Synopsis:
“Neither magic, nor time, can keep us apart. We are like the stars. Eternal.”
No one told witch Selene Bowers having a soul mate would be so difficult. Nor did they warn her that he might be a vengeful, ancient sorcerer who would frame her for murder, force her to remember a past life he swears she lived, and then coerce her into an unbreakable marriage pact. But that’s exactly what happens the night of the Samhain Ball, when Selene finds herself in a jail cell.
After waking from enchanted sleep, Memnon swore to discover why Selene betrayed him long ago. But when his soul mate’s memories return, the truth reveals something else entirely. Horrified by his own actions and desperate to make amends, Memnon offers Selene the unthinkable: a magic bond that will give her full control over his will. And Selene is desperate enough to accept it.
But other enemies still haunt Henbane Coven, Selene’s magical academy, and they’ve taken a keen interest in her. If she wants to stop them, she’ll need Memnon’s help. But partnering with the sorcerer is a tricky business, especially when he’s dead set on winning her heart. And that can’t happen…because the bond controlling him will break the moment she falls in love with him.
Publication: May 28th, 2024
My Rating: 
My Favourite Quote: *subject to change*
Memnon steps up next to me, his hand moving to the small of my back. If I am defeat, then he is pure, unadulterated victory.
His fingers press into my back. “Feisty mate, always believing the worst in me.”
“You’re less disappointing that way.” Well, almost. The bar is constantly lowering itself.
“Hello again, my love. It has been an age.”
My Review
A really big shoutout and thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy!
Disclaimer: Maybe don’t go into this review without having read Bewitched and at least the blurb of Bespelled.
I got really really really lucky and was chosen to beta-read Bespelled. I cannot explain how many years I’ve been in love with Laura’s work and how many times I’ve re-read them. When she said she was starting a new series, I could not believe it. I love how different each of her series is from one another and I couldn’t wait. She’s always been an auto-buy author for me and getting an ARC of Bewitched had been a dream come true. I remember I was really under the weather and the book was the best thing that happened 🥹✨.
Well, of course, I fell in love with Bewitched, which my review appropriately gushes about. I’ve been waiting and waiting and stalking Laura’s website that has a little completion status bar of her books as soon it went up.
When Bespelled landed in my library I was actually 40% into Death but I couldn’t stop myself from falling into Bespelled (also I wasn’t ready for The Horsemen series to end which is why I’ve postponed reading the conclusion to the series).
Bespelled was *lets out a breath* everything and more that I wanted, needed, hoped for. I had to remind myself every single second that I was beta-reading because I kept getting immersed into the story. So my first promise of your experience is that you’re going to drown in this read. The book’s not going to let you up and you’ll forget you need to be let up. Who needs to breathe anyway?
Laura had never shied away from keeping her promises. She promised an anti-hero in book one and Memnon was exactly that. There’s a single scene in book one that broke my heart and set it ablaze and I didn’t think I’d ever recover from it. BUT Laura also promised grovelling in Bespelled. She delivers, in a way that’s both heartbreaking and healing. I’m more of a do don’t say person and Memnon hit the mark on it. BUT, I love that she kept to Memnon’s personality even in writing him as the one that needs to prove himself.
Now Selene. I loved her in book one and I love her now. I especially loved everything she’s gained and all the she feels the loss of, as a consequence of her recovering her memory. I loved that it was bitter sweet and I also loved that she tries to hold on to as much of herself as she can and build herself back up. I can’t imagine what it must feel like after remembering a whole life worth of memories and trauma from a different time. Laura did beautifully working these different aspects together as much as possible and balancing it with her current struggles, challenges and life.
In connection to this is the lost-memory related plot lines that are so hard to manoeuver around. Especially when the readers are equally unaware of the past as the MC is. Laura took a wonderful risk by deciding book two does not focus on past memories—even though it has an influence on the present which is featured heavily—and it pays off! So 👏🏻 well 👏🏻. The book flows perfectly well with the story Laura weaves, telling us exactly how much we need to know and never making the reader feel left out of the loop. I love that one whole novella is dedicated to the past and I cannot wait for it!
I sent this super gigantic mail to Laura explaining how after being a reader for so many years, for the most part all of us are generally adept at picking clues and predicting the dips and highs of a plot. However, in Bespelled, while I could guess there was a general something that’s coming in this area of the plot thread, I was usually completely blindsided by how it happens. This is true in every single thing that happens in the book. Which 🤌🏻✨. If an author can surprise me after my nearly one and a half decades long experience in reading, then kudos to them.
I loved all the relationships that the author ensured to include in the book, making it as realistic as possible. I think for the most part we ignore the presence of some relationships because they usually suffer at the face of the plot and we never really mind. But when they are given space it really adds something to the story, especially in fantasy (/magical realism?).
I wouldn’t say the book ends on a cliffhanger, but it certainly delivers on a feeling that stays with you through the whole book. This feeling like something is coming, but I never guessed (again) what it would be. Of course, stress is good in life, so yay.
Also! Look out for similarities! This is set in the same world as the Bargainer series (which if you haven’t read is 😙🤌🏻✨). You might stumble upon something exciting. Laura is building up to something. We can all tell.
Five billion stars. In case that wasn’t evident from the 39392 word gushing essay I’ve written. Happy happy reading. Check trigger warning please! Bespelled has lots of graphic content! This series will also be available on KU when it goes live.
Heart's Content 