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Relics and Legends #1
A Relic of Magic & Gold
Fiercely independent Evangeline has spent ten years studying witchkind’s most complex and potent spells. Now she’s finally starting her life as a spellcaster protecting dangerous relics.
But when a powerful relic goes missing and Eve is accused of the theft, she has no choice but to ask the sexy, way-too-smooth Private Investigator Raph Smith for help, or risk ending up in a Knights Templar dungeon.
Raph Smith always gets his missing person—even though the reason why is a closely guarded secret—so finding a lost trinket box should be easy money. But the relic has a deadly secret too … and those who know the truth will do anything to find the artifact, including killing anyone who stands in their way.
With the Knights Templar, an international crime family, Daemons from the Underworld, and Eve’s own coven on their heels, Eve and Raph are forced to work together. But as the sheets heat up, and with their hearts and heads on the line, can Eve and Raph really trust each other?
Because what started out as reclaiming Eve’s livelihood, has become a fight to save her life. And the rest of humankind.
Relics and Legends – where witchcraft is a business and legends aren’t consigned to history.
But when a powerful relic goes missing and Eve is accused of the theft, she has no choice but to ask the sexy, way-too-smooth Private Investigator Raph Smith for help, or risk ending up in a Knights Templar dungeon.
Raph Smith always gets his missing person—even though the reason why is a closely guarded secret—so finding a lost trinket box should be easy money. But the relic has a deadly secret too … and those who know the truth will do anything to find the artifact, including killing anyone who stands in their way.
With the Knights Templar, an international crime family, Daemons from the Underworld, and Eve’s own coven on their heels, Eve and Raph are forced to work together. But as the sheets heat up, and with their hearts and heads on the line, can Eve and Raph really trust each other?
Because what started out as reclaiming Eve’s livelihood, has become a fight to save her life. And the rest of humankind.
Relics and Legends – where witchcraft is a business and legends aren’t consigned to history.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2022
84 people are currently reading
1607 people want to read
About the author
H.M. Hodgson
17 books115 followersBe sure to follow HM Hodgson on BookBub for the latest on sales and releases https://bit.ly/BookBubHMHodgson
HM Hodgson is an award-winning paranormal and fantasy romance author from Brisbane, Australia.
She writes about wicked romance (steamy scenes a must!), intrigue and magic. Magic that moves worlds and takes her to another place.
Keep in touch with HM Hodgson at:
https://linktr.ee/hmhodgson
HM Hodgson is an award-winning paranormal and fantasy romance author from Brisbane, Australia.
She writes about wicked romance (steamy scenes a must!), intrigue and magic. Magic that moves worlds and takes her to another place.
Keep in touch with HM Hodgson at:
https://linktr.ee/hmhodgson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 11, 2022
Review: 4.5 stars!
This is the first novel in the urban fantasy romance series: Relics & Legends. A Relic of Magic and Gold has amazing steam 🔥🔥lots of fun banter, magic and mystery! It's a fast paced read where the pages fly in your hands.
Evangeline is a badass and fierce witch who just started her position as a Watcher, a spellcaster that guards dangerous magical relics. When the relic she is protecting in Rome goes missing, she must join forces with private investigator Raph Smith to clear her name.
Ralph is charming and sexy...and I love it that from the very beginning he was completely smitten by Eve. I love his cute nickname for her!! Princess.. ❤️ Raph has officially joined my book boyfriends list!
The book takes place in two awesome locations: Rome - Italy and in Australia. The story is full of mystery and intrigue and we feel like private investigators alongside Raph and Eve. A must read for fans of spicy urban fantasy 🔥
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!
This is the first novel in the urban fantasy romance series: Relics & Legends. A Relic of Magic and Gold has amazing steam 🔥🔥lots of fun banter, magic and mystery! It's a fast paced read where the pages fly in your hands.
Evangeline is a badass and fierce witch who just started her position as a Watcher, a spellcaster that guards dangerous magical relics. When the relic she is protecting in Rome goes missing, she must join forces with private investigator Raph Smith to clear her name.
Ralph is charming and sexy...and I love it that from the very beginning he was completely smitten by Eve. I love his cute nickname for her!! Princess.. ❤️ Raph has officially joined my book boyfriends list!
The book takes place in two awesome locations: Rome - Italy and in Australia. The story is full of mystery and intrigue and we feel like private investigators alongside Raph and Eve. A must read for fans of spicy urban fantasy 🔥
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!
Want to read
February 11, 2023this sounds like something i'd like to see on tv tbh
November 11, 2022
Rating: 4.5 stars
A Relic of Magic and Gold had literally all the elements I love in a book: magic, romance, action, mystery—and it’s even set in the holiday season! (No, it’s not a holiday romance…or is it? Have you ever seen people debate whether Die Hard is a holiday movie? This book falls in that category. The funny thing is that the characters also have the Die Hard debate within the book. But I digress.)
The imagery of a witch being led into the Vatican to set up a ward for a mysterious relic immediately sucked me into the story, and the mystery and action that followed in Brisbane, Australia, had me hooked! Watchers, Templars, daemons, ancient relics…it was hard not to be intrigued. I didn’t feel like I was just reading, it was like a movie was playing in my mind.
I found both Eve and Raph to be interesting characters individually, and once they met my enjoyment of the book skyrocketed, if that is even possible. Their instant chemistry and attraction jumped out of the page. I’m convinced their British/Australian dynamic is what made it extra special. (Yes, it’s a thing. It’s the accents…but also Raph explaining that Santa uses kangaroos when he’s south of the equator. I cackled.) The spice was also really well done!
I loved this story so much! It's like the love child between A Discovery of Witches and Assassin's Creed or National Treasure, which I love. With I spice!
To say I’m intrigued to read the rest of the series, which I imagine will somehow involve the other two relics, is an understatement. I hope my senses haven’t led me astray and that I guessed which two characters will be the protagonist of the sequel. I would be very interested in seeing that dynamic play out!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
A Relic of Magic and Gold had literally all the elements I love in a book: magic, romance, action, mystery—and it’s even set in the holiday season! (No, it’s not a holiday romance…or is it? Have you ever seen people debate whether Die Hard is a holiday movie? This book falls in that category. The funny thing is that the characters also have the Die Hard debate within the book. But I digress.)
The imagery of a witch being led into the Vatican to set up a ward for a mysterious relic immediately sucked me into the story, and the mystery and action that followed in Brisbane, Australia, had me hooked! Watchers, Templars, daemons, ancient relics…it was hard not to be intrigued. I didn’t feel like I was just reading, it was like a movie was playing in my mind.
I found both Eve and Raph to be interesting characters individually, and once they met my enjoyment of the book skyrocketed, if that is even possible. Their instant chemistry and attraction jumped out of the page. I’m convinced their British/Australian dynamic is what made it extra special. (Yes, it’s a thing. It’s the accents…but also Raph explaining that Santa uses kangaroos when he’s south of the equator. I cackled.) The spice was also really well done!
I loved this story so much! It's like the love child between A Discovery of Witches and Assassin's Creed or National Treasure, which I love. With I spice!
To say I’m intrigued to read the rest of the series, which I imagine will somehow involve the other two relics, is an understatement. I hope my senses haven’t led me astray and that I guessed which two characters will be the protagonist of the sequel. I would be very interested in seeing that dynamic play out!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
November 4, 2022
This book was so good! It felt like a completely new, fresh take on urban fantasy and I absolutely loved it. I loved the world building and the dynamics between Templars, Watchers, and daemons. I also loved how the author slowly revealed important pieces of the backstory throughout the book…not only did it keep me turning the page, it also kept me up way too late because I just couldn’t stop reading 😂
I also loved the relationship between Eve and Raph. It’s was cute, funny, complicated, and the romantic tension 👀 it was sooo good.
Def recommend this fast paced, twisty book! Can’t wait to read more in the series.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I also loved the relationship between Eve and Raph. It’s was cute, funny, complicated, and the romantic tension 👀 it was sooo good.
Def recommend this fast paced, twisty book! Can’t wait to read more in the series.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 24, 2022
A fun intro to a new series!! Book 1 has plenty of action, twists, and chemistry!
I liked the world building with the Templars, Watchers, and daemons. I enjoyed its fast pace, with the stakes being high and action in of some sort in every chapter.
Eve is accused of stealing a very valuable and powerful relic, so she does her darned to get it back. Raph picks a rather unfortunate client who also wants the relic, but for rather dubious purposes. The mystery of who stole the relic is a little on the obvious side, but the why is pretty good.
It did end a bit more abruptly than I would have preferred, but it was still a good ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I liked the world building with the Templars, Watchers, and daemons. I enjoyed its fast pace, with the stakes being high and action in of some sort in every chapter.
Eve is accused of stealing a very valuable and powerful relic, so she does her darned to get it back. Raph picks a rather unfortunate client who also wants the relic, but for rather dubious purposes. The mystery of who stole the relic is a little on the obvious side, but the why is pretty good.
It did end a bit more abruptly than I would have preferred, but it was still a good ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 21, 2022
Sweet, sweet witchy smutty goodness is to be found within the pages of this amazing new urban fantasy release!! I read this in one sitting and enjoyed every moment between Raph (hot DAMN) and the stunning badass heroine, Evangeline. I don't think I've read many romantasys where the MC and LI go on such incredible travels--you'll visit Australia and Rome in this amazing adventure. At its core, this is a story of revenge and redemption and I found these high stakes to be so addictive. Highly recommend this fast-paced, unputdownable gem!!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
October 11, 2022
This was a really fun, quick fantasy romance read! I really enjoyed how I was thrown into the plot from the beginning, and the world-building was expertly woven throughout the book. Because of this, there were no slow moments, and I really felt swept away by the story.
Eve, the FMC, was so feisty and relatable. I absolutely fell in love with her and her quick wit, determination, and fierceness. Raph, the MMC, was super swoon-worthy, and I loved how soft and caring he was when it came to the people he loved. I was frustrated with Raph at times for not being more forthcoming, but ultimately I understood his motivations, and I did appreciate his willingness to acknowledge his mistakes. I also loved that the secondary characters were fully fleshed-out. Gray and Isa and even Raph's dad were really interesting characters, and I would have loved to see more of them.
I was definitely hooked by the storyline, and it was really exciting to see how Eve and Raph went about retrieving the relic. However, I did not fully understand the villains' motivations. I wish the author had gone into more depth when building out the world of the villains, because it almost felt like they came from nowhere. I also wish the book had been longer, because I still have so many unanswered questions about the intricacies of the world and how Raph and Eve relate to it.
My favorite aspect of the book was the romance. The sexual tension between Raph and Eve was through the roof from the beginning. I love how the author was able to build that chemistry throughout the story as they continued to get to know each other. There was never a dull moment as Raph and Eve navigated their feelings for each other. I never knew if they were going to yell at each other, tease each other, or kiss at any given moment, which was super entertaining. The steamy scenes were also really well-written, and I appreciated how the characters still stayed true to themselves throughout those moments.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, light read filled with an interesting magic system, strong characters, and swoon-worthy romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Eve, the FMC, was so feisty and relatable. I absolutely fell in love with her and her quick wit, determination, and fierceness. Raph, the MMC, was super swoon-worthy, and I loved how soft and caring he was when it came to the people he loved. I was frustrated with Raph at times for not being more forthcoming, but ultimately I understood his motivations, and I did appreciate his willingness to acknowledge his mistakes. I also loved that the secondary characters were fully fleshed-out. Gray and Isa and even Raph's dad were really interesting characters, and I would have loved to see more of them.
I was definitely hooked by the storyline, and it was really exciting to see how Eve and Raph went about retrieving the relic. However, I did not fully understand the villains' motivations. I wish the author had gone into more depth when building out the world of the villains, because it almost felt like they came from nowhere. I also wish the book had been longer, because I still have so many unanswered questions about the intricacies of the world and how Raph and Eve relate to it.
My favorite aspect of the book was the romance. The sexual tension between Raph and Eve was through the roof from the beginning. I love how the author was able to build that chemistry throughout the story as they continued to get to know each other. There was never a dull moment as Raph and Eve navigated their feelings for each other. I never knew if they were going to yell at each other, tease each other, or kiss at any given moment, which was super entertaining. The steamy scenes were also really well-written, and I appreciated how the characters still stayed true to themselves throughout those moments.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, light read filled with an interesting magic system, strong characters, and swoon-worthy romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
dnf
January 7, 2023I wanna start this by saying I really, REALLY wanted to resonate with this book. I saw the great reviews and went in hoping for the best. Unfortunately, it seems like we just weren't on the same frequency this time around. I may try to revisit this in the future and see if that stance has changed but, as much as it pains me to say, I am going to step away for now.
I enjoyed some of the clever quips sampled throughout the portion that I read, many of which I annotated in a positive light. There were several beautifully constructed ideas and thoughts as well. I thought the magic system was really interesting and appreciated the originality present in the spells as well as the attention to detail in many of the facts that I assume would lead up to larger plot points.
What it really boiled down to was the rushed pacing and repetitiveness. I appreciate the author trying to get the story going and wasting no time, however, even by the third chapter, I had yet to find a common ground with the MC which left me feeling uncertain. The character was certainly likeable and enjoyable, I just couldn't seem to commit to her. As for the repetitiveness, there were several phrases that resurfaced enough to draw my attention away from the main story line however, I understand that this may just be a personal preference.
Like I said, I may try to revisit this in the future. For now, I'm not going to rate it. I don't find it fair for me to do that if I haven't read the whole book. I still hope this book finds it's audience and that others find enjoyment in this story.
I enjoyed some of the clever quips sampled throughout the portion that I read, many of which I annotated in a positive light. There were several beautifully constructed ideas and thoughts as well. I thought the magic system was really interesting and appreciated the originality present in the spells as well as the attention to detail in many of the facts that I assume would lead up to larger plot points.
What it really boiled down to was the rushed pacing and repetitiveness. I appreciate the author trying to get the story going and wasting no time, however, even by the third chapter, I had yet to find a common ground with the MC which left me feeling uncertain. The character was certainly likeable and enjoyable, I just couldn't seem to commit to her. As for the repetitiveness, there were several phrases that resurfaced enough to draw my attention away from the main story line however, I understand that this may just be a personal preference.
Like I said, I may try to revisit this in the future. For now, I'm not going to rate it. I don't find it fair for me to do that if I haven't read the whole book. I still hope this book finds it's audience and that others find enjoyment in this story.
