorian Faerie Tales series.

A story of dark whimsy, this one took me by surprise.

This is the first I have read from this author and I was pleasantly impressed with the ability Atwater has in painting a picture for the reader.

Winnie is a new governess for the ill behaved Robert Murray, son of the Lord of Witchwood Manor. When he suddenly begins acting starkly different from before, she knows there is something wrong. So begins her journey to get the real young Robert back from the fairies who have taken him.

With help of a strange character, the butler, Mr. Quincy, a fairie himself, Winnie does the unthinkable. Seeking out Robert will be a dangerous task and while noble, may cost Winnie greatly.

I loved the strange relationship between Winnie and Quincy. I also really enjoyed the way fairies are portrayed in this book, as cunning and ruthless creatures. There are some other fun characters we meet along the way, as well.

I enjoyed this so much and am eager to see the next knot untangled.

I received an advanced reader copy of The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater from Netgalley.

If you are fans of Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater then you will love this book as it takes place in the same world but has more lush gothic feel to it. Minimal spice but the chemistry between the two main characters pulse and pop off the page. I honestly could not put this down and I finished this book in a matter of hours. Would definitely recommend!

I have devoured and loved every single book in Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales series and I was delighted to have the opportunity to read this next work which is set in the same universe but moved on in time. In The Witchwood Knot Atwater tackles all things Victorian Gothic with the trademark faerie elements added in as well.
This book is, in a lot of ways, much darker and scarier leaning than the other books in this world but I think that only added to my enjoyment of the story, it made the book feel fresh and new rather than simply feeling like a fourth installment of a romance series. I loved the setting, as a sucker for a haunted house this was truly spine chilling. I also thought that the way that the main character, governess Winifred Hall, was a fantastic counterpoint to the more scary elements of the story. Her gumption and quick thinking (and her bluntness) was a fantastic juxtaposition against the more traditional gothic elements.
I will briefly touch on the romance which was fairly slow burn but still very enjoyable. I would say that this book is more about the plot than it is the romance (in contrast to some of the Regency Faerie Tales). I did nonetheless enjoy those elements of the story.
It was very interesting seeing how the world had changed since the events of the Regency Period, getting a glimpse of how things might be better or worse both in the mortal world and in Faerie - I think fans of the previous series will likewise enjoy this new trajectory.
Overall I had a great time reading this and I continue to look forward to more installments from Olivia Atwater.

“You have come here with some cunning tricks, Miss Hall,” he drawled, with quiet menace. “But they will not save you. And if you continue with this false bravado… I do believe that it may be your end.”

When a young Lord is captured by faeries of Witchwood Manor his governess, Winifred must steal him back.

With the help of a Mr Quincy, a mysterious butler she must make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot but it won’t be easy. Will she be able to trust him or will it cost Wilfred,her life?


The Witchwood Knots is a beautiful gothic romance that is a dark faerie tale set in a magical world of Victorian England! In a magical world of The Witchwood Knots comes slow-burn romance, dark & mysterious. As well as twist and turns you don’t wanna miss this extraordinary tale. Nothing is as it seems…

“Oh… I wouldn’t thank me if I was you, Winifred Hall.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was such a beautiful story and loved every moment of it. With an unexpected romance that I didn’t see coming!

It was a very fast paced read and that heart-stopping cliffhanger!! I can’t wait to see where this story leads in the next novel! 🖤

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Olivia Atwater, and Starwatch Press for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful gothic romance in exchange for an honest read!

I couldn’t decide, for a time, whether this was a 3 star or 4 star book. But by the time I had finished reading I was pushed over into the 4 star category and can happily say I love this book.

I’ll start off by saying what pushed me into 4 stars, then what could have made it 3.

