I will this book to turn into a series and to the author to write more books about the fierce and charming witches of Good Winter I will.

Promise me, promise me, promise me (if you know, you know) to have at least a sequel to Hex Appeal. I was NOT ready to leave this witchery wonderful world. Hex Appeal was action packed, contained a great romance (Essie and Josh’ initial flirting was A+), a coven of compelling characters, and an interesting magical system built into our boring, common world. That being said, I would have LOVED to drench myself in this world and wouldn’t have minded to be info dumped just a tad more. There were so many fun things going on (a cat and a dog fencing! Sultry plants! Time travelling! Crazy parrots!) and I really wanted more time to enjoy all these imaginative details the author created. While reading Hex Appeal I just couldn’t stop thinking this book could have easily been chopped up into three books and be like sevenhundred pages per book - and I would still have loved it.

The author’s note at the end upped my appreciation for Hex Appeal.

4.5 stars. I really liked it!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for sharing an digital ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

I read this in less than 24 hours - it was that good! The author makes it easy to suspend disbelief and truly enjoy the witchy elements, like you would any other amazing romance novel. It’s a perfect Autumn read 🍂🍁🍂

This was a fast read for me. I really couldn’t put it down. A great rom-com with witches— very funny and enjoyable!

A coven of witches live happily and peacefully in the Essex village of Good Winter. One of their numbers, Essie Winterscale, meets the cute American man who just moved into town and falls for his charm - despite his inquiries about the rent that her coven hasn't paid in centuries. Essie would like to experience a normal life or a normal relationship just for ONCE - but is that possible, when Essie's family and friends are magical?

This was an adorable read! Much closer to a standalone "A Discovery of Witches" than a traditional romance like "The Ex Hex" - much more "Practical Magic" than "Hocus Pocus" but I suppose that's on the marketing team lol still, very fun! There's great world-building and magic-building and I loved the characters in the coven, they really drew me in, as well as Siena and Josh. One of my favorite tropes in speculative fiction stories is seemingly-autonomous houses that feel like characters all on their own, and Beldam House nails it. I think the best written aspect/thread of the book and the part that kept me engaged was the mystery unfolding as the villain/curse/whathaveyou was revealed to the readers slowly over time. I will also say I don't typically enjoy the crossover of modern world and ancient-y magic, but it didn't bother me much in this story.

That being said, there was a lot to be desired in terms of pacing and I think the book would have benefitted greatly from a heavier-handed editor. The first 20-25% of the book honestly seemed quite boring, I was on the verge of putting the book down but the mystery of the monster was introduced right at the end of chapter 5 so I kept with it. I'm glad I did! But I also think the book should have been about 40 pages shorter. A few sections were action-packed and then others dragged along. It read to me more like a TV show, which is great, for a tv show, but a bit too stop-and-start-y for a romance book. 3.5 for me but rounded up.

I absolutely loved this book! I raced through it in a day (which isn't something that happens often). It's the sort of book where I read it while I was cooking, read it while I was waiting in line, just to keep reading.

Essie is a witch and lives in Beldam house with a coven of other witches - There's Blessing who is a fertility witch and qualified midwife, Avery who helps manifest people's desires (and makes medicines), Prudence who is a ghost and Maude who knits the future (maybe affects it, or maybe just predicts it) and Lilith who ... well, they don't talk about her.
Josh inherits a decaying farm house and finds he owns some Beldam house and they owe him rent. Except he can't find the house. If he finds it, he promptly forgets it. He meets Essie outside of the house and he's not about to forget her. Except of course, that she wants him to forget about the back rent...
And then to make matters worse, there's a evil stirring.

This is a romcom with witches. These are very practical witches - like Terry Pratchett's ones (more Tiffancy Aching and Granny than Nanny). Some of the things about the house are completely bananapants, but it totally works and it's very funny in places.

I enjoyed this book a LOT.

I had amazing time and laughed out so loud at some chapters! Quirky hero and heroine: amazing supporting characters, enemies to lovers story with magical and witchery powers!

Welcome to Essex,Good Winter village where a bunch of witches live in a magical place called Bendam House: no one knows where is located and any visitor forgets its existence as soon as they leave the place. A house that changes by the moods of the witches, having a tree and bunch of animals: singing parrots, dancing rats, nervous goat, fighting cat-dog.

The witches live rent free for nearly 300 years till their landlord: a handsome, quirky, blonde, boyish lawyer Josh who recently inherited a dilapidated mansion, deciding to meet with his tenants for collecting the debts!

Josh is adamant where the Bedham House located. He finally meets with quirky, red head- blue eyed, eccentric Essie: who is witchery kind of Elsa, rejecting to sing “Let it go”, bringing the winter, chilling the places ( her ability to freeze is convenient to chill the white wines)

Josh follows Essie to her house and meet the eccentric tenants but interestingly he’s strong enough not to forget things he’s seen.

The other witches also carry different kind of abilities: Maude knits the future. Blessing nurtures and brings things to
fruition. Avery manifests ideas into reality.
And Essie’s mom Lilith time travels.

Essie decides to keep Josh at broomstick’s length but when Josh’s very pregnant step sister moves to live with him and hires Blessing as her midwife, two families get a little closer.

And when an incarnated monster starts to threaten their existence, Essie teams up with Josh to confront the witch- finder who can bring the end of the world!

This was smart, fast pacing, humorous and also heartwarming fantasy! I liked the author’s unique hex touch! I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5 magical, frozen, healing, romantic stars! I’m looking forward to read more works of the author in near future!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/ One More Chapter for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Witches, hauntings, unlikely romance, and family secrets come together in this story about one witch who has avoided love but finds herself falling for the one person she shouldnt be. Essie Winterscale lives in a big magical house in the village of Winter Good, Essex. She is one of many witches in the community and her powers have caused a lot of harm to her previous lovers, so in turn, she has tried to keep herself out of relationships and away from love. Yet when a gorgeous new landlord named Josh appears, he suddenly comes knocking asking for rent that hasnt been paid since the 1700s! Josh finds himself drawn to Essie and all the other inhabitants of Beldam House but when a family secret puts Josh under it’s spell Essie has to save him before its too late. This was a pretty cute story thats perfect for fans of witchy rom coms!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*