After losing both of their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an aunt she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Her father might even still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures and taken to a whole other realm—the one he is from.

Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with a fae leader, Tyghan. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father—dead or alive.

If you’re looking for an escape from the busy fall season, you won’t regret walking through the door of this delightful portal fantasy. The Courting of Bristol Keats offers a peek into the best type of lived-in fantasy world, rich with faerie lore, dancing, magic lessons, monsters (both friendly and otherwise), and a compellingly prickly romance.

Bristol Keats’ goals in life are simple: pay the bills on time, keep her sisters safe and happy, and make enough tips at her pizza delivery job to get through the week. If there are questions lingering after the tragic deaths of her parents, she is content to leave them uninvestigated. But there are other players far beyond the small, pedestrian town of Bowskeep who are interested in Bristol’s fate—including the mysterious fae king Tyghan. A door into another realm has opened, and whether Bristol wants it or not, her life will not be allowed to remain simple for long…

The minute I finished this book, I was tempted to start poking around our New York office for hidden portals into Tyghan’s palace. From heart-pounding training sessions to mouth-watering feasts, Mary E. Pearson has created a fantasy world that feels utterly real. Pick up a copy of The Courting of Bristol Keats and take the first steps on your own magical journey—and if you ever happen to uncover a real-life Elfhame portal, please let me know!