Review – Fate Actually (Moonstone Cove, Book 2) by Elizabeth Hunter (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Length: 285 pages
Publisher: Recurve Press LLC
Release Date: December 15, 2020
ASIN : B08LMCGDT6
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Moonstone Cove series
Source: Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 5/5 stars
“Toni Dusi grew up knowing everyone’s business and everyone knowing hers, because in Moonstone Cove, you can’t pass a restaurant, farm, or winery that doesn’t have at least one Dusi involved. Despite that, Toni has managed to carve out a private niche for herself. She has a car shop she loves, a country cottage all to herself, and has carefully avoided any long-term romantic commitments.
Then fate handed Toni a shot of supernatural empathy that threw all that out the window of her prized vintage Ford.
Now she’s feeling the mood swings of everyone from her parts guy to her reluctant crush to her second cousin going through a messy divorce. She’s losing her temper; she’s crying a river; and she’s definitely giving in to temptation.
For a woman who prides herself on always being prepared, Toni has no idea how to handle a supernatural storm of emotion.
Which is not to say empathy doesn’t have its advantages. When the body of a long-time family rival turns up on a back acre of her cousin’s winery, Toni realizes that her inconvenient feelings magic has turned her into one heck of a lie detector. Along with her new friends, Katherine and Megan, she might be the only one who can clear her cousin’s name.
When fate throws a final curveball in Toni’s direction, will she drop everything with disastrous consequences? Or can a forty-one-year-old empath learn enough new tricks to keep the life she’s built without sacrificing her happiness?”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Moonstone Cove series. I borrowed a copy of this book through Kindle Unlimited to read.
Story (4/5): This story features the same trio of women that was in the last book, but focuses on Toni this time. The story involves a murder of a winery owner who competes with Toni’s family’s winery in the region. As more people start getting hurt, Tony and crew have to unravel the mystery of what is going on before people start blaming her family for the tragedies. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book in the series but it was still a fun fast-paced read with a good mystery, some neat psychic abilities woven in, and a bit of a love story as well.
Characters (4/5): I enjoyed Toni but she is the hardest character of this trio for me to relate to. I thought her love interest, Henry, was really well done. I also enjoyed Toni’s huge family and all the dynamics there. I continue to enjoy the theme of friendship throughout these books as well.
Setting (4/5): I continue to really enjoy the Moonstone Cove setting. It’s a wonderful small college town. This book features more on the vineyards outside of the town and discusses a “big city” vision to make Moonstone Cove more of a wealthy person’s getaway. There are some great town dynamics here and I am in love with this small town.
Writing Style (4/5): I really enjoy Hunter’s writing style. This was a fun, easy to read book that I had a lot of trouble putting down. I enjoyed the mystery, the setting, and the characters. I continue to really enjoy Hunter’s books and she’s quickly becoming a go-to author for me. I look forward to the next Moonstone Cove book and plan on reading other series from her as well.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun and quick read. Everything is very well balanced here; great mystery, psychic powers, endearing characters, and a wonderful location. I would recommend this series to those who enjoy paranormal mysteries with some romance. This does focus on older women (in their 40’s) and there is more focus on families and friendships than in a lot of other paranormal series. I really enjoy the change of pace from your typical UF/paranormal book and definitely plan on reading more of Hunter’s books in the future.
