Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers--and her life--back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches .
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.
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Mandanna (The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, an LJ Best Book) creates an alternate Britain in which a powerful guild controls magical access via an academy for witchcraft, run by professors steeped in high society. As a child, Sera Swan was once at the center of this world, perhaps the most powerful witch in Britain. But when her beloved aunt died, she conjured a resurrection spell, not knowing it would drain her of all but a tiny bit of her magic. Cast out by the academy, Sera is forced to live a different life--running her family's inn, a place she enchanted as a child to be a sanctuary for those in need. She makes her peace with her role, but it hollows her out. When magical historian Luke Larsen arrives at the inn with his young sister Posy, he begins to help in the quest to restore Sera's magic, which will pit her against the guild and require her to unravel a puzzle spell. VERDICT Filled with all Mandanna does so well, including lushly whimsical descriptions, engaging and charming dialogue, and gentle and sparkling romance, the book also has a melancholy edge.--Neal Wyatt
Publishers Weekly Review
A witch angles to regain her power in this pleasurable cozy fantasy from Mandanna (The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches). At 15, Sera Swan, egged on by enchanted fox Clemmie, loses her magic in the process of casting a forbidden spell to resurrect her late aunt Jasmine. When Albert Grey, her tyrannical mentor, discovers this transgression, he banishes Sera from the witch guild. Fifteen years later, Sera runs the enchanted Batty Hole Inn in Lancashire, which has gathered an assortment of oddball long-term lodgers, including Sera's younger cousin, Theo; older hippie Matilda; and Nicholas, a young man deeply committed to his role as a knight at a nearby medieval fair. When Theo and Clemmie sneak into the witch guild headquarters to steal a book with a spell that could restore Sera's powers, Albert's daughter, Francesca, now chancellor of the guild, catches them--and surprises Sera by dispatching researcher Luke Larsen to help them make sense of the spell's cryptic instructions. Luke is initially reluctant to help, having his hands full with caring for his autistic younger sister Posy who doesn't understand the need to keep her magic secret, but the Batty Hole's quirky community soon thaws his steely shell. Fans of mellow magical stories centering found family will gobble this one up. (July)
Booklist Review
Sera Swan and her great-aunt Jasmine run a magical inn, visible only to those who truly need it. Fifteen years earlier, teen Sera brought Jasmine back to life with a resurrection spell, which resulted in Sera losing nearly all of her magic and being exiled from the British Guild of Sorcery by her oppressive mentor, Albert Grey. Now 30 and having a hard time keeping the inn intact, she unexpectedly finds herself closer to the spell she needs, only she lacks a translator. Enter handsome Luke Larsen, whose boss at the guild knows that he needs the inn as much as Sera needs him. Luke soon becomes a part of the quirky group that inhabits the inn and supports Sera on her quest to regain her magic and restore equity to the guild. With snappy dialogue and a lot of heart, Mandanna's latest (after The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, 2022) 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. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Witchy romances are all the rage, and Mandanna's cozy, uplifting tale will appeal long after the trend fades.
TextDescription: pages cmISBN: