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Mysterious Powers #3
Eclipse
A good teacher is always learning something new.
Thesan has loved the stars since she was five. Now the Astronomy professor at Schola, she has a wonderful life full of teaching, research, and all the books and star charts she might ever want. However, her late nights and teaching obligations don’t allow for much of a personal life. Besides, most of the other teachers at Schola are decades older with their own passions and problems.
Isembard never expected to find himself as a teacher. A year ago, he agreed to teach Protective magics at Schola and act as bodyguard to two children of Council Members. He knows that he should be preparing to challenge for a Council seat himself, find a suitable wife, and produce children. Teaching at Schola means he can put those decisions off a little longer. Even better, Isembard is looking forward to the chance to catch up with his long-time mentor for the first time since the Great War.
Thesan and Isembard expect the school year to be the usual mix of teaching and projects, along with a rare upcoming solar eclipse. Instead, they find themselves dealing with a difficult new teacher bent on returning the school to the 1800s, students up to something mysterious and possibly dangerous, and the never-ending question of how to get their students to start thinking for themselves.
Eclipse is a friends to lovers romance full of astronomy, academic politics, the question of what makes a good teacher, unanticipated magic, student dramatic productions, and all the things an eclipse reveals. Set in 1924 and 1925 at a magical school off the coast of Wales, Eclipse is 110,000 words with a happily-ever-after ending.
Thesan has loved the stars since she was five. Now the Astronomy professor at Schola, she has a wonderful life full of teaching, research, and all the books and star charts she might ever want. However, her late nights and teaching obligations don’t allow for much of a personal life. Besides, most of the other teachers at Schola are decades older with their own passions and problems.
Isembard never expected to find himself as a teacher. A year ago, he agreed to teach Protective magics at Schola and act as bodyguard to two children of Council Members. He knows that he should be preparing to challenge for a Council seat himself, find a suitable wife, and produce children. Teaching at Schola means he can put those decisions off a little longer. Even better, Isembard is looking forward to the chance to catch up with his long-time mentor for the first time since the Great War.
Thesan and Isembard expect the school year to be the usual mix of teaching and projects, along with a rare upcoming solar eclipse. Instead, they find themselves dealing with a difficult new teacher bent on returning the school to the 1800s, students up to something mysterious and possibly dangerous, and the never-ending question of how to get their students to start thinking for themselves.
Eclipse is a friends to lovers romance full of astronomy, academic politics, the question of what makes a good teacher, unanticipated magic, student dramatic productions, and all the things an eclipse reveals. Set in 1924 and 1925 at a magical school off the coast of Wales, Eclipse is 110,000 words with a happily-ever-after ending.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2021
15 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Celia Lake
47 books75 followersCelia Lake spends her days as a librarian in the Boston (MA) metro area, and her nights and weekends at home happily writing, reading, and researching.
Born and raised in Massachusetts to British parents, she naturally embraced British spelling, classic mysteries, and the Oxford comma before she learned there were any other options.
Born and raised in Massachusetts to British parents, she naturally embraced British spelling, classic mysteries, and the Oxford comma before she learned there were any other options.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 8, 2021
Sometimes you are lucky enough to find a book that just hits the sweet spot for reading and thinking and then you hope the author has a backlist. This was that book and yes, there is a backlist!
Eclipse is set in an AU Europe with magic right after The Great War which did a comparable amount of damage and inflicted trauma on the survivors as in our world. This is the third in the series but I had no trouble picking up the story and getting immersed in the world. I believe a different couple is featured in each book.
Isembard is a veteran of the Great War, a member of the landed upper class in AU England, and a new teacher at Scholia (the magical school in Wales). He reminded me in a good way of Lord Peter Wimsey in that he's also suffered trauma as a result of his actions in the war.
Thesan, a more experienced astronomy teacher, introduces him to the school and the way magic works around the school. And yes, strong resemblance to Harriet Vane. She's smart, observant as an astronomer must be, and from the middle class.
There's a lot here about the social changes coming as a result of the war, an entrenched and snobby upper class who doesn't want change, and also teaching and academic politics which don't change whether you are magical or not.
In the author's notes, Lake talks about how she wanted to do a magical school with sorted houses, but to really think about how that would work and how houses would have complementary magics and shape the students who joined that house.
I just really loved this book. The romance was a slow burn and not too spicy but warm and meaningful all the same. The Wales setting and genus loci were also beautifully done.
I can't wait to read more in this series and in the other series that Lake has written in this world.
Oh, and if you go to her website and sign up for the newsletter, you get a downloadable book and ten chapters of another one. Nice!
Eclipse is set in an AU Europe with magic right after The Great War which did a comparable amount of damage and inflicted trauma on the survivors as in our world. This is the third in the series but I had no trouble picking up the story and getting immersed in the world. I believe a different couple is featured in each book.
Isembard is a veteran of the Great War, a member of the landed upper class in AU England, and a new teacher at Scholia (the magical school in Wales). He reminded me in a good way of Lord Peter Wimsey in that he's also suffered trauma as a result of his actions in the war.
Thesan, a more experienced astronomy teacher, introduces him to the school and the way magic works around the school. And yes, strong resemblance to Harriet Vane. She's smart, observant as an astronomer must be, and from the middle class.
There's a lot here about the social changes coming as a result of the war, an entrenched and snobby upper class who doesn't want change, and also teaching and academic politics which don't change whether you are magical or not.
In the author's notes, Lake talks about how she wanted to do a magical school with sorted houses, but to really think about how that would work and how houses would have complementary magics and shape the students who joined that house.
I just really loved this book. The romance was a slow burn and not too spicy but warm and meaningful all the same. The Wales setting and genus loci were also beautifully done.
I can't wait to read more in this series and in the other series that Lake has written in this world.
Oh, and if you go to her website and sign up for the newsletter, you get a downloadable book and ten chapters of another one. Nice!
December 29, 2025
4.5 stars. I really enjoy the worldbuilding, and love the main characters, Thesan and Isembard, and their relationship. This book is even longer on conversation and slower in pace than its predecessors, but I savored the thoughtfulness and perception, particularly in regard to educational philosphy and practice. (revised 3/11/2022 and 2/25/2023 from an earlier mini-review; longer review to come)
Reread for the Love & Libraries readathon (COYER) in February 2023. Fits for "love" (friends-to-lovers romance.)
Reread for the Vacation readathon (COYER) in August 2023, and COYER Unwind Chapter 3 in August/Sept. 2024.
(revised 3/11/2022 and 2/25/2023 from an earlier mini-review; longer review to come)
Reread for the Love & Libraries readathon (COYER) in February 2023. Fits for "love" (friends-to-lovers romance.)
Reread for the Vacation readathon (COYER) in August 2023, and COYER Unwind Chapter 3 in August/Sept. 2024.
(revised 3/11/2022 and 2/25/2023 from an earlier mini-review; longer review to come)
April 20, 2024
Gentle, sweet, slow, comforting, academic, feel-good, emotionally satisfying.
May 18, 2021
magical school
I like Thesan, the young master astronomy professor at Schola, who is from a modest family and has risen due to talent, without family assistance. Her friend Isembard is a temporary professor from a prominent political family. There is a mystery about students doing unauthorized magic on campus to solve, and for the most part I enjoyed this part. However a huge part of the book is about teaching, school curricula testing etc etc, and as someone who isn't a teacher this part dragged for me. Eventually I was skimming these parts, and would like ~40% less!!
I have read all of Celia Lake"s books and have loved visiting this very particular world, but this time all the circuitous discussions just seemed like too much.Again part of this is the world and style, but this time it seemed a bit tedious.
I like Thesan, the young master astronomy professor at Schola, who is from a modest family and has risen due to talent, without family assistance. Her friend Isembard is a temporary professor from a prominent political family. There is a mystery about students doing unauthorized magic on campus to solve, and for the most part I enjoyed this part. However a huge part of the book is about teaching, school curricula testing etc etc, and as someone who isn't a teacher this part dragged for me. Eventually I was skimming these parts, and would like ~40% less!!
I have read all of Celia Lake"s books and have loved visiting this very particular world, but this time all the circuitous discussions just seemed like too much.Again part of this is the world and style, but this time it seemed a bit tedious.
February 27, 2023
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2023/0...
This is part of a series of books set in the 1920s in a magical version of England, but the author says they can be read in any order, so obviously I chose the one about teachers at a magical school. These books are billed as romances, but refreshingly, there is not any romance at all until like halfway through, the characters (a lady astronomy professor and a dude professor of “protective magic”) are just colleagues and friends dealing with magical school mysteries and academic drama. It rules. The writing here is occasionally jumpy and I wished for a little more resolution of the actual plot, but this was enjoyable and I’d read another book in this series (or set in this world: it looks like this series is all straight romances but the author has some queer ones that seem related). B+.
