Rating: 5⭐️

Now Linzi Day has done it! I’m book immobilized. Her fabulous urban fantasy series and cast of beautifully crafted characters has me so hooked that all I can do is binge read these books until I have no more of them available for devouring! Onwards!

“With the eyes of your realm upon you, it can be too easy to revert to tradition in an effort to avoid an embarrassing mistake. Change is often feared, but a rare person can choose to innovate. Why not you? Demonstrate to your subjects that times change and so must we. Or would you prefer to return to the days of forced marriage, high infant mortality and syphilis and wait patiently for someone to invent coffee?” 

-Ruling Regally: A Monarch’s Guide to the 21st Century by Margot Hobart-Smythe

Just one of the many reasons why I love this series is that each novel starts with a quote from a different, albeit totally fictional tome, one that will make a impact on the various rulings factions, including the Recorder herself.  Ruling Regally is quoted often and with great precision throughout this story, to my delight and absolute joy in how Day has written and layered her series and world building.

Painting the Blues in Gretna Green brings Niki, the new team that she’s assembling to support her role as Recorder, and Dola, the sentient being that’s the gateway house, new dangerous challenges, major events that offer revelations, bringing growth and powerful development to Niki and those around her. 

Author Day has created Kingdoms and cultures of Fae, Viking, Celtic and other mythological figures that will be seen throughout the series and gates in the Recorder’s house. Each being richly detailed, deep in its own history, and culturally distinct from the others. 

And the characters from each of them are as intriguing as the realm they originate from. There’s past and current warfare, pain and suffering, loss and love. 

It’s what makes them and the series so extraordinary.

In this case there are several ancient injustices that Niki must face and find a way to heal or a way to begin healing a long term damage. And some of it rests with the inaction of past Recorders. 

Niki’s own personal trauma and tragedy is tangled with current events and its handling of her emotions and struggles feels every bit as important and meaningful as the other situations that require her attention. 

Day has layers upon layers of intricately connected, subtly written storylines, ones that will only emerge to “ping” a aha moment a book later. Just an amazing piece of narrative writing. 

As you can imagine, I’m merrily ahead here. But this series will find itself as hardback’s groaning on my shelves.

Must recommends from me. 

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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        Painting the Blues in Gretna Green: Paranormal Cozy Fantasy Novel (Midlife Recorder Book 2)

    

Blurb 

My powers are growing, and my tolerance is low. My second week in my new role as the Gretna Green Recorder is making the first week look relaxing. 

I have quite the to-do list.

✅ Fix a thousand-year-old injustice that threatens the future of the Pictish royal family and their realm? Check.

✅ Test my new Knight Adjutant candidates? Check.

✅ Discover one of those candidates is the guy I had a huge crush on when I was twelve? Oh yeah. Check.

❌ Feed the cat? No, she’s not hungry—which is worrying, very worrying.

❓ Prevent a bloodbath? Let’s freaking hope so.

Niki McKnight is settling in as the new Recorder in the Gretna Gateway in Scotland. She’s joined by the usual colourful cast of magical beings. 

Celtic, Fae and Viking royalty all have their own agendas, but none more so than the Pictish royal family.

Magic, psychic powers, a stroppy, condescending cat goddess, and lots of coffee smooth the way.

Niki plans to make her gran proud by reminding everyone that kings and queens are ten-a-penny in the seven realms, but there is ONLY one Recorder, and now she has more power than anyone expected.

Painting the Blues in Gretna Green is perfect for readers who’d enjoy an uplifting story with cozy paranormal fantasy elements. Set in a sentient Scottish house with a woman who needs to learn to wield her increased powers before lives are lost.

Publication date

November 5, 2022

Language

‎English

Print length

590 pages

Book 2 of 7

Midlife Recorder