A Widow’s Charm
Author: Caitlyn Paxson
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: A-
What I’m Talking About:
Hilde carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. Like so many women, she feels the responsibility for the wellbeing of her family and community is hers to bear, and hers alone. So she makes plans, but those plans fall apart when her husband dies, leaving Hilde desperate to hold things together.
Hiding from the law and stewing in self-hate, Elmwood cannot accept Hilde’s kindness at face value, yet finds himself caught up in her anyhow. I love that each determined attempt to coerce Elmwood into using his Charm finds Hilde falling for him, ultimately allowing her to realize her mistakes.
A Widow’s Charm is a feel-good, charming cozy fantasy romance. It’s about shedding one’s long held notions and finding beauty in the truth. It’s a journey of self-discovery and forgiveness. And it’s about accepting that you can be loved and return that love.
While the story has dark moments, there are plenty of shenanigans as one may expect from a story about a woman trying to get her dubious neighbor to raise her dead husband from death. The first time the pair meets, Elmwood’s dog Rollo falls into a crevice on Hilde’s land. The innuendos are worthy of an episode of Three’s Company (if you aren’t old enough to understand that reference, too bad!), with Elmwood reading every action and word as a request for sex, while Hilde is just trying to butter him up to ask him to use his Charm to revive her husband.
Hilde and Elmwood share a mutual attraction and intense passion, bringing the pair together over and over despite declaring they are walking away when things don’t do their way. This back and forth affords them time to understand and respect one another. Their delight in being together, being seen by the other is moving. And when Elmwood believes his time is running out, he bares his soul and asks Hilde to spend the week with him, just doing everyday things and loving one another, knowing his time is short. This nearly broke me because he’s so open and honest.
In addition to the main characters, there are a few of excellent supporting characters in Han (Hilde’s sister), Isobel (Elmwood’s betrothed), and Winthrop (Elmwood’s best friend). The author does a great job brining the story to an exciting and satisfying climax, giving the main characters their HEA but leaving an opening for another story. A Widow’s Charm is an absolute delight!
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
Jen
About the Book:
Lady Hildegarde Croft is accustomed to changes in position. After all, she rose from maidservant to lady of the manor when she married Lord Thorgoode Croft. But when he dies unexpectedly, the plans that would have protected her and the people of Croftholde die along with him. What’s a widow to do?
Potential salvation arrives in the form of Lord Elmwood, who is fleeing the consequences of using his forbidden Charm to raise the dead. Now he’s injured, destitute, and hiding out at the neighboring estate.
For Hilde, blackmailing Lord Elmwood to resurrect Thorgoode seems like the perfect solution. For Elmwood, beautiful Lady Croft seems like the ideal distraction from his troubles. The problem is, all she wants from him is the horrifying power he knows he can never use again.
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Series: Unnamed series #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance, Cozy Fantasy
Format(s): paperback (432 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: Publisher
RRBC 2026: Cat/Dog on the cover