The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn--but this fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret--in this cozy and irresistable new fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop. Sixteen-year-old Calisa is desperate for a change of scenery after her lying ex ruins her perfect Brooklyn summer. When her parents suggest she head to rural Vermont to help her great- aunt run her cozy bed and breakfast for a few months, she jumps at the chance. But when Calisa arrives at the B&B, she's shocked to find a rundown inn with only a handful of guests. And to make matters worse, upon meeting with her great-aunt it quickly becomes clear that Calisa was not invited. Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn...even if it is clear she needs the help. To earn her keep, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper's (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the more it becomes evident that there is something strange about the B&B-and its residents. Something almost... otherworldly. The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she's come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth of it, and her aunt, before it's too late.

Takeaway:

A sweet, low‑stakes cozy fantasy about healing, belonging, and a mysterious inn in the woods. Perfect if you want something quick, gentle, and magical, even if the characters and plot stay on the simpler side.

Review:

In The Faraway Inn, Calisa is desperate to escape the heartbreak of catching her high school boyfriend cheating on her. Her moms send her to help her great‑aunt run a secluded inn deep in the forest, a place Calisa quickly realizes is far stranger than it first appears. Her aunt doesn’t want her there, reluctantly allowing her to stay for only three days. Determined to prove she belongs, Calisa throws herself into every task she can find, hoping to earn a place for the whole summer.

But the inn has secrets. Calisa can feel that something is off, even if she can’t quite name it. When her aunt suddenly disappears, Calisa is thrust into a quiet mystery that forces her to uncover what the inn really is and what it needs from her.

Overall, The Faraway Inn is a pleasant, cozy read. The prose is simple and the plot stays light, and while I wished for more depth in both the characters and the worldbuilding, the story still has charm. My favorite character was actually the mirror, which brought a fun spark of personality to the narrative. If you enjoy cozy fantasy that’s sweet, quick, and easy to sink into, this one fits the bill.

Dazzled by Books

Search This Blog