Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Love can be a curse…”

She’s reading a genre out of her comfort zone! It must be a special occasion… Well of course it is, because it’s Rachel Greenlaw we’re talking about here and her new book, The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells is here! And let me tell you, it is a dream. I had such a great time with this book and it’s rare I enjoy this genre so much. But I was just so pulled towards it and I knew it wouldn’t disappoint. So incredibly happy to be sharing my review!

About the book

There is an old tale woven through the mountain town of Woodsmoke about a stranger who appears as the first snow falls in winter, who will disappear without a trace as the frost thaws in spring, leaving a broken heart behind.

Carrie Morgan ran from Woodsmoke ten years ago, and the decision has haunted her ever since. Spending a decade painting and drifting around Europe, she tries to forget her family’s legacy and the friends she left behind. But the Morgan women have always been able to harness the power of the mountains surrounding the town, and their spells—and curses—are sewn into the soil. The mountains, they say, never forget.

Sure enough, when Carrie’s grandmother dies and leaves behind her dilapidated cottage, she returns to renovate—certain she will only be there for one winter. She meets Matthieu as the temperature dips, a newcomer who offers to help refurbish the cottage. Before long, and despite warnings from her great-aunt Cora of the old stories, Carrie finds herself falling for the charming stranger. But when the frost thaws in spring, Matthieu goes missing.

Carrie is convinced he’s real, and he’s in danger. As she fights her way across the mountains to find him, she must confront all the reasons why she left Woodsmoke and decide whether the place she’s spent the last decade running from is the home she’s been searching for.

The beginning

I was so excited to experience Rachel’s writing again after reading last year’s Christmas romance, One Christmas Morning, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. It’s so beautiful, so descriptive, and really brings you into a moment. I found myself smiling so much as we’re introduced to our characters and setting. Carrie returns to Woodsmoke after years away to renovate her grandmother’s cottage. Ivy’s passing meant the cottage had been left in a sorry state, and as Carrie was only in Woodsmoke for one winter, she had to crack on. The news that Carrie has returned to Woodsmoke travels fast and it made me curious about why this was such a big event, why it was so shocking for the village. I loved the different character POVs – as well as Carrie, there is also her great-aunt, Cora and her old best friend, Jess. We learn the beginnings of a rich past of magic and superstition, tales of the mountains, the Morgan women’s spells (and curses). It felt like such a breath of fresh air and I just loved it.

“This spell of early winter feels alive and wild with magic. The mountains have welcomed me home after all.”

We learn that the Morgan women are pretty much outsiders. Many people in the village don’t approve of their beliefs and it was interesting to see interactions with those who were sceptical. I was so curious of the old stories, especially when Matthieu comes along and offers to help Carrie with the cottage renovations. Every character we meet has a certain charm that really added to the story, even if they’re only mentioned once or twice! We’re also introduced to Jess’s husband, Tom, who has history with Carrie, and upon hearing the news she was back in Woodsmoke, he changes. Jess begins to worry what that means for their relationship, the family they’d built, their daughter. There was so much to take in, but it wasn’t difficult to do so. Everything flowed so nicely and made me constantly curious. It was the opening to the book I’d hoped for and I just couldn’t wait to get deeper into the magic. It felt so exciting to me!

The middle

Carrie and Matthieu really do bond over Ivy’s cottage renovations. I loved how they were around one another; flustered, nervous. It was cute and the early stage of this relationship was so well written. But there was something worrying me, niggling at the back of my mind. There’s an old story from The Morgan Compendium, a book of collected tales about the mountains and magic from the Morgan women, which is about a stranger who appears as the first snow falls in winter, and who will then disappear as the frost thaws in spring. Someone who isn’t real. Could Matthieu be someone only Carrie could see? Would he disappear and break her heart? The stories we hear about from the book were so mesmerising and it made me wish I had a big old book full of tales passed down from my ancestors! We finally learn the reasons for Carrie’s shock departure from Woodsmoke ten years earlier and just why it impacted so many people. It was sad, but I also loved that Carrie had listened to her heart at such a young age.

