Heat of the Moment by Lori Handeland Series: Sisters of the Craft,
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks Publication Date: June 30th 2015
Pages: 352
Also in this series: In the Air Tonight
Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org
Find on: Goodreads
A spell that tore three sisters apart is broken four hundred years later, when the magic in their blood reunites them. Now, one of them will discover her gift—and reignite a love long thought lost…
Flame-haired Becca Carstairs was born to be a veterinarian. Since childhood, her affinity for animals has been special, and her healing touch nothing short of magic. But only Becca knows the truth—that she alone can hear the creatures’ voices. She’s always trusted her sixth sense… until a string of missing pets, an attempted murder, and a face from her past converge into one explosive mystery, with her at its center.
Is haunted Owen McAllister, the boy who broke her heart ten years ago, related to the sinister crimes that have peaceful Three Harbors, Wisconsin, on its guard? Or is his reappearance part of the answer to questions that have troubled her all her life? As Becca delves into her strange heritage, she’ll have to fight for her life… and the man she will always love.
In the second book of this spellbinding new series, New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland delivers breath-taking danger, desire, and the dark heart of magic.
Heat of the Moment is the second book in the Sisters of the Craft paranormal romance trilogy. This well written book picks up only a week after book one ends, continuing the tale of three undiscovered sisters, shifted forward through time in a heartfelt attempt to save their lives.
This time the story features sister number two, Becca Carstairs. Becca is a local in the small town of Three Harbors. Born and raised there (or so she thought), she’s literally the red-headed odd ball in her family. She looks nothing like her brothers and sister. She hears voices in her head which she thinks is either the animals she loves so much or her sanity taking a huge leap from reality. She’s been this way all her life, but with no answers and strange looks, she quickly learned to hide her abilities… or her insanity.
There was only one person she let know her secrets and that was Owen McAllister, the boy from the wrong side of the woods whose mother is the town drunk-druggie they all call a witch. Becca befriended Owen when they were just small children and through the years they formed an unbreakable bond. That is until he left her heartbroken in their small town all alone.
Years later, he’s returned a changed man with dark shadows and a broken body. Becca finds herself in the middle of a witch hunt where she’s the main target and is introduced to a life, a family and magical powers she never knew existed.
I very much enjoyed how the author set up the mystery in this book, then slowly peeled away each layer until all the pieces are revealed, all the while throwing in bits of sweet, angsty romance, some intense and surprising twists and enough emotionally charged scenes to keep your heart invested while also giving you one thrilling plot to sort out.
I will admit, in the first couple of chapters, I thought it was a little hokey for Becca to be communicating with animals. But the author does a great job pulling you in and holding your hand while she explores this power with Becca. Soon, it no longer felt weird but rather natural, keeping me entertained and glued to each page.
The romance between Becca and Owen was both adorable and tension filled. I’m a sucker for childhood “friends to lovers to enemies and back to lovers” stories and this one, though lighter on the romance than I normally like it, gave me just enough to keep me invested in how their relationship turned out.
I also really enjoyed seeing characters from the first book, especially Raye and Bobby, and Henry and Pru, who I fell in love with from the start. The ending of this book was pretty fantastic. The emotional pull, the excitement and the tension all came together seamlessly. I can’t wait to see how book three plays out and see what happens when these three sisters all finally come face to face.
[rating-report]
