This fantasy romance is a fun read for older Young Adults or New Adults who want an otherworldly story. THE HONEY WITCH is the secret destiny of Marigold Claude, who is a bored socialite in this alternative 1800s English-style world. Marigold’s grandmother Althea Murr is a hundred years old and knows she will soon die. She seeks out Marigold at her stately home and tells her each first-born daughter of their family is the Honey Witch of Innisfree.

I’m sure some debutantes would have loved to gain such a destiny but didn’t have choices. Marigold’s choice is not easy to make, as she will leave her family and friends, leave her home and take on a curse. Honey witches and Ash witches, who are opposites, are supposed to work together for good purposes. But the last Ash witch cast a curse instead. If Marigold accepts the role, nobody will ever love her.

Despite this theme, or because of it, the story becomes a gay romance. Lottie Burke, a young woman who lives near Innisfree where Marigold practices, arrives with a mutual friend, August, whose boyfriend has left him. They are looking for guidance on finding soulmates – well, August is, as Lottie doesn’t believe in magic and gets headaches just from being near the bees on the island. Marigold agrees to help, but as she’s quite lonely, she invites them to stay for a while. Trouble starts.

We get some lovely descriptive writing about the Bardshire house and balls, Aster and Frankie, who are Marigold’s sister and brother, and the island with its streams and meadow honey. The story is quite slow to kindle suspense, however, with just sinister premonitions for some time, and no visible antagonist. Marigold has to study and make honey and herbal remedies, which would be the lot of many young readers, with or without the potions. Then matters do start to go badly wrong, so it’s like Twilight which also has a slow start (in the book).

Sydney J. Shields has included several tropes in THE HONEY WITCH, but I guess it’s fine if you haven’t read them before – the one inn room left with one bed, trope, for instance. I thought Marigold was selfish – a witch has to help people, yet at one point she’s so mopey she won’t see customers for months. The cast list is quite short, and Marigold sees nothing wrong with being rude to a pleasant young man at a ball when people of wealth generally instill good manners in children. I’d have liked to see more of that gentleman, but alas, no. Everyone needs friends, Marigold.