Violet Thistlewaite Is Not A Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not A Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

Published by Ace on November 18, 2025

Genres:  Fantasy, Romance, Cozy, Romantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Fiction, Witches, Magic

Pages:  368

Format:  Physical/BOTM

Add to Goodreads

Buy on Amazon

★★★★.5

🌶.5/5 spice

A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.

Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.

The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.

Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.

When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?

🧙🏼cozy romantasy

🏠 small town

☀️ grumpy/sunshine

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 found family

🔥 slow burn

Former evil witch x grumpy alchemist in a cozy small town fantasy

I’m obsessed with the cozy romantasy genre and this one definitely hit the mark for me!

I absolutely adored this small witchy town and all of its inhabitants. Not even to mention Daisy the puppy and Peri the rock goblin 🥹

Violet’s character was so fun - this formerly evil character who is trying to hard to be good and find her place in the world after leaving the evil sorcerer who raised her.

I loved how Violet and Nathaniel’s relationship slowly blossomed despite her hidden secret of her being the thorn witch (side note: it was incredibly weird to read a romance book with my husband’s name in it 🙈)

I highly recommend this book if you are a lover of the cozy fantasy genre and want some romance in it too.

👀 plus I hear the author is writing another standalone set in the same world with some familiar characters and I CAN’T WAIT!