The Fossil Door

June 18, 2023
T

Rathna has a gift for doorways.

When a portal in the Scottish Highlands stops working, she is one of the only Portal Keepers able to travel to investigate. On the other hand, the location presents some challenges. As a London-born Bengali woman, she's nothing like the villagers.

And of course, there's the worrying question: why did this portal stop working? It shouldn't have done that.

Gabe was born to fling himself at a challenge.

Gabe was born into an aristocratic family, and he's used to everything coming easily. Everything, that is, but recovery from a life-changing injury in 1918. Fortunately, he's recently finished training as one of Albion's investigators, and he can throw himself entirely into his work. He has a new landscape to explore, wildlife to see, ponies to ride, and magic to untangle. There's plenty to keep his quicksilver mind busy.

Perhaps there are too many problems. Rathna is prickly, giving him little to work with. There are threatening noises from the mountaintop nearby. Rathna is even more distant when she gets news from home of a mysterious man asking about her.

Somehow they must learn to work together, understand the local needs, and repair the portal, all while avoiding the wrath of the legendary beithir.

The Fossil Door is the second book of the Mysterious Powers series, exploring the institutions of Albion during and after the Great War. It is full of geology, folklore, an ADHD hero, family of choice, and a multicultural romance between characters from very different backgrounds. Enjoy this charming romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1920 with a happily ever after ending!

Content note details
Heroine was born in London to Bengali parents, orphaned at 8 and grew up largely disconnected from her culture. Her apprenticeship took place largely within the London Jewish community in Spitalfields. Hero comes from significant social privilege, has what we’d identify as ADHD, and suffered a life-changing injury (not in the Great War). Discussion of other War deaths and injuries. Some bias from others on the basis of background and presumed orientation.

Want to know more? Check out the blog posts about The Fossil Door.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, ADHD, Bisexual, Class and class differences, Demisexual, Diverse backgrounds, Education and research, Family - Edgarton, First relationship, Guard and Penelopes, LGBTQIA+, Mentorship, Neurodiversity, Parents and children, Physical disabilities, Religion and the numinous

Begins: 1922-03
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F, First relationship, Demisexual, Bisexual
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Books focusing on the Edgarton family:
(Additional information about the Edgarton family is available on my authorial wiki.)

Showing books 1-7 of 7

Period: Edwardian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Pastiche. A man and woman in Edwardian dress silhouetted against a bright teal background, with a stained glass window in golden yellow and muted purple behind them.
Pastiche

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Demisexual, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Fossil Door. A man and woman in 1920s dress stand silhouetted on a bright burgundy and glowing orange background. An illuminated book is inset in the top left corner.
The Fossil Door

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Perfect Accord: Two silhouetted figures in 1920s casual clothing. The man is handing the woman a perfume bottle, and she is testing it on the inside of her wrist. The right upper corner has a perfume bottle inset.
Perfect Accord

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a cane and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.
Old As The Hills

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, M/M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.
Upon A Summer's Day

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

Showing books 1-7 of 7

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Carry On

June 18, 2023
C

Elen has a nurse’s hands.

Sent home from the Front after a injury leaves her with ongoing headaches, Elen is desperate to do her part for the War effort. Assigned to a mysterious patient, she wants to help him recover.

The Temple of Healing should be a sanctuary. But when Elen tries to find out more about her patient, she can’t get any information. His files aren’t available, and no one will answer her questions.

Roland has no hope for change.

He has been locked away in a hospital room for months, with an ever-changing set of nurses. No one seems to care what happened to him, even his family. His only apparent use is to give rousing speeches to encourage others to go off and fight in what Roland knows is a horrific mess.

When Elen appears, he’s sure nothing will change. Slowly but surely, her determination and stubborness shines through and knits his world back together. She’s willing to take risks to find out what happened to him, and he finds himself agreeing to her suggestions for healing – even a sacred bath.

It becomes clear that all is not what it seems at the hospital. With help from a few friends, unmistakable blessings, and a little luck, they might just be able to untangle what’s going on together.

Carry On is the first book of the Mysterious Powers series, exploring the institutions of Albion during and after the Great War. It is full of knitting, helpful friends, stubborness, and a touch of the divine. Enjoy this charming romantic fantasy set in 1915 with a happily ever after ending!

Want to see more of Melusina and Arthur? Forged in Combat is a prequel novella about their romance in 1882.

Content note details
Set in 1915, early in the Great War: multiple discussions (non-graphic) of injuries, new kinds of injuries, and other implications of the war. Hero was injured in the First Battle of Ypres in late 1914, the heroine has had a traumatic brain injury and continuing migraines. Both are new to dealing with these issues. Various attitudes of healers and nursing staff, some of whom are much more helpful than others. No on-page sex.

Want to know more? Check out the blog posts about Carry On.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
Class and class differences, Closed door, Crafters, Gentle, Healers and healing, Magical disabilities, Parents and children, People who make things, Physical disabilities, Religion and the numinous, Start of a series, The Great War

Begins: 1915-03
Period: Great War
Romance: M/F, Closed door
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Explore books where characters are dealing with physical disabilities:

Showing books 1-17 of 17

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/M, Gay

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Four Walls and a Heart has a bright red background with a blue door. Two men are silhouetted against the background, one of slighter build in a Victorian wheelchair, missing his lower left leg, the other standing and talking, one hand at his side. Both are wearing hats, and they are intently focused on each other.
Four Walls and a Heart

Period: Edwardian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Pastiche. A man and woman in Edwardian dress silhouetted against a bright teal background, with a stained glass window in golden yellow and muted purple behind them.
Pastiche

Period: Great War

Romance: M/F, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Carry On, a nurse and man in silhouette walking together, her arm through his on a mauve background. Yarn and knitting needles are inset in the top left.
Carry On

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Bound for Perdition has a man and woman silhouetted in dark brown on a green and brown background, with the woman holding a book while the man gestures. An open blank book and pen are inset in the top right corner.
Bound for Perdition

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/M/F, Bisexual, Polyamorous

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Casting Nasturtiums

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Wards of the Roses. A man and woman in 1920s clothing silhouetted on a red background that shades to vivid orange-peach at the bottom. A rose is inset in the top right.
Wards of the Roses

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Demisexual, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Fossil Door. A man and woman in 1920s dress stand silhouetted on a bright burgundy and glowing orange background. An illuminated book is inset in the top left corner.
The Fossil Door

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Late in life romance, Closed door, Demisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Seven Sisters. A thin angular woman and man in 1920s dress silhouetted on a background of lavender and grey. Bright green curling vines are inset in the top right.
Seven Sisters

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Eclipse, with a man and woman wearing academic robes in silhouette on a twilight blue and sunset orange background. She is gesturing up toward the sky. A telescope is inset in the top left.
Eclipse

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of In The Cards. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a pale purple and blue cover. She turns away from him, and they are looking at something to the right of the image. A set of divination cards are inset in the top right.
In The Cards

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Point By Point. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a terra-cotta and deep red background, with a Mesopotamian lion with bright blue wings inset in the top left.
Point By Point

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Facets of the Bench: a man and woman in silhouette. She shows him a necklace as he sits in a wheelchair with forearm crutches propped against the chair.
Facets of the Bench

Period: 1930s

Romance: M/M, Late in life romance, Asexual, Bisexual, Polyamorous

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Best Foot Forward has a deep red background with map markings in a dull purple. Two men in silhouette stand, looking up at a point in the top left. An astrology chart with different symbols picked out takes up the left side of the image, with glowing stars curving up to the title.
Best Foot Forward

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a cane and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.
Old As The Hills

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, M/M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.
Upon A Summer's Day

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Illusion of a Boar: Four magical specialists are thrown together in the spring of 1944, working on a secret project in the run-up to D-Day. Solving the problem before them is one thing: sorting out their lives is an entirely different one. It’s full of chosen siblings having each other’s backs, forced proximity, and unexpected skills in play. A fantasy romance, this is also a great entry point to the series.
Illusion of a Boar

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Forged in Combat

June 18, 2023
F

Arthur was born to service and war.

Arthur has the trajectory of his life mapped out for him. He'll work his way up through a series of Army postings, keeping up the honour and military traditions of his family. He is gifted with martial magics, clever with languages, and sensible enough to avoid getting trapped by bad decisions. It’s given him a head start.

Melusina has plans of her own.

She means to use her talents to their fullest, building a life as an acknowledged expert in warding and protective magics. Melusina loves beauty, fine clothing, and travel. She has no wish to settle down, and certainly not with a military man. How boring!

A challenge sparks a change of heart.

In 1882, Melusina travels to Calcutta to assist with a small matter of the Viceroy's safe. Arthur is willing enough to lend his assistance, but he expects it to be a purely professional task. When the assignment turns out to be more complex than they expected, they must reevaluate their both expectations and their future.

Forged in Combat is a prequel novella of 35,000 words leading into the Mysterious Powers series. (Arthur and Melusina are the parents of Roland Gospatrick in Carry On). Join them on their travels between England and India in the 1880s for competence, the hidden benefits of the Victorian bustle, and a swiftly growing mutual passion.

Content note details
Set mostly in 1882 in Calcutta, India while Lord Ripon was Viceroy. Lord Ripon was on the more progressive side, but this book touches on issues of empire, imperialism, racism, and everything else inherent in the time and place. The plot, however, focuses on a specific magical challenge in the Viceroy’s Palace, rather than anything directly political. Hero is in the Army. Prequel featuring the parents of the hero in Carry On.

Want to know more? Check out the blog posts about Forged in Combat.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
Background violence, Great place to start, Solving a mystery, Victorian

Begins: 1879-08
Period: Victorian
Romance: M/F
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Explore books focusing on solving a mystery:

Showing books 1-13 of 13

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Forged in Combat. A man and a woman in silhouette on a teal green background. She is wearing a Victorian bustle dress, his clothing fits with military uniform of the time. A bright red hibiscus highlights the top corner of the cover.
Forged in Combat

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Enchanted Net: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress stand with their backs to the viewer. She is holding a glass of wine as they look toward each other. The background is a purple damask, crossed by pipes and gears and a streak of lightning, with a book inset in the top left corner.
Enchanted Net

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Silent Circuit: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress face each other. He is holding a book open for her, as her hand moves to turn a page. They’re on a background of green damask with green pipes, a streak of lightning behind them. A bee is inset on top of a gear in the top left.
Silent Circuit

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Elemental Truth: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress waltz hand in hand on a golden damask background bordered by pipes and gears with a streak of lightning behind them. A jewelled ring is set in the top left.
Elemental Truth

Period: Edwardian

Romance: F/F, Late in life romance, Closed door, Lesbian

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Complementary. Two women in Edwardian dress in silhouette stand talking with each other. One is taller and calmer, the other is shorter, gesturing. They are on a green background, with an artist's palette in the bottom right.
Complementary

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Perfect Accord: Two silhouetted figures in 1920s casual clothing. The man is handing the woman a perfume bottle, and she is testing it on the inside of her wrist. The right upper corner has a perfume bottle inset.
Perfect Accord

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Goblin Fruit. A man and woman in 1920s dress are silhouetted on a glowing red and golden yellow background. She turns toward him and he holds her hand. A bottle of golden liquid is inset in the top right corner.
Goblin Fruit

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of In The Cards. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a pale purple and blue cover. She turns away from him, and they are looking at something to the right of the image. A set of divination cards are inset in the top right.
In The Cards

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Magician's Hoard. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a teal background shading to sandy brown. A hedgehog is inset in the top right.
Magician's Hoard

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Mistress of Birds. A man and woman in 1920s clothing silhouetted on a purple and deep blue-grey background. He holds a walking stick as tall as he is and wears a cap, she wears a hat and long sweater. Apples are inset in the top left.
Mistress of Birds

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

Showing books 1-13 of 13

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Seven Sisters

June 18, 2023
S

Vivian has high standards.

When she is asked to investigate a series of eerie events at a country home turned boarding house outside of Oxford, Vivian agrees to take it on. There are so many possible causes; an old house, spiritualist seances, a dozen magical folk living close together.

Cadmus loves his family home and his nephew.

Retired from the Colonial Service after a terrifying incident, Cadmus is happy as a classicist and translator. Running the family estate near Oxford as a boarding house allows him to keep the place running until his nephew can inherit.

Cadmus isn't sure what to make of their latest resident. Worse, after she arrives, there are even more odd and startling events. Shapes appear, paintings change on the walls, and the roses attack him. When he discovers a mysterious dancing figure, he is certain that all his fears about fae and inhuman magic have come home to roost.

