HOW TO CHARM A NERD – Katherine Garbera
WiCKed Sisters, Book 2
Harlequin Afterglow
ISBN: 978-1335574817
August 20, 2024
Romantic Comedy

Birch Lake, Maine – Present Day

Halloween is approaching and occultist and tarot reader Liberty Wakefield is getting ready. But after visiting her beloved grandmother at the assisted living, Liberty’s life has been thrown into an upheaval. Liberty was raised by her single mother and doesn’t know anything about her absent father—not even a name. But her grandmother, while in a delirious moment, mentioned a man’s name— and who probably is Liberty’s father. She can’t talk to her mother about it, so Liberty turns to a friend.

Merle Rutland is a regular at the shop that Liberty runs with his sister and another friend. He is also deep into Dungeons & Dragons, so Liberty offers a tradeoff. In exchange for him searching for her father, she will help him get ready for his upcoming D&D party. Along the way, he will teach her about the game. As Merle and Liberty work together, they become closer. She is struggling with her feelings about finding her father, while he wonders if she will ever see him as anything more than a good friend. 

In HOW TO CHARM A NERD, Liberty is a witch, but this isn’t about magic but about potions and reading futures. Everyone accepts Liberty and her friends for who they are, including Merle. In fact, he has been attracted to her for a while, so he hopes she will now see him as more than her friend’s older brother. Their time together is magically cute and funny as if it’s written in the stars. Hot kisses soon turn to lovemaking. Meanwhile, Merle continues his search for her father, while she wonders if she should just let sleeping dogs lie as finding her father might open up a can of worms. Merle helps Liberty deal with those feelings, even as he grows closer to finding her father. 

HOW TO CHARM A NERD is a funny tale that dips just a little bit into magical elements. Readers will enjoy the interaction between Liberty and Merle, as well as the minor characters, such as the two women who help her run the shop. In the background is Liberty’s mother, Lourdes. Will Liberty ever confront her mother about why her father isn’t part of her life? Will she take a look around her and realize that Merle is the perfect man for her? If you love to read a fun and intriguing tale that has you chuckling and smiling a lot, then don’t miss HOW TO CHARM A NERD.

Patti Fischer