Where Shadows Bloom
Published on 26. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-0-06-335909-3 (ISBN)
Description
"A magical blend of romance and whimsy, equal parts devastating and hopeful." -Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning
Fans of Allison Saft and Margaret Rogerson will be swept away into this lush and beguiling sapphic romantasy from the bestselling author of Flowerheart, Catherine Bakewell.
Ofelia has lived her life dreaming of entering Le Chateau Enchante-the mysterious court of the gods-blessed King Leo, where the shadow monsters that roam Ofelia's home never trespass.
Lope has lived her life as a knight, defending Ofelia and her home from Shadows even as she dreams of escaping with Ofelia by her side.
When the Shadows venture too close, Lope and Ofelia are thrust into a journey that will lead them to the heart of the darkness haunting their home: the dazzling and deceptive Chateau Enchante itself.
A mesmerizing daydream with a subtle edge of darkness, Where Shadows Bloom pits terrifying monsters, chilling secrets, capricious gods, immortal kings, and death itself against the unstoppable love between two girls.
Fans of Allison Saft and Margaret Rogerson will be swept away into this lush and beguiling sapphic romantasy from the bestselling author of Flowerheart, Catherine Bakewell.
Ofelia has lived her life dreaming of entering Le Chateau Enchante-the mysterious court of the gods-blessed King Leo, where the shadow monsters that roam Ofelia's home never trespass.
Lope has lived her life as a knight, defending Ofelia and her home from Shadows even as she dreams of escaping with Ofelia by her side.
When the Shadows venture too close, Lope and Ofelia are thrust into a journey that will lead them to the heart of the darkness haunting their home: the dazzling and deceptive Chateau Enchante itself.
A mesmerizing daydream with a subtle edge of darkness, Where Shadows Bloom pits terrifying monsters, chilling secrets, capricious gods, immortal kings, and death itself against the unstoppable love between two girls.
Reviews / Votes
"Flowerheart is like a garden in full bloom: vibrant and sweet, whimsical and wondrous. With warm, lovely prose and a charming cast, Bakewell's YA debut is guaranteed to be fantasy fans' new comfort read." - Allison Saft, New York Times-bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic"A lovely tale full of magic and hope, Flowerheart tells a story of family, of love, and of finding the strength to be wholly ourselves. This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you turn the final page." - Jessica S. Olson, author of A Forgery of Roses
"Sparkly, charming, and swoony, Flowerheart is a warm cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. Bakewell's unique magical world, beautiful prose, and childhood friends-to-strangers-to-lovers romance cast an undeniable spell." - Sasha Peyton Smith, New York Times-bestselling author of The Witch Haven
"A beautiful flower garden of a book, Catherine Bakewell's YA debut is an ode to softness and inner strength. Readers will fall in love with Clara and her determination to protect those she loves." - Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge and Forestfall
"FLOWERHEART bursts with beauty, hope, and warmth. A rich, imaginative fantasy that I savored like wandering through a lush garden I never wanted to leave." - Emily Bain Murphy, author of Splinters of Scarlet
"A gorgeous debut-as fresh and beautiful as the flowers its protagonist grows with her magic." - Cyla Panin, author of Stalking Shadows and Beguiled
"By turns delightful, decadent, and dangerous, Where Shadows Bloom is a captivating sapphic fantasy full of heart and hope. I read it in a breathless gallop and was still shocked by the twists at the end." - Jamie Pacton, bestselling author of The Absinthe Underground
"Storybook-sweet and achingly magical-a sapphic fairytale you will instantly fall for!" - Kika Hatzopoulou, internationally bestselling author of Threads That Bind
"In Where Shadows Bloom, Catherine Bakewell opens a doorway into the vibrant, vicious magic of a Versailles-inspired palace and first love."
- Ivelisse Housman, author of the Unseelie Duology
"Hopeful, poetic, and profoundly romantic, Where Shadows Bloom reads like an enchanting daydream. A beautiful ode to the enduring power of love." - Pascale Lacelle, New York Times & Indie bestselling author of Curious Tides and Stranger Skies
"[Ofelia and Lope's] sapphic romance is delightfully swoony, while the mystery at the heart of Le Chateau Enchante is suitably dark, but with a well-earned happy ending." - Booklist
"In this serene tale of love and longing, Bakewell (Flowerheart) conjures a beguiling setting filled with danger and desire... the result is uniquely magical, romantic, and poetic." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The will-they, won't-they romance told in alternating points of view is delightful, especially since queer romances are nothing taboo in this universe... Love blooms in this well-developed Sapphic high-fantasy adventure." - Kirkus Reviews
"Gorgeous, lyrical, and incredibly emotional, Where Shadows Bloom is a story about love in all its forms-when it's false, when it's real, when it hurts, and when it heals. I cannot recommend this dark daydream of a novel highly enough." - Kamilah Cole, bestselling author of So Let Them Burn
"A magical blend of romance and whimsy, equal parts devastating and hopeful. With a touching, tender slow-burn romance at its core, Where Shadows Bloom is a lovely and rich confection of a book." - Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning
"The glittering balls of Bridgerton meet the dark mystique of magic in this enthralling sapphic love story. Catherine Bakewell's lush and lyrical writing will sweep you away to the exquisite palace of Le Chateau, where dark shadows lurk just beneath the gilded surface. I was utterly enchanted!" - Leslie Vedder, bestselling author of The Bone Spindle trilogy
"Where Shadows Bloom is a lovely dream of a book! Ofelia and Lope's romance is enchanting and sweet from start to finish. Reading this story is like slipping on your favorite sweater and readers will love cozying up in this lush, vivid world." - Erin Cotter, author of By Any Other Name and A Traitorous Heart
"A comfort read with the super cute slow-burn childhood friends-to-lovers trope and an enchanting, whimsical setting." - USA Today
"A mystical, cozy, and utterly spellbinding tale complete with whimsical world-building and characters you can't help but love. It's best read with a warm cup of tea." - barnesandnoble.com
"Bakewell's rendition of a shadow-haunted Underworld gleams with hope and resilience. Where Shadows Bloom is an ode to the transformative power of stories and an utterly romantic love letter to their tellers." - Isabel Agajanian, author of Modern Divination
"Brimming with magic and adventure, Where Shadows Bloom is a tender, romantic exploration of love in all its forms. The slowburn sapphic romance between poetic knight Lope and the endearing lady Ofelia offers readers a delicious, pining friends-to-lovers fairytale of first love in bloom. I was utterly charmed." - Adrienne Tooley, author of Sweet & Bitter Magic
"Where Shadows Bloom is utterly romantic. Every turn of the page brought me deeper into a world that felt like a carefully crafted fairytale. One filled with sharp shadows, long buried secrets, and stolen glances that set my heart ablaze." - Angela Montoya, author of Sinner's Isle
"Dark, enchanting and deeply romantic, Where Shadows Bloom is the sapphic teen fantasy I didn't know I wanted! Catherine Bakewell deftly weaves a story filled with monsters and magic, and two brave girls who will remain with you long after you turn the last page." - Tanaz Bhathena, award-winning author of Hunted by the Sky and A Girl Like That
"Wholesome, sweet, and warm-this book swept me into a magical, whimsical world with delightful characters and compelling stakes. Make a space for FLOWERHEART on your shelves." - Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling author
"An uplifting and meaningful tale bursting with floral imagery and cottagecore aesthetics." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A gentle love story and a fantasy that faces the dark voices of anxiety and depression with mettle." - Kirkus Reviews
"Peppered with moving moments of comfort, self-reflection and joy, Flowerheart is an intimate, charming read." - BookPage
"Perfect for those readers who found Bakewell's middle-grade fantasy We Are the Song (2022) spellbinding." - Booklist Online
"An enchanting fantasy filled with lovely imagery and a sweet romance." - School Library Journal
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Target group
Young adult
US School Grade: Eighth Grade and over, Interest Age: From 13 to 99 years
Dimensions
Height: 200 mm
Width: 135 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
401 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-335909-3 (9780063359093)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Catherine Bakewell is a writer, artist, and opera enthusiast. She has lived in Spain and in France, where she romped through gardens, ate pastries, and worked on her novels. She is also the author of We Are the Song and the bestselling Flowerheart, and you can find her at catherinebakewell.com.