Ya'll, I read the perfect book for fall and I WON'T CALM DOWN UNTIL EVERYONE READS IT.
If small-town romances with a second chance theme are your favorite kind of books, look no further! Go to your nearest bookstore, and buy The Ex Hex as soon as possible. I am not kidding, you guys. Just read it.

This book was a delightful ride from beginning to end. My university classes start soon and I've been pretty stressed out lately for other stuff. So yeah, I was in a terrible reading slump. Until I found The Ex Hex and fell in love with fictional characters all over again. :') Vivi and Rhys were such wonderful characters - I loved reading about how they rekindled their romance after being apart for such a long time. There's magic, witches, hexes, a strong friendship theme, and humor - The Ex Hex is basically a package of everything I love in a book. I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud while I was reading it.

The mystery added a much-needed depth to the plot as well! The supporting characters all added their own charms to the storyline and made reading the book so much fun. I want to visit Graves Glen right now, you guys. The setting of the town with the whole witchy vibes makes it seem like.... my kinda place, you know?

I wish the magical system was a bit more fleshed out though, and that's honestly my only complaint from the story.

This is a story about magical impulsivity.

I’m shocked by how much I enjoyed this!! Romcoms are not my usual preference, but this was such a fun romp in the countryside, with the perfect touches of magic. The characters were likable, and the writing was witty and amusing.

Thank you so much Netgalley, Harper Wave and Harper Business, & William Morrow Paperbacks for the eArc!

This was the perfect witchy romcom for spooky season! The writing and the characters made this book so fun! I loved their history and the magic in this one!! 🪄A perfect balance of character development, steam, and humor.

Grab this one if you love:
✨ Stars Hollow vibes
✨ Spooky season but make it romance
✨ Spice and spells

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ladies, a word of the wise…never mix vodka and magic. Unfortunately, Vivienne Jones has. Vivienne used her magic to get back at her horrible boyfriend, Rhys.

So, with a Bath and Body works candle Vivi and Gwyn work their magic with vodka pumping in their veins to create the perfect curse to get back at him. Little did Vivi know that the curse will backfire nine years later when Rhys comes back to Graves Glen, Georgia to recharge the town's ley lines. It is up to Vivi to fix the damage that was done, and work with Rhys to undo the ex-hex that is causing havoc all over town.

This novel gave me Bewitched vibes, but with a more modern twist. It is the perfect novel to cozy up to this autumn. Have a hot cup of coffee and just transform yourself to a world with witches, magic, and a talking cat. What more can you ask for?

What a perfect book for Halloween. With Sabrina the Teenage Witch/Hocus Pocus/Gilmore Girls vibes PLUS a sexy swoony romance - this is a must read for romance fans in October. I thought the idea and story was really original - I don't think I have ever read a contemporary romance about witches. I could see how some may be hesitant to read it as it sort of combines two different genres, but give it a chance this time of year!

This was such a fun book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great book to read to kick off the fall/Halloween season. The atmosphere of this book was incredible. Cuddle up in a comfy chair with a nice cup of tea or glass of wine and let this story sweep you into a magical world. I’m not the biggest romance fan but the seasonal vibe added to my interest.

Thank you to NetGalley (@netgalley ), William Morrow and Custom House (@williammorrowbooks
@customhousebooks ), and Rachel Hawkins (@ladyhawkins ) for an early ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Vivienne (Viv) Jones had her heartbroken 9 years ago by handsome, rake Rhys Penhallow. But Rhys isn’t just any guy from Wales, who is attending the local college for summer, he is a descendent of town founder: Gryffud Penhallow. What else is a nineteen year old witch to do when her heart has been shatter? Curse the jerk, of course! Things seem funny until Rhys shows back up in town nine years later, and Viv realizes that her curse not only worked, but she cursed her whole beloved town! Now Viv must work with her Ex to save him and her town from the fate she dealt them.
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This was such a cute, fun spooky story! It was a perfect way to start the spooky season. It had everything: witches, magic, ghosts! I loved it! I hope @ladyhawkins makes this one a series because I would love to hear more from Viv and Rhys. I also loved the secondary characters: Elaine, Gywn, and Sir Purrcival the cat. This definitely the purrfect October read!

This witchy romance has it all: humor, ghosts, talking cats, gothic mansions and some spice. Super cute and fun spooky season read. This one is going to be popular!

The Ex Hex is an adorable read that offers more of a treat than a trick when it comes to the spooky season. The main character is enduring, and Rhys, the love interest, is equally worth the time spent from his point of view. I enjoyed the little town everything was set in because it felt like it could be anywhere, although it was established as being in Georgia.
I think the biggest drawback is how simple and cookie-cutter the plot can be at times. Each moment is leading towards the two exes coming back together to save the town. But, at the same time, the book does offer enjoyable sexy times towards the middle of it, if that is something a person wants to read. Basically, it is perfect if you want a cute witchy read.

Young and brokenhearted, Vivienne accidentally places a curse on her ex-boyfriend. Nine years later, the curse comes to fruition and causes mayhem in Graves Glen. Viv and Rhys must work together to put the curse in reverse before everything goes even more to shit.

I had a great time reading this! It came out just in time for spooky season.

I just got to say that I was not expecting to love The Ex Hex as much as I started reading this book. It completely threw me off but in a good way. And it's a second chance romance trope that's not predictable or full of dramas as they usually do.
The Ex Hex will bring two former lovers together again after nine years. It was surprising at first, but it will give Vivienne and Rhys a chance to clear the air, especially since Vivienne hexed Rhys. Awkward.
I would think that hexing your ex will be a damper for a second chance, but that does not prevent Rhys from still pursuing Vivienne. He still has strong feelings for her. He can't stop thinking about her.
Vivienne may never expect to have another chance with Rhys. But luck is not in her corner when he comes back into town. She wants to resist his charms, but their chemistry for each other is off the charts. She may need to watch out for her heart.
Second chance romance is always tricky for both parties. It either goes one way or another.

I enjoyed this light witchy rom-com. I really liked the relationship between the cousins. I know several readers who will enjoy both the paranormal and the romance aspects of this story and will definitely recommend it to them!

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Nine years ago, Vivienne's heart was broken by Rhys, when he revealed that he was betrothed to someone else. Scorned, Vivienne drunkenly puts a curse on Rhys, hoping to never see him again. But fast forward to present day...Rhys returns to Graves Glen cursed, all while the town is under attack from ghosts and other magical creatures. Vivi and Rhys must work together, all while ignoring their scoring chemistry, to stop the curse before it's too late.

The Ex Hex was a wild and fun ride. I enjoyed both Vivi and Rhys' characters. I loved Vivi's job in history and academia. They had amazing chemistry in this second chance romance. While I am not a huge fan of witches and magical stories, this one kept my attention with its romance and comedy. The magical tones were not super over the top, which helped the believability factor. I listened to it on audio and the book flew by quickly. This is the perfect read for spooky season.

In the end, I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. There’s a great premise- I mean, who wouldn’t want to hex their ex after they forgot to mention they were betrothed?- but I struggled to really sink in to the story. I liked the seasonal feel to it though. It felt like there was a lot of build up and relatedly little pay off.

4.5* this book is an absolutely wonderful combination of witchcraft and romance. It’s very hocus pocus meets Harry Potter, which are two of my favorite things so it’s not surprise that I loved this. This book did a really great job balancing romance and plot in a way that had me excited to turn the page. It’s also got its steamy bits too if that’s your cup of tea.

This was such a fun, whimsical, read! I loved the atmosphere, the way this world unfolded to reveal the magic underneath, and the way the magic was modernized for today made it easy to understand. The chemistry between Rhys and Vivienne was very steamy and fun to witness. This was the perfect book to start of the fall season! ✨

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

Nine years ago, after a horrible breakup, Vivienne Jones broke her aunt's most important rule, “Never mix vodka and magic.” She ended up casting a curse on her ex that she thought wouldn’t actually work, she used an Orchard Hayride scented candle after all! Might just give him a bad hair day but what’s the harm? That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly with just as good hair, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong.

You know those books that make you feel comfortable with growing up? I was not expecting this but The Ex Hex is one of those books for me. We get to see Vivienne and Rhys develop over a nine year span and see how they have slowly settled into the world. I loved that Vivienne was a professor at the local college and how Rhys was running his own business but still had no clue what he was really doing. It’s funny how in a book with a steamy adult romance and magic, what I really liked was the little things like getting to see how Vivienne styled her office.

As for the romance itself I thought it was very well done and there’s no annoying miscommunication that seems to pop up in the middle of contemporary romance. I think the best part though, is that Rhys has his own pov which I feel is rare in romance but very welcome!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Marrow and Custom House for an arc!

Loved this spooky romance! It’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Jumanji with a little bit of a Gilmore Girls vibe. It was fun, it was flirty, it was everything I wanted when I picked up a seasonal romance.

4.5 rounded up to 5!

I really enjoyed this one! It's a great spooky, fall, Halloween read without being scary at all. I love witches and ghosts so this was absolutely right up my alley!

I've seen this referred to as "Hocus Pocus, but they f*" and yes, this one is steamy! I loved Vivi and Rhys together! I hope there is more and this becomes a series!

I found the premise of this book to be incredibly delightful. A little Hocus Pocus, a little Practical Magic, a little Halloweentown -- a perfect fall read. But the whole thing is so woefully underplotted that it doesn't hold up to any real scrutiny. Vivi's reluctance to practice magic is underexplored, Rhys' poor relationship with his father isn't developed out, the cat can suddenly talk and no one goes "huh, how did that happen?", and when confronted with the town's pending demise, the two... take their time figuring out how to break the hex? Get a good night's sleep and then a cup of tea the next day? There's absolutely no sense of urgency to solve what seems to me to be a rather urgent problem and the whole middle suffers for it.

With a few changes, this book would have worked really well; in particular, if Sterling had leaned into the hex breaking being a wacky romp, I think it would have been a really excellent, vaguely absurdist, cozy fall magic mystery. Scooby Doo vibes or something. I think my favorite part was the talking cat, who reminded me of Snaps from Strange Love and correctly evaluated Rhys as a dickbag.

Also, I recognize that this is kind of a ridiculous thing to be frustrated by, but can we move on from Harry Potter references? It is not the only book about magic that has ever been written, and the author is a trash human being!! We know this!! Make another reference!!

Anyways, even though this was ultimately disappointing, it looks to be a series and obviously I am invested. I'll pick up the next one.