Cadmus can't trust anything Vivian says, but she may be his only hope to stop the dangerous and terrifying magical events that are driving people away from the house.

Seven Sisters is the seventh novel in the Mysterious Charm series. It is full of fae magic, ancient roots, family, and terrifying grandmothers. Enjoy this charming romantic fantasy with no sex scenes set in 1925 with a happily ever after ending!

Content note details
Autistic hero. Attitudes of immortal or extremely-long-lived beings being rather different than ours. Secrets kept by a main character. Secondary character who is deaf and relies on sign language (she would not self-identify as part of Deaf culture). No on-page sex.

Want a little more background? Check out blog posts about Seven Sisters.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Autistic, Closed door, Demisexual, Fatae and Cousins, First relationship, Gentle, Late in life romance, LGBTQIA+, Neurodiversity, Older protagonist, Parents and children, Physical disabilities, Secrets

Begins: 1922-10
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F, First relationship, Late in life romance, Closed door, Demisexual
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Explore books about the Fatae and Cousins:

Showing books 1-3 of 3

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Late in life romance, Closed door, Demisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Seven Sisters. A thin angular woman and man in 1920s dress silhouetted on a background of lavender and grey. Bright green curling vines are inset in the top right.
Seven Sisters

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Fool's Gold. A silhouetted man and woman turn toward each other on a brilliant green and purple background. He wears a long jacket, his back to the viewer, while she faces the viewer in a 1920s dress. A pile of coins is inset in the top left.
Fool's Gold

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a cane and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.
Old As The Hills

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Magician’s Hoard

June 18, 2023
M

Pross has a simple research question.

A widow raising her daughter on her own, Pross has begun taking on research projects as well as running the village bookstore. When she visits the Research Society in London for a consultation, it is nothing like she remembers. Books and materials are hidden away, and nearly everyone is dismissive.

Ibis is as prickly as a hedgehog.

Too British for Egypt and far too Egyptian for England, Ibis has found a place for himself since the Great War translating and examining materials from excavations in Egypt. The work is wonderful and he's able to be close to his youngest sister, but the other scholars ignore or insult him.

When Pross asks for his help investigating tales of an ancient Roman hoard, Ibis is intrigued. It turns out they aren't the only ones interested. Ibis and Pross must use all their wits and every one of their skills - even the one Ibis is terrified to reveal - to protect themselves and the hidden hoard.

Magician's Hoard is the third novel in the Mysterious Charm series. It is full of archaeology, magical artefacts, research, motherhood, an urgent trip to Paris, and the dangers of empire. Enjoy this gentle romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1926 with a happily ever after ending!

Content note details
Anglo-Egyptian main character who deals with bias and some (mostly implied) bigotry. Discussion of widowhood. Threats of violence. A stigmatised magical ability and the implications of keeping it secret. Secondary character who is African-American, and another who is of mixed background.

Want a little more background? Check out blog posts about Magician's Hoard.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Background violence, Diverse backgrounds, Education and research, Magical disabilities, Older protagonist, Parents and children, Previously married, Religion and the numinous, Secret societies, Secrets, Shapeshifting, Siblings, Solving a mystery

Begins: 1926-01
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Explore books focusing on education and research: 

Showing books 1-10 of 10

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Enchanted Net: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress stand with their backs to the viewer. She is holding a glass of wine as they look toward each other. The background is a purple damask, crossed by pipes and gears and a streak of lightning, with a book inset in the top left corner.
Enchanted Net

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Silent Circuit: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress face each other. He is holding a book open for her, as her hand moves to turn a page. They’re on a background of green damask with green pipes, a streak of lightning behind them. A bee is inset on top of a gear in the top left.
Silent Circuit

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Elemental Truth: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress waltz hand in hand on a golden damask background bordered by pipes and gears with a streak of lightning behind them. A jewelled ring is set in the top left.
Elemental Truth

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Demisexual, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Fossil Door. A man and woman in 1920s dress stand silhouetted on a bright burgundy and glowing orange background. An illuminated book is inset in the top left corner.
The Fossil Door

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Eclipse, with a man and woman wearing academic robes in silhouette on a twilight blue and sunset orange background. She is gesturing up toward the sky. A telescope is inset in the top left.
Eclipse

