Unexpected Magic: A Romantic Fantasy series

by Jude Knight

Unexpected Magic is the first book in the series, Many Kinds of Magic. It is set in the Regency era of another universe—one in which magic is real and has never faded out of the world. And that changes the history of the United Kingdom and the time of the Napoleonic wars in ways both subtle and obvious. For some relevant touch points regarding the historical changes, see the author notes.

***

Jasper Thornton was just a child when his mage-gift first surfaced—a powerful gift that delighted his relatives and won him recognition as heir to the Duke of Findlater.

Twenty years on, he is still failing to live up to that early promise, his power still strong, but erratic and unfocused. Now the despair of his family and of the London College of Mages, he has been reduced to running errands for the duke and the Crown.

Cordelia Nettleford is the ordinary daughter of a couple with only sufficient magic to cling onto the fringes of the peerage. Her parents’ hopes and dreams are fully invested in their only son, her younger brother.

Everything changes when Delia wakes up one morning to find that a dragon has hatched out of a hen’s egg and eaten most of the flock. The following explosion of magical manifestations centered on Nettleford Manor includes the birth of a unicorn. Delia is selected as the unicorn’s maiden.

Sent to bring the unicorn and its maiden to London, Jasper discovers that Delia has one of the rarest gifts of all—and England’s enemies want her and her effect on others.

Falling in love with a lady set aside as the unicorn’s maiden is almost as futile as his unstable mage-gift, but he can’t seem to help himself. He is enchanted by her calm competence, her sense of duty, and her intelligence. He will just have to adore the lady from a distance and do everything he can to protect her.

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Many Kinds of Magic
Book 1 - Unexpected Magic
Book 2 - Twisted Magic
Book 3 - Small Magic
Book 4 - Wild Magic
Book 5 - Forgotten Magic
Book 6 - Ordinary Magic
Book 7 - Dangerous Magic
Book 8 - Weird Magic
Book 9 - Dark Magic

Genres: Fantasy

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 16, 2026

About the author

Have you ever wanted something so much you were afraid to even try? That was me ten years ago.

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a novelist. I even started dozens of stories, over the years.

But life kept getting in the way. A seriously ill child who required years of therapy; a rising mortgage that led to a full-time job; six children, my own chronic illness… the writing took a back seat.

As the years passed, the fear grew. If I didn't put my stories out there in the market, I wouldn't risk making a fool of myself. I could keep the dream alive if I never put it to the test.

Then my mother died. That great lady had waited her whole life to read a novel of mine, and now it would never happen.

So I faced my fear and changed it--told everyone I knew I was writing a novel. Now I'd make a fool of myself for certain if I didn't finish.

My first book came out to excellent reviews in December 2014, and the rest is history. Many books, lots of positive reviews, and a few awards later, I feel foolish for not starting earlier.

I write historical fiction with a large helping of romance, a splash of Regency, and a twist of suspense. I then try to figure out how to slot the story into a genre category. I'm mad keen on history, enjoy what happens to people in the crucible of a passionate relationship, and love to use a good mystery and some real danger as mechanisms to torture my characters.

Dip your toe into my world with one of my lunch-time reads collections or a novella, or dive into a novel. And let me know what you think.

Reviews

[Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from NetGalley. 3.5 stars

Mini review; full review to come. Interesting worldbuilding and magic system. The story, too, is interesting, and I enjoyed both the main characters…particularly Delia, who is practical and sensible but still dreams of adventure and romance. Setting aside the magical and alt-history elements, though, the romantic plot is fairly predictable, and the romantic conflict perhaps a little too easily resolved. Still, the book as a whole is a fun, relatively light, and satisfying read, and I will definitely seek out the second in the series when it is published.

[Cassandra]

I thought that the magic of the world was really well explained. There is an author's note at the end was really informative for the book and the series as well. I have been wanting to try this author but I didn't want to jump in to her other series and I am not the biggest on retellings so when I saw this new series, I tried it out. I did like her writing but I didn't feel the romantic pull between these two. I wanted to feel big feelings of longing between these two and I just didn't feel that I got that.


3/6 stars

[Charli G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

And another historical romance novel has now been read - but this one was most definitely a fantasy romance. Unexpected Magic takes place in the Regency/Victorian era of the UK, but not in our universe or history. No, Ms. Knight created a bit of alternate history and a different universe - one in which people and animals are born with magic. She gives a wonderful explanation of her thought process and how she created her magic system and alternate history at the end of the book - which I was tempted to skip over but was glad I had not.

Characters

Unexpected Magic has a wonderful cast of characters, although our story focuses on two of them mostly: Jasper Thornton and Cordelia Nettleford.

Jasper is a wonderful character - a man with a mage-gift that is powerful but wild and uncontrolled. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You don't get a lot of his background, but honestly, that's all right. While you might be curious as to what has shaped him as a man, it doesn't detract from the story and I found it didn't really matter to me. He was an engaging character and quite funny as well. He's also not exactly what he seems, but for that, you'll have to read the book.

Cordelia, or Delia, is another wonderful character. Spending the majority of her life believing she has no magical gift and therefore being relegated to keeping the chickens and trying to find a good husband, she's dreamed of having an adventure. Which, she gets in spades in this story. She has a secret even she's unaware of and once it makes itself known, the story really gets going.

Atmosphere

Set in the days of the Napoleonic wars, we are thrust in the UK - but in an alternate timeline. The Welsh are fighting England, the French are fighting England, the Scots have fought England, and magic is flying everywhere. We have dragon lords (rare), mages, sorcerers, witches, a convent of nuns dedicated to three female warrior saints, and magical creatures such as unicorns, dragons, lindwurms, pegasus, and more. It's an amazing atmosphere for the book and I loved it.

Writing

Ms. Knight's writing style is fun, easy to read, and quick to move through. If you look at Goodreads, you'll see it took me a bit to read the book. That isn't because of Ms. Knight's writing! It was because my brain couldn't focus on any book for more than a few pages for a couple of days.

I appreciate that Ms. Knight uses closed door romance for the sexual aspects. Again, I'm not completely opposed to sexual scenes, but I prefer a bit of a cleaner book in that regard. Ms. Knight made it very clear that the reasoning for the characters falling in love was not because they had a sexual relationship with each other like so many other romance books do.

Plot

There isn't too much I can say about the plot without giving away spoilers, so all I will say is that this plot, with its alternate universe and history, was amazing. It was fun, it was intriguing, and I was very impressed with it.

Intrigue

Despite being a historical romance fantasy, there are still mystery elements to the story. There are things that happen that need to be figured out, enemies who need to be uncovered. In fact, there is a mystery element to the book that isn't resolved in this book - but that's fine by me, because there are eight more books to come in the series.

Relationships

The main relationships you see in this book are the relationships between Delia and "the babies" - a collection of magical creatures that Delia takes care of - and Delia and Jasper. The relationships between Delia and the babies is more or less perfunctory, as time goes on, the babies seem to need her less and less.

But the relationship between Delia and Jasper is amusing. They're smitten with each other, yet it isn't obvious to either of them that the other is interested in them. And oh, the blunders Jasper makes... you'll laugh at him and be frustrated right along with Delia. But that's all I'll say.

Ending

It might seem like the ending is rushed and unsatisfying at first. But you have to remember that this is a series. There's more to come and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of our friends Jasper and Delia. Personally, I was happy with the ending because I knew it was the first in a series. Had I not known that, I might not have been quite as enthusiastic about it.

All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot and gave it 5 stars as it was a book I'd love to read again in the future.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected Magic is a wonderfully charming blend of Regency romance, alternate history, and rich, creature‑filled fantasy. Jude Knight builds a world where magic never faded, and the result is a setting that feels both familiar and delightfully strange — dragons hatching from hen’s eggs, unicorns choosing maidens, and mage‑gifted nobles navigating politics and peril with equal finesse.

