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Sixteen-year-old Clara Lucas makes an unbearable bargain to control her wild magic so she can save Papa from her accidental curse.

All Clara and childhood best friend Xavier Morwyn ever wanted was to be healers like his parents. But while Xavier was certified as a wizard a year earlier than is usual, Clara was left behind. Her magic is wild and unpredictable, always taunting her and playing on her worst fears of failure. When the Council of Magicians declares Clara’s magic must either be neutralized or bound, making spellcasting painful, Clara chooses the latter—until the results poison Papa. Only she can counter her accidental curse with a healing blessing, but she must first have full control of her magic. She begs Xavier to teach her how; he agrees but on one condition: Once Papa is healed, Clara must give Xavier her magic. A slow-burn romance and a soft, sweet fantasy unfold. The portrayal of anxiety as Clara’s magic is not subtle, but many readers familiar with mental health struggles will recognize the voice that taunts and haunts Clara. At the same time, she overcomes her challenges more quickly than can be expected in real life; a subplot around a potion to cure melancholy includes subtle messaging that is ultimately more supportive of medical intervention than it may at first appear. Main characters are cued White.

A gentle love story and a fantasy that faces the dark voices of anxiety and depression with mettle.