The League of Gentlewomen Witches

January 15, 2022
A screwball adventure within a paranormal comedy of manners. Charlotte Pettifer, the prophesied leader of the Wicken League of Gentlewomen Witches, stumbles into pirate Alex O'Riley while stealing a briefcase and just manages to escape by flying a bicycle over the roofs of London: Thus begins Holton's second madcap rom-com about magic and mores in an alternate Britain, following The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (2021). The gossamer-thin plot, in which Charlotte and Alex jostle to retrieve a magical amulet that belonged to a legendary witch, is mainly an excuse for clever banter, scenes of flying houses straight out of a Pixar movie, and jokey allusions to Jane Austen's oeuvre. As the two careen around the countryside in Alex's decrepit Irish cottage with his butler, Bixby, in search of the dangerous, wedding-obsessed witch who has stolen the amulet, arguing over who has kidnapped whom, they also tumble into bedroom activities. As they draw closer, Charlotte must accept her free spirit and learn to make friends, while Alex has to come to terms with childhood abuse by his parents and his own fear of intimacy. But the moments of self-reflection and mutual comforting between the two are kept to a minimum. With her arch turns of phrase and clever wordplay, Holton provides plenty of chuckles, evoking the gap between serious style and ridiculous content or vice versa that was the hallmark of the mock epic and Oscar Wilde. There's no actual satire here, however, just a fun-filled romp in a topsy-turvy world of corset-wearing, knife-wielding, magic-casting women and gun-wielding, light-fingered, charming pirates. The end drags on a bit, but the cast of characters continues to amuse. For those who like romance that's light on sex and heavy on hijinks.

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January 24, 2022
A dignified witch is caught in a whirlwind adventure with a knavish pirate in Victorian London in Holton’s cheeky sequel to The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. As the descendent of Wicken League founder Beryl Black, Charlotte Pettifer is destined to be the next leader of the secret society of powerful witches. Though witches and pirates are sworn enemies, roguishly charming Captain Alex O’Riley threatens Charlotte’s composure from their first meeting. Charlotte is eager to forget their undeniable connection, but that task grow complicated when Beryl’s stolen amulet resurfaces, and, in an attempt to recover her ancestor’s artifact, Charlotte stows away on Alex’s flying house to give chase to the thief. In close quarters, neither Charlotte nor Alex can deny their chemistry. But with the Wicken League and the Wisteria Society, leaders of London’s pirate community, eager to stop their budding romance, Charlotte must decide between her birthright and the thrilling life she could have with Alex. The whimsical worldbuilding forms a perfect backdrop to the angsty couple, and Holton’s winking narration, which puts her in cahoots with the reader, makes her exaggerated characters work. Overflowing with heart, humor, and hyperbole, this clever romance enchants. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.

February 15, 2022
Charlotte Pettifer is a prim and proper young witch, mentally channeling Jane Austen's heroines in almost every situation. She has been raised to be the true heir to Beryl Black, founder of the Wicken League, the archenemies of the Wisteria Society. A clever thief, she defies witchy conventions when fleeing from Captain Alex O'Riley, a dashing pirate who is not an easy mark, by taking to the sky on a bicycle, with shades of The Wizard of Oz! When a melee breaks out at a Beryl Black exhibition at the British Museum between proper members of the League and the wild ones in the Wisteria Society, Charlotte and Alex end up kidnapping each other as the race is on to find the amulet that holds the secret to magical powers. Clever word play, delightful double entendres, and adventurous high jinks will delight fans of smart, witchy romances, including the first in Holton's Dangerous Damsels series, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (2021).

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 4, 2022

Set in an approximation of the Victorian era, filled with pirates who stalk the skies in flying houses and witches who can make objects fly across a room with a word, Holton's second "Dangerous Damsels" book finds the protagonists at odds when they both attempt to steal a long-lost, powerful amulet. Miss Charlotte Pettifer and Captain Alex O'Riley are sworn enemies; Charlotte is a witch, and Alex is a pirate. They each seek the powerful Black Beryl amulet and must work together to find it despite their animosity. Larceny, violence, and even assassination attempts are treated as humorous larks. References to other books, both subtle and otherwise, are peppered throughout; Jane Austen's and Shakespeare's works are particular favorites. VERDICT Nearly every sentence is a metaphor or simile, which may frustrate some. Readers who are fans of Gail Carriger's "The Parasol Protectorate" series, or tongue-in-cheek humor more generally, will find great enjoyment in this solid choice.--Mary Frances Cely

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