In December 2019, on Yule (that’s December 21 for you non-pagany folks) I gave a gift to myself. I posted on Social Media the following image.
From the responses on Twitter and Instagram, I have a list of books I’m buying, reading, and reviewing.
Now a quick note about our current situation. COVID-19 has thrown my life into a bit of a tailspin, like everybody else. So, as I adapt to a new norm, a new routine, I’ve found the first month of working from home a bit of an adjustment. With that said, I am behind in my reading and my reviews. Forgive me. Hopefully, I can catch up. But I know you all understand. I trust everyone out there is staying healthy, happy, and safe. It’s not easy, and if anyone needs a chat or a “Hi! How are you?” Let me know, happy to help out where I can. In the meantime, books can be a delightful way to pass the time, and escape from all the nonsense happening in the world right now.
Here’s March’s entry:
Title: A Touch of Magic
Series: Fae Touched #1
Author: Isabelle Adler
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: May 28, 2018
Heat Level: 4/5 – pretty steamy at times!
Pairing: M/M
Length: 256 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy, M/M Romance, Fae, Magic, Abduction, Abuse, Contemporary, Criminals/Mafioso, Gambling, Violence
Synopsis:
After returning to the straight and narrow, Cary Westfield hopes to rebuild his life as a stage magician. Only thing is, the success of his new show is entirely dependent on a strange medallion inherited from his late grandfather—an amulet that holds a rare and inexplicable power to captivate the wearer’s audience.
Ty prides himself on his ability to obtain any item of magical significance—for the right price. When a mysterious client hires him to steal a magical amulet from a neophyte illusionist, he’s sure it will be a quick and easy job, earning him a nice chunk of cash.
As it turns out, nothing is sure when greed and powerful magic are at play. When a mob boss with far-reaching aspirations beats Ty to the snatch, Cary and Ty form an unlikely partnership to get the amulet back. The unexpected spark of attraction between them is a welcome perk, but each man has his own plan for the prize.
All bets are off, however, when it is revealed the magical amulet holds a darker secret than either of them had bargained for.
My Review:
I love Isabelle Adler’s writing, and I’m a huge fan of her Castaway Prince books, so I was surprised that this one passed by my notice.
Adler’s characters are very vivid. They are quite real to me and I have no problem creating them as real people in my mind’s movie version that I create as I read any book. Ty is our main character, and he’s gruff, rough, and reserved, but still a little soft on the inside. Cary, the love interest, is equally as rough, having had a bit of a difficult upbringing and making some previously poor life choices, but he is certainly the more demonstrative and sensitive of the two.
Adler played up the tug of war of emotions between these two characters really well, and I enjoyed the tension that arose between them as they willfully ignored their blossoming relationship. It was also a bit refreshing to see Adler let the two gay men have sex right off the bat instead of agonizingly making me wait until they had resolved their emotional issues. In fact, I find this plays out like this in the real world more often than not. Now, not always, but when I was a fresh, young, gay guy, having a one night stand with someone was relatively common, and then that encounter often led to a friendship and on the rare occasion, a relationship. Adler’s story here mimicked my real-life and I loved that. It was relatable. <– that’s a key element in a really good story!
The magic was interesting, and clearly has a whole set of dynamics layered into the human fabric, like, who has it, and who doesn’t. Even if you do have it, not everyone can wield it the same as the next person. But, we are left wondering where magic came from, the extent of its powers, the rules…and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. It certainly left me wanting to read more. <— there’s another key element in a really good story.
We had a couple of twists and turns. There was more than one villain. And there was pain and struggle in order to come to the book’s conclusion. <—Yet a third element of a really good story. Something that is difficult to wrangle in a good Urban Fantasy tale is how to come to a satisfying conclusion without magic fixing everything. Adler was able to do this, and in fact, it was the mighty sorcerer who is too cocky and confident in his powers that led him to his ultimate downfall. See, kids, magic doesn’t solve everything!
Now, it says this is Book 1 of the Fae Touched series, and I certainly hope I get to see more of Ty and Cary. They make a good couple, and I’m curious to see where this all goes.
My Rating:
Purchase Links:
NineStar Press | Amazon | Kobo| Barnes & Noble
Meet the Author:
A voracious reader from the age of five, Isabelle Adler has always dreamed of one day putting her own stories into writing. She loves traveling, art, and science, and finds inspiration in all of these. Her favorite genres include sci-fi, fantasy, and historical adventure. She also firmly believes in the unlimited powers of imagination and caffeine.
J.P. Jackson 