⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The premise of this book was really appealing to me. My entrance to the romance/romantasy genre was via Nora Roberts. My favorite books of hers were set in Ireland and contained references to fae/the supernatural. This synopsis felt like it would be a homecoming.

I enjoyed this book overall, but had a hard time getting invested at the beginning. The first 40-45% was pretty slow moving for me. I struggled to connect with the protagonist because of the dual POV. Both perspectives felt similar to me and I struggled for a paragraph or two to mentally shift from Sarah to Anna.

I also had some practical struggles at the very beginning…like with the manner in which Sarah finds herself in Ireland.

Once I got past those initial struggles, the book picked up for me at the halfway mark. I was most intrigued by the fae theories surrounding some of the characters and their motivations, and the mild mystery that invoked. The academic approach to fae lore was fun and some of it (bees) were things I’ve not read about before.

Overall, I recommend this as a cottage core quick read. The ending left something to be desired and felt rushed. And I’d caution that the fae interactions are limited to the academic and hypothetical. But I was glad that all of the storylines did receive a finale!

* Trigger warnings for assault and pregnancy loss.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper360 for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had read The Lost Bookshop (also by Evie Woods) just before reading this one, so I went into expecting it to be great. And I liked it, just not as much as The Lost Bookshop.

The plot was simple. In 2010, we have Sarah, who is going through a bad marriage and decides to move back to her parents’ home before deciding what she wants to do next. But through drunk choices, she somehow ends up in Ireland instead. She, again somehow, ends up living in a cottage in a village. In the cottage, she finds the diary of a girl, Anna, from 1910. Anna is our second narrator, and we learn about her story through her diary as Sarah is reading it. Anna’s family lives in the same cottage Sarah is staying at. Harold, an American scholar studying at Oxford, takes Anna as his assistant to help gather stories and beliefs about fairies.

The first half of the book just seemed to introduce the characters and their two worlds. By this point, I felt as though I knew enough about Anna and could connect with her, but I didn’t feel the same way about Sarah. I still felt like I knew nothing about her or her story. The focus of the book seemed to be on Anna’s story and later, the connection between Sarah and Anna.

In the later half, there was ONE moment that set off a chain reaction. And at this point, I was completely hooked. First, my heart was racing. And then, I was giggling. Then, I was holding my breath, waiting and hoping. And finally, I was… content. I can’t say I was happy, but I was relieved things didn’t get worse. The ending, although bittersweet, was realistic, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

An interesting part of this book is how it’s written. Everything in the present was written in 3rd person, while Anna’s story was in 1st person. Overall, I thought the plot was perfect, the romance was sweet and cute, and the magical realism enhanced the plot and message. I liked everything about this book, except the pacing for the first half. It took me almost a week to read this just because of the first. But then I had to stay up late to finish it because it got so much more interesting.

This book was totally unexpectedly delightful. It's historical fiction but also about Irish beliefs of fairies, and superstitions. The book is written in a way that it's alternating between past and present, which is a style I love. It's very beautifully and skilfully written in my opinion. I loved the main characters. I loved the different stories integrated into the main stories. I didn't know about Irish beliefs of supernatural events happening that are related to people who died. I definitely want to read about this. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love to travel through time, or to different places and learn about different customs happening somewhere else.
I will pick up other books from this author. It's a gem.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital arc to preview.

I enjoyed this light, easy read. The story is set in Ireland and centers on self-discovery, grief, and a little folklore. The timeline switches between 2010 and 1910. While it was a little predictable at times, it was still a nice read.

4.5 stars rounded up!

I really enjoyed this book. After reading The Lost Bookshop, I had to read another book by Evie Woods. This one had a good amount of “magic” and her integration of Irish folklore throughout the story was seamless. It gave her writing a magical quality that was different from her previous book in a good way. A must read if you love fantasy, magical realism, and folklore stories. Top notch storytelling!

I think this is such a lovely story. One that shows how powerful beliefs in different cultures can be. The fae have played a role in so many different cultures throughout history. They may go by different names but for the Irish they truly hold a place in their culture’s hearts. This book is enchanting and heartbreaking. I loved how the past and present play out in tandem. Readers are going to fall in love with it right away. This is the perfect book for your upcoming book club, or even if you’re just looking for a lovely book to get lost in.
Thank you so much to Harper 360 and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Seeing as I started this book yesterday morning and already finished it in less than 24 hours, that says it all.

**Rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
**Format:** eBook

Our story begins with one of the two protagonists, Sarah, who boards a plane to Ireland to escape her life falling apart. In Ireland, Sarah has no plan but discovers an old journal in a tree and begins forming connections with the locals, especially a conservationist named Oran. Reading the journal starts our second protagonist's journey, Anna. Anna, a local farm girl from the 1920s, lives in the same cottage where Sarah (in the present) is staying. Anna meets the scholar Henry, who hires her to introduce him to the locals and explain the village's fairy lore. Readers are taken on a whimsical, cozy, and page-turning adventure, balancing between Anna helping Henry uncover fairy myths and Sarah’s budding relationship with Oran.

**Highlights:**
⭐️ Dual POV chapters between Sarah and Anna.
⭐️ Evie Wood’s writing style. Every time I read one of her books, I’m immediately transported into that world. I lose track of time and find myself 65% through the book before I know it.
⭐️ The world-building. The woodsy, whimsical, and magical setting of Ireland adds a cozy and warm feeling to the book.
⭐️ The plot. Fairies. Strong female protagonists. A whimsical, woodsy setting. Character development. It has it all.
⭐️ THE. TWIST.

