Today’s review is about AS OLD AS THYME by Alix Nicoud. This is a novella set in early medieval western Europe. Brunehaut and Théoderic haven’t seen each other in years. She’s a village wisewoman and he is an alleged lord’s son peddling faux elixirs. When they run into each other in Brunehaut’s village, they rekindle their friendship from childhood. It features a trans-for-trans historical romance.
Author: Alix Nicoud
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Self-Published
Publish Date: February 15, 2026
Print Length: 81
Purchase: Amazon
As Old As Thyme Synopsis
Synopsis
Brunehaut lives a dangerous existence as her village wise woman, brewing abortion potions and body-altering elixirs for women like her, despite the townsfolk’s growing suspicion of her unconventional ways. When her childhood best friend Théoderic suddenly crashes back into her life after years of separation, everything she’s built threatens to crumble.
Like Brunehaut, Théoderic has shed his past, but he’s chosen a more dangerous path, now posing as nobility while peddling false remedies to her very clients, threatening to shatter the delicate trust she’s worked years to build. Yet beneath his deception, Théoderic is captivated by Brunehaut’s transformation into the woman she was always meant to be, and desperately longs for the same miraculous change for himself.
As Brunehaut rediscovers the boy she once loved in the man he’s become, they must navigate a world that would condemn them both. Together, they’ll risk everything for love, authenticity, and the chance to build a life where they can finally be themselves.
As Théoderic embraces his true identity, Brunehaut finds herself drawn to her old friend in ways she never expected, rediscovering the boy she once knew in the man he’s becoming. Their time together reawakens feelings long buried, but as their bond deepens, they must navigate a world that would condemn them both for daring to live as their authentic selves.
A T4T F/M childhood best friends to lovers medieval romance novella between a HRT-brewing bisexual wise woman and the gray-aroace scammer who walks back into her life.
As Old As Thyme Review
AS OLD AS THYME is a trans-for-trans, medieval romance set around the sixth century in what is now France. Brunehaut is a village wise woman who brews various potions, including ones that cause abortions or alter the body. She takes one of the latter herself to maintain the curves in which she feels at home. On an errand one day in the village, she runs into Théoderic, her childhood best friend now peddling fake elixirs. Initially distrustful of each other, they become reacquainted and Brunehaut helps Théoderic embrace who he really is.
At just over 80 pages, this novella is a quick read. I always love finding a story set in early medieval times, which is difficult to find since source material is comparatively scarce compared to the second half of the medieval era. But I digress. AS OLD AS THYME is a sweet historical romance about two childhood friends who meet again some years later, each having shed an identity they were assigned at birth that was not their true self.
There is distrust at the beginning when they run into each other. Brunehaut worries that Théoderic’s fake potions will discredit her more in the village, which already has a somewhat tenuous opinion of her. And Théoderic is upset that Brunehaut left him when they were younger. But as they eventually talk things out, their old friendship blossoms into something more. Brunehaut never thought she’d find love again, so is hesitant at first, yet overjoyed when Théoderic returns the affection. Théoderic is, I believe, aromantic asexual, but is also overjoyed when he realizes Brunehaut has feelings for him.
Another diverse feature of this story is that Théoderic has some disability that makes it difficult for him to find steady work. So it is lovely that Brunehaut teaches him parts of her craft that Théoderic can manage and potentially use to support himself.
Overall, this is a tender trans romance with characters on a self discovery and self acceptance journey. It is a low stakes, as far as being trans in the sixth century goes, slice of life story with a happily ever after.
Rating: 3.5
Content warnings: sexual content
Reading format: e-book
