“…the thing about love is that we can’t control whether we get it, but we can control whether we give it.” – Lisa Scottoline, Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog
10,000 Ink Stains: A Memoir by Jeff Lemire
nonfiction / graphic novel / memoir.
Dark Horse Books proudly presents this hardcover memoir collection showcasing the work of the legendary Eisner Award-winning comic book creator Jeff Lemire, who has created some of the most iconic stories in modern comics.
Featuring his brilliant work from Sweet Tooth, Essex County, Black Hammer, Descender, and so much more. Lemire takes the reader book-by-book, writing essays about the making of each project, showcasing artwork from all of them, details about his personal life during the creation of each book, sharing some never-before-seen process material on each book, and unpublished stories as well. This is the ultimate book for Jeff Lemire and modern comic book fans.
“Somewhere between a memoir and a love letter, 10,000 Ink Stains is a testament to imagination, and collaboration — propulsive forces needed, perhaps, more urgently now than ever.” – Tahneer Oksman, NPR
“…lavishly illustrated… a delightful testament to the rewards of not compromising one’s vision.” – Publishers Weekly
“An astoundingly candid chronicle of Lemire’s artistic process and evolution as a person, with strong appeal for fans and aspiring creators.” – Thomas Batten, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
A Beginner’s Guide to Dying by Simon Boas
nonfiction / memoir / philosophy.
In his mid-40s, aid worker Simon Boas was diagnosed with incurable cancer—it had been caught too late and spread throughout his body. But he was determined to die as he had learned to live—optimistically, thinking the best of people, and prioritizing what really matters in life. Deemed “a funny, touching meditation on death” by the Sunday Times, this warm and wise book offers lessons for all of us in how to approach life.
The advice includes: “Do get in touch, but don’t just turn up unaccounted,” and “Do listen, but don’t minimize things.” And just as wisely: “to exist is to have won the lottery of life.”
This remarkable book, a runaway bestseller in the UK, is not just a meditation on dying, but also a hymn to the joy and preciousness of life. A Beginner’s Guide to Dying is destined to become a modern classic.
“…enriched by his wry humor and moments of genuine insight… This poignant volume inspires.” – Publishers Weekly
“[A] wonderful, and short, book I’d recommend to anyone.” – James Byron, Part of Life
“…A Beginner’s Guide to Dying explodes with life… Given that survival was not a possibility, it is remarkable how much positivity and delight Boas squeezes on to each page.” – Stephen Cherry, Church Times
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ★
fiction / horror / fantasy / historical fiction.
“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.
In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.
Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.
“…chilling… [an] evocative, powerful tale.” – Dwyer Murphy, CrimeReads
“Classic horror fans will obsess over this witchy, suspenseful, time-jumping tale that follows three generations of haunted women.” – McKenzie Jean-Philippe, People
“With this equally spooky and sophisticated horror novel, bestseller Moreno-Garcia proves she’s as adept playing in the tropes of dark academia as any of the other subgenres she’s tried on… It’s as unsettling as it is unputdownable.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“The writing is beautiful, which is par for the course for Moreno-Garcia, and in Minerva, she has created a deeply original character, steely but yearning. This is yet another triumph from one of North America’s most exciting authors. Suspenseful and terrifying; Moreno-Garcia hits it out of the park yet again.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
fiction / fantasy / romance.
Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.
This should have been the end of her story… Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.
But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.
This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.
“Readers of cozy fantasy will be enchanted with this parallel story set in the world of The Spellshop.” – Crystal Faris, Library Reads, TOP PICK
“A cozy tale steeped in magic. Perfect for plant lovers and anyone who enjoys vivid storytelling and whimsical places, this fantasy read about the beauty of starting over is a delight for the senses.” – B&N Reads
“This cozy fantasy in the world of The Spellshop is the first notes of birdsong mixing with winter sunshine. It’s a snowy evening spent in front of a fireplace, with fresh bread, warm soup, and the comfort of quiet company. A balm for a weary soul.” – Jericha Harriman, The Indie Next List
Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.
Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a “traditional” Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.
One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition—an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.
At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.
“Influencer thrillers are having a moment this summer, and Everyone Is Lying to You manages to mix the best of the trend into one darkly entertaining whole.” – Lacy Baugher Milas, Paste
“…darkly entertaining… This delivers the goods” – Publishers Weekly
“Like Piazza’s other fiction, this novel is totally engrossing from start to finish. Readers will be slow to forget Rebecca, Lizzie, and the worlds they represent.” – Courtney Eathorne, Booklist
The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose
fiction.
Alexis Spencer will use any inspirational quote to rationalize her failures and shortcomings. Her closest friends are a distant memory, and her college debt is still as high as the day she left. But that’s all fine and dandy, because “whatever will be, will be.”
However, when Alexis loses her job and her relationship on the same day, there’s no quote strong enough to get her through that. In typical fashion, she blames the world for her problems, including her younger self, who should have tried harder.
Feeling sorry for herself, Alexis finds a bottle of vodka from her college days and goes on a bender, blacking out in the process. Only this time, she doesn’t wake up at home, or in the right city. In fact, she isn’t even in the right year.
Alexis is back in her college town in the year 2002.
Convinced this is her chance to do things over, she heads to her dorm—and comes face-to-face with her eighteen-year-old unruly self, who goes by Lexi because it’s “sexier.” Getting acclimated to life in the early 2000s is the easy part. Dealing with Lexi is where things prove difficult.
They might be the same person, but they couldn’t be more different from one another. Now Alexis and Lexi must learn to get along and come to terms with the fact that alone, they will never make things right, but together, they could change their life for the better.
“…this heartfelt fantasy is a story of loss and regret, second chances and reclaiming self-love.” – B&N Reads
“[A] deeply emotional evolutionary tale… A charming book for anyone who is a time-travel fan, likes the movies Peggy Sue Got Married, Groundhog Day, and About Time, or has ever wondered if they could return to their past and try again.” – Shannon Meyer, Library Journal
“[A] fun book full of wit and heart that completely resonated.” – Amy, The Book Review Crew
The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy by James Patterson & Vicky Ward
nonfiction / true crime.
The murders of four innocent college students attending the University of Idaho left us all with so many questions. Now, after more than 300 interviews, James Patterson and prize-winning journalist Vicky Ward finally have the answers.
We know what it was like to live in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022, the day of the cold-blooded killings. We know what the local police and FBI did right. And what they did wrong. We’ve learned so much about the four heartbroken families—the Mogens, Goncalveses, Kernodles, and Chapins. And we have the backstory for Bryan Kohberger, brilliant grad student, loner, apparent incel.
Now you are the jury. The evidence is in.
“…the clearest profile yet of the twisted quadruple killer and his motives.” – New York Post
“This is much more than a true crime book. It’s a vivid exploration of the range of human response when faceless terror strikes. It’s a portrait of America in this polarized moment.” – Town & Country
An Inside Job by Daniel Silva
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Gabriel Allon has been awarded a commission to restore one of the most important paintings in Venice. But when he discovers the body of a mysterious woman floating in the waters of the Venetian Lagoon, he finds himself in a desperate race to recover a lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.
The painting, a portrait of a beautiful young girl, has been gathering dust in a storeroom at the Vatican Museums for more than a century, misattributed and hidden beneath a worthless picture by an unknown artist. Because no one knows that the Leonardo is there, no one notices when it disappears one night during a suspicious power outage. No one but the ruthless mobsters and moneymen behind the theft — and the mysterious woman whom Gabriel found in a watery grave in Venice. A woman without a name. A woman without a face.
