Tracy MadisonCríticas

Quick read. Romance with soft, magical overtones. Good friendships depicted. Just okay, but I'm not interested in reading others in the series. Like a typical romance, the other books involve the unfolding romances of this main character's best friend or her sister.½

Good book. It opens with a scary and intense scene. Andrea is working as a trauma nurse when a gunman enters the ER and begins shooting. A doctor friend is shot and as she rushes to help him she gets shot also. She has to decide whether to continue toward him or find her way to a safe spot where she can call for help. The next chapter starts six months later. Andrea is recovering from her injuries, but needs an escape from the memories, people who are too curious for her comfort, and her hovering family. So she has come to stay with her aunt and uncle in Steamboat Springs. There she will continue her physical therapy and hopefully escape the memories that won't let her sleep. Her new physical therapist is Ryan.

Ryan is relatively new to Steamboat Springs. His parents live there and he recently relocated from Denver and opened his own practice. Besides leaving a failed relationship behind, he's also escaping an occasional feeling of burnout. In Steamboat Springs he finds a less hectic lifestyle, activities that feed his soul, and a revitalization of his love for his career.

When he meets Andrea he is struck by a sense of fragility under the strength and stubbornness she shows him. They butt heads a bit during the first appointment, as he wants more than just physical information. He's of the firm opinion that mental and emotional condition also contribute to progress. Andrea may agree with him, but she's not ready to share that info and digs in her heels. I loved that he backs off but lets her know he isn't going to give up. There is also an instant connection between them, one that surprises Ryan but intrigues him, and one that Andrea does her best to ignore.

I loved the development of their relationship. Ryan uses sensitivity and patience to help her, both physically and mentally. There's a wonderful scene at the fair where he pushes her a little bit out of her comfort zone and later helps her through a flashback/panic attack. Andrea is independent and stubborn and determined to work through her issues herself, but finds herself leaning on Ryan more than she expects. I loved seeing them grow closer, with Ryan falling hard and fast for the woman he sees beneath the trauma. Andrea is far more wary, worried that what she feels is just gratitude of a patient for a caregiver (she's been on the receiving end of some of that before) and doesn't want to risk hurting both of them. Just as things are moving along nicely, something Ryan says brings back all her insecurities and she pushes him away. It isn't until she faces her demons in a very emotional scene that she can see the truth. I loved her big moment at the end, as she showed Ryan just how she feels.

Very good book. On her first night back in Steamboat Springs Anna met Logan. Both were feeling a bit lonely and dealt with that loneliness in the most basic of ways. Neither expected anything else from the other, but the memory of that night lingered. So did something else. When Anna realized she was pregnant, she knew she had to tell Logan.

Logan has few memories of his father, who had been a married man when Logan was born. He is determined that no child of his will ever grow up with the same questions he'd had. So he proposes to Anna that they marry for the baby's sake, staying together for at least a year after the child is born. This will give them a chance to form a solid parenting unit. It will be a marriage in name only, with the understanding that neither has expectations of love.

Anna had lost her mother when she was a child, and her father hadn't coped well. He became a harsh and unreasonable man, making her life miserable until her aunt took her to live with her. Her experiences have left her believing that romance and happy ever afters are very rare occurrences. When Logan proposes, she can see the benefits for the welfare of their baby, so she agrees.

I loved the way they started everything out so logically. They talked about what they expected from each other, what they didn't want, and where they saw themselves further down the road. It was fun to see how easily they were able to mesh their lives. I loved seeing how hard Logan tried to be everything that Anna needed him to be. Like most men, Anna's pregnancy induced emotions freaked him out a bit, but he really did a good job of coping. Things started to get complicated when their "hands off" intentions started to fray around the edges. Logan knew what he had promised, so when it became increasingly hard to follow the rules, he started to pull back from the friendship and closeness that had started to develop between them. This reminded Anna too much of her father, and it took her a little while to overcome old habits and confront Logan about it. I loved that conversation, especially the threat of the frying to the head. But that talk helped get back some of their ease together. By that time, Anna was also feeling the attraction. She didn't want to scare him away by making him think she wanted to change things emotionally, so she convinced herself and him that they could keep it just physical.

Of course, that doesn't last. Both of them discover that their feelings have indeed gotten involved, but neither is willing to admit it to the other. Logan is afraid of following in his father's footsteps, and not being the man that Anna needs. I loved seeing him falling deeper in love with Anna and struggling to figure out how to let her know what he needs. I loved his romantic gestures, though he didn't necessarily see them that way. His design of the baby's nursery was a prime example of just how well he understood her. Anna knew that she had fallen for Logan, but she was afraid of driving him away if he knew that she loved him. I really liked the way that she learned how to get him talking when something was bothering him.

