Until the Clock Strikes Midnight

De: Alechia Dow

Narrado por: Ozzie Jacobs, James Fouhey

Darling is the most talented—and unusual—Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms—if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job . . . until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover.

Calamity is the most talented—and arrogant—Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical "Happily Ever After." When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy—Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too—a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand.

To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves . . . and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love.

©2026 Alechia Dow (P)2026 Dreamscape Media

Cozy romantic fantasy

Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is the newest novel by Alechia Dow. This cozy romantic fantasy has the same charm and beauty as all Dow's books - mixing charismatic characters, delicious food, and self-love. She always grounds her stories with real emotions, confronting important issues with tenacity while keeping the whimsy of a cozy fantasy.

Darling Sparkleton is the very first fairy to attend the Mortal Outcome Academy, and she's worked hard to be the best. Her colorful, bubbly personality stands out amid the solemn, stolid celestials who use their daylight magic to aide humans towards their Happily Ever Afters. Darling's determination paid off as she is offered a coveted mentorship with the Mortal Outcome Council - if she can successfully give one human girl her Happily Ever After. Currently, Lucy is in a bad place in life, with little more than a bookstore to her name. Darling is up for the challenge.

Unbeknownst to her, someone will be working against her. Calamity also has his sights on the mentorship, and all he has to do is turn Lucy's Happily Ever After into a safer Ordinary Ever After. He uses night magic to coax humans away from big, risky dreams so they can settle for stability. He is disenchanted about love, and believes it only leads to chaos and instability.

When Darling and Calam first meet, they agree to work together as much as they can and avoid using their magic, both with the intentions of giving their human the best outcome. They pose as a couple offering to work in Lucy's bookstore in exchange for a place to sleep. It's the beginning of the traditional "fake dating" trope in this "enemies to lovers" romance, complete with the "one bed" trope. So while they focus on their individual plans for Lucy's future, they develop from enemies to friends. Darling believes falling in love will lead to Lucy's Happily Ever After, and Calam is determined to sabotage the match to give Lucy a more ordinary, safer life. Along the way, their friendship blooms into something more.

Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is a sugary-sweet romance with humor and heartbreak