Almost Tragic Magic

by Kari Robins

Josefina Collins was an ordinary schoolteacher in a quiet small town—until her life took a strange and terrifying turn. After her divorce, a rare night out at a local nightclub leads her to witness unexplainable events. Vampires belong in cheesy romance novels. Not real life … right? But Warren Harris, the enigmatic bar owner, suddenly becomes intensely concerned for her safety, turning Josefina's world upside down, especially when one of her students goes missing.

Warren knows he shouldn't get involved with a mortal, especially one as captivating as Josefina. Such involvement only leads to heartbreak, yet her presence sparks a pull he cannot resist. When the search for the missing student plunges them both into a web of danger, Warren will expose his secrets—and his heart—to protect her, even if it means interfering with a police investigation.

The escalating search, turning from one missing student to dozens, thrusts Josefina into a hidden world of dark magic and mythical creatures. She must rely on a mysterious billionaire who isn’t entirely human and decide how far she will go to save the children in her care—and whether she can trust Warren with both her life and her heart.

This gripping tale is perfect for fans of urban fantasy, suspense, and romance, exploring a shadowy world where danger and desire collide

417 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 15, 2026

About the author

Kari Robins has always preferred the written word to the spoken word. She has been writing flash fiction since she was in middle school. She would write stories instead of taking notes in class.

A high school teacher encouraged to become an author. She didn’t listen to her back then, but she is now. She has one novel to be released in June of 2021 and many more to come.

Kari is a working mom and wife. She recently graduated from college to become a teacher for Technology and Engineering but the COVID-19 pandemic changed her plans and she begin writing again.

Reviews

[Marissa Lupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of the instalove trope will rejoice with this spicy fantasy read!!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked instantly! Could not put it down, and am now in the horrible position of waiting for the next book. I loved Josie!

[Tristan Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. I love the concept of the story, following a FMC that is about the same age as me. There were so many places where the author could have expanded, created a deeper back story, delved into the relationships, and build out almost every portion of this book to make it just a little bit more. I honestly feel like I met the characters, and then hyper-speed took over and boom, the book was done.

For a book that I believe is being geared more toward readers in their late 20's/30's/40s, the choices of words used throughout the book sometimes are so jarring/different from what you would expect from an adult that it causes you to stop reading and come to terms with that you read. Some of the words used I would expect my 8-year old to use so she didn't get told to watch her mouth, not something a 40-year old FMC in a fantasy romance book would use.

I am someone who doesn't really like detailed bed-time activities, so I do enjoy the fact that the author leaves it to the reader to fill in blanks when said bed-time activities have been eluded to.

All in all, if you want a real quick read, this is an interesting one. The story is a good foundation, I just wish the author took the time to really dig into the back story, world building, and relationship building. I will say, this would be an author I would love to help before she publishes to give my opinions to hopefully help her reach the full potential of her books (not saying I am great, but I did have a lot of ideas as I was reading the book).

[Jenifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

★★☆☆☆ (2 stars)

I received an ARC of this ebook.

In Almost Tragic Magic, we follow Josie, a high school gym teacher who’s recently divorced and doing well enough for herself to be driving a Tesla. On her first night out post-divorce, she meets Warren—a wealthy, handsome business owner who also happens to be a warlock.

There’s instant attraction between them, but before anything can really develop, one of Josie’s students goes missing. The story quickly shifts into a mix of romance and mystery, with Josie and Warren working together to investigate not only her student’s disappearance, but a larger pattern of missing kids in the community.

Along the way, we meet several side characters, including Sam, a vampire who is meant to have a fearsome reputation but comes across more as emotionally heavy and subdued than intimidating. Warren, despite being over 700 years old, also lacks the depth you’d expect from a character with that kind of history.

I had some doubts within the first few pages, but I did start to enjoy the overall vibe as I kept reading. Unfortunately, the third act didn’t deliver in the way I’d hoped, and both the plot and character development felt like they fell flat by the end.

Readers who prefer fast-paced stories with minimal world-building and instant romantic connection may enjoy this more. For me, though, it was a bit of a struggle to get through the final stretch, and I’m undecided on whether I’ll continue with the series.

[JudyReadsFantasy Naude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost Tragic Magic was such a fun surprise for me. What starts off feeling like a fresh post-divorce reset story quickly unfolds into a supernatural mystery filled with hidden secrets, magic, danger, and slow burn romance.

I really enjoyed how the paranormal world was introduced gradually, letting the mystery build naturally instead of revealing everything at once. The story keeps adding layers, and every new discovery made me more invested.

Josie was easy to connect with because she’s trying to rebuild her life while constantly being pulled into situations she can’t explain. And Warren brought exactly the kind of mysterious, protective energy I love in paranormal romance.

The chemistry between them builds slowly, but the tension is definitely there from the start.

I also loved the found family feel throughout the story and how loyalty and friendship played such a strong role alongside the romance and supernatural elements.

If you enjoy:
✨ paranormal romance
✨ slow burn tension
✨ hidden magic
✨ found family
✨ supernatural mysteries
✨ spice mixed with emotional connection

…then this is definitely worth picking up.

I’m very excited to continue this series and see where the story goes next.

[Sophia Moser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an arc copy from the author, and here is my review voluntarily.
I really liked following Josie as she was thrown into a world she never knew existed, and watching her discover her magic kept the story moving at a solid pace, although she ran head first into trouble!!

The world has a lot going on—warlocks, vampires, werewolves, blood magic—and I enjoyed how much magical chaos was packed into the story. It gave the book a lot of energy, and there was always something new unfolding. The romance had some spice, but it didn’t overpower the fantasy plot, which I appreciated.

What kept this from being a total favorite for me was the ending. The pacing stayed pretty decent for most of the book, but the final part felt a little rushed and left me confused in places. I wanted the transition at the end to flow a little better because it felt like the story dropped off right when things were getting big.

That being said, it definitely feels like this book is setting up something much bigger, and I can see there’s a lot more story left to tell. Even with the confusing ending, I’m curious to see where the next book goes. I would give it 3.5 ⭐️ if I could.

[Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden world revealed.

Josefina Collins is a newly divorced teacher living in a small town, but a rare night out with her best friend will give her a glimpse of mythical creatures she has only read about in cheesy romance novels. Warren Harris owns the nightclub Josie and her friend visited and one look makes him realize that she is the one he wants forever. When one of her students goes missing, Warren is determined to keep Josie safe even when it means he will have to expose her to a dangerous world of magic and the mythical creatures who share the world where they live.
Wonderfully diverse and compelling characters that I found fascinating and well written. Magic, exciting action, suspense, and unexpected twists in the plot kept me engaged to the last page.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary ARC provided by Hidden Gems.

[Sunny Imes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC, and there were a couple of things that immediately stood out to me in a good way. First, I really appreciated that the main female character is in her 30s—it’s always refreshing to see representation beyond the usual early-20s protagonists. Second, the story is set in Indianapolis, which happens to be my hometown, so that added a personal and enjoyable connection for me.

That said, the pacing didn’t always work for me. Some sections felt like they dragged on longer than necessary, while others moved so quickly that it was a bit jarring and hard to keep up. I found myself wishing for a more consistent flow throughout the story.

Overall, it was an okay read for me. While I didn’t love every aspect, there were definitely elements I appreciated.

[Jessy Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute book and I love a book set in Indy being from there myself, the magic system held most of the story and nothing wrong with that. Very curious to see where things go from here in the coming books. Unique system of magic for the most part. Absolutely love a touch them and die character. Overall a very fun read that I got through way too fast.
I will be finishing the series.

[Tyler Boggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! It was so refreshing to have the fmc not be a teenager/early 20’s and I loved that we got to see actual emotion from the mmc! This book read like it was 600 pages in the best way! There was so much that happened but it never once felt rushed or like things were just being jumped over! I’m so excited for the rest of the series!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Story with lots of Twists. Storyline was well written, moved at a good pace, had just the right amount of secrets, drama, suspense. Characters were relatable, their story was exciting to follow along with, had exciting banter. Read in one sitting.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is a normal teacher until she starts seeing things. A student goes missing but it does not stay at one missing student. None of the students were human when he appears to help her and even protect her. See what happens next
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a wonderful read

[Mary Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gem books and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

LIKE THE BOOK
slow start
action
sweet romance

This is where I say the author gives enough information.
So, I do not give anything away

[Alison Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a nice different take on fantasy. I loved the world and characters. Loved that there was no betrayal or secrets kept between the FMC and MMC. Still action packed and kept you wanting more.

[Shelbi Bruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story overall. Though halfway through kind of hard to keep my attention but I also have a lot going on with a newborn so I’m going to try rereading again.

[Katie Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story line and I enjoyed the use of various settings. Female character coming into herself while learning she is someone she never imagined.

I found myself rushing though the ending because I had to know what happened next :)