Starcrossed is the much anticipated sequel to Allie Therin's delightfully magical novel, Spellbound. The story picks up where it left off in book one, with Arthur and Rory visiting Arthur's brother in upstate New York. What follows is an enthralling story of powerful artifacts, speakeasies, tender romance, forbidding new enemies, old flames, and adventure. The relationships that were introduced in Spellbound are deepened, and the reader - and Rory - learns more about Jade, Zhang, and Arthur's past escapes in Europe. More information is also shared about their families and the roles they play in Manhattan's secret magical community.

Rory and Arthur face challenges as their class differences often keep them from being able to socialize in public and find time to be together in private. What's refreshing about their relationship is that they are both up front about discussing the issues they're dealing with or misunderstandings that arise. Although they have some missteps, they learn to rely on each other and continue to build a bond of trust and love.

Starcrossed is a fun, sweet, and exciting read that builds on the foundation of Spellbound and leaves readers eager for the continuation of Rory and Arthur's story in Wonderstruck.

This is the second book in the Magic in Manhattan series and I’m obsessed! I gave the first book, Spellbound, five stars, and I gave the same to Starcrossed. This series takes place in 1920’s New York and follows Rory, a psychometric (he can read the history of an object) and his eventual boyfriend, Arthur, who doesn’t have any powers of his own but he knows all about the supernatural. Starcrossed picks up where Spellbound left off, and we are taken on another fantastic journey across New York. Yes, there is a romance, but it’s more than that. There’s mystery, magic, and creative characters that you’re sure to love (and hate). I cannot wait for the third book!

Starcrossed by Allie Therin
Magic in Manhattan #2

You know that book you have waited for hoping it would bring just as much fun, magic, and joy as the first in the series only to find…it absolutely did and then some? Well, that book was this one and I am now eagerly awaiting book three! This book has it all…with the historical setting, paranormal abilities, magic in abundance, murderous thugs, mysteries to solve, relics to find and use appropriately, friendships and partnerships and romance and…just everything I could have asked for along with knowing at the end of the book there will be another story to look forward to.

What I liked:
* Rory: a tiny but mighty young man with more magic in his little finger than others put together. He is generous, caring, and gives his all to protect those he loves…and even those he might be jealous of.
* Arthur: wealthy war hero who will do anything for his family but also smitten by Rory in book one and still Rory’s hook line and sinker.
* Arthur’s family: I think they are close and caring and hope to see more of them in the future
* The supporting characters: There were many of them and each has his/her place in the book…some need to be heard more about in the future as they are intriguing in their own right(s).
* The plot, pacing, setting, writing, and everything else
* Feeling swept into the midst and feeling part of the story
* The close regard that the characters felt for one another
* Wesley…at least by the end of the story…was hoping he would find a happily ever after of his own in the future, too.
* The strings left to be tied up in the future…there wasn’t a cliffhanger but there are bits I want to know more about.

What I did not like:
* Baron Zeppler: have only heard about him so far but he seems someone who needs to be found and put down
* The bad guys – some got their just desserts and others haven’t yet
* Thinking about how difficult it would have been to be “different” in the past

Did I enjoy this book? Definitely!
Would I read more in this series? As soon as possible!

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Rory Brodigan and Arthur Kenzie are back in the second installment of the Magic in Manhattan series, and they are as insatiable as ever.

From the opening pages, I was transported to 1920s New York. The historical accuracy is my second favorite part of this series (nothing can beat the relationship between Rory and Ace). The settings created dazzle the reader. I could feel the cold when Rory managed to get himself into trouble, because of course he can’t help but put himself in troublesome situations.

Rory faces Ace’s ex, and all of his insecurities come to light. He’s not from the same class as Ace and he’s much younger. He has to sneak around to be with Ace, hell, he can’t even get access to Ace’s apartment from the front entrance. How could Ace really want him? What Rory fails to realize is that he’s everything Ace needs in a partner.

For me, the plot in this novel was pushed back until the end of the book. Rory is dealing with the effects the ring from book one has on him. His bouts of destructive jealousy tickled me. He’s so smitten with Ace.

It was interesting to get a bit of Ace’s history in this book, and we got to see the monster in his closet. There was a little wobble between he and Rory, but they worked through it and managed to come out of peril safely. Well, relatively so.

The spicy scenes were fade to black in this novel, but I didn’t need that with these characters. Their interactions were intimate and loving. How they spoke and touched each other showcased their feelings for each other.

actual rating: 3.5

Took me a little while to get into this one and I wish there was more of a recap of the events from the first book because I seem to have forgotten them entirely, but overall this was another really fun book in this series. I really love the main characters and their interactions and there continues to be a good balance between the romance and the plot, although I did get a little bit lost on what was happening plot-wise towards the end. Still, a very interesting book and I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!

I was happy to meet again Ace and Rory and go back to New York living a lot of adventures with them.
This is an engrossing and entertaining story and I loved the plot, well thought world building, the humour and the fleshed out characters.
The romance is sweet and I always root for Rory and Ace.
I can't wait to read the next installment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Not as tightly plotted as the previous book in the series, this one is definitely a bridging middle book, setting up chess pieces for a later series entry. Still has a cool magical world and an adorable couple of romantic protagonists.

STARCROSSED further continued the brilliantness of Therin’s “Magic in Manhattan” series with the a thrilling romp of second installment. I couldn’t stop gushing over the adorable relationship between Rory/Teddy and Ace/Arthur!! They were more connected than ever in this second entry to Therin’s “Magic in Manhattan” series, STARCROSSED. They were just so effing cute no matter what situation they were in!

Following the events in “Spellbound” Arthur and his crew were still tracking after the mastermind of the heinous plot that caused so many life. On top of that Arthur still had family obligations that dragged him away from the quest. These put his relationship with Rory at a handicap. More so when one of those obligations involving Ace’s aristocratic Ex. The situation worsened when someone from Ace’s past catching up and put their life in peril.

Have I mentioned how adorable Rory and Arthur were?! A jealous and powerful Teddy was even more precious! I found them as source of wonder and hilarity all at the same time. Arthur proven himself further of his tenacity even if he was non-magic. That they finally faced off with enemies by themselves, managed on their own, and still alive to tell the tale was awesome!! Ditto the romance between Rory and Arthur that developing more and more, becoming deeper attachment of the two men (I promised myself I would stop raving about them 😅😊).

This second entry also clued-in wider and promising developments to come for Arthur, Rory and the gang. What’s more interesting was the reappearance of grey characters who still haven’t established themselves (back) as friends or foes. This had the potential to be another story in the future and I just can’t bloody wait for the next adventures of the gang to be released!


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Allie Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series continues with book two, Starcrossed, which begins shortly after the climactic events of the previous book (Spellbound) and finds Rory and Arthur facing off against a powerful and terrifying enemy intent on forcing Rory to unlock the secrets of an incredibly dangerous relic.

Starcrossed is a direct sequel to Spellbound, and the author doesn’t spend much (if any) time recapping the events of the previous book, so it doesn’t stand alone. That’s not a complaint per se – long recaps of ‘previously on…’ can be tedious and I’m glad Ms. Therin doesn’t go there – but on the other hand, it’s been a year since I read Spellbound, and I think I might have been able to get into Starcrossed more easily than I did had I re-read it first.

After Rory single-handedly prevented the destruction of Manhattan by using the powerful relic to which he is now bound, a ring that can control the wind, Arthur took him out of the city to the Kenzie estate in upstate New York, ostensibly to let him rest but also in hopes of getting to spend a bit more time with him. Unfortunately, this hasn’t really happened as Arthur’s family seems to have scheduled his every waking moment and his attention is almost always required elsewhere. Rory is disappointed although not surprised. He still finds it hard to believe that a man like Arthur – handsome, sophisticated and from a wealthy, well-connected family – could see anything in a scrawny, nameless nobody from Hell’s Kitchen, but he’s working on it.

A couple of days before they’re due to return to the city, Arthur receives news that a relic – a lodestone – is missing from the inventory of the possessions of the late Luther Mansfield (a business mogul who had traded in dangerous magical artefacts). Arthur is eager to get back to Manhattan, but is obligated to attend his brother John’s fundraiser (John is an alderman looking to a Senate run) where he encounters Mansfield’s lawyer, who is nervous and cagey and speaks vaguely of seeing inexplicable things before clamming up and telling Arthur to forget it. A day later, Arthur is disturbed when John tells him about a dream he’d had, of Arthur during the war in a situation Arthur has never revealed to anyone. Someone is using magic on his brother and, as later becomes clear, on Arthur, too, when his dreams, ones he’s had since the war, take on a grotesque, nightmarish quality they’ve never had before.

Magic induced dreams, missing artefacts, a relic imbued with the worst, most vile kind of magic, and the reappearance of old enemies all combine to propel the story towards a tense, exciting climax as Rory and Arthur confront a terrifying figure from Arthur’s past – and receive help (of a sort) from a most unexpected quarter.

As in the previous book, the setting of Prohibition Era New York is evoked really well, and I enjoyed meeting Jade and Zhang again, together with Sasha and Pavel – a powerful alchemist who has become trapped in his own magic – about whom I grow increasingly curious. The author sets up her different story threads well and draws them skilfully together, although the pacing lags a bit in the middle with the focus on the sub-plot concerning Arthur’s wartime ex, an English viscount whom Arthur’s family want him to escort around the city and accompany to a society wedding. Rory is jealous (of course) and (inadvertently) destroys things because he’s unable to control his growing magical powers, while Arthur is obviously very torn between his familial obligations and his desire to live his own life. He’s forever having to rush off in the middle of important plot developments because he has to be somewhere else, and although his frustration at this is palpable, it cuts down on his page time with Rory to the extent that I sometimes felt they spent more time apart than together.

I like both characters, and am pleased that while Rory has left some of his brattishness behind, he’s still a quick-tempered adorable grump who will absolutely take down anyone who threatens Arthur’s safety. I like his straightforwardness, his determination and his vulnerability, and that he’s slowly starting to believe that Arthur really does see him as someone worth loving. I appreciated that Ms. Therin doesn’t sweep aside the issues affecting their relationship, which aren’t simply limited to the fact that homosexuality was illegal at this time. The class difference between them is just as insurmountable a problem; outside their small circle of friends, Rory and Arthur need reasons to spend time together in a way that, as Arthur’s ex quite rightly points out, Arthur doesn’t need in order to spend time with a man of his own social class.

But for all of their lovely, understated declarations and passionate kisses, I don’t really get a ‘lovers’ vibe from these two. As in the first book, it’s kissing and innuendo and then fade-to-black – and while I absolutely support an author writing their story their way, I can’t help but feel there’s something missing in Arthur and Rory’s relationship as it’s written. Love scenes can be valuable tools to show the development of trust that comes with being sexually intimate with someone, and sometimes actions really do speak louder than words. I’m not saying there should be pages and pages of explicit sex scenes, and I certainly don’t think an author who isn’t comfortable writing sex should be forced to do so because it’s ‘expected’. I’ve read books where I wish the author hadn’t gone there and have felt the story would have worked just as well without. I just don’t think that’s the case here, and that the opportunity to create a deeper connection between the characters has been missed.

The plot is complex and carefully constructed, and the big set scene at the end is vividly depicted; the writing is generally good overall, although Ms. Therin has the habit of using awkward contractions, such as Arthur’d said his parents had it built or Harry’d given paid work to him – which look odd and unnatural on the page.

Even with the reservations I’ve expressed, Starcrossed is an entertaining read featuring likeable characters, a strongly evoked period setting and an intriguing storyline. If you enjoyed Spellbound, then you’ll probably enjoy this, too, and like me, will be looking forward to book three, Wonderstruck, next year.

Star-Crossed was SO FREAKING GOOD!! Gah! Arthur and Rory just get to me in the best way. They are so adorable together but with this emotional undercurrent that makes me swoony and jealous all at the same time. I love watching them fumble their way around each other and together. They just fit so naturally and comfortably in spite of being so different. Both characters are so enjoyable and I could spend hours with them happily. Jade and Zhang and Mrs. Brodigan also make me want to keep coming back for more. And admittedly, Gwen and Ellis do, too. I'm very intrigued to see which way their characters go in the end. I also need more of Pavel and have so much hope for him. I loved getting to see new relics and the powers they possess and the people who wield them. I also enjoyed meeting new characters such as Westley (not opposed to a spin-off) and Arthur's brothers and family. This series continues to be a delightful marvel and I am already chomping at the bit for book three!

If you loved Spellbound, the first book in Allie Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series, you’ll want to get your hands on this second volume.

The story picks up where the previous book ended, and Rory and Arthur barely get a breather before they face new threats both magical and personal. On the personal side of things, Arthur’s family is demanding his attention when all he wants to do is spend time with Rory. Then Arthur’s ex shows up, and he just happens to be a British lord who doesn’t want to take no for an answer when it comes to the two of them getting involved again. Relationships take a back seat, though, when murderous paranormals (including one with a grudge against Arthur) hunting for relics target Rory because of his powerful magical abilities.

I’m really enjoying this historical paranormal romance series. The details of the story feel true to the period, and I’m loving the diverse cast, which gives the reader a look at life in 1920s New York from a variety of viewpoints. The fantasy elements are complex, with paranormals with their own innate abilities as well as relics that they can draw on for additional powers. I was a little afraid that Rory was going to be loaded up with magic until he wasn’t believable, even in a fantasy novel (no Mary Sue’s, please), but his continued difficulty mastering the relic he has bonded with reassured me on that point.

Arthur and Rory are both so much in love that it’s adorable. I appreciate that the author is presenting the difficulties of their relationship in a realistic light. Both the difference in their social classes and Rory’s Italian ethnicity would be barriers to them even being friends at that place and time, much less lovers, and a lot of the angst in their romance revolves around that difficulty.

Anyway, I’m hooked. Bring on Book 3, please! 2021 can’t come too soon for me.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

With her second Magic In Manhattan novel, Allie Therin introduces a slew of new paranormal challenges and doubles down on the relationships that made SPELLBOUND shine. I love the lack of manufactured angst. When an issue comes up, Arthur and Rory TALK ABOUT IT instead of letting stuff fester, and it’s great.

I did find the book slower than its predecessor, but I think that was a mood thing. On the whole, I’m pleased and eager for the next one.

starcrossed is book two in the magic in manhattan series, and should absolutely be read after reading spellbound. as it literally picks up from where book one ended. rory and ace are upstate, trying to stay safe, but relics are on the loose and danger abounds for subordinate supernaturals.

and rory, oh grumpy rory, can't help himself and keeps finding it. and ace, oh sweet ace, can't stop himself from worrying.

these two souls from completely different worlds are just perfection together. and there's a lot thrown at them during this story, including hot ex-boyfriends and friendly (or unfriendly) former foes. but even as they navigate the chaos, one thing becomes very clear. rory and ace are better together than they are apart. and this is a world i am happy to continue to inhabit as long as allie continues to want to write it.

**starcrossed will publish on may 18, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press/allie therin in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read this book! I truly enjoyed the first one in the series and thought that a second book would work out some of the kinks I found in the first. Unfortunately, I encountered a new set of strains and aches, ones that simply didn't go away the more I read.

Let's begin with what I liked:
-I LOVE the premise of the story: magical artifacts; a team of roaring age magical detectives; love between opposite social classes.
-The Roaring 20's!
-NYC & Harlem
-New scenes that had no need for background information.

What went wrong (IMHO):
-When writing a second book, author & editor, please be mindful that readers need REVIEWING/REVISING of the plot points & characters in the previous books. I had NO CLUE as to who was who and it took looking back at the previous book and my previous review to recall basic facts. But that wasn't enough! I still didn't remember relationships, plots, etc. REMIND ME!!! Authors of series do this very well and successfully. I SHOULD NOT NEED TO READ THE PREVIOUS BOOK IMMEDIATELY BEFORE reading the current to know what is going on. My brain should only need a gentle reminder. I HAD NO REMINDERS, NO MENTAL JOGS, and so I was left in the dark for the majority of the book.
-I was confused for 80% of the book (see above).
-Since I kept trying to remember who was who, what was what, etc., I was frustrated and pulled out of the story.
-Since I was pulled out of the story, I wasn't invested in neither the characters or the plot.

You may think that you still don't know what this book is about reading this far along in my review. You are right, because I have a hard time in knowing what the book was about. I'm still not sure.

While the writing was good and the premise interesting, I can't give this book more than 2.5 stars because I believe that this should only be read immediately after the previous book (which I liked). Is this a fair review? I think it's a fair review seeing that I read the first book 7 months prior to this one. I expect that this would have been a great read had I reread the first book immediately before tackling this one.

My rec? Read shortly after the first, otherwise you'll be as lost as I was.

Another fabulous installment of grumpy Rory and cinnamon roll Arthur!

Once again, Therin transports the reader to 1920s New York City. The attention to detail, the fascinating settings, and in-depth world-building all make Starcrossed a fabulous read. I loved the insight into Rory and Arthur's evolving relationship., along with the introduction of new magic and magical devices.

I (im)patiently await the audiobook and the third book!


***ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.***

In case any of you are living under a rock and never heard of Spellbound—Allie Therin’s first book in the Magic in Manhatten series—I’ll link to my review here so you can see where my head was as I dove into Starcrossed. Basically, brimming with expectation and on the very edge of my readerly seat. And—can confirm—Ms. Therin did not disappoint.

I adore this author’s voice. She has such a delightful way of weaving wit and humor into her prose that leaves the reader unsure of what to expect next—in the best of ways. One minute I’ll be laughing out loud, the next I’m turning green with writerly envy at a clever turn of phrase. But on top of that, she is also a skilled world-builder and created a cast of characters to rival Game of Thrones. Each with their own unique part to play.

Arthur, or “Ace” to his friends, is a well-to-do WWI veteran with a dark past as a POW that haunts him to this very day. But he’s also a cinnamon roll who mother-hens with the best of them. Rory, also known by Arthur (mostly) in private by his real name “Teddie”, is a grouchy paranormal from Hell’s Kitchen with a heart of gold and his own troubled history. Together, they’ve formed a bond that quite literally holds strong and true across any distance, against any barrier, and through the very threads of time.

I’m a huge fan of stumbling across the title of a book hidden amongst the body of words. So, when I hit the moment where Ms. Therin slipped Starcrossed so eloquently onto the page, I immediately flagged the page so I could share it with you.

“You’re not the first man to fall for someone of another class, Arthur. It never works. You can’t keep him any more than Romeo kept Juliet. You and your antiques man are a cliche; a pair of starcrossed fools.”

I would recommend this book to every single MM romance reader out there, but I also believe lovers of paranormal and historical who might not be keen on romance as a major plot point would also fall head over readerly heels for this series. The primary focus doesn’t fall on the romance, although our lead characters’ motivations are highly entwined with the feelings in their heart and there are some mild, fade-to-black, innuendo-not-graphic-based love scenes. But this is one of those unique reads that can truly span genres and has just enough of each to please the avid readers in that area without too much of another to drive them away.

I'll admit, it took me some time to become invested in this book, and that's because it's been so long since I read book one in the series that I'd forgotten what happened. But as the story develops, there are little hints to the events of the previous book that helped jog my memory.

I really enjoyed Starcrossed. Allie Therin's writing is engaging and fun. I absolutely adore Rory, and Arthur too is the stuff book boyfriends are made of. They're so cute together and I love, love, love every interaction between them. And Wesley's reaction to Rory was both hilarious and totally on point! (You'll see what I mean when you read it.)

The storyline was equally as compelling, and I can't remember where I was...maybe 40 or 50% in?...when I didn't want to put the book down.

Highly enjoyable, exceptionally likeable main characters. Very much recommended if you're looking for something a little different than your typical paranormal romance!

Magic and mayhem continue to breed chaos in Prohibition era New York City in Allie Therin’s sophomore novel, Starcrossed, book two in the outstanding Magic in Manhattan series. Once again, Therin offers up a knock-out of a storyline to further the intrigue and danger and, of course, to advance the romance between her pair of polar opposites, Rory Brodigan and Arthur “Ace” Kenzie.

The challenges of a romantic partnership between Rory and Arthur are brought to the fore in this installment, serving as the impetus for some of the drama as well as a significant bit of action. The obvious issue of two men in a relationship in the 1920s plays a role, but exacerbating that is Rory and Arthur being as socially disparate as it’s possible for two people to be. It’s not a question of if Rory and Arthur belong together, it’s a question of how they accomplish that when there’s no feasible excuse for them to spend excessive amounts of time in each other’s company—a situation that Rory faces with some practicality while Arthur contemplates it with no small amount of distress in everything from Rory not being able to associate with the Kenzie family as a peer to the rat-infested flat Rory sleeps in as well. Pride and pragmatism are not subtextual themes in this story and when push comes to shove, it seems the most difficult answer to the question will be how they will find some form of equal footing.

Arthur’s service in World War I, and the time following his valorous actions, come back to haunt him in the most literal sense with enemies and adversaries and another relic of a supremely dangerous nature. A double murder ramps up the already high stakes in a plot to seize this relic, which is made more complicated by absences of time and details in Rory’s investigation. As Rory is working to adjust to and cope with the fact that he’s one super-powerful supernatural, his gift for psychometry becomes a dangerous bargaining chip and is used against him when he makes a sacrifice of himself to save those he loves and cares for. Even if it means losing Arthur forever—to another man—in the outcome.

The presence of a former lover tries to complicate things between Rory and Ace, again bringing into focus their social and financial imbalance. Rather than this creating drama for drama’s sake, however, Therin allows the character to serve a purpose outside of gratuitous angst, giving this man the opportunity to show his rather decent side instead. Opportunity created itself in Rory’s surrender, and it was a means of defining his and Arthur’s love and commitment to each other instead of the more familiar instances where the big misunderstanding could have been seized upon and used to instigate unnecessary conflict. The clearest aspect through it all is that love will find a way to keep Rory and Arthur together.

If Spellbound was a homerun, Starcrossed is a slam dunk—to badly mix sports metaphors. As the stage is set for Wonderstruck, the final book in the trilogy, there is no reason not to believe that love will prevail. That is, as long as everyone survives the encounter with the enemy that’s yet to come.

I’m a sucker for sunshine/grumpy pairings, and Rory and Arthur completely stole my heart in Spellbound. So it’s no surprise that I jumped on this book the second I saw the ARC was available. The story picks up not long after the events of the last book, so I would definitely not recommend reading this as a standalone. I reread Spellbound immediately before this book, so I had all the characters and plot points fresh in my mind, which was good because there’s very little recap.

“Rory glanced up, eyes big behind his glasses, lower lip caught in his teeth. “I’m not saying you don’t have a reason to kill me, but if you’re gonna do it, can I kiss you before I die?”
“You utter shit,” Arthur said, even as he pulled Rory up for a kiss.”


After the events on Coney Island, Rory and Arthur are “vacationing” at Arthur’s brother’s house in the countryside. Arthur is stuck playing rich bachelor while Rory secretly appraises antiques and not-so-secretly befriends the staff and children, while back in New York, Jade and Zhang are still trying to track down Baron Zeppler’s operatives and any other loose relics. It’s not going so well, even when they return, as the pair are stifled by their differences in class, not to mention Arthur being pulled away to chauffeur an aristocratic wedding guest around NY – a guest who just happens to be Arthur’s ex. Arthur’s past and his hopes for a future with Rory are about to collide, and both of them may not survive it.

“I don’t wanna hurt anyone.”
“Your magic wouldn’t hurt me,” Arthur insisted.
“We don’t know that,” Rory said tightly.”


Rory’s desperately trying to understand his magic, but the addition of the tempest ring is causing more problems than expected. Strong negative feelings seem to activate it without Rory’s intent, such as, oh, anything to do with Arthur’s ex. Rory is still struggling to accept that Arthur loves prickly, poor him, though he knows he loves Arthur unconditionally. Rory is very used to relying on himself – it’s a result of his upbringing, and it’s a show of trust when he finally starts opening up to Arthur about more bits and pieces of his childhood. Arthur just wants to take care of everybody, literally freaking everybody but especially Rory, and is frustrated that Rory won’t let him. In his mind, the only thing Arthur has to offer Rory is his money, and watching him walk around with a threadbare hat and coat is excruciating. A large part of the book is figuring out how to make things work between Arthur, who’s expected to keep up appearances for the political aspirations of his well-heeled family, and Rory, the bastard half-Italian from Hell’s Kitchen. Arthur chafes at the restrictions placed on him, especially that his friends are free to go investigate while he’s stuck attending parties. Irregardless of their problems, Rory and Arthur are just so sweet together. They’re deeply invested in protecting each other, even at the risk of harm to themselves, and by the end of the book, there’s no doubt that they deeply love each other. How, exactly, that’s going to work is another question entirely.

The setting of Prohibition New York City is still fresh and interesting and is utterly immersive. While I’m not usually a fan of plots involving exes, the plot with Lord Fine avoided the pitfalls I usually associate with it and added more dimension to Rory and Arthur’s relationship. The plot for the most part is suspenseful and enthralling, though the pacing bogged down in the middle, with lots of soul-searching on where, exactly, Arthur and Rory’s relationship was going. The ending was an absolute firecracker, however, and left me very much wishing the next book was coming out sooner than 2021. More information and more players are coming to light, and it puts into question exactly who the bad guys are and what their motivations are.

Overall, I enjoyed this second book just as much as the first, and I can’t wait for the next book and more interactions between Rory the grumpy hedgehog in a newsboy cap and cinnamon roll Arthur!

I received this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This is an ARC review but very much my genuine opinion -

Starcrossed is a great continuation of the Magic in Manhattan series, a paranormal romance series set in 1920s Manhattan.This was a great followup novel that had all of the things I liked about the first novel, fast paced action, sweet romance, a fun setting, and an interesting magic system.

The story centers on Rory, Arthur, and their paranormal crew as they race to round up powerful magical relics before their old foe from the Great War, Barron Zimmler, can get his hands on them. All while Rory and Arthur navigate their new relationship and the challenges of class, expectations, and magic.

One of the things I love about this book is that it avoids a couple of the classic tropes of romance. Arthur is the hot, rich, well-connected love interest and that normally means alpha-male jerk, but instead he is wonderfully sweet. He struggles with and acknowledges the class and age difference between him and Rory and worries about the power dynamic, he respects his autonomy, and is only a little overprotective. It a wonderfully sweet, diverse, and feminist story without trying too hard. My only criticism is that I wish the sex scenes didnt fade to black.