REVIEW: Back in a Spell by Lana Harper

In Back in a Spell by Lana Harper, Lawyer Nineve “Nina” Blackmoore is rather used to her family–one of the four founding witch families in Thistle Grove–being considered the bad guys of the community. And she’s unfortunately used to the poor way the Blackmoore matriarchs treat her and her two brothers. That’s why Nina tries her best to be fair, to treat her loved ones with respect, and to stay out of trouble whenever possible. Even if that means laying low socially after her fiancée broke up with her a year ago. But when her best friend in the world, Jessa Singer, dares her to swipe right on a dating app, she can’t say no. What follows is the start of a complete transformation in Nina’s world.

“Kiss me,” I ordered–and there was a new note in my own voice, too, a strange undercurrent of command that I’d never heard myself make before.
Licking his lips, he leaned forward, and this time the kiss was feral, a spontaneous combustion. A full-blown, transporting fire that enveloped both of us completely.

Nina’s first date with enigmatic Morty does not start off *or* end well. There were moments when they began to find common ground and felt the sparks of attraction, but as soon as the Blackmoore name appeared, her date all but disappeared on her. Soon after, when Nina’s powers surge post-visit to the magical Lady’s Lake on the outskirts of town, somehow Morty is pulled into her world, bonded with her in the most pleasant of ways, if she’s being honest. Nina could get used to having the so-handsome-he’s-pretty nonbinary Irish pub owner in her life long term. It’s the influx of such a shocking amount of power and how to rein it in that might prove to be too much for her.

‘I suddenly knew his presence in my life…was intended to be a gift. Something to enhance, to protect, to bring joy. Something meant to heal. And maybe, if I let myself, I could be the same for him.’

A smartly written paranormal romance with huge laughs while the main characters also tried to heal big hurts, Lana Harper spun me up into Back in a Spell’s magic fully *and* immediately.

‘Bizarre as this whole thing was–unwanted and foisted upon us as the bond had been–it seemed neither of us was completely sure we even wanted it gone.’

There was so much to love about Back in a Spell. From the diversity of the cast to the quick-moving storyline, Lana Harper snagged my attention from the get-go. I was expecting the humor as well as the genuine character growth that we witnessed, but I didn’t realize how deep of a dive Harper would go with Nina’s turbulent family and personal life. And I think it added important layers to what could have been a very lighthearted story. Instead, we saw how the toxic relationships she’d endured over the years molded Nina, sending her in a direction she didn’t expect when she had the opportunity to use her significantly stronger powers. Something that made her examine just what type of person/witch she truly wanted to be and what she wanted to put out into the world.

I loved the inclusion of Morty, Nina’s nonbinary love interest. Things started plenty rocky between them–and with neither of them coming off in the best light–but soon morphed into an intense bond. And not just because of the magic that pushed Nina and Morty together. They just clicked in a way that felt authentic and that brought out the best in each of them. Their fiery attraction didn’t hurt either. It was a lovely blend of heat, passion, and tenderness that perfectly encapsulated who Morty and Nina were, celebrating their differences while holding them together with their commonalities.

Whether you read Back in a Spell as a standalone or as part of The Witches of Thistle Grove series, I think paranormal romance readers will enjoy the heights and depths this book brought us to–as well as the interesting setup for book four, In Charm’s Way.

QOTD: Do you prefer a series with each book as a standalone or one where each book is connected and must be read in sequential order?

Book Info:

Publication: Expected Publication: January 3rd 2023 | by Berkley | The Witches of Thistle Grove #3

An awkward first date leads to a sparkling romance between one of the most powerful witches in town and a magical newbie in this rom-com by Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback’s a Witch.

Even though she won’t deny her love for pretty (and pricey) things, Nineve Blackmoore is almost painfully down-to-earth and sensible by Blackmoore standards. But after a year of nursing a broken heart inflicted by the fiancée who all but ditched her at the altar, the powerful witch is sick of feeling low and is ready to try something drastically different: a dating app.

At her best friend’s urging, Nina goes on a date with Morty Gutierrez, the nonbinary, offbeat soul of spontaneity and co-owner of the Shamrock Cauldron. Their date goes about as well as can be expected of most online dates—awkward and terrible. To make matters worse, once Morty discovers Nina’s last name, he’s far from a fan; it turns out that the Blackmoores have been bullishly trying to buy the Shamrock out from under Morty and his family.

But when Morty begins developing magical powers—something that usually only happens to committed romantic partners once they officially join a founding family—at the same time that Nina’s own magic surges beyond her control, Nina must manage Morty’s rude awakening to the hidden magical world, uncover its cause, and face the intensity of their own burgeoning connection. But what happens when that connection is tied to Nina’s power surge, a power she’s finding nearly as addictive as Morty’s presence in her life?