Book: Smoke, Mirrors, & Misdemeanours by Enola M. Douglas
Reviewed by Isalyne
Rating: 4/5
<i>Thank you Enola for gifting me this ARC: all opinions are my own</i>
I expected a cute and cozy magical romance. It was so much more profound!
Cassia is trying to save her orphanage for rejected kids and enters a deal with a stranger. Ark, a broody high society prince, offers to help to get his mother off his back. Seeing them getting to know each other and understanding their struggles was so interesting.
We explore themes of grief, people seen as less than in an unfair society, loneliness, evil manipulative people... Ark and Cassia are both deep and hurt characters desperately looking for people to see and accept them. I appreciated the supportive friends who were so important the MCs evolution.
All of this is written in a magical world populated with different creatures. The cozy bakery vibe was so comforting. I loved the part where Ark worked: it made me think of Ghost Busters 👻
I'm happily waiting for book 2, which I hope would be about Opalina.