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VIOLET THISTLEWAITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE

Emily Krempholtz

A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet little town in this debut cozy fantasy.
Guy Shadowfade is dead and Violet Thistlethwaite doesn't know what to do with herself. Having spent her life as the dark sorcerer's right hand, the powerful witch is now at loose ends. But she does know one thing: she doesn't want to be evil anymore. For once, she wants to sprout peonies instead of poison.

The quaint town of Dragon's Rest, she decides, will be her second chance at life - a place where she can set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (and mildly homicidal) houseplant out of trouble, and quit dark magic after a lifetime of villainy.

While Violet's vibrant bouquets and feats of plant magic soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, nothing she does seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. What Violet doesn't know is that Nathaniel is desperately seeking a second chance of his own.

But just as Violet thinks she's pruned away all the thorns of her nefarious former life, a mysterious blight threatens her new home and a figure from her past comes knocking. Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, their pasts, and their growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with everything she's built on the line, Violet can't help but wonder ... does a villain like her truly deserve to grow her own happily ever after?

Emily Krempholtz is a ghostwriter of bestselling books, editor, and award-winning book coach who has worked with hundreds of authors as they write, edit, and publish their books. She spends her free time decorating bookish themed cakes. She has gone viral several times recently on TikTok (@writersofrohan), all relating to romance and fantasy writing. She lives in Denver, CO, and spends as much time hiking and traveling as possible.
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Published 2025-11-18 by Ace Trade

Comments

It's incredibly satisfying to watch as Nathaniel's resistance to Violet's charms crumbles. This is a fun, feel-good romp.

An enchanting blend of botany and banter, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore brews romance, redemption, and a homicidal houseplant into an utterly irresistible potion. The perfect cozy fantasy for anyone who believes in second chancesprepare to fall under its leafy spell!

Ukrainian: Vivat ; Little Brown Book Group (UK), Science Fiction World (Simplified Chinese), Editora Globo (Portuguese, Brazil)

An irresistibly delightful cozy fantasy filled with plant magic, love, and second chances! I absolutely loved this warm and wonderful book!

I have rarely read a book so charming! Emily Krempholtz has crafted a story sharp and lovely, vile and thoughtful, in a world full of heartwarming contradictions. Violet Thistlewaite might not be a villain anymore, but she's definitely stolen my heart.

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore is a book to curl up on the couch with, a fire blazing in the hearth and a cup of something warm and delicious in your hands. Emily Krempholtz' debut is lyrical and swoony (Nathaniel the grumpy alchemist is definitely my newest book boyfriend), and a wonderfully hopeful story of second chances that I never wanted to end. Pure magic!

Charming, deeply romantic, and kindViolet Thistlewaite's journey of redemption is a cozy delight.

The cozy fantasy romance genre has a new star! Emily Krempholtz's wonderfully assured debut, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, absolutely charmed me. As it takes the reader through Violet's efforts to start her life over and find redemption, the book explores friendship and slow-burn romance, as well as offering the bright sprinkling of humour and moments so lovely I had to pause, with a dreamy sigh, to read them again. I predict great things for Krempholtz!