When a grumpy inventor meets her outrageous new neighbor in the big black castle down the road, more than one type of spark will fly!
Mia Brandt knows better than to ever again allow her true powers to be discovered. Ever since her last neighbors burned down her workshop in a night of terror and flame, she's been determined to stay solitary, safe, and - to all outside appearances - perfectly respectable...
But Leander Fabian, whose sinister castle looms over her cozy new cottage, has far more dangerous ideas in mind. When he persuades Mia into a reluctant alliance, she finds herself swept into an exhilarating world of midnight balls, interfering countesses, illicit opera house expeditions, necromantic duels, and a whole unnatural community of fellow magic-workers and outcasts, all of whom are facing a terrifying threat.
Luckily, Mia has unnatural powers of her own - but even her unique skills may not be enough to protect her new found family and help her resist the wickedly provoking neighbor who's seen through all of her shields from the beginning.
This novel-length collection includes all four stories and novellas originally published on Stephanie Burgis's Patreon in 2020-2021: Good Neighbors, Deadly Courtesies, Fine Deceptions, and Fierce Company.
I grew up in America, but now I live in Wales with my husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, our two sons, and our sweet (and extremely vocal) tabby cat, Pebbles. I write fantasy rom-coms for adults (most recently Claws and Contrivances and Good Neighbors) and fun MG fantasy adventure novels, too (most recently The Raven Crown duology). My next series will be the adult romantasy trilogy The Queens of Villainy, published by Tor Bramble, starting in 2025 with Wooing the Witch Queen.
To join my Dragons' Book Club and get early copies of every ebook that I put out myself (so, all of my novellas, short story ebooks, etc!), check out my Patreon page, where I also published a series of fantasy rom-coms (Good Neighbors) across 2020-2021.
I only rate and review the books that I like, which is why all of my ratings are 4 or 5 stars.
Huzzah! My cozy-spooky fantasy rom-com (in four parts) finally has a wide publication date: February 2, 2022. Of course, you can go ahead and get the ebooks of all four individual stories/novellas now by signing up to my Patreon at the $5/month level - but if you'd rather buy through one of the regular online retailers, you can preorder the full collection now (with more buy-links being added to that page within the next few days). Here's to metal magic, midnight balls, fake dating, illicit opera house hijinks, and necromantic duels!
2021 Winter Bingo (#SnowInLoveBingo❄️): Found Family
3.5 stars
A charming and whimsical collection (short stories and novellas) about neighbors falling in love and protecting their magical community with metal-magic and necromancy. Burgis writes light romantic fantasy with a deft touch; the worldbuilding lore doesn't overwhelm new readers and feels familiar to lovers of magical historicals. Perfect read to snuggle around blankets on a Saturday morning.
The reason for my rating is not an indictment on the book. It's more about my struggles re: the "magical discrimination by non-magical outsiders" trope. It's extremely prevalent in SFF and something I've been personally wrestling with for the last couple years (see explanation here). I'd be lying if I said I didn't love media utilizing this theme, but these days I overthink and question the political underpinnings until the book doesn't make sense anymore.
So: this is a very lovely and cozy novella collection, but unfortunately doesn't make a lot of sense if you devote time to thinking about political implications and societal structures (I had a lot of questions after the final story!). This is not necessarily a bad thing — a whimsical short story/novella collection isn't meant to be epic in scope and explanation! But it did slightly diminish my enjoyment because I couldn't turn off my irritating brain.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Reading Good Neighbors is basically like injecting yourself with a shot of serotonin, I’m pretty sure. If you enjoy historical fantasy romances, trust me when I say you won’t want to miss out on this one.
This is a collection of short stories and a novella, which follow the adventures of Mia, who has a magical affinity to metals, and Leander, her rather annoying neighbour who also happens to be a necromancer. Leander lives in a sinister castle (but is actually quite a sunshiny character), while Mia lives in a little cosy cottage with her father (and turns out to be somewhat grumpy, especially when it comes to Leander).
Really what’s best about this book is its cosiness. This is the perfect read for when you want something lighthearted, something that’ll fill you up with serotonin and force you to contort your face as you try not to smile too widely in public. Basically, the kind of book that we all need right now.
But this is also more than simply a romance between Mia and Leander: it’s also a book about a found family. In this world, magic users and other magical creatures are variously scorned and oppressed, so both Mia and Leander (and Mia’s father, and Leander’s mentor) are a little wary of forming attachments beyond their immediate circle. Which, let’s be honest, is the best context for a found family to grow in. It’s like a reluctant found family.
And speaking of tropes, if you enjoy them, this romance is full of them. It isn’t solely based on tropes—it has excellent character work, beautiful writing, and is just all round fun to read—but it incorporates them into the story smoothly, so that, even if you’re not the biggest fan, you won’t be able to help loving them.
I’ve talked mostly about Mia and Leander up to now, so let me end with mentioning the side characters. As with Mia and Leander, they jump off the page and provide their own fully engaging side plots. Mia’s dad’s romance, for example, is a highlight, and one I would love to see more of in future(?) installments. And then there’s the putative sapphic romance… I am looking respectfully… Basically what I’m saying is that, while Mia and Leander are definitely protagonists here, it almost feels like an ensemble cast too, with the way the side character stand out and are allowed to develop.
So, really, what I’m trying to get at here is that this book should be on your TBR. Come 2nd February (make the note in your diary!), you should be dropping everything to read this book. You would be seriously missing out not to.
I really enjoyed all the characters, the magic and the sense of community present in this. I also enjoyed that the latter 2 novelettes explore the characters on a deeper level. I honestly think this could have been expanded upon to make a great full-length novel.
I'm looking forward to reading the 5th story that isn't included in this bind-up.
Reading a Stephanie Burgis book is like wrapping up in a cozy blanket with a cup of tea by the fire. The Good Neighbors full collection is a wonderful warm hug of a book, with a smart and nerdy heroine and a dangerously suave hero who's absolutely smitten with her. Even the shambling undead are adorable. (This is a book about necromancers, after all.)
Full of Good Dad (TM) energy, dangerous countesses, cool magic, and loads of heart, Good Neighbors is just what you need for 2022.
This is four novellas made into a book, and it does work well. It is just like 4 different longer chapters.
It's an 18th century world with magic and monsters , well beings, but some do want to wipe out everything different.
And Mia and her father moves into a little village. She is different and had to leave. Her nearest neighbor is an annoying necromancer (who is also hot.) In the first story they are bickering. Then they have a mission. And then there is also drama at the end with those idiots who do not like different.
Sure things happen fast because they are novellas in the end, but it work because there is not specific time of events.
Mia was cool, she could make anything mechanic, and there is a hidden thing to her too. As for Leander, sure he is a necromancer, but he seems like a decent guy. And this is a romance too so they will grow closer.
As for the end, well everyone is happy for now in their crazy little village. But I would like more from this world because it is really interesting, and those evil guys are still out there.
Cool world, interesting story and romance promised too.
Not bad- 3.5 and higher. Super low on the heat scale and surprisingly open to same sex relationships despite it's lack of heat. This author does not elaborate and would rather fade to end of scene.
I really enjoyed this world and the skills of the h (Mia) and H (Leander). Really creative MC's, crossing a Necromancer with a Fae metal welding/creating magic. Loved that scene that reminds me of Phoebe from "Friends" "My eyes, my eyes!".
Some parts were a little confusing and the backstory a little nebulous. About 60%, it was weird that the author recounted some things that had already happened (like I hadn't just read it all)and I thought that was weird until I realized that this is a collection of short stories, so that may have been the junction between releases. Probably should be edited slightly for future for a more seamless story if the author intends to keep it as 1 story and not a collection of short stories.
A good reminder that "HOME" is where our heart is, with OUR people :)
Let me brag a bit, before going on with the book. I usually buy books and then promptly “forget” them on my shelves, usually I have some excuses, because I buy more than one books at a time, so obviously you can’t start all of them, and usually I am reading something else and I should finish that before starting something new… and then once I finish it there is something else clamoring for my attention and so time passes. But not this time! I am really proud to say that for once, I bought it and promptly started it. Yay!
But bragging aside, the book was as delightful as I was hoping, and even more! And there so much to love in there! Let’s start with Mia. I loved her. And I think we need more characters like her. I love grumpy characters, but more often than not, they are male grumpy characters. And there is nothing bad about it. But us women can be grumpy too! And the fact that we get to see one grumpy woman here was something special. But, even if this was the dearest thing to my heart here, there is a lot more going on for Mia. She has a really good heart, she can’t stand suffering. And it is not important if who is suffering is a person, an animal or a un-dead minions sent to, presumably, attack her. Suffering is suffering, and she won’t stand it. And this was such an heartwarming trait! And then she is a really capable woman, she is an artisan, a magical one, but she is a creator at heart, and she takes proud in a work well-done. And she thinks that people should do things properly and be proud of the job they have done. And it was so refreshing seeing someone that knew their own value. Also, I really love to see characters be able to do something well and taking satisfaction by it. And I think we need more of this too. Also, she can’t stand a shabby work, and this was pretty funny too. And she has insecurities too, sure, and some really shitty things happened in her past, and that scarred her for good, that’s true. And there is a long road before her, because this kind of issues are not easily dealt with. But it is heartwarming see her try, and see her stand her ground. She may have issues, she may have problems but she won’t let others do bad to the people around her and not call them out. She is so brave. And strong-willed. I really think that we need more people like Mia in the real-world, and not only represented in books. But I want more of them in books, too!
And with Mia we have some really interesting characters too. Leander, obviously, it the one at the top of the list. I liked him. A lot. And his sense of style too. And I like that, even if from time to time he and Mia made me roll my eyes and whish, really hard, to scroll them, he believes in Mia, and he believes in his own capacities and powers. He has some issues, too, because who doesn’t? But seeing his quiet strength was a pleasure! Also, he is the best choice as a bookish-boyfriend! He has a castle, he has minions who can do all the work, and he can creates more on a whim. I mean, it sounds better and better every time I think about it! And then we have Mia’s dad. He remembered me a bit of Belle’s dad, in the Disney’s The Beauty and the Beast, and I don’t really know why. But I kept imagining Mia’s dad quite like him. But, this aside, he is a good-hearted character, and he is the ideal counterpart to Mia grumpiness. You just have to love the man!
And then there are all the other characters, because in this book we have one of the best fond family ever. And I really enjoyed it, and them all.
But, sadly, life is not all joy and love and happy grumpiness for our characters, because they have some really nasty stuff to overcome. And the saddest part is that it all for human stupidity. For the concept of appropriate and pure, that lost all the positive connotations when used like this, because it is just a sort of veil to cover the fear of what is diverse. And it really enrage me every damn time, and it made me wonder why we are just so stupid. And why on heart we just live and let live. It would be so simple! And yet, I feel naive every time I ask myself this, because all this damn stupidity is always here. But our characters are all strong-willed and won’t just stand for it. And it was magnificent!
Ah, I was almost forgetting it, but this is not really a novel, even if it is readable that way. These are four short stories, but they really create a whole cohesive book, that would let you there, with a smile on your face, your heart warm, and wanting for more! More Mia, more Leander, more happy found families and more people who would do the right thing. And that won’t stand by when someone is treated bad or poorly just because different. And we have also a nice romance, some magic, some intriguing creations and some really great characters!
I seem to like everything Stephanie Burgis writes. I enjoyed her Harwood Spellbook series and couldn’t wait to read this collection of four short stories / novellas. As expected, I loved it. Each instalment built on the previous one, giving us at the end a charming story, especially for those of us who love ‘found families’. Two neighbours join their powers in metal-magic and necromancy to defend themselves, and eventually their wider community, while falling for each other. Comfort reading per se. Now to dive in her latest novel, Scales and Sensibility...
A really fun and entertaining story in four parts. Highly recommended for people looking for a cosy romance read who are not opposed to a little light necromancy and magic on the side.
The nitty-gritty: Another winning story from Stephanie Burgis, Good Neighbors combines humor, romance, magic and feel-good fun.
It’s always fun to pick up a new Stephanie Burgis book, and Good Neighbors is her latest project, an omnibus of four short stories and novellas written exclusively for her Patreons and now available for everyone to enjoy. Good Neighbors is different from her other books in some ways, but it also includes familiar elements that I associate with Burgis’ books, like humor, lighthearted romance, magical intrigue and a sense of warm heartedness that always makes me happy.
The overall story arc consists of four sections, a couple of short stories and two longer, novella-length pieces. Mia and her father have just moved to a new cottage, after an angry mob burned their house down, injuring Mia’s father in the process. Mia has a peculiar talent: she is able to infuse metalwork with magic and uses this ability to invent all sorts of mechanical devices. After their experience with the fire, Mia doesn’t trust people at all and prefers her own company. In fact, she goes out of her way to avoid any type of socializing, and instead spends hours working on her creations.
But Mia's new neighbor turns out to be a notorious necromancer named Leander Fabian, and despite Mia's determination to keep to herself, she can't resist the air of mystery that surrounds him. Oh, and his long shiny hair and intelligent eyes don’t hurt either. When yet another angry mob descends on the castle to attack Leander, he and Mia decide to form an alliance of protection. They will work together to keep each other safe from the Purifiers, a group of people who want to rid the land of anyone capable of doing magic.
This alliance will take them on a dangerous journey to save others like themselves, an adventure that includes the opera, a hidden underground lake, and a prison made of metal. Mia is forced to step out of her comfort zone and interact with others, but will she be able to go back to her old life when her adventure is over?
I loved the characters in Good Neighbors, especially Mia, who I could really relate to. I often resent having to be with people and socialize myself, so Mia’s character made my inner introvert very happy. I also loved the relationship she had with her father and the fact that he taught her how to craft with metal from a very young age. Later in the story we learn where Mia’s unusual magical abilities come from, and it was a very cool idea! Leander is also a great character, a misunderstood necromancer whose family is trying to kill him, unfortunately. I loved the humorous banter and flirting between Leander and Mia, and while this is a romance, Burgis keeps things light and focuses on other aspects of the story.
I thought Mia’s metal magic was fascinating. When she and Leander go to a ball together, Mia makes a ball gown out of metal, a gown that also serves as a weapon. That dress is hands down the best magical dress I’ve ever read about! I won’t tell you what it does, though, you’ll have to read the book to find out. And of course, because there is a character who is a necromancer, Burgis has plenty of opportunities to play with the idea of bringing skeletons to life. There were a lot of fun scenes with Leander and Mia where they needed both of their magical skills to get out of trouble.
The main underlying message beneath all this fun is that you can’t go wrong by helping others. Mia ends up rethinking her beliefs about keeping people at arm’s length, as she’s forced to help others like herself and Leander who are persecuted for being different. Mia and her father may have fled their home because their old neighbors were hateful, but now they realize how lucky they are to have good neighbors, people who will watch out for them as well. All in all, Good Neighbors is an upbeat, magical adventure with just a touch of eerie darkness to combat the light. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Big thanks to the author for providing a review copy.
I enjoy Stephanie Burgis; she somehow manages to keep things light and amusing and cozy, while also having just enough of an edge to keep you from feeling like you're drowning in pink bubble-bath. I'm subscribed to her newsletter, in fact, which is how I found out about a sale on this collection.
Mia, a mad-scientist-adjacent inventor with magical power over metals, moves in next to a necromancer. Hilarity ensues, but so do romance, suspense, and a battle for justice. Mia, while being (to me) relatably introverted, turns out to be capable of social interaction when it's for a purpose she cares about, and while at the outset she only cares about protecting her father - injured by a mob who burned down their previous house because of her "unnatural" abilities - by the end she's extended her umbrella of protection much more widely.
Because Mia has the viewpoint, we don't get as much of the hot necromancer Leander's inner life, and he does feel a bit too perfect, even though he was emotionally damaged by his awful parents and his first master. (Seriously, those parents....) But he's brave and loyal, and fully on board with Mia's desire to protect other "unnaturals" from the "Purifiers" who are rising in influence in wider society. There's a bit of dystopian in the middle of the book when the pair go to a city controlled by the Purifiers, where neighbours are denouncing each other in fear of the authorities; it's an effective setup for the later section where the Purifiers come to the closest town to Mia and Leander's homes and try to pull the same tricks. (The book is made up of three linked stories, each of which progresses the overall plot arc.)
In terms of editing, most of the issues are with extra commas between adjectives - a very common blind spot even for otherwise capable authors - and occasional over-hyphenation.
It's a solid, enjoyable piece that's simultaneously in a Gothic aesthetic and cheerfully noblebright, and it slips easily into the silver tier of my annual recommendation list.
An antisocial inventor who is FIERCELY protective of the people she lets into her inner circle and a powerful necromancer whose biggest battle is how unobservant his new neighbor is to how he's trying to woo her. I mean, Mia was seriously in her own little world when it came to Leander's attempts. It was sort of cute, but probably not from Leander's perspective.
Anywho. Mia and Leander. On top of his attempts to capture her attention, they're also dealing with a whole lot of prejudice about their abilities. Or, about what they are, I guess. Mia keeps her metal working abilities hidden pretty deep, but Leander is NOT AT ALL SUBTLE with his power. Which means Mia finds ways to slide under everyone's radar (except Leander's), while Leander is all pale skin and dramatic clothes and skeletal horses on his carriage.
But they work together. Well. Mia might have been reluctant to become allies, but the two of them together make things happen in the best sort of way.
A few burning torches, more than a few displaced individuals, a soft heart under all the grump, an even softer heart under all his spectacle, magic, mayhem, and the type of found family that Mia NEVER expected. *thumbs up*
Full disclosure, I was given an advance readers copy of Stephanie Burgis new book. That fact won't change my opinion, I was going to buy the book anyway.
This book is the story of Mia and Leander, told in four joined novellas. Both of them are outside what some people in this world consider the "norm." Leander is a necromancer with a kind heart, Mia does a type of metal magic no one else has ever seen. Both of them are looking for a home where they can live in peace. The cost of living in peace is not letting anyone see who and what they really are.
Mia and her father have been driven from their old home, and end up living next door to Leander's big black castle. Before long, Mia is repairing the misshaped minions that wander over to her cottage from the castle, and blaming Leander for the condition the poor things are in. She discovers once she speaks to him, that Leander rescued his creatures from another necromancer, and is very grateful to Mia for helping them when he couldn't.
The two of them form an alliance, an "us against the world" friendship that deepens as the threats to their new home, and anyone looked at as different or other, grow more deadly. Love makes two already strong people stronger, helps them face their fears and demons, and come out of hiding. Mia and Leander protect each other and their neighbors, and transform a group of strangers --some magical, some not -- into a community
This is a love story and a romance, and it's full of magic, but I loved the deeper, serious story here too. Highly recommended.
Good Neighbors by Stephanie Burgis consists of four short stories/novellas previously published on the author’s Patreon account. They form a complete story with a continuing plot.
The story is set in a realm that resembles 19th century England, but with magic and fantastic creatures. Mia Brandt is a witch with unique ability to spell metal, a skill she must hide from her suspicious neighbours, especially since she and her father had to flee their previous town after the townspeople burned down their house. Leander Fabian is a necromancer who does nothing to hide who or what he is, living in a black castle next to Mia’s new home with his undead minions.
When the villagers come after Leander with torches and pitchforks, Mia stands up to them, revealing her own magic. She instantly becomes a pariah in her new village, but her act helps her to form an alliance with Leander. A romance is born.
These were great stories, each complete despite the short form, and each continuing where the previous one ended. The first two were shorter and slightly lighter in tone. The third story takes a turn to darker when Mia and Leander visit a city that’s been taken over by Purfiers who want to remove all magical people. That and the last story are longer and meatier because of that storyline, with themes of acceptance and fear. And throughout, the romance between Mia and Leander builds nicely despite their backgrounds where loving and being loved doesn’t come easily.
If I have any complaints, it’s that the first two short stories could’ve been worked into slightly longer ones for this omnibus. The first story especially suffers in comparison with the last two. I particularly wish it hadn’t ended before the proper meeting between Mia and Leander; the secondhand description in the next story simply doesn’t have the same feel as a full description would’ve had.
All stories are told in Mia’s point of view, which worked well. She was good-hearted and resourceful, and not willing to give up on people she loves. Leander was a perfect Gothic hero, a bit aloof and distant, and with a heart-breaking backstory. I wouldn’t mind reading more stories about them.
This story is set in a world where some people have magical abilities. After a bad incident, Mia has learned to protect herself and her father from those who would harm them. After a move, her new neighbor slowly works his way into her life and they become allies. This is their story.
Burgis is well known and loved for her children's and young adult fantasy fiction. This falls on the young adult to adult side of the spectrum. The tale is entertaining, but a bit young adult "angsty." If you like a good fantasy tale with strong female protagonists and are not afraid of some LGBTQ characters, it's an enjoyable read.
This is a delightful little series of short stories and novellas! I love Mia (grumpy inventor with metal magic just looking for some peace) and Leander (the annoyingly hot necromancer next door)! Fun banter, sweet romance, found family — some of my favorite stuff!
