I quite enjoyed reading this story although I did have some minor concerns with it. The story itself was engaging and the characters were well fleshed out but I couldn’t really connect with any of them. Something just felt like it was missing with the characterisation. I liked the different timelines and how everything came together but at the same time some of the timelines I felt to be a little boring & I would just skim them to get to the ones that I was more interested in. I do feel like this book will be a favourite for someone other than me as I find it hard to pinpoint exactly what it was that didn’t quite work for me but I appreciate being given the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an arc of this book with which I was able to read and review.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author to allow me read this story it was indeed an excellent fantasy but I do understand that this isn't a book for everyone, I saw a bit more than a story and fantasy but people growth and dealing with trauma and uncomfortable things, the different perspectives also made perfect sense.. This was definitly a good surprise

This book offers an atmospheric setting and intriguing magic realism, but its characters and relationships didn't resonate with me. The dual timelines and character dynamics felt jarring and hard to follow, which, combined with the toxic romance, made it difficult to fully engage with the story.

From the first chapter I loathed this book. Women being horrible wives, hiding and lying important things from their husbands... What garbage. I kept reading because I thought there'd be a good reasoning for it in the end, but over all there wasn't. Not for me at all

I want to thank NetGalley and Atmosphere press for the ARC of this book

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Deborah Trahan’s A Southern Enchantress invites readers into a richly atmospheric New Orleans, where the mystical and the everyday collide. The story follows Suzanne, a clairsentient enchantress wrestling with her heritage and supernatural gifts. Her reluctant embrace of her powers is catalyzed by a tumultuous relationship with Max, a morally dubious rogue, setting the stage for a narrative that intertwines magic, love, and personal growth.

The novel excels in its setting; Trahan’s vivid descriptions of New Orleans create an immersive backdrop that feels as alive as the characters. Themes of generational trauma, self-acceptance, and resilience are skillfully woven into the story, offering depth beneath the surface magic. The dual timeline structure adds complexity, although some readers may find the shifts between past and present disruptive initially.

While the plot and themes are compelling, the execution can feel uneven. Some parts of the narrative are beautifully crafted, while others feel rushed or overly ambitious. Suzanne’s journey is engaging, but the romance with Max doesn’t always hit the mark, sometimes veering into melodrama.

Overall, A Southern Enchantress is an evocative tale with strong atmosphere and themes, but its pacing and character dynamics may not resonate with all readers. It’s a solid read for fans of magical realism and New Orleans-inspired fiction.

I really liked the setting of the plot. I really didn't like the characters. I'm just getting into magic-realism and I found the portrayal of the spellwork and ritualistic witchcraft enchanting but the motives behind the characters' actions seemed lacking to me. None of the characters were likeable. I don't know if that was the point or a plot device but it didn't let me connect to any of the characters and I felt pretty disconnected from the story. I liked Addy's storyline better. The narrative was confusing in the beginning with two timelines and then time jumps in each of them. I found myself puzzling over who is whose sister in the middle of the book too, that was resolved well by the end. I liked how the story came full-circle and went from one set of sisters fighting it out to one of sisters helping each other out. This did open up the genre of magic-realism more for me and I'm looking forward to reading more stories like this.

DNF @ 16%

Unfortunately this book was just.not for me. I was really intrigued by the blurb but found that the first 50 pages dragged for me. Although I found the writing style easy to read and descriptive, I was not interested in the relationship between Max and Suzanne or their stories.. The relationship was toxic and secretive from the jump, and neither character coming across as someone I would want to root for.

While the blurb made me intrigued about the clairvoyance and spectre aspect, I was not interested enough to work through the three POVs in timelines that jumped back and forth in order to get to the point in the plot that it became more central. I feel like this book would have benefited from less jumping between timelines, for example, with it jumping from Suzanne and Max being together, to before they were together, I found it too jarring and hard to keep track of and delve into. I also would have loved a bit more utilisation of the clairvoyance to help pull me in. I acknowledge that I only read the first 50 pages but typically I can be drawn in within the first 50 pages and have an idea of whether the book will be interesting for me or not. I am sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.

Incredibly well written, it had me gery well hooked with the time lines of greed and sadness and revenge 👀
Thankyou for giving me the opportunity to read this !

A Southern Enchantress is a generational supernatural tale that weaves together the lives and stories of a line of hereditary witches— “Enchantresses”, from one decade to the next.
The echoes of their interconnected pasts surge forward to encircle the fate and determine the choices of the present-day Lafountain descendant. And to what end? Revenge… In a deliciously southern kind of way, of course. This impressive matriachiarchial lineage of spellcasters proficient in their own particular brand of folk magic with a sprinkle of clairsentient abilities makes for a fascinating read.

Author, Deborah Trahan does an exceptional job at developing individual character arcs to evolve and ensnare the reader. Evocative organic language, well-paced flow and magical realism build a world of mystique set amidst the haunting beauty of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I couldn't help but crave more and devour this book, I most certainly did.

The fact that romance is a secondary element in this storyline tickled me pink. It’s always refreshing to explore the depth and motives behind strong women whose grit, power and inner resolve are the driving force behind the core plot. And that no matter the circumstances, these Enchantresses will not be held down and they will be avenged— even if from beyond the veil. Thrilling!
A must-read novel you don't want to put on the back burner of your TBR. Make sure you get onto this ASAP!

Deborah Trahan's A Southern Enchantress is a delightful blend of romance and Southern charm. The story is rich with vibrant characters, but Max truly stole my heart—his blend of charisma and depth makes him an unforgettable hero. The chemistry between him and the protagonist is electric, filled with witty exchanges and genuine emotion. Trahan’s vivid descriptions bring the Southern setting to life, adding to the enchanting atmosphere. If you’re looking for a captivating read that weaves magic and romance seamlessly, this book is a must-read!

Told in dual timelines, A Sountern Enchantress weaves a gripping bound of generational love. A perfect tale weaved in atmospheric New Orleans. Perfect for spooky season.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I enjoyed this book so much!

The book is in dual timeline (one with Suzanne and Max´s POV and the other with Addy´s one) which was a bit confusing at first but after some chapters I was totally into it. I loved Suzanne´s journey and the whole plot of the book. All of the characters were well described even if I wish we had some more information about some of them (Esty and Jack). The writing style was superb!

I liked the magic system, folk magic, tarot etc., this is the first book I pick with this kind of magic system and it was really original.

Will definetly read more books from this author!

Amazon, Goodreads and Instagram Post will be posted tomorrow (19/09)

A Southern Enchantress offers an intriguing glimpse into the complexities of Southern life, blending romance with elements of magical realism. Trahan's writing style is rich and evocative, capturing the beauty of the setting and the depth of the characters. The protagonist’s journey of self-discovery is engaging, although at times the pacing feels uneven, with some plot points dragging on longer than necessary.

The supporting characters are well-developed, adding layers to the story, but certain tropes can feel predictable. Overall, while the narrative has its charms and moments of genuine insight, it doesn't quite reach the level of the standout Southern literature it aspires to emulate. A solid read for those who enjoy a mix of romance and fantasy, but it may leave some wanting more depth and originality.

I’m sorry to say I didn’t love this book. I felt that the descriptions of the tarot, magic, and clairsentience were not well enough researched (for instance, in a tarot reading with 2 cards from the suit of Cups, the character says all cards were from the Major Arcana). Getting details like that wrong, plus jumping timelines with lots of different relationships (many with already deceased characters we are only meeting in retrospect) makes it hard to connect with the book.

I love when books jump timelines and POVs to tell stories, leaving you to connect the characters and the story together. This one focuses on three different characters through out a timeline of 70 years, weaving a story of revenge, greed, and sadness. The story will make you cry and laugh. The writing was top tier, and the book was very enjoyable.

This book contains a story of revenge, greed, sorrow, family dynamics written from the perspective of three different characters. The story takes place in a timeline period of 70+ years.

This book has a beautiful mixture of magic, realism, ghost, multigenerous tragedy and drama. Due to the story diving into a multigenerous tragedy i was quite confused in the beginning of what these character had to do with each other etc. But once the story kept going things got more clear! This story had so many levels it blew my mind and i read this book in one sitting.

This book has amazing writing a colorful and beautiful journey of a women who works to stop a generational Tragedy and trauma that her female ancestors had to endure. I enjoyed reading this so so much!

Thank you netgalley, for providing this Arc in exchange of an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction, and found that it had strong pace, solid characters, and an interesting storyline. It certainly kept my interest throughout, and as someone who has read a lot of historical fiction, I thought this was an incredible accomplishment.

Forget about the cover. Read this Gem! I absolutely loved everything about this story. This could easily become a best seller if the cover gets changed.

::|| Max leaves his legal concerns in his attorneys hands and concentrates on fast-forwarding his relationship with Suzanne. Thanks to Maureen’s sleuthing skills, he learns that Suzanne’s considerably wealthier than estimated. Max knew about Suzanne’s lawsuit that follows her mother’s fiery death in a crash on U. S highway 61 four years ago in front of Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, one of the most haunted plantations in the South ||::

Suzanne is a beautiful, intelligent, smart and powerful woman who is caught in the middle of a family dilemma that goes back centuries.. And the women in her family line, they do not forgive and the most certainly do no forget. With one of the oldest, all powerful ancestral blood running through her veins she in on the brink of doing something for the females in her family that had never been done before. She is going to allow them to go home and be at peace.
But she can’t do that without first dealing with Max problem. She needs to put it right. She is her ancestors only chance.
I do have to admit when I first tried to get into this. It was hard, I found the back story confusing because I was getting so much information while trying to know what to keep and what is just there to hype up the tension but overall this book is amazing!

The more you read and learnt about the Lafountaine, the more I just wanted to adopted by them, although they didn’t have the easiest path, everything came out alright in the end didn’t it?

The story starts out pretty fast paced but with so many points of view I had trouble getting into it. I like how it ended with how their stories all tied together beautifully. I love the spiritual aspect and inter generational connection between them.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.