Introverts Retreat is a book subscription box that sends you a novel written by a female author each month in your genre of choice along with a bookmark. You can choose from general fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, young adult, or a surprise genre, and this option can be changed at any time. They offer 3 different subscriptions so that you can customize what else you receive with your book and bookmark:
- The Read Box: You will also receive a gourmet treat and a hot beverage for $17.99 + shipping.
- The Read & Relax Box: You will receive a 7-ounce soy candle and your choice between bath salts or handmade soap for $23.99 + shipping.
- The Read, Relax & Recharge: You will receive the items from both the Read & Relax boxes along with an additional bath or body care item for $39.99 + shipping.
This is a review of the Read, Relax, & Recharge box for $39.99 + shipping per month.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Introverts Retreat
The Subscription Box: Introverts Retreat
The Cost: $39.99 + shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 30% off your first box with a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription
CODE: 30PERCENT
The Products: A novel written by a female author in the genre of your choice along with some goodies depending on which subscription option you choose.
Ships to: the US for $8.99 and Canada for $17.99
Introverts Retreat September 2020 Review
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When you sign up, you will be asked for your preferences on book genre, beverage, and bath product. You can choose between romance, general fiction, mystery/thriller, young adult, or a surprise genre. The beverage choices are loose leaf tea, ground coffee, cocoa, or a surprise beverage. The last choice is between bath salts or handmade scented soap. I chose the 'surprise' options for the book and beverage but opted for bath salts for the last category. If you swipe all the way through, you'll see that you get to make the same specific choices for the other box levels as well! I love that they allow so much customization, and you can change these options at any time by emailing them. Now let's get into the box!
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We received this card featuring their cute, cozy cat with a nice note about what we can find inside our box.
Read
This is the bookmark that you receive with any subscription level. I love the shiny tassel at the top!
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Limelight by Amy Poeppel - Retail Value $17.00 (found here for $12.66)
The book that I received this month and while I was not familiar with it, it sounded like something I would select for myself!
From Amazon:
Allison Brinkley—wife, mother, and former unflappable optimist—discovers that her decision to pack up and move her family from suburban Dallas to the glittery chaos of Manhattan may have been more complicated than she and her husband initially thought. New York is more unruly and bewildering than she expected, defying the notions she developed from romantic movies and a memorable childhood visit. After a humiliating call from the principal’s office and the loss of the job she was counting on, Allison begins to accept that New York may not suit her after all.
When she has a fender-bender, witnessed by a flock of mothers at her son’s new school, she is led to the penthouse apartment of a luxurious Central Park West building and encounters a spoiled, hungover, unsupervised teenager who looks familiar. It doesn’t take long to recognize him as Carter Reid—a famous pop star who has been cast in a new Broadway musical. Through this brush with stardom, Allison embraces a unique and unexpected opportunity that helps her find her way in the heart of Manhattan.
I really enjoyed this book and it was so easy for me to get into! As a mom, I could relate immediately to Allison, mother of three, who is trying her best to make her family's move from Dallas to New York City go as smoothly as possible. While she had high hopes and had done her part to make the transition easy on everyone, nothing seems to be going right. Her children aren't adjusting well, she loses the position she thought would lead to a permanent position on her very first day, and her only friend in New York seems to live a completely different lifestyle from her own. To make matters worse, her husband is loving his new life and incredibly happy which makes her feel guilty for her own lack of enthusiasm.
Suddenly, she finds herself in a position to take care of a troubled young pop star who seems to have really gone off the rails. As a mother, she can't help but insert herself into his life in a caretaker role when it appears that he has no one. Her life begins to change as she finds some purpose in her new role, albeit a very unexpected one. This was a fun fantasy story as she becomes his personal assistant and has to help him prepare for his debut Broadway performance, something that he has no interest in pursuing and is fighting her on. This book was crass in parts and had some scenes with those stereotypical celebrity behaviors of a Hollywood "bad boy," but overall, it was fun and endearing as they became a part of each other's lives. Although I did find myself wishing that we got to know Carter, the pop star, a bit more and I would have loved a cheesy hug scene, but I thought the ending was much more fitting of his character. Overall, an enjoyable read!
Now, onto the treats!
Our treats came packaged up neatly together.
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Octavia Tea Company Loose Leaf Cafe Spice Chai Tea - Buy a full-size tin for $14.00
I love a good chai tea and this one was pretty great. This loose leaf tea is a blend of black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, and vanilla. Although I didn't make mine quite strong enough, I could get a sense of the great flavor. I added a splash of milk and honey and paired it with my cookies (see next item) which made for a nice treat.
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Southbury Baking Company White Chocolate Chai Tea Sable Cookies, 1.25 oz.
I love that they sent chai tea cookies to go along with our chai tea. These were tiny cookies and reminded me of a very mild gingerbread cookie (or a more flavorful shortbread cookie). They didn't have much flavor but paired with the sweet white chocolate on top, it was a perfect complement. I love that these are handcrafted by a small batch bakery. This is one of two companies they work with to provide treats for this box.
Relax
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I'd Rather Just Stay in Bed Soy Candle, 7 oz. - Estimated Value $14.99 (based on these similar candles)
The first item to help us relax is this 7-ounce soy candle which is hand-poured and has a 60-hour burn life. These candles are actually made by Introverts Retreat and can be purchased separately on their website. They all come in these beautiful amber jars and the natural soy wax is sustainably sourced and made in the US. "I'd Rather Just Stay in Bed" describes my life well and the scent is cotton and iris. I am not someone who usually enjoys cotton scents much, but this one was actually very lovely. It is strong in the jar, but after burning it mellows out and turns into a light, cozy, and inviting scent. It filled our large living room with a clean smell but in a subtle way so you would hardly know it was from a candle.
Plus, how pretty is that amber glow?
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My Best Friends are Online Friends Bath Salts, 8 oz. - Estimated Value $7.99 (based on these similar salts)
What better way to relax than with a nice soak in the bathtub? This bottle of bath salts is pretty generous at 8 ounces and is enough for about 4 baths. These actually turned my bath bubbly which was even more enjoyable and it left my skin feeling soft and lightly fragranced. This scent is described as "sweet and innocent" which I think is fitting as it has a nondescript light, sweet floral scent.
Recharge
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Quiet Time Shower Steamer
The last item in my box was this shower steamer. I love a good shower steamer and this one smelled great. It was another non-descript scent, but maybe a light, sweet citrus scent.
Verdict: I have been trying to make time each week for myself to just relax and recharge, so when I saw the Introverts Retreat subscription I knew I had to try it! It's a little box that gives me everything I need to just relax along with a book to read. I love the generous size of the candle and the bath salts and I thought the tea and cookies were perfect for a little treat after my relaxing bath. The shower steamer felt like a little bonus that I could use any time and I really enjoyed the book. Based on the similar items in their shop the total retail value of the candle, bath salts and book comes to $39.98. Since that doesn't take into account the cookies, tea, or shower steamer, I think it's a fair value for a $48.98 ($39.99 +$8.99) box. While that sounds like a lot, I feel like this box was such a nice treat and would make a great gift right now when most people are spending more time at home. You can also opt for one of the other subscription options to make it more affordable!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, order by September 29th to get this box although your contents may differ based on your choices at sign up.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 30% off your first box with a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription
CODE: 30PERCENT
Value Breakdown: This box costs $48.98 ($39.99 + $8.99 shipping), which means that each of the 7 items in the box has an average cost of about $7.00.
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