Phantom and Rook

Phantom and Rook by Aelina Isaacs

Levena is a cozy, affluent little town thanks to its mysterious benefactor. It has coffee shops, bookstores, night clubs, an art museum, and a lovely sense of community. The town comes right off the page and sounds like a truly lovely place to live. The story has a lot of moving parts and people, which definitely made me curious for more stories to come in this world.

Each year the mysterious benefactor hosts The Game. But this year's Game is going to be the last, and the winner needs to discover the identity of the Scarlet Illusionist. The prize is a Wish. Arlo Rook is a witch who is usually very competitive about the game, but this year he's gotten somewhat distracted by a newcomer named Thatch, who just happens to be a hopelessly endearing immortal being. Also his magic is acting strangely, and the ghost of an old nemesis has cropped back up. The narrative does meander some, a few questions and threads in the plot don't get tied up, but I honestly think that may have contributed to some of the charm since our main character is a bit distracted himself. And who knows, perhaps some of those questions will get answered in future works.

If you're looking for a cozy, slice of life, fantasy romance, this is a great choice. Phantom and Rook is a litRPG type fantasy, so there are all sorts of non-human people in the diverse cast of characters. It's got found family and community, fated mates and a long, slow burn. As far as content, there are some spicy scenes towards the end. There is also a trigger warning for talk of attempted suicide to be aware of.