A Season of Bone and Blood: The Magical Midlife Series

by Madalyn Rae

A woman starting over. A witchy bookstore. Mountain folklore and cryptids.

Divorcing my high school sweetheart after twenty years wasn’t exactly the fairy tale ending I had in mind. When Steve Thornfield came home one day and announced he wanted a “lifestyle change,” my picture-perfect life shattered, and so did I.

Desperate for a fresh start, I packed everything I owned into my SUV and headed for the mountains of North Carolina. My escape plan? Buying an abandoned bookstore in a town so small it barely shows up on a map. It sounded charming on paper until I saw it in person.

But with the help of a quick-witted new friend, a ruggedly handsome handyman, and a bookstore full of secrets and strange visitors, I’m learning there’s far more to this town, and to me, than I ever imagined.

Magic is real. The mountains are watching. And apparently…so is something else.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Magic

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 29, 2025

About the author

Madalyn Rae is the pen name for someone who can’t show the people in her life that she writes about werewolves, vampires, penises (I still don’t know the correct plural for that word) and heaven forbid—sex.

In her everyday life, she is a teacher of tiny humans and an avid music lover. She is the mother of two adult children and one adult husband. (That wasn’t a typo)
She lives in the best climate in America and enjoys the Gulf Coast whenever she’s not too lazy to fight with the tourists for a seat on the sand.

Madalyn’s stories stem from her overactive imagination and dreams. She writes what her characters tell her to write, and she hopes you enjoy reading them as much as she enjoys writing them!

Reviews

[Stephanie Reicen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss.Rea does it again! The story was fast pace but still very enjoyable with just the right amount of clarification. Imagine starting over in your fourties’ to discover that you have the ultimate witch powers. A perfect story of finding yourself, found family and fated mates. This author has it all and more!

[Heather Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me wanting more. It had magical elements. From beginning to end I couldn’t put it down! Amazingly written by an incredible author!

[Angela Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything!! The only thing missing was the cold weather and a cozy fire. The book was comfy like being around old friends. The setting and Madalyn’s descriptions made me feel like I was there in the dusty bookshop. It was wonderful world building without a lot extra you don’t need. The characters are so inviting, I love everyone at first. So real with the cursing and real life crisis. Then so other worldly with the witches and ruins. Just the whisper of spice made it perfect! My first arc read is magnificent!

[Ashlene Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives Hallmark meets spooky season! Its cosy setting and great characters kept my interest from the start and it was so nice to have the main character in their early 40s for a change! Madalyns supernatural elements always deliver, I was like a child at Christmas whenever a new character was introduced! Its mystical, magical and definitely one to add to your TBR this autumn season🖤🧡

[Alisha Kuliak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madalyn Rae has done it again! Once I started reading I couldn't put this book down. You don't read a lot of books where you find out you're a witch later in life, it's always when you turn 18. That was nice to read. I loved it. Madalyn Rae never disappoints with a great story that keeps you reading until 2am.

[Jennifer Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 4.5 ⭐️. I really enjoyed the story. I like the fact that the FMC is older, she’s 42 and starting over after her divorce. She buys an old bookstore in a small town in the mountains. It has witches, lycanthropes, magic and mountain lore. It’s an easy ready, I read it in about a day and a half, which is quick for me.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this new series! It's starting off with so much content and some amazing new characters to learn and love! I'm excited to read about an FMC who is powerful, vulnerable, and not in her 20s. Madalyn has done it again, gripping from beginning to end!

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Season of Bone and Blood: The Magical Midlife Series
I really liked this book.
Ms.Rae captures the paranormal and mystical as the main character starts an new adventure Romance comes suddenly, with that comes empowerment as her new life journey begins.
To me this book inter winds the spiritual as well.
I don't want to give this whole story away.. So, order this book and enjoy!

[Becky (beckyy.readss) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book during the One of the Stuff Your Kindle Days, I am always wanting to find new authors and this book seemed interesting as I always go into books blind but it had high ratings on Goodreads and Amazon, and it was an interesting read.

This book is based on Charlie Thornfield, and she is a woman starting over as she has divorced her high school sweetheart after twenty years. She didn’t have that in mind, but when her husband came home one day and announced he wanted a lifestyle change, her picture-perfect life shattered, and so did she. She is in desperate need for a fresh start, she packed everything she owned into her SVU and headed for the mountains of North Carolina. Her escape plan? Buying an abandoned bookstore in a town so small it barely shows up on the map. It sounded charming on paper until she saw it in person. But with the help of a quick-witted new friend, a ruggedly handsome handyman and a bookstore full of secrets and strange visitors, I'm learning there’s far more to this town, and to me, than I ever imagined.