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Magician's Hoard. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a teal background shading to sandy brown. A hedgehog is inset in the top right.
Magician's Hoard

Period: Information not available

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a transluscent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Chasing Legends

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Illusion of a Boar: Four magical specialists are thrown together in the spring of 1944, working on a secret project in the run-up to D-Day. Solving the problem before them is one thing: sorting out their lives is an entirely different one. It’s full of chosen siblings having each other’s backs, forced proximity, and unexpected skills in play. A fantasy romance, this is also a great entry point to the series.
Illusion of a Boar

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

Showing books 1-10 of 10

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On The Bias

June 18, 2023
O

Cassie makes dresses that flatter and charm.

Cassie has worked hard for years to become one of Albion’s respected dressmakers. She thrives on figuring out how to clothe her clients superbly whatever the current fashion, and ignores all the gossip.

Almost all of it.

Benton was born to be of service.

After the Great War, he found a place for life as Lord Carillon’s valet. Now his lordship is marrying, and Benton is determined everything will go smoothly.

When the dressmaker making the trousseau for his lordship’s bride-to-be mentions some unpleasant gossip, Benton knows he needs to investigate before bringing it to Lord Carillon. His lordship is terribly busy right now, after all.

The only question is whether he and Cassie can set aside their mutual distrust and work together to face the challenges of a dangerous cockfight and the more subtle risks of a country house party and masked ball.

On The Bias is the sixth novel in the Mysterious Charm series. On The Bias is full of 1920s fashion, three dangerous birds, secrets, loyalty, and criminal plots, with an autistic hero. Enjoy this charming romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1925 with a happily ever after ending!

Content not details
Autistic hero. Cock-fighting (not described in detail, but includes a character getting injured). Treason (stealing swans). Criminal acts leading to a dangerous and potentially lethal attack on a secondary character.

Want a little more background? Check out blog posts about On The Bias.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Autistic, Background violence, Close friends, Crafters, Demisexual, Family - Carillon, First relationship, LGBTQIA+, Music and the arts, Neurodiversity, Older protagonist, People who make things

Begins: 1925-05
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F, First relationship, Late in life romance, Demisexual
Content notes: Click here to reveal

More about the Carillon family:
(My authorial wiki has additional information about characters, connections, and places.)

Showing books 1-9 of 9

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Bound for Perdition has a man and woman silhouetted in dark brown on a green and brown background, with the woman holding a book while the man gestures. An open blank book and pen are inset in the top right corner.
Bound for Perdition

Period: 1920s

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Ancient Trust: A man with a monocle picked out in gold stands by a table stacked with books. An owl is inset in the top left.
Ancient Trust

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Goblin Fruit. A man and woman in 1920s dress are silhouetted on a glowing red and golden yellow background. She turns toward him and he holds her hand. A bottle of golden liquid is inset in the top right corner.
Goblin Fruit

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Late in life romance, Demisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of On The Bias. A man and woman in 1920s clothing are silhouetted against a pale green, yellow, and purple background. A brightly coloured rooster is inset in the top right.
On The Bias

Period: 1930s

Romance: M/M, Late in life romance, Asexual, Bisexual, Polyamorous

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Best Foot Forward has a deep red background with map markings in a dull purple. Two men in silhouette stand, looking up at a point in the top left. An astrology chart with different symbols picked out takes up the left side of the image, with glowing stars curving up to the title.
Best Foot Forward

Period: 1930s

Romance: Asexual, Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Nocturnal Quarry has Alexander silhouetted seated in a chair, leaning forward, one leg crossed over the other against a purple background with a map of Manhattan. An astrological chart to the left has the symbols for the Sun, Mercury, and Mars in close conjunction in Leo and Virgo, glowing against the pale grey of the chart.
Nocturnal Quarry

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, M/M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.
Upon A Summer's Day

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

Showing books 1-9 of 9

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Wards of the Roses

June 18, 2023
W

Kate yearns to prove her competence.

During the Great War, Kate was able to take on new and interesting challenges as a member of Albion's Guard. Now the men have returned, she has been reassigned to routine duties. They are important, necessary - and boring.

When a mysterious manor reappears in England after centuries, someone must figure out how to get through the roses, wards, and magic that protect it. That someone might just be Kate.

Giles refuses to let his blindness change his life.

Blinded by gas in the Great War, Giles knows he is still a competent and creative cryptographer, mathematician, and magician. The rest of the world doesn't always agree.

Kate at least seems willing to listen to what he needs. She learns quickly, too. That's more than Giles can say for his secretary and distant cousin, who is becoming more difficult to live with by the day.

When Giles and Kate make a breakthrough in their investigation, it sends them tumbling into the lost manor and a tangle of fae enchantment. Only his skills and Kate's persistence can get them out of the sprawling country house.

Wards of the Roses is the fourth novel in the Mysterious Charm series. It is full of curiosity, using all the tools at your disposal, living with a life-changing disability, and a great deal of ancient magic. Enjoy this gentle romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1920 with a happily ever after ending!

Content note details
Hero was blinded during the War by magical gas. Vulnerabilities of relying on others for certain tasks (especially financial). Class and gender issues when dealing with people of higher status.

Want a little more background? Check out blog posts about Wards of the Roses.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Class and class differences, Guard and Penelopes, Physical disabilities

Begins: 1920-06
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Books about the Guard and Penelopes: 

Showing books 1-8 of 8

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/M, Gay

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Four Walls and a Heart has a bright red background with a blue door. Two men are silhouetted against the background, one of slighter build in a Victorian wheelchair, missing his lower left leg, the other standing and talking, one hand at his side. Both are wearing hats, and they are intently focused on each other.
Four Walls and a Heart

Period: Edwardian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Pastiche. A man and woman in Edwardian dress silhouetted against a bright teal background, with a stained glass window in golden yellow and muted purple behind them.
Pastiche

Period: Edwardian

Romance: F/F, Late in life romance, Closed door, Lesbian

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Complementary. Two women in Edwardian dress in silhouette stand talking with each other. One is taller and calmer, the other is shorter, gesturing. They are on a green background, with an artist's palette in the bottom right.
Complementary

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Wards of the Roses. A man and woman in 1920s clothing silhouetted on a red background that shades to vivid orange-peach at the bottom. A rose is inset in the top right.
Wards of the Roses

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Demisexual, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Fossil Door. A man and woman in 1920s dress stand silhouetted on a bright burgundy and glowing orange background. An illuminated book is inset in the top left corner.
The Fossil Door

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a cane and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.
Old As The Hills

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, M/M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.
Upon A Summer's Day

Showing books 1-8 of 8

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In The Cards

June 18, 2023
I

Laura wants to live her life.

Laura hasn't had an easy time since she was fifteen. Illness, recovery, and then a rough few years after her father's presumed death have left her reeling. Now in her mid-twenties, Laura can finally have the life she always dreamed off, full of parties and perhaps even romance and love.

Her first attempt ended badly - disastrously, actually. But now Laura's determined to put that all behind her. When she's invited to a house party on a remote island off the coast of Cornwall, she's glad to accept. If nothing else, the scenery will be stunning.

Friendship is everything.

Martin and Galen have been best friends since their first year in school. Martin is building a career as a journalist, but Galen hasn't had the same chance. His parents have kept him close since Galen's brother returned from the Great War with a devastating facial injury.

Recently, Galen's mother has become determined to get him married. She's planned an intimate house party and an evening ball. After his father unexpectedly invites a brash American brother and sister, the gathering takes an odd turn.

When the American woman turns up dead in the solarium and the entire island is cut off by storm and magical interference, Galen, Martin, and Laura must work together to find out who killed her and why. The investigation uncovers secret after secret, and Galen and Martin's membership in a radically progressive group puts them both at risk.

In The Cards is the fifth novel in the Mysterious Charm series. It is a locked room murder mystery full of Tarot cards, friendship, family secrets, living with chronic illness, and a bit of espionage. Enjoy this charming romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1925 with a happily ever after ending!

Content note details
Main character survived tuberculosis, but spent a decade in and out of sanitaria, including surgical treatments, all of which is referenced. A murder (of someone rather unpleasant, discussion of the method as part of the book). A secondary character has major facial injuries from the War. Class issues. Discussion of past addiction (due to the events of Goblin Fruit).

