Magic in her Eyes (The Gifted #1)

Meredith Talbot has a secret. In fact, all of the orphans at Seaton House have secrets. They all have abilities that set them apart from others; talents that would label them as witches if anyone ever found out. Meredith is responsible for keeping the children safe. It's a task she’s always been good at, until marauding Indians force them out of their home and to a nearby fort. Once they are there,  it’s no longer the Indians threatening their safety, but the fanatical townspeople and Lieutenant Preston Booth. When a child is kidnapped, Booth goes after the culprit, but Meredith has a gruesome vision of what will happen to him. Telling the truth will expose her gift and put the children in danger… can she trust him?

"Magic in Her Eyes" is  a light-hearted read for the genre, but an enjoyable one nonetheless and set in a time period not often used for this type of story. The chemistry between the two love interests is tangible, and despite their many flaws and distinct personality traits, they make a good match. The mystery part of the book isn’t hard to figure out, though, and it takes the characters a lot longer to figure out what they should’ve discovered earlier. However, the story is decent, the romance works well, and the characters are interesting. Ultimately, the book has a lot of potential and lives up to at least most of it. 

Majanka Verstraete