The Folklore of Forever by Sarah Hogle: Book Review

Okay, before we dive in, two important things you need to know about me:

1. I am one of the biggest Sarah Hogle fans alive. You Deserve Each Other isn’t just a favorite — it’s the blueprint. The standard. The holy grail of rom-coms.
   
2. I absolutely did not enjoy Old Flames and New Fortunes, the first book in this series. It just didn’t click for me, and I was low-key heartbroken about it. So when I picked up The Folklore of Forever, I was mentally preparing myself for more disappointment — but also secretly hoping for a miracle.
   

Spoiler: the miracle happened.

The Plot

This story follows Morgan and Zelda, two delightfully awkward weirdos who bumble their way through the magical town of Moonville, ghost-hunting, looking for magical creatures and falling in love. Morgan is desperate to be a witch. Zelda is a witch, but she needs a minute (or a few hundred pages) to truly accept it.

It’s a cozy, whimsical fantasy world where nearly everyone is a little bit magical and everything’s just a tad odd in the best way. Unlike the first book, where the worldbuilding didn’t quite land for me, this time around I fell completely in love with Moonville. The shops, the town lore, the legends, the small magical details — everything felt rich and alive. I was charmed.

If you’re looking for a steamy romance packed with swoony declarations and sexy tension — this ain’t that. But if you’re in the mood for something quieter, quirkier, and sneakily heartfelt? You’re in the right place.

The tone of this book is sweet and funny with just enough emotional weight to make the romance land. Think: slow-burn softness mixed with whimsical magical vibes and lots of “omg they’re so weird but I love them” energy. It’s not fireworks and drama — it’s comfort and connection.

Honestly, it’s kind of the book version of curling up under a blanket with tea while watching a storm roll in. Cozy, with just a dash of chaos.

The Writing

Sarah Hogle’s writing is always a win for me. She writes in first-person present tense, which normally isn’t my thing but somehow, she always makes it work. Her prose is clever, creative, and packed with personality. The banter? Excellent. The inner monologues? Funny and relatable. And when she wants to hit you in the feelings? She knows exactly how to do it.

Every page feels alive with voice and wit, and I found myself highlighting random thoughts just because they made me smile.

The Romance

At first, I was thrown. Morgan seems halfway in love with Zelda immediately (I’m not even kidding, it’s in the first chapter). So, I was bracing for insta-love or at the very least insta-lust. And then a lovely surprise — it didn’t work out that way. There’s a little, tiny twist that makes it all make sense and add a bit of tension to the story. 

Their romance unfolds slowly and gently, full of awkward moments and quiet realizations. It’s not flashy or swoony — it’s soft and weird and surprisingly moving. It works because it’s so different. It fits the world and the characters.

And while it’s not steam-heavy or full of dramatic tension, when the romantic moments do happen, they hit. Because by then, you care.

The Characters

Zelda

Zelda is, no joke, one of the most relatable characters I’ve ever read. I swear Sarah Hogle cracked open my brain, scooped out my thoughts, and put them directly into Zelda’s narration. Her inner world, her thoughts about writing, her odd little observations, the way she interacts with people — all of it felt eerily familiar.

And don’t even get me started on her relationship with the forest. She talks about playing there as a child, inventing stories, imagining magical creatures… That was literally me. I spent my whole childhood doing exactly that, and it felt so special to see it captured here. 

All of that believing in magic more than anyone as a child, but then becoming a skeptic as an adult, needing everything to be proven — that’s me. And I wish someone could swoop in and tell me I have actual magic too. 

I would read ten books about Zelda. No plot needed. Just her wandering around Moonville thinking about weird stuff and being a chaotic little witch.

Morgan

Morgan is a sweetheart. He’s goofy and awkward, endlessly kind, and just a little bit ridiculous — in a charming way. I did have a hard time picturing him at first (because his fashion sense is… odd, let’s just say), but once he settled into the story, I adored him.

What I appreciated most was that, even when the story gets a bit spicier, Morgan didn’t suddenly become this smooth-talking standard romance hero. He stayed Morgan. Still kind. Still silly. Still himself. That consistency made his character feel real and grounded.

The Side Characters

In the first book, the side characters kind of overwhelmed me. There were so many of them and I didn’t feel connected to any. This time around? Total 180. I loved them.

Zelda’s family was especially great—Luna, Trevor, Alex (who I hated in the first book but actually liked here!), and even Goldie.

I’m especially excited to see what happens with Luna. She’s the classic “eldest daughter who holds everything together” and I saw so much of myself in her too. She’s got a story of her own coming, and I’ll be first in line to read it.

Final Thoughts

The Folklore of Forever completely surprised me — in the best way. I went in expecting another letdown, and instead got a soft, magical, heartwarming story that made me laugh, made me feel things, and made me fall completely in love with Moonville and its weird little residents.

If Sarah Hogle wants to keep writing stories about Morgan and Zelda just living their strange little lives together, I will read every single one. Make it a detective-style series. Give me Moonville Mysteries. I’ll take twenty.