I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Widow's Charm by Caitlyn Paxson Published by Del Rey on March 31 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Delightful and charming from start to finish, A Widow’s Charm melds magic, high stakes and relatable characters into a story that perfectly balances comedy and romance.
A Widow’s Charm surprised me in so many ways, and I ended up absolutely loving it. First, I thought this was going to be a contemporary fantasy, but it’s actually set in a secondary fantasy world in a time period similar to the Middle Ages. Debut author Caitlyn Paxson sets her story in a world with magic—some people have “Charms” and are able to do various magical things—but using Charms could send you to prison or worse, so most people keep them secret. Paxson’s core idea is intriguing but simple: a woman’s husband dies, which leaves her at risk for losing her title and home, until she meets a man with a Charm that could save her: he can resurrect the dead. You can see where this is going! With fully developed characters, hilarious antics and perfect comedic timing, Paxson delivers a funny, sweet, sexy and unforgettable tale.
Lady Hildegarde Croft lives a fairly simple, happy life with her husband Lord Thorgoode, until one day she stumbles upon Thorgoode’s body in the street. Horrified at what might happen to her if anyone finds out about his death, she takes his body home to Croftholde and hides it in the cellar. Hilde has a Charm and can keep things fresh, for example, she can imbue new life into moldering fruits and vegetables. She needs to come up with a plan, so in the meantime, she uses her Charm to keep Thorgoode’s body fresh as well. She tells people he’s away on business, hoping to stall the inevitable.
We also meet Lord Erol Elmwood, a man on the run for exposing the exploits of the Harrier, a cruel Lord who also knows that Elmwood used his Charm illegally in battle. Elmwood and his lawyer and good friend Winthrop find themselves in the town of Eldmere, when Elmwood stumbles upon an alluring woman. Hilde has heard about the infamous Lord Elmwood, and his sudden appearance near her property gives her an idea: convince him to use his Charm to bring Thorgoode back to life, thus saving her and her house staff from destitution.
But Elmwood turns out to be uncooperative and refuses to help. When the Harrier—who just happens to be Thorgoode’s brother—pays a visit to Croftholde and demands to speak to Thorgoode, Hilde knows her time is running out. Can she keep her head and use her wiles to sway the handsome Lord Elmwood? Or will she end up falling for him instead?
Paxson has a big talent for writing sparkling characters and wonderfully entertaining dialog. I literally laughed my way through A Widow’s Charm, it was so funny. The author starts off with a bang when Hilde and Elmwood first meet. Elmwood, who is very horny and used to women falling at his feet, thinks Hilde is flirting with him. He’s looking for his little dog Rollo when he meets her:
“Ah, yes, I see. Your badger hound is stuck in my crevasse.”
His neck grew hot. Was she…flirting with him? By means of bawdy innuendo? When was the last time someone had made him blush?…He quirked an eyebrow.
“In truth, I don’t think my badger hound is stuck in your crevasse, precisely. I think he dove into it willingly and is reluctant to withdraw.”
(It’s even funnier when you realize a “badger hound” is what we would call a dachshund…)😂
Unfortunately for Elmwood, Hilde has no idea what he’s talking about, and their awkward meet cute sets the tone for the rest of the story. Misunderstandings, refusals, and heated arguments finally give way to a very sweet, slow burn romance that doesn’t take the expected path but developes naturally. I loved that both characters tell the other “no” at different times—and they listen to each other! Elmwood is sort of a hot mess when the story begins. He has no self esteem, he’s mortified by some of the things he’s done with his Charm, and he believes he’s better off dead. Hilde is desperate to bring Thorgoode back to life, and she does some questionable things in order to convince Elmwood to help her. They aren’t perfect by any means, but they are human, and because of that I ended up loving them both.
Every chapter seems to bring a new wrinkle to Hilde’s plan, for example, when a young woman named Lady Isobel shows up claiming to be engaged to Elmwood! These perfectly timed shenanigans made the pages fly by and I could not stop reading. I also loved the way Hilde and Elmwood are constantly interrupted (at the worst possible time!) by other characters barging into the room. At times I was a little annoyed by Hilde’s inability to come up with a Plan B (knowing that Elmwood wasn’t going to resurrect her husband), but luckily the servants turned out to be very smart and played a big part in saving the day.
I do need to address Elmwood’s adorable badger hound Rollo, since dog lovers may be concerned for his wellbeing. Small spoiler alert: I will say I was shocked by something that happens to him, but ultimately Rollo turns out just fine in the end. If you are a savvy reader (even reading this review), you may be able to put the pieces together for yourself. But let’s just say the final chapter warmed my heart and made me cry—in a good way.
And speaking of a warm heart, A Widow’s Charm is infused with warmth, despite the fear of a never-ending (and frankly unnecessary) war playing out in the background. After Hilde gets over her “blackmail” plan to force Elmwood to do something he’s not comfortable with, she realizes how awful she’s been and begins to treat him with kindness and respect. “Kindness” seems to be a theme that runs through the story—the way the characters treat each other, the empathy that Hilde shows towards Elmwood after hearing about his traumatic experience in the war, and the way the characters think about themselves last and others first.
I realize I’ve barely talked about the side characters at all, but I fear this review is becoming too long, so I’ll leave you to meet Han, Winthrop, Thorgoode, Lady Isobel and the rest for yourself. Rest assured each one is a wonderful addition to the story. I was thrilled to reach the end of A Widow’s Charm, only to discover that there will be another book set in the same world! Rogue Charmers will feature two of the side characters in this book, as they embark on their own romance amidst new challenges. This truly is a gem of a story, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Okay, I have to read this now! It sounds wonderful and I could use a good laugh!
It was so funny, definitely worth reading!
Sounds good. Adding it to my tbr.
Enjoy!
This sounds sweet and really fun! I’ll need to look for this one at the library. Great review!
Thank you! You won’t regret reading it:-)
A Five star fantasy read. I’ll definitely need to look at this one.
It was so entertaining and well written!
Okay, you’ve convinced me. I need to meet Rollo as well as the remainder of the characters in this book. Not what I was expecting either, but it sounds really good. Great review!
I love being surprised, and this was a great surprise:-)
Sounds cute!
It was cute and funny:-)
I’ll definitely have to give this one a shot!
You should, it’s lots of fun!
This sounds amazing! Wish I had read your review before I started another book earlier today, which isn’t going well so far lol. Maybe it’s not too late to switch…
I say set it aside and grab this one!
It’s always fun reading your reviews when it’s obvious how much you enjoyed the story. 🙂 And I like when the setup of a story appears so obvious and straightforward, and yet either in spite of or because of that it ends up being a fantastic read.
This was a gushing review I guess, lol:-)
I’m so glad this isn’t contemporary, the fact that it’s in a secondary magical medieval world increases the chances that I’ll love it more too! The setup is also so intriguing and now I’m even more interested in reading this!
It was so well written, I hope you get the chance to check it out!
I love the sound of this – I need to pick up a copy with urgency!
Lynn 😀
Yes! You will love it.
I could use a charming and read. This sounds delightfully fun. 😀
I hope you get the chance to read it!
OMG that quote! I see why you use the term sparkling Tammy! And I am also adding that one to my TBR because it fits my taste to a T!
I think you would love it!
This sounds adorable!
It was!
Im glad you enjoyed this one so much. I’ve found cosy fantasy a bit hit and miss so far so I was intrigued by the premise in theory but not too sure how it would work for me. Your review has left me eager to give it a try though. The banter sounds wonderful and the quote you’ve shared made me laugh. I hope you love the next one just as much.
Thanks Charlotte. I was surprised by how well it worked for me:-)
This sounds like fun, I’m glad you enjoyed it. And great cover too!
I do love the cover:-)
Can’t say this was on my radar, but reading your review made me compare it to SWORDHEART by T. Kingfisher. I don’t think you’ve read that, right? I wonder if A WIDOW’S CHARM might be the kind of cozy-ish fantasy I can get behind…one with a little bit of plot!
i have heard other readers compare it to Swordheart, so now I have to read that of course! (I haven’t read it yet)
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one as much as I did! What a lovely review, Tammy:). I gobbled it up in one sitting and then felt miserable, because I wanted more. When I read the blurb, it gave me Kingfisher vibes and it did remind me of Swordheart – which is my favourite Kingfisher book to date. Brilliant debut and I’m hoping for more from this author very soon!
I’m so glad we agree! I will keep an eye out for your review:-)
Beautiful cover, and it sounds like it had a lot going on, but that it was very good. Great review!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/03/26/l-l-l-little-reviews-march-2026/
This is an amazing review! I have this book waiting for me and now I am sooo eager to get to it!! It sounds like a ton of fun, and I love warm and kind books. And the dog, too!!! *_*
I can’t really wait to meet all these interesting characters!!