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Branches of Past and Future #1
Three Meant to Be
Telepathic high school teacher Dorian prepares teen witches for professional casting because going in unprepared is what killed one of his partners. But new state mandates on magical proficiency make it nearly impossible, and Dorian worries he can’t give his students the education they really need. Seeking a distraction from work, Dorian kisses his still-living on-again off-again clairvoyant boyfriend, Milo. Instead of a distraction, Dorian glimpses Milo’s vague vision involving the murder of Caleb—one of Dorian’s new students.
Already devastated by the loss of his partner, Dorian refuses to stand aside and let Caleb die. He searches for clues by delving into Caleb’s mind. Rooting through Caleb’s memories alongside teaching classes leads Dorian to two more Caleb’s ex-best friend turned rival and the prodigy with connections to dangerous warlocks. However, each step further into his students’ minds forces Dorian to confront his deteriorating relationship with Milo.
After discovering a link involving illegal casting, Dorian resolves to work with Milo to prevent the impending vision. To succeed, Dorian will have to explore the potential of a future with Milo and find closure on their third partner, whose loss looms between them. But meddling with fate to save Caleb inadvertently draws the warlocks near, putting all his students in danger. Dorian will have to risk his life and gamble his second chance with Milo to keep his students alive.
Already devastated by the loss of his partner, Dorian refuses to stand aside and let Caleb die. He searches for clues by delving into Caleb’s mind. Rooting through Caleb’s memories alongside teaching classes leads Dorian to two more Caleb’s ex-best friend turned rival and the prodigy with connections to dangerous warlocks. However, each step further into his students’ minds forces Dorian to confront his deteriorating relationship with Milo.
After discovering a link involving illegal casting, Dorian resolves to work with Milo to prevent the impending vision. To succeed, Dorian will have to explore the potential of a future with Milo and find closure on their third partner, whose loss looms between them. But meddling with fate to save Caleb inadvertently draws the warlocks near, putting all his students in danger. Dorian will have to risk his life and gamble his second chance with Milo to keep his students alive.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 10, 2023
194 people are currently reading
2911 people want to read
About the author
M.N. Bennet
10 books338 followersMN Bennet is a high school teacher, writer, and reader. He lives in the Midwest, still adjusting to the cold after being born and raised in the South.
He enjoys writing paranormal and fantasy stories with huge worlds (sometimes too big), loveable romances (with so much angst and banter), and Happily Ever Afters (once he’s dragged his characters through some emotional turmoil).
When he’s not balancing classes, writing, or reading, he can be found binge watching anime or replaying Baldur's Gate 3 for the millionth time.
He enjoys writing paranormal and fantasy stories with huge worlds (sometimes too big), loveable romances (with so much angst and banter), and Happily Ever Afters (once he’s dragged his characters through some emotional turmoil).
When he’s not balancing classes, writing, or reading, he can be found binge watching anime or replaying Baldur's Gate 3 for the millionth time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
July 16, 2023
More than anything, I wanted to tell Milo I loved him. Milo was a piece of me. A piece I couldn't let go of.
This is a world where everyone has magic to some degree, but there are a lot of magical politics that go along with the ability to readily learn about it and to practice using it. This book has a couple of main story lines that become intertwined – Dorian and Milo trying to find their way back to each other and the potential death of a student.
Dorian and Milo used to be in a relationship with Finn. They were the “Three Meant to Be”. Unfortunately, Finn dies during a work accident involving magic of course. This puts a strain on the relationship between Dorian and Milo because Finn was kind of the glue to the group.
Dorian sees one of Milo’s visions when they kiss. Milo can see potential futures. Dorian becomes obsessed with trying to figure out who this boy is and how to prevent what he saw from happening.
Diving deep into minds wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, but it was my magic, so taking advantage allowed me to avoid my least favorite thing—surprises.
Once Dorian figures out who the boy was in the vision, he is relentless in his pursuit to figure out what might happen. Throughout this process Dorian also gradually comes to terms with the death of Finn, which helps him realize what he still has with Milo.
The kids in the homeroom coven are as varied as their magics, but they start to build their own relationships and come into their magical abilities. Shoutout to King Clucks, Peckfender of the Unhatched Dozen and the never-ending cock jokes.
My favorite parts of this book were the flashbacks to the "Three Meant To Be" and when Dorian was working with his homeroom coven. There is a lot going on in this book considering all of the various types of magical abilities, licensing and guilds. The author does a great job of describing this. Ultimately, this book is about magic, love and loss.
I created none of this outcome. It was them, united with their classmates. Together. Alone. Each of them was so much more than a vague untold future could ever predict. They defied the hand dealt to them.
This is a world where everyone has magic to some degree, but there are a lot of magical politics that go along with the ability to readily learn about it and to practice using it. This book has a couple of main story lines that become intertwined – Dorian and Milo trying to find their way back to each other and the potential death of a student.
Dorian and Milo used to be in a relationship with Finn. They were the “Three Meant to Be”. Unfortunately, Finn dies during a work accident involving magic of course. This puts a strain on the relationship between Dorian and Milo because Finn was kind of the glue to the group.
Dorian sees one of Milo’s visions when they kiss. Milo can see potential futures. Dorian becomes obsessed with trying to figure out who this boy is and how to prevent what he saw from happening.
Diving deep into minds wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, but it was my magic, so taking advantage allowed me to avoid my least favorite thing—surprises.
Once Dorian figures out who the boy was in the vision, he is relentless in his pursuit to figure out what might happen. Throughout this process Dorian also gradually comes to terms with the death of Finn, which helps him realize what he still has with Milo.
The kids in the homeroom coven are as varied as their magics, but they start to build their own relationships and come into their magical abilities. Shoutout to King Clucks, Peckfender of the Unhatched Dozen and the never-ending cock jokes.
My favorite parts of this book were the flashbacks to the "Three Meant To Be" and when Dorian was working with his homeroom coven. There is a lot going on in this book considering all of the various types of magical abilities, licensing and guilds. The author does a great job of describing this. Ultimately, this book is about magic, love and loss.
I created none of this outcome. It was them, united with their classmates. Together. Alone. Each of them was so much more than a vague untold future could ever predict. They defied the hand dealt to them.
December 16, 2023
**Reread 12/15/23: Just as perfect the second time.
“You care. So much it might shatter you.”
Milo and Dorian are everything.
**Read 7/26/23: In Tears!
I didn’t expect to love this book so much, and I CANNOT wait for the sequel!!!
There’s so much that I loved, starting with the clever framing. MN Bennet takes the current struggles of American teachers and applies it to a magic academy, then tells the struggles of a jaded psychic teacher, who is outwardly surly and inwardly desperate to save his students.
We’ve seen so many middle-age/YA magic school books centered on the kids’ experiences, so seeing an adult book telling the story through a teacher was so refreshing! It gives a glimpse of the barriers to quality education for everyone, and makes me (once again) want American teachers to be treated better.
Dorian (Mr. Frost to the students) is able to read minds, which helps readers follow along his students’ trials and sets him up to try to prevent potential tragedies. It gives you just enough clues to follow the mysteries (while keeping the future a secret).
Speaking of future, Milo Evergreen as an oracle and love interest is *chef’s kiss*.
Thank you Bennet for having a magic school romance starring a teacher NOT be a teacher x student. Instead we have lovely Milo, Dorian’s former classmate and exboyfriend/current FWB.
Milo’s dynamic with Dorian feels very Adora and Catra from She-Ra (my favorite show, so I LOVE that). Milo is in the public eye as the golden optimistic boy (very Adora), looking for a second-chance romance with prickly reluctant Dorian (very Catra). But these two also feel very unique as characters, and I’m excited to see their journey!
AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON FINN, WHO READERS WILL HAVE TO DISCOVER. (sobbing noise)
In conclusion, MN Bennet take all my money, I will be preordering the sequel as soon as it drops.
Spice: 3/5
Angst: 4/5 (maybe 5/5 tbh, can’t decide)
“You care. So much it might shatter you.”
Milo and Dorian are everything.
**Read 7/26/23: In Tears!
I didn’t expect to love this book so much, and I CANNOT wait for the sequel!!!
There’s so much that I loved, starting with the clever framing. MN Bennet takes the current struggles of American teachers and applies it to a magic academy, then tells the struggles of a jaded psychic teacher, who is outwardly surly and inwardly desperate to save his students.
We’ve seen so many middle-age/YA magic school books centered on the kids’ experiences, so seeing an adult book telling the story through a teacher was so refreshing! It gives a glimpse of the barriers to quality education for everyone, and makes me (once again) want American teachers to be treated better.
Dorian (Mr. Frost to the students) is able to read minds, which helps readers follow along his students’ trials and sets him up to try to prevent potential tragedies. It gives you just enough clues to follow the mysteries (while keeping the future a secret).
Speaking of future, Milo Evergreen as an oracle and love interest is *chef’s kiss*.
Thank you Bennet for having a magic school romance starring a teacher NOT be a teacher x student. Instead we have lovely Milo, Dorian’s former classmate and exboyfriend/current FWB.
Milo’s dynamic with Dorian feels very Adora and Catra from She-Ra (my favorite show, so I LOVE that). Milo is in the public eye as the golden optimistic boy (very Adora), looking for a second-chance romance with prickly reluctant Dorian (very Catra). But these two also feel very unique as characters, and I’m excited to see their journey!
AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON FINN, WHO READERS WILL HAVE TO DISCOVER. (sobbing noise)
In conclusion, MN Bennet take all my money, I will be preordering the sequel as soon as it drops.
Spice: 3/5
Angst: 4/5 (maybe 5/5 tbh, can’t decide)
June 21, 2023
*I received an ecopy of this book via BookSirens. This has not influenced my review.*
A magic academy, a grumpy teacher, a sunshine-y psychic, mind reading, visions of murder, grief over a lost lover in the past, the potential for happiness with another in the future—so many ideas, but the author made them work together so well!
Dorian was truly a grumpy character. Not sexy grumpy, but genuinely grumpy, and you know what? I’m here for it. (Which is not to say he’s not also sexy. Clearly Milo finds him so 😉) He was strict with his students, avoided hanging out with other teachers, constantly pushed Milo away, rarely smiled even when he wanted to, but he wasn’t a bad person. He cared (about his students and Milo, at least). He was just realistically flawed. And a lot of it was because of the grief he was still struggling with from losing one of his partners years ago.
Milo, Dorian’s other partner whom he’s alternately slept with and pushed away since Finn’s death, was the complete opposite. He smiled and joked and was the person everyone loved and idolized. And he simply would not let Dorian push him away.
There were a lot of other important characters in this book too, because Dorian had a whole class of students, all of whom had their own personalities and interpersonal relationships and different types of magic, and that was fun!
There was also just a whole interesting magic system with so many different types of magic, all set in a world that’s very much like ours, but with magic a common part of it. Dorian’s mind reading ability was especially neat, the way this author wrote about it with everyone’s mind working a little differently.
Overall, I enjoyed this story with its grumpy MC, bit of mystery, bit of romance, bit of action, and lots of magic!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes magic, teachers, grumpy/sunshine, and a bit of romance, action, and mystery.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
A magic academy, a grumpy teacher, a sunshine-y psychic, mind reading, visions of murder, grief over a lost lover in the past, the potential for happiness with another in the future—so many ideas, but the author made them work together so well!
Dorian was truly a grumpy character. Not sexy grumpy, but genuinely grumpy, and you know what? I’m here for it. (Which is not to say he’s not also sexy. Clearly Milo finds him so 😉) He was strict with his students, avoided hanging out with other teachers, constantly pushed Milo away, rarely smiled even when he wanted to, but he wasn’t a bad person. He cared (about his students and Milo, at least). He was just realistically flawed. And a lot of it was because of the grief he was still struggling with from losing one of his partners years ago.
Milo, Dorian’s other partner whom he’s alternately slept with and pushed away since Finn’s death, was the complete opposite. He smiled and joked and was the person everyone loved and idolized. And he simply would not let Dorian push him away.
There were a lot of other important characters in this book too, because Dorian had a whole class of students, all of whom had their own personalities and interpersonal relationships and different types of magic, and that was fun!
There was also just a whole interesting magic system with so many different types of magic, all set in a world that’s very much like ours, but with magic a common part of it. Dorian’s mind reading ability was especially neat, the way this author wrote about it with everyone’s mind working a little differently.
Overall, I enjoyed this story with its grumpy MC, bit of mystery, bit of romance, bit of action, and lots of magic!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes magic, teachers, grumpy/sunshine, and a bit of romance, action, and mystery.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 1, 2023
The book was nice for the most part. You can tell that the other really likes My Hero Academia as a lot of the characters and even some of the scenes feel copy and pasted from it. I had a hard time focusing on the plot and characters when I kept realising all the similarities between the two works sadly.
September 16, 2023
DNF ...found the writing hard to follow ..
October 24, 2023
2.5. My feelings about this book are incredibly complicated and I honestly have no idea how to articulate them in a way that makes sense, but I’m going to try.
First off, the best thing about this book, the thing that kept me from DNFing multiple times, was the care the author put into his main characters. I desperately wanted Dorian and his students (three in particular) to be okay. I wanted to see them succeed and work through all of the pain and fear that was holding them back. That being said, I do feel as if this book had too many characters than the author was able to handle. While the lack of information about some of the other students does make for an interesting revelation by their teacher towards the end of the story, I feel as if the reader was done a disservice by this tactic.
Honestly, this book was really frustrating to read, and most of that I blame on a complete lack of thorough editing. I really wanted to see where the story went, and I wanted to see the characters evolve and make it through, but the abundance of grammar, structure, and just general writing errors made it incredibly hard for me to continue reading. This book is a TEXTBOOK example of why “show, don’t tell” is repeated over and over and over again to storytellers. Listening to Dorian tell us everything he sees and every thought he has, and then giving us long winded explanations for what he sees and thinks, and then going on about how he feels about what he sees and thinks, made the story incredibly hard to read at times. Combining that with just very bizarre grammar and basic storytelling decisions, made for a book that was way too long, way too wordy, and way too hard to want to keep reading.
Also, the author made the decision to constantly bring up the ins and outs and complications of being a teacher. And while the main character is in fact a teacher, I felt like this slowed down and sometimes completely stopped the story. For instance, there is no reason to take a minute to explain what differentiated learning is. Or explain the details of a character’s IEP for no reason. Or to talk about how many meeting teachers have (over and over and over again). Or to go on for waaaayyyy too long about using fidgets in the classroom. In this particular story, even though it is set in a school, those details were so jarring and completely halted what was going on. It seems like the author really wanted to insert his own ideas about how schools and classrooms should be run, or just wanted to show how much he knows about teaching, and didn’t stop to think about how that affects the reader’s journey through the story.
Will I read the second one? Probably. But I desperately hope that the author either gets a new editor or demands better and more thorough work from his current. I feel like a really good story was buried under a lot of obvious mistakes here and I would hate to see it happen again.
First off, the best thing about this book, the thing that kept me from DNFing multiple times, was the care the author put into his main characters. I desperately wanted Dorian and his students (three in particular) to be okay. I wanted to see them succeed and work through all of the pain and fear that was holding them back. That being said, I do feel as if this book had too many characters than the author was able to handle. While the lack of information about some of the other students does make for an interesting revelation by their teacher towards the end of the story, I feel as if the reader was done a disservice by this tactic.
Honestly, this book was really frustrating to read, and most of that I blame on a complete lack of thorough editing. I really wanted to see where the story went, and I wanted to see the characters evolve and make it through, but the abundance of grammar, structure, and just general writing errors made it incredibly hard for me to continue reading. This book is a TEXTBOOK example of why “show, don’t tell” is repeated over and over and over again to storytellers. Listening to Dorian tell us everything he sees and every thought he has, and then giving us long winded explanations for what he sees and thinks, and then going on about how he feels about what he sees and thinks, made the story incredibly hard to read at times. Combining that with just very bizarre grammar and basic storytelling decisions, made for a book that was way too long, way too wordy, and way too hard to want to keep reading.
Also, the author made the decision to constantly bring up the ins and outs and complications of being a teacher. And while the main character is in fact a teacher, I felt like this slowed down and sometimes completely stopped the story. For instance, there is no reason to take a minute to explain what differentiated learning is. Or explain the details of a character’s IEP for no reason. Or to talk about how many meeting teachers have (over and over and over again). Or to go on for waaaayyyy too long about using fidgets in the classroom. In this particular story, even though it is set in a school, those details were so jarring and completely halted what was going on. It seems like the author really wanted to insert his own ideas about how schools and classrooms should be run, or just wanted to show how much he knows about teaching, and didn’t stop to think about how that affects the reader’s journey through the story.
Will I read the second one? Probably. But I desperately hope that the author either gets a new editor or demands better and more thorough work from his current. I feel like a really good story was buried under a lot of obvious mistakes here and I would hate to see it happen again.
July 31, 2023
Read for MM Summer Pride Challenge & Book Club!
I didn't know what to expect with this read, but I'm glad I picked it up for Monster Manor's bookclub!!
For those 18+!!!
Dorian is such a well rounded character with flaws. He battles living with grief, well really avoiding it at all costs, shoving people away even those he loves. It's such a well written character who deals with the loss of a loved one, often dwelling on the past, trying to prevent a future, and not living in the present. You experience the story through his point of view alone and slowly watch him unravel his emotions he's held for years with the help of his on & off again partner Milo & his students.
Milo is a wonderful ray of sunshine in this otherwise super dark magic academy / political atmosphere. His banter with Dorian and the love he has for him is so good!!!! You learn about him and Dorian's other partner, how they met, how they grew together, their dreams and the things that led to the present.
All the students are well thought out and contribute something to the story, you really delve into the past of only a handful of students in this first book, so I'm hoping to see how the second semester goes in this series!! It may be hard to keep track of at first since there is twelve of them, but its absolutely worth the read.
The last 20% had me on edge with the amount of action and not knowing where it was going, but it was so good!! I'll definitely be on the look out for the sequel! <3
I didn't know what to expect with this read, but I'm glad I picked it up for Monster Manor's bookclub!!
For those 18+!!!
Dorian is such a well rounded character with flaws. He battles living with grief, well really avoiding it at all costs, shoving people away even those he loves. It's such a well written character who deals with the loss of a loved one, often dwelling on the past, trying to prevent a future, and not living in the present. You experience the story through his point of view alone and slowly watch him unravel his emotions he's held for years with the help of his on & off again partner Milo & his students.
Milo is a wonderful ray of sunshine in this otherwise super dark magic academy / political atmosphere. His banter with Dorian and the love he has for him is so good!!!! You learn about him and Dorian's other partner, how they met, how they grew together, their dreams and the things that led to the present.
All the students are well thought out and contribute something to the story, you really delve into the past of only a handful of students in this first book, so I'm hoping to see how the second semester goes in this series!! It may be hard to keep track of at first since there is twelve of them, but its absolutely worth the read.
The last 20% had me on edge with the amount of action and not knowing where it was going, but it was so good!! I'll definitely be on the look out for the sequel! <3
July 14, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
M.N. Bennet is a new-to-me author and the blurb for this book drew me in. This is the first book in a new series, and the complex and creative world building was immersive and well fleshed out. This world is an AU where everyone possesses at least a little magic, but training and witch licensing is a privilege of those who have the money to make it happen. As a counterpoint, the warlocks are those who buck the system, who practice magic illegally. The new education mandates are an attempt to train and license far more people and therefore cut down on the amount of warlocks running loose.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
M.N. Bennet is a new-to-me author and the blurb for this book drew me in. This is the first book in a new series, and the complex and creative world building was immersive and well fleshed out. This world is an AU where everyone possesses at least a little magic, but training and witch licensing is a privilege of those who have the money to make it happen. As a counterpoint, the warlocks are those who buck the system, who practice magic illegally. The new education mandates are an attempt to train and license far more people and therefore cut down on the amount of warlocks running loose.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
July 11, 2024
it was a very chill and enjoyable read.
i liked dorian and the kids. it had a slightly darker my hero academia feel to it, to me. i enjoyed reading from the perspective of a teacher much more that i thought i ever would. i also really liked his relationship with milo and finn, and i especially want to learn more about finn. the occasional shifts in the timeline of dorian-milo-finn years, and the current was also great cause i am really invested in their school years and how things went on.
the atmosphere is very soft despite the school setting. the school setting kinda turned me off at times cause of how..."school" it was. the magical side aside, it kinda reminded me of my high school years, which threw me off of my rhythm but kept me reading and enjoying still cause i wanted to know.
on a final note, i'd say it was a 3.5/5 sort of enjoyment for me but on a very positive note.
i liked dorian and the kids. it had a slightly darker my hero academia feel to it, to me. i enjoyed reading from the perspective of a teacher much more that i thought i ever would. i also really liked his relationship with milo and finn, and i especially want to learn more about finn. the occasional shifts in the timeline of dorian-milo-finn years, and the current was also great cause i am really invested in their school years and how things went on.
the atmosphere is very soft despite the school setting. the school setting kinda turned me off at times cause of how..."school" it was. the magical side aside, it kinda reminded me of my high school years, which threw me off of my rhythm but kept me reading and enjoying still cause i wanted to know.
on a final note, i'd say it was a 3.5/5 sort of enjoyment for me but on a very positive note.
December 7, 2023
If anyone who tracks my reviews will know, is that I am not a big fan of fantasy romance. It’s just not my genre. But, for whatever reason, I keep taking a chance on these books, and the premise of this one was so damn interesting that I could not pass it up. A book about a magic school, but from the pov of one of the teachers? Yes! Sign me up!
When Dorian, a telepathic high school teacher, sees a vision of his student’s death, he tries his best to do everything he can to prevent it. While still managing to teach his classes and take care of his temperamental cats, he discovers that the vision is more and more connected with his clairvoyant boyfriend’s case to take down illegal warlocks around the city of Chicago.
My Hero Academia
When I picked up this book, I knew this book would be about a magic school, but I didn’t realize how much it would feel like My Hero Academia fanfiction. Which, is one of my favorite modern anime and I do legitimately read fanfiction of it from time to time, so I’m not knocking it, but the similarities are really on the nose. Dorian is inspired by Eraser Head. Milo is inspired by All Might. Caleb is inspired by Midoriya. Kenzo is inspired by Bakugo. Gael Martinez is inspired by Kirishima. Tara is inspired by Todoroki. But it’s not just the characters. The plot of the book is resolved in a very similar fashion to the first season of My Hero Academia. At times it was too on the nose for me, as it did spoil the ending of the book. At other times, I enjoyed spending time with these well-known character archetypes in another medium and I do think the author does a good job of making them his own, and I imagine they will only become more and more fleshed out as the series continues. So overall, this element is neutral for me. But the My Hero Academia vibes are there. If you enjoy that anime, or recognize all of the fanfiction tropes specific to this fandom (I don’t know what that says about me), you will also really enjoy this book. 😂
But personally, I think that the best parts of the book are the more inventive elements that the author uniquely brings to the table.
What I liked:
A Teacher Main Character
I’ve spent a short time teaching, and I also come from a huge educator family. I’ve grown up around conversations of America’s failing school system and the massive efforts that teachers give to it anyway. The author’s background as a teacher himself brings a lot of depth and nuance to this book and Dorian, the main character. He reminded me a lot of my millennial teacher friends. I liked the commentary on the American school system. I like the message regarding the fact that teachers do give a lot of themselves to their students, but that they also shouldn’t forget to give to themselves. And how ultimately, how a teacher’s job isn’t to choose or decide for their students, but to provide as many options and possibilities possible. Dorian is always thinking about how he’s constantly failing his students, and yet in small ways, the assignments he gives the students throughout the book helps to prepare them. Even though he isn’t a perfect teacher, he’s always striving to be better and do better by them. Although, Dorian does feel inspired by Eraser Head, the author has really made this character his own and has given him a depth that Eraser Head has never had. Dorian is grumpy, constantly pushes everyone away, but also genuinely cares for his students. Dorian is a really great character and there’s a lot of life breathed into him.
The Magic System
The magic system in this book is really really cool. I absolutely loved it. The magic system in this book allows for the same zany type of powers that you see in My Hero Academia. It’s a unique system that allows for some really diverse and varied magic and is a whole lot of fun to read. There is a great graphic at the beginning of the novel that makes it easy to follow as the author describes the magic system throughout the book, but it’s also a magic system that makes sense to be taught in a school setting. Definitely one of my top magic systems of the year. The only time I was lost with a description of a certain branch magic was with counter during the final battle. It can only be used with an item? Got it. Why were the attacks invisible? Was that a part of the branch too? Can it only counter attacks? Then why could Theodore use it at the end? I just wish that one was explained a little bit better sooner.
The Romance
It’s not that I don’t like romance, per se. But I’m not a big fan of the melodrama and angst and tropy-ness of the genre. And while there was angst and melodrama here, I did really like the main couple. I liked the snapshot of this moment as both parties are grieving and healing from the loss of their third partner, and how both have wildly different ways of handling that grief. I like this story of moving on after loss and how that was metaphorically represented throughout the novel. Although, by the end of the novel, I felt like I knew more of who Dorian was as a person (this book is solely in his pov), and I do look forward to learning more about Milo. Also, those magical sex scenes! Very clever and brilliant. Loved it.
Gael Rios-Vega
Okay, among a whole class of students, there was one really memorable and standout character that deserves a shout-out! Gael Rios-Varga and his rooster familiar were an amazing addition, and how their telepathic teacher interacted with the duo was a hoot. And while we’re on the subject of the students—I really enjoyed how diverse the group was and how the author made sure to give each student a little depth by the end of the novel. Gael could have solely been that obnoxious male student but beyond his antics, even Gael gets moments of vulnerability and various shades. Now, where can I add King Clucks, Peckfender of the Unhatched Dozen on IG?
The Formatting
It’s weird for me to specifically state that I like the formatting of a book, but here me out. I read the ebook and as someone who formats their own ebook, I cannot imagine how long it took to format this book and I wanted to take a moment to applaud the effort. The effort has absolutely not been wasted. The way the telepathic thoughts of the students are shown on the page is absolutely brilliant. One of the inspirations taken from My Hero Academia that I absolutely loved was the inclusion of the character cards. It did help me remember who everyone was among such a large cast, and it was such a genius touch. Bravo!
What I didn’t liked:
The Final Showdown
Spoiler: I also wish Dorian spent less time in his student’s heads and more time interacting with them. That’s really what I want in the second book. More interactions with his students, honestly. 😭
Random Musings on Milo’s Clairvoyance
Overall, the strengths of this book far exceed my little nitpicks and I look forward to reading the second one. This book is perfect for fans of My Hero Academia, for those of who are intrigued by the premise of a magic school from the teacher’s pov because it absolutely delivers on that front, and for those who are looking for a delightful & fantastical M/M romance.
“Another dreamless night where his dreams, his hopes for the future, his longing memories of Finn allowed me to finally put a piece of the past to rest.”
Personal Rating: 4.5 stars
Indie Rating: 5 stars
When Dorian, a telepathic high school teacher, sees a vision of his student’s death, he tries his best to do everything he can to prevent it. While still managing to teach his classes and take care of his temperamental cats, he discovers that the vision is more and more connected with his clairvoyant boyfriend’s case to take down illegal warlocks around the city of Chicago.
My Hero Academia
When I picked up this book, I knew this book would be about a magic school, but I didn’t realize how much it would feel like My Hero Academia fanfiction. Which, is one of my favorite modern anime and I do legitimately read fanfiction of it from time to time, so I’m not knocking it, but the similarities are really on the nose. Dorian is inspired by Eraser Head. Milo is inspired by All Might. Caleb is inspired by Midoriya. Kenzo is inspired by Bakugo. Gael Martinez is inspired by Kirishima. Tara is inspired by Todoroki. But it’s not just the characters. The plot of the book is resolved in a very similar fashion to the first season of My Hero Academia. At times it was too on the nose for me, as it did spoil the ending of the book. At other times, I enjoyed spending time with these well-known character archetypes in another medium and I do think the author does a good job of making them his own, and I imagine they will only become more and more fleshed out as the series continues. So overall, this element is neutral for me. But the My Hero Academia vibes are there. If you enjoy that anime, or recognize all of the fanfiction tropes specific to this fandom (I don’t know what that says about me), you will also really enjoy this book. 😂
But personally, I think that the best parts of the book are the more inventive elements that the author uniquely brings to the table.
What I liked:
A Teacher Main Character
I’ve spent a short time teaching, and I also come from a huge educator family. I’ve grown up around conversations of America’s failing school system and the massive efforts that teachers give to it anyway. The author’s background as a teacher himself brings a lot of depth and nuance to this book and Dorian, the main character. He reminded me a lot of my millennial teacher friends. I liked the commentary on the American school system. I like the message regarding the fact that teachers do give a lot of themselves to their students, but that they also shouldn’t forget to give to themselves. And how ultimately, how a teacher’s job isn’t to choose or decide for their students, but to provide as many options and possibilities possible. Dorian is always thinking about how he’s constantly failing his students, and yet in small ways, the assignments he gives the students throughout the book helps to prepare them. Even though he isn’t a perfect teacher, he’s always striving to be better and do better by them. Although, Dorian does feel inspired by Eraser Head, the author has really made this character his own and has given him a depth that Eraser Head has never had. Dorian is grumpy, constantly pushes everyone away, but also genuinely cares for his students. Dorian is a really great character and there’s a lot of life breathed into him.
The Magic System
The magic system in this book is really really cool. I absolutely loved it. The magic system in this book allows for the same zany type of powers that you see in My Hero Academia. It’s a unique system that allows for some really diverse and varied magic and is a whole lot of fun to read. There is a great graphic at the beginning of the novel that makes it easy to follow as the author describes the magic system throughout the book, but it’s also a magic system that makes sense to be taught in a school setting. Definitely one of my top magic systems of the year. The only time I was lost with a description of a certain branch magic was with counter during the final battle. It can only be used with an item? Got it. Why were the attacks invisible? Was that a part of the branch too? Can it only counter attacks? Then why could Theodore use it at the end? I just wish that one was explained a little bit better sooner.
The Romance
It’s not that I don’t like romance, per se. But I’m not a big fan of the melodrama and angst and tropy-ness of the genre. And while there was angst and melodrama here, I did really like the main couple. I liked the snapshot of this moment as both parties are grieving and healing from the loss of their third partner, and how both have wildly different ways of handling that grief. I like this story of moving on after loss and how that was metaphorically represented throughout the novel. Although, by the end of the novel, I felt like I knew more of who Dorian was as a person (this book is solely in his pov), and I do look forward to learning more about Milo. Also, those magical sex scenes! Very clever and brilliant. Loved it.
Gael Rios-Vega
Okay, among a whole class of students, there was one really memorable and standout character that deserves a shout-out! Gael Rios-Varga and his rooster familiar were an amazing addition, and how their telepathic teacher interacted with the duo was a hoot. And while we’re on the subject of the students—I really enjoyed how diverse the group was and how the author made sure to give each student a little depth by the end of the novel. Gael could have solely been that obnoxious male student but beyond his antics, even Gael gets moments of vulnerability and various shades. Now, where can I add King Clucks, Peckfender of the Unhatched Dozen on IG?
The Formatting
It’s weird for me to specifically state that I like the formatting of a book, but here me out. I read the ebook and as someone who formats their own ebook, I cannot imagine how long it took to format this book and I wanted to take a moment to applaud the effort. The effort has absolutely not been wasted. The way the telepathic thoughts of the students are shown on the page is absolutely brilliant. One of the inspirations taken from My Hero Academia that I absolutely loved was the inclusion of the character cards. It did help me remember who everyone was among such a large cast, and it was such a genius touch. Bravo!
What I didn’t liked:
The Final Showdown
Spoiler: I also wish Dorian spent less time in his student’s heads and more time interacting with them. That’s really what I want in the second book. More interactions with his students, honestly. 😭
Random Musings on Milo’s Clairvoyance
Overall, the strengths of this book far exceed my little nitpicks and I look forward to reading the second one. This book is perfect for fans of My Hero Academia, for those of who are intrigued by the premise of a magic school from the teacher’s pov because it absolutely delivers on that front, and for those who are looking for a delightful & fantastical M/M romance.
“Another dreamless night where his dreams, his hopes for the future, his longing memories of Finn allowed me to finally put a piece of the past to rest.”
Personal Rating: 4.5 stars
Indie Rating: 5 stars
July 12, 2023
4.5/5 stars
Three Meant to Be is an adult fantasy about a telepathic high school teacher in turmoil. After a kiss with his on-again off-again clairvoyant partner Milo, their minds link and Dorian sees a vision of one of his students being murdered. As he tries his best to guide his teenage witch students, he must find a way to prevent the vision from coming true all while still reeling from the loss their partner years ago that drove a wedge between Dorian and Milo.
I loved this book, and it would have been a 5-star read had it not been for that (honestly quite dreary) first quarter. It does not start off at the best light with a pretty downer of a beginning with Dorian just being an absolute whiny avoidant mess and too much discussion (and complaining) about school politics and administration. But right at the 25% mark just as the teen students are introduced, the book does a 180 and it just clicked. From that point forward, the story became engaging and compelling, and I could not put the book down. Then that last quarter was just astounding with excellent character moments and impeccably choreographed action sequences.
Despite the inauspicious introduction to Dorian, he is a great sympathetic protagonist. He has issues stemming from the death of his and Milo’s best partner (at work and in life) who they have known since school and who held their friendship, relationship, and ultimate dreams as the “three meant to be” together. But even before that, he has already had some personality traits that don’t make for easy attachments. However, his love for his students and for Milo and for their dead partner really shines through. Then the twelve teenage witch students were great—not all fully fleshed out but each distinct enough—with a few more prominent ones that are startlingly well developed. Lastly, Milo shined with his own brand of flirtiness and sunshiny-ness as he juggles his clairvoyant visions, duty, and flighty romance.
Three Meant to Be is an adult contemporary “magic school” fantasy that is queer, dark, and grounded. Think a grittier and darker Sky High.
*I received a free ebook as part of its book tour.
Three Meant to Be is an adult fantasy about a telepathic high school teacher in turmoil. After a kiss with his on-again off-again clairvoyant partner Milo, their minds link and Dorian sees a vision of one of his students being murdered. As he tries his best to guide his teenage witch students, he must find a way to prevent the vision from coming true all while still reeling from the loss their partner years ago that drove a wedge between Dorian and Milo.
I loved this book, and it would have been a 5-star read had it not been for that (honestly quite dreary) first quarter. It does not start off at the best light with a pretty downer of a beginning with Dorian just being an absolute whiny avoidant mess and too much discussion (and complaining) about school politics and administration. But right at the 25% mark just as the teen students are introduced, the book does a 180 and it just clicked. From that point forward, the story became engaging and compelling, and I could not put the book down. Then that last quarter was just astounding with excellent character moments and impeccably choreographed action sequences.
Despite the inauspicious introduction to Dorian, he is a great sympathetic protagonist. He has issues stemming from the death of his and Milo’s best partner (at work and in life) who they have known since school and who held their friendship, relationship, and ultimate dreams as the “three meant to be” together. But even before that, he has already had some personality traits that don’t make for easy attachments. However, his love for his students and for Milo and for their dead partner really shines through. Then the twelve teenage witch students were great—not all fully fleshed out but each distinct enough—with a few more prominent ones that are startlingly well developed. Lastly, Milo shined with his own brand of flirtiness and sunshiny-ness as he juggles his clairvoyant visions, duty, and flighty romance.
Three Meant to Be is an adult contemporary “magic school” fantasy that is queer, dark, and grounded. Think a grittier and darker Sky High.
*I received a free ebook as part of its book tour.
August 21, 2023
Going into this book, I had no idea what to expect and it turned out to be a good thing because I ended up really enjoying this book. Three Meant to Be was such a fun and intense read and I enjoyed every second of it. I especially really liked the main character, Dorian. I found his grumpiness to be oddly endearing; and I could totally understand why he was like that (hint: he can read minds). Honestly, I really related to him and understand why he acted the way he did around his love interest Milo. M.N. Bennet did a fantastic job of portraying his trauma and grief and how that seeped into his relationship with Milo. It was really nice to see these two men slowly get back into a relationship with each other by the end, knowing how much they loved and cared for each other.
Though there were certain parts of the book that I felt there was a bit too much info-dumping, overall I quite liked the world building. It was really easy to grasp and the simplistic, straight-to-the-point writing style made reading from Dorian's perspective and overall, reading this book a lot of fun. I really really enjoyed the way it ended and I know I'll be giving the sequel a try.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for providing me with a copy for review!
Though there were certain parts of the book that I felt there was a bit too much info-dumping, overall I quite liked the world building. It was really easy to grasp and the simplistic, straight-to-the-point writing style made reading from Dorian's perspective and overall, reading this book a lot of fun. I really really enjoyed the way it ended and I know I'll be giving the sequel a try.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for providing me with a copy for review!
May 18, 2025
A story that about 30+ year old magic teacher trying to keep one of his student’s alive after a vision, but also follows the classroom full of his interesting magical students while expanding on quite a few of them.
There’s also Milo, his not quite boyfriend who he broke up with years ago after a tragedy, but has popped back in his life and isn’t willing to leave. He also technically has the void vision that kickstarts this story. Dorian and Milo definitely have an established current relationship, but it’s not where it’s been or needs to be so it makes you want to see more of them and their development the whole book.
Then there is Finn, a character who haunts the narrative. It’s just such a good trope, and with Dorian’s ability to really get lost in his (and other’s) memories, he’s very much actively haunting the story.
Also, I won’t spoil much, but the magic system with foot and branch magic is very fascinating, though still a smidge confusing but in just a way that any magic casting seems possible.
There’s also Milo, his not quite boyfriend who he broke up with years ago after a tragedy, but has popped back in his life and isn’t willing to leave. He also technically has the void vision that kickstarts this story. Dorian and Milo definitely have an established current relationship, but it’s not where it’s been or needs to be so it makes you want to see more of them and their development the whole book.
Then there is Finn, a character who haunts the narrative. It’s just such a good trope, and with Dorian’s ability to really get lost in his (and other’s) memories, he’s very much actively haunting the story.
Also, I won’t spoil much, but the magic system with foot and branch magic is very fascinating, though still a smidge confusing but in just a way that any magic casting seems possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
The good
+ Dorian's obvious care for his students
+ The incorporation of all the students into the story. With this many side characters (twelve students!) it should be impossible to keep track of everyone, but it was actually very doable
+ The students themselves. The ones most focused on were complex characters with real personalities
+ I think this is the first time I've read about a triad losing one of their own, and the two people left moving on together without searching for a third
+ The magic system (with the roots, the branches and the 'leaves')
+ Milo sharing his thoughts and feelings without reservation
+ Milo's calming effect on Dorian's magic
The neutral
o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased
o The evil mastermind was called Stefani Germanotta. This is either a huge coincidence, or the author holds an intense grudge against Lady Gaga
o The plot and Dorian's students play significant roles in the story. The romantic connection between Milo and Dorian is only secondary. Be aware of that if you're thinking of picking this up because of the romance
The bad
- Milo blamed Dorian for Finn's death (just like Dorian did), and used that to hurt Dorian. They never talked this out and Milo didn't apologize
- During the book, Milo and Dorian drifted further and further apart. Their reunion at the end seemed very rushed and didn't feel natural. I hope their bond gets strengthened in the sequel
- The text messages were often hard to read because the text was so small. I wish these had been formatted as plain text
Quotes
This story was really engaging and I got very invested in the students' lives. I can't wait for everyone to return in the sequel, which I'll definitely read as well. I have so many questions that need answers! And I also need more cuddles between Milo and Dorian, because Dorian deserves more love. Even so, the ending is not a real cliffhanger, and this book can definitely be enjoyed before the sequel launches. Would recommend.
+ Dorian's obvious care for his students
+ The incorporation of all the students into the story. With this many side characters (twelve students!) it should be impossible to keep track of everyone, but it was actually very doable
+ The students themselves. The ones most focused on were complex characters with real personalities
+ I think this is the first time I've read about a triad losing one of their own, and the two people left moving on together without searching for a third
+ The magic system (with the roots, the branches and the 'leaves')
+ Milo sharing his thoughts and feelings without reservation
+ Milo's calming effect on Dorian's magic
The neutral
o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased
o The evil mastermind was called Stefani Germanotta. This is either a huge coincidence, or the author holds an intense grudge against Lady Gaga
o The plot and Dorian's students play significant roles in the story. The romantic connection between Milo and Dorian is only secondary. Be aware of that if you're thinking of picking this up because of the romance
The bad
- Milo blamed Dorian for Finn's death (just like Dorian did), and used that to hurt Dorian. They never talked this out and Milo didn't apologize
- During the book, Milo and Dorian drifted further and further apart. Their reunion at the end seemed very rushed and didn't feel natural. I hope their bond gets strengthened in the sequel
- The text messages were often hard to read because the text was so small. I wish these had been formatted as plain text
Quotes
Everything about Milo was perfection, from his sweet smile to his eternal understanding, all the way to his puppy dog eyes. Whereas I was a mess of unbridled anger, constant regrets, and looming guilt.
So many of the adults, in general, hated their lives and jobs and choices. And from a very young age, I knew I wouldn't end up like any of them. I'd love my life and hate everyone else in it.
This story was really engaging and I got very invested in the students' lives. I can't wait for everyone to return in the sequel, which I'll definitely read as well. I have so many questions that need answers! And I also need more cuddles between Milo and Dorian, because Dorian deserves more love. Even so, the ending is not a real cliffhanger, and this book can definitely be enjoyed before the sequel launches. Would recommend.
August 1, 2023
I really love the cover photo of this book. It feels so magical. Honestly in the beginning of the story I didn't feel that I will like this book so much. It is full of action, magic, and adventure.
Three Meant to Be is a captivating fantasy novel that explores the themes of love, loss, fate, and magic. The story follows Dorian, a professor at a prestigious magic academy, who has the ability to read minds and manipulate memories. He is haunted by the death of his previous partner, who sacrificed himself to save Dorian. Dorian's life is further complicated when he kisses his on-again off-again boyfriend, Milo, a clairvoyant who can see glimpses of the future. Through Milo's vision, Dorian learns that one of his new students, Caleb, is destined to die soon. Determined to prevent another tragedy, Dorian decides to investigate Caleb's fate and protect him from harm. Along the way, he discovers that Caleb is more than just a student, and that their lives are intertwined by a mysterious force.
The book is well-written and engaging, with a fast-paced plot and a richly detailed world. The magic system is intriguing and original, with different branches of magic based on the past and the future. The characters are complex and realistic, each with their own strengths and flaws. Dorian is a sympathetic protagonist, who struggles with his grief and guilt, but also shows compassion and courage. Milo is a charming and witty love interest, who supports Dorian and helps him heal. Caleb is a sweet and innocent young man, who has a hidden power and a dark secret. The romance between the three men is tender and steamy, with plenty of chemistry and conflict. The book also explores the themes of destiny and free will, as the characters face difficult choices and unexpected consequences.
Three Meant to Be is a thrilling and emotional fantasy novel that will appeal to fans of magic, mystery, and romance. It is the first book in the Branches of Past and Future series, and it sets up an intriguing premise for the sequel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted story with engaging characters and a captivating plot. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Three Meant to Be is a captivating fantasy novel that explores the themes of love, loss, fate, and magic. The story follows Dorian, a professor at a prestigious magic academy, who has the ability to read minds and manipulate memories. He is haunted by the death of his previous partner, who sacrificed himself to save Dorian. Dorian's life is further complicated when he kisses his on-again off-again boyfriend, Milo, a clairvoyant who can see glimpses of the future. Through Milo's vision, Dorian learns that one of his new students, Caleb, is destined to die soon. Determined to prevent another tragedy, Dorian decides to investigate Caleb's fate and protect him from harm. Along the way, he discovers that Caleb is more than just a student, and that their lives are intertwined by a mysterious force.
The book is well-written and engaging, with a fast-paced plot and a richly detailed world. The magic system is intriguing and original, with different branches of magic based on the past and the future. The characters are complex and realistic, each with their own strengths and flaws. Dorian is a sympathetic protagonist, who struggles with his grief and guilt, but also shows compassion and courage. Milo is a charming and witty love interest, who supports Dorian and helps him heal. Caleb is a sweet and innocent young man, who has a hidden power and a dark secret. The romance between the three men is tender and steamy, with plenty of chemistry and conflict. The book also explores the themes of destiny and free will, as the characters face difficult choices and unexpected consequences.
Three Meant to Be is a thrilling and emotional fantasy novel that will appeal to fans of magic, mystery, and romance. It is the first book in the Branches of Past and Future series, and it sets up an intriguing premise for the sequel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted story with engaging characters and a captivating plot. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
February 20, 2024
4.5 stars
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved Dorian and Milo and the whole class coven. Dorian and Milo are the definition of grumpy cat and sunshine golden retriever and I adored them together. I really loved that we got to see snippets of their past with Finn over the course of the book, and got to see how they ended up how we see them in the book.
Seeing their time with Finn was so nice but also heartbreaking. The love the three of them had was so beautiful and it made me so sad thinking of the grief Dorian and Milo had to live through.
I also loved all of Dorian’s students and the magic system in the world. It really reminded me of my hero academia in the best way. A (grumpy) teacher teaching his class of students how to manage their magic, what’s not to love! Each of the students felt really unique, and had their one distinct personality and type of magic.
I’m really excited for the next book and seeing what’s to come for Dorian, his class, and Milo.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved Dorian and Milo and the whole class coven. Dorian and Milo are the definition of grumpy cat and sunshine golden retriever and I adored them together. I really loved that we got to see snippets of their past with Finn over the course of the book, and got to see how they ended up how we see them in the book.
Seeing their time with Finn was so nice but also heartbreaking. The love the three of them had was so beautiful and it made me so sad thinking of the grief Dorian and Milo had to live through.
I also loved all of Dorian’s students and the magic system in the world. It really reminded me of my hero academia in the best way. A (grumpy) teacher teaching his class of students how to manage their magic, what’s not to love! Each of the students felt really unique, and had their one distinct personality and type of magic.
I’m really excited for the next book and seeing what’s to come for Dorian, his class, and Milo.
June 18, 2023
I picked up and put down this book at least 5 times trying to get into the overly verbose and convoluted story, but the plot bunny wouldn’t let me DNF it completely. So in between other books, I kept coming back, hoping that we’d get to why Finn, Milo, and Dorian were the ultimate 3. Unfortunately, the plot was lost in the boring details of too many characters in whom I was not invested. Too often, the writing was so convoluted and without distinguishing characters that it was often hard to determine who was speaking, thinking, or acting, making it difficult to follow the story. Finally, 46% into the book, the telling stopped, and the show began…slow at first, but building to a wonderful story of teamwork and friendship.
July 10, 2023
I'm rounding this up from 3.5. This took me a bit of time to get into. I had to put it down for a bit. Once I came back to it though, I did enjoy reading it.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
January 16, 2024
I've reviewed this author's work before, a YA achillean romance between a vampire and a human. So when he offered me a copy of his adult novel, I was more than a little hype!
This premise intrigued me in two ways. One, I LOVE a good polycule story. I'm monogamous by choice, but the idea of having a little group love situation is intriguing. I'm also invested in stories about grief. Not necessarily where someone dies on the page, but stories where the character has to handle grief after the fact. So I was particularly interested in how a polycule would navigate the loss of one of their members.
Dorian as a character is one of those loveable assholes. Like you get why he is the way he is (thoughts bombarding you all the time can't be fun) and he's at least a little self aware. It makes for some nice grumpy x sunshine dynamics between him and Milo. There's also just a ton of sexual chemistry between the two to begin with (and some good steamy scenes). Milo desperately trying to chase after the happy ending for them he's had visions of, while Dorian can't bring himself to believe it's even possible. Fantasy gay pining. My favorite kind of pining!
As someone that works in education, the representation of teacher life is spot on. It probably won't mean a lot to people that haven't worked in the field, but the talk of pointless PDs and ten year plans for the district that get abandoned after two years was some excellent catharsis. Dorian's focus on teaching in general is intriguing. I liked the homeroom set up and the affect bureaucratic policy changes have both on the students and the world at large. And while his classroom is a little too large for most of the students to stick in the reader's memory, the general vibe of being in a classroom felt real. Even for a school teaching magic.
Admittedly, I don't have the strongest grasp of the magic system. It has several layers to it, with roots and branches and mixing the two. I don't know that I ever fully understood exactly how things work. And occasionally the dialogue would get just on the side of being awkwardly expository trying to explain everything. Although I'm not sure if there would even be a way to explain something as deep as that without a hefty amount of exposition. Still, it made for some juicy fight scenes, so I'm a fan.
I knew from the previous book that the author likes him a long, 100 page climactic scene where everything goes sideways. And this one was BIG. I particularly enjoyed how the prophecy actually turned out and how different character arcs affected it. There were a couple nice rug pull moments accompanying it. But I also love a good "it's time to let go of the past" sentimental ending. And there's still a nice big antagonist at large for future installments. A great beginning to a series!
This premise intrigued me in two ways. One, I LOVE a good polycule story. I'm monogamous by choice, but the idea of having a little group love situation is intriguing. I'm also invested in stories about grief. Not necessarily where someone dies on the page, but stories where the character has to handle grief after the fact. So I was particularly interested in how a polycule would navigate the loss of one of their members.
Dorian as a character is one of those loveable assholes. Like you get why he is the way he is (thoughts bombarding you all the time can't be fun) and he's at least a little self aware. It makes for some nice grumpy x sunshine dynamics between him and Milo. There's also just a ton of sexual chemistry between the two to begin with (and some good steamy scenes). Milo desperately trying to chase after the happy ending for them he's had visions of, while Dorian can't bring himself to believe it's even possible. Fantasy gay pining. My favorite kind of pining!
As someone that works in education, the representation of teacher life is spot on. It probably won't mean a lot to people that haven't worked in the field, but the talk of pointless PDs and ten year plans for the district that get abandoned after two years was some excellent catharsis. Dorian's focus on teaching in general is intriguing. I liked the homeroom set up and the affect bureaucratic policy changes have both on the students and the world at large. And while his classroom is a little too large for most of the students to stick in the reader's memory, the general vibe of being in a classroom felt real. Even for a school teaching magic.
Admittedly, I don't have the strongest grasp of the magic system. It has several layers to it, with roots and branches and mixing the two. I don't know that I ever fully understood exactly how things work. And occasionally the dialogue would get just on the side of being awkwardly expository trying to explain everything. Although I'm not sure if there would even be a way to explain something as deep as that without a hefty amount of exposition. Still, it made for some juicy fight scenes, so I'm a fan.
I knew from the previous book that the author likes him a long, 100 page climactic scene where everything goes sideways. And this one was BIG. I particularly enjoyed how the prophecy actually turned out and how different character arcs affected it. There were a couple nice rug pull moments accompanying it. But I also love a good "it's time to let go of the past" sentimental ending. And there's still a nice big antagonist at large for future installments. A great beginning to a series!
March 29, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My first reaction was this certainly isn't Hogwarts. The main character, Dorian Frost, is a teacher in an elite magic academy in the Chicago area. This is where any comparisons to Harry Potter ends. He's more Abbott Elementary than Chamber of Secrets. The author is a teacher so he uses his experiences to give us a very real experience where Dorian has to deal with administrators who don't support the staff. He has too much paperwork to deal with. Right before school starts for the new year, a new state law is in effect that screws up everything that he and his fellow teachers had planned for the school year. I had educators in my family, so I know what he's writing is pretty much how it is.
Prior to this school year, he and the other teachers kept the same class, or coven as its called in the book, from their first year to their third. It’s only a three-year school. Students used their final year for internships with the various magic guilds around the city. This year, Dorian lost his third-year class and instead got a first-year class. There are quite a few classroom scenes which would usually hurt the plot, but it works so well here.
We get to meet each of his students and learn their powers. Each student has a unique power. One girl can change into an animal while one boy has a rooster as a familiar. We get plenty of cock jokes from him. It’s actually sort of cute, and the author doesn’t run the joke into the ground.
We have a subplot with Dorian's ex-boyfriend, Milo Evergreen, who is the top enchanter for the city. The two of them were in a triad relationship with another enchanter, Finn. We don’t get his last name. Finn was the proverbial glue that held the three of them together. He died saving the city from a demon incursion. This led to Dorian leaving the guilds and entering teaching. It also drove him and Milo apart. Milo tried to reunite with Dorian, but Dorian always resisted.
Milo is the top enchanter in the city, and as such, is a major celebrity. He’s described as very good looking with a great body. Dorian keeps saying Milo is out of his league, even though Milo is the one who keeps pursuing him.
The book isn’t all classroom work and Milo pining for Dorian. We do get plenty of magical action. We also get some spicy times between Milo and Dorian. Needless to say, Dorian realizes he does still care for Milo.
I think this is a great start to the series. I can’t wait to read the others books.
My first reaction was this certainly isn't Hogwarts. The main character, Dorian Frost, is a teacher in an elite magic academy in the Chicago area. This is where any comparisons to Harry Potter ends. He's more Abbott Elementary than Chamber of Secrets. The author is a teacher so he uses his experiences to give us a very real experience where Dorian has to deal with administrators who don't support the staff. He has too much paperwork to deal with. Right before school starts for the new year, a new state law is in effect that screws up everything that he and his fellow teachers had planned for the school year. I had educators in my family, so I know what he's writing is pretty much how it is.
Prior to this school year, he and the other teachers kept the same class, or coven as its called in the book, from their first year to their third. It’s only a three-year school. Students used their final year for internships with the various magic guilds around the city. This year, Dorian lost his third-year class and instead got a first-year class. There are quite a few classroom scenes which would usually hurt the plot, but it works so well here.
We get to meet each of his students and learn their powers. Each student has a unique power. One girl can change into an animal while one boy has a rooster as a familiar. We get plenty of cock jokes from him. It’s actually sort of cute, and the author doesn’t run the joke into the ground.
We have a subplot with Dorian's ex-boyfriend, Milo Evergreen, who is the top enchanter for the city. The two of them were in a triad relationship with another enchanter, Finn. We don’t get his last name. Finn was the proverbial glue that held the three of them together. He died saving the city from a demon incursion. This led to Dorian leaving the guilds and entering teaching. It also drove him and Milo apart. Milo tried to reunite with Dorian, but Dorian always resisted.
