Almost Magic

by J.M. Kelley

SPLINTERED CATEGORY ROMANCE #102
MagicalParanormal


When it came to Vivian Burroughs’ unique connection with nature, her grandmother always said, ‘Mediocrity may not burn as bright as a firecracker, but it seldom blows up in your face.’ But the old woman never advised her on what to do when a sexy new neighbor stokes the flames of attraction.


Jack Riley, a still-grieving widower, relocates from the big city to small-town Essex Woods with his young daughter, Elizabeth. His introduction to Vivian leaves him enchanted, but rumors regarding her abilities soon come to light. Is the local beauty a witch or merely the product of an eccentric upbringing by her mother Fred and Aunt Lil, identical twins with a penchant for mischief?


Jack is intrigued by the mystery surrounding the woman, considering the complexities of raising the precocious Elizabeth, a child with frighteningly accurate intuitiveness. As he reluctantly draws closer to Vivian, he also discovers how deep his daughter’s gifts run. Can Jack accept the truth about his own flesh and blood, as well as a second chance at love?

Genres: Contemporary

ebook

First published June 15, 2013

About the author

Three years ago, native Pennsylvanian J.M. Kelley packed her bags and moved south. Now, the wannabe Carolina Girl can’t speak a single sentence without adding the word y’all at the end of it, and regards a blast of snow flurries as a doomsday-level event. When the day job allows, and when she can pull herself away from George Takei’s Facebook fanpage, she likes to go on writing jaunts to her favorite lake, or a local coffee shop with delicious shakes and questionable Wi-Fi connections.

J.M. Kelley is a proud recipient of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary award, and is a member of The South Carolina Writers Workshop and Romance Writers of America (PAN).

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

A delightful story with lots of interesting characters, magic and mischief!

Read full review in the 2014 May issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Habrewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Magic by JM Kelley
*This book is part of my personal library*

Vivian has always had a connection with nature and now the people of Essex Woods look to her for her herbal remedies. Even though she by most people, there are some that believe her and her family are witches. She has lived with this stigma all her life and it has affected her love life. She’s resigned herself to being alone until a handsome stranger and his daughter move in. There is something about Jack Riley and his little girl that draws her to them.

Jack is trying to do the best he can to raise his daughter when he moves them to the small town. He thinks it will be better for both of them to get away from the city and the memory of his deceased wife. Jack is suffering from insomnia and is worn out to the point that the thinks he’s seeing things when his “wife” shows up at their new house. Elizabeth has a secret of her own though that she is afraid to share with her father because she doesn’t want to worry him. Elizabeth can sense the anguish her mother is causing her dad and doesn’t know how to help him. Maybe the local herbalist can help them both.

Vivian has a huge heart, loves to help people and wants someone of her own to love. She has had trouble dating all her life due to the rumors regarding her family so she spends her time with her flowers and garden. When a handsome stranger moves to town, she is entranced by him. She is drawn to him and his daughter and loves spending time with them. The best part is he doesn’t put any stock in the rumors, until his is affected.

Jack is searching for something, he just doesn’t know what. He moved to the quite town hoping to give them a new start but that’s hard to do when you are haunted by your deceased wife. He thinks he’s losing his mind and the only time he feels at peace is with Vivian. When he takes a leap of faith and let’s go of his preconceived notions, things begin to look up for the couple.

I love the secondary characters in the book from the nosey neighbor to Viv’s mom and aunt; they just enough humor to have you laughing out loud. The eccentric old ladies are so much fun and speak their mind no matter what. They each have their own special talents and set out on a plan that will surely get Viv and jack together, nothing can go wrong – right? The author does a good job of including the secondary characters just enough so they don’t take away from the main characters but enhance their story.

I think Jack and Viv and good together. He is lost and she is looking for acceptance; together they find what they need. He doesn’t judge her based on the rumors he’s heard, he accepts her for who she is. They are drawn to each other and enjoy each other’s company. I enjoyed how the story between them unfolded; it was full of laughter, love, heartache and tears. They didn’t instantly fall in love but had to fight for what they wanted.

I love this author; one of my all-time favorite books is Drew in Blue by her and this story was right up there. Overall I really enjoyed Jack and Viv’s story and give Almost Magic 4 Flaming Hearts.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Almost Magic” by J.M. Kelley is a sweet fantasy romance that centers around widower Jack Riley who has moved to s small town called Essex Woods with his adorable daughter, Elizabeth. Still haunted by the tragic loss of his wife, Jack is ill-prepared to cope with the mysteries surrounding his attractive neighbor, Vivian Burroughs, especially when rumors of witchcraft are whispered about her and her mom and aunt. Unfortunately, Vivian realizes that there is far more to the charming Elizabeth than Jack is quite prepared to cope with and her interference, no matter how well-intentioned, inevitably has negative consequences. It will take more than meddling from Vivian’s well-intentioned relatives to overcome the obstacles which guard Jack’s heart but fortunately, there is plenty of magic to call upon in their sleepy town, both real and imagined.

This delightful story combines a contemporary setting with mystical elements to create a lovely romantic tale. The intriguing concept of guilt personified is contrasted with the concept of telepathy and its impact on the unwary. The wonderful depiction of a caring father who is somewhat out of his depth but gamefully trying to cope with the burden of responsibility of raising a somewhat precocious daughter provides a heart-tugging tale that is leavened by the entertaining antics of two elderly woman who want the best for their own beloved relative. I love the aura of small-town life that is depicted in this feel-good story with its combination of humor and emotion and look forward to reading other works by this talented author.

A copy of this delightful story was provided in return for an honest review

[Phyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meddling relatives enable an herbalist to find love, but can she keep it - and is he worth it? Vivian is not a witch - despite what the gossips gossip. She is open to spirit and energy that others may call magic. Jack is a widow raising a four year old, but he's not exactly alone. He's haunted by the ghost of his dead wife. In addition, although his little girl knows to hide it from him, she can read minds - or rather, the thoughts of others invade her thoughts. Maybe it's magic which draws the little girl to the young woman. Whatever the reason, Vivian immediately recognizes the little girl's gift.

Author JM Kelley presents characters that are both lifelike and relatable, scenarios which are commonplace without being boring, a little bit of romance, and evidence of the supernatural becoming natural when emotions run high and passions are strong. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Disclaimer: I am a fellow author, and received a complimentary copy of the text in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. From the main characters to the small town feel to the quirky supporting cast, it was a pleasure to read. While it has paranormal elements those elements did not over shadow the story.
Vivian the heroine is from Essex Woods a small town with a habit of being in everyone's business. Rumors have been going around for generations that the Burroughs women have certain 'gifts' Vivian's mom and aunt notorious for their special skills.
Jack a widower looking to start over with his young daughter is immediately smittened by Vivian but feels the guilt over the loss of his wife and moving on too soon. Add the fact that his own daughter may have a bit of magic in her as well and this leads to encounters Jack may not be quite ready to accept.

I think people will have a great time reading this story.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this author wrote a magical story into a very satisfying, pretty romance. J.M. Kelley keeps growing as an author. If you like your romance with a HEA, do yourself a favor and read this book!