Caffeinated Reviewer | Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan
20th Apr
I love books about the Fae, and book covers with doors always draw me in, which is how I grabbed Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan. I was positively delighted by this enchanting tale from the dragon to the arrogant hero. Come see why you need to add Thistlemarsh to your reading list.
Thistlemarsh
by Moorea Corrigan
Genres: Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate
Rating: 
Faeries disappeared over one hundred years ago, as suddenly as slipping through a doorway. It was only the very foolish, or the very determined, who held out hope for their return.
Welcome to Thistlemarsh—a ramshackle estate where an impoverished orphan and a beguiling Faerie collide in an enchanting novel of love, revenge, and ruin.
In the wake of The Great War, the world is a decidedly unmagical place for Mouse Dunne. She once dreamed of becoming a Faerie anthropologist, but with one telegram, her world shattered. At the Battle of the Somme, her cousin’s body disappeared into the mud, and her brother was left with debilitating shell shock. It was time, she knew, to put aside childish dreams.
When Mouse receives news that her uncle has left her the Faerie-blessed Thistlemarsh Hall, a dilapidated manor in the English countryside, she must leave her brother’s side and return to her childhood home to claim her birthright. But there is a catch in her uncle’s If Mouse does not rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month’s time, she will forfeit her inheritance and any hope of caring for her brother.
It quickly becomes clear it’s impossible to repair the manor in the allotted time, until a mysterious Faerie appears with a proposition. He offers to restore Thistlemarsh…for a price. Mouse knows better than to trust a Faerie—especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant—but she is out of options. There are dark and magical forces at work in the house, and Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets of her heart or lose Thistlemarsh, and herself, in the process.
Thistlemarsh delivered so many elements that I love. We have a crumbling manor set near the woods with beautiful gardens and a rich history involving fairies. Corrigan weaves in suspense, quests, secrets and a romance while giving us characters that kept me engaged.
I loved the way the author shared the history of fairies in this world, as Moorea “Mouse” Dunne traveled by train to Thistlemarsh cottage. Mouse dreamed of a career as a Faerie anthropologist, but the Great War has left her brother shell-shocked and she will need to return to her mother’s ancestral home and meet the conditions her grandfather has set if she hopes to take care of her brother.
Mouse will need to rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month’s time. If she fails, she will lose her inheritance. The cottage and wealth will go to an outsider. It quickly becomes clear that she will not meet the deadline without help. Enter Thornwood, one of the fae who offers her a bargain, and thus our adventure begins. I loved Mouse and understood her apprehension at making a deal with the fae. She was clever and brave.
We’ve got quests, secrets, a dragon, magic, danger, and a slow-building romance. I loved the different themes and balance between magical realism and darker twists that come with stories of fae. I loved the back-and-forth banter between Mouse and Thornwood. We get some diversity as well, involving the vicar and some just deserts for a scheming villain. The house itself is faerie-blessed and its history was fascinating, as was the reason the fae stopped coming to begin with.
If you love cozy fantasies, English country cottages, the fae, and quests, you’ll want to add Thistlemarsh to your reading list.
About Moorea Corrigan
Moorea Corrigan holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in English literature from the University of Edinburgh and a master of publishing degree from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. She currently works at an academic press in Boulder, Colorado. When she is not writing, you can find her singing, spending time with her menagerie of pets, or attending Jane Austen conventions in full Regency regalia.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat.
