Just so fun and charming. I loved Hex Appeal. The characters were so captivating, I wanted to be friends with all of them. I loved the chemistry, I loved the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was provided by Netgalley and One More Chapter in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimately, this just wasn't for me. Whilst I loved the premise, and there were elements of the story (such as the house, some glimpses into the magic) that I enjoyed, I ultimately found the characters to be flat. I also felt too much time was spent on details (like Josh's sister) which I would have preferred spent building the core story.

Glad to see many reviewers enjoyed this, everyone's taste is different and for me this didn't quite hit the spot.

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

2.5/5 Stars

As always – thank you to Netgalley for the book in exchange for a review.

It’s been a bit since I read this book so I’m doing this review based off of my notes. This book was super cute, but it just didn’t hit everything I wanted it to. It had an interesting concept, but this book is one of the reasons I hate advertising as other medias.

This was advertised as Encanto meets Hocus Pocus, which would be a super cute idea. But unfortunately I didn’t really get any of the Encanto inspiration through the book, and the Hocus Pocus aspect was only through an ancient curse and the fact that there are witches in the book.

A lot of this book fell very flat for me, the characters seemed kind of boring and there wasn’t a lot of chemistry between any of the characters, especially Essie and Josh. Essie seemed like such a quirky character but had absolutely zero personality. Nothing was fleshed out to make it interesting enough to ever want to pick back up to reread.

Most of the plot was very convoluted, especially when it came to Essie and her mother. The romance was hollow, the miscommunication wasn’t even interesting.

I wish this book had a lot more, but it was a quick read to get through for the fall season.

"Hex Appeal" by Kate Johnson casts a spell of enchantment, blending humor and romance in a delightful witchy romcom. Set in the charming village of Good Winter, the story follows Essie Winterscale, a witch seeking a normal life in the ever-changing Beldam House. The coven, filled with quirky witches, adds a touch of hilarity, especially when dealing with their clueless new landlord, Josh. Johnson's storytelling weaves a magical tapestry, combining the allure of witchiness with relatable characters and a hint of family secrets. With a nod to classics like "Hocus Pocus" and a dash of modern romance, "Hex Appeal" is a funny, smart, and sassy read that showcases Kate Johnson's brilliant world-building skills. A must-read for fans of magical romantic comedies like Erin Sterling's "The Ex Hex" and Lana Harper's "Payback’s a Witch."

I should have been expecting a heavy romance when I requested this. I think it lives up to what it's trying to do. A fun, quirky, and romantic paranormal romance. I liked the couple, but didn't just love the tropes in this one.

This book was cute! I liked the characters and the overall plot. Not to mention it was actually pretty funny, which made it more enjoyable. I love that witches are making a comeback in romance books. Some aspects of it felt a little flat for me, but I’d still recommend this book…especially those who enjoy witchy vibes with a romcom feel!

Such a feel good, make you laugh witchy book! This quick read wrapped in all your favorite Halloween movies into one and had a perfect little romance mixed it.

This was a DNF for me. The story sounded great when I read the synopsis and i had heard alot of great things about it but I just couldn't get into it for whatever reason which was a bummer

When a witchy house inherits a new and not so witchy landlord what could possibly go wrong! This was a fun witchy read for the halloween season, or for any time really! This book is exactly what I expected it to be, fun, quirky, lighthearted and with plenty of chaos. The book kind of lost me at the time travel part but other than that it was an enjoyable read.

A heartwarming witchy rom-com was just what I needed at this time of year!

Josh moves to England after inheriting property but all is not what it seems once he arrives. Essie wishes for a normal life, well as normal a life as possible when you live with a coven of witches. Essie isn’t one for engaging with Josh but life has a different way of working…

I loved the balance of humour, romance and a sprinkling of magic. I thoroughly enjoyed how well researched the history of witches appeared to be. The authors note really solidified by love for this book.

I can’t wait to read more from this author and it’ll definitely be a go-to recommendation for customers.

I just could not get into this one. I was enjoying it okay for a while at the beginning, but once the time travel part came into play, it just completely lost me, unfortunately.

This story was significantly darker than anticipated, and it only made me love it more!!

Beldam House is a magical place and not in the sense of beautiful to look at but actual magic. Ever changing and home to Essie and her eclectic coven of witches. Which also happens to be the one of houses that Josh inherited after his father passed, one that hasn’t paid rent in over 300 years! In an effort to get some answers, he decides to confront the tenants, When arriving, he gets swept up in the world of witchcraft, mystery and the peculiar women he can’t seem to get enough of.

What happens when you put a very eccentric witch, with a very quirky bookworm? A very good time! The banter between josh and Essie kept me laughing through out the book. Though the plot definitely got darker than anticipated (because of the cover), the conversations and inner monologues, made the book feel a bit more jaunty and lively.

I struggled a bit with Johnson’s writing during The Ex Hex, so I was a bit surprised at how quickly I made it through this book.

I would definitely recommend picking this one up as your next fall or winter read! Days getting darker quicker, the temperatures dropping, rain and window sounds outside your window; absolutely perfect atmosphere for this read

Fun silly seasonal read that got me out of a slump! Was it memorable….no! But the purpose was to make me smile and laugh at witty banter! Just a good book.

I really enjoyed! Great read for the fall and spooky season! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

This is a fun and quirky read just right for spooky season on the light side. The characters were likeable but the story unravelled a bit toward the end and got a little messy for me.

This was a really sweet rom-com with spooky aspects, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Would highly recommend for the spooky season.

A delightful romcom! The characters are well-developed and likeable. The writing was breezy and fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

I couldn't get on with the characters - which is a me problem, not the writing. 3 stars because i couldn't get into it.

Incredibly fun witch story. It has it all a cast of zany characters, fun settings and fantastical story lines. I am familiar with the author from some of her previous books, and I can tell you she always makes it impossible to put the book down!

This was a totally adorable witchy romance!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (mostly closed door and innuendo, some mention of a frostbitten…part, and one tame open-door scene).

Josh and Essie are completely adorable. I love Essie and her wacky family. The fortune-telling aunt, her mom who’s constantly time-traveling, her midwife/gardener aunt, the relative who cooks…generally well…they all have such well-developed personalities and quirks that I could imagine meeting them on any street in rural England. And Essie? She perseveres through so much…all for love.

Overall, I’d recommend this as a fun spooky season read for anyone!