The Trouble With Witches by Kristen Painter [Review]

The Trouble With Witches (Shadowvale #1) by Kristen Painter
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 3, 2021

Shadowvale
1. The Trouble With Witches - Paperback | Kindle
2. The Vampire's Cursed Kiss
3. The Forgettable Miss French
4. Moody and the Beast
5. Her First Taste of Fire

Kristen Painter
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Shadowvale isn’t typical small town America. The sun never shines, the gates decide who enters, magic abounds, and every resident bears some kind of curse.

No one knows this as well as raven shifter Deacon Evermore, who, like everyone in his family, has a curse. While his position as Shadowvale’s peacekeeper lets him use that curse for good, he’d rather live anywhere else. He stays for his family, but doubts he can last much longer.

Fledgling witch Emeranth Greer is determined to escape her past and make a fresh start in Shadowvale with the aunt she’s never met. Her aunt and the town prove to be far better than she imagined. There’s no way Em is leaving this magical place. Especially when staying means more time with the handsome Deacon.

But when Em’s troubled past catches up with her and nearly destroys the romance budding between her and Deacon, her instinct is to run again. Except there’s magic in the mix now and the town won’t let her leave. Only Deacon can save her, but can a cursed man clear her name…or will her history destroy them both?

Thoughts on The Trouble With Witches: Shadowvale might not be your typical place to live, but seeing as how the people who inhabit it are anything but typical themselves, it works out kind of nicely. I mean, where else would vampires be able to settle down without fear of the sun (because the sun doesn't shine there) or witches and others of their ilk be able to practice openly? Nowhere, I'm thinking.

Anywho. On the romance end, we have Em, who's looking to settle into Shadowvale (although she has no clue of her magical birthright OR of what Shadowvale is when she sets out to meet her aunt), and Deacon, who desperately wants to leave to give his sister the life she deserves. Em's aunt tasks Deacon with showing Em all the reasons she SHOULDN'T stay and he's, well, he's trying. But Em's pretty enchanted with the town in general. Even the weird, dangerous parts.

For all that the longer he spends with Em, the more he's coming to like her, Deacon still does his part in trying to dissuade her from staying. On Em's end, she has no clue the boon her aunt has offered Deacon if he can convince her to leave and BOY things could have been messy when it all came out.

A quirky town full of quirky folk, family of both the good and not-so-good variety, a lady trying to find herself, and a man who's trying to do right by the people who matter to him even if it costs him his own happiness. Shadowvale is weird and wonderful and very, very fun!