Wooing the Witch Queen

Transporting readers to a gaslamp world, Burgis (the Regency Dragons series) unfurls an enchanting fantasy rom-com. After the sorceress Saskia overthrows her murderous uncle and usurps the throne of Kitvaria, she’s viewed by her people as a terrifying witch. She’s really just trying to protect them, however, especially as her kingdom teeters on the brink of war with a neighboring empire. She would much rather concoct powerful new spells in her laboratory than deal with court politics. When dark wizard Fabian shows up on her doorstep, she assumes he’s come to fill a vacancy in the castle’s messy magical library and hires him without a thought. But Fabian is no mere librarian: he’s the very archduke who’s supposedly trying to invade Saskia’s land. Fabian himself is on the run from his traitorous father-in-law and was hoping to find asylum in the much-feared kingdom of Kitvaria. As mutual attraction simmers between the two heads of state, Fabian’s disguise wears thin, but revealing his true identity may very well start a war. Burgis keeps the pages flying while impressively balancing political intrigue, slow-burning romance, and comic relief. Readers will be enchanted. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency. (Feb.)