Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson

Genre: Fiction

Publication Date: May 2005

Author Website: www.shannaswendson.com

One Word Review: Original

First Line: “I’d always heard that New York City was weird, but I had no idea just how weird until I got here.”

Synopsis: Everywhere Katie goes, she sees something worth gawking at and Katie is afraid she’s a little too normal to make a splash in the big city. Working for an ogre of a boss doesn’t help. Then, seemingly out of the blue, Katie gets a job offer from Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., a company that tricks of the trade to the magic community. For MSI, Katie’s ordinariness is an asset. Lacking any bit of magic, she can easily spot a fake spell, catch hidden clauses in competitor’s contracts, and detect magically disguised intruders. Suddenly, average Katie is very special indeed. She quickly learns that office politics are even more complicated when your new boss is a real ogre, and you have a crush on the sexy, shy, ultra powerful head of the R&D department, who is so busy fighting an evil competitor threatening to sell black magic on the street that he seems barely to notice Katie. Now it’s up to Katie to pull off the impossible: save the world and–hopefully–live happily ever after. -GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I guess I read so many YA books that it took me a little while to get use to grown-up wizards and characters. Katie was a likable enough character. She is smart, assertive, and creative. I didn’t like that within two days she was getting promoted, placed in charge of huge projects (since she really has no experience with magic) and pretty much running the show. I guess I would have liked to see a little transition time from normal person to wizard assistant. I thought the solution to their “big problem” was unexpected and kind of creative.

It took me awhile to warm up to Owen. I think Swendson was trying to pull a Clark Kent by making Owen very shy in some situations and tough in others. I just got a little tired of all the blushing going on. I guess I like a little more confidence and brooding from my leading men. Anyway, the romance aspect left me wanting more, so I guess I’ll have to go pick up Once Upon Stilettos to see what happens next.

Reading Order:
Book One: Enchanted, Inc.
Book Two: Once Upon Stilettos
Book Three: Damsel Under Stress
Book Four: Don’t Hex with Texas