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A Tailor of Ill Repute
For twenty years, Helga Thunderbeard built the weapons that made her tribe the most feared in the dwarven world.
And now, she wants to be a journalist.
But apparently "twenty years designing weapons of mass destruction" doesn't translate well on a resume.
After two rejections from the magical Manhattan Tribune, Helga is running out of options. What she isn't expecting is to discover that her father—Brock Thunderbeard, legendary dwarven warrior, terror of seven mountain ranges—has been secretly filling sketchbooks with gowns.
So she asks him for help.
What follows involves one magically terrified llama, an interview panel that laughs her out of the Empire State Building, and a father who would rather face an army than admit he has feelings—and an excellent taste in fabrics.
Hammers and Hemlines is a cozy urban fantasy set in magical New York City, sharp, warm, and quietly funny, for readers who like their comfort reads with a dwarf in crisis, a newsroom that doesn't want her, and the stubborn, hopeful work of deciding who you actually are.
Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes, The Spellshop, and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
And now, she wants to be a journalist.
But apparently "twenty years designing weapons of mass destruction" doesn't translate well on a resume.
After two rejections from the magical Manhattan Tribune, Helga is running out of options. What she isn't expecting is to discover that her father—Brock Thunderbeard, legendary dwarven warrior, terror of seven mountain ranges—has been secretly filling sketchbooks with gowns.
So she asks him for help.
What follows involves one magically terrified llama, an interview panel that laughs her out of the Empire State Building, and a father who would rather face an army than admit he has feelings—and an excellent taste in fabrics.
Hammers and Hemlines is a cozy urban fantasy set in magical New York City, sharp, warm, and quietly funny, for readers who like their comfort reads with a dwarf in crisis, a newsroom that doesn't want her, and the stubborn, hopeful work of deciding who you actually are.
Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes, The Spellshop, and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
125 pages, Paperback
Published June 11, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 14, 2026
Excellent fantasy short
Not all happy endings are perfect, and some villains are more evil than others. The writing is wonderful, Brock is loveable, and Aunt Edith is a gem.
Not all happy endings are perfect, and some villains are more evil than others. The writing is wonderful, Brock is loveable, and Aunt Edith is a gem.
May 17, 2026
Comfy! Cozy!! Cute!!! Brock Thunder is an escaped evil genius and fairy-dust scientist. Half human, half dwarf, full-bearded and tattooed, he is a future ruler! He fled the bleak Iron Council's jail and is in hiding, temporarily, in his aunt’s enchanted bookshop with a critical and cranky orange cat, whom he named Cat. Phillipa, a sweet and lonely neighbor child, stops in daily to read a cherished book and offer Brock a tiny winter white flower. When her storybook is accidentally bought by a goblin antiquarian who plans to destroy it, Brock must get involved! A cozy fantasy novella about a fugitive Villain, a bewitching bookshop, a cryptic cat, and the hassle of having a heart. This is a delightful story of love & wonder, and found friends and family!! 5 stars!!!
Author's WARNING: This is a snail speed, SLOW BURN, ZERO SPICE, cozy fantasy with a romantic subplot. The burn is so slow that both the FMC and MMC get their own SERIES. We DO NOT meet the FMC in this book.
{{LOL}}
Author's WARNING: This is a snail speed, SLOW BURN, ZERO SPICE, cozy fantasy with a romantic subplot. The burn is so slow that both the FMC and MMC get their own SERIES. We DO NOT meet the FMC in this book.
{{LOL}}
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews