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

If you are looking for a light hearted read that will make you laugh, then look no further.

Landry is what most might call a player. He doesn’t keep relationships around for a long time, and has a habit, and reputation, for dumping women on New Year’s Eve. However, this year, things have gone a little haywire and he has been assigned a fairy godmother. But this isn’t your Cinderella godmother. This one is brash and has attitude, but there is something endearing about Stella. And she isn’t as crazy as she appears, or is she?

I liked how the author brought back Hank who runs the antique store in Mount Pleasant. He was a character in Pringle Prawn (another great book), so I was happy to see him make an appearance.

While the novel spans many months, it speeds by quickly, and I found myself engaged in the story, laughing at the antics, and wondering if Landry was going to find love. He isn’t very loveable because of his attitude, but that doesn’t stop him from charming the women. I liked his friend and coworker, Creigh. They somehow manage to get into some predicaments since Creigh can see Stella, even though he shouldn’t be able to. Allie is a woman that I can appreciate. She is tough, well rounded, and puts up with Landry. Why I am not sure, but there is someone for everyone. She does keep him on his toes throughout in both business and their personal life.

Throw in a mix of other magical creatures, and you get a book that is a mashup of multiple genres – romance, fantasy, legal drama, and more. But it works, and the author does a fantastic job of melding them together to create this spunky new novel.

If you are looking for something that will make you laugh, wonder if redemption will happen, and enjoy quirkiness, then this is probably the book for you.

We give it 5 paws up.

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 on his website.

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