How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days

By: Jessie Sylva

Narrated by: Maggie Bain

From debut author Jessie Sylva comes the cozy tale of a halfling and a goblin who must learn to love each other despite their differences. How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is brimming with warmth and popular romance tropes—perfect for fans of The Honey Witch and The Spellshop.

★ “Cozy, heartfelt, and deeply satisfying.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

What if cottagecore and goblincore fell in love?

When a halfling, Pansy, and a goblin, Ren, each think they've inherited the same cottage, they make a bargain: they'll live in the house together and whoever is driven out first forfeits their ownership.

Amidst forced proximity and cultural misunderstandings, the two begin to fall in love.

But when the cottage—and their communities—are threatened by a common enemy, the duo must learn to trust each other, and convince goblins and halflings to band together to oust a tall intruder.

“A wonderful and charming treasure of a book that will warm your heart!” ―Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

“An adorable story that will fulfill your cottagecore dreams.” ―M. Stevenson, author of Behooved

“Cozy fantasy lovers will tuck into this lovely story and want to savor every last morsel.” ―J. Penner, author of A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic

Featured tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Grumpy sunshine
Opposites attract
There’s only one bed

Critic reviews

"Opposites attract when a halfling and a goblin vie for ownership of a forest cottage in Sylva’s utterly enchanting romantasy debut. Underneath the comforting focus on food, home, and fulfillment, Sylva layers in deeper, more complex themes of tradition, obligation, and duty. Pansy wants to challenge how her community perceives her, while Ren, willing to sacrifice almost everything for their clan, must learn to grasp happiness for themself. The result is cozy, heartfelt, and deeply satisfying."—Publishers Weekly (Starred review)

"An adorable delight! This wonderful and charming treasure of a book will warm your heart!" —Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

“How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is an adorable story that will fulfill your cottagecore dreams—and also carries a poignant message about acceptance, belonging, and community. This sweet, cozy tale is the perfect escape for anyone seeking comfort, warmth, and a dash of magic.”
—M. Stevenson, author of Behooved

"Imagine a honey sweet enemies-to-lovers story set in a high fantasy world of hobbits, goblins and wizards. How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is a charming tale that weaves delicious food descriptions, a burgeoning queer romance and cute animal sidekicks with the too often ignored wisdom that embracing differences makes for richer lives. Cozy fantasy lovers will tuck into this lovely story and want to savor every last morsel." —J. Penner, author of A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic

"How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is the cozy, cottagecore fantasy romance of my dreams. It's full of endearing characters and swoonworthy moments where opposites find common ground, acceptance, and love against all odds. Cozy fantasy lovers will adore this charming story."—Jenna Wolfhart, author of Forged by Magic

"How To Lose A Goblin In Ten Days redefines “coziness” in the most romantic and charming manner. Jessie Sylva settles readers into a soothingly familiar world before gently and thoughtfully upending all expectations of it. An utterly lovely and unforgettable book – comforting as freshly-baked shortbread or the softest of moss– that I already want to read again!"
—Sylvie Cathrall, author of A Letter to the Luminous Deep

Very adorable

This cozy fantasy with mild romance was so good to read!! The narrator was wonderful. The characters are worth just listening to.

Cozy, Comfy. and Cultural

This book has all of the warm, cozy vibes you're looking for while also touching on the difficulties of understanding and internalizing cultures apart from your own. The dual perspective keeps things interesting and allows for some very heartwarming moments that lend themselves to the slow burn of this book.

Additionally, the narrator never leaves you guessing on who is speaking, as every role has a unique speaking voice. There are plenty of moments you hear a voice before hearing a character name but you already know who it is due to her professional read.

Incredible experience, well worth the credit if you're on the fence

Very cute

This story was adorable and I really enjoyed it. I need to find more books like this.

Predictable

Meh. Predictable story. Sometimes tedious. Good narrator. I have to write 15 words to submit.

heartwarming and cute

I was skeptical at first strictly on my bias of the title and my love for the movie it references. That being said, I adored this tale of enemies to lovers. If you love cottagecore, goblincore, and romance, then I recommend this book. I listened and was immersed in the story. The characters are relatable and the narrator does a wonderful job at bringing them to life. She also has one of those comfortable voices that soothes and feels like a hug if that makes sense. Super Cute, I'd listen to it/read again.