Gave this book a try but overall didn’t enjoy it. Wasn’t able to get into the story as much as I wanted to.

Back in 2020 I read the first book in the Enchanted Bay cozy mystery series by Esme Addison and surprisingly liked it. Yes, even with the paranormal elements. So when the second book, A Hex for Danger came out, I proceeded to add it to my TBR pile, where it's been sitting for the past three years.

Picking up where the last book left off, Alexsandra Daniels has decided to stay in Bellamy Bay to be close to the family she's just recently reconnected with - her Aunt Lidia who runs the local apothecary, and her two cousins, Minka and Kamila. Alex is helping to run the family business and continuing to get used to the idea of her magical heritage, being a descendant of the Mermaid of Warsaw. Alex has not only just learned of her own magical abilities but that the world is full of magicals hiding in plain sight, even right there in small town Bellamy Bay.

The town is gearing up for their annual Mermaid Festival and a local artist breezes into town to paint a mural. This artist seems to know Alex's secret but before she can figure out how to approach that problem the artist ends up murdered. Alex's boyfriend, the local police chief, zeroes in on one of her distant cousins who has a ton of motive and opportunity. But Alex just KNOWS that Celeste is innocent! Why is Jack always arresting her family members! There's nothing for it, she's going to prove Celeste is innocent and find the real murderer.

Is Jack a patronizing know-it-all? Yes. But does that make Celeste look any less guilty? No. And Alex's argument is basically "She couldn't have committed the murder, she's my cousin!" Girl, every killer is someone's son, daughter, cousin, brother, sister, mother or father. Sit down and let the grown-ups do their job. The paranormal elements, while unique and interesting in the first book, come off like twee short-cuts to mystery solving here and the plot soon gets convoluted with corporate espionage, bad guys on the hunt for lost magical weaponry, and magicals descended from dragons 🙄

But the worst of it is what I feared would happen after finishing the first book. Yep, the author tries to shoehorn in a love triangle. Never mind the other guy, a magical, has a Shady AF family, is Shady AF himself, and used black magic that very well could have killed Alex in the first book. Look, Jack is annoying but this other guy manages to be worse. He's the rich guy who fancies himself the altruistic do-gooder but he's actually clueless with evil tendencies.

This was published in 2021 and a Book 3 has yet to materialize, so that doesn't instill much hope. No matter, this is where I get off regardless.

Final Grade = D

A Hex for Danger is the second book in the Enchanted Bay series and is just as engrossing as the first. Filled with magic, mermaids, and murder, this series should be added to the top of your cozy TBR pile.

First, I want to apologize for the late review.

I have tried reading this book several times and I just can't seem to get into it. I think it's just not for me. I really liked the premise and the backstory about mermaids that the author provided was so interesting. I just wasn't connecting with this story. I am going to try to pick it up again at a later date and see if it will click then.

One thing I didn't like was the author using the word telepathed as the word said/asked etc. This is just a little pet peeve/me being picky.

I am going to give it three stars for creativity. I don't want to rate it low just because it wasn't for me. I am sure plenty of people would love this book... especially if you like mermaids/mythology.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this book incredibly interesting the author really kept me hooked until the end. very well written I highly recommend.

The second book in the Enchanted Bay mystery series finds the town hosting a mermaid festival. Alex is very excited to make a signature candle for the event and learn more about her mermaid heritage. The sponsors have even commissioned an artist to paint a mural of the historic Mermaid of Warsaw said to have founded the town and possibly Alex’s ancestor. Strange little accidents start occurring and the artist is discovered murdered. Celeste, Alex’s new found distant cousin and friend is arrested. Alex believes her to be innocent and sets out to prove it.

This is a great cozy mystery series! It’s got magic and mystery and fantastic characters. While I did enjoy the first book more this one did not disappoint. If you are new to cozies I highly suggest grabbing this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this free book in exchange for my review.

I really liked A Hex for Danger, however, I did like the first book in the series more. This one expanded on the magical world in a huge way. The protagonist, Alex, is still just getting used to the magical world existing and herself having magical abilities. Now that world has been busted open and she has a lot more to deal with and think about. It's a reveal that probably should've waited until the third book or later. Let the character adjust to being magical before springing all this other stuff on her. Other than that, the mysteries in this book were well plotted and kept me guessing. I love a mystery that stumps me and this book certainly did. Even though I thought the author revealed too much of the magical world too soon in this book, I will definitely still read the next one in the series. I'm looking forward to seeing how Alex deals with everything she's learned.

I really liked the Bellamy Bay setting and its' mysterious past. Alex has settled in with her newly found maternal relatives. Instead of witches (think the hiding in plain sight type of shows like Charmed or Bewitched), Bellamy Bay is home to descendants of real mermaids. A muralist who seemed to be on the cusp of the truth about the town is murdered and Alex dives in like the heroine in any good cozy to discover the truth.

This cozy series had a strong opening. And the follow-up did not disappoint. Alex and her cousins are charming, and this series is fun and a quick read.

This book is the second in the Bellamy Bay series, and this is a series that definitely should be read in order because this book discusses important plot points from the first book. Esme Addison does a great job of explaining the magical world that overlays the North Carolina coastal setting and brings both real NC and magic NC to life.

I found this mystery well put together, with enough clues that it fitted together and enough red herrings to keep me guessing. The solution was clever and well written! Unfortunately, the ongoing story arc totally spoiled the first book (victim, murderer, motive), so heads up for that, this series should not be read out of order. The paranormal added an interesting twist but some of it felt a little confused; it’s definitely building up an ongoing story arc.

The lead character really frustrated me - mostly on how her detective boyfriend sets down clear and sensible boundaries (both for her safety and his job) and she steps all over them, along with violating her family’s ethics, and doesn’t face any consequences in this book. It also annoyed me that everyone assumed Celeste's guilt over what seemed like very circumstantial evidence - which is fine for the town gossips, but I'd expect the police to look for actual evidence, especially with an incorrect arrest in recent memory.

Overall this was a good read and a well written mystery but there were a few things that bothered me and I'd suggest starting at the first book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own

I absolutely love cozy mysteries and this one was a great one, great read. Can't wait for more by Esme Addison.

As much as I loved the first book of the series, this one fell a little flat. There were so many subplots going on that would eventually come together, but it felt less connected than I hoped. It was hard to see where everything was going and how we got there once it did.

My apologies to the author and publisher on the delay of this review. I contracted Covid and the resulting health issues made reading impossible for months this year and I’m doing my best to catch up on my promised reviews.

Mermaids, dragons and rare ozite. Bellamy Bay isn’t your normal beach town in this delightful cozy mystery. When a visiting artist is murdered all of the clues point to a magical nightmare for our heroine Alex as she tries to prove her friend Celeste innocent of the crime. When her investigation leads her to militarizing magical artifacts for nefarious purposes will she find herself in over her head? More detail oriented in a lot of the genre it’s a magical place Esme Addison has created and I can’t wait to see what the brewing war between the mermaids and dragon brings.

Release Date: May 12, 2020.

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Bellamy Bay is such a great series! @esmeaddison did a wonderful job explaining and explore the magical world in a way that made logical sense. Alex is helping Celeste plan the Mermaid Festival in town! When a body shows up and Celeste is arrested Alex needs to find the true murder before she becomes the next target!

This is a strong second book in the enchanted bay mystery series. I loved the first one and the second one is just as good! I highly recommend this book and this series!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations #ahexfordanger #anenchantedbaymystery

I love this series and this installment was very interesting with plenty of twists.I loved the theme of water witches. The cast of characters kept me engaged and turning pages to see what would happen to them next.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love this series. The author has a gift of creating characters that you instantly like and enjoy. The setting of a Mermaid Festival made this a fun summer read. Enjoyed the mystery and couldn't put it down.

This was a great follow-up to A Spell for Trouble. I like how the story flowed and the characters are growing. I love the town of Bellamy Bay and the descriptions paint a picture for me as I'm reading. The story was very creative and I enjoyed all of the information about the Mermaid of Warsaw and the other mythological references. There were several suspects that kept me guessing as to who was guilty. I can't wait to see what happens next in Bellamy Bay!

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The is the second installment of this series. I read several cozy mystery series that take place in the North Carolina coast and love the setting. I am fan of paranormal and ghosts as well but sadly, this one falls just a little short for me. The characters are interesting but the concept seems just a bit far fetched. I think it's well written and I love the cover art. It's what drew me to the series initially besides the setting. It might not be for everybody but definitely give it try!