The first book in Stacey McEwan’s romantasy series The Artisan Trilogy, A Forbidden Alchemy, has found fans at NYT Books. The prestigious book review outlet, a highlight for New York Times readers, released its list of the best hidden gem books of 2025. McEwan, the Australian author who gained notoriety through TikTok’s BookTok community, joins powerhouse authors like Rebecca Yarros, whose books mix elements of romance and fantasy and dominate bestseller lists.
As part of its year-end reviews, NYT Books just named the first book in the author’s new romantasy series one of the best hidden gems of 2025. Jennifer Harlan, service editor of NYT Books, writes, “With a new romantasy series launching seemingly every week, they can all start to blur together. So it is a real joy to discover something original that blends the genre’s drama and spice with imaginative world-building and political relevance.”
Harlan goes on to call A Forbidden Alchemy “a gripping saga about two soul mates who meet as children, uncover a government conspiracy and then, as adults, find themselves on opposite sides of a civil war.”
Goodreads readers give the book a 4.27 rating, with over 8,000 readers awarding it a five-star review.
“I have thought about this book approximately three times a day, every day, since I first read it. A romantasy with a class system rift, a rebellion, a torturous love story, and dual POV,” said one Goodreads reader.
Another added, “This. Book. Is. Stunning.”
Related: Goodreads Reveals Its Most-Read Book of 2025
About the Author and Publication Details
A Forbidden Alchemy was first published on July 1, 2025, and is the first book in McEwan’s trilogy. McEwan hails from Australia’s Gold Coast. A former classroom teacher for eleven years, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author is now a full-time writer.
Praise From Authors and Celebrities
@staceymcewanbooksARRRGHHHHHHHHHH!!! PATRICK MY BOY! HOLD ON! HELP IS ON THE WAY! I’m so excited to have this book in your hands on July 14 2026. Preorders are open now for this beautiful deluxe edition with coloured map end papers and stencilled edges for the first print run only. Which means no delays my besties! Secure it now. Also, a cheeky sneak peak of AFP and some Patrick goodness is available on Cosmo’s website. Find all the links on my page! ? #booktok
♬ original sound - staceymcewanbooksA Forbidden Alchemy has already accrued its own set of fans, including New York Times bestselling author Raven Kennedy, who describes the book as a “story has mettle, raw heart, and inescapable magnetism.”
Amber V. Nicole, a USA Today bestselling author, writes, “McEwan once again delivers a high-stakes fantasy that not only keeps you on the edge of your seat but squeezes your heart until it bleeds.”
Former Grey’s Anatomy and 27 Dresses star Katherine Heigl is also a fan, stating, “This book will haunt me. Storytelling on this level is just remarkable.”
A Forsaken Prophecy, the second book in McEwan's trilogy,is scheduled for release on July 14, 2026.
Related: The New York Times Unveils Its 10 Best Books of 2025
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