The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Annette Blair (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2004

When a single-dad TV executive hires Melody Seabright--a flaky rich girl and rumored witch--as his babysitter, she magically lands her own cooking show...and makes sparks fly.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Set in Old Salem around the Halloween season, this charming romantic comedy features a wacky, if good-hearted, self-proclaimed witch and her upstairs neighbor, a reformed bad boy trying to be a responsible father to his adorable four-year-old son, Shane. Needing a reliable baby sitter, Logan Kilgarven agrees to an exchange: he will find a job for Melody at the local TV station, where he is a producer, and she will be on call to baby sit Shane as needed. Melody, however, spurns his offer of a secretarial position, countering with a bid for a cooking show. The catch? Melody can't cook. At all. But with a combination of sex appeal and well-developed marketing skills, she sells the station owner on the concept, and several spicy encounters in elevators and on counters and desktops are the inevitable result. With both of them fighting their feelings, and several matchmakers as well as one marplot stirring the cauldron, Blair has crafted a fun and sexy romp. Lynne Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A funny, seductive story with unique, colorful characters & a touch of magical whimsy." -- The Best Reviews

"Bewitching! Full of charm, humor, sensuality ... an easy-reading, reader-pleasing story that makes you feel good all over." -- Reader to Reader

"Enchanting! Funny! Wonderfully Written! This book had me in its spell. Awesome." Spicy, Explicit. -- MyShelf.com

"Magic. THE KITCHEN WITCH sizzles. Ms. Blair's writing is smooth as a fine Kentucky bourbon. Sexy, fun, top notch entertainment." -- Romance Reader at Heart

"Romantic comedy at its most subtle and finest. Magic and love are woven into the story with a deft touch." -- A Romance Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Reissue edition (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425198812
• ISBN-13: 978-0425198810
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,939 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dear Reader,

I finally became a full time writer in 2006 after retiring from my job as a Development Director. I didn't always know I wanted to be a writer, but I discovered Jane Eyre soon after I got my first library card. I was eleven and put a romantic spin on every story I read. I wrote romances about friends and their boyfriends. Racy stuff for which my friends' mother's did not thank me. I could title that time in my life 'THE FIRST TIME A GOODY TWO SHOES GETS IN TROUBLE-YAY!" When my children were young, I jotted plot ideas on corners of envelopes, recipe cards, and such, and threw them in my nightstand.

After discussing a romance novel with my high-school aged daughter, she challenged me to write a romance of my own. That day, I sorted through my plot ideas, picked one, and started. I didn't know what I was doing, but I had a good time. I made my first sale in 1998. I have since moved from Regency England and settled in twenty-first century Salem, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; Mystic, Connecticut; with mysteries and romances and a host of sassy, sexy witches who tantalize and torment the men in their lives. Hopefully those same characters will sprinkle some magic dust and get a laugh or three out of you.

I have recently seen the re-release of JACOB'S RETURN and BUTTERFLY GARDEN, both Amish Historicals set in Pensylvania & Ohio. Recently, my 4th Vintage Magic, a paranormal cozy mystery series, set in Mystic Connecticut, SKIRTING THE GRAVE followed the release of VAMPIRE DRAGON my 3rd Works Like Magick Novel set in Salem MA.

I'm currently working on my 6th Vintage Magic Mystery, OPERATION PETTICOAT, and the 1st SISTERS OF SPIRIT Anthology both due out next year (2012) along with CLOAKED IN MALICE, my 5th paranormal cozy mystery. Meanwhile, watch Kindle for a new series of magical books in the months to come.

Some of my favorite authors are: Ruth Cardello, Hannah Howell, Nora Roberts, Janet Evanovich, Linda Wisdom & Madelyn Alt.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute fluff, May 25, 2005

By 

Kelly (Fantasy Literature) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was annoyed at the beginning of this novel. It starts with a drop-dead gorgeous but unemployed woman, Melody, using her sex appeal to manipulate her way into a starring role on a cooking show. Never mind that she can't cook.

From there, however, it becomes a cute, lightweight romance that isn't bad at all. Melody matures a great deal throughout the book, becoming more mature and responsible while retaining her spunk and spirit. The male lead, Logan, becomes more annoying as Melody becomes less so. He's looking for a woman who can be a good mother to his son, ignoring his feelings for Melody and the constant proof the she's great with kids--from her adorable bonding with Logan's son to her rescuing abandoned kittens--because he has the idea that only a staid, conventional woman could make a good mother. The rest of the novel is devoted to finding out whether Logan will ever wise up.

I did hope there would be a little more *witchcraft* in this book! If it's going to be titled "The Kitchen Witch", and star a witch and a man who's a little afraid of witches, and be set in Salem--I want a little more magic than, say, a red candle getting lit when the characters are about to get it on. I don't like novels that read like Witchcraft 101 primers--but this goes too far in the other direction. The story could have been better either by dropping the witch angle entirely or by having more fun with it.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars magical and moronic all rolled into one..., November 3, 2005

By 

retroredux - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

this book is unusual that I found myself liking it one minute and dispising it the next. While it had it's moments of cleverness, it seemed equally filled with sophmoric "harlequin" like drivel.

I agree with the other reviewers-the love scenes were 1-way to many "pri*k tease", almost-had-sex scenes, and 2-all were strictly sex scenes, there was no love to these scenes, more "horny teenager" type of sex that seemed played more for titilation than romance. Explicitness in romances is fine, IMO, but as long as there is some emotion behind the motion:)

The good points-1-several fun and well written minor characters, especially Logan's son Shane. 2-the two characters do show some maturation and growth-but that and their realization of their love came sadly, to late in the book to make it enjoyable, more like a niggling suspecion of time wasted:(.

5 stars for a great cover, 4 for an interesting premise but sadly a 2 on actual story. Altogether-3.5 stars.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ok, if you're twelve or have never read a book before, April 28, 2009

By 

HH "HH" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a really terrible book. When Amazon recommended it to me I thought it was a crime book or a book about witchcraft - I like those. This is a terrible romance chicklit rubbish (I also like some of those but this is awful). It mainly focuses on the main characters ERECTIONS which are very frequent and describtions of his "THICKNESS????". The sex scenes are unbelievable (at least to those who have actually had sex) and the main characters are flat and empty (except for the kid, who at age four is surely a child wonder as he takes active part in adult life and conversations, am guessing the author never met a four year old). Also the characters are supposed to have "baggage" and a "past" but really their lives have been rather uneventful so you don't get what the fuss is about. AVOID - Please!

Ps. I really wanted to like this - so against better judgement I read it through waiting for it to get better - it didn't!