4.0⭐

Tana is part of a coven of witches that weakens their magic on purpose to avoid persecution. To finalize the coexistence of witches and ordinary people, she is to marry the governor's son. She is at peace with her sacrifice, content with the path laid out for her. However, her world takes an unexpected turn when a fatal mistake, a twist of fate, reveals to her an alternate life—one brimming with powerful magic and the freedom to make her own choices.

I expected a book with an arranged marriage and forbidden love to be full of YA drama, but instead, I got a simple yet enchanting story. The story is one of a dilemma between sacrificing your happiness for the sake of your people or allowing yourself to be selfish when it comes to your own future. I liked that Tana wasn't someone who was initially rebelling on the idea and tried to escape it, but rather tried to find the best in the situation. Neither is her future husband made into a villain.

The story wasn't a complex one. We don't even get many characters involved. It focused on what was important and any secondary information was omitted. Like we have an island and then what seems to be one city and that's it. But we don't really need to know what more is out there.

The focus of the book, therefore, is on the characters and their relationships as well as on the magic and its connection to nature.

I can recommend this book to anyone who wants something simple and sweet. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how this book still had a climate themed to it. I also loved how this book was love to hate but was a super compeling story!! I also really liked the world and all the side characters in this read! I loved magic filled stories and this world fetl very magical to me. I also thought the romance was well done and this book was a very fast pace read and loved all the elements to the is read and loved the main character!! ( )

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how this book still had a climate themed to it. I also loved how this book was love to hate but was a super compeling story!! I also really liked the world and all the side characters in this read! I loved magic filled stories and this world fetl very magical to me. I also thought the romance was well done and this book was a very fast pace read and loved all the elements to the is read and loved the main character!! ( )

I really liked Rachel Griffin's first book, The Nature of Witches, but my appreciation for her writing has taken a downturn. I didn't really like Tana or Wolfe, or Ivy or Landon - or anyone really. I feel like there was so much potential for the plot too: the worldbuilding was off to a good start, but then it just plateaued. There was hardly any emotional or developmental depth (which is ironic given that the sea itself is crucial to the story.) I didn't buy into the romance, and I thought Tana's memory loss reversal was a little too quick and convenient. I will unfortunately be more hesitant to pick up any other books from this author. ( )

Her future ordained from birth, Tana reluctantly accepts her fate, especially since the safety of her coven depends upon it. But what if much of what she's been told is a lie, and there's another hidden coven on the island..with a member who's a boy with the power of attraction so much stronger than her obligation? What does she do? Read this engrossing tale and find out for yourself. ( )