Day: January 6, 2021

Review: In Any Light (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #6.5) by Sam Burns

Well worth reading despite the short length.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 52 pages. Published February 7th 2019

Blurb:

Isla MacKenzie is probably the strongest witch alive who can’t do magic. Her mentor died and left her with not one, but two jobs that would be difficult for any functional witch to fulfill, and she can’t manage so much as a simple cantrip to get started.

Add to that her growing feelings for Cassidy Simon, the town’s vampire bartender, and she feels like she’s on the precipice of something huge . . . she’s just not sure if it’s going to make her stronger, or kill her. 

Likes:

  • Asexual representation.
  • Get to see what Isla’s going through.
  • Isla’s struggles with her power.
  • Sweet and short.
  • Adds a lot to the series as a whole.
  • Showed Sally and Lachlan’s romance as well.
  • Available on Amazon.

Dislikes:

  • We didn’t get to see the beginning of the relationship.
  • Cassidy and Isla don’t spend a ton of time together during the story.

I definitely think this story added a lot more to the series as a whole than the previous short story, Succubus and the City. Unlike with Sebastian, Isla is well-known to the reader and a big part of both the friend group and the people protecting the town. It makes sense that she gets her own short story.

I am a little disappointed that we don’t get to see the beginning of Isla and Cassidy’s relationship. The story takes place when they’ve been together a while, and they’re already comfortable and settled. Honestly, the story isn’t really about their romance at all. It’s more about Isla feeling overwhelmed by her new duties after Madame Cormier’s death.

One of the things I liked so much about the Rowan Harbor series was that it didn’t shy away from having important and kick-ass female characters the way a lot of MM romance books do. Like Devon, Jesse, and Fletcher, Isla has been forced into a position she doesn’t feel ready for. It’s hinted at in the other books, but it was nice to get something from her point of view, even if it was short.

Cassidy is Isla’s rock, and I love their relationship. I also love that Isla is asexual, and that how she feels towards Cassidy is explained. There’s real affection there, proving that their relationship is every bit as real and fulfilling as any of the three other main characters.

It was also nice to see Sally and Lachlan’s romance finally take a step forward. Their romance has been hinted at in the other books, and both Sally and Lachlan have been important side characters. It was a cute addition to the story, as well as propelling Isla’s plot forward.

My one complaint about the book was that Isla and Cassidy didn’t spend much time together. That makes sense given that the story takes place during the day, when Cassidy is at home. I was just hoping for some more romance. Still, it was worth reading, and had plenty of drama and tension. Not to mention, it’s available on Amazon, unlike Succubus and the City, which you could only get by signing up for Sam Burns’ email list.

Check out my rave reviews for the rest of the series Blackbird in the Reeds (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #1), Wolf and the Holly (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #2), Fox and Birch (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #3), Hawk in the Rowan (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #4), Succubus and the City (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #4.5), Stag and the Ash (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #5), Adder and Willow (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #6), Eagle in the Hawthorn (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #7), as well as Sam Burns’s collaboration with W.M. Fawkes on Poisonwood (Poisonwood & Lyric #1).