Teal Sage’s power lies in her ability to impact the weather through her emotions. Since her emotions are literally written across the sky, she can’t hide her feelings from anyone who knows her. Torn about whether it’s a gift or a curse, Teal longs to be able to control it once and for all. She needs to find her long lost mother to accomplish this.

Teal also needs a date to her ex’s wedding. That relationship was an abusive one for her so she wants to take someone special. That someone special shows up in the form of the very handsome Carter Velasquez, her former best friend, who also happens to need a huge favor. In order to secure a sizable inheritance from his grandmother, he needs to be married by 30. Teal & Carter decide to help each other out and the sparks fly as their already complex relationship becomes even more complicated.

I adored Teal. You can tell that her previous relationship really took its toll on her self-confidence, & I just had so much sympathy for her as she tried to work through that trauma. There’s some miscommunication with her and Carter that springs from that, which was a little frustrating, but I felt the way they dealt with it felt very authentic. I also thought it was wonderful that Carter wanted to help Teal find her mother and that this journey leads them to discover that they are so much more to each other than just friends.

The relationship between Teal and her sisters was also just so beautiful. There’s such a wonderful and supportive family dynamic there, which I loved just as much as I loved the actual romance.

If you’re in the mood for a magical, spicy romance with an incredible family dynamic, definitely check out the Wild Magic series.

Witch Of Wild Things was one of my favorite romances last year and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Teal’s book. Thank you @raquelvasquezgilliland_poet and @berkleyromance for my early copy - I hope you know how much I adore you.

Teal is a tough woman - in WOWT it’s kind of hard to like her. I love an “unlikeable heroine” though because many women deemed unlikeable just aren’t operating within the standards set by society and the patriarchy. Teal isn’t unlikeable to me at all. She’s broken - literally and magically. And this book heals her. Helps her recognize her strengths, the barriers she erected, and the deep sense of abandonment she feels after her mother left and took a piece of Teal with her.

This is a book is Teal healing her inner child. Healing her relationship with herself so she can build better relationships with others. And finding love in her childhood best friend who has loved her forever (Carter 🥹🥹🥹). This book is utterly beautiful. It’s magical and so deeply sad. The relationships that Sage, Teal, and Sky continue to build back conversation by conversation in this book is poignant - that just like plants, relationships need to be loved, cared for, valued. I also loved seeing Grandma Alma who is now my new favorite character because I love a sassy and grumpy grandma.

Raquel - I will read anything you write. Thank you for gifting us with this gorgeous story.

This book hit me right in the feels. While I loved the romance in the story (a marraige of convenience will always be my favorite!), I actually loved the emotional journey Teal went on more. I empathized with her so much, and I just wanted to give her a hug during her sad moments. But I definitely cheered at the end when she realized her self worth was not tied to her powers. I also adored the relationship between the three sisters, as well as the relationship between them and their grandmother and aunt. Those were some of my favorite scenes in the book. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

This is book two in a series, following Teal Flores. She and her sisters all have magic, and Teal’s is that her moods influence the weather. But Teal’s magic is erratic due to her mother taking a pinch of Teal’s power before she disappeared many years ago. Teal is determined to find her mother and reclaim her magic, no matter what. Her other pressing issue is getting a date to her ex’s wedding, and a very handsome solution presents himself. Carter needs a wife to claim his inheritance so, logically, they should just get married!

Teal is not a fluffy rom-com heroine, and I thought her journey was really well done. I enjoyed getting to see more of her sisters, and I am really looking forward to the third book! The sisters’ story arc was just as good as the romantic one, and I love a good family-centric story. Carter is just a darling, and he was a great foil for Teal!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the earc. All thoughts are my own.

I've read several friends-to-lovers tropes recently but this one has unique twists that make it stand apart from the rest. Gilliland pulled me into this dysfunctional family in her first book, Witch of Wild Things, leaving me eager to discover more about the Flores sisters, their sibling relationship, romantic relationships, and magical abilities. After reading book one, I thought I knew what I'd be getting with middle sister, Teal. I got so much more.

This book has so many layers and Gilliland expertly navigates every one of them. Teal is a complex character. I didn't like her in book one, wasn't sure I liked her in the first part of book two, and ended up loving her by the end. My heart ached for her when all she had been through was revealed. It answered so many questions. I enjoyed her growth throughout the book, how hard she worked to achieve that growth, and especially her efforts to mend her relationships with her sisters. It was all realistically depicted and relatable, as was the ebb and flow of her evolving relationship with Carter, a genuinely nice guy who loves and supports her but isn't without flaws to overcome himself.

Then there's the magic. The abilities these sisters have, and the things that have happened to them, should be unbelievable and yet Gilliland crafts them in such a way that they seem perfectly natural and believable. Of course, Teal's emotions control the weather. Of course, Sage communicates with plants. Of course, animals talk with Sky. And speaking of youngest sister, Sky, you won't believe what she's been through. I cannot wait for her book. Can. Not. Wait.

If you enjoy fast-paced stories with flawed characters, emotional depth, snappy humor, sibling dynamics, Latin (Mexican/Cuban) culture, magical realism, and hard-won happy endings, give this series a try. For the best reading experience and understanding of the characters, I strongly recommend reading the books in order.

4.5 stars

I adored this book.

I will say it had somewhat of a YA feel with adult themes. The two main characters definitely needed to learn to communicate, but I love the friends to lovers trope and add in the paranormal twist and I found this story fascinating.

It's my first read by this author, but I plan to read more from this series. Teal and Carter were BFF's until feelings started to creep in and Teal made sure to push Carter completely away. Ugh Teal!! This book starts after that point when these two are barely speaking to each other.

But Teal needs a date for her ex's wedding and Carter needs a fake wife...LOL let the shenanigans begin.

This book had great world building with Teal's gift for all things weather. As well as her sister's natural gifts as well.

Interesting premise and interesting read throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I voluntarily requested and read an uncorrected advance reader copy from the publisher via Net Galley.

Book Review for Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

First Impressions: Lazy
What’s Your Type? Marriage of Convenience, Best Friends Turned Lovers, He Fell First, Been in Love the Whole Time
Meet Cute: BFFs with Strings Attached
The Lean: You Owe Me One
Dirty Talk: Scratching an Itch
We Need to Talk: Powers
Was it Good For You? Just Fine

Content Warning: Lightning in Her Hands features descriptions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the hands of a partner and abandonment and emotional abuse by a parent.

First Impressions: Lazy
It feels like someone was illustrating this cover and then ran out of time. The foliage is pretty, but the silhouettes of people—people that don’t even match the physical descriptions of the main characters—are so flat and bland.

What’s Your Type?
- Marriage of Convenience
- Best Friends Turned Lovers
- He Fell First
- Been in Love the Whole Time

Dating Profile
Teal Flores is the middle sister of three headstrong, loving women. They haven’t had the easiest life—their mother left when Teal was 4, and then the youngest sister, Sky, disappeared for eight years—but they’re survivors. Teal, especially; she’s a domestic abuse survivor and was the only one of the sisters to see her mother leave. But Teal feels like something inside her is broken, and her inability to control her powers and her unluckiness in love make that belief seem like something she’ll never be able to overcome.

Carter Velasquez is—or was—Teal’s best friend since they were little. He’s always been there for her, through thick and thin, until the day they kissed … and Teal starting dating someone else two days later.

Meet Cute: BFFs with Strings Attached
As a New Year’s Resolution, Teal listed making things right with Carter. So when she needs a date to her ex’s wedding, she thinks it might be the perfect opportunity to start fresh. But then Carter requires a favor for being her plus-one: marrying him so that he can get his inheritance.

The Lean: You Owe Me One
Carter knows that Teal doesn’t feel about him the way he feels about her. Unfortunately for them both, Teal thinks the same thing. Carter obviously has ulterior motives in his asking her to be his “fake” wife, but Teal sees it as a way for them to get back to good. They’re both working in the same direction, but it takes a while for their paths to converge.

Dirty Talk: Scratching an Itch
When Teal agrees to marry Carter, they put a strict “no sex” rule in place. Their chemistry, however, leads them to do pretty much everything other than penetrative intercourse. (And, yes, they get there eventually, too.) Teal even suggests, thanks to a suggestion from her sisters, that they just sleep together to get it out of their systems. Neither of them want to do anything of the sort, of course, but they don’t know that.

Ms. Perky’s Prize for Purplest Prose
I don’t read that much romance, but I have heard that butt play is all the rage at the moment. I don’t really get it, but I’m not one to yuck anyone’s yum. That said, Teal does go all the way when going down on Carter to make it as good for him as possible (as repayment for him putting his generous skills to amazing use earlier).

We Need to Talk: Powers
I haven’t read the first book in this series, Witch of Wild Things, but I didn’t need to in order to read Teal’s story. Looking back, I wish I would have, however, to better understand the magic in the book. All of the women in the Flores family has a magical gift, but everyone but Teal can control their powers. Teal’s emotions control the weather, and as a person with bipolar disorder, her emotions can vary wildly throughout the day. (The other sisters can control plants and talk to animals, and their grandmother can see and talk to ghosts.) I actually wanted to know more about this familial magic than the romantic relationship.

Was it Good For You? Just Fine
I had fun with Teal and Carter’s story, but was definitely distracted by the wish to know more about the magic. And I’m not really sure if jumping into this series in the middle was a good decision; Carter came off as really flat, and I might have felt different had I met him previously. (I don’t know if he’s in the first book, though.) That said, I love Gilliland’s writing, and she does have a gift for writing magical realism. So, overall, I enjoyed myself just fine.

From the very start, I found myself enchanted by this book, just like I was with the first one. I truly enjoy it when sister witches possess their own distinct personalities while also being absolutely hilarious. The inclusion of magic adds an enchanting layer, particularly with the second-chance romances that I have a soft spot for. The fake marriage trope effortlessly evolves into authentic emotions, creating a thoroughly entertaining experience. I can't wait to uncover the adventures that await in book three!

Raquel’s writing is stunning. The magical realism in this book is something that is so special and really adds a breathtaking aspect to the book. This friends to lovers/ loved you since childhood between a heroine that has experienced so much hardship is a story that will have you in tears. A beautiful happily ever after that is so deserved. The family dynamics in this book are another bonus to the story! Nadia, Sage, Ama, and Sky make this story so special!

How would you feel if the weather always reflected your mood? That’s Teal Flores’s reality. Her sisters have control over their own magical powers, but Teal’s hinges on something her mother took from her when she disappeared from the girls’ lives years ago. For Teal, extreme happiness leads to rainbows while extreme anger, depression, and sadness all lead to literal storms.

When her former best friend, Carter, proposes a marriage of convenience in exchange for helping Teal fund the search for her mother, she agrees. The longtime friends became estranged after kissing once last summer. Surely they can get past their hurt and pretend to be together long enough to accomplish their goals.

But will they be able to resist that longtime love and mutual attraction that has been hovering just under the surface of their friendship for so long?

At a glance:
- Single POV
- Marriage of convenience
- Estranged best friends-to-lovers
- Witches / magical realism
- Latine representation
- Bipolar representation
- Family dynamics/issues
- Abusive relationship (past)
- Book 2 of the series (I highly recommend reading Witch of Wild Things first.)

I think it’s important to know going into this one that Teal is not a warm and fuzzy heroine, and this is not a romantic comedy. She has admittedly made many selfish decisions and caused others pain in the past. She has a rough history herself and is still navigating unhealthy friendships and family dynamics.

And the external representation of her inner turmoil through weather heightens everything for Teal.

She has a lot to overcome, but I loved watching her grow in this book.

And I adored Carter.

I look forward to reading Sky’s story next.

I received an advance copy of the book from Berkley. All review opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read with interesting characters, a unique plot and a very hard earned happy ending.

I like that there is a lot of paranormal in this story but it's also just a regular daily life for the family in most ways. Teal needs to work. She struggles with the day-to-day like any young adult but she also needs help with her magic. Her sister's also have issues with their mother and differing opinions on finding her and perhaps bringing her back into the family. Though very different, the sisters have a genuine deep love for each other and while it's not always easy, it's real.

Carter is so good for Teal but she isn't seeing the whole picture. She's resigned herself to self-imposed distance from her lifelong best friend. She doesn't see a way forward for them. She's done things to drive him away that are shameful and embarrassing. Imagine her surprise when he not only doesn't marry his fiancee but instead asks her to be his fake wife. It sounds like a stretch to add fake marriage to an already full novel but the author makes it work and work well.

I enjoyed watching Teal's journey, the stressors of trying to reign in her magic and learn to work it better while searching for a mother who only she knows holds part of her, the additional characters and ,of course ,Carter. It was all very entertaining.

Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

REVIEW: Lightning in Her Hands

I realized too late that this is the second book in the Wild Magic series, but thankfully, this didn't change my reading experience.

