Until the Clock Strikes Midnight
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Feb 3, 2026
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow.
Darling is the most talented—and unusual—Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms—if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job… until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover.
Calamity is the most talented—and arrogant—Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical "Happily Ever After." When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy—Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too—a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand.
To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves... and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love.
Also by Alechia Dow
Just a Pinch of Magic
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Immortal magical entities feigning romance compete for a coveted mentorship in this fun and frothy "Cinderella" remix from Dow (A Song of Salvation). As the first fairy in centuries to attend the Mortal Outcome Academy to become a Guardian, one tasked with "helping mortals find their Happily Ever Afters," Darling often feels like an outcast among her celestial peers. Meanwhile, classmate Calam hones his skills as a Misfortune, enchanters who lead mortals toward "a safe and secure Ordinary Ever After." Landing a prestigious mentorship with the Mortal Outcome Council could kick-start their careers, so when they're both assigned to 17-year-old human Lucy, a magical altercation forces the immortals into a pretend relationship to get closer to the teen. But Darling's attempts to help grief-stricken Lucy and her financially struggling bookstore are repeatedly foiled by Calam. Only one of them can win, and with Lucy's future—and their own romantic feelings—hanging in the balance, they must decide what matters most: success or love. Calam and Darling's charming alternating first-person POVs combine to deliver a hijinks-forward, vivacious true love story that empathetically portrays mental health challenges. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 12–up.