A crisis came when his grandfather had a heart attack at the same time that Anna went into labor. Logan was so torn up about the right thing to do that he almost made the wrong decision. I loved seeing his thought processes as he struggled with his options. Once the baby was born, both Logan and Anna had to face their fears in order to get the life they both wanted. Logan especially had a lot to face, and I loved seeing him finally open himself up completely to Anna. The epilogue was especially sweet, and I loved the description of Logan's grandfather with the baby.

The story was very emotional and had me in tears in several places. There were also some pretty funny scenes, my favorite being the discussion between Gavin and Logan regarding the "rules" of Logan and Anna's marriage. It was fun to see the things that Gavin said come to pass and seeing Logan try to handle them.

Terrific story about two emotionally wary people brought together by their need to care for a little boy. Chelsea has hit rock bottom in her life. She and her son came to Steamboat Springs for a job that fell through, leaving her with little money and a car on its last legs. It has been just her and her son since before he was born. Henry's father deserted her as soon as he found out she was pregnant. Her parents disowned her when she refused to give the baby to them to raise (her childhood had been terrible). Her apartment burned and her sister's husband threw them out after a short time staying with them. She has learned the hard way that the only person she can depend on is herself.

Dylan saw Chelsea and Henry come into the pub and had a feeling from the beginning that something wasn't right. He wasn't going to get involved, as the last time he got involved with a woman in trouble it didn't turn out well for him. He got burned and now he takes a rather cynical look at women. But when he finds Chelsea and Henry sleeping in their car, he can't just walk away. So he talks her into staying the night in the apartment over the pub, intending to send them on their way in the morning. But by that time, his protective instincts have kicked in, and he's unable to resist trying to help.

Chelsea finds it very difficult to believe that Dylan is offering his help without expecting something in return. She's even more surprised the next day, when his family arrives with plans to help her. She wants to believe that they are sincere, but she's never experienced anything like it. She's desperate enough that, for Henry's sake, she'll swallow her pride, but risking her heart isn't something she's willing to do.

I loved seeing them get to know each other thanks to trying to make things okay for Henry. Dylan finds himself spending more time with them, fighting his urge to try to fix everything for her. He starts to find her independence rather frustrating, and his growing need to help her worries him. He's also becoming really fond of Henry. I really liked seeing how good he was with the little boy. He's also falling for Chelsea, but senses that she's hiding things, which plays on his fears. Before he can ask her to reveal her secrets, he has to face his own. Chelsea is falling for Dylan, but having been hurt so much in the past she has trouble trusting what she feels. She's sure that once her "problems" are fixed, Dylan will move on to the next damsel in distress.

It was wonderful to see the trust that developed between them. Just as things were really looking up for them, Chelsea's past came back to haunt her. It was wonderful to see Dylan's unquestioning support for her and the difference it made to what happened. It also gave Chelsea the courage to open up to Dylan about the rest of her past, in spite of her fears.

Henry was an adorable little kid. It was fun seeing him wiggle his way into Dylan's heart. He has some pretty interesting views on things, such as twin babies and the noise they make, and the importance of root beer in his life. He also loves his mom very much and is aware of the things that make her happy. He's determined to make Dylan a real part of their lives. I loved seeing what he did at Hayley and Gavin's wedding. It was sweet and hilarious all at the same time.

Daisy ran out on her wedding to Reid eight years earlier. Her mother confessed to her that she wasn't the daughter of the man she thought of as her father, but the result of an affair. This caused Daisy to question who she was, so she ran away, hoping to finally get a sense of her self and learn to stand on her own. The one time she tried to reach Reid she was told to leave him alone. Now she has come back to care for her nieces while her brother is in the hospital, only to find Reid already there. She thought she was ready to see him again, that she was over him. As soon as she saw him she knew she was in trouble - she still loves him, but she's afraid that her hard won sense of independence won't be able to stand up to his appeal and determination. I liked the way that Daisy didn't hesitate to come home to help her brother. She's nervous about taking care of the girls since she doesn't know them that well. She still has a lot of insecurity about her ability to remain true to herself even around Reid. She is stunned at his statement that he still loves her and wants to marry her. I loved the slow buildup of their romance as they get to know each other as they are now. I loved seeing them finally talk about what had happened and how Reid showed her how well he's always known her and loved her. I got really frustrated with her backsliding when Reid told her his side of what had happened. Her doubts and fears still overcome her faith and it takes way too long in my opinion for her to see the light.

I loved Reid. His first sight of Daisy brought back a lot of strong emotions and I completely understood his reaction when she showed up at her brother's house. I loved the way that he so quickly realized that he had never stopped loving her. His quick reversal from anger to romance really confused Daisy and put her off balance. It was fun to see Reid use some of that confusion to talk her into spending more time with him. I loved his use of the new wedding to show her all the ways that he cares for her. He has some pretty creative methods of gaining her cooperation, even as she continues to insist that the wedding isn't going to happen. He's very happy with the way things are going, but he's also worried. He has a secret that he's been keeping all these years and he's really afraid that when he confesses it will drive her away again. I loved the certainty he had that everything would work out, even as those around him had their doubts.

