The Para-Portage of Emily by Muffy Wilson (Review)

The Para-Portage of Emily is an interesting title for an eerie and otherworldly romance. The scene is set on a small island in the winter, where ice fog and snow make everything a little less familiar, a little more magical. Emily takes to her new surrounding with gusto, tracking down the pieces she needs to put her Uncle’s affairs in order and uncover the mysteries behind his estate.
Muffy Wilson does a fantastic job of setting the mood in this novel. We always feel like we have one foot in reality and one in dream. And these dreams are far more vivid than real life is sometimes. It is easy to fall into the setting.
I did have a few hiccups with it. I found the prologue unnecessary, which isn’t an issue normally, but I also found it didn’t have the tone of the book and was very sterile. It worked against everything that came after.
I had a few characters and repetitious scenes/actions that had me skipping passages to get to the next meaty bit.
I love the furry companions that come along. They are used to pace the book – oh, it’s time to let the dog out – as well as ground home reality when the dream seems to take over.
I am not a romance reader normally, but I have been enjoying Muffy’s writings in other venues and decided to try my feet in their pond. I’m still not a romance reader, but that doesn’t negate the fact that the Para-Portage of Emily is a good read.