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A Spell of Heart & Havoc
- Author
- Kristen Vale
- Publisher
- Hachette Audio
- Publish Date
- 15 September 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 58 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
A cozy and spicy fantasy romance in which a half-dwarf thief is assigned to be a fake bodyguard for a rich noble, for fans of Rebecca Thorne and Kimberly Lemming.
Maerryl Kirim, a surly half-dwarf with the world on her shoulders, will do anything to save her deathly ill brother. Joining a guild of thieves to gather enough coin for his cure, she agrees to infiltrate a noble family. But acting as bodyguard for their haughty, spoiled daughter is no walk in the enchanted forest.
Dove Wistrallo yearns for independence, not a babysitter. As the uncouth Maerryl loves to remind her, she lives a charmed life ... though few know of the risky magical ability that Dove hides. Spending every moment together is infuriating—at first. But before long, the friction between the rogue and the lady becomes a spark they can’t ignore.
Yet the clock is ticking for Maerryl to secure the family’s riches. Does their growing love stand a chance against Maerryl’s ruse, Dove’s secrets, and a den of thieves?
Critics Review
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"Magical, sweet, and full of heat! Kristen Vale's sapphic bodyguard romantasy between a thief and a noblewoman has it all—banter, heists, enemies to lovers, found family, and a lovely emotional undercurrent about finding yourself and standing up for what's right. Keep your wits about you while reading this book, or Dove and Maerryl might just steal your heart."—Emily Krempholtz, USA Today bestselling author of Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore
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"A Spell of Heart & Havoc combines cozy fantasy vibes with high heat. Vale delivers plenty of snark and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, balanced with a sweet core message of finding your family and finding yourself. Fans of bickering banter and forced proximity will eat this up."—M. Stevenson, author of Behooved
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“A Spell of Heart and Havoc is everything we need right now: a lush sapphic romantasy between a masc thief and the curvy Lady she’s forced to protect—and readers rejoice, these fierce women are in their thirties! Maerryl and Dove’s cozy yet combustible class-clash romance thrills, with a pacey story that delivers tension and the perfect blend of spice all the way to its heart-stealing finale. Absolutely satisfying.”—Amy de la Force, author of A Kiss of Hammer & Flame
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“The most delectable & page-turning enemies-to-lovers story I’ve read in years!”—Amanda Lovelace, author of Books, Iced Coffee & a Side of Dragons
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Kristen Vale
- Narrator
- Cassandra Medcalf, Charlie L. Wood
- Duration
- 10 hours 58 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 September 2026
- ISBN
- 9781668660041
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Hachette Audio
- Genre
- Romance: fantasy and paranormal, Romance, Fantasy romance
Synopsis
A cozy and spicy fantasy romance in which a half-dwarf thief is assigned to be a fake bodyguard for a rich noble, for fans of Rebecca Thorne and Kimberly Lemming. Maerryl Kirim, a surly half-dwarf with the world on her shoulders, will do anything to save her deathly ill brother. Joining a guild of thieves to gather enough coin for his cure, she agrees to infiltrate a noble family. But acting as bodyguard for their haughty, spoiled daughter is no walk in the enchanted forest. Dove Wistrallo yearns for independence, not a babysitter. As the uncouth Maerryl loves to remind her, she lives a charmed life ... though few know of the risky magical ability that Dove hides. Spending every moment together is infuriating—at first. But before long, the friction between the rogue and the lady becomes a spark they can’t ignore. Yet the clock is ticking for Maerryl to secure the family’s riches. Does their growing love stand a chance against Maerryl’s ruse, Dove’s secrets, and a den of thieves?
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