The story in emojis: 🪄✨💜

My Top 3 things from this book:
•Witch Society
•Toil and Trouble Book series
•Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the first book of the Toil and Trouble series and I will be adding the next to my #TBR .

I really enjoy books with magic (that aren’t solely fantasy) and this book definitely was just that - the mix of human everyday life with magic seeping in is always sure to have fun and mishaps.

My favourite character was Bastian, his personality was perfect for the marriage of convenience and second chance romance tropes!

Thank you for my eARC of this book. This was a fun witchy read - which is a sub genre I am loving at the moment. I had a fun time with this one and it was a case of right time right book too!

I really enjoyed this book - despite being magical, the characters all felt real. It would have been very easy for Clarissa to seem cartoonish but she was handled well.

I really enjoyed the plot and the way characters dealt with things felt believable, if frustrating at times! I look forward to reading more by this author!

I don’t know why it took me so long, such a good read. Romance, magic & humour in spades. What more could a girl want other than moreeee in this world pls!

The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan


I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Mills & Boon and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Love is a hex of a thing. Former childhood sweethearts fake a relationship in this charming, witchy romcom.

There’s nothing wrong with being a wallflower. Not to Emmaline Bluewater, anyway. Emma may have been born into witch society, but her days of trying to fit in where she doesn’t belong are over—they ended seven years ago, when the man she’d hoped to marry left town without a word. She’s much happier now, living a delightfully mundane human life in Chicago and running her bar, Toil and Trouble.

Until Bastian Truenote walks through the door and announces that he wants her back.

Bastian had his reasons for leaving—even if he can’t tell Emma what they are. Now, to win Emma’s heart, he’s got to face down an adorably goofy dog familiar, a best friend who’s all too eager to hit him with a carefully aimed hex, and a woman who’s far from the meek witch he remembers.

Magical contracts aren’t easily broken, but as far as Emma’s concerned, not even a marriage of convenience will have her falling under Bastian’s spell again…

My Opinion

I went into this book completely blind, I was drawn in by the cover and title and didn't even think to look at the blurb. Emma and Bastian were supposed to marry years earlier, except Bastian ran away - now he is back and needs her to go through with her end of the contract to save his mum.

This was a gripping witchy romance. This is the first book I have read by Sophie H. Morgan but I am sure that I will be back for more.

Rating 4/5

I adored this witchy second chance romance. It has witches and warlocks, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience and forced proximity. I loved the story and I did not expect what had actually happened 😯 Emmaline and Bastian were such a cute couple with amazing chemistry and had great banter. They were childhood friends so it was lovely to see them get to know each other again as adults. I especially loved that Emmaline was shy and introverted just like me so I could relate ☺️ I highly recommend this book. 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a great mix of Fantasy and Romance.

The main characters are likeable and the plot moves along at a good pace.

Although the plot is predictable if you fancy an easy read then this could be for you.

I don’t know why it took me so long, such a good read. Romance, magic & humour in spades. What more could a girl want other than moreeee in this world pls!

A decent witchy read, I was all set up to hate Bastian but I actually came round to him much quicker than anticipated. The poor communication was irritating and Emma not demanding an explanation from Bastian immeadiately enraged me!

I do love a witch story and this one was no different- I really liked it!
Our heroine was engaging and there was a nice love story mixed in with the magic. An author new to me but worth reading.

I absolutely love second chance romances and this one was brilliant!

full of character development, friendship, and quirky characters that are relatable I would definitely recommend this one!

This book is perfect for spooky season!

3.5 stars

The Witch is Back is a fun read and I loved a second chance romance but it definitely missed the mark for me.

Don't get me wrong, I gave this 3.5 stars and there were a lot of elements I liked about this one. I really liked Emma's growth in this book. I also really liked the friendship group she has and how close she is to her sister. I also really liked the banter between the characters and the dynamic between Emma and Bastien.

However, I did find this one to have a lot of miscommunication which is a big turn off for me. A lot of issues could have been resolved quickly in this book if they had just sat down and had a proper conversation.

Overall, The Witch is Back is a cute and cozy romance and also a fast read! If it wasn't for the miscommunication I could have seen myself really loving this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Adorable, cute funny. The perfect witchy autumnal vibes romance. The plot itself is relatively simple, nothing genre defining. But the characters more than make up for this. Their second chance relationship is believable and adorable and they play off each other really well. I'm not normally a fan of second chances but this one was genuinely so good I was rooting for the characters.

Mills and Boon published a supernatural Nocturne series between 2013-2017. They seem to be dipping their publishing tie in the world of supernatural romance once again with The Witch is Back by Sophie H Morgan.

This is a second chance at love romance. Emma Blueswater is a such who wants to leave her witchness firmly in the past. She was never a particularly a good witch. Spells were never her thing. She much prefers running a bar called Toil and Trouble in Chicago with her two best friends, Leah who is human but wants to be a witch and Tia who is also a witch. Her dog and three legged cat are an adorable aside to the plot line. Bastian Truenote, her best friend since childhood, deserted her when they are making plans for their arranged marriage seven years ago. Despite the complicated marriage contract being signed when they were children he suddenly disappeared without trace. She is humiliated and the mystical/ magical society, especially her mother, blame her as she is not a very good witch. She escapes to the human world where she has lived happily with her friends. He turns up years later in Emma’s bar begging her for a second chance and for the marriage to go ahead as otherwise his mother will die. Bastian is unwilling to share the reasons why he fled in the first place. They go through with the marriage but will they be able to recapture the happiness and love of their youth.

Although this is a mystical romance many of the split lines are firmly based in reality. Emma is an introvert, Bastian an extrovert. Emma was bullied by her mother when she was a child to the extent that she hates speaking in public. Their characters develop and grow, showing how toxic family life, betrayal and loyal friends can shape a relationship.loyal friends.

This is my first witch/ spells/ paranormal romance and I wasn’t disappointed. Although the basic romantic storyline isn’t by any means unique the way that that the characters, witches and spells were interwoven and shape the dynamic and direction of the storyline made it a very enjoyable read. I never read any of the original Nocturne series, but going by the front cover alone, this new iteration of witchy romance is not as dark and intense but instead toned down, more fun, verging on rom-com with a twist of witch.
I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-arc of this book!

I really loved this book so much. From the characters and their development to the plot of the story. I love that the FMC was built up over time and finally found her voice!

This was the perfect witchy read to start off my witchy marathon - it had a really magical and charming premise, with a little spice that was a pleasant surprise, given this is a mills & boon book. This is a second chance romance that will have you swooning and smiling, the chemistry is undeniable and the characters are strong. I really enjoyed Sophie's style of writing, it was witty, humorous and pleasant. This is the perfect romantasy for everybody's autumn tbr's. Highly recommend.

"The Witch is Back" by Sophie Morgan is a bewitching tale of love, magic, and second chances. Emma Bluewater, a witch determined to leave her magical past behind, finds herself confronted by her ex-lover, Bastian, who reveals a complicated marriage contract that binds them together. Sophie Morgan weaves a captivating narrative filled with secrets, curses, and a touch of the supernatural.

Emma is a relatable and strong-willed protagonist, while Bastian is a complex character with a mysterious past. Their rekindling romance is both enchanting and emotionally charged, making readers root for their love to conquer the obstacles in their path.

Morgan's writing is filled with charm and humour, and she effortlessly combines the magical elements with the everyday life of Emma's bar in Chicago. As the story unfolds, the intricacies of magical contracts and the consequences of breaking them add depth to the plot.

"The Witch is Back" is a delightful and engaging read for fans of paranormal romance and contemporary fantasy. Sophie Morgan delivers a spellbinding story of love, forgiveness, and the enduring power of magic, leaving readers enchanted until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

This was a very cute, witchy read. I honestly don't have much to say. It was a quick, fun read and I found Bastian and Emma a cute couple and I enjoyed their little journey. Emma's friend Tia is kind of a jerk but not enough to really bother me.

And yes, could every problem in this book have been resolved by reading the super important contract that governs everyone's lives that no one seems to have read or examined closesly? Yeah. Absolutely. But the book was fun and I'm willing to look past that. Mostly. It's still dumb.

All in all, Bastian and Emma were cute and if Morgan writes more in this world, I'll probably read it.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads.

Magic, spice, unfinished business, marriage contracts, a secret sister, evil mother, friends who are family, this urban fantasy had everything I wanted and more.
I adored Emma and Bastain’s story, whilst I don’t normally enjoyed miscommunication it was such a huge basis of their love story that it fitted perfectly.
I really felt the rollercoaster of emotions throughout the whole story, and Sophie does a brilliant job of showing how Emma’s childhood trauma and abuse has impacting her in adult life. Safe to say I hated Emma’s mother by the end of the story and I’m really hoping we get to see even more karma come to bite her!
I really enjoyed the magic elements throughout the story and the whole concept drew me in. I think this was a fantastic story and I will now need to go and read all of Sophie’s books.

What began as a fun, witchy romcom turned into a surprisingly deep and satisfying trauma-resolving story.

This was a fun read, a perfect end of summer vacation beach read. Perfect for the second chance at love or marriage of convenience fan. It was fun, it was a little saucy and I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC!