Gabi Stevens – Wishful Thinking

The third book in the Time of Transition Trilogy series, published April 21, 2012.
Genre: paranormal romance.



Free-spirited artist Stormy Jones-Smythe was raised by two talented wizard fathers but never showed the slightest hint of magical abilities. Which is why she’s totally surprised when three famous fairy godmothers show up at her door to tell her she’s one of them.
Surprised, and none too happy. The godmothers are fugitives, framed for treason, and the last thing the magical Council wants is another fairy godmother going rogue. Hence Stormy’s new fulltime Guard, Hunter Merrick. Stormy quickly realizes she’s not going to escape Hunter’s watch … and before long, she’s not sure she wants to. But her freedom depends on her ability to expose the plot against the godmothers, and that means getting control of her magic. Despite the growing chemistry between them, Hunter is fiercely loyal to the Council – and duty-bound to keep Stormy from doing either of those things.
But he didn’t count on Stormy’s irrepressible exuberance and passion for life. Before long, even Hunter isn’t sure which side he’s on and he can’t contain Stormy either way.


A great ending to a lovely trilogy. I think I liked this one best. Stormy is a great artist, a weaver of fabric. And when she learns she is the next fairy godmother, she knows she will have to give that up. As Hyacinth had to give up her writing when the magic choose her, 70 years ago. But she knows the magic choose her for a reason, and it will be the correct thing to do. The godmothers tell her she has the right to refuse the magic, especially in those difficult times. They tell her a little about the situation they are in, they are on the run for the council, and are still trying to find evidence to defeat Lucas Reynaerd / Luc LeRoy. And they know that as soon as they give her her wand, the council will now about it and will try to capture them. So they tell her the bare bones of what Stormy needs to know, and tell her to find out more, and decide for herself whom to believe, the council, or the godmothers.
Almost the same second the godmothers disappear, a council flunky and two guards appear on her doorstep, or rather, in her studio. As they have lost the first two new fairy godmothers, they are determined to keep a very close eye on Stormy, and “for her protection” she is not to go anywhere without a guard. And Ian (the former betrothed of Reggie’s sister) will be her arbiter. He totally looks down on her and her artist fathers and other friends and family in the artist enclave she lives in. And his only goal is to teach Stormy magic, and fast, and introduce her to his good friend Luc LeRoy. He is aspiring to become a council member himself, but for now, he is just a toad and errant boy. The guards absolutely dislike him, but for now, they will have to obey him and keep Stormy safe from the influence of the other fairy godmothers.

Hunter and Tank are not really happy with this babysitting assignment, but they will do their duty, as they are totally loyal to the council and serve without question. Hunter is attracted to Stormy, and that will never do. She is the “asset” he has to guard, and nothing more. So when he finds her crying when she tries her new magic, and it just won’t work, he has no clue what to do. Hold her? As Stormy did not have magic, it was forbidden for her to learn about the Arcani world, she could have been a normal human like Kristin. Even though she has seen her parents use magic she knows almost nothing about the workings of the Arcani world.

Stormy is a great actress though, and she plays the gullible and naïve young lady when with Ian and Luc, to try to find out more. And when she sees a tapestry that Luc has in his treasure room when he shows her around, she knows it is one of the real Relics or Merlin, and meant for her, the third godmother. As a weaver, she can see the message woven into it, and she wants to have it. Using Twitter, she stays in contact with the other godmothers, she already has chosen their side. And when Hunter finds out, he has no choice but to arrest her on grounds of treason, but she escapes him with her new magic. Later, she learns why he could not have acted differently from how he did, and at great cost. But now, she feels betrayed, as she has fallen in love with him and misses him.


A great ending, I really liked how this series ended, even though there was some sacrifice necessary. After all, not everything is a fairytale, not even for the Arcani. I liked seeing all of the previous characters together, getting to know one another, and plotting and planning. All their different strengths were needed in the end.
I liked Stormy a lot. She is a very passionate character, and a great artist, and she knew what she needed to do, and did it. The only thing I disliked was, like in the first book, the many times she started crying when her magic did not work as she wanted it to work. That really makes them a bit weaker heroines in my eyes, and should not be necessary all that often.
Hunter is just trying to do his duty, and to ignore his attraction to Stormy. But when other man, like Tank or Luc or even that twit Ian were with her, or talking about her, he sure did not like that! He did not believe the godmothers, but he did not trust Luc or his strange servant Dimitri, so he did some researching on his own. And found nothing, a very suspicious nothing. It took a lot for him to make the decision to believe and trust in Stormy, after all, he did know the consequences of his acts.

All in all, a great story, very loveable characters and a nice surprise in the plotending. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

9 stars.

© 2012 Reviews by Aurian