A hunting competition, an alchemist, and a sharpshooter all converge in this magical story about endurance, growing, and finding a family for yourself. In a small coastal town there is a mysterious hala, the last living mythical creature that wrecks havoc on the town’s crops and people... and the annual hunting competition for it has come once again. With this competition comes the prize of honor, glory, money, and so much more. Margaret Welty is an outcast in her town, and with a famous alchemist mother who is always traveling and a devastating family past, Margaret is just trying to survive day by day. She lives alone in the Welty Manor with her dog Trouble, waiting for her mother to come back, waiting just for some kind of reciprocation of love from her mother who has grown distant after the death of her brother. Weston Winters dreams about becoming an alchemist and becoming a politician in order to support his family after the death of his father. Weston dreams of more, of being more, of having more, but he’s been fired from every apprenticeship he’s landed and his last chance hinges on Master Welty (aka Margaret’s mother). When Weston arrives at the manor to only find Margaret the two strike up a tenuous deal, the hunt requires one person and one alchemist in order to join and they both agree to team up in order to make both their dreams come true. Margaret hopes to win her mother’s affection by killing the hala and Weston dreams of finally winning the apprenticeship and fame he’s dreamed up. Throw in complicated prejudice from the townspeople, a magical creature killing people, and a slow burn romance that just sinks into you and what you get is a beautiful magical story about two people who have endured so much, who care and love so much, but have a hard time showing and saying it, who find that they just might be what the other has always needed. It’s about finding a family who will love you for you and enjoying the quiet peaceful moments. Margaret and Weston are opposites but they come to appreciate and love the different aspects of one another and its really just so endearing. This was a stunning story with a wonderful atmosphere, the perfect read with a cozy cup of coffee on a misty foggy day wrapped up in a blanket.
I also created some mood boards from my blog for this so here ya go!
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*Thanks Netgalley for sending me an arc and to Allison Saft for letting me part of her street team. All my opinions are my own.*