A Bittersweet Spell

Magic, secrets and longing collide in this sweeping, beautiful fantasy from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals.

A CURSED MANUSCRIPT. AN OLD BETRAYAL. A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE.

Lorne St. Clair has spent years hiding from his shadowy past, content to curate magical antiques in his quiet shoppe. But when a mysterious note arrives demanding he transcribe an enchanted manuscript – written in an ink only rare mages can read – his carefully guarded secrets are threatened.

Lorne knows one mage capable of reading the manuscript… But Avalene Vale was declared dead ten years ago.

In truth, she’s also been in hiding, her once-brilliant academic future stolen the night Lorne put a knife to her throat and begged her to flee. When he asks for her help, Avalene knows she shouldn’t trust him. But once she begins translating, she’s drawn into the manuscript’s haunting magic – and the beautiful, dangerous story woven into its spells.

As buried truths resurface and the past tightens its hold, Lorne and Avalene must reckon with what they once were – and what they might become.

Reviews

Praise for Rebecca Ross

‘Rich and romantic – if stories had scent, this one would smell like a mug of black tea, the ink ribbons of a typewriter, and that addictive spice called enemies to lovers’ – Shelby Mahurin, New York Times bestselling author of Serpent & Dove

‘A sweeping start to a beautiful and romantic new series. Ross weaves her stories in such a vulnerable and delicate way, truly with a style all her own. I adored this book’ – Adalyn Grace, Sunday Times bestselling author of Belladonna

‘Ross enchants with a clever and sweeping love story set against an imaginative, dangerous world. Her writing sparkles, brimming with wit and magic from the first page to the last’ – Isabel Ibañez, Sunday Times bestselling author of What the River Knows

‘Ross has crafted a tale that hooks its readers with whip-smart intrigue, and holds them fast with dazzling prose, a charming cast, and a world where mystique shimmers just beneath the surface. Hers is a brilliant blend of whimsy and heart’ – Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey

About the author

Rebecca Ross is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults. She has written multiple highly acclaimed novels, including Wild Reverence, Divine Rivals, Ruthless Vows, A River Enchanted, A Fire Endless, Dreams Lie Beneath, Sisters of Sword & Song, The Queen’s Resistance, and The Queen’s Rising. Her books have been translated into thirty-one languages and are international bestsellers. When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband, her dog, and a friendly flock of chickens.