This was a great book to read to start off the fall season. Although the end felt a little rushed, I still enjoyed the entire plot and ended up finishing it in a day. Perfect for people that want a lighter romance to read around Halloween.

Never mix vodka and witchcraft, Aunt Elaine always says. One night, heartbroken after a summer fling with Rhys Penhallow and fueled by bubble bath, vodka, and candles Vivianne Jones curses Rhys. When he returns 9 years later for the Founder's day festival to recharge the town's ley lines, things start to go wrong. The curse really worked and Rhys and Vivianne have to figure out how to break it before the whole town is destroyed.

The 2nd chance romance between Rhys and Vivi was lovely, they had a great dynamic and chemistry. And there was a little bit of a mystery aspect as they tried to figure out how to break the accidental curse.

The characters were fun but not particularly complex. Gwyn, in particular was witty and sassy. And the bit with Sir Purccival the talking cat was funny.

The story was lighthearted and fluffy with good pacing. I would've liked a little more world-building and conflict to add a little more to the plot.

Witchy romance is exactly the right vibes for Fall. This book was adorable - the pitch was "Hocus Pocus, but they fuck" so I was highly anticipating it! Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, did not disappoint.

A fun and lighthearted paranormal romantic comedy perfect to start off your autum/fall reading! I loved the characters Viv and Rhys because they obviously have good chemistry. A great plot line with lovers to enemies to lovers trope with lots of laughs. It’s a quick read and a nice little pick-me-up romance. Worth the try! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

DNF at 45%. When I saw this pitched as Hocus Pocus in Stars Hollow or Hocus Pocus (But They F***) - I was sold! And I will say the small town Halloween fall vibes definitely pulled me right in!! I love Vivi’s family and their shop and was totally into the prologue.

However the actual romance ended up not working for me. I’m often not a fan of second chance romance and this one wasn’t working for me. It’s also very slow burn which I also don’t love. If Sterling writes more in this series, I would definitely give another a shot but for now I’m passing on this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

A fun novel of repercussions of the curse that a heart broken witch and her cousin make on the guy that left her. There is more to the hex than first seen and the lustful play of the witch and her returned amour foul up searching for a reversal.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don't read a lot (or really any) paranormal/fantasy romance. It's just never been my thing. But this year I'm trying to expand my horizons and getting in the Halloween spirit (one of my favorite holidays of the year), so I thought I would give this one a go. And I'm glad I did! It's the perfect October romance, full of small-town Halloween charm, potions and curses, and ghosts, oh my! Very Sabrina the Teenage Witch-esque in the best way possible.

When 19 year-old Vivienne finds out her lover is betrothed to someone else, she and her cousin place a curse on him. Literally, because they're witches. Or not literally, because they think they were just joking around. But nine years later, when Vivienne's ex Whys returns, the curse appears to be in full effect. And it's not just effecting Rhys but the whole town. So Vivienne, her family, and Rhys team up to reverse the curse, which is much more difficult than placing it...

This one is perfect for fans of Sabrina the Teenage Witch or Payback's a Witch, another upcoming paranormal/fantasy romance which has similar vibes but a very different plot!

Thanks to Avon for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

This was a fun little read. Good for those looking for a witchy fall read. I enjoyed it but didn't love it.

The Ex Hex was a cute & bubbly read with so many spooky/Halloween vibes. As a fall/Halloween lover, this is something I enjoyed about the book- the writing was very descriptive and gave you all the good Halloween & witchy feels. Also lots of steamy scenes! This makes for a great read on a crisp & cool fall day.
This was a quick read, but the plot seemed a bit all over the place. It took several different directions, and ended pretty simply even though the conclusion of the story was a bit more complex than the rest of the book (the magic & spells used). I felt the ending didn’t line up with the plot & was just a way to get the story to end on several good notes. I would’ve read another 100 pages of this book if there was more of an explanation into Vivi’s experience conjuring her ancestor, even though she is not an experienced witch at all. The end was kind of like, *poof* insert magic here, problem solved & the town is saved!
Overall I personally feel the witch/magic elements could’ve been a bit more thorough and explained as I felt the book scooted over many of those things quite quickly. I understand this is supposed to be a lighthearted romantic comedy read, but I don’t think anyone would be opposed to more spookiness!

Funny and romantic, with just a dash of spice! Made me feel all sorts of happiness at the end. I would love for more books about Rhys' brothers or Gwen.

