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Authors: Tracy Madison

By Magic Alone

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REVIEWERS ARE CHARMED BY TRACY MADISON!

A BREATH OF MAGIC

“A charming romance, strongly connected to the previous two in this Magic series. Some very hot and sexy scenes and a heroine on a delightfully convoluted path to true love make for a great read.”


RT Book Reviews

“A Breath of Magic
is a wonderfully romantic story full of ups and downs and emotional twists. If you’re looking for a feel good romance with a happily ever after for all, then
A Breath of Magic
is a must read.”

—Fiction Vixen

“A Breath of Magic
is a fantastically fun read, full of twists that will delight the reader.”

—Anna’s Book Blog

“Tracy Madison is the new Olivia Goldsmith.”


New York Times
Bestselling Author MaryJanice Davidson

“Wonderfully fun, touchingly romantic books. I’m enthralled!”

—Nancy Haddock, Nationally Bestselling Author of
La Vida Vampire

“Tracy Madison’s books are pure magic!”


New York Times
Bestselling Author Angie Fox

“A Breath of Magic
is a quirky and fun romance, one that conjures laughter and tears leaving you a true fan of the author.”

—Lovin’ Me Some Romance

A STROKE OF MAGIC

“This is an uplifting and delightful story about finding love and trusting your heart. It’s humorous and heartfelt.”


RT Book Reviews

“Ms. Madison has penned another delightful spell that will ensnare and bewitch readers and leave them wanting more . . . This book is one that you won’t want to put down until you read it from beginning to end and it will leave you craving more. This is a definite keeper . . .”

—Night Owl Romance

“Fans will enjoy this delightful paranormal romance filled with two wonderful lead characters and a strong support cast . . . Anyone who enjoys
A Taste of Magic
will appreciate this lighthearted frolic as once again, Tracy Madison provides a charming whimsical urban fantasy.”


Midwest Book Review

A TASTE OF MAGIC


A Taste of Magic
is a yummy concoction that will leave you craving more, more, more from exciting new author Tracy Madison!”

—Nationally Bestselling Author Tori Carrington

“Tracy Madison is an author to watch.
A Taste of Magic
is . . . magically delicious!”

—Annette Blair, Nationally Bestselling Author of
Never Been Witched

“A Taste of Magic
is a magical tale of romance and revenge. Ms. Madison takes readers on an adventure in baking that’s highlighted with tasty treats, sexy men, and a touch of humor.”

—Darque Reviews

“This whimsical urban fantasy is a fun tale as the lead character will learn the effect of unintended consequences when she bakes her wish into a cake.”

—Harriet Klausner, Genre Go Round Reviews

“[Madison] has a breezy, intimate style that’s fun to read.”


RT Book Reviews

MAGICAL MATCHUPS: THE PROMISE

There weren’t any words etched into the book’s cover. A chain of trembles wove through me. I turned the book in my hands, checking the spine, but that was also blank. My shivers increased and goose bumps dotted my arms. When I opened the book, there, written on the first page in spidery handwriting, was:

All happily-ever-after endings have a beginning.
Use this journal to capture those hopes, wishes, and fantasies that
are truest of heart, purest of soul.
The magic of your happily-ever-after begins here.
This is my gift to you.

Other books by Tracy Madison:

A BREATH OF MAGIC
A STROKE OF MAGIC
A TASTE OF MAGIC

T
RACY
M
ADISON

B
y
m
agic
a
lone

DORCHESTER PUBLISHING

December 2010

Published by

Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Copyright © 2010 by Tracy Leigh Ritts

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

ISBN 13: 978-1-4285-1113-2
E-ISBN: 978-1-4285-0980-1

The “DP” logo is the property of Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

Printed in the United States of America.

Visit us online at
www.dorchesterpub.com
.

To my editor, Christopher Keeslar, with my utmost gratitude and respect. Not only have you believed in me and my stories, but you have helped me become a stronger writer. I am continually in awe of your patience, brilliance, and your unflagging ability to make me smile. Thank you.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, my heartfelt love and thanks to my family, friends, and critique partners for standing by my side and cheering me on. Your support means the world to me.

I’d also like to thank everyone at Dorchester Publishing for your talent and devotion to publishing fantastic books with gorgeous covers. The first time I held one of my books in my hands, I cried buckets of tears. Thank you for giving me such beautiful books to hold.

Thank you, as well, to my awesome agent, Michelle Grajkowski. I can’t imagine doing any of this without you.

Chapter One

“I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I’m pretty sure she’s a witch.” Kara Lysecki—my formerly sane friend—squirmed in her chair, but her moss green eyes met mine head-on. “And yes, before you ask, I’m well aware of how crazy that sounds.”

“Well, okay then. As long as you’re aware of that.” I sat very still, waiting for the punch line so I could laugh. But when a few seconds passed without Kara offering one, a slow dread began to build. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m completely serious, Julia. A good witch, though. Like Glinda from
The Wizard of Oz.”

