Fire and water make steam and that is definitely what is going on in this smexy romance. Ms. Connolly whisks me away into a troubled threesome complete with a fiery redhead! Book two in the casual magic series can be read as a standalone. I loved this sweet romance and recommend it as a fun summer read.
What do I like about this romance? I love how Aspen worked do hard to bring two of his friends back together. Aspen rings true with his Earth magic with his steadying influence as well as his steadfast loyalty. I like how Aspen's experiences with being in a threesome helped him navigate the waters with his Squid and Fire. I love how the water elemental are called squids. I also love the air elementals are called airheads. Hah.
Of the three characters I want to smack Rafael. His hurtful words and inability to own up to what he did to Cat is so annoying. He is definitely not a cool and calming influence. He's turbulent like the Pacific Ocean. I found Cat to be an odd character. Ms. Connolly creates these underachieving characters that drive me crazy. Cat has potential to be more and she knows it. Yet her life choices have left her in a space where she finds herself making no progress. She's unhappy when this is mentioned to her and I cannot say that I feel any sympathy for her feeling like she doesn't have her life together. Because she doesn't and she's been cruising through her life with nary a thought or goal.
Usually when I come across these types of characters, I loathe them. They are usually some kind of victim mentally with a "daddy or mommy didn't love me enough". In this case, Cat's ineptitude lays at the feet of her relationships. I find this to be even more abhorrent. Is this judgmental? You betcha. Despite Cat's lack of ambition and her fumbling around, she is still a character I liked. This is what really puzzles me about Ms. Connolly. She creates characters I would normally hate and yet I don't. It's some crazy voodoo magic this author possesses.
All in all, I'm glad to see the character progression and growth in this story. It helps make a happy romance and a lovely happily ever after.
* I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
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