Hello again! Today I am sharing a book I received by the author and Kate Rock Book Tours. This book came in an absolutely beautiful box put together by the author. The contents were all on theme with the book, she included a little mini jar of sand with a mermaid charm inside, a beautiful compass, a book mark that matched the book cover and a personalized card. When I received it I immediately knew how much this book meant to this author.
Sea Magic
(Hidden Gems Book 1)
By Heidi McIntyre
Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Women’s Fiction
370 pages
Published February 6, 2023
⭐⭐⭐½
When an antique shop owner tracks a ghost through the mists of time, the treasure she discovers is worth more than gold.
She knows everyone in this seaside, New England town of Penbrook, and everyone knows her—Madeline Hunter, the shy, quiet antique shop owner whose idea of a hot date is snuggling up with a good book and her cat, Poe.
But she keeps one thing under her vintage hat—her ability to touch an object and connect with its history. Her new-age aunt says she should embrace her “gift”, but she’d rather pretend it doesn’t exist.
After buying an old box at an estate sale filled with rare items, Madeline started having dreams—startlingly vivid dreams about Maria, a young headstrong Puritan whose “knowing” could get her branded as a witch, and whose forbidden love for a poor sailor caused a scandal.
Together with Evan, an attractive history professor who tempts her to believe in love, she uncovers Maria’s story, helpless to stop its trajectory toward tragedy. She may not be able to change the course of history, but with Evan’s support, maybe she can lay the ghosts of the past to rest—including her own.
If you love magical realism, mermaids and pirates and magical historical mysteries and romance, this book is for you!
The plot of this book is so incredibly interesting and captivating. It’s a dual timeline with the characters from each timeline having a mystical connection.
I absolutely love the whole idea of someone in the present being able to have this special connection to someone from the past and the whole mystery of discovering the history.
I loved the mystic and magical aspects of this book. It was so intriguing and kept me wanting more.
My biggest issue with this book is the writing. While the story was very well written, it was also inconsistent at times. There were parts that didn’t make sense. It could have been edited better to correct these things.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the romance between Madeline and Evan. I just didn’t feel any real connection or chemistry, it felt forced and unnatural. However, the bond between Madeline and her Aunt Phoebe was amazing. Her aunt was such a well written character, she really brought some special to the story. As did Noah, who was a very predictable character, but his connection with Madeline was great.
Overall, this book is really good, and I am looking forward to the next book to see what mystical adventures Madeline gets up to next.
This book is also a great reminder to have an open mind about the things we cannot understand and in doing so we may learn more about ourselves than we ever thought. It’s a great story of self discovery and learning to love and accept who you are.
A huge thank you to Heidi McIntyre for sending me this gifted copy and beautiful box it came in. You can find more information on her and her book at her website here.
I really hope you enjoyed reading some of my thoughts on this book. I do my best to provide spoiler free reviews so that you can fully enjoy the book yourself! If you enjoyed this review I would really appreciate it if you liked, commented and shared.
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Momma Needs to Read 