Keeper of Enchanted Rooms

With a sweet feel and wonderfully twisty plot, this historical fantasy from Holmberg (the Star Mother series) hits all the right notes. In an alternate 1846 U.S. where magic is widely known but rarely seen due to the dilution of magical bloodlines, augurist Hulda Larkin, 34, works as a housekeeper for the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms (BIKER). Her job is to ensure that the magical homes in her care are well-behaved and that their occupants are equipped to care for them. This is just the service that non-magical Merritt Fernsby needs. A 31-year-old writer disowned by his family, Merritt is shocked to inherit his grandfather’s Rhode Island Whimbrel House. There’s just one problem: the house is haunted. Or enchanted. Or maybe it just doesn’t like Merritt. So he’s grateful when Hulda sweeps in to help him adjust to his new circumstances. While searching for the source of the house’s magic, however, a dark time from Hulda’s past rears its head, threatening both her and Merritt’s safety—and the integrity of the home they’ve come to cherish. Filled with delightful period details and artfully shaded characters, this whimsical, thoughtful look at magic and its price is the perfect read for a cold fall night. Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary. (Nov.)