A delightful blend of Regency romance, witchy magic and whimsical adventure. The plot is fast paced and filled with twists. I loved it.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed the book but it wasn’t a top title for me. I was hoping to enjoy it more than I did but I will read another book by this author.

What a cosy read Hex and Hexability was! We had it all witches, pirates and a romance. This novel was exactly what I expected, it was easy to read and the characters just flowed from the pages. It felt like the typical chick lit novels but that's what I really enjoyed about it. It gave exactly what I wanted.

A very belated review from my backlog of stuff I didn't get round to reviewing yet (and which delay doesn't necessarily say anything about the book in question).

The basic premise of the book is that out protagonist Tiffany has an odd effect on things around her in that she tends to make paintings come to life but it's only when she finally meets her great aunt Esme that she's encouraged to think of herself as a witch and start to discover that this effect is actually a gift.

Alongside this, she's encouraged to try and 'civilise' a newly-found member of the aristocracy who's come to London and who naturally ends up being her romantic interest. There's a little too much miscommunication as a plot device at times for my liking but it's a charming enough relationship despite that. Add some pirates, a sea monster and a little time travel and you've apparently got yourself a book.

In short, an enjoyable enough read (and one of the few covers in the current cartoon style so loved of romance publishers that I've actually liked) but nothing to get over-excited about unless this is really your kind of thing.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.

Lady Tiffany has a problem - she unintentionally makes her drawings come to life. When her mysterious great aunt Esme comes into her life and teaches about the way of the witches, her life changes and leads her in some unexpected places.

I had a great time reading this regency inspired witchy rom con. It was a great addition to Kate Johnson's portfolio and i loved the mixture of historical elements and her usual witchy romance style. The characters were intriguing and loveable and i really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters.

I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was a fun read - exactly what I expected. I enjoyed the FMC a lot for her wit and charisma. The banter was top notch and the plot was fun.

I had high hopes for Hex and Hexability by Kate Johnson, having thoroughly enjoyed the previous instalments. The earlier books were fun, chaotic, and had an unusual romance that gradually won me over, paired with some solid world-building. However, this latest instalment left me feeling disconnected.

The sudden shift from a modern-day setting to Regency-era England completely altered the series’ vibe. While I understand the main character’s more reserved nature fits the era, it made her feel less engaging. The romance—so central to the earlier books—seems non-existent so far, and the characters aren’t connecting in a meaningful way. Even the world-building, which could have made up for the slower pacing, feels underdeveloped.

At about 25% in, I realised I just wasn’t invested. Maybe I’ll revisit it later, but for now, this one is a DNF for me.

This book is a total blast! Magic, romance, a pirate-like duke—what’s not to love? Lady Tiffany’s witchy powers get her into all sorts of trouble, and the chemistry between her and the duke is chef’s kiss. If you want a fun, spicy read with tons of magic and laughs, grab this one! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Hex and Hexability by Kate Johnson

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Lady Tiffany Worthington has always had a special talent for making the world around her come to life – whether she wants it to or not – but it’s only with the arrival of her mysterious great aunt Esme on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo that she learns she’s a witch … and that the magic she’s long feared is actually a gift to be embraced.

Now, as she’s exposed to a side of London she never knew existed, one with sea creatures, magical portals, time travel, and a handsome duke from a faraway land with a dashing scar that makes him look like a pirate, Lady Tiffany discovers that despite what the ton might decree, there is no limit to what she can do … or who she can be.

My Opinion

Hex and Hexability was an easy and fun book to read and will appeal to fans of Bridgerton. For me this was such a delightful book to read and I read this in one sitting. Hex and Hexability is part of a series but it can definitely be read as a standalone.

Rating 4/5

This is a very cozy witchy vibe read. It’s the perfect book to read in the fall for sure. I enjoyed the main characters and sweet story. This book seemed a bit slow going but did get better as it went on.

Hex & Hexability by Kate Johnson gives a little bit of a lot of things! Historical fiction, witches, romance- such a unique & fun combination! I thoroughly enjoyed this book & the characters. The writing in this book is incredible, creating a very atmospheric feel. I will definitely check out more books by this author.


Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins UK, & One More Chapter for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was fine but nothing ground-breaking. I enjoyed it well enough, but I probably won’t go out of my way to recommend it.

As a fan of the previous two books I knew what to expect and this book didn’t disappoint.

I love the way Kate builds her characters and enjoyed the spark between Lady Tiffany and Santiago.

I'm giving this 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This was just so charming, and the magic was so much fun. I think it's my favorite Kate Johnson book so far. I loved the combination of witches and Regency romance. Tiffany and Santiago were amazing together, and I adored the other witches. There was also an intriguing mystery and a good amount of humor. All around, this was an excellent read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Oh nooooooooooooo... Hex and Hexability went from a cozy witchy 5-star read to a 3-star within the span of a chapter or so. And as usual with romance, for me that happened around the point of the first sex scene. A tumblr post I recently discovered put this phenomenon into words for me: Many authors don't carry the narrative tone of the rest of their story (in this instance: lighthearted, funny, and eloquent) over into their smut approach.

Kate Johnson otherwise knows how to research a historical, and how to write an unconventional male love interest, so this 180-degree turn came as a big disappointment. Tiffany (so cute!!!) and Santiago (bisexual, mixed-race, heavily implied former sex worker, pierced ear) have some of the finest chemistry I ever saw in a Regency romance, fitting right into the quirky ensemble of characters that made a notorious standalone reader like me hope for an expansion of this paranormal universe. The plot, which stake-wise is situated somewhere in the middle range, is a lovely mix between Practical Magic and Princess Diaries, if Princess Diaries was about an aristocratic newcomer being tutored into genteel society (it is!).

From the moment the relationship is more or less established though, (view spoiler), Santiago's character is suddenly reduced to a possessive "my wife" kind of protagonist, and the romantic plot commences taking itself too seriously - if you except the admittedly funny reaction the virginal heroine has to the male anatomy after only having been exposed to ancient Greek statues before. We do not judge readers who have this alpha male kink, but it really seems out of place right there. Someone think of the girlies who are into pathetic little meow meows or goodhearted pirates.

What can I say? It's a pity! This was the second book by Johnson that had my hopes for a favourite read of the year smashed to mediocricy by the end of the novel. I'm not even sure I want to give them up yet, because the writing is simply scrumptuous... Dum spiro, spero, I guess.

I really liked the idea of this book "woman discovers she's a witch, meets other witches, falls in love with a pirate". Though the start of this book felt a bit too long and I was really confused by the monster, I enjoyed things once the story picked up and Lady Tiffany found her footing as a woman and a witch.

Needless to say I had a difficult time getting this book started (I started this book on October 1 and finished on December 3) If you decide to read it, push through the first quarter of the book as quickly as possible and you'll enjoy the rest!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Hex and Hexability by Kate Johnson in exchange for my true thoughts.

Bridgerton with a touch of witchcraft. In this Regency-era novel, Lady Tiffany is out in society with no real desire to wed but may have to to keep a big secret about herself. When her mysteriously Great Aunt Esme shows up, she learns her secret talent isn’t just a coincidence or illusion…she’s actually a witch. Plenty of adventures unfold since the revelation - from the Duke pining after her heart, to a gigantic sea creature too close for comfort.
I saw a lot of parallel moments to the Bridgerton novel “The Duke and I” but recognized Tiffany more as a character similar to Eloise. Fun magical themed romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I think I had too high of hopes based off the description that I read- I think it had read “Bridgerton meets Witchy” so I thought that sounded fun. However, most of the book read really slow and it took a long time for it to get somewhere. Then when it did get somewhere, it wasn’t all that exciting. I was a little bummed!

It’s pretty hard to resist a book billed as Bridgerton meets The Ex Hex. If I had to make my own comparison, I would label this as Bridgerton or Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater meets Practical Magic. But serious, a spicy romantasy Regency romcom? I needed that immediately. Plus, I’ve really loved the first two books in this series and the way each story feels both standalone yet part of a series. You don’t need to have read the first two books in order to understand this one, although you might not be as emotionally attached to some of the side characters as you would be if you had read the other books.

I haven’t read Sense and Sensibility, but looking at the plot summary, this book was heavily influenced by that one. Even so, I found this story really enjoyable in a way I haven’t felt very often with retellings of Jane Austen works. While she retained many of the bones of the original story, the author makes this Regency story feel like it’s unique and modern. In fact, the humor, the writing, and the story itself all lend an updated (and understandable) feel to the story, to the point where I’d get to a part that highly emphasizes the Regency setting.

This is definitely a rom-com, but with a fantasy element, somewhat reminiscent of Half a Soul, where magic users operate beneath a veneer of polite society. Tiffany lives with her brother, who seems largely oblivious to her presence, and his wife, Elinor, who has taken on the role of mentoring Tiffany and preparing her to debut in society so they can get her married to a suitable man. However, strange things seem to happen often around Tiffany—paintings come to life. It complicates her entry into society, especially when she’s trying to stay under the radar, and doesn’t understand what is happening.

Everything becomes clear shortly after she travels to the home of her great aunt Esme, who lives with a housemate or three, both the two-legged and four-legged kind, and learns that she is … a witch. I think the best part of this is Tiffany's ability to understand animals.

I loved how quickly things changed at her great aunt Esme’s house—while they still maintained a thin veneer of respectability as unmarried women living on their own, offering Tiffany a chance to live in a positive, welcoming, and empowering environment, while incorporating some fun magic. This was irresistible to me, but I found myself empathizing with Tiffany’s experiences and how they really challenged her in the best possible ways.

Santiago was a really fun character, and a diverse one at that, adding to the more modern feel of the story. As a golden-skinned Latino man, he stands out amongst the populace, and he’s further othered by the presence of his tattoos and a scar on his face, leading people to view him as a pirate. Yet I had him and Tiffany pegged right from the start, and I wasn’t surprised to discover that not everything is what it seems, although I was surprised at how that plot twist played out.

As a reader of both spicy and non-spicy romances, I have to say that the descriptions of Santiago practically swooning with heart-eyes when getting to touch Tiffany’s bare hand, and these simple situations were actually really hot. It speaks to Johnson’s talent, because I can’t imagine that making that sound hot yet she managed to.

Overall, this was a fun book, but it did feel as though it was a bit on the long side. I’ve also noticed that Johnson’s books have a tendency to be a bit slow at first, and then grab me once I’m further into the story and things really start to get good. I found myself dreading her visits back to her brother and sister-in-law’s house, because the environment felt so stifling. But for the most part, I got exactly what I was expecting from this book: a cute and humorous story, a connection that practically sizzles off the page between Tiffany and Santiago, and the added bonus of having women in a Regency novel claim their power. This was a fun, light, and humorous story with a heartwarming ending, and I strongly recommend it.