The Witchwood Knott is a deliciously dark progression within the wider Atwood world. Another sweet and genuine romance in the setting of mystery and intrigue as the lore and advancement of time enriches the narrative. Couldnt put it down and now eagerly awaiting the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the Regency Faerie Tale books by Olivia Atwater so when I found out she would be returning to the world I was very excited. The Witchwood Knot is a gothic Victorian fantasy story that takes a more mysterious and darker tone than the previous works. For me this was even better than the original Regency Faerie Tales, I do recommend reading them first though as there are a lot of references throughout.

The Witchwood Knot follows Winifred “Winnie” Hall who is a new governess in Witchwood Manor which is filled with danger and secrets that she is trying to unravel. I loved Winnie as the main character! In the Regency Faerie Tales it always seemed like the main characters were unfailingly good, whereas Winnie’s morals were more complex and she dabbled with some darker magic. This was refreshing and made me feel that Winnie was more dimensional as a character.

I’ve seen this book being described as a romance, but the romance is much more of a subplot that picks up more towards the end. I didn’t mind that there wasn’t a lot of romance though and liked that it focused on more of the mystery.

I would definitely recommend The Witchwood Knot to anyone looking for a good, cozy gothic book that expands upon the Regency Faerie Tales world. I am very excited to see the continuation of this new series as well and will definitely be reading the next book when it comes out!

A perfect Autumn read. So creepy that I often had to turn on an extra light for comfort. I enjoyed the narration, the characters, and the world-building (I’m not familiar with the other books in this world, but I was still able to keep up). I loved this book and can’t wait to read more by Atwater.

“Innocence is so offensive, isn’t it?” he asked her finally. “It is never content in its existence. It must force itself upon the rest of the world, insisting that true horror is a fiction.”

Thank you Netgalley and Starwatch Press for my copy.

Pub date- November 28, 2023

“This world devours those who are too bold—but those who hide and refuse to take risks are also taken unaware by danger.”

I loved this gothic fantasy. It had a slow start but then it pulled me in and I couldn’t stop reading!
Winnie is our female protagonist who is a dark magician and I loved her. She is fearless, strong and intelligent. She was hired to be a governess at Witchwood Manor by an old friend. When the boy has been stolen away by Fae, she is tasked with getting him back. She finds an ally with Mr Quincy who is the mysterious Fae butler. What dark secrets will she discover?
The story was dark but magical with a Victorian era feel. It is set up to be a series and I cannot wait to read more.

Book Name: The Witchwood Knot
Author: Olivia Atwater

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for an ARC of The Witchwood Knot

Stars: 4.5
Spice: 2

New Series
Cliffhanger Light (set up for second book but not unsatisfying)
Slow-Paced and Nearly Cozy
Fantasy Alternative Victorian History
Similar Vibes to the Emily Wilde’s Series

- Tropes
- GOTHIC Atmosphere
- Guide/Guardian
- Hidden Identities
- Fae (Folklore not ACOTAR style)
- Thoughts.
- Prior series not required
- Cozy gothic was an interesting combo
- Check triggers SA and CSA are themes
- Romance was a bit instant for my taste
- Charters were nuanced in complexity and motivations
- Familiar element was Perfect
I wish there was more world-building into Winnie's Magic was there but the open-endedness could be helpful in future books
- Mystery > Romance

A tale set in a haunted manor surrounded by isolated woods, with mischievous escapades, fairy roguery, monsters, and a protagonist that's stoic, often snarky, smart as a whip, magical and curious. I started out completely enthralled — I’m a big fan of this dry British writing style, that has me smirking and Winnie’s personality is quite endearing with a hearty dollop of sass and attitude. After sometime the tempo slowed and I found this gothic novel was actually rather sweet, not as wicked as I expected 😆

I loooooooooooove this series!! The world, the characters, the lore, everything! I was so so so happy to receive this ARC. It is truly one of my favorite series. Olivia Atwater always does an excellent job of combining the true details of Regency and Victorian era London, with her fantasy world of faerie, and this book is no exception. I'm ecstatic she is continuing to develop this world. I love that each new book features beloved characters from its predecessors so we don't have to let any of them go for too long. Olivia Atwater's books always bring such good, cozy, magical vibes. And the characters are always HOT and BADASS, but in a mundane way. They are our everyday heroes. Even if they are faeries and magicians and other whimsical creatures. And Olivia Atwater is amazing at writing the HOTTEST SCENES without making it R rated. I am simply obsessed.

