Lightning in Her Hands

Wild Magic #2

by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Gifted—or cursed—with the power to influence the weather, one woman must embrace her wild heart in the next electric romance from the author of Witch of Wild Things.

Teal Flores is desperate for two things—control over her gift of weather, and a date to her ex’s wedding. The first isn’t possible until she finds her long-lost mother, but the second has a very handsome last-ditch solution: Carter Velasquez.

Carter needs Teal too. His chance at receiving an inheritance is dependent on him being married by age thirty (blame his traditional Cuban grandmother), so who better to pose as his wife than Teal? But fake marriage and cohabitation prove tricky when mutual attraction charges the atmosphere—quite literally for Teal, whose volatile emotions cause lightning strikes.

Together, Teal and Carter embark on a quest to find her mother and the answers she’s searching for. But along the way, they’ll discover something even better: a love that can weather any storm.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Audiobook, Paranormal, Fiction, Witches

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2024

About the author

Raquel Vasquez Gilliland is a Mexican American poet, novelist, and painter. She received an MFA in poetry from the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 2017. She’s most inspired by fog and seeds and the lineages of all things. When not writing, Raquel tells stories to her plants and they tell her stories back. She lives in Tennessee with her beloved family and mountains. Raquel has published two books of poetry. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is her first novel.

Reviews

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one hits all of the feels with its blend of second chance, friends to lovers, and fake marriage tropes going on. Then add in the witchy wiles and it becomes a wonderful romance that is witty, spicy, and a bit wild too!

There are so many things to love about this book. For me, much of it was that the main character and her sisters all have very unique gifts. Another thing I love is that while the sisters are together quite a bit, this story focuses more on the relationship between Teal and Carter. Thank goodness! There have been many similar books I have read that put most of the conversations and focus on family stuff and the romance is secondary.

The author is gifted at spinning a tale that is believable yet offers the fantasy aspects we are looking for. The plot is unique and interesting. It is a tough story to put down because Gilliland writes in such an addictive manner.

I love the connection between the two main characters. We get all of the spice and heat, plus the added bonus they were besties in the past which means a special bond and connection.

Lightning in Her Hands is a great choice for a trope-filled romance with a fantasy and paranormal romance twist.

~~~~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/lightning-in...

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally one of my favorite authors.

Teal is an unlikeable character (ugh, I hate that term) who wants to be Good. And tries so hard to do Good, and be less selfish. But so much of her "selfish" tendencies stem from complex childhood trauma, particularly from her mom literally stealing a piece of her soul when she was four years old. Teal is an abuse survivor: parental abuse, guardian neglect and abuse, and domestic violence, which she shrugs off as negligible because most of it was verbal and emotional, never physical (hint: abuse is never negligible). Teal is also bipolar, with highs and lows. The way Gilliland writes all of this is just so poignant. So personal, and so wonderfully done, creating a flawed but very human person who is unlearning and growing.

Anywho, the romance aspect was good. I'm not a huge fan of Carter, but he definitely grew throughout the book as well, seeing through and unlearning socially conditioned behaviors (the not-seeing is often the hardest part—a lot of times I don't think that favored children realize how abusive and manipulative their parents can be). By the end of the book, Teal and Carter were partners.

Also, the commentary on handbags is just *chef's kiss* perfection. Love it.

[Shelby (catching up on 2025 reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

MAGICAL MONDAY 🪄

Thank you #partner @berkleyromance for my #gifted copy 🫶🏼 #BerkleyIG #berkleyromancepartner #PenguinRandomHousePartner

Lightning in Her Hands
Wild Magic #2
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Available now

📖 The Flores family is back! In the second book of the Wild Magic series, we follow sister Teal, who enters a mutually-beneficial fake marriage with her childhood best friend, Carter, in exchange for him being her date to her ex's wedding. Carter must marry to gain access to his inheritance, and promises to share the money with Teal, who needs it to help track down her mom so she can gain control of her powers. But as Carter and Teal get closer, the magic that crackles between them has nothing to do with Teal's powers, and everything to do with their hearts. 🥹

💭 I adored Witch of Things last year, and loved being reunited with the boisterous, complicated, and oh-so-lovable Flores family in Lightning in Her Hands. This magical, steamy romance novel is beautifully written and multilayered. With the perfect blend of lightheartedness and depth, Gilliland tackles heavy subjects (abuse, abandonment, mental illness) but balances them with fantastic humor and wit. Rich with Latine culture, complicated family dynamics, and a swoony, emotionally-charged, slow-burn love story at its center, Lightning in Her Hands is a great addition to your October TBR and beyond!

📌 Available now!

[Shelby Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this Teal and Carter. I wanted to feel all of things the same way I did with Sage’s story in the first book. Teal just was not it. And don’t get me started on how immature and annoying Carter was, ESPECIALLY with the whole grandmother situation. While there were moments I felt attached to how Teal was processing her explosive reactions and working through processing her experiences, I mostly just cried, and not in a good way. I’m still excited for Sky’s book, but oh boy was this one a let down.

[Sherwood Smith]

I was drawn to this by the mix of Latina protags and witchery, and the author really delivered. I love the vivid writing and the crackling emotional pacing! The romance did include one of my least-liked tropes--Grand Misunderstanding Because They Don't Talk it Out--especially as these two have been besties for years. But the sisters, the relatives, and everything else drew me in and kept me reading. I really like this author, and am eager for Sage's story.

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved spending time with the Flores family in Witch of Wild Things, and was so happy to head back to their world, and learn more about Teal and her ability to control the weather (each sister and Aunt has their own unique ability). I adore the relationships between the sisters and how much they needle each other. This adds to an already emotionally complex story including heavier issues such as abuse and abandonment.

I enjoyed the paranormal elements and so appreciate that even someone who struggles with fantasy (me 🙋🏻‍♀️) can enjoy this one. There are clearly fantastical elements, but always rooted in reality. And then there is the spiciness. This slow burn romance never lacked for chemistry or tension. While I sometimes felt aggravated with Carter for his back and forth when it came to Teal, he ultimately grew on me.

I cannot recommend this series enough and am looking forward to the next.

Read if you like:
▪️marriage of convenience
▪️friends to lovers
▪️second chance
▪️books featuring sisters

Thank you Berkley and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.

[Amy's Book Cafe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the concept and the messy characters so much that the entire rating is because of that. This is a book that could have benefitted from dual pov. Also I think that the main conflict in the book which should have led to an epic showdown didn't live up to the expectations and wasn't the best. However my overall experience was really good.

[Just A Girl With Spirit · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC!!

[Azanta (azantareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was soooo fun and hilarious. Raquel is very quickly becoming one of my fav romance authors

[Madi Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn’t bad but I enjoyed the other book so much and was excited for this one only to be frustrated and bored. I didn’t buy the romance at all. I kept waiting for them to show me why they were best friends and show them becoming friends again. It was mostly them being pissed at each and having sex then BAM! “I love yous” dropped and it didn’t feel earned. I liked Teals journey but it didn’t feel as well done as the first books character growth. The sister bond was the only strong part of this

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the last book Teal was kind of a jerk, so I was wondering if I’d grow to like her, however it quickly becomes apparent that her actions came from a place of hurt. Now, Teal is on a mission of self-improvement, trying to be a better person, think of others, and right the wrongs of her past. I really started to like Teal as she made positive strides.

One of the wrongs was hurting her best friend, Carter. It’s clear from the beginning that there were deeper feelings between Carter and Teal, more than just friends. Unrequited love on Carter’s part, and Teal reluctantly acknowledging her attraction.

There was a lot going on with Teal dealing with feelings of abandonment from her mother (a real piece of work!) a woman who took a piece of Teal’s power over weather when she left, making it hard for Teal to control her gift. She also felt abandoned by her older sister, Sage and still feels guilty about her sister, Sky. Add to that Teal’s dealing with the aftereffects of being in an abusive relationship that put a dent in her self-esteem.

Lightning in Her Hands was a chemistry filled romance, but it was also a story of healing, and wonderful sisterly bonds. I also enjoyed Teal’s rude and feisty grandmother and her Aunt Nadia. They all supported Teal in her journey in their own way. While this is a separate romance, I still think it’s best to read the previous book as you get Teal and the sister’s history.

I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Judy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the first book in this trilogy. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this one because Teal was such a difficult character to like. I was so involved with Sage that I resented Teal's resentment, if that makes sense. It distracted me from all the things about Teal that would normally trigger my empathy and compassion.
In this book, Teal has decided to be more serious about working on her troubles. She makes a list of resolutions focusing on the 3 people she loves most in the world and she revisits it regularly to try to stay on a healing path.
Since I'm doing a lot of work in that direction myself, this book kept me in tears. Sad tears. Happy tears. Empathy tears. It hit me in my gut and it was wonderful.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I really enjoyed Sage’s story but LOVED Teal’s story. She’s going through so much, so many relatable emotions, that it’s no wonder she feels like a burden.

I also really liked exploring her relationship with Carter. She’s going through so many things and internalizes so many problems that it leads to many miscommunications with him, but I liked that Carter wasn’t the perfect guy either. A lot of MMCs are presented as ideal men but Carter had a lot to learn. Teal and Carter learned and grew together.

I can’t wait for Sky’s story!

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book in this series a year ago and enjoyed it, but I wasn't crazy about it. So I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one. I was pleasantly surprised because I enjoyed this very much. Teal gave off major Nesta Archeron vibes and I could relate to many aspects of her personality and trauma. In the first book I actually didnt care for the romance too much, but I did in this one. Teal and Carter were perfect for eachother and I am glad she finally for him to speak up to his awful grandmother.

[Sarah Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars! Carter tells Teal that she’s so easy to love.
😫😭♥️

[Catalina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

God, I've seen what you've done for others.
I'm a sucker for the "he's been in love with her for as long as he's known her" trope first and a human being second.

4 stars!!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always interested in the first book of this series, but never got around to it. After reading this one, I definitely need to go back.

I really liked Teal. She's angry and struggling and loyal to her family. I enjoyed reading about her gift and how the weather shifted around her. Sage and Sky are wonderful sisters and the scenes with all of them together were some of the best.

Plot wise, it's good. There are a fair amount of moving parts, but it all made sense and was necessary for the story. I could have easily done with 16371819 pages of all five women together because I loved the button pushing.

Overall, this is a rich and atmospheric story and I can't wait to read the next one.

FYI: abusive relationship in the past, but Teal thinks and talks about it a lot

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[lilyooka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up until 2am reading this book. On a workday. I also have a 3 year old, so voluntarily losing sleep over a book means it is definitely a 5 star read. The MC is flawed but still loveable and definitely grew through the book. The romantic lead is incredibly hot, sweet, devoted, and excels at cunnilingus. He has many other fine qualities, including enough flaws to be believable, but these were my particular favorites. The MC’s journey to self healing with the help of her sisters and family was gorgeous and lovingly crafted. The book dealt with enough heavy themes to provide emotional heft with plenty of sweet romance, lyrical writing, lush magical realism, and a dash of steam to strike just the right balance for a very fun read! This is one of my favorites of the year! This review was written for an ARC.

[Mia Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teal was a beautifully flawed character and I loved watching her grow. Having been in an abusive relationship in the past really affected the way she saw herself and being near Carter who has known and liked her since they were children was a great way for her to start reshaping her thinking. Carter is a wonderful hero and I really liked the chemistry he and Teal shared. Their connection is so long standing and deep and seeing it become more than friends is so fun!

I also loved learning more about Teal's power. I loved that her inability to experience her feelings became part of her magic. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland does a wonderful job writing magic that extenuates who a character is and I really enjoy reading it!

I'm super excited to read the final book in this trilogy. I am already obsessed with Sky and her tendency to read romance books and talk about them at inappropriate times. So far each sister has had a very different perspective and I can't wait to see hers!

Marcella Black did the audiobook narration and I really enjoyed it! She is a new to me audiobook narrator. I do tend to prefer when the audiobook narrator is the same throughout a series but I know that's not always possible.

Thanks to PRH audio for providing me with an ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awh man this one pains me because the first book in this series was a near perfect read. I could not connect to the plot of this one at all, it felt so juvenile!

Teal is dealing with some serious abandonment issues - first her mom who took a piece of her gift and left when she was a toddler, and then her older sister who has just returned to town after a prolonged absence. Only her best friend Carter has been a steadfast presence for her this whole time — except they haven’t been speaking after an incendiary kiss they shared a year ago. So when Teal asks him to be her date to her ex’s wedding, she’s shocked when he places a condition on it — he needs her to be his fake wife in order to claim his inheritance.

