The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic; Penguin, 2014

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic is a sparkling romantic adventure.

When Nora Fischer stumbles, quite literally, into a magical world where everyone is glamorous and life is one long party, she's immediately captivated.

What she doesn't realise, because everything is such fun, is that there's a darker side to her new friends. In fact, it's only after she agrees to marry the charismatic, masterful Raclin that she discovers she's a prisoner in this new world.

If Nora is to escape, then she has just one hope: the magician Aruendiel. And if she can also persuade him to teach her the art of real magic, then she might just be able to return home.

Is that what she wants, though? Aruendiel has a biting tongue, a shrouded past and no patience, so there's no way Nora could be falling for him... Is there?

A dark fantasy fairy tale ideal for fans of Twilight, The Time Traveller's Wife and Stardust, The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic is the magical adventure of the year.

A graduate of Harvard University, Emily Croy Barker has been a magazine journalist for more than 20 years. She is currently executive editor at The American Lawyer magazine. The Thinking Woman's Real Guide to Magic is her first novel.