Alexandria Rogers weaves an enchanting tale in Spellbound Solstice, a story brimming with magical realism, family bonds, and the quest for love and belonging. Set in the whimsical backdrop of the Ambrose Ensorcelled Cottage, the novel explores the complexities of love—both romantic and familial—through two deeply relatable protagonists, Alice and Ronan.

Alice's journey to mend her fractured family by rekindling her parents’ love tugs at the heartstrings, while the revelation of her family's love curse adds a fresh twist to the age-old "forbidden love" trope. Ronan’s determination to secure stability for his enigmatic mother complements Alice’s narrative, and their collaboration sparks an unlikely, slow-burn friendship that gradually deepens into something more.

The plot takes a delightful turn when their well-intentioned meddling inadvertently strips the town of its capacity to love, thrusting them into a race against time to restore what they’ve broken. Rogers’ deft handling of the stakes, combined with ghostly whispers of the past and intriguing family secrets, keeps the reader invested.

The worldbuilding shines, with the Ensorcelled Cottage and the town’s magical quirks evoking a charming, almost fairytale-like atmosphere. Rogers balances humor, heartbreak, and hope, delivering a story that resonates emotionally.

The book's one shortfall is its pacing; certain sections feel a touch rushed, particularly when unravelling Ronan’s family’s mysterious past. While the resolution is satisfying, a deeper exploration of Ronan’s mother’s backstory could have enriched the narrative further.

Overall, Spellbound Solstice is a magical, heartwarming story that reminds readers of the many forms love can take—and the sacrifices it sometimes demands. A perfect pick for fans of heartfelt, whimsical tales with a dash of mystery.

I really wanted to like this, but just couldn't get into it. I don't have any specific feedback, which makes me think it was a me problem and not the book.

Alexandria Rogers was able to weave a interesting and wonderfully done fantasy novel about breaking a family curse. The plot had everything that I was looking for from the description and genre. It worked well with that concept and the characters were everything that I was looking for. I was invested in what was going on and glad I got to read this and hope to read more from Alexandria Rogers.

Spellbound Solstice by Alexandria Rogers is a captivating fantasy that weaves magic and adventure into a beautifully crafted narrative. The story follows a young protagonist navigating a world filled with enchanting spells and intriguing characters, all set against the backdrop of a winter solstice celebration. Rogers’ writing is vibrant and engaging, making the magical elements feel both fresh and relatable. With its charming storyline and rich world-building, this book is a delightful escape for fans of fantasy and magical realism.

A sweet middle grade romance/mystery/fantasy! While there’s a brief spot at the end that feels rushed this story has enough details, drama, and depth to keep even the grumpiest preteen/teen engaged!

This book was so adorable. It’s a perfect entry into a magical world for the middle grade reader!
It is well written and the story appropriate for the target age as well as engaging even for this adult reader.

I would say it’s a medium speed read as it took me a little bit to get through but that could have been due to personal reasons.

I loved the relationships created as well as the adventure. It even had some social commentary that was very appropriate and. It thrown in the readers face. So it had more of a younger reader morality story vibe to it. The world building was great as well!

I recommend this book for teachers especially for their middle grade readers!
I am thankful to have gotten the wARC for free from Netgalley and Little Brown Books for young readers so I can leave my voluntary review.

Book comes out October 22nd so ger it
On your TBR now!
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

It was a very good book I enjoy reading it I also liked the cover and the colors of it and I would like to read a the book again and when I have time too thanks for the chance to read it

This book was so cute! It was really well written. This author is very good and her other books are amazing as well. Thank you to the author for gifting Max and myself with this wonderful book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Little Brown Books for Young Readers for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Description: Alice Ambrose lives in Ensorcelled Cottage where on every winter solstice people lock eyes and fall in love. Alice is trying to make her parents fall in love so she invites her dad in the hope of her parents getting together after they lock eyes. But when they do lock eyes nothing happens. It turns out the women in her family are cursed to never fall in love.
Ronan Knight will do anything to get his enchantress mom to stay in a forever home. He’s found her just the right job at the perfect place: Ensorcelled Cottage, but his mother would rather run from her mysterious past than settle down.
Ronan learns about the mysterious curse and with the help of mysterious ghosts he figures out that Alice’s curse maybe linked to his own mysterious past. As Alice and Ronan try to break the curse the town loses their ability to love. Alice and Ronan soon realize happily ever after doesn’t look the same in every family, and sometimes to get what you want you must giveaway your heart.

Review: I loved reading both Alice and Ronan’s P.O.V.’s. I also loved their friendship and how it progressed. They were both entertaining characters and it was fun to see them trying to break the curse with Alice’s friend Marcela and a few ghosts. This is definitely a five star read!

Recommended age: 9-12
Definitely give this a read!
#SpellboundSolstice #gifted #NetGalley #LittleBrownBooksforYoungReaders