An Unexpected Evening

The Reanimator Mysteries #3.5

by Kara Jorgensen

The Paranormal Society’s All Hallows’ Eve party is the highlight of the magical social season, and after years of going alone and ducking out after an hour, Oliver is hellbent on having a good time with Felipe this year, even if it kills him.

While Felipe is more than willing to wear a costume and dance the night away to make Oliver happy, an ominous prophecy from a sybil only hours before the festivities puts him on his guard. Unfortunately, the sybil’s warning isn’t Felipe’s only concern if the feelings coming across the tether are any indication.

Will Oliver and Felipe make it through the masquerade in one piece or will the prophetess’s warning be their undoing?

“An Unexpected Evening” is a 16,000 word novella set a few weeks after the events of The Reanimator’s Remains. To avoid confusion and spoilers, I highly suggest reading that book before this story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, LGBT, Romance, M M Romance, Short Stories

59 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2025

About the author

Kara Jorgensen (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary oddball with a penchant for all things antiquated, morbid, or just plain strange. While in college, they realized they no longer wanted to be Victor Frankenstein but instead wanted to write like Mary Shelley and thus abandoned their future career in science for writing. Kara melds their passions through their books and graduated with an MFA in Creative and Professional Writing in 2016. When not writing, they can be found hanging out with their dogs watching period dramas or trying to convince their students to cite their sources.

To find out more about their books go to https://karajorgensen.com
Sign-up for their newsletter and get a free sapphic novella: eepurl.com/bfJTW9

Historical Fantasy/Steampunk Novels
The Ingenious Mechanical Devices:
The Earl of Brass (IMD #1)
The Winter Garden (IMD #2)
"An Oxford Holiday" (short story)
The Earl and the Artificer (IMD #3)
"The Errant Earl" (short story)
Dead Magic (IMD #4)
Selkie Cove (IMD #5)
The Wolf Witch (IMD #6)

The Reanimator Mysteries
The Reanimator's Heart (TRM #1)
"An Unexpected Valentine" (TRM #1.5)
The Reanimator's Soul (TRM #2)
"An Unexpected Question" (TRM #2.5)
The Reanimator's Remains (TRM #3 FORTHCOMING 2024)

A Paranormal Society Romance
Kinship and Kindness (PSR #1)
Trousers and Trouble (PSR #2) (FORTHCOMING)
Tempests and Temptation (PSR#3) (FORTHCOMING)
Untitled (PSR #4) (FORTHCOMING)

Reviews

[Kara Jorgensen]

CWs: discussion/mention of past sexual trauma, sexual content, panic attack

Read it here: https://BookHip.com/WZFPKBK

[Claudia]

a great novella in this universe

[Rikke Aurora]

Lovely, cute and with delicious and deep tones, mood and topics as always ♥

I am looking very much forward to know, see and experience how everything will come together in the next and final volume 4 ♥

[Jessie]

Gosh, I love this series so much. This was definitely darker in tone than the other short stories, but it was still excellent. I am stressing over that prophecy, though. Yay… 🫠🙃😳

CWs can be found at the beginning of the story or on the author’s website: https://karajorgensen.com/freebies/.

[Melanie]

I didn't think this was as fun or interesting as any of the other stories so far, which was fine because this was a novella, and also everything else in this series has been excellent so far. I don't like that the novellas are required reading for the novels. Obviously I would be reading them anyways, but I don't like to be told what to do. The costumes were great though.

[Lou]

I need Oliver to talk more to Mr. Turpin, because it’s the closest thing the man has ever gotten to an actual therapist AND HE DESPERATELY NEEDS ONE.

Look, I adore Felipe and Oliver, but it’s getting… a little old at this point, with the circular motion of Oliver being self-deprecating and doubting Felipe’s love for him, and Felipe trying to convince him of his love.

I hope we get some progress in the final book 🫠

P.S. Mrs. Van Husen fascinates me, I also hope we get more of her 👀

[Els]

I really love the support Felipe and Oliver for each other, but despite their promise in previous books not to hide things from each other, this had more secrets and hidden things than open communication. It also felt really like a lead up to the last book, more than a story on its own. Probably my least favourite of the series so far, but still really well written. I'm even more eager to see where the predictions lead in book 4.

[Emily]

Oliver and Felipe are my official comfort couple and I love how these inter-story novellas focus on the smaller moments between them. Also adding to the mystery of the librarians, one in particular, and I really hope we get more about them in the next book.

[avis03]

MM, Historical (1890s), PNR, 3rd Dual POV

Status: Free on Bookfunnel, Same Couple Series, Third Act Conflict - External

Notes: All Hallows Eve Party, Masquerade Ball, Prophecy

CWs: Allusion to Past SA, Panic Attack

[Amy (I'd Rather Be Sleeping)]

I actually didn't like this story as much as the last two. It was still fun, still nice to return to these characters, but... It really wasn't a full story on its own which I would have liked it to be. (I did like the introduction of seers.)

[Jennifer]

I’ll be honest, I didn’t get much out of this. Every new book of Oliver and Felipe feels like they’ve backslid somewhere in their relationship, or at best are standing still. I know it’s not easy for them, but it’d be nice to see progress?

[readingmyreality]

They are so sweet but stuck in their own heads! I love how they & their relationship keeps growing 💜

[Sara]

3.5 stars rounded up. Short story concerning a Halloween party and prophecies. Lovely to see Oliver and Felipe again.

[Menoa]

Oliver and Felipe are my comfort pairing and I will die for them.