“Allie Therin built a world that came alive and flew off the pages.” —Gay Book ReviewsTo save Manhattan, they’ll have to save each other first… New York, he must intercept it before it can be used to devastating effects. This time, in order to succeed, he needs a powerful psychometric…and the only one available has sworn off his abilities altogether.
Rory Brodigan’s gift comes with great risk. To protect himself, he’s become a recluse, redirecting his magic to find counterfeit antiques. But with the city’s fate hanging in the balance, he can’t force himself to say no.
Being with Arthur is dangerous, but Rory’s ever-growing attraction to him begins to make him brave. And as Arthur coaxes him out of seclusion, a magical and emotional bond begins to form. One that proves impossible to break—even when Arthur sacrifices himself to keep Rory safe and Rory must risk everything to save him.
Magic in Manhattan
Book 1: Spellbound
Book 2: Starcrossed
Book 3: Wonderstruck
Standalone
Proper Scoundrels
more
I cannot recommend this book–or entire trilogy–highly enough. In fact, I’m surprised I haven’t recommended it before now. I’ve clearly been slacking!!
Spellbound lived up to its name. I was spellbound by the unique, refreshing story premise and world-building, by the colorful characters, by the dynamic dialogue and action-packed conflicts. It’s also a historical paranormal, which is a new favorite subgenre of mine. Something about the blend of a historical setting and fantasy storyline just does it for me.
The main character, Rory, has an interesting talent: He can touch an item and sink into its past, almost a form of mental time travel. It comes with risks: Rory could get trapped in an object’s memory and never get free. Rory is also feisty as hell, a scrappy, strong-willed guy who doesn’t back down, and he is a real treasure to read. His love interest is a great guy, a supportive guy, and quite gorgeous–but he’s not the spitfire Rory is, and that’s good. The two of them balance well, and also balance the story.
It’s an epic tale of good vs evil, except a lot of the villains are more gray — good people who’ve been hurt or corrupted into what they are now. There’s high stakes, and enough tension and friction to light a few fires (though the love scenes are fade to black).
I’ve got Book 3, the conclusion, waiting in my TBR list, and I am both eager and afraid to start it. Once I do, this series will be over, and I’ll miss it!
This was a great find and a promising start to what I hope will be a fruitful series… Therin has created a world-within-the-world that I found utterly engaging and fascinating. I liked that she chose to set her tale in 1920s New York – it offered opportunities for fantastic scene-setting and historical detail (e.g., Prohibition and speakeasies, the relative novelty of driving, which only one of the characters – and the oldest! – can do) that I felt added to the depth of the story and made the tale that much more robust as a result. The characters are well-crafted and offer a great complement of personalities, quirks, and strengths. Throw in a well-plotted adventure, secrets and lies and misdirection, and magic and Therin had me hooked from the opening salvo!
My review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I enjoyed this so much!
I wasn’t sure at first. It started a bit slow and I didn’t know where it was going…but somewhere around the 50% mark it really hit its stride (not that it wasn’t good before then, mind!) and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the magic in this story and Allie Therin did some great world-building. The novel was well-written, the story was fun, the cast of characters interesting.
There was a lot of push and pull between Arthur and Rory, both of them wounded for different reasons. I adored them both and all of the sweet moments between them were just so freakin’ cute. Rory tried to woo Arthur with sandwiches and OMG…my heart eyes popped out of my head like a cartoon character.
Highly recommended and very much looking forward to the next in the series.
Sometimes a book comes along that leaves me digging for all the possible superlatives to describe how exquisite it is, and frankly, I’m at a loss here. My vocabulary is inadequate to the task of articulating how gorgeous this book is. There is no single word I can think of to describe its brilliance, though the title comes close to encompassing it. I am spellbound.
Author Allie Therin introduces a world of magic within the mundane in Spellbound, book one in the Magic in Manhattan series, in a 1925 New York City which is alive and vibrant, a post-World War I urban landscape where underground speakeasies once skirted the prohibition laws to deliver entertainment to those who sought it out, and the city is a character in itself. Mrs. Brodigan’s antiques shop in Hell’s Kitchen provides the backdrop for the opening scene and the introduction to the supernatural elements that Therin then spends the rest of the novel building upon, through Manhattan and Central Park and Harlem and Brooklyn, until she ended up crafting the absolute perfect paranormal novel.
Rory Brodigan is a scryer, which means he’s ideally suited to his job as an appraiser at Mrs. Brodigan’s shop. Rory’s ability to touch an item and see its history makes him an invaluable resource for sniffing out forgeries, although his gift doesn’t come without cost to his psychological and emotional wellbeing. This same ability also makes him a target, putting him in physical jeopardy, and this story speaks in some very deliberate ways not only to a general xenophobia but to prejudice against those with paranormal abilities as well, underscoring the reason he has closed himself off from most human contact. His cautious nature was earned the hard way, and his backstory is one that wrings a lot of empathy and compassion from readers, the betrayal he endured supporting and justifying his mistrust of everyone but the woman who gave him her name. Rory is such a fantastic character who goes through a range of emotions as his story is parsed out—much of his prickliness rooted in fear—but watching the way his power dictates his actions and relationships makes his meeting and eventually working with Arthur “Ace” Kenzie all the more rewarding as their story progresses and their unintentional bond deepens and strengthens.
In every conceivable way, Spellbound is an opposites-attract story. Arthur is the son of a politician. He’s wealthy, he’s well-traveled and sophisticated, he’s charming and refined—in short, he’s everything that the hardscrabble Rory Brodigan is not by virtue of the circumstances of Rory’s birth and the subsequent punishment he endured for his ability. Ace is also a mundane who knows magic exists, a rarity in itself. He, however, is not the typical unaffected socialite, and his heart is as big as his trust fund. Bigger even. And he takes great responsibility for his life’s work, which is what leads him to Mrs. Brodigan’s shop in the first place. He needs someone with the ability to scry an artifact that holds what Ace suspects is an immense power. The fact that he lures Rory into the job by way of tricking Mrs. Brodigan doesn’t bode well for their first meeting. Or for many meetings after, truth be told. But, as the plot thickens and the danger increases for Ace and Rory, and everyone else involved, their bond with each other intensifies, and they eventually become inevitable.
Which, when all is said and done, is what defines a good romance—the ability to believe in the characters’ inevitability.
The supporting cast in Spellbound do their intended jobs, becoming integral to not only the story but to the success of thwarting a plot that will do unmitigated harm and damage to the city of New York and those who inhabit it, if not stopped. The suspense in carrying out this mission rises and builds in superb style and leaves readers on the hook for book two in a most capable way. This story is far from over, the prevailing danger has only gained more power, and the villains are not without their own paranormal abilities which will certainly provide for more action, suspense, and threats as the series continues.
There has been a lot of early buzz about the brilliance of this book. Believe it. All of it. Spellbound not only lives up to the hype but exceeded any preconceived notions I had going into it, and my only regret was that it ended. It is exactly my kind of perfect, its historical backdrop detailed to precision, Therin’s storytelling transportive, and its characters a diverse and delightful mix of wonderful.
*and hats all the way off to the cover artist too
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Holy crap, why did I wait so long to read this?!
Though I did get to binge-read all three books, so that’s something.
This book is SO GOOD. The characters are all wonderful. Rory and Arthur and Jade and Zhang and Mrs. Brodigan and everyone, they’re all so unique. I could really see them. I fell right into the world Allie built and I didn’t want to leave. I still want more Rory and Arthur in my life.
The magic is fascinating and, while not wholly original, I haven’t read anything like it before. It was introduced in the most perfect way to hook a reader and keep them yearning for more details. I balked at the term “paranormal” because I usually assume that to mean ghosts/spirits (probably why I waited so long to read it) but then I looked up the definition and it made sense.
My major criticism is the historical accuracy of everything. I’m not a history buff and I really don’t know the 1920s but there were several moments that rang false to me. It would pull me out for a moment as I wondered whether something was anachronistic or not. It’s a shame because I don’t think this story would work in modern-day. That said, it wasn’t distracting enough to stop me from wanting more!
I absolutely recommend this book to everyone!
I’m in the middle of the third book so of this series, which really says it all. Vividly drawn characters, a setting I can just step into, and an eerie villain. Plus a wonderful love story. There’s nothing I don’t love about this series, except that it will end.
Well there’s another fav author to add to the list! Spellbound is set in 1925 New York, and features an M/M romance at the heart of its storyline, which is adorably, soppily romantic. Sigh. Lots of action going on though, never fear, as a mundane man seeks to hunt down some powerful magical relics with the help of his paranormal buddies. This is sooooo easy to read, and though I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, it won’t be stopping me from grabbing the next book in the series.
Brilliant. Exciting paranormal magical adventure in 1925 New York
I loved the characters and the premise. The magic is fun and the two heroes charmed me. I just bought the second adventure and pre-ordered the third. I’m so grateful there is more than one adventure.
Well written characters with great abilities make for a fascinating story.
Can’t wait for the next installment!
This review is an absolute joy and pleasure to write, just as the book itself was to read. I will try to contain my gushing, but I make no promises.
Spellbound is the debut novel of an exceptionally talented author. Ms. Therin draws you into this amazing world she’s created within the first few pages and wraps you up in a tight grip of intrigue, romance, and what the flip did I just read?? I devoured Spellbound within 5 hours of receiving the ARC (and while at work, but let’s just pretend I didn’t say that) and proceeded to read it all over again two nights later.
I’m going to start with Ace/Arthur because… well I kind of adore everything about him. I have a super soft spot in my heart for broken men. Who happen to have a very specific personality (decisive, commanding, protective, possessive) and Ace embodied every single one with drool worthy swagger and a confidence that might have made me swoon. More than once.
Yes, I have a type. Moving on…
I should probably give a little airtime to Rory who has a bit of a bigger character arc throughout the novel. First, I will admit to a shameless bias to the name Rory. Be it on a female (hello, Gilmore Girls) or on a boy, it is one of my most favorite names ever. So I was totally digging him. Oh and remember my whole love of broken boys? Yeah, so that is SUPER at play here. I might identify a little too strongly with Rory, however. He is constantly “okay” when in reality all he wants is Ace to wrap him in those big, strong arms and make all the scars all better and…
Yeah, totally felt every moment of that.
The only thing more noteworthy than the brilliant path their relationship takes is the suspense and intrigue that haunt them at every turn. Ms. Therin does a beautiful job of walking a fine line to achieve a balance I’ve seen other authors struggle with and finds the sweet spot in her work between romance, sci-fi, and suspense. It is incredibly tricky to not be heavier on one of the themes to the detriment of the others, but she carried all in such a seamless way I would be positively green with envy if I didn’t love every step of the journey.
If I could, in any way possible, give her more than 5 stars I would happily do so. I am beyond thrilled that this is simply book one in a series because I need more of Ace, more of Rory, and without a doubt, more of Allie Therin’s amazing words in my life.
A wonderful romantic book, I cannot wait for the next one. Fantastic!
I loved the glamour of 1920’s New York! Really inventive magic system and a memorable cast of characters. And the slow burn romance was handled very well, with the attraction between the main characters very evident, but the difference in their circumstances and insecurities providing believable obstacles for them to overcome.
I truly enjoyed this M/M romance with magic, mayhem, and Manhattan during the Roaring 20’s. Rory and Alex are from different worlds—Rory has paranormal abilities and is poor and barely scraping by. Alex is mundane, but knows the threats posed by the paranormal world and wants to help Rory, but at a time when love between men was illegal in the US (and would have ruined Alex’s high society/political family) these two are tiptoeing around they attraction they feel for one another.
This is the first book in an adventure/romance series and I can’t wait for more! Great characters, wonderful world building—the magic is real.
This book was just fabulous. The world-building was completely seamless and topnotch, like just a perfect blend of history and magic that was both unique and sensical. Rory and Ace were a perfect couple, their slow burn but sweet romance was adorable and you rooted for them every second. The suspense, the actions, the twists, all pretty much flawlessly executed. Every side character, villain, hero, and the folks that are a combination of both, were just so well drawn and INTERESTING. This was just an awesome read and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Highly recommended.
I’m not a romance reader. And still, I’ve read my share of romances – usually disguised as something else. I’ve read many cosy mysteries which were actually romances with an idea of mystery. I’ve occasionally read historical novels which were really romances with the barest sense of a historical context.
It is usually quite a disappointing experience.
Spellbound is a romance, there’s no question about that. But it is also a very good fantasy (with a dieselpunk inclination, I should add) as well as a very nice historical novel. And these are essential parts of the story, not some convenient disguise.
I had no problem loving this book.
There’s magic in this version of 1925 Manhattan, secret magic unknown to the majority of people. Magic people conceal their abilities to almost everyone, especially when they are young and inexperienced – not to mention secluded and scared – as Rory. Magic can be dangerous and very difficult to wield.
But there are also normal human beings like Arthur who live and act in close contact with the magic world. Besides, as someone says, Arthur’s charm is almost like magic.
Rory and Arthur are remarkable characters, with great personalities and a strong drive. They also have a sense of humour, which is always a bonus. Because of them, I felt immediately at home inside the story and I deeply cared about what happened. Right away, it was clear that the romance was about them. It has all the characteristics of a romance (including the exaggerations I tend to dislike), but their relationship was also very much about personal growth. That’s why, even as a non-romance reader, I could enter the story and stay firmly there.
