From Bad to Cursed

March 28, 2022
Harper’s entertaining sequel to Payback’s a Witch continues to explore the complicated relationships between Thistle Grove’s four magical founding families while putting fan-favorite Rowan Thorn front and center. Necromantic witch Issa Avramov may come off as coldhearted, but those closest to her know how deeply she cares for animals and understand why she still holds a grudge against vet-in-training Rowan for costing Issa her volunteer job at the shelter years before. So when dark magic harms a member of the Thorn family and damages their land right before a major town celebration, Issa is the natural suspect. To clear her name, she must partner with Rowan to find the real perpetrator. In the process, they discover that their mutual animosity obscures an undeniable attraction—and that there is much more to the attack on the Thorns than either of them could have imagined. With a fresh, fun voice, Harper brilliantly blends romance, mystery, and magic. Series fans will not be disappointed. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.

Starred review from April 1, 2022

Thistle Grove's annual Beltane celebration is disrupted when one participant is robbed of her magic and seriously harmed by a necromantic curse. As the victim's cousin, Rowan Thorn is determined to find the culprit. The prime suspects are members of the Avramov family, who specialize in necromancy. To prove her family is innocent, Isidora Avramov, black sheep and demon summoner, reluctantly becomes Rowan's co-detective. Unfortunately, Rowan and Issa have been archenemies ever since Rowan got Issa banished from volunteering at the local animal shelter. While the two hunt down clues together, their preconceived notions about each other, their families, and their magics are challenged, and both are unsettled to discover desire replacing animosity. When another necromantic curse almost kills Rowan, Issa saves him and opens up her heart and her secrets to him. VERDICT Harper (Payback's a Witch) continues "The Witches of Thistle Grove" series strong, delivering a second installment packed with mystery, danger, lots of love-to-hate-you foreplay, family drama, and an identity crisis thrown in. Sound like a lot? It is, but still oh so fun. Highly recommended.--Eve Stano

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May 1, 2022
Rarely is the second book in a series better than the first, but as Harper continues her Witches of Thistle Grove series, following Payback's a Witch (2910), the world building and exploration of family cultures enhances this already fascinating setting. The magical community of Thistle Grove is preparing for the Flower Moon festival that starts off with the choosing of the May Queen. When Holly Thorn starts conjuring her gorgeous tapestry of strawberries and foliage on the stage of the competition and is attacked by a withering spell, she fights it but is injured, and much of the orchard is destroyed. Emmy Harlow, presiding Victor of the Wreath, pairs costume-and-set designer Isadora Avramov with veterinarian Rowan Thorn, enemies since they worked together at an animal shelter in their youth, and orders them to find the culprit. Their search takes them into deadly supernatural danger. Can these two--one a witch who works with ectoplasm and spirits of the dead, the other a witch who is all about growth and healing--find common ground, let alone romance? Harper's latest is imaginative and captivating.

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Starred review from March 15, 2022
Opposites attract in this witchy enemies-to-lovers romance. It's springtime in Thistle Grove, a quaint magical town readers were introduced to in Payback's a Witch (2021). Isidora Avramov has been unsatisfied working for the family business lately, but she doesn't think she could ever tell her mother how she feels for fear of being a disappointment. At least she has the Flower Moon Festival to look forward to, until a member of the Thorn family, practitioners of green magic, is cursed with the necromantic magic the Avramov family is known for. Issa begrudgingly teams up with Rowan Thorn to investigate, each representing their families. Their opposite types of magic have always created a rift between the families, and Issa holds a grudge against Rowan in particular. They butted heads when working together years ago, and she's still annoyed with his do-gooder hero energy. She knows he makes assumptions about her because of her family and magic, and yeah, sometimes she summons demons, but she also has a caring heart! As the unlikely duo follow the clues and begin to unlearn long-held beliefs about each other, attraction blossoms and grows into irresistible desire and deep understanding. Atmospheric and lush, this captivating story ignites the senses. The magic lends itself to big, cinematic scenes, while conflicts about familial expectations and mental health struggles ground the story with realness. The romantic relationship is emotionally rich and deliciously sexy. Issa's wry first-person narrative effortlessly ties together the mystery, fantasy, and romance elements. Exhilarating, heartfelt, and entirely bewitching.

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