Sixpence & Whiskey

Toil & Trouble #1

by Heather R. Blair

Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ASIN B01CZINZ42 here.

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes....

It's not easy being a witch. Especially when you're the youngest and least talented of four sisters. But Persephone Gosse manages the same way she manages her Duluth bar, Toil & Trouble.

With hard work, a smart mouth—and a lot of whiskey.

Seph likes her quiet life...as quiet as it can be when the king of the bears wants her as his queen, a werewolf (or three) wants her dead, and her cold-as-ice ex, Jack Frost, wants...

Well, she hasn't quite figured that out yet.

But with a bounty on her head and time running out on a half-forgotten prophecy, Seph better get a clue before this witch's brew blows up in her face.

*This book is the first of a 3-part serial*

Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Magic, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance

152 pages, ebook

First published September 10, 2018

About the author

Heather R. Blair wrote her first book in the first grade and hasn't stopped since. Back then it was all about horses, now it's pretty much the dark, sexy and shivery.

She lives in the frozen north of Minnesota, near that big gorgeous lake called Superior and enjoys hiking when the snow melts. She also does murals, rides herd on four monsters(otherwise known as children), is slightly obsessed with Martin Freeman, British television and things that go bump in the night.

She loves reading,(duh!)and interacting with other bibliophiles and authors. Feel free to bug her at will and sign up for her newsletter to get shiny new promos, free stuff and MORE!

https://linktr.ee/heatherrblairauthor

Check out works in progress and upcoming releases on pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heatherr4300/

Reviews

[Ashleyjo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Well, that wasn't lousy."

Damn straight it wasn't!

I've died and gone my ass straight to paranormal snark paradise. Seriously, this is the book equivalent of...



World Building

Normal town of Duluth, Minnesota has all sorts of fabulous creatures living amongst them and blending into society. Witches, shifters, gnomes, fairies, werewolves, sprites, elementals, etc... They're all here and fabulous.

When I saw "fairytale" in the blurb and reviews, it made me nervous. I've read a couple fairytale spoofs and spins and they didn't really work for me because the theme overwhelmed the storyline, giving it a childish, cheesy feel, and they always felt derived from a separate world vs integrated within our own. Creative, fun, original, just enough detail without it overwhelming the central storyline... Perfect:)

Characters

"Bastard of godlike proportions."

Jack. Oh, Jack is so much fun elemental sexiness.

Is he good?



Is he bad?



With a smirk like his, does anyone really give a fuck?!? Still, I want to know what you're hiding, Jack?

[image error]

Seph is the ultimate witchy FMC.

"And maybe gnomes will spout fairy wings and shit glitter rainbows while we're tapping our ruby red fuck-me heels together, too."

She's snarky as hell. Smart. Not Pollyanna, but not cold-hearted. She's not invincible, but she's not sitting around waiting on everyone else to save her. She's got a bad weakness for Jack that leaves her vulnerable, but she knows it and is smart about it. Great balance in her character.



I adored all the side characters. This tiny book is only 173 pages. Yet, the author gave so many characters such big, bright, fun personalities. From a face-splatting fairy, a questionable gnome, and a teddy of a kidnapping bear shifter .... each side character added personality and flavor to the story.

Plot



Jack and Seph had a relationship eight years ago. Why did he leave? He suddenly shows back up just as everyone seems to be trying to kill, kidnap, or protect Seph. Who's behind it all? Why? And, what does Jack have to do with it? Does he really care, or is this just another plot to get something from her?

Some questions are answered by the end. Some answers leave you only with more questions. Onward to book two you must go.

This is basically a fun, snarky paranormal fantasy read with a romance and ACTUAL plot backing everything up.

No on-screen sex. Talk of previous times. Heat. Chemistry. Wet dreams. Kissing. But no actual sex here.

The Writing

Fabulous editing!!! I noticed one small hiccup in the entire book, and I only point it out for the author's knowledge:

"The roar of the falls is oddly muted here."

Just a few sentences later...

"Sound is oddly muted here...

*****NOTE: The author messaged me that she resolved the ^ above issue.

The author's pace, flow, sentence structure, tempo changes, plot devices, character development, etc etc were all perfectly on point for my tastes.

Overall



A perfect 5 star paranormal fantasy romance with hints of comedy.

[Gio Listmaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

KINDLE UNLIMITED

Part One



Sebastian Stan As Jack Frost










Persephone Gosse





Rhymes/Incantations That Build Suspense



Magical/Virtual Journey Through Minnesota





Hot Romance



Unexpected Twist And Turns



Fairy Tale Creatures With An Edge

MOTHER Goose (Gosse)



Bitchy Fairies



Sarcastic Gnomes



Start This Story At The Risk Of Being Addicted

Good News

The Last One In The Series Is Almost Here So You Won't Have To Suffer The Wait Like I Did




My Favorite Reviews Tells The Story

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chantal ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't give it 5 stars it kept me hanging and that is so not cool. Plus I have to read 2 other books now....ah Thanks!
Ok to say this book was awesome would be lying because it was more spectacular!
Full of fun and whisky! Ah the evils of drinks is clearly seen here!
So many bad things are the result of whisky but also some good.
Now I have to wait until the release of book 3 in September, to read book 2 because I am told the cliff will be killer!
I would not have read this book yet if I had known about it being a series and it not being released yet.
The story in a nut shell is 4 witches (who are sisters) that have magic powers and are all very strong in their own right. In this book we have the heroine Persephone and the hero Jack Frost, who love/hate each other and have an off and on relationship. He was her first.
Now this story is crazy action packed and at one part I did not know where they were or what was going on.
Did someone get caught?
Who is kidnapped now?
Who has them?
Why? Who was killed?
A lot of things going on here.
Enjoyable and I will wait to read the rest of the series. Just really hope it ends good cause I have never read a book by this author and it could be one of those series where the MC dies and it has some great meaning!!!
Ahhhh I hope not because I hate that.
Oh well on to the another books.

Thanks Ash for bringing this book to my attention because I would not have read if it had not been for your awesome review.

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a review type of person. However, this book held me so enthralled I couldn’t not write something about it.

I have never read a book centered around magic or witches. If I have, I have totally forgotten it. This book will never be forgotten.

Seph is strong and snarky and yet the weakest witch compared to her sisters. I enjoyed her inner musings regarding Jack and quickly came to realize he was a grade A capital a**hole. But, is he? I kept my eye on him the whole time. He’s got secrets and I just know his heart is all in regarding Seph but I haven’t figured out what exactly he’s hiding. And that’s what keeps my heart thumping and my finger tapping at my kindle. I just know Jack is going to live up to all my expectations despite what he may say.

There is not a dull moment or slow spot in this entire book. Everything that happens is live as it’s happening. The author did not tell me what was taking place, she allowed me to experience it. I totally love that.

Every character that was introduced intrigued me. Even the bad guys. The secondary characters didn’t feel like fluffy fillers. They either were, or will eventually be, necessary to the story. And you know what? I want to know more about them!

Okay, so having said all of that let me say this: I loved this book!

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! The writing is fantastic and the storyline is original and well thought out. This author knows her stuff- I didn't notice any contradictions or discrepancies that bother me so much in other books. I loved Seph- she is an amazing heroine! I liked her sisters and I also loved her friend and ex Georg! So far I am not liking Jack!

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 to 5 stars

Sing a song of sixpence...

I've got a definite love for paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and re-imagined fairy tales with a twist. So when a talented author takes all three elements and creates something unique, imaginative, and fun, I can't help but be intrigued and want more.

(I mean, who knew that Mother Goose was a witch? Or that nursery rhymes are actually spells?!)

Ms. Blair has spun a fascinating (and often humorous) tale filled with witches, Elementals (creatures born of magic), werewolves, shifters, and all manner of FTC's (fairy tale creatures). She's added several pinches of pop culture to make one smile in recognition, more than a dollop of danger and unexpected adventure, a dash (or two or three...) of spice and romance, and enough question marks to keep the head spinning and one's curiosity piqued.

It's quite the magical brew...

Persephone Gosse, otherwise known as Seph, is a witch who runs her own bar and tries to lead a quiet life. She would be the first to admit that she hasn't exactly had an easy go of it. Her mother is missing, her sisters sometimes drive her crazy, she's constantly battling supernatural creatures, deals with an odd kidnapping attempt, and soon learns that there's a bounty on her head.



Some very bad people want her dead. The question is why?

As if things weren't challenging enough, she has to put up with the sudden reappearance of her former lover and first love, Jack Frost, otherwise known as the King of Winter.

It's bad enough that he behaved like a jackass in the past (for his own unfathomable reasons), but when he betrays and then later helps her, she doesn't know what to think. Seph has to battle her own longing, desire, and confusion where he's concerned because he has secrets that he's not sharing and has no problem lying either. She knows that he's dangerous and she can't trust him, even though a part of her sometimes wants to. Even though she knows better.

And so do we.

Right?

(Well, see, that's the thing... we think we know, at least until we don't... but then again...)

And Jack makes it clear - dark, gorgeous, mysterious, and frustrating creature that he is - that there's a lot we don't know yet:

"What do you understand?"
I lift my eyes to his. "That you don't want anyone else stepping on your toes. Because hurting me is your prerogative, isn't it, Jack?"
His eyes widen. His grip tightens, then just as quickly he drops my hand. Jack doesn't follow me this time, but the ring of the bells on the door isn't quite loud enough to drown the low reply that does.
"That's right, princess. And don't ever forget it."

***

"Here's a truth for you, princess. Don't believe what I f*cking say, believe what I do. No matter what happens, you're mine. You've always been mine."

So, what's a witch to do?

Well, first things first, she's got to get to the bottom of the mystery that everyone else seems to know but her. Especially since it's about her. And she'd better do so fast because it's sometimes hard to determine exactly who her friends and enemies are, and chances are pretty good that she's running out of time...

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and am looking forward to the next installment. The ending left me puzzling, pondering, wondering, and guessing - and I'll admit, I need to know what happens now.

Yesterday in fact.

I'm being tested here, but I have faith that Ms. Blair will make it worth the wait!

*** A copy of this book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Links to my other reviews for this series:

Blackbirds & Bourbon (Toil & Trouble, Book #2)
Roses & Rye (Toil & Trouble, Book #3)
Threescore & Tequila (Toil & Trouble, Book #4)
Déjà Vu & Gin (Toil & Trouble, Book #5)
Magpies & Moonshine (Toil & Trouble, Book #6)
A Curious Twist of Lime (Toil & Trouble, #7)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddy reread of series in prep for Roses and Rye, releasing Tuesday!!!!



Holy Witches Brew Batman, this book is friggin' awesome. But now I have a problem, I NEED to know what happens next. This is why I usually wait for a series to be complete before I dive in, I need instant gratification, but those darn teasers sucked me in, and I HAD to meet Jack. Little did I know, I would fall in love with Seph and the gang too! Multiple Whammy. Bam, like touching a witch while casting, I fell hard. My favorite book of 2016 so far- even if I haven't finished it yet because I KNOW the rest will be just as awesome- and I read a lot, so that's saying something. Love the last chapter was in Jack's POV. I needed that, but the very last line... Heather R Blair, I don't know whether to love you or hate you right now.

[Lakshmi C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the equivalent of a sizzling brownie with a scoop of ice cream.

Persephone, also known as Seph is a witch who runs a bar. Her quiet life turns interesting with the reappearance of her ex Jack Frost and a bounty on her head.

Seph was brave, quirky and adorable and she made me smile. A lot. Jack Frost was complicated and I had a love-hate relationship with him. He has a lot of secrets, comes across as self centred and careless and is perfect when he lets his mask slip.

The other characters are well developed, wacky, they manage to shock, surprise and amuse you. The book is filled with lots of paranormal creatures like werewolves, gnomes, witches, bear shifters and all together they are a devious, entertaining group. It also describes the experience of first love with all its longing, passion, heartache and memories beautifully.

Heather Blair comes up with innovative concepts and her brilliant writing does justice to them. The book ended with a massive cliffhanger which broke my heart and it was a great read. This book is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys Urban Fantasy.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Nicla · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. So addictive. This is a fast paced read with an incredible bunch of characters. I loved every minute of it and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Highly recommend.

HEA No. Cliffhanger. Series is complete though
Angst Level: Medium
Heat Level: Medium

[✰♊ Angie ♊✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes. Yes. Yes.
Fantastic start to this 3 part serial.
Jack Frost... cold-hearted snake? Maybe. Maybe not.
Persephone Gosse... an apocalypse inducing witch? Maybe. Maybe not.
Are they merely exes or much, much more? TBD.
Doesn't matter... It's hot, it's exciting, and I'm hooked!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read 2nd - 4th July 2019.

Finally I’m going to finish this series. But since it’s been years since I read the first three books a re-read was definitely in order.

Original review.

While I do like paranormal books witches aren't normally my thing but this book kept cropping up and getting great reviews, I knew it was a cliffhanger and the first of three books but all three are out and on KU so I tentatively decided to give it a try.
Persephone is a witch she has three older sisters Ana, Jett and Carly (all witches) and a mother with a habit of travelling through time and has currently been MIA for the over three years.
We have Jack Frost (hero or villain?) bear shifters, wolves, gnomes, sprites, fairies, a monster in the lake, there's a prophecy, a council, a dark council plus humans, love and betrayal and so much more.
Basically you think of it and it's in this book and it makes for a truly entertaining read, I enjoyed this way more than I expected and it's straight onto 'Blackbirds & Bourbon' for me next.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read 2nd - 4th July 2019.

Finally I’m going to finish this series. But since it’s been years since I read the first three books a re-read was definitely in order.

Original review.

While I do like paranormal books witches aren't normally my thing but this book kept cropping up and getting great reviews, I knew it was a cliffhanger and the first of three books but all three are out and on KU so I tentatively decided to give it a try.
Persephone is a witch she has three older sisters Ana, Jett and Carly (all witches) and a mother with a habit of travelling through time and has currently been MIA for the over three years.
We have Jack Frost (hero or villain?) bear shifters, wolves, gnomes, sprites, fairies, a monster in the lake, there's a prophecy, a council, a dark council plus humans, love and betrayal and so much more.
Basically you think of it and it's in this book and it makes for a truly entertaining read, I enjoyed this way more than I expected and it's straight onto 'Blackbirds & Bourbon' for me next.

[Talltree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not 4 stars exactly but a higher 3...

[Veronica Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit, I bugged Ms. Blair for an early copy of this book. I've been itching for this story since I first learned of it. But I was bad and didn't review it once I finished reading it, which was in one night. I couldn't put it down and I suffered for it the next day, but it was so worth it.

This is a deviation from the author's usual style. Instead of 3rd person PoV, it's written in 1st person and for the first few pages, I wasn't a fan. But that's the way it always is for me. What can I say, I'm resistant to change. ;) This is told from Seph's PoV and she amuses the hell out of me. The 3rd child out of 4, she's not quite sure what her powers are as a witch, however, she doesn't worry too much about that. Instead she's running her own bar and trying to forget about the double-crossing bastard, Jack. *sigh* jack. I'm a sucker for the alpha male who has a hidden agenda. And damn, does Jack have some secrets. In one moment, you want to smack him, and the next, see if you can warm up the legendary Jack Frost.

There's a lot going on in this story, evil werewolves, an assassin, a monster in the lake, a gnome who may or may not have betrayed Seph (I'm still not sure what his deal was, dirty little gnome) and a kidnapping bear shifter. If you want to know what I'm talking about, then read the book. Seriously, read this book. I don't even have the words for my love of Sixpence and Whiskey.

Now please excuse me while I count down the days until book 2 is out, even though book 1 is still on pre-order. A girl can dream, right?

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a disturbing mixture of childhood innocence & adult darkness.I almost gave up after the first few pages of reading as I was never a fan of cutesy bubble gum popping witches with a pink aura of candy stripedness about them.

And than came Jack Frost & he brought with him a tinge of blackness & a bite of winter.

And than she began casting in eerie nursery rhyme“The king was in his counting house…”

And I was caught up in this twisted fairy tale!

[Ann Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you Shari for this rec.
This book is pretty magical and fun! Witches, werewolves, gnomes, bears, fairies and Jack Frost! I love the Guardians movie. Jack Frost is my favorite compared with the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and even Santa Claus. But the Jack Frost in this book is a first class asshole. Is there a good reason? And is it gonna be enough to forgive him? He hurt Seph very much and I thought they were separated too long.

We have four witch sisters. Ain't that fun? This is the story of Seph, the youngest and according to her, the least badass of her sisters. I thought she was fun.

And I love Georg, the bears. Why couldn't he be her partner considering Jack's a jerk here. Hmmmm

[Kat Desi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixpence & Whiskey is something new from Heather R. Blair. By something new, I mean really new, definitely a different dynamic than her previous titles.

Sixpence & Whiskey is the first of a series of three, centered on the life of Persephone "Seph" Gosse who sees herself as an ordinary witch and wants nothing more than to just live a quite life (as quiet as it can be in her world) running her bar in Duluth called Toil & Trouble, but everything and everyone around her is hellbent on making her life the opposite of ordinary where she cross paths with all different FTCs around her with malign intent--in other words, kill her, or in the king of the bears' case, marry her. Her world is rocked even further when her ex-lover, Jack Frost, shows up with intentions that is unknown to her...

First of all, I loved this book which is not at all surprising. I'm hooked on this author and her books like a druggie hooked on heroin or something! I made the mistake of reading this book before I went sleep which resulted in me not actually sleeping and just kept reading until I reached the last page. So that should tell you something.

This author has a way of keeping a reader hooked, especially if you're an Urban Fantasy fan. As I understand it, this was her first Urban Fantasy (she usually writes PNR) but wow, she did a great job on it, it was off-the-charts-amazeballs!

This was an exciting story all throughout but not to the point that you'll feel burned out in the middle of it all. Seph is a quirky and fun witch that you can't help but love, and each character you meet in this book is well-developed and more than a little interesting (which is an understatement, I can't get enough of them).

I HIGHLY recommend this to all fans of this author, you wouldn't want to miss out on this one! But if you haven't read any of her stuff and happened to be a fan of Urban Fantasy, I think you should read this--you have to!

This ARC was received from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[✮ rach ✮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I've found a new series for me!
Jack is an arsehole of epic proportions and I really need him to suffer something bad. But I really love the writing and world building - I'm hooked :)
I'm also loving Seph and can't wait to see what happens. Oh and Georg. Actually, I'm loving all the characters (oh except Jack, because he's a dick!)

Off to the next one :)

[Shizu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, it was a such an AWESOME book I can't even comprehend how it is even possible that it's not more popular cause it should be! The romance was great, the tension, but I would recommend it especially to paranormal fans, I loved it! I'm so happy that by accident I found this book among my friends reviews and now I need to cut this short cause next book in this serie is waiting for me ❤ BIG 5 and new fav to re-read next time, I'm soooo happy!!!

[R.C. Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to go insane waiting for book two in this series! I bought this ebook and devoured it in one session. It's that good. Funny. Unique. Twisted. What a wonderful imagination Heather Blair has to take the Mother Goose nursery rhyme and make such an intriguing story out of it; Mother Goose is a witch and her four daugters are witches, too! And those nursery rhymes...they're really spells.

There is such a wide cast of characters - all interesting - all unique - all making me want to read more and more. Seph is a quirky, funny, and loveable heroine. And even though Jack was a rotten bastard that broke her heart, you can't help but feel the undying attraction between the two and want them to get a HEA in the end. Oh gosh, please let them have a HEA!

The only thing I hated was the cliffhanger ending...but I'm willing to forgive the author because the story is sooooooo good.

Loved this story!

[Runningrabbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great fast paced read. The book is based around Seph and her three sisters, all witches. There’s some good world building happening, and although the threads woven come from more traditional themes, the glue holding it together has some solid concepts. The characters and their interactions plus the way the tale comes together wraps the novel up solidly.

[Coyora Dokusho · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was sooooooooooooooooooooooo good!!! Short, but it didn't feel short at all. I think people who like Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews will like it. Funny and smart with characters that immediately sucked me into their world. REALLY looking forward to reading more.

[Erika ♥OwlwaysReading♥]

$0.99 on Amazon Kindle 3/3/17

I hear this series is fantastic!
AND now I own all 4...
I think I'm more elated than this puppy RN :D

[Cheesecake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really not sure what to think of this one.
It's a world like ours but with hidden magic critters from nursery rhymes. Seph is a witch with three sisters who are also powerful witches. They become immortal when they turn 27, which is just around the corner for Seph. Her sisters are decades older than her but of course, look 27 too.
There is a mystery about what happened to their missing mother.
There is another mystery about Jack (as in Jack Frost) Seph's ex sort of secret boyfriend who shows up again a decade after he left her.

I liked Seph's character. She's a curvy petite blonde who runs a bar/laundromat/tattoo parlor with one of her sisters. But was not impressed with her use of alcohol to drown her dissatisfaction with life. I mean why not just make her smoke cigarettes too author? But I guess it's good that the heroine not be perfect. Cause she's pretty close to perfect, and as the reader finds out; she's also a special snowflake with an price on her head. Actually, Seph finds this out the same time as the reader.
So lots of unanswered questions.
A shadowy cabal. A mysterious prophecy.
An enigmatic anti-hero. A sympathetic heroine with a pragmatic nature but a broken heart.

What's not to love...

...A cliffhanger.


Safety is kind unknown at this point but here's what I got so far;
Jack took Seph's virginity when she was 17 and then left her with no reason. Seph has tried to move on with the werebear king and dated others too. But she's never had sex with anyone since Jack. There's no info on what Jack's been doing for the last 10 years... so far.
So hopefully more answers in the next book. Gonna leave this at 3 stars for now. But if the next books pan out well, I will raise that.

[April ♥"LOS" ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this isn't your mother's fairytale...it's better!
This book has a wonderful combination of fairytale creatures written in a way that you've never seen them before.

Persephone "Seph" Gosse lives a pretty quiet life for a witch, managing her bar Toil & Trouble in Duluth, Minnesota. When Seph's ex-lover, who happens to be Jack Frost, shows up unexpectedly and kidnaps her, the quiet life she was enjoying gets a whole lot more interesting.

Jack turns Seph over to Georg Kivisto, shifter and King of the Bears. Georg has been after Seph to accept his marriage proposal and has finally decided to take matters into this own hands. Or so Seph assumes. This seemingly solitary action sets off a chain of events that show Persephone there are a lot more fairytale creatures that have taken an interest in her.

Without giving anything away, I will say that I developed a love/hate feeling toward Jack Frost (much like Seph has). As much as I want him to be the good guy, I don't know if he has it in him. This book was wonderfully written and just fun to read. I would highly recommend it and I look forward to finding out more about these characters.

***I received an ARC for an honest review***

[Britney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lot more urban fantasy than paranormal romance which in most cases would mean this wasn't my cup of tea. But, I really enjoyed this! Lots of characters to sift through but not to many to confuse or overwhelm you. And I liked them all! This type of thing doesn't happen often so I'm happy about it ). How can one not like jack? Bad boy, A-hole, hot, his name is Jack Frost(the Jack Frost). There's wolves, witches, bears, and other creatures, and you get a taste for all of them in here. Definelty not a HEA, which is even more surprising because I don't like anything but HEA, but this works! It SO works!

[Stephanie Ripley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not enough stars

Sixpence and Whiskey is in a class of it's own. The main character, Persephone (awesome name), does everything that endears her to the reader. She's funny, and flawed, and so hopeful. It's that hope that reaches into your chest and squeezes. Persephone's heart was broken by the famous Jack Frost (yes, that one), and when he returns, she struggles with what she knows about him, what she thinks she knows about him, and what she hopes she knows (make sense? No? I don't want to spoil). Jack is a heartbreaker. You want to love him, you want to trust him, but he says himself, he only looks out for himself. This book has all those elements that make you fangirl. Bear shifters?? Squeee!!! Lake Monster?? Squeeee!!! (He better get his own book, btw).

I received an ARC from the author for an honest review (though I am a late reader... so it was an ARC read post-release. Still- HONEST).

[Sawyer Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, damn. There went my Sunday night. After watching all my GR buddies rave about this, I decided to check it out, figuring I'd read a bit tonight before dinner. That was about four hours ago and I couldn't put it down until I read the last word!! (Sorry kids - on your own for food!)

HEATHER!!! I loved this!! It was such a fun, sassy, action-packed read. I loved all of it - the characters, the storyline, the dialogue, the pace...stellar, stellar job. And I never read stories like this.

So, now instead of going to bed, I'm off to start book 2...

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often times when authors try to make characters snarky, I find it rather ridiculous. Either my eyes practically roll out of my head or it makes the heroine out to be a bitch. Sixpence & Whiskey however pulled off the snark and wit very well.
The world building was good, could be because I've actually been to Duluth (absolutely lovely town by the way). The characters, relationships and interactions were believable.
This is a very quick and enjoyable read.
Be warned: it's part of a serial so there's a cliffy.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars