The instalove is surprisingly strong in this one, but I'm not mad about it. I also LOVE that Malory is the pursuer in this book. That she announces her love, and then doesn't let up until Flynn gives in. I know this book was written like 20 whole years ago, but damn that's such a fresh twist on an age-old love story. There's just something about a woman telling a man, "I'm gonna marry you, just you wait and see" that makes me grin. 

The plot of the story is really intriguing, too. Roberts always manages to incorporate the most fascinating mysticism into her works and I was living for it in this book. 

I was happy to see that the 3 women in this book were in their predicament together from the get-go, even though their journeys are all going to sort of happen individually. I also love how involved the boys get--so it's not just the 1st couple in this book, but all 6 people kind of working together. 

And, yes. I could sit here and pick the logistics of the story apart. I could nitpick and point out things that don't make sense or loopholes that aren't closed. Why are the girls only given 1 month a piece to find their key? Why do they have to search 1 by 1 instead of all at once? etc. I could say that there's not a ton of reason behind a lot of the major events in this book--and in other stories, these things would drive me absolutely bananas. 

But Roberts has a way of sucking me into the magic and whimsy of the moment to the point that I just roll with it. I have probably said this about her writing before. And I can't really explain what it is about these stories that makes me forgive things I'd normally rage over. 

But y'all. I was charmed by this book. I'm invested in this story. 

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm sort of a mood-rater. I'm not going to sit here and say that this book is perfect. I know there's issues--but Roberts has made me not <i>care</i>. I love the story, I love the characters. This is an easy 4 stars for me. 

Really enjoyed the first book of this series. It hooked me immediately, not sure why I’ve never read this series before but it’s becoming one of my favorites