Mystery writer Foster Owens has writer block so she agrees to write a book about Abigail Spencer’s family so she can at least pay her bills. Sounds good, right. I didn’t know when I started to read this book it would go from being a typical romance to something involving paranormal and fantasy. I was disappointed because I’ve gotten used to depending on Ms Vaun giving me books I really enjoyed. I could only read so much then I would have to take a break, hoping when I came back to read some more I would only have to turn the page and find something worth reading. If you follow my reviews you can see that usually I really enjoy Ms Vaun’s work. Unfortunately not this time. I hope Ms Vaun’s next book will be more to my liking.
ARC via NetGalley.

Good book. Very interesting story and characters that were in depth. The author is new to me but I definitely will be reading more by this author.

Missouri Vaun delivers again.

Fast paced plot with characters that pull you in quickly.

Touch of paranormal, romance and a mystery make for a great read.

The blurb for Spencer’s Cove does not reflect but only hints at what Foster is in for when she agrees to research and write the family history for the heiress Abigail Owen. I came into this read expecting a simple romance in a beautiful setting and fell into an unexpected battle for power and control.

Missouri Vaun knows how to spin a tale, no question. I wasn’t overly thrilled when the story veered into something I normally avoid reading but she succeeded in pulling me in and keeping me interested. I loved the opening scenes with Foster and her vindictive cat William Faulkner and felt a little let down when Foster took a backseat to the troubled (for good reason) Abigail. I will say my opinion of Evan improved as the story progressed and the dramatic ending was entertaining if a little off the wall.

Not my cuppa but you can’t go wrong with any story penned by this author.

3.5 stars

ARC received with thanks from the publisher via NetGalley.

Surprises in store if you pick this book based on the blurb on the back cover and settle in for a regular romance. You’ll be magicked away into an unexpected world.

Foster Owen is a mystery writer who’s hit the writer’s block for three years, no less! Her agent accepts a job for Foster to write a memoir for a shitload of money. However, Abigail Spencer, for whom Foster is supposed to write the memoir is not only painfully shy but also not the person who has asked for the memoir to be written. Though a fan of Foster’s books, Abby is quite adamant that Foster needs to be sent back as soon as she arrives. However, when Foster reaches, circumstances, including an immediate attraction, take over and they tumble into an unexpected turn of events.

The book is great fun. The chemistry between Abby and Foster is practically tangible. Plus Abby is a crush-worthy character.

Anyone who has seen and enjoyed the series Charmed, is going to be completely charmed by this rollicking romance.

Spencer’s Cove by Missouri Vaun is a paranormal romance that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. When I first saw the cover and read the blurb, I thought I was getting a romance that maybe had a haunted house as the setting of the story. Boy was I surprised, in a good way. There is way more paranormal activity in the tale than just a haunted house, but I will let you read and find that out for yourself.
Ms. Vaun has created a world that feels real through her excellent descriptions. She makes you feel the damp fog rolling in or taste the salt of the ocean on your lips. She sucks you into the reality of her world with her words, and that is the highest praise anyone can give an author.
For the most part the characters are well developed. I really felt I knew Foster and connected with her. I wished that I could have known more about Abby, though that may have been something Vaun did on purpose since the character of Abby grew and changed through the book. Evan was probably the most interesting character of them all, and I would love to learn more about her life as well.
I was highly entertained with Spencer’s Cove and have no problem recommending it to anyone who loves a good paranormal romance.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

When you read a Missouri Vaun book you can always plan to be engulfed in a fun read. Spencer's Cove is no different. However, there is a paranormal twist that the introduction doesn't mention. Me, I love the paranormal so this was a nice segue to the story. Missouri is a talented writer who keeps you engaged and yearning for more. I always look forward to her books because I never know what new story may lay ahead. I recommend this book.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, which is to say more than 10 pages. But all of a sudden, it was as if Missouri Vaun set the hook and there was no way I could NOT read the book! I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I read 90% of this book in one night. I just had to see what was going to happen!
This was a perfect book to read at night. Curious, well paced with interesting characters, and enough mystery to keep you turning pages.
It was a wonderfully fun romp that I thoroughly enjoyed. And different enough from Vaun's previous work, that I forgot she had written it until the very end!
If you enjoy reading paranormal, lesbian fiction that's just a little bit different from what's already out there...get this one.

Missouri Vaun’s latest book, Spencer’s Cove, seemed to begin as a typical romance but then became so much more. There was a blend of mystery-magic which reflected the characters themselves. As the story slowly evolved, so did the characters’ history. But still not fully. The characters maintained a type of mystique about them throughout the story. Even though the main characters were interesting, I found Evan to be more so than Abby and Foster. It was this character that I really wanted to know more about, but the author just gave us enough to understand her place in Abby’s life.

I liked how the author explained what was going on in the story related to paranormal events by having the writer ask questions. Foster kept asking for clarification and this in effect helped the reader. It seemed Evan held most of the answers but didn’t want to divulge too much to either Abby or Foster such as the binding ceremony which accelerated their relationship and connection to each other. This explained the exceedingly fast romance.

The only drawback I have with this story is wanting to know more about the characters’ background in order to understand them better. I also wanted to know more details from those journals…the history. If more details were given, the story would have been a solid 5. But, overall, it was a great 4.

This book was a surprise. I didn't expect a book about paranormal activities. Especially not witches. The blurb about the book doesn't indicate this. That said I did enjoy the book, partly because of the butch characters which are few amongst all the lesbian romance books.

The whole plot and character grow are steered by the paranormal factor. It reminded me a bit about the tv show Charmed. Not a bad book but I liked Missouri Vauns previous book more.

‘Spencer’s Cove’ is a fantastical tale of witches, good and evil and ultimately love. Foster Owen, a mystery novelist with a serious case of writer’s block, is given a lifeline when a job comes up to ghost write a family memoir for Abigail Spencer. Abby has inherited her family’s mansion on the Pacific Coast and on first meeting she is a shy, frightened rabbit of a woman. When Foster starts looking into the family’s past some very interesting stories emerge and she is intrigued. Just when I thought I knew where this story was going and who everyone was, Missouri Vaun took me on a ride that totally exceeded my expectations. Seeing changes in Abby was enlightening and Foster had a lot to do with that. She was a beautifully envisaged soft butch - and who could blame Abby for being attracted to her? The novel had some amazingly strong women and a feeling of camaraderie and power that appealed to me so much. I loved the mixture of the historical research Foster was undertaking and the present day story that stemmed from it. It was a magical tale and I absolutely adored it. Highly recommended.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books to review.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s hard to review this, because it’s not at all the book I was expecting to read. The blurb does not mention any kind of paranormal twist, which is the major plot line, and to be honest, I’d never have picked this if I’d known what it was actually about.

Other reviews contain spoilers, so I won’t bother. There’s a lot of story here, and not enough time to tell it, so everything felt like it was in fast-forward, all of the characters are superficial at best, and the main love story is neither compelling or believable. I didn’t warm to either main character, and my frustration with the plot and pacing didn’t help.

Lovers of paranormal fic might like this better than I did, but I cannot stress enough how annoyed I am that the author/publishers released such a misleading blurb. Had I paid for this, I’d have been even more annoyed. 2 stars.

3.5 Stars. I’m a fan of how Vaun writes so I grabbed this book without even realizing what it was about. I thought it was just a romance book but it is actually a romance with a paranormal twist. I’m not going to go into more details on the twist because I want to keep it a surprise for new readers. I’m a big paranormal fan so I did like the twist. However, I do have to admit this is not one of my favorites by Vaun. It’s a decent read, but I didn’t love it like I was hoping to.

