How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days

• Author: Jessie Sylva
• Genre: Cozy Romantasy
• Publication Date: January 20, 2026
• Publisher: Orbit

Thank you to Orbit for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days is a comfort read fantasy romance between a halfling and a goblin: imagine a classic opposites-attract romcom taking place in those cosy scenes in the hobbits’ Shire from The Lord of the Rings. Expect magical forests, interfering wizards, lots of home cooking, and maybe even a kiss at the Harvest dance…

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 the tall intruder.

Perfect for fans of cosy fantasy novels including Legends and Lattes, The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Lord of the Rings.

The title of this book is fully responsible for my having requested a copy. After reading the summary, I couldn’t help but be even more interested in the story. The summary is a little different on the ARC I received, but the best way that I could explain this is as a queer, opposites-attract, romcom set in a cozy fantasy world inspired by the Shire from Tolkien. I can’t help but mention that I misplaced the book one afternoon and asked my mother if she had seen my book. She asked what it was called and I told her, trailing off at the end and realizing the irony as I pointed out, ‘I guess I know the answer now.’

I was pulled into the story right away, and soon realized that was so good and a perfect read for me that I couldn’t read it quickly—this is one of those books that I have no choice but to savor. It is impressive that this is a debut author, because Sylva’s writing is beautiful and perfectly suited to this cozy fantasy romcom without reading as overly flowery or sparse. The tropes that are featured in this book are done beautifully, but to be honest, these are some of my favorite romance tropes. 

Opposites attract and forced proximity are utilized to perfection in this story, where a halfling and a goblin both think they’ve inherited a cottage, only to create a wager to see who breaks and leaves first. Yet both Pansy and Ren are depending on this cottage for different reasons. For Pansy, it’s to escape a confining village where she doesn’t fit in and has her every move scrutinized and judged, while for Ren, they need to be caretaker of the cottage so they can ensure that their clan has enough food. This leads to two very determined individuals who refuse to give up no matter what.

The halflings in this story read as similar to hobbits, especially as portrayed in the movie, which made me want to like them. However, they have a lot of prejudice against goblins, relying on stereotypes instead of knowledge of them. Although Ren also has heard some stereotypes about halflings, they seem more able to put aside bias and they’re more open to learning about the halflings. I wasn’t surprised at all to find myself empathizing more strongly with the goblins, especially once we get to know a few of them. I struggled with how thoughtless and judgmental Pansy is towards Ren initially, although I like how Sylva explored how simply learning more about others with an open mind can really change perception. 

As Pansy and Ren become accustomed to each other, the romance between them slowly grew, and I loved watching it unfold. They discover that they have things in common, and each seems to be talented in an area the other isn’t as skilled with. Seeing them integrate into each other’s life made it clear that these two were a perfect match, even if they are completely opposite in almost every way. Watching the two of them realize this and start to see the positives in each other was wonderful.

“In the dark, goblins were supposed to be terrifying, a flash of claws and equally sharp teeth. And yet, looking at Ren now, all Pansy could think, with a breathless sort of helplessness, was, Gods, they’re gorgeous.”

I especially liked that there was a lot going on in the story. We’ve got Pansy and her own issues, Ren and theirs, plus their community at large and a shady wizard. All of this adds up to keep the story interesting and fast-paced. Although the fantasy, particularly cozy fantasy elements were outstanding, they never overshadowed the romance at the heart of the story. 

Overall, this was one of the most enjoyable stories that I’ve read in a while. I loved the setting and the premise. Ren won me over quickly, and it was nice to see non-binary people portrayed in such a normalized way. It took me a little longer to love Pansy, but once I got to know her a bit and realize that she was acting out of ignorance instead of malice. The romance felt as though it developed naturally, slowly heating up until the romantic tension between these two was practically visible. This is a clean book, and the romance doesn’t move past kissing, but the author ensured that the romance shines as a genuine attraction to the other once they know them, prioritizing romance over lust. A fun and fast-paced read, I had a great time with this one, and was rooting for these two to get together from the start.

Bottom line: This is an outstanding debut with cozy fantasy and queer romance elements that were well-done, along with some great humor.

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