Review by Kayleigh
Favourite Quote:
And Lo, here she was. Exiled witch and cranky innkeeper.
Theo was fond of wholesome video games in which his character ran farms, tea shops, and inns with little more than a rusty axe and a winning smile. Sera, glancing over his shoulder every now and then, was more than a little bitter that real life wasn’t quite so easy.
Book Synopsis:
Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…
Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone…and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.
Review:
Truth time: Sera’s last book, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a favourite book of mine, and I was very worried that I wouldn’t love her newest book as much. I’m relieved to say my fears were all for not, as A Witches Guide to Magical Innkeeping has stolen my heart.
Sera excels at writing cozy, soft and magical fantasy romances that explore difficult topics while simultaneously wrapping you in a soft blanket.
We first meet Sera Swan as a child. She’s a very talented young witch who’s being trained by the best of the best at the magic academy. Everything goes awry however, when her great-aunt and the only person who loves her, dies suddenly. Under the guidance of a magical talking fox, she brings her aunt back to life. This results in her losing her magic from the large spell and being exiled from the magical community for attempting magic she should not have.
Fast forward and she is an adult, who is still helping to run her great aunt’s inn. One of her last magic spells before she had lost her magic had ensured that only people who had good intentions and good souls would find the place. Travellers find the inn when they need to. It has led to an interesting selection of individuals, some who have turned from visitors into boarders and family for Sera and her Aunt Jasmine. Sera still feels bitter about the life she feels she lost: her magic would have ensured her a very different life than what she has. She’s never stopped looking for a solution to return her magic. Only when her young cousin, aided by the talking fox, breaks into the academy and steals a book that could help her return her magic, does life suddenly become almost too interesting. Sera discovers that the magical world is going through some strife and changes and that people have reasons to want to see her gain her magic back.
Enter Luke Larsen: he remembers Sera from the academy, but isn’t too sure why he and his sister have need of her inn. Sera and Luke both want to do the right thing and both seem to struggle. Sera remembers Luke from her time at the academy where she had a crush on the older and powerful young wizard. Now, Luke is the one who’s struggling with his feelings for Sera and the family she’s built around her. Luke is used to doing things on his own. His brilliant, but non-magical parents want nothing to do with him, or his magical and autistic sister, Posy, who is very misunderstood by most people. Sera, whose own parents abandoned her for their own adventures, understands that feeling well. While Sera, Jasmine, and the other other quirky cast of characters in the house work on making Luke and Posy feel safe and secure, Sera discovers that Luke is one of the few witches who could help her with the magical spell that could return her magic powers to her.
Throughout their time together, Luke and Sera are the last people to realize they are falling in love. The entire household is cheering for them and hoping they realize that they belong with each other. Their love is soft and warm and supportive. Luke is a terrific lead: he’s strong and powerful and super smart, but also thoughtful and loyal and deeply wants to find his place in the world. He balances out Sera, who all too often acts before she thinks, and doesn’t have a filter. The climax of the book is filled with surprises and a reckoning of good versus evil and a meditation on what absolute power can do to people.
This book is filled with cozy rooms, delicious food and endless cups of tea. I read it during a heat wave and had to crank up the AC, light some candles, brew some tea and wrap myself in a blanket while I read it. Sera has a gift for creating worlds that I just want to spend time in. This is a book you’ll want to return to again and again.
Thank you to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
