An Offer Fae Can't Refuse

by Lou Wilham

Welcome to the Family

Grief is a vicious thing. Mal would know, it’s been his constant companion for the last four years. After losing the love of his life—Sage Nocturna—Mal did the only sensible thing, he got revenge. The trouble is, one got away. And he can’t rest until he’s found her.

Mox would follow her twin brother—Mal—into the darkest depths, but what she can’t do is take away his pain. Not that she hasn’t tried. So when she stumbles upon Sage, her only thought is she has to tell Mal.

Aidan “Corey” Corwin wasted no time in seizing the opportunity for a quick exit. All she had to do was save Sage, take their money, and start a bakery in a different gang’s territory. It sounded easy enough.

Death is a transient condition, Sage Nocturna has learned. They’ve also learned that if someone is trying to kill you, the best thing to do is stay dead. But Sage has never been able to turn down a friend in need, and with their anti-iron medication running low, they’re left with only one return to Eventide.

But that return will upend Eventide’s Court of Families, and maybe, just maybe, Sage will find once and for all that you can’t run from Family.

Genres: Fantasy

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2025

About the author

Born and raised in a small town near the Chesapeake Bay, Lou Wilham grew up on a steady diet of fiction, arts and crafts, and Old Bay. After years of absorbing everything, there was to absorb of fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi she's left with a serious writing/drawing habit that just won't quit. These days, she spends much of her time writing, drawing, and chasing a very short Basset Hound named Sherlock.

When not, daydreaming up new characters to write and draw she can be found crocheting, making cute bookmarks, and binge-watching whatever happens to catch her eye.

Learn more about Lou and her future projects on her website: https://louinprogress.com

Or follow her on social media @lou.wilham on Instagram or @louwilham on Facebook.

Reviews

[Hoyt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25. This was definitely a new combination of tropes for me: cozy, fae, mafia, and it did make for an interesting read. I'm just not sure that the combination worked for me! The good: this book has ALL the queer rep, including a trans and non-binary character, which makes for a great read during the trans-rights readathon. It also has all sorts of interesting fae folk living in a modern day world, giving things an urban fantasy feel, which I'm always up for (especially love Lucy the demon). What didn't necessarily work for me was the combination of cozy and mafia elements. In one scene, we've got mafia thugs brutally and explicitly torturing someone for information, and in the next, having a shy, aw-shucks first date with hearts all a-flutter. The tone shift was downright jarring, and it was kind of hard to cheer on the romance of what was basically a brutal serial killer. I'm fine with a brutal mafia book, and I'm fine with a cozy romance, but the combo was just not working for me here. But I'm sure that other people are fine with the fusion, and I recommend they check this out.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was no honor among fae.

Sage Nocturna had been gone from Eventide,in hiding from their family and their life after Icarus Ashthorne, the necromancer had brought them back after they died. It was important to get as far away as they could so they could still live.

Mal and his twin Mox now ran the Faceless Few, one of the four mafia families in Eventide. Mal considered Sage his spouse- something to do with his magic and had spent four years mourning them.

And now here they were, back to find something as they worked with Cory at Cory's bakery.

This was a DarkGrim PNF more than a PNR although there were elements of both woven with the skill Lou Wilham adds to all her books. And I am hoping the second in the series is as fast paced and wonderful as this one. Highly Recommended 5/5

[Mandy Kell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved An Offer Fae Can't Refuse by Lou Wilham! This Fae Fantasy is like a cozier, cuter Six of Crows mixed with Legends and Lattes. Sage and Mal are murderous cupcakes and I NEEEED them to have a happily ever after! Their bumbling romance is a sweet contrast to Corey and Mox and their violent whirlwind of a love/hate relationship. The gangs of Eventide are interesting and I enjoyed learning about their powers and districts. I also liked the tie in to the Hunters of Ironport and the Witches of Moondale series that are a part the same universe. If you're looking for a cozy fantasy full of found family and murderous intrigue I would definitely recommend An Offer Fae Can't Refuse.

[Jake Vanguard]

I utterly love this series.
Sage has such a cat personality - which makes sense, of course. Their sass is perfect. Love them.
Mal is a dog - an overexcited and curious puppy around Sage, a vicious guard dog when his loved ones are threatened. He's amazing
Mox gives fox energy for a reason? Sharp teeth, intelligent, but also a bit silly
And I have no idea yet which animal to give Corvey. She's a mystery somehow?

Think I'll need to read book 2 immediately damn me

[Gem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one in the Fae of Eventide series and I loved the dark shadowy world of the Court of Families. This book really drew me in right from the beginning and I loved the relationship between Sage and Corey. They are proper frenemies and no matter how much they keep insisting that they aren’t even friends, it is easy to see the bond between the two of them. I loved that Corey has a bakery and she gets Sage to help out as a cover. Of course, they aren’t very good at keeping hidden for too long and soon Mal and Mox are well aware of where Sage is hiding. This is such a cosy fae fantasy and I am looking forward to reading the next book.