Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Honey Witch

By: Sydney J. Shields
Narrated by: Mia Hutchinson Shaw
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.

Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.

When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.

©2024 Sydney J. Shields (P)2024 Orbit
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"Reading The Honey Witch is like dreaming in a fragrant sunlit garden while bees sing around you. It's a gorgeous book, with a lovely cottagecore ambience and a heart-warming sapphic romance intertwined with unique magic that enchants the imagination. I was so charmed by this impressive debut."—India Holton, international bestselling author

"The Honey Witch will charm you with its setting, its appealing characters, both young and old, and its love for all things natural—especially bees! This tale of a young witch dealing with a curse and a battle between dark magic and light, with her romance in the balance, is one all fans of witches and folk magic will love."—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

"As sweet and warm as honeyed tea. Shields’ debut deftly explores love, loss, and loneliness—and the joy of seeing magic in all things, however small. With charming characters and a lush setting, The Honey Witch will delight fans of cozy fantasy."—Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

What listeners say about The Honey Witch

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    120
  • 4 Stars
    41
  • 3 Stars
    21
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    149
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    112
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    25
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sweet Like Honey

This book was giving Wylde Flowers (video game) meets Bridgerton meets Halloweentown in all of the best ways and I adored every second of it. the characters were fun and I love a Sapphic romance where the couple can challenge and frustrate each other just as much as they can strengthen and soothe each other. 10/10, very good story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Truly Delightful

I had been looking forward to this novel since the author started teasing it on TikTok and it lived up to my hopes for it. I’m not a big fantasy reader but felt easily swept into the story regardless. Absolutely lovely, even if it did make me tear up some. Excellent narration as well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story

3.5 star. This is a good story, but it took a long time to get to the point. I saw the ending a mile away. This is a fun little story, but I don’t think I’d reread it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Character development

Simply put in one word Amazing! I can’t wait to buy the book and read it again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Beautiful Prose — Flat Story

Shields has a poetic writing style that, at times, is disarmingly beautiful. This novel has some truly stand-out lines, and the choice of narrator here was right for the theme of the material. The premise of the story is awesome (as is the queer representation), but, ultimately, the pacing is so off that it was difficult to finish. The first 30% of the novel should have been the first chapter. Critical scenes were glossed over while insubstantial scenes and details were given far too much real estate. Because of the prose and the imagination of the author, I would try another of her novels, but she needs a better developmental editor.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Cutesy Romantasy

Booktok recommended me this book
It was a very cute, light read. Definitely similar vibes to the Bridgerton books. However, I felt the romance needed more time to develop. It developed very suddenly and advanced quickly. I felt this book was enjoyable but lacked depth. Parts of it were too predictable for my taste. I also wish we got to see more of the tattoo artist in her element!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

MUST READ

Absolutely loved this book. I bought the physical copy as well as the audiobook. Amazingly whimsical story with sapphic love. The love story builds as the novel continues exploring other plot points as well, making it relevant, but not the only point of the book. I will forever recommend this book to any fantasy / romantasy reader. It perfectly portrays the tenderness of sapphic love with a little bit of spice towards the end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Such a wonderful and balanced story

I don't write reviews, but this was so good I had to. It's simply one of the best books I've listened to. The story, the descriptions, the magic system, pacing, narration, all of it was so well planned and executed. I especially appreciate the LGBT+ themes, how a 1800s society could have accepted queer representation. I can't wait for more books from this author, I wish I could read another one right away.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful amazing

A Lyrical whimsical words that paint a beautiful earthly witchy tale of sapphic love and honey

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

beautiful

a beautifully written saffic story that warns your heart and teaches you all about love in many forms

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!