Milo is the top enchanter in the city, and as such, is a major celebrity. He’s described as very good looking with a great body. Dorian keeps saying Milo is out of his league, even though Milo is the one who keeps pursuing him.
The book isn’t all classroom work and Milo pining for Dorian. We do get plenty of magical action. We also get some spicy times between Milo and Dorian. Needless to say, Dorian realizes he does still care for Milo.
I think this is a great start to the series. I can’t wait to read the others books.
August 23, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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Thank you to Pride Book Tours and MN Bennet for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review.
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What do you get when you take a world where magic is a norm, a grumpy teacher with a heart of gold, the loves of his life, and the kids he’ll protect at all costs? This gem of a book! I jumped into Three Meant To Be expecting a fantasy romance with a side of found family. And while I got both of those things, I also got so much more. This book is about the lasting effects of grief, the hope in healing, and a desire to leave this world a better place than we found it.
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Characters play a huge role in how I connect to a story and ambiguity can often be a downfall in such a large cast. But MN Bennet did an amazing job of making each character feel real. Each of the kids had a distinct personality and I really enjoyed getting to know them. The amount of times they made me snort was frankly illegal 😂 They were truly the highlight of the book for me! The exasperated teacher versus room of cheeky teenagers dynamic was my favorite 🤌🏽
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Grumpy/sunshine anyone? 👀 I really enjoyed the chemistry between Dorian and Milo. Their texts throughout the book were a definite highlight for me. The triad memories were bittersweet 😭💗 I do feel like the romance took a backseat to other aspects of the plot at times, but I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would.
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This world, y’all! You can tell that MN Bennet built this world with so much precision and care. I loved learning about the different branches of magic and the roles they play sociopolitically. I ran out of my “important world info” tabs pretty quickly 😂
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Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I will definitely be following this series. If you’re looking for a new fantasy read that features a diverse cast of characters, LBTQIA+ rep, a really cool magic system, and an abundance of innuendos, please give Three Meant To Be a shot!
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Thank you to Pride Book Tours and MN Bennet for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review.
-
What do you get when you take a world where magic is a norm, a grumpy teacher with a heart of gold, the loves of his life, and the kids he’ll protect at all costs? This gem of a book! I jumped into Three Meant To Be expecting a fantasy romance with a side of found family. And while I got both of those things, I also got so much more. This book is about the lasting effects of grief, the hope in healing, and a desire to leave this world a better place than we found it.
-
Characters play a huge role in how I connect to a story and ambiguity can often be a downfall in such a large cast. But MN Bennet did an amazing job of making each character feel real. Each of the kids had a distinct personality and I really enjoyed getting to know them. The amount of times they made me snort was frankly illegal 😂 They were truly the highlight of the book for me! The exasperated teacher versus room of cheeky teenagers dynamic was my favorite 🤌🏽
-
Grumpy/sunshine anyone? 👀 I really enjoyed the chemistry between Dorian and Milo. Their texts throughout the book were a definite highlight for me. The triad memories were bittersweet 😭💗 I do feel like the romance took a backseat to other aspects of the plot at times, but I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would.
-
This world, y’all! You can tell that MN Bennet built this world with so much precision and care. I loved learning about the different branches of magic and the roles they play sociopolitically. I ran out of my “important world info” tabs pretty quickly 😂
-
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I will definitely be following this series. If you’re looking for a new fantasy read that features a diverse cast of characters, LBTQIA+ rep, a really cool magic system, and an abundance of innuendos, please give Three Meant To Be a shot!
July 9, 2023
4.5 stars. It took me a while to really get into this book, there were a lot of detailed characters and complicated world building, with seemingly endless forms of magic. Dorian is a beautifully written still heavily mourning character, really hard on himself but excellent for his students. All the children in his class are interesting characters and seeing their thoughts and feelings through Dorian's mind could have been quickly confusing for the reader, but the author managed that really well. I also really appreciated seeing the many difficulties in the various magical gifts, especially Milo's clairvoyance and Dorian's constant battle with everyone in his mind. There wasn't much romance involved as such, more two adults still reeling from losing their third partner with Dorian more or less unable to move further in his grieving process, although at the end it seems like that he and Milo will be closer to each other in the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
August 26, 2023
I always feel a bit nervous when I proclaim that I’ve read a five star book, seeing my ratings are harsh to some people. So a little reminder, five star books are books that made me feel the emotions, that made me cry, that made me want to never read another book again. It could be several reasons as to why a book is five stars to me.
This book – like some others on my five star list – is not one I predicted would be included when I was reading it. I’ve read one previous book by this author and while I like the writing style, the story of that book didn’t grip me. Up until like 65% of this book I was entirely convinced this would be a four star book and for me that’s still fantastic. But then something happened, the story started to truly piece together a lot of storylines and character developments, all leading up to a wonderful finale that had me on the edge of my seat.
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
This book – like some others on my five star list – is not one I predicted would be included when I was reading it. I’ve read one previous book by this author and while I like the writing style, the story of that book didn’t grip me. Up until like 65% of this book I was entirely convinced this would be a four star book and for me that’s still fantastic. But then something happened, the story started to truly piece together a lot of storylines and character developments, all leading up to a wonderful finale that had me on the edge of my seat.
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
February 19, 2024
Loved this so much that I was tempted to come give it a 5 star rating only about twenty minutes into the book, but I held off until I finished so I could give a complete review ❤️.
Dorian, a psychic, and his (kinda but not really) boyfriend (why label it when it is easier to leave him on read), Milo, a clairvoyant, are making out one night when they have a joint vision of a teenager being murdered. Turns out the kid is one of Dorian's students. It is that age-old question of can you change the future?
I didn't need to read the author's biography to know he was a teacher. As a former educator, only a teacher could write with such true hatred of that first week of before school starts, when admin wastes your time, teachers who do not leave lesson plans, or the detail put into an IEP.
Looking forward to reading the next book!!!
Dorian, a psychic, and his (kinda but not really) boyfriend (why label it when it is easier to leave him on read), Milo, a clairvoyant, are making out one night when they have a joint vision of a teenager being murdered. Turns out the kid is one of Dorian's students. It is that age-old question of can you change the future?
I didn't need to read the author's biography to know he was a teacher. As a former educator, only a teacher could write with such true hatred of that first week of before school starts, when admin wastes your time, teachers who do not leave lesson plans, or the detail put into an IEP.
Looking forward to reading the next book!!!
Read
January 27, 2024DNF 51%
Maybe I'll try this one again when I'm not in a book slump, currently finding the pacing off and the characterization a bit sloppy.
Maybe I'll try this one again when I'm not in a book slump, currently finding the pacing off and the characterization a bit sloppy.
February 4, 2024
4.5
This was SO good. There was so many layers to it, but the kids in class definitely gave it a found family vibe.
The angst and struggles between Dorian and Milo were very rooted in their past, and I enjoyed Dorian’s journey to figuring out he can just BE with Milo without Finn’s ghost haunting them.
I’m hoping with the way this is going, Milo will be in the next one a lot more and we can get more with them together.
This was SO good. There was so many layers to it, but the kids in class definitely gave it a found family vibe.
The angst and struggles between Dorian and Milo were very rooted in their past, and I enjoyed Dorian’s journey to figuring out he can just BE with Milo without Finn’s ghost haunting them.
I’m hoping with the way this is going, Milo will be in the next one a lot more and we can get more with them together.
March 28, 2025
Story 5 stars
Written more like 3 stars
I had problems to follow the story.
But it seems that this is a common problem with this book :(
The story was amazing tho!
Written more like 3 stars
I had problems to follow the story.
But it seems that this is a common problem with this book :(
The story was amazing tho!
June 5, 2024
One of the best things about this book is the magic mechanics! It was so interesting to see how it all interacted with each different magical abilities and branches. Also the characterisation of the school kids was fantastic especially Gael and King Clucks
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