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Break the Spell

Mages and Mates, Book 1

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About this listen

Bartholomew Hollen, professor of defensive magic at Utrecht University, just wanted a no strings, no feelings, no attachment hookup. Nothing messy like when his ex-boyfriend tried to feed him to a demon. Bart's heart, however, has other ideas. But when he has a vision of the future and sees his hookup dying at his feet from yet another demon, Bart does the only sensible thing—he sneaks out like a thief in the night.

Not like he'll see the guy again.

Caelinus Reinhold has done something no elf has done before—become the professor of creative magic at Utrecht University. His first day should be magical, except Cael can't stop thinking about the hot mage he hooked up with the night before who then snuck out while he slept. Whatever. His loss.

He'll never see the jerk again, anyway.

Things get awkward fast when the department assigns Bart to be Cael's mentor. Despite their rocky start, neither can deny that fate wants them together. But Bart's premonitions all end in tragedy for the pair. No matter how he tries to change the future, Cael is always a casualty. How can Bart follow his heart when Cael's death is sure to break it?

Contains mature themes.

©2022 Andy Gallo (P)2026 Tantor Media Fantasy Magic Paranormal Romance Heartfelt Magic Users Wizardry
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I wanted to like Break the Spell far more than I ultimately did. It started with so much promise—an interesting magical world, a romance setup that had potential, and the kind of energy that usually pulls me right into a story. For the first few chapters, I was genuinely invested. But as the book progressed, it lost its spark. The plot began to drag, the emotional beats didn’t hit as deeply as they could have, and I found myself gradually disconnecting from the characters and their journey.

Kirt Graves was a highlight. His delivery was smooth, emotive, and reliable—exactly what I’ve come to expect from him, and a definite strength in this audiobook.

Michael Casale’s narration, however, left me a bit uncertain. It wasn’t bad—far from it—but I struggled to decide whether his voice and style worked for me in this particular context. Perhaps it was the dual narration format that made it harder to get a clear sense of his rhythm and strengths. I think I’d need to listen to a solo project of his to really make up my mind.

In the end, Break the Spell wasn’t a bad listen, but it wasn’t particularly memorable either. It had potential, and I’m still curious about where the series might go—but I’ll be approaching the next installment with more cautious expectations.

A Promising Start That Fizzled Out

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