Review: Spellbound by Allie Therin // Or, Never a Better Time to Overprotect Your Paranormal than Now

★★★★,5 | Don’t refuse to help me save Manhattan… You’re so sexy… Aha

“Nonsense is exactly what comes outta my mouth half the time and I don’t need anyone else to hear it”

➽ SUMMARY

🔮 M/M Romance; Gay & Bi MCs
🔮 Side Interracial F/M Romance
🔮 Magic in New York, 1925
🔮 Paranormal Investigation
🔮 A Bunch of Misfits forming a little Paranormal Family
🔮 Lots of Banter & Humour

Arthur Kenzie protects the world from supernatural. But this time he needs help with that. A certain relic will soon arrive in New York and if only certain paranormal pretty please cooperated, it would be much easier to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Rory Brodigan is supernatural and of the opinion that he rather needs the protection from the world. Not that he wouldn’t rush to help the really hot man who crossed his path. He’s just been playing it safe for a while and not without a reason.

Can those two make it work??

➽ WORLDBUILDING

The prohibition era and illegal clubs? The antique shop? Central Park? Yes, Yes, and Yes! And on the top of this, a bunch of psychics with their extraordinary and unique abilities, secret dangerous artefacts and a mystery! That’s my jam!

➽ WRITING STYLE

The writing style had an easy flow and amazing humour that never seemed forced. It’s such an easy read but not trashy or corny or bland. It had some well-loved tropes but without overdoing them or any cringy elements.

I loved the dialogues and internal monologues and situational irony (you know that moment when we get laughs during a sitcom? Every few pages here)

➽ PLOT & PACING

A group of people is brought together to secure a dangerous item. Honestly, a bunch of professional dumbasses, as in they either do everything tip-top or fail at basic shit but that’s how they get you.

There were some good turns of events that were unexpected but made sense in hindsight. And the pacing really made it a page-turner.

So, amidst it all the romance starts blooming…

➽ CHARACTERS

Rory — Rory is so dense when it comes to romance, it’s hilarious. But not to the point of it being dumbed down somehow. He was pretty sheltered because of his magic and some other stuff so it makes sense he’s not that experienced. But he’s a bisexual disaster. Also, he will fight for himself but really just wants a hug.

Arthur — So, he was such a distinguished gay… And then he met Rory. Honestly, there are more contradictions to him. He’s super intelligent but then also can be really dense. A lonely romantic. A paranormal detective without a magic talent… Also, he’s just really worried and wants to protect everyone.

Both of them have a strong woman in their lives without whom they probably wouldn’t survive. Jade is a no BS woman. She runs an illegal club in Harlem. She wears suits. She was a spy. But she’s still gentle at her core and just wants the best for her family and friends. Also, she Lifts (with her mind.) Mrs B. is overlooked by most but that’s her superpower. She will play the cosy aunt and it will save your life before you realise it.

The villains also end up being more complex than you would suspect them at first and you can’t really hate them.

➽ RELATIONSHIPS

So, two dense idiots manage to anger each other and then one plays along with it for longer than necessary and the other thinks that all hope is lost and is really dramatic about it. They both can’t resist each other though. Really, really can’t resist each other. They fell for each other quite fast but it didn’t feel like insta-love. They were lonely and their feelings were heightened by the danger and coming close to death so they just went along with the intense vibe, I guess.

Both of them have their little family of choice and those relationships are not swept aside because of the romance which is something I love to see in fiction.

There’s also a side romance that doesn’t get lots of attention but they were a cute stable couple.

➽ THEMES

Good and evil and the gray areas of being forced by circumstances — Villains are born for many reasons. Sometimes people are just greedy and power-hungry. But sometimes they are pushed to their limits. And sometimes they just lost the fight. There are so many gray areas in our lives and the heros can’t always make the right choices either. In the end, all that matters is that we tried.

Finding love and people who support you — Both of the MCs are lonely in their own ways. They still have people they care about in their lives but… something is missing. Hell, of course, something is missing. You can’t make do with one friend in your life however hard you try — we are social creatures after all. Finding each other not only brings romance into their lives but also opens them up for more people and makes them confront their issues which led to this loneliness in the first place.

Lots of consent and power imbalance talk — Arthur is older and more experienced than Rory. He also has more influence thanks to his rich family and a long relationship with the paranormal world. And he is aware of the power imbalance it creates. He never pushes Rory or assumes more than was plainly stated. Sometimes it causes miscomunication but they got there anyway and I prefer to see someone overpatient than old obsessive and pushy types.

➽ NUANCE & FEELINGS

Well crafted, funny, not much for techincal issues but rather a lighter read. I enjoyed it greatly and had lots of laughs but it did not move me to my core?

“It was terribly romantic, and so naturally he was up here alone”

I’m not a romance reader. And still, I’ve read my share of romances – usually disguised as something else. I’ve read many cosy mysteries which were actually romances with an idea of mystery. I’ve occasionally read historical novels which were really romances with the barest sense of a historical context.
It is usually quite a disappointing experience.

Spellbound is a romance, there’s no question about that. But it is also a very good fantasy (with a dieselpunk inclination, I should add) as well as a very nice historical novel. And these are essential parts of the story, not some convenient disguise.
I had no problem loving this book.

There’s magic in this version of 1925 Manhattan, secret magic unknown to the majority of people. Magic people conceal their abilities to almost everyone, especially when they are young and inexperienced – not to mention secluded and scared – as Rory. Magic can be dangerous and very difficult to wield.
But there are also normal human beings like Arthur who live and act in close contact with the magic world. Besides, as someone says, Arthur’s charm is almost like magic.
Rory and Arthur are remarkable characters, with great personalities and a strong drive. They also have a sense of humour, which is always a bonus. Because of them, I felt immediately at home inside the story and I deeply cared about what happened. Right away, it was clear that the romance was about them. It has all the characteristics of a romance (including the exaggerations I tend to dislike), but their relationship was also very much about personal growth. That’s why, even as a non-romance reader, I could enter the story and stay firmly there.

The fantasy plot is strong and would carry the story even without the romance (by this I mean that it sustains itself beautifully, as a good fantasy story does). It centres around relics – very powerful, very rare magical objects – and the fight – partly grounded in personal issues – to conquer them. In this post WWI world, relics and their power have a sinister light to them. The war is over, but what would happen is someone could put their hands on something as powerful as a relic? I can’t wait to see what they will evolve into in the following novels in the series, because I sense some great secret conspiracy ahead. Seriously, how can I resist that?

There is a very diverse cast of characters here, and I loved how the author handled it. I’ve read a lot of novels in recent years that used diversity as a badge. Not something I appreciate. Here, diversity is a mere matter of life. It simply exists, just like humans being and their personality.

Loved it.

Can’t wait to read more in this series.

the premise itself made me fall in love with this book. i mean! magic! new york! 1920s! literally what more could i ask for.

and to top it off, the writing is really fun and gripping. i didn't even realise when i blew through the whole book. i love when that happens!

as much as a paranormal story, this is also a romance. and i absolutely adored that side of the book, too. i think it can be attributed in a big part to the fact that both guys are very likeable, incredibly fleshed-out characters. it's simply impossible not to root for them!

all in all, this is a really fun book & i will gladly read the next book in the series.

On the one hand, I quite enjoyed this book. But the only reason for that is that I liked the main characters and the romance. The writing... wasn't very good. I had to read "Aw, geez" as a sentence twice. The setting could have been really fun, but the plot felt confusing and just not very fleshed out, which is okay for a romance novel, but not if the author chooses a more complex setting. Seeing as there are historical and paranormal aspects to this book, these should have been fleshed out more, and this made it difficult to really appreciate the book.

*Disclaimer: I was sent a review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Spellbound is a queer, historical, paranormal, mystery, romance set in the Prohibition era in New York, so naturally I was very excited to read this book. And Allie Therin did not let me down.

Set in 1925, Spellbound is about Rory, who has spent his life trying to protect himself from his own powers. From the start of the book, we get right in and learn about Rory’s unique powers – he is a scryer, a psychometric. He can touch an item and see its history, making his powers useful at finding counterfeit antiques in Mrs Brodigan’s store. It’s a safe life Rory finds for himself which doesn’t risk him wreaking devastating havoc to his own sanity by instead channelling his potential energy into mundane use.

That is until Rory is introduced to Arthur. Arthur collects and protects supernatural artefacts which threaten the safety of the world. An artefact high on Arthur’s radar is an amulet which has the ability to control the tides. Arthur needs the help of Rory before it gets into the wrong hands and threatens life as we know it. However, Rory is distrusting, and the pair get off to a rocky start, but it becomes harder for Rory to keep his walls up as he becomes increasingly attracted to Arthur and the magic of it all. And the bond between the two develops into something more than just magical.

Therin depicts the vitality of the roaring 20s as we explore the adventures of Rory and Arthur in Manhattan, Harlem and Brooklyn. Therin creates a cast of compelling side characters and interesting villains as well as including unique paranormal aspects. Though Therin is not the most thrilling writer in terms of her prose, she makes this up in expert storytelling. The first half of the novel is perhaps a little slow, being more devoted to character moments and world building, but this emotionally pays off when the real action begins.

The compassion and devotion the reader builds for Rory is impressive. While Arthur is instantly charming, lively and gripping, Rory is quiet, curious, reclusive. I was not quite sure what to make of him at first and I’m still not entirely sure who he is (and I mean this in the best way possible). Rory begins as one of those unknowable character types, a mystery to himself and others, but many times I was delighted by the surprising things Rory says and does when he comes out of his shell during the course of the novel.

Being inside Arthur’s head was also a joy – after a little tension between the two due to their clashing personalities, Arthur quickly becomes attached and protective of Rory. Therin explores the complexity of how Arthur can reconcile his desire to shelter Rory from harm with the fact that he needs Rory to put himself in danger, on the top balancing this protective impulse with the recognition that Rory is capable of looking after himself. As Arthur healthily reminds himself, “Let Rory decide what Rory wants”.

But there are also depths to Arthur that he is hiding from us, mentions of the war which he never expands upon in the novel but the characters and we, the readers, can tell deeply affect him. I look forward to learning more about Arthur in the sequel, specifically about him growing up realising he was attracted to men, and how he came to be the character he is today.

The romance between the two is a testament to how the trope of opposites attract can still yield incredible results when done well. How their relationship develops across the novel into something romantic is indeed one of the most enjoyable parts of reading the book. But, aside from the dangerous paranormal aspects, danger of course lurks in their decision to pursue a relationship in the 1920s. However, it was enjoyable to find out that those closest to Arthur and Rory accept them for who they are.

I love how the action builds in Spellbound and how it concludes. The funny exchanges – yes, this book is also really funny! – were matched with moments of earnestness. The last chapters were gripping. I was speeding through, anxious to see how things were going to resolve themselves. Therin effortlessly develops the world in a way you don’t realise while reading, absorbed as you are, until you finish the book and are left with the awe that everything feels bigger than yourself. And by the end, I was surprised at how taken I was by Rory, Arthur, their band of friends, and even the ‘villains’.

I am looking forward to carrying on the series, to learn more about all the characters and to see how Therin will continue to expand this wonderful world she has created. There is so much potential.

Also, Mrs Brodigan is the real MVP.

It's a great book that sticks with you after you've closed it and moved on - and that's what Spellbound is for me. Magical, gritty, and so full of heart, SPELLBOUND is a pure pleasure to read. I finished reading it and was instantly irritated that book 2 wasn't available. More from Allie Therin, more, more, more.

Fantastic debut.
Brilliant world-building; fun, likeable characters, and the pace and momentum held my interest until the very end.

Loved this! And if I get any more gushy, you're going to get spoilt, lol.
Can't wait for more from this author.

This book was a lot of fun to read! Set in prohibition era New York City, Rory, a guarded and protective loner with a power ability to see the history of any object he touches, works with his aunt in an antiques shop. He is reluctantly swept up into a dangerous supernatural power struggle when he skries a mysterious ring brought into the shop by wealthy and big-hearted Arthur.

Things I liked:

1. Watching the relationship between the MCs develop. Rory is rightfully protective of himself and the people who have proven to love and support him. He has a psychic gift that can be manipulated to his detirment and could possibly kill him. When Arthur seeks to recruit him into his network of others with psychic powers, Rory isn't having it. Arthur wants to protect his friends and the entire city from nefarious forces aiming to destroy everything in their pursuit of revenge. Arthur's heart his large, and it takes some time and effort to convince Rory he's genuine. I was all "awwwwwww" pretty much throughout this entire book.

2. The imagination of the world building. I love urban fantasy, and it was fun to read an urban fantasy set in 1920's NYC. While the plot wasn't super complicated, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment at all.

3. The support characters! Jade and Zhang were so cute and sweet and total badasses. The 8-year-old neighbor girl trash talking Rory with the language he accidentally taught her had me rolling. And Mrs. Bradigan is the aunt we all want who gives tough love and excellent advice and totally comes through in a pinch.

This is the first book in a series, and I'm anxiously waiting for the next one.

*ARC via Netgalley, courtesy of publisher

An excellent magical historical mystery, full of intriguing characters, found family, and a believable romance. Therin's world building is diverse and recognizes many of the issues extant both socially and politically in 1920s New York (Prohibition, race relations, immigration, queer society, etc.).

this book is my new favorite thing. spellbound is a prohibition-era magical adventure that is fraught with mystery and suspense and so much goodness. rory and arthur are...just absolute perfection together. that there will be a sequel to this story is possibly the best thing ever.

i don't want to give too much of the plot away, because really the best thing to do is immerse yourself in this world. it's new york, post-world war i, prohibition is in full swing, and so are the underground parties. rory is magically gifted, and when arthur seeks him out, everything changes for him.

everything changes for arthur too. because by seeking rory out, he's put him in danger. but he's also enchanted. the enchantment is mutual.

i can sit here and gush about this story for-pretty-much-ever, so i won't keep repeating myself. read this book. it's so freaking good.

**spellbound will publish on july 29, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut. What an interesting, compelling world the author has created. I don't know anything much about the 20's and don't think i've ever read a book set in this time. so it was intriguing to learn a bit about that time.

I really liked Rory and Ace, and the paranormal aspects of the story. The secondary characters were fun too! Jaaaaade! I would read an entire book about her and her family business.

I loved what the author did here with the magic system. Making all the characters we meet, who had magic very distinct from one another. Their abilities were never the same but there were similar rules governing each use.

There is one thing I had an issue with thought I enjoyed this book. At one point we learn that Rory's father was Irish and his mother Italian. And Rory is described as mixed???? Rory may have Irish/Italian ancestry but he's still a white man. He;s not mixed. the entire framing of that was just odd :/ And coming from an author of colour, really unexpected. That's not what ,mixed means???? And i don't know if this was some conflation of nationality with race but um...the two aren't synonyms. Rory is still white. Calling him mixed is extremely misleading!

I did enjoy reading this but I just found that a really weird choice and framing. I'm looking forward to reading book two but looks like we have to wait til 2020

This was a great find ad a promising start to what I hope will be a fruitful series... Therin has created a world-within-the-world that I found utterly engaging and fascinating. I liked that she chose to set her tale in 1920s New York - it offered opportunities for fantastic scene-setting and historical detail (e.g., Prohibition and speakeasies, the relative novelty of driving, which only one of the characters - and the oldest! - can do) that I felt added to the depth of the story and made the tale that much more robust as a result. The characters are well-crafted and offer a great complement of personalities, quirks, and strengths. Throw in a well-plotted adventure, secrets and lies and misdirection, and magic and Therin had me hooked from the opening salvo!

Those with magical abilities live alongside ordinary folk in 1925 Prohibition New York, hiding their supernatural talents from the world. As a psychometric, Rory’s powers allow him to see the history of an object, a skill useful in appraising antiques. Arthur “Ace” Kenzie, on a mission to prevent supernatural artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, discovers Rory’s abilities and recruits him to identify the influence of two relics. Initially cagey and irascible, Rory eventually agrees to help Ace, falling hard for him in the process. Returning Rory’s affections, Ace offers protection from those who would hurt or exploit him. And as their bond develops into something more, its consequences are those that no one could expect.
VERDICT Despite its fantasy elements, this remains a romance at heart, revolving around Rory’s and Ace’s growing feelings for each other. Rory’s personality shifts drastically toward the end, creating a noticeable character inconsistency, but an exciting plot paired with fascinating magic makes this a solid and enjoyable start to the series.
Reviewed by Eve Stano, Ball State Univ. Muncie, IN , Jul 12, 2019
This review was originally published in Library Journal Romance Reviews, July 12, 2019.

Honestly this is barely three stars for me?

There were a few good things - I always like to see histrom in new locations and 1920s NYC is a fun place to explore. There's a pretty diverse cast, and I'm not 100% on all the magic details, but I liked most of it.

However, I couldn't get into the main characters, at all. Arthur and Rory both have good backstories but none of it actually came through in interesting or realistic characterizations! Arthur is, in a word, boring. He's rich and overprotective that's...basically it. Rory is all over the place? He's been living in Hell's Kitchen for years without, and despite APPARENTLY really wanting to see the ocean, having ever left his neighborhood (HE LIVES. ON AN ISLAND??). He's too poor to make rent most of the time but he doesn't think twice about buying sandwiches for his ludicrously rich friend. It's just all surface level without impacting his actual choices as a character at all. Probably because of this, the romance also fell flat for me. The pining felt somewhat contrived, and what tension came up was resolved so quickly it felt silly.

Finally there are some confusing parts of the narrative - this is more first novel issues, where information is dropped multiple times, but by and to different characters, which made the situation difficult to follow as a reader. I had to flip back and forth a few times to check who knew what when.

The ending, out of all of it, was one of the better parts for me. I couldn't suspend disbelief for parts of the oblivious pining, so having them finally together took that off my plate, and the villains were fairly compelling (the ones directly involved with our heroes anyway - the German baron and the New York racist were pretty cartoonishly evil).

I came pretty close to DNFing out of a lack of interest, but I did finish and ultimately I guess it's fine? I wouldn't warn anyone off, but I'm not exactly recommending it either.

When I first heard about Spellbound, I couldn’t wait to read it. Love. Magic. Queer. Paranormal. Suspense. Prohibition-era Manhattan. First in a series. Friends, the author had me at “Love”. I couldn’t ask our publisher for this book fast enough! Ms. Therin, in her published début, almost delivers on all this promise, and Spellbound is a compelling, entertaining and intriguing set-up for stories to come. Unfortunately, her lead character is an immature, awkward, frequently rude oddball who falls for his exact opposite – a sexy, handsome, sympathetic, rich and suspicious stranger – and their total lack of believable chemistry together is a jarring counterpoint to the story in which they star. It’s a shame. The writing is strong, the world-building is compelling, and the secondary characters (especially the women) nearly steal every scene in which they appear. But the romance is a mess.

Rory Brodigan is a recluse, afraid of life and what he believes is a perilous future. His magical gift (or curse) – psychometry (he can touch an object and scry its history) – nearly destroyed him once, and he fears it’s only a matter of time before he’s subsumed in the past and lost again. To protect himself, he hides away, working with his elderly aunt, Mrs. Brodigan (the only other person who knows of his gift) at her antique shop, helping her recognize counterfeits. Jumpy, paranoid and lonely, he’s resigned himself to this unhappy life… until a powerful object comes into the shop and forces him out of his self-imposed isolation.

Arthur (Ace to his friends) Kenzie, the handsome, wealthy son of a powerful and connected New York political family, was a soldier on the WWI battlefields when his eyes were opened to a secret, magical shadow world. Following the painful and tragic deaths of two close friends – and loss of another – he’s dedicated his life to intercepting powerful magical relics before they can wreak havoc on an unsuspecting world or fall into enemy hands. He’s recently received reports that an amulet with the power to control the tides is on its way to New York – and possibly into the hands of a formidable enemy. Only a powerful psychometric can prevent a catastrophe – and fortunately, Ace thinks he might know where to find one. An antiques store with an uncanny record of spotting counterfeits has snagged his attention, and a fake ‘test’ has only intensified his suspicions. After a tense confrontation with the store owner (who suspects there’s more to Mr. Kenzie than meets the eye), he entrusts her with a ring in a locked box – failing to mention it also has the power to control the wind – but tells her not to open it, yet. Rory, working late and unable to resist opening the box, is instantly sucked into its dangerous, sinister past. Unbeknownst to him, his magic triggers the attention of Ace and his loyal band of supernatural relic hunters – and others who might use his gift to harness the power of the amulet.

After Ace and his friends (Jade, a telekinetic; Zhang, an astral walker) finally realize Rory is the supernatural in the shop, they vow to keep him – and the relics – away from villainous forces who might misuse and abuse his gift. But Rory doesn’t want anything to do with them. Wary and suspicious (and inconveniently attracted to the handsome, friendly and urbane Mr. Kenzie), he behaves like an immature adolescent brat towards the older man. Lucky for him, Ace finds that attractive. Ahem. Rory triggers Arthur’s protective instincts and his lust, and the combination is… ridiculous? Bizarre? Ace and his crew ignore Rory’s overwhelming hostility, and instead, offer to help him however they can. And before long, he needs their help – and craves it too.

Therin does a marvelous job of introducing her secret supernatural world and hooking readers into the story. The diversity of the cast felt appropriate and organic to melting pot Manhattan in 1925, as does the palpable fear Ace and Rory feel knowing they’re attracted to each other at a time when homosexuality was a dangerous (and potentially ruinous) proclivity. The setting, the tension between the lead characters, the intriguing secondary characters – they bring this story to colorful life. I particularly enjoyed the friendship/professional interplay between Ace and Jade and Zhang, and Rory and his aunt. The author also cleverly incorporates the prohibition-era time period into her narrative – giving readers a sneak peek into Jade’s life (more please!), and Therin’s magical world is fascinating. I loved learning about the origins of relics and potions and their respective powers (although I wanted more here, too), the application of magic for good and evil, and the struggles and challenges facing supernaturals in this world. The first half of this book is tremendously entertaining and illuminating despite the information dump.

Unfortunately, after a scared Rory softens towards Ace and his goodness and patience and kindness (and good looks, wealth and sexiness), the magical elements are shoved to the background (except when we need a clever plot device). Therin rapidly pivots and focuses instead on the developing rhw opposites-attract romance which, frankly, doesn’t work. Arthur, damaged by his wartime experiences, is dedicated to saving the world. He’s blessed with friends who know and love him, but he’s lonely. His work (and the secrecy inherent in it), along with his sexuality, compel him to keep people at a distance. He falls hard for an unstable, paranoid, an immature oddball who’s often rude, hurtful, and selfish. Rory, who can count on one hand the people he likes and/or trusts, instantly falls in lust with Ace. Rory could be lovable too (his backstory is compelling), except the author insists on writing him as a spoiled, tantrum-prone, petulant grown up child; even after we discover his secrets, he remains an unlikeable, polarizing figure. Really folks, I hesitate to call him a hero because he’s so reluctant (and fearful) to use his powers, and only reluctantly does so. I felt sorry for him, but I didn’t like him. Nothing about these two as a couple or crime-fighting duo works. And I absolutely hated the tease and then fade to black love scenes. Therin wastes an opportunity to show their connection, and leaves readers removed from their intimacy.

There is a clever and complicated suspense plot that unfurls as the story progresses. Individual plot threads eventually coalesce, but the bizarre romance between Rory and Ace (unfortunately) steals our attention just when the story reaches its climax. Plotlines are left underdeveloped just when good and evil, friends and enemies, past and present, finally converge. The author tries to pivot from action to romance, and good vs. bad, but what should have felt urgent and thrilling, is instead confusing. The villains aren’t villainous enough, and I wish I knew them better. I wasn’t invested in Rory’s last minute heroics or powers, and I wanted more magic, more villainy, more supernatural powers… just more, more, more. And less (unbelievable) romantic yearning.

Spellbound didn’t keep me spellbound, but nevertheless, it is a strong and compelling début. Unique, and sometimes dazzling, it kept me entertained and eager for more of its magical, supernatural world – and hopeful for better yet to come.

“Spellbound, obsessed, I'm entranced, possessed...Caught up, entwined...Wrenched an unknown feeling from my heart...you know you keep me spellbound....” ~ Robert Palmer (Spellbound)

Rory Brodigan, of ‘Spellbound’ by Allie Therin, has a special gift, but the possession of it has cost Rory dearly. In order to keep his freedom, he has to hide. Fortunately, Rory isn’t alone. A friend, gives him a job at her antique store and “adopts” him as her nephew. Rory uses his gift to scry objects for their veracity. By touching the object, he becomes part of its past, literally. This enables Rory to be able to discern the veracity of that object. To keep Rory safe, his friend pretends that his insights are hers.

Arthur Kenzie, comes to the store with a rush project for which he has promised to pay double if it can be done by the next day. Rory balks at first, but Arthur has offered to pay double. The idea of extra money is so appealing, he decides to accept. The project turns out to be twenty-two letters to sort out all signed by Frederick Douglas. There is no way they can all be genuine. Rory’s instincts are telling him that this is more than it appears to be and he doesn’t like it.relic he needs to have checked out. Arthur has to go, but decides to leave the ring with Rory’s friend with the promise that she will not open the case until he explains its history.

Rory tries to stay away from the box, but fails. Before Rory can think about it, he opens the box. Instantly, he is swept into a whirlwind of energy, where chaos ensues; Rory is lost in the time of the ring. Rory struggles to get the ring back in the box. Finally, he manages to do so and the onslaught ceases. When Rory regains his balance, he finds that he has lost three hours of his time.

From the start, this story is a whirlwind of activity, accompanied by fantastical magical advents of all shapes and sizes. I loved Rory; he is a survivor. He is spunky. When most people would be cowered, Rory is brave as well as selfless. Arthur is a very complex man with a heart of gold. Although he doesn’t have an ounce of magic himself, he goes out of his way to protect those in his life that are. Thanks, Allie, for an exciting tale of supernatural power and love. I’m looking forward to Arthur and Rory’s next adventure.

This vastly exceeded my expectations; I was expecting (and would have been satisfied with) something much fluffier, something lighter on plot, detailed fantasy elements, and characterization—instead it excelled at all three. The central romance hit most of the usual tropes and story beats; there weren't any surprises there—but isn't that what we all signed up for? I'm happily anticipating reading more in the series.

This book seemed to have everything I wanted: fantasy, history and romance. It even had history from a peroid I haven’t read much about, so I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I then ended up disappointed.

The most jarring thing was actually the language. Admittedly that’s not an easy thing in historical novels. Having characters use period-authentic speech can sound ridiculous at best and incomprehensible at worst. Which is why I’m usually content with characters that use mostly neutral and possibly to our ears a bit more formal language and avoid saying “That’s so cool” when the novel is set in the middle ages. Really, that’s all that I need to be happy. But in the book, the characters sound modern almost all the time and there’s just the occasional prohibition-era slang-word thrown in, like “doll” for woman. That didn’t work for me at all and every time I came across it, it threw me out of the scene because it didn’t fit together at all. Well, and since characters tend to talk a lot in books, it became really grating.

The romance itself is also not exactly overwhelming. Neither character acts much like their age (early and late twenties respectively) but more like teenagers. There is lot of telling how much they feel for each other but we only really see how Arthur almost gets a hard-on every time Rory uses one of the three Italian words he the author knows. Please. If I never have to read another story in which the mere uttering of a few words in a foreign language leads to near orgasms it’ll still be too soon. I have been on Fanfiktion.de. I have seen things.

I might be a bit more generous if the fantasy part had been better and admittedly it did hook me at first. But then the great climactic battle included some so stupid decisions by our oh-so-clever heroes that it retroactively marred the pretty cool concept and the good ideas that went into the worldbuilding.

These story is set in 1925 New York but from a different perspective than we normally get. Every single character is a minority character or seen as undesirable in someway. Beyond being unwanted in society, many of the characters have unique paranormal powers. From what I could tell, no two people have the same abilities but sometimes they have similar subtypes. I think this would be a gun read for fans of historical LGBTQ reads, such as those by KJ Charles.

Unfortunately, I had some problems with immersing myself in the story. Plot wise it felt like we were dropped in the middle and like Rory, kinda had no idea what was going on. There's underlying intrigue associated with paranormal relics and the war but there's a lot of background that we don't get to see and is only mentioned in passing. Perhaps this will be fleshed out more in later books.

Unfortunately, I also has issues with the romance. Overall I think the courting between Rory and Ace was sweet but somewhat fell flat. There's a significant period of slow burn will they or won't they but the readers don't get to see the pay off because several of their scenes together jarringly cut away and fade to black. I struggled to relate to the emotions that they characters may or may not be feeling, because very significant emotional moments are left out or brushed over.

I still think that this was an enjoyable read and would recommend it to those that appreciate diverse casts and historical settings.

Have mercy. It’s official, y’all. I have found my new favorite book. Hands down best read of the year. I can’t say enough how much I absolutely loved and adored Spellbound by Allie Therin. In fact, if I sat here and spewed all the fan-girling nonsense my fingers keep trying to type, y’all wouldn’t keep reading. Which would be a disservice to you, me, and this phenomenal book.

So, what was it exactly that had me swooning from page one? I can’t honestly nail it down to one single thing. It was kind of everything. I’m not sure about you, but as a reader who is also a writer, there’s always a thing or two that rubs me the wrong way—after all, not everything is for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay! But with Therin, I couldn’t find anything to fault. Everything from her writing style to her characterization to her plot had me all heart-eyed and happy, heavy sighing.

If you know me at all, you’re aware I’m generally not a fan of historical or paranormal. Both genres truly have to be written at the top of their game for me to enjoy them. So what does that say when I’m proclaiming this historical paranormal as my new fav??

The setting of this book was absolutely superb. Therin captured all the literal and figurative magic in her fictional depiction of 1920s Manhattan. She included just enough nods to history that it felt accurate and genuine, yet didn’t overburden her scenes with excessive details that overshadowed the story. And her characters—every dang one of them, from the MCs to the supporting cast—were woven with intricate and heartfelt brilliance. I fell hard and fast and didn’t want to let go. Then there was the plot and the awe-inspiring twist on the paranormal that had my eyes wide and my readerly heart beating staccato the entire read. Both times. (Because, yes, I’ve already read this bad boy twice and have no doubts it’ll be a frequently repeated go-to feel-good part of my life.)

The love scenes are all fade-to-black yet so insanely emotional and steamy, they will undoubtedly satisfy all levels of romance readers—including those on both ends of the sweet romance/erotica spectrum. It’s magic, I tell ya. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book that shows so little yet provides such a solid sexy punch.

I would recommend this book to ANY romance reader. Period. I don’t care if you aren’t a proclaimed historical fan, or if paranormal isn’t your gig. Heck, even if you haven’t ventured into the MM romance world, this would be a sensational introductory read in any of those genres. This book is so full of heart and passion and jaw-dropping intrigue, it’ll have at least something for everyone.