A magical story and listening experience
The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells
Women's Fiction, magical realism, romance
Avon
October 22, 2024
Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback
320
There is an old tale woven through the mountain town of Woodsmoke about a stranger who appears as the first snow falls in winter, who will disappear without a trace as the frost thaws in spring, leaving a broken heart behind. Carrie Morgan ran from Woodsmoke ten years ago, and the decision has haunted her ever since. Spending a decade painting and drifting around Europe, she tries to forget her family’s legacy and the friends she left behind. But the Morgan women have always been able to harness the power of the mountains surrounding the town, and their spells—and curses—are sewn into the soil. The mountains, they say, never forget. Sure enough, when Carrie’s grandmother dies and leaves behind her dilapidated cottage, she returns to renovate—certain she will only be there for one winter. She meets Matthieu as the temperature dips, a newcomer who offers to help refurbish the cottage. Before long, and despite warnings from her great-aunt Cora of the old stories, Carrie finds herself falling for the charming stranger. But when the frost thaws in spring, Matthieu goes missing. Carrie is convinced he’s real, and he’s in danger. As she fights her way across the mountains to find him, she must confront all the reasons why she left Woodsmoke and decide whether the place she’s spent the last decade running from is the home she’s been searching for.
“It’s superstitious, but I can’t shake it, even after all these years. You don’t discard or scorn a gift from the mountains.”
Rachel Greenlaw has created a fascinating story that melds the ethereal magic of the mountains and a familial legacy of witches with one woman’s search for a place to call home. The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells is further enhanced by Kristin Atherton’s narration which perfectly captures the essence of the plot and personalities of the characters. Where myths and reality, blessings and curses, interwine in a beautiful but unforgiving environment the plot mirrors the setting as Carrie Morgan finds herself dealing with the struggles of identity and home when she returns to Woodsmoke to claim the inheritance left by her beloved grandmother. Tasked with restoring the cottage as a condition of being able to sell it, Carrie finds help from a mysterious newcomer to town, Matthieu. As the remodeling progresses Carrie begins to restore more than just the structure and interior, she rehabilitates friendships and creates new relationships that shore up the foundtion of who she is. Ultimately, while it’s wonderfully entertaining The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells is also a heartwarming story for all ages.
“Loving someone – caring for them and losing them… it is a distinct kind of grief. One that’s hard to shake.”
The heart of the story, Carrie’s search for the restoration of home, family, and friends she ran away from 10 years prior, is inexplicably linked to the new relationship and budding romance that develops with the mysterious man from the mountains, Matthieu. His presence is unexpected but brings her courage, as she works through the struggles of her past, and comfort, that love is possible and friendships salvageable even when things look dark and grey. The warnings from her Great-Aunt Cora further enhance the mystery surrounding Matthieu’s true identity until the very end. This is a book that you will be hard pressed to stop to once you get started.
The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw is a story that I highly recommend to either read or listen to. Rachel is a fabulous storyteller that writes in a way where you become lost in the enfolding pages of interesting characters and multi-layered plots. She seamlessly weaves thought provoking truths into the different relationship dynamics all while blanketed the plot with the ever-present mist of magic and other-worldliness. Whether you read or listen to this novel you will enjoy every minute of the experience, mystery and romance.
Tanya’s love for books has been a lifelong passion that she likes sharing with others. Reading is also the thing that relaxes her after a day of juggling the many responsibilities that come with being being wife to an amazing man, mother to four great kids spread around the world, business manager, and farm hand on their place in southwest Missouri; home to Akaushi cattle and a menagerie of pygmy goats, horses, chickens, dogs and cats.
