Erica Ridley is an amazing Storyteller! Every single book I read of hers is great! Can't wait for her next book!!

Book 1

This was the first book I have read by this author and I have to say I am still kinda on the fence about it. The writing itself wasn't bad-the story just left me wanting. I didn't really like Lance. He seemed to be such a selfish person and I know that he redeems himself but I just didn't like him. I also had a hard time connecting with Marigold. I'm not really sure why I didn't really get into it at this point as I usually love PNR but I just couldn't connect with them and had a hard time finishing it.

Book 2

This is book 2 in the Magic & Mayhem series and can absolutely be read as a stand alone. This one is sooo much better than the first one in my opinion! Whereas I couldn't get into the first one, this one kept me reading and I really enjoyed it! Daisy is a fey that just wants the one thing that most of her kind don't struggle with-magic. And the things she goes through trying to get it just cracked me up!! And her relationship with Trevor was great! I loved how no matter how different they were, they still managed to figure out they loved each other and just wanted to be together. And the side characters (including her mother) just made me laugh through most of it! I would definitely re-read this one!

Book 3

Ok so I didn't care for the first book, liked the second one, but this one...Yeah I didn't really like this one. Sarah has been watching over Jack since he was born. And now that he is an adult-she falls in love with him?? Ummm am I the only one who thinks that is slightly weird and gross? That would be like falling in love with your own child in my opinion. If you leave that out-it was ok. The writing is good. I just didn't like the story or how it all played out and thought it was strange.

I'm a fan of Erica Ridley's historical romances so was intrigued by this collection of magical stories.
These were such fun, fantasy books to read! Quick and short for those times you don't want to get into longer books. Perfect for anyone looking for something a little different.

Kissed By Magic

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. Lance has a bounty on his head by a rival and he needs to find a treasure before that bounty is collected. He finds a castle that is said to have a curse on it. When he gets to the castle he finds Princess Marigold who has been there for a very long time. She does not think that he will figure out the puzzles to be able to get out. She believes that he will fall to the curse just like the others who have come over the years. It is a very intense story line. I enjoy the characters very much. It did take a little to get into it at first. 

4 Stars

Must Love Magic

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I had to say that this book made me laugh a few times and that is something most of the book can't do really. I mean I will smile or grin but not just burst out loud laughing. I like Daisy and Trevor. Daisy is trying to earn her wings as a Tooth Fairy, but she keeps messing up and that just silly and all the pumpkins and spells that don't work. Then there is Trevor who wants to get tenure at his university. They two of them together is just a crazy ride. Well worth the read in my opinion. 

4 Stars

Smitten By Magic

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.  This is the third book and it has me feeling so light hearted and wanting the best for those in this story. Javier is doing his best to try to do the right thing but it seems to just blow up in his face. When one of his schemes puts his life at risk his Guardian Angel must reveal herself and she knows this is against the rules. But people do strange things when feelings are involved. This books can make your feel all kind of good things. It made me laugh and chuckle and just want to see good things happen to the two of them. 

4 Stars

KISSED BY MAGIC
Love at first sight? No way!!!
But he was an adventurer in need of making money, and she was a cursed princess who needed help.
They could help each other and both could win.
But who says someone can give orders to the heart? And it's when feelings start to get confused that everything gets worse ...

A second edition of Let it Snow, showing a magical side of the author, unlike her historical novels.
4 stars

MUST LOVE MAGIC
Toothfairy usually visits a child at night to exchange the missing tooth for a coin, right?
Daisy was very dedicated to her work because she wanted to earn her wings, but for one misfortune, she finds meeting... an anthropologist and they get into the biggest mess.

Fairies live in a world of magic, but here the greatest magic is love.
New edition of Charmed: Love, Lust and Pixie Dust.
3 stars

SMITTEN BY MAGIC
Sarah is a guardian angel, and Javier proves to be her most difficult mission.
Knowing him from birth, Sarah knows what Javier is capable of... and let's say, for much of his life he has done his best and impossible to achieve his goals. Until he did it.
Now, with a kind of weight in his conscience, he decides to donate much of his fortune, and one of his goals is to do a good deed in the land of his ancestors.
Traveling to Bolivia is a scary adventure, and Sarah has to reveal who she really is.

But the feelings are already mixed.
Javier in love with a guardian angel? And Sarah in love with someone she have protected since birth?
All very confusing... but the story is fiction, fairytale and romantic.
3 stars

An awesome collection of romances, liberally sprinkled with stardust and magic. Heartwarming, amusing, a little sad at times, but all so filled with bewitching charm. Strong intrepid heroes and the magical women they fall in love with are brilliantly portrayed by the author. The perfect read for the Halloween season!

This was a fast and cute series. Good escape books are needed sometimes. The characters and stories were fun, the writing well done.
Many thanks to WebMotion and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Magic & Mayhem” series bundle by Erica Ridley.

Magic & Mayhem Book 1 - “Kissed by Magic”: Lance Desmond has a bounty on his head and will risk venturing into the cursed Castle Cavanaugh to retrieve the treasure.

Only...once he crosses the castle threshold does he realize that the curse traps him inside with no way out. He is not alone - Princess Marigold has been trapped in the castle since the medieval period.

There is an attraction between the two characters, however she refuses to acknowledge this, particularly because at midnight the curse will make him vanish just like all the other heros before him.

Although I enjoyed the story line, I found the characters rough. It was difficult getting through the book, which is something I cannot explain as I particularly enjoy Erica Ridley’s book... simply put I didn’t enjoy the story as a whole.

Book Rating: 2.5

—-

Magic & Mayhem Book 2 - “Must Love Magic”: Daisy Le Fey is really smart and brilliant in science and maths. However her job is considered a low end job in the fairy realm.

Daisy wants to be taken seriously by becoming a tooth fairy. Unfortunately she is not good with magic, and her first apprenticeship assignment lands her in trouble and inside Trevor Masterson’s tent.

There is a magnetic attraction between Daisy and Trevor. But if she want to earn her wings she needs to forget about Trevor and the possibility of true love.

Must Love Magic is a fast pace and bizarre story line of fantasy, unicorns, tooth fairies and pumpkins.

I wasn’t a fan of this story but again an interesting read.

Book Rating: 3.5

—-

Magic & Mayhem Book 3 - “Smitten by Magic”:
A former corporate entrepreneur, Javier Rodriguez’s life changes to helping others less fortunate than himself. However his efforts are met with a dead end at every turn.

Until he meets Sarah Phimm.

Sarah is a guardian angel. More specifically Javier’s guardian angel. She is never meant to show herself to her charge and she is also never meant to fall in love, but things happen.

On an off chance Sarah reveals herself to Javier to stop him from harming himself. This backfires when he is even more determined to help those where he can.

I really enjoyed this quirky story. It was down to earthy and heart warming.

Book rating: 4

—-

Overall series bundle star rating: 3.333 (aka 3.5)

[** I received a copy of “Magic & Mayhem” series bundle by Erica Ridley via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you to publishers and Netgallery for the opportunity to review this book.]

#MagicAndMayhem #NetGalley

I am a big Erica Ridley fan. She is a well thought out writer that gives so much detail to her stories that they come to life on the page. Magic & Mayhem is a departure from her usual Regency romances. These three stories were filled with fantasy, magic and a fairy tale feel. I found them to be quite humorous and charming.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Kissed by Magic

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Kissed by Magic.

This was a fun, entertaining story. Marigold and Lance were likable characters. I liked Lance’s optimism and his ability to come up with possible solutions to their predicament. He’s also kind and giving. Marigold has realizations to make and Lance is gentle as he helps her.

I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the rest in the series.

Kissed by Magic is a different genre to anything I’ve read before from this author. Instead of the expected historical rom/com I got more of a mystical/fantasy type of read. As usual it was a light & easy to read story but I’m not sure if it’s something I’d re-read. I think I’ll have to read more from this series before I make my final decision.

Must be Love is the second book in the Magic and Mayhem series and after feeling a bit unsure after reading the first book I have to say I approached this book with a little reluctance and after finishing it I’m still on the fence about this series. Normally I don’t follow any particular genre with regards to my reading choices. I tend to go with how an author writes her characters – they’ve got to grab my attention and make me want to learn more about them. If that happens I’ve been known to go and buy an author’s entire back catalogue – but for some reason I’m struggling to even like the characters in this series. There is one book left to go & since I don’t like leaving things unfinished I will try it.

Smitten by Magic is the last book in the Magic and Mayhem series and my least favourite. It almost feels like it should be a Hallmark movie or an episode of Touched by an Angel. I love Erica Ridley’s historical stories and in future I think I’ll be sticking to that genre.

Book 1: My favorite of the Magic and Mayhem trio! Loved the story and the ending.
Book 2: This was my least favorite book of the series. The story of Trevor and Daisy just didn't keep me connected like the others in the series. Daisy just seemed to flighty and Trevor as well.
Book 3: I liked this one in the series. Javier and Sarah were a fun couple to watch.
I'm glad I took the time to read the series, but book 1 was still the favorite!

Despite being interesting, it did not grab my attention enough for making me read the next one. It is well written and a good choice for someone that likes the style. I found it difficult to immerse myself in the story and was not very impressed with the characters, overall. It has it´s public, I´m sure, I´m just not it.

Well.... I enjoyed the stories, all in all a little slow, however they were sweet. A little bit of sci-fi-ish /magic some adventure and sweet romance.

Highly entertaining, fun, sexy and engaging adventures filled with danger, magic, intriguing and witty charters.. really enjoyed reading each journey in this box set\.

*2.5 stars for the series- individual reviews below*

Kissed by Magic- 3 stars

I've read many Erica Ridley stories before, but Kissed by Magic is my first time reading her non-historical stuff. My take on it is... mixed.

I was surprised at the fact that we actually got some steam in the story, as Erica Ridley's historical romances are usually really tame. The world-building was very abbreviated, and I really needed more, but the story was so cute that I didn't mind.

Kissed by Magic was an easy cute read to start off the Magic & Mayhem series.

Must Love Magic- 2 stars

Wow, this book felt endless.

Compared to the first in the series, Kissed by Magic, which was short and sweet, this book felt like it was actually never going to end.

I'm a fan of Erica Ridley's historicals, but this series has been my first foray into her paranormal/comedy stuff. I have to say, I don't think it's quite working for me. Must Love Magic felt like it was trying too hard to be funny, and the plot got lost along the way.

Some parts of the story were cute, but the world-building the storyline were muddled and strange. The romance felt less like a romance and more like trickery-induced sex that morphed into an unavoidable physical chemistry. It was pretty underwhelming.

I think the story was... fine, but I know Erica Ridley can do better. Here's to hoping the 3rd of the story is as cute as promised.

Smitten by Magic- 2 stars

Ugh, I was so done with this trilogy by the time Smitten by Magic ended. I barely made it though.

I think that, individually, the Magic & Mayhem books are cute, but all together... whew, they grated on me.

First of all, I was beyond creeped out that the female MC has watched over the male MC since he was a baby, and then fell in love with him. And I mean, watched every interaction. It felt very creepy-stalker, and I know it was her job, but STILL.

The world-building was a total afterthought. I know these are supposed to be comedy-ish, but the humor didn't work for me. I wanted an actual world that made sense, and the author didn't really care about those details.

The story had cute moments, but overall, I found it to be tiresome. Happy the trilogy is over.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I enjoyed reading the three short stories by Erica Ridley.
I love her books, and her quick-witted humor.

In the first book- Kissed by Magic- We meet Princess Marigold who is a Princess trapped in an ice castle. She has been trapped since medieval times. Every day, at the stroke of midnight the castle resets back to the day that she became trapped. Anyone who is in the castle disappears.
Lance Desmond needs money to pay people before they come after him and kill him. He knows that there is a fortune in the Castle, however he does not know about the curse, until he arrives. He has to work quickly, and along with the Princess, they will try to break the curse. But will one day be enough, or is more time needed.
This book is a quick lighthearted read. I enjoyed book one in the Magic and Mayhem Trilogy and I hope you do too.

In the second book Daisy Le Fey is an aspiring tooth fairy. She must come to earth and retrieve the teeth of the children who have lost them. When she comes to the tent of Trevor Masterson on an archaeological dig, she is seen. Trevor happens to be sleeping on the tooth that she needs to take back.
Since being seen breaks a rule, and coming back without a tooth breaks another rule, she has to decide if she will risk not bringing back a tooth. She determines that she must go back and get the tooth, and this means talking to the humans. She makes sure to bring her wand with her. Only one thing about this wand. The only thing it can do is turn people and things into pumpkins.
The more she tries to dig herself out of the hole, the deeper she gets into it.
This book is lighthearted and funny. Oh and definitely cringe worthy.
I enjoyed book two in the Magic and Mayhem Trilogy and I hope you do too.

In the last and final book of the trilogy, we meet Javier Rodriguez. He is a former corporate businessman who wants to do all he can to forget what big corporations can do do people and to the environment. He did not realize all the harm that was caused, and now he is working very hard to undo as much suffering as possible. Sarah Phimm is his guardian angel and has a lot of guarding to do.
When Javier decides to go to third world countries, she must protect him at all costs.
Unfortunately, when Sarah is not watching Javier, he bumps into her and sees her. She is supposed to stay invisible or she can get into trouble. He insists on seeing her so she shows herself.
She can't disappear again because Javier would wonder where she went. So she remains visible and still continues to protect him.
This story is very sweet and unusual. I did like this story. I hope you enjoy the Magic and Mayhem series.

Magic and Mayhem is a fantasy romance trilogy that is a must read for all who enjoys adventure, entertainment and some delicious passion. I found myself laughing hard on many occasions and if any book can bring me to laugh out loud...in public...while everyone stares at me like I'm crazy, then they should rightly be recommend. So, I highly recommend all readers to read this hilarious and, well-plotted book!

Each book in Erica Ridley’s Magic & Mayhem series of humorous romantic fantasies is about a different couple and stands alone. These are updated versions of stories previously published as "Let It Snow," "Charmed: Love, Lust & Pixie Dust," and "Midwinter Magic." Note that the book contains some swearing (including two f-bombs in the final story), dangerous situations, and explicit sex scenes.

The first story, Kissed by Magic, is a charming and cheerful quick read and probably my favorite of the set. It is always a pleasure to read about a strong, smart heroine with agency, and after spending 600 years trapped in her castle, Princess Marigold certainly delivers. Lance initially seems a bit shady, but he turns out to be kind and generous and everything you might want from a romantic hero.

I loved the setting in a future time when magic has returned, so characters use both cell phones and magical weapons. I enjoyed the humor, which I think will particularly appeal to gamers. The author affectionately makes fun of many fantasy tropes.

The second story is Must Love Magic. Everything about this full-length novel is over the top, whether it’s the various characters’ lust, jealousy, obsessive fixation on goals, or the silly jokes. I thought some of the jokes were cute (I was quite fond of Bubbles the where-frog), but it was all a little too much for my taste. For supposedly very smart and accomplished people, the main characters were terribly stubborn and made some very foolish choices.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of politics in academia and in Nether-Netherland, and while Daisy and Trevor both annoyed me at times, I was still rooting for them to find their happy ever after. I think whether you will enjoy the book is going to depend on how much you appreciate the humor. If you liked Piers Anthony's Xanth novels, you’ll probably like this.

The third story, Smitten by Magic, is a little outrageous at times, but it generally balances a tender romance with witty banter and moments of suspense. The main characters can be a bit obsessive, but also charming and funny. It took me a little while to get drawn into the story and warm up to Javier and Sarah, but as the story progressed, I enjoyed their exchanges and was hoping they could find a happy ending together.

I liked the way the plot surprised me. For such a quick read, this book packs in a lot of emotion and a very sweet ending. And considering the fantastic elements, the characters’ actions and reactions felt surprisingly real at times.

