In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist.
Amazon affiliation links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.
 |
| February 2026; Del Rey; 978-0593726631 audio, ebook, print (368 pages); romantic comedy |
I don't read a lot of fantasy, and when I do, I prefer what I call fantasy lite. I consider Harry Potter "fantasy lite). Overall, the world within the book mirrors our own reality, but there is some element of fantasy (in this case, magic). In the ones I enjoy the most, there is usually a character that doesn't know this element exists in the world, and after discovering it, has to figure out how it works.
In Books & Bewitchment, Rhea Wolfe lives a boring, dead-end kind of life in Alabama when she receives a letter that a long-lost relative has died and she is the sole inheritor. A three-hour drive to the mountains of north Georgia, and her life is completely flipped on its head. Oh, and she has a talking cockatoo.
It is a cute book. It is a light read with fun characters. It turned out to be more of a romance than I was expecting. Outside of a couple of scenes of detailed foreplay (which fade to black for the actual deed), it is a non-spicy read.
Almost as soon as Rhea meets Hunter, you know it is going to be a Romeo and Juliet type story - thankfully, there's no death faking or suicide. Rhea calls it a Hatfield and McCoy scenario. Now, we know in most rom-coms that there is something that happens (usually something dumb) to keep the characters apart, and the separation is long to build the "will they or will they not get together" tension. I hate that in romance novels. Thankfully, there is just some stand-offishness, and it doesn't last long.
I found Rhea's sisters annoying. They are all adults in their 20s, but her sisters act like children whom Rhea will bail out. If they can't find a decent job, they have nothing keeping them where they are, but they would rather ask Rhea for money instead of even considering moving. They were annoying, self-centered, and childish. They don't have a big part in the novel, but I almost DNF'd the book because of them.
I also questioned whether the author was from Georgia (or the South in general). Have you seen those videos on social media from It's a Southern Thing? If not, they basically exaggerate stereotypes of people in the South. It's not that they are totally wrong in the behaviors they portray. They overemphasize and make it comical. I sometimes felt like that was what the author was doing. I did read a bio for Jewell that said she lives in the Atlanta area.
It is a light-hearted read without a lot of tension or angst. It could be a Hallmark movie. It also reads like a standalone novel, but it is listed as book 1 in the Arcadia Falls series.
I'm not exactly sure where the series will go next. Rhea inherited several storefronts with over-the-store apartments. It is possible that her sisters will move to Arcadia Falls and open their own businesses, but it might feel a little too cookie-cutter. Also, there weren't a lot of eligible bachelors for the sisters to fall in love with. I guess it could focus on another member of the community, which does have a few single women, but still, the same problem with the lack of single men. I'll have to see what the story is about before deciding if I will continue with the series (and this would totally be a mood read, so it will depend on my mood.
Whether you want a light read, a little romance, or some magic, I recommend reading this book.
Buy Books & Bewitchment at Amazon
Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.
Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Or Follow Girl Who Reads with Bloglovin. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment