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Review

5 Magical Stars

OMG, this story is so, so beautiful! Jane Harvey-Berrick has painted a magical world (in the non-pnr sense) which sets the stage for an amazing love story that spans 14 years, and the combination is exciting and passionate. The writing is wonderful and the feels are intense, and I was captivated the whole way through. You know those books that have that special ‘feel’ to them that is what die-hard readers crave? Well, this book has that. So be warned – my review is gushy and quote whorey – but it’s all totally deserved.

Ten year old Aimee’s birthday wish is to go to the carnival which is visiting her town. Her life is quiet and boring, with painfully strict parents, but something about the carnival excites her, and she wants to experience it more than anything.

I was old enough to know that magic didn’t exist, and young enough to hope that I was wrong. I was sure that if magic belonged anywhere in the world, it was living and breathing right across the road in Mr. Peterson’s field.

It is there that she meets Kes, a ten year old boy who has been raised in the carnival and who is cheeky and mischievous, and who in one day, gives her an experience that changes her life forever.

Kes gave me his shy smile again and my heart was captured from that moment. I didn’t know it then; I didn’t understand what it meant, but whenever I looked at him, my skin felt warm, like my own personal sun was shining just for me.

Kes and Aimee spend every possible moment they can together for the two weeks that he is in town, and again each year when the carnival returns, and the two of them develop a very special friendship. And as they grow and the hormones start to run wild, that friendship turns into blissful, all-consuming first love.

He reached out and brushed his thumb along my bottom lip.
“You’re my girl, Aimee. No one else.”
Then he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

I am a total cougar over teenage Kes. Gorgeous, intense and uninhibited with a hint of danger, he is total YA crush material, and I was completely swept up in the intensity of their romance! But young love does not run smoothly, especially with the constant separations.

It’s hard to explain what those two weeks every summer meant to me. I lived for them, I breathed for them, and the rest of my life seemed to be spent waiting.

And when Kes and Aimee are torn apart, it absolutely broke my heart. But… it makes it all the more epic when they reconnect as adults, and OMG, the longing, the sexual tension and the drama of their time apart leads to an absolutely sensational reunion. But they are not the same, idealistic kids that they once were, can they make it work the second time around?

“You still love him.”
“I love the boy he was. I could love the man, too. I don’t know, and that’s why I have to find out.”
“Oh, Aimee,” she said sadly, pulling me into a tight hug. “Please be careful.”
“Too late,” I whispered.

I love a swoony, perfect book hero as much as the next person, but Kes is far from the perfect, romantic leading man. To put it bluntly, he’s an asshole – but not in the fun, jokey way that so many book heroes are. He’s moody and sometimes mean and he often says and does hurtful things. That’s not to say he’s abusive, because he’s absolutely not! He’s had an unusual upbringing, and he is flawed, and it’s is just the way he is, and I love that! It’s different from a lot of books but it’s realistic, and it creates a bit of a darker mood for the story and I thought it was really well done.

“I care about you !” he roared. “Christ!” He took a deep breath. “I’m trying here, Aimee. Maybe I don’t say it pretty enough for you. But this is me, trying.”

And the rough side of him just makes his softer side so much more incredible! You can see that he truly cares for Aimee, he cherishes her and they have some beautifully sweet and funny moments together, and the little glimpses where we get to see his vulnerability made me fall harder and harder for him.

“I’ve dreamed of this so many times, I can’t believe it’s real—that you’re real. You were always there, just out of reach, and I’d wake up and find my bed empty. But now you’re here.”

And Aimee is an incredible heroine! Kes is the love of her life, and of course she wants to be there for him, to help him in whatever way she can and to shower him with all of the love that she has for him, but she’s not a doormat either. She’s strong and independent, she doesn’t put up with his shit, and isn’t afraid to give back to him, and that dynamic is fantastic! They have so much passion and intensity, and it’s evident in each and every encounter – whether they’re in bed, arguing, or just bantering together, I loved every moment!

I cocked my head on one side. “Is that what we have? A relationship?”
Kes looked taken aback. “Well, yeah.” Then he hesitated, “What would you call it?”
“Well, at the moment, I’d say it’s two old friends catching a ride together to go see the carnival.”
Kes nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Works for me.”
“Just so you know,” I sniffed, “that’s the wrong answer. We’re totally in a relationship.”
Kes grinned. “Good. So we’re both clear on that.”

JH-B has done an amazing job painting life with the carnies. Every little aspect of their life on the road is portrayed with wonder and excitement, but also reality. It’s not an easy life, but for those who love it, it’s the only life, and that message is very clear. There are ups and downs, but it’s truly a family environment, and I loved how closely it was tied into everything that was happening with Kes and Aimee… even the awkward times.

Our sex life seemed to be of great interest to everyone, and I hated that. Other women slyly commented that they’d heard us inside the RV. Well, they couldn’t have heard Kes, because he was never loud, not even when he came. Embarrassingly, it must be my gasps and screams that they were hearing, unless it was the sound of me being thoroughly pounded. Yeah, not at all embarrassing.

I freaking loved this book! It truly does have a ALL the feels, and I laughed, cried, sighed and squeed my way through it. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting, stopping only to share my excitement with a reading buddy. It’s an absolutely beautiful story, and I’m so glad there’s going to be another book because I can’t wait to lose myself in this world again – although I could have done without the nasty cliffy because yep, it’s brutal!

I absolutely loved it – 5 stars.

 

The Traveling Series

 

See our Contemporary Romance Recommendations page for more great reads.