Book Review: Spellbound by Crystal J. Johnson and Felicity Vaughn

About the Book:

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Gemma inherited more than she can handle thanks to the hot inhabitants of her hotel . . .

When Gemma Fox inherits the storied Reynard Hotel from her great-aunt, she’s totally unprepared for the responsibility. It’s not the bills or the renovations or the repairs piling up. Or her family’s complete lack of confidence in her ability to manage the hotel. It’s that she’s not alone.

Bound to the hotel are two spirits, Archer and Soren Hyde. Brooding, handsome, immortal—they’ve been haunting the Reynard for generations. And Gemma is now their custodian.

As Gemma fights to keep the hotel from going under, she also finds herself fighting a growing attraction to the brothers. Each offers her something different: Archer is impish, fun, sexy, and just the distraction she needs. Soren’s arrogant, passionate, sinfully attractive, and driving her crazy. In turn, they each want something from her—one wants freedom, the other wants her heart.

It turns out that Archer and Soren are holding back a secret that might finally see them no longer spellbound. And when the truth comes out about who—and what—they are, their imperfect triangle shatters. With her life and her happiness on the line, and pressure mounting on all sides, Gemma is forced to make a decision that could change everything—for eternity.

My Thoughts:

I usually enjoy fantasy fiction and when you throw in the paranormal aspect, it gets fun. Spellbound was one such book that I truly enjoyed. I am not one to read books with ghosts or spirits in them but, this book had me hooked. The mystery surrounding the Reynard hotel drew me in and I fell in love with the setting, description and even the characters.

The story follows Gemma who inherits the Reynard hotel from her great-aunt. This makes her even more unpopular among her family members some of whom think they were cheated out of the inheritance and money. Gemma is given a time frame to be able to run the place and prove that she is capable of the task set in front of her, while most of the family deem her unfit for the responsibility. Little does anyone know that running the Reynard is the least of anyone’s worry. The secret to the hotel lies in its unexpected inhabitants who are bound to the place and who had a very special connection with Gemma’s great-aunt making them her responsibility now.

I adored the characters of Soren and Archer. The two are very different and yet have an interesting connection to the hotel and develop a connection with Gemma. As she navigates a complicated love triangle, managing the hotel, family members who want to see her fail, we meet a whole lot of characters (including Larry, Skye, Raven and many more) whom we either love or hate. The authors have done a wonderful job in describing each character and give them enough space in the plot to ensure that the reader is familiar with them.

The twists at the end and the decisions Gemma faces make the story and mystery of the place that much more interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for all fans of the genre. Even those who do not normally read paranormal fantasy can pick up this book and enjoy the story!

Release Blitz: Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass! by Seelie Kay

Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass!
(Donovan Trait #2)
by Seelie Kay

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Mystery
Publisher: eXtasy Books

ISBN: 978-1-4874-3357-4
Page: 145
Word Count:44705
Publication Date: 2021-09-03

Book Blurb:

It was the Great Lie, and it could destroy the Vampire Nation.

In First, We Kill All the Lawyers, vampire lawyer Donovan Trait survived repeated attacks by a serial killer. Now, after violating a marital agreement with the Vampire Coalition, and several ancient Vampire Laws, Donovan, and his newly-turned vampire bride are on the run. You see, in exchange for permitting a pure-blood vampire to marry a turned human, the Traits agreed to allow vampire scientists to monitor the conception and birth of their children. When Judge Shirley Magnusen Trait turns up accidentally pregnant on her wedding day, the fury of the Coalition is unleashed. The tribunal recommends unacceptable punitive action and the Traits are forced to flee to a mysterious island of vampire nuns. The Traits are, by profession, seekers of the truth. But this time, the truth may not set them free. In fact, it could start a revolution. Will the Traits escape the clutches of the Coalition and keep their babies safe? Or will their family be…eliminated?

Book Links:
Goodreads * eXtasy Books

A Quick Interview with Seelie Kay

Why do you write romance?

Because I am fascinated by the games people play to find and secure a lasting relationship, which is not always love. There’s the chase, the courtship, the falling, the surrender. That’s what I try to capture in my stories.

Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero?

I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However, I they have to be paired with strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want, even love.

Why did you write “Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass?”

Donovan Trait is a vampire lawyer. In the human world, a very respected lawyer. I wanted to give him the opportunity to shine in the vampire world. So I created a scenario where his turned vampire bride Shirley is unfairly punished for an unintentionally violating their marital agreement, as well as other outdated, outrageous, and outright discriminatory laws—she unintentionally  To survive and protect their unborn child, they must not only fight back, but also rebel. In this instance, human history provides them with the path. That gave me the opportunity to draw parallels between the fight for human rights and the rights of vampires who aren’t purebloods. It also allowed me to poke at the continued need of both societies to embrace social change. Perhaps surprisingly, the vampires lag far behind the humans in terms of equality and individual freedoms. However, in the end, the message is clear: Whether human or vampire, an individual is entitled to certain rights and liberties. And no human or vampire has a right to deny them.

About Seelie Kay:

Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes about lawyers in love, sometimes with a dash of kink.

Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s wicked pen has resulted in nineteen works of fiction, including the new paranormal romance series Donovan Trait, as well the erotic romance Kinky Briefs series and The Feisty Lawyers romantic suspense series. She also authored The Last Christmas, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The President’s Daughter, Seizing Hope, The White House Wedding, and participated in the romance anthology Pieces of Us.

When not spinning romantic tales, Seelie ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. Currently, she resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys opera, the Green Bay Packers, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.

Seelie is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!

Seelie on the Web:
Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Author’s Amazon Page