In 1934, life in Brookburn, Indiana, is quiet, simple, and peaceful, but young dreamer Levi Beckerman yearns for more. When the carnival shows up for the Fourth of July, he’s entranced by its many temptations. None is more seductive than the charismatic barker, Sebastian Gustineau.<br><br>Seb’s been a part of the carnival for almost a decade. Once, it provided him the escape he needed from a life he thought he didn’t want, but now, he craves things it can never offer. Flitting from dusty town to dusty town, he loses himself in pretty dalliances. Levi seems like the perfect distraction, until a single conversation convinces him that preserving Levi’s innocence and way of life is more important than his momentary satisfaction.<br><br>However, his plan to discourage Levi goes horribly wrong. When Levi’s family is threatened, Levi fights to protect them, doing what he can to hide the secrets he’s sheltered his entire life. The only person he trusts is Seb. He just isn’t sure if the growing bond between them is enough to save them all.

A Simple Charm

“You never use yours.” It wasn’t a question. He knew the answer. He just needed to hear Pap admit it.


“I made a choice. When I met your mother. I could’ve ran away like your uncle. He begged me often enough to come with him. But when I met her, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. She made me see what my life could be if I stayed. So I gave it up. In all the years since, I’ve only used my magic twice, and both times, only because I didn’t think I had a choice.”


Pap sighed and scrubbed his hand over his head. “I know that. I wish to hell I didn’t, but you keep making it clearer and clearer.”


“I’m still waiting to hear what happened. Who’d you try hurting?”


Levi started at the word. “I didn’t—”


“You tried making somebody do something they didn’t want to,” Pap interrupted. “You don’t have to lay a finger on someone to leave marks.”


Chapter 50