I narrowed my eyes, still looking for any sign of humor. “Uh-huh. And how many margaritas did you consume with lunch to reach this illuminating conclusion?”

Kara flipped her gaze to our other friend, Leslie Meyers, who was seated next to her in my office. “I told you she wouldn’t believe us.”

Leslie, who thus far had remained so quiet I’d almost forgotten she was here, had an odd expression on her face. My dread increased. “I’ve also thought a lot about this, and I’ve changed my mind, Kara. I don’t think she’s a witch.”

Whew. For a second there, I was seriously starting to worry. “Yay for the voice of reason. Now that the fun and games portion of this meeting is over with, can we move on to business?”

Kara’s cheeks flushed bright pink. “You changed your mind but couldn’t be bothered to tell me? Jeez, thanks Leslie.”

“I didn’t have a chance! You jumped right in as soon as we sat
down.” Leslie sucked in a breath. “Look, I haven’t completely altered my thoughts on this. I just don’t think Verda is a witch. I . . . I think she’s more like a fairy godmother. And we’re her—”

“Cinderellas!” Kara bobbed her head so hard that her short mop of blonde curls bounced. “That’s perfect, Les. Why didn’t I think of that? Verda’s taken us under her wing to find us our perfect love matches with her own special brand of magic.” A goofy grin lit her heart-shaped face.
“Fairy
magic.”

I silently counted to ten. My two best friends stared at me with stars shimmering in their eyes, as if they thought I was going to leap on board their insanity train. Not likely. I’d never been one for fairy tales.

“Only one of you can be Cinderella,” I pointed out, not bothering to mask my sarcasm. “But hey, there are plenty of other Disney heroines to choose from. We have Snow White, Belle, Aurora, and . . . um . . . Little Red Riding Hood. Take your pick.”

“Little Red Riding Hood is not a Disney heroine. She was also nearly eaten by a wolf.” Kara shivered. “As for your other examples, neither Leslie nor I would fall for the Beast, so that leaves out Belle—”

“What’s wrong with the Beast?” Leslie interjected. “He has a big heart, lives in a huge house, and is financially stable. He’s a good catch! Belle could have done much, much worse.”

Kara blinked. “You’d go for the Beast? Really? I’d have pegged you for Aurora.”

“You’re kidding, right? I am so not Aurora. You’re more like Sleeping Beauty than I am. She’s innocent and sweet. And I’m . . . not.” Leslie frowned. “In fact, I’m not Disney-heroine material at all. Though I’m closer to Cinderella than you are.”

“Anyway,” Kara drawled, returning her focus to me.
“You’d
be Snow White, so she’s off the table. Hm, who else is there?”

“Why am I Snow White?” I regretted asking the second the question slipped from my mouth, because why she thought I’d be a good fit with dwarves and poison apples didn’t mean squat. “Never mind. Doesn’t matter.”

But it was too late. Counting on her fingers, Kara said, “You look like her, for one.”

Again, I waited for her to laugh. Again, she didn’t. I asked, “Do you see me in puffy blue and yellow dresses often?”

“No, but yellow is a good color for you. Not everyone can wear yellow, but you can.” When I didn’t respond, Kara added, “Besides, that wasn’t what I meant. Your hair is so dark it’s almost black, and you have blue eyes. You love apples, and I’m assuming that Snow White also loves them or why would she eat the poison one, you know? And if she were real, she’d be into animal rights, just like you!”

I truly had nothing to say. I should be used to these oddball conversations by now. I’ve known Kara almost my entire life. But somehow, they—and she—took me by surprise on a fairly regular basis.

A few minutes passed where the three of us stared at each other. Then Kara shook her head. “Sorry. I went off topic, didn’t I?”

“Kind of. So let’s start over, because I’m quite sure that after four weeks on the job, you have more valuable information than ‘Verda is a fairy godmother.’” I breathed deeply. “You do, right? Tell me you do.”

It was Leslie’s turn to shake her head. “No. We really don’t.”

I waited for her to say more. She didn’t. Swallowing another bout of sarcasm—because with the mood these two were in,
we could end up off topic for hours—I worked out my anxiety by untwisting a stray paper clip. It helped until I punctured my fingertip with a pointy end.

Curling my hand around the mangled wire, I fought for steady nerves. “Come on. You can’t really expect me to believe that Verda is a fairy godmother.
This
is how Magical Matchups is stealing all of my clients away? With magic?”

Leslie’s cheeks puffed out and her cinnamon eyes held a light of indignation. “No.
You
come on. Aren’t you overstating your predicament? You haven’t lost all of your clients.” She combed her fingers through her long, glossy, auburn hair as if she were a cover girl prepping for a photo shoot. “Besides which, you can’t categorically state that every lost client is due to Magical Matchups. That isn’t fair, and it isn’t realistic.”

“I
own
this business. I could
lose
this business. That’s my reality, and this fairy-godmother stuff isn’t helping.”

“Have you considered that some of your past clients might have dropped out because you matched them up with the right person?” Leslie asked. “I call that a success.”

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