This was an amazing and fun ride! The description states that it’s ‘Encanto’ meets ‘Hocus Pocus’ and that is the most accurate description of this book! It was so fun to read and had me laughing out loud at so many different points. The characters were extremely well-written and once I started the book, I had a hard time putting it down. The story just sucked me in and before I knew it, it was over. But it’s the perfect book to read again and again, especially during the fall and Halloween time!

Essie is a young witch with the power to freeze things. But she feels different and out of place from those around her. Even those who have powers like she does. Essie lives in a house with other witches, each with their own special power. Essie just doesn’t feel that hers is as useful as theirs. I do think the other witches have some pretty cool powers. But I think Essie’s power is pretty cool too. I mean, who wouldn’t love being able to instantly chill their wine?!

Josh is a lawyer who has just inherited a mansion that has a mountain of debt. Debt he is determined to take care of by going to the tenants. The only problem? The house is where Essie and the other witches live. And everyone who goes there forgets it exists when they leave and are unable to give directions to where it is. Or that’s the way it’s supposed to go. But somehow, Josh is not only able to find the house, but he’s able to remember it after he leaves too!

In case you haven’t guessed yet, Josh and Essie are meant to be. And the way they came together and their relationship developed was magical. Pun intended! There was so much witty humor and the bond between them grew so naturally. But things aren’t all good as the lives of Essie and the other witches are put in jeopardy by an other worldly monster. So it’s up to Josh and Essie to save the witches and the world!

I am desperately hoping there are going to be more books after this one with all of the same characters. Or at least a sequel to this one. Because I will be all over that! One book was just not enough time with Essie and Josh. ( )

Time travel, witches, binding an evil witch hunter- what more can you ask for? What would usually happen at the crisis point in a book happens much earlier and I wondered if the book would feel draggy but instead it allowed the relationships to deepen and made the true crisis point play even better. Our MCs have ghosts from their romantic pasts to deal with, and have a wonderful cast of characters. The book breezed along and I loved going for the ride. ( )

CW/TW: Fantasy violence, talk of sexual assault, pregnancy, sex

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Hex Appeal is the story of Essie, an English Witch, and Josh, an American lawyer who has just moved to a small town in England. As sparks grow between them, the supernatural world begins to explode into chaos and together they must find a way to save the world.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed it. I loved the story. I loved the magic and the tongue-in-cheek humor of it. The only thing that really didn’t work for me was the romance. I just never bought that the characters had any chemistry. I really kind of read the book assuming they were really just friends, because that was how it felt to me. Other than that, this book was a pleasure to read, and a lot of fun! ( )

Ehhh. I was going to start this review with a cheesy football score, pitching Hex Appeal against The Ex Hex but honestly, it's a draw. The first few chapters were almost DNF territory for me, with 'bants' and surrealist humour, but then the plot kicked in and I was hooked throughout the middle of the story - only for the unconvincing 'romance' to bore me silly. I wasn't overawed by Josh, who turns 'kind' into a synonym for 'pathetic', and certainly didn't believe that he and Essie were in love at any point - they have a lot of sex, after both getting over their relationship hang-ups, but he would honestly have been more credible as her gay best friend (put those lgbt trope dungarees to better use, girl!) Also the message about consent was a little heavy-handed, especially when applied to witchcraft!

I had to laugh when 'witchfinder general' Matthew Hopkins made a demonic cameo appearance, however - that's the third book featuring ye olde nutbag that I've read this year! Here he is portrayed as 'a con man with incel tendencies' who 'killed a girl who laughed at him and turned him down, and he’d gone on killing', which is definitely a modern interpretation but probably closer to the truth than A K Blakemore's sympathetic take.

Another stock Halloween chick lit novel which in the end fell between the 'romance' and 'comedy' stools for me. I certainly did not laugh out loud, but did enjoy the atmospheric descriptions of terrible weather and wish that I had Essie's power of bringing on a traditional winter. ( )

CW/TW: Fantasy violence, talk of sexual assault, pregnancy, sex

RATING: 4/5

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Hex Appeal is the story of Essie, an English Witch, and Josh, an American lawyer who has just moved to a small town in England. As sparks grow between them, the supernatural world begins to explode into chaos and together they must find a way to save the world.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed it. I loved the story. I loved the magic and the tongue-in-cheek humor of it. The only thing that really didn’t work for me was the romance. I just never bought that the characters had any chemistry. I really kind of read the book assuming they were really just friends, because that was how it felt to me. Other than that, this book was a pleasure to read, and a lot of fun! ( )