All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.

Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she?

I first read Rachel Harrison’s “Black Sheep” last year and loved it. Since then, I have read and enjoyed “The Return” and “So Thirsty,” so I was excited to add this one to my October TBR. While it wasn’t as creepy or even as dark as her other books, I still really enjoyed it.

This book focuses on a 30-something woman named Annie who recently broke up with Sam, her boyfriend of several years. In his mind, the two of them weren’t clicking anymore and had become more friends than lovers. Since the breakup, the two have been cohabitating, but it’s been tough on Annie, and she decides she needs a change so she can get over him, so she accepts a job in a small town in upsate New York. The town is small and cute, and the people are friendly, but Annie really misses Sam.

But then Annie meets Sophie, and her life takes a turn for the strange and unexpected. Sophie is magnetic and charming, drawing Annie into her world, encouraging her to break free from her safe and stifling life, and demanding that she forget all about Sam. But as Annie spends more time with Sophie, she begins to notice things that don’t quite add up. Sophie’s ageless appearance, her unearthly mansion in the woods, and the strange power she seems to wield all point to something dark lurking beneath her perfect surface. Sophie has brought out a new side to Annie, but is this who she wants to be?

As usual, Harrison’s characters are completely relatable. I adored Annie (though her constant complaining that she was single and 30 got old after a while). I enjoyed watching her find her strength and come into her own. Who Annie is in the beginning is far different from the person she ends up as, and I loved that. I also really liked Sophie and loved watching Annie and Sophie’s friendship blossom.

Another thing that worked well in this novel was the setting. The small-town charm oozed off the pages. I felt like I lived there – and now I want to move to upstate New York. The townsfolk were precisely what I would have expected, and the mystery around Sophie and how she related to the town and the people who lived there was also fun to explore.

The pacing of the novel is perfect, and as one would expect, Harrison’s prose is electric. I mentioned that this one isn’t as creepy as her other works, but it’s still a lot of fun. I’ve always been fascinated by witches and magic, and I loved watching Annie experience Sophie’s “gifts” and then realize that maybe it wasn’t Sophie doing these things after all.

If you’re looking for something magical this Halloween season, I recommend checking this one out. If you’re new to Rachel Harrison’s work, this is a great place to start. This one has a great story, relatable characters, and a perfect fall vibe. It’s not scary or even super dark, so if you’re not into horror or creepy reads but want something that fits the season, this is perfect for you.