Review of A New Witch in the Northwoods by Elise Posledini
Published by: Ten 16 Press
Publication date: September 22, 2026
Length: 374 pages
Genre: Romantic/fantasy
Reviewed by: Gloria Johntel
“The devils that you’re safest with are those that know you best”
If magical, mysterious, and dreamy fantasy romance is your niche, then Elise Posledini’s A New Witch in the Northwoods is the cozy fall read you’ve been looking for!
Mary wants to start fresh. Her grandpa died and left her his house on the outskirts of Mountain, a small town in the Wisconsin Northwoods. With her inheritance, Mary opens a coffee shop in Mountain. But, for as much as she enjoys her new life and new career, Mary feels pulled to explore the woods behind her grandfather’s house—the woods her grandfather had always told her never to venture into.
So, one afternoon, Mary cautiously enters that woods… and steps through a portal into the beautiful land of the Other, a land filled with creatures changed by magic—some good, and some not so good. For, also in the land of magic, Mary meets the charming vampire, Ruthven, who has been out for her family’s blood since before she was born.
As Mary learns to harness her magic, she makes new friends, learns more about her family history, and begins to fall in love with Andras the demon, the keeper of the portal between worlds. Together, the two of them must enlist the help of other magic users to come up with a plan to keep Ruthven at bay.
A New Witch in the Northwoods is a refreshing story that focuses not just on romance, but also on fantasy and world-building. As Mary walks down the streets of the Other Mountain, the reader walks alongside her, taking in the blue lights, the smell of woodsmoke, the grumblings of the dwarvish passer-by.
Descriptions of places and people weave seamlessly into the fabric of the storytelling. While Posledini doesn’t spend as much time lingering on the aesthetic of Mountain and the coffee chop that Mary owns, she portrays enough of Mary’s “regular” life to give the reader a stark juxtaposition between worlds. As Mary goes back and forth between the Other and the human world, she learns more about herself, grows in her abilities, and deepens her relationship with Andras.
Mary’s arc of growth is not blatant but gradual, and as she develops, Andras also changes. Their love story is sweet and full of wonder as they come from two such different backgrounds. The author writes this exploration well, including a lively cast of supporting characters in the new friends that Mary makes, both in the human world and the Other. The supporting characters add depth to Andras and Mary’s relationship as well as adding flavor, suspense, and dimension to the plot. The romance feels particularly believable as it experiences its ups and downs, triumphs, trials, and moments of forgiveness and sacrifice, as true love should.
Overall, A New Witch in the Northwoods is an engaging, fun read with just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages. The romance is sweet and slow without being overpowering, and its conclusion has a satisfying twist.
