Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Impossibly Fond
AUTHOR: Tanya Chris
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 163 Pages
RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2020
BLURB:
When a hostile leprechaun forces an inept wizard to flub the spell he’s casting on a mini-giant, the result can only be… fondness? Waltham has accidentally spelled Ian into liking him, and now his hostage/windfall, aka Mindy, insists he fix it before she’ll turn over the pot of gold she rightfully owes him.
Waltham’s figure is as stringy as his hair, and his words are as sharp as his nose. He’s a selfish, greedy fledgling wizard with a ratty hat and a worse attitude. There’s no way someone as handsome and kindhearted as Ian would like him without magic in play. But as the three reluctant companions set out on a quest to assemble the ingredients for an anti-spell, a different kind of magic happens. Ian’s unflagging belief that Waltham is worthy of love makes Waltham begin to wish it were true.
There are grasshopper gonads to be collected, moonbeam crystals to be harvested, kitten tears to be wrung, and somewhere, at the end of the rainbow, a pot of gold to be won. But if Waltham can overcome his upbringing and mend his ways, then maybe—once the spell has been lifted—something real will remain.
REVIEW:
I didn’t know what to think of this book at first. When I started, I thought it was a watered-down version of Tales From Verania by T J Klune but it wasn’t that at all. The surprises kept coming as I continued reading.
What I thought was just an amusing, light read, deepened with every chapter. Sure there is humour and a lot of playfulness but there is a deeper story about the transformative nature of love.
The book is light and funny with an unlikely cast of characters. A mean and selfish wizard, who isn’t as good as he thinks he is and believes that a pot of gold will solve all his problems and make him successful in wizarding and life. A very strange leprechaun with fairy wings and a tutu, who is also mean and unpleasant. A lonely galoot with a castle, some chickens and an ornery cow. As the direct result of a spell gone wrong, they embark on a journey together that takes them in unexpected directions.
Many of the events that occur are unsurprising, or even expected, there is a freshness about it that makes the way in which they occur that turn the reaction into an Aah, rather than an Ah-ha.
The story meanders to a conclusion with stops along the way at a library and a tavern, both of which they are thrown out of, and to collect a kitten who immediately wraps Waltham around her cute little paw.
Waltham’s journey is a steep one as Ian slowly but surely turns him into a better man, and the conclusion was as satisfying as it was emotional. Yes, okay I shed a few tears, but it must have been the onions.
Overall, this is a surprisingly deep and emotional tale, whilst at the same time maintaining a funny, quirky nature. It is well written and sweeps the reader along with a real sense of direction. Although only one of the characters is human…basically, they all have a sense of solidity and realness that makes the book a satisfying read. It’s not game-changing but it is very much worth spending time on.
RATING: 
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