November 5, 2022
4.5 stars. Eve, the female witch lead, has been sent to enchant the protection for one of the gifts the magi brought for Christ that the Templars protect at the Vatican. When she is told it has been stolen and she’s being arrested for the theft, she flees to find it and absolve herself. Raph(ael), the male otherworlder lead, has been contracted to find a missing item and accidentally signed a binding contract. With his sister’s life being threatened, he knows he’ll do what he needs to ensure her safety. Whilst they irritate each other, there’s a strong attraction but Eve’s not willing to engage with that until her task is complete…and then she may not want to…
This story is dual POV, well written, and an intriguing, fast paced start to a new series. I found the world building interesting, as well as both lead characters’ histories. I enjoyed Eve’s pure strength, focus, and determination, even in the face of unintentional distractions. I was amused by and enjoyed Ralph’s creativity and his efforts to keep everyone happy whilst doing the things he literally needed to do. I enjoyed the secondary characters, particularly Raph’s sister and hope she has her own story later. A sexy, adventure romance that was a fun fast ride.
This story is dual POV, well written, and an intriguing, fast paced start to a new series. I found the world building interesting, as well as both lead characters’ histories. I enjoyed Eve’s pure strength, focus, and determination, even in the face of unintentional distractions. I was amused by and enjoyed Ralph’s creativity and his efforts to keep everyone happy whilst doing the things he literally needed to do. I enjoyed the secondary characters, particularly Raph’s sister and hope she has her own story later. A sexy, adventure romance that was a fun fast ride.
November 3, 2022
Casting a protection spell is pretty easy for Eve after many years of study. Thrilled with her assignment she has no idea that others are determined to undermine her. When things go awry she knows the only person she can trust is herself. However Raph has the contacts and ability to find things so just maybe ....... ! Relentless pursuit by those who want to see them fail and others that want to claim the bounty keeps them on their toes. Twists, turns, action packed danger and steamy. There's nothing not to love about this book! I received this ARC from Book Sirens and this is my honest review.
August 21, 2023
Very glad I picked this one up! The pace is fast, urgent, and definitely kept me flipping. I love the leveling of gender roles here and there - nothing overt, but subtle and classy *chef's kiss* There were a handful of colloquialisms I did have to look up bc context alone wasn't enough to understand all of them, which pulled me out of the story a bit.
Two strong and strong-willed MCs that I think are great. Her, mission-driven and focused on her career, and him, protecting his family. Def recommend to realistic fantasy readers.
I appreciate being an ARC reader, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Two strong and strong-willed MCs that I think are great. Her, mission-driven and focused on her career, and him, protecting his family. Def recommend to realistic fantasy readers.
I appreciate being an ARC reader, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 27, 2022
Wow am deeply impressed with this one, think am even going to give this book the 5th spot out of 10 on best books read this year! It truely was that good.
The way the story grows and flows is stunning and as we follow Eve along her journey, get meet the super hot as sin Raph, (i nearly drooled) it became clear to me that this story was not like any other witch/daemon story out there, i loved how the knights templar and the gift of gold was in the story too am not a religious person at all but to follow the story uncover the true origins of that little box sure had me on the edge of my seat.
At times it was a little frustration but not in the way you might think oh nay nay it was the ever mounting sexytime suspence that got me and oh my lanta the banter between those two? Even better.
It was clear as day to me early on what Eve and Raph would come to mean to each other and i was rooting and cheering them on!
The ending tho am not so sure how i feel about that? Is it the end of their story or just the end of that chapter and they will pick up in the next book?
I dont know and i felt a little meh about it.
Obviously i hope they pick up in the next book so that they can go on another wild adventure as i love love love them!
So for now i just wait patiently for the next book!
The way the story grows and flows is stunning and as we follow Eve along her journey, get meet the super hot as sin Raph, (i nearly drooled) it became clear to me that this story was not like any other witch/daemon story out there, i loved how the knights templar and the gift of gold was in the story too am not a religious person at all but to follow the story uncover the true origins of that little box sure had me on the edge of my seat.
At times it was a little frustration but not in the way you might think oh nay nay it was the ever mounting sexytime suspence that got me and oh my lanta the banter between those two? Even better.
It was clear as day to me early on what Eve and Raph would come to mean to each other and i was rooting and cheering them on!
The ending tho am not so sure how i feel about that? Is it the end of their story or just the end of that chapter and they will pick up in the next book?
I dont know and i felt a little meh about it.
Obviously i hope they pick up in the next book so that they can go on another wild adventure as i love love love them!
So for now i just wait patiently for the next book!
November 8, 2022
actual rating: 4.75 stars
This book was really cool. I enjoyed the concept of Watchers and it reminded me of The Librarians with its cool artifacts and emphasis on the magic.
I did get into a slump about the middle of the story, but it was well worth powering through it! I'd love to read a sequel!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was really cool. I enjoyed the concept of Watchers and it reminded me of The Librarians with its cool artifacts and emphasis on the magic.
I did get into a slump about the middle of the story, but it was well worth powering through it! I'd love to read a sequel!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 9, 2022
Magical
I don't normally read too many witchy books but I was still in a Halloweeny mood so thought I'd give it a go. I liked both the main characters and loved the mostly Aussie setting.
I don't normally read too many witchy books but I was still in a Halloweeny mood so thought I'd give it a go. I liked both the main characters and loved the mostly Aussie setting.
October 22, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It had a great sexual suspense. The character profiles were very personable. I loved the Australian references especially Brisbane as that's where I'm from so it was easy for me to visualise the events actually occurring. There was humour and and relatability and i did find myself holding my breath a few times. Once I started it was hard to put it down.
November 14, 2022
This is an incredible start to this series. Fast paced and full of action this magical read grabs you from the very first page. Witchcraft, knights templer and daemons, this thrilling and exciting storyline is set in an imaginative and intriguing world. Eve is a strong and independent spellcaster and is our female mc and Raph our male mc is a strong and sexy P.I and their relationship is cute and complicated! Magic, mystery, romance and action, this has a little of everything and I cannot wait to read more!
October 29, 2022
This is a very entertaining read. It has witches, so of course I was biased favourably in the first place. But Eve and Ralph, the main protagonists,are interesting and well developed characters. The story melds a modern intrigue with medieval stories and arcane ritual. The writing is good, the story well paced, and the characters believable. I am glad I found this book and hope the author will write many more such stories.
July 6, 2025
No matter how hard I tried, I could not put this book down! There wasn’t a point in this entire book where I felt like it “dragged on” or needed “more”.
Perfect amount of spice 🌶️ the writing was incredible and I loved the storyline.
Can’t wait to start the next one 🙌🏻
Perfect amount of spice 🌶️ the writing was incredible and I loved the storyline.
Can’t wait to start the next one 🙌🏻
October 28, 2022
A thrilling start to a new trilogy. It was non stop action from beginning to end. A little insta love but given that the events take place over the course of a week, I guess that can be forgiven. Interesting powers and magic in this world. My only issue was a s*x scene that felt very out of place. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 29, 2022
Skimmed the last 50%.
I really wanted to like this one as the plot got me sucked right into the story, but the FMC’s constant “omg he’s so sexy” & the MMC’s constant erections around the FMC got tiring really fast. Felt like I was reading 16yr olds & not people in their (I assume) mid 20s+.
I really wanted to like this one as the plot got me sucked right into the story, but the FMC’s constant “omg he’s so sexy” & the MMC’s constant erections around the FMC got tiring really fast. Felt like I was reading 16yr olds & not people in their (I assume) mid 20s+.
December 30, 2023
So many plot holes. Immature characters. Unrealistic insta-love. Cliche villains. One-dimensional writing.
December 2, 2022
I was given a free copy of this book by Booksirens, and this is my honest review.
It’s like Marvel, but with sex.
A Relic of Magic and Gold introduces us to a world of witches and magic. Here, Eve is starting her career of protecting magical relics, but her first day is off to a not so great start when the very important and very powerful relic she is ordered to protect gets stolen. Yet, she’s not the only one who must hunt it down, because romance! NO, also charged with hunting down the relic is Raph, a PI with quiet the secret to his success, as well as a taste for caramel Lattes, which means I automatically had to like him. After the two become begrudging allies, Eve and Raph set out to try and track down the relic, figure out who stole it in the first place, and Raph must figure out a way around the binding contract he accidentally signed. I say try because the two have the habit of getting incredibly distracted… and I think you can guess why.
AROMAG really surprised me. I thought this was going to read more like a YA fantasy romance, but instead, it felt more like a Marvel movie. The first five chapters are action sequences, essentially setting up the loss of the relic and Eve trying to get it back, as well as Raph’s introduction into the whole mess. It was incredibly well-thought out, with good pauses in between to keep me glued to the pages without getting emotionally zapped dry. Actually, this can be said about all of the action sequences throughout the story. This author really has a knack for plotting action scenes, with my only complaint in this area being sometimes the action sequences felt a little too drawn-out, and other times a little too fast. That could definitely just be reader preference, though. Regardless, the physicality of the scenes were fantastic. I had no problem visualizing everything that was happening. The magic is also incredibly interesting, with Eve relying on crystals either charged by the sun or moon to conduct her magic, and salt circles to mask her magic from people trying to track her. The author did a great job of showing us how the magic worked instead of just giving a Wikipedia article on it as well, which helped with the mostly fantastic pacing. But with plot and worldbuilding aside, I have to talk about these characters.
Eve and Raph embody the grumpy sunshine trope, but in a really interesting way. On the surface, Eve is all steel. She walks into a room ready to get stuff done, and honestly, her bun with not a single hair out of place is just the perfect embodiment of her character. Raph, on the other hand, initially comes off as all charm. He is the master of easy smiles, small talk, overall friendliness. Yet, when these two start to peel back their layers, you can see that Raph is a lot more serious than one would originally think, and Eve is, in fact, capable of smiling. The two have some pretty good chemistry, although a lot of it is lust-based rather than friendship/personality based for a majority of the novel. As a result, I think we were supposed to get the impression that Raph and Eve are really attractive to one another and consequently likeable, but there was a chunk of chapters where I actually didn’t like Raph when reading Eve’s perspective and vice versa. Raph just came off as trying too hard to be smooth and charismatic, which turned me off, and Eve was an ice-cold steel door, which also didn’t endear her to me. Yet, when reading Eve’s perspective, I liked her, and when reading Raph’s perspective, I liked him. Confusing, I know, but thankfully, this only lasted from chapters 6-11 for me, so maybe I’m just weird.
Overall, AROMAG is a book that sucked me in from the first chapter. I think the pacing could be tweaked during the action sequences, and Raph and Eve could have a little more depth to them, but it’s definitely an enjoyable read.
It’s like Marvel, but with sex.
A Relic of Magic and Gold introduces us to a world of witches and magic. Here, Eve is starting her career of protecting magical relics, but her first day is off to a not so great start when the very important and very powerful relic she is ordered to protect gets stolen. Yet, she’s not the only one who must hunt it down, because romance! NO, also charged with hunting down the relic is Raph, a PI with quiet the secret to his success, as well as a taste for caramel Lattes, which means I automatically had to like him. After the two become begrudging allies, Eve and Raph set out to try and track down the relic, figure out who stole it in the first place, and Raph must figure out a way around the binding contract he accidentally signed. I say try because the two have the habit of getting incredibly distracted… and I think you can guess why.
AROMAG really surprised me. I thought this was going to read more like a YA fantasy romance, but instead, it felt more like a Marvel movie. The first five chapters are action sequences, essentially setting up the loss of the relic and Eve trying to get it back, as well as Raph’s introduction into the whole mess. It was incredibly well-thought out, with good pauses in between to keep me glued to the pages without getting emotionally zapped dry. Actually, this can be said about all of the action sequences throughout the story. This author really has a knack for plotting action scenes, with my only complaint in this area being sometimes the action sequences felt a little too drawn-out, and other times a little too fast. That could definitely just be reader preference, though. Regardless, the physicality of the scenes were fantastic. I had no problem visualizing everything that was happening. The magic is also incredibly interesting, with Eve relying on crystals either charged by the sun or moon to conduct her magic, and salt circles to mask her magic from people trying to track her. The author did a great job of showing us how the magic worked instead of just giving a Wikipedia article on it as well, which helped with the mostly fantastic pacing. But with plot and worldbuilding aside, I have to talk about these characters.
Eve and Raph embody the grumpy sunshine trope, but in a really interesting way. On the surface, Eve is all steel. She walks into a room ready to get stuff done, and honestly, her bun with not a single hair out of place is just the perfect embodiment of her character. Raph, on the other hand, initially comes off as all charm. He is the master of easy smiles, small talk, overall friendliness. Yet, when these two start to peel back their layers, you can see that Raph is a lot more serious than one would originally think, and Eve is, in fact, capable of smiling. The two have some pretty good chemistry, although a lot of it is lust-based rather than friendship/personality based for a majority of the novel. As a result, I think we were supposed to get the impression that Raph and Eve are really attractive to one another and consequently likeable, but there was a chunk of chapters where I actually didn’t like Raph when reading Eve’s perspective and vice versa. Raph just came off as trying too hard to be smooth and charismatic, which turned me off, and Eve was an ice-cold steel door, which also didn’t endear her to me. Yet, when reading Eve’s perspective, I liked her, and when reading Raph’s perspective, I liked him. Confusing, I know, but thankfully, this only lasted from chapters 6-11 for me, so maybe I’m just weird.
Overall, AROMAG is a book that sucked me in from the first chapter. I think the pacing could be tweaked during the action sequences, and Raph and Eve could have a little more depth to them, but it’s definitely an enjoyable read.
October 15, 2024
Acquired Kindle edition when offered free on Amazon.
I thought about bumping this up to three stars, but left it at two because it was okay, but I didn't really like it.
The story idea was intriguing. Highly trained witch -- a Watcher -- goes to the Vatican (!) to cast a ward spell on a relic, the gift of gold. Almost immediately, however, the relic is stolen and the witch in question, Evangeline ("Eve") is accused of being the thief. Of course, she's not, so she sets out to recover the relic and find out who is the real thief. In the process, she meets Raphael ("Raph") who is also looking for the relic but for different reasons.
It's pretty obvious from the beginning what the "gift of gold" is, but not what it can do, and that is kind of held as a secret through the whole book, which seemed a bit silly.
What was really silly, however, was the constant high state of sexual arousal Eve and Raph -- especially Raph -- are in almost from the instant they meet. I would have thought, given the stakes and the risks, they'd have been a little more in control of their lust. And that's all it was -- pure hormonal lust. There was no development of a relationship, no affection, no common interests, just sex. Because the lust didn't spring from any other attraction and wasn't integrated into the plot, it was just gratuitous and distracting. I skimmed through 95% of it, and would have skipped over the whole scene in the dark if I hadn't been expecting some serious plot points to develop at that point. None did, and the whole scene was really quite repugnant.
The identity of the real thief should never have been a mystery; even if the reader didn't know, Eve should have, and that angle would have played better than all the mindless sex.
