TL;DR: This series is living up to its cosy romantasy vibes and this second book was adorable! I enjoyed the festival setting, the rivals-to-lovers romance, and the adventures they get up to throughout the story featuring dragons, thieves, mountain trolls, and more. I admit that some elements were a bit too… Bonkers. I also wish the conflict and “bad guy” were given more page time to be fleshed out because it all ended so quickly that I was left slightly underwhelmed. But if you’re here for romance and a cosy good time, this will be an enjoyable read for you, as it was for me.

I’d been looking forward to reading this since finishing the first book in the Falling for Fables series. I loved returning to this magical island where peace reigns (most of the time, anyway) and the fun-loving welcoming communities that inhabit the land. This was the perfect low-stakes romantasy but with enough mystery, mischief and adventure to keep the story moving. It helped me get back into the reading mood again, too! I loved the energy surrounding the Yule festival. You could feel how exciting and magical it was for the townspeople and the folk who came from across the island to attend! It lent the story a very festive atmosphere and added to the overall cosy vibe.

The romance between Lilia and Ragnar was rivals-to-lovers even if it doesn’t last very long. But they matched so perfectly that I couldn’t wait for them to come to their senses and give in to their feelings! 😂 There’s a delightful slow-burning tension between them that made for great when-will-it-happen-already moments and although their romance was a little insta, I found myself not minding because they suited so well. Lil was so easy to root for. She’s just as sweet as when we first met her in book one, but we see a bit more fire from her, particularly with Ragnar. She has such a unique relationship with Reykur and I would’ve loved to see more of that. I love her thoughtfulness and openness to seeing beyond the surface and stereotypes society paints others, and the same can be said of Ragnar. Beneath his tough exterior, he’s cheeky and has a soft heart and I loved his respectfulness. I hoped we would have gotten a bit more backstory for him though. He was an interesting character and not only would it have added more depth to his arc, but I think it would’ve helped develop the world a bit more too. That said, people aren’t probably reading this for the world-building so I’m sure many won’t mind, lol.

Similar to my feelings in the previous book, I found that the conflict and ending felt rushed here too. There wasn’t enough time with the reveal of the “bad guy” and the other red herrings and culprits involved, too. It just felt too cut-dry-easy and left me feeling slightly underwhelmed. It wasn’t a massive deal though and overall, this was a fun read. It’s the perfect “in-between” or “palate cleanser” story and I’m wondering if there’ll be more set in this world cos I’d be so keen!

Have you read Brewed in Magic or is it on your TBR?

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