Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Never Been Witched by Molly Harper

On By TracyIn Contemporary, Mystery, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Never Been Witched (Starfall Point Book 3)Never Been Witched by Molly Harper

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Starfall Point, #3

Release Date: August 12, 2025

Alice Seastairs runs her grandparent’s antiques shop in the small lake town of Starfall Point, Michigan. She is also a witch/ghost wrangler, who along with her sister witches are trying to find the remaining Welling lock so they can ensure the safety of the ghosts at Shaddow House. Alice loves her sister witches, but lately she has been pulling away from them because she is ashamed of herself and scared of them rejecting her when they learn she has unwittingly given information about their coven to her former lover. A chance meeting with Collin Bancroft the new owner of the Duchess hotel, sets a lot of things in motion, and gives her new opportunities in not only her career, but in her love life too.

Collin Bancroft has made some bad choices in his life, but he has put his bad boy ways behind him and has purchased a hotel that was built by his family with plans to restore it to its former glory. He never expected to find romance or ghosts, but he has found both and life will never be the same! Throw in an ex-fiancée who still thinks they are destined to be together, some entitled family members and Collin will have to work hard to find his way to happily ever after.

This was a well-written, nicely paced story with wonderful, relatable characters. I loved Alice and Collin, they have both known immense grief and toxic relationships, but have each handled it differently, Alice by bowing to her nasty grandparents and Collin by becoming a “bad boy”. I loved how Alice finally stood up for herself, but I thought Collin was a little bit too beta and needed to say “No” like he meant it, but I still liked him. This was a new to me author and I jumped into the ending of a series without a clear understanding of the ongoing story in that series – but the author did a great job of filling in the backstory without losing track of the current story, so other than wanting to go back and read the previous books, I had no problem following this story.

*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 Warrior’s Forbidden Viking Bride by Sarah Rodi

On By TracyIn Ancient Britain, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Medieval - Early (410 - 1066), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, VikingLeave a comment

The Warrior's Forbidden Viking Bride (Harlequin Historical)The Warrior’s Forbidden Viking Bride by Sarah Rodi

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 17, 2025

After Christians raided her village in Denmark and killed her husband and infant son, Alivia has seethed with hatred for them and when she has the opportunity to raid an English monastery, she jumps at the chance for revenge. But things don’t go as planned and she accidently starts a fire in the church – endangering her life as well as her twin brother and a young boy. When they are trapped in the burning building, it is a Christian priest that saves them. The priest agrees to go with them as long as they promise not to hurt the boy or sell them into slavery. Alivia is not happy about this turn of events and can’t understand why her brother Jurgen would bring them along. She takes every opportunity to vent her rage at the priest and is even more upset that she finds him attractive – something that hasn’t happened since the death of her husband. Can she let go of her hatred and allow love to fill her heart again or will her grief win?

Ryce wasn’t always a priest, he was once married to King Eardwulf’s sister and served the king as a warrior. But when his wife and child die during childbirth, he is consumed by grief and takes it out by slaying the king’s enemies. But when he is injured and sent to the monastery to recover, he turns to his faith to find peace. Later he agrees to care for Aldfrith, the king’s illegitimate son and vows to never touch another woman. An easy vow to keep in a monastery – but when pagans attack and he and Aldfrith are taken captive by a Viking Shield Maiden and her brother – he finds himself tempted for the first time in years. Alivia is not like any woman he has ever known and despite his vows and her hatred, he finds himself drawn to her. Like Alivia, Ryce is holding tight to his grief and his faith, making him believe that there is no chance for a future with her.

This was a very emotional, enemies to lovers romance that had wonderful characters who have been crippled by grief and given a second chance at love – if they have the courage to take it. I loved Ryce and Alivia, they have both known indescribable loss but have each coped with that loss in a different way; Ryce through his faith and Alivia through vengeance. Neither is eager to open themselves up to pain again and will have to be willing to let go of the past in order to have a future. This book is filled with heartache, loss, second chances, steamyish love scenes, battles, and a hard-won HEA. This book does have things that might be triggers for some readers, so I would suggest checking the content warning before reading, but I do think the author handled these sensitive subjects with empathy and respect.

*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. *