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The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson

Fantasy

The Courting of Bristol Keats

by Mary E. Pearson

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Quick take

On a quest to find her father, Bristol ventures through magical and perilous fae lands and forms an unlikely alliance.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, 400

    400+ pages

  • Illustrated icon, Magical

    Magical

  • Illustrated icon, Salacious

    Salacious

  • Illustrated icon, Romantasy

    Romantasy

Synopsis

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.

Free sample

Get an early look from the first pages of The Courting of Bristol Keats.

The Courting of Bristol Keats

CHAPTER 1

At the end of Oak Leaf Lane, dawn arrived fifteen minutes early. Most folks didn’t notice, as they rarely did about such things, but eagerness circled the air like a hungry buzzard, watching and waiting. Wild grass shivered; droplets of dew danced to the ground. The earth trembled as low whispers tumbled over hummocks, making geese startle into the sky. Something was about to happen.

But Bristol Keats slept soundly, oblivious to the long-fingered light prying its way through her drapes at such an early hour. Nothing could wrestle her from her bed but a good night’s rest. Drool dampened her pillow, and her arm hung limply over the side of the bed. She had worked late. Her tips lay in a satisfied heap on her nightstand, a ruffled monument to her determination.

Finally, midmorning, she stirred, groaning, then rose from her rumpled bed and shook herself into her jeans. As busy as Friday nights were, festival days were busier, which was a good thing for Bristol. The late notices were stacking up. At the top of the pile lay the electric bill—forty days past due, and shutoff was imminent. Bristol’s tips that day, combined with those from the past week, would take care of that one and leave a little extra for groceries.

With sleep still in her eyes, she sniffed her hair for the oily scent of the parlor, then swiped it into a quick messy ponytail, unaware that the day would be anything but ordinary. It wasn’t something you could see, but as she splashed her face with water, then brushed her teeth, her head turned slightly to the side, a strange velvety warmth filling the air, though it was only a vague sense that she couldn’t name. She didn’t even realize she leaned into it, like a cat arching its back against a doorway.

A doorway. Yes. That is what she leaned into.

But she didn’t know it yet.

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Why I love it

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!

Member ratings (53)

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New and recent add-ons
View all
Pictures of You
Where the Library Hides
Is She Really Going Out With Him?
The Courting of Bristol Keats
Bloodguard
The Last One at the Wedding
The Stone Witch of Florence
Intermezzo
What Does It Feel Like?
We Solve Murders
The Bog Wife
Here One Moment
The Night We Lost Him
The Crimson Crown
Someone in the Attic
Middle of the Night
A Sorceress Comes to Call
The Book of George
Leather & Lark
The Life Impossible
Vilest Things