A young witch seeking redemption falls for a grouchy neighbor desperate to protect his family's legacy in Emily Krempholtz's charming feel-good debut romantasy, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore.
Violet Thistlewaite is just like any other small-business owner: she has big dreams, a can-do attitude, and a secret past as a supervillain's right-hand henchwoman. A hero killed the evil sorcerer who raised Violet to be his weapon. She considered killing Violet as well, but spared her life on one condition: "Just be good.... And don't make me regret this." Violet starts anew in the town of Dragon's Rest, where she rents space to open a flower shop from twin siblings struggling to keep their recently deceased parents' failing apothecary shop alive. Pru, the sister, befriends Violet instantly. Nathaniel, Pru's handsome but socially uptight brother who prefers "his emotions like his workspace: tidy, uncomplicated," decries Violet's flowers as useless compared to medicinal herbs. When an unexplained magical blight strikes Dragon's Rest, Violet and Nathaniel connect with each other by investigating the threat, but saving the town may require Violet to reveal her dark history and risk losing her new home and Nathaniel forever.
Krempholtz proves that a novel containing a knife-wielding pothos ivy can also successfully support thoughtful reflections on redemption and forgiveness, as Violet heals and learns to trust herself with the support of the colorful denizens of Dragon's Rest. Fans of Sarah Beth Durst's Spellshop series will adore this romantic comedy set in a bewitching fantasy world. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads