And here we are, for real this time, the fifth and final installation of this witchy romance series. It's been a wonderful, lovely, spicy little journey. And I'm sad it's over, but I have to say, this closed it out well for me. Also, that cover is GORgeous.

Our last time in Thistle Grove focuses on Dasha (an Avramov-Harlow daughter, though heavily leaning the former in affinity) and Ivy (a clear and classic Thorn). They've had a rocky history, with some of Dasha's personal challenges getting in the way of the more lasting connection that they both want. Dasha's ability - she's a devil eater - means she crosses the veil quite a bit while banishing demons. And despite what one might think, it feels good to be there; after both her parents' deaths, Dasha struggled to find reasons to stay in the real world. She made it through that, barely, and her ability and will are about to be put to the test because the biggest celebration in Thistle Grove, one that comes only every 20 years, is invaded by the shade of a dark, chaotic god...and Dasha may be the only one who can save the town. Oh, and her connection with Ivy might be the only thing that is strong enough to help her survive thit, so thank goodness their time spent together planning the festival has rekindled some of the sparks between them.  

 Ok if I'm being honest, this romance wasn't necessarily my favorite of the bunch. It was solid, and Dasha and Ivy seem like they are a good fit for each other, but the fact of their on-again/off-again past means that some of the on-page development of their relationship felt lacking. It was easy for Harper to fall into "they fit together so well" and "they knew each other already," with only a few new confessions/vulnerabilities, so it did feel a bit shallower than it otherwise might have. However, that meant the spicy scenes were very smooth, no awkward newness, which is sometimes nice. I enjoyed it here. And to be transparent, the connection between Dasha and Ivy was clear, and solid. So there wasn't anything wrong with the romantic aspects here, they just felt less robust/more background to the plot, than in some of the previous books. 

Speaking of the plot...it was eventful! There was possession and visitations from gods (beneficent and otherwise) and mysteries and festival events and all the classic Thistle Grove magics. And it culminated with a really well written coming together of all those magics, a cooperation and communication that was a (literally and figuratively) enchanting way to leave these families, who had been quite a bit more antagonistic towards each other when we first met them. The way this story really centered on the clashing of primordial godlike forces - creation and destruction - fit right, as a finale. It explained some of the mysteries about town, and sources of magic there, that hadn't been covered yet. And it increased the drama to an extreme that made for both an entertaining big finish and a satisfying place to stop (there's really nowhere to grow the story from here, tbh). I also enjoyed, as a thematic element, the look at oppositional gods/forces created to be pulled toward each other, but never able to actually meet the needs of the other. It’s a fascinating and humanizing look at a divine mythology that’s captivated the entire world since its birth and, conceptually, I found it really interesting. All that power and no capacity to change, it’s surprisingly static/flat while humanity gets all the dimensionality. What a reframe. 

And because those plot elements were so larger-than-life, it was nice that the romance was a bit...smaller. It provided some space for the small things to shine, and I loved that. There was a sweet and tender highlighting of the power of the precious small parts of life - a favorite breakfast, a perfectly green leaf and wind in your hair, the smell of a fall candle - those fragile and easily overlooked, but comforting parts of life. The way they can stand up to the ostentatious and extravagant and gluttonous and overheating feelings of life, and provide a safe harbor from that, bringing solace, was a bit like reading a contented sigh. Which was a great balance to bring as a foil to the big emotions, reactions and events of the rest of the story.

As I mentioned at the start, this was a very satisfying series finale to this series. I’ve loved being in Thistle Grove throughout it all, and I’m sad to see it end, but I’m also content leaving it here. And that’s really all I could have asked for in a closing book. I tip my hat (as it were) to Lana Harper. Thanks for this journey.