Off the Map by Trish Doller and Mr. & Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond #BookReviews #RomCom #ContemporaryFiction

Trish Doller’s idyllic romance Off the Map proves sometimes a wrong turn can lead to the exact right destination.

On the road to love, you don’t need a GPS…

Carla Black’s life motto is “here for a good time, not for a long time.” She’s been traveling the world on her own in her vintage Jeep Wrangler for nearly a decade, stopping only long enough to replenish her adventure fund. She doesn’t do love and she doesn’t ever go home.

Eamon Sullivan is a modern-day cartographer who creates digital maps. His work helps people find their way, but he’s the one who’s lost his sense of direction. He’s unhappy at work, recently dumped, and his one big dream is stalled out—literally.

Fate throws them together when Carla arrives in Dublin for her best friend’s wedding and Eamon is tasked with picking her up from the airport. But what should be a simple drive across Ireland quickly becomes complicated with chemistry-filled detours, unexpected feelings, and a chance at love – if only they choose it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Off the Map by Trish Doller, a contemporary story with some romantic comedy scenes, is about Carla Black and Eamon Sullivan, two adults who still live by the rules their parents laid out for them even though those rules go against their current needs and dreams.

My Reading Experience:

I expected a straightforward romantic comedy, but Off the Map was more of a contemporary story with a few humorous scenes. I loved the character study angle my reading took. It’s a hazard of being a counselor that when I see something isn’t quite right, I look for clues as to what’s happening with a character (or a real person). The story is endlessly touching as both characters learn to follow their heart. I loved watching their messy growth into being the adults they were always meant to be and even finding love.

The pace is quick from start to finish, and the narration is in the first person, with Carla telling the tale. This narration style is perfect for keeping the pace quick, and I loved her insight. She is much more insightful about other people than herself, but self-reflection is much harder to do. I even liked how she was as discreet as a machete. I actually found that bluntness endearing because it came from the heart. 

If you are looking for a relatable and touching story with a fast pace and a few laugh-out-loud moments, Off the Road is just the read you are looking for.

Read if you like:

• Stories about finding yourself
• Relatable and touching tales
• Fast-paced stories

In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the next novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.

Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one—an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.

Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.

As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mr. and Mrs. Witch is the magical retelling of the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith and, oh, what fun I had reading it! Savvy is a witch, and Griffin is a witch hunter. Since they kept their identities secret from everybody, including each other, they were free to fall in love and get married. Except, there is one problem, on their wedding day, their identities are exposed, and they are each ordered to kill the other. What happens next is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud magical thrill ride that is enjoyable from start to finish.

My Reading Experience:

I’m always up for a witchy romcom, but this one had the added element of thrills and spills, added to the romance and humor. I loved the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and this retelling of that movie hit all the best aspects with the added bonus of magic in the middle of the mayhem. It’s an enjoyable and entertaining read.

I also loved how authentic the romance felt and how Griffin just had a way of letting Savvy shine. There are no insecurities in this relationship. Love and mutual respect make the pair easy to root for as they are pitted against one another.

I also loved the familiars. That part was magically fun, as I’ve never known familiars to be portrayed quite the way they are in this story. Savvy’s familiar, in particular, is one insightful cat that won’t be and shouldn’t be ignored.

If you loved Mr. and Mrs. Smith and magic and are looking for a fun light read, Mr. and Mrs. Witch will hit the spot.

Read if you like:

• Paranormal Rom Coms
• Mr. and Mrs. Smith retelling
• Thrills, spills, and romance