Series: Revolutionary Heart
Volume: 1.5/?Publisher: Janice Jarrell
Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Romance
Length: -
Read in: English
Review copy format: mobi
Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✮
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What do we get when we combine a stubborn cop of Irish origin, who's afraid of love like a devil of holy water and a gentle and full of warmth Title IX consultant who's madly in love with the said police officer? How long and how fiercely one can defend oneself against the feeling that blooms in them? And when one would finally allow the heart to speak, how deep the love between two people perfect for each other could be?
"Magic Spells" is a collection of short short stories that complement and to some extent develop "Love's Magic", the first volume of the "Revolutionary Heart" series. Largely, they contain what was missing in the first part of the series, because they focus on the interaction between Colin and Josh, on their relations and relationship, as well as on the emotions connected with all of it. A great advantage of this short collection is undoubtedly the fact that Janice Jarrell in each of her short stories goes deeply into the thoughts and feelings of her characters. Thus, while reading "Magic Spells" the readers don't look at the two main characters from the perspective of the events taking place here, but look into their souls, get to know them "from the inside", and all of this makes Colin and Josh closer to the audience than ever before. It is also worth adding that the author managed to present it all in such a way that each of the stories speaks directly to our feelings and emotions. This collection is therefore a key – for us to better understanding of the characters and for Colin and Josh to our hearts.
In "Magic Spells" I really liked the fact that the author presented love in a full and extremely extensive way. In her short collection of short stories, she presented not only feelings connected with love, emotions, sexual interest, fascination, but also the need to support and help a beloved person. What is extremely interesting, she also managed to show and perfectly explain the motives that guide a person in love who is doing a housework. Let's be honest, often preparing meals is perceived as an unpleasant duty devoid of any significance, and its only purpose is to meet the needs of the human body and nothing more. However, Janice Jarrell shows her readers that even something as basic as preparing a meal can be a proof of love. I admit that she enchanted me with this affectionate combination of the routine of everyday life with pure, sincere love.
Since our characters are healthy, adult, homosexual men, physical love plays an important role in their lives and I would like to write a few words about it. However, I am not going to dwell on how detailed or hot the descriptions of intimate scenes between Josh and Colin are, although I admit that the author has really managed to fully show the passion and sexual tension between them. What I consider to be the most important in this case are the feelings that accompany the lovemaking. In one of the final stories Colin speaks about it, but the reader feels it with their whole body much earlier. Let's be honest, writing the sex scene is easy. Writing a good sex scene is much harder. But the truth is that something so mundane does not apply to Janice Jarrell, who in "Magic Spells" showed her true brilliance. I'm not sure if I can fully explain to you what she managed to do, but I will try and I hope that you will understand what I mean. Regardless of your beliefs, let us assume that a man really consists of a body and a soul. Most writers describe sexual intercourse focusing mainly on this first element, especially on the erogenous zones. Janice Jarrell is definitely far from it, as she fully engages both a body and a soul while presenting a sexual activity of two people who are in love with each other. Her characters really experience every intimate moment with each cell of their bodies, which goes with strong emotions, feelings, love. It is almost a spiritual experience for them. Importantly, the author shows it in such a clear and perfect manner that reading "Magic Spells" the reader really feels it, as if they were in the middle of some electrical discharges that lift every hair on their body.
Finally, I would like to add that in "Magic Spells" a typical human factor was somewhat connected with the abstraction which is love, which I consider very interesting and noteworthy. On the one hand, we see feelings and emotions related purely to love, on the other, there are some small human vices and problems that to some extent affect the other person and their feelings. In the case of Josh, we see it primarily in a short story entitled "The Test", where the said interaction between the human element and love is shown by emphasizing his insecurity and moments of doubt which are rooted in his past. Regarding Colin, the author presented the human factor in the story "Three-Way", where it manifests itself in his reckless words. I think that this is extremely important because it shows that a man is not perfect, so love goes with the acceptance of the other person and the need and willingness to change oneself.
In summary, "Magic Spells" is a small collection of short stories which is overflowing with content and meaning. This is a wonderful complement to "Love's Magic" and a book that you really need to read. In this short collection, feelings and emotions of our two favorite characters fill each page. Believe me, if you want to find out what love really is, reach for this little piece of art!
Headcanon: Colin sometimes tells Josh some bedtime stories, which are always based on the story of their life together.
Fanfiction idea: Colin and Nate talk about cooking and a show they watched on TV about how long a partner can hide the fact that they have enough of eating the same food prepared by their lover every day. The boys bet about how long their significant others could bear eating the same dishes every single day.
AU idea: Colin is a law officer, who is send by his superiors to take part in a "pirates hunt" in the guise of a rich lord. His ship is attacked by pirates commanded by Josh.
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