The MC was immediately likeable to me, her polite sass is just the right amount of amusing and biting. I love a headstrong and fearless female lead. Her worries and anxieties were relatable to me, and I found immense satisfaction in how she handled them throughout her various trials. And the fact that her familiar is a cat is unsurprising as she has that cat-like temperament to her! While there are heavy themes present, that of sexual abuse/harassment, I found the author to have handled them in a respectful and realistic way. To quote the author, I too can be “dissatisfied [in the] portrayal of sexual assault survivors as meek and fearful flowers”. I found the MC’s coping and handling of this as validating, realistic and emboldening - making her all the more likeable.
To be honest, I found the entire cast enjoyable! Mr Quincy had me a sullen with reddish eyes and I liked the unwilling affection of Cook!

On that note, I found the romance to be swoon-worthy! It’s reluctant and resistant in that lovely enemies-to-lovers way. It builds and builds and builds, nice and slowly with just enough tension, and then OH! The satisfaction of its climax - loved it! Dark and sensual, yet sweet and romantic all at the same time! Exactly my cup of team, Mr Quincy could easily be my new Mr Darcy!

There’s a great mystery to it too, almost “who-Dunn it”ish in unwrapping the mystery of the knot. How did it happen? Why did it happen? Who is responsible and who is most in danger? All questions that are answered in due time, with enough crumbs to create your own theories but eventually presented in a pleasing way. It’s like the perfect scavenger hunt - rooting through the leaves for clues and the satisfaction of reaching the end and winning the prize!

The author uses excellent vocabulary that paints a beautiful and rich world that also builds great immersion into the era it’s set in. There’s an amazing atmosphere, filled with beautiful and luscious Victorian gothic goodness. All the heavy, rotting luxury you’d expect of the genre that makes it so easy to get lost in the world. It’s cosy and creepy, sweet and sickly all at the right times. By the end of the book I really felt familiar with the setting in a similar way to how the MC felt. I loved getting lost in such a rich and beautiful setting!

I loved the authenticity it had regarding English folklore too, the iron and fairy rules and the inability to lie! I just love English folklore so much and while it’s becoming more popular in fantasy fiction, I love seeing it done justice so well like this!

Okay, onto some other feelings I had. I would like to preface this with; I love this book and loved the experience, I can’t wait to read the sequel and have happily and truthfully given it 4 stars. However, these were a couple of areas that gave me pause.

It has an odd introduction, or lack thereof. It quickly began to feel like I was missing parts. On a couple of occasions in the early pages, first 10% of the book I’d say, I went back to check I hadn’t missed chapters or a prologue, or even if it was part of a wider series and that made me take a little while to settle into it. This is my first Olivia Atwater book and after a bit of googling I found out that this book is part of wider universe but first in this specific series, although it doesn’t feel like it. Character backstory is alluded to as if it’s information being recapped rather than told for the first time, and while it comes later in the story, a familiarity with the characters has already been formed by that point, so it made the flow of reading a tad difficult. I felt like I was supposed to know characters and world aspects that I just didn’t.
It has almost prequel vibes in the sense that there’s what feels like an assumed familiarity with the MC and some of the secondary characters (mainly the sisters and the dowager) that I didn’t feel I had. Like prequels though its perfectly enjoyable as a standalone, but has those moments of missing something deeper. While backstory does eventually come, I feel that some of it could have possible come earlier - maybe one of the backstory/fairy stories could have been a prologue instead. I understand withholding backstory was probably to build mystery and intrigue, I felt this could have been some while still providing a tad more context to the earlier parts. That said, it’s not hugely detrimental to the plot.

Another aspect of this is that it lacks some hard world building. As I said, there’s great atmosphere and the local setting is very detailed and fleshed out, but there’s a limited sense of a wider world and what it’s like. The main story is not completely removed from a wider world, and there are back story and plot lines that clearly lead to an overarching plot line in the wider world, but as it stands I feel that a little expansion would have been nice. I think the assumption is that it’s just a normal Victorian England but with magic and fae, but to a younger reader or a reader not familiar with Victorian England they may not know what that should look like. I imagine that harder world building will come in later books with the expansion of that aforementioned overarching plot line, but nonetheless this was something I noticed while reading. Again though not detrimental I feel like some harder world building could have been good.

Under this same banner, I would have liked a bit of an expansion on the magic system of the world, if for no other reason than curiosity as it doesn’t affect the plot but I like the magic and am greatly intrigued by it. How does the magic work? How do magicians be magicians? What are the rules? I love a good magic system, and while I enjoyed this one, I would have like a little bit more information to get a good feel for it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and loved getting lost in the world. The rich environment and enjoyable characters made for a fun reading experience that I would happily recommend to both fans of the genre but also to newcomers. I greatly anticipate the sequel and will keep a keen eye out for any updates! Much love to the author for a beautiful and enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this advance release copy!

A beautifully twisted Victorian tale, the Witchwood Knot takes us on a dark and dangerous adventure with a governess, Winnie. She's been hired to protect Robert, a petulant and disobedient child, and is determined to rescue him when he is stolen by the faeries that plague the Witchwood Manor.

Not knowing who to trust, Winnie carefully makes allies and secures her safety through cunning and cleverness, but she soon learns that it may not be enough. She will need to both keep herself safe. And rescue Robert if she is to accomplish her goals.

As she searches desperately to recover her charge, she begins to trust a dangerous creature, leaning on him in times of desperation and vulnerability. They begin to heal parts of one another as they fight to reclaim control over their own lives.

Together, will they defeat the Witchwood monster? Or will they become a part of it instead?

What a lovely dark and poetic story!❤️

It was a refreshing twist on other fairy stories I’ve read so far and I really loved the flow of the story.
It was scary at times, quite mysterious and I kept wondering about Winnie, was she truly human? More of the puzzle peaces came together, but I still didn’t see this ending coming!

I also thought the way Winnie empowered herself and Quincy was amazing, talk about self growth!

I don’t think this is a book for everyone, but I loved it!
Quite curious if there will be a second book, the story invites for more 😄❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC of Olivia Atwater's The Witchwood Knot.

Somewhere between waking and dreaming, the mundane mortal world and the land of the fairies exists The Witchwood Knot. Olivia Atwater's new novel is a lush gothic-tinged romance that welcomes readers into a new series of Victorian fairy tales.

Winifred "Winnie" Hall is a less-than-ideal governess, but remarkably adept cartomancer, who arrives at Witchwood Manor to fulfill a promise and look after a young lord. From the moment she steps through the door, Winnie must deal with monsters in both the Fairy World and Victorian England.

Atwater's Witchwood Knot is by no means another fairytale retelling of the kind that has been so popular in the last few years, but there are echoes of old fae stories in the world she has created. Instead of getting bogged down in the details of the fairies– or delving into the minutiae of her magic system– the characters and their trials are kept in focus. Winnie is a headstrong protagonist without ever feeling faultless or beyond human–aside from the magic, of course. Side characters like Mr. Quincy, Oliver the familiar, young Robert and the Lord of Witchwood Manor are woven into the story, but without switching the point of view away from our heroine. At times, it can make the rest of the cast feel like mere sketches, but the tight focus on Winnie raises the stakes and tension when few people in the manor are exactly how they seem.

Describing the setting as a character in its own right is a reliable cliche at this point, but sometimes it can fit. Witchwood Manor is both living and inert as Winifred moves between the two realms as she walks down its halls. To return to an old favourite of mine, the manor reminds me of Lord and Lady Pole's home from Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel and the estate of the man with the Thistledown hair. The story never goes into full gothic Victorian horror, but the manor is eerie enough to keep readers questioning which side of the looking glass Winnie is on as she tries to keep Robert safe from the fae.

It should be noted that Atwater explores some tough, troubling subjects and themes in The Witchwood Knot. Though abuse and sexual assault are integral to the story, they are handled with care and never feel exploitative or used for shock value. Not every book needs to be a dark exploration of the human condition– but appreciate when you can tell that an author has thought deeply about challenging themes and how to appropriately interweave them into the story they are trying to tell.

To leap to a tangent for a moment, Atwater's novel is not only the first installment in a new series but also an extension of her previous Regency Fairy Tales–which began with Half a Soul. On first impression, this might seem like a warning for new readers who may want to jump in, but as someone who has never read Atwater's work before, she does a marvellous job bringing you in. As more storytelling becomes serialized–and those interconnected series become more difficult to track over the various spin-offs and installments–Atwater clearly is writing The Witchwood Knot as an entry point. Characters, locations, and various scattered plot points, assumedly from her last series, but they never overcrowd or distract from the overall story. Instead, Winifred Hall's world feels lived in and with a scope that expands beyond the manor's walls. The history and characters feel like they have lives that began before the first chapter and could possibly continue afterwards. It's a small point, but Atwater's ability to leave little nods for entrenched fans without hobbling the novel, is impressive and something other writers interested in building their own worlds could learn from.

For the initial entry in a series, The Witchwood Knot weaves a remarkably alluring story to invite readers into Winifred Hall's world. While the novel uses Victorian gothic trappings as aesthetic notes rather than core aspects of the story, Awater has written a complex and engaging tale of fairies.

Winnie has taken a position as governess at Witchwood Manor, which all local residents avoid due to its being haunted. Or possessed. Or something. Turns out, it's positively brimming with faeries, and there's a curse in place that sends all the manor's residents into another (quite scary) world while they dream. It's a bit annoying, especially because the house's butler, Mr Quincy, insists on getting in the way of what Winnie has really come here to do. Can she complete her quest AND break the curse to spare her new friends? Or will she have to choose?

This was a fun, "easy" fantasy novel that I finished lightning-fast. I haven't read Olivia Atwater's other series, and from what I'm seeing, it's recommended that you do that before reading this one. But since I haven't, and still enjoyed The Witchwood Knot, I can pretty confidently say it's not absolutely required but it may enhance your experience.

I loved the inclusion of little details like the requiem, the toy soldiers, and Oliver. I will caution, though, that while this novel contains Gothic elements, it is not a true Gothic novel. The "Gothic" label is highly misunderstood in modern literature, but not a huge deal if you're not banking on that particular aspect of this book. It's dark, humorous, fast-paced, and fun. Looking forward to the next in the series!

Thank you to Olivia Atwater, Starwatch press, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

Possible Triggers:
Death | Sexual Assault

Summary:
This is the first in a series of companion novels set in the same world as her ‘Regency Faerie Tales’ series.

Final Thoughts:
This was such a hard book for me to try and describe to other people in regards to the genre. As such, I find myself struggling to decide how I feel about it as well. It's hard to compare or judge something when you don't have things to compare it against. So I'm going to take that as a positive, because it's always nice to be surprised by something you haven’t read before. The story was set in the Victorian era and has an air of mystery, horror, and also some romance. The horror absolutely put me in mind of the kind of stuff you read in Edgar Allen Poe’ writing, that creeping, sort of unsettling discomfort that “oh… something is… off”. I really liked how the author both made sure there was a warning in the front of the book and an explanation after the story that went over the hard topic that the book covers. This was an interesting read and as such I am interested in reading more of this author's work. Would highly recommend it if you like books about cruel/mean/creepy fae.

I loooove this world and all the fae lores
Olivia Atwater’s books are always so magical and ultimately heartwarming.
For me they’re the perfect mix of historical, magic and romance.

I really enjoyed this Victorian-era gothic novel by Olivia Atwater. I really enjoyed her books in the Regency Fairytale series, so I was excited to read her work again. I liked the atmosphere and romance in this one, but I think the pacing was a little inconsistent. Overall, a great read!

I want to take a moment to think NetGalley and the publishing company for sending me an arc of this book for my honest review.

On that note, let’s start the review. I know this book does not come out until November but this was the perfect spooky book to read by a roaring fire, and a hot cup of tea or coffee. I could not put this book down from the moment I started it. If you loved Half a Soul like I did then you will want to pick this book up. The world is magical, the writing is vivid, and the characters will tug at your heart strings.