**Pitfalls:**
❌ None.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper360, for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An absolutely charming Irish tale!
Ireland✓
Alternate timeline✓
Discovery✓
Romance✓
Magickal realism✓
Destined to be a best seller✓✓
I loved Everything about this book!

The Story Collector by Evie Woods is a beautifully crafted novel that effortlessly transports readers to a quaint village in Ireland, where the past and present intertwine through the lives of two women separated by a century. The narrative follows Sarah Harper, a recently divorced woman from New York, and Anna Butler, a young farm girl from the early 1900s, as they navigate their own personal grief and discover the healing power of stories.

When Sarah makes a spontaneous (drunken) decision to spend Christmas in Ireland, she stumbles upon an old diary belonging to Anna, who once assisted an American scholar in collecting local fairy tales. Through Anna’s diary, Sarah becomes engrossed in a world where folklore and reality blur, unraveling secrets that challenge her understanding of love, loss, and belief.

Evie Woods masterfully blends elements of romance, mystery, and folklore, creating a narrative that is both enchanting and grounded in the charm of everyday life. The dual timelines are skillfully woven together, with Anna’s story offering a rich exploration of Irish myths and legends, while Sarah’s journey provides a poignant reflection on grief and self-discovery.

The Story Collector is a delightful literary escape that captures the transformative power of stories and the magic they hold. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction, Irish folklore, and the enchanting allure of books. Evie Woods has once again proven her ability to create a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, making this novel a perfect addition to any bookshelf.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The bones of this book are great. I love a dual timeline, one in the past and one in the present. I love exploring magic and faeries. I adore seeing old Ireland through Anna's eyes and exploring grief through Sarah's. However, this one did not hit home for me. I wasn't a huge fan of Sarah. I really hoped we would have a recovery moment for her, but the added romance felt unnecessary, especially considering how she left America. A lot of her storyline felt not wrapped up. I didn't really feel like she progressed much as a character. I really loved reading Anna's parts, but the ending left me wanting more. I enjoyed reading about her family and following along with her and Harold. Magic and faeries are always incredibly fascinating. Quite frankly, I'm not entirely sure how these two storylines overlap at all. I guess they brought Sarah the peace and distraction she needed to allow herself to begin to heal?
There is a lot about this that could be wonderful, but unfortunately it did not hit home for me.

Thank you to Harper360 and Evie Woods for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Told through dual timelines, the story comes from two main characters’ points of view.

2011, after leaving her failed marriage and a tragedy behind, Sarah Harper impulsively ends up in Ireland rather than Boston, unable to tolerate her family at that particular point in time. She finds a diary written by a young girl who had lived in the same cottage she was now renting, only 100 years before.

Anna is the young girl that lived in the cottage in 1911. She’s helping an American who was traveling to various locations collecting stories about fairies, the myths, and the legends, hoping to one day write a book about his findings and help preserve the magical history. He falls in love with Anna while working with her, but a tragic event prevents him from remaining in Ireland.

A story of new beginnings, hope, healing, finding true love, and more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a beautiful, magical read! I love anything written by Evie Woods so I knew instantly what to expect. And, of course, it was right on que! Fun, magical, love,

An interesting story. Unfortunately, not my favorite and not very engaging to myself, but it definitely has its audience. The time jumping was not my favorite and I often forgot who was what and what time we were talking about. But it was still a nice cozy story of finding oneself, and learning to move on from the trauma of your past, without leaving it behind.

I loved Evie Woods book The Lost Bookshop, so when I received an ARC from NetGalley for The Story Collector, I was thrilled. I loved this book too! For anyone who loves magical realism and a great story, this is a must read. I look forward to more books from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Not my favorite I found the main character and the plot far fetched and the fairy angle was a no go for me
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me review the book and the publisher

I really enjoyed this magical read, after reading The Lost BookShop I just knew that I had to read this next book by Evie Woods. This is a historical fiction novel and it mainly revolves around two women in different timeframes but also about the Irish belief in fairies and other magical superstitions. There is some romance in this book but it is not the main focus of this book and the stories that you will learn about as you read it. I think that I just love how Evie Woods writes her books and how she beautifully writes her characters that really make you fall in love with them as you go through the chapters. There are some triggers with this book that those who wish to read it should check out before deciding to pick this one up, but overall a great book! Thank you NetGalley, Harper360 and Evie Woods for the ARC of this book!

This one did not wow me. I didn't much care for the main character and didn't have much empathy for her; however, I did enjoy the contrasting story of Harold and Anna and felt their story was more compelling. All in all, a middle of the road book for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy.

So good! Love the two different timelines and the women in both. The struggles, the trials, the wisdom they find. Interesting for this Irish girl (me) to read some of the folklore and also the creative descriptions of the landscape. I really enjoyed this lovely book!

This beautiful story of growing through grief, belief in the mystical, and healing is a lovely homage to the fairy culture of Ireland and the people who live there. It is set in dual timelines 100 years apart, with dual POV's from our female main characters who are both finding their way through grief, connected by fairy lore and a thatched-roof cottage. TW: infant loss

The Story Collector looked interesting, and Evie Woods has a good reputation as a writer, so I thought why not? I really enjoyed reading this story and am so glad that I took a chance
Fairies, Ireland, collecting stories. The story bounces back and forth from 1911 to 2011, but is easy to follow. Anna and Sarah are likeable characters, whose stories follow along with each other. A bit of drama, heartache, loss, but followed by heartwarming moments. The story ends well, tying up neatly, which is always enjoyable! I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading more by Ms Woods.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper360 & Ms Woods for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.