Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper

Riley Denton-Everett always felt like something was missing in her life—and her
numerous odd jobs and short-lived relationships haven’t brought her any closer to finding it. Everything changes when receives a mysterious message: You’re a Denton. You belong on Starfall Point. Once you’re here, I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

When Riley arrives on the Island, she learns her aunt has left her a historic mansion brimming with haunted antiques. Turns out, that’s not the only thing she’s inherited. Riley also hails from a long line of witches whose magic is critical to protecting the living.

Edison Held, the town’s frustratingly hot librarian, is completely unaware of the ghosts in Riley’s ancestral home and is determined to convince her to open it up to the public. Riley starts to wonder if Edison’s knowledge of the Island’s history can help her get a handle on her new powers—but can she trust him with her secrets? And can she trust herself with the simmering attraction brewing between them?

Series: Starfall Point #1 | Publisher: Audible  | Narrator(s): Amanda Ronconi & Teddy Hamilton  | Length: 8 hours 23 minutes  | Genre: Paranormal Romance | Source: | Rating: 3.5

I’m always excited when Molly Harper has a new release, so when I was eager to give this one a go but, sadly, it wasn’t one of my favorites.

Here’s what’s going on. When Riley receives an invitation to visit her aunt (she never knew about) and learn more about her mother and her family history, she jumps at the chance although she wasn’t expecting her aunt to pass before her arrival. Now she’s found herself the heir of a historical mansion that’s filled with haunted items and just discovered that she’s a witch. To make matters more intriguing, the hot guy she got into an argument with on the ferry ride over to the island just so happens to be the person who’s been itching to get inside the mansion and she just so happens to be falling for him.

I’m not going to lie, I had a hard time getting into this one. Normally her paranormal and contemporary romances pull me in so I was surprised I found myself drifting while trying to focus on this one. Oddly enough, I had a hard time getting into Better Homes and Hauntings as well so I’m guessing that I don’t mesh with Molly Harper’s ghostie books as well as her other paranormals.

Riley kind of reminded me of Miranda Puckett (from Driving Mr. Dead, one of my favorites from Molly Harper) so I didn’t feel like she was an entirely new character but rather one that was recycled although I still found myself liking Riley. She’s been through a lot and she’s trying to figure herself out. I found Edison to be childish at times and downright annoying. Yes, he’s been through some things but I just didn’t care for his disposition and I found it hard to believe he was so eager to change his ways.

The romance between Riley and Edison was a bit of a letdown and felt forced. The relationship could have developed a bit more on the page. I feel like I blinked and they went from strangers to an established relationship; it felt too quick even for instalove. I wanted a little bit more.

I really enjoyed how Riley’s aunt set the wheels in motion for Riley to meet and connect with her new friends, and I feel like the friendships were more at the heart of the plot rather than the romance. The house with its haunted items was interesting as well and I found myself paying more attention to the haunted items that were being discovered rather than what was happening between Riley and Edison. The mystery in this was a bit of a letdown and different from her previous books.

What I’ve always loved about Molly Harper’s books is the signature snark and laugh-out-loud humor and, sadly, because both Riley and Edison were dealing with great losses this one had a more somber and emotional tone and I was expecting something more light and fluffy. This one just seemed like it was lacking so much of what I love in Harper’s books.

As always, the narrators (Amanda Ronconi, Teddy Hamilton) were great and brought the characters to life.

Overall, this wasn’t one of my favorites but it was okay. I’m on the fence about finishing the series. On one hand, I want to know how it unfolds but on the other, I don’t know if it will be a priority for me. I think this one left me just wanting more of everything.