Starred review from August 2, 2021
Harper makes her adult debut (after YA novel Blood Countess, written as Lana Popović) with a queer rom-com that bewitches from the very first page. Almost a decade after Emmy Harlow fled small-town Thistle Grove with a broken heart, she returns home. Once a generation, the four magical families of Thistle Grove gather for a tournament to decide the strongest family, and the Harlows have always been the unbiased arbiter. This year’s competition becomes complicated when Emmy is drawn into a plan to help her best friend, Linden Thorn, and the alluring Talia Avramov seek revenge on the man who double-timed them, Gareth Blackmoore—who also happens to be the heartbreaker who drove Emmy from her home in the first place. Talia, Gareth, and Linden’s twin brother will all compete in the tournament while Emmy must remain impartial—a task which proves difficult as her anger toward Gareth grows, though not as quickly as her attraction to Talia. This magical joyride manages to feel both vibrantly current and timelessly mystical while avoiding the typical queer rom-com stereotypes. Combining John Tucker Must Die with a helping of an adult Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and a dash of Charmed, this addictive concoction begs for adaptation. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.
August 15, 2021
A young witch, desperate for a normal life, reluctantly returns to her magical hometown for a traditional gathering. After almost five years living a magic-free life in Chicago, Emmy Harlow thought she'd finally gotten Thistle Grove out of her system for good. Driven away by a horrible breakup with her first love, Gareth Blackmoore, and her dissatisfaction with being a member of the weakest of the town's four witchy clans, Emmy is sure she's much happier in the city working for faux magic subscription service Enchantify than she ever could be at home. But her duty as scion of the Harlow family means her presence is expected at this year's Gauntlet of the Grove. Held every 50 years, the competition tests the strength, wit, and skills of each of the town's three most powerful families--the Blackmoores, the Avramovs, and the Thorns--with the Harlows acting as arbiters and record-keepers. The winning family's magic power is increased, bending fortune in their favor and giving them ultimate influence over the town and its economy. Since the Blackmoores have been winning "since pretty much time's inception," the other families and their respective businesses are now struggling to survive. When Emmy is approached by her best friend, Linden Thorn, and the gorgeous Avramov scion, Talia, with a scheme to rig the competition against Blackmoore scion Gareth, she agrees--changing the course of the families' histories forever in the process. The action of the Gauntlet takes a back seat to the characters' personal dramas and the intense romance that develops between Emmy and Talia. But the author's writing shines in the small moments, particularly in the lush language used to capture the enchanting, autumnal atmosphere of quaint Thistle Grove and its supernatural allure. Readers are sure to fall under the magic spell of Thistle Grove and its inhabitants.
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Starred review from October 1, 2021
In a new series by Harper (pen name of Lana Popovic, author of the YA series "Lady Slayers"), Emmy Harlow is reluctant to go home to Thistle Grove, but she must become the next arbiter for a magical tournament that pits its founding families against each other. Emmy's heart was broken years ago by Gareth Blackmoore, and she finds upon her arrival that her best friend, Linden, was seeing Gareth at the same time he was with Talia Avramov. In retaliation, Talia teams up with Linden's brother in the tournament to beat Gareth and the Blackmoore clan, who almost always win. Originally, Emmy wanted nothing more than to get back to her nonmagical life in Chicago. However, the more she regains her magical abilities, which are tied to the town, and the more she gets to know the incredibly sexy yet spooky Talia, Emmy wonders if leaving means giving up what she wants most. VERDICT With a satisfying end to the tournament, and smart, funny characters who support one another, Harper's series is off to a fantastic start. Highly recommended.--Eve Stano, Ball State Univ. Muncie, IN
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 1, 2021
In the bad beginning to her first visit home to Thistle Grove after leaving for college and career, Emmeline Harlow runs into her nemesis, Gareth Blackmoore. After he broke her heart, she gave up her magic and left the town, family, and friends she loved. Thistle Grove was founded 300 years ago by four witches who decreed that every 50 years the scions of the Blackmoore, Avramov, and Thorn families would compete in the Gauntlet to determine which family would preside over all things magical for the next half-century. The Harlow scion serves as arbiter of the competition. The Blackmoores have won every time but once, enabling them to build a witch-themed tourism empire, while the other founding families falter. Emmy finds herself powerfully attracted to Talia, the glamorous Avramov scion. They team up with Rowan, the Thorn scion, in an effort to beat Gareth. YA writer Harper's first adult romance offers an imaginative and intriguing portrayal of magic, and a bisexual female romance between Emmy and Talia, and launches the promising Witches of Thistle Grove series.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
December 1, 2021
Emmy Harlow's return to her hometown to participate in the Gauntlet, a spellcasting tournament, is initially the direct result of her parents guilting her. Upon her return, she runs into Garett Blackmoore, who she lost her virginity to and who broke her heart when he declared her not a powerful enough witch. As the Harlows are the traditional Arbiters of the contest, Emmy realizes that they are seen as the administrative family, rather than having access to the stronger abilities and powers of the others. After all, that was the reason why she left to start a life of her own. When she discovers that Garett has in fact had relationships with both her best friend, Linden Thorn, and the stunning, powerful Talia Avramov, all three witches realize the time and opportunity has come to show him that his actions have consequences. Harper provides a setting and characters that readers will enjoy, without ever giving them a predictable or easy outcome, including an unexpected HEA. The characters are related to famous witches, and their contest will keep readers involved. VERDICT Readers are given an enjoyable story with an attempt at revenge while Emmy herself discovers a greater meaning in magic after having lost it, and begins to have feelings for Talia.-Betsy Fraser, Calgary Public Lib., Canada
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.