I was provided an ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

Kissed by Magic - 3/5
Lance is in over his head in debt, and his only hope is to raid a castle for treasure. The only problem is, once he goes in, he will never come out.

I received a free copy as part of the Magic & Mayhem boxset, from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a light, fantasy romance, following Lance. He's an adventurer and a chancer, and has a price on his head. After buying the ship of his dreams, he's in a lot of debt, but he plans to clear it by heading to a castle that might harbour a magical item the imbues eternal youth.
Once there, he finds the castle is almost empty, except for a strange princess.

After a curse was placed on her, Princess Marigold has been trapped in the castle for hundreds of years. She has tried everything to escape, and knows that nothing will work. When Lance breaks into the castle, she knows that she will only have a few hours with this handsome adventurer, before he is also taken from her.

This was light and fun. The romance between Lance and Marigold was really quite sweet, and I was rooting for them both to escape the cursed castle.
This was a reasonably short read, and made for a pleasantly light and fluffy distraction.

The fantasy aspect was... unsatisfactory.
We start with Lance, who is obsessed with his new ship and is having trouble with wanted posters etc, and it all feels very typical pre-technology-standard-fantasy-realm. Then it's smushed into a version of the modern world, with phones, apps and Candy Crush.
This is cute, but there was never any solid foundation or world building. It felt like the author went with whatever suited the story at the time.
It was the same when Lance got into the castle, and there's a bit of a culture difference between him and the princess. The difference was ignored when it didn't suit, and there were sections that were so completely anachronistic that I had to ignore them to continue.
~~~
Must Love Magic - 1 out of 5
Daisy is trying to earn her wings as a toothfairy, but complications ensue when she stumbles into the tent of anthropologist Trevor.

I received a free copy as part of the Magic & Mayhem boxset, from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This follows Daisy, who has to live up to the impossible standards set by her extremely-successful parents. It doesn't matter that she's a genius and that she's managed to find scientific solutions to her lack of magic - in Nether Netherland, only magical ability counts.

Trevor is in the middle of an archaeological dig, and under threat of losing his job, the last thing he needs is a tenacious toothfairy complicating things.

No, just no. This did not work for me.
I thought it was very poorly written, scatty and jumping all over the place, it just made my head hurt.
Am I the only person that is concerned that Daisy doesn't recognise the difference between an 8 year old boy and a full-grown man. Especially when she's grinding against him within a minute of crashing into his life (yet still insisting he was her target and had to provide a tooth).
For a scientific genius, she never came across as particularly smart.

Ridley does seem to be a bit of a hit-or-miss writer. I have thoroughly enjoyed some of her other books, but equally found some to be a rushed mess.
~~~
Smitten By Magic - 4 out of 5
Sarah has been a guardian angel for centuries, and none of her charges have given her half as much trouble as Jack.

I received a free copy as part of the Magic & Mayhem boxset, from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jack was a go-getting businessman, he worked tirelessly and has amassed a fortune by taking advantage of a grey area that's not-quite-illegal.
Jack decides to atone for all the damage he's done by giving away most of his money to charity, and using the rest to fund repairs in his ancestral home of Bolivia, of which he will be doing most of the manual labour.

Sarah is a guardian angel, she has to protect her assigned human, and she has long been one of the best at the job. Jack is really testing her to the limit, as he seems to have no concept of self-preservation. When they accidentally collide, Sarah has to pretend to be human, and runs the risk of falling for Jack.

This was definitely the best book in the boxset.
Jack and Sarah are really cute together.
I really liked that, despite his growing feelings for Sarah, Jack puts his mission first. He aims to give an isolated Bolivian village the Christmas they deserve. He wants to repair roofs, get the kids back to school, and show them they are not forgotten by the world.

And Sarah is just as much a workaholic, in her own angelic way. She is an immortal, and her job has been her calling for her very long life. It was such an interesting twist to see her realisation that she might not be the envy of everyone back home, and that observing life, is not the same as living it.

I very much enjoyed this story.