There were also great supporting characters. As always the Foster family provide great support for each other and I loved seeing them join in with Reid's crazy plans. Daisy's two nieces were adorable and made a great way to force Reid and Daisy to spend time together at the beginning. But the one that stole the show was Daisy's dog. Jinx was a near perfect copy of Daisy herself. Her dislike/fear of men mirrored Daisy's own fears. I loved the way that Reid's patience won over the dog, just as his patience eventually won him Daisy.

Very good book. Gavin has come to Steamboat Springs with plans to eventually open up a camp for foster boys. In the meantime he's working at the hardware store and starting his own guide business. He meets Haley when she horns in on his attempt to advertise his business. Haley senses that he's struggling and just wants to help. There's also a personal aspect in that she is really attracted to him. She doesn't listen when he tries to keep her away. He's fascinated with her too but is desperate to protect his heart.

I liked both Haley and Gavin but I admit there were times I wanted to shake them. Haley is the youngest of the Fosters. She doesn't date much, having two problems. First, she's known most of the men all her life and just can't get excited about any of them. Second, her three older brothers have a habit of butting in and wrecking her relationships. When she spots Gavin in a local coffeehouse she senses some awkwardness in what he's doing and sees that his flyers could use a little work. Being impulsive she tries to help but only succeeds in running him off. Feeling bad about it she follows him home and manages to get herself invited to stay. Over the next few weeks she is able to talk him in to including her in several activities but she still senses a distance in him. At one point he tells her she's too much of a distraction and stops seeing her altogether. After she tricks him into seeing her once again they start to make progress until her brother interferes and he's gone again. This time she has to decide if she's willing to continue her pursuit or if she's going to finally give up. There were times that it bugged me that she tended to ignore Gavin's wishes and do things the way she wanted to. I know it was because he was hiding out but it still bothered me a little. I liked the closeness of the relationship she had with her family. I also loved it when she told Reid off for his actions, she really let him have it. There were things that came out then that were very emotional to read.

Gavin had spent most of his life in foster care because his alcoholic mother didn't take care of him. She would come in and out of his life as she tried to straighten out. He got used to moving around a lot from home to home and learned to protect his heart. This caused him to keep everyone at a distance. He was stunned by Haley's actions at the coffeehouse and had no idea how to react. When she followed him home he tried to get her to leave but somehow managed to invite her to stay for lunch. There were several times she simply appeared and he ended up letting her stay. He enjoyed the visits but still tried to protect himself. The problem was that he could feel her breaking down his barriers. He found himself thinking about her a lot and distracting him from his plans which made him very nervous. He also could see the suffering in his future were things not to work out so he tried to stop it before that could happen. I could see how confused he was and what he was trying to do but I wanted to tell him to take a chance for goodness sake. There was a related side story with him and his mother that had to be resolved before he could open himself up to Haley. The issues between Gavin and his mom were heartbreaking but very realistic in my eyes. I also enjoyed his interactions with Haley's brothers and how even that changed his perceptions about people. I loved the way he reconnected with Haley at the end.

I really enjoyed seeing Gavin and Haley as they got to know each other. Gavin especially had parts of his past that were very difficult for him to share with Haley. Both of them had to learn to respect the other's boundaries and wishes. I really loved the epilogue.

A cute tale full of love, humor and a bit of magic. I enjoyed the read very much and it was a wonderful light read.

In Madison's paranormal romance novel, Chloe Nichols is holding her breath. Family and happiness have always been just out of her reach and a bubble her current boyfriend seems determined to break. Kyle has repeatedly shot down her hopes of that happily-ever-after dream of hers. But Gypsy magic has a way of pushing someone in the right direction at the right time. And Chloe needs a push in the right direction. An awesome story of pure magic!

Reviewer: Zita
Meet our heroine, Julia: owner of Introductions, a dating service. Julia’s two best friends are Kara and Leslie. And then there’s Verda, the owner of Magical Matchups, a rival dating service that is stealing Julia’s clients. What’s a savvy businesswoman to do? Send in spies, of course. BFF’s Kara and Leslie infiltrate Magical Matchups to see if they can figure out the secret of Verda’s success. Our story begins with the three friends meeting to discuss what the spies have uncovered. What they tell Julia sets off an inevitable series of events that will culminate into a very satisfactory ending and create a wonderful romance you will end up re-reading, I assure you. Toss in Verda’s handsome grandson Scott, and you really have something magical happening. Scott just happens to be Leslie’s ex-boyfriend – the One That Got Away. Leslie wants him back, but Verda is convinced that Julia and Scott are fated soul mates. Tension, misunderstandings, and mayhem ensues.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s the fourth book in Tracy Madison’s Magic series, but you really don’t have to have read the first three to enjoy this story. When you first meet Julia, she comes across as one of the most repressed characters you’ve ever read. And Scott! Well, he’s the quintessential jerk. I didn’t actually care for either of them at first, but the reasons behind their behaviour become clear quickly enough and you will warm up to (and start rooting for) both before long.

Of course, the most important character doesn’t show up until the middle of the book. One of Julia’s clients, Zita Hildebrandt, goes on a date set up by Julia. Her date is a pediatrician named Daryl. Daryl really likes Zita and thinks the date was fabulous, but Zita’s experience was quite different. However, being a lovely and fair-minded individual, Zita agrees to give Daryl another shot. On their second date, they each bring along a friend. As it turns out, Zita falls for Daryl’s friend Adam, and Daryl falls for Zita’s friend. So in the end, Zita gets her well-deserved Happy Ever After. How did I end up in this book, you ask? Well, I won a contest. But that certainly didn’t bias or prejudice me toward this book! Oh, no, not at all! This truly is an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.

This book is a solid B. Not too horrendous, but not the greatest romance novel ever — and actually, this book would have been just dandy without the romance bits. ... please read the full review at: http://tipsyreader.com/books/reviews/book-review-a-taste-of-magic/

I have come to not expect too much from the books I get for free or super cheap from my Kindle. This was such a treat. This is a well written, laugh out loud, and utterly adorable story about a woman named Elizabeth who finds she has been given magic that she can bake into her treats. Of course, nothing is easy and although some of her wishes work just the way she expects them too, many others have bad or at least unpredictable results.

I found Liz and her entire family to be charming and engaging. Sometimes I would get annoyed with Liz because I could see something that she could not. To give her credit she wasn't too far behind me, and she always took action to get the problems repaired.

This is a romance which usually isn't my favorite kind of story, but there is certainly enough strong plot, pacing, comedy, and magic to keep me up late reading the book. I found out there are three more sequels I can't wait to read also!

So even if this book isn't free or cheap when you consider buying it, know that it is definitely a book that was worth reading, most especially if you enjoy comical romance.

This review is also on my blog, Clover Hill Book Reviews.

The cover on this draws you to the lips on it. A Taste of Magic is the name of the main character, Elizabeth Stephens, bakery shop. The book is full of charismatic, charming characters. I found this easy to read and keep up with. The magic, when it happened, gave Elizabeth, and those around her freedom to act on impulse and in cases, with abandonment, and in ways they might not have normally behaved.

Elizabeth tries to deal with life's unpredictable ups and downs, and eventually believes in herself enough to choose what is right for her. I enjoyed her grandmother's character. I was surprised that there was only one sex scene, especially when the cover oozes kiss-ability and sex appeal.

It's always a pleasure to read books with men in uniform ;p so this one was enjoyable, and witty. I loved the gypsy element that was mixed into the magical theme. I'm looking forward to reading the rest in this series.

Chloe wants to find her true love and she wants to find him now. She's become a bit obsessed about it. With a boyfriend that doesn't believe in true love or soul mates it has been kinda hard. She is through with waiting and isn't above using magic to get want she wants. With a little help from her new family she hopes her dreams will become reality.

This book is the third installment in the Magic series. With each book it's always a new magic or talent and with each book the stories get better and better. I've always considered the first book, A Taste of Magic to be my favorite. But really each book has something special that I've really liked.

A Breath of Magic is a fantastically fun read, full of twists that will delight the reader. The gypsy magic is charming as ever. The story is emotional fueled, that you might want to have some tissue close at hand when you read it. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like Chloe, but she did grow on me. There were times when you just want to shake her, but she turned out to be a very lovable character. While every girl's journey in this series, has been difficult in it's own way. I think Chloe's has been hardest. But when all is said and done the emotional roller coaster both she and her true love went through is very much worth it in the end. This is one I would definitely recommend, especially for the true romantics out there.

Having read the first book in this series, I knew I was going be treated to a fun, delicious read. That's definitely what I got with Alice's story. A Stroke of Magic is a wonderful mixture of romance and drama, full of twists and turns. I love the gypsy magic factor that the family has in this series, it's a fresh, unique spin. Madison is a pure delight to read. With the lure of magic and the message to always follow your heart, it's not hard to be captivated by this world.

I enjoyed this book, so much I had a hard time putting it down. It was delightful, charming, feel good story. I fell In love with the characters instantly. It was great watching Elizabeth discover her new talent while beginning to live life after such a heartache. If you like a bit of humor with your romance your gonna really enjoy A Taste of Magic.

For being a romance type book I rather enjoyed the story. True it had the repetition of most romance books but I guess maybe I didn't expect too much going in but a fluffy fast read and I wasn't disappointed then.