I think the thing I loved most about this book was the pacing, it is a short book under 300 pages but it is very pacing wise but you don’t feel lost within the fantasy world so she does it right with the mix of pacing and information unloading. It wasn’t an information overload and the story kept moving. I love that it was about rediscovering yourself in your forties, I am getting sick of reading about an identity crisis at like twenty. Trust me, I am 25 years old, I feel like I’ve had a quarter-life crisis but it was refreshing to see someone in their forties to discover yourself and then find out you are witch with a messed up family history and someone coming after you.

I wanted it to be longer, I know I liked that it was a short book, but I just wanted more from the ending. I wanted more from Duncan and Charlie. I wanted to know if Charlie’s daughter also has the powers and if they will wake up if she goes to the bookstore. A random child came into the store and now Charlie thinks she is a witch. I wanted more from that. Also, will we see more from Bonnie?

I am hoping this will become a series because this can’t be end of Charlie’s journey and I want a whole story just to deal with the Lycan.

[Renee Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that the main character, Charlotte, is in her 40's, starting over, and probably in over her head. It was instantly relatable, and made me root even harder for Charlotte to find her way on her new, unexpected path. And bonus! A mid-life love interest!

The quaint little bookstore in Davenport that somehow 'found' Charlotte in the midst of her life crisis holds more secrets than books. Fortunately, it also seems to have come with a few new friends like Bonnie and Duncan. With each layer of dust and neglect that is removed, a new mystery is revealed, including a hidden room and a personal connection to the bookstore itself. Will the answers Charlotte seeks bring her peace, or will they lead her into a world of danger and death?

[Sabrina Rasmussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jumped right in to read this with next to no idea what I was getting into aside from “woman in her 40s moving on and starting over”. And boy did she. It felt cozy, while also building some mystery. A nice spooky season read, for sure!
I am a sucker for a book with lore building- where the MCs are learning the lore surrounding them in their world as you read along. It makes it that much more immersive and doesn’t leave me feeling like I’ve missed part of the conversation. And this book did just that. I can honestly say I will be eagerly awaiting the next one and continuing the story.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy midlife stories. Charlie has no idea magic exists. I liked the maturity with which she dealt with the mystery and new information being thrown her way. The story has a wonderfully spooky witchy vibe perfect for fall. Anyone who likes witchy mystery small town romance will enjoy this one!

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte our over 40’s fmc find herself starting over so buys herself a bookstore up in the mountains. A town that’s got a secret or two, magic, witches, romance and some incredible characters. It draws you in with fantastic world building that’s so descriptive you can easily visualise the town and the bookstore and a storyline that’s cozy and magical and I loved it!

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story!

Really great story with twists that are hard to imagine. This is not the usual witch story that one might expect and the scenery in which it takes place is magnificent.
I read the whole book on two evenings and had a very hard time putting it down. A must read if you are into magic.

[Hollie | Romantasy Reads 💫🧚 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF’d this at 27%. I couldn’t gel with the book, I didn’t find myself hooked or interested in the plot which is unlike me with a fantasy read. I couldn’t relate to the MFC like there was no relatable substance to her. I was so excited to read this as well with all of the amazing reviews but unfortunately I couldn’t get onboard

[Kalynn Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! As someone who grew up in the Appalachian mountains of NC, it was so fun to read a story about all the lore I heard growing up. It was fast-paced, but I was captivated the whole book!

[Ermine Ambleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing

There was suspense, suspicion and mystery, it was exciting and not quite what I expected but a good read all the same, the side characters were good and just long enough.

[Barbara Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

not the way I would think The Morrigan would try to take things but interesting take on the witchy aspects. Wish there was more of the Appalachia lore in it.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Loved the folklore that made up the storyline. Kept me on the edge and turning pages. Little bit of spooky and spice mixed together!

[Brenda Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! a book about someone other than a character in her 20's

[Kherri Bilbro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome!! I loved it and can't wait for the next one, which I hope there is another. I love midlife magical characters. 40 + somethings with unknown witchy powers. It gripped me from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down!