ARC Review: A Cozy Fantasy Romance

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

Summary from NetGalley:

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and just might know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone…and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley for an honest review.

Confession:

This was such a delightful and fun cozy fantasy, with a bit of romance thrown in. It was like a warm hug reading this book. I just adored the characters and all of their quirks and the inn was so magical and fun. This will be a book I can read again and find new things to love about it.

Sera is a great main character. She is curmudgeonly and angry and afraid to let others in. But her love for the inn and for the other people who live there is wonderful. I loved her relationship with all of them. Her grief at the loss of her magic was palpable, and made me feel for her. Her slow to blossom love for Luke was also wonderful to watch, and I really appreciated that we got to see Luke’s view point as well. Luke is also very closed off from people. His relationship with his sister was marvelous though and you could tell through that how much he gives his heart to those he loves. It took him awhile to acknowledge his feelings for Sera but once he does he gives his love freely and fully.

The found family trope is strong in this story. Two of the people, Jasmine and Theo are related to Sera, but the others found their way to inn and decided to stay. I loved them all and how they protected each other and loved each other. The inn was a supporting character in the story that at time stole the show. I loved how it only showed itself to those in need, not to those who wished harm to the people who lived there, or even those people that the inn deemed not worthy. There are other themes woven throughout the story, how racist the guild is, how power corrupts if not kept in check, and grief. These are pretty powerful themes for such a cozy fantasy and the author did a marvelous job exploring them.

The overall plot of the story is well done. Sera is finally able to get ahold of the spell that will restore her magic, she just needs to find the ingredients for it. I loved how the magic system worked in this story. There was one thing in the story that I didn’t like and that was the final choice Sera made about her magic. I understand why she did it, but I think another choice could have been made. This didn’t ruin the story for me, but it made the ending a bittersweet.

Overall if you are a fan of this author’s work, this is a must read. If you haven’t read any of her books you can’t go wrong with starting with this one. This a great cozy fantasy with a great cast of characters and a lovely romance.