Of Magic and Rum

I was sold the moment I read that this was a romance featuring magical creatures, pirates, and Greek mythology! It was such a unique combination in one of my favorite genres and some of my favorite tropes that I just couldn’t resist.

Of Magic and Rum follows Jack, a charming pirate captain, and Rhode, a mysterious woman with ties to Atlantis and the supernatural world. When their paths cross, Jack finds himself caught up in something far more dangerous than his usual pirate adventures. Between the secrets surrounding Rhode, the creatures lurking beneath the waves, and the growing attraction between them, these two have quite an adventure ahead of them.

I really enjoyed this story! I’ve always loved mythology, so seeing Greek gods, Atlantis, and different mythical creatures woven into a pirate romance was a fun change from the usual fantasy setting. I especially liked learning about Rhode’s abilities and discovering how her world connected with Jack’s. Carly brings these different elements together without making the story difficult to follow.

And then there’s Jack. Oh, Jack! He’s charming, mischievous, and just cocky enough to get himself into trouble. But underneath all that pirate swagger, there’s a man who genuinely cares about the people around him. I loved that he wasn’t just some handsome captain barking orders and expecting everyone to follow them. He’s earned his crew’s loyalty and respect, and you can see why.

Rhode was just as enjoyable. She’s strong, independent, and perfectly capable of standing up for herself. She certainly doesn’t need Jack making every decision for her, and I liked that he comes to recognize and respect her abilities. Their personalities work well together, and their banter had me smiling more than once. I enjoyed watching their attraction grow into something more meaningful, especially as they learned to trust one another.

I also loved the crew aboard The Revenge. There’s a wonderful found-family element here, and those are always some of my favorite relationships in a book. Jack and his crew have clearly been through a lot together, and I liked seeing how they looked out for one another. I especially enjoyed Mary’s friendship with Rhode and learning a little more about Aranck’s history with Jack. Watching Rhode slowly become part of their little pirate family was one of my favorite parts of the story.

The mythology added another layer of excitement. I enjoyed the different creatures they encountered, especially the Charybdis. There’s something particularly unsettling about knowing a dangerous creature is out there searching for you, especially when you’re spending most of your time surrounded by water. Not exactly the ideal situation when your main mode of transportation is a ship, now is it? 😂

That said, I would have loved a little more background about the Charybdis and why it was so determined to find Rhode. I understood that it was hunting her, but I wanted to know more about what made her such an important target. I think having that additional history, along with a stronger sense of its presence throughout the story, would have made those encounters even more suspenseful.

I also felt that some of the bigger action scenes, particularly the confrontations with the Charybdis and Jack’s rescue, were resolved a little too quickly. I enjoyed those moments, but I wanted more time to worry about what might happen. Give me the danger, the uncertainty, the moments where I’m wondering how on earth they’re going to get out of this mess! I wanted to feel a little more of that tension before everything worked out.

And since we’re talking about pirates, I would have loved more actual pirate adventures. We do get some, but I wanted more dangerous encounters at sea, rival crews, and time spent aboard The Revenge just getting to know everyone. The crew was already so enjoyable that I would have happily read more about their friendships, personalities, and everyday life together.

I wouldn’t have wanted Carly to cut anything from the story to make room for those things, either. If anything, I think the book could have been a little longer. The romance had plenty of room to develop, and I would have loved to see the adventure, suspense, and supporting characters get that same attention.

Now, let’s talk about the romance! Jack and Rhode have some fantastic chemistry, and Carly certainly doesn’t leave all that attraction to our imaginations. There’s plenty of flirting, kissing, and some explicitly described intimate moments. The heat is definitely there, but I also liked that their relationship wasn’t based entirely on physical attraction. They genuinely grew to care about and respect one another, which made the romance that much better.

And that ending! I’m not going to spoil anything, but I certainly caught that little suggestion that we might not be finished with Jack, Rhode, and the crew of The Revenge. Carly, you can’t just leave that possibility dangling in front of me and expect me not to get excited! Especially considering some of the changes Jack goes through. I can only imagine what kind of trouble these pirates could find themselves in next.

WOULD I RECOMMEND OF MAGIC AND RUM? Absolutely! If you enjoy fantasy romance with Greek mythology, magical creatures, charming pirates, a strong heroine, plenty of banter, steamy romance, and a wonderful found family, I think you’ll enjoy this one. It’s a fun adventure with characters who are easy to get attached to, and the mixture of mythology and pirate life gives it something a little different.

MY FINAL VERDICT: I really enjoyed Of Magic and Rum. Jack and Rhode were wonderful together, I loved the crew and their loyalty to one another, and the mythology made the story even more interesting. I would have loved more suspense during the bigger confrontations, a little more background on the Charybdis, and more time exploring pirate life and getting to know the crew. Those things are what kept this from being a full five-star read for me. But none of them took away from how much I enjoyed the book. If anything, they just made me wish there had been more of it. And when I’m wishing a book had been longer instead of shorter, I’d say that’s a pretty good sign!

Final Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5) | Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (4/5)

NOTE: This review reflects the digital ARC version provided to me by the author and may not reflect any revisions, corrections, or updates made to subsequent editions after November 2nd, 2026.