by Allison Saft
First published 2023
Margaret lives alone in a crumbling manor, convinced that winning the great hala hunt will bring her mother Evelyn home. The legendary creature has appeared, and hunters across the land prepare for the chase. Margaret excels with a rifle, but the rules demand she partner with an alchemist. Wes arrives at her door, dismissed by every master who tried to train him. Evelyn was his final hope for apprenticeship. Margaret strikes a deal: Wes can stay if he joins her hunt. They make an unlikely pair. Wes admires Margaret's resilience in her ghost-filled house of sorrow. Margaret recognizes in Wes a fellow outcast who understands rejection. As the hunt draws near, they uncover dark magic that could secure their victory. But this power comes with deadly risks they must survive to claim their prize.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unlikely-partners
Setting: Manor
Period: 19th-century
512 pages · Hardcover · Big Bang