First published 2025
Gabby Gunn watches a strange animal materialize in her California hotel room. Her condition, Portum Bestiae Syndrome, brings exotic creatures into her life whenever symptoms flare. Now she and her siblings Talia and Ozzie must survive their father's senatorial campaign without destroying what remains of their publishing empire's reputation. The Gunn family fortune has taken hits from poor investments and scandal. Their father demands the three heirs relocate to California and support his political run or lose their inheritance. With mounting debts and expensive lifestyles, they cannot refuse. The siblings plan to keep their heads down until the campaign ends. Instead, they find themselves dodging media attention while exotic animals appear at the worst possible moments. Hot air balloon rides and beach outings bring the family closer together than they have been in years. Then a buried family secret surfaces, threatening to unravel their newfound connection and expose them all.
Genres: fantasy, contemporary, magical-realism, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: California
Period: 21st-century
368 pages · Hardcover · Graydon House