SUMMONED

Witchcraft and an enigmatic magical artifact connect 21st-century lovers in Thurman’s fantasy novel.

Hadley Weston feels an instant, inexplicable bond meeting Fitz MacGregor in 2021. They fall in love in Washington state before Hadley’s new job in Boston separates them. Nearly two years after their first encounter, they plan to reunite—though secretly, as Fitz insists when he messages Hadley. He suggests they rendezvous in Paris; she applies for PR jobs in Edinburgh in Fitz’s home country of Scotland. Fitz, it turns out, has a lot of secrets, starting with the fact that, unbeknownst to Hadley, they’re both witches. This certainly explains Hadley’s apparent ability to read minds. But Fitz is otherwise deliberately vague; their union breaks laws enforced by a “witchkind government” whose officials have been keeping tabs on the couple. Hadley develops her innate magic abilities, such as manipulating fire, and works with Fitz to unravel a 17th- century mystery involving his ancestor and a lost ring. Danger looms, though, as someone is watching and possibly stalking the lovers. Thurman enriches this opening fantasy series installment with an appealing and resilient hero: Hadley comes with a complicated background and takes bold risks. While her romance with Fitz is endearing, their time together (mostly spent in Scotland) often feels static; Fitz withholds myriad details from Hadley, and neither seem too worried about potential threats, despite feelings of being watched. The motley, witch-heavy cast includes the warmhearted MacGregor family and glimpses of Fitz's grandmother, Esther, in the 1600s—the characters sport a bevy of such entertaining magical powers as cryokinesis and time/space-traveling “mental transport.” The final act adds a few curious plot twists, including a “rogue” witch and a prophecy; the ending is more invested in setting up the sequel than in providing a resolution.

This enjoyable tale lays the groundwork for a magic-infused saga with potential.