OATHSWORN by Sebastian Black

Fiction, Contemporary Paranormal Romance, LGBTQ, Level 5 heat

3***

Blurb: Can love set a mage free? Former chef Jasper Wight has been magically ensnared in his apartment for over three months. Cabin fever doesn’t begin to cover it. All he can do to pass the time is indulge in his hobby—painting portraits of his neighbors. But once a handsome new man moves into a swanky nearby penthouse, Jasper is no longer content merely to watch. Following his gut, he reaches out through astral projection…. Finn Anderson is the CEO of a food app funded by his parents, but he struggles to believe in the dream. When a mysterious someone starts leaving messages on his mirror, he learns the world holds more possibilities than he ever imagined. When a chance encounter brings Finn to Jasper’s door, the pair are soon as enamored with each other as Finn is of the magic he’s just discovering. But navigating a relationship that spans two worlds is only the tip of the iceberg. They still have to figure out how to free Jasper from his apartment, how to make Finn’s business into a success, and whether an outsider can be trusted with the secrets of the magical world.

Thoughts: I loved the character of Jasper. He’s a frustrated magic person who’s stuck in his apartment. He uses astral projection to visit his handsome across-the-street neighbor Finn. He tries to make contact by writing in the steamy mirror while Finn is in the shower. All it does is freak Finn out because he thinks he has a ghost. Jasper can make chef-level food from scraps his friends supply him with. And he is a painter. But he wants out.

Finn isn’t quite as well-rounded. He seems like a whiny, bored rich guy who runs at the first sign of conflict (his co-worker). I keep wondering why he doesn’t just stand up to the guy. He’s the boss! Why doesn’t he act like one? Okay, he doesn’t like the hand-shaking and kissing up that comes with the job, but very few do. He just doesn’t work well for me. What’s going to happen when the new venture gets going? Is he going to drop out there too? 

The romance is okay – but there seems to be more heat than romance. Yes, Jasper can’t get out, but Finn could do more to woo him. 

The best part for me – though it was also the shortest – was when Jasper finally got free although it took a few beats for him to realize why he got out. 

Recommendation: I do recommend the story – it’s a good story with a satisfying ending. But understand that you’re reading it for the heat level and the romance, not necessarily for what’s going on. 

Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions in this are my own and not influenced by anyone and anything.