The story is about Foster, a writer, who gets a job to write the memoirs of the Spencer family. Abigail Spencer, is painfully shy and doesn’t want a stranger staying in her house. But the more time they spend together the more a connection is undeniable. When strange occurrences start to happen, Abby and Spencer’s lives will never be the same.

This book was an average length but for some reason the pace seemed rushed to me. Everything felt a little on fast forward, including the romance, and I felt like I never really got caught up. The storyline was interesting and Vaun’s writing is always good, I just had trouble with the flow and some of the story choices.

While I liked both mains characters, I never felt like I truly got to know them. Maybe because so much ends up happening in the book, but I really needed more time with the mains to feel a real connection to them.

The romance was average for me. It wasn’t bad but even if there are paranormal reasons involved, I don’t want to see a romance go at super speed. I need that chemistry and time to believe that the characters are forming a real bond and possible romance. I liked the mains as a potential couple but it was too rushed for my personal preferences.

The storyline was very interesting. Besides Abby and Foster, there is one more POV in a character named Evan. Evan had a very interesting background and I found myself almost liking her more than the two mains. Really to me this book felt like a beginning. Like the story was far from over. I would definitely read a sequel if Evan was the star. If you are a fan of Vaun or are looking for a romance with an unusual twist, this book may be for you.

An ARC was given to me for a honest review.

This book is just ok, for a somewhat meandering story that has some unfinished threads. And the role of some of the protagonists, let's say almost all, has not been entirely clear to me.

The general plot could be interesting at some level, not very much to me, paranormal or fantasy are not in my favorite genres. But as well as some other books of those genres have hold my interest when I've read them, this one not so much. Some parts are pretty boring and I almost skipped pages to get something more interesting.

I haven't feel much thrill in the supposedly thrilling parts, maybe I would have appreciated less general data and more coherence with the plot

So, although it has not been a book of my whole liking, you don't should decide only with my opinions, I hope that other readers will see more positive things than me.

I really didn't know what I was getting into when I read this one. The short blurb about the book doesn't really give you all that much information. I likely would have passed up on this one if I knew the subject matter, just because I tend to like light books. With that said, I am glad i read this book.

Foster Owen is hired to write a memoir about Abigail Spencer's family. Foster travels from Atlanta to Spencer's Cove (a few hours from San Francisco) and Abby is not interested in meeting with Foster because she doesn't want a book written nor does she want to meet any outsiders. After Foster arrives, they meet by chance in the middle of the night after they both decide they are hungry. Talk about these characters oozing chemistry.

With that said, I can't really go into detail here because it will give the story away. Just know it's a good read and I am glad i took the time to read it.

I will rate this 3.5

I was in for the sapphic romance and stayed for basically all the rest. Unravelling an old family mystery? Check. Witches? Check. Soul bonds? CHECK.

I got attached to all the characters so fast, especially Abby, it's like I've known her all my life, and I felt so her so much? How she was so shy and afraid of being close to people but she became more confident about herself throughout the story, thank you Missouri Vaun for making me care that much about a character.

The romance was incredibly sweet, from their first meeting till the very end, Foster and Abby are really perfect for each other.

And the mystery and the fantasy stuff! I love it, it was so interesting, I didn't think it'd be that fantasy focused when I read the summary but I'm glad for it? It made such an amazing story and universe, wow.

This is really a 2.5 star book. I did not quite understand what I was going to be reading from the description. The description seemed interesting, I was wondering how they would make the story of a writing moving to work on a memoir interesting. I find a lot of it to be really crazy paranormal nonsense, I thought the overall story was really hard to follow and it ended very quickly.

Background the story is about Foster who moves to Spencer's Cove to write a memoir about the reclusive and shy Abbigail Spencer. When she arrives a whole lot of crazy things happen and Foster and Abigail end up falling in love. This was really a romance, with very little sex, and the one sex scene was not very well written at all.

