Lavender and Hemlock - by Lili Wilkinson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A housemaid's quiet life is disrupted when the arrival of a mysterious visitor causes her to question the nature of her seemingly-charming cottage home in this sweet, cozy romantasy with a dark heart.

Step into the Oubliette and forget your troubles....

Housemaid Tansy's days are all the same. Her only duties are to tend to her charge, old Lady Aster, and take care of their quaint cottage home. The seaside house is charming, peaceful, and above all, isolated. Tansy can't remember the last time she left...or when she arrived.

Merit is a Carrion Knight. A servant of the dark entity the Unmaker, she has been raised to be a monster. But when she's wounded during a routine raid, she stumbles through a mysterious door... and finds herself tumbling into the Oubliette.

When the two meet, an instant connection forms, and a crack appears in Oubliette's perfect façade. As the bond between Merit and Tansy grows and powerful feelings rise to the surface, Tansy must question not only what she wants, but who she is. Because the origins of this charming world are darker than she could imagine--and the key to uncovering them might lie with Tansy herself.

Review Quotes

"Lili Wilkinson can do anything. This is the book of my dreams--a shadow beneath a cozy surface, a swoonworthy romance, and a twist in the tail you won't see coming. And let's not forget a snarky cat, a loyal dog, and a cantankerous goose. Perfection." --Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Lady's Knight

"Deliciously dark, whimsical, and deeply romantic, this story will sweep you right off your feet." --Kate J. Armstrong, author of Nightbirds

"An eerie, deceptively sweet puzzle of a book like the Oubliette itself, this story is definitely bigger and twistier on the inside! ...This is one I'll find it difficult to forget." --Freya Marske, award-winning author of A Marvellous Light

"A lush, mesmerizing dark fantasy that sends two charmingly imperfect young women on a twisting journey for their happily ever after, Lavender and Hemlock sparkles with clever magic, unbreakable courage, and a longing fierce enough to change fate." --Camilla Raines, author of The Hollow and the Haunted

"Wilkinson has crafted a whimsical romance wrapped around a weighty story about loyalty, sacrifice, and what it means to be a hero." --Laura R. Samotin, author of The Way It Haunted Him

★ "A tender, passionate love story set within a rich fantasy realm with plenty of immersive lore for readers to discover....swoonworthy." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Sharp, thought-provoking prose conjures cozy fantasy tropes and surprising, delightfully strange worldbuilding.....Come for the enthralling premise, stay for the captivating romance." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

About the Author

Lili Wilkinson is the author of more than twenty novels published in Australia, including Pink, The Boundless Sublime, and the Bravepaw series. She established the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Lili has a PhD in creative writing from the University of Melbourne and spends most of her time reading and writing books for teenagers. Her fantasy novels include A Hunger of Thorns, Deep Is the Fen, and Unhallowed Halls.