Bait n' Witch
by Abigail Owen
Published by Entangled: Amara
Book #3 in the Legendary Consultants series
In love with the witch hunter father of her charges...
Rowan McAuliffe has been hiding most of her life. Secretly trained in her powers by an unusual source, she’d been taught not to trust anyone. Especially other witches. However, after she was forced to perform a hateful act against her will, she now hides from the Mage High Council who seek answers, and possibly her life.
Greyson Masters is the Council’s best enforcer – a witch hunter who lays down the law. Despite the danger of his job, Greyson is also raising his triplet daughters. Alone. Budding new witches who display an alarming combined power no one understands. Too bad he hasn’t got a clue how to deal with them.
Little does Greyson realize that the new nanny sent to him by Legendary Consultants is the very witch he is hunting. When the truth is revealed, can these two opposing forces find a way to listen to their hearts? Or will Greyson have to follow orders and kill Rowan – the one woman who has made his soul come alive?
Genre
I would like to thank Abigail Owen for providing an #arc of her next book in the Legendary Consultants series, #BaitNWitch via #NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Bait n' Witch by Abigail Owen is the third book in her Legendary Consultants series, a series that follows the cases of Brimstone, Inc ... a supernatural help service is the best way to describe it. In Bait N' Witch, it centers around Rowan, a powerful witch, raised to distrust her peers, and is currently hiding from Mage High Council, after the events of the first book (The Demigod Complex), where she was abducted, and compelled to perform magic to attack others. In fear of her life, she asks Brimstone Inc. for help hiding. Enter Greyson, the Mage High Council's best enforcer (witch-hunter), and a very powerful mage himself, who is tasked to hunt down Rowan and bring her in for questioning. In an ironic twist, he also asks Brimstone Inc for help. Not in the hunt, but in finding a nanny for his twelve-year-old triplet daughters, who run nannies off frequently. The solution: Hide Rowan in plain sight, as the newly hired nanny to Greyson's daughters.
This isn't the first book I have reviewed of Abigail Owen's. (See here for my review on Shift Out of Luck). I wasn't the hugest fan of it, but it didn't push me away from requesting another book of her's. Abigail Owen's is a good writer, so I wanted to give her books another chance. I'm glad I did. The story was cute and fun, and original. It's a quick read (I had it done in less than a day), but it didn't need to be longer. It's quick and to the point, with just enough to push the story along, as well as make the attraction between our two narrators believable, as well as the bond Rowan builds with the girls.
The characters are well-written, with thorough backgrounds, and different personalities. Rowan might be in fear of her life, and her free-will, but she is strong, and protective of those she loves. She might be in hiding, and not a professional nanny, but she takes her charge seriously. Greyson is your typical alpha-male. Lost when it comes to raising teenage daughters by himself, especially daughters with unknown magical powers, and swamped with work, he brings a strict level of control into his home by having his daughters follow strict schedules. While stern, he is loving, and only wants the best for them. Rowan and Grey's first meeting is a delight, and the chemistry is great between them. I saw why they were attracted to one another, which was something that was missing in the first book I read from Abigail Owen.
If you enjoy the supernatural genre, and romance, you will enjoy Bait n' Witch by Abigail Owen. It's a fun, light, quick read, with likable characters, and some steamy moments that will make the romance reader happy. Bait n' Witch is out June 15th, 2020.
Greyson: "Ms. McAullife, are you this much trouble in all your households?"
Rowan: "I wouldn't classify it as trouble, exactly."
Greyson: "Of course you wouldn't. What would you classify it as?"
Rowan: "Helpfulness?"
Rowan: "Admitting you're lonely even with your children to care for isn't wrong. You know that, don't you?"
Greyson: "In my head I do. My heart is a different matter."
Chloe: "I started my period."
Rowan: "Oh. Well, welcome to womanhood, sweetie. You'll find out quickly enough that periods are a pain in the rear, but it's exciting to start. Now ... when I started, I was horribly embarrassed. But my friend Maureen was thrilled. Which one are you?"
Chloe wrinkled her nose
Chloe: "Embarrassed."
Rowan: "Got it. In that case, I'll save the banner and cake, and no announcements at dinner."
Rowan winked, and Chloe relaxed enough to giggle.
Rowan: "Chloe started her period."
Grey dropped his phone.
Grey: "Oh."
The total panic in his eyes pulled a grin from her.
Rowan: "No big deal. I've got this."
Grey: "I'm sure you can handle it."
Rowan: "You okay?"
Grey: "I'll let you know when I get over the shock."
Grey: "Did you know you're the only woman who talks to me like that? Most fall all over themselves to agree with me."
Rowan: "Your point?"
He grinned
Grey: "You're not very good for my ego."
Rowan: "Maybe your ego needs taking down a peg."
Rowan: "You're a good man, Greyson Masters. But you don't know me. I'm ... trouble."
Grey: "I could use more trouble in my life."
Grey: "You truly are a witch, Rowan McAuliffe."
Rowan: "Oh?"
Grey: "I don't lose control like that. Ever."
Surprise at his admission had Rowan lifting her head. She caught a flash of shock in Grey's yes and grinned, pure feminine triumph thrumming through her.
Rowan: "I guess you kind of like me."
Grey: "I hope that's obvious."
He indicated their naked forms with a wave, then cupped her jaw with his hand, ensuring she looked him in the eyes.
Grey: "What's more ... I trust you."
Grey: "I fell in love with you the day you walked into my house and froze the girls mid-fight and all I could think about was kissing those freckles and that I wasn't all on my own anymore."
Grey: "Will you be my bonded other half, Rowan?"
She smiled softly
Rowan: "I think it's too late to stop."
He didn't return the smile, needing an answer.
Rowan: "Somewhere between trying to help you with the girls, I fell in love with you, Greyson Masters. With all of you. Spending the rest of my life at your side won't be long enough. I don't need any sigil to tell me something my heart already knows."
Check out the rest of the Brimstone Inc. Series