Midlife Magic

Not Too Late #1

by Victoria Danann

FOR ALL THE EVERYDAY HEROINES OVER FORTY WHO KNOW IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR MAGIC!

If you can imagine yourself as a romantic and adventurous woman in midlife, who's come into her power and ready to claim a slice for herself, this Paranormal Women's Fiction book is for you.

The day after my forty-third birthday, my husband announced he was trading me in. His words, not mine. The news was unwelcome at the time, but honestly? I needed a good goosing to get up and find my way to the door.

So. I was freed from the manual of expectations authored by my ex that had, over the years, grown into an encyclopedia of what a wife "should" be and do. The freedom was the good news. The flip side was less happy. Due to living in a state not friendly to discarded wives, I was also relieved of the financial 'security' I'd spent a lifetime accruing.

Starting over? I didn't plan on it. Didn't see it coming. But pulling a sheet over my head and waiting for the end didn't seem like my style. Granted. I wasn't sure what my style was because I hadn't thought about freedom of expression since I was twenty.

I'd never been a fan of optimistic adages like 'it's not too late', but that was before my life was divided into two parts; everything that came before the mysterious package and everything after. Fate shot me with a lightning bolt of attitude adjustment and thrust me head first into an adventure that was unforeseeable to say the least. If you'd told me what my life was going to be like, I would have used every synonym for crazy you've ever heard.

I 'inherited' a curious antique store in a tiny, picturesque English village where the world of fae magic lives side by side with the mundane. But that's far from all. Eight times a year, I receive magical dignitaries and magical lowborn alike and mediate their disputes; some comical, some deadly serious.

It may be too late for super shiny hair, going without a bra, or sleeping eight hours without a potty break. But it seems that it's not too late for navigating magical politics, expatriating, romance, and saving the world.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural

498 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2020

About the author

Over three million books sold.
Eighteen times Amazon #1.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Victoria Danann, is the author of over forty works of romance: paranormal, scifi, fantasy, and contemporary.

Her Knights of Black Swan series was voted BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES FIVE YEARS IN A ROW!

WEBSITE: https://www.VictoriaDanann.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/authorvictoriadanann

FOLLOW ON AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Danan...

COZY WOMEN'S ROMANTASY

Not Too Late 1. Midlife Magic
Not Too Late 2. Midlife Mayhem
Not Too Late 3. Midlife Mojo
Not Too Late 4. Midlife at Midnight
Not Too Late 5. Midlife at Midsummer
Not Too Late 6. Trials of Tregeagle
Not Too Late 7. Hallow Hill at Halloween 1
Not Too Late 8. Hallow Hill at Halloween 2 P
Not Too Late 9. MADE


WITCHES and WARLOCKS

Witches of Wimberley 1. Willem
Witches of Wimberley 2. Witch Wants Forever
Witches of Wimberley 3. Wednesday

READING ORDER:


THE KNIGHTS OF BLACK SWAN

Knights of Black Swan 1.My Familiar Stranger
Knights of Black Swan 2. The Witch's Dream
Knights of Black Swan 3. A Summoner's Tale (BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVEL OF THE YEAR, 2013)
Knights of Black Swan 4. Moonlight (BEST SHIFTER NOVEL OF THE YEAR, 2013)
Knights of Black Swan 5. Gathering Storm
Knights of Black Swan 6. A Tale of Two Kingdoms
Knights of Black Swan 7. Solomon's Sieve (BEST VAMPIRE NOVEL OF THE YEAR, 2014)
Knights of Black Swan 8. Vampire Hunter
Knights of Black Swan 9. Journey Man
Knights of Black Swan 10. Falcon (BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVEL OF THE YEAR, 2016)
Knights of Black Swan 11. Jax
Knights of Black Swan 12. Deliverance
Knights of Black Swan 13. Black Dog
Knights of Black Swan 14. Trespass
Knights of Black Swan 15. Irish War Cry
Knights of Black Swan 16. The Music Demon

Order of the Black Swan Novels
Black Swan Novel, Prince of Demons


THE HYBRIDS

Exiled 1. Carnal
Exiled 2. Crave
Exiled 3, Charming


THE WEREWOLVES

New Scotia Pack 1. Shield Wolf: Liulf
New Scotia Pack 2. Wolf Lover: Konochur
New Scotia Pack 3. Fire Wolf: Cinaed

HOTBLOODED 1. Stalk


CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Sons of Sanctuary MC , Book 1. Two Princes
Sons of Sanctuary MC , Book 2. The Biker's Brother
Sons of Sanctuary MC , Book 3. Nomad
Sons of Sanctuary MC , Book 4. Devil's Marker
Sons of Sanctuary MC, Book 5. Roadhouse
Cajun Devils MC, Book 1. Batiste
Sons of Sanctuary MC, Book 5. Roadhouse

Reviews

[Al *the semi serial series skipper* · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I read Magical Midlife Madness which I absolutely loved and thought to myself that I had been missing a lot on this midlife books which are surprisingly a lot.