Jasper and Delia make an instantly engaging pair. Jasper, with his powerful but unpredictable magic and his lingering sense of failure, is the kind of hero you root for from the start. Delia, practical, steady, and suddenly thrust into the rare role of unicorn maiden, is his perfect counterbalance. Their dynamic is gentle, thoughtful, and quietly romantic — the kind of slow‑burn connection that feels earned rather than rushed.

The magical manifestations at Nettleford Manor are a highlight: chaotic, surprising, and full of wonder. Knight’s worldbuilding is clever and immersive, weaving magical creatures and altered history into the Regency era in a way that feels seamless. The stakes rise naturally as Jasper realises just how rare and dangerous Delia’s gift is, and the tension between duty, danger, and growing affection gives the story real emotional depth.

This is a beautifully crafted start to a series — warm, imaginative, and full of heart. Perfect for readers who love cosy fantasy, gentle romance, and alternate‑history worlds where magic hums beneath every moment. I’m already looking forward to the next book.

with thanks to Jude Knight, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantasy regency was suddenly a thing a couple of years back, and I read and enjoyed more than a dozen books in the subgenre, but I haven't seen any for a little while. I was happy, then, to pick this up from Netgalley for review.

Like a surprising number of the Regency fantasies I've read, it involves dragons. Unlike several of them, it isn't a close retelling of Pride and Prejudice , though the setup does have similarities if you look closely: the male lead is related to nobility, the female lead is minor country gentry, there's mutual pining obscured by the obvious impossibility (for a few extra reasons) of the match, he proposes in an insulting way and she gets angry at him. And, like some but very much unlike others, it's well edited, even in the pre-publication version I saw, except for a few hyphens where they shouldn't be.

It's an original version of the Regency world, in which people have magic and there are also various magical creatures, some born from humans and others from nonmagical animals. This has made history somewhat different as well; Arthur II, the older brother of the man our history knows as Henry VIII, lived and defeated a rebellion by his brother, and his descendants are on the throne. Nobility comes only partly through bloodlines, and mainly through magical gifts; having no gifts can get you dropped out of the nobility, while having them can raise you into it.

The heroine, Cordelia, known as Delia, is the daughter of a baronet, meaning that her father has minor magic. She herself seems to have none, but it turns out she has very powerful and rare magic that's much sought after by Britain's enemies (an independent Ireland, the independent parts of Wales, and the French under Napoleon, currently conquering Europe). She's also looking after a newborn unicorn, a rare creature which belongs by law to the queen, and must be looked after by a maiden, since they can't stand men or women who smell of men. Her parents are awful, especially her mother, and she has had to become the person who deals with everything around the estate. She's intelligent and competent, but considers herself plain, and without (she has always believed) any magical gift, she's had no suitors, and is unmarried in her mid-20s.

The hero, Jasper, is the nephew and designated heir of a duke, with powerful magic that he can't make behave consistently, despite his best efforts. He thinks Delia is wonderful, which, to be fair, she is. Delia thinks he's pretty amazing too. But because she's a designated unicorn maiden (and, in her mind, unattractive and just a country girl well below his station), of course they can't be together. Or can they?

The worldbuilding has had thought put into it, the characters are appealing and have some dimension, and my main complaint is that it's short (a novella, I think) and feels like it wraps up suddenly. Not to worry; it's a series starter, and I will definitely be watching for more in the series.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The start of a new series & it’s the Regency era but in a different universe with dragons, magic & unicorns. Jasper Thornton is heir to the Duke of Findlater, he has strong magic but hasn’t learned to control it. Cordelia Nettleford is the ordinary daughter of a couple with only sufficient magic to cling onto the fringes of the peerage. Her parents’ hopes and dreams are fully invested in their only son, her younger brother. Everything changes when Delia wakes up one morning to find that a dragon has hatched out of a hen’s egg and eaten most of the flock, then a unicorn is born & Delia is selected as the unicorn’s maiden. Sent to bring the unicorn and its maiden to London, Jasper discovers that Delia has one of the rarest gifts of all—and England’s enemies want her and her effect on others. I loved both Jasper & Delia & loved their journey to a HEA, their chemistry sizzled. It took me a little while to get my head round this fantasy world especially as I’m not a lover of fantasy so I was surprised how much I enjoyed the book. I also loved Sapphire & Mary. There was a delicious dash of humour added to the mix. I look forward to the rest of the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This grabbed me right away (don't start it before bedtime) and it was with great difficulty that I put it away so I could sleep. The romance is lovely, the characters are fun and the author has clearly put a lot of thought into how magic would have altered the history of 1810s Europe. (I really want to know...is England still Catholic?)

I will say, however, that I was expecting a little more romance and a little less socio-political drama. This story feels much more like Naomi Novik's "His Majesty's Dragon" than a romance; the world is falling apart and the main characters have to put it back together. I was quite annoyed that Cordelia makes almost no choices of her own. (To be fair, this was pointed out by Cordelia in the book.) The plot felt slightly like a "Perils of Pauline" in that Cordelia gets in trouble and the hero has to rescue her again and again. Moreover, the story ends on a good note but also feels unfinished. Therefore, I was quite relieved when a note at the end said it was the first of nine books. Despite all the minor issues, I look forward to the rest of the series.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an imaginative book and world. I enjoyed the blend of alternative history and magic. Despite the political tensions and ongoing attacks, the story still maintained a cozy atmosphere. Both characters were very sweet, and a lot of time is spent on the various magical creatures and people.

It does not end on a cliff hanger, but the book is short and doesn’t feel fully resolved. I know it’s book 1 of a series, so I hope Delia and Jasper’s story continues as opposed to focusing on another couple. If not, I would be pretty disappointed as their story could have been better fleshed out.

My major complaint is that the romance between the two characters was weak. For the first 40% of the book, they’ve barely interacted. Then, there’s a short time skip and Jasper inner monologues how he’s hopelessly infatuated with Delia. The relationship isn’t really shown. It’s very much told and not showed.

Tip: at the end in the Author notes, the author takes some time to explain her alternative world. I enjoyed reading it and suggest others should do so as well.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.

[Christy Matheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! The magic was easy to follow, the characters were dynamic, it was full of cute and vivid creatures, and the romance was sweet.

This is a light-hearted alternative history, much more along the lines of Patricia C Wrede than modern romantasy. It was creative and well-done, with the perfect amount of world-building to allow us to feel immersed, without needing to spend too much energy on figuring out what was happening. All the magical babies were full of fun and whimsy, and the constantly irate unicorn was the icing on the cake. I liked fresh touches like the trip on the canal boats, and tons of familiar tropes and nods to feminist fantasy of the 80s and 90s (warrior nuns, the dragon capture, life in a cave, etc).

One warning — the ending is a cliff-hanger. It wraps up the love story in this book, but dives into questions that won't be answered until later. I am curious if the series will follow the same characters (I wanted more of them!) or go through different mains in each one. I'm looking forward to it!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected Magic, A Romantic Fantasy by Jude Knight is the first book I have read written by this author. I have seen books by her that had a Regency era setting. Thinking this one would be different, it is because it has a Regency era setting in a different universe. The world building is good, writing about something that has been researched but putting your own twists to it. That is a marvelous concept that works well for Jasper Thorton and Cordelia Nettleford. He is part of the nobility and she is a commoner. Magic is introduced in a believable way with mythological creatures such as dragons and unicorns. Jasper’s struggles of finding his own place in the world, while also pleasing the powers that be is an age-old theme. So is the longing for the one you can’t have. Much that we can identify with in life today. I look forward to more from this author. 4.5 Stars

[CG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been blessed to be an advance reviewer for the first book of Jude Kinght's newest series, Unexpected Magic. While this book has a strong make and female lead, their circumstances are far from ordinary. This new series is set in an alternate historical timeline full of magic. This magic affects how Jasper and Delia
meet and how they overcome the obstacles and villains they encounter before they fully realize their HEA. It also affects how they see themselves, each other and the more minor characters we meet. I enjoyed immersing myself into this alertnate historical background and especially enjoyed reading how Jasper and Delia learn about themselves and each other amid danger and magical creatures. I am thrilled that there will be more adventure to come!

[Dee Deacon Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started Unexpected Magic, but within the first few chapters I was completely captivated. Jude Knight has a remarkable gift for creating characters who feel genuine and impossible not to care about.

Jasper's frustration practically leapt off the page—I could feel every setback and every difficult choice alongside him. And Sapphire absolutely stole my heart! He brought so much warmth, personality, and charm to the story that I found myself smiling whenever he appeared.

Jude Knight is an exceptional storyteller, weaving together engaging characters, heartfelt emotion, and just the right touch of magic. If you enjoy character-driven historical romance with memorable companions and plenty of heart, Unexpected Magic is one I highly recommend.

[Kadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. I do like sweet, clean romance on occasion, and historical romance was my very first love when I began reading it in my tween years. Jude has an expressive writing style that makes you ache for the characters and their childhood/adolescent wounds. I also loved the alternative history; it is incredibly well researched, and I gobbled up every word of the world-building afterword at the end. I loved the expansive vocabulary as well; I learned several new words and highlighted many passages of prose I found particularly well written. All around, a lovely book!

[Jeanette Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really looking forward to diving deeper into Many Kinds of Magic. This was such a refreshing, clean, smut‑free read, and the world the author built feels genuinely magical—from the unexpected, wonderfully odd beasts being born to the unique powers each character carries. I loved both MCs, but honestly? The magical creatures stole the whole show. Sapphire especially walked off with my heart.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected Magic
By Jude Knight

This is a unique world painted with Jude Knight
‘s imagination to create all kinds of magical situations. With creatures and characters who are not tethered to our earthly planes but exist primarily in a universe of shimmers and shadows. Fascinating in premise and plot execution. Ms. Knight’s talent never fails to impress.

[Heidi S. Trauger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay. It’s an interesting premise that just fell into a very average romance. It’s starts well and the first half of the book it about an adventure, magical creatures and danger. The second half is very the typical romance, misunderstanding and then instant wedding with everything else falling away.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fascinated by this alternate world and fell in love with Jasper and Delia. I cannot wait to read the next book and hope it won’t be too long in coming!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome world

This is a wonderful book with excellent world building. I love how it has a similar yet different history and world. The characters were interesting and relatable. Highly recommend and can't wait to read the next one.

[MoonWillowArchives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected Magic was a sweet, triumphant story. From the very beginning of the book, there are dragons and so many fantastical creatures to discover. I loved how, with each page, we learned more and felt more for Delia and her place in her own life and family.

Jasper enters the story early on, and he is also bound by duty, struggling against his growing interest in someone he believes is unobtainable. As the story progresses, you meet many characters who enrich both the story and the world being built around them.

I loved the inner dialogue we got to experience and the different POVs throughout the book. Some parts felt a little difficult to follow because so much was compressed into a relatively short story, while other parts were explained so thoroughly that I found myself really enjoying those moments. The writing made me appreciate it when the story slowed down and allowed the world and characters to breathe.

Most of all, I wish we could have spent even more time with Delia and Jasper. I really loved them together and found myself wanting more of their relationship by the end.

Overall, Unexpected Magic was a charming and had a lot of heart! Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my opinions with others. 🙂

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasper Thornton, heir to the Duke of Findlater, has strong magic, but her hasn’t learned to control it. Cordelia Nettleford’s family has a minimum of magic. It seems that Cordelia has none. Things change when two events occur. First a dragon is born from one of the hen’s eggs, and then a unicorn is born. She is named the unicorn’s maiden. When Jasper comes to escort her and the unicorn to London, there are several amazing discoveries. Both Jasper and Cordelia discover they have some amazing and unexpected gifts. They also discover that that they have strong feelings for each other. When danger approaches Cordelia, Jasper becomes her most effect protector. This absolutely charming Regency Era fantasy is the first book in a new series that promises to be quite entertaining.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.