I loved this. I devoured this in two days, and my only complaint is that I’m desperate for more of the series. Olivia Atwater lmk if you need anything let’s get this ball rolling!

The Witchwood Knot is a very atmospheric and eerie read, definitely a book you’d want to pick up to immerse yourself in gothic Victorian vibe narration.
I quite liked the characters’ development and narration style, so I’m keen on picking up Atwater’s next work!

I really enjoyed this book and the dark twists it took. I struggled to keep up with some of the lore and the names, but I was incredibly drawn into the story.

Okay, so I adored Winnie as the main character. Headstrong in an honest and unapologetic way - ugh - REFRESHING. I am a lover of the regency era and adding elements of magic to it? Sign me UP. I cannot get over how much I loved the relationships in this book - they drove the story far more than the writing itself did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for an ARC of The Witchwood Knot! This is a dark faerie tale set in Victorian England, with an expected thread of romance that was a delightful addition to the gothic ambience of the book.

On the surface, Winifred Hall has been hired by her former patroness to act as a governess for her patroness’ young grandson, Robert. In reality, Winifred has been brought to the house to help protect Robert from the wicked faeries that plague the manor and the surrounding woods. Winifred has spent more than her fair share of time with the trickster faeries, and is uniquely suited to the task. What she finds is a labyrinth of trials and tricks hidden within the manor itself, only accessible when dreaming. Who is behind this faerie knot? And why was the manor built to contain it?

Some of the themes and tropes I enjoyed in this book:

- dark faerie tale
- unconventional FMC
- enemies to lovers *lite* (romance is a VERY minor subplot)

The Witchwood Knot revolves around two individuals with distinct personalities who find solace in each other’s candidness. Winnie emerges as a strong protagonist—determined, resilient, and unyielding in the face of adversity. However, the setting of The Witchwood Knot is somewhat lacking. Despite being set in a haunted manor with a troubling history, I would not categorize it as a gothic story, as the Victorian atmosphere is notably understated. The romance constitutes only a portion of the overall story, leaving me with mixed feelings regarding the remainder of the book. Furthermore, the significant events outlined in the premise do not transpire until after the narrative has progressed for more than half of the book.

This was my first Atwater read but I don’t think it will be my last. I loved this gothic romance and felt truly absorbed into the story and the world. The characters were unique and well-written and I wasn’t ready to leave them behind in the end. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

This one has taken me a LONG time to get to, I continuously picked it up started, stopped, restarted and repeat - basically the first 1/4 of the book I think I read at least 5 times.

My main take away - I really love Olivia Atwaters writing style and would be intrigued to read more of her in future...HOWEVER, this book was NOT for me! I think it made me realise I do nit enjoy regency style fiction (and that's on me, I knew what I was getting when I requested!!!)

So wrong book for the wrong person.

A really great, atmospheric, gothic tale! It was a delightful adventure to read, there were some really fantastic characters and just such a wonderful experience to read.

A bit late reading this one but I loved the magic and historic elements of this book. Enjoyed the romance too

You had me at Victorian Gothic Witch Faerie Fantasy.
I'm a simple girl to please and Olivia Atwater ticked all the boxes.
I love books set in the Victorian era and one told in the style of fairytales is just pure magic. This book was atmospheric and gentle until you got to the action. I love the way Mz Atwater tells a story and the way she creates her characters and gets them to dance across the page. Yes, even the cat.
My only critique is that the book is not available in South Africa. And I wish it was because it is perfect.

The Witchwood Knot was just the dark, gothic fantasy I needed. From it's creepy fae and haunted manor vibes it was prefect. Elegantly written, it gives an eldritch horror meets midsummer-esque faerie tale and I loved it.

"The Witchwood Knot" by Olivia Atwater is a gothic Victorian dark faerie fantasy romance that’s equal parts delightful and, let’s be real, a little creepy.

Meet Winnie Hall, our heroine who’s basically a mix of brilliance, determination, and a dash of crafty chaos. She’s got a pet cat skeleton named Oliver, who’s not just a spooky accessory; he’s also a badass in all the realms. He’s fiercely protective and has a serious grudge against men—a loyal feline king with some serious misandrist vibes!

I'd be remiss to not mention Mr. Quincy, the cranky fae butler. Seriously, I never thought I’d fall for a guy with red eyes and a rat tail, but here we are, folks. Love truly knows no bounds!

Atwater has a knack for keeping me on the edge of my seat, kicking my feet in excitement, and occasionally questioning my own sense of taste. She writes the fae as dark and twisted, yet somehow manages to sprinkle in enough wit and coziness to make it all feel like a warm hug—albeit a slightly creepy one.

Thank you to Olivia Atwater for always writing the best Fae Romance and Starwatch Press for the ARC of what became one of my favorite books of the year.

This book had me at "Victorian gothic faerie tale written by Olivia Atwater." I loved the great MFC, the fun side characters (ghost cat!), and a good romance. I felt like this was cozy adjacent; there was just a little bit more bite than her regency faerie tale series in the best way.

If you like gothic vibes, spooky forests, evil faeries, haunted houses, and good twists, pick this up.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

i have read olivia atwater's half a soul and enjoyed her version of the fae and their victims in victorian england. the witchwood knot was just as chillingly alluring and dangerous as that novel! i look forward to reading the rest of atwater's books

This book!! Wow, what a read!
And totally not what I was expecting!
It is a wonderfully gothic fantasy with just the right mix of mystery, faerie lore, and slow-burn romance. When Winifred Hall takes a job as a governess at the eerie Witchwood Manor, she quickly realizes her real task is to protect her charge, Robert, from the sinister fae haunting the estate. The house is described, as dark, cursed, and full of secrets, and is the best setting! it’s populated by quirky characters like Mr. Quincy, the mysterious and sharp-tongued butler.

Winnie is such a compelling character. She’s clever, prickly, and guarded, but you can’t help rooting for her as she faces down fae kidnappers and the revolting Lord Longfell, whose every scene made my skin crawl. Her reluctant partnership with Quincy is the heart of the story. Their slow journey from mutual distrust to a quiet, earned romance is so satisfying.

Atwater’s writing is beautiful and rich, with faerie tales woven into the story to deepen the world. The book starts out a little slow, but builds into an amazing. captivating read!
blending gothic suspense and moments rich with love.

If you’re into dark fantasy, faeries, or anything with gothic vibes, this book is for you. It’s enchanting, atmospheric, and just plain fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press

I love the way Atwater writes a fairy story and reading this made me want to go back and finish her Regency Fairy tales trilogy. You don't have to have read the others but there are characters mentioned in this one that I think would have made my reading experience better having read them all.
This is a great gothic fairy tale, from the minute Winnie approaches Witchwood Manor it is a foreboding and dark place full of strange happenings. Though Winnie has no love for children, armed with her iron chatelaine and her deep knowledge of faerie lore, she owes the Lady of the Manor a favor and so is ready to protect its young lord from the dangers within the Manor.
I loved Winnie as a character, she is full of secrets and short on patience, she has been mistreated by the world and has shaped herself into a woman to be reckoned with by high born lords and the fae alike. The house itself is a tangled mess of secrets and horrors and I loved getting to discover it with Winnie.
I loved the way Atwater plays with the idea of monsters, though it isn't wholly original it is well used here and deepens Winnie's story well.
The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star for me was the romance element, which I wasn't necessarily expecting and so when it did really build at the end sort of felt like it came from nowhere. And the end felt a bit rushed when I would have loved to live in that tension for a bit longer since the rest of the book had built that creepy unknowable vibe so well, I think we could have spent more time in the last exchange with Mourningwood and that would have built it all to a better finish for me.
Regardless, I can't wait to read the next one (and also to finish the regencies)

Although this is a separate series, it is set in the same world as the beings and events from another series. I really enjoyed the tone of those books and found myself liking this as well.

The Faeries in this world are bound by some arbitrary laws. By the time this story begins, there do not seem to be too many of them in London and beyond. Their disappearance has our lead protagonist worried.

Winifred Hall has come to be a governess at the behest of an old patron who means much to her. The life in Witchwood manor is bleak and almost as soon as she arrives, Winifred starts to unravel the issues at the heart of it all. There are a few secrets left to the surface but the author’s writing style and unique approach to romance is quite obvious here. I would still choose the other series over this, but am curious as to what the next book will hold.

The characters are intelligent and have layers, making it interesting to watch them unfold.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my reading of this and the other series by the author.

An outstanding and atmospheric, fairy tale-driven story reminiscent of HG Parry and the Emily Wilde series before it devolved into schlocky romance.

I loved the setting here and the academic tone, best represented by the no-nonsense, cerebral protagonist whose role as a magician liaising with Faerie and solving the problems it creates in the real world feels like something out of an academic fantasy. It’s both light and dark academia, but it’s also an excellent example of fantastical content presented from something akin to a researcher’s perspective.

The bulk of this book takes place in the real world or in real world-adjacent spaces rather than Faerie, which is all to the good. Impressively, the story actually doesn’t devolve during the time actually spent in Faerie, a problem all too frequent in books like this.

The characters are terrifically well drawn and their arcs lend well to a continued plot, so I’m thrilled that this is slated to continue as a series.

This book was a book that I was interested in right after reading the description. As soon as I started getting into the book more, I couldn’t put it down. You are brought into a magical world of Fae and mystery. I loved the characters in this book, and I loved how creative and unique the story was. Everything is definitely not as it seems in this book, and if that is your vibe, you need to pick this book up! This fantasy was definitely up my alley. !