The Librarian's Spell
Page 28
Most of all, to my dear readers, whose emails and comments remind me of why I sit at this desk every day and argue with contrary characters. Hugs to each and every one of you!
Author’s Note
Due to the pandemic, I was unable to return to Scotland to continue my explorations outside of Edinburgh. I’ve had to rely on the books I’ve brought home on previous trips and the occasionally unreliable internet. Let’s blame any errors on my bad memory and the corona virus!
But I did not entirely make up my Calder Castle’s architecture and history (which will also continue into the next book). It is well known that the Romans pushed into southern Scotland during the first century AD. Admittedly, hill forts were the main means of construction that far north, but Romans knew how to build. Who can say a few Roman engineers didn’t linger?
At the same time, we also have the mystery of the odd brochs in and around that same area. Brochs are well known in the far north, but they’ve also been located close to the Firth of Tay and along the eastern Borders. Built of drywall stone, the unusual brochs were considered high-status buildings, which suits my Druidic Malcolms and ambitious Ives. For a brief glimpse of broch history, take a look here: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Brochs-the-Tallest-Prehistoric-Buildings-in-Britain/
And then, of course, we all know about the violent history of defending borders that led to the magnificent stone fortresses scattered across the Scotland countryside. What better reason to build a castle than to protect a growing Malcolm library? So, yes, that part is my fantasy—protecting books instead of kings.
I do hope you’ll enjoy reading my fantasy as much as I enjoyed writing it!
School of Magic Series
Lessons in Enchantment
Book 1 of School of Magic
Can a straitlaced engineer, three psychic children, and a lonely witch find love?
* * *
The daughter of an earl, Lady Phoebe Malcolm Duncan has the ability to talk to animals. She longs to be a veterinarian, but education requires more coin than she possesses. When the walls of her home come tumbling down, she has to take two steps back—to servitude.
Inventor Andrew Blair keeps his nose to the grindstone, knowing his friends and family depend on his talent for turning machines into money. He is about to embark on his biggest investment yet—rebuilding crumbling tenements in Old Town Edinburgh— until his beleaguered cousin begs him to hide his precocious children from a killer.
When the School of Malcolms sends Lady Phoebe as governess for his wards, Drew’s well-ordered beliefs are upended. Ladies don’t live in slum housing like the one he’s about to tear down, nor do they command ravens or encourage children to talk to dead mothers. It might take a vengeful ghost to show the disparate pair how to join forces, fight their fears and their enemies, and reveal a path to love.
Buy Lessons in Enchantment
A Bewitching Governess
Book 2 of School of Magic
She’s the mistress of illusion; How can he trust her lessons on love?
* * *
Lady Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves is a viscountess, a widow, a governess, the adopted mother of a disabled toddler—but above all else, she is a survivor. When the father of the young children she’s been caring for arrives on Christmas Eve, drunk and ranting, his aura and her own sad experience tell her he’s dangerous.
Heart hardened after the murder of his beloved wife, Simon Blair is an industrialist who has no use for another psychic Malcolm. His late wife’s weird family is more than enough interference. But his twin daughters are talking to their mother’s ghost, his son and heir is floating objects that shouldn’t float, and he’s beleaguered by aristocrats who refuse to acknowledge his plebeian existence.
When Simon learns that Lady Olivia is in a position to help him obtain the land he needs for his business, and she recognizes that by helping him, she might regain the home she’s lost, they must fight their respective prejudices and forge an uneasy alliance. It might take a ghost, an army of children, and a criminal gang to force them to recognize that they want far more than real estate.
Buy A Bewitching Governess
An Illusion of Love
Book 3 of School of Magic
Victorian Edinburgh belongs to staid professors, not the daughter of a Hindu princess.
* * *
Apparently lacking the psychic ability of her Malcolm father’s gifted British family, Azmin Dougall feels like a pigeon in a family of peacocks. Returning to her ancestral home of India, she finds solace in photography—until her film mysteriously reveals that a woman is being abused by her powerful husband. Helping the wife escape, Azmin flees for the safety of Scotland.
Dr. Zane Dare is done with risk. Because his work introduced disease to his family home, his sister is dead and his niece suffers from the results of the same infection. Louisa has been left in his care, but the bachelor physician has no time to educate an adolescent while he researches a cure. In desperation, he asks the School of Malcolms to provide a governess. The school sends Azmin—the defiant sprite who enchanted him a decade ago.
That long-ago summer crushed both their dreams, leaving them unwilling to open their hearts again. Zane’s position at the university is already precarious—introducing a rebellious Hindu princess to his household will only jeopardize his research. Azmin cannot trust a man who scoffs at the psychic abilities she’s just discovered, except his frail niece wins her love.
But when Azmin’s photography reveals an abusive man may be courting Louisa, Zane and Azmin must set aside their differences to protect the girl who could teach their hearts to love again . . .
Buy An Illusion of Love
The Librarian’s Spell
Book 4 of School of Magic
Can a timid librarian and a bold engineer save a castle's toppling tower of books?
* * *
The stereotypical reserved librarian, Lydia Wystan has only one true love, the books that whisper to her. But unless she can understand the whispers, she cannot become what she wants to be more than anything—the Malcolm Librarian.
Maxwell Ives has a disastrous gift for attracting women, a trait that has resulted in three sons and a desire for solitude. Returning to England to find a school for one of his boys, Max seeks privacy in the isolated Malcolm library. But to Max’s dismay, the old librarian dies, leaving Miss Wystan, a female, in charge. Before he can run far, far away, he learns the library tower is in danger of toppling, and his cousin is stealing from his mother’s School of Malcolms.
To save the library and Max’s family funds, Lydia must claim to be what she is not—a real librarian. Fascinated that his magnetism doesn’t affect the one woman who can help him, Max must choose between his freedom and his family. In the process of helping others, Max and Lydia just might learn that sometimes, love is the secret that makes magic happen.
Buy The Librarian’s Spell
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The Librarian’s Spell
Copyright © 2020 Patricia Rice
First Publication: Book View Cafe, March 2021
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portion thereof, in any form.
This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published by Rice Enterprises, Dana Point, CA, an affiliate of Book View Café Publishing Cooperative P.O. Box 1624, Cedar Crest, NM 87008-1624
http://bookviewcafe.com
Cover design by Kim Killion
ISBN 978-1-61138-946-3 ebook
978-1-61138-947-0 print
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
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About the Author
With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. Her books have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.
For further information, visit Patricia’s network:
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Also by Patricia Rice
The World of Magic:
The Unexpected Magic Series
Magic in the Stars
Whisper of Magic
Theory of Magic
Aura of Magic
Chemistry of Magic
No Perfect Magic
The Magical Malcolms Series
Merely Magic
Must Be Magic
The Trouble With Magic
This Magic Moment
Much Ado About Magic
Magic Man
The California Malcolms Series
The Lure of Song and Magic
Trouble with Air and Magic
The Risk of Love and Magic
Crystal Magic
Sapphire Nights
Topaz Dreams
Crystal Vision
Wedding Gems
Azure Secrets
Amber Affairs
Moonstone Shadows
The Wedding Gift
The Wedding Question
The Wedding Surprise
School of Magic
Lessons in Enchantment
A Bewitching Governess
An Illusion of Love
The Librarian’s Spell
Entrancing the Earl
Captivating the Countess
Historical Romance:
American Dream Series
Moon Dreams
Rebel Dreams
The Rebellious Sons
Wicked Wyckerly
Devilish Montague
Notorious Atherton
Formidable Lord Quentin
The Regency Nobles Series
The Genuine Article
The Marquess
English Heiress
Irish Duchess
Regency Love and Laughter Series
Crossed in Love
Mad Maria’s Daughter
Artful Deceptions
All a Woman Wants
Rogues & Desperadoes Series
Lord Rogue
Moonlight and Memories
Shelter from the Storm
Wayward Angel
Denim and Lace
Cheyennes Lady
Dark Lords and Dangerous Ladies Series
Love Forever After
Silver Enchantress
Devil’s Lady
Dash of Enchantment
Indigo Moon
Too Hard to Handle
Texas Lily
Texas Rose
Texas Tiger
Texas Moon
Mystic Isle Series
Mystic Isle
Mystic Guardian
Mystic Rider
Mystic Warrior
Mysteries:
Family Genius Series
Evil Genius
Undercover Genius
Cyber Genius
Twin Genius
Twisted Genius
Tales of Love and Mystery
Blue Clouds
Garden of Dreams
Nobody’s Angel
Volcano
California Girl
Urban Fantasies
Writing as Jamie Quaid
Saturn’s Daughters
Boyfriend From Hell
Damn Him to Hell
Giving Him Hell
About Book View Café
Book View Café Publishing Cooperative (BVC) is an author-owned cooperative of over fifty professional writers, publishing in a variety of genres including fantasy, romance, mystery, and science fiction. Since its debut in 2008, BVC has gained a reputation for producing high-quality ebooks. BVC’s ebooks are DRM-free and are distributed around the world. The cooperative is now bringing that same quality to its print editions.
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RITA Award
World Fantasy Award
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