I have early access to these stories through the author's Patreon. They will be published more widely in February 2022.
As Mia (our heroine) changes through these four stories the pace and complexity intensify and the third and fourth sections are marvellous and wonderful and this goes on my reread list! Highly recommended. (And no, necromancers are not vampires, in case you were wondering.) Reminds me of T Kingfisher’s stories like Clockwork Boys.
Awesomeness. A big thank you to Stephanie Burgis for giving free copies through her newsletter. What a fun and fast read. The story develops organically and works to a great conclusion. I want to read more in this universe. I have enjoyed her books so much. I’ll buy a copy when available in February.
I received this story collection from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
It’s always a welcome surprise when Ms. Burgis so kindly asks me to read and review her new works, because I know that I will always discover delightful stories where a thread of magic is woven with one of romance that even this grumpy old curmudgeon cannot find fault with ;-) (as a matter of fact, I quite enjoy these light-hearted forays into romantic territory…)
Magic is indeed a focal theme in this collection of stories set on a parallel version of 19th Century England, one where this element is commonplace, as in Ms. Burgis’ equally engaging Harwood Spellbook series, but with the difference that here magic is not an integral part of society: anyone caught with such abilities or marked as “unnatural” is either ostracized or wiped out, depending on the mood of the neighborhood.
Young Mia, the main character, is an inventor with a special knack for metal to which she can apply her peculiar kind of magic, but her skills have already exacted a heavy toll when her former fellow citizens discovered her true nature and turned against her and her father, burning their home to the ground and grievously wounding the man. Now that the two of them have found a new place to live, Mia is firmly set in keeping her abilities well hidden, but she did not take into account the persistence of her next-door neighbor, necromancer Leander, whose misshapen undead minions she keeps finding on her doorstep…
Given the shortness of the four stories that compose this collection (Good Neighbors, Deadly Courtesies, Fine Deceptions, Fierce Company) I don’t want to dwell any longer on the actual plot, which despite its light, humorous tone is also able to touch on some very serious themes like the fear of anything we perceive as different or the double standards of people in power. I can however concentrate on the character of Mia who, like many of Stephanie Burgis’ heroines, presents a captivatingly grouchy disposition on the outside that hides a generous, selfless soul ready to help those in need - be they human or otherwise. Previous events - and the consequences they visited on her father - made Mia quite wary of outside contact and a virtual recluse, which forces dashing Leander to launch a well-organized campaign to tear those barriers down and turn the two of them first into allies and then into… well, something else. And he has a lot of ground to cover because, in Mia’s own words:
I was not some fluff-headed flibbertigibbet who could be flustered by a bit of close darkness and a handsome, teasing necromancer.
While the first two stories, which are also the shorter ones in the collection, remain on the light side, the longer third and fourth deal with some quite dramatic issues concerning the frame of mind of the so-called “good citizens” of a nearby town (I always shudder whenever the word “purity” is used as it is in this instance) and Leander’s harrowing past. There is clearly a thematic progression here that moves from the introductory stories where the characters are presented, to the more complex, more layered study of the world they live in, a world in which “normal” people feel threatened by supernatural creatures for no other reason that they are different - and no matter how much fanciful humor is laced throughout the story, there are several thought-provoking issues here that belie the apparent lightness of the collection.
These four short stories were previously presented on Stephanie Burgis’ Patreon between 2020 and 2021 and are now collected in a single volume that will be available from February 2nd, 2022. My hope, after reading them, is that the author will write some more to expand both on this intriguing world and on Mia and Leander’s story. I will look forward to them.
I read Stephanie Burgis’ Harwood Spellbook Series before, and I loved them. They were super cozy romances, so when I was offered a review copy of Good Neighbors – all I had to hear was metal mage/necromancer and I knew I had to have it. I picked these up one night before bed and ended up reading the entire collection in one sitting, I just couldn’t look away.
Thanks to Stephanie Burgis for the review copy of this collection, it has not affected my honest review.
One of my absolute favourite things about Stephanie’s romances is how easy they are to read. I read this whole collection of four stories in one sitting because once I started it was impossible to put down. The world-building isn’t overwhelming, but neither was I left feeling like I didn’t understand what was going on in the setting. In fact, the balance was really good to make sure readers are anchored in the world without info-dumping – a real skill in a novella. I love the writing in this book because it isn’t over-complicated like some fantasy novellas can be. It’s simple in the best way, highlighting what we really care about as a cozy romance reader – the fantastic character writing. Mia and Leander are everything to me and I absolutely loved the grumpy mage/ostentatious necromancer combination. Talk about opposites attract!
As a collection of short stories and novellas, we saw snippets of their developing friendship and relationship rather than the entire relationship but to me their relationship still felt like it was developing in a realistic and authentic way. It was really satisfying, and I didn’t feel like we’d missed too much in the time skips. Also, it would be remiss of me not to point out that there’s fake married and only one bed trope in one of these stories. Obviously, this was my absolute goddamn favourite of the lot. It hit a lot of my favourite buttons, including the delight that is character A being blatantly in love with character B and character B being totally oblivious to it. The tropes were so good and I was getting the same giddy feeling as when I’m reading a really good fanfiction, the highest praise I can give a romance tbh.
It isn’t just Leander and Mia’s relationship that made me fall in love with this book. All of the character relationships gave me Big Feelings. Mia and her father had the parent/child friendship of dreams and Leander and Carmilla? Found family vibes forever. The latter part of the book was absolutely full of found family vibes, actually, with Leander and Mia’s alliance turning into a community of outcasts that made my little queer heart soar. There are also f/f and m/m background relationships in this book – the latter of which was a delightful surprise to me when it was revealed. The last book had a surprisingly tense plot compared to the earlier ones, and I think it was a nice balance to the fluffy earlier stories; and showed off all the character development that we’d watched flourish as Mia and her gang of magic users came together. I’m really hoping we get a spin-off about some of the characters in this book, because I would love to explore more of their relationships (and, okay, I want more Carmilla in my life.)
that was so sweet! very soft and whimsical, this book is an absolute comfort read. i didn't know historical fantasy paranormal romance could be like this and i had a lot of fun reading it!
we follow mia, a magical metalworker, who has moved into a new cottage with her father after her last neighbors burned down her workshop. she develops a rivalry-relationship with the necromancer leander who lives in the sinister castle nearby, until they form a tentative alliance which leads them to attend a magical ball together, travel on a quest underground beneath an opera house in a nearby city, and eventually face off against the people in their town who hate and fear them. my favorite from the collection would have to be the third story, where mia and leander travel under the guise of being a couple on honeymoon to avoid suspicion of their magical abilities.
the world and the treatment of people with magical abilities was very much the house in the cerulean sea meets the world of down among the sticks and bones from seanan mcguire's wayward children series (which i love). the town felt very much like a lighter version of jack and jill's in the wayward children series, with a necromancer who lives on the outskirts and townspeople who are terrified of monsters outside their walls and respond to potential threats with torches and pitchforks. good neighbors features all kinds of creatures and folks with magical powers who face persecution that varies from social exclusion to execution. but, a la the house in the cerulean sea, the resolution to this is hopeful and diplomatic, perhaps not the most realistic and more on the fluffy + optimistic side.
good neighbors really delivers when it comes to the found family of outcasts vibes. leander has to work towards self-acceptance because his parents abandoned him when he was younger due to his abilities, and mia struggles to trust after her past neighbors burned down her workshop. they take in and build community with other folks on the outskirt of their society and magical people who have been driven out of the city. both mia and leander have supportive (stand-in) parent figures who they rely on at times; i especially loved mia's father and how incredibly friendly and warm and inviting he was.
i definitely would love to read more from this world because i loved the characters and the whimsical, optimistic perspective the narrative has. i loved mia and leander's grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and leander is quite a heartthrob with his tragic backstory. i would loveee an installment featuring mia's dad or leander's adoptive aunt, each of whom have romantic entanglements we see a bit of in good neighbors. there was more i might have wanted from the character and plot arcs if this had been styled as a novel instead of a collection of short stories/novellas, but for what it is, good neighbors is such a lovely cozy magical read!
HIGHLIGHTS ~finally a heroine who hates socializing as much as I do!!! ~necromancers are dedicated to the Aesthetic ~weaponised jewelry ~allies = heart-eyes ~THERE’S ONLY ONE BED
Okay.
Look. Listen.
I opened up Good Neighbours (the omnibus, made up of a short story and three novellas previously published on Burgis’ Patreon) expecting fluff and silliness and a book I could just relax into. You know – the kind of book that is pure escapism and fun and has you grinning at the pages as you turn them.
Dad had always said I was a battering ram when it came to polite conversation.
And Good Neighbours has and is all of those things! There is fluff and silliness GALORE! There are undead monsters that are really more like puppies, and deserve all the petting and walkies they want; there are necromancers who are so very Extra they’ll have you cackling; there is delightful use of the Fake Marriage trope (with bonus there’s only one bed!); there is OPERA! And as usual, Burgis’ writing is just a relief to a tired or grey-feeling brain; it’s light and brisk and doesn’t make you work hard to keep up with what’s happening, without being so simplistic it becomes childish or boring.
When you’re just feeling knackered and overworked and, you know, *waves vaguely at everything*, you don’t want a big heavy book that demands you make your way through a mental labyrinth and possibly defeat a minotaur in order to properly appreciate it. You want a book that holds your hand and leads you along gently to somewhere interesting, and that’s exactly what Good Neighbours does.
Mia Brandt; respectable regency woman and rebellious scientist, knows better than to show off her powers with metal.
The last time resulted in her house being burnt down by torch-wielding maniacs, otherwise known as neighbours.
Now she lives in a cosy cottage on the outskirts of town with her father, and next to a castle owned by elusive necromancer Leander Fabian.
She's perfectly happy ignoring her handsome neighbour - apart from fixing up any rotting minions who stumble into her garden then sending them back to him - until the nutters - ahem, neighbours - turn up with pitchforks and she forms an uneasy alliance with Leander.
Between the two of them they protect their homes, family, friends and zombies.
In this compliation containing the foot book series, Mia and Leander face various foes as attraction and feelings toward each other inevitably grow.
This cosy paranormal rom com set in the regency period is delightful, funny, intriguing and full of a diverse cast of characters.
From Mia's father's budding romance, to the various magic folk we meet along the way, we experience people with disabilities, BIPOC characters and different genders. Each character is written as though they have their whole full story arc and adds depth and realisim to the magical setting.
The writing is terrific, the humour is spot on and the brewing romance is sublime.
Add to this the very authentic period set pieces and you have a must read for paranormal cosy romance fans.
Burgis is swiftly becoming one of my favourite authors within this genre.
A charming collection of short fantasy-romance novellas following the relationship of allies-and-neighbours Mia, the metal-mage with a carefully guarded heart, and Leander, the flamboyant necromancer who looks far more sinister than he acts. They are of course in love, even if it takes Mia a while to figure that out.
There was some repetition in the early, shorter stories, which is to be expected as they were all meant to be standalones, and which lent the opening of each subsequent story a kind of fairytale familiarity. The pace quickened in the second half of the collection with the longer, plottier novellas, which I thoroughly enjoyed. There were a few instances where I wanted to shake Mia and demand that she just TALK to Leander instead of assuming anything about his feelings, which were SO CLEARLY worn on his sleeve because he was INFATUATED with her - but your mileage may vary. Maybe you won't want to shake her at all.
The supporting cast, including Mia's father, their deliveryman, Leander's necromantic brethren, and a handful of small-minded antagonists, all enrich the universe and make it feel fully inhabited. I loved the casual queer relationships, and if there is ever a separate novella written about a certain pair of lady necromancers, please believe that I will snap it up in a heartbeat.
In short: a quick, light read with just the kind of male lead I like (beautiful, arrogant, lovestruck but aloof about it), and the kind of female supporting characters I appreciate (sapphic, goth, menacing), with a fake marriage and the mandatory only-one-bed that comes with it.
This was a charming read. It’s a collection of four short stories/novellas that follows new neighbors Leander Fabian, a necromancer who lives in a dark and foreboding castle, and Mia Brandt, an inventor who’s just moved to the neighborhood after a bad experience forced her and her father to leave their old one.
Mia was a fierce, stubborn, and independent woman who never backed down. She was set in her ways and had a bit of a prickly personality but was likable from the get-go. And her distaste for socializing was 100% relatable, at least for me. She was such a fun heroine to read about. My only complaint about her was her habit of constantly jumping to the wrong conclusion. It got kinda tedious after a while.
Leander was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome. And the mysterious air around him just added to his intrigue. Him and Mia were great allies, but I never fully bought into their romance.
While this collection wasn't my favorite from this author, it was still an enjoyable read, especially the first two stories.
I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.