I picked this one hoping it would deliver like the aforementioned book and I kept going in that hope. I should have given up sooner.

Dnf @ 76%

Nothing happens in this book. She moves to a different country, after receiving an offer for a job after her husband divorces her out of the blue. She gets to this town and has a self driving car with a life like automated voice and when she gets there she is told that magic is real and she is going to be the magistrate.

She is shocked and then wonders why they would need a magistrate that's human especially since she will have immense power over the magical people from Western Europe and Britain. She decides to stick it out. She meet a man who is interested in her, she invites most of the town people to her house for dinner every week and that's all the book is about. At least 76% of it.

There is absolutely no chemistry with the man, it feels forced to be honest. I was looking forward to the romance but when I happened I realized I would have been totally fine without it. I don't think that's what the author wanted when she drew them up.

I don't intend to let this stop me from finding another worthy Midlife book so the search continues.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this had most things that appeal to me, a likable MC, a magical small English village/town, and magical creatures galore, I didn't love this like I was expecting. I think it was way too detailed at times and tended to drag on when a much shorter explanation would have sufficed. I found myself almost wanting to skip past all the nonsense.

Plus, I did not love the love interest. I am NOT all for men pressuring women to have "sleepovers" and have sex with them when not only are they not divorced yet but also have barely known each other (maybe a few eeks) and technically aren't even dating yet. It grated on my nerves and made it very hard to like him, let alone love or respect him. So what should have been romantic gestures or swoon worthy moments, I instead saw as him just trying to worm his way (sooner) into her pants. *sigh*

Overall this was an okay read. Not sure if I will be continuing the series or not. I am super interested in the murder mystery the next book promises so...maybe.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I liked this. I gave it four stars. And then as I was falling asleep I thought, “wait. What actually happened in that book?” And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that nothing had happened. Rita moves to a new country and then meets new people and gets a new house and learns about magic. End.

While the characters are interesting and the setting is well done, the conflict needs serious amping up because there was none!

Also: am I the only one who felt like Keir is too good to be true and wants her to get with John David, awkward vamp extraordinaire?

[Mad-Bibliobimbo · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF
It was all going so well... until the "love" interest was a domineering man child "build me a room, let me move in, sex me now or else" like really? 2021 and this is the crap women want in a romantic lead? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.. to show he's an ass and run away.. but no.. shags him and let's him move in. Ew

[Victoria Danann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had it with reality? Ready for a magical respite?
You came to the right place.

A lot of women like myself, beyond their reasonable expectation of midlife point, can look in the rearview mirror and tally the successes and failures, the joys and sorrows, the relationships that worked and those that didn't. We've fought the good fight and, incredibly, are still standing.

Most important, we miraculously managed to hang on to a shred of belief in magic along with the idea that it's not too late to experience a fantasy. This series is a hats-off-to-sisters adventure in an alternate reality where fairy tales come to life.

Here's to you, sister.

[Abby Normal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh Em Gee its perfect. Everything is suddenly so perfect. Its never been so perfect in all the perfect perfect perfect. Did I mention everything was bleeping perfect? Oh and she gets randomly rude and snippy sometimes for no reason? I think maybe to show she's a strong woman or something? I dunno. I might read the next one. I might not.

[Laine · Rating 3 out of 5]

lielisks veids kā izšķiest laiku..

[Debrac2014 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story but it was too long! Too much information! I ended up flipping thru much of it.

[Lacie Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was over the top, I wanted to read it so I skipped through until she was in London. I don’t know if it was for word count or what but there was so much unneeded information in this book. The fact that she left the states and went to London to check out what she inherited was good and all, but she has a daughter that’s a junior in college and she didn’t call and tell her. What mother does that? Unrelatable,

I ended up skipping through because the author trying to write how the English is supposed to speak was quite annoying. The use whole words with a hint of an accent, but according to this writer they talk as if they are unintelligent. They say not with and accent, but the writer writes. Do no’ know why I did no’ think of it sooner. (REALLY). The only reason I wanted to finish the book was to see if the low-life husband at least go what he deserved, and I couldn’t even do that. I had to stop.

There was no sense to this book, it was all over the place and the supposedly grown woman didn’t act like one. And the fact that the author seemed to have a lot to say but sometimes wouldn’t even finish a scene. I don’t know if this was to have questions that needed to be answered for book two or what. I won’t be reading it.

[Lisa Malmquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story about a woman who gets a fresh start.
Her husband has decided that two 23 year olds are better than one 40 something.
And Rita Hayworth -named after the movie star from old school Hollywood, has been offered a unique opportunity.
She has been recruited to be the new magistrate for the magical people in a small town in England.
There are some interesting perks that go with the job.
A fun new series!

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This was fun!


It's so good to have a different plot! We no longer have the 20-something heroine who becomes some badass chick for whatever reason. Here, we have a 40-something newly single mom who is thrown into the Fantasy world. Fun, right?


I enjoyed the characters and this beginning of the series. The plot has a lot of potential and definitely worth trying. It was a pleasant surprise, well done, Victoria Danann!

[Sharon]

DNF - page 49 (10%)
(June 22, 2025)

I received this book for free via Goodreads giveaway. This has in no way impacted my final rating.

Listen, I'm all for clarity in fiction. But when it reads like, "I did this. And then I did this. And I didn't bother to Google what these words mean or see if I could find this stranger on the Internet, but I'm sure it's all FINE! :D " I just can't do it.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midlife Magic by Victoria Danann was a fun paranormal womens fiction that introduces the reader to Rita Hayworth. She moves to Hallow Hill in Cumbria and begins a new life as the only human among a community of magical beings. I felt like this was more of an introduction to the characters and the village of Hallow Hill as Rita needs to determine whether to remain or return to the US. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm fairly new to this genre of books but I already see a commonality to them. Woman is blindsided by husband wanting divorce. Woman is pretty meh about this despite having been together for "X" number of years. Kid(s) in college. Husband has been holding her back; now she can spread her wings and live her best life. She may or may not be aware of magic but in either case, is now exposed and embraces a new normal including it. She probably is in so-so physical shape and attractiveness, yet paranormal men with rock-hard abs, wavy hair, scintillating smile and piercing eyes can't help lusting after her without any encouragement on her part. Yep, this is fantasy all right.

This particular story was really a stretch in that the MC's divorce conveniently coincides with the magical community's need for a new human magistrate. Her unflappable acceptance of all the new weirdness is no more than what the powers that be would expect. Her use of, "if I stay" is redundant. We all know she's going to stay. Everything is perfect and her slightest whim fulfilled. The locals are bending over backwards to accommodate her. It's a bit hard to believe that her American expressions are received so totally "huh?" ("Huh" is also overdone, as are expressions of ecstasy when consuming food. I personally hate "yummy" sounds)

Not enough snarkiness for my taste and the constant sexual overtures got old really fast. I did like how she included the vampire and liberated her housekeeper/cook, who of course would be a four star Michelin chef if the world only knew about her.

This became too predictable and goody-goody to make it very interesting to me. The witch needed to throw a wrench into this idyllic life to avoid the banality.

[Katyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this ... and particularly enjoyed that we didn't have to start with chapter beating down our heroine. Fresh start, fresh life, and a really great and unique world and arc. I'm interested to see how things play out ... especially with Kier, who I will honestly say has raised a couple of flags with how strong he came on. Not red, not yet, but ... curious.

Already reading book 2!

[Anne B Burn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful!

Simply the best! Better than all the rest. (Sorry Tina!) I have read thousands of books over the past sixty plus years, but never one with this theme . So refreshing. Well written and very well edited. I didn't find one error - of any kind. Sorry to say but that isn't always the case. This author is new to me so I will have to look into her other books. I will be eagerly awaiting the next in this series. Fortunately, we are already informed of the release dates. Brilliant!

[IdRatherBeReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous

I didn’t know I needed to read this exact book until I finished it and felt light hearted. The humor was so well written, not forced, that I had plenty of laugh out loud moments. It was honestly such a light comedy. It was also a breath of fresh air that this book didn’t involve a teenager trying to save the world. It was a middle aged Divorcee woman convinced to live a new life with magic folk! Great characters all around, every single one of them.

[BJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mix of fantasy with women's fiction. For me the h is way too perfect, her silly name was irrelevant, and her husband wants a divorce but she gets a wonderful surprise. She's to be a magistrate for magical creatures. Sadly that was not explored, we were Told but it doesn't happen here. The writing style Told details about meals, her thoughts, doubts setting up her house and the hot lover she hooks up with before she's divorced. I wanted to see her being a Magistrate, sadly lost in all the details.

[Rhonda Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Love, Love This Book

I should have made that all caps. I should have gone to bed hours ago, but I had to finish the book first. For me, this was like an awesome dream! Calgon take me away! Rita was chosen. Normal, human, forty something, and about to be divorced, Rita was made an offer she could not resist. I wish I was Rita, sigh. Loved everything about this book.

