Fiction Books Featuring Herbalists and Herbalism

Ready to dive into some reading that’s as comforting as a cozy evening and as fresh as a bundle of handpicked herbs?

We asked, and you delivered! We went on the hunt for the best fiction books featuring our favorite green-thumbed heroes—herbalists. Whether you’re in the mood for a historical adventure, a journey through fantastical realms, or a contemporary story that feels oh-so-real, these page-turners are guaranteed to sweep you off your feet.

Our readers have shared their most-loved herbal novels—the ones that made their hearts race, their minds wander, and their love for all things leafy grow even stronger. So, grab your favorite reading spot, a cup of herbal tea, and get ready to explore the art of herbalism in all its storybook splendor.

Here are the top picks from our community of herbal enthusiasts—perfect for savoring by the pool, in your garden, or wherever you find your reading bliss. Enjoy the stories, and may they inspire you to see your herbal practice in a whole new light! The titles with asterisks were the top picks submitted by our readers.

Note that this list is purely crowd-sourced, unlike our other book lists, which our staff has personally vetted. We haven’t read all these books and can’t attest to their quality, authenticity, tone, or content. Please let us know if you find anything problematic about any of these titles, including non-disclosed AI-authorship.

• Accidental Alchemist series by Gigi Pandian
• A Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs
• All Souls series by Deborah Harkness
• An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
• The Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen
• Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuel
• The Birth House by Ami McKay *
• Blackthorn & Grim series by Juliet Marillier
• Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland by Lisa Schneidau
• Brightfall by Jaime Lee Moyer
• The Brown Mountain Light series by CC Tillery
• The Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters *
• The China Bayles Herbal Mysteries series by Susan Wittig Albert *
• Circe by Madeline Miller *
• Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M. Auel * (check for triggers)
• Corrag by Susan Fletcher
• The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy (Dark Witch, Shadow Spell, and Blood Magic) by Nora Roberts
• The Dalriada Trilogy by Jules Watson
• Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier * (check for triggers)
• The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
• The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk *
• Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon *
• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen *
• Hamnet and Judith by Maggie O’Farrell
• The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter
• The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
• The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
• Juniper by Monica Furlong
• Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See *
• The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
• The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner *
• The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
• The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
• The Midwife’s Touch by Sue Harrison
• The Mistress of Spices: A Novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• My Notorious Life by Kate Manning * (check for triggers)
• The Owl Service by Alan Garner
• Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon *
• Pomegranate Soup: A Novel by Marsha Mehran
• Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman *
• Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
• Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan (young adult)
• The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
• Silver Creek Bodyguard by Lindsay McKenna (written by one of our current students!)
• The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield
• The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen
• Weyward by Emilia Hart *
• Wise Child by Monica Furlong
• Witch Light by Susan Fletcher
• Wilderness series by Sara Donati
• The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
• The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston
• Wildwood Whispers and Wildwood Magic by Willa Reece
• Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks