Spellbound: A Paranormal Historical Romance

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.

Spellbound by Allie Therin Magic in Manhattan #1 Stepping into a magical paranormal romance set in 1925 New York was a delight. The plot and characters were perfect to time, place and this story. From page one I was hooked and I kept reading eagerly to find out what would happen next. Rory and Arthur were an absolute delight as they found way to one another. I fell in love with both of them and am so happy they found one another. This book has a cast of characters with and without paranormal abilities. There are relics with power, people who want the relics to gain the power and while Arthur and his band of paranormal people are doing their best to keep that power contained and away from the corrupt evil people after the relics. One of the side benefits that I love about getting to read advanced reader copies of books is that sometimes I stumble on a new-to-me author that I want to read more by. This time I found a debut author that I see a great future for. I loved this book and am eager to read what will happen next in this series. With seven magical relics mentioned and characters with paranormal abilities I want to know more about I am hoping that there will be more books to look forward to soon. What I liked: • Arthur: a noble hero without “magic” but who is magical lifeline to Rory • Rory: a younger man with magic that has so much to give • The Paranormal Friends of Arthur: so much I want to learn about them • Mrs Brodigan and her sister: good women who were there for Rory • Everything...still smiling as I think about this book What I didn’t like” • Exactly what was meant not to like Did I enjoy this book? Yes Will I read more by this author? Without a doubt! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars