Please please stick with this book past 20%. It is slow and confusing to set up, but once it gets going, hold on tight.

The plot is essentially a mystery: Robin's predecessor at work (he's brand new to his position of magic liaison for the government) has gone missing and foul play is suspected when Robin himself is cursed by a shadowy gang of magicians. Edwin works as an informant for the office, and tasks himself with finding his missing boss and ridding Robin of the curse.

Robin (muggle, athletic, outgoing) and Edwin (squib, bookish, painfully reserved) are a fantastic pair. I couldn't wait for them to get over themselves and their hangups so they could just be together. The romance is a slow burn, folks, but incredibly worth the wait (btw: open door!!)

The magic system is interesting and mature, but poorly explained. Even though there is a perfect opportunity to teach the reader about it via the muggle initiate Robin, the lack of an explanation is one of the most discouraging things throughout the book, especially at the beginning. Even Edwin, a scholar of magic in his own right, shows little understanding of its potential—creating an opening for a couple different Deus ex Machina, erm Magica, plot points.

I am very excited to read what happens next, and once again I'm kicking myself for starting a series and then having to wait on the sequels.