Rebecca F Kenney

Her Dreadful Will Rebecca F Kenney

This book was written for everyone who wanted Rey to end up with Kylo Ren, or Alina to end up with the Darkling.
Soleil is a mind-flex witch with the ability to shift a person's will, altering motives and skewing impulses. Her teachers from the online Institute of Magic view her power with suspicion and fear, convinced that its very nature makes her evil. Determined to prove them wrong, Soleil commits to unselfishly helping her town's citizens for an entire year, using her magic only for good. But the arrival of a mysterious tattooed male witch throws her worldview-and her heart-into chaos.
The new arrival, Achan, shows Soleil secret magicks that the Institute has willfully concealed, and tells her dark and dangerous truths about the reigning body of witches. Breaking magical laws with Achan is wickedly satisfying for Soleil, but the further they go together, the more danger they face from the Witchlords-who will stop at nothing to ensure their rules are enforced.

This adult Southern Gothic contemporary fantasy is perfect for fans of Naomi Novik (Spinning Silver), CN Crawford, and Sarah J. Maas.
TW: Magical gore and violence, moments of body horror, brief reference to familial/spousal/child abuse, brief racism of a walk-on character, ageism, brief mention of elder abuse