THE NEW YEAR’S MAN
By Michael Scott Clifton
Romantic Fantasy / Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: September 11, 2026
*** SYNOPSIS ***
Landry LeBlanc has everything he wants: a luxury condo, a fast-rising legal career, expensive taste, and an ironclad rule against falling in love. Relationships, to him, come with expiration dates—and New Year’s Eve is his favorite time to end them.
But when Landry takes his latest girlfriend to the mysterious Fairy Lights Brasserie, his perfectly controlled life comes apart in spectacular fashion. One brutal breakup later, he finds himself face-to-face with Stella: a cigar-smoking, wand-wielding fairy godmother with questionable fashion sense, a faulty temper, and a mission to thaw his hardened heart.
Stella has one simple plan: make Landry fall in love.
Landry’s plan is simpler: get rid of Stella.
Then he meets Allie Beck—brilliant, fearless, unpredictable, and every bit his equal. As legal games become personal and magic keeps crashing through his carefully ordered world, Landry must face the past he buried, the heart he protected, and the possibility that love isn’t a weakness after all.
Funny, romantic, and touched with fairy-tale chaos, The New Year’s Man is the story of a man who breaks hearts every New Year’s Eve.
This year, magic will break his.
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*** REVIEW ***
Fair warning! The central character, Landry is the kind of person one loves to hate. He’s a cad and a lawyer who doesn’t shy away from deception if it helps him get ahead. He also dumps his current squeeze every New Year’s Eve so he can start a new year with a new girlfriend.
That is his intent as the book opens and he plans to ring in the New Year by taking his date to an unusual restaurant. He thinks the breakup will work like it always has, with some tears, and perhaps some shouting, but Landry doesn’t know that the restaurant is under the management of magic.
To reach his ultimate goal professionally, our hapless hero only has to deceive the opposing counsel while tying up a major corporate merger, then Landry will become a full partner in the firm and amass even more wealth and power.
Very quickly, however, those careful plans fall apart, thanks in large part to the arrival of Stella, his fairy godmother and the array of magical creatures she introduces into his life.
The New Year’s Man is an enjoyable romantic comedy, and some of the funniest moments are connected to Stella who is anything but a traditional fairy godmother. I have never read a book before that had one quite like her, but she really endeared herself to me. Partially because she is so far from a stereotypical fairy, but also because she’s very wise. In one scene when counseling Landry about repairing the rift between him and Allie, Stella says, “Love survives blunders. It can grow stronger but only if you’re willing to try to repair the damage.”
Folks in any type of relationships would do well to take that sage advice to heart.
Then there’s Barry who is half man and half table – yes, I said table – who was described as “floating beside them like an errant parade balloon.”
Clever lines of dialogue and refreshing descriptions are sprinkled throughout the novel, and I often laughed out loud while reading.
The New Year’s Man is an entertaining novel. Stella and Landry are characters I was more than willing to spend time with, as well as the most endearing Allie. Even though the narrative relies heavily on the fantasy and humor elements, the three characters have their serious moments, too, and it was so satisfying to see how they resolved past trauma in order to have better relationships in the now.
I highly recommend the novel to anyone looking for a strong tale of redemption told in a most engaging way. This trio of main characters brings a wonderful story to life and I do hope to see them again sometime.
*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR ***
Michael Scott Clifton is an award-winning author celebrated for conjuring tales where magic and mystery collide, including the 2024 Reader’s Favorite Book Award winner Pringle Prawn and the 2026 Reader’s Favorite Bronze Award winner The End Game. His diverse body of work whisks readers into fantastical worlds and across genres, from the enchanting Conquest of the Veil series to gripping stand-alone novels like The Treasure Hunt Club, the haunting The Janus Witch, and the acclaimed sports romance The End Game. Recognized for imaginative plots, compelling characters, and heart-pounding adventure, Clifton invites readers to explore more at michaelscottclifton.com.
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*** GIVEAWAY ***
Three US Winners will receive either a paperback or ebook copy of the novel.
Plus a $25 Amazon Gift Card
Ends 14 November 2026
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To learn more about the book, look for #LSLLTheNewYear’sMan on your preferred social media platform.
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