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How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days DEALS

What do you get when you combine an enemies-to-lovers romcom with a cozy, cottagecore fantasy tale? Well, you get Jessie Sylva’s debut novel, How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days. This charming, cozy fantasy is equal parts humor and heart, providing the reader with warm and fuzzy vibes that are sure to make their Hobbit-loving hearts happy.

Huge thank you to Hachette Book Group for providing an ARC copy of How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days for review. Minor spoiler alert!

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days Plot

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days

by Jessie Sylva

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days

Fantasy Books

by Jessie Sylva

Published 01/20/2026

Pages 352

Publisher Orbit

ISBN: 9780316585910

Details & Buy Options

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is an opposites attract romcom, and kicks off when halfling Pansy arrives at her grandmother’s old cottage that she’s recently inherited to find it already inhabited. The current tenant, a goblin named Ren, has been tasked by their aunt with caring for the cottage and growing crops to feed their clan for years to come.

The history between goblins and halflings is an uneasy one rife with conflict, and – despite an attraction – the two take an immediate dislike to one another. Society dictates that halflings and goblins hate each other, and neither Pansy nor Ren is planning to do anything to change the status quo.

Faced with one another’s stubbornness, the two come to a compromise: they’ll coexist in the cottage, and whoever gives up and leaves first will cede ownership of the property to the other. What follows is a charming battle of wits between them, with each trying to irritate the other party into vacating the cottage permanently.

There it was. Home. One that both was and wasn’t. Only a handful of days had passed and still it didn’t feel real.

However, the more time that Ren and Pansy spend together, the more they come to learn that their preconceived notions have been entirely false. They’ll form a bond that neither of them saw coming, and will have to face prejudices not only from each other, but from those around them.

Cozy Fantasy With A Lesson To Impart On Its Readers

Going into How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days, I expected a sweet, cozy fantasy with some humor and romance as a little bonus. Something warm and welcoming to see me through these snowy months and help me hold out for the spring. I definitely got all of this, but what I didn’t expect was such a beautiful and poignant message about the fear and anger that we can carry for those who are unfamiliar to us.

This story has so many great little moments and details, and several aspects of it made it such an enjoyable read for me

The Characters

As with all great romcoms, much of what makes us love it is the chemistry and banter between the characters. Sylva hits the nail on the head with the leads in this novel. Pansy and Ren are the perfect example of opposites attract, with Pansy the more indecisive and creative counterpart to Ren’s levelheaded sense of responsibility. They also both experience difficulties of not feeling that they belong in the world that they’re from, an element that is relatable to many of us at one point or another in our lives.

Pansy was being trusted with something. And, somehow, that was enough to send her heart skipping a beat. Several beats, in fact.

The progression of their relationship was so sweet and lovely, and I rooted for them from their first interaction. The early days of falling in love – especially for the first time – are exciting while also being entirely confusing, and Jessie Sylva does a fantastic job of letting her characters work their feelings out at their own pace.

The Message

The other strength of How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is its underlying message about prejudice. The tensions between the halflings and goblins stem from years of fighting and preconceived notions about one another, and it’s through Pansy and Ren’s blossoming connection that the two can discover all of the wonderful layers of each other’s cultures and practices.

I loved seeing them find something new to love about the other over the course of several chapters, and there’s a poignancy to watching them have to face their clans and families and help them work through past prejudices towards acceptance and open-mindedness (particularly on the side of the halflings).

Weaknesses

The only aspect that I had some trouble with when reading How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days was with its pacing. I loved the slow burn and build towards a satisfying conclusion for the main parties of the novel, however it did feel like the latter third of the novel jumped headfirst into the declaration of love and a final confrontation between certain characters.

Personally, I would have loved to have had a slightly longer read to have the opportunity to develop some of these moments in more detail, however it’s also possible that the editing process came into play here as well.

As it stands, the overall story and character beats softened the blow for some of the abrupt pacing towards the end of the book. I’m always impressed by a debut novel that keeps me engaged from start to finish, and How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days certainly accomplishes this for me.

Final Thoughts

At its core, How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is a story about self-acceptance and overcoming one’s own prejudices. It’s a charming, cozy fantasy with a genuine slow-burning romance and charming characters. If you enjoy a lighter take on the enemies-to-lovers trope with low stakes and a high payoff, it’s the perfect heartwarming choice for these cold winter months.

It’s a wonderful debut from an exciting new voice in fantasy, and I cannot wait to see what Jessie Sylva gives the reading world next. How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is available January 20th!

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