4.2 Stars

Annie’s moms own a beautiful bookstore and live in the apartment above. Moms, Annie, and her older sister Charlotte are a perfect family. But every family has issues, especially when they have worries about finances, identity, and a touch of erratic magic. 

The Birch Books bookshop selects a few books for readers every day. However, the yellow and purple-covered book is not taken by anyone. How can that be possible? As days go on and the lonely book has no takers, the bookshop becomes anxious and distressed. It affects Annie, our darling narrator. Can she and her family find the person and unite them with the lonely book? And why is Charlotte so angry? 

The story comes from Annie’s first-person POV. 

The book has four main characters, Mum, Mama, Charlotte (a sixteen-year-old), and Annie, the youngest in the family. They love each other and love the bookshop just as much. Everything seems okay, but things happen and can be sorted too. 

The story comes in verse though I wouldn’t call it poetry. It’s prose poetry at the most, with multiple repetitions. The best way to enjoy the book is to read it in Annie’s voice, the way it is meant to be read. Think of a little girl (possibly around 8) with a kind heart, open mind, and a gentle soul. She loves to talk and emphasize her points through repetition. 

It takes a while to get used to the narrative style. But once you’re familiar with it, the flow is smoother and faster. Don’t look for meters or rhymes. Find your rhythm and flow with it. Also, try to read it in a single sitting. A break means you may have to get used to the style yet again. 

The story, as such, is beautiful, warm, and heart-touching. It deals with a few topics, but the primary focus is on understanding gender identities and coming out. It also deals with selective mutism and the positive ways to handle the issue. The story oozes love and bonding while showing how anxiety, worries, and stress co-exist with love (even when the love is healthy). 

The core theme of non-binary gender identity is introduced halfway through the book. It is presented in the most simplified format, making it easy for kids to understand. Annie represents the young minds that want to learn new things but can feel overwhelmed by excess information. 

Sensitive topics are handled with care and a good dose of positivity. It’s the kind that fills kids with gentle confidence to face life’s challenges their way. Naturally, the book has characters more open and accepting towards queer identities. But that’s necessary too. 

I like how the bookshop is a tangible being with emotions and expresses it by throwing books off the shelves, ringing the bell, messing with the cash machine, etc. While this magic is not explained, it aligns with Annie’s anxiety, making it easy to relate to the emotions. In a way, you could say that the bookshop expresses the feelings of its owners (all four of them). It is happy when they are happy and agitated when they are stressed. 

The book doesn’t have illustrations. At least the ARC doesn’t (and no, the chapter titles don’t count). This is disappointing as I expected at least a handful of illustrations of the bookshop, the main characters, their home, Annie’s room, etc. 

To summarize, The Lonely Book is a sweet book dealing with some important topics with a positive intent. If you want to talk about gender identity, anxiety, selective mutism, and Sapphic parents, this is for you. 

Don’t skip the author’s interview at the end. It is informative and explains a few things from the book (not the magic, though). 

Thank you, NetGalley and Little Island Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheLonelyBook 

*** 

P.S.: I’m not sure how this would work on Kindle, though the formatting isn’t complex. I read it on my desktop, which was easier on the eyes. The paperback would be most convenient for the target age group. 

 4.3 Stars

Dr. Alistair Fairfleet, the eccentric chairman of the museums of the Fairfleet Institute, has disappeared without a sign. Everyone is worried about him. Fifteen days later, four people associated with the museums get letters from him. The fifth letter goes to the A&A Detective Agency run by Alex and Asha, two smart twelve-year-olds. 

Dr. Alistair invites all of them to use his clues and uncover the mystery behind his disappearance. The young detectives are eager to prove themselves. They solve puzzles and riddles dealing with art and archeology. But can they reach Dr. Alistair on time, or are they too young to handle the unseen risks? 

The story comes in the omnipresent third-person POV. 

Who can resist a good detective mystery with two young detectives? Not me, for sure! This book has Asha Singh and Alex Foster running the A&A Detective Agency in Alex’s tree house. The kids are smart, intelligent, witty, and super cute. They do have ‘professional disagreements’ but learn to work through their differences. 

The kids have different personalities, highlighted in many scenes. Asha is particular about rules (though she understands some rules should be flexible when you are a detective). Alex is a rule-breaker with a flair for dramatics and a little guy who does like to give in to his emotions (he sure doesn’t like his favorite people being on the suspect list). This makes them real and easy to relate to. 

It’s been a long time since I read a book in the third-person omnipresent POV. This brings the narrator's voice into the picture and elevates the book. The voice is cheeky, witty, and has a touch of light humor. I chuckled quite a few times when reading the book. The pacing is slow, though. 

The mystery combines brainy puzzles and some action. I like how the investigation doesn’t put the kids at risk (except in one instance, which is more of an architectural problem). There’s no ‘bad guy’ either, so the children are safe biking around in their small town. Since the story is set during the summer holidays, they don’t miss school either. 

Despite being middle-grade fiction, the adults in the book are quite good. Though they aren’t elaborate, we know enough of them to understand their character arcs. And every adult is distinct, bringing a nice flavor to the plot. 

There’s a cat, Captain Nemo, who sadly doesn’t get much space except in a couple of scenes. We also see an old doggie, Don Quixote (aka Donkey), who belongs to Alex’s family. Even the parents are pretty much absent. While they are mentioned, none of them have an actual dialogue. 

The book is set in Northbrook and has the feel of a larger small town. There isn’t much to visualize the location but the campus, museums, etc., are easy to imagine. 

My favorite part is the acknowledgment that the ‘artifacts’ in the museums have dubious backgrounds and the ethical dilemma it brings. It’s no secret that many pieces from other cultures have either been stolen or forcefully taken from their lands to be displayed in the US, UK, and European museums. To see children’s book deal with this topic makes me happy. Kids need to understand that the cultural heritage belonging to other lands is not for entertainment in foreign museums. Our gods are not to be kept in glass boxes. They belong to our lands and our people. They belong to us. 

Recently, the New York Metropolitan Museum agreed to return 15 idols belonging to India. Over the last few years, we have received about 150 ancient artifacts that should have never left our land. The Cambodian idols are also still in the US museums, denying people to worship their gods the way they should be. A couple of months ago, Sophiline Cheam-Shapiro wrote about her experience at The Met where she was asked to leave for performing the Cambodian traditional dance of prayer with permission. 

To summarize, The Fairfleet Affair is a witty and smart detective mystery with two intelligent kids working together and independently to solve their special case. Both our detectives get equal importance and prove themselves. This book is standalone from what I know but would be a wonderful short series. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Union Square Kids (a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley 

*** 

The cover is cute enough and details the agency’s office. However, it doesn’t exactly catch the eye. I zeroed in on the book based on the title and genre. The blurb (and Asha) was my reason to request the book. I wouldn’t say no to a brighter cover. 

  3 Stars 

The anthology starts with a crisp author’s note detailing how the stories have different twists. Of course, with the title and the note, my instinct was to guess the twist. However, I decided not to ruin the stories and shifted my focus to enjoying the stories and going with the flow. 

I like how the collection is categorized into sections with headings that hint at the overall theme. While this can dampen the reading experience, it structures the book well and sets the right expectations. The stories deal with various themes, with Covid lockdown, neurodivergence, family & relationships, and war & peace recurring. 

As with most anthologies, some stories are a hit, and some aren’t. The concepts, as such, are beautiful and thoughtful. They nudge the readers to contemplate the various emotions and ideas presented throughout the book. However, the writing doesn’t always do justice to the premise. In quite a few stories, the execution leaves a lot to be desired and even dilutes the impact. 

Here’s a brief overview of the stories: 

Out of this World 

As the title suggests, these stories have a character that doesn’t belong to this world (aka ghosts/ apparitions/ etc.). Only one of them is mildly spooky. The others are more along the lines of social/ family drama. 

Not too far into the Future
 
This set has stories set in the future or near future. They mostly deal with wars, weapons, and control. While the concepts are cool, the tone borders on preachy, reducing my reading experience. 

All Doesn't End Well
 
This set deals with stories that don’t have a happy ending and feel more realistic. The stories are shorter, which also affects their appeal. 

Love Comes in All Hues
 
In the final set, we have stories dealing with love as the central theme. Of course, these aren’t love stories but have love in various forms (or hues, as mentioned in the title). A couple of them are too short to inspire emotion, though they deal with heartwarming themes. 

As you can see, most stories fall into the 3.5 range, which sums up the book perfectly. It’s a decent collection but nothing spectacular. I can already feel them fading from my memory. 

The stories were submissions for writing events hosted by different platforms. That could be one reason for the overall average feel, though they have been reworked before compilation. Another round of editing would have helped. 

To summarize, Twisted Tales and Turns is an enjoyable collection if you want to finish a book in a day. It will work better for beginner readers who want something easy but with a touch of everything. 

Thank you, Blogchatter and author Smith Das Jain, for the digital copy of the book. This review contains my honest opinion about the book. 

 3.8 Stars

Julia Bird and her friends from Berrywick decide to take part in the local quiz competition. The Agatha Quizteam soon starts to win, thanks to the team members with diverse talents. Local DI Hayley Gibson and Constable Lillian Carson are in another team with equally talented members. 

However, an accident puts Hayley in bed with a broken leg, and Lillian is stabbed to death a week later. Superintendent Grave from the regional office takes over the investigation, focusing on Lillian’s professional life. There seem to be a few suspects, even if none of them might be the killer. With a few strange events occurring in the village, Julia wonders if they got it all wrong. 

It’s time for Julia and Hayley (with some help) to connect the dots and find the killer before more lives are at risk. 

The story comes from Julia’s third-person POV. 

Though this is book #4 in the series, it can be read as a standalone, as there is enough backstory for the subplots. The book balanced between mystery and subplots to set the stage for the next one. 

Jake, the adorable chocolate lab, is now an adolescent pup but just as naughty and excited for food. He becomes friends with Julia’s bossiest chicken, Henny Penny, which leads to some funny moments in her house. 

There’s a little more of Hayley in this book, though she is on leave due to a broken leg. We see a bit of her personal life too. I love Hayley’s energy and how her restlessness and helplessness are portrayed when she is not in a position to solve Lillian’s death. Lillian is her friend and colleague, which makes it even harder for her to sit and do nothing. 

Jim, the journalist, makes an appearance, too, and does his bit with Julia in digging up certain information. Sean has a relatively lesser presence, but he wasn’t necessary anyway, so it works well for the plot. 

The book artfully tackles the topic of older women and relationships. Societal expectations, assumptions, and how Julia, despite being a smart and good-looking woman, is almost invisible to the common public due to her age (she is around 60). 

We also see how Julia’s character changes from being a city person to a villager with a kitchen garden, chicken coop, part-time job, and countless activities. Her journey from someone who disliked cooking to someone who enjoys trying new recipes occurs steadily. 

The mystery has a couple of tracks. One is the arsonist Lillian is trying to nab. The other is Lillian’s murder. Then there seem to be break-ins in a couple of houses. There could possibly be an ex-convict out for revenge. Are all these events related? What’s happening in Berrywick? 

I could, as usual, connect the dots. But then Julia and others have lives to lead (how annoying), which delayed the mystery (not really, the book is fast-paced). Finally, they do what they should do and solve the case. Tada! There’s a wee bit of action, though the focus is more on introspection of the crimes and the reasons behind them. 

The personal tracks have some interesting developments. Julia sure has a few occasions to look forward to in the coming book. I’m curious to see how that will go (coz there’s bound to be another murder). 

To summarize, Murder at the Inn is a solid continuation of the series and a good entertainer. I enjoyed the mystery and Jake’s antics. Pick it up if you want a lighthearted read with the right touch of emotions and introspection. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #MurderattheInn 

 3.5 Stars

A shy Eliza Balfour got married to Earl of Somerset, twenty-five years her senior. Almost a decade ago, it was the match of the season, even if Eliza didn’t gain much from it. 

Now, a widow with no child, Eliza is rich and free, thanks to her dead husband’s will (never mind the morality clause). Determined to enjoy her new-found freedom, she travels to Bath with her cousin Margaret and has the time of her life. 

However, the news reaches the current Lord Somerset, a young man she knew as a debutante. Soon, she realizes that her freedom has come with strings attached, and she could lose it all if things went out of control. But should she resist the opportunities that come her way? 

The story comes from Eliza’s third-person POV. 

