Spells & Stitches

This is the fourth book in the Sugar Maple series and it keeps getting better with each one. The premise of the series is that the town of Sugar Maple is populated with magical creatures of all kinds who have transplanted their village to Vermont after the Salem Witchcraft trials. Chloe Hobbs is half human and pregnant by her human lover, Luke, a policeman who has moved to the town. She is the last in a line of Hobbs women who are the key to keeping Sugar Maple safe.
I love the varied people who live in the town and how Luke deals with them and they with him. Chloe is a great character with her pregnancy hormones causing random disasters all around her. I would recommend reading the earlier books but the backstory is skillfully show more interwoven into this book and the reader is able to follow the relationships with no problem. Elspeth, the troll, is a riot, going around being a major meanie to human and magick folk alike. The stress of imminent child birth, meeting Luke's family, and keeping herself from wrecking things makes Chloe's story so much fun to read. That said there are moments of suspense in the book and there lurks through the whole book portents of future trouble. The ending is big and emotional.I hope there will be more tales of the folks from Sugar Maple in the future. show less

I really enjoyed the first three books in this series but this one left me feeling "meh". 80% of the story was completely centred on the wonderfulness of having a baby, motherhood and the bond, etc. etc. as well as Chloe forging a relationship with Luke's extended family. Very little time is spent on the plot itself and significant events that happen are never explained. The last 20% of the story has the entire plot squeezed into it and ends with very little angst or drama. I'm not saying I disliked the book, I love the characters and the town of Sugar Maple and I was happy to "catch up" with both the town and its inhabitants. But the author could have done a much better job with the plot.