Set in a magical zoo teeming with mythical beasts from dragons and unicorns to kelpies and krakens, The Phoenix Keeper is a fierce joy of a cozy fantasy novel with a soul-restoring queer romance at its heart, for fans ofThe House in the Cerulean Sea and Legends and Lattes.
As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, Aila's childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There's just one glaring caveat: her zoo's breeding program hasn't functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix heist sabotages the flagship initiative at a neighboring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins.
But saving an entire species from extinction requires more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks, mischievous dragons... Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. But mustering the courage to ask for help from the hotshot griffin keeper at the zoo's most popular exhibit? Virtually impossible.
Especially when that hotshot griffin keeper happens to be her arch-rival from college: Luciana, an annoyingly brooding and insufferable know-it-all with the face of a goddess who's convinced that Aila's beloved phoenix would serve their cause better as an active performer rather than as a passive conservation exhibit. With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila's success is no longer merely a matter of keeping her job...
She is the keeper of the phoenix, and the future of a species– and her love life– now rests on her shoulders.
Genre: Fantasy
As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, Aila's childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There's just one glaring caveat: her zoo's breeding program hasn't functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix heist sabotages the flagship initiative at a neighboring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins.
But saving an entire species from extinction requires more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks, mischievous dragons... Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. But mustering the courage to ask for help from the hotshot griffin keeper at the zoo's most popular exhibit? Virtually impossible.
Especially when that hotshot griffin keeper happens to be her arch-rival from college: Luciana, an annoyingly brooding and insufferable know-it-all with the face of a goddess who's convinced that Aila's beloved phoenix would serve their cause better as an active performer rather than as a passive conservation exhibit. With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila's success is no longer merely a matter of keeping her job...
She is the keeper of the phoenix, and the future of a species– and her love life– now rests on her shoulders.
Genre: Fantasy
Praise for this book
"Sparkling with wit and dazzling with joy, The Phoenix Keeper is a delightfully romantic and richly imagined debut. A perfect cozy fantasy!" - K M Enright
"This book has it all: pining, a healthy amount of nerdiness, a cast of characters you'll consider friends, one amazing griffin keeper - and at its heart, a warming story about passion, preservation, and childhood dreams... Spiritually, I'm still at San Tamculo Zoo. Don't miss out!" - Vanessa Le
"Delightfully inventive and charming, The Phoenix Keeper is a sweet sapphic romance set in the most magical zoo you can imagine. MacLean's empathy for all living things - from vanishing ducks and endangered phoenixes, to endearingly awkward zookeepers and their crushes - shines through in every word. I couldn't stop smiling the whole way through. Sign me up for a lifetime membership to the San Tamculo Zoo, please!" - Julie Leong
"Filled with mystical creatures so vivid I could swear they're real, two endearingly relatable zookeepers, and the coziest possible combination of intrigue and romance, THE PHOENIX KEEPER is a sparkling debut. I'd give anything for a ticket to the San Tamculo Zoo, and MacLean's transporting book made me feel like I'd truly gone for a visit. I look forward to whatever's next from this magically creative new voice in fantasy." - Laura R Samotin
"Fresh, funny, and fantastical, S.A. MacLean's debut introduces an imaginative and authentic new voice to cozy fantasy. By turns witty, poignant, and joyfully romantic, The Phoenix Keeper is utterly transportive!" - Lyra Selene
"This book has it all: pining, a healthy amount of nerdiness, a cast of characters you'll consider friends, one amazing griffin keeper - and at its heart, a warming story about passion, preservation, and childhood dreams... Spiritually, I'm still at San Tamculo Zoo. Don't miss out!" - Vanessa Le
"Delightfully inventive and charming, The Phoenix Keeper is a sweet sapphic romance set in the most magical zoo you can imagine. MacLean's empathy for all living things - from vanishing ducks and endangered phoenixes, to endearingly awkward zookeepers and their crushes - shines through in every word. I couldn't stop smiling the whole way through. Sign me up for a lifetime membership to the San Tamculo Zoo, please!" - Julie Leong
"Filled with mystical creatures so vivid I could swear they're real, two endearingly relatable zookeepers, and the coziest possible combination of intrigue and romance, THE PHOENIX KEEPER is a sparkling debut. I'd give anything for a ticket to the San Tamculo Zoo, and MacLean's transporting book made me feel like I'd truly gone for a visit. I look forward to whatever's next from this magically creative new voice in fantasy." - Laura R Samotin
"Fresh, funny, and fantastical, S.A. MacLean's debut introduces an imaginative and authentic new voice to cozy fantasy. By turns witty, poignant, and joyfully romantic, The Phoenix Keeper is utterly transportive!" - Lyra Selene
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