Add in an extra squirt of knitting/yarn knowledge and a sprinkling of romance. *(And my personal favorite) I’d rather be trapped in a wind tunnel with Donald Trump’s hair.Mix a centuries old spell, a knitting store, and a murder. *Was I overreacting? Of course I was, but believe me when I say postnatal hormones can kick PMS ass. And let’s be honest, bigger boobs didn’t hurt either. *I definitely loved the knowledge that every day that passed brought me twenty-four hours closer to meeting our daughter. *But it wasn’t the good kind of silent because I could hear her bitching in three other dimensions. *I don’t know who you are, but if you lead me to the Belgian waffles I’ll send your kid to Harvard. I laughed out loud when Chloe makes a joke at a MacKenzie family brunch that falls flat and she complains it was like, “having a ton of bricks fall on my inner wiseass.” Some of my favorite punchlines included:

For Bretton, it’s also a great fodder for her natural comedic style. The interaction of humans and creatures of fantasy is a great source of conflict for paranormal authors. Having that many humans want to insert themselves into a carefully concealed life of is not without amusement. She craves and wants very much for her daughter to have that connection so she embraces the pushy MacKenzie clan, nosey mother-in-law and all-despite Luke and Elspeth’s, the surly troll who lives with them, very vocal misgivings. While Chloe has lived most of her life with the protection and support of a village full of magical creatures, she has also lived without the stability of her own biological family, killed when she was very young. You can’t have a family theme without including extended family. Even building a new life from the wreckage of my old one. The rush of love I felt for Chloe and our daughter almost brought me to my knees…. The lump in my throat was the size of a hubcap.

Even as a mother myself, I thought it was incredibly romantic not when Chloe reflected on the experience of childbirth, but when Luke did.

While they’re waiting on doctors, Luke thoughtfully brings Chloe her knitting bag with a simple, “I thought you might want this.” Chloe notes, “At that moment those socks-in-progress were all that stood between me and utter panic.” The book changes narrating voices between Chloe, Luke, and Luke’s sister Meghan. When baby Laria has cause to be seen at the local human hospital, Chloe is grateful that Luke has provided for medical insurance, something that it never occurred to her she or her daughter would need in their protected, magical community. It is definitely romantic to be cared for and anticipated by the man you love. In this set-up for the mysteries to come, there are still romantic elements.

Casting spells by barbara bretton