Garden Spells - 3 stars

[forsanolim]

Really light, quite easy to read; romance, family, and the idea of home.

Claire Waverley relies on the sameness and comfort of her home in Bascom, North Carolina, where she leverages her family's gifts with plants to create dishes and drinks that have magical effects on those who consume them. Her carefully-constructed shell begins to crack when her younger sister, Sydney, returns to Bascom after years away, this time with a daughter in tow. Simultaneously, an art instructor moves into the house beside the Waverley one, and upon (inadvertently) eating a magical apple from the tree that grows in the Waverley garden, he becomes absolutely smitten with Claire. The story has a strong romance focus, for both Claire and Sydney, as well as exploring the sisters' relationships with each other, their past, and the town.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this book--the magical realism here worked pretty well for me, and I loved reading about the different talents that various families had and how those gifts interacted. I don't think that this was earth-shattering by any means, but I had a good time reading it.

[Amy]

That’s exactly how I feel about this author. Not earth shattering or not to be missed, but it’s standard three stars and good fun.