There were also places where the book needed a good editor. I don't even want to go back to see how many times the item in question was referred to as "the relic" or "my relic." Couldn't the author have come up with some other word to use? And at the beginning, Eve constantly refers to Raph as "otherwordly," "the otherworld man," without ever explaining what that meant . . . or how she knew he was
Maybe some dangling threads will be cleared up in the second and third books of this trilogy -- the gifts of myrrh and frankincense, unsurprisingly -- but I can't muster enough interest to pick up either of them.
I thought about bumping this up to three stars, but left it at two because it was okay, but I didn't really like it.
The story idea was intriguing. Highly trained witch -- a Watcher -- goes to the Vatican (!) to cast a ward spell on a relic, the gift of gold. Almost immediately, however, the relic is stolen and the witch in question, Evangeline ("Eve") is accused of being the thief. Of course, she's not, so she sets out to recover the relic and find out who is the real thief. In the process, she meets Raphael ("Raph") who is also looking for the relic but for different reasons.
It's pretty obvious from the beginning what the "gift of gold" is, but not what it can do, and that is kind of held as a secret through the whole book, which seemed a bit silly.
What was really silly, however, was the constant high state of sexual arousal Eve and Raph -- especially Raph -- are in almost from the instant they meet. I would have thought, given the stakes and the risks, they'd have been a little more in control of their lust. And that's all it was -- pure hormonal lust. There was no development of a relationship, no affection, no common interests, just sex. Because the lust didn't spring from any other attraction and wasn't integrated into the plot, it was just gratuitous and distracting. I skimmed through 95% of it, and would have skipped over the whole scene in the dark if I hadn't been expecting some serious plot points to develop at that point. None did, and the whole scene was really quite repugnant.
The identity of the real thief should never have been a mystery; even if the reader didn't know, Eve should have, and that angle would have played better than all the mindless sex.
There were also places where the book needed a good editor. I don't even want to go back to see how many times the item in question was referred to as "the relic" or "my relic." Couldn't the author have come up with some other word to use? And at the beginning, Eve constantly refers to Raph as "otherwordly," "the otherworld man," without ever explaining what that meant . . . or how she knew he was
Maybe some dangling threads will be cleared up in the second and third books of this trilogy -- the gifts of myrrh and frankincense, unsurprisingly -- but I can't muster enough interest to pick up either of them.
January 7, 2024
Evangeline is thrilled to kick off her spellcaster career protecting powerful relics in Rome, Italy - until she's accused of stealing one of the dangerous relics under her protection. Forced to use her magic to escape, Eve runs into private investigator Raph Smith. Hiring the sexy PI seems like her best - only - option to clear her name and stay out of a Knights Templar dungeon.
Raph Smith always gets his missing person - though the reason why is a closely guarded secret. So finding a lost trinket box should be easy money. And while accepting multiple clients for the same job is a big N.O. in the PI world, when you’re being blackmailed, subject to a magical binding contract, and one client is a thief, you do what you must.
But the relic has a deadly secret too … and those who know the truth will do anything to find the artifact, including killing everyone who stands in their way.
As the sheets heat up, and with their hearts and heads on the line, how can Eve and Raph trust each other, let alone defeat the evil hunting them all?
Absolutely loved this book. The world and character building is really good. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series.
Raph Smith always gets his missing person - though the reason why is a closely guarded secret. So finding a lost trinket box should be easy money. And while accepting multiple clients for the same job is a big N.O. in the PI world, when you’re being blackmailed, subject to a magical binding contract, and one client is a thief, you do what you must.
But the relic has a deadly secret too … and those who know the truth will do anything to find the artifact, including killing everyone who stands in their way.
As the sheets heat up, and with their hearts and heads on the line, how can Eve and Raph trust each other, let alone defeat the evil hunting them all?
Absolutely loved this book. The world and character building is really good. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series.
February 27, 2023
A Relic Of Magic & Gold had some great potential that I feel was not reached.
The book is written in the form of a mystery, where the identity of the stolen item is not revealed and the history between the MC and the antagonist is only hinted at. This format only served to make me lose interest in the story, as I am never told of the importance of the items or history until the end.
Similarly there were points in the plot where characters and events were introduced that lacked the kick that kept me as a reader enthralled. The events were not made to seem important and i had to be told they were important by the characters themselves.
I also had a hard time keeping up with the supposed romance, it felt wooden and railroaded. Much of the banter felt cliche and scripted. There was little natural flow and the themes and tropes that were there didn't deliver.
Unfortunately this book was unable to keep my attention for too long and the ending lacked punch.
All in all, I felt that this book had potential that absolutely can be reached with more experience.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is written in the form of a mystery, where the identity of the stolen item is not revealed and the history between the MC and the antagonist is only hinted at. This format only served to make me lose interest in the story, as I am never told of the importance of the items or history until the end.
Similarly there were points in the plot where characters and events were introduced that lacked the kick that kept me as a reader enthralled. The events were not made to seem important and i had to be told they were important by the characters themselves.
I also had a hard time keeping up with the supposed romance, it felt wooden and railroaded. Much of the banter felt cliche and scripted. There was little natural flow and the themes and tropes that were there didn't deliver.
Unfortunately this book was unable to keep my attention for too long and the ending lacked punch.
All in all, I felt that this book had potential that absolutely can be reached with more experience.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 14, 2025
A Relic of Magic & Gold had so many elements I loved - the magic, the action, the adventure - and I was obsessed with all the crystals. But what really got me was the setting. I loved that parts took place in West End, Brisbane and also went to Maleny - I was living for that, and now I’m looking at the area through a new set of eyes. I felt “Loco humidity” and “in the one hundred percent humidity, with the heat already like a giant oven scorching his bones” deep in my soul.
Raph’s “You’re bristlier than an echidna, princess” had me grinning. And his plot twist at the end? So good.
While I really enjoyed the story, some things just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Some of the romance and spicy scenes felt a little cringe or scripted at times, small details like the use of ‘Long Coat One’ but never actually using the words ‘Long Coat Two’ kind of erked me, and while the plot was fun, something just didn’t completely hook me. Still, it was a solid read with some cool twists, and I’m glad I picked it up and will still read the rest of the series over time.
Raph’s “You’re bristlier than an echidna, princess” had me grinning. And his plot twist at the end? So good.
While I really enjoyed the story, some things just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Some of the romance and spicy scenes felt a little cringe or scripted at times, small details like the use of ‘Long Coat One’ but never actually using the words ‘Long Coat Two’ kind of erked me, and while the plot was fun, something just didn’t completely hook me. Still, it was a solid read with some cool twists, and I’m glad I picked it up and will still read the rest of the series over time.
November 16, 2022
⭐️ ⭐️/5
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The premise of this book was fun, a rogue witch trying to prove her innocence when a relic she was meant to guard was stolen.
I loved the urban fantasy of it and I think the author is creating a fun world.
A lot happens and this moves quickly, but with that quickness I felt like I didn’t have enough meat to what was happening to get into it, we just jumped forward a lot.
With that being said, I truthfully had a hard time getting through this book as I felt the writing was lacking and a bit repetitive. I didn’t connect with the characters because I felt the dialogue and inner monologue was flat and lacked substance a lot of the time, and was there to fill space.
While I enjoy the concept, I think if the book was a bit shorter I would have been able to enjoy the story being told more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The premise of this book was fun, a rogue witch trying to prove her innocence when a relic she was meant to guard was stolen.
I loved the urban fantasy of it and I think the author is creating a fun world.
A lot happens and this moves quickly, but with that quickness I felt like I didn’t have enough meat to what was happening to get into it, we just jumped forward a lot.
With that being said, I truthfully had a hard time getting through this book as I felt the writing was lacking and a bit repetitive. I didn’t connect with the characters because I felt the dialogue and inner monologue was flat and lacked substance a lot of the time, and was there to fill space.
While I enjoy the concept, I think if the book was a bit shorter I would have been able to enjoy the story being told more.
November 13, 2023
Fantastic Entertaining Adventure
This storyline had it all, Witches, Demons, betrayal and some surprises along the way!
This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to read the next!
If you like to read a book that will keep you on your toes with the action and adventure, a medieval and relic hunter vibe with danger around every corner and this is definitely a read for you!
Eve and Raph’s characters jump off the pages and the sizzle between them starts the moment they meet.
An engaging read with some witty moments, amazing secondary characters and a romance that will touch your heart.
Recommended Read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This storyline had it all, Witches, Demons, betrayal and some surprises along the way!
This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to read the next!
If you like to read a book that will keep you on your toes with the action and adventure, a medieval and relic hunter vibe with danger around every corner and this is definitely a read for you!
Eve and Raph’s characters jump off the pages and the sizzle between them starts the moment they meet.
An engaging read with some witty moments, amazing secondary characters and a romance that will touch your heart.
Recommended Read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 18, 2023
Do you sometimes wonder if the world that fantasy books describe - in which all kinds of creatures live among humans - is real? If more or less powerful witches, angels or demons live by unknown rules in parallel realms? If ancient orders guard the survival of humanity?
Reading this book is one of those moments for me, it all seems credible and almost everything has an explanation, a history and a purpose. The pace is fast, full of action and unexpected twists, and the romance is the fated-love-at-first-sight kind, with lively dialogue and interesting characters. I really enjoyed it and plan to read the other books in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Reading this book is one of those moments for me, it all seems credible and almost everything has an explanation, a history and a purpose. The pace is fast, full of action and unexpected twists, and the romance is the fated-love-at-first-sight kind, with lively dialogue and interesting characters. I really enjoyed it and plan to read the other books in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 6, 2023
Awesome book heaps of action and intrigue and wondering what was the next step. Eve was quite full of herself to start but after thd theft she became softer in a way more open to those around her. She was a strong capable woman not ashamed of her strength and willing to take what life threw at her to stand firm on her beliefs. Raph was shifty and really seemed to have few redeeming qualities other than his love for his family. I really liked the maturity he grew as the story progressed and by the end they were perfect for each other. The trials had rubbed all the sharp angles and rough spots down till they became 2 puzzle pieces ment for each other.
ARC copy with voluntary review.
ARC copy with voluntary review.
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