I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A law librarian must tap into long-dormant powers to save a friend in author Deborah Wilde’s Trowing Shade, the first book in the Magic After Midlife series.

The Synopsis

Middle-aged. Divorced. Hormonally imbalanced. Then she got magic. Underestimate her. That’ll be fun.

Miriam Feldman is ditching her shapewear and finally letting her magic fly free.

When Miri was a teen, her parents were murdered by magic assassins. These days, her aggressively normal job as a law librarian suits her just fine. Normal keeps her daughter safe. Normal means no one notices the dangerous power she’s spent years pretending she doesn’t have.

That ends when her ride-or-die best friend vanishes after tangling with vampires.

To get her back, Miri unleashes the rare shadow magic she’s kept buried for decades. It’s intoxicatingly empowering—and impossible to ignore.

Plunged into a hidden supernatural world where not knowing the rules is a fast-track to a painful end, Miri’s audacity is both her greatest weapon and her biggest risk. She enlists help the only way she can: by blackmailing a grumpy French wolf shifter into her rescue mission. He has the infuriating habit of disagreeing with her every move… and a baffling drive to protect her, even though she doesn’t need it.

Then there’s their chemistry. Sharp, undeniable, and very much not on her To-Do list.

As threats multiply and secrets unravel, Miri discovers that magic doesn’t just change the rules—it changes her. But will claiming this second act cost her the people she loves… or finally give her the life she thought she’d missed her chance at?

Featuring a smart older heroine with zero effs left to give, laugh-out-loud banter, and a swoony shifter romance, this clever mix of urban fantasy and mystery will have you bingeing ‘just one more chapter.’

Read the complete series now.

The Review 

This was a well-balanced and fun fantasy read. The way the author navigated an action-driven fantasy world by infusing the characters’ interactions with much-needed humor and levity was a welcome addition. The author’s use of magic was unique in this world, showcasing shadow work as a power set and allowing readers plenty of room to connect with the growing mythos the Author has built.

The author does a great job of creating emotional connections and strong, trauma-driven backstories for the characters, including the protagonist, which makes the story unique, with its lighthearted dialogue and insights. Giving the protagonist role to a woman who has already begun living her life and discovers just how powerful she is in midlife was such a great choice. That is both unique and gives much-needed appreciation to this character. The chemistry that builds between her and others in this cast, particularly a certain shifter, brings the heat and the sparks fans of this genre crave.

The Verdict

An action-driven, enthralling, and thrilling adventure to life on the page, author Deborah Wilde’s “Throwing Shade” is a must-read fantasy-meets-supernatural novel. The story’s twist, the humorous dialogue, and the dynamic character development create a unique entry into a brand-new fantasy series that readers can easily jump into and get lost in. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Deborah Wilde is a global wanderer and hopeless romantic. After twelve years as a screenwriter, she was also a total cynic with a broken edit button, so, she jumped ship, started writing funny, sexy, urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction novels, and never looked back.

She loves writing smart, flawed, wisecracking women who can solve a mystery, kick supernatural butt, banter with hot men, and still make time for their best female friend, because those were the women she grew up around and admired. Granted, her grandmother never had to kill a demon at her weekly friend lunches, but Deborah is pretty sure she could have.

she/her

Smart (ass) heroines. Epic magic. Red-hot romance.

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