Publication Date: 08th Oct 2024
Genre: Cozy Witchy Romance
3.7 Stars
One Liner: A good debut; cozy read
Hecate Goodwin aka Kate lives in a cozy cottage near the Ipswich forest in the same compound as her family house, Goodwin Manor. As a hedge witch, she prefers solitude and the company of her black cat, Merlin.
Suddenly, Kate is bombarded by nightmares, strange messages, her older sister Miranda, and Matthew Cypher, a man who once tricked her. Kate has to host the annual Halloween gathering while dealing with what would occur on her birthday (the same date). Matthew’s arrival complicates things as he comes from a coven that practices forbidden magic.
However, Matthew may be the only one to help her when the truth of her dead mother’s dark magic practices comes to the front. Turns out, Kate’s mother hid many secrets. Whom should Kate trust? What should she do?
The story comes in Kate’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
Isn’t that an adorably cozy cover? Despite the word dark in the title, the book doesn’t get too dark or dive deep into scary elements. It has a few scenes and some danger but the overall vibe is pretty much comfy.
The setting is atmospheric, be it the forest, the cottage, the manor, or the little bits of village we get to see. I could feel the mist and the darkness of the shadows lurking around and waiting for the FMC.
A lot of space is taken up by routine activities like cooking, eating, etc. This is another reason for the cozy vibe. The story progresses a little during these scenes but not all readers will enjoy it.
Kate’s arc is decent (she has her flaws) but the others are pretty straightforward. Matthew gets some sort of grey shades but then we know he is the hero, so it’s only Kate and others doubting his intentions. I do wish at least the main side characters had a little more depth.
This is a romance with some paranormal danger thrown in. While I did like the possibly enemies-to-lovers (at least for Kate) trope, the love happens too fast and some of it feels unbelievable.
The blurb calls this a celebration of the Halloween season, which is an apt description. Shaman is a big day for the witches, and the preparations start early. There’s a lot of pumpkin as well (carving, latte, etc.).
The pacing is steady. It may feel slower at times but I think the momentum sustains pretty well.
An epilogue would have been nice too. It was needed as I had a few questions about some motives, etc.
There are recipes at the end (yay) for the various dishes mentioned in the book. I like a couple of those and might try them one day.
To summarize, A Dark and Secret Magic is a cozy witchy romance with a touch of darkness and danger. It is a good debut work (and no kitchen sink). I look forward to reading more books by the author.
Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for eARC.
#NetGalley #ADarkAndSecretMagic
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