4.5/5

For fans of: Magic in the real world, ACOTAR, bargains, enemies to lovers, spice, rival families, murder mystery, trials, courtroom drama, running from fate

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Fantasy, romantic fantasy

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? Gabriel a lá Rhysand

• Is it spicy? YES. MC is very sex positive

• Is it violent or gory? Magical violence

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? Buy it!

Synopsis: Gabriel’s eyes haven’t left my face. There’s not much he can do to me that he’s not already entitled my body and my magic, served up on a plate in return for my brother’s freedom. I swallow hard. I’m hardly naïve—but I’ve never gone all the way. I can’t back out now. I can’t let my family down...

Sadie Sadler lives in the big city. Takes the train to work each day. Drinks fancy coffee. Does yoga… and never, ever does magic, lest it leads Gabriel Thornber straight to her door. Sadie’s family have used their magic to protect the small northern town of Mannith for centuries. But now, Sadie’s brother Brendan is on trial for murder, and Gabriel, the charismatic and sinister head of the Sadlers’ only rivals, is moving to take the town. Only Sadie has both the knowledge to save Brendan and the magical strength to face down Gabriel.

The trouble is, there’s a good reason Sadie left home and turned her back on she bargained away her powers and her body to Gabriel to save her damn brother the last time he got in trouble. If she comes home, Gabriel will try to collect… but there’s no way she’ll allow her brother to rot in jail or her family’s strength to wane. Returning in disguise, Sadie’s plan to save Brendan and get out is tested as she’s dragged back into a world of magic and power, with Gabriel at its centre. Battling both her long-standing terror of him and a growing, dark attraction, she must decide who Mannith’s real villains are and how far she’ll go for her family.

A promise made… a magical debt unpaid. This is a fight that could cost Sadie everything.

Review: What. A. Rollercoaster. Okay buckle up because this courtroom drama/family feud/magical world/sexy romance is CRACK. It took a minute for me to get into the story as it is told in first person present, but once I was in I WAS IN. Sadie is an amazing independent woman who has made a life of her own away from everything she grew up with and loved. Her family loves each other and the town they rule dearly, almost to the point of insanity. When she returns, what she thought she knew about her life and her family is rocked with murder allegations and her own discoveries now as a full grown women with immense power. The person responsible for literally all of this and the man holding her freedom in his hands is Gabriel. Whooooooo boy Gabriel gives major Rhysand vibes and I will always be sat for that. I loved being in Sadie’s mind, but I would love a POV from Gabriel’s.

Moving on from our main characters to the plot. Part 1 is all set up and backstory, but Part 2 is where it all starts to move and boy does it move. Like Sadie’s bed, it is rocking with every new allegation and discovery both in the courtroom and outside. The plot moves quickly, but its the characters that really stick with you. Revelations of Sadie’s past and present, Gabriel’s involvement, the family feud, the protection of their town, the history of both families just keep coming and you cannot put this story down. Highly recommend and I can’t wait for the sequel!