Monday, May 13, 2019

Monday Book Review: Tena Stetler new release

Mystic Maples, by Tena Stetler
part of the Deebourne Inn series, by various authors
Published May 2019

About the Book:
Earth/Fire witch Mercy Rose's insatiable curiosity always gets her in trouble. After a break-in at her Colorado flower shop, and a court battle that comes to a screeching halt in her favor, she arrives at Deerbourne Inn for a much-needed getaway. Looking for peace and quiet, she finds just the opposite in a startling handsome but mysterious man and his dog.

Silvanus Forrest's gypsy/fae heritage is a double-edged sword. The land he inherited from his parents is rumored to be enchanted. But when Mercy discovers the truth, his well-ordered life unravels, and they're catapulted into the past to right a wrong. Along the way their lives intertwine, and they discover the true meaning of family and love. Will they change the past in time to save their future?

My Take:

Tena Stetler's latest release is part of the Deerbourne Inn series from The Wild Rose Press. The setting that ties the series together is the fictional Deerbourne Inn in the fictional Vermont town of Willow Springs. It's part of a series by this publisher, all by different authors but set in this town with this Inn as central to the action in some form. The town itself is a bit like Stowe or Woodstock, Vermont, with a walking town of gift shops and restaurants, and a small town vibe where residents all know and look out for one another.

In this case, Mercy Rose is a witch visiting from Colorado and staying at the Inn. She thought she'd have an extended stay - something like six months - but when she gets there, they've only booked her for two weeks. When one of the locals overhears the problem, he offers her his guest cottage so that she doesn't have to change her plans.

The local in question is Silvanus Forrest, who owns the local sugaring operation, supplying maple syrup to the local restaurants and shops. His family has owned the land for generations, and it's infused with magic that calls to Mercy. The couple are drawn to one another and although they fight the attraction, they can't resist. Sil's mother was fae, so Mercy's witchy magic doesn't startle him in the least. And Mercy doesn't try at all to hide her magic from anyone, which felt a little odd to me having lived in Vermont (as an Innkeepers daughter) for years - I know we're all live-and-let-live, but c'mon. Really?

One of the best parts of this story - and the great tie-in with the rest of the books in this series - is the fact that Mercy can see and chat with the Inn's resident ghost, who's mentioned in several of the other books in this series (if not all of them.) The ghost actually plays a pivotal role in helping Mercy and Sil shed light on family issues from his past.

Told in third person from both Mercy and Sil's perspectives, this is a light paranormal romance. Ms. Stetler has a knack for writing paranormal characters that "normalize" the paranormal - they make magic seem like just another characteristic, like hair color or job description. It's like being on the "inside" of the paranormal world, knowing what's going on with the various subgenres of magical beings out there.

Find your copy on AMAZON.

If you like sweet romance with a taste of paranormal, try out one of Tena Stetler's


12 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting Mystic Maples and for the wonderful review. Mercy didn't flaunt her magic. Hey it's a fictional town and Inn, why not assume the magic is a given. LOL Thanks again! Hope you had a great vacation!

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  2. Can't wait to read this one. Congratulations Tena!

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    1. Thank you Charlotte! I hope you enjoy Mystic Maples!

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  3. Well done, Tena. Congratulations!

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    1. Hey CB! Thank you for dropping by and for the kind words! I really appreciate it!

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  4. Thank you Cadence! Glad you popped by!

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  5. Wonderful review!

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