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Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite
After the death of her grandfather, Grace Woodruff returned to Woodruff Mountain, home to many generations of the Woodruff family and its herb business empire, for two main reasons. To settle and manage her grandfather’s sprawling estate, and also seek peace of mind since her dreams and visions, warning her about something being wrong with the mountain, had only worsened. Nick McKenzie, an undercover DEA agent masquerading as a writer in need of the mountain’s peace, earns himself a stay at the property. Nick is secretly investigating a new type of potent meth dubbed Smoky Mountain Magic, which he believes might be on Woodruff Mountain. As the pair spends time together, each tending to their own preoccupations, they’re about to learn not only of their intense attraction to each other but also make unsettling discoveries: Grace about the special power she has inherited from her bloodline, and Nick about his case. Find out how it all goes down in Catching Stars in a Jar: Book One, Books of the Kindling by Donna June Cooper.
If you are looking for a mystical, cozy, contemporary romance flavored with drama, sci-fi, suspense, action, and mystery, Catching Stars in a Jar by Donna June Cooper is a perfect pick. The introduction promises a tale of ancestral magic, family legacy, scientific discovery, and a daring undercover investigation. Cooper weaves a compelling story that lives up to its initial hype and delivers some more. The prose is intimate, reflective, and deliberate. I could feel the “sparks” and sensations running through Grace and Nick whenever they were together. The vivid imagery evoked the settings with cinematic precision, bringing the rustic, serene, and picturesque Woodruff Mountain environment to life on the pages. The dramatic flair accompanying the scenes made them funny. Between following Nick’s introspective thoughts involving the suspect profile for his case and Grace’s conflicting profile, and his conversations with Jamie, I found myself laughing at the suspicion, judgment, and confusion that marked these interactions. This is an incredible debut in the Books of the Kindling series. I loved it. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment.