This is part of a series of books set in the 1920s in a magical version of England, but the author says they can be read in any order, so obviously I chose the one about teachers at a magical school. These books are billed as romances, but refreshingly, there is not any romance at all until like halfway through, the characters (a lady astronomy professor and a dude professor of “protective magic”) are just colleagues and friends dealing with magical school mysteries and academic drama. It rules. The writing here is occasionally jumpy and I wished for a little more resolution of the actual plot, but this was enjoyable and I’d read another book in this series (or set in this world: it looks like this series is all straight romances but the author has some queer ones that seem related). B+.
November 5, 2024
If you’re looking for something very cozy and low conflict, this would fit the bill. I enjoyed the very deep and thoughtful look at how magical school might *actually* run, including thoughts about pedagogy. However, the plot was so low-conflict that I never felt like I had much stake in what was happening. I didn’t feel compelled to read on and the book sometimes languished for days. That said, it has all the Celia Lake hallmarks of respectful romance, with interesting forays into astronomy.
I did find it odd that there were mentions of tendencies towards alcoholism that weren’t really elaborated on. I felt like Isembard’s past never really got very untangled. Still and all an enjoyable read, but one I might skip on a re-read.
I did find it odd that there were mentions of tendencies towards alcoholism that weren’t really elaborated on. I felt like Isembard’s past never really got very untangled. Still and all an enjoyable read, but one I might skip on a re-read.
August 26, 2022
Another sweet gentle historical romance fantasy, this time set in a magic school. One of the things I like about Celia Lake's characters is that they’re generally good, competent people - no snark, no angst. They work together to solve some usually fairly low stakes mystery. I found Eclipse particularly fun because the main characters are teachers, as I was. They care about their students and they have academic talk and it’s all very civilized. This is not action packed fantasy- more slice of life among teachers at a magic school in 1920s Albion. It reminded me a bit of Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers- competent female Magistra investigating a mystery and navigating faculty politics…with magic, romance, and a little sex.
I enjoyed it very much.
I enjoyed it very much.
June 1, 2021
I'm enjoying this series quite a bit - while clearly Harry Potter inspired (magical boarding school etc) Lake provides a much thicker and deeper world that feels like a real school (and faculty with the concerns of a real school- curriculum, systems that support student learning). The two leads are layered and interesting, their romance is a lovely slow burn. As per usual, the mysteries wrap up a touch anticlimactically but that's not the pleasure of this cozy series.
May 16, 2023
Another solid 3.5 stars! Cozy grown-up HP fic-style focused on the teachers in a magical boarding school. I've already requested the others in the series for purchase at my library, and I'm sure I'll read them when I want a predictable, sweet, cozy visit to this universe.
Unexpected bonus: the end notes led me to others by this publisher, including a SAPPHIC. CHIPMUNK SHIFTER. HELLHOUND. ROMANCE. you can bet I'll be reading that one day.
Unexpected bonus: the end notes led me to others by this publisher, including a SAPPHIC. CHIPMUNK SHIFTER. HELLHOUND. ROMANCE. you can bet I'll be reading that one day.
May 8, 2021
Grown up magic college
I like this author, and this trope. Teachers at a college for magic deal with student plots, a political kidnapping attempt and a push to get the curriculum changed to favour wealthier students- while the headmaster does nothing. Gentle romance in a fantasy Britain between the wars.
I like this author, and this trope. Teachers at a college for magic deal with student plots, a political kidnapping attempt and a push to get the curriculum changed to favour wealthier students- while the headmaster does nothing. Gentle romance in a fantasy Britain between the wars.
August 25, 2022
It's kind of like hanging out in the teacher's lounge at Hogwarts, hearing the teachers of various magic disciplines talk about student issues and school politics. It's a very gentle and restful read with a slow burn love story. Re: my cozy fantasy rating… Technically this is set in historical England, but most of the plot takes place at a magical school, so it feels like a fantasy world.
Read
January 31, 2022Very gentle and lovely. Did work as a standalone but there were definitely times I wished I had a little more of the world building to start
November 14, 2022
The most gawdawful, plodding novel about three people who gossip interminably about others and are unwilling to commit to each other or even to solving dangers to their students.
October 7, 2023
Thesan & Isambard are teachers who slide quietly from friendship to love while coping with student pranks, academic wrangling, & issues in their own lives. A 1925 total eclipse magically emphasizes the role of the stars & planets in affecting all the magical lives at Schola.
May 21, 2023
A truly charming and cozy story of the dedicated teachers who teach at the Schola, a boarding school for teens with magical heritage.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews