Friday, October 21, 2022

Review - - Witchful Thinking

Witchful Thinking
by Celestine Martin
Elemental Love -  Book 1
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: September 27. 2022
Reviewed by PJ




Love is the trickiest spell of all.

 
Lucinda Caraway loves living in Freya Grove, the mystic seaside town where charms, hexes, and magical beings of all kinds are the norm. She spends her days teaching high school history and her nights reading tea leaves and tending to her conjure garden. It’s a good life . . . but she can’t stop wishing for more.

Until one night, that wish turns into a spell, and suddenly Lucy can’t say no. Not to a public karaoke performance. Not to running a 10K. And, most alarmingly, not to her high school crush, Alexander Dwyer, who needs her help unjinxing his new house—which just happens to be right across the street from hers.

Alex has spent the last ten years traveling the world on adventures Lucy has only ever dreamed of, and he’s planning to leave again as soon as his house is safe to sell. But until Lucy can unhex herself, she and Alex are stuck together. And with so much magic in the air, maybe the next spell Lucy casts will be the one that convinces him to stay.

PJ's Thoughts:

What a charming story! I'm firmly convinced that there's a quirky seaside town in New Jersey where humans live side by side with all types of magical beings (who doesn't love a playful - when well fed - gnome?), love blossoms, and shenanigans ensue. I want to go there. I want more stories set there! 

Perfect for the witchy season, Witchful Thinking brings readers a second-chance romance that checked all of my happy reader boxes. I loved the normalcy created by the author within the town of Freya Grove; how magical beings and the magic created were accepted as a part of everyday life. Witches casting spells? No biggie. Mermen transitioning into the frothy waves off the coast? Eh, you've seen one merman tail, you've seen them all. Oh, wait. That's not true. Turns out showing one's tail is quite a big deal...but you'll have to read the book to find out why. Wouldn't want to give away any spoilers. 

This is the first book of a series so there's some world building and character introduction at play in addition to Alex and Lucy's second-chance romance. Martin weaves it all together in an organic way that not only enriches the romance in book one but also creates interest in secondary characters and potential future stories. I loved the dynamic among Lucy and her sisters and the conflict with her bridezilla cousin. I'm probably most intrigued by what the future holds for her (the cousin) because, whoa, she's a mess, and I do love a good redemption story. It will be interesting to discover what Martin has in store for her - and if she truly is redeemed.

Alex and Lucy are so sweet together. I adored them, cheering them on every step of their twisty path to a happy ending. Sure, there are obstacles, and necessary self-reflection, plus emotional growth, but there's also fun, and mischief, sweet emotion, and a heartfelt happy ending. I loved it and am already looking forward to my next visit to Celestine Martin's magical Freya Grove. 


4 comments:

  1. Sounds like a sweet read and a new author for me.

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    1. She's a debut author. It was a lot of fun, a really charming read.

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  2. A new to me author and the story sounds very cute. Thanks for the review, and the introduction to this book.

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  3. This one sounds so good! It's going on the wish list.

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