Anabelle Bryant has a way of transporting you to Regency-era England, where societal norms meet a hint of the mystical. The setting is richly detailed, and you can practically feel the luxury of the ballrooms and the allure of the hidden gardens.

The characters are a delightful mix of charm and complexity. The hero's charisma and the heroine's wit make for a compelling duo. And can we talk about the tension-filled moments? Bryant weaves a spellbinding romance that keeps you turning the pages, eager to uncover the secrets and see how love conquers all.

The touch of magic in the story adds an extra layer of intrigue. It's not overpowering but subtly woven into the narrative, leaving you with a sense of wonder and a dash of the unexpected. I appreciated how Bryant balanced the historical elements with a sprinkle of the supernatural, making the story all the more captivating.

This is Book 2 in the captivating Vauxhall Voices series, but can easily be read as a standalone. The series centers around the performers of Vauxhall. This is Sofia's story. She left Italy with her brothers to escape scandal and performs in their acrobatic act. She meets Noah when he comes looking for work as a magician. At least that is what appears to be his reason for being at Vauxhall, but what he is really there for is to seek revenge. But he inspires a hope in Sofia that love is possible and really does exist and she lets down her defenses with him. Noah is also quite taken with Sofia, but the secret that he is keeping could affect the relationship that is developing between them.
The story was unique and well-crafted and caught my interest from the start and kept me engaged till the end. The story has a little suspense and drama along with romance that kept me turning the pages. Noah and Sofia had great chemistry and the romance between them was sweet. This was a very enjoyable read and a great addition to the series. I look forward to reading the next one.
I received a complimentary copy from Oliver Heber Books and Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This was a breath of fresh air to read a story that takes place away from the ballrooms and the ton. I loved the little facts about Vauxhall Garden and being immersed in the world of the circus performers.

While I enjoyed the characters and the setting, the dialogue got repetitive and it was quite slow in the middle.


Tropes: revenge, class differences, disguised characters


3.5 stars for Magic In His Kiss

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

So nice to have a heroine with such an unusual occupation. Sofia is a gymnast at Vauxhall Gardens along with her two over protective brothers. They left Italy a few years before due to her romance with a man who turned out to be already married. Now Sofia is afraid to trust but she meets Noah, a man who rented the upstairs apartment and is trying to become a magician at Vauxhall. As they fall in love, Noah realizes she has trust issues but still doesn't tell her his real circumstances or what he's up to. He is really there to punish the man who swindled his family. Sofia has ambitions beyond gymnastics but feels the need to hide her hopes from her brothers. The class difference is also a concern for both families. An exciting ending and more details about Vauxhall from the author made this a very enjoyable book.

Magic In His Kiss is an enjoyable cross-class romance with steamy chemistry, surprise twists, and a bit of suspense. The characters are intriguing, their situations relatable, and their happily ever after satisfyingly hard won. While this is the second book of a series, and some characters appear in both books, this one stands well on its own. Readers could definitely begin with Magic In His Kiss and not miss a beat. However, I also enjoyed book one, Love on the Line.

Thank you NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an AMAZING representation of everything I love about a historical romance!! Magic In His Kiss is the second book in the Vauxhall Voices series and can be read as a standalone. It is a beautiful, charming, passionate and heartwarming love story that revolves around the performers at Vauxhall. This is my first read by Annabelle Bryant and I am so impressed with her extraordinary writing, impeccable descriptions and sizzling romance. I felt so connected to the characters and found myself rooting for Sofia and Noah. I literally could not put this book down and devoured it in one sitting! I absolutely loved this book so much and I cannot wait for the next book in the series! All the stars! 💙💙💙💙💙

For many, Vauxhall Gardens provides entertainment and the opportunity for illicit pleasure walks; however, for Sofia Gallo, it is a place where she performs as a tumbler. Fleeing scandal in Italy with her two brothers, Vauxhall has become her new home. When she meets Noah Wright, a handsome bachelor seeking work as a magician, she feels that she might have another chance at love. Yet, Noah appears to be hiding a secret that Sofia is determined to uncover.
I enjoyed both characters with Noah and Sofia struggling to fight their attraction. The reasons for Noah’s hesitancy, is cleverly interwoven into his family’s story. Likewise, Sofia’s story is gradually revealed from her conversations with her brothers and those she holds with Noah. Whilst their relationship at first seemed slow to start, the pace built and there was plenty of suspense to make this an enjoyable read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm really enjoying the "backstage" look at the lives and loves of Vauxhall performers presented in this series, as well as the pleasures and perils to be found there. Bryant has assembled an intriguing cast of characters that keep things lively along an often rocky road to romance.

Sofia Gallo is an Italian acrobat who was hustled off to London by her overprotective brothers in the wake of a scandal after being duped by a man she loved, and she thought loved her. It's been five years and she's ready to take another chance on romance but only with an honest man. She's had it with men who lie to her. She's also ready to leave the siblings' act and pursue her real passion: fashion. But that's something only she knows. Sofia is so easy to cheer for. I loved her enthusiasm for fashion and her determination to fulfill her dream but also her love for and loyalty to her brothers. It created relatable emotional conflict within her character that was fun to watch play out. I also enjoyed watching her take charge of the romantic side of her life. This was a woman who had been deceived by her innocence and was now at an age where she knew what she wanted and had the self-confidence to go after it. And what she wanted was Noah.

Noah is a man with secrets. Pretending to be a somewhat adequate magician looking for work at Vauxhall, he's actually the heir to an earldom bent on revenge for his sister's death. He's handsome, charming, noble, and hiding his real identity from the woman he's slowly falling for. I enjoyed watching Noah's evolution over the course of this story. I'm not big on secrets but I did understand his reasons and appreciated the fact that he came clean with Sofia when he did. And I loved him for the choices he made when it became clear he would have to either step out of her life or fight for their love.

Magic In His Kiss is an enjoyable cross-class romance with steamy chemistry, surprise twists, and a bit of suspense. The characters are intriguing, their situations relatable, and their happily ever after satisfyingly hard won. While this is the second book of a series, and some characters appear in both books, this one stands well on its own. Readers could definitely begin with Magic In His Kiss and not miss a beat. However, I also enjoyed book one, Love on the Line.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley. Fair and unbiased review.

Noah, an Earl’s son, decides to infiltrate the Vauxhall performers as a magician in order to find the man that stole from his family. Sofia, part of her Italian family’s tumbling act, is immediately attracted to him. Both of them are hiding secrets from their past that they must trust each other with. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for my honest review.

And we’re back in Vauxhall, with a bunch of very intriguing characters and gorgeous descriptions of the long-lost gardens that I would have paid billions to see!
What I loved most in this book is Sofia, the heroine: she’s a veritable breath of fresh air, very different from the usual Ton debutantes of HR books. She’s kind, she’s adorable, she’s outspoken, but most of all she’s bold, in life and love. I loved Noah as well, a fundamentally sweet hero with a revenge plan. I must admit that the contrast between his kind nature and the determination to fulfill his plan is quite fascinating and makes him even hotter in my opinion. Great characters, some action and much love with very steamy bits all concur to make this a five star book, really worth reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was looking forward to reading this book because I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, but this one was flat for me. The slow start really bored me and I had a hard time seeing the connection between the two main characters. Not one of my favorites.

Vauxhall Gardens has become a safe haven for Sofia Gallo. Leaving Italy to escape the threat of scandal, she performs as a tumbler and feels stifled by her overprotective brothers. She’s intrigued by a handsome bachelor, seeking work as a magician, who moves into her boardinghouse. But Noah Wright is not who he seems. Seeking revenge, he’s tracked his target to Vauxhall…but focusing on his search is difficult when Sofia is so near.

This is the second book in the Vauxhall Voices series, set in Vauxhall Gardens and featuring circus performers. I really loved the first book, but I struggled to connect with this one. It felt like the characters conversation were a bit repetitive and the slower start had me feeling impatient. I really did like the world building though and appreciate how the author used the setting. I would recommend this to anyone who wants something different from the glittery ballrooms and seedy underworld.

Tropes: Disguised Character, Class Difference, Revenge, Forced Proximity

Steam: 3

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review

This was an entertaining, well-written historical romance. It was fun, sweet, steamy and kept me reading. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is book 2 in the Vauxhall Voices series. I enjoyed this historical romance and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Magic in His Kiss by Anabelle Bryant

Yes! Love it, swoon, steamy and just lovely - definitely a great book to grab on those sunny days at the beach.

I just reviewed Magic In His Kiss by Anabelle Bryant. #MagicInHisKiss #NetGalley
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Liars caused tremendous pain in their respective pasts. She travelled far way to escape the scandal while he went seeking justice. She is strong and brave, enough to learn to love unconditionally. He is steadfast in his quest but also to his newly discovered love. Together they found their magical HEA. An enjoyable read with some insights into the lives and hard work of entertainers to amuse the public.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

This is a raw, action pack, intense, suspenseful, love story. And it's just that dang good! What can I say Anabelle does it again! Love that!! On to the next! #HappyReading 💖.