The Witchwood Knot contains all of this, but gives the already sinister world of faerie a bit of a spooky spin in this gothic mystery. And not only are previous beloved characters mentioned in this book, they are MISSING *gasp*. There is a new Lord Sorcier, and the faeries in London have all disappeared. Our heroine Winifred, a cartomancer, has taken on a position as governess at Witchwood Manor, and her purpose is twofold: to figure out where the faeries have gone, and to help the dowager protect her young grandson from the curse that plagues the manor. Winifred has to contend with the bratty child, secretive servants, the handsy Lord, a mysterious faerie butler, bothersome faeries, sinister whispers and screaming faces in the wall. Armed with her own secrets, tricks, wit, and a very sharp knife, Winifred might just be able to unravel the mystery at Witchwood.

A gothic faerie tale featuring a magician pretending to be a victorian governess in order to solve the mystery at the heart of Witchwood Manor while dealing with monsters... both fae and human alike. Throw in a dash of romance, a stolen young lord, a tricky fae pretending to be a butler and a protective familiar cat and you get a absolutely fantastic read. Winifred Hall is hired to be a governess to a spoiled young lord as a favor to an old friend, a friend who just happens to be living in a manor that is said to be haunted and cursed by the fae. Winifred is actually a magician herself and is beginning to realize that the magic and curse surrounding this manor is much darker than she realized. When the young lord is kidnapped, she'll have to delve into the dark fae realm to get him back and the games are only just beginning. The more she pries into the truth of the manor the more she is realizing that this is a very complicated knot and that she'll have to rely on her wits to try and make it out. It doesn't help that there is the very dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr. Quincy, who is hiding so many secrets behind his charming smile, is the one person she'll have to help her navigate the fae realm of Witchwood Knot... There's a price for everything when it comes to the fae and what price will Quincy ask of Winifred? I have to say I fell absolutely in love with this book. I cannot wait for the next books and to see where Winifred and co go. Winifred was a wonderful protagonist, she used her tricks and wits to get by and after everything she went through she was still strong and resilient. The romance was very soft and sweet and I just adored the relationship between Quincy and Winifred. I also have to say Ollie, my sweet sweet boy, a true star in this book, a familiar cat after my own heart. This book was the perfect mixture of gothic romance and fairytale! I can't wait to read the next book!!!

*Thanks Netgalley and Starwatch Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Olivia Atwater wrangles many of the classic gothic tropes - a secluded manor, supernatural hauntings, the evils of capitalist exploitation - in The Witchwood Knot, crafting an almost nostalgic fantasy romance.

I do think that there may be a lot I missed because this is the first Atwater I've read; perhaps there were deeper ties to her previous series. There were occasions where the language felt a bit stilted at the sentence level (more telling than showing) and I think these issues are probably connected. Likely, fans of her previous work won't bump on it the same way I did.

I also wasn't into the romance. It was like a switch flipped rather suddenly and without warning. Winnie and Mr. Quincy's chemistry as enemies and even reluctant allies is much more interesting than their "romantic" interest. Also, Winnie does not notice he has a rat tail right away? Side eye.

These are fairly minor gripes (which is telling about the importance I place on the romance, I suppose). Atwater builds a comfortable gothic foundation from which to build, I assume, a series that follows Winnie, Mr. Quincy, and Robert's further adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I love Olivia Atwater's writing. There is something so immersive and endearing about her books. And The Witchwood Knot, the first book in the Victorian Faerie Tales, wasn't an exception. It's darker in tone than her previous series - Regency Faery Tales. But it still has a lot of heartwarming moments blended with the gothic atmosphere.

The Witchwood Knot follows Winifred Hall, who arrives at the Witchwood Manor as a favor to an old friend. She hopes to unravel the mysteries of this place because it can help her too - Winnie has her own problems to solve and promises to keep.
But the situation in the manor turns out to be more dire than Winnie expected. And maybe, in some cases, humans can be even more dangerous than faeries. Luckily, Winnie herself has a couple of tricks in reserve.

I adore Winnie as a main character - she is so determined and reserved when it is needed but also has such inner passion. Love it.

As always, with the curious faerie plot Olivia Atwater blends the discussion of our lives and the problems in our society. This time we dive deep into the reality of being an attractive woman, and how the world around perceives you and tries to take advantage of you. It's a hard topic, but it played its role perfectly in this book's plot.

The romantic subplot was really nice - at the beginning of the story it was hard to imagine how our main characters would find something in common to build their relationship, but it was surprisingly easy in the end. I loved the dynamic between them and they worked great together.

Also, I liked all the nodes to Regency Faerie Tales. If you haven't read them it's not a problem, I still think, that you can start from The Witchwood Knot. Though I highly recommend Half A Soul and other books in the series.

All in all, The Witchwood Knot is a great fantasy romance taking place in a spooky and mysterious Victorian manor - a perfect read for anyone who wants something whimsical and with an autumn mood.

I'm so grateful to Olivia Atwater, Starwatch Press, and Netgalley for providing me with this advanced copy.

A Haunted Mansion Romantasy for the girlies who like rat men

The Witchwood Knot follows Winnie, a governess on a mission to help the dowager of Witchwood Manor protect her grandson from the faeries that rule the house. When her charge suddenly shows up one morning acting meek and sweet, Winnie knows instantly that her real ward has been abducted by Faeries - and because she's under the employ of the only man in England who doesn't believe in faeries, the responsibility of retrieving the real little boy falls solely on Winnie's shoulders.

Olivia Atwater's other series, Regency Faerie Tales, has been on my TBR for a hot minute now, and when I requested an arc for this, I was NOT aware that this was a continuation/sister series to RFT. But maybe that's for the best. Because while this book contained some very obvious nods to Atwater's first series, I didn't feel like my reading experience suffered at all from those references flying straight over my head. And if I had known, I might not have requested it at all for fear of being lost.

I had a really fun time with this one. It's marketed as a gothic fantasy romance, and I can confirm that this book is entirely as advertised. The "Woman Goes To Haunted House to Protect/Save Someone" is a tried and true trope in the gothic horror genre, and that alone is enough to give most stories their gothic flavor. The Witchwood Knot does not stop there, and does contain a few more cornerstones to the gothic genre, none of which I will list here because I don't want to give too much of the plot away.

I will say that the romance surprised me. Not because of the, err, unique physical features of the love interest, but because I wasn't expecting it to be as sweet as it was. The main couple in this story both have traumas and walls they have to overcome before they begin their relationship, and watching them do so despite the horrors they've experienced in their pasts was actually quite sweet and made me really root for them.

Which is also kind of sad because I have the sneaking suspicion that the next book in the series won't follow feature these two characters as MCs.

All in all, this was a lovely story about overcoming your demons, letting people in, and finding comfort in the people you love. And once I've read through and caught up on Regency Faerie Tales, I will happily give this a reread. It's got great spooky vibes, but is really cozy at the same time - perfect for me.

ARC Review of The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing & Olivia Atwater for the opportunity to review this story 💗
This is a no- spoiler review 😊

I adore magical fiction and I am a total fan of Olivia’s Regency Faerie Tales series so I knew I was going to enjoy The Witchwood Knot!

When no-nonsense Winnie Hall arrives at the foreboding Witchwood Manor under the pretence of becoming Governess to the young Master Robert Longfell, she discovers the home has been infiltrated by malevolent forces and sinister faeries. Luckily, Winnie is not the stern young spinster she appears, and has, in fact, been tasked with keeping Robert safe until he can begin Eton. With only a small staff remaining, Winnie sets about with her trademark practicality, using her magician powers to investigate exactly what is plaguing the Longfell family, teaching Robert to protect himself from the duplicitous fae and untangling the mystery around the Witchwood Knot.

What a fantastic read! I was immediately drawn into a world where, while not common, Magic and faeries were accepted as feasible. Winnie’s wit and confidence were the perfect mix for a main character to be admired, and her unflappable demeanour was, at times, hilarious. I wholly invested in Winnie and her history, a child forced to keep her distance from people for her own safety, and the theme of consent/non consent that was prevalent in the story is so important for todays readers.
Witchwood Hall gave me vibes of Downton Abbey mixed with the Secret Garden, and the descriptions of the gothic home were atmospheric and transporting. I appreciate the trigger warning included in the front of the book, as well as the Victorian era elements that were included (eg. Chatelaines and stained glass windows make me very happy 😊).
Another success from one of my favourite authors; I can’t wait to pick up Book Two!
This review will be posted on Goodreads, and star rating featured on Bookstagram @tinydragonbooks.

I really like Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales, saying that I really recommend you read first Regency Faerie Tales, there's a lot of references and context that I think it really enrichs the story. Being this a continuation of the story there are major spoilers specially for Half the Soul. Important note, this book is a completely different vibe from the Regency Faerie Tales, this is a gothic fantasy book, and I can't stress it enough *the main focus of the book is not romance*, the book is engaging and the writing is as fantastic as her other stories, but the story is also darker and sinister. The book deals with themes like SA, it talks about predatory behaviors in men, about gaining ownership of ourselves after experiencing trauma, nothing explicit or written just to generate a shocking reaction regarding to the theme. However the book has a content warning, which is always appreciated, remember to check it out.amd be always kind to yourself, having said that, I think the book does a great job dealing with these topics, is not graphic and it treats the characters with kindness and respect.
Some notes:
I loved the dark tone of the book, the elements of the magic were interesting, and I want the next books to expand more on that.
Our main character is an opportunistic and a liar and distant woman, she is indifferent to what's happening in the house and I love her for that.
The book is engaging and, in my case I devored it in just 2 days.
Love

This was such a great, fun time! I wouldn't usually pick up a book like this but I am SO glad I did. Currently adding it to our book order at my bookstore. I wish it was already out so I could start recommending it right now!

Hired as a governess, not only to teach, but to protect a young boy, Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor. The manor houses far more than it appears to, and eventually Winnie finds herself having to find and rescue the young boy she was meant to protect, for he is replaced by wood. With the help of Mr. Quincy, a mysterious yet charming butler, Winnie attempts to navigate the Witchwood Knot.

I truly enjoyed this one! The Victorian vibes, the strength and growth of Winnie as a character, it all made for a fantastic read. The cover pairs quite perfectly with it as well, capturing the vibes of it perfectly.

Mr. Quincy was a compelling character as well, I loved every interaction between him and Winnie and how like our governess, he evolved as a character throughout the story. I do wish I could hear his music too.

Oliver was definitely one of my most favorite characters as well, a fierce kitty who is also not quite what he seems!

I hope there will be more to the story in some form! It is a lovely world to delve into, and with fantastic lore.

Highly recommend to those who love Victorian fantasy with romance faerie and more!

Thank you NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the arc.

I wish this book were already available so that I could immediately begin recommending it to everyone I know! Olivia Atwater consistently writes books that brim with charm and wit and daring heroines, and this was no exception. The Witchwood Knot delivered everything I had come to love about her regency faerie tales, but this gothic evolution in her universe was oh-so-deliciously darker. It stays on the cozy side of the fantasy genre, but it had more atmosphere and higher stakes than what I had read from her previously. The setup and the ending for potential sequels was spot on and I eagerly await what comes next, hopefully featuring more of her sisters. We meet Bellamira only briefly in this one, but even in that brief encounter she was a scene stealer. I also now need my very own Oliver.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for this ARC.

THE WIΤCHWOOD KNOT by Olivia Atwater

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

" 'Innocence is so offensive, isn't it?' he asked her finally. 'It is never content in its existence. It must force itself upon the rest of the world, insisting that true horror is a fiction.' "

After Winnie, a magician and ward of the Lord Sorcier, is called to work as a governess for a young lord-to-be, she must face an eerie manor plagued with the tangle of ghosts and faeries that are trapped within the house.

The Witchwood Knot was darker than I'd anticipated: set in a Victorian manor, where ghosts haunt the walls and faeries and other creatures lurk behind mirrors, it bears none of the Regency Faerie Tales lightheartedness.

"It was somewhat flattering, Winnie realised, to be considered as a worthy opponent, instead of as a woman."

Winnie was a delightful heroine. Conniving and somewhat patronizing, she managed to become a strong protagonist that was far from unlikeable.

" 'You are so cruel, Mr Quincy,' she told him. 'I admire it intensely.' "

On the plot department, readers who seek a romance-led story won't find it here. I would compare it to The cruel prince in that sense: there is a sort of villanous character romance, but it's definitely slow-burn and a subplot rather than the main storyline (which I greatly enjoyed).

If I had to pick at something, it would be the rapid change of pace during the last third or fourth of the book (since I wish it would've been more paced out) and the need to have read, at least, Half a soul to fully understand some pieces of the story.

All in all, I'm very glad to have returned to this universe and I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Rosemary and Thyme (which comes out in 2024!)

Instagram handle: @librisinetenebris

Thank you to Netgalley & Starwatch Press for this arc. My opinions are my own.

When Winnifred Hall is hired as governess for the young lord of Witchwood Manor, there is more to her job title than it would seem. With a house full of ghosts and secrets within the walls, Winnie must fight to keep the young lord safe from the dangers of the manor while solving the mystery behind the home.

Earlier this year, I read “Half a Soul” by Olivia Atwater and loved it, so I was excited to have the chance to read this arc. Like before, I adored Atwater’s writing style and find it to be extremely unique to other fantasy books I’ve read. The world of this Victorian era Fantasy is the perfect backdrop for a gothic novel.
This book is dark compared to her previous one. I liked how Atwater handled difficult, but important topics in a gothic fantasy setting.
I also liked the concept of how the magic in the house worked.

As much as I was entertained by this novel, I found some of it hard to follow since I haven’t finished Atwater’s previous series, “Regency Fairytales' '. This book is directly connected to that series, and I think it’s important to read those books before reading this one. Some of the revelations didn’t make the impact that I think it was supposed to because of it.

I also think the synopsis of this book gives away too much of the story. It takes until 50% in for those events to even happen so it shouldn't have been in the synopsis.

Overall, I liked the book. I just highly suggest reading the previous books first! I believe it’s vital. Also please look up trigger warnings if needed!
3.25 stars

I will post my review on Instagram around the publication date.

The Witchwood Knot is a beautifully written book full of mystery, dark magic, and Victorian era vibes. That said, I felt like a ton of important backstory was missing. I really did love the writing style. It was descriptive, flowy, and felt magical. I loved that Winnie’s character was strong and intelligent. I just didn’t feel an investment in what was happening. Somehow the stakes sounded semi-high in real life, but then ended up feeling really low while in the Witchwood Knot. I also didn’t love how a loathsome creature suddenly turned into a love interest ¾ of the way through the book. It felt random and didn’t really add to the storyline for me. I may have enjoyed this more if I had read other books first, but as a standalone, this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the ARC.

A wonderful haunted mansion sort of book. Enormously darkly atmospheric. I thought this was a well-written and enjoyable novel.