Damsel Under Stress

The latest charming paranormal from Swendson (Once Upon Stilettos) stars plain New Yorker Katie Chandler, whose immunity to magic paradoxically allows her to see all of the enchanted beings at work around her. After Katie shares a kiss with powerful wizard Owen Palmer-at the office party for Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., where both work-she's waiting for him to show up to their first real date when Ethelinda, an out-of-touch fairy godmother, materializes to work on Katie's romantic life. Katie waves her off dismissively, but when Owen shows up, he asks for a raincheck: cranky former friend Ari and absentminded bad-guy wizard Phelan Idris, who are in cahoots with some even badder guys, are out to bring magic to the masses. The two get to work, while, coincidentally, Katie's roommate Gemma is dating the rightful owner of the company run by Idris's backers. The loss of Katie's magic immunity and Ethelinda's old-fashioned meddling get added to the mix, and the book culminates in a fairy tale showdown. The unexpectedly poignant final pages hint at more sweetly imaginative doings to come.