Garden Spells
Sarah Addison Allen
Bantam, Sep 2007, $20.00
ISBN: 9780553805482
In Bascom, North Carolina, Claire Waverley runs a catering service that is booming because of the uniqueness of the items she bakes from the magical flowers in her garden. She avoids the apples from the legendary tree because Claire knows that anyone who eats one will envision the most significant moment of their life; which can be ugly. Her only relative in town is her eccentric septuagenarian Aunt Evanille as her sister Sydney ran away from home ten years ago. At a party she caters, Claire meets her next door neighbor Professor Tyler Hughes. When he touches her, she becomes upset.
Sydney runs away again with her five years old daughter Bay while her abusive spouse David is away on business. Though estranged, Claire takes the two females in without question. Emma Clark is upset that Sydney is back because she fears her husband Hunter John Matteson still loves his high school sweetheart instead of her. Her mom throws a party catered by Claire so that Hunter John can see Sydney as a lowlife compared to his spouse. Angrily, Claire bakes items to make people feel remorse that they hurt Sydney. She tells Sydney she does not care if she loses business; no one will hurt her family. Sydney obtains a job as a stylist while Bay feels at home here. At the 4th of July gala, Henry Hopkins sees Sydney who he fell in love with when they were best friends, but failed to tell her because he was so shy. As he fumbles with her again, David is coming to punish her.
The four Waverley females make the fantasy elements lighthearted yet real while the support cast provides further insight into the bewitching siblings. Although David has no redeeming qualities, the story line is fun to follow as the magic is interwoven into the romances or overcoming the sibling estrangement.
Harriet Klausner
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