Rating: 5⭐️
“And the little girl realised that just because things were going to be different, it didn’t mean they had to be scary. Different could be fun, and new things could be exciting, and she thanked the Recorder and admitted that perhaps her mother had been right all along.”
-The Recorder Always Knows Best: Cautionary Tales for Incautious Children by Margarita Encimera
Yes! We’re back in Gateway Cottage, Gretna Green, Scotland. It’s book 3 and yes, there’s another fictional tome to give Day’s characters guidance within the fantasy novel! Be still my heart!
Another extraordinary story that brings in multiple new characters, allows the ones we’ve met important new developments in their own lives and storylines, and layers in powerful elements that will impact them individually and the realms . It’s a series of revelations, a story of compelling surprises and mysteries that hit emotionally.
One aspect of Linzi Day’s writing that I find most intriguing and beautifully crafted is the depth of her character development. Each character may appear to have a specific personality and arc but that’s too superficial. For Day often has plotted, supremely I’ll add, far ahead in this character’s journey. There’s hidden information, surprising history and damaging events that will be revealed, novels later, if then, to make the character and their storyline an integral part of the entire plot.
The Hobs, Katy, her ever growing conflicted memories of her grandmother, the bonds, the Kings that factored heavily into her childhood and now as a Recorder, Dola, the sentient being that’s the Gateway House! Each has huge storylines here.
It is difficult to separate out individual aspects of the book because it’s a magnificent magical tapestry of tightly woven narrative threads. Linzi Day’s stories and this series has become my favorite of the year, and I’m predicting that it will land in my top ten of series once completed.
It’s a must read!
Gorgeous Covers that absolutely drew me in.
Cover Design: Axe Designs
Midlife Recorder series:
Midlife in Gretna Green #1
Painting the Blues in Gretna Green #2
Ties That Bond in Gretna Green #3
Seeing Red in Gretna Green #4
Code Yellow in Gretna Green #5
Market Forces in Gretna Green #6
Coming next
Spilling The Tea in Gretna Green #7
Half An Orange in Gretna Greene #8-Oct 30,2026
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Blurb
It’s Valentine’s week in the Gateway, and Niki McKnight is preparing to conduct her first bondings for the fated, soul-bonded mates of the Kingdoms.
She was a registrar who married thousands of people in her former job—this will be a breeze … Right?
Wrong!
The bondings don’t quite go to plan. Cue hilarity, heartbreak and mysterious magical prophecies for some of our favourite characters.
Niki’s goddaughter Autumn is visiting, and her heart’s desires are to ride a unicorn and be a bridesmaid for the first time. So no pressure then!
And there are mysteries to solve:
- Why is the Recorder forbidden from bonding the members of an entire race?
- Why is Prince Charming Dai, her childhood crush, suddenly avoiding her?
- Why were so many bondmates trying to deceive her gran?
- Why is Dola sending everyone gifts?
- Why are there no doughnuts, brownies or other sugary goodness?
But in what’s supposed to be the busiest week of the Gateway’s year, Niki finally has some time on her hands to sort her own life out. Even if she still can’t manage to get her hair cut.
In this full-length, light-hearted addition to the Midlife Recorder series, you’ll find humour, tension and magical food as the Recorder confirms the soul bonds for Celts, Galicians, Vikings, Hobs, Picts and Fae.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 