Review: Magical!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 24, 2013
Storie Bell is a witch.  She has moved around a lot, both as a child and as and adult.  Despite rejecting the magic, her father always tried to do the best for Storie after her mother abandoned her.  Storie left Bloomington, Texas the same evening she had a chance, passionate encounter with Reid Malone.  Now Storie is back in Bloomington, intending to make it her home.  She longs to fit in and be 'normal' instead of feeling alone and isolated.  She hopes she will be able to do this in Bloomington, where her and her friend Harper are renovating the filling station Storie's Dad left her, to open up The Storiebook Cafe.Even with the excitement of coming back to Bloomington and opening their cafe and bookstore, Storie can feel a darkness.  Not sure what it means or what it will bring, she carries on.  She certainly doesn't expect for Reid to be back in town also...Reid who has always hungered for the city life but after that one afternoon with Storie has never forgotten her.  "...she was a damn siren.  A girl next door who could bring a man to his knees with a crook of her finger."  Reid is unaware that Storie is a witch with magical powers, maybe he's dismissing the signs, but he is just drawn to her like no one else.  Storie is sure drawn to him and can feel the chemistry, but after years of listening to her Dad, she really believes no witch can have a lasting relationship with a mortal man.Reid is back with his own agenda...one that he's not sharing with Storie, but could have everything to do with Storie.  Both Reid and Storie are hiding things from each other, and the more Storie tries to push Reid away the more he pushes back.  With secrets and history holding them back is there any hope?  When everything comes to a head and the past comes back, so they have any chance at all?  When Reid finally realizes it's not where you are but who you are with will Storie still be there?I loved Deceiving the Witch Next Door, with the mystery, magic, and the dance of a relationship that both characters want but don't believe they can have.  It was easy to feel a connection to Storie, with or without magic.  Her magic is fun, there is just enough paranormal in Deceiving the Witch Next Door to satisfy me and not take it over the top!  I really admired what Storie was doing, especially going back to Bloomington.  Despite the way she was treated there, she wanted to make a home there.Right or not, Reid was trying to do what he felt was best for his father.  He didn't count on Storie though...and without any magic she manages to capture his heart...if she'll accept it  The interactions between Storie and Reid were at times hot, funny, and sweet.  They will make a great forever couple if they can get past the secrets and past.  The inclusion of the secondary characters was just right.  Harper and her daughters didn't distract from Storie and Reid's story, and the appearance of other significant characters later in the book added to the plot.Melissa gives us a fast paced, intriguing romance with a great story line in Deceiving the Witch Next Door.  I loved it and highly recommend it!