How you like this book will depend on a few elements – whether or not you read Persuasion, your opinion on love triangles, your tolerance levels for a mousy heroine, and how good you are with rushed endings. 

For me, it was a mixed read as I did not read Persuasion and didn’t compare the books. I also didn’t compare this book to any other historical novels, which made it easy to read the book for what it is. I don’t like love triangles, and things are a bit tricky here (more on this next). The heroine's 50-50 for me, and I dislike rushed endings. 

First, good things – The writing style is easy to read. It is light with the right touch of depth expected (based on the cover). Even the tough topics are handled with a certain ease, which keeps the overall tone lighthearted. 

The book has good humor and strong second leads (Margaret and Lady Caroline). Sometimes, they outshine the FMC, which, I think, is intentional to show her growth from a demure pushover to an assertive woman. 

Melville is an interesting character. I liked him a lot (and not just because he is half-Indian). I wish he could have been explored in depth, though we see glimpses of it. 

The racism is well done. Must say I’m glad it has not been whitewashed in the name of bringing ‘diversity’ to a book. They never liked us (and many others), and there’s no reason to pretend otherwise. 

There's a mandatory LGBT+ track too. It's done well and doesn't take over the main plot, so that's fine. 

Now, we move on to the not-so-good aspects of the book. The pacing is uneven. The first half takes too much to establish the premise. The last quarter packs so much that events trip over each other. The reader doesn’t even get the satisfaction of seeing the couple together before the book ends. And there is NO epilogue. WHY? (I would have rounded the rating to 4 stars if there was an epilogue.) 

The ‘love triangle’ is there, yet not really there. This one had so much potential, but the whole thing is rushed, and Eliza’s thought process just doesn’t make the impact it should. Some of it might border on cheating, but I wouldn’t call it that, either. Still, I wish it was better written. It could have been. 

Anyway, I never liked that guy and couldn’t see why Eliza was well… so sure of it until she wasn’t. This forms the crux of the plot. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get enough space. Let Eliza explore her feelings in detail. Let her interactions with parties play in her mind. Let her realize things without the next event breathing down her neck. 

Despite everything, the book is pretty quick to read, and I approve of Eliza’s choice. Of course, the other option wasn’t even an option considering the developments afterward, but they are justifications to prove her right. There was this one point Eliza knew who/ what she wanted. 

To summarize, A Lady's Guide to Scandal is a decent read and a quick entertainer with a bit of family drama, personal growth, love interests, and some twisty reveals at the end. It is a complete standalone too. 

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#ALadysGuidetoScandal #NetGalley 

 4 Stars

Mabel Beaumont and Arthur have lived sixty years of their lives together. When Arthur doesn’t wake up one morning, Mabel feels overwhelmed by the changes. Being all alone at eighty-six is not easy. However, when she comes across one of Arthur’s lists with a single task – Find D, she decides to complete it for him and herself. 

Dot was her friend, one of the four in the group, with Mabel, Arthur, and Bill (Mable’s dead brother). Dot left without a word more than six decades ago, and no one knows if she is even alive. As Mabel tries to find her, she realizes that she needs to do a lot more than search for a friend. 

Along the way, Mabel makes friends with women of different ages, dealing with their own issues. Can she go through the past and accept the secrets she hid? After all, it could be her last chance to find happiness and peace. 

The story comes from Mabel’s first-person POV. 

The book almost lives up to the cover and the beautiful premise. It is a story of love, loss, friendships, relationships, bonding, learning, acceptance, and being brave enough to go after what you want. 

The story begins with a sample of how Mabel and Arthur live and have lived for most of their married life. Right away, Mabel’s thoughts hint at things outsiders don’t see in a relationship. 

The pattern continues throughout, which is an advantage and a disadvantage. Mabel doesn’t reveal the details she doesn’t want to acknowledge. This means we keep trying to connect the dots until she is ready to share (at the end). 

I love how Mabel’s arc develops as she meets different women and comes to terms with the past and present. She starts off as a closed person who likes to play it safe and stay away from others. Yet, with Arthur’s absence, she begins to crave some company. Fortunately, she has Julie - the temporary caregiver, Erin - a teenage girl she meets at the supermarket, Patty - a lively dance instructor, and Kristy - Patty’s neighbor and dog lover. 

Olly is Mabel’s dog, or rather, Arthur’s dog, which doesn’t like people. It’s great to see how Mabel and Olly’s bonding is presented. It’s different from what one would expect, making it even more real. Furthermore, Mabel's lack of desire for children adds another layer to her character. It's refreshing to see a woman from her era defy the norms of having kids. 

The side characters are well-developed. Everyone has flaws and makes mistakes. It’s heartwarming to see women from different age groups and backgrounds come together and form a bond. They all have issues to deal with. Of course, things get worse when Mabel tries to ‘help’, but they learn and sort out. 

While the actual reveal, as such, is a common trope, the execution is effective and elegant. I would have preferred another approach to lead to the reveal (the current one leaves me with a couple of questions). 

The narration is slow and steady, which suits the premise. It cannot be rushed. However, it’s not so slow or boring. Things do happen, to the side characters, if not to Mabel, and she invariably becomes a part of it. 

To summarize, The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is much more than finding a person or reconnecting with lost old friends. It is a story exploring different kinds of love and how the right friends enrich our lives. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheLastListofMabelBeaumont 

*** 

P.S.: Note that the book can be a little heavy with different kinds of grief and longing. It has some lighter moments, but the overall heaviness lingers throughout. 

 3.8 Stars

Dam Armstrong and Oliver are back in action, this time, with Anna, Dan’s girlfriend, to add to the team. Dan and Anna (with Virgilio and his wife Lina) plan a trip to Tuscany for a weekend after the successful launch of his first book (in the UK). The historic city of Siena promises relaxation and fun. However, a mutilated body is discovered in the hotel gardens, and Dan and Virgilio get involved in the investigation. 

With rumors about wolves in the region, Dan realizes that the killer is clever enough to divert the blame (if they are indeed human). This puts Oliver at greater risk, and Dan needs to step in and solve the case before things get out of hand. 

The story comes in Dan’s first-person POV. 

This is the fourth installment in the series and pretty much as enjoyable as the previous ones. Though it works as a standalone, the subplots are integral to the central mystery and will be enhanced if you know the entire backstory. That said, there is enough information to fill the blanks. 

The setting is a treat to read (which is the specialty of this series). This time, we explore Siena and the nearby historical structures in Tuscany. The hotel, the ruins, the streets, hills, farms, etc., come alive on the pages. However, it never gets boring or too much. 

Food is another highlight of the series. There are many lunch and dinner scenes with the menu listed in detail. Dan enjoys talking about (Italian) food. 

The mystery starts well, and despite the endless list of suspects, it’s easy enough to track who is who. Dan’s method of tagging and categorizing suspects simplifies things, even if it doesn’t always sound good. The case drags in the middle and picks up toward the last quarter. However, the solution makes sense (got to pay attention to the bits scattered around). The elements may be convoluted, but the actual mystery is simple. 

As always, Oscar is more than Dan’s cute Labrador. He finds clues and helps with the investigation even without meaning to. And Oscar is so adorable that no one can resist his charm! 

We also see some extreme reactions to wolves from different people. They range from one end to another, and surprisingly someone with strong options display a balanced perspective. While this is well done, I’m a little disappointed that Reiner’s track doesn’t exactly add to the plot. This hasn’t happened before in the series. I hope it will continue in the next book (there’s a lead, so maybe…). 

Now that Dan and Anna are going strong, we see how Chief Inspector Virgilio and his wife handle their marriage. Can Dan help them, given he was in the same position a few years ago? 

There is quite a bit of repetition in this copy (ARC). I hope it will be edited out before the release. 

To summarize, Murder in Siena is a good continuation of the series and presents a delightful combination of food, virtual sightseeing, mystery, and wolves. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #MurderinSiena 

 

 3.5 Stars

Ruth Finlay, a feature writer, and her senior neighbor, Doris Cleaver, visit the local antique store. They come across a dying man, Ruth’s old tennis coach, and are stunned to see that someone killed him. The duo decides to investigate the case but realizes that the small town managed to give them way too many suspects. 

Undeterred by the developments (or the lack of them), Ruth and Doris spend the next few days digging, debating, and discovering details that led to the murder. Can the duo catch the killer before there’s another death in Myrtle Bay? 

The story comes from Ruth Finlay’s first-person POV. 

This is the first book (standalone) in the series set in a Southern coastal town in Australia. As expected, the book divides time between character development and the central mystery. It sets the stage for the series to take off in the subsequent books. 

Ruth and Doris share a warm friendship. I like how it is very realistic, with minor disagreements and differences of opinion. Both women have strong personalities, though Doris tops the list with her too-definite views in some aspects. The flaws add to their character development, though I wish the narration was in the third-person POV to give us a glimpse into Doris’ thought process. 

The timeline is contemporary, around the 2000s, but has an old-world feel. While I struggled a little to align the two, I could see how it helped define the town and its people. It’s a small town anyway, so we can expect some older stuff to be a natural part of it. 

Ruth and Doris have their preconceived notions about people (can’t help it in a small town setting). And both take time to accept information or consider details that don’t align with their opinions. However, they work towards the end goal of solving the crime. I wouldn’t call this a negative. After all, that’s how people react in real life. 

I have to mention the food in this book. Ruth is a fab cook and enjoys it too. We see her cooking multiple times, and the desserts made my mouth water. Yum! I also like how Doris is not the typical older neighbor who likes to feed her younger friend. Ruth is the one in charge of cooking and timely meals. Ruth also juggles too many things, and I could feel her exhaustion.  

I like the setting and began to enjoy its sort of erratic climate. It takes a while to visualize Myrtle Bay, but I did enjoy the process of discovering it, even if I don’t like being termed ‘geographically challenged’ for not knowing it rains in the region during October. I have no reason to know that! 

The mystery, as such, is decent. We have many suspects and a few red herrings and slight twists. However, I don’t like how a major development (reveal) is done. It is a coincidence rather than a logical solution because of the sleuthing duo’s efforts (doesn’t help that they admit it). However, the ending is detailed and ticks off each issue one by one. This is well done without rushing through a multi-page explanation. 

My biggest issue is with the pacing. The book feels long and slow despite being less than 300 pages. It takes time to understand the character dynamics during the initial pages. This further reduced the reading pace as I had to re-read a few paragraphs to understand who, what, and why. 

There are many characters (active and mentioned) in the book. Most of them are also interrelated to each other. The whole thing can be confusing unless you want to draw a family tree. Just wing it like I did and go with the flow. Details will make sense along the way. 

To summarize, Murder in Myrtle Bay is a good introduction to a new cozy mystery series with an uncommon sleuthing pair. It takes some time, but the characters will grow on you. My best wished for the rest of the series. 

My thanks to the author and Coffee and Thorn for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

 3 Stars

Note: This book is the last in the series. So the author tried to complete the tracks pending from the previous two books to provide a rounded and satisfactory ending to the series. However, this crucial information is missing from the blurb. 

*****

Eva decides to start fresh and invest in her pottery career after a miscarriage and breakup with an unresponsive and selfish boyfriend. This decision takes her to Lilacwell, a gorgeous small town a few hours away from her home. She meets the mysterious Fitz, the local carpenter with handsome features and a possibly hidden past. 

Fitz feels instant attraction towards Eva but needs to face his past before he can move ahead with her and get into a relationship. They need to help each other to find their HEA. Of course, the local community is more than happy to provide the necessary support. 

We also get detailed insights into the lives of others and how some of them make the most important decisions of their lives. 

The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters. 

I’m always up for sweet small-town romance with adorable covers. Just look how beautiful it is! The premise is sweet too, and so are most of the characters. 

I didn’t know this was a series when I requested it. Of course, that wasn’t really an issue. We get enough backstory to know what had happened in the previous books. However, I’m not sure if this book belongs to the central couple or all of Lilacwell. 

There are multiple tracks, each dedicated to different couples. The ones from books #1 and #2 have a lot of space in this one. Other characters also get their POVs, which makes it more of a community book (needless to say, I didn’t expect this and didn’t know why until I read the author’s note at the end. By then, it was too late.). Soon, I adjusted my expectations. 

The book introduces a character and provides their backstory before moving on with the story. While it helped the main characters, it felt a little too much for the side characters. Of course, it’s hard to say who the side characters are as many of them get equal importance. 

