My Unfamiliar - Mara Rutherford

Reserve your copy now! Expected release is December 1, 2026. Will ship on or after December 1, 2026. Limited copies available. 

Perfect for fans of Allison Saft and Catherine Bakewell, a grumpy mage and a familiar matchmaker navigate their surprising connection in Mara Rutherford's newest cozy fantasy novel.

Winslow Green is known far and wide for her ability to match mages with the perfect animal familiar. Though she doesn't possess any magic, she has a knack for knowing what her customers need, even if they can't see if themselves.

Still grieving the tragic death of his last familiar, Bastian Triplehorn reluctantly seeks Winnie's aid in finding a new partner. She's determined to live up to her reputation, despite Bastian's excessive grumpiness.
Until the inexplicable happens: Bastian sparks a familiar bond with Winnie instead.

Impossible to deny, the two agree to help each other until they can solve the mystery of their connection. As Bastian and Winnie train for a royal mage competition that could solve all their problems-or ruin their lives forever-Winnie gets a taste of what it's like to have magic herself. And Bastian discovers that all of these unfamiliar feelings are a little like magic, too.

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Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara has lived all over the world with her diplomat husband and two sons.