The Fossil Door

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.

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: Information not available

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

loading

By Celia

Explore my blog posts

Explore posts about each book

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).