Olivia Atwater's newest release is a wonderfully dark faerie tale set in magical Victorian England. At the Witchwood Manor, we meet Winnie Hall, the new governess who was hired by the estate's dowager to protect her grandson. Winnie has other motives for her presence at the manor - she wants to uncover the mystery surrounding the faeries at the manor. Winnie finds herself needing to enlist the aid of the faerie butler, Mr. Quincy, to help her uncover the secrets surrounding the manor - but can she really trust him?

The Withwood Knot is a truly delightful and engaging story. I was charmed immediately by Winnie and her confidence. She knows herself, what she wants, and what she can provide to the world. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the slow build to the romance - the characters learned to trust one another and the romance felt very real and fully developed.

Olivia Atwater's writing is beautiful - she balances the mysterious, dark, and gothic with romantic and sweet extremely well. This is the first in a new Victorian Faerie Tale series, but takes place in the same world as Half a Soul, but can still be enjoyed if you have not read the other series.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a mysterious, gothic fantasy!

Star Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:
0 / 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: The Witchwood Knot
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Olivia Atwater
𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑: Starwatch Press
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: ⁣11.28.2023
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: Fantasy
Thanks to @oliviaatwaterauthor for my early arc

{𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒}
I like my fairytales delightfully dark and creepy In world that is curiously like our own, but not. Olivia Atwater returns to the world of Half a Soul, a magical version of Victorian England. Readers follow Winifred Hall, a young governess who risks everything to take back her young charge. The lord of Witchwood Manor young son has been packed off by by the Fair Folk. Witchwood Manor is more than it seams, actually it’s a lot more than anyone realizes. Winifred Hall must use all her wits and tricks and that might not be enough to retrieve the little lord. Having to trust someone who isn’t all together trustworthy presents a challenge for resilient Winifred.
Oh this was such a captivating reading experience. Olivia Atwater, has once again won my heart over. Superb storyline and wonderful characters that were amazing.

»༒»❀🍁❀«༒«

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣{𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒} #thewitchwoodknot #oliviaatwater #victorianfaerietales #regencyfaerietales #enemiestoloversromance #fae #faeries #fantasyreader #femalefantasyauthors #romanticfantasy #fantasyromance #fantasyromancebooks #romanticbooks #instabook #bookstagram #fantasybooks #witchyreads #spookyreads

I would highly recommend this book, such a lovely cozy eerie feel book. Perfect for the spook season. This is my first Olivia Altwater book, will not be my last after this read. Loved this and would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a spooky read.

The Witchwood Knot is a perfect book to curl up with on a gloomy winter night. It is a gothic Victorian romance that explores the dark nature of the Fae and perhaps the even darker nature of humankind. Winnie as a main character was wonderful and engaging, and the romance was swoon-worthy. The book touches on some heavy themes, which is handled well with nuance and care. The author has even included a trigger warning at the start, which I thought was a considerate touch.

When I saw that TWK was listed as Victorian Faerie Tales #1, I was not aware that there were precious Regency Faerie instalments so this was my introduction to the world. I understood most things and definitely enough to follow the plot and enjoy myself, but from reading other reviews there were definitely nods to others and easter eggs I missed. I am happy to go back and read the Regency Faerie Tales as I loved Atwater’s writing, but for others it might be wise to view this as the fourth book in the universe to avoid any confusion.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

I have read all of the regency fairytales by Olivia Atwater and have really enjoyed them. The writing is beautiful and immerse and I love the dash of humour she adds into her stories.

While the previous books have been very whimsical, this one is definitely darker in tone and I enjoyed seeing her writing progression for this one.

The reason this didn’t get 5 stars for me is that I didn’t buy into the romance in this one - for me it was a bit sudden and wasn’t the slow burn I’d come used to with Olivia’s stories. I also didn’t find my myself overly invested in the story until the last 30% so it made it a bit of a slog at the start but the ending had made me interested in anything else she brings out to continue this story!

I would definitely recommend this one if you liked her previous books.

I think this book was not for me. It took me a very long time to get into it, and even then I wasn't very much involved in the story. It got better in the second half, but still not enough to save it.

The regency vibe and dialogues felt forced - like they were trying to reproduce some sort of Pride and Prejudice? But it didn't work for me. The writing style was also not my favourites, I kept getting distracted by all the adverbs, instead of focusing on the story. And maybe it was because I kept getting distracted by that, but all the names of the fairies (ladies and lords) got kind of confused in my head and I had to keep going back to check who was whom and how they were all connected. There were too many (and some were mentioned with different names) and I couldn't keep track of all.

Something I did like, though, were the chapters written and told as fairytales! They felt like dreams and they explained all the little things we didn't know going into the book.

And the way trauma was portrayed for the FMC. I think that was done quite well and well integrated into the story.

5 stars
TW: sexual harassment
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.

From the very first scene, I was smitten with this whimsical world. Winnie is an absolute delight to follow as she slowly unravels the mystery of the manor she reluctantly steps into the role of governess at. Her true goal, aside from doing a favour for the dowager of Witchwood Manor, is to look further into the sinister happenings within the manor with the Fair Folk and discover the truth of what curses the place.

The world is enchantingly deadly at every turn, and I admire how clever Atwater was in crafting this masterpiece. It's ladened with exceptionally dry banter between Winnie and Mr Quincy that I thoroughly devoured every drop of. As a huge fan of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries this year, I was delighted to find another historical fae fantasy that has a strong, intelligent female lead who is equally brazen and reckless, set in a world where the fae are sinister and cruel yet somehow she is immune to such efforts. She remained cunning and crafty, just as much as the fair folk, making her a stellar match against the dour butler of the house. Mr Quincy is a wonderful opponent for Winnie, who rises to all of her challenges with such exasperation that I adored him immediately. Whilst the romance is subtle, and very much a subplot to this book, I was enthralled by every interaction that slowly pulled them closer and into the roles of reluctant allies against the Witchwood Knot. What I appreciated most wasn't that they compromised for the other, rather, Winnie was aware of how inhuman Mr Quincy was and worked around his machinations, giving him more food for thought along the way. It was brilliantly done - neither fully conceded their own goals for the other, yet were able to innocently bask in the soft feelings of romance.

The storyline, whilst at times felt like nothing much was happening, was full of wonder at every turn and very character-led. There were the faerytales that fed the story and built up an understanding of several characters. The smallest of details that built the personality of everyone Winnie met made me laugh with delight when I realised what the physical trait represented (especially Mr Quincy's less than desirable body part). The connections between the characters and how they fuelled parts of the plot along or grounded moments where the story grew too much and the reader needed reprieve from the darkness of the Witchwood Knot was something I appreciated too. The bonding between Winnie, who is not fond of children at all, with Robert her charge, as well as with the servants in the manor was a great touch. I came to love many characters in this storyline, and even the villains and their tales were woven into the world so creatively, that I enjoyed anticipating their next move. I will admit, I was made uncomfortable at the scene I placed in my trigger warning, but it was written well, and with the understanding of Winnie's past, was rather poignant.

I'm excited to see there will be another book in this series released as many things that happened towards the end need further explanation. This is the first book I've read by Olivia Atwater, but it certainly won't be my last.

This was such a cool storyline. I absolutely loved the historical vibes but being fantasy as well! This was an amazing read!

I don’t think I’ve ever read a Gothic romance quite like this one. I’m used to “Gothic” implying ghosts, and there *are* ghosts in this story, but the real haunting and the real horror comes from other sources. Similarly, I’m used to Gothic houses being old buildings (usually made of stone) that have stood for centuries, not buildings made of wood that have only stood for decades. But the more one learns about Witchwood Manor, the more disturbing it becomes. Ultimately this recently-built manor ends up being far creepier than a stereotypical haunted house.

The other striking thing about THE WITCHWOOD KNOT is the way the romance took me by surprise. A quarter of the way through, I found myself thinking “But isn’t this a romance? I don’t see a romance arc! I don’t even know who the love interest is!” Then that arc slowly began to unfold. The romance is a slow burn, but the payoff is so, so worth it. (Heat level is kissing-only, FYI).

Be warned that there’s a lot of potentially triggering content in this novel, including endangerment of children. Most importantly, THE WITCHWOOD KNOT contains multiple references to sexual assault, including sexual assault of a child. There are no graphic, on-page depictions of rape, but there are multiple depictions of unwanted touching and kissing.

But, because this is a romance, THE WITCHWOOD KNOT also abounds in love, sacrifice, courage, and redemption. This is indeed a dark fairy tale, but as with the romance arc, the payoff for the main story is worth all the suffering it takes to get to the end.

I received a digital ARC through Netgalley, but this is my honest review.

I have only read Half a Soul and not the other books in the Regency Faerie Tales series. While I may have understood more about the story if I had finished the story, I enjoyed this book immensely. I will absolutely be prioritizing a re-read of Half and Soul and finishing the series.

Winifred Hall is a fantastic character. While declaring herself a liar, she always honors who she is. Mr Quincy was wonderful from the start. He's odd and sarcastic and I loved him. Winnie is sent to Witchwood Manor to assist the Lady of the house with a curse that is set on the Manor. She must use all her experience and knowledge to navigate the house and the creatures within. She is a survivor and is clever in the most wonderful ways.

This story does have an ending that I can only imagine is a lead up to another book. Hopefully this will be a second series in the Regency Faerie Tales world. I will absolutely keep my eye out for further titles.

While this book has a HEA, it deals greatly with themes of abuse and SA and how victims deal with the trauma. There are many layers to this story and while it is a gothic fantasy romance in a cursed house, it also deals with serious, real life topics and does it, in my opinion, in a really authentic way. But if these are topics you'd like to avoid, please protect your peace.

This is a historical fantasy set in the Victorian Era (England)- where Faeries do exist however Winnie is the FMC who is the Governess for Witchwood Manor where there are Faeries that haunt this residence. She is there to aid and assist with the resident's grandchild, Robert who is will be the Lord who will oversee Witchwood Manor one day as well as assist in uncovering the strange things that happen in Witchwood Manor.

When she notices that Robert has been abducted by the Fair Folk- she is faced to turn towards unlikely person for assistance in order to get him back as she ventures into the Witchwood Knot.

Overall I enjoyed this book- it was a little slow pace in the beginning and about midway through it picked up. I enjoyed the Winnie's character and that she was resourceful and clever. I also enjoyed the the romance sub-plot with the unlikely character (I would have never known from their first interaction). I was a little shocked about his personal appearance but his underlying charm made up for it.

I want to preface by saying that you don't necessarily need to read the Regency Faerie Tales series in order to read The Witchwood Knot. However, there are some easter eggs that you'll catch if you do read that series beforehand.

I was surprised by how dark The Witchwood Knot got at times. It deals heavily with sexual assault which is something I'm usually not comfortable with because it is so hard to get right in stories. I'm happy to say The Witchwood Knot handled it in a way that I actually felt seen and understood as a victim myself. I especially appreciated Winnie reclaiming her sexuality and learning that it's possible to move past sexual trauma and be able to enjoy her sexuality. I thought the afterword at the end of the book was also very lovely as the author discussed how people's reactions to sexual assault can be wildly different and they're all valid.

That being said, I loved the romance between Winnie and the love interest. I loved how vulnerable they were with each other and how they helped each other heal. I truly cannot wait to see more of them. Oliver was by far my favorite character. I just love the concept of familiars so much and cats are also my favorite animal so it was meant to be. The book was also very atmospheric with creepy vibes that I adored. I'm genuinely enjoying this series more because of the darker vibes. I can't wait for the next book!

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?


This book was absolute perfection. I knew I would love it based solely on the little blurb above and that it was written by one of my favorite authors.

I think it should be said to check those CW/TW though this book was quite a bit darker than usual. Also felt quite a bit more mature, I’d say this still has no “spice” but does have some delectable tensions

The story is very found family, scheming and love in many forms.
I can not wait to read more by this author ((especially at how it ended, I crave a bit more))

World: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Winnie, Robert, Oliver, Sarah, and of course Mr Quincy (Not to mention some of our most favorite characters making brief appearances or at least being mentioned)

Over all I can not wait for more Victorian Faerie Takes

A huge thank you to the author, publishers and netgalley for letting me read this book early.

I love Olivia Atwater’s faerie fantasy series. The Witchwood Knot is set in the Regency Faerie tale world, with a more gothic theme. I absolutely loved Winnie and her response to essentially a mansion being haunted/overran by faeries. The romance was also slow burn, but done perfectly. Special thanks to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Her books have all been a delight so far. If you’re looking for a new light fantasy author to try and you’ve enjoyed period fantasy definitely pick her books up. You should absolutely start with her Regency Faerie Tales series and work your way through to this series. They’ve all been such a fun read!

With whimsical prose, charming characters, and a gothic setting, The Witchwood Knot is not to be missed. The Witchwood Knot is set in the same world as her Regency Faerie Tales series. I have only read Half a Soul, the first book in that series, and I was able to follow the story in The Witchwood Knot. However, if you have read the trilogy, you’ll enjoy cameos and mentions of the characters.

The Witchwood Knot follows Winifred Hall, the latest governess at Witchwood Manor. Witchwood Manor is unique, though. It is haunted by ghosts and faeries. Soon, Winifred has a new problem on her hands when faeries steal her charge, and replace him with a block of wood, also known as a fetch. Now Winifred must team up with Mr Quincy, the mischievous faerie butler, to save Robert.

What I Liked:
- I enjoyed The Witchwood Knot! The haunted manor was the perfect setting for this story. It enhanced the subplots and set the tone for the story.
- Atwater did a great job crafting Winnie’s character arc. When Winnie’s biggest fear was revealed, my heart broke for her.
- The witty, satirical dialogue. Atwater has a knack for creating charming, unique characters that steal your heart.
- The sweet, slow-burn romance between Winnie and Mr Quincy.

What Could Have Been Improved:
- My biggest complaint with this book is the pacing. In my opinion, it took a while for the story to get going. The Witchwood Knot is a quick read, but

Overall, I enjoyed The Witchwood Knot and look forward to the sequel! Olivia Atwater has cemented herself as a go-to author for regency stories with the fae and a dash of romance.

Winifred Hall is taking on a job as "governess" for an old friend. Winifred is many things, but governess is not one of them. She is to keep young Robert safe.
Winnie senses something is off as soon as she reaches the manor. And by wrong, I mean fae.

I love books with Victorian settings, and Olivia Atwater does it so well. The Gothic vibes are fantastic in this one.

Olivia Atwater burst onto my radar with her Regency Faerie Tales series, and I’m so glad I read that before starting this. While it isn’t necessarily required reading beforehand, there are some characters and information that come in handy knowing for this book, even though it takes place many years later.

First of all, I quickly grew to adore Winnie. She’s smart, cunning, keeps her head in stressful situations, and resourceful. It becomes obvious very fast that Winnie is more than simply a governess, as she has extensive knowledge of the faeries. I loved watching her interact with Mr. Quincy, someone who is more than what he appears to be. There’s a romance subplot that I was expecting to see, and loved watching it play out. Both Winnie and her love interest are a bit out of the ordinary, but somehow they manage to make it work with each other.

While the setting is creepy, it falls a bit short of gothic and Victorian. This is more of what I’d expect from a story involving the presence of faeries, where there’s a different side of the area that’s dark, enchanting, and even a little dangerous. I did like seeing how things differed between the regular side of the mansion and the faerie side of it.

The side characters were just as enchanting as Winnie was. Oliver, in particular, stole my heart, as the fearsome feline familiar at Winnie’s side. But the one I was most curious about had to be Mr. Quincy, the mysterious butler who was clearly keeping secrets.

This is a much darker story than Atwater’s previous ones. One character is learning how to express their autonomy and sexual desires after sexual harassment and assault, and healing through that process on their own terms. The other character is learning how to cope with their own loss of autonomy and facing the conflict of their desires with that that of the being controlling them. Seeing these two process their own trauma and start the healing process was a beautiful thing.

Overall, this was a fantastic story. I loved the fantasy elements and the romance, the plot and the characters, and the way this sets up further books in the series. I do wish that Winnie’s magic was further explored, because it was so interesting about how her magic was forbidden as dark arts by the current Lord Sorcier, but that wasn’t really delved into in this book. Overall, this is a wonderful start to the series, and I really hope that we get to see a bit more of Winnie’s sisters as well as an appearance from Winnie and Mr. Quincy in the next book!

Loved this book! Perfect blend of spooky, atmospheric, prickly, soft, and romantic. A fabulous addition to the faery genre. Can't wait for the sequel!!

I can't believe this book was so good it forcibly knocked me out of my reading slump.

It's a gothic tale with a wonderful slow burn romance. My favourite aspect was the characters, and I very quickly became attached to them. Especially Winnie, a very strong yet vulnerable heroine that I loved following. Mr. Quincey was also wonderful, and I loved watching how he developed and grew throughout the story.

Not only that, but thematically it deals with the threat of being attractive in a misogynistic world - it wasn't even the faeries and the horror elements I found most terrifying here, but the looming presence of a man that can't take a no for what it is. Which made the romance so much more impactful, as it is wholly built on consent and acceptance of each other. Exactly the type of romance I love.

I will say that I haven't read the Regency Faerie tales, but I definitely will, and I don't think it detracted from my enjoyment of this book. Although I have been told there's some bits and pieces you'll miss if you haven't read the previous series, so just be aware of that.