Teal is working through a lot in this book which I appreciated and respected, but the relationship felt more fizzle than sizzle. This is a man that’s been down bad for her for decades? Because it sure didn’t feel like it.

Definitely looking forward to Sky’s book next but this didn’t have the same magic for me sad to say! The relationship between the sisters felt way stronger than the relationship between Teal and Carter.

[Megan Tommasini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 1 was SOOO much better. This book had so much potential. I felt like sex was too important and the connection really lacked.

Also everything was resolved in like a page and a half??

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lightning in Her Hands is a fun and unique paranormal rom com that follows Teal as she searches for her mother, control of her powers, and a date for her ex’s wedding, and Carter who needs a wife to gain his inheritance. These friends turned lovers turned estranged people soon learn their feelings didn’t end when their relationship did.

Teal and her sisters all have abilities connected to the elements. For Teal, the weather is affected by her emotions. This is a power I definitely would not want to have. lol She can’t hide her feelings very well, as the tumultuous weather proves. She’s an interesting and layered character, who goes through so much throughout the story. I liked Carter too, though he definitely frustrated me at times.

Teal has been abused and emotionally manipulated for years and he, though understanding, doesn’t really get it. He’s being too vague with his feelings and letting her second guess herself. I hate this. He should know better. And he runs so hot and cold. I’m not loving his character. The fact that he sided with the grandmother earlier and then did this, which feels like a rejection even though I think it’s because she wants a quickie and he wants forever and making love, is so wrong. He has so much groveling to do. He’s so kind and understanding in some ways, it in others, he lacks empathy. I think, like Tral, he is a flawed person who doesn’t always do things right, but that doesn’t necessarily make him unlovable.

They definitely prove by the end that they are perfectly imperfect and they accept each other the way they are, and, overall, I liked their love story. I also really liked the strong messages about family, sisterhood, friendship, self-acceptance, and more. Though it’s a fun and romantic paranormal rom-com, it also has some touching and emotional moments and a lot of heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

[Alex Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up from Witch of Wild Things, this book follows another Flores sister, Teal. Teal’s magic involves lightning (and maybe weather in general?), but it’s wildly unpredictable—just like her moods. This story is full of fun romance tropes: ex-friends/lovers to lovers, big city to small town, the secretly successful hometown guy, and a fake relationship. Teal asks Carter to be her date to her ex’s wedding, and in return, Carter asks Teal to fake-marry him so he can access his inheritance. Surprisingly, though, they actually get married - they don't just fake it. Cue the mutual attraction that develops, and I think you can guess where it goes from there.

Meanwhile, Teal’s repairing old wounds and strengthening ties with her family, especially her sisters, Sage and Sky. Fans of the first book might remember Sky’s wild backstory, and she’s back here with a few scenes that made me laugh out loud—she has quite the dirty mind! Along the way, Teal and Carter team up to figure out why her magic’s so unreliable, leading them to finally address their mother’s disappearance and start healing as a family.

This book gets points for inclusivity by featuring a main character with bipolar disorder, which I’m always thrilled to see more of. However, as someone with bipolar myself, I didn’t feel it was portrayed very accurately. Some books capture the feelings behind bipolar disorder so naturally, even without mentioning it or making it part of the plot, that I’ve had to check if the author had personal experience—it just feels so spot-on. That wasn’t quite the case here. Teal’s bipolar felt more like it was trying to check-off the bipolar symptom list on a very surface level.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked the first one a bit more, but this one still kept me hooked—I finished it in two days. The romance was fun, and Carter was a standout. I’m guessing the third book will follow Sky, and it’s definitely going on my TBR list.

[USOM · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Lightning in Her Hands is emotional from page one. Reeling from the abuse of her previous relationship, Teal is determined to never feel that way again. At the hands of her ex not only did the things he say permeate into her own thoughts, no matter how hard she tries, her own past with her mother is echoed in the way these loved ones just take from her. So Teal is trying to make amends, deal with her emotions, and figure out how she can find herself again. The journey is messy, emotional, and heart wrenching. But it's also a story about showing up for someone, being honest, and realizing that not all is lost.

[Morgan Rohbock · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐
PG-13🌶️

I love a healing journey and these wonderfully witchy sisters, but Teal and Carter really need to go back and take Communication 101: How to Communicate with Your Partner instead signing up for Romance Trope 404: Marriage of Convenience.

[Sierra Klawitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little contemporary romance. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland deserves to be more popular.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

not me sobbing about healing intergenerational trauma at the end of this romance novel

[Kylie · Rating 2 out of 5]

book 1 is better:/ only really giving two stars because. i do like the sisters

[Jess Shumaker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I'm the only one who didn't like this? I liked the first one but Teal just annoyed the daylights outta me. I have a hard time reading books about people w bad mental health because as someone who has struggled w mental health, they are never portrayed right. Then later in the book, it explains why Teal is "broken" as she says. And yea it made the plot make more sense. But Teal is volitial. Thats not just bad mental health or trauma. Teal blames Sage for her leaving, not realizing that Sage basically lost a daughter when Sky "died". Teal pushes away the one good guy, choosing the abusive man so she didn't have to deal w those feelings. Teal often refers to her "past self" as "selfish Teal" and this book is supposed to be her making ammends and changing. In the end she feels like she is doing just that, but honestly if one of my sisters treated me the way Teal treats hers, we'd be no contact.

Sky was an interesting character and I'll return for book three only because of that.