“Those damned note. It was absurd how a few lines on paper could affect his mood. Brighten it.”
Have you ever been on a long trip, and after you come home, you let that long breath out and feel relief? That is the feeling that Elemental Affections evoke in me. This book just feels like coming home… well, and having a little fun 😉🥵
Meet Anadae Helm, our main protagonist gifted with water magic. Anadae lives in the Capital District of Graelynd with her soon-to-be ex-fiancé. She decided it was time to take her life back from her family business, so she sacrificed everything when she agreed to marry Brint Avenor so their companies could merge. But after years of unhappiness, Anadea, like many women in their thirties, found it was time to focus on herself and go to a magical school in Sylveren, an enchanted valley. It will cause some issues with her family, but in school, she is meeting with her old school crush, Prince Ezzryn Sor’vahl, and a magical awakening in many meanings begins 😅
Review
Overall Review: 4,5/5 ⚗️
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Welcome to the valley, where you can feel magic in the air. The cozy vibes are so strong that you will feel like you have a soft cardigan and warm tea in hand, looking out from the window at the lake and tree growing from the greenhouse. This book was enchanted not only because it was about a woman who attends a magical school but also because, for many millennials like me, it will hit right into the feelings. Anadea is going through her journey of learning to stand up for herself and is looking for what she wants to do with her life, which many of us are doing right now. That is such a fantastic concept for a book, and the author’s decision to put this journey into a fantasy romance book was enough to have me enter.
The vibes are vibing. Anadea and Ezzryn have fantastic chemistry. Their banter is on the spot and not overpowering, cozy vibes. I am not much for the second chance trope, but it was done so gently here that it felt natural.
Anadea is a strong female heroin, and I am so happy that she is 30 years old. I can relate to her struggle. I cannot say more without spoiling story so just take my word as women in her 30 that has controlling family I felt seen.
Ezzyn is blond, and I am in dark hair MMC club, but even with this disadvantage in my corner, he was fantastic. I liked that he is not perfect and has a lot of flaws, but he is still lovable without being walking red flag.
The spice in the book was good and not too overwhelming, so I think even people who don’t like spicey scenes will endure it. If you are looking for a smutty book, I don’t think this one will satisfy you. The spice is really mild but still pretty well written.
I also like that romance, even when it is central to the story, does not overpower other elements like family relationships, Anadea’s own place in the world, and the fantasy plot of the book.
Also, the book’s side characters are well-written, and I cannot wait to see where their stories go, especially for Eunny, who I love.
I don’t need to say that world-building was on the spot. You could feel falling rain in the valley on your face and the wind in your hair. I was a little lost around kingdoms and cities, but that is always the case with me and high fantasy. I cannot, for the love of my life, remember places and names of kingdoms. I am the one who looks at maps at the beginning of books, and I can tell this one has it!