Book Review: The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair

Title: The Kitchen Witch
Author: Annette Blair
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: Oct 5, 2004
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: The cover is really cute.  I don't normally shop for romance, but I think this one would stand out from the more common shirtless men and heaving bosoms. 

The Gist: Desperate for a babysitter, Single-Dad Logan Kilgarven knocks on the star spangled door of his neighbor, Melody Seabright.  Despite his qualms about her witchiness, he introduces her to his son, Shane - who falls in love immediately.  When she bewitches her way into a job hosting a cooking show at the station where Logan works, they are thrown into close quarters, constant contact and an undeniable lust. 

Review: I don't normally read romance but I sometimes make exceptions for those featuring magical elements.  Due to that, I was a little disappointed in The Kitchen Witch.  While Melody had some serious sex appeal, there was nothing really witchy about her.  Even being set in Salem, there were very few magical elements. Mel did manage to weave a spell around EVERY man she encountered.  And I mean Every, Single, One.  She and Logan had some serious sex appeal but each convinced themselves that they weren't right for each other in a very been-there, seen-that, predictable sort of way.  There were some serious hot and steamy scenes (always interrupted in the typical "let's delay the inevitable" romantic fashion) and when they finally did get down to business it seemed like they would never stop talking! The suspense was killing me!

Despite these issues, I really did enjoy The Kitchen Witch as a quick, fun and fluffy read.  Just prior to starting this book (and while reading it) I was having some personal issues with a friend and neighbor.  This book was exactly what I needed to get out of my own head and stop obsessing, even if just for a little while.  Mel is a fun and quirky character and Shane is one of the cutest kids I have ever read about.  At the beginning of the novel, I found myself laughing out loud at Mel's cooking disasters and Shane's hilarious reactions.

The plot did feel a little disjointed.  Tiffany, Mel's rival for Logan's affections, was a great villain and I enjoyed reading about her manipulation of both Logan and her father.  However, she was not a major player for a large percentage of the novel and the issues that she caused seemed to be solved a little too early on for a real sense of drama.  After this point, I was left reading page after page while waiting for Mel and Logan to come to their senses and get out of their own way.

As I said, I don't normally read Romance novels and some of the issues that I had might not bother someone who regularly reads the genre.  Overall, The Kitchen Witch was a fun book with quirky characters and a great read for relaxing and forgetting your troubles.

This is NOT a YA novel.  It is not recommended for teens.