Bumpy Oak Books

**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

Michael Okon introduces us to Wes Rockville, special agent who is reassigned to the Witches Protection Program as punishment for an assignment gone wrong. Rockville meets Alistair Verne, the salty old agent who will show him the ropes. Together, they have to protect the good witches from the bad, while protecting society from evil plots lurking in a jar of face cream. Or several million jars of face cream.

If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it absolutely is. There are multiple types and subtypes of witches and witchery and manners of doing magic. There is the introduction of a nonbeliever to a new magical hidden part to the world. There’s family drama in all sorts of directions. Political overtones. And, just maybe, there might be love.

How did this get accomplished in approximately 200 pages? Well. It happened. Everything was certainly nonstop and action packed, but none of the plotlines was shown the appropriate attention to be developed for resolved fully. Likewise, character development was equally limited. The romance that was tossed in was equally underdeveloped, unnecessary, and unwelcome. There just wasn’t the time in the allotted pages to accomplish all that Okon set out to do. That being said, it was a valiant effort.

Overall, I’m left a bit disappointed for a story that had strong concepts, and hope that Okon is given the pages to tell the full stories in the future.