[Donna Lynn Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really awesome book. The author done a great job

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like cozy, low stakes books at times. But this was too low stakes even for me. Absolutely nothing happens in this book. 500 pages of nothing happening. It would have been nice if she had at least dealt with some cases for half the book. But not even that. The romance came out of nowhere. I sped through the book super quick because of its pace. I did like the magical aspects of the book (I would definitely love to construct my dream house in a blink or have amazing food made everyday). Apart from that, not a lot of redeeming qualities about the book. Not even character development or emotional maturity.

[Michelle Reopel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite fun

Midlife Magic is one I picked up during an insomnia night from an author I wasn’t familiar with. Two things caught my attention: the shoes on the cover and the word “midlife.” I’ve been enjoying a couple other magical midlife series so I decided to try it out.
Midlife Magic does a great job of work building, introducing characters, and setting up the action to come. Plot wise, not a lot happens, but we we are taken on Rita Hayworth’s journey of personal and magical growth. I love how she handles her relationships, and how seriously she takes her duties. Going to download book 2 right now!

[Norwegian_bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am F 47 and the target audience for this book. Well.. stuff happens but nothing happens.. this book confused me or should I say irritated me. The story is quite interesting and fun but where’s the plot? ..then it somehow fizzles out. I Almost didn’t finish but kept going. There’s is a build up and as the reader you keep reading to see what happens.. then it just stops. Left me with a feeling of time wasted.


And don’t get me started on the love interest. Just a sexist man baby with a big ego. Not sure how the female (midlife) author thought his one dimensional character would make us like him.

Sorry so snarky but I just feel annoyed right now after finishing the book.

[Helen Maddix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!

Such an interesting set of circumstances meet our main character as she enters a world she didn't know existed. Not a cliff hanger, but not a finished story, I cannot wait for book 2.

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent new find!

What an awesome story. Fast paced, great characters and Rita is ridiculously practical in her approach to everything. I feel like I've found an author to add to my regulars.

[Heather Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what to think of this - it was very good, but I am left with questions regarding setting and character choices. I mean, a 40 something woman DOESN'T just GO ALONG with things....
I am a 40 something woman, I know how we think.
Aside from that (which might get better in book 2) I found this entertaining with a flair for terminology that spawned more than one laugh-out-loud moment.

[Cilicia A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, light read. The characters are engaging. The set up for the rest of the series is well done. Perfect bedtime read.

[Pam James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Fantastic!

One of my favorite books of the year! So much humor in this book. My attention was grabbed right from page one. Loved that Rita named her car. Romeo (the car Alfa Romeo) takes Rita to her destination. I had to laugh out loud when there were sheep in the book. If you are a VD fan, you know that she puts sheep in most of her books. Her books just keep getting better and better! So looking forward to the next book! Please do yourself a favor and start reading! I was enthralled by this book! From a Forever Fan... Pam James.

[Kathy Kennerley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! This isn't a mystery like other books I've read in this new genre - Paranormal Women's Fiction. It's a feelgood story with great dialogue. I've already downloaded another book from this great author!

[Michelle Randall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently discovered what I would call the mid-life novels, these are ones that feature a mature lead and usually one who has had her world upended. I found a wonderful series by Deanna Chase and that set the bar incredibly high for my expectations.

Rita is in her forties, and not happy with her name, she feels like she was not a Rita and given that her maiden name is Hayworth it is even worse. Rita recently found out her husband was trading her in for two twenty-something models and she is trying to adjust, actually all she has done is walk out the door into a corporate apartment when everything changes. She receives a letter with a ticket to England stating that she has inherited an antique shop, but she doesn't have any relatives there, but why not - she takes the chance and leaves to check it out. What she finds is not just a shop but a new life.

This is a cute story and I love that she is getting so much that she deserves in life after a boring marriage and being treated poorly, but dare I say it's too much. She doesn't have to work, doesn't have to worry about money, and the handsome guy in town is smitten with her. She only has to believe in another world, one with supernatural beings such as fae and witches and the like. I should really be enjoying this book, it has everything I like that supernatural world, an older woman getting her due after a troubled marriage - but it all feels like too much. Maybe that is just me and my own personal experiences, because trust me suddenly becoming single with three teenagers in your forties is no walk in the park! For me it is too unbelievable. I like to be able to relate to my books, to have them feel like it is possible, that it really could happen and this one just doesn't feel that for me.

Don't et me wrong, it was a good book, well written and a good story and I think a lot of readers will really enjoy it, but for me personally, it just doesn't have me chomping at the bit to read the next book in the series. I probably will read it, but it's not a can't wait kind of thing.