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Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore
Reader Score
78%
78% of readers
recommend this book
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 endangers 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 previous life 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?
Book Details
- Publisher: Ace Books
- Publish Date: Nov 18th, 2025
- Pages: 368
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 7.90in - 5.10in - 0.90in - 0.55lb
- EAN: 9780593954300
- Categories: • Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology• Fantasy - Romance
About the Author
Emily Krempholtz has never quit her day job to open a flower shop, but that's because she's already doing what she loves. As a bestselling ghostwriter, editor, and book coach, Emily spends all day every day in the world of books and is delighted to finally have one with her own name on the cover. When she's not writing or reading, Emily bakes cakes that look like book covers and changes her hair color like some kind of mood ring. She lives in sunny Colorado, where you'll often find her in the mountains--either hiking (and pretending to be a character in a novel) or curled up in a hammock with a book (also pretending to be a character in a novel). She's on a lifelong quest to discover the magic in the world and has a sneaking suspicion the written word is where she'll find it.
Praise for this book
"An irresistibly delightful cozy fantasy filled with plant magic, love, and second chances! I absolutely loved this warm and wonderful book!"
--Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
"I have rarely read a book so charming! Emily Krempholtz has crafted a story sharp and lovely, vile and thoughtful, in a world full of heartwarming contradictions. Violet Thistlewaite might not be a villain anymore, but she's definitely stolen my heart."
--Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of Sounds Like Love "Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore is a book to curl up on the couch with, a fire blazing in the hearth and a cup of something warm and delicious in your hands. Emily Krempholtz' debut is lyrical and swoony (Nathaniel the grumpy alchemist is definitely my newest book boyfriend), and a wonderfully hopeful story of second chances that I never wanted to end. Pure magic!"
--Jenna Levine, USA Today bestselling author of My Vampire Plus-One
"The cozy fantasy romance genre has a new star! Emily Krempholtz's wonderfully assured debut, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, absolutely charmed me. As it takes the reader through Violet's efforts to start her life over and find redemption, the book explores friendship and slow-burn romance, as well as offering the bright sprinkling of humour and moments so lovely I had to pause, with a dreamy sigh, to read them again. I predict great things for Krempholtz!"
--India Holton, USA Today bestselling author
"Krempholtz's novel, a mostly cozy fantasy with just a touch of grumpy/sunshine romance, takes a story of redemption and second chances and mixes it delightfully with a town full of secrets, creating a tale about surviving dysfunctional family to become the person you were meant to be. Readers of cozy fantasy will adore Krempholtz's debut, and fans of Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis, The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong, and the "Wicked Years" series by Gregory Maguire will find a new home in Dragon's Rest."
--Library Journal (starred review)
"An enchanting blend of botany and banter, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore brews romance, redemption, and a homicidal houseplant into an utterly irresistible potion. The perfect cozy fantasy for anyone who believes in second chances--prepare to fall under its leafy spell!"
--Julie Leong, USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes
"Charming, deeply romantic, and kind--Violet Thistlewaite's journey of redemption is a cozy delight."
--Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen "It's incredibly satisfying to watch as Nathaniel's resistance to Violet's charms crumbles. This is a fun, feel-good romp."
--Publishers Weekly "This debut title is a solid fit for fans of Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes or Amanda Flower's Magic Bookshop mystery series as well as for those who grew up with Disney's The Descendants. If anyone deserves a redemptive arc, it's Violet. Cozy and whimsical, this is a fun dive into a fantasy world."
--Booklist
--Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
"I have rarely read a book so charming! Emily Krempholtz has crafted a story sharp and lovely, vile and thoughtful, in a world full of heartwarming contradictions. Violet Thistlewaite might not be a villain anymore, but she's definitely stolen my heart."
--Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of Sounds Like Love "Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore is a book to curl up on the couch with, a fire blazing in the hearth and a cup of something warm and delicious in your hands. Emily Krempholtz' debut is lyrical and swoony (Nathaniel the grumpy alchemist is definitely my newest book boyfriend), and a wonderfully hopeful story of second chances that I never wanted to end. Pure magic!"
--Jenna Levine, USA Today bestselling author of My Vampire Plus-One
"The cozy fantasy romance genre has a new star! Emily Krempholtz's wonderfully assured debut, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, absolutely charmed me. As it takes the reader through Violet's efforts to start her life over and find redemption, the book explores friendship and slow-burn romance, as well as offering the bright sprinkling of humour and moments so lovely I had to pause, with a dreamy sigh, to read them again. I predict great things for Krempholtz!"
--India Holton, USA Today bestselling author
"Krempholtz's novel, a mostly cozy fantasy with just a touch of grumpy/sunshine romance, takes a story of redemption and second chances and mixes it delightfully with a town full of secrets, creating a tale about surviving dysfunctional family to become the person you were meant to be. Readers of cozy fantasy will adore Krempholtz's debut, and fans of Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis, The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong, and the "Wicked Years" series by Gregory Maguire will find a new home in Dragon's Rest."
--Library Journal (starred review)
"An enchanting blend of botany and banter, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore brews romance, redemption, and a homicidal houseplant into an utterly irresistible potion. The perfect cozy fantasy for anyone who believes in second chances--prepare to fall under its leafy spell!"
--Julie Leong, USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes
"Charming, deeply romantic, and kind--Violet Thistlewaite's journey of redemption is a cozy delight."
--Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen "It's incredibly satisfying to watch as Nathaniel's resistance to Violet's charms crumbles. This is a fun, feel-good romp."
--Publishers Weekly "This debut title is a solid fit for fans of Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes or Amanda Flower's Magic Bookshop mystery series as well as for those who grew up with Disney's The Descendants. If anyone deserves a redemptive arc, it's Violet. Cozy and whimsical, this is a fun dive into a fantasy world."
--Booklist