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The Houdini Trait
A funny, flirty, twisty-turny romcom with a dash of spice and a drizzle of family history.
356 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2025
2 people are currently reading
About the author
S. Marie Jones
2 books4 followersEver had two lovers dueling for your hand and had to choose? I have.
No, not men. They’re just not that into me.
No, my swashbuckling lovers are my hobbies. Whenever I am writing romance—or trying to—I feel guilty for neglecting my latest family history mystery.
Likewise, when I’m deep-diving into genealogy, my romance characters Ivy and Nicholas moaned and groaned, clamoring to know their fate.
It got so bad, the ingrates actually tabled their animosity for each other and threatened me.
Me! Their greatest champion.
If I didn’t get a move on and meet their deadlines, they’d dump me and hire a ghost writer.
Well, I couldn’t really blame them. Their story’s been three decades in the making. They’re in their 60s now.
Really, I should thank them because their kvetching got me thinking.
Why not combine my love of romance with my love of family history?
And that’s what I’ve done. Infused my love stories with family mysteries to be solved.
I hope you enjoy reading Nicholas and Ivy’s love story as much as I’ve loved, hated, feared, faltered, persisted, and rejoiced in writing it.
No, not men. They’re just not that into me.
No, my swashbuckling lovers are my hobbies. Whenever I am writing romance—or trying to—I feel guilty for neglecting my latest family history mystery.
Likewise, when I’m deep-diving into genealogy, my romance characters Ivy and Nicholas moaned and groaned, clamoring to know their fate.
It got so bad, the ingrates actually tabled their animosity for each other and threatened me.
Me! Their greatest champion.
If I didn’t get a move on and meet their deadlines, they’d dump me and hire a ghost writer.
Well, I couldn’t really blame them. Their story’s been three decades in the making. They’re in their 60s now.
Really, I should thank them because their kvetching got me thinking.
Why not combine my love of romance with my love of family history?
And that’s what I’ve done. Infused my love stories with family mysteries to be solved.
I hope you enjoy reading Nicholas and Ivy’s love story as much as I’ve loved, hated, feared, faltered, persisted, and rejoiced in writing it.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 3, 2025
Ivy and Nicholas’s love story was never truly over. She walked away years ago, offering a reason Nicholas could never quite believe—and a heartbreak he never fully healed. Their journey is shaped by painful misunderstandings, and a connection that should never have been broken.
Now Ivy needs her husband’s help once more to save the daycare center she built from the ground up. And Nicholas, despite everything, discovers that he needs Ivy far more than he ever imagined.
Tender, emotional, and ultimately uplifting, this is a story about love and loss, forgiveness and hope—and finding your way back to the one place, and the one person, you were always meant to call home.
Now Ivy needs her husband’s help once more to save the daycare center she built from the ground up. And Nicholas, despite everything, discovers that he needs Ivy far more than he ever imagined.
Tender, emotional, and ultimately uplifting, this is a story about love and loss, forgiveness and hope—and finding your way back to the one place, and the one person, you were always meant to call home.
December 11, 2025
Tropes: Second Chance, Infertility, Fake Relationship/Reunion, Forced Proximity, Poor Self-Esteem/Mental Health Issues, Found Family, Outside Interference/Undercover Bully
Our author tells us that her novel, The Houdini Trait, was thirty years in the making. I sincerely hope that it doesn’t take another thirty years for her follow-up 😊. The Houdini Effect by S. Marie Jones is a well-crafted novel brimming with humor, some angst, misunderstandings, and a twisted path back to love. Bright, nerdy high school senior, Ivy, is enjoying her last year of high school, and the novel starts with the defining event that has an impact on every romantic relationship that Ivy has had SINCE high school. To her utter surprise she is dating one of the most popular boys in her class, BJ. BJ is a catch by any standards, from a wealthy family, handsome AND the varsity quarterback. Bowing to family and societal pressure, BJ informs Ivy that the rumor that he is taking her nemesis to the senior prom is indeed true. Ivy’s self-esteem and confidence are shattered. When we encounter Ivy again almost a decade and a half later, her world has again been shattered, only she is the author of her destruction. In a nod at family unity and generational wisdom, Ivy has numerous insightful and grounding conversations with her deceased grandmother. Even with her grandmother’s spiritual guidance, since BJ, Ivy had a few tepid relationships until she met, fell in love with AND married Nicholas Barrett, real estate mogul. To Nicholas’s horror and their families’ surprise, almost two years ago, Ivy abandoned their marriage with a paltry and patently false explanation. Now Ivy has come to Nicholas AGAIN for help concerning her beloved daycare, will he seize this golden opportunity to get answers about why she left him so abruptly? An opening for the needed closure comes about when Nicholas has a sensitive question about his family’s ancestry. With her love of genealogy, Nicholas proposes that Ivy unravel his family’s mystery while living with him and in turn he will help her with her daycare woes. With a desperation that he is unwilling to acknowledge, Nicholas seizes this slim plan. Maybe once he knows the “why” he will be able to make peace, pick up the pieces and move on. Or maybe not…
Conclusion:
This story was an awesome debut and reading the energetic dialog was as natural as breathing. Ivy and Nicholas suffered so sweetly and perhaps needlessly. They needed to just communicate more effectively. They kept getting ALMOST to the point and then backing away. Ivy had my sympathy, even as I wished she would share her truths with the important people in her life. She allowed a youthful disappointment to shape the trajectory of her romantic relationships. Nicholas also had relationship challenges, but he arguably had a better handle on his coping skills than Ivy 😊. I liked that the villain of the story was unequivocally vile and ended up allowing self-absorptive arrogance to trip them up. Ms. Jones also created a stellar array of secondary characters in parents, stepparents, siblings, and found friends. I would love to read stories starring Nicholas’ college bros and/or Ivy’s best friend/cousin!
Favorite Lines:
“Cassidy Miller’s telling the whole school you asked her to the senior prom.
“Is it safe to enter, or do you two need a private moment?”
“I’ve got all the piece I need. Peace of mind.“
Good daycare is such a prized commodity these days, and City Sandbox provides top-notch childcare to Bed-Stuy families.
But if words resembling got a fantastic business proposition for you come out of his mouth, I might blast a full-grown cow out of my ass.
I swear, somebody needs to teach bad news some manners. Maybe explain how invitations work.
What’s this? She actually cares? I crush the thought like a bug. Not that I crush bugs.
How could I have been so into Ivy Hart, but be as lovable as foot fungus to her?
Dang. Grandma Stella is even nosier in the afterlife.
Dinnergate, Deep Chicken Neck. Oh, I know, Operation Potato Salad.”
Any laughing, loving, and supporting happening up in here is by me for me.
“That’s my girl. Now let’s go do battle.”
So, I will do it. Just not today.
https://theretiredreader.com/f/the-ho...
Our author tells us that her novel, The Houdini Trait, was thirty years in the making. I sincerely hope that it doesn’t take another thirty years for her follow-up 😊. The Houdini Effect by S. Marie Jones is a well-crafted novel brimming with humor, some angst, misunderstandings, and a twisted path back to love. Bright, nerdy high school senior, Ivy, is enjoying her last year of high school, and the novel starts with the defining event that has an impact on every romantic relationship that Ivy has had SINCE high school. To her utter surprise she is dating one of the most popular boys in her class, BJ. BJ is a catch by any standards, from a wealthy family, handsome AND the varsity quarterback. Bowing to family and societal pressure, BJ informs Ivy that the rumor that he is taking her nemesis to the senior prom is indeed true. Ivy’s self-esteem and confidence are shattered. When we encounter Ivy again almost a decade and a half later, her world has again been shattered, only she is the author of her destruction. In a nod at family unity and generational wisdom, Ivy has numerous insightful and grounding conversations with her deceased grandmother. Even with her grandmother’s spiritual guidance, since BJ, Ivy had a few tepid relationships until she met, fell in love with AND married Nicholas Barrett, real estate mogul. To Nicholas’s horror and their families’ surprise, almost two years ago, Ivy abandoned their marriage with a paltry and patently false explanation. Now Ivy has come to Nicholas AGAIN for help concerning her beloved daycare, will he seize this golden opportunity to get answers about why she left him so abruptly? An opening for the needed closure comes about when Nicholas has a sensitive question about his family’s ancestry. With her love of genealogy, Nicholas proposes that Ivy unravel his family’s mystery while living with him and in turn he will help her with her daycare woes. With a desperation that he is unwilling to acknowledge, Nicholas seizes this slim plan. Maybe once he knows the “why” he will be able to make peace, pick up the pieces and move on. Or maybe not…
Conclusion:
This story was an awesome debut and reading the energetic dialog was as natural as breathing. Ivy and Nicholas suffered so sweetly and perhaps needlessly. They needed to just communicate more effectively. They kept getting ALMOST to the point and then backing away. Ivy had my sympathy, even as I wished she would share her truths with the important people in her life. She allowed a youthful disappointment to shape the trajectory of her romantic relationships. Nicholas also had relationship challenges, but he arguably had a better handle on his coping skills than Ivy 😊. I liked that the villain of the story was unequivocally vile and ended up allowing self-absorptive arrogance to trip them up. Ms. Jones also created a stellar array of secondary characters in parents, stepparents, siblings, and found friends. I would love to read stories starring Nicholas’ college bros and/or Ivy’s best friend/cousin!
Favorite Lines:
“Cassidy Miller’s telling the whole school you asked her to the senior prom.
“Is it safe to enter, or do you two need a private moment?”
“I’ve got all the piece I need. Peace of mind.“
Good daycare is such a prized commodity these days, and City Sandbox provides top-notch childcare to Bed-Stuy families.
But if words resembling got a fantastic business proposition for you come out of his mouth, I might blast a full-grown cow out of my ass.
I swear, somebody needs to teach bad news some manners. Maybe explain how invitations work.
What’s this? She actually cares? I crush the thought like a bug. Not that I crush bugs.
How could I have been so into Ivy Hart, but be as lovable as foot fungus to her?
Dang. Grandma Stella is even nosier in the afterlife.
Dinnergate, Deep Chicken Neck. Oh, I know, Operation Potato Salad.”
Any laughing, loving, and supporting happening up in here is by me for me.
“That’s my girl. Now let’s go do battle.”
So, I will do it. Just not today.
https://theretiredreader.com/f/the-ho...
December 15, 2025
The little thread of mystery kept my attention. Why did Ivy leave Nicholas? What did Nicholas' aunt mean by his family parentage?
As for the pace, it was a bit slow for me, the characters had internal streams of consciousness that prolonged a scene that could have been wrapped up quickly.
About halfway in we make little progress on Nicholas' family mystery, but I had my prediction confirmed on why Ivy left.
Nicholas annoyed me with his blind sidedness to Jessica and her haterade. He's not a true ally, which makes Ivy's cultural difference reason for leaving him a valid one to me.
Also Damien's character read a little like a magical negro, helping the white character gain clarity on the obvious. Urgh. I didn't like Nicholas for Ivy at this point. He needs to do the work.
But the story read more like Nicholas' character benefitting from his black wife and her family rather than a reciprocal relationship. Meh. FMC ok, thumbs down for MMC.
I received this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As for the pace, it was a bit slow for me, the characters had internal streams of consciousness that prolonged a scene that could have been wrapped up quickly.
About halfway in we make little progress on Nicholas' family mystery, but I had my prediction confirmed on why Ivy left.
Nicholas annoyed me with his blind sidedness to Jessica and her haterade. He's not a true ally, which makes Ivy's cultural difference reason for leaving him a valid one to me.
Also Damien's character read a little like a magical negro, helping the white character gain clarity on the obvious. Urgh. I didn't like Nicholas for Ivy at this point. He needs to do the work.
But the story read more like Nicholas' character benefitting from his black wife and her family rather than a reciprocal relationship. Meh. FMC ok, thumbs down for MMC.
I received this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 10, 2025
Such a cutesy romance novel! The chemistry between Ivy and Nicholas is fantastic. Add in an ancestry hunt and several sweet moments between the couple, and you get a story that keeps you blushing from start to finish. Highly recommend.
December 16, 2025
I liked it!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews