I first learned of Thea Harrison when Patti Briggs said I should read her books. Sadly I was slow to get around to that, but discovered I love her writing very much. Still, with so much going on, I didn’t get to read very many of her books, though they remain waiting in the TBR mountain.

American Witch is her upcoming release, and you can get your hands on a copy on April 29th. I suggest you preorder.
So first, what it’s about. From the back cover copy:

Power can change a person…

For months Molly Sullivan endures the inexplicable: electrical surges, car breakdowns, visions. She even wonders if she might be the cause… and wonders if she might be crazy. Then she discovers her husband has cheated on her. Again. Now Molly realizes she is a newly awakening witch and a woman pushed over the edge.

Revenge can shape a person…

Josiah Mason is a Powerful witch and the leader of a secret coven with a shared goal: to destroy an ancient enemy who has ruined many lives. Josiah lost years to this man, and his sole focus is revenge. He’s prepared for every contingency—except encountering a beautiful new witch who understands nothing of the immense Power building within her or the attraction she wields over him.

Danger can bring them together…

When divorcing her husband, Molly uncovers a dangerous secret he’s willing to kill to protect. She turns to Josiah for help, and they discover a connection between Molly’s husband and Josiah’s enemy.

As they work together, a spark ignites between them that threatens to become an inferno. But Molly is done compromising herself for any man, and Josiah’s mission is his top priority. And the enemy is cunning, cruel, and drawing ever closer.

As the danger escalates, so does the tension between them. Is a lasting relationship possible? Will either of them live long enough to try?
My thoughts:

I loved this book. Found it hard to put down, in fact, which says a lot since I’ve been having trouble reading through to the ends of books for awhile now. This was a compelling read for me.

Molly was an amazing character. Strong, stubborn, flawed, and wholly likeable. She wasn’t a doormat. She’s sharp as hell and brave as well.

Josiah wasn’t your typical asshole. He came off as focused and an ends-justifies-the-means sort of guy. He’d suppressed most of his emotions and to a large extent his humanity over years of seeking his end goal.

Also, neither are super young. They have scars and have earned those scars.

Then he runs into Molly. At first he sees her as a tool, but she doesn’t let him view her that way. She thinks and she argues and she refuses to put up with his habits of being in charge and telling people what to do. This startles him into looking at himself and he doesn’t like what he sees. Their relationship isn’t easy and grows out of respect and admiration. It’s very organic.

The path to their HEA isn’t an easy one and both are willing to walk away at various times, and then they feel compelled to do so for very good reasons. You don’t read the situation and roll your eyes and say oh, please, this could be solved with a simple conversation. No, the obstacles are real and require them both to find ways to bend if they are going to work things out.

I love the magic of the world and the intrigue of the story. There’s more to it to come in future novels. That’s clear. A struggle that will be ongoing and building toward a crescendo at some point. I’m totally planning on being on board for that ride.

I also love the descriptions of their attraction and the sex because its so very emotional. It’s not about the sex and not so much graphic as powerfully written, if that makes any sense.

I highly recommend this book and hope everyone out there will go grab a copy because it’s just that good.

American Witch is a rich, layered, complex tapestry of words strung together into an incredible story. The relationship between Molly and Josiah is nuanced, complicated, and throbbing with passion.

Thea Harrison is one of my favorite authors and even as much as I love her, this story caught me off guard. For starters, it's unconventional in the way it starts. Molly is still married to her husband at the time though that changes quickly, and Molly's life becomes fraught with drama. Josiah is a man with a mission and he's not let anything stand in his way for a long time. Their relationship is wary, contentious, and humming with desire as they kick off with a rocky start. A very rocky start. I wasn't expecting that. But then their relationship bloomed while two strong personalities butted heads and the beauty and complexity of what Ms Harrison have woven into her words took hold and swept me away. It's breathtakingly beautiful.

Quote, She still wasn’t sure she liked him. But she was beginning to understand how difficult events had shaped his nature, and when push came to shove, he had been there for her multiple times. Astonishingly so.

Quote, She had quickly exploded into such a large presence in his life. He needed her gone to keep his head in a dangerous game. More than that, he wanted her gone, for her sake. But in privacy, he was forced to admit she would leave a big hole behind when she went.

This is the start of a new trilogy and while at first I was wondering if the entire trilogy focused on Molly and Josiah because of the way their relationship was evolving, it's not. I think subsequent books will focus on different couples but there is an overarching theme which I think will be present in the other books. This story is still set in the world of the Elder Races but it focuses most specifically on witches.

As I said before, when we meet Molly her life is about to undergo a monumental upheaval. Despite everything happening around her, Molly is clear thinking, strategic, and aware. And later on, as she's had time to catch her breath, we see Molly become the person she always was. Strong, kind, compassionate. In the face of Josiah's overwhelming personality Molly stands her ground. She's not cowed by is presence or his dominance, and she fights for what she believes is right for herself. I am amazed by her strength considering what's happened around her. The hurt, the betrayal. Molly's strength is like a shining beacon.

Quote, It would know her deep, abiding sense of loyalty, decency, and her affection, and he wanted to claim it more badly than he had wanted almost anything else in a very long time.

Ah Josiah. Dark, brooding, single-minded Josiah. He didn't count on Molly and the disruption her presence has on his life and his goals. Josiah has been pursuing his one goal for a very long time and he has not let anyone or anything get in his way until Molly. With Molly, his priorities change. He sees a life beyond one filled with vengeance. I love Josiah's determination and perseverance, but also his sense of loyalty to the people who are committed to the same cause. Yes, he's often high-handed and demanding but he's working through the curve ball that is Molly and balancing it with a life and goal that has been his single companion for uncountable years. I like that he's shaken by Molly and that he's had to re-examine his priorities. What I like even more is that he's a man who comes to realise what's most important in his life and goes after that instead.

Quote, “You’re hard and single-minded, and you can be thoughtless, but you’re not crazy,” she said with certainty.

Quote, He was a morose son of a bitch. He didn’t know how to be anything other than cold, brooding, and driven.

Quote, He was a difficult man, but she knew a few things about him now, and he had a strong, good heart. Underneath it, his Power shone dark and smooth like the depths of a bottomless lake. After starting to wrestle with her own unruly Power, she had begun to understand a little of what he must have gone through to achieve that even, polished balance.

This is a stunningly well-written book and I can't wait to see what's next.

Very good start to another spin off in the Elder Races world. Excellent read and looking forward to more in the series.

This was so good. It had action, passion, strong characters and the story wasn’t rushed at all. It happened slowly and the characters took their time, which was nice. Now the book itself was a fast read; I had a hard time putting it down. The conflict was strong and well developed. It takes place in the Elder Races universe, but I don't know if this is going to be a spinoff series, or if this is a stand alone story.  I hope there will be more books because I want more from Josiah and Molly and I want them to kick more butt and defeat the villain.

This book is set in a world that was the setting for previous novel. This book grabs you from the first page--a newly awakened witch who did not know she had powers and was never trained. A husband who was cheating on her. Put the two together and watch the results. I would have liked to have more back ground on where her powers came from.

Thea Harrison is a name I’ve seen pop up on my feed a fair few times over the past couple of years and with plenty of positive reviews, so what better opportunity to dive in and test the waters for myself than with the first in a brand new series.

“It’s not every day one runs into an awakening witch.”

This was a bit of a mixed bag for me with aspects I loved and those less so, but the author did more than enough to keep me invested in the characters, story and series. And it all begins when Molly discovers a pair of panties in her bed, the bed she shares with her husband and which kick off a chain of unexpected events which lead her to a man who tests both her patience and her resolve.

“Nobody else can teach you what I can teach you. Nobody else will encourage you to be whoever you want the way I would. To shed your inhibitions and explore everything you’re capable of being.”

The demise of Molly’s marriage and subsequent events shows us how strong she is and she takes nothing lying down as she discovers just how much power she wields...literally. And it wasn’t just her patience that Josiah tests—arrogant and overbearing, he’s like that annoying mixer tap that always runs that bit too hot or too cold and there were points when I could have happily throttled him—but he has a softer side and the tidbits we’re fed of that do help redeem him.

“ I don’t understand how we got to this place. I didn’t even like you when I first met you.”

Throw in action and suspense amongst the romance and magic and American Witch was an enjoyable introduction to Thea Harrison’s writing. I’ll be checking out the rest of the series for sure.

For the past several months strange things have been happening to Molly Sullivan, car breakdowns, electrical surges, while preparing a dinner party for her husband's colleagues Molly discovers that he has cheated on her, again. Enough is enough she confronts him in front of his guests including the new DA. when she leaves she has the smarts to grab all financial documents before her soon to be ex can hide their assets.

Josiah Mason is the new prosecutor in town. He is also a powerful witch and leads a coven bent on revenge against an ancient evil. When Josiah meets Molly at the party, he realises she is a witch who is only now coming into her power; he hopes to enlist her aid, the powerful attraction he feels for her is just a side benefit.

Molly is shocked to discover she is a powerful witch and when she realises her husband has been involved in illegal activities she passes the information to Josiah, but it seems Molly has found herself drawn into a complicated and dangerous situation. When her husband is killed along with her divorce attorney Molly must flee to save her life. At nearly forty and just out of a nasty marriage Molly wants nothing to do with Josiah and his revenge plans. She has enough going on in her life, but sometimes fate has a way of stepping in.

Thea Harrison is a new to me author, but I will definitely be looking into her other works. This story was a gripping read full of twists and turns with complex characters. I also loved the fact that Molly was a mature woman, not your typical heroine in fantasy novels. Even though an awful lot is going on in this book plot-wise, the author does an excellent job in balancing out the details, so the reader isn't overwhelmed. I look forward to reading more in this story and discovering more about the background characters.

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This author writes with such eloquence it's easy to fall into the book and hate putting it down. Molly fascinated me from the start. Such inner strength and moral compass. Reading her story of discovery, devastation and renewal was an exemplary read. I loved it.

I received an ARC of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a totally different take on the Elder Race World. A great start to a new series.Molly is a newly awakened witch. Josiah is a powerful witch out to get revenge.When they come together sparks fly! This is one of the best Paranormal Suspense books I've read in a while. Action Packed from beginning to end. Keep them coming Ms Harrison.

I have never read a Thea Harrison book, so I had no idea what to expect, which is always a fun way to discover new authors. Even if you come into a world created years ago with no prior knowledge of it and how it worked. Though this is a new series, it may have been easier to get into if the previous books had been read first, it did not seem like a must.
I really enjoyed the story, from start to finish. I loved the characters and their complexities. Their interactions with each other and separately. The way she came into her powers and the adversity she suffered was real and intense. The courage it took to meet it all head on, with the forsite to realise what she would need to make a break for it was incredible to watch unfold. When her powers bring her to the attention of other magical beings she meets that head on to, and stands up for herself and what she needs. Even if it's the infuriating witch that oozes power and raw masculinity. I loved Josiah and all his quirks and his all consuming need for revenge. His coven was an interesting group of people I would love to see more of in the future. A lot of stories to be told.
All in all, this was a great five star read that took me on a journey of healing, acceptance and above all else, love.

Oh my this author really got my attention with purple panties served in a cocktail glass ! Yes this story about Molly and her transformation from perfect wife to amazing Witch hits the ground running and totally surprised me. Molly isn't the typical heroine either as she's a mature woman and not some girl who acquires Powers at puberty. The traumatic event sees her weathering her own personal storm but can she trust the only person who seems to be offering help ?
Josiah is the new hot shot district attorney but he's so much more than just the jaded, cold arrogant male he first seems. On a mission of his own the last thing he needs is the complication of a local Witch and if I'm honest I really didn't like him. However there's so much more to discover about Josiah and he just as much as Molly has to make hard choices but alas to say more would ruin the glorious surprises and revelations in store for readers.
So this starts what seems to be a trilogy set within the Elder Races world and if you pay attention a firm favourite of fans just might appear ! However this story is primarily about Molly and Josiah as they both embrace a completely different outlook. A lot does happen but I certainly wouldn't describe this as action packed although as we reach the end the big bad that Josiah has been hunting makes his play and yes it's a violent confrontation . The scene is set for at some point an epic battle with interesting supporting characters and yes I'm definitely left thirsty for more.
This voluntary take is of an advance copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This author can be hit or miss for me. I really love her Elder Races books, so when I realized this book was set in that world I had hopes that this book would be a good one for me. This one grabbed me from the start, I felt for Molly as she discovered things that felt like the straw that broke the camels back. Her reactions, to me, were spot on of someone who had had enough. I loved that Molly confronted her husband in front of everyone, then later her mind clear enough to make sure she was taken care of in the upcoming divorce. I don't know that I would have been able to do the later.

I found it interesting that during all this drama Molly's powers as a witch were awakening. I do wish that there had been more on this, why now, was the ability in her family some how? Molly adjusted very well to learning she was a witch and dealing with all these powers. Sure she had some help from Josiah, who I really wasn't sure of at first. Josiah seemed to be hiding so much and I wasn't sure if he was a good guy or not.

Molly and Josiah managed to create this odd relationship, one that was built on heighten emotions during Molly's drama, yet there was something more there too. I did like that at each turn Molly let Josiah know how much she was willing to give and stuck to her guns, knowing that first and foremost Molly needed to look out for Molly.

This lead to some interesting choices. I liked that Molly left, searching for someone to help her. She landed at the perfect spot, a spot that welcomed her and allowed her to blossom. This new community was so good for Molly and she was good for them. Things were going great, so you knew something not good was going to happen.

And sure enough it did. The big bad that Josiah had been chasing reared it's big head, hitting him and his people hard, causing Molly to do something. Things got a bit crazy, but at the end most of them were ok, they truly knew what they were fighting at this point and realized they had a choice. To keep fighting, only working towards revenge or let it go a bit and start to live again. I liked the choice they all made, even as I know the threat of evil is still there, biding it's time to come after them again.

I'm a huge Thea Harrison fan, so when I saw she had a book coming out centered around witches that's tied to her Elder Races universe I was giddy with excitement. I read the entire Moonshadow series and several of the Elder Races books, many of which were five star reads. There are some authors you click with, and she's one of them. She's one of my top favorite paranormal authors for her amazing world building, attention to detail, and addictive stories. I enjoyed the fact that while she kept supernatural elements with her main characters, they are human, living in the setting of the human world which is a departure from her norm.

Molly isn't even aware that she has latent witch powers waiting to surface until her philandering husband loosens her control over her emotions which in turn, releases her hidden abilities. Her rage is a powder keg that unleashes all of the fury of a woman scorned and it's a glorious thing to see. You want to give her the biggest high five for how she smartly turns the situation to her advantage and humiliates him in the process. I absolutely loved the beginning chapters and I was immediately invested in how she would reinvent herself in her new life.

Josiah Mason is the new DA in town, witness to her embarrassing scene when her marriage imploded, and he just happens to have ancient and powerful abilities of his own. He may have a squeaky clean image and ambition to get elected governor, but he has a secret agenda that he and his coven have been working towards for decades. He's been fueled by revenge for longer than he can remember, and nothing will stop him from finally making it happen. Not even the complication in the form of a fledging witch who may or may not be tangled up in something she isn't prepared to defend herself against. As much as he tries to keep his distance, he just can't stay away from the beautiful woman on the brink of coming into unimaginable power.

I must admit, I wasn't the Josiah's biggest fan in the beginning. He's very self-serving, abrasive, and difficult to warm up to. I was worried for a little while there that he wouldn't be redeemable in the end. He tries to manipulate the heroine every chance he gets, but the good news is that she puts him in his place every single time. Although she is at a very difficult time in her life, no one could ever call her weak. In fact, she's more empowered than she's ever been in her life. Not only was she bullied by her pathetic excuse for a mother, she was used by her husband to complete his perfect cookie cutter image. Now she's ready to take charge of her life, and she isn't allowing anyone to take that away from her.

Once you learn about Josiah's past and what he suffered, you can empathize with his need to bring down the mysterious witch who wreaked havoc in so many people's lives. It's not just about getting revenge, he's trying to prevent others from needlessly suffering or losing loved ones. Shortly after the halfway point you really see him softening up towards Molly. He lost his selfishness, going above and beyond to show her that she was now his top priority. Making sure she's safe, happy, and attempting to find a way for them to merge their lives so that they could have a future together.

There is an underlying mystery in the plot regarding Molly's ex and if the shady business he's involved in could be tied to the man Josiah has been hunting. It held my interest throughout the book and kept me turning the pages to see the confrontation that would undoubtedly happen at the end.

In the end, Molly showed her strength and courage, though the scene was a bit anticlimactic as it was pretty brief and left unresolved for future books. Overall, I was really happy with the romance. I wasn't sure if I liked these two together at first, but Thea Harrison brought me around like she always does. I'm really looking forward to reading more installments in the series in the future! I'm hoping Steven, geeky tech genius gets a book because he's the character that intrigued me the most out of all of the secondary characters. This was a solid start to a new series filled with magic, mystery, and plenty of potential to grow.

This is the first book I've read by this author, though I've curious to read something by her prior. I've heard many good things about her writing. I was so happy to find that they were true and not exaggerated. This book is a wonderfully crafted piece of world-building upon Ms. Harrison's other Elder Race series (though, thankfully, it isn't required that you read those to understand this book). The story is one of magical intrigue and light romance. Not so much romance that it deters from the plot or the determination that is the very backbone of the characters, but the perfect balance that is called for in the storyline. The characters, Josiah and Molly, after complex and evolving. They stay true to their basic characters as, I feel, real people would. The plot along with these characters weave this story that is so engrossing that I found myself up until 4am. I just couldn't put it down. I will definitely be read more from this author and hope there will be more from Molly and her Witch friends in the future
**I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Well I love books that start off with a bang and this one does it in spades. On page 1 Molly has just found out that her husband is cheating on her and things get really loud and noisy from there . Additionally, she is developing her witch powers a bit late in life but she has no clue what is happening for awhile and watching her evolution is part of what I found so entertaining about this book although at a point later in the book it seems to have moved on a lot faster than should have been expected but a minor thing.

Josiah Mason is a Powerful witch and the leader of a secret coven and they play into this story in a major way but there seems to be a bit of insta-love but not too badly since he does spend a bit of time pretty much detesting her so it is a romance not like most others.

There is a "Big Bad" that we don't get to see too much of yet but since I believe this is going to be another trilogy it will end up in some epic battle in book 3 but for book 1 of a trilogy a LOT happens and we are not left with a truckload of cliffhangers. It is more of a knowledge to the reader that "this ain't over yet". 4 Stars

Wonderful! So great to read a new book in Harrison’s Elder Races series. American Witch is the story of a woman who suddenly starts exhibiting powers that she doesn’t understand and can’t control. Circumstances put her in the path of a powerful coven leader and together they work to overcome an ancient enemy while dealing with an unmistakable attraction to each other. I didn’t want to do anything else while I was reading this book. Highly recommended.

This is my first book by Thea Harrison and while it's set within the larger Elder Races universe you can easily read it and enjoy it greatly even if you're new to this author. I did.
I loved the main characters and I especially loved that both the heroine and the hero are around 40 years old and they also act like it. I'm a little tired of immature characters that authors more often than not try to push as heroines and heros. Molly and Josiah were a very welcome step outside of the norm and I loved them. Molly is defenitely one of the most pleasant, level headed and interesting heoines I've read about in a long time. The hero, Josiah was intriguing and just the right amount of alpha man, just the way a good hero is supposed to be.
Everything I hoped for when I started reading this book I got: magic & witches, the action, sparks filled relationship between Molly and Josiah, fabulous secondary characters, interesting mythology... There are also some great relationship dynamics that I'm hoping get explored more in the following books. I'll definitely be on the look out for the next one in the series when it comes out. The book was thoroughly enjoyable, the story itself wass interesting and engaging. The dual narration was excellent, I was very surprised because, well,I don't remember the last time that worked so well. Maybe it had to do with the fact that both were excellent. Kudos.
So, in short: it was awesome. It really was and I highly recommend it.

Molly discovers that her lawyer husband has been unfaithful once again, (and in their own marital bed!) on the day of an important dinner party. She's had enough so she confronts him in front of their guests, which include the new DA. She leaves after the showdown, but first she takes all their papers and financial records, prepared to get her share of the marital assets after so many years. She finds disturbing information in those papers and takes steps to protect herself while she figures out what's going on.

Josiah, the DA, is a centuries old witch bent on vengeance. He's been following an evil man for decades and thinks he's finally tracked him down in Atlanta. The last thing he expected to find was an emerging witch of Molly's power.

Molly is a wonderful heroine. She's 40 y/o, a full-grown woman who's had a hard punch. She doesn't bend or break. She forges ahead, remaking herself while trying not to become hard and bitter. The thing I enjoyed the most about her was how she took care of herself.

Josiah as a hero was more problematic for me. Don't get me wrong, he's a Harrison hero through and through: smart, strong, driven. My concern is that his character's change was too abrupt. I found it hard to believe that a man consumed by a single-minded goal for decades would just change his entire life so quickly. I guess I would have liked to see more interaction between Molly and Josiah to better understand their interaction.

I thought this book's more about Molly's journey of self discovery, both of herself as a woman and as a witch. For a good part of the story the hero and heroine are physically apart.

On the other hand, this romance is about adults with plenty of baggage making the tough choices and still managing to develop a personal relationship. Well done, Ms. Harrison!

Full review to be published online in late May.

AMERICAN WITCH is the first book in the new 'American Witch' series by Thea Harrison. I admittedly have a love/hate relationship with Harrison's books. Most of the 'Elder Races' full length novels are enjoyable reads. The between-the-books novellas, however, are usually overly expensive, overly wordy fluff; with far too many and long descriptive passages to plump up the word count. I always get the feeling they were tossed out to make a quick buck.

AMERICAN WITCH is a pretty good read, and the series shows promise. I like the fact that the h is a little older and with a not so perfect life. I will probably give the next book a go.

Loved this!! Harrison creates a completely relatable character in Molly. She is pushing 40 and her witch abilities are just awakening, she's been in a crappy marriage and everything is coming to a head. I loved and hated Josiah in equal measure at different times. Which made him all the more relatable too. This story just had a really different feel to it and I had a hard time putting it down. Can't wait to see more from this series.