Skip to content

Store & Venue Finder
Select your local currency
Back to All Books
Stacey Mcewan

A Forbidden Alchemy: The Artisan Trilogy Book 1 Paperback By Stacey Mcewan

£9.99

Released: 7th May 2026. ‘This book is a pressure-cooked vial crafted with perfect romantic tension and pure gangster-style grit … I loved every chapter’ RAVEN KENNEDY, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Plated Prisoner series.  Peaky Blinders meets Six of Crows in BookTok star Stacey McEwan’s stunning new slow-burn romantasy duology traces a fated pair who stumble upon a world-changing secret in youth and are catapulted into a violent class war in adulthood, finding each other amidst love, loss and devasting betrayals. Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are only twelve years old when they are whisked from their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to test for magical abilities. Nina’s lifelong dream is to become an Artisan, a powerful elemental mage who fulfills the city’s grand ambitions, while Patrick wants only to reunite with his family of Craftsmen in the mines.  But together, they discover a devastating secret: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen.  With this information, they part ways. Patrick returns home, while Nina finds her place as one of the rarest, most coveted types of Artisan. When a Craftsman revolution ignites years later, Nina is captured by Patrick’s rebel group – and he hasn’t forgotten her. In fact, he needs her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. She reluctantly agrees to aid him, battling the sparks between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the Artisans, she faces an impossible choice that will determine the fate of their world.  A concoction of all the best romantasy tropes: Elemental magic  Found family Tension & Slow burn  Political Intrigue / Class War What readers and authors have been saying about A Forbidden Alchemy: ‘If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would … This story has the morally gray characters of my dreams!! … I will be telling everyone that I know to read this book. I NEED MORE!!’ READER REVIEW, 5 stars ‘I’m never going to shut up about this book … the romantasy book you’ll never get over’ HANNAH NICOLE MAEHRER, internationally bestselling author of Assistant to the Villain ‘It catapults readers into an immersive romance, a rustic setting, dynamic characters, a world of secrets, ghastly betrayals ... I am obsessed with this book … this is the best romantasy I've read’ READER REVIEW, 5 stars  480 pages

More info

There was an error adding this product to your basket. Please try again.

**Back in stock soon*

Ring & Reserve

*Availability subject to change.

To reserve this item in store, call: 03333 230 667

Delivery
*Free UK delivery on orders over £20
(exclusions apply)
Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Click & Collect (UK only)
Get it delivered to a UK store near you with FREE Click & Collect available on this product.
  • Details

    Released:
    7th May 2026
    Format:
    Book
    Barcode:
    9781398537323
  • Description

    ‘This book is a pressure-cooked vial crafted with perfect romantic tension and pure gangster-style grit … I loved every chapter’ RAVEN KENNEDY, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Plated Prisoner series. 

    Peaky Blinders meets Six of Crows in BookTok star Stacey McEwan’s stunning new slow-burn romantasy duology traces a fated pair who stumble upon a world-changing secret in youth and are catapulted into a violent class war in adulthood, finding each other amidst love, loss and devasting betrayals.

    Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are only twelve years old when they are whisked from their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to test for magical abilities. Nina’s lifelong dream is to become an Artisan, a powerful elemental mage who fulfills the city’s grand ambitions, while Patrick wants only to reunite with his family of Craftsmen in the mines. 

    But together, they discover a devastating secret: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. 

    With this information, they part ways. Patrick returns home, while Nina finds her place as one of the rarest, most coveted types of Artisan.

    When a Craftsman revolution ignites years later, Nina is captured by Patrick’s rebel group – and he hasn’t forgotten her. In fact, he needs her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. She reluctantly agrees to aid him, battling the sparks between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the Artisans, she faces an impossible choice that will determine the fate of their world. 

    A concoction of all the best romantasy tropes:

    Elemental magic 
    Found family
    Tension & Slow burn 
    Political Intrigue / Class War

    What readers and authors have been saying about A Forbidden Alchemy:


    ‘If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would … This story has the morally gray characters of my dreams!! … I will be telling everyone that I know to read this book. I NEED MORE!!’ READER REVIEW, 5 stars

    ‘I’m never going to shut up about this book … the romantasy book you’ll never get over’ HANNAH NICOLE MAEHRER, internationally bestselling author of Assistant to the Villain

    ‘It catapults readers into an immersive romance, a rustic setting, dynamic characters, a world of secrets, ghastly betrayals ... I am obsessed with this book … this is the best romantasy I've read’ READER REVIEW, 5 stars 

    480 pages
  • Delivery and Returns

    Delivery charges

    UK Delivery:
    • Orders under £20 - £2.99 
    • Orders £20 and over - FREE*
    • Click & Collect - FREE**
    • Express Delivery - £5.99
    International Delivery:
    Costs are calculated at checkout based on parcel size and weight. Find out more here.

    *Some items are only available via a dedicated delivery service, for an additional charge.
    **Some items can only be delivered via Click & Collect to an HMV or Fopp store of your choice.

    For more information, please visit the Delivery section of our Help Centre.


    When will my order arrive?

    • We aim to dispatch in-stock items within 24 hours* 
    • Standard UK delivery: Royal Mail Tracked 48® service, usually within 2-5 working days (including Saturdays).
    • Express UK delivery: Royal Mail Tracked 24® or DPD, usually within two working days (order by 2pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays).
    • International delivery: Tracked service, usually within 3-5 working days.
    • Pre-orders: dispatched with the aim to deliver on the release date.
    *Where an item is 'Back in stock soon', we usually expect stock within a week and will dispatch it once available.

    For more information, please visit the Delivery section of our Help Centre.

    Will you tell me when my order is on its way?

    • You will receive a dispatch email when each parcel is on its way.
    • Orders may arrive in multiple parcels, depending on stock availability.
    • Out-of-stock items will follow as soon as we receive stock.
    • You can check the status of your orders in your account.
    For more information, please visit the Delivery section of our Help Centre.


    Trusted Suppliers

    Items marked 'item fulfilled by Exertis on behalf of hmv' are dispatched directly by Exertis via their approved couriers. Your delivery details will be shared with Exertis and their courier to fulfil your order.


    Returns

    • We're happy to accept returns for unwanted items within 30 days of receipt, provided they’re in their original condition with all seals intact. Clothing and technology items without a seal may be opened for inspection (as you would in a shop) but must not be used and should be repackaged carefully.  
    • Some exclusions apply, please visit the Returns section of our Help Centre for more details. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Sign-up for emails

Sign-up for emails

Sign-up for emails

I'd love to hear about offers and promotions from hmv*