Review #486
I picked this romcom book up because I loved the cover and it’s a comp to my current work in progress- Of Poison & Pumpkins. I enjoyed the steam but I wasn’t a huge fan of Grant, even at the end unfortunately. The prose weren’t super strong compared to the typical romcoms I’ve read recently but it hooked me because I read this one really fast. With 2 PoV, this is a good easy vacation read when you might want something light and quick. I’d rate it a 4.0/5 stars.
Here’s my notes while reading. Warning – spoilers ahead.
Sirona had a crush on Grant back in high school, but he only saw her as the mousy sophomore he performed in theater plays with…. Fast forward a decade.
All grown up, Sirona is a witch healer and Grant needs her to fix his hand. He comes back into town only to hear that she can’t fix it completely but only help with some of the pain.
I simply adore cats but wasn’t expecting Sirona to have a cat familiar she can talk to like Sabrina and Salem in the teenage witch show. That made the world and relationships feel a bit fake. Sidenote- some of the characters names were too much on the nose where the intense level of cheesiness made it too comical. Such as Lavender owns a lavender farm.
Chapter 11 pissed me off because I don’t like him much anymore. In what world should a guy be mad at her for not wanting to continue physically and saying she needed a break? Yes she had her reasons that he was confused about & she didn’t explain right away. But being angry because she wanted to stop is a HUGE turn off of his personality now.
The way they so easily and conveniently talk to the dieties feel like an authors tool.
Chapter 13 felt like it came a bit out of nowhere to focus on their parents and the past.
At the halfway mark, since Grant is on a sabbatical, he doesn’t really have any agency so far and is falling flat. Sure he has an internal struggle of how he will continue his career after the injury, but all his moping and being horny for Sirona is all his personality so far.
Well their first spicy scene was longer and steamier than I expected and was described well. But it felt a but shallow since he hasn’t opened up or talked about himself much yet.
After Grant’s conversation with his best friend, Tyler, he seems a bit immature for a 32 year old. He angers quickly and seems to be the only other feeling he shows other than lust.
The reunion felt a bit anticlimatic
Having to make a sacrifice is a spectacular idea but the sacrifice she has to make doesn’t make sense because it was already gonna happen. It feels like it should’ve been something that wasn’t already in the cards. But in doing so it seems as if she’d be giving up everything for him and his happiness and he’d be giving up nothing. Plus he never asked what the sacrifice was or seemed to care what she would have to suffer through. Which makes me dislike him more.
It’s a bit convenient that their nana understands the dieties intentions so easily.
And I don’t really have any investment in their dad’s death so that side plot feels strange.
This lesson of “standing up for herself” feels like it got introduced too late in the game and came out of nowhere without a set up.
The ending felt a bit abrupt…
I wont be reading the next since it’s a stepbrother romance.