Kiss and Spell

A banished Fae prince falls for a witch who’s sworn off romance in Martin’s enchanting second Elemental Love romantic fantasy (after Witchful Thinking). After being left at the altar, psychic reader Ursula Caraway faces ridicule for not having seen it coming. Heartbroken, she decides to spend some time focusing on herself and recapturing her magic with the help of a “Boss Witch List” of life changes she hopes to make. Meanwhile, in fairyland, Prince Xavier Alder doesn’t believe in love after witnessing his parents’ unhappy marriage. To soften his heart, his grandmother the Queen banishes him to Freya Grove, N.J., not to return until he’s experienced the perfect kiss. When the protagonists meet, Ursula hopes that helping Xavier by setting him up with potential matches may help her to regain her magic. The more time they spend together in this alternate world where humans and mystical creatures live in harmony along the Jersey shore, however, the closer they become, until the goal of getting back to the fairy realm doesn’t seem as appealing to Xavier as it once did. Martin takes clear delight in her whimsical worldbuilding and her protagonists are easy to love. The result is a bewitching romp that will appeal to series fans and new readers alike. Agent: Lauren Bieker, FinePrint Literary. (Sept.)