Rating: 4.5🌈
Spell It Out is less a prequel but more a side story to the wonderful Mages and Matea series by Andy Gallo. This dives into a great couple of teachers at a interspecies high school connected to the university central to the series. Here mage Dylan Jurgenson, cousin to Bart Hollen (Break The Spell), has found out that he’s one of the teacher chaperones on the high school camping trip this year. Each year he’s managed to evade the duty by passing it off to another, like his cousin. But this time, Bart’s busy, so he has no other option. And math teacher , Minotaur shifter Xavier Tollis, is going as well.
Those are the basic facts. With the characters in place, Gallo begins to give us a lovely romantic story, filled with all the details that come with new relationship building, the discovery and discussions, and the joy. That Xavier and Dylan have young teenagers in their charge too adds a wonderful dimension. Gallo allows the kids a youthful energy and enthusiasm that makes the adults feel even more connected.
There are some fantastic teens here with their own issues, some of which coincide with that of Dylan’s poor self esteem. And there are other storylines about family, child neglect, and pack culture. All woven together into a story that has romances, humor, teenage angst , adult drama , mate bonding, and HEA.
Im hoping to see more of this couple together in the series, especially as Bart makes an appearance here. They are both really great characters and have such warmth about them. Actually I’d love to see the students too.
Novellas like Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel) by Andy Gallo just wet my imagination and enthusiasm for the series and characters I meet. It makes me want to go back to the beginning and start reading again.
This is a definite recommendation. So is the series. It’s listed below.
Mages and Mates:
✓ Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel)
✓ Break The Spell #1
✓ It Spells Trouble #2
â—¦ Under A Spell #3 – March 26,2024
Buy Link:
Blurb:
Sometimes success is a matter of life or death.
Dylan Jurgenson hates camping but is stuck chaperoning his practical magic class on their fieldtrip. Worse, he’s bunking with sexy math teacher Xavier Tollis. You know, the hot Minotaur shifter who barely knows Dylan exists. Not that Xavier’s lack of interest comes as any surprise. Who’d be interested in a mediocre mage, anyway?
Xavier can handle crazy teens and camping. Who he’d like to handle is the cute mage giving him morning wood so often he could build a house. Unfortunately, even in human form Xavier scares Dylan. Minotaurs have terrible reputations and even worse track records in love. Who’d be crazy enough to take a chance on a big guy like him, anyway?
Just when Dylan and Xavier are finally moving beyond their insecurities and misunderstandings, two students disappear under mysterious circumstances. Working together, they put their newfound feelings and lives on the line to save their wayward charges.
Failure is not an option but playing hero can sure have unintended consequences.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 