REVELLE

The island of Charmant is a dazzling place where liquor flows freely despite its prohibition on the mainland and a single jewel can bring one’s wildest fantasies to life.

Beneath the glamour, all is not as it seems, and none knows that better than Luxe Revelle, whose family teeters on the brink of starvation while others exploit their own magic to prosper. When Dewey Chronos, the passed-over scion of Charmant’s mayor, offers not only everything the Revelles need to keep their business alive, but a chance to put all of the island’s magical families on equal footing in exchange for Luxe’s help in securing his victory in the upcoming election, she can’t refuse. Meanwhile, orphan Jamison Port finds himself in over his head (and heels) when pursuing a strange sense of déjà vu catapults him into a world of intrigues as multifaceted as the jewels the island runs on. On the surface, this fantastical romance ticks all the standard boxes. However, the carefully orchestrated plot unfolds, revealing new layers, twists, and revelations at every turn and building to a crescendo. A great deal of thought has been put into the worldbuilding, and the characters are richly and sensitively drawn. This attention to small details makes it easy to lose oneself in the story, and if the ending feels a bit rushed, the story’s strengths more than make up for it. Lead characters are White.

An enchanting debut.