"Starcrossed," by Allie Therin
Paranormal Historical MM Romance
1 Smooch ~ Cozy
2 Smooches ~ Warm
3 Smooches ~ Simmering
4 Smooches ~ Red-Hot
5 Smooches ~ Scalding
Book Blurb
When everything they’ve built is threatened, only their bond remains…
1925 New York
Psychometric Rory Brodigan’s life hasn’t been the same since the day he met Arthur Kenzie. Arthur’s continued quest to contain supernatural relics that pose a threat to the world has captured Rory’s imagination—and his heart. But Arthur’s upper-class upbringing still leaves Rory worried that he’ll never measure up, especially when Arthur’s aristocratic ex arrives in New York.
For Arthur, there’s only Rory. But keeping the man he’s fallen for safe is another matter altogether. When a group of ruthless paranormals throw the city into chaos, the two men’s strained relationship leaves Rory vulnerable to a monster from Arthur’s past.
With dark forces determined to tear them apart, Rory and Arthur will have to draw on every last bit of magic up their sleeves. And in the end, it’s the connection they’ve formed without magic that will be tested like never before.
My Review
In case any of you are living under a rock and never heard of Spellbound—Allie Therin’s first book in the Magic in Manhatten series—I’ll link to my review here so you can see where my head was as I dove into Starcrossed. Basically, brimming with expectation and on the very edge of my readerly seat. And—can confirm—Ms. Therin did not disappoint.
I adore this author’s voice. She has such a delightful way of weaving wit and humor into her prose that leaves the reader unsure of what to expect next—in the best of ways. One minute I’ll be laughing out loud, the next I’m turning green with writerly envy at a clever turn of phrase. But on top of that, she is also a skilled world-builder and created a cast of characters to rival Game of Thrones. Each with their own unique part to play.
Arthur, or “Ace” to his friends, is a well-to-do WWI veteran with a dark past as a POW that haunts him to this very day. But he’s also a cinnamon roll who mother-hens with the best of them. Rory, also known by Arthur (mostly) in private by his real name “Teddie”, is a grouchy paranormal from Hell’s Kitchen with a heart of gold and his own troubled history. Together, they’ve formed a bond that quite literally holds strong and true across any distance, against any barrier, and through the very threads of time.
I’m a huge fan of stumbling across the title of a book hidden amongst the body of words. So, when I hit the moment where Ms. Therin slipped Starcrossed so eloquently onto the page, I immediately flagged the page so I could share it with you.
“You’re not the first man to fall for someone of another class, Arthur. It never works. You can’t keep him any more than Romeo kept Juliet. You and your antiques man are a cliche; a pair of starcrossed fools.”
I would recommend this book to every single MM romance reader out there, but I also believe lovers of paranormal and historical who might not be keen on romance as a major plot point would also fall head over readerly heels for this series. The primary focus doesn’t fall on the romance, although our lead characters’ motivations are highly entwined with the feelings in their heart and there are some mild, fade-to-black, innuendo-not-graphic-based love scenes. But this is one of those unique reads that can truly span genres and has just enough of each to please the avid readers in that area without too much of another to drive them away.
Author Q&A With Allie Therin
If you were a wrestler, what would your entrance theme song be?
Confident, by Demi Lovato. I’m working really hard on building up my confidence!
What kind of car do you drive? Does your car have a name? If so, how did you pick it?
A white coupe that I call Swift Wind. The previous owner wasn’t kind to it but we got it back into shape and I appreciate what a great car it is. I picked the name because I was watching the new She Ra when I got it, and I can be a modern princess commuting downtown on my noble steed. :)
Do you have children? Fur babies? A spousal unit or partner?
My spouse and I have been together since college and we have a seven year-old who absolutely lights up our lives. We have a fish named Betta Fett and we’re about to get our family’s first fur baby (a kitten)!
Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
Great question! Yes, absolutely. But that’s not the books’ fault; the last few years, I’ve had some intense dayjobs that can leave me struggling to concentrate on anything. I try to go for walks with headphones until my head clears. I’m actually struggling with reader’s block right now during the Covid-19 pandemic. I think it’s a pretty stressful time for everyone.
What inspired you to start writing? When did you start writing seriously, with the intent to finish a full-length novel? Have you always wanted to be a writer?
This is where I get uncomfortably honest about one of my demons, self-doubt. I don’t think I ever saw the door of “professional fiction writer” as open to me when I was younger. I’ve always loved being creative, but rarely thought I did anything well enough to share it. In college, I’d walk a mile across campus so I could use the Music School’s private practice rooms instead of the piano in my dorm’s common area. I stuck my canvases in the closet instead of hanging my paintings on the wall, and I had half-written stories on my hard-drive that I’d never shared.
I don’t think anyone has to share their creativity; creating just for yourself is wonderful! But there’s a difference between “this is just for me” and “I’m no good and shouldn’t inflict myself on anyone else.” It’s important to be humble, and to be open to feedback and growth, but cutting yourself down is not humility and it doesn’t help you grow.
After my son was born and started finger painting and playing the piano, I was so proud of him. And I wanted him to be proud of himself, to be excited about what he was creating and to know it brought joy to others. I didn’t want him to ever see himself the way I saw myself and I kind of realized, like, “What kind of example am I setting if I’m just trashing my own efforts?”
I needed a creative escape from my dayjobs and I turned to writing, but with new grace and patience. I’d studied film and television in college, and research is basically my bread and butter, so I poured myself into learning and persisted until I’d taught myself how to write a book. And even now being published, I still struggle. It’s not the rejection or criticism--those aren’t fun but I can push past that. But the ugly self-doubt that says just keep your writing on your hard-drive, don’t share it? Ugh. That has me wanting to pull the blankets over my head and hide. But knowing there are people who have connected with something I wrote--they inspire me to put the armor on and fight that doubt, you know? I mean, I’m gonna create no matter what, but if even one person enjoys something I made, to me it was worth sharing.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out on their writing journey?
Don’t self-reject! When I had just started to share my writing, another author said this to me and it really stuck. It kind of ties into my long answer above, haha.
And I’d share this quote from Henry Van Dyke, which I read at the beginning of my own writing journey and has also stuck with me:
Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very quiet if only those birds sing there that sang best.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar?
A bear. Growing up, we sometimes had black bears in the forest behind our house and I loved seeing them. I feel like you could do anything with a bear at your side.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I love originality in books, especially science fiction and fantasy. There’s something really magical about being swept away by something exciting and new. But I also want to respect and deliver what I would want as a reader: entertainment, a transportive experience, great characters, an uplifting happy ending. Originality and expectations sort of work together for me, using traditional story structures while striving to be fresh and original within that structure, and I think that’s something true for a lot of speculative romance readers and writers.
At the same time, I don’t think it’s bad to be at the opposite ends of that spectrum. If you want to write something that’s bonkers unique, awesome! If you want to write something that gives readers exactly what they crave, that’s great! If you want to be somewhere in the middle, or shift as your career goes on, that’s also fantastic, because there’s room in the world for all kinds of writers.
Do you hide Easter eggs/secrets in your books?
I do! Or at least, I slip in lots of little details that may or may not ever get noticed. There’s a haiku in Spellbound, and Sasha’s superstrength is a nod to another sister in one of my not-yet-published books. Lord Fine got a passing mention in Spellbound because I hoped one day I’d write Book Two, where he actually appears (and I did!). There’s a big nod to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Starcrossed, because I read the Golden Book version to my kid so many times while drafting. Arthur picks up Peanut Chews in Starcrossed, which is both a detail from Philadelphia’s 1920s candy scene and a WWI ration item that ex-soldier Arthur would have eaten. Things like that.
Are you working on anything at the present you’d like to share with your readers?
I’m writing Wonderstruck, the third book in Arthur and Rory’s series. As I write this, we’re still social distancing because of Covid-19 and the world has been difficult lately. Wonderstruck has been a huge comfort to work on and I hope anyone who’s enjoyed Spellbound and Starcrossed will enjoy it too.
Thanks for having me, Evie!
Allie Therin
She/Her
Allie Therin is a writer and avid reader of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. She also is, or has been, a bookseller, an attorney, a Parks & Rec assistant, a boom operator, and a barista for one (embarrassing) day. Allie grew up in a tiny Pacific Northwest town with more bears than people, although the bears sadly would not practice Spanish with her.
Connect with Allie below
So, what are you waiting for? Starcrossed, second in the Magic In Manhatten series from Carina Press, is available for your immediate reading pleasure! Get your copy today!! 📖