The Flores daughters all have fantastical gifts. In Lightning in Her Hands, the focus is on the middle daughter, Teal, who has powers of lightning and weather that she can't control yet. Her emotions and being bipolar have made the weather change frequently. Teal wants to search for her mother and get control of her powers. She also needs a date for her ex's wedding and is trying to cope with her previous abusive relationship; on top of all that, her former best friend, Carter, needs a wife to gain his inheritance.

Lightning in Her Hands was filled with many great romance tropes, such as friends to lovers, second chances, and marriage of convenience. I also really loved the connection between the two main characters. Growing up, they were best friends, but things came their way, and they hadn't spoken to each other for a while. You can tell how deeply they care for one another. You get their relationship's romance, spice, and fun and playful best-friend connection. I also really enjoyed the Flores family dynamic. It was fun and all over the place, making me laugh quite a bit.

Sometimes, it felt like too many subplots were going on at once. It was hard to track, and I think some of the other story elements didn't get the time they deserved because of it. For example, I wanted to focus more on Teal and Carter's relationship development, but since there were other problems, it seemed to be pushed to the side more.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Lightning in Her Hands. The author, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, did a great job making the story believable, even with the fantasy elements. Now, I think I need to go back and read the first book. 🙂

Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

In the last book Teal was kind of a jerk, so I was wondering if I’d grow to like her, however it quickly becomes apparent that her actions came from a place of hurt. Now, Teal is on a mission of self-improvement, trying to be a better person, think of others, and right the wrongs of her past. I really started to like Teal as she made positive strides.

One of the wrongs was hurting her best friend, Carter. It’s clear from the beginning that there were deeper feelings between Carter and Teal, more than just friends. Unrequited love on Carter’s part, and Teal reluctantly acknowledging her attraction.

There was a lot going on with Teal dealing with feelings of abandonment from her mother (a real piece of work!) a woman who took a piece of Teal’s power over weather when she left, making it hard for Teal to control her gift. She also felt abandoned by her older sister, Sage and still feels guilty about her sister, Sky. Add to that Teal’s dealing with the aftereffects of being in an abusive relationship that put a dent in her self-esteem.

Lightning in Her Hands was a chemistry filled romance, but it was also a story of healing, and wonderful sisterly bonds. I also enjoyed Teal’s rude and feisty grandmother and her Aunt Nadia. They all supported Teal in her journey in their own way. While this is a separate romance, I still think it’s best to read the previous book as you get Teal and the sister’s history.

I was not sure about this book. I picked it up a couple times and could not quite open it up and start reading it. I have finally picked it up and read it… actually, I devoured it. I enjoyed all of it. The family dynamics, the witchy characters, and the romantic relationship. The time was just right for me to read this book and I am so glad I did not wait any longer.

Teal (what a cool name) is a fun character… and she is a character. She has witch powers, and the weather changes with her emotions. I felt for her, she had quite a bit of insecurity and could not work past it. She carried grief for things that had happened but were not actually her fault. Her relationship with Carter was full of history and drama. There were bridges to be mended and feelings to be dealt with. It was perfect that they did not forgive and forget, instead they worked it out and became exactly what they both wanted.

Lightning in Her Hands is a unique and entertaining book. I am looking forward to more in this series. I have not read any other books in this series but I definitely would like to read book 1 and am looking forward to others in this series.

I really enjoyed the magical realism of this and how our MMC was there for our FMC! But unfortunately the family drama was just a little too much for me to enjoy it and I also felt like the romance wasn’t really the main plot. For at least the first 30% the romance wasn’t apart of the plot at all which made me really not enjoy the book as much as I would have liked to. I didn’t realize when I requested this book that there was another book before this one, so maybe I would’ve connected better with the characters if I had read book #1.

Lightning in Her Hands had potential but ultimately fell flat for me. The plot felt scattered and difficult to follow, lacking a clear direction. The male lead came across as one-dimensional and often unnecessarily mean, which made it hard to root for him. Meanwhile, the female protagonist seemed a bit too clueless, making it frustrating to connect with her journey. Overall, I struggled to stay engaged with this one.

Another banger from the queen!

I love this most perfect and atmospheric romance. The perfect combination of swoons, angst, magic, lore, and the cozy vibes of a small town that we all love.

The most perfect autumn read to get you in the lovey and cozy mood!

I fell in love with the first book in the Wild Magic Series, Witch Of Wild Things last year and was ecstatic when I learned a second book was coming out! Lightning In Her Hands was everything the first book was and more!!

