Only Hard Problems By Jennifer Estep -epub- May 2026

Check for themes that Estep often uses—resilience, self-discovery, overcoming fears. Maybe add some dark elements, like a supernatural threat. The ending should resolve the main conflict but perhaps hint at larger issues for potential sequels or series development.

Lila rolled her eyes and sipped her café au lait. New Orleans never slept, and neither did the supernatural nonsense.

The easy problems—the small, quiet ones—had been there all along. They just needed someone crazy enough to solve them.

Lila looked at the shadow. It was wrong—too fluid, too smiling . She knew a monster when she saw one. Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep -ePub-

New Orleans thrived on chaos. Voodoo queens, jazz funerals, and the occasional werewolf attack were all-day affairs. Lila, at 23, had become the city’s last resort for the impossible. Her agency, Only Hard Problems , was a punchline in the gossip columns— Local Woman Helps Exorcist Untangle Possession... Again —but business was booming.

“Only hard problems,” she muttered, a little wistful. But as Mama Sorel’s shadows retreated and the boy’s smile reached her face, she realized something.

The shadow roared. Lila grinned. “What, no epic monologue?” She yanked the lighter back and struck it, the flame blue—straight from her power. The shadow recoiled. Lila rolled her eyes and sipped her café au lait

“This thing ,” she said, clutching a photo of the boy, “it knew about my rule. About only solving hard problems. But it’s a trap. My power can’t handle what’s easy .”

“Boring,” she said, tossing a lighter at it.

The entity slithered forward, voice hissing like steam from a kettle. “We eat those who resist us. You, little problem-solver, are the only one strong enough to defy us. But defying isn’t helping, is it?” They just needed someone crazy enough to solve them

Back at the laundromat, Lila let the shadow taunt her. It lunged—faster than a ghost should be able to move. She sidestepped, uncharacteristically unimpressed.

The title "Only Hard Problems" could be a play on words. "Only Hard Problems" might relate to solving difficult issues, which aligns with the problem-solving in Estep's stories where characters face challenges. Maybe the protagonist is someone who can only tackle tough problems, or perhaps there's a twist where "hard" has a dual meaning, like something physically hard or emotionally.

I need to make sure the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Perhaps start with the protagonist facing a problem that her power can't handle, leading her to investigate why. The middle explores her journey to understand her unique ability and the problem's true nature. The climax would involve her overcoming the challenge in a unexpected way, using her hard problem-solving skill in a new context.

It wasn’t a choice. It was a curse. Literally.

Lila’s power surged—the kind she’d only used once before. Her skin glowed with electric blue, and the ground cracked as her strength activated. But this time, the power fizzled.