“Because when a story is no longer shared, it becomes a secret. Then it all too easily either withers and dies or grows into something quite monstrous: a curse.”

I loved learning more about the past, Cora’s input in Carrie’s life in an attempt to keep her in Woodsmoke. The unravelling truth was fascinating and I wondered if Cora would ever tell Carrie and Jess what really happened on that day. Carrie begins to have thoughts about just how real Matthieu is, but at the same time, she likes to brush these off when those feelings blossom into a beautiful relationship. How can someone so loving and kind and thoughtful not be real? I also loved the pacing of Carrie and Matthieu’s relationship and her feelings for this man make her think about her future, where she wants to settle down. Would she come to realise Woodsmoke is her home? How would Jess deal with the fact her old best friend is here to stay after all that history? Each POV was so incredibly exciting here, each character bringing their own story, something different, something new to think about. I couldn’t wait to see how everything tied together at the end!

The end

There’s so much emotion packed into each of these characters at this stage, with a big focus on rekindling friendships and relationships. My poor teary eyes. Carrie and Jess’s friendship was something so special before Carrie left Woodsmoke, and I wanted them to make amends so much. Then, after finally accepting that Mattheiu could be a curse, that there were too many coincidences of him leaving with the frost, she decides to look for him. She needs to know the truth. Carrie sets foot in the mountains, searching for traces that he is real, that he is hers. Her determination was so fierce, and I just loved her character so much. Her feelings about Woodsmoke had changed through the winter months. She finally feels like she belongs. She needs to stay. But she needs Mattheiu to be with her on her next chapter. I couldn’t predict the ending, nor could I even say for sure whether Mattheiu was real, but I couldn’t wait to see how the author rounded everything up! Would Carrie find true happiness?

“I have been stripped bare, every piece of me, the armor, the years, all of it shed like a second skin. All I am is a pile of ragged thoughts wandering the vastness of the mountains. To find the man I love. To find myself.”

Yes, there were tears at the end. The final chapters were so beautifully and brilliantly written – just like the rest of the book really – but there was something more heart-wrenching, all-consuming and raw about those ending scenes. We see vulnerability, loss, hope. It was emotional. Saddening and bittersweet. The epilogue injected that burst of happiness that I really wanted. It brought such an intense mix of feelings and it was the perfect ending in my eyes. It all fit together and filled my little heart with magic and love. Such a breath of fresh air. As soon as I finished, my mind instantly went to a sequel… There is definitely room for one! I’d love to experience more magic, more love, more adventure. I’d love to see more of Carrie and Jess’s friendship too! I honestly think Rachel can do no wrong as an author. I loved her Christmas romance, I love this and YES I do intend to read her YA romantasy series at some point and I will probably love that too! Can’t wait to read more from this author. An absolute gem!

Overall thoughts

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book Of Spells is such a perfect read for the season. To me, it feels like a cosy contemporary fantasy filled with tales of old magic, adventure, love and friendship. It’s about homecoming and finding where you belong. The three character perspectives were perfect and told the story from such contrasting points – an 80 year old witch who does not mess around, her great-neice, Carrie who moved away and returned after 10 years, and Carrie’s ex best friend, Jess, who is now living a life with Carrie’s ex fiancé. Their lives become more complex as Mattheiu appears, but leaves with the frost. Questions about whether he is real at all completely captivated me. A beautiful book with so much history. An emotional story which will leave you wondering if magic really does exist. A must read, even if you’re not too keen on most fantasy books (like me!)

HUGE thanks to the author, Rachel Greenlaw, and the brilliant team at HQ Stories for my beautiful gifted copy! You can grab your own copy of the book right now on Amazon or wherever you buy your books. Make sure you’re following Rachel over on X/Twitter and Instagram for more updates!

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