This book is aptly described as akin to Howl's Moving Castle: full of whimsy and dynamic world-building, this story follows Foss, a butcher's daughter in an unremarkable village, who becomes a sorcerer's housekeeper in his magical, ever-evolving house. For as long as anyone can remember, sorcerers and sorceresses have come to various villages and harvested people's hearts for their magic, which they use to protect the kingdom and its people. Foss falls victim to this and of course becomes embroiled in the kingdom's growing issues, and shenanigans ensue.

This book was so fun to read. The world-building was succinct yet detailed, Foss was an easy protagonist to root for, and the side characters were truly a joy. The pacing was great - a lot of times in fantasy romance books the last 25% is so jam-packed that you get lost and the emotional notes don't quite hit, but here the build felt natural and the stakes high. Eames does a wonderful job of maintaining a cozy atmosphere while not making it feel too schmaltzy, and the whole story feels very unique. I loved this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!