The Faraway Inn
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn—only to discover that the fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret—in this cozy and irresistible new young adult fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.
This stunning first edition of The Faraway Inn features gorgeous designed edges!
“Frosted with whimsy and sprinkled with joy, The Faraway Inn is a testament to why Sarah Beth Durst is the queen of cozy fantasy!”—Tricia Levenseller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Darkness Within Us
When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.
To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B—and its guests. 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 before it’s too late.
This stunning first edition of The Faraway Inn features gorgeous designed edges!
“Frosted with whimsy and sprinkled with joy, The Faraway Inn is a testament to why Sarah Beth Durst is the queen of cozy fantasy!”—Tricia Levenseller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Darkness Within Us
When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.
To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B—and its guests. 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 before it’s too late.
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Community Reviews
This is the book equivalent of stepping into a warm, glowing inn after a long walk in the cold. Cozy, kind, and quietly magical. Durst writes the kind of fantasy that feels like a hug, but it never gets fluffy. There’s real heart here, about chosen family, second chances, and the small everyday magic of taking care of people.
I loved how lived-in the world feels. The inn itself is a character, full of creaks and secrets and soft light, and every guest brings a little story that slots perfectly into the bigger warmth of the place. It’s gentle without being slow, and hopeful without being naive.
If you loved The Spellshop, this hits the same sweet spot but with more doors opening to elsewhere. No spoilers, but I closed this book feeling calmer than when I started it, which is exactly why I read cozy fantasy. Instant comfort reread.
So The Faraway Inn said: “What if we gave you heartbreak, a rundown B&B, a suspiciously grumpy aunt, and cottage core vibes… but like… slowly.”
We follow Calisa, who escapes a trash ex (love that for her) and heads to Vermont for what she thinks will be a wholesome, Nancy Drew-meets-Hallmark summer.
Instead, she gets:
• an inn that’s one strong breeze away from becoming a memory
• an aunt who absolutely did NOT RSVP to her arrival
• and a magical mystery that takes its sweet Southern Sunday time to show up
Now listen—I liked this book. The atmosphere? Immaculate. Cozy-core to the max. I could practically smell the pine trees and dust. The characters are charming in that “you’re a little odd but I’ll allow it” kind of way, and yes, there is a handsome groundskeeper’s son because of course there is.
BUT…
This book is a slow burn…and not the fun, tension-filled kind. More like “I blinked and we’re still describing the inn’s curtains” kind. The magic takes a while to really kick in, and I found myself going, “Okay but can the secret maybe hurry up and be revealed before I age alongside the furniture?”
That said, once things do pick up, it’s genuinely sweet and satisfying. It’s giving found family, healing era, and soft magic with low stakes and warm fuzzies.
If you want a fast-paced fantasy, this ain’t it.
If you want cozy, slightly chaotic, magical inn vibes with a side of emotional recovery…you’ll probably enjoy the ride (just pack snacks for the pacing).
Many thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this review copy!
We follow Calisa, who escapes a trash ex (love that for her) and heads to Vermont for what she thinks will be a wholesome, Nancy Drew-meets-Hallmark summer.
Instead, she gets:
• an inn that’s one strong breeze away from becoming a memory
• an aunt who absolutely did NOT RSVP to her arrival
• and a magical mystery that takes its sweet Southern Sunday time to show up
Now listen—I liked this book. The atmosphere? Immaculate. Cozy-core to the max. I could practically smell the pine trees and dust. The characters are charming in that “you’re a little odd but I’ll allow it” kind of way, and yes, there is a handsome groundskeeper’s son because of course there is.
BUT…
This book is a slow burn…and not the fun, tension-filled kind. More like “I blinked and we’re still describing the inn’s curtains” kind. The magic takes a while to really kick in, and I found myself going, “Okay but can the secret maybe hurry up and be revealed before I age alongside the furniture?”
That said, once things do pick up, it’s genuinely sweet and satisfying. It’s giving found family, healing era, and soft magic with low stakes and warm fuzzies.
If you want a fast-paced fantasy, this ain’t it.
If you want cozy, slightly chaotic, magical inn vibes with a side of emotional recovery…you’ll probably enjoy the ride (just pack snacks for the pacing).
Many thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this review copy!
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