BOOK REVIEW: Some Kind of Magic by Mary Ann Marlowe

What do you do when the gorgeous rock star you're dating might only be with you because of a perfume that's effectively a love potion? Biochemist Eden Sinclair is faced with a difficult predicament in Mary Ann Marlowe's debut novel, Some Kind of Magic.

Single Eden's life is generally going well. She's a scientist. She' has a successful and lovely musician for a brother. An apartment and prospects. The downsides? She's not exactly doing the work she dreamed of, and her mother's constantly on a mission to set her up with unsuitable men. Eden isn't too lucky in love, but that soon changes when her lab colleague hands her a vial of perfume.

Eden doesn't know it, but the perfume is designed to enhance pheromones. And after attending one of Micah's gigs, starts to hit it off with a cute musician.

Little does Eden know, he's none other than Adam Copeland, internationally famous guitarist with millions of worldwide fans. When Eden finally realises that the cute guy she slept with is a rock star, tension rises. Especially when she also finds out that the perfume she's wearing is designed to have a bit of an effect on men...

Is Adam attracted to her because of the perfume, or is it due to a different kind of chemistry?

Admittedly I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped. I'd fallen for the blurb (and its gorgeous cover!), intrigued by the perfume premise which sadly seemed to be overshadowed by the 'good girl falls for the rock star' element of the book. I expected a bit more of a twist as I tend to look for more in novels than just a love story, and this one was, sadly, quite predictable. I also found it very hard to like Eden, who came across as snobby and a bit childish at times, especially with her reluctance to date men based on their occupations (doesn't want to date a dentist or gynecologist because, you know, ew. Even though she's a fully grown woman. And a scientist.) I wasn't sure if I was meant to find this fussiness endearing, but it was just grating.

Even though I love Mary Ann Marlowe's writing style, I just didn't really fall for this book. However, that's probably just due to personal preference. If you're a fan of romance novels, this might be a good read for you; it's light, with some funny moments and some great characters, such as Micah and Adam. I was just expecting a little bit more.

Rating: 2/5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five New Releases for February

New month, new reads! This February sees new releases from Georgie Capron, Jenny Colgan and more...

Just the Two of Us by Georgie Capron
Lucy is the wrong side of thirty and tormented daily by the idyllic family pictures cluttering up her Facebook newsfeed. All of her friends seem to be getting married and having babies, and yet here she is, resolutely single, and no prospect of creating the perfect family she's always dreamt of.

How she longs for it to be her turn.

But finding love is complicated, and as time passes she wonders if there might just be another way to make her dreams come true. Is she brave enough to go it alone, or is the fantasy of 'baby makes three' just too precious to give up on?

Funny, warm, and a story for our time, Just the Two of Us will make you laugh and cry, and remind you never to give up on love.

The Summer Seaside Kitchen by Jenny Colgan
Flora is definitely, absolutely sure that escaping from the quiet Scottish island where she grew up to the noise and hustle of the big city was the right choice. What was there for her on Mure? It's a place where everyone has known her all her life, and no one will let her forget the past. In the city, she can be anonymous, ambitious and indulge herself in her hopeless crush on her gorgeous boss, Joel.

When a new client demands Flora's presence back on Mure, she's suddenly swept back into life with her brothers (all strapping, loud and seemingly incapable of basic housework) and her father. As Flora indulges her new-found love of cooking and breathes life into the dusty little pink-fronted shop on the harbour, she's also going to have to come to terms with past mistakes - and work out exactly where her future lies...

You Drive Me Crazy by Anna Premoli
What girl doesn’t dream of an amazing promotion working on the other side of the world?
This once in a lifetime opportunity is presented to 28 year old investment banker, Maddison Johnson and instantly fills her with abject fear.

It isn't the New York transfer she had set her heart on... she's going to South Korea, instead.
To make things worse, her boss Mark Kim doesn’t go out of his way to make it easy for her to adapt to her new environment.

Plunged into a world she knows nothing about with a man she can't stand, Maddison finds herself forced to adapt and grow up quickly. Maybe in the process she will stumble over something wonderful and quite unexpected...

Sugar by Kimberly Stuart
After realizing her coworkers at L’Ombre, a high-profile restaurant in NYC, will never appreciate or respect her, Charlie Garrett allows her ex-boyfriend, Avery Michaels, to convince her to work for him as executive pastry chef at his new Seattle hotspot, Thrill. She’ll have her own kitchen, her own staff—everything she ever wanted professionally.

When she arrives at Thrill, however, she realizes that Avery wanted more than a pastry chef for his restaurant—he wanted a costar for the reality show they’re filming about the restaurant and its staff. Charlie is uncomfortable with the idea at first, but she soon realizes that this is her chance to show the world what women in the kitchen are capable of. She sets some ground rules with the film crew, signs a non-disclosure agreement, and promptly meets the man of her dreams, Kai, off-camera.

The show, and her demanding work schedule as head of the pastry kitchen, makes it nearly impossible for Charlie and Kai to spend time together. Drama on and off the set soon take a toll on Charlie’s well-being, forcing her to choose if life in front of the camera is worth sacrificing life behind the scenes.

Sugar is a contemporary romance, set in the high-pressure commercial kitchens of New York and Seattle. A funny and clever story of how a female chef learns to thrive in the ruthless world of premier restaurants.

The Secret to Falling in Love by Victoria Cooke
Status Update: I’m going offline for a while… Wish me luck! xx

Lifestyle journalist and thirty-something singleton Melissa hashtags, insta's and snapchats her supposedly fabulous life on every social media platform there is.

That is until she wakes up on her birthday, another year older and still alone, wondering if for all her internet dates, love really can be found online? The challenge: go technology free for a whole month!

Forced to confront the reality of her life without its perfect filters, Melissa knows she needs to make some changes. But when she bumps into not one, but two gorgeous men, without the use of an app, she believes there could be hope for love offline.

If only there was a way to choose the right guy for her…

INDUSTRY NEWS: Awards shortlists announced for Festival of Romantic Fiction

Shortlists were released today for the Romance Reader Awards, New Talent Award, and Romance Industry Awards. The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony at the Festival of Romantic Fiction on Saturday, 13th September.

Awards organiser Sarah Taylor said: "With the highest number of entries the awards have had in their four year history, the standard this year was exceptionally high with many highly rated novels not making the shortlists. The breath and depth of quality writing in romantic fiction should be celebrated and that's what these awards are all about."

Congratulations and good luck to all those who made it to the final lists! And now, on with the shortlists...

Best Romantic Read
Two Weddings and a Baby by Scarlett Bailey (Ebury)
The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman (Ebury)
The Cornish Stranger by Liz Fenwick (Orion)
After The Honeymoon by Janey Fraser (Arrow)
The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell (Headline Review)
One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin (Carina)
The Wedding Proposal by Sue Moorcroft (Choc Lit)
The Proposal by Tasmina Perry (Headline Review)
One Step Closer to You by Alice Peterson (Quercus)

Best Historical Read 
The Downstairs Maid by Rosie Clarke (Ebury)
Monsoon Mists by Christina Courtenay (Choc Lit)
The Maid of Milan by Beverley Eikili (Choc Lit)
The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans (Quercus)
Crosscurrents by Jane Jackson (Accent Press)
Home For Christmas by Lizzie Lane (Ebury)
A Rose in Flanders Fields by Terri Nixon (Carina)
Queen of Bedlam by Laura Purcell (Myrmidon)

Best Short Romance
Don't Tell Penny by Anna Bell (Quercus)
Taming Her Italian Boss by Fiona Harper (Mills and Boon Cherish)
A Western Heart by Liz Harris (Choc Lit Lite)
Just You by Jane Lark (Harper Impulse)
The Right Side of Mr Wrong by Jane Linfoot (Harper Impulse)
Grand Designs by Linda Mitchelmore (Choc Lit Lite)
The Bookshop on the Corner by Rebecca Raisin (Carina)

Best E-Book
The Second Time I Saw You by Pippa Croft (Penguin)
The Wedding Cake Tree by Melanie Hudson (Choc Lit)
Summer at Castle Stone by Lynn-Marie Hulsmann (Harper Impulse)
Dear Lizzie by Annie Lyons (Carina)
The Guestbook by Holly Martin (Carina)
Room For Love by Sophie Pembroke (Carina)
The Oyster Catcher by Jo Thomas (Headline)
Doubting Abbey by Samantha Tonge (Carina)

Best Author Published
Mary Bennet by Kate Allan
Sweet Occasions by Linn B Halton
Drumbeats by Julia Ibbotson
Fairlights by Jan Jones
Christmas Yves by Nicola May
A Change of Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

New Talent Award Shortlist
An Infamous Seduction by Glenda Cooper
Country Strife by Debbie Fuller-White
Fancy Cakes and Skinny Lattes by Melanie Griffiths
For One Last Time by Louise Hall
The Gossamer Trail by Brenda Hawkey
Who Does He Think He Is? by Emily Kerr
Hats Off To Love by Susan Jones
Meeting Halfway by Mairibeth MacMillan
The Perfect Blend by Catherine Meadows
True Colours by Caroline Rayner
Maggie's Child by Glynis Smy

Industry Awards Shortlists

Innovation in Romantic Fiction - Publisher
Accent Amour – new commercial imprint from independent publisher Accent Press investing in backlists as well as new authors
Carina UK – celebrating it's first birthday in 2014, Carina digitally publishes over 75 authors from around the world and has been exceptionally successful in the ebook charts
Mills and Boon – launching a brand new reader-centred website including an interactive story world The Chatsfield that blends fiction and reality
Simon and Schuster – continuing development of their Books in the City website, a popular hub for readers to connect with authors

Innovation in Romantic Fiction – Author
Jenny Barden – for championing the whole genre with innovation in events for the Historical Novels Society and Romantic Novelists Association
Rowan Coleman - after writing Dearest Rose, Rowan was inspired to raise money for women suffering from domestic abuse by writing Woman Walks into a Bar and donating the royalties to Refuge
Nadine Dorries – for shining light on the romantic saga by topping the bestseller charts with her debut novel The Four Streets
Belinda Jones – for connecting with readers with an engaging theme across her website and social media including the Belinda Jones Travel Club on Facebook and Va-va-vacation.com website
Holly Martin - for her debut novel The Guestbook which uniquely tells the story through guest comments left in a leather-bound guestbook

Romance Blogger of the Year
ChickLitClub.com – an excellent example of a group of readers working together to share book news and reviews
Reviewedthebook.co.uk – passion shines through from blogger Sophie Hedley who has been nominated for her dedication and professionalism
Onemorepage.co.uk – blogger Amanda is described as an indefatigable advocate for books and their authors she champions