This is one of those series that interests me but the books don’t generally hook me. I want to know what happens with the characters; not only the main characters but also the other people in town. Yet each time I find myself putting the book down too easily until the last 25% or so. I think I just need to remember to go into each book with the expectation that it will take me a few days to read and I can take my time enjoying the setting.

While I understood the motivations of all the characters and their reasons for being the way they were, I still found it hard to sympathize with Ella and Angela. Especially Angela. The story is told from three POVs. Ella, Gray, and Angela. Ella and Gray grew up together and had a short romance a few years back. Angela is Gray’s grandmother and was a dear friend to Ella back when she was dating Gray.

Angela’s past is not why I didn’t connect with her, it was what she was doing in the present that bothered me. She deserved to have forgiveness from her daughter Jules, but her methods not only put her in a bad position but also brought others into her deceit. That’s where I got annoyed with her. It went on far too long.

There is a second-chance romance here between Ella and Gray, and it does end in a HEA for them, but I don’t consider this book a romance. Ella had a lot of growing to do. She had to learn to open herself up to others. Not just Gray, but also her sisters. She’d been closed off for so long that she didn’t know how to reciprocate affection. In fact, it scared her. Poor Gray, who is wonderful, had the least amount to do in this story. He had already had his character growth before the tale started so, although he was my favorite, he did a lot of waiting around.

The series as a whole is about the magic of the Dove sisters. Each has a special gift that helps their town and those around them. This story went a bit off the rails with the magic though. Keep in mind, this is not a fantasy. The gifts these sisters have can be chalked up to great instincts with an oomph. Yet in this story we have magically appearing frosting, and even a non-Dove sister character melting plastic and boiling water with his emotions. The frosting I could look past, it fits with the theme of Ella Dove and her family. The other thing did not fit in with the story and wasn’t necessary for the narrative. It was just odd.

Overall, I didn’t love this story. It was more cohesive than the previous story, but not quite as fun. Since these books always end on a high note for me they do keep me wanting to read the next one. I just need to adjust my expectations of the flow before starting opening the book.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**