I was pleased to be invited to participate in the blog tour for this book.  Please see banner at the bottom of the post for release date.  I thank Netgalley, St. Martin's, and Wednesday Books for the invite and the ARC.

It's 1987, and Mayhem Brayburn and her mother Roxy are returning to their ancestral home in Santa Maria, California--after 13 years in Taylor, Texas and finally escaping Lyle, Roxy's abusive second husband.  Mayburn was only three when Roxy took her away from their hometown after the death of her first husband/Roxy's father.

Waiting for them in Santa Maria is Roxy's twin sister Elle, who introduces them to the three foster children she has taken in:  Neve, Jason, and Kidd.  Santa Maria is a beach community, but all is not lazy days on the beach and boardwalk.  Young women have been disappearing, and there might be a serial killer behind their disappearances.

Also, Brayburns are kind of a big deal in that town.  People leave gift baskets as offerings.  The family has apparently performed a service to the community for generations.  But what exactly does that mean?

It is not long before Mayhem learns that being in the town awakes abilities in her, and that it's no coincidence that she has always been drawn to water.  Her aunt's wards are tapped into the Brayburn lore and serve as guides for Mayhem.

The author, Estelle Laure, has written that she drew inspiration from sources like The Lost Boys and The Craft, which is part of why I was ready to "Yes, please" the invite.  But I would say there is also a touch of the girl finding out she is "the chosen one," a la Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I anticipate that some readers might feel they want "more conflict" in the book, but I would counter that much of the conflict is inner (though characters also confront outside forces).  There are some interesting struggles around "destiny" and what a parent can (and should) attempt to protect a child from.

Having the book set in 1987 was also fun for me.  I was 20 in 1987, so four years older than Mayhem.

A Curse of Mayhem is the second book of the series of Alyssa McCarthy Magical Missions. It is good. I seem to start up once again with Alyssa doing magic. How does she get this magic of hers? This seems interesting that she doing this and her ordinary person.

Do we find that there this person named Errol? Does Alyssa need to do somethings to defeat Errol? What they are you find out as she struggles to control her magic. It seems that she gets herself into trouble. Will her mentors be able to help or even Simon?

This book for me was slow going. It was adventures, but not as exciting as the first book. It is good with is as it is funny with animals that show up out of nowhere. Will Alyssa be able to save her loved ones and her friends?

If you are looking for a good book for your child or children this is good for them. As it teaches confidence in a person, responsibility. This is shown throughout the book. Not all at the same time. It has some fantasy to it. Good for fantasy fans and lovers of fantasy.

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Mismatched in Mayhem is a sweet romance with just enough quirk to keep fans of small town romances entertained without going over the top. Mayhem, Minnesota is a charming town with a semi-famous cat sweater store and a psychic who makes delicious pie, so for me it was impossible not to be drawn into the world L.E. Rico has created immediately – it was just too cute.

At the heart of Mismatched in Mayhem is the romance between bartender and pub manager Johnny Walker Black O’Halloran and grad student Mason Stevens. Mason grabbed my heart from the first and didn’t let go. He’s a total sweetheart and all-around good guy, so it was insanely easy to fall for him. The budding mineralogist has a huge heart, does his best to take care of the people he loves, and just wants someone who loves him for him. It’s not easy for him to find that because his mother is an incredibly famous actress. That’s why he’s immediately taken with Walker when she has no idea who he is. For me, Walker was the weak point in the book. She was once a wild child who now has gone to a totally different extreme since her father’s death. She has closed off a lot of her world, which I understood to an extent. It feels like I might be missing some information because I haven’t read the previous Whiskey Sisters books, so I didn’t totally understand why Walker tries so hard to push Mason away. I did like Walker’s relationship with her family and her friendship with Mason’s brother. It’s just her romance with Mason that didn’t always work for me. Mason is prom king level of perfect in looks and attitude, which is so not her type. But his charm and persistence make her want to give the guy a chance. There’s a lot of push-pull and I didn’t wholly understand why Mason was so determined to win over Walker, aside from the fact that she didn’t know his famous parents and the more important fact that the plot calls for it.

The romance between Walker and Mason has some fun and sweet moments, but the push-pull and manufactured drama you could see coming from a mile away wore on me at times. The dreaded “big misunderstanding” comes into play in this story and I freely admit that’s something I tend to loathe in stories unless it’s exceptionally well done, so those who aren’t so bothered by it may not be as turned off by this twist. I had an overall feeling best conveyed as “meh” toward the romance. It was fine, but there was just something missing that made me feel like Walker and Mason didn’t “click” as a couple. Opposites attracting is fun in theory, but the author really has to sell it for it to work and for me it didn’t in this case. Still, I enjoyed Walker’s personal journey and Mason was such a sweetheart that I still liked the book well enough. And Mayhem itself was so charming that I would definitely read another Whiskey Sisters book.


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

This is book #4, in the Whiskey Sisters series.  This book can be a standalone novel.  For understanding the series, and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading this great series in order.

Walker is the one who takes care of her family.  She puts her family first, herself last.  Then she helps someone left behind at her family's bar.  It may be something out of the ordinary for her, but she is a good person.  Why is everyone so shocked?

Mason is excited to get along with someone who does not know who he is.  His secret is safe, and the chemistry is hot!  Until they get to know one another better, and time is running out to tell her the secret he has kept close to his chest.

This was so much more than I thought looking at the cover.  Cute cover though, and I do love me the kitties.  What I found was a story with so much to it I could not put it down!  I loved the heat, the banter, the characters and more.  I really will be reading this author again soon.  I give this read a 5/5 Kitty's Paws UP!


***This early copy was given in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley and its publishers.