Review & Giveaway - - The Enchanted Hacienda

The Enchanted Hacienda

by J.C. Cervantes

Publisher: Park Row

Release Date: May 16, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

When there’s magic all around you, the possibilities are endless…

When Harlow Estrada is abruptly fired from her dream job and her boyfriend proves to be a jerk, her world turns upside down. She flees New York City to the one place she can always call home—the enchanted Hacienda Estrada.

The Estrada family farm in Mexico houses an abundance of charmed flowers cultivated by Harlow’s mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins. By harnessing the magic in these flowers, they can heal hearts, erase memories, interpret dreams—but not Harlow. So when her mother and aunt give her a special task involving the family’s magic, she panics. How can she rise to the occasion when she is magicless? But maybe it’s not magic she’s missing, but belief in herself. When she finally embraces her unique gifts and opens her heart to a handsome stranger, she discovers she’s far more powerful than she imagined.

With unforeseen twists, romance, and a heavy sprinkle of magic, The Enchanted Hacienda is a captivating coming-of-age debut exploring identity, unconditional family love, and uncovering the magic within us all.

PJ's Thoughts:

This story is, in a word, enchanting. Other words also come to mind: immersive, uplifting, magical, welcoming, all-encompassing, romantic, transformative. I lost myself completely in these characters and their story, especially Harlow. I'm firmly convinced the Hacienda Estrada is in full bloom south of the border. J.C. Cervantes brought it, and her characters, vividly to life with exquisitely detailed descriptions that encouraged layers of visceral feelings within me to the surface. This was not just a reading; it was an experience. 

Reading this coming-of-age story also brought home the fact that there is no age limit to people discovering, exploring and accepting their individual truths. I loved watching the gradual flowering of Harlow, nurtured by the unconditional love and support of her family and best friend, as she slowly opened her heart to love and herself to unanticipated possibilities. It was joyous, empowering, and not without pain along the way. But as the goddess whispers to Harlow in her darkest hour, "There is magic in heartbreak. Because every transformation begins here." The transformation of Harlow, of Ben, and of their love was one that broke my heart before putting the pieces back together, stronger than before. The romance is strong in this book, intertwining with Harlow's individual growth to achieve a satisfying balance between one person's coming-of-age journey and one couple's journey to a hard-won happily ever after. 

There is also magic in the words of Cervantes. Every word, every thought, every touch is well thought out and essential to the overall story as well as the evolution of its characters. Each character, whether primary or secondary, has a vital role to play in Harlow's awakening. Each one stirred something elemental within me. I could write at least three more paragraphs about the impact of these characters on Harlow's life - and on me - but that is something that should be experienced first hand by each reader. 

This book is Cervantes' adult fiction debut, one that has landed her solidly on my must-buy list. I don't know if there are more Estrada family books planned but I really hope that there are. I'm nowhere close to being ready to say good-bye to this family or to the other Estrada women begging for their stories to be told. 

I've read The Enchanted Hacienda twice. I loved it the first time through. I loved it even more the second. I am confident that I will return to it again and again, whenever I need a comforting reminder to believe in myself, in love, and in the magic that surrounds us all...if only we believe. 

This one has my enthusiastic recommendation. It's one of my favorite books I've read so far this year and has earned a place on my Best of 2023 watch list. 

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Do you enjoy magical elements in the books you read?

Have you watched the movie, Encanto? This book mirrors the joy, warmth, and complexity that touched my soul while watching that film. Many times. ;-)

Each of the women in the Estrada family has a magical power that is tied closely to a flower. What magical power would you choose to have, if any, and what flower would you want it to be tied to? 

One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM, May 18 will receive a hardback copy of The Enchanted Hacienda. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Many thanks to Park Row Books for their generous donation of today's giveaway. 

Review & Giveaway - - Sleep No More

Sleep No More

by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Lost Night Files - Book 1

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 3, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.
 
After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women's mysterious tipster.
 
Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

PJ's Thoughts:

Sleep No More may be the title of this newest Jayne Ann Krentz novel but it was also what happened to me once I turned to the first page and began reading. Krentz plunged me straight into the heart of the pulse-pounding action of this story and had me completely hooked before I reached page ten. And then she kept me hooked, guessing how it would all turn out, through unexpected twists and turns right up until the final scene. There would be no sleep for me until all of my questions were answered!

There are many things I enjoy about a Jayne Ann Krentz book. Her characters are complex and multi-layered; it usually takes me an entire book to figure them out. Her plots are twisty and, again, rarely do I guess the final outcome before the reveal. Her attention to detail is superb, creating an atmosphere that highlights both the suspense and romance. But what I find most fascinating about these novels is the fine line the author navigates between fact and fiction, between reality and possibility. The psychic/paranormal elements of these romantic suspense novels, while clearly fiction (Are they, though? Really?), walk that line, leaving me swinging between thoughts of "This could never happen" and "Whoa, what do I really know about that sleep clinic I made an appointment with?" She creates an immersive reading experience where it's all too easy to place myself in the positions of Pallas and Ambrose, thereby heightening both my enjoyment and my reader anxiety as I navigate the murky, murderous waters of Sleep No More. 

Sleep No More is the first book in Krentz's new trilogy and a great place to begin if you're new to her writing. The romantic (and mystery) portion of Pallas and Ambrose's story is completed with this first book though there is an overarching mystery which will continue through the next two books in the series. I can't wait to find out how it will all play out. 

Have you read Jayne Ann Krentz?

Do you enjoy romantic-suspense books with a paranormal/psychic twist?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 14 will receive a hardback copy of Sleep No More.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited