Utterly Charming

Since I enjoyed Wickely Charming, I picked up a copy of this because it is #1 in the series. The Charming in this title is Sleeping Beauty's Charming. Emma has been asleep for 1000 years, while Alex (easier for moderns to say than Aethelstan) and Ealhswith (a wicked witch) battle over her. Alex enlists the help of Norah, a young lawyer, and then things get complicated.

I really, really liked the fact that the concept of "consent" was key to this book. Emma did not consent to be put in stasis until everyone and everything she knew was gone. Her anger and struggles to adjust were real and reasonable. Norah is a lawyer who knows her job, and does it. She protects Emma and insists on doing the right thing, even when it creates trouble for show more her and leaves her with more and more difficult problems. Alex starts out sure that he is the hero, but by mid-way through, he has realized that he has created a disaster through pig-headed ignorance and unwillingness to listen. To his credit, he struggles to make ammends. He starts out by fixing thingsin whatever way seems good to him, without asking permission, and doesn't understand what the problem is with that.
Norah doesn't back down until he gets that consent is key, which is great.

At this point, I would consider this more of a shared universe than a series. It's categorized as the "Fates" series, and the fates did show up in this book, although not in Wickedly Charming. Also, it wasn't clear to me if any other characters overlapped. I kind of thought that Ealhswith was Snow White from Wickedly Charming, but maybe not. The ending also strongly implies that humans can also have magical powers, not just fairy tale characters, which seems to be the case in Wickedly Charming.

However, I strongly suspect I'm overthinking it. This was a quick, fun read with good characters who acted like real people and were fun to hang out with. show less

This book really does read like a fairy tale, in every sense of the word. It's whimsical, at times charming, and often unbelievable. But it also drags, focuses too much on the battle between "good vs. evil" and doesn't offer any surprises. I'll have to hand it to the author though, she does spin some fairy tale cliches on their head. I liked that Nora was the ultimate heroine, and not the perfect Sleeping Beauty like I'd expected. And the introduction of a modern woman's wants, needs and viewpoints into what's otherwise a pretty straight-forward romantic fairy tale was good for a few smiles. But ultimately, the characters never engaged me. I was bored with the book and struggled to finish.

What can I say, the title does say it all. This was such a charming book. Nora, our heroine meets Alex Blackstone who is so hot, and she can't stop thinking of him. Too bad he is in love with a woman who he claims to be in a magical coma, but she soon realizes magic is real and fairy tales too.

I liked Nora, even if she was a bit to of a lawyer sometimes. She did not let down her guard, but then who would when meeting a 1000 year old mage, a wicked witch, and a woman in a glass coffin. And I had to like that she did not let Alex or our wicked stepmother get the upper hand of her. Instead she wanted to protect Emma.

Before you all go all oh no! What about poor Emma? Well that is a long story, and just because two kids believed they were in show more love a 1000 years ago does not mean that is true now. And Alex is always the gentleman, I truly liked that about him.

It is a romance, that in a way is not a romance. It is always there on the fringes because he wants to protect his sleeping beauty, she thinks those two are meant to be, they are both so utterly blind to what is in front of them. The romance therefore is slow to build, but that is good since they get it when they see it.

But what I liked most is how she brought these two worlds together, Magic is real and out there. And fairy tales, well there is always a hint of truth in them, but mostly they are just sweetened beyond words and the true story is lost in time.

Conclusion:
If you want cute and sweet then look here. And if you want that romance with fairy tale vibe over it then you have found the right book. I liked it and would want more.

Rating
Cute

Cover:
Hm show less

I chose to read UTTERLY CHARMING because I needed an escape. I needed a break from reality and I wasn't disappointed. From start to finish the story intrigued me and I kept turning the pages. It was a great spin off from some old fairy tales with great characters and some well liked secondaries. It was one of those books that made me smile and forget about the real world. I am looking forward to reading more from the CHARMING series.

Rating: 4.5

Reviewed by: KellyR,My Book Addiction Reviews

My first romance novel. A present from my mom when I was 13. It is an off beat romance novel which isn't overly sexual. In fact, if I recall, there is no sex which makes it ideal for a first romance novel. An easy read, I read most of it on a train trip to New York and back. My copy is well loved with the cover nearly coming off. I also have the sequel and have yet to read it. I will probably reread this book before I read the sequel as its been nearly 10 years.

Meh.