A cozy romantic fantasy that will delight fans of Legends and Lattes, Practical Magic, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

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A murder, a mystery, and a not-so-overactive imagination...

Eccentric heiress Maida Westabrook treasures her peaceful, "ordinary" life in California—morning strolls along the beach, warm evenings by the fire, and losing herself in her beloved library of myths and legends. Yet Maida can’t shake the nagging feeling that there’s more to her story than she’s been led to believe. Strange and inexplicable occurrences have always surrounded her, dismissed as nothing more than her overactive imagination.

When a distant relative mysteriously vanishes, a body is discovered, and Maida’s lifelong dream of owning an enchanted bookshop suddenly comes true she realizes her "wild" imagination might not have been so far-fetched after all.

There’s just one hitch: the sentient bookshop has gone into hiding and it’s up to Maida to coax it back. To claim her inheritance, she must step out of her safe, predictable world and embrace a reality where magic is not only real—it’s woven into the very fabric of everyday life. That handsome neighbor? He might be a shapeshifter. And the barista who runs the local café? She’s likely brewing more than coffee.

As Maida unravels the secrets of her past, she’s forced to rethink everything she once held true. Saving the bookshop—and protecting her newfound magical family—will require more courage than she ever thought possible, including risking her heart.

What readers are saying:

?????????? This was truly an enchanting read from start to finish!

?????????? I’m making plans to immediately move into the Mudpuddle Café and Bookshop. Who wouldn’t be happy among the books, magical items, coffee, and baked goods? Heaven!

?????????? A fantastically written cozy mystery romance filled with multiple POVs, second chances, found family, magic and more!

?????????? What a fantastic story! Such engaging characters with a unique storyline. I am looking forward to the rest of the books in this must read series!!!

?????????? It is a delightful escape that I couldn’t put down. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh and imaginative read!

??????????It’s a wonderfully-spun cozy fantasy/mystery about magic, a bookstore, and love—in all forms.

?????????? If you want to get lost in a book (in a good way), pick this one up.

?????????? I mean, this was like a book that was written just for me!

?????????? Ciara has catapulted to the top of my favorite authors list and I look forward to reading other books in this wonderful, magical universe she has created.

Editorial Reviews

"In The Mudpuddle Manual of Natural Magic, the first enchanting volume of the Natural Magic series, Maida Westbrook, an eccentric heiress, finds her tranquil life disrupted by the vanishing of a distant kin and a dark murder. This whimsical tale brims with intrigue and heart, drawing readers into a realm where myths breathe and the extraordinary lies just beneath the surface. With charming characters and a richly woven narrative, this book beckons those who dare to believe in magic." —NewInBooks

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What she protects should never have existed. What it will unleash was forbidden for a reason.

Rebaa's world ended the day they slaughtered her tribe.

Her lover died so she could run. Now she's alone in a frozen wilderness, pursued by enemies who will never stop.

It's not just the predators stalking her through the snow, or the brutal chieftain hunting her for her mysterious powers.

What she's carrying has made her an enemy to them all.

Rebaa broke the oldest law. Committed the unforgivable sin. Her secret could tear apart the last remnants of humanity.

The Neanderthals would kill her on sight. The Denisovans would call for her blood. Even her own people would destroy what she carries without hesitation.

Every step is a battle for survival. Every moment, her enemies draw closer. And the secret she guards? It must never be found.

But there's something else—something she's terrified to face. Because what's growing inside her isn't just forbidden.

It's far more dangerous than anyone knows. And when it awakens, there will be no going back.

***

The Forbidden, Book 1 of The Ancestors Saga, is your tantalizing first step into a gripping Historical Fantasy series—a tale of survival, lost civilizations, ancient mysteries, and hidden bloodlines where one secret could change the course of human history.

A complete series with four books, featuring a fierce heroine, unforgettable characters, forbidden secrets, and immersive world-building set 40,000 years in humanity's past.

This sweeping saga has captivated readers who love Jean M. Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear, Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear's First North Americans series, Sue Harrison's epic storytelling, Sarah J. Maas's fierce heroines, and Joe Abercrombie's dark intensity.

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Not all magicians go to schools of magic.

Adam Binder has the Sight. It’s a power that runs in his bloodline: the ability to see beyond this world and into another, a realm of magic populated by elves, gnomes, and spirits of every kind. But for much of Adam’s life, that power has been a curse, hindering friendships, worrying his backwoods family, and fueling his abusive father’s rage.

Years after his brother, Bobby, had him committed to a psych ward, Adam is ready to come to grips with who he is, to live his life on his terms, to find love, and maybe even use his magic to do some good. Hoping to track down his missing father, Adam follows a trail of cursed artifacts to Denver, only to discover that an ancient and horrifying spirit has taken possession of Bobby’s wife.

It isn’t long before Adam becomes the spirit’s next target. To survive the confrontation, save his sister-in-law, and learn the truth about his father, Adam will have to risk bargaining with very dangerous beings … including his first love.

A thousand years ago the Heart of the World was shattered, its fragments scattered across the lands. In the chaos that followed, martial orders arose to gather these shards, for it was found that great powers were granted when these pieces were bonded to the flesh of the chosen. These are the Sharded Few, warriors imbued with the divine energies that once coursed through the Heart, and driven to absorb enough fragments to claim godhood.

Deryn has known nothing in his life except suffering. Orphaned at the edge of the realms, indentured to a cruel slaver, he can see little chance of escaping his circumstances. But elsewhere in the world ancient powers are stirring, new alliances threaten the peace of the old order, and in the cataclysms that are coming a slave will become a hero.

Not all fairy tales have happy endings, certainly not for the Evil Queens. Or do they?

Not all evil comes from a bad place...

After making a promise to a dying king, Katya changed herself into the person she needed to be to forge a hero.

With her best friend raising an army against her, and the people ready to rebel, she has the pieces where she needs them to be. If only she can bring herself to complete the puzzle and force a princess to become the person she needs to be.

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Poisoned Fate is part of the Untold Tales series of fantasy fairy tale retellings and is based on Snow White's Evil Queen. It includes a sweet m/f romance and can be read as a standalone.

If you enjoy fairy tale retellings in fantasy settings, a dash of romance, adorable familiars, happy endings, and heroines who save themselves, start the Untold Tales series today!