Sweatpants and Spells (Midlife Magic in Marshmellow #1) by Keira Blackwood #PWF @TantorAudio

I knew hot flashes were supposed to be hot, but I didn’t expect flames.

One day I’m in anger management, normalizing the cordial hate between me and my husband.
The next, we’re divorced and he has taken both our house and the business we built together. I’m forty years old and living above our empty restaurant, plotting my next move.

And then the world around starts lighting up—literally catching on fire. I’m starting to think my defining characteristic may not be my snark or my cupcake-baking prowess, but spontaneous combustion.

I’m done suppressing my anger. I’m done playing by other people’s rules. Ready to take the reins on my destiny, I’m making the choices I used to be too afraid to make. Like my favorite cast iron skillet, women get better with age. And at forty, I know exactly who I am and what I want.

I’ll embrace the fire and the fury. This is my life, and I’m in control.

I received this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book or influence the content of my review.

Listened To: 31^st July – 14^th August 2021

What did I think about it?

A Good Fun Story About The Ups and Downs Of Change.

Keira Blackwood is a new-to-me author and I liked that the protagonist was a woman in her forties like me. I love that so many older female protagonists are popping up in the paranormal and urban fantasy genres. However, it took me quite a while to get into this story. Keira’s plotline confused me at times. A few parts felt forced, necessarily convoluted and jarred for me especially in the first half of the audiobook. I found myself going back over chapters at times to check if I missed something. Sweatpants and Spells definitely flowed easier after the halfway point and I found myself enjoying it more and getting more involved with the story.

The characters Keira created were certainly fiery. 

Our protagonist, Remedy (aka Remi) is a woman who refuses to take any more BS. With a short fuse and an ex-husband she so obviously hated, sadly I struggled to connect or even like Remi at times. She was so often unsympathetic to those around her and I felt her frequent retorts were mean rather than funny. Remi’s friendship with best friend Jen was wonderful; we all need girlfriends we can trust and share the ups and downs of life with. It was the highlight of the story for me. Julian was a great character too and I enjoyed how his secrets were slowly revealed; he’s a very interesting man. Cantankerous old women can be hilarious as supporting characters, however, I never really understood the depth of Molly’s anger towards Remi. Molly’s pets, on the other hand, were amazing and I applaud Keira’s imagination!

Traci Odom is also a new-to-me narrator.

I really enjoyed the pace at which she read this story. The emotions and inflexions Traci used for the different scenes felt natural and brought them to life. I know how hard it is for narrators to create voices for the opposite sex. However, Traci’s performance caught me up and whisked me into the story so much so that I didn’t notice any jarring.

Sweatpants and Spells is a good audiobook, and in the end, I enjoyed the story.

Has my review of Sweatpants and Spells encouraged you to find out more? I hope so. Click on any of my links to check it out yourself.

Keep reading to find out more about Keira Blackwood, but first I want to share some information about the series.

Midlife Magic in Marshmellow by Keira Blackwood

Supernatural fun with a group of women over forty exploring relationships, love, big changes, and all that life has to offer. Adventure isn’t just for twenty-somethings!

• Sweatpants and Spells (Midlife Magic in Marshmellow #1) (2020)
• Scrapbooking the Supernatural (Midlife Magic in Marshmellow #2) (2021)
• Wrinkles and Runes (Midlife Magic in Marshmellow #3) (2021)
• Hijinks and Hot Flashes (Midlife Magic in Marshmellow #4) (expected 2022)

The stories in this series are available to buy in eBook, audiobook or paperback.

Amazon* ¦ Audible*

Or, read for free using your Kindle Unlimited subscription! 💜 🥳 💜

Now, finally, as promised, here’s Keira’s bio and social media links.

About Keira Blackwood

Keira Blackwood.

Sassy. Snarky. Supernaturally Sparkly.

Keyboard ninja, late-blooming bibliophile, proud geek, animal lover, eternal optimist, visual artist.

USA Today Bestselling Author Keira Blackwood writes exciting paranormal romance and romantic urban fantasy with all the snort laughs and all the feels.

For news, exclusives, and your free book, sign-up for Keira's newsletter:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

And because this is a review about an audiobook, here’s the narrator’s bio.

About Traci Odom

Traci Odom. I am an actor and voice artist. I love doing commercials, voice-over and audiobooks.

As a commercial actor, I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to work and collaborate with some amazing directors, producers, agencies and clients, as well as the hardworking crews all around the world.

As a voice artist, the majority of my time is spent narrating and producing amazing audiobooks from some of the most creative authors on the market today. I love giving voice to the sexy, strong, vibrant characters that my authors have given life to and look forward to continuing to work with them.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to read my thoughts about Sweatpants and Spells. Have you read this one or any others by Keira Blackwood? Are there any narrations by Traci Odom on your shelf? Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

Before you go, find out why I love stories with an older female protagonist. Check out my Paranormal Women’s Fiction (PWF) page!

Bye for now,

Flora x