Reviews

A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

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4.0

A Spell For Trouble by Esme Addison is the debut of An Enchanted Bay Mystery series. I enjoyed reading this paranormal cozy mystery. I thought A Spell For Trouble was well-written with developed characters. The author took the time to set the stage as I call it. We are introduced to the characters and the town. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Bellamy Bay. Alex Daniels is a complex woman. She is a little lost when she arrives in town, but Alex soon becomes a strong protagonist. She is a woman that readers will like and will cheer her on. I like that she is proactive in investigating. I enjoyed getting to know Alex and her smart, intuitive canine, Athena. Alex has a kind aunt and friendly cousins. I thought the secondary characters were developed and they round out the cast nicely. They definitely enhanced the story. The mystery was entertaining. I love a complex whodunit that is full of twists and surprises. This was a fun one to solve. There are several themes woven into A Spell For Trouble that include a magical ancestry, family rivalries, a murder, secrets, innuendo, and the importance of family. The magical components are compelling and nicely incorporated into the story. A Spell For Trouble is a great start to this enchanting series. I am eager to read A Hex for Danger. A Spell for Trouble is a magical tale with an instinctive canine, kind cousins, a messy murder, a fervent reporter, a bitter brew, and helpful healers.

lynguy1's review against another edition

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4.0

A SPELL FOR TROUBLE by Esme Addison is the first book in the An Enchanted Bay paranormal cozy mystery series. The story takes place in Bellamy Bay, North Carolina and the author does a great job of world-building.
Alexandra Daniels lost her mother when she was young and recently lost her father. She hasn’t been to visit her aunt and cousins in North Carolina since she was a child. Instead, she has focused on her career in risk management in New York. However, she decides to accept an invitation and visit her relatives and help them for a few weeks in their family business, an herbal apothecary.

Alex is a compelling character that is engaging and someone you can root for. Her goals were clear and proactive enough to influence the plot with believable motivations. The secondary characters were well-rounded and enhanced the story. I was immediately drawn into the story and the vivid descriptions of the seaside town gave me a great sense of the place.

There are a lot of themes woven into this story including murder, marital affairs, secrets, rumors, family rivalries, making wrong assumptions, the importance of family, and much more. While I guessed who the murderer was, there were several twists and turns along the way and one very large surprise.

Overall, I enjoyed this well-written novel and recommend the series to those that enjoy this genre. It is the first book that I have read by this author and I am already looking forward to the next one. I liked how magic was weaved into the plot of this cozy mystery without overwhelming it. This was a solid start to a new series that was engaging and entertaining.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Esme Addison for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

dangerous_mouse's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

The characters, setting, and concept had potential for a fun cozy mystery series, but the writing was occasionally so terrible it felt painful to continue.

laura1980458's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

danileighta's review against another edition

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4.0

A cute, cozy mystery with some surprising twists. When I hear about magical mysteries, I'm usually game. This one had an interesting premise with Polish water witches as the main characters based on mermaid folklore from Poland. (I knew of the Danish mermaid fairytale, but I wasn't aware of the Polish version.)

Definitely cozy, but some meaty intrigue. We have a lot to learn about Alex's past and the fued between her family and the Wesleys. I'm looking forward to the next in the series, though disappointed that I'll have to wait nearly 8 months! Ah well, it's probably good that she's not cranking them out at Patterson speeds.

faithgaubault's review against another edition

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lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

3.0

shellmc's review

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? No

2.0

mrsloudlibrarian's review against another edition

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

blacksunflower's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

peony_xo's review

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Narrator sounded too robotic. Might revisit in print/ebook format.