NEW RELEASE
Reluctantly Charmed - Ellie O'Neill (2014)
Dublin copywriter Kate McDaid - the only child from a long line of only children - is called to a will reading of a 19th century ancestor of the same name. The former Kate McDaid, a self-proclaimed witch known as the Red Hag of Knocknamee, requires her descendant to publish seven letters in order to receive her inheritance. The first of the seven steps is a poetic plea about reconnecting with the fairies, so Kate thinks 'what harm can it do?' and posts it to a rarely updated website of a local band - let's just say she has a bit of a crush on the singer, Jim. Suddenly Kate's post is getting plenty of hits, a bunch of anoraks are camped outside her door proclaiming to be her fan club, Jim is loving all the publicity and even her parents are basking in the limelight. But lots of strange and ominous things start happening - and Kate wonders if she's done a deal with the devil. This well-written, very unique story with a memorable leading lady shines a spotlight on a facet of Irish folklore. Although there is romance, the crux of the book is definitely the machinations of the Red Hag, and those who want to know her secrets. I was intrigued to find out what the last letter actually contained - but I can't say I loved how the author chose to play out the final, rather dark, scenario. If you are looking for a twist on chick lit, you may well be charmed by O'Neill's clever debut. It will definitely get people talking.
Reluctantly Charmed, the debut novel by Ellie O'Neill, is about what happens when life in the fast lane collides with the legacy of family, love and its possibilities ... and a little bit of magic. The summary says: "Kate McDaid is listing her new-year's resolutions hoping to kick-start her rather stagnant love life and career when she gets some very strange news. To her surprise, she is the sole benefactor of a great great-great-great aunt and self-proclaimed witch also called Kate McDaid, who died over 130 years ago. As if that isn't strange enough, the will instructs that, in order to receive the inheritance, Kate must publish seven letters, one by one, week by week. Burning with curiosity, Kate agrees and opens the first letter - and finds that it's a passionate plea to reconnect with the long-forgotten fairies of Irish folklore. Almost instantaneously, Kate's life is turned upside down. Her romantic life takes a surprising turn and she is catapulted into the public eye. As events become stranger and stranger - and she discovers things about herself she's never known before - Kate must decide whether she can fulfil her great-aunt's final, devastating request ... and whether she can face the consequences if she doesn't." Reluctantly Charmed is out in October 2014.