A Tale of Mirth & Magic is a spicy romantasy standalone by Kristen Vale. Released 5th Aug 2025 by Hachette on their Grand Central Forever imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.
Full of the sort of humor and occasional snark which make the romantasy subgenre so popular, this story about an itinerant jeweler with chaotic magic which is a challenge for her to control and a temper to match, and a purple half giant, her would-be protector is entertaining and engaging. It's told in alternating first person PoV and chapters are clearly marked (and the character voices are well delineated enough), that it's never a problem to keep the story or characters straight. The style is modern with very little fantasy window-dressing (the anatomical terms are all modern English vernacular) and will probably require some extra effort on the part of readers to maintain their suspension of disbelief.
There have been comparisons to Travis Baldree's books, and it's honestly a disservice to both. There should also be a note to sensitive readers There's a fair bit of spicy/explicit content, so caution should be exercised if it's going to be read in public or at work. Props to the author for the body positivity throughout as well as positive gender roles and comfortable sexuality.
Three and a half stars. Worth a look for fans of romantasy. It's relatively short and quick to read, and would also suit a buddy read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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