Persuasion by Martina Boone
Persuasion by Martina Boone
Series: Heirs of Watson Island
Publish Date: October 27, 2015
Young Adult, Southern Gothic, Paranormal
Simon Pulse, 464 pages
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 4 Stars
Grieving the death of her godfather and haunted by her cousin Cassie’s betrayal, Barrie returns from a trip to San Francisco to find the Watson plantation under siege. Ghost hunters hope to glimpse the ancient spirit who sets the river on fire each night, and reporters chase rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold that may be hidden at Colesworth Place. The chaos turns dangerous as Cassie hires a team of archeologists to excavate beneath the mansion ruins, because more is buried there than treasure.
A stranger filled with magic arrives at Watson’s Landing claiming that the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts—and the Colesworth curse—also lies beneath the mansion. With a mix of threats and promises, the man convinces Barrie and Cassie to cast a spell there at midnight. But what he conjures may have deadly consequences.
While Barrie struggles to make sense of the escalating peril and her growing and forbidden feelings for Eight Beaufort, it’s impossible to know whom to trust and what to fight for. Millions of dollars and the fate of the founding families is at stake. Now Barrie must choose between what she feels deep in her heart and what will keep Watson’s Landing safe.
Atmospheric and filled with romantic tension, PERSUASION is the second installment in the young adult series, the Heirs of Watson Island. Once again Ms. Boone fills the pages with rich, southern details and a dark Gothic mystery while our favorite couple to swoon over is back.
Barrie Watson and Eight Beaufort - heirs to the generations-old curse face new challenges as a stranger arrives at Watson Landing, one with ties to the original founding families, claiming to know how to break the dark legacy of the Beaufort gifts and the Colesworth curse.
Persuasion easily transports its readers to a lush south Carolina plantation setting. Cherokee magic, Voodoo curses, and family feuds as ghost hunters descend upon Watson Island making for plenty of action and thrilling danger. It is this fantastic escape that I'm looking forward to each time I crack open one of the Heirs of Watson Island books.
Persuasion continues to answer and build on the mystery behind the Watson Island's founding families. A new addition to the story (Obadiah) was one of my favorite aspects to this second installment. Hypnotic, magical, and strange, I really enjoyed his addition. I loved getting a second look at the Fire Carrier, Yunwi, and learning more about Cassie's heartbreaking past.
The romance. Oh boy. Lots of romantic tension and misunderstandings between Eight and Barrie. It was hard at times to witness but I felt each heart tug they were going through. The title of this installment is aptly named as Barrie is constantly (too much, at times) second guessing on just how much of her abilities at persuasion and the curse are playing a role in their relationship. I can't help but hope for the romantic ending they deserve in the upcoming final installment of Illusion.
Persuasion is a thrilling second installment to the Heirs of Watson Island series. Souther Gothic mystery and swoony romance keep bringing me back. If you're new to the series now is a perfect time to check it out with the final installment Illusion publishing. I'm eagerly awaiting my copy and more of this fabulous YA Southern Gothic and crossing my fingers for the swoon I'm hoping for.
