"A powerful mage and long thought dead vampire team up to fight a past they thought they left behind."
Reviewed by Rosie B
Posted February 28, 2025
Romance Fantasy
As the owner of Witch’s Brew, a mage office that doubles as a book store, Maya Rosen has one rule; never work for vampires. Ever. But when a new employee lures her into a trap, leading Maya to reunite with a vampire she thought dead for forty years, she doesn’t get a choice. Sucked back into a past she wants to leave behind, Maya has little trust to give Ravyr, even if he does still attract her like no other ever has.
After Rayvr ends up saving Maya’s life, she finds herself working with him to uncover a shared enemy. As their mutual attraction grows, so does the danger lurking behind them. With their past quickly catching up with them, Maya and Rayvr will have to learn to trust one another in order to survive.
ETERNAL MAGIC by Alexandra Ivy is a captivating blend of urban fantasy, romance, and suspense that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. The third book in Ivy's Magic for Hire series dives deeper into a world where magic is real, and danger lurks around every corner. Ivy's world-building is strong, with vivid descriptions of both the magical and everyday elements of the world. The romance between Maya and Ravyr is both intense and tender, making their moments of reunion emotionally charged and satisfying. The plot is fast-paced, filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge. Ivy expertly blends action and suspense with heartfelt moments, making for an engrossing read that is hard to put down. Readers also learn a lot more about Joe and I really hope he gets a book in the future.
If you’re a fan of urban fantasy with strong romantic elements and a healthy dose of suspense, ETERNAL MAGIC is a must-read. Ivy has delivered another thrilling and emotionally engaging installment in the Magic for Hire series, and I’m eager to see what comes next.
SUMMARY
Bestselling author Alexandra Ivy returns to her bestselling Magic for Hire series, where the witches of a small New Jersey bookstore go up against a subtle and gruesome evil—and one woman changes her destiny forever . . .
Maya Rosen has plenty of experience with vampires, demons, and danger. She wears the scars that prove it. But she established Witch’s Brew, her bookshop and mage’s office, as a cozy place of safety and protection. When the brutally handsome vampire Ravyr appears, decades after she thought he died in the ruins of her master’s lair, Maya is prepared for a fight. Until he saves her life instead—and they realize they have an enemy in common.
Hunting down violent goblins, treacherous mages, and drug-dealing aristocrats with Ravyr isn’t enough to make Maya trust him. She’s been betrayed before, and she knows the vampire isn’t telling her everything. But the attraction between them grows, even as their chase brings them closer to a terrifying possibility. Maya knows desire is its own magic. And with horrors from the past lying in wait, they’ll need all the power they can tame . . .
ExcerptChapter 1 Spring was springing. Or at least there was a faint promise of spring in the air, luring the winter-weary citizens of Linden, New Jersey out of their homes. Who cared if the wind whipping through the narrow streets was more frigid than refreshing? Or that darkness was already gathering as they headed out of their offices after a long day of work? Or even that it was a random Tuesday in mid-April. Tonight they eagerly celebrated happy hour at the local bars and jammed the sidewalks as they wandered in and out of the various shops. Including the Witch’s Brew. The brightly lit coffeeshop with a white tiled floor and lavender walls wasn’t the largest in town, and it wasn’t part of a chain, but it was always packed with customers who crowded into the narrow space and battled to claim one of the small tables set near the large front window. Most were eager to munch on the variety of muffins and scones and brownies, not to mention the freshly brewed coffee. But there were a few who wandered into the attached bookstore in search of a good novel to enjoy during a quiet evening alone. The private office at the back of the shop, however, was strictly off-limits. The only customers allowed through the door were by appointment. And only for those select few clients who could afford Maya Rosen’s outrageous fees. As one of the most powerful mages in the world, Maya could name her price. And she did. Plus, she only offered her considerable skills to demons. They were split into two categories. The goblins who had long ago been giants, ogres, and trolls. And the fey creatures who had been fairies, sprites, and imps. She never worked for vampires. Ever. And, of course, the local humans didn’t have a clue that she was anything other than a successful businesswoman who was always generous with the neighborhood charities. Just as they didn’t know that they were living on the outskirts of a pool of ancient magic called a Gyre that fueled the demons who infested New York City. Or that the territory was ruled by Valen, a powerful member of the Vampire Cabal. Ignorance could definitely be bliss, Maya wryly acknowledged as she calmly watched a male demon storm around the barren office like a caged lion, waving his arms as he vented his seething fury. At first glance, the intruder appeared to be a regular guy in a tailored gray suit with his dark hair smoothed from his square face. Maya, however, could see the dark crimson aura that throbbed around his large body. It not only revealed he was a goblin, but that his blood hadn’t been diluted over the centuries. She could also smell the sour stench of his fear that he was trying to hide beneath his loud bluster. Understandable. She had, after all, created a truth potion that had caused him to blurt out the fact he’d been routinely overbilling vendors and pocketing the money during a meeting with his manager. Plus he’d shared his nasty habit of forcing himself on his young female employees. Now he was out of his job as an accountant at the glitzy nightclub in New York City, and soon he’d be facing Valen’s wrath for his sexual harassment. Something no demon wanted. “Who was it?” he ground out as he stomped past her desk, his face an interesting shade of purple. Maya pretended to be confused by his question. “Excuse me?” “Who paid the contract to have my coffee spiked with a truth potion?” Maya shrugged, not surprised he’d managed to figure out she was responsible for the potion in his coffee. But that’s all he’d ever know. There was no way in hell she would reveal that the contract had been negotiated by his last victim. The pretty fairy had sold everything she owned, plus taken a loan from the bank, to ensure that the goblin was exposed and punished for his crimes. The payment would be returned to the fairy through some covert means. Maya had too much respect for the female to refuse the stack of cash she’d proudly handed over. Just as she hadn’t told the younger woman that she intended to add a secret layer to the potion. A layer that hadn’t kicked in yet. A week from now the demon was going to develop a mysterious rash with oozing puss and a disgusting odor. It wouldn’t kill him, but it was going to make him miserable for several days. “My clients are guaranteed confidentiality,” she informed the seething demon. “Unless they specifically request I share their name.” “I don’t give a flying fuck about your—” “Enough,” Maya snapped. She’d allowed the idiot to indulge his rabid temper—which was more than he deserved—but she was done. Beyond done. Opening the top drawer of her desk, she pulled out a small, glass vial. “This meeting is over.” “What do you mean over?” His face darkened from purple to puce as the male moved to slam his palms on her desk, spittle hanging at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll tell you when it’s over, bitch.” The threat was unmistakable, but Maya didn’t flinch. Instead she calmly pulled the stopper out of the top of the vial. The demon stiffened, the fury fogging his brain penetrated by the acrid odor that abruptly stained the air. “What’s that?” “A very powerful potion.” The male scowled. “Are you threatening me?” “I’m giving you an opportunity,” Maya corrected in a soft voice. “An opportunity for what?” “You can walk out of here, and never return. Or I can toss the contents of this vial on you and various parts of your body are going to start shriveling.” She paused, studying the liquid that was beginning to bubble inside the glass container. “Perhaps even fall off,” she conceded with a small shrug. “I haven’t used this recipe before so it’s hard to say how bad things might get for you.” The male stumbled backward, his jaws bulging as he clenched his teeth in frustration. He was a cliché bully who used bluster and intimidation to manipulate others. The fact that he couldn’t terrorize her was pissing him off as much as the knowledge he’d lost everything. “You wouldn’t do it,” he snarled. “Those potions are illegal.” They were. And the foaming liquid in the vial was nothing more than a harmless cleansing potion, but he didn’t know that. Maya slowly rose to her feet, stretching out her arm as if preparing to launch a spell. “So is stealing. And lying. And being a pervert,” she reminded him in overly sweet tones. “Should I go on?” The male smacked into the wall with a heavy thud. “I hope you rot in hell, you…you witch,” he rasped, his insult ruined as he hastily turned to wrench open the door and flee like a coward.
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