The Kappa in the Kitchen

Kori Mizushima, a prickly kappa shifter and chef, has carved out a life running Mizu Mizu, his Japanese fusion restaurant, by blending tradition and magic. But when Ash Whitaker—a brooding human fire witch and former Michelin-starred chef—storms into town and sets up a rival eatery across the street, sparks fly in more ways than one.

As construction beneath Ash’s restaurant exposes a fragile leyline conduit, mysterious sabotage threatens to unravel the delicate balance that keeps Lifeboat’s magic alive. With the town’s kraken mayor, Levi Shoal, and his human mate Kris Kringle rallying the community, Kori and Ash must confront their fierce rivalry—and undeniable attraction.

Bound by an ancient mate bond neither expected, their fire and water magic entwine in passionate and dangerous ways. When the exiled former mayor Calder Delmar returns with a deadly plan to destroy the leyline, Kori, Ash, and their allies must fight to protect the magic—and their future.

But will the flames of love be enough to save Lifeboat’s magic from drowning in darkness?