There’s something about a witchy book in August that makes me want to pretend it’s already fall.
Give me a small town, a little magic, some cats, a mystery and a romance I can root for, and I’m probably going to be happy. So when I picked up The Magic We Made by Meg Cabot, I knew I was going to have fun with it. And I did.
Before anything else, Thank you to HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Paranormal romance / Fantasy romance
Series: Witches of West Harbor #2
Themes: Small town romance, Witchcraft and magic
Trigger Warnings: Missing children, kidnapping/abduction, child death, grief and bereavement
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Book Review: The Magic We Made by Meg Cabot
The Magic We Made is a standalone witchy romance and the second book in the Witches of West Harbor series. It follows Frankie, a therapist who firmly believes there’s a logical explanation for everything, and Ash, her psychic next-door neighbour. When young girls begin disappearing from West Harbor, the two find themselves drawn into a mystery that involves witches, magic and some very suspicious things happening around them.
And, somewhere along the way, they start falling for each other.
What I enjoyed most about this book was that it wasn’t just a romance.
Though Frankie and Ash are at the heart of the story, and I loved watching their relationship develop, there’s also a missing-girl mystery running through the book that added just enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages.
The story is told through multiple POVs, and Emma’s chapters were easily the ones I looked forward to the most. Emma is one of the missing girls, so her perspective gives you little pieces of what is happening while also making you want to know how everything is going to come together.
There were definitely moments when I should have gone to sleep but instead thought, ‘okay, let me just read Emma’s chapter.’
We all know how that ends.
Let’s talk about Frankie
Frankie took a little while to grow on me, but I ended up really enjoying her character. She’s witty, kind, loves cats and will pretty much do anything for the people she cares about. At the same time, she questions absolutely everything. Especially magic.
Watching her go from being completely sceptical about anything supernatural to slowly accepting that maybe there are things she can’t explain was one of my favourite parts of the book.
I liked that her journey didn’t feel like an instant switch. She has spent her life believing there is a rational explanation for everything, so watching that belief get challenged throughout the story made her character arc quite satisfying.
The Romance
The relationship between Frankie and Ash was a lovely combination of banter, attraction and two people who are very different from each other. Frankie is the sceptic, Ash is the psychic, and naturally, this makes things interesting.
I found myself rooting for them as the story progressed, and I liked that their romance didn’t completely take over the mystery. It’s a cozy romance rather than a big, dramatic love story, which worked well for the overall feel of the book.
If there’s one thing I would have liked more of, it’s the actual magic.
There’s plenty of discussion about magic, witches and psychic abilities, but I kept waiting for the book to give me more of that magical element on the page. With a title like The Magic We Made and a whole town full of witchy happenings, I wanted more spells, more supernatural moments and more of that magical atmosphere.
That said, I don’t think the lack of it ruined the reading experience for me.
Is it a perfect fall read?
Absolutely. This is the kind of book I can imagine picking up when the weather starts getting cooler, with a blanket, a cup of tea and absolutely no plans for the evening.
It has witches, cats, romance, a small-town setting, a mystery and plenty of Meg Cabot’s trademark humour and warmth. It’s also not completely unpredictable. But sometimes I don’t want a book to constantly surprise me. Sometimes, I just want something fun and cozy that I can settle into.
And The Magic We Made gave me exactly that.
In a gist, here’s what you can expect from this book.
💫witches💫mystery💫cats💫romance
Yes.
The Magic We Made is a fun, cozy and slightly mysterious romance that feels made for fall reading. I’ve always had a soft spot for Meg Cabot’s books, especially The Princess Diaries, so picking up another one of her books always feels a little nostalgic. The Magic We Made was a lovely reminder of why I’ve enjoyed her stories for so long.
📖 Rating: 3.75/5
Where to buy The Magic We Made
You can grab a copy of The Magic We Made from Amazon US and The Magic We Made from Amazon India
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