A Goblet of Guises and GooseberriesA Goose Girl Retelling
A basket of berries, a dash of wild goose chases, and an identity swap that is nothing to honk about.
Princess Emaline has waited long enough for her betrothed’s family to invite her into their kingdom after the lengthy acquisition of a workers’ agreement. Accompanied by her new handmaiden and joined by a freeloading goose who rides valiantly on the carriage roof, Emaline is eager to explore her new kingdom–until her first exploration gets up close and personal with a local mud puddle.
A less-than-cordial exchange with their goose stalker leaves Emaline completely unsuitable to meet her future in-laws. In a desperate attempt to save face, her handmaiden kindly offers to greet the royals in her honor. Which would have been a grand solution had they not mistaken the polite maid for Princess Emaline…
Muddy, lost, and ready to pluck a goose, Emaline hunts for a discreet place to tidy up before rescuing her maid from the mix-up. But during her hunt for clean water, she stumbles onto the slave master's property and is taken in as a new worker. With no way to prove her identity or get in touch with her maid, Emaline must rely on the help of a smooth-talking farmhand who just so happens to be head over boots for the new princess. Now tasked with making the gooseberry wine for her own table, can Emaline reclaim her crown? Or is it all destined to be a wild goose chase?
A Goblet of Guises and Gooseberries, a retelling of the Goose Girl is a standalone novella, filled with Identity Swaps, Crazed Geese, Forbidden Romance, and a Cozy Berry Farm Setting. It is part of The Enchanting Confections series, a collection of clean and cozy stories guaranteed to delight your sweet tooth.
Abigail Manning
Abigail Manning writes fantasy with the comforting warmth of a bedtime story and the sense of wonder that first draws readers into magical worlds. Her novels are filled with enchanted kingdoms, hidden destinies, courageous heroines, and romances that unfold amid adventure, creating stories that feel inspired by the fairy tales many readers grew up loving while still offering surprises of their own.
Rather than treating classic folklore as something fixed and untouchable, she approaches it as a living tradition. Familiar legends become starting points rather than boundaries. A tale that once seemed complete may reveal an entirely different perspective, a forgotten character, or a new path through a magical realm. This creative curiosity has become one of the defining qualities of her work, allowing her to craft fantasy romances that feel both recognizable and refreshingly original.
Enchanting Confections
There is something comforting about a small-town bakery, the scent of fresh pastries drifting through the air, familiar faces gathering each morning, and recipes passed down through generations. Enchanting Confections takes that warmth and adds a touch of magic, creating a cozy fantasy mystery series where every treat may hold a secret and every day brings the possibility of the unexpected.
Enchanting Confections consists of ten primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Reviews and Comments
I LOVED this Goose Girl Retelling and it has become my new favorite retelling of this story! Both Princess Emaline & her handmaiden Corrine are wonderful characters and I liked that the handmaiden isn't the villain in this story but that she is acting out of concern for Emaline's safety and they have a sincere and caring relationship between them. The goose in this story is also a great trouble maker that creates a lot of at times amusing problems for Emaline. I also really enjoyed getting to know the character Dane and his interactions with Emaline while she was a servant. The last chapter of the story was really sweet and wrapped things up on such a wonderful note. I haven't read Burning Snow: A Retelling of The Little Match Girl & The Snow Queen about Safara (Emaline's younger sister) but it is on my TBR List.