Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.

Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer's right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over--not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.

The quaint town of Dragon's Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance--she'll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.

Violet's vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery--and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.

When a mysterious blight endangers every living plant in Dragon's Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together, through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another, to save their community. But with a figure from her previous life knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she's worked so hard to grow, Violet can't help but wonder...does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?

Author: Emily Krempholtz
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 11/18/2025
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.10w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780593954300


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 09/15/2025
Library Journal 10/01/2025 pg. 80
Booklist 10/01/2025

About the Author
Emily Krempholtz has never quit her day job to open a flower shop, but that's because she's already doing what she loves. As a bestselling ghostwriter, editor, and book coach, Emily spends all day every day in the world of books and is delighted to finally have one with her own name on the cover.

When she's not writing or reading, Emily bakes cakes that look like book covers and changes her hair color like some kind of mood ring. She lives in sunny Colorado, where you'll often find her in the mountains--either hiking (and pretending to be a character in a novel) or curled up in a hammock with a book (also pretending to be a character in a novel). She's on a lifelong quest to discover the magic in the world and has a sneaking suspicion the written word is where she'll find it.