4.5 Stars
Bay, Thistle, and Clove come from a long line of witches and they live in a town that recently rebranded itself as a magical town based on witches. It's an "open secret" around town about their family being weird, but they still deny it. They live in the guesthouse attached to the inn their mothers and great aunt run, Winnie, Marnie, Twila, and Aunt Tillie. No one messes with Aunt Tillie because it's just not worth it, she always gets even. When she does, you wish she hadn't. She's rude, she's evil, but she's loyal. The three mothers are kitchen witches and are the best cooks and bakers around, so the inn is becoming known for its wonderful food. It's also becoming known for its "dinner theater". The constant family wrangling that goes on in the kitchen among the seven women carries over to the table and into the evening and the guests think it's staged for them due to its quality of drama. And drama there is at the inn. Aunt Tillie is always trying to get away with something or cursing someone or ordering things like scorpions named Fred over the internet. The three mothers attempt to control her or have the three cousins "babysit". The hijinks are hilarious. The constant drama all underlined by a strong sense of love is amazing. Add to this two lawmen and three ex-husbands. The local sheriff is a favorite at the inn and the three moms vie for his attention. A newcomer to town is a hunky young undercover FBI agent who immediately falls for Bay while suspecting her of murder. While the three exes/estranged fathers open an inn in competition with the moms across town. Put all that into your cauldron along with several murders, old and new, some ghosts and such, drug runners, child traffickers, a poltergeist, and a high school bully and simmer on high until it boils over! This is the series that has you reading just one more book. It's nice they come in bundles so you have several at a time! Recommended.