Long and Short Reviews

One Enchanted Evening by Crystal Inman
Whiskey Creek Press
Cotemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Full length, Spicy
Review by Orange Blossom

A COLD CASE HEATING UP…

Southern summers were notoriously hot. But when a series of deadly fires blazed through the city, Detective Bradford Walsh really felt the heat. With temperatures rising, he had to catch the arsonist before the city was reduced to a pile of cinders.

When a magical evening lifts the veil between the mortal world and the fairy tale kingdom, Ivy Daniels enjoys a closer look at the characters of her childhood. But they are also looking at her. To save their world. Prince Duncan enlists the fascinating and infuriating Ivy to help him save the kingdom and his ailing father. Although reluctant at first, Ivy comes to realize that unless she helps, the precious world of her youth will disappear. Not to mention that her house has a revolving door for all magical creatures wishing to plead their case. Which is becoming really, really old. Armed with an attitude, a hypochrondiac sister, and a fairy tale bear, Ivy has her work cut out for her. Ivy Daniels used to believe in Fairy Tales. Now they believe in her.

♥ ♥ ♥

If you grew up reading nursery rhymes and fairy tales, then this book is for you. It’s filled with characters you’ll recognize such as Mother Goose, Prince Charming, and even little fairies flitting about. All in all it was a charming read with a terrific ensemble cast, ending as all fairytales do—with a Happily Ever After. Ivy Daniels is ordinary or so she believes until one day when she receives an invitation to the One Enchanted Evening Ball. That’s when everything changes as she begins to see creatures that belong in books and a handsome prince forcing his way into her life. I love Ivy’s ‘voice.’ She’s unflappable, sarcastic and real, if a bit coarse at times.

The hero of the story is a true hero indeed—the handsome Prince Duncan, set on saving his father and the kingdom from the evil and darkness that lurks within. In the process, he brings Ivy and her sister Rose into his world as they are somehow connected to a prophecy. Duncan is good intentioned, but those intentions don’t always set well with Ivy’s ideas, resulting in great tension between the characters especially great sexual tension.

This book contains a fun, humorous tone that I truly enjoyed. I’ll never forget the moment when Ivy kicks the copy machine which was continually breaking down, opens the machine up only to be faced by ... well, that would be telling. But trust me, it's absolutely priceless.

If you’re looking for a story that plays upon childhood memories, makes you laugh, as well as one which raises the heat between the hero and heroine then pick up a copy of Crystal Inman’s One Enchanted Evening. I was glad to see that the ending set up for a sequel. I look forward to finding out about the next adventure these characters will strike out on. It’s an exploit I am more than happy to join in on.