True magic is found among the bluebells and brambles in Chelsea Iversen’s beautiful second novel: a cosy historical fantasy that illuminates one Victorian woman’s inner magic.
A woman alone is a force of nature…
Harriet Hunt is completely alone. Her father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside house, dwelling on a past she’d rather keep buried. She doesn’t often venture beyond her front gate, instead relishing the feeling of dirt under her fingernails and soft moss beneath her feet.
Consequently, she’s been deemed a little too peculiar for popular Victorian society. This solitary life suits her fine, though – because, outside, magic awaits.
Harriet’s garden is special. It’s a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb is Harriet’s purpose.
But a woman alone in the world is vulnerable. Soon, a sinister plot involving her father’s disappearance begins to take shape, with Harriet herself at its centre. Everything she holds dear – from the thorny roses she tends to her very freedom itself – is at stake. To save herself, Harriet will have to unearth her past, discover the secrets of her garden, and finally embrace the wild magic inside of her.
With a touch of magical realism and a hearty dose of mystery, this lush cosy fantasy from the author of The Witches at the End of the World further establishes Chelsea Iversen as a standout new voice in women’s fiction.
Tropes
Historical Fiction
Cosy Fantasy
Lush Fantasy
Magical Realism
Magical Mystery
