Leveling Up

"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of 20 years packs up and heads for greener pastures, and my son heads away to college, that's exactly what my midlife becomes. A do-over. This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at 40 I'm ready to carve my own path. Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills.

The decision has been made. Jessie has taken the magic and all the weird that goes with it. Including wings. There's only one problem - she can't figure out how to access them. Through a series of terrible decisions, Jessie realizes she must ask for help. Gargoyle help. But she could've never predicted who answers her call - he's an excellent flier, incredibly patient, and a good trainer. He's also incredibly handsome. And interested.

Jessie's new life adjustment is well underway. The tough alpha Austin has joined her team, and she has painstakingly learned to fly. Life is going a-okay. That is, until her parents decide to visit.... They don't know anything about magic, about Jessie's new digs, or about the crazy crew living in and around Jessie's house. She must do everything in her power to keep the truth away from them. Which would be much easier without the unfelt presence lurking within Ivy House's borders. It seems an enemy has figured out a way to magically bypass Ivy House's defenses.

The Ivy House team is shaping up, but there are still holes to be filled and a magical summons outstanding. Jessie needs a teacher. Someone who can fit in with the whacky Ivy House crew. And that was going just fine...until she gets a request to host a powerful, neighboring mage. A teacher isn't going to be enough. She needs more power in her crew. She needs some might.

The fifth book in the Wall Street Journal best-selling series. Jessie is tired of Elliot Graves coming to her. This time, she will meet him on his home turf and end this feud once and for all.

The signs are unmistakable. Momar isn't just targeting Austin's brother. When one of Momar's grunts breaks into Austin's territory looking to grab Jessie for questioning, Jessie and her crew realize they are under fire. In order to protect themselves, it becomes obvious they need backup.

After returning from the basajaunak lands, it's clear that Jessie and her crew need to find an alliance quickly. They need to head to Kingsley's in less than a couple of months. If they go as they are, they'll never be enough to save Austin's brother from total annihilation. Luckily, Jessie has a pile of connection requests waiting for her attention. The gargoyle cairns want to meet her. She has an opportunity to gain a little help. Unluckily, the cairns don't have much interest beyond meeting the new kid on the block.

Edgar does not cheat in flower shows. He might use a magically enhanced serum, but anyone could do that. It's not his fault the other competitors don’t know magic exists! But when the Ivy House crew goes to the pre-show to support him, it becomes clear that someone should've been watching Edgar much more carefully. What he's done is way worse than overgrown flora. While Jessie is dealing with that, she gets a shock as she discovers photos of her ex with his girlfriend…turned fiancée. And while the flood of emotions can be ignored, the desire to show off Austin on social media is not.

The enemy is closing in, and all that stands in the way of the total annihilation of Kingley's pack is Austin and Jessie.

With Kingsley safe and Momar subdued for the moment, it's time for healing. Jessie and the gang take a much-needed break. Or, at least, the gang does. The holidays are upon them and the ex has invited Jessie to meet his new fiancée. It's off to L.A. where Jessie will face her past and the wounds she didn't realize still lingered. Niamh, too, meets a blast from her past. This one, though, is ten times more dangerous. Re-connecting is a risk not even Tristan is sure they should take.