The action moves at breakneck speed from the galleries and auction houses of London to an enclave of unimaginable wealth on the French Riviera — and, finally, to a shocking climax in St. Peter’s Square, where the life of a pope hangs in the balance. An elegant and stylish journey through the dark side of the art world and the Vatican’s murky finances, An Inside Job proves once again that Daniel Silva is the reigning master of international intrigue and suspense.
“[A] real masterpiece (pun intended)… give it a go if you want intrigue, action, and a little art history wrapped in one thrilling package.” – My One Minute Book Reviews
“…doesn’t release its grip until the riveting final word… Better than anyone else in the thriller game, Daniel Silva leads fans on an entertaining, educational, and exciting escapade through art history and explores the measures to which individuals and organizations will go to possess the unattainable.” – J. Todd Wilkins, The Best Thriller Books
JFK: Public, Private, Secret by J. Randy Taraborrelli
nonfiction / biography / history.
In this definitive portrait of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—one of America’s most consequential and enigmatic presidents—J. Randy Taraborrelli delivers a deeply researched and authoritative biography. More than the story of a presidency, this is an intimate study of a man whose public triumphs were shaped—and at times overshadowed—by the complex realities of his private life, from his legendary family to his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy.
Drawing from hundreds of interviews conducted over twenty-five years—as well as candid, first-hand oral histories from the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Presidential Library, rare internal reports from the Secret Service, detailed files from the National Archives, and intelligence documents from both the CIA and FBI. This is JFK as never before captured by history: brilliant yet fallible, revered yet human—a figure whose legacy continues to shape America and the world.
Groundbreaking Revelations Include:
• A marriage defined by both devotion and distance—and Jackie’s quiet but firm rules regarding her husband’s infidelities.
• The romance that posed a potential national security risk—JFK’s deep connection with Inga Arvad, a woman he considered his great love, brought to an abrupt end due to FBI concerns over her ties to Nazi intelligence.
• The long-awaited truth about Marilyn Monroe—uncovered at last through the firsthand account of one of her closest confidantes, shattering decades of speculation and exposing the reality of her deeply complicated connection to JFK.
• The woman who might have changed history—Joan Lundberg, the mistress JFK turned to during the darkest time in his marriage, whose clandestine relationship with him threatened to derail his entire political career.
• The Mafia’s role in his rise to power—a definitive account that separates fact from fiction and lays bare the extent of organized crime’s involvement in JFK’s election.
• A presidency tested by betrayal and crisis—why JFK felt undermined by his own cabinet during the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and how he ultimately seized control of his administration during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The JFK presented in Taraborrelli’s definitive biography is a complex and endlessly fascinating historical figure—despite, and perhaps even because of, his many flaws.
“[A] profoundly humanized portrait of a son, brother, husband, lover, friend, candidate, politician, and, ultimately, president… A welcome addition to the ever-fascinating Kennedy canon.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] sentimental and entertaining take on a great American soap opera.” – Publishers Weekly
“…engaging and well-researched… a compelling read with standout quality and originality that reveals the much-discussed personal side of JFK’s life via Taraborrelli’s trademark bite-size chapters and impeccable research… riveting…” – Lawrence Mello, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter
fiction / romance / comedy.
As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great… until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.
Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure… right?
“Filled with laughs and a warmhearted spirit, this quick-reading romance from Painter is a charmer.” – Neal Wyatt, Library Journal
“[A] sparkling rom-com… Readers will especially be drawn to Abi, whose smarts and sass make her the perfect match for the more staid but driven Declan. This is a treat.” – Publishers Weekly
“This delightful rom-com blends classic tropes—fake dating, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and millionaire-meets-maid charm—into a modern fairy tale: Pretty Woman meets Maid in Manhattan… Painter’s latest is perfect for rom-com fans looking for a quick but satisfying escapist read with all the feels.” – C.L. Quillen, Booklist
Monopoly X: How Top-Secret World War II Operations Used the Game of Monopoly to Help Allied POWs Escape, Conceal Spies, and Send Secret Codes by Philip E. Orbanes
nonfiction / history.
Monopoly X is the fascinating true story of what is arguably the most unusual and best-kept secret operation of World War II. The masterminds at England’s top-secret MI-9, and later America’s MIS-X, created a special version of the popular game, hiding tools, maps, and money within game boards—delivered by fictitious charities—to captured Allied servicemen held at gunpoint behind barbed wire in German prison camps. This ingenious and complex plot, dubbed “Monopoly X,” was never discovered by the Nazis and led to many successful Allied breakouts.
The creation and consequences of Monopoly X remained a deep secret through the war and for decades after, until now. For the first time, Phillip E. Orbanes tells the full story of the people behind this clandestine program—how it was devised, implemented, and used to great success. A tale of derring-do as compelling as the World War II classic, The Great Escape, Monopoly X is an amazing war story of Allied intelligence services, resistance forces in Europe, heroes and heroines, a notorious traitor, and the pivotal role a seemingly innocent board game played in secret codes and espionage.
“[A] thrilling account… While some of the stylishly written scenes are clearly speculative, it’s all so gripping that readers won’t mind suspending a bit of disbelief.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Author Orbanes brilliantly sheds light on a once-hidden but crucial operation while introducing a compelling cast of real-life characters who risked everything in a cause greater than themselves.” – Philip Zozzaro, Booklist
“Orbanes’s book is chockablock with heroes and heroines… gripping… I doubt I’ll ever play Monopoly again without thinking of Risk.” – Dennis Drabelle, Washington Post
The Other Wife by Jackie Thomas-Kennedy
fiction.
Zuzu met her best friend Cash on the first day of college, and nothing was ever the same. Tall, witty, and popular, his friendship represented a kind of belonging for Zuzu, who had always felt like an outsider growing up biracial in her rural hometown. Though their friendship was charged with longing, it never progressed to romance. Now approaching her forties, Zuzu has built a stable life with her wife Agnes, a steadfast and career-driven lawyer. Yet Zuzu is haunted by the choices that have shaped her: living with her mother instead of her father in childhood, pursuing law over art, and marrying Agnes while harboring complex feelings for Cash.
When a sudden loss pulls Zuzu back to her hometown, the “what ifs” in her mind become louder than ever, and she begins to unwind the turns that have led her here. Will she embrace the choices she’s made, or risk everything for a chance to chase the past? A novel that speaks to unfulfilled desires and the euphoric nostalgia that’s particular to the beginning of middle age, The Other Wife is as heartfelt as it is daring in its deep reckoning with the past and quest for true joy.
“[A] marvelous study in how much desire lives in memory, in nostalgia and in fantasy.” – Ilana Masad, Washington Post
“…Thomas-Kennedy lets us in on a world of dissatisfaction, the kind that’s hard to swim against because the current is so gentle… despite the weighty subject matter, this one is easy to dip in and out of between naps, chats and bodysurfing.” – Elisabeth Egan, New York Times
“Rich in Zuzu’s lifelike conversations and interiority, Thomas-Kennedy’s debut is a humbly expansive marriage story and a tale of growing older in lockstep with a version of yourself that gets to stay young. ” – Annie Bostrom, Booklist
Strata: Stories from Deep Time by Laura Poppick
nonfiction / science / history / nature.
The epic stories of our planet’s 4.54-billion-year history are written in strata—ages-old remnants of ancient seafloors, desert dunes, and riverbeds striping landscapes around the world. In this brilliantly original debut work, science writer Laura Poppick decodes strata to lead us on a journey through four global transformations that made our lives on Earth possible: the first accumulations of oxygen in the atmosphere; the deep freezes of “Snowball Earth”; the rise of mud on land and accompanying proliferation of plants; and the dinosaurs’ reign on a hothouse planet
Poppick introduces us to the researchers who have devoted their careers to understanding the events of deep time, including the world’s leading stegosaur scientist. She travels to sites as various as a Minnesotan iron mine that runs half a mile deep and a corner of the Australian Outback where glacial deposits date from the coldest times on Earth. Ultimately, she demonstrates that the planet’s oceans, continents, atmosphere, life, and ice have always conspired to bring stability to Earth, even if we are only just beginning to understand how these different facets interact.
A work in the tradition of John McPhee, Strata allows us to observe how the planet has responded to past periods of environmental upheaval, and shows how Earth’s ancient narratives could hold lessons for our present and future.
“[A] fascinating peek into the globe’s core that might offer clues about sustainability.” – Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times
“Poetic and passionate, this is science writing with flair.” – Publishers Weekly
“Poppick presents a thoughtful journey through geologic time, from Newfoundland to Australia, and makes connections to modern challenges. Recommended to a general nonfiction audience, as it’s good for both the geology-curious and the well-informed.” – Catherine Lantz, Library Journal
This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Ten years ago:
A study abroad program like no other: a month-long trip of education and adventure, exploring everything Australia has to offer. And at first, it’s everything best friends Phoebe and Claire, and the rest of the student group expects: sunshine, whirlwind romance, and all-night parties. But it isn’t long before cracks begin to form within the group. Ones that lead to Phoebe’s disappearance…
Now:
It’s the call Claire has been waiting for years for. Phoebe’s remains have been found. It’s time to return, for her and the others to go back to Australia. But as Claire retraces their steps and tries to piece together exactly what happened to her best friend all those years ago, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the group has secrets. Including Claire.
Because only she knows what really happened that fateful day ten years ago. The day she killed her best friend. And she’ll do anything she can to keep the others from learning the truth.
“[A] gripping page turner… explores themes of romance, betrayal, suspense and mystery with a thrilling narrative that jumps between past and present.” – Stephanie, Crime Spree Magazine
The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.
Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard —but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.
There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi, and even to Caterina, Julia is further unnerved when she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.
Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her troubled mind. When events turn deadly, Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.
“Scottoline’s latest is evocative of the vintage gothic tales of Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt.” – Christine Tran, Booklist
“This thrilling Gothic mystery infused with astrology and romance makes for a page-turning read.” – B&N Reads
“…gripping… will keep readers on the edge… a fascinating novel and highly recommended.” – Karen Hancock, Bella Online
Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs
fiction / historical fiction.
In 1968 we meet six teens confined at the Good Shepherd—a dark and secretive institution controlled by Sisters of Charity nuns—locked away merely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.
Mairin— free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants, committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.
Angela—denounced for her attraction to girls, sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.
Helen—the daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, she saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.
Odessa—caught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, she found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.
Denise—sentenced for brawling in a foster home, she dared to dream of a better life.
Janice—deeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty lay—except when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.
Sister Bernadette—rescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.
Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption… and justice.
“…heart-wrenching… This one lingers long after the last page.” – Publishers Weekly
“This powerful and unforgettable novel is a poignant and enlightening look into a sad chapter of recent history.” – Stacy Alesi, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] must-read on the resilience of women and the deep bonds of friendship that arise from shared experiences.” – Emily Borsa, Booklist
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna ★
fiction / fantasy / romance.
Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…
Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and just might know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone… and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.
“Fans of mellow magical stories centering found family will gobble this one up.” – Publishers Weekly
“Found family, a talking fox, a quaint inn in an English village — it’s like this book was written just for me. Mandanna somehow writes existential crises like a warm hug…” – Ashley Poston, New York Times
“A perfectly written, cozy up with your tea, fantastic and romantic comedy.” – Amanda Nurse, The Indie Next List
“With snappy dialogue and a lot of heart, Mandanna’s latest explores how much pressure we sometimes put on ourselves, the ups and downs of the family we choose, and the importance of using your voice and power to stand up for others. Witchy romances are all the rage, and Mandanna’s cozy, uplifting tale will appeal long after the trend fades.” – Maribeth Fisher, Booklist
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