Want a little more background? Check out blog posts about In The Cards.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Background violence, Chronic health, Class and class differences, Close friends, First relationship, Great place to start, Physical disabilities, Secret societies, Siblings, Solving a mystery, War-related trauma

Begins: 1925-11
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F, First relationship
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Explore books about solving a mystery:

Showing books 1-13 of 13

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Forged in Combat. A man and a woman in silhouette on a teal green background. She is wearing a Victorian bustle dress, his clothing fits with military uniform of the time. A bright red hibiscus highlights the top corner of the cover.
Forged in Combat

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Enchanted Net: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress stand with their backs to the viewer. She is holding a glass of wine as they look toward each other. The background is a purple damask, crossed by pipes and gears and a streak of lightning, with a book inset in the top left corner.
Enchanted Net

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Silent Circuit: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress face each other. He is holding a book open for her, as her hand moves to turn a page. They’re on a background of green damask with green pipes, a streak of lightning behind them. A bee is inset on top of a gear in the top left.
Silent Circuit

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Elemental Truth: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress waltz hand in hand on a golden damask background bordered by pipes and gears with a streak of lightning behind them. A jewelled ring is set in the top left.
Elemental Truth

Period: Edwardian

Romance: F/F, Late in life romance, Closed door, Lesbian

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Complementary. Two women in Edwardian dress in silhouette stand talking with each other. One is taller and calmer, the other is shorter, gesturing. They are on a green background, with an artist's palette in the bottom right.
Complementary

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Perfect Accord: Two silhouetted figures in 1920s casual clothing. The man is handing the woman a perfume bottle, and she is testing it on the inside of her wrist. The right upper corner has a perfume bottle inset.
Perfect Accord

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Goblin Fruit. A man and woman in 1920s dress are silhouetted on a glowing red and golden yellow background. She turns toward him and he holds her hand. A bottle of golden liquid is inset in the top right corner.
Goblin Fruit

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of In The Cards. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a pale purple and blue cover. She turns away from him, and they are looking at something to the right of the image. A set of divination cards are inset in the top right.
In The Cards

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Magician's Hoard. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a teal background shading to sandy brown. A hedgehog is inset in the top right.
Magician's Hoard

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Mistress of Birds. A man and woman in 1920s clothing silhouetted on a purple and deep blue-grey background. He holds a walking stick as tall as he is and wears a cap, she wears a hat and long sweater. Apples are inset in the top left.
Mistress of Birds

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

Showing books 1-13 of 13

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Goblin Fruit

June 18, 2023
G

Lizzie loves her sister.

After their father and uncle were lost in a disastrous expedition, Lizzie has done her best to keep everything together. Her younger sister Laura survived tuberculosis, but a decade in and out of treatment has left her stubbornly insistent on doing for herself.

When Lizzie gets hired by a private agency, she thinks she can finally relax. Steady work will help them both keep the family home and rebuild their lives after their many losses.

Carillon is made of curiosity.

Carillon fled his memories of the Great War, preferring adventures and natural history expeditions in Africa and Asia. That was before he unexpectedly inherited his family's title and had to return to England.

Now he's been back for two years, finding his place as a lord of the land. When he stumbles across an addictive magical drink that brings visions of distant places, he simply must investigate.

After Carillon collides with Lizzie outside a masked ball, they quickly realise they can learn far more if they work together. The only question is whether they can save Laura and stop other people being hurt or even killed.

Goblin Fruit is the second novel in the Mysterious Charm series. Goblin Fruit is full of magical potions, an aristocratic investigator, fae beings, a fake relationship, and several house parties. Enjoy this gentle romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1924 with a happily ever after ending!

Content note details
Post-traumatic stress disorder including disassociation. Addictive magical drink that causes dreams of distant places. Miscommunication leading to emotional difficulties. Secondary character who has survived tuberculosis. Hero is bisexual (though this is a M/F romance). 

Want to know more? Check out my blog posts about Goblin Fruit.

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Bisexual, Class and class differences, Close friends, Fake relationship, Family - Carillon, Great place to start, LGBTQIA+, Magical beings, Mental health conditions, Older protagonist, Only one bed, Siblings, Solving a mystery, War-related trauma

Begins: 1924-03
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F, Bisexual
Content notes: Click here to reveal

More about the Carillon family:
(My authorial wiki has additional information about characters, connections, and places.)

Showing books 1-9 of 9

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Bound for Perdition has a man and woman silhouetted in dark brown on a green and brown background, with the woman holding a book while the man gestures. An open blank book and pen are inset in the top right corner.
Bound for Perdition

Period: 1920s

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Ancient Trust: A man with a monocle picked out in gold stands by a table stacked with books. An owl is inset in the top left.
Ancient Trust

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Goblin Fruit. A man and woman in 1920s dress are silhouetted on a glowing red and golden yellow background. She turns toward him and he holds her hand. A bottle of golden liquid is inset in the top right corner.
Goblin Fruit

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Late in life romance, Demisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of On The Bias. A man and woman in 1920s clothing are silhouetted against a pale green, yellow, and purple background. A brightly coloured rooster is inset in the top right.
On The Bias

Period: 1930s

Romance: M/M, Late in life romance, Asexual, Bisexual, Polyamorous

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Best Foot Forward has a deep red background with map markings in a dull purple. Two men in silhouette stand, looking up at a point in the top left. An astrology chart with different symbols picked out takes up the left side of the image, with glowing stars curving up to the title.
Best Foot Forward

Period: 1930s

Romance: Asexual, Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Nocturnal Quarry has Alexander silhouetted seated in a chair, leaning forward, one leg crossed over the other against a purple background with a map of Manhattan. An astrological chart to the left has the symbols for the Sun, Mercury, and Mars in close conjunction in Leo and Virgo, glowing against the pale grey of the chart.
Nocturnal Quarry

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, M/M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.
Upon A Summer's Day

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

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Outcrossing

June 18, 2023
O

Ferry found freedom as a governess.

Born and raised to be an obedient daughter of the upper class, Ferry refused to marry the awful man her parents chose for her. Instead, she took a position as a governess in a country house deep in the New Forest.

Now spring has come to England, she can finally spend time in the nearest village and explore the magical, mysterious, and possibly dangerous forest around her chosen home.

Rufus has great power and no future.

The Great War changed everything for the worse. Rufus came home terrified of being buried alive and without the magical training he desperately needed. Now he's lost all of his family and any hope of building a better life.

Rufus is down to his last few coins when he saves one of Ferry's charges from a cranky New Forest pony. She's grateful, but she's also kind, the first kindness he's known in weeks. When a local smuggler offers him a lifechanging amount of money to do just one job, he knows there must be a catch. But it's the only way to have a future, never mind one with Ferry. She comes from a different world, and Rufus has the sense to know it.When the smuggler's demands, interference from the newly returned local lord, and the remaining scars from World War I all tangle together, Rufus and Ferry find themselves in grave danger.

Outcrossing is the first novel in the Mysterious Charm series. Full of magical creatures, New Forest ponies, village life, and first love, Outcrossing is a gentle romantic fantasy with a swirl of sex set in 1922 with a happily ever after ending. Enjoy!

Content note details
Brief references to and ongoing implications of family deaths in the 1918 flu pandemic as well as in the Great War. Post-traumatic stress disorder including flashbacks. Kidnapping and implied violence. Death of minor characters (off screen).

Want a little more background? Check out blog posts about Outcrossing

Published:
Genres:
M/F

Tags:
1920s, Class and class differences, Difficult family, First relationship, Mental health conditions, People who make things, Start of a series, War-related trauma

Begins: 1922-04
Period: 1920s
Romance: M/F, First relationship
Content notes: Click here to reveal

Books taking place in the New Forest:

Showing books 1-5 of 5

Period: 1920s

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Ancient Trust: A man with a monocle picked out in gold stands by a table stacked with books. An owl is inset in the top left.
Ancient Trust

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Outcrossing. A silhouetted man and woman in 1920s clothing standing next to each other, silhouetted on a green background. A chestnut pony's head is inset in the top right.
Outcrossing

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Goblin Fruit. A man and woman in 1920s dress are silhouetted on a glowing red and golden yellow background. She turns toward him and he holds her hand. A bottle of golden liquid is inset in the top right corner.
Goblin Fruit

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Magician's Hoard. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a teal background shading to sandy brown. A hedgehog is inset in the top right.
Magician's Hoard

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a cane and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.
Old As The Hills

Showing books 1-5 of 5

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By Celia June 18, 2023

Get in touch

My contact page has all the latest on where you can find me (and a form if you'd like to email me directly).