If there’s one thing I can’t resist in a romantic fantasy, it’s a gaslamp setting. Add in wizards, fights against gender inequality, and steamy romances, and I can’t say no. I’ve been interested in Colleen Cowley’s Clandestine Magic series for so long, so when I saw her recently released Into the Bargain prequel novella, I knew it was finally time to try out the series. Into the Bargain is full of fairytale references and hints, which make it delightfully romantic and nostalgic.
| Title: Into the Bargain: A Clandestine Magic Fairy Tale | Author: Colleen Cowley |
| Release Date: January 31, 2024 | Genre: Fantasy Romance / Historical Fantasy |
| Publisher: Slender Sky Books | Page Count: 87 |
Synopsis
A young lady with no income—and shortly no home—must be in want of a wizard
husband.
Pen Novak has two weeks to find someone to marry. Otherwise, she’ll be spirited off to live with her awful uncle. Fortunately, her town’s omnimancer is on the market, and he plans to choose someone at a ball in thirteen days.
Unfortunately, he’s not the type to appreciate cleverness, persistence or anything else Pen has to offer.
Enter the wizard’s intriguing assistant, who makes her a bargain: a magical brew that could virtually guarantee her selection, in exchange for a favor. Which he won’t specify. Nor will he tell her his name.
Of course she shouldn’t accept. Especially as she starts to notice his fine eyes and tempting lips.
But with all the job openings in town meant for men only, what other choice does a young lady—or, rather, a not quite so young lady—really have?
Review:
Pen Novak is running out of time to find a husband. If she doesn’t secure one soon, she’ll have to live under the thumb of her oppressive uncle. Determined to secure a future for herself, Pen seeks out the town’s omnimancer, who has recently announced his intentions to marry. When Pen arrives at the wizard’s office, all she finds is his assistant. Day after day, Pen returns to find only the maddening assistant, who refuses to tell her his name. When the assistant strikes a bargain with Pen that ensures she’ll be chosen as the omnimancer’s bride, Pen cannot refuse. If only she wasn’t falling for the assistant instead.
Into the Bargain completely took me by surprise! Given the summary and the first few chapters, I thought I knew the direction the story would go. This little fairytale novella holds a lot of twists and turns, though, and my original thoughts were completely wrong. The romance is fairly steamy, with at least one mild-to-medium spicy scene depicted on the page. The ending of the novella is quite progressive, pulling away from the Austen-like morals of the first half of the novella. Without giving any spoilers away, I’ll just say I adored the ending. It’s feminist as heck and shows the growth of the main characters. While some readers may not find it satisfying, I think it is a reasonable and responsible way for the romance to progress. (Don’t worry! There is a HEA!)
Final Thoughts:
The fairytale themes and tropes in this novella worked really well for me. I loved the Regency-inspired fantasy setting and the hints of what’s to come in the Clandestine Magic series. I can’t wait to dig into this world more, so expect to see more reviews of this series this year!!
For other similar reads, check out The Poison Plot by Hannah Silver, A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft, and Spellswept by Stephanie Burgis.
Rating: 4/5 stars
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