Half a Soul
Half a Soul
A woman born without the capacity for certain emotions finds unexpected belonging in a Regency-era world touched by fae magic. Her difference becomes her strength as she discovers she can move through fae lands where others cannot. A cosy, wholesome romance blooms in an unexpected place.
Everything You Need to Know About Half a Soul
Dora was half a soul stolen by a faerie as a child, leaving her emotionally numb in a world that values sensitivity and social grace. Raised in Regency society, she handles balls and courtship with the casual detachment of someone watching a performance she doesn't need to feel. When a grumpy court sorcerer named Mr. Lockheed arrives, he's the first person to see her condition not as a flaw but as simple fact. Their quiet, witty courtship unfolds against a backdrop of faerie intrigue and the very real question: can someone without half a soul still love completely?
The dialogue is sharp without trying too hard. Atwater writes Regency-era restraint beautifully, so when emotions do surface, they land. The faerie magic is built in as seamlessly as the social rules, it's just there, part of the world. Dora's deadpan observations about romance are genuinely funny. The pacing lets you breathe; this isn't a rushed romance. And Mr. Lockheed is exactly the kind of socially awkward, brilliant man who deserves his own slow-burn love story.
Mild references to the original faerie theft of Dora's soul, but no graphic violence or sexual content.
The faerie curse remains unbroken by the end, but it stops mattering because Dora accepts it. Mr. Lockheed never says 'I love you' in the traditional sense, instead he loves her with the precision of a scientist and the steadiness of someone who doesn't need grand gestures. They marry quietly. It's profoundly romantic in its restraint.
If you want Regency romance without the swooning. Fans of Sorcery of Thorns and A Court of Thorns and Roses who appreciate quieter, character-driven storytelling will find their rhythm here. Not for readers who need constant action or explicit romance, this is cozy, low-stakes, and honestly a palate cleanser if you're burnt out on high drama.
Standalone. Atwater has written other Regency fantasies set in the same world, but Half a Soul works perfectly alone.
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