The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. CervantesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.7 stars
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It’s seven fifteen on a Thursday, and I’ve lost my dream job, and an unworthy boyfriend, and the apartment that comes along with him, and worst of all, maybe even myself along the way.
Harlow was just let go from her job as a book editor due to cut backs and when she overhears her boyfriend saying a snide remark about her, she throws her drink in his face and decides it’s time to leave New York City and go home to the Estrada family farm in Mexico. For four generations the Estrada women have been running the flower farm, using the magic gifted to them from the Aztec goddess Mayahuel to infuse the flowers with magic. Each woman in Harlow’s family has their own brand of magic, except for her, the only one not named for a flower. Back home, she gets left with the responsibility of the farm, meets a man that finally has her feeling alive, and starts to think that she might just have her own brand of magic.
“I want to find the better and truer way,” I whisper.
Told all in Harlow’s first person pov, The Enchanted Hacienda was a story of coming from a loving family but still feeling like an outsider, finding and learning to believe in yourself, and trusting in love. A lot of have compared this to Encanto (Disney movie) but I haven’t seen it, I will say this had some Practical Magic movie vibes. Harlow, coming home and helped by her mother, tía, two sisters, and cousins in the beginning created a warm loving atmosphere but halfway through they leave the immediate picture and Harlow has to work things out on her own, while Ben comes into the picture. A chance meeting at a café has Harlow and Ben sparking off each other and then it’s clear, with their other chance meetings, that the universe and magic are invested in getting these two together.
For once I don’t want to choose safe. It always leads to the same outcome: a belief that good is enough.
While this is mostly Harlow’s story of finding herself, Ben plays a big part of that in the second half and we get more of a romance plot than I was expecting. They were are turns cute and sparking with their shy approaching and flirting. It was clear that Ben liked Harlow but without his point-of-view, the romance was more lopsided with it being more about Harlow. As they grow closer together, the angst comes in the latter second half when Harlow discovers that magic may be playing a conniving part in their relationship and her trust issues has her fearing their feelings might not be completely real. However, as Harlow comes into her magic and self, trust builds and we get a sweet ending HEA.
With a half sigh, half groan, he presses his forehead to mine. “Truth?”
I nod.
“I think I’m in a lot of trouble.”
This wasn’t quite an ensemble story, Harlow is always front and center, but the author brings readers into a world full of characters that they are going to love and want to get their own stories. There will always be the grounding spot, foundation of the Estrada family flower farm with Harlow’s mother and tía and I can see Harlow’s two sisters, Camilla and Lily, her cousins Dahlia and Lantana, and her bestfriend Laini visiting and then starting off the journey to their own books. This was more character driven, the magical realism world was contained to flowers and bouquets infused with magic and spell that played, for the most part, to the side. I liked how through Harlow’s journey to find herself we get the history of how the Estrada family has this magic, giving some world-setting. With the world set and the other women having lived with their magic longer, I can see their books having more magic in them.
It was all magic.
Harlow’s journey to finding and believing in herself, coming into her own magic, and learning to trust in her love with Ben, will sweep you away with its sweet and spark. If you like to make midnight margaritas, then you need to visit the Estrada family farm.
No comments:
Post a Comment