Some Kind of Magic

By R. Cooper

A Being(s) in Love Story

Being a police detective is hard. Add the complication of being a werewolf subject to human prejudice, and you might say Ray Branigan has his work cut out for him. He’s hot on the trail of a killer when he realizes he needs help.

Enter Cal Parker, the beautiful half-fairy Ray’s secretly been in love with for years—secretly, because while werewolves mate for life, fairies… don’t. Ray needs Cal’s expertise, but it isn’t easy to concentrate with his mate walking around half-naked trying to publicly seduce him. By the time Ray identifies the killer—and sorts out a few prejudices of his own—it may be too late for Cal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: May 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781615819690

R. Cooper

I'm a somewhat absentminded, often distracted, writer of queer romance. I'm probably most known for the Being(s) in Love series and the occasional story about witches or firefighters in love. Also known as, "Ah, yes, the one with the dragons."You can find me on in the usual places, or subscribe to my newsletter (link through website).www.riscooper.comI can also be found at...Tumblr @sweetfirebirdFacebook @thealmightyrisInstagram @riscoopsPillowfort @RCooperPatreon @ patreon.com/rcoopsBluesky @ rcooper.bsky.social

Reviews for Some Kind of Magic

[carpelibra · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The story was at times confusing and the huge flashback at the end was boring.... Also Ray was a little bit too much with his whole "fairies don't do relationships" thing. Halfway through the story I just wanted to smack him on his head and say: HE LOVES YOU TOO, SO JUST TELL HIM ALREADY! Very frustrating!
Therefore two stars from me.

[bea_writer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First book in the series, although you can read the second one out of order, I did.

I enjoyed this book, fairly fast paced. We have the perspective Ray, a copy who is a shifter. This world is one where the Beings (paranormals like fairies and shifters) have "come out". Ray has found his Mate, the problem? He's half fairy. Fairy's are notoriously fickle and flighty, and Ray does not want to get into a situation with Cal, knowing that he will never be faithful......or so he thinks.


There is a murder story that is kinda interesting..


I enjoyed this book, it's not as good as the second one, but enjoyable. The biggest problem of this is that the lack of communication is the device for the conflict. The problem? If they had just one meaningful conversation in the 2 years (I think that long) they would be together. Really??????????

Otherwise, I enjoyed the book.

[nightcolors · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this story. But that last flashback, I could've done without. Not only because I generally don't like flashbacks. I thought Cal and Ray could finally move forward after the things (spoilery things) they went through (being vague is difficult), and that flashback to their third meeting basically walked me back through to the beginning of the misunderstanding I thought was finally resolved (and now I'm probably not making any sense).

There were some funny parts. Benedict and Steve were awesome. :) And Cal was really sweet (practically literally, all the sweets he kept "magically" pulling out). And Ray... I liked him even while being frustrated by his assumptions.

Some parts were confusing though. It took me a little while to figure out that Callalily was Cal's name, not just another flower name Ray was using in their banter.

Overall, I liked it, and if the author writes more in this universe, I'd buy it.

[vcious_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

the book starts out in a very confusing manner, as if there was a whole chunk of the story went missing - it was assumed that the reader would have some kind of pre-existing knowledge on the book's universe, so there isn't the usual "introduction" to who are the characters and their inter-relationships.

I kind felt I was in those sort of situations when you answer the phone and the person on the other side immediately starts a conversationg thinking you know who they're and the hell they are talking about :O

[virago77 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was disappointing.Let's start with the fact that I started reading the series out of order, and while I know that they aren't necessarily connected plot-wise, I can say if I had read this first I wouldn't have continued with the series.The entire first half to three quarters of the book was just blah, which is partially why it took me so long to finish it. It was a short 100+ page novella; I should have finished it in hours, not days! There was an over abundance of UST and angst in the first half of the book. It was just pining and misery and the protagonist, Ray denying what he and his instincts wanted. And what made it so bad was that he was guilty of judging Cal by the stereo-types people placed on his people.Ray Brannigan is a detective and a werewolf. He has to deal with the prejudices of people who believe the old movies where werewolves were vicious and howled at the moon and wanted to tear people apart and claim/mark their lovers. While he wanted to claim and mark Cal, it's because he was his mate. And unlike the stories, he had enough self control to resist him for years. Cal is half-fairy, and the myth about fairies is that they can't settle or love forever. They are always about being happy and making people happy, so the belief is that they would constantly move from lover to lover to maintain a constant state of happiness. Ray fell into the trap of believe the myths instead of just confronting Cal with the fact that he was his mate and what it would mean to each of them.What didn't make sense was that Ray hated that people believed the myths about weres and was bothered that they didn't find the time to talk to someone or just read a book and learn the truth, but he was no better than the people that aggravated him! As a werewolf, how would you have that double standard?! The myths about weres weren't true, so why assume the myths about fairies were?! There was so much angst in the first part of this book that it was more like wangst!And then it got good. They got a better idea of why the serial murders were happening; Ray FINALLY gave in and took Cal to bed! Then the murderer was finally revealed--I figured it out the chapter before it was revealed. Cal was in danger and Ray threw himself into the middle of it to save his mate. He finally admitted out loud that Cal is his mate.Then Ray wakes up in the hospital and the blah returns. Now I'm all for angst and fluff in their proper proportions, but this book was very unbalanced. After getting a lecture from Cal's father (and Ray's mentor), he's left to finally talk things out with Cal. This leads to a ridiculously long flashback that did nothing to explain that Cal had been in love with Ray for as long as Ray had been in love with him. But that is what the lengthy flashback was meant to show. The only thing I got from it (besides boredom) was that Ray was scared and hiding his feelings because of it, and that Cal was obviously attracted to Ray. Nowhere in the flashback did I get a feeling of love. Now if the author had said that the half-fairy could sense that he was Ray's mate, it would have worked better. But all I got was lust and genuine attraction. And this long, drawn-out flashback from an incident three years ago, was at the end of the book, further making it confusing. It was just badly placed. After the flashback Ray magically understood that Cal loved him too and that fairies weren't as flakey as the myths claimed them to be. They happily ever after.After reading Little Wolf and learning about the existence of Ray, I was excited to read his story. It was sadly underwhelming. Maybe it's because this was the first story in the series and they (hopefully) get better as the series progresses. Or maybe the author just didn't have the muse for this one as she had for Little Wolf (because I gave that like 4-5 stars!) This one was just meh. As I know at least one other story in this series is fantastic, I will continue with it. If you want my honest opinion, please just skip this one and move on to the other books in the series.

[ellelainey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

** This review is word-for-word as the one contained within the Being(s) in Love Bundle **

Book 1: Some Kind of Magic
Length: 0-11%
Star rating: ?????

Wow! I loved R. Cooper's writing the moment I read The Winter Prince. It was so good that it made me nervous to start this series, because I didn't want to risk losing the magic. But, no fear, it was there in spades!

The 3rd person POV was kept to just one character, which was great, allowing us to see Ray's thoughts and feelings, without letting us see Cal's, which was really important to the progression of the plot. It wouldn't have been half as interesting if we'd have known Cal's thoughts throughout.

I really loved that Ray was a detective with a human police force, while having to compete with the ideology of humans fearing the, often incorrect, tales about Beings and Weres that existed in their 'absence' from the world. I love that people were nervous around him at a crime scene, that people often suspected him and that there was a lurking anxiety whenever he and other Beings were around, though they were overall accepted and acknowledged for their abilities as detectives and investigators.

The world building was fantastic, the characterisation nicely balanced between showing, telling and exploration, while the hints and subtlety of the descriptions meant that although there were suspicions about Penn's 'Being', for example, it took until 2% (not long, about a few chapters) before we were told what she was. I loved that, because it let us put the pieces together at first, before confirming.

There was a great variety of Beings within the story, despite the MC's being a fairy and a wolf. There were more fairies, another wolf, a Siren, mentions of a dragon, humans and a demon. There are so many options and I could already see the potential for more stories in some of the Beings.

There was an incredible, slow burn type of chemistry at work here. There was flirting, smooching and an irresistible draw towards each other, without ever really giving in. The anticipation was perfect, but I could also feel the raw pain and hurt, the confusion and the need that existed between Ray and Cal as they tried to navigate their working relationship while never venturing into a personal relationship.

All of that was accomplished while allowing us to follow Ray and Cal through the process of crime solving and investigation. There was real police work here, real processes and trials of a case. As someone who studied forensics and crime, I loved seeing the natural, realistic nature of their work, without the unrealistic expectations of the likes of CSI and results being returned within hours. I'll admit, I knew quite early on who the bad guy was, but I hadn't figured out the who or the how or the why, which I loved. I liked being surprised, but I also love that there were logical hints within the story that I could follow, as the reader, to come to my own conclusion.

I loved the flashbacks and how they really came along at the perfect time. They were well placed, well thought out and exposed just enough for us to follow along and stay curious, without giving too much away. I'm also really pleased to say that they were well divided from the main text, with italics, which is something that not enough people do. I always knew when Ray drifted into his thoughts compared to a flashback and vice versa.

Overall, a perfectly sweet romance within a hot and feisty relationship, all wrapped up in a detective story that I loved. Perfect.

~

Favourite Quote

?He looked up and there he was. Cal Parker. The bane of his existence and his reason for living.?

And I just had to include this one, which really just tore my heart out.
?Holding up traffic, Ray. Someone should have ticketed you.?

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Werewolf cop, with a Siren? Mermaid? partner. And a half-fairy love interest, not that he's admitting it. The problem is that the story wouldn't be all that different if there wasn't any magic involved - it's basically the love interests making assumptions and misunderstanding each other (a trope I greatly dislike). It's rather explicit (more than I like), and a M/M romance. Mildly interesting world, not a lot of detail (well, it's only one book). I wouldn't mind reading more by Cooper, but not excited.

[aug3zimm-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the world building and how the story unfolded BUT the main interest was the murders, not the relationship as that was rather stagnant. I could have done with a bit more explanation/examination of what was going on character motivation-wise as the couple’s conclusion was a bit lackluster and confusing. I liked that the writing style was fairly to-the-point without a lot of the filler that seems so pervasive, but at times some elaboration would have helped with clarity. Also, so many names beginning with the same letter, especially P names. Good lord.

[nannyogg13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked the world building (and I have a whole new series to read now yay!!)Cal and Ray were so frustrating and so cute.Overall this book was just adorable!

[serenayates · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Prejudice is a very human thing – or so I thought until I read this book. R. Cooper has built an intriguing supernatural world, in which “Beings” of all types have come out and are now more or less integrated into human society. They have faced prejudice against them with varying degrees of success, and you’d think they wouldn’t have the same issues within their society. You’d be wrong. Part of what I found so interesting about this world is the fact each species has it own society, and doesn’t always know a lot about the others. Take werewolves, for example. They have their rules and ways of doing things including Mating for life. Then there are fairies, who live a totally different existence, and are all about the pursuit of happiness. According to Ray, the narrator and one of the main characters in this heart-wrenching love story, that means fairies cannot be faithful, nor do they have lasting relationships. As it turns out, that is not entirely true, and Ray’s prejudice almost costs him everything he wants most.

Ray is the epitome of a werewolf. Big, strong, growly, and convinced he knows best. He is controlled at all times, because losing it could cost lives. He has faced human prejudice and is a successful police detective, but his own view of the world is not as open and tolerant as you might expect. The truth about his beliefs emerges only slowly, through his interactions and attempts to solve a particularly complicated series of murders that may or may not be connected. This is very well done, and I loved the gradual reveal of his back story with Cal. All of his sensory perceptions, centered around smell, fascinated me as much as the way he thinks. Or doesn’t think, as the case may be.

Cal is a half fairy and an extremely fun character. He lives off sweets, is always happy, and tries to make others happy as well. He surprises Ray with his tenaciousness and dedication to solving the cases, and his insights are spot on. The entire fairy society in this world is one I have not seen described like this before and I want to know more! Cal’s attempts at seducing Ray are fun to watch, and his ability to intuitively understand others (a skill Ray lacks) come in very handy.

If you like stories about unusual supernatural beings, if a werewolf who thinks he knows everything and has to learn to set aside his prejudice sounds like an interesting character, and if you like mysteries who are as hot as they are full of suspense, then you will probably enjoy this novel. I wish it were longer and cannot wait to return to this world in the next volume of this series!

[viragoreads · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was disappointing.Let's start with the fact that I started reading the series out of order, and while I know that they aren't necessarily connected plot-wise, I can say if I had read this first I wouldn't have continued with the series.The entire first half to three quarters of the book was just blah, which is partially why it took me so long to finish it. It was a short 100+ page novella; I should have finished it in hours, not days! There was an over abundance of UST and angst in the first half of the book. It was just pining and misery and the protagonist, Ray denying what he and his instincts wanted. And what made it so bad was that he was guilty of judging Cal by the stereo-types people placed on his people.Ray Brannigan is a detective and a werewolf. He has to deal with the prejudices of people who believe the old movies where werewolves were vicious and howled at the moon and wanted to tear people apart and claim/mark their lovers. While he wanted to claim and mark Cal, it's because he was his mate. And unlike the stories, he had enough self control to resist him for years. Cal is half-fairy, and the myth about fairies is that they can't settle or love forever. They are always about being happy and making people happy, so the belief is that they would constantly move from lover to lover to maintain a constant state of happiness. Ray fell into the trap of believe the myths instead of just confronting Cal with the fact that he was his mate and what it would mean to each of them.What didn't make sense was that Ray hated that people believed the myths about weres and was bothered that they didn't find the time to talk to someone or just read a book and learn the truth, but he was no better than the people that aggravated him! As a werewolf, how would you have that double standard?! The myths about weres weren't true, so why assume the myths about fairies were?! There was so much angst in the first part of this book that it was more like wangst!And then it got good. They got a better idea of why the serial murders were happening; Ray FINALLY gave in and took Cal to bed! Then the murderer was finally revealed--I figured it out the chapter before it was revealed. Cal was in danger and Ray threw himself into the middle of it to save his mate. He finally admitted out loud that Cal is his mate.Then Ray wakes up in the hospital and the blah returns. Now I'm all for angst and fluff in their proper proportions, but this book was very unbalanced. After getting a lecture from Cal's father (and Ray's mentor), he's left to finally talk things out with Cal. This leads to a ridiculously long flashback that did nothing to explain that Cal had been in love with Ray for as long as Ray had been in love with him. But that is what the lengthy flashback was meant to show. The only thing I got from it (besides boredom) was that Ray was scared and hiding his feelings because of it, and that Cal was obviously attracted to Ray. Nowhere in the flashback did I get a feeling of love. Now if the author had said that the half-fairy could sense that he was Ray's mate, it would have worked better. But all I got was lust and genuine attraction. And this long, drawn-out flashback from an incident three years ago, was at the end of the book, further making it confusing. It was just badly placed. After the flashback Ray magically understood that Cal loved him too and that fairies weren't as flakey as the myths claimed them to be. They happily ever after.After reading Little Wolf and learning about the existence of Ray, I was excited to read his story. It was sadly underwhelming. Maybe it's because this was the first story in the series and they (hopefully) get better as the series progresses. Or maybe the author just didn't have the muse for this one as she had for Little Wolf (because I gave that like 4-5 stars!) This one was just meh. As I know at least one other story in this series is fantastic, I will continue with it. If you want my honest opinion, please just skip this one and move on to the other books in the series.