Binding the Cuckoo

By: Gabriela Houston

In the late Victorian era, a technological marvel allows scientists to open rifts into the realms of legend. Powerful creatures, weakened and stripped of their memories, are brought to serve the whims of the wealthy elite... Hare, a young woman with a mythical secret finds herself trapped, facing an unenviable future. When an equally desperate schoolmistress, Miss Anne Bonningham offers her a chance at freedom, they embark on a daring plan. Disguised as "Miss Edwina Walker," Hare navigates the treacherous waters of London high society, solely focused on securing a marriage and escaping her past. However, amidst the glittering balls and intricate social games, as hidden agendas surface and a vengeful figure from her past threatens to expose her true identity, Hare must make a choice: embrace a life of comfort and security or choose freedom and a love that could shatter the very foundation of her world. “Houston’ words flow as easily as ink. By turn romantic, soft, funny, and light - her characters spark and her stories linger long in the mind. This is history with added light.” -Caroline Hardaker, the author of Composite Creatures & Mothtown “Seductive and witty, Binding the Cuckoo is a beguiling mixture of period romance and fantasy, carrying Houston's unmistakable stamp of folklore and magic.” - Tracy Fahey, the multi-award-winning author of I Spit Myself Out and What Happens at the End “A spell-binding romantic fantasy with a level of banter and wit that would make Oscar Wilde proud. Houston pulls out all the stops in this Bridgertonesque story with tense fake dating, heart-breaking secret identities and the gloriously rich setting of an alternative Victorian high society London where the wealthy summon and bind mythical beings to serve their every whim. If you’ve ever asked yourself what My Fair Lady would be like with a fae main character, then this is the story for you.” Sophia Vahdati, author of The Girl with the Fierce Eyes