Monks, magic, and mermen, oh my! The cast of supporting characters from Natalina Reis's "Of Magic and Scales" are back and stronger than ever, and so are the pop culture references and silly jokes Aiden likes so much. As Aiden and his new family are joined by an unexpected antagonist that may yet prove to be their undoing, will their (un)domesticated new life as a couple be turned upside down?
Aiden Mercer’s life has changed dramatically since his days of being a man-whore, where he spent most of the time either running his coffee shop in sunny Portugal or man-watching at the beach. He now has Naël, a cranky merman to love and to hold, and his sister, Vee, and friends to care for. Life is good.
But life never seems to stop surprising the American ex-detective. A mysterious order of monks, a mermen poacher, shocking revelations about his parentage—and whoever is hunting him down—turn Aiden and Naël's summer into one to remember. Or maybe one they'd rather forget.
I wrote all three books in the Of Magic & Scales series in 2019 and I’m not kidding when I say I had a blast writing them. There is something about Aiden and Naël that makes me happy. I’m not sure if it’s Aiden’s love for all things pop-trivia or Naël’s crankiness, but I can’t think of this couple without smiling.
Of course, 2020 happened and life got very serious all of a sudden. I found myself struggling to write (I was writing a rather more serious fantasy) and in need of something different. Thankfully 2020 was also the year of edits for Of Scales & Fire, which gave me the opportunity to revisit my guys. Yes, I think of them as my guys, don’t judge me.
Once again Aiden and Naël made me laugh, made me swoon and want to hug someone (in a socially-distanced appropriate manner, of course). And so did their band of friends; Taz who shares Aiden’s love of pop culture, Cristina with her infinite patience and loyalty, and little Vee with her innocent yet sharp life commentary.
2020 was also the year I had to cancel my first trip to Portugal in three years. I had finally managed to save enough money to go see my elderly mother and my sister and nephews, but Mr. Covid-19 decided otherwise. The edits of Of Scales & Fire helped me deal with this disappointment as well. Since the series is set in my hometown of Carcavelos, a suburb of Lisbon in Portugal, I was able to visit after all—however vicariously.
All in all, I believe I owe my guys a debt of gratitude because they kept me smiling through a weird year of a global pandemic. In fact, I missed them so much, I decided to write a companion Christmas novella and guess what? They did it again. I have been smiling like a fool ever since I started writing it. As a writer, I hope that they bring the readers the same kind of satisfaction and joy they continue to bring me.
I think Aiden would agree with me when I say, a laugh a day keeps the pandemic at bay. Or at least, thoughts of it. So go forth and laugh away with Aiden, Naël, and their Scooby gang.
Happy Reading!
Natalina
It had become a running joke with us—the fact that I had no clue who or what I was. It was painfully obvious I was a magical of some kind, but no one seemed to be able to identify which one. I had lived my whole adult life thinking I was just a Joe Schmo, only to find out that was far from the truth. I was still pretty ambivalent about it. It was nice to have powers other humans could only dream of, but on the other hand, it also meant I was forever linked to a group of creatures I had fought so hard to stay clear of.
I pushed him away, pretending to be mad at him. “Well, I am very poorly acquainted with my own powers, and until I learn how to better control them, I’m not much help to anyone.” I took another quick peek at the couple now walking out the door.
Fouchard slapped me with the kitchen towel. “Those powers were what saved my sister two months ago.” It was true; I had helped rescue his sister from the hands of a serial killer bent on getting rid of all magicals who didn’t fit the traditional mold. My boyfriend took a couple steps until his lips hovered over mine, his heady scent invading all my senses. He was the one who held all the magic. “Stop being so down on yourself and own it. You do with everything else, why not with this too? It’s part of who you are.” True, except I really didn’t know who I was. Fuck, I didn’t even know my own birthday. “Besides, you have magic in those fingers of yours,” he whispered, a wicked smile spreading on his lips. “You’re a true sorcerer with that mouth.” He brushed a thumb along my lower lip. Then he looked down at my crotch and licked his lips. “And other magical parts.” He let it hang as he lifted his eyes to mine.
 | With a serial killer on the loose, the baffling mystery of Aiden’s past, and their tenuous budding romance, Aiden and Fouchard tread through a world of magic and myth on padded shoes, terrified to stir up something neither can control or defeat. Aiden Mercer’s life now centers around lounging on the sunny beaches of his adopted country with a beer in one hand and a coffee in the other while admiring the local male population. After a rough life as a respected detective in DC, playing it cool shouldn’t be too hard, right? With the magical community on his case and dead bodies piling up around town, the responsibility of finding their killer seems fated to fall on him and deny him of his easy living. Then there is Naël. Cantankerous merman Naël Fouchard's life is focused on bringing up and protecting his little sister. When DNA found at the scene of the murders mark him as the prime suspect, Naël seeks out the help of Aiden, whose reputation as a detective grossly belies his lazy lifestyle and apparent lack of ambition. The chemistry between the strong, stoic Naël and the easygoing Aiden is undeniable, no matter how many walls Aiden builds. If this unlikely pair can’t come to terms with their feelings for each other long enough to catch the killer, their emotional turmoil might yet allow the murderer to kill them instead.  |
 | As if having a powerful druid and a goddess for parents doesn't suck enough, throwing a vengeful god into the fray certainly doesn't do Aiden any favors. Aiden Mercer's summer has been interesting—if by interesting you mean life-threatening and heartbreaking that is. With fall fast approaching, he’s looking for a quiet time in the arms of his boyfriend, Naël, the handsome merman. Alas, life never quite goes the way you plan it, does it? Unless Aiden finds a way to stop the wicked god Baburaj and his mother, Jhanvi from achieving their devilish goals, pain and destruction will hover over him like a starving vulture. In the third and final book in the Of Magic & Scales series, the familiar cast of zany but lovable characters is back, and they are bringing reinforcements for what promises to be an epic and sexy ending. Join Aiden, Naël, and their circle of magical friends in their final adventure. **No magical creatures were harmed in the writing of this book** 💕 To be released June 19 💕 |
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