I did not realize when I picked this up that there was an entire book prior to this one. But you don't really need the previous book to understand what's happening here. The author gives enough details of the previous book that carries over into this one seamlessly. It gave A Discovery of Witches vibes in both it's storytelling and it's integration into American History involving witchcraft. Though this is not as wordy as A Discovery of Witches.

We pick up with Connie struggling to finish her book, trying to achieve tenure, and keeping her relationship afloat. But when she finds herself pregnant her mother gives her a dire warning. Break up with Sam, or lose the baby, because no woman in the family has had both. Or have they? Connie is in a race against the clock to break this ancient curse and figure out if she really believes in magic and if she can truly have both. Or break her heart in the process.

The deep dive into the past with some of the chapters interwoven with the present was a wonderful addition to the story. It gave you a background to the curse itself and why the curse came about in the first place. Figuring out how to fix the curse was it's own mystery and Connie struggled throughout with the choices she was making. It was a wonderful story overall.