Berls Reviews Witchy Weddings #audio #review

Overall:

Wow do I wish I’d read this series before Harmony joined the Beechwood Harbor Series. I didn’t have any trouble with her as a character, but I would have understood her so much better and gotten a little more of a thrill out of those mentions of her sister, Anastasia. I received this entire series in an anthology, but I’ll review each book separately.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Cupid in a Bottle by Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: A Touch of Magic Mysteries #0.5
Published by Tantor Audio on April 23, 2018
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

Climbing the corporate ladder in a pair of fabulous stilettos isn’t easy, not even for a witch.
Anastasia Winters is on a mission to become the supernatural world’s go-to event coordinator. With a high-profile wedding in the final stretch, she needs everything to go just right. But when the groom gets dosed with an experimental potion and professes his undying love for the maid of honor, Anastasia’s shot at the wedding-planner big leagues goes up in flames.
Can she get the wedding back on track, or is she destined to be demoted back to coordinating birthday parties for baby dragons and filling the guest list for the Tooth Fairy’s Halloween bash?

I actually read Cupid in a Bottle as part of the Betwixt Anthology and it was what made me realize I really wanted to read this series.

My original review (unchanged): Cute story. I really like these characters, which were knew to me (I don’t know them from the Beechwood Harbor series). I REALLY wanted more, this story didn’t feel complete, which is why it’s 3.5 stars.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Newly Wed and Slightly Dead by Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: A Touch of Magic Mysteries #1
Published by Tantor Audio on February 14, 2019
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Romance
Length: 4 hours 9 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

Nothing ruins a rehearsal dinner quite like a passive-aggressive toast from the unhappy mother of the groom. Things go from bad to yikes when she’s found reduced to a pile of ashes and couture and the bride is pegged as the one wielding the wooden stake.
When a vampire marries a human, things are bound to get messy…
After years spent working the birthday party and baby shower circuit, Anastasia Winters finally has a corner office and a host of supernatural clients all begging her to plan their special day. But following a brush of bad luck, she finds herself on the brink of losing it all. With an ultimatum from her boss on the table, her next wedding has to be perfect.
When the vampy mother of the groom is found dead, the bride goes on the run, and Anastasia is forced head-first into the murder investigation if she has any chance of getting the wedding back on track and keeping her job.
Unfortunately, this is one wedding crisis that requires more than a strategically placed bobby pin or double-sided sticky tape.
Can there be a fairy tale ending, or will it be Happily Ever Never?
***
Newly Wed and Slightly Dead is the first novel in a new series of paranormal mysteries by Danielle Garrett. Step inside the magical world of the Seattle Haven and see what happens when the magic and wedding worlds collide! Packed full of laughs, magic, mystery, and a little romance, this series is sure to have something for everyone.

I immediately loved Anastasia in Cupid in a Bottle, and I grew to adore her in this book. I love the sister element to these books – it’s kind of spoiler that I already know how things turn out with Harmony from reading Beechwood Harbor Series, but it’s still great to see her growth and the role her relationship with Anastasia plays in that. And, of course, the bickering between sisters; that’s great too. I think the fact that this series is fully in the Seattle Haven (where magical folks live, no humans) is a nice contrast to the Beechwood Harbor Series, where part of the challenge is always about keeping the magical secret. Here we get to see the everyday life of a witch, working as a wedding planner – complete with all the magical accoutrements. I loved the work-stress angle –Anastasia has a stressful and competitive job, with some pretty unreasonable pressures. Having also worked in event planning in the past (including some weddings) this rang so true, even with the magical flair. That Anastasia ends up so fully invested in the murder investigation because of her role as the wedding planner felt ridiculous, but then also completely believable when you consider the stressful environment where she worked. A love interest developed here too, with the SPA agent assigned to the case. Excited to see that develop.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Couture and Curses by Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: A Touch of Magic Mysteries #2
Published by Tantor Audio on November 26, 2019
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Romance
Length: 4 hours 10 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

When sparks and curses fly, more than just high-profile weddings are thrown into danger.
Every wedding-planning witch worth her wand knows that the dress must be an Aurelia custom creation. The magical fashion designer to the who's who of the Seattle Haven is in high demand with a waiting list that would make most wedding planner's eyes water.
Luckily for her clients, witch wedding-planner extraordinaire Anastasia Winters has inside access to the famed fashion designer and a knack for making deals. However, on an after-hours errand to pick up a dress, Anastasia finds herself walking into a battleground. When the dust settles, Aurelia is locked in the grips of a powerful - and seemingly unbreakable - curse, and Anastasia is the only one who witnessed the vicious magical attack.
When she starts having visions and nightmares, she knows she has to act soon or risk losing her friend and haven fashion icon, forever.

How fun! This book starts off at a wedding expo event, with Kaleb (SPA Agent from Newly Wed and Slightly Dead) in tow. I really liked this way of kicking things off – we immediately know they are indeed still dating and that he wants to spend time with her badly enough that he’s willing to accompany her to the expo (for work). And if you’ve ever been to one of these things, they can be crazy WITHOUT magic to add to it. Anyway, this book is about the mystery of why wedding dress designer Arelia is attacked at her shop. There’s a “shadow” figure that Anastasia keeps seeing that no one else does, likely because she was there when Arelia was attacked and this time it’s putting her in danger. So her being part of this investigation makes a lot more sense. The work stress is ever present – with her rival Kate a never ending problem along with her boss who continues to levy unrealistic expectations and criticism. I’m continuing to enjoy watching Harmony grow and mature, taking classes and working on her potion skills. Oh and we meet Meryl here! I had no idea she appeared somewhere before Beechwood Harbor. That was fun 🙂

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Wedding Bells and Deadly Spells by Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: A Touch of Magic Mysteries #3
Published by Tantor Audio on December 10, 2019
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Romance
Length: 4 hours 1 minute
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

A drop of poison is all it takes to bring the biggest wedding of the season to its knees.
Anastasia Winters adheres to the adage that the show must go on, but when the groom of her latest wedding drops dead before “I do,” she’s left with no backup plan.
Things get even stickier when her friend and esteemed caterer, Francois, is named the top suspect.
Ana's loyalties are tested as the investigation turns into a vicious tug-of-war. She believes Francois is innocent, but holding the other side of the rope is the lead detective--her serious boyfriend--and the more she struggles, the more her own chance at happily ever after starts to unravel.
It’s up to Anastasia to find the killer, while gripping tightly to her relationships before they break and leave her with nothing.
***
Wedding Bells and Deadly Spells is the third novel in a new series of paranormal mysteries by Danielle Garrett. Step inside the magical world of the Seattle Haven and see what happens when the magic and wedding worlds collide! Packed full of laughs, magic, mystery, and a little romance, this series is sure to have something for everyone.

What a great way to wrap up this series! I love the way Anastasia is dealing with such an awful couple and when the groom drops dead at the altar, they quickly become the worst nightmare she’s ever had for a wedding. I loved the way things developed with her career in this book, as well as with Harmony. We had a couple little cameo appearances from Holly (Beechwood Harbor) and I loved seeing how that side of the story progressed. It was like getting a behind the scenes from a favorite tv show. As with all the books, the mystery is interesting and Anastasia ends up more involved than she really should. Her boyfriend Kaleb, of course, is assigned to all the cases she’s involved in and that actually complicates things here. Their relationship is also progressing well and I enjoyed seeing them heading towards the HEA.

Narration:

I’m so glad I was able to read this series and get another side of this world I’ve come to love. And I’ve been listening to Amanda Ronconi since I started listening to audiobooks (she was my first narrator!) and I continue to love her. She consistently delivers a fantastic performance and brings the characters, personalities, and humor to life for me.

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