Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant.

As punishment, she is turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the Great Library of Alyssium. When, years later, Terlu wakes up, she finds herself on a nearly deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. The only other human on the island is a grumpy – but surprisingly sweet – gardener.

He offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes and freshly baked honey cakes – at least until she’s ready to sail home. But Terlu can’t return, and doesn’t want to. And when she learns that the magic that sustains the greenhouses is failing – causing the death of everything within them – Terlu knows she must stay and help.

Even if that means breaking the law again. Assisted by the gardener, a sentient rose, and a winged cat, Terlu must uncover the spell that will save the island – and possibly also find herself a fresh chance at love and happiness along the way.