RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
HIS MAGIC TOUCH by Debby Grahl is a contemporary paranormal romance featuring witches and ghosts set in NOLA. Ms. Grahl’s world-building effortlessly pulls you into the conflict between good and evil and the generational curse which is the suspense element of the story. The lore and setting of New Orleans adds to the story’s impact.
Jared Dupre is a powerful witch. He met his soulmate, Kendra O’Connel several years ago at a coven meeting.
Now, on the eve of their wedding, Jared discovers his brother has been kidnapped by Adam Montief, a powerful dark witch. If Jared does not follow, Adam has sworn to kill his brother and threatens to kill Kendra as well. Jared refuses to tell Kendra where he is so that she remains safe in New Orleans. Adam believes he is The Chosen One and has to kill Jared to settle a centuries old family vendetta.
A swordfight between the two sends Adam wounded and over the side of a cliff and leaves Jared severely wounded. As Jared heals in Connecticut, Kendra believes he has left her for another woman.
When Jared returns to New Orleans, he finds that Kendra does not want to hear the truth of what happened and Adam is alive and dating Kendra. Jared must now find a way to protect and win back Kendra as he investigates the reason for the vendetta between the Montief’s and the Dupre’s which will only end with the death of one of heirs.
I absolutely loved the setting and world-building in this book. The witches and ghosts of NOLA interacting with the human population was believable and interesting. The twisting suspense plot in the past and present kept me turning the pages. I did have a problem with the romance subplot. Kendra’s reactions on her own and with her two best friends, I felt were very immature. I dislike when a lack of communication or misunderstandings are the main reasons for a couple not being together for a large portion of the book especially when they are supposedly soulmates.
I really enjoyed the suspense and world-building in this book, but not the romance. I would read more books in this witchy world hoping for a more mature relationship in the next book.