The fantasy plot is strong and would carry the story even without the romance (by this I mean that it sustains itself beautifully, as a good fantasy story does). It centres around relics – very powerful, very rare magical objects – and the fight – partly grounded in personal issues – to conquer them. In this post WWI world, relics and their power have a sinister light to them. The war is over, but what would happen is someone could put their hands on something as powerful as a relic? I can’t wait to see what they will evolve into in the following novels in the series, because I sense some great secret conspiracy ahead. Seriously, how can I resist that?
There is a very diverse cast of characters here, and I loved how the author handled it. I’ve read a lot of novels in recent years that used diversity as a badge. Not something I appreciate. Here, diversity is a mere matter of life. It simply exists, just like humans being and their personality.
Loved it.
Can’t wait to read more in this series.
I’m going to try and do this book the justice it’s due, but I don’t believe there are words to describe how much I loved this read. I was sucked in from the get-go and don’t believe there’s any chance I’ll forget these characters or this story any time soon. I’m so grateful this is only a book one, because I might die without the light at the end of the tunnel that means more of Rory and Ace.
All I can say is… READ THIS BOOK. Join the obsession.
Have mercy. It’s official, y’all. I have found my new favorite book. Hands down best read of the year. I can’t say enough how much I absolutely loved and adored Spellbound by Allie Therin. In fact, if I sat here and spewed all the fan-girling nonsense my fingers keep trying to type, y’all wouldn’t keep reading. Which would be a disservice to you, me, and this phenomenal book.
So, what was it exactly that had me swooning from page one? I can’t honestly nail it down to one single thing. It was kind of everything. I’m not sure about you, but as a reader who is also a writer, there’s always a thing or two that rubs me the wrong way—after all, not everything is for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay! But with Therin, I couldn’t find anything to fault. Everything from her writing style to her characterization to her plot had me all heart-eyed and happy, heavy sighing.
If you know me at all, you’re aware I’m generally not a fan of historical or paranormal. Both genres truly have to be written at the top of their game for me to enjoy them. So what does that say when I’m proclaiming this historical paranormal as my new fav??
The setting of this book was absolutely superb. Therin captured all the literal and figurative magic in her fictional depiction of 1920s Manhattan. She included just enough nods to history that it felt accurate and genuine, yet didn’t overburden her scenes with excessive details that overshadowed the story. And her characters—every dang one of them, from the MCs to the supporting cast—were woven with intricate and heartfelt brilliance. I fell hard and fast and didn’t want to let go. Then there was the plot and the awe-inspiring twist on the paranormal that had my eyes wide and my readerly heart beating staccato the entire read. Both times. (Because, yes, I’ve already read this bad boy twice and have no doubts it’ll be a frequently repeated go-to feel-good part of my life.)
The love scenes are all fade-to-black yet so insanely emotional and steamy, they will undoubtedly satisfy all levels of romance readers—including those on both ends of the sweet romance/erotica spectrum. It’s magic, I tell ya. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book that shows so little yet provides such a solid sexy punch.
I would recommend this book to ANY romance reader. Period. I don’t care if you aren’t a proclaimed historical fan, or if paranormal isn’t your gig. Heck, even if you haven’t ventured into the MM romance world, this would be a sensational introductory read in any of those genres. This book is so full of heart and passion and jaw-dropping intrigue, it’ll have at least something for everyone.
SPELLBOUND is the first book in the Magic in Manhattan series, and I seriously can’t wait for book two!
Set in the 1920’s, you get a front seat to all that involves–Speakeasy’s, prohibition, mobsters, Germans. It’s all here, and gives you an insight into what life might have been like.
Rory and Arthur make for a perfect couple! I loved Rory’s sass and his spitting alley cat fight. Arthur is the big softie with an even bigger heart, who just wants to help.
With a great cast of characters, this story was gripping from the very start. The pacing is smooth, there were no plot holes I fell through, and the world building is outstanding.
With humour, sass, peril, and betrayal, this book had it all for me. Highly recommended, and when is book two coming out? Absolutely brilliant.
absolutely loved this magical stomp through NY in the 1920’s.
Allie does a fantastic job with world building, unique magic, compelling characters, incredibly well constructed plot, relationships, and a wonderful sense of time and place. Oh, and the romance is so sweet and perfect. I couldn’t put this book down. What a thrilling ride! Ace, Jade, Zhang and Rory make a kick-was team. R & A forever
This is one book that I highly reading recommend