RELEASE TOUR: The Lost Lovelies by Vanora Lawless
Length: 81k words
Series: standalone
Prior Reading: n/a
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantasy, Historical Fantasy
Tropes: 1945 + Magic, Second Chance Romance, Forced Proximity, Missing Person, Blood Magic, Queer Found Family, Mystery
Trigger/Content Warnings: Graphic violence, on page sex, mentions of child death and murder, reference to sexual assault of minors, on page non-graphic death of a child in the past (not murder), drowning, alcohol use (both social and overindulging)
Designer: Cover Art Illustrator: Instagram @Klayrdegall, Typography: Vanora Lawless
Famed war correspondent Kit Lovely left Nova Scotia seventeen years ago under the crushing weight of a broken heart, swearing never to return. But after he receives an ominous letter from his new sister-in-law, Kit rushes back across the Atlantic, where he discovers their ransacked house tingling from mysterious magic. With his brother and sister-in-law gone without a trace, Kit’s left reeling. His own faulty magic can’t work a tracking spell, nor are the police much use. Desperate for answers, Kit has no choice but to turn to the very man who once shattered him.
Reserved mage Gus North is an expert PI specializing in missing persons cases. He’s also guarding a dangerous secret: he hails from a long line of talented blood magic users. When the only man he’s ever loved begs for help to find his little brother, Gus can’t turn him away. Not even with all the lies, and hurt, and lingering feelings between them clawing him up.
As they chip away at the case, their core beliefs about themselves, each other, and the world they live in unravel, exposing a deadlier enemy than either of them could have imagined.
After all, in a world of magic, not all monsters in fairytales are just stories.
THE LOST LOVELIES is an intensely emotional second-chance romance full of queer found family, mystery, and magic. Set in 1945 Halifax, Nova Scotia.
EXCERPT:
What was I supposed to do? What could I do? I was a journalist—a correspondent—who relied on developing contacts and sources in the area I reported from. I’d never done that in Halifax; I hadn’t set foot here in over ten years. I didn’t have the time to form an information network.
Waiting patiently for the results of a lackluster investigation was intolerable. My brother and sister-in-law were missing. Who really cared other than me? Did he have any friends who would have reported him missing if I hadn’t come home? Did Mary-Alice?
Ted had always been timid, but good-natured and kind enough that people were drawn to him anyway. Someone had to know something, surely?
I wasn’t equipped for this. I didn’t know who to turn to. I didn’t—
A restraining hand on my shoulder stopped me and pulled me around.
Gus.
“Kit, stop. Where do you think you’re going?”
Gus was a gumshoe and a talented mage. Tillie had proudly written about his triumphs in her letters. He tracked down missing people all the time. He’d learned his trade from Russell Flanigan, who made the papers regularly.
And… oh hell.
Everything in me recoiled at the idea forming in my mind. “I…”
I needed to hire August North.
His emotionless dark eyes remained locked on mine as he waited for me to continue. How was I going to ask him? Would he agree? Or would he disappoint me again?
That wasn’t fair. Regardless of what happened between us, Gus helped people when they needed him, and he always tried to do the right thing. I might not be able to trust him with my heart, but I could trust him to help me find Ted.
“You had a hell of a shock,” he said, when I still didn’t speak. “You can’t just wander off. Someone should look after you.” My unintelligent, painfully contrarian heart hitched. “You know Mum’s waiting in the wings to swoop in and do it.”
And then sank like a lead weight. Shaking my head, I shrugged out of his grip. “I’m a grown man, August. I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it most of my life.”
“This is different.”
“Is it?” I discarded the rest of the angry response I wanted to give. Losing my temper wasn’t going to get him to work for me. “Maybe you’re right. I do need help.”
Relief relaxed his shoulders. “Okay, let’s get you back to—”
Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms and huffed, “Not like that. I need your help, Gus. I want to hire you.”
His head cocked, and the mist clinging to his skin caught in the sun as it poked through the clouds. “Uh. What?”
“You are still a PI, aren’t you? And you locate missing people. Well, Ted and Mary-Alice are missing. I need someone to find them.”
“The Mounties—”
“Are more interested in assuming Ted’s guilty of a crime than that he’s a victim of one. I heard what Constable Corbin said. Do you really think they’ll put any resources into this when they’ve got their hands full with the powder keg of civilians and servicemen in tight quarters here? Because I don’t, and I can’t—Gus, I can’t lose Ted. Not if there’s any hope. Think about how you’d feel if it was—” I broke off in horror, too late for my rushed words not to land like knives.
His gaze went darker, hurt seeping into his eyes. He didn’t lash out, but it hit me in the gut as strongly as if he had. We both stood silent. My tongue was too thick in my mouth, the need to apologize clawing at me.
“Okay, Kit,” he said with hollow resignation. “You want to hire me? Fine. I'll take the case. But I can’t make any promises.”
about the author:
Vanora Lawless is a bisexual genderfluid Canadian with ADHD and a passion for telling love stories set in magical or niche historical worlds. A graduate of Saint Mary’s University, Vanora has a B.A, majoring in psychology. As a Nova Scotian, loving long walks on the beach is practically a law, so Vanora takes every possible opportunity to explore the best sandy shores. In spare time between crafting new worlds and stories, Vanora can be found poorly practising guitar or in a blanket burrito with a good book. Represented by Cheyenne Faircloth at Handspun Literary.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byvanoralawless
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Website: https://www.byvanoralawless.com
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Connect with Vanora ➤ @byvanoralawless
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