"Sunny-yet-Sinister " is a perfect description for this series.
I read along as I listened to the audiobook, compliments of Netgalley. Thank you.
And I purchased the previous book in the series on my own.
I loved the narration by Emily Durrante. She did an excellent voice making each character sound appropriate and distinguished.

Aleksandra Daniels is still getting used to her heritage and the special powers her family enjoys.
This story takes place around tourist season and an annual Mermaid Festival. Sounds like fun, right?
Well, it is for those who don't believe mermaids were ever real, and those who don't realize the implications of having mermaid ancestry themselves. What about dragons? Pure fiction, right?

Also not fun for a visiting artist who paints murals at events. This turns out to be her FINAL event.
Alek's good friend Celeste is seen exhibiting strange behaviors and is arrested for the artist's murder.
She even wonders if her actions could have contributed to the woman's death.

Under the fanciful setting and wonderful characters, comes the sinister.
There are references to adult topics and defense industry and industrial espionage.
Yet I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how Alek is growing.
The additional twists at the end fascinated me.
A very good series with much potential.

Alex, amateur sleuth, witch, and mermaid descendant, is back. She's enjoying working in her family's store, learning more about her magical heritage, and preparing for the town's annual mermaid festival. But she has to put a few things aside after a murder occurs, and a good friend is arrested for the crime. Is she guilty? Alex will have to do everything she can to get to the bottom of the mystery, and save her friend. Even if her policemen boyfriend does insist she stay out of things.

I'm enjoying this series very much. I like Alex, her aunt and cousins, and all the townspeople who call Bellamy Bay home. My only negative thought is the possibility of a love triangle - which is not my favorite.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

A Hex for Danger by Esme Addison is the 2nd book in An Enchanted Bay Mystery series, and another fun addition. Alexandra Daniels returned to the seaside town of Bellamy Bay, North Carolina for the first time in twenty years. After Alex's mother died, her father forbid her to visit her mother's relatives there.
Alex decides to accepts an invitation to visit her relatives and help with their herbal apothecary business and she agrees. It's Mermaid Festival time, and when an artist of a mural is found dead, Alex is determined to find the truth. I really enjoyed this fun paranormal mystery book, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book, perfect for a quiet escape.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked the first book in this series and was looking forward to read this one. Unfortunately this one was not my cup of tea as I found Alex a bit too rude and grated on my nerves.
I would recommend some more world building and definition of the magical system as there's plenty of fantasy elements.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I should have realized that when I didn't like the first book in the series because of the mermaid aspect. Which is a big part of the characters and the story. So it safe to say I will not be continuing this series.

Summer has arrived in Bellamy Bay, North Carolina which means it is time for the annual Mermaid Festival. Alex Daniels has settled into town and at her job at Botanika. She is learning to use her gifts and loves spending time with her family. Alex is a member of the festival committee and is creating a special candle for the festival. They are having Neve Ryland create a mermaid mural which will be unveiled at the beginning of the festival. Neve has been spending time with Celeste’s beau, Jasper working on the museum exhibits. It has Celeste feeling insecure and shooting daggers at the beautiful artist. When Neve ends up dead, Celeste is at the top of the suspect list. Alex has no intention of letting her friend take the fall for the crime. Alex sets out find the guilty party with help from her aunt and cousins. A Hex for Danger by Esme Addison is the 2nd book in An Enchanted Bay Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series, but you will be missing out if you do not read A Spell for Trouble. A Hex for Danger is complex and beguiling paranormal cozy mystery. There are some great characters in this story that include Alex, Lidia, Minka, Kamila, Celeste, and Athena. Alex is settling into her new life and feels like she belongs in the charming small town. She enjoys spending time with her family and her boyfriend, Jack Frazier (the local police detective). The mystery is multifaceted, well-plotted, and intriguing. There are several good suspects in this whodunit. I had a good time solving the crime before the tension filled reveal. I like how the mystery ties back to ancient mythology and the Mermaid of Warsaw. I can tell the author did her research for this story. I did feel that A Hex for Danger is a slow starter as we are reintroduced to Alex, her family, the town, and their magical abilities. The pacing increases as you get further into the story. I thought the story was well-written with developed characters. I enjoy visiting Bellamy Bay with its unique residents. I like how the paranormal aspects are woven into the story. It is hard to resist a cozy mystery with magical mermaid descendants. I love the authors vivid descriptions which brings the story to life. We get to learn more about Alex’s maternal history which is fascinating. I am looking forward to the next tale in An Enchanted Bay Mystery series. A Hex for Danger is a spirited tale with mermaids, magic, mayhem, and murder.

The mystery was entertaining and I look forward to what happens with the MC. I also want to know what happened to the MC's mother. I did have a hard time keeping all the characters straight,

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC.

Alex is settling into her new life with her mother's family after the death of her father. Her mother drowned when she was just 8 years old and her father, a police officer, had very firm opinions about his late wife's family. Alex was forbidden to ave anything to do with them. Now she has taken that step and is firmly rooted in her new life full of magic, potions and spells. Alex is a magical, a mermaid. So are her Aunt Lidia and her cousins. One thing that binds them together is keeping the secret of their magical selves. It is a secret to be kept at all costs.
As the mystery unfolds it's time for the mermaid festival that Bellamy Bay is famous for, drawing tourists from all over. An unwelcome element joins them - a killer strikes and Alex risks much to find out who killed the artist of a local mural, a woman who knows about the family secret. The police focus on a person close to Alex and then another death occurs, will she unmask the killer or become the next victim?
The mystery kept me guessing to the last page. Full of magic, myths and very strong family ties and a lovely oceanside setting, all made for a delightful reading escape. We all need some magic in our lives.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

-Genre
🔍Paranormal cozy mystery

-Excerpt
Of course, now she thought she understood why her father had been so reluctant for her to see them after her mother died... they had secrets, secrets he didn't want her to be a part of. “You can only believe in what you see,” her father had told her over and over again. “Anything else is fairy tales.”

But that was the thing ... Once Alex finally returned to Bellamy Bay, she'd discovered that fairy tales were kind of true, and the world as she knew it was not as it seemed. For example, the world was made up of Magicals and Mundanes. Magicals were people who had certain abilities and powers, while Mundanes were your everyday garden-variety human. And Alex and her mother and aunt and cousins? Well, let's just say they weren't mundane—not by a long shot.

-My description
Alex is settling into hew new life, helping out with her aunt’s herbal apothecary and learning more about her water witch powers. She agrees to help friend Celeste plan the annual mermaid festival which includes the unveiling of a mermaid mural in the town park. Everything is going swimmingly until the artist of the mural is murdered during the reception celebrating her work.

-How it made you feel
This series has a daytime drama feel and I here for it. (It reminds me a little of the show Passions).

-Favorite part
The underlying world building that also directs some characters’ actions.

-One-word description
🧜Mermaids

-Would you recommend?
The cozy mystery parts are well done and I love the world that Addison is continuing to unveil. This also feels very Southern, spotlighting two or three major families in a this small town who have history and continue to spar and clash over wielding power and influence. (I hoped for something in book 2 and it was there. I don’t want to spoil the book, so maybe just read it!) This book and series reminds me quite a bit of Ellery Adams’ Charmed Pie Shoppe series.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

P.S I also recommend Esme's Cozyville Book Club on facebook

Alex couldn’t believe her boyfriend would do the very same thing he had done to her Aunt, to her cousin, arrested her for a murder she hadn’t committed. Her constant involvement didn’t bode well for the future of their relationship, but Alex was willing to sacrifice anything to rove the truth. When things began looking dim for her cousin, she increased her sleuthing, which was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her loved ones, no matter who tries to stop her, from following the clues and solving the puzzle. An exciting, intriguing, and fun read.

4 Stars

If you are a paranormal cozy mystery fan this is definitely a book for you. Creative and captivating, A Hex for Danger is an entertaining and well written cozy.

Welcome back to the mysterious Bellamy Bay. It’s Mermaid Festival time and there is more on the tide than some crazy waves. When a local artist is found murdered, Alex is on it again to clear a family member’s name of murder. With magic in the air, the descents of mermaids are on the case in this twisted mystery. A fantastic mix of mythology, lore and legend with a keep the reader on their toes kind of mystery. Alex will not only weave you through the mystery she will take you on an adventure too.

A Hex for Danger is a fantastic and creative cozy mystery. Author Esme Addison has done her research and it shows. Adding her creativity to bring a new light to watery lore. An Enchanted Bay Mystery series now has two solid mysteries to its series.

When an artist/scholar with an interest in the Mermaid of Prague is found dead, Alex's friend, Celeste, is accused of the murder. Alex and her family get involved in the investigation in an attempt to clear celeste's name.

I am enjoying this mystery though I think the series is a shade more urban fantasy thing cozy mystery. I'm enjoying the North Carolina setting. Also enjoy the little touches like mention of how a hot dog is prepared in North Carolina and the local drink Cheerwine. It is little touches like these that makes the setting more believable.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of my favorite paranormal cozy mystery series.

To read my full review, go to FreshFiction.com

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review this book.

This is the second book in the series, and I didn’t quite like this one as much as I liked the first. Don’t get me wrong, I still really liked it, but I found Alex to be just a tad too pushy in this one. She wasn’t very subtle at all, and I don’t blame Jack for not being happy about it; she could have gone about it in a better way. Speaking of Jack, I don’t think I like him as her love interest. I hate that she can’t talk to him about her secrets. Besides those two very minor things, I quite enjoyed this story. The mystery was interesting, and the writing was just as good, if not better, than the first one. I can’t wait to read more in the series! Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

I was so happy to get to read this second book in the Enchanted Bay series before it comes out next Tuesday. I really enjoyed the first book, and this book was definitely not a disappointment. We got to learn even more about the key characters. I'll caution anyone who hasn't read the first book though: do yourself a favor and read it before reading this one, because there are a few mentions of things that happened in the first book that you may not want to know before you read said first book. This is a series that I can see will be building on each book as far as the history of the families involved, so starting from the beginning is a very good thing!

There were a couple of different cases, and it was interesting to see if they'd be related. Without giving too much away, let's just say I didn't guess anything all that well. Lots of surprises and secrets were kept and shared. Alex was left with the sense of family though that she'd longed for all the years she was without, and we did get to find out the particulars behind her memory being erased as she was talking about in the first book. I really enjoy Alex's character and her amazing aunt and cousins too.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

3.5★s

Aleksandra Daniels – Alex – had settled into her new-found family in Bellamy Bay well and helping out at the family herbal apothecary, Botanikals, was something she loved. Her aunt and cousins had welcomed her, and she was immersed in her mermaid heritage, learning her skills and unearthing talents. With the Mermaid Festival coming up, Alex was looking forward to it. But when a visiting artist was found dead, and Alex’s boyfriend, Detective Jack Frazier, fixated on Alex’s friend Celeste as the murderer, Alex knew she had to investigate Neve’s death to clear Celeste’s name.

As Alex dug deeply into various people’s lives and pasts, it was obvious someone was trying to stop her. And Jack wasn’t happy with Alex’s involvement either. But she ignored him, continuing with the help of Pepper, a local journalist. Unearthing the links to Dragons as well as their own Mermaids was proving a little much for Alex – but would she discover the killer before it was too late?

A Hex for Danger is the 2nd in An Enchanted Bay Mystery series by Esme Addison and was light, entertaining and way over the top! Magicals and Mundanes with a sprinkling of Dragons – different but with intriguing characters. I’m wondering where Ms Addison will go next with this series. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Really fun, enchanting story. This series just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait for the next one! Love the family and the history and the touch of magic in the story! Highly recommend!

An interesting second book in this series about water witches and magic. A lot more information comes out regarding who is descended from mermaids and who has a streak of dragon in them. It is all good fun.

Another of Alex's family members is accused of murder and her boyfriend, Jack, is again too tunnel visioned to investigate properly. It gives Alex a reason to investigate herself but it does make me wonder what she sees in him! Her other male interest, Ryan, has major character issues too. Maybe she needs to look for someone else altogether!

It is a good story with a very involved mystery, lots of magic and a satisfactory conclusion. I am ready for book three.

Alex and her family are preparing for the mermaid festival in Bellamy Bay. When the artist in charge of the mural is murdered and Alex's friend, Celeste becomes the prime suspect, she sets out to prove who the real killer is. I loved the magical element of this series. Alex 's aunts and cousins are wonderful characters and compliment Alex really well. The mystery was intriguing and I loved how Alex's family history was woven into the story. I can't wait to read more in this series. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review.

A Hex for Danger by Esme Addison is the second book in her Enchanted Bay Mystery series. The storyline is well-developed and runs smoothly. I liked all the good characters and felt the evil characters fit the storyline well. The magical scenes were especially fun to read. I enjoyed learning about the backgrounds of the Magicals. Mermaid descendant Alex Daniels is an intriguing character. I look forward to her next mystery to solve.

I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.