Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Season of the Witch by Sophie H. Morgan

On By TracyIn Christmas, Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Season of the Witch (Toil and Trouble, #3)Season of the Witch by Sophie H. Morgan

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Toil and Trouble, #3

Release Date: September 2, 2025

When her family’s potion company merges with another company, Celestina “Tia” Hightower’s worst nightmare came to life and now she is not only vying for the same job, but is sharing an office with Henry Pearlmatter, her ex. Tia and Henry’s families are part of Higher society and are Legacy Witches, so this merger has put them in society’s crosshairs with everyone watching to see what they will do. They broke up 8 years ago and Tia has gone out of her way to avoid him, until the merger forced them together again – much to their mothers’ delight. But when a bet to woo a potential investor goes very wrong and Henry loses his memories, Tia will be spending a lot more time with Henry and if that wasn’t bad enough, the investor believes they are a couple and insists they both spend a month at his English estate to celebrate the holiday season. Tia does her best to hold on to her anger, but amnesiac Henry reminders her of the Henry she loved, and as they say, there is a fine line between love and hate. Can she trust him with her heart again or would that just make her a fool repeating the same mistake?

Henry Pearlmatter, unlike Tia, is happy to be forced to share space with her. He has never stopped wanting her and isn’t even really sure why they broke up. But when he pushes her too far and ends up losing his memory, he finds himself falling in love with her all over again. As they spend time together, his memories start to return, but that is something he keeps from her, hoping for more time to win her back. Too bad she is intent on keeping her heart locked up and when she learns the truth, she is determined to believe the worst. And when their secret is exposed and her family’s reputation is threatened, Henry sees his chance for HEA with the only woman he has ever loved slipping away. Will he be able to prove his love or is history doomed to repeat itself?

I really enjoyed this well-written, nicely paced story, Tia and Henry are wonderfully stubborn, relatable characters, with big personalities and amazing chemistry. The story is filled with emotion, magic, fantastic banter, great secondary characters, secrets, shocking revelations, a bit of heartache, new friendships, sparks, lots of steam, forgiveness, compromise and a second chance for HEA. This is the third book in the series, and I didn’t read the previous books, yet I had no problem following the story and now want to read those books! If you are looking for a fun, steamy, enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romantasy, the search is over – this is the book!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

The Highlander’s Mysterious Maiden by Nicole Locke

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander's Mysterious Maiden (Lovers and Highlanders, #3)The Highlander’s Mysterious Maiden by Nicole Locke

Tracy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Series: Lovers and Highlanders, #3

Release Date: August 26, 2025

Life has not been easy for Barabal of Clan Colquhoun, her parents died when she was only 5 and she was separated from her brothers and sent to live with her mother’s family. She lived with them for a few years, but when things got hard for the family, she was sent to another family, but after an uncomfortable encounter, she leaves in the middle of the night. For years she has been moving from clan to clan, trying hard to be useful, but never seems to fit in. She arrives at Clan Graham during the Beltane celebration, upset that she didn’t arrive earlier to help with the celebration, thus missing a chance to prove her worth. But when she sees what she believes to be a woman being kidnapped, she is shocked that no one is helping and sets her sites on a man standing away from the others. She is stunned when the man doesn’t seem concerned about the kidnapped woman and seems more interested in kissing! When she declines his kiss, he walks away and appears to find another woman. Barabal is stunned and wonders if she will find a home here or if she should just move on.

Seoc of Clan Graham has been out of sorts since recovering from a grave injury he suffered during the battle of Dunbar. Seoc is crippled by guilt, blaming himself for the death of the clan’s Laird and the capture of the Laird’s son. He has healed from his injuries and has resumed his duties, including brewing mead, but can’t seem to find a way out of the numbing darkness that has been gripping him since the battle. When Barabal walks up to him, he is shocked by his reaction, she makes him feel! She insults his mead, refuses his kiss and berates him for ignoring Anna’s “kidnapping”. He knows immediately that he must keep this woman in his life, but that will be easier said than done, as Barabal seems bent on ignoring him.

I have mixed feelings about this book, on one hand, I thought the writing was wonderful and filled with emotion, but on the other hand, Barabal was one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read. I tried to empathize with her struggles and the fact that she was alone in the world, but OMG – she is abrasive, a complete know it all, and insulting (albeit unintentionally). I understood her need to be useful and that her trust issues that caused her to act as she did, but I was expecting to see her slowly change and grow on me – unfortunately, she didn’t. Overall, it was an emotionally charged read, with some very likable characters, a bit of spice, a curvy heroine, reunions, heartache, healing, acceptance and a touching HEA. This is the third book in the series, and I would recommend reading the series in order.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *