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Magic #1

A Taste of Magic

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Today is Elizabeth Stevens’ birthday, and not only is it the one-year anniversary of her husband leaving her, it’s also the day her bakery is required to make a cake—for her ex’s next wedding. If there’s a bitter taste in her mouth, no one can blame her.

But today, Liz is about to receive a gift. Her Grandma Verda isn’t just wacky; she’s a little witchy. An ancient gypsy magic has been passed through her family bloodline for generations, and it’s Liz’s turn to be empowered. Henceforth, everything she bakes will have a dash of delight and a pinch of wishes-can-come-true. From her hunky policeman neighbor, to her gorgeous personal trainer, to her bum of an ex-husband, everyone Liz knows is going to taste her power. Revenge is sweet…and it’s only the first dish to be served.

292 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 2009

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Tracy Madison

97 books117 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
Profile Image for Veronica Rosa.
Author 11 books77 followers
January 10, 2016
3 and half stars

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read this book. It'd been sitting on my kindle for a while and I figured what the heck. It was a nice, light read that amused me. There were some predicable spots where I rolled my eyes but no yelling at my kindle which is always a good thing.

I liked Elizabeth and her sometimes cringe-worthy moments. In fact I could put myself in her shoes since we're about the same age. I can't imagine entering the dating scene at this age and hope I won't have to.

There was a decent amount of plot to this story, not just the usual "Woman enters dating scene, has a crappy date or two, falls in love". There were a few side plots and characters that I really enjoyed. Even better, one of her best friends is gay and you wouldn't know it by the way he acted. *gasp* No silly, over-the-top gay guy! It was a refreshing change.

I gave this a 3 and half because I liked the story although it's not my usual type of read. Less blood and gore. ;) But I would definitely read more by this author.
Profile Image for Inara.
559 reviews239 followers
March 8, 2014
Really a 3,5 star rating.
Elizabeth Stevens is the co-owner of the bakery "A Taste of Magic" together with her best friend Jon but lately they aren´t doing so well. They´d lost some jobs to competition and because of that she even agreed to bake a cake for her ex-husband´s wedding. Although the divorce was one year ago, Elizabeth still isn´t over it but pretends to everyone else to be happy and okay. When Elizabeth opens a birthday card from her Grandma Varda she gets strange glitter all over her and she´s sure she saw the writing in the card sparkling. Of course she thinks nothing about it until, well , until her whispered wish came true while baking the cake for her ex-husband. A sneaking suspicion arises in her and she confronts her Grandma about her "gift". When her suspicion is confirmed she learns about her ability to add a "wish" into her pastries...
This book is a fun and light read with humorous situations and a heroine who has to learn that not always what she thinks is best for someone else is really the best for them, even with all her good intentions. When she decides to "spice up" her life a bit with dating, she creates a situation she isn´t really comfortable with. Does her object of desire (Nate) really have any interest in her or is it only the magic? What I didn´t really like was Elizabeth´s playing around with a second (very nice) guy when it was rather clear from the beginning whom Elizabeth really wanted. I didn´t like her dating Kevin (the second guy) and giving him the impression that she was interested in him because she wanted to feel good and desired (therefore the half-star deduction, I hate to have a very nice guy getting hurt because of a feeling-sorry-for-herself heroine). All in all this book is enjoyable and entertaining and I will surely read the sequel "A Stroke of Magic" (due in July 2009) because I´m curious how the one will fare whom she passes her "gift" on...

Website of the author: http://www.tracymadison.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Blodeuedd Finland.
3,669 reviews310 followers
August 6, 2009
This was a sweet book, and then I am not only talking about the yummy things that she was baking. Those sure made me crave cake and pie.

Liz got divorced a year ago when her husband of many years left her for a much younger woman. Now she just lives, without really leaving. But as her 35th birthday comes to pass something is about to change. There is gypsy-blood in her and it's magic, by accident she sets the first magic free and more will follow.

I liked Liz, she felt real, and I do like the scene where she first meets her hunky police neighbour. There is some chick-lit in here and that was perfect for my mood. She is a bit insecure, but who can blame her. The gift of magic is perfect for her because so grows stronger and you get to see how sweet she is. Because she does try to make others feel better too, even if the results are not always great.

Hunky neighbour Nate, yes I do like him. He wants the best for her, he is nice, and he is so sweet around his nephew. Giggle, and then there is really hunky personal trainer Kevin. The girl knows how to spice it up when she finally starts walking among the living.

Grandma Vera is love, I love quirky grandmother's, and the books gets funnier with her in it. Many other side characters too, her buddies Jon and Maddie, her idiot ex, and her sister Alice who is the main character in A Stroke of Magic, a book that I really want to read now since there is big things in store for Alice at the end of this book.

This book has the romance, sweet, but with a few sidesteps and mix ups, because it's not an easy road to finding love. There is the paranormal, not big really, yes there is magic in her baking but it feels so normal and real. Makes me wish I had a gypsy ancestor who had given me some magic. There are the funny parts that just keeps you reading and wanting more. All in all a sweet ride to the end, you keep turning the page to know what happens to them all, oh and to see what else she is baking.
2 reviews2 followers
February 24, 2009
I read this book in two sittings. This author is definitely going on my must-buy list, this book was that good! A Taste of Magic is a light, quirky, fun read with fabulous characters that I bonded with immediately. The heat level is mild to medium but I'd still call it a sensual read. I love how Liz uses her magic and oh, is this book funny! All the characters are wonderfully drawn and distinct. When I finished the book I wished I had the next one by my side to read but it's not out until July. I've already preordered it! I highly recommend A Taste of Magic. Normally I only give star ratings. I loved this book so much I wrote my first review for it.
Profile Image for Margo.
2,113 reviews130 followers
April 8, 2021
This just couldn't hold my interest.
Profile Image for Geli.
255 reviews9 followers
July 12, 2013
I would actually like to give this book 2 1/2 stars. While I didnt love it, I did enjoy most of it. I thought at the beginning I would love it. Elizabeth seemed a lot like me, totally a character I could relate to. But as the story progressed...not so much.

Elizabeth is a baker dealing with a bad divorce and suddenly finds out she has magical powers to make her wishes come true.

Great concept, I really liked where the story seemed to be going. Somewhere in the middle, the story seemed to get muddled and slightly dragged on. I think the turning point for me is when Elizabeth was on her way to deliver a cake to her best friend but got super distracted by her so-called "hot" neighbor (sorry but his description did nothing for me). Elizabeth so far had been pretty level headed but suddenly shes so turned on she cant think straight? Just didnt seem to fit well with the character we met in the beginning. And made me lose respect for her. Then after that guys being hot seemed to be her reasoning for everything. She knew she didnt have feelings for a guy but he's hot so why not? ugh....

The magic element was great though, and I am very picky on how magic gets portrayed in books. Quite frankly it usually comes across as dull and unbelievable. So I was surprised how well it was in this one. I would have liked to have read more of her using the magic and more about Miranda.

I dont think I will go on to read more in the series. The story of Alice and her creepy ex wasnt very interesting to me. I suppose if youre looking for a paranormal romance without all the blood and vampiness this one would work fine for you.
Profile Image for ♡Karlyn P♡.
604 reviews1,282 followers
Read
March 6, 2009
I ended up scanning the last half of the book, not reading it entirely. Because of that I wont say if its good or bad, just not my cup of tea, so I wont give it any star rating just to be fair. It has a light and quirky writing style that I know many will enjoy. It's written in first-person, and the writing level seamed to be aimed at the young adult croud, which just isn't what I enjoy. The romance part of this book appears to be the heroine deciding between two men through much of the book, and deciding very near the end who it will be. There appeared to be one very mild sex scene toward the end, so I would rate the sensuality of this book just above 'kisses' but barely 'warm'.
Profile Image for Sally906.
1,456 reviews3 followers
November 21, 2013
Elizabeth (Liz) Stevens, joint owner of ‘A Taste of Magic’ bakery is having a horrible birthday. Not only is it the first anniversary of when her two-timing rat of an ex-husband left her for another women, she is actually baking the wedding cake for his upcoming marriage to said floozy! Her wacky Grandma Verda comes by with a birthday card that has a surprise in it – a bit of an electric shock and some sparks – and other than that, nothing! Well it’s not actually nothing, what Grandma Verda has given Liz is the Gypsy magic that has been passed down from woman to woman for generations. Of course Liz doesn’t realise that she has been empowered and as she stirs the mixture for her ex-husbands wedding cake she wishes that he is impotent for his honeymoon. With her newly acquired Gypsy power whenever Liz makes a wish while baking it will come true. Of course the results are not always predictable so while she hones her skills she spends a lot of time trying to undo the chaos she causes.

I enjoyed this light and fluffy read, and if you read a paranormal romance and expect rocket science then you are going to be disappointed. I didn’t expect rocket science – so wasn’t disappointed! A TASTE OF MAGIC is a debut book and the first of a series. It has a good plausible plot, great pacing, humour and lots of magic. Liz really grows as a character during the story which I always like to see – and I loved how she first meets her love interest Nate. Liz has had a night out and is a tad tipsy and can’t find her front door key. She decides to climb through her bathroom window and gets stuck, so her head is in the house – and her bum in the air outside. Nate is a policeman so thinks she is a criminal breaking in. As with all good romantic plots there is attraction and then a misunderstanding before the HEA can occur. There are quite a few backstories going on with the ex-husband, Liz’s partner, her sister and also with her best friend which are all tied up before the end of the book. If I can get my hands on the next few in the series I will happily read them – but there doesn’t seem to be e-book versions although this version is an e-book.
Profile Image for Jess the Romanceaholic.
1,033 reviews491 followers
December 28, 2010
Free on Kindle

What worked for me:
*I REALLY enjoyed the fact that Lizzie made a LOT of mistakes with her magic before she finally got everything figured out.
*Who DOESN'T love a man in uniform?!

What didn't work for me:
*The angst of a cheating spouse -- while this was integral to the story, it was a bit too angsty for me, especially since this was a journey of acceptance and forgiveness for the heroine. I'm not a forgiving person lol Let's just say the second spell wouldn't have been for what she made it for, but would've instead been an extension of the first spell, only one intended to last the entire marriage. Srsly.
*Her family annoyed the pie out of me.

Overall, an easy read. A bit heavy on the chick-lit/self-empowerment side for my tastes, but not enough to give it a bad rating.

3 Stars
Profile Image for Sheyla ✎.
2,023 reviews653 followers
January 1, 2013
Elizabeth Stevens couldn't have a worse day. She is turning 35 and since her divorce, she had stopped living. To makes matters worse she is baking the cake for her ex husband's wedding to the woman he left her for.
Her grandmother Verda decides to pass her the gift of magic on her birthday. It manifest through her baking (ex husband will be the first to experience her magic- in a not so fun way).
After too many margaritas, she losses her keys to the apartment and ends up getting stuck in her window. Her new neighbor, Nate Sutherland, who is a cop, helps her getting her back in. She immediately feels chemistry with him.
Once she realizes that her magic is real, she cast a few spells. But, there are repercussions to all of them.
This is a fun, light read.
3/5 Fangs
cross posted at my blog http://mrsleifs.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Megan (lost among the stacks).
325 reviews17 followers
June 8, 2012
This wasn't the best book I have read but it wasn't the worst book by far. Honestly it started out amazing, a head start straight from the starting block and then it got bogged down and picked up enough that it wasn't painful to finish. I will however say I have glad when I was done.

The book follows a young, divorced woman through a journey of self-discovery with the addition of gypsy magic. The main character, Elizabeth explores her new magic through her baking and causes a few screw ups on the in between. I loved the male characters, they were all the perfect gentleman, save for Marc but the female characters fell short for me. Overall the book wasn't as magical as I like them but I would recommend it to anyone for a quick flirty read; would be an excellent beach companion!
Profile Image for Kathy (Kindle-aholic).
1,088 reviews98 followers
January 21, 2011
This was a fun enough, short romance. It kept my attention, and the magic part was interesting (although the best part was her first spell when she didn't even know she had magic). I'm not a fan of the "all of a sudden every man wants her" book. It doesn't matter how we get there - in this case a spell - it just gets old. I think that the author was going for a more "realistic" portrayal of a fledgling couple - who knows if it will all work out, enjoy what you have while you have it, but that's not what romances are about. If I'm reading a romance, it's because I already know how its going to end, I'm just interested in how they get there.
Profile Image for Alicia.
4 reviews1 follower
March 14, 2011
This was a pretty decent read. I loved the witchy aspect and loved the yummy guys all around Liz. Loved her quirky grandma..who wouldn't? I would love to have the ability to make things happen just by baking something tasty! Myself..I would have went hardcore on the ex husband. All in all, I thought it was well written and amusing. It has magic, romance, and sweet revenge..a great combination! I read this in just a few hours as it is a fun but fast read. I look forward to continuing the series and seeing what other people are featured.
Profile Image for Elle.
724 reviews12 followers
December 2, 2009
This is a great book! I was so surprised. I picked it for no other reason than I liked the cover and the synopsis seemed good enough. I am so pleased to say that I enjoyed the book so much that I am going to keep an eye out for other books by Tracy Madison.

The book has some great characters, believable situations (and she's a witch ... so that is saying something) and a great plot. I am starting the next book as soon as I can get my hands on it!
Profile Image for Meredith Watkins.
42 reviews
January 5, 2014
This by book is under the genre of cozy books, meaning get cozy because you'll probably finish them soon after. Personally I love these because most of what I read are crime novels, history, thriller/suspense etc.. This book was a gem to read, a woman who discovers she comes from a long line of gypsy magic, and hers is activated when she cooks/bakes! A few times I was laughing so hard I was crying. An absolute joy to read.
Profile Image for Rachel-RN.
2,416 reviews29 followers
April 6, 2015
This was a fun book. However, it took awhile to read because it didn't hold my attention for more than a chapter or 2. It was very easy to put down and come back to.
I appreciated Elizabeth's growth throughout the book. I liked that she wasn't selfish with her magic. There is a love triangle, luckily it gets resolved. Some laugh-out loud moments....getting stuck in your bathroom window anyone?
Profile Image for VLynch.
257 reviews5 followers
February 23, 2011
What do I think? I think I want to move next to Nate! What a yummy hunk! : ) This book was a cute and delightful book about love and the mistakes we make along the way when we try to find love. There is even a creepy ex-husband for those who like a little revenge in your love stories. Great book to escape life craziness.
Profile Image for Paloma.
57 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2012
surprisingly, this book was good. I don't know how many people stared at me as I laughed really loud at some of the things that Liz did.
403 reviews
July 28, 2020
Elizabeth has spent the last year in a fog of broken promises and what-ifs, mourning the downfall of her marriage and subsequent divorce, working but not really living. The rather unusual birthday card her grandmother gives her, and a fulfilled wish, propel her on a journey of discovery. On this road is closure for her failed marriage, a new romance, new friendships, challenges in both her work and private life, and finally believing in herself again. She is assisted by her eccentric grandma and a very old relative although it takes many mishaps before she gets the hang of this 'gift'.

This book absolutely enchanted me. I loved the characters, the mysticism and whimsy, the humor, and the realistic portrayal of a woman learning something new. Bumbling, fumbling, not fully trusting herself, making mistakes and having to fix them, doubting; it all feels so honest and true-to-life. She also had the most hilarious inner monologues and found herself in the most ridiculous of situations. I can picture myself so easily in her place and would love to imagine coming out on the other side like she did. In full command of her professional and private life, with a man who loved her and whom she loved, and knowing who she was and what she was about. She went from a mouse to a lion, from barely existing to fully living life. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading other books by this author.
Profile Image for Blesie.
253 reviews
July 27, 2020
Took me a month to finish a book because of my work and didn't get a time to relax and read but still manage that I could finish this book, I like the taste of magic especially when there is baking involved that motivates me to work everyday and create all the wonderful desserts. I so badly want to read the next sequel of it although I am not sure if the copy of the sequel of the book will still be available. Hope I could find one.
Profile Image for Sarah.
45 reviews
August 7, 2017
This was a fun book to read and the author had a good sense of humour. I don't often read romance, but this was a delightful break from my normal genres.
Profile Image for Anitajt.
491 reviews7 followers
February 8, 2018
Just loved this book and I’m eager to start the next in the series
Profile Image for Cornelia.
65 reviews
April 14, 2020
Fing ganz gut an, hatte seine guten Momente, aber ich habe dann das Interesse verloren, bin zum Ende gesprungen und habe es rückwärts überflogen.
Profile Image for Lori.
197 reviews3 followers
April 5, 2021
Very cute and quirky read. Definitely on the light and fluffy side of things as far as romance goes.
Profile Image for Sheryl.
568 reviews5 followers
June 1, 2021
Loved it! It was cute and fun.
37 reviews
March 18, 2024
Such a fun and sweet read. Very likable characters. Enjoyed the story line a lot. Easy read especially if your looking for a lighthearted read
Profile Image for Taylerr.
11 reviews18 followers
September 16, 2019
This was quite an entertaining book. I personally love quirky, light hearted stories. The authors writing style was very enjoyable as well. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews

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