Brought to you by Penguin.
A delightful queer cottagecore romantasy full of friends-to-lovers romance, found family, rival family drama, and cozy garden magic.
Yael is the only heir to one of the wealthiest families in the realm, destined for a life of power and privilege. But that’s not the life they want, and so, chafing at their family’s restrictions and expectations, they flee in search of a grand adventure.
Margot, plant witch, tea lover and stressed greenhouse owner, has never felt further from adventure in her life. Since her grandmother died and her family fortune was stolen she’s been desperately trying to keep what remains of the family business afloat. So, when her childhood friend – and former crush – unexpectedly gallops back into her life, it makes sense to offer them a job and a place to lie low.
In amongst harvesting strawberries for heartbreak jam and some totally, absolutely harmless flirting, they form a plan to take back everything that was stolen from Margot. But can their fragile arrangement survive their swiftly-blooming attraction? Not to mention the machinations of scheming parents determined to get Yael back – no matter the cost.
© Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Jamie Pacton (Author)
Jamie Pacton (she/her) is an award-nominated Young Adult and Middle Grade author who lives in Wisconsin with her family. Her YA contemporary books include the forthcoming Furious, Lucky Girl and The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly. Her YA fantasy novels include The Absinthe Underground and The Vermilion Emporium. When she’s not writing, reading, baking, or playing D&D, she teaches English at the college level.
Rebecca Podos (Author)
Rebecca Podos (she/they) is the Lambda Literary Award-winning and Cybils Award-winning author of YA novels. Her latest releases are the co-edited anthology Fools in Love (Running Press Kids) and the award-winning YA fantasy novel From Dust, a Flame (Balzer + Bray), as well as a story in the YA fairy tale anthology At Midnight. Furious, a contemporary YA co-written with Jamie, is her next release. By day, she’s an agent at the Rees Literary Agency.