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The Magus Club
She’d given up on magic—but this club won’t take no for an answer
You’re invited to join the most exclusive—and dangerous—club in town….
Esme Wallace is happy to read tarot cards for Toronto’s bar scene dupes. But she doesn’t like it when the cards get too loud. When they tell her change is coming. And it does: in the form of handsome, rich Julian Holt. Esme can’t help but fall under Julian’s spell—until he inducts Esme into his ultra-secret magic club and asks her to train under his brainy best friend.
Michael Cairns acts like he detests Esme, but could he have another motive for keeping her at arm’s length? Yet, as Esme’s life begins to unravel and it looks like dark magic may be responsible, she turns to the lone club member she can trust—and the one man whose arms she shouldn’t enjoy.
Because sometimes magic crosses over. Sometimes, it wants you dead. And once you’re in this club, there’s only one way out.
You’re invited to join the most exclusive—and dangerous—club in town….
Esme Wallace is happy to read tarot cards for Toronto’s bar scene dupes. But she doesn’t like it when the cards get too loud. When they tell her change is coming. And it does: in the form of handsome, rich Julian Holt. Esme can’t help but fall under Julian’s spell—until he inducts Esme into his ultra-secret magic club and asks her to train under his brainy best friend.
Michael Cairns acts like he detests Esme, but could he have another motive for keeping her at arm’s length? Yet, as Esme’s life begins to unravel and it looks like dark magic may be responsible, she turns to the lone club member she can trust—and the one man whose arms she shouldn’t enjoy.
Because sometimes magic crosses over. Sometimes, it wants you dead. And once you’re in this club, there’s only one way out.
Unknown Binding
About the author
L.E. Sterling
8 books137 followersInspired by a childhood roaming across Canada in a van, L.E. Sterling is the author of multiple novels spanning romance, fantasy, science fiction, dystopian fiction and YA. Sterling holds a B.A. and M.A. in creative writing, and draws heavily on her Doctorate degree in literary magic to create stories of fathomless depths, lyrical complexity, and arcane wonder. She lives in the French-speaking suburbs of Montreal, Quebec, where she enjoys the romantic, lost-in-translation life of an anglo ex-pat.
https://le-sterling.com
https://le-sterling.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 31, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I really enjoyed this book, and thought the author did a great job with the subject of the arcane mixed in with the plot and romance.
What I liked: The vibe of this book was very compelling...it reminded me of that phase in my life where I could not seem to get ahead no matter how hard I tried, and what my life felt like once I accepted this and decided to make the best of it. The author did an incredible job of exactly capturing this energy.
I also loved the way the tarot cards and warnings were wound into everyday life. I felt like we only get a glimpse into that side of Esme, and I honestly wanted more.
What I didn’t like: I felt like I was always struggling to fully understand what Esme was feeling, and that frustrated me because I really liked her as a main character. There was a disconnect between her inner thoughts and actions on the page that felt hard for me to overcome, and I think that even a bit of internal dialogue would have gone a long way to fix this.
I also didn’t love (trying not to give any spoilers here) the way I could not ever quite tell how Esme felt about the men in her life, right up til the very end. There was always a hesitance/hesitation that I felt clashed with what I was being told/shown, and that made it hard for me to trust that she was a reliable narrator.
Thank you to BookSirens for gifting me with an advance review copy of this book—I am leaving this review voluntarily, and all thoughts are my own.
What I liked: The vibe of this book was very compelling...it reminded me of that phase in my life where I could not seem to get ahead no matter how hard I tried, and what my life felt like once I accepted this and decided to make the best of it. The author did an incredible job of exactly capturing this energy.
I also loved the way the tarot cards and warnings were wound into everyday life. I felt like we only get a glimpse into that side of Esme, and I honestly wanted more.
What I didn’t like: I felt like I was always struggling to fully understand what Esme was feeling, and that frustrated me because I really liked her as a main character. There was a disconnect between her inner thoughts and actions on the page that felt hard for me to overcome, and I think that even a bit of internal dialogue would have gone a long way to fix this.
I also didn’t love (trying not to give any spoilers here) the way I could not ever quite tell how Esme felt about the men in her life, right up til the very end. There was always a hesitance/hesitation that I felt clashed with what I was being told/shown, and that made it hard for me to trust that she was a reliable narrator.
Thank you to BookSirens for gifting me with an advance review copy of this book—I am leaving this review voluntarily, and all thoughts are my own.
August 17, 2026
What if you were invited into an exclusive secret magic club? Would you say yes? Especially if a rich, handsome man was doing the asking? Heck, I think I'd say yes.
The Magus Club is one of those books that sneaks up on you. I loved Esme and her reluctance to hear the tarot cards. I loved the premise of this book, especially the tarot-reading heroine. When Julian invites her to his exclusive club, Esme is reluctant to say no. She knows she doesn't belong in their world, but she does it anyway. Then she meets Michael, who Julian sends to train her. She and Michael orbit each other for a while until finally things begin to spark between them.
Esme is one of those characters who has life struggles. She's not rich like the club members. She doesn't love in a swanky mansion. She works at a dive bar. Her parents situation is less than ideal. I think she's a character a lot of people can relate to and that's why I liked her.
If you like secret societies, forbidden magic, found family, and sexy times, check out The Magus Club. I highly recommend.
I received and ARC and all opinions are my own.
The Magus Club is one of those books that sneaks up on you. I loved Esme and her reluctance to hear the tarot cards. I loved the premise of this book, especially the tarot-reading heroine. When Julian invites her to his exclusive club, Esme is reluctant to say no. She knows she doesn't belong in their world, but she does it anyway. Then she meets Michael, who Julian sends to train her. She and Michael orbit each other for a while until finally things begin to spark between them.
Esme is one of those characters who has life struggles. She's not rich like the club members. She doesn't love in a swanky mansion. She works at a dive bar. Her parents situation is less than ideal. I think she's a character a lot of people can relate to and that's why I liked her.
If you like secret societies, forbidden magic, found family, and sexy times, check out The Magus Club. I highly recommend.
I received and ARC and all opinions are my own.
July 31, 2026
I'd say this book straddled the line between "fiction" and "romance" (there really isn't a cute word like "romantasy" for that combo, is there?), since the plot wasn't purely about the romance, yet there also wouldn't be that much of a plot without that romance, either.
My biggest critique of the book (and it's more of an observation than a complaint) is that it didn't seem like it quite knew what it wanted to be, which left me feeling like I never actually got *quite* enough of anything: I wanted just a little more romance, a little more of the bigger overall plot, a little more about how Esme's Spidey senses began kicking in, a little more about her magic, etc.
However, I was very into the vibe of the book and had a nice time reading it, so 4 stars it is.
My biggest critique of the book (and it's more of an observation than a complaint) is that it didn't seem like it quite knew what it wanted to be, which left me feeling like I never actually got *quite* enough of anything: I wanted just a little more romance, a little more of the bigger overall plot, a little more about how Esme's Spidey senses began kicking in, a little more about her magic, etc.
However, I was very into the vibe of the book and had a nice time reading it, so 4 stars it is.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews