Forty, Fired, & Fighting Demons Series by Brenda Trim

Turns out, when a realtor says 'location, location, location!', they aren't going to mention the property is directly above a portal to Hell... I'm Eliza Grey, and my charming fixer-upper came with an unexpected a gateway to the infernal realms in the basement.So much for open-concept living.Now, instead of choosing tile patterns, I'm deciphering ancient runes. My real estate agent? Secretly a magical mentor. The grumpy handyman? A half-demon hunter with a penchant for brooding... moreTurns out, when a realtor says 'location, location, location!', they aren't going to mention the property is directly above a portal to Hell... I'm Eliza Grey, and my charming fixer-upper came with an unexpected a gateway to the infernal realms in the basement.So much for open-concept living.Now, instead of choosing tile patterns, I'm deciphering ancient runes. My real estate agent? Secretly a magical mentor. The grumpy handyman? A half-demon hunter with a penchant for brooding. And my new house? Let's just say it has opinions on my renovation choices.I've got to master my newfound magical abilities, navigate the bureaucratic nightmare that is Hell's Seven Boroughs, and find a mystical artifact before a demon lord uses my property as his personal welcome mat to world domination.Home improvement shows never prepared me for this. If I can survive magical training, outsmart Hell's henchmen, and keep my sanity (and my house) intact, I might just save the world.Although there's no telling what this will do for the resale value.Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go sage my cutlery. In this house, you can never be too careful. less

Fixing up an old Victorian seemed like a great fresh start. Sure, the house turned out to be sentient and came with a snarky talking cat who claims I'm his familiar (that's still up for debate). But hey, at least the grumpy half-demon electrician who thinks my magical skills are a disaster waiting to happen is nice to look at... Lucky us! The demon lord Asmodeus decided to corrupt our town's magical foundations and unleash his minions... moreFixing up an old Victorian seemed like a great fresh start. Sure, the house turned out to be sentient and came with a snarky talking cat who claims I'm his familiar (that's still up for debate). But hey, at least the grumpy half-demon electrician who thinks my magical skills are a disaster waiting to happen is nice to look at... Lucky us! The demon lord Asmodeus decided to corrupt our town's magical foundations and unleash his minions. Now I've got Shakespeare-quoting imps redecorating local businesses, my grandmother discovering an unhealthy love of magical explosives, and a prophecy claiming I'm the Chosen One. You know, because being a former corporate witch wasn't complicated enough.With the help of my best friend, an opinionated house, and one shockingly hot electrician, I have to figure out how to stop Asmodeus from turning our quaint coastal town into Hell's newest suburb. No pressure or anything.But just when I thought banishing a demon lord would be my biggest problem, we accidentally wake up something the founding families sealed away centuries ago. And this ancient horror? It's got secrets that could tear Saltcliff apart.At least the housing market can't get any worse. Right? less

When you're known as the witch who helped banish a demon lord, career options get weird... I figured why not combine my magical talents with my home repair skills? Saltcliff's got enough haunted appliances and possessed plumbing to keep me busy. Plus, it's the perfect cover for investigating that ancient creature we accidentally freed.Here's the this supposedly-horrific monster isn't living up to its reputation... moreWhen you're known as the witch who helped banish a demon lord, career options get weird... I figured why not combine my magical talents with my home repair skills? Saltcliff's got enough haunted appliances and possessed plumbing to keep me busy. Plus, it's the perfect cover for investigating that ancient creature we accidentally freed.Here's the this supposedly-horrific monster isn't living up to its reputation. It's leaving polite notes declining Council intervention and reading romance novels after hours at the library. Not exactly the rampage you'd expect from an earth-shattering terror.While fixing cursed coffee makers and exorcising evil refrigerators, I've noticed some interesting patterns. The creature seems to be protecting certain couples in town. And the founding families' records have more holes than my first attempt at magical drywall repair.Then I discover an artifact that could reveal the truth, but the Council is suspicious of my investigation. Good thing I've got backup in the form of a best friend with connections to Saltcliff's supernatural underground, a grandmother who treats magical demolitions like an art form, and a smokin' hot half-demon electrician who keeps finding excuses to "help" with my jobs.I'm starting to think we got it all wrong about what's haunting this town. And the truth? It's going to rewrite everything we thought we knew about Saltcliff's history.At least my new business cards look great. "Hexes & We'll fix your home's supernatural problems without blowing it up." Usually. less

I thought defeating a demon lord meant I could finally catch my breath. Yeah, right. Three months later, my just-rebuilt house is acting weird, my five magical familiars are at each other's throats, and a teenage girl has shown up at my doorstep babbling about five gates opening beneath Saltcliff. Just what I need.Then the weird crap really starts happening. The harbor water suddenly recedes. Earthquakes target only Council properties... moreI thought defeating a demon lord meant I could finally catch my breath. Yeah, right. Three months later, my just-rebuilt house is acting weird, my five magical familiars are at each other's throats, and a teenage girl has shown up at my doorstep babbling about five gates opening beneath Saltcliff. Just what I need.Then the weird crap really starts happening. The harbor water suddenly recedes. Earthquakes target only Council properties. And ancient stone archways crackling with elemental power start popping up around town like demonic lawn ornaments.Turns out, my ancestors weren't just witches—they were Gatekeepers. The spiral tattoos burning themselves into my palms are proof I've inherited the job, ready or not. These gates? They're cosmic filtration systems for dangerous interdimensional energy, and someone's trying to hijack them all.Between managing my fledgling "Hexes & Hammers" business, navigating a new relationship with Zane (when he's not being corrupted by void energy), and trying to mentor a girl who might be the magical equivalent of a nuclear bomb, I've got my hands full. And that's before factoring in the three warring factions in town, my grandmother's consciousness getting trapped between dimensions, and the mysterious woman claiming to be family who's definitely hiding something.Now I have three days before a rare celestial alignment supercharges all five gates. If I can't embrace my Gatekeeper destiny and restore the balance, Saltcliff won't just face a demon invasion—it'll be ground zero for complete dimensional collapse.And here I thought being the Island Fixer was complicated. Somebody get me a hammer. And maybe a stiff drink. less

Just when I thought I'd gotten the hang of this whole Gatekeeper thing, the universe decided to throw me another curveball. Because apparently, saving Saltcliff from dimensional collapse was just the warm-up act. Malphas might be gone, but his parting gift keeps on giving—demon essence woven so deep into the gate network that removing it could destroy everything I've worked to protect... moreJust when I thought I'd gotten the hang of this whole Gatekeeper thing, the universe decided to throw me another curveball. Because apparently, saving Saltcliff from dimensional collapse was just the warm-up act. Malphas might be gone, but his parting gift keeps on giving—demon essence woven so deep into the gate network that removing it could destroy everything I've worked to protect. And naturally, every supernatural power player on the eastern seaboard has decided now would be a great time to drop by for a 'friendly visit.' Nothing says vacation destination like corrupted interdimensional portals, am I right?Between research sessions that make my brain feel like scrambled eggs, romantic dinners that keep getting interrupted by assassination attempts, and Riley's increasingly dangerous experiments with dual bloodline magic, I'm starting to think my old corporate job wasn't so bad. At least the worst thing that could happen there was a hostile takeover, not a literal dimensional invasion.Now I've got seventy-two hours to master a cleansing ritual that hasn't been attempted in centuries, while supernatural delegations circle the island like sharks sensing blood in the water. The ritual requires a willing sacrifice, and guess who keeps volunteering? Here's a it's not me, which is apparently a problem.Good thing I've got Zane keeping me grounded (when his demon heritage isn't making him allergic to my magic), Astra organizing our defenses like a supernatural general, and Mimi providing commentary that could strip paint off a battleship. Because nothing says "family support" like your grandmother critiquing your life choices while loading enchanted ammunition.They say the devil's in the details, but in my case, the demon's in the network. And getting him out might just kill me. less

So here's the thing about becoming the "Island Fixer"—it sounded like a great idea at the time. Repair some broken pipes, banish a few demons, and make enough money to keep my house from falling apart. Simple, right?Wrong.Turns out, when you advertise that you can handle both home renovations and supernatural problems, the universe takes it as a personal challenge... moreSo here's the thing about becoming the "Island Fixer"—it sounded like a great idea at the time. Repair some broken pipes, banish a few demons, and make enough money to keep my house from falling apart. Simple, right?Wrong.Turns out, when you advertise that you can handle both home renovations and supernatural problems, the universe takes it as a personal challenge. One minute I'm trying to remove a stubborn backsplash from a sweet old lady's kitchen (YouTube made it look easy, liars), and the next I'm accidentally releasing a demon that's been trapped since the 1950s. And that demon, by the way, is really good at paperwork and has some disturbing plans involving Hell's corporate takeover of Earth.Yeah, you read that right. Hell has middle management now, and they're looking to expand.Now I'm stuck trying to save my island home from becoming the underworld's newest franchise location, all while pretending I know the difference between drywall and dimensional barriers. My boyfriend Zane is annoyingly competent with tools and looks way too hot while using them. My mom and grandmother are ready to throw down with demons. And my best friend Astra keeps calling to check if I've demolished anyone else's kitchen yet.The answer it's complicated.Because when you accidentally open a portal to Hell during a simple tile removal job, "complicated" doesn't even begin to cover it. And neither does insurance. less

I thought the worst was behind me. After clawing my way out of Limbo Lane—barely alive and definitely not the same woman who went in—I figured I'd earned a break. Maybe some quiet. A boring job or two. Time to process the fact that I'd spent days trapped in a nightmare dimension where the rules of reality didn't apply and every shadow wanted me dead.Instead, I got a call about drywalling a basement.Look, I know what you're thinking... moreI thought the worst was behind me. After clawing my way out of Limbo Lane—barely alive and definitely not the same woman who went in—I figured I'd earned a break. Maybe some quiet. A boring job or two. Time to process the fact that I'd spent days trapped in a nightmare dimension where the rules of reality didn't apply and every shadow wanted me dead.Instead, I got a call about drywalling a basement.Look, I know what you're thinking. How bad could hanging some drywall be? I'm forty, scrappy, and I've got a hot demon boyfriend to do the heavy lifting. Not to mention, I've got a business to run. The house is old, creepy, but the money's good. I needed something normal. Something that didn't involve portals, demons, or my life flashing before my eyes.Spoiler I'm an idiot.Turns out, while I was busy surviving Limbo Lane, something followed me back. Or more accurately, something was already here, waiting. A high demon lord with an attitude problem, a terrifying amount of power, and a plan to crack open a doorway that would make my little Limbo Lane vacation look like a spa retreat.Now I'm trapped in a basement with a creature that could peel my soul like an orange, racing against time to stop him from unleashing hell—literally—on my island. And me? I'm armed with a taping knife, some joint compound, and a seriously bad attitude about being the universe's chew toy.They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.They clearly never met a high demon lord in a half-finished basement. less