The Phoenix Keeper
On sale
29th May 2025
Price: £10.99
Genre
***THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***
‘Witty, poignant, and joyfully romantic’ LYRA SELENE
‘Dazzling with joy . . . A perfect cosy fantasy’ K. M. ENRIGHT
‘The perfect blend of escapism and romance’ HOLLY RACE
‘I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way through’ JULIE LEONG
‘Spiritually, I’m still at San Tamculo Zoo. Don’t miss out!’ VANESSA LE
‘A sparkling debut. I’d give anything for a ticket to San Tamculo’ LAURA R. SAMOTIN
‘A magical world that feels both familiar and wondrous’ LIBRARY JOURNAL
‘Bring on the sweet, low-stakes romantasy’ PASTE MAGAZINE
‘An easy-to-read heartwarming book’ THE FANTASY HIVE
WELCOME TO THE SAN TAMCULO ZOO OF MAGICAL CREATURES!
Aila has spent her entire life dreaming of saving phoenixes. She pulled countless all-nighters at uni just to sneak a toe in the door of the breathtakingly competitive field of conservation, stumbling through failed romance and disastrous class presentations thanks to social anxiety, while also surviving a ferocious class rivalry with the (unbearably beautiful) insufferably hotshot Luciana.
Somehow, she actually did it: landed her dream job as head phoenix keeper at the world-renowned zoo that inspired her as a child, tasked with rescuing the critically endangered Silimalo phoenix from the brink of extinction. There are just two or three (thousand) impossible problems.
1. She can’t act sensibly around the charming dragon keeper, Connor.
2. Her plans to revive the phoenix programme are more precarious than ever, after a poacher attack at a neighbouring zoo.
3. Her best chance at success means teaming up with the star of the zoo, the universally adored griffin keeper, the hotshot showmaster of the most popular exhibit . . .
Yes, of course it’s Luciana.
Against an immersive fantasy backdrop teeming with all your favourite mythical beasts from dragons and unicorns to kelpies and krakens, The Phoenix Keeper combines the cosy fantasy magic of Heather Fawcett and Travis Baldree with the electrifying romances blending heat and heart of Elsie Silver and Ana Huang.
‘Witty, poignant, and joyfully romantic’ LYRA SELENE
‘Dazzling with joy . . . A perfect cosy fantasy’ K. M. ENRIGHT
‘The perfect blend of escapism and romance’ HOLLY RACE
‘I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way through’ JULIE LEONG
‘Spiritually, I’m still at San Tamculo Zoo. Don’t miss out!’ VANESSA LE
‘A sparkling debut. I’d give anything for a ticket to San Tamculo’ LAURA R. SAMOTIN
‘A magical world that feels both familiar and wondrous’ LIBRARY JOURNAL
‘Bring on the sweet, low-stakes romantasy’ PASTE MAGAZINE
‘An easy-to-read heartwarming book’ THE FANTASY HIVE
WELCOME TO THE SAN TAMCULO ZOO OF MAGICAL CREATURES!
Aila has spent her entire life dreaming of saving phoenixes. She pulled countless all-nighters at uni just to sneak a toe in the door of the breathtakingly competitive field of conservation, stumbling through failed romance and disastrous class presentations thanks to social anxiety, while also surviving a ferocious class rivalry with the (unbearably beautiful) insufferably hotshot Luciana.
Somehow, she actually did it: landed her dream job as head phoenix keeper at the world-renowned zoo that inspired her as a child, tasked with rescuing the critically endangered Silimalo phoenix from the brink of extinction. There are just two or three (thousand) impossible problems.
1. She can’t act sensibly around the charming dragon keeper, Connor.
2. Her plans to revive the phoenix programme are more precarious than ever, after a poacher attack at a neighbouring zoo.
3. Her best chance at success means teaming up with the star of the zoo, the universally adored griffin keeper, the hotshot showmaster of the most popular exhibit . . .
Yes, of course it’s Luciana.
Against an immersive fantasy backdrop teeming with all your favourite mythical beasts from dragons and unicorns to kelpies and krakens, The Phoenix Keeper combines the cosy fantasy magic of Heather Fawcett and Travis Baldree with the electrifying romances blending heat and heart of Elsie Silver and Ana Huang.
Reviews
Delightfully inventive and charming, The Phoenix Keeper is a sweet sapphic romance set in the most magical zoo you can imagine. MacLean's empathy for all living things - from vanishing ducks and endangered phoenixes, to endearingly awkward zookeepers and their crushes - shines through in every word. I couldn't stop smiling the whole way through. Sign me up for a lifetime membership to the San Tamculo Zoo, please!
A super cozy fantasy that follows the story of a phoenix keeper working at a zoo filled with magical animals while trying to save a critically endangered species is pretty much everything I never knew I needed. Bring on the sweet, low-stakes romantasy stories that aren't driven by trauma or betrayal
This book has it all: some good old pining, a healthy amount of nerdiness, a cast of characters you'll consider friends, one amazing griffin keeper - and at its heart, a warming story about passion, preservation, and childhood dreams... Spiritually, I'm still at San Tamculo Zoo. Don't miss out!
Maclean has crafted a lovely sojourn in a magical world that feels both familiar and wondrous. This mix of zoology, fantasy, and sapphic romance will have readers wishing they could buy a ticket to San Tamculo
Sparkling with wit and dazzling with joy, The Phoenix Keeper is a delightfully romantic and richly imagined debut. A perfect cozy fantasy!
Fresh, funny, and fantastical, S. A. MacLean's debut introduces an imaginative and authentic new voice to cozy fantasy. By turns witty, poignant, and joyfully romantic, The Phoenix Keeper is utterly transportive!
A truly magical book in every way, The Phoenix Keeper is the perfect blend of escapism and romance, all wrapped up in a high stakes, heart-warming tale about saving endangered animals at any cost. If you don't fall in love with Aila, Luciana and Tanya and their gorgeous, mischievous animals, there's something wrong with you
Filled with mystical creatures so vivid I could swear they're real, two endearingly relatable zookeepers, and the coziest possible combination of intrigue and romance, The Phoenix Keeper is a sparkling debut. I'd give anything for a ticket to the San Tamculo Zoo, and MacLean's transporting book made me feel like I'd truly gone for a visit. I look forward to whatever's next from this magically creative new voice in fantasy
Kind of like a cozy fantasy meets zoological romance, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I wasn't disappointed... If you want an easy-to-read heartwarming book with good representation, look no further