Have a witch of a good time … Ivy Morgan is happy with who she is, and what she can do. She certainly doesn’t need to second guess her life, or her witchy ways … that is until Shadow Lake’s newest police detective enters her life.Jack Harker is haunted by a past he refuses to talk about, and he’s not looking forward to a future with anyone – especially a sassy witch with boundary issues.Jack … issues.
Jack and Ivy find their paths crossing on a regular basis when a dead body is discovered on the edge of Ivy’s property. Jack doesn’t want any romantic entanglements, but there’s just something about Ivy that keeps drawing him in.
When the truth is finally revealed, Jack has to decide what he believes – and he has to do it before a murderer turns his attention to Ivy.
Can Ivy heal Jack’s wounds? Will she even get a chance to try?
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3.5 Stars! Wicked Days is the first book in the Ivy Morgan Mystery series, and my first book by Lily Harper Hart. This author was recommended to me by a friend since I was looking for a good cozy mystery. I loved the synopsis and characters, but did find the story a little lacking on the magical front.
Summary:
Ivy Morgan is happy with who she is and where her life has taken her. After years of whispers, rumors, and finger-pointing, she’s content to ignore what others think of her and live her life the way she wants. As a natural witch. Her convictions take a hit when she comes face to face with Shadow Lake’s newest resident, though. Detective Jack Harker refuses to talk about his haunted past. He wants to forget it all and move on to a quieter life alone. Both Jack and Ivy feel the sparks and pull between them immediately after laying eyes on the other, but neither is looking for anything. And especially not with each other. But when a body is found on the edge of Ivy’s land, her and Jack’s paths will cross more than ever over the course of the investigation. And it’s not all about solving the whodunnit. There’s just something about Ivy that keeps pulling Jack to her, and Ivy can tell that Jack needs healing. Can they put their sizzling chemistry on the backburner before a killer sets his sights on Ivy?
Wicked Days was an okay read. The overarching mystery was interesting and surprised me a little, while the underlying romance kept me reading to see what would happen. We meet Jack first, and he intrigued me. It was obvious he had secrets, and I was dying to find out what they were. I’m still dying to know. We got pieces of his backstory, but I have no doubts that there are many layers to figure him out. Jack is a dedicated cop; committed to righting wrongs and helping people, but he’s seen evil firsthand, and been hurt by it. This makes him come off as standoffish and a loner. He’s definitely not looking for a relationship, and never anticipated meeting anyone who would change his mind. Ivy was quirky and a bit mysterious herself. She was confident in who she was, but at the same time sensitive to how she had been treated in the past. She’s prickly, but still compassionate and caring if you can get close enough. Together, Jack and Ivy have the potential to be explosive. I did love that the chemistry was so off the charts between them. It was probably my favorite part of the book, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing them give into more impulses. In the end, Wicked Days served its purpose for me. I wanted to be entertained and fall into a book with characters I could really look forward to getting to know. I was a lot bummed that magic wasn’t a greater focus in this book, though. Except for a few small eccentricities and feelings, it was mostly a run of the mill cozy mystery with no major paranormal aspects to speak of. That said, I do feel like there is a lot more to Ivy than what we saw here, and I really hope Ms. Hart explores and expands on that in future books right alongside the romance. This is a great read if you’re looking for a light cozy mystery with likeable characters and the promise of a healthy series.