This was an interesting cozy paranormal mystery that spanned several generations. The premise was interesting and the plotting well paced. I enjoyed the interplay of familial relationships

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

A Critical Review of "The Witches of Santo Stefano" by Wendy Weebb "The Witches of Santo Stefano" by Wendy Weebb is a novel that delves into the intriguing mystery surrounding Cassandra's ancestors, particularly her great-grandmother, whose death certificate lists witchcraft as the cause of death. While the premise of the story is promising, my overall impression of the book is mixed. On a positive note, the exploration of the Rossi family's history was engaging and kept me interested throughout the narrative. The author's ability to intertwine elements of witchcraft and familial secrets added a layer of complexity to the plot, making it a compelling read. I found myself drawn to the characters and eager to learn more about their backgrounds and motivations. However, despite these strengths, I couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment that lingered after finishing the book. The story felt incomplete, lacking the depth and resolution that I have come to expect from Wendy Weebb's previous works. It seemed as though this novel was merely a setup for future stories involving the same characters, leaving loose ends untied and questions unanswered. It is my suspicion that "The Witches of Santo Stefano" serves as a precursor to a series of books that will further explore the lives of the Rossi family. While I am intrigued by the potential for future stories set in different locales and eras, I can't help but wish for a more satisfying conclusion to the initial mystery presented in this book. In conclusion, "The Witches of Santo Stefano" is a novel with both strengths and shortcomings. While the narrative is captivating and the characters are well-developed, the lack of closure and resolution left me wanting more. Despite its flaws, I am curious to see where Wendy Weebb takes the Rossi family next and hope that future installments will provide the answers and satisfaction that this book lacked.

The Witches of Santo Stefano is a multi-generational story about healing, magic, love, and heartbreak.

The story follows Cassandra, an investigative journalist who is researching her obscure family history that brings her to a small Italian town where she discovers shocking secrets about her ancestors involving witchcraft. While in Santo Stefano, Cassie crosses paths with curious townspeople whose whispers about witches, superstitions, and strange omens reveals her family's dark past that includes spells, concoctions, and forbidden love.

I absolutely loved this book. The Italian rustic charm juxtaposed with the folk magic of the witchy family was utterly enchanting. The healing aspects involving honey and herbs along with ancient rituals, captured the old world magic of Italy, which was brought to life by the author's perfect descriptions of the Mediterranean aesthetic. I enjoyed reading about the women's strong and supportive relationships with each other and their incredible bravery and survival instincts, and this was nicely balanced with their intuitive abilities and connection to nature such as bees, flowers, and animals.

In this story there are spellbooks, curses, enchantments, and folk healing that tells a story about resilient women and their earthy magic and no matter how hard and threatening life becomes, if you follow your heart, trust your intuition, and keep moving forward, things will always work out.

You never know what you might have inherited from your ancestors but like Cassie, once you know, the healing and self-discovery is no different than the sweet nurturing qualities of a magically infused honey crafted by the witchy women of Santo Stefano.

The perfect summer or vacation read, an Italian Practical Magic and must read for witch fiction fans.

The Witches of Santo Stefano by W. Webb, published by Lake Union Publishing, is a full length novel that spans decades. Telling the stories of Fiora, Violetta, Cassandra and Mariah, all relatives living in different times. And this are their stories. An intriguing read, twisty and full of unexpected turns, kept me in suspense rather quickly.
Blurb:When Cassie discovers her husband’s affair,her life is crumbling. After researching her family’s ancestry, it completely crumbles beneath her.
Her grandmother Gia’s often-told stories about the past are a lie. Her much-romanticized great-grandfather Giovanni may not even have existed. Most alarming of all, it appears her mysterious great-grandmother Violetta died by stregoneria—witchcraft. Now, piecing together the puzzle of her family tree in the small, centuries-old hill town of Santo Stefano, Cassie finds help from a welcoming group of the accommodating Renzo; Dante, whose own family history connects with Cassie’s; and the ethereal Luna, an interpreter of dreams who gives Cassie a protective amulet—and a warning.
When Cassie comes upon an old spell book, she gets closer to unearthing long-buried family secrets, the truth about a powerful female lineage, and the discovery of who she really is.

🌟🌟The Witches of Santo Stefano🌟🌟
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶  0/5
Author: Wendy Webb @wendywebbauthor
Book Release Date: 9/24/24

Cassie Graves just recently celebrated her 25th anniversary and her son is now in college. Life is good. At least it was. Cassie is faced with the dreaded news that her husband has been lying and having an affair with someone for quite some time. She makes the decision to move back to her family home where her mother and grandmother lived.

When deciding to finally do some cleaning of areas of the home never touched, she finds a photo of Violetta, her grandmother. But it's not her grandpa in the photo with her and there is a birth certificate for her grandma that shows no father's name. To complicate matters more she finds a death certificate for her grandma from a time when she was very much alive. Cause of death.....Strega!

Cassie talks to her cousin about her findings and tells her that she saw the city Santo Stefano listed on the photo with the mystery man. Cassie decides it's time to travel overseas and find out her roots. That's when things get a little spooky. She's "seeing" things that others aren't. There's a big white dog that mysteriously appears. She swears she saw a donkey in her hotel.

After connecting with some locals that treat her like family, they help her to find her family's history as well as a very old journal that is actually the family grimoire. It is there the mystery unfolds even deeper and Cassie has family in multiple places in Europe and finds how her family made it to the US. She also meets Dante in Santo Stefano. I won't ruin that for you.

This books unfolds at a beautiful pace and they way history and modern day was woven together was superb. I loved every minute of this book and I am excited to say it's absolutely a 5 star read in my eyes!

Thank you to @NetGalley and @wendywebbauthor for my copy to read in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
At the beginning of the book I quite enjoyed it, but as the story progressed I lost interest. The back and forth from today to the past and the differing characters got me confused. It was like a adult fantasy with witchcraft which didn't do much for me. Sorry!

I love Wendy Webb. I am never disappointed with her books. I loved the dual timeline, and the family mystery that this one offered.

This was such a a great book. The mystery, the family ties, and the magic. It was just... I couldn't put it down!