07/10/2023
With this adorable paranormal rom-com, bestseller Cabot (the Princess Diaries series) launches a fun and spooky series set on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound. A few incantation mistakes as a teenager resulted in Jessica Gold’s exclusion from the World Council of Witches (WCW). Now the self-trained witch limits her use of magic to making positive fashion alterations in her retail store in historic West Harbor. That small coastal town is on the brink of celebrating its tricentennial—but handsome newcomer Derrick Winters arrives with a dire warning, claiming West Harbor may not make it to 300. He points out recent flooding, wolf sightings, and other unexplained phenomena as harbingers of what is to come, but also offers some hope, naming Jessica as the “Chosen One” who can identify the “Bringer of Light,” a young girl who will save the town. Game to save her little corner of the world, Jessica must face down her old high school nemesis, a WCW snob, while trying to find her new mentee and get her ready for whatever lies ahead. The townful of quirky characters charms, while mysterious Derrick, who may or may not be sanctioned by the WCW but who is undeniably awesome at pub trivia, makes for a swoony love interest. Readers will be eager for more. Agent: Laura Langlie, Laura Langlie Agency. (Sept.)
“I’d read a cereal box if it was written by Meg Cabot.” — Julia Quinn
“Best-selling Cabot famously has the rom-com knack, making the start to her Witches of West Harbor series a witchy delight.” — Booklist
“Meg Cabot is chick-lit royalty.” — Newsweek
“Cabot’s latest (after The Quarantine Princess Diaries) is just as magical and cozy as ever. Her fans will love the twists, along with immediate sparks between Jessica and Derrick, and they will be impatiently awaiting the next installment with her endearing cast of characters.” — Library Journal
“With this adorable paranormal rom-com, bestseller Cabot (the Princess Diaries series) launches a fun and spooky series set on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound. The townful of quirky characters charms [and] readers will be eager for more.” — Publishers Weekly
“No Words will have anyone in the writing industry chuckling at the insider references while delighting anyone who enjoys reading—and wants to find redemption for snide comments said in the past.” — Zibby Owens for GMA.com
“The prolific Meg Cabot is an expert in matters of the heart, having written love stories between characters from middle school to middle age... Cabot is a whiz at writing dialogue that’s both charming and believable, and she riffs on her years of experience in the publishing industry in snarky, silly ways that will bring readers plenty of laughs alongside this love story.” — BookPage on No Words
“The ever-delightful Cabot charms in her latest, which is equal parts sweet and steamy. Animal lovers unite—this one’s for you.” — Booklist
08/01/2023
In this series launch, Jessica Gold has found happiness and prosperity in many parts of her life, like her enduring friendships and her shop, Enchantments, located in a small New England town. She just hasn't been as lucky when it comes to love, but she is alright with that—until a tall, leather-clad, handsome man shows up in her shop telling her she's the Chosen One and her hometown is on the verge of an apocalyptic magical event. Derrick Winters has accepted his role in life to help other witches use their magic for good, yet this time it feels different. He quickly finds himself more involved than ever, including in bed with the woman he was sent to protect. As they try to prevent West Harbor's destruction, they may find that happiness and home are with each other. VERDICT Cabot's latest (after The Quarantine Princess Diaries) is just as magical and cozy as ever. Her fans will love the twists, along with immediate sparks between Jessica and Derrick, and they will be impatiently awaiting the next installment with her endearing cast of characters.—Morgan Lockard
★ 2023-06-21
A 30-something cottage witch bands together with a handsome stranger and a teenage goth in order to save their Connecticut hometown from an ancient curse.
When she was 9 years old, Jessica Gold discovered that her mother was magic. Well, not technically magic, but just enchanting enough for the impressionable child to take her father quite literally when he says, “Your mother is magic,” and set out to follow in her mother's footsteps. Using simple spells from Goody Fletcher’s Book of Useful Household Tips, a grimoire her mother unearthed from an estate sale, Jessica became a “cottage witch,” one who uses herbs and remedies to perform acts of good. That is, until Jessica decided to take Billy Walker to her senior prom. A harmless love potion meant to steal Billy’s heart ended up unleashing the terror of fellow high school student and storm witch Rosalie Hopkins. Years later, West Harbor still shivers at the chill of Rosalie’s jealousy-induced blizzard, and Jessica continues to lie low at her boutique, Enchantments, performing just the right amount of magic to make her customers feel charmed. Just when the residents of West Harbor seem to have forgotten the inexplicable, snowy events of 2006, the bearded and rugged Derrick Winters appears in Jessica’s shop. The sexy warlock reveals that there’s a deadly rift surfacing beneath their town, and only the “Chosen One” and the “Bringer of Light” can stop it. Jessica turns out to be the Chosen One, and the Bringer of Light is 16-year-old Esther Dodge, a high school student who can explode pumpkins with her mind. Can Jessica, Derrick, and Esther use their powers of good to prevent the destruction of West Harbor, or are darker forces at play? Cabot’s latest adult rom-com is charming and mystical, combining her usual humor with a strong female heroine to make an enticing new saga. The first installment of the Witches of West Harbor series will leave readers eager to follow Jessica and Derrick on their quest for harmony.
A perfect potion of cozy, romantic, and enchanting fun.
A dual narration by Piper Goodeve and Tim Paige introduces a cozy Connecticut town that is about to experience a magical apocalypse. Local business owner Jessica Gold and new-to-town Derrick Winters believe that a high school witch can help avert disaster. While Jessica's friends' voices are not always distinct in conversation, Goodeve clearly evokes Piper's guilt about her past magical mishaps, along with her tentative interest in Derrick. Paige mirrors Derrick's lack of familiarity with the West Harbor lifestyle, as well as his apprehension about deceiving Jessica. While Derrick is well portrayed, Paige could better communicate Cabot's humor. Derrick and Jessica's romance sounds genuine in dialogue, but neither narrator seems fully invested in Cabot's campy but feminist tale. Story and narrators struggle to coalesce. C.A. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
