Book Review: Deceiving the Witch Next Door by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez

Deceiving the Witch Next Door by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Review to come soon as I get feeling back in my hand. Stupid carpal's tunnel :(
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2.5 stars, rounded to 3.

This was a cute story with some steaminess thrown in. I liked the play on names, e.g. Storiebook Cafe (named after Storie of course), the Astrid name and flowers tie-in, etc. Reid is the sexy cowboy storefront neighbor who has a little history with Storie from the last time they met when she was tearing out of town.

Storie is a witch whose powers are waning. She and her best friend are opening the cafe and book store in her podunk, small, hometown in an effort to set up her best friend's children and for Storie to finally feel at home somewhere. The building was left to her by her father.

I did enjoy this story, but I felt that it was disjointed and jumped around a bit. It could use a healthy dose of connectivity, fleshing out, etc. While I don't mind the Endora-style pop up of the mother, the resulting conversation was rushed and the decision made gave me whiplash. What happened to the strong, independent Storie that is going to make a go of it? She didn't even know she HAD siblings and yet she's ready to rush to their rescues? Where were they? Why didn't they come to meet her? For a story that is lacking in a healthy dose of magic and her history, this came out of nowhere. Storie feels out of place, but there's no mention as to who taught her magic, why she seems so at ease with it, etc.

I liked the bit with the abandoned little terrier, but again the interactions later felt rushed and disjointed to me and left me with a frown as I was reading and watching Storie's decisions.

Steamy factor was good, story had great potential and had cuteness factor, plot movement was a bit choppy for me.

Thank you to the publishers for my review copy!



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