Where Shadows Bloom, by Catherine Bakewell, is a lush sapphic romantasy set in a world inspired by early-modern Spain and France. The dual-perspective novel follows Ofelia, a noblewoman, and Lope, her knight, as they brave a world ravaged by shadow monsters. The only place safe from the monsters is Le Château Enchanté, the Versailles-inspired home of King Léo, who is said to be blessed by the gods. When they arrive there, however, they are drawn into a mystery that reveals that threatens everything they think they know about the threat to their kingdom.

There’s a lot to love about this book. The centerpiece is the romance. Ofelia and Lope have a deep friendship but are both pining for each other at the start of the book, worried their affections may never be reciprocated. Their relationship is sweet, but not cloyingly so—Bakewell doesn’t hold back from showcasing the disagreements that happen as each girl is on her own coming-of-age journey. Both characters must grow in order to be with each other, but the book’s fairytale atmosphere and their devotion to each other never let the reader fear that they won’t overcome these problems.

Individually, the characters have their own arcs and truly feel unique. Ofelia is a sheltered noblewoman who has spent her life dreaming of Le Château Enchanté from the secluded manor where her mother raised her. When she finally gets there, she has a difficult time seeing past the story she has always been taught, desperate to cling to the idea that everything might still be okay. She longs for connection and safety in a way that is painfully relatable, if a little frustrating to watch play out at certain points.

Lope, a knight, was taken from an orphanage as a young child to train how to fight shadow monsters. She has spent her life being taught to lay down her life for others, and part of her journey is learning to stand up for what she thinks, even if that goes against those she loves. She’s also a poet, and her love poems for Ofelia are interspersed throughout the book, adding an air of whimsy and beauty even in the book’s darker moments.

Indeed, this is fundamentally a book about choosing between a gilded veneer of safety and the dangerous yet truly beautiful real world. It is about two teenage girls figuring out what version of life they are willing to accept, and what they are willing to do and risk to do what is right.

Although there were a couple of things I wish had been different—the book is at least 50 pages longer than it needs to be for the story it’s telling, and the plot is a little predictable toward the middle (though not near the end)—it’s ultimately just a really lovely story about two girls who adore each other but are still trying to figure themselves and the world out. I’d happily recommend it to anybody looking for sapphic pining, fairytale atmospheres, unique coming-of-age stories, or just a very distinctive fantasy world. I’m giving Where Shadows Bloom 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.