Enchanted Autumn

Klein’s lovely debut paranormal romance showcases the value of friendship and authenticity in the face of scheming exes and magical mayhem. Best friends Hazel, a witch, and Roxy, a mortal, both struggle with love. When British academic Elizabeth Cowrie arrives in Hazel and Roxy’s hometown of Salem, Mass., to study the Salem witch trials, the spark between Roxy and Elizabeth is clear, so Hazel ignores her own attraction to Elizabeth to let them date. Besides, her cheating vampire ex-girlfriend, Camille, returns to town that same day, whose repeated attempts to derail Hazel’s personal life make it a less than ideal time for new romance. Still, when Roxy and Elizabeth’s relationship fizzles, Hazel takes the opportunity to explore the crush she could never quite quash. Despite Camille’s meddling and the messiness of the love triangle, Hazel and Elizabeth’s budding romance goes swimmingly—until it becomes clear that Elizabeth is a nonbeliever who scoffs at the very concept of magic. The novel’s greatest strength is the unshakable friendship between Hazel and Roxy, who find ways to support each other even while pining for the same woman. The healthy communication keeps the love triangle from dragging, and the grounded magic system delights. Klein should win plenty of fans with this. (Feb.)