Fans of Practical Magic and Encanto will love this Latinx romance book about Teal, one of the three Flores sisters who all harbor magical gifts or curses, and her power of controlling the weather with her emotions. This romance has many popular tropes, including fake marriage, friends to lovers, and my personal favorite: One Bed!!

Today Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic novel, Lightning in Her Hands. This book follows middle sister Teal, a volatile woman whose gift is changing the weather according to her moods. But she was four when her mother abandoned the family, taking a piece of Teal’s magic with her; Teal has never had full control of her gift since. She wants to find her missing mother and recover the piece of herself that she lost. To help with that, her (former) best friend Carter wants her to marry him so he can get his inheritance, and the money that he gives to Teal will be enough to cover a private investigator. But as Teal mends her relationships with Carter, her two sisters, and potentially her missing mom, she’s also healing a part of herself.

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- (Former) best friends to lovers
- Marriage of convenience
- First-person POV (Teal only)

What I Liked:
- Teal is a vivid character! She has so much personality, so many nuances, and so much more to her than I’d realized in the first book. I loved getting the whole story through her perspective, with her ups and downs, her snark, her powerful emotions. The whole novel is immensely immersive, and a big part of that is Teal’s voice and character.
- Discussions of mental health. Teal is Bipolar, and we get the full range of her emotions here. I love seeing how other characters work to understand her and help her through these, as well as how Teal manages her depressions and manias.
- Discussions of abuse. Teal was previously in a relationship with an abusive man: verbally, emotionally, and physically. She’s also well versed enough to recognize abuse from other characters. It can be painful to read about what she went through and how it still affects her, but I also loved seeing her overcome those traumas and find a sense of security and confidence throughout this book.
- Sister relationships and family dynamics. As troubled as the sisterly bonds were in the first book, it was so nice to see Teal working on “making it up to” her two sisters and reforge the close connection they’d once had. I also enjoyed seeing the other family dynamics with her grandmother, Amá Sonya, and her great-aunt, Nadia.
- Romance with Carter! He’s such a wonderful character, even if his actions and motivations are unclear early on. He’s so caring and understanding and a great balance to Teal.
- Latine culture. Teal’s family is Mexican American and Carter’s is Cuban American. I liked seeing their Latine culture front and center, but also some criticisms of it: internalized sexism, intergenerational trauma, and so on.
- Hilarious yet emotional. This book is the perfect marriage of funny and snarky (Teal’s a riot) with emotional and deep themes. I loved getting both parts, and neither ever took away from the other.
- Meta romance tropes! Teal regularly asks for life advice on Reddit, and her younger sister Sky is all about their Aunt Nadia’s romance books. From both, Teal is continuously accused of living out a romance novel, from the marriage of convenience to “only one bed” to “get it out of our systems.” It’s so funny and true.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Nothing, this was great!

Final Thoughts
I could go on and on about how much I loved Lightning in Her Hands. Teal is one of my favorite characters I’ve read, and I loved all the nuances of her personality and past, the family dynamics, the weather magic, and her romance with Carter. It’s ideal to read Witch of Wild Things first, but Teal’s story absolutely stands on its own here. I can’t wait to read Sky’s story next; Nadia foretold it, so I know it will come!

In Lightning in Her Hands, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland has created an authentic and loving sequel to Witch of Wild Things as she writes second sister Teal’s story. Just as with the first novel, family is at the heart of this novel, exploring magnificent gifts and complex relationships.
One of the most lovely aspects to this novel is how much Teal has repaired her relationship with her sisters in this narrative. Even though she struggles with her emotions and feels like she hasn’t done enough, one of the beautiful themes is that she is enough for her sisters. I love how authentically the writing develops Teal, illustrating how being bipolar affects her and how she has survived abuse. The author doesn’t flinch from how that impacts Teal and her relationships either.
The relationship with Carter is developed with simmering tension until it explodes off the page. Neither Teal or Carter are one dimensional. Both are authentic reflections of their latin heritage and that is shown with love in this novel. The book also shows some of the flaws in the culture, the embracing of masochism and putting the men first. And I love how the writer has the characters overcome that aspect to create a healthy relationship. Both Teal and Carter are emotional and passionate and that is thoroughly explored in a steamy fashion.
If you like stories with complex relationships, authentic culture and a loving romance between best friends, this is the novel for you. If you read Witch of Wild Things, then you will love this sequel focusing on Teal. It is authentic and loving but most of all, it is a beautiful story that focuses on family and a loving relationship between Teal and Carter.