There’s nothing like a sweet, humor-filled fantasy with just a touch of romance, and Auralee Wallace’s “The Late Night Witches” is the perfect fall novel. The main character is Cassie Beckett, and she lives on Prince Edward Island with her three children. Her husband is away with Doctors Without Borders, and it doesn’t look like he’s coming home any time soon. Her somewhat flighty sister Eliza also lives in town.
Cassie’s mother died when she was young and Eliza was a baby, and when their aunt Dorcas refused to raise them, they went to foster care. It was there that Eliza showed some scary abilities. But what Cassie did not know until the start of the novel is that her mother was a witch, and she and Eliza come from a long line of witches.
When October 1st arrives, things begin to get weird on PEI (Prince Edward Island). A neighbor who jogs at night goes missing. Cryptically, Cassie’s coworker tells her she needs to talk to her Aunt Dorcas. When Cassie says they don’t talk, Patty says that it might be a good time to start. Her finicky neighbor echoes that advice. When Eliza’s boyfriend becomes an almost-vampire, though, Cassie realizes that something frightening is going on, and she needs help.
Dorcas is a fabulous character. She’s petite, in great shape, and very excitable. She lives in a charming old house by the sea with many, many cats. And she’s a witch. Slowly, over the course of the story, we learn the truth about why she refused to care for Cassie and Eliza. We also learn that on October 31st, Cassie will have to face a powerful vampire and vanquish him, or everything and everyone she loves will suffer the consequences.
For Cassie, a stay-at-home mom who has always felt less-than, this is something that seems impossible. But with her once-estranged aunt, her intrepid sister, and a handsome new neighbor, she might be stronger than she thought. While Cassie seems pretty helpless at the start of the story, Wallace provides some real character growth for Cassie over the course of the novel.
This delightful story is about believing in yourself, allowing others to help you, and staying strong. It’s filled with clever writing and lots of humor. It’s also a light holiday read that is perfect for fantasy lovers. There’s also an opening for a sequel. I’m looking forward to it!
This review is based on the final paperback book provided by Ace, the publisher, for review purposes.