Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain puts a unique twist on the cozy fantasy genre – what if a terrifying villain feared by all was given a second chance to become a different person whose greatest wish is to start a flower shop? The result is a mix of romance, cozy fantasy, and a few dark elements, all set in a town trying to overcome the evil supervillain who terrorized their country and our protagonist. I found it surprisingly charming with a well paced romance, and was even surprised a few times as the story evolved. It’s a fun world to imagine, and one I hope I get to revisit someday in the future. 

A Few of My Favorite Things

Nature Magic to the Extreme

Violet’s specialty is nature magic – growing seeds into enormous blooms, extending growths of existing plants, creating something from nothing. There’s an underlying fear element from the start as she tries to navigate this new life outside of her prior evil reputation. As the Thornwitch, she razed whole cities with poisonous blooms and thorn spiked tendrils. As Violet Thistlewaite, she’s creating flowers for bouquets while trying to forget her underlying dark magic. That constant battle requires a lot of personal growth and she meets the challenge.

The Love Story

I’ve grown a bit tired of romantasy of late but this book did it well, making it a meaningful part of the overall story and fitting it snuggly into the book’s progression. It’s not an afterthought and it’s not all consuming, it’s just a piece of the new life Violet is creating for herself. We do get his perspective as well and he’s the grumpy shopkeeper you’d expect from a romantasy, but he’s ultimately lovable and going through a lot of the same trauma Violet is. It’s not surprise they get together and it’s heartwarming to see them prevail through the trials of the final quarter.

The Townsfolk

This was the best part of the book. There were so many characters always milling about, dropping in the shop and lending a hand wherever needed. Everyone knows everyone and they all support each other’s shops and endeavors – medicine from here, pastries from there, potions from the store down the street. I loved all of the characters that came into Violet’s life (save for one who you gets his just reward at the end). Special mention for the rock goblin and the gnome who is very picky about the dirt blend he wants to buy from Violet.