The Librarian's Secret: A Cozy Fantasy Prequel

by Maggie O'Connor

Every librarian has secrets. Hers just happens to breathe fire.

Beatrice Ashcroft would rather sip tea and shelve books than cause a stir. But this sixty-three-year-old librarian is hiding more than a sharp tongue and a secret stash of cookies—she’s also hiding dragon fire underneath her tweed jacket.

Her quiet life in Warm River unravels when Marcus, a mischievous foster kid, barges into her library and her heart. Between flying bookshelves, a talking cat with too many opinions, and a case worker who thinks Beatrice is too eccentric to care for anyone, she suddenly has more to protect than just her secret.

Because if Marcus is sent away, she won’t just lose the boy who’s made her laugh again—she’ll lose her last chance at family.

For fans of Legends & Lattes and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, The Librarian’s Secret is a heartwarming cozy fantasy filled with humor, cookies, and a found family you’ll never forget.

54 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2026

About the author

Maggie O’Connor is the author of cozy fantasy novels where magic hums quietly beneath everyday life.

Her work blends gentle enchantment, bookish heroines, and small-town charm, often exploring themes of belonging, resilience, and the difference between power and connection. She has a particular fondness for bookshops, secret magic, and characters who would much rather be left alone—until they discover they can’t be.

When she’s not writing, Maggie can usually be found biking quiet paths, reading near bodies of water, or keeping dubious company with her two pet ducks.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little darling is a prequel novella, and provides an insightful introduction to characters in her book “Tea, Tomes, and Dragons”.

Beatrice is a dragon shifter and a librarian. She has a familiar named Catrick Swayze, formerly cat-shaped, who has recently been bespelled into a pig. He provides much in the way of banter and is the cause of no small amount of unwanted distraction. We find Beatrice and Catrick at work on a day when teacher has brought her seventh grade class into the cozy, mellow library. The children are loud and they wreak havoc while the teacher stays distracted with her cell phone and makes condescending remarks as Beatrice attempts to corral the chaos.

One student in particular named Marcus Greene is a wild man. He is very into the comic SpiderGuy, and although his manners are atrocious, Beatrice senses that his acting up is fueled by a deeper issue. When he damages some expensive books and she asks for his parents contact information, she finds out that he has a caseworker and is in foster care. She requests that he be allowed to work in the library so that he can pay off the damages. As he spends more time in the library, they forge an unlikely friendship.

I loved how cozy this felt while reading and how well I could picture the atmosphere and the characters. I hope you’ll read it!

[BethAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very cute, heartwarming short story. It was a great introduction to Beatrice, Marcus, and Catrick. In only a few pages, you were able to get a feel for the characters lives and how it's affected who they have become and how meeting new people can challenge us to change. I can't wait to see what these characters get up to next. Catrick is hilarious!

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this wonderful book in a day. I loved the characters and the development of this prequel. Catrick was a little hard to understand, but he’s full of personality. Beatrice was a character and a half. I enjoyed learning about them and watching as Beatrice took a young boy under her wing. I can’t wait to dive back into this world in the next book.

[alice Tileston · Rating 5 out of 5]

free for review:
this is a quick short story about a shape changer librarian and a mischievous young boy....
I look forward to more from this author!