A beautiful tale of love, friendship, and belonging.
I didn’t know what to expect with this book at all.
It was chosen spontaneously to fulfill a ‘romance novel’ prompt for the February Readathin challenge I recently took part in and, I have to admit, it was a pleasant surprise.
Maybe it was the writing.. which captivated.
Maybe it was the characters.. who are charming.
Perhaps it was even the small hints of magic and mystery that compel you to keep reading..
Either way, this book was a wonderful, light hearted break from the darker stuff I typically choose.
For fans of slow burn romance, beautiful writing, curses, small town vibes, and a touch of magic.
Not the Harry Potter kind of magic, either, but the magic that comes from acceptance, patience, and understanding.
Check it out and fall in love.
Enjoy!
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Love, Magic, and Misfortune by Karla Nikole
Published date: July 15, 2021
Pages: 282
Genre: New adult fiction, Romance novel, Fantasy fiction
Standalone
Dedication: This book is dedicated to anyone and everyone who’s striving to live their own authentic and colorful life.
First line: Violet’s foot slipped against the tree trunk, but she quickly caught herself, scraping her knee and probably her stockings in the process.
Once upon a time a young girl and boy were the best of friends.. Until one day everything changed.
Told her friend is very sick, but little else, she doesn’t understand when he and his parents begin to shut her out of his life.
For years she’s lived with no explanation for what happened to her friend.
Now an adult, she’s returned home to lay to rest her beloved Gram who, strangely enough, asks that she “check on” that same boy.. and to be patient with him. But he’s no longer a boy and, this time, she has no intention of being sent away.
A captivating tale of friendship. determination, love, acceptance, and growth..
Four Stars!
This is a nice, easy going read.. Interesting but not complicated.
Characters:
Violet – Headstrong. Kind. Patient. I loved Violet’s personality.
Jasper – The childhood best friend. Plagued by a curse none understand. Uncomfortable with himself and others.
Gloria/Gram – Violet’s sweet and loving grandmother. Violet has lived with her since she was a girl and they’re very close.
Rose – Violet’s older sister. Sensible. Composed.
Jill – Rose’s fiance.
Simone – Owns a cafe in town and is/was a great friend to both Violet and her Gram.
Storyline: Intriguing.
Romance: Sweet.
Pace: Chugs along.
Writing: Beautiful and Quotable.
About the book:
There’s so much about this book to love.
Each of the characters here is beautifully flawed and, possibly, all the more special for it. I was charmed from the word ‘go’. The relationships are entertaining, heartwarming, and so wonderfully done.. I found myself laughing, grieving, and sympathizing with them at every turn.
It’s impressive because, despite my usual lack of interest in most romance novels, it is that quality that really makes this story shine. The simplicity, strength, and conviction of their feelings (despite the circumstances) swept me away.
Ten points to Griffindor, Karla Nikole!
It was a true pleasure to get lost in the almost dreamlike quality of the writing.. I consumed every page and, in turn, it consumed me.
I honestly didn’t have many complaints (none that effected my enjoyment of the book) until the end. The ending I didn’t agree with. It was rather abrupt (That’s a bit of an understatement.. Let me clarify. This one screeched to a full on, bone jarring, cliffhanger kind of dead stop that gave me whiplash and a bad attitude) and left far too many questions for my liking. It’s currently a standalone.. but I do hope the author considers making this a series, if anything, to tie up loose ends.
Besides that? It’s well worth the read.
Quotes:
“She’d known it was inevitable: these moments were one of the few, absolute certainties of life. Inescapable. But still, she found herself unprepared. Perhaps, a person could never be prepared enough to lose someone they love. Not ever.”
Violet scrunched her face in horror. “What monster doesn’t like cake?”
Why was life like this? This constant push and pull of death and life: doors closing and then opening, chapters ending and the beginning anew. It always seemed to happen this way, as if the world needed to maintain some divine balance.
But perhaps the best moments were like this. Where neither of them needed to talk, and simply resting in the comfort of each other’s presence was sufficient. No awkwardness, no demands on anyone’s attention, no contrived conversation.
Would I recommend it? Yes. I would.
It’s a sweet, funny, fairy tale sort of romance that I think almost everyone would enjoy.
Do I have plans to read more from this author in the future? Absolutely.
Thanks for stopping by to check out my review!
Can you get over a cliffhanger ending if you enjoyed the rest of the book.. or does it ruin the whole thing for you?
Wow sounds like a really interesting book and I love that there’s magic involved too which makes it sound even better.
It was sweet.. I don’t normally go for sweet but this was worth the read. But if it’s the magic you’re looking forward to, this may disappoint, there was actually very little of it. 🙁
Oh lol well I guess I’ll look forward to the sweet parts now… 😅
Well.. there are plenty of those! 😉
This sounds like a lovely read. I don’t think I’ve come across it til now but it does have a lot of components that I enjoy. Excellent review!
Thank you, Tessa! It’s the characters that make this one such wonderful story.
I hope you like it if you do get a chance to read it!