Review of Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Title: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter.
Author: Heather Fawcett.
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy.
Year Published: 2026
My Rating: 4/5
Blurb:
A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montreal turns to a grouchy but charming wizard to help save the shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series.
Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life—and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a much-needed cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for lost cats.
But after she is forced to move the cat shelter, Agnes learns that her new landlord is using her charity as a front—for an internationally renowned and thoroughly disreputable magic shop. Owned by the disorganized—not to mention self-absorbed, irritating, but also decidedly handsome—Havelock Renard, magician and failed Dark Lord, the shop draws magical clientele from around the world, partly due to the quality of Havelock’s illicit goods as well as their curiosity about his shadowy past and rumors of his incredible powers. Agnes's charity offers the perfect cover for illegal magics.
Agnes couldn’t care less about the shop—magical intrigue or not, there are cats to be rescued. But when an enemy from Havelock’s past surfaces, the magic shop—and more importantly, the cat shelter—are suddenly in jeopardy. To save the shelter, will Agnes have to set aside her social conscience and protect the man who once tried to bring about the apocalypse—and is now trying to steal her heart?
Review:
"A cat is the soul of a home."
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter is an enchanting and cosy tale in which the recently widowed Agnes Aubert desperately strives to keep her cat shelter open.
34-year-old Agnes is furiously detail-oriented and organised, yet humble and endearing. She cares about others - human and non-human - almost to a fault. She would do anything for her sister and the stray cats of Montreal (and a certain dark magician...) and is dedicated to being benevolent.
She endeavours to find a new spot for the already struggling cat shelter after her current location was blasted open by a couple of tempestuous magicians' explosive duel.
Agnes finds herself drawn to a particular shop and becomes the tenant of a seemingly absent and enigmatic landlord, who she quickly finds out is the notorious 'Witch King', the moniker of Havelock Renard. He, and his fellow magicians, are widely hated as he allegedly brought on the temporary apocalypse a few years ago.
Havelock is mysterious, charming and sardonic, choosing to study magical artefacts and read in solitude. I enjoyed his and Agnes's sharp wit as they bantered; their relationship was charming and heart-warming, especially after Agnes's recent loss of her husband. However, since their romance was a bit of a slow burn, I felt a little more of their romance could have been shown. Regardless, I enjoyed their relationship and the slow, budding romance thereof.
I also thought Elise - Agnes's sister - was a fun character. She was extroverted and assertive, yet entertaining and charming. She clearly loves her sister and allows Agnes to be her caring and loving self and providing much needed help for the cats, without letting her become a doormat.
I can't believe it took me this long in the review to write about the cats (which is mostly the reason requested the book)! I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse cast of cats. Fawcett has clearly owned cats in her life; each cat has a distinct personality and offers small glimpses into the lives of cat owners. Each anecdote relayed that cats are not pests or annoyances, but distinct personalities that can comfort you or make you laugh. Agnes tries to reflect this notion to the customers of her cat shelter and convince the citizens of Montreal that joy is to be found in the comfort of cat ownership.
I loved the feisty yet fickle His Majesty; his name a true glance into cat ownership. He is a burly and demanding beast, who likes to bully the silently screaming Banshee. However, she doesn't react to the bullying because she appears to have one braincell. I also wanted to cuddle the senior sweetheart Thoreau through the page!
I found the book to be an enjoyable read and found myself very cosy reading it - especially with a cat on my lap! However, the novel was not completely low-stakes. The villains were formidable and dangerous; putting both the shelter and the world at risk. In the same vein, I believed the magic system and intriguing and novel - spells have to be enchanted onto items. These items - named Artefacts - are usually in the form of jewellery and worn, so that they can be easily cast. I enjoyed how glam and 'extra' this made the magicians feel.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would recommend it to any cosy literature enjoyers (and cat lovers)!
PS a prequel focusing on Alice, when?
Thank you NetGalley and Inklore for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.