What it is about:
Childhood “friends” Lucinda and Benedict find themselves in competition for the role of the next head of the Foxford coven of witches. The town of Foxford is a sanctuary for paranormal beings, although they do not all live in perfect harmony. This competition lands them unexpectedly in an arranged marriage to each other! Even though they have know each other since childhood, the idea of marriage initially is rejected. However, circumstances and events bring them together in order for them to realize that their childhood squabbles might be much more.


What I think:
This was such a feel good, witty, fun, witch romance set in the small town of Foxford. This town is known to the magless as being special but magic is not flaunted. I really loved both main characters: they are relatable, well developed, and funny in their own ways. I am interest to see how the enemy of paranormal beings “the order” plays out in future books. There seems to be a lot more to this story and I have many questions about what will happen next.

Potions & Proposals is very, very sweet. i read an early-access ARC of this via netgalley, and i immediately liked the premise. the main characters were deeply endearing. their contrasting personalities were entertaining, and it was very satisfying to watch them find common ground. the most special thing about this book is the world-building - Kate Callaghan creates a realistic, quaint magical town with its own political hierarchies and history. the well-built world lent more weight to Lucy and Benedict's internal conflicts. both characters are complex, and their insecurities/reservations were often intertwined with Foxford's. the setting was alive, and felt very much like a character. i liked the descriptions of the town, and the inside-look at the functioning of the coven/the politics that came with it. everything felt thought-through, and Callaghan manages to evoke a very lovely, fairy-tale atmosphere.

there were moments where i was slightly put-off by the pacing of the book - Callaghan focused a lot on small details, drawing out scenes beyond what felt necessary as a reader. there was a lot of emphasis on actions like picking things up/walking around, and both characters' internal monologues veered towards being repetitive & going in circles. there is also a lot of exposition-heavy dialogue at the beginning of this book as a way to develop the world; and while it is useful, it slows down the pace and makes some of the dialogue sound slightly stilted & unnatural. there were also places where i felt Potions & Proposals swung towards being overly saccharine, but that might be a Me problem & not necessarily a fault of the book, since this may work for some readers.

Callaghan stacks the cast of this book with some wonderful side-characters - Rosie, Luisa, Gwendoline, the High Priestess, Lucy's grandmother. they bring a lot of personality to the story, allowing Callaghan to explore different elements of the supernatural in creative ways. there were many scenes in Potions that were genuinely heart-warming, and also a lot of natural-borne tension that drove the narrative - all thanks to the varied, complicated dynamics between each of the characters.

finally, the romance. as i mentioned earlier, this premise really intrigued me, and felt like the perfect set-up for a supernatural romance. and i was (mostly) right - Lucy and Benedict's story was real, moving, and balanced well with other pieces of the book. they complimented each other excellently, and the book is filled with scenes that are really lovely. i was rooting for them, even though i did find their love slightly too sugary-sweet for my taste.

overall, Potions & Proposals is a quick, feel-good read that i liked not just for the romance, but also for the intricate world and the scenic small-town-folklore-fall vibes!

A cozy town of witches, maybe some werewolves, witchy politics - and a rivalry of hijinks that leads to more than expected for both parties. A fun and entertaining light read.

If you are looking for a book to kick off your fall - this is the PERFECT one. Benedict and Lucy are the sweetest couple set in a magical town. I laughed and had a few tears. This book covers my favorite trope of enemies to lovers (with a little forced marriage thrown in). Kate Callaghan did a great job giving the needed banter between the enemies and lovers with minimal spice (so your Grandmom could read this book too!). I also enjoyed the fact there was no third act breakup. I give this book 4.5 ⭐️ - highly recommend!

i love the enemies to lovers trope and this does it so well! the mix of romance, fantasy and comedy worked so well here, it felt like a warm hug.

the writing was so beautiful and i loved our main characters - i knew so early on that i was falling in love with lucinda and benedict. i also loved the cozy fantasy and witchy elements, i think the setting and the world really added to the romance.

i’m so excited to read more from this author!

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

I read this ARC for honest feedback.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a cute and cozy story, and I loved watching Benedict and Lucy fall for each other. The buildup between them was so well done. I cannot wait for book two, as I really feel like the character in this novel have more stories to tell!

Potions and Proposals is a book about young witches trying to navigate their role in their magical communities and the challenges of being part of a community with a rich history. It subtly focuses on the challenges young adults face when stepping into a role they feel they might be ready for, which is relatable to many young adults. It also has romance, and I would say that while magic caught my attention, romance kept me reading. It also addresses judgement from others due to things outside one's control and its effects.

I enjoyed the characters in the book because they were pretty realistic. They had a depth of personality, and it was interesting to see how they reacted to specific challenges and grew into their future roles in the magical community. It was repetitive when they tried to overcome the issue, as many methods they used were not explained well. I felt that the problem being resolved was a little anticlimactic.

Overall, it is an excellent read for getting out of a reading slump, and I am excited to pick up the next book in the series.

This is a cute enemies to lovers, arranged marriage fantasy book. Lucinda and Benedict are childhood rivals who find themselves having to either wed or risk being voted out of their small magical town. And when a love spell gets involved after they both agree to the engagement…well, what’s life without a little chaos? 😉

Definitely worth the read for a cute, witchy romance with all sorts of magical shenanigans and pranks.

This book got off to a bit of a shaky start for me, with the rather over-the-top prank-related rivalry between the two main leads, but I quickly found myself drawn into the charming town of Foxford. The characters were fun; the plot fairly low stakes, but with a few surprisingly dramatic moments; the relationship sweetly engaging and their misadventures entertaining.

Overall, a fun, light read that should slip nicely into both the new adult romance and cozy fantasy genres.

I look forward to visiting Foxford again in future as I could see the set-up for several more books here!

Lucy and Benedict are long time enemies who prank each other, when a prank goes wrong their parents make them bind together in order to work together for the High Priestess position. When a potion goes wrong, or maybe right? They are stuck in forced proximity to work together to resolve the issue. With the heat kicking up a notch both figuratively and literally, the water flooding the floors and souls, they being to realize what they have been missing out on for the past few years.

This is a wonderful book that touches the surface of potions and enemies to lovers romance. Within this ARC there are a few grammatical errors but overall I really enjoyed reading this book. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity!

*** I received an e-ARC of this book from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review***

🗣️ Fantastic! This book had everything I wanted in: magic, mystical creatures, humor, conflict, and eventually love. It was fast-paced and easy to read. The characters are easily likable and I can’t wait to see what happens next. This should definitely be your next witchy read, you won’t be disappointed! I’m ready for the next book!

✨ Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.

Lucinda and Benedict have spent their whole lives pranking each other. When they are forced to be bound, despite their ‘dislike’ for one another, we see them go on a beautiful adventure to discover if they truly are right for one another.

This was a lovely read! I enjoyed all the characters, the story felt magical and it was incredibly cute. The relationship felt natural and loving, and I really enjoyed seeing everything unfold, and I especially enjoyed there not being a third act break up. There was a storyline that didn’t feel very resolved- which confused me a tad but perhaps that is the next book in the story? I’m unsure but I’d love to find out.

Overall I really enjoyed the book, and feel 4 stars is an appropriate rating!

I absolutely adored the main characters. The start was a bit confusing but it picked up pretty fast. The banter was great and it had all the potential to become a great cozy romance book. However there was an obvious absence of conflicts between. All the potions that thry made and all the mess they created just resolved itself too easily. Too many loose ends such as the new professor's sudden outburst and also him knowing about the key was abandoned very quickly. Peter's story was hinted but not followed up. Grams was amazing, hope to read more about her in the next book.

I was drawn in by the witchy vibes and the description, which made me think this would be a good fit for me. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I had a few issues with it mostly related to my personal preferences. I liked the balance of romance and fantasy. I usually prefer more of a focus on the plot rather than the relationship but sometimes you need a cute, fun fantasy romcom.

The thing I struggled with the most was the setup. Benedict and Lucy don’t come across as grown adults with all the petty pranks. It’s somewhat explained later in the book but man they really read like two middle schoolers in the beginning. Also, their families are kind of the worst and their proposal for an arranged marriage made no sense to me. I generally struggle with arranged marriage in a modern setting (even in a fantasy book) so this again might be on me and my preferences. If you’re ready to jump in after hearing the tropes without needing to be convinced, you probably won’t have as many problems with the first few chapters as I did.

Once we were past the shaky beginning, I enjoyed myself a lot more. The writing was good and never took me out of the story. Lucy and Benedict were cute together and I liked the lack of miscommunication between them once we got past the pulling pigtails rivalry situation. Honestly the biggest thing that prevents me from giving this a higher rating is the beginning and once I got past that, the story sucked me in and kept me engaged.

I was a bit confused by the lack of a real conflict at the end and kept waiting for something major to happen, but it never did. However, as this is the first book in a duology, I think the author might be saving some things for the next installment. I think the structure is more reminiscent of a romance book with fantasy elements. It focused a lot on the characters individual growth and their relationship rather than plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Did I want to read a whimsical small town witchy romance? Yes! Did I get one? Absolutely!
The whole town of Foxford had me under a spell throughout reading this, and I was dying to continue the story every moment I could.
Benedict and Lucy’s story was a beautiful rival to romance tale with witchy goodness intertwined. The slow burn felt just right to their relationship, and the banter between them made me giggle throughout. The added elements in the magic system was so interesting and I liked that it was different from other similar cosy reads. I was completely invested in their love story from the very start, and I loved that there was no third act break up or dark cloud looming overhead. I wanted something light and happy and this was exactly it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Potions and Proposals by Kate Callaghan is a fun fall read set in the magical fictional town of Foxford. This book is dual POV from the perspectives of Lucinda Hawthorne, the daughter of the High Priestess, and Benedict Matherson, the owner of the popular hotel in town and her lifelong enemy. When Lucinda plays a prank on Benedict that affects more than just him, the council decides she might not be the best fit to take over the High Priestess position from her mother and nominate Benedict for the role. They are also given an ultimatum: either be bound to each other on All Hallows Eve or they will vote on who the new High Priest or Priestess will be and the person not voted in will have to leave the town. They both reluctently agree, but when Lucinda's family perform a spell to stop the binding, a mishap occurs that ends up magically intertwining Lucinda's and Benedict's lives in ways they never could have expected!

This was such a fun read and it is perfect for fall! Lucinda and Benedict were such fun characters to pair with each other and i loved reading the slow burn of their relationship! Learning about all the magical pranks they had played on each other really helped show how much history they had. The fictional small town of Foxford was such a great setting for this book and had so many fun side characters. I laughed so much throughout this book and ended up reading most of it in one day.
Tropes to expect are: Enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, magical small town, and reluctant allies.
Thanj you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for the ARC!

4⭐️

” In the mystical town of Foxford, tenacious translator Lucinda Hawthorne is on the brink of assuming the prestigious role of High Priestess. However, fate has a mischievous twist in store for her: an unexpected coven gathering reveals that her lifelong nemesis, Benedict Matherson, is also nominated for the esteemed position. They are presented with a grave ultimatum: either become magically bound to one another on All Hallows’ Eve… or risk a fateful vote that could strip them of everything. Both fiercely independent and driven by their unwavering desires to lead, Lucinda and Benedict reluctantly agree to the binding ritual. Unfortunately, the spell Lucinda’s family casts to thwart the coven’s plot misfires with surprising consequences, and the pair find themselves magically intertwined in ways they never could have foreseen.”

This was a very cute fun read. I ended up reading the book in one sitting. Watching Benedict and Lucinda turn from rivals to romantic partners was a joy to read. The slow burn was executed extremely well and made me want to keep reading. The charming town of Foxford was the perfect backdrop for this story. Kate Callaghan’s world-building was done extremely well and it made me feel like I was in that world with Benedict and Kate. Lucinda and Benedict were very well written main characters and that made me even more invested in their love story. The magical hijinks were interweaved extremely cleverly throughout the story.

This is the perfect read for a cozy fall day.

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, small town magic, witches, opposites attract

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: 4⭐️ Spice: 1🌶️
Dual POV - 3rd person

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Arranged marriage
Small town
Reluctant allies

The story follows Lucinda Hawthorne and Benedict Matherson, enemies from the time they were in school. After a prank gone wrong, the two are forced to unite and be bound together or face exile. Reluctantly agreeing, the two find themselves in a precarious position. The line between hate and love becomes very thin as they work together to find a solution to another mishap.

I was initially drawn to the cover. I’ve never read this author but after reading the blurb I was hooked. I enjoyed the book, even with usually disliking 3rd person novels. It was a slowwww burn but the pace of the story made up for the lack of romance between the two. It felt like there was a set up for a conflict between the newcomer and main characters but nothing ever happened. I think if that conflict had come to fruition it would really elevate the storyline. Overall still a really solid read.

'Potions and Proposals' by Kate Callaghan is the first novel in the enchanting 'Village of Foxford' series.
Foxford is not simply a village but a magical one - populated by witches, vampires, ghosts etc. And life could be idyllic, with the villagers living in (relative harmony) and visitors to the village providing much needed income.
Of course, there would not be a story if things were perfectly peaceful ..... our two protagonists are Lucinda Hawthorne and Benedict Matherson. Friends and enemies since childhood, the duo are forever playing pranks on each other. Now, Lucinda is expecting to take over from her mother as the High Priestess of the village, but the other members of the coven are questioning her suitability and Lucinda and Benedict find themselves being bound together. As a result, all sorts of fun and high-jinks as the pair fight their growing attachment for each other, meanwhile trying to save themselves from being forced to leave the village. And they must navigate the, well-intended, magical antics of their respective families.
Full of humour and an entertaining reluctant love story, this is the perfect summer read - full of positive vibes and fun.

“‘Why do you have to call me pumpkin just to annoy me?’ she asked, locking the case once he’d put it back in its rightful place.

“‘I never intended to annoy you. It’s just my favorite. The food that makes me feel like I’m home,’ he admitted. Like it wasn’t supposed to turn her into a pile of mush.”

🥹

This book was so damn sweet. It made me ready to skip summer altogether so I could curl up on a brisk, fall day with a pumpkin-scented candle, a warm blanket, and a spiced cider. Imo, that’d be the ideal way to experience this cozy contemporary small-town fantasy romance. Despite lacking the perfect ambience while reading, I loved watching Lucy and Benedict go from their silly pranking rivalry to realizing their true feelings for each other (with the help of Grams’ potion, of course). I can’t wait to see what happens in Foxford next!

Things to expect:
🔮 A delicious slow burn
🔮 Rivals-to-lovers perfection
🔮 Witchy spell hijinks
🔮 Unexpected displays of jealousy and possessiveness
🔮 Small town “everyone knows your business” vibe
🔮 A lovable surrounding cast of characters
🔮 Topped with a little steam 🌶️


Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🩵