Glimpsed

Gr 6 Up–When Cinderella rides off with her prince, it ends happily ever after (HEA). End of story. But what becomes of the fairy godmother? High school senior Charity knows, because she is a fairy godmother. She glimpses a future Cindy’s deepest desire, then uses impressive strategic planning skills, paired with a few magical nudges, to create the desired HEA. While being a fairy godmother can be lonely, as she fades into the background after each HEA, Charity, who dyes her mousy brown hair to match every mood, revels in helping her classmates achieve their wishes. But when Star Trek nerd Noah accuses her of meddling in people’s lives, and when homecoming queen Vindhya’s HEA turns into a public humiliation, Charity starts to reassess her work. Noah blackmails Charity into one final HEA, helping him get his girlfriend back. As the antagonistic pair work together, Noah learns that glimpses are ignored at great cost, and Charity, whose own mother is too busy saving the environment to be a parent, falls under the spell of Noah’s zany, cosplaying family. Sparks fly, but will Charity allow herself her own HEA? Charity is a charming, well-honed character, who relishes being a fairy godmother. But the rigid guidelines she establishes regarding her calling—gleaned from research and family history—means she steadfastly squelches her growing attraction for Noah. Charity’s happy ending is well deserved, and that it’s with an adorable Trekkie is icing on the cake.