Wine and Warlocks (The Unlucky Charms Book 5)

Dubheasa O’Malley can’t stand Ronan O’Connor. The rival warlock is too handsome, too sexy, and entirely too difficult to resist. After one amazing night, she realized his betrayal, and now she can’t trust him. Ronan is truly remorseful that his actions to thwart his villainous father, Loman, inadvertently hurting his fated mate. Now that his sadistic sire remains at large, Ronan must find and end him, and somehow he must convince Dubheasa to give their love a second chance. This fight is personal, as Loman is not only insatiably power-hungry, but he also wants to inflict maximum pain on his disloyal progeny. Can Dubheasa and Ronan achieve the miracle of defeating Loman for the third and final time and have their happily ever after? Or do the fates and powers-to-be exact a costly tithe for success?

“Wine and Warlocks” will bring joy and tears to established T. M. Cromer fans! The O’Malleys and O’Connors receive plenty of help from other magical families; Dethridge, Thorne, and Blane included. All of these are star characters in their own right, and their contributions add texture to the plot, but also slow down the narrative. While a plan to stage a faux wedding to lure Loman out of hiding is hatched early on, weaknesses in the scheme and having more than one prognosticator worry over the outcome dilutes the suspense. There is also the rendering and withholding of assistance to our heroes by their deities and The Authority that appears arbitrary to the newcomer. Humorous exchanges, heart-warming camaraderie, and angsty romance are this story’s strong assets that distinguish it as valuable addition to the Unlucky Charms series.

Joan Lai