The writing is easy enough to read. The book begins with Eva’s story, which makes a strong impact. Unfortunately, the others don’t feel the same (even Fitz’s story pales despite being poignant). 

My biggest issue is with the execution and timeline. Instant attraction is fine, but the rest of it feels surreal. I couldn’t connect with how Eva and Fitz’s relationship progresses. That’s because the bonding between them happens off-page and has to be assumed. The story begins when a side character is in her first trimester and ends when her baby is three months old. The issue isn’t with the time but how it jumps every few weeks and months, summarizing the most vital part of the lead couple’s relationship. 

With such a tender premise, the book could have a tear-jerker or a heartwarming romance where two wounded souls come together and heal each other. Here, it’s pretty much on the surface. I think this is a case of mismatched reading and writing styles. The author’s writing style didn’t work for me. So I’d say this is a case of ‘not you, it’s me’. Readers of the series are likely to love this book.  

To summarize, Together in Lilacwell is a rounded conclusion to the series and should be read in order if you want the right feel of it. It is a sweet and cozy romance with minor issues that get resolved fast. It’s a quick read, too. A good summer book. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Canelo Escape, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TogetherinLilacwell 

 3.3 Stars

Bailey Tomlin’s life feels worse than a rollercoaster ride. She has to deal with her wedding preparations, her fiancé and his rich family, her adopted mother, the entry of her birth mother, a handsome stranger from 1930, and her newly active witchy magic. Thrown in a talking parrot to up the stakes. 

Phew! Bailey’s birth mother, Esme, is a witch and tells her that she, too, has powerful magic in her blood. Bailey knows she has to keep it a secret from her in-laws. However, that’s not the only thing she has to hide. Seton Atterbury from 1930 has entered the present time, no thanks to one of Esme’s time travels. Bailey wants to help him find a way back, but things get complicated too soon. Where will this lead to – disaster or HEA? 

The story comes from Bailey’s first-person POV. 

After enjoying the first book in the series, I was excited to find book #2, though I couldn’t exactly determine who the characters are. Luckily, Gwen and Griz make an entry pretty soon, and then I remembered that Esme is their scary aunt. Bailey is Esme’s daughter with Odin, the one she had to give up for adoption. 

Also, this book works well as a standalone. Reading book one is not necessary as there’s enough info to understand the relationships between the recurring characters. Bailey’s story is quite independent and has no mention in the previous book (as far as I know). 

The premise promises fun, with a good dose of drama and magic (romance, too, of course). While the book is entertaining in bits and pieces, it doesn’t live up to its potential on the whole. The issue is with the character development, especially of our lead pair. Bailey just couldn’t make me feel for her. 

Django, Bailey’s parrot, is fun. His sassy comments and antics are good to read. The magic elements are also well-done and align with the theme. This magic is far from perfect. It’s messy and chaotic as the characters (except Esme) haven’t had magic for a long time. Gwen and the others are better now but not great. 

Wes, Madeline, Olivia, et al. are pretty much one-dimensional. There isn’t much to connect with them or even know them. I did feel a little bad for Wes, but with Mad in the picture, it’s hard to empathize with him fully. Healthy boundaries are essential in every relationship. 

Since the story comes from Bailey’s perspective, there isn’t enough to see others as anything more than cardboard cutouts. Furthermore, we pretty much know what will happen at the end. It’s evident from the premise (if you are a reader of this genre). Of course, I’d have liked it if Bailey did the right thing instead of justifying certain things. 

Unfortunately, the romance doesn’t click. With so many threads, there isn’t time for any organic growth. The whole thing feels rushed and chaotic (just like the rest of the book). As much as enjoy light reads, I do like some depth to do justice to the plot. Give them more time with each other, at least! 

Despite not finding it great, I still enjoyed the book and liked refreshing my memory about the core subplot. Looking forward to seeing where it goes next and how the family can clear their name. Tannith gets her due yet again, though she’ll be back, intent on vengeance. 

To summarize, The Witch Hitch is a lighthearted witchy romcom with some interesting moments. It deals with a few themes like family, relationships, love, etc., but doesn’t have enough to provide a much-rounded story. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheWitchHitch