Silver Linings

Legendary #1

by Christine Pope

Some legends are real. Some secrets are worth protecting.

Sidney Lowell didn’t plan to return to Silver Hollow, her sleepy hometown nestled against ancient forests in Humboldt County. But when her mother and grandmother vanish without a trace while investigating the mysterious creatures that have appeared to the women in her family for generations, Sidney has no choice but to come home.

Almost finished with veterinary school but lacking her diploma, Sidney takes over the family pet shop while searching for answers. The magical beings that only appear to the women in her family might hold the key to her mother’s disappearance — if only she knew how to communicate with them.

Ben Sanders, a struggling cryptozoologist with a YouTube channel and a failed academic career, arrives in Silver Hollow chasing rumors of a glowing white horse in the woods. What he finds instead is Sidney — guarded, capable, and hiding secrets that could make his career…or destroy what’s left of her family legacy.

When a logging company threatens the ancient forest that serves as a crossing between worlds, Sidney and Ben must race to protect the magical gateway. As they uncover Celtic symbols carved into trees and standing stones that appear only during the dark of the moon, the truth becomes Sidney’s missing family didn't just disappear — they crossed over.

With the unicorn as their guide and corporate greed threatening to destroy the portal forever, Sidney must decide who to trust with her family’s centuries-old secret. Because saving the crossing might reunite her with her mother and grandmother…or seal them away in another world forever.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2025

About the author

A native of Southern California, Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in the sixth grade. Many reams of dead trees later, she’s happy to announce that her debut novel, Fringe Benefits,was published by Pink Petal Books on April 8, 2010. Her short fiction has appeared in Astonishing Adventures, Luna Station Quarterly, and the new journal of dark fiction, Dark Valentine. Her paranormal novella, Playing With Fire, was released on August 5, 2010.

While Fringe Benefits is a straight contemporary romance, she writes in a variety of genres, including paranormal romance, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and historical romance. She blames this on being easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, which could also account for the size of her shoe collection.

After spending many years in the magazine publishing industry, she now works as a freelance editor in addition to writing fiction. She lives with her husband and an explosively fluffy Pomeranian mix. Her house is pink, but don’t hold that against her.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be hard for me to not like a book by Christine Pope. There was no chance of that happening with Silver Linings, the first book in a new series Legendary. The characters are well liked and sound like people I would want to spend time with. Sidney Lowell intended to finish her studies at UC Davis to become a doctor of veterinary medicine, but dropped out when her mother and grandmother took a walk in the forest and never came home. Now she’s running the pet store that had been in family for decades. Ben Sanders had been a teacher at a university, but then he had seen something that turned him into a cryptozoologist. A scientist who was interested in the sightings of white horses in Silver Hollow where Sidney lived.
Have you ever had that one defining moment when your reaction will change everything in your life? Like holding a baby for the first time or having a friend move away. Or when you slowed down enough to see the magic all around us? There is one scene in the book where the magic is so real, so undeniably amazing that I got goose bumps.
Sorry, but that’s all you get from me. You are going to have to read the story yourself to see how things unfold. I hope you like it as much as I did.

[Tracie Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, I started this book because I am a fan of Christine's writing. I didn't really expect to get so invested in the story line. But get invested, I did. I cannot believe how quickly I got sucked in to this story. Poor Sidney has lost everyone she ever loved because of a family secret. She wants to find out what happens while still protecting her family legacy. Enter Ben, the intrepid cryptozoologist. The two of them have fantastic chemistry right from the start, and if you are like me, you'll be rooting for them from their first meeting. I can't believe Christine did it again, and pulled my into another subgenre I thought I wasn't interested in. Now I'm sitting here waiting impatiently for book 2!

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sidney was well on her way to becoming the Vet she always wanted to be. But when her mum and grandma go missing from their small hometown, she returns to help look for them and take over the running of their family pet shop.

Ben had been a respected archaeologist but his interest in cryptozoology has made him largely a laughing stock. A chance meeting with a patron at a bar leads him to take a journey cross-country, leading him straight to Sidney and her family secrets.

I loved learning about Sidney and her family matriarchs who hold lots of secrets from the local population. They protect the "mythological" creatures that make their way to Earth. Ben may chase the weird and wonderful but he's actually very respectful to the phenomena he searches for. He may have approached Sidney under slightly less than noble conditions but he doesn't let her continue believing them longer than he must and even when they are on the outs, he is still the one who comes to her aid.

Really looking forward to seeing where this storyline goes and I can't wait to actually meet more of these fantastical beasties!
Sorry, but that’s all you get from me. You are going to have to read the story yourself to see how things unfold. I hope you like it as much as I did.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author never disappoints! This latest series is simply incredible. From the get go, you find yourself drawn into this amazing world, Silver Hollow, a sleepy town nestled against ancient forests in Humboldt County. Sydney’s mother and grandmother are missing and so Syndey returns to her hometown to investigate and take over the family pet shop. Ben is a cryptozoologist and he is searching for the glowing white horse in the mystical woods when he meets Sydney. It’s a magical fantasy / paranormal read that is exciting and captivating, full of secrets, magical gateways and portals and has me hooked and ready for book two please.

[Anna Battista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silver Linings is the first book of Christine's new series. As with all her books, it's hard to put down. The book has a mix of mystery, romance, magic, and witchcraft. It is a beautifully written, almost fairy tale story. Sidney and Ben seem to enjoy each other's company as the story progresses. There are some twists and turns in the story as well as heroes and villains. Will Sidney and Ben's romance progress to the next step? I guess we will have to wait for book 2.
I highly recommend this book.

[Linda Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silver Linings

Christine Pope is an inspired storyteller! I read all her books and love them. Silver Linings is the start of a new series and I stayed up late to finish it. Interesting characters and fun new paranormal premise.

[Michelle Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was very unique!! It was really interesting about how they find the strange forest and fauna and trying 2 save the trees and animals safe from habitats destruction but there's a few surprises in the forests that most don't know about the mystery there is. I really enjoyed it alot!!