It was not a disappointing read, but I wish the author had been more forthcoming in he description. I really don't like paranormal romance books and would have stayed away if I had known. It was not a terrible book, it is just not my cup of tea. It was a little generic, had all of the tropes in it and the love story took place in all of three days. I find that fast even if it is a lesbian romance book. The characters all read the same and were very one-note. Even Abby seemed really boring. I liked the ancillary characters though Jai and Dena they were really cute and I wish they have featured more in the book. Hell even Cora was more interesting than the three leads. Evan was just the most one - note character of the bunch. She was supposed to be a total badass, but spent most of the book bumbling around. It was annoying. So not the best story, but well written and I like Missouri Vaun's writing, but this book did not do it for me.

This book was given to me as an ARC by NetGalley and Bold Strokes books in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a pleasant surprise. When I read the blurb for this book I had an idea of how it would enfold I was never so wrong. The story involves Forster a writer who is having difficulty completing a novel and takes a job to write a story about a wealthy Family living in the remote part of the Northern Pacific coast. Abigail spencer lives on the Spencer estate and cares for abused horses. There is a mystery surrounding the place with many secrets. Abigail is a recluse and does not want Foster living in her house and writing a book about her family, however there is a mild attraction between the two women and Abigail allows Foster to stay. There is a host of secondary characters in this book that adds a beautiful dimension to it. However when the mystery starts to be revealed it took me by surprise and I could not put the book down until I finished it.
Missouri Vaun does a phenomenal job weaving this unbelievably tense mystery into the novel in such a masterful way that once it started to be revealed my heart rate increased and I could not move until the last page. The book was riveting.

I highly recommend this book it is so well written, well done Missouri, well done.

1.5 Stars. This book was nothing like what I expected it to be. This book is about Foster Owen, a mystery writer who is having writers block and gets offered to ghost write a memoir about Abigail Spencer and her family. When Abigail's parents die and she inherits an estate, she starts to raise horses. When Foster comes to her estate, she wants her gone at first, even though she is attracted to her. Foster starts to learn more about the Spencer family history and does not want to leave.

This book seems to be straightforward, but it is not. The main plot running through the book is that Abigail is a witch who is about to turn 30 and inherit her powers. Her helper, Evan, is sent to look after her and see if her powers progress. Most of this story is about how Foster becomes Abigail's handler due to an event when they touch. This book has a lot of confusing magic and mystery that I did not expect from the description. If you do not like Sci-Fi then this book is not for you. This book was a lot of science fiction and a lot of talk about this magical world Abigail is involved in. I would not recommend this book, I did not like the sci-fi or any of the magic talk. It was not a great book, it was confusing and the romance was so-so.

Whelp, I certainly wasn't expecting the awesome shift from a typical contemporary romance to a pretty decent paranormal fantasy. Foster is a writer stuck on a massive writer's block, so when her agent offers her a job as a ghost writer for the reclusive Abigail Spencer, she reluctantly accepts. When she arrives to Spencer's Cove, she's intrigued by the town and by the shy heiress. Soon, however, she's pulled into a world she never knew existed and into a relationship she wasn't looking for.

We get to see a inside the heads of three narrators here, Evan, the groundskeeper and mystical badass, Foster, and Abigail. I understand what the author was going for with this - the symbolism of the power of three, but in this case, I thought that there was too much head hopping. It was a bit of a minor thing, only because there were some scenes I had to reread because I was confused who was narrating at times. Most of the time it is extremely clear as to whose head we are in.

Other than that there's witches! and the romance which went from mostly one sided, at least outwardly, to hot and heavy in a matter of a chapter. Which was great, and I would have complained about it, especially since Abigail was so withdrawn at the beginning of the book, but Vaun did a great job at explaining why Abigail effectively transformed later in the book. The fight scene near the end of the book was epic, and as a fantasy geek, all I could think was 'Witches are fighting, with their powers, cooooll!'

Overall, I enjoyed this romantic romp through witchy California. There's a lot of stuff here that Missouri Vaun can play with, since she did a nice job building the universe around a world with witches who have super natural powers. I hope we see a little more of this universe.