Member Review

Agnes Aubert lives a regimented life. She follows her checklists and keeps her feline wards comfortable and feed until they can find their forever homes. A magical incident leaves her in dire need of a new home for her and the cats, she ends up sharing her home and cat shelter with the magical shop of one of the most nefarious magicians in the world. What she slowly finds out is that all the gossip and tales about the dangerous, dark magician Havelock are nothing but tall tales that don't reflect the cantankerous and eccentric man who complains about the cats but does his best to care for them, and her, whenever the need arises. When danger arrives at their door and puts all their lives at stake, Agnes will learn that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to magical results.

I'm mad at myself for waiting so long to pick this up, and I kind of wish I could go back and read it again for the first time because there are so many great moments that I'd love to relive. It's cozy magical realism at its best. Agnes is always outside of her comfort zone, but somehow manages to get the best results by facing everything with the best possible attitude. She cares for those around her just as deeply as she cares for the cats in her care, and seeing it bring Havelock out of his self-imposed exile is almost as sweet as the kittens that find a home thanks to Agnes.

I would have liked a little more character development for the rest of the characters besides Agnes and Havelock, but I get that there are only so many pages to get the story across, and the focus has to be on the main characters. I'm hoping that future novels give others a chance to shine.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Inklore | Del Rey for the fantastically wonderful read!