This is very witchy movie that makes fall the best season rolled into one. With her signature snark, she delivers a tale of retaliation gone wrong. When viví and her cousin Gwyn defy the age old adage no witchcraft and vodka, they don’t realize how wrong it’s gone until many years later when Rhys, the object of said curse returns. Vivi and Rhys had a summer romance that abruptly ended and hearts were broken. Rhys has no idea what he’s walking into when he comes back to town and what ensues is witchy hi jinx. From talking cats to ghosts with revenge the curse must be lifted before the town is a literal ghost town. I loved thw banter, the fun between Rhys and viví and the family aspect between viví and her aunt and cousin. I hope we get more from this small town, there’s plenty of witches and warlocks to go around

This was a fun book. Vivienne is nursing her young broken heart at the loss of a young man she really did not expect to let her down. In a tipsy state she and her cousin "accidentally" curse him - Rhys Penhallow, who is a descendent of the town's founders. Rhys leaves Vivi behind, sadly, but summoned home to Wales. Nine years later he is sent back to town, and from the start his magic falters and odd things begin happening. Vivi and her cousin realize the curse they thought was a joke was a real thing, and together, Rhys and Vivi set out, working together to make things right. The old chemistry between them is back in full force, but they are fighting the forces of nature too, making the story light hearted, steamy and fun. It is reminiscent of Hocus Pocus in a way, with slightly more heat and romance, and, instead of the Sanderson sisters, this is the story of the Penhallow's and their impact on the town over a 300 year period.

Love this fun, irreverent approach to love and witchcraft. The voice is engaging and entertaining. Will highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC! I would give this a solid three stars. It started off strong and faded about 25% of the way. I just felt like it got repetitive and kind of boring after a bit. The romance was mediocre. Saying all this it was still a cute, quick read and had great fall vibes.

Raise your hand if you've ever considered cursing an ex-boyfriend after an especially heart-wrenching breakup. Yes? I think many of us have felt that way, but for Vivi, who didn't grow up a witch, and underestimates her power during a drunken silly moment with her best friend and cousin Gwyn, little does she know nine years later that her Ex Hex may have worked.

Sterling's first romance, is a witchin' good time, the perfect read to kick off spooky season and I was absolutely here for it! The chemistry between Vivienne and Rhys kept me glued to the pages, rooting for their second chance romance. I loved how this was such a quick and easy read, that also packed a lot of punch, I will certainly be recommending it to anyone I can this season!

The small town will have you feeling nostalgic of some of your favorite 90s movies like Hocus Pocus or Halloweentown, full of ALL the fall activities that'll have you grabbing a PSL, putting on a sweater and boots to head to a hayride in the hunt for your own witch to love. Graves Glen is everything you could want from a college town powered by magic, and it's charm made it the perfect setting for this steamy romance full of family ties and history.

4.5 stars from me, I cannot wait to discuss this title with the @loveARCtually club members, a huge thank you to NetGalley + Avon Books for providing me with an early copy to read and review!

A fun and humorous read. Pacing is well done, and everyone loves a spicy Halloween love story! Our main characters are human, and very much are flawed which can make the reading more believe able and more enjoyable.

I loved the premise of The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling. A really cute romance, so cute and adorable! I had a good time with this one.

Fun and unexpectedly unique! I love it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know I cannot be the only one that has wanted to put a hex on an ex-boyfriend or whatever the relationship was... There are some people that break our hearts no matter how hard we try to not let them get to us. Sterling dials right into those hurt feelings with a spooky, funny, and sexy story that I just fell for!

This book is one of those stories that you will want to read again and again. It has so many elements that suck us right in - from that love to hate, damn sexy Ex, Rhys, to the crazy relatives, to the fabulous spooky hex that starts all of the wacky issues which rain down upon the town! Sterling nails it in every aspect.

The Ex Hex is the perfect book for the season and beyond. If you are looking for a quirky and fun read that simmers with heat and brings the entertainment all the way through, this is the one to grab! So much love for this one!!

Vivi has her heart broken by Rhys when, after their perfect summer together, he tells her he is betrothed. She and her cousin Gwen break their mother’s cardinal rule (never mix witchcraft and vodka) and place a creative curse on Rhys. They weren’t really working Magic so neither was surprised it didn’t work. Nine years and many social media stalkings later, Rhys is running a successful travel adventure business when his father makes him go back to Penhallow to charge the ley lines maintained by the family. His plan is to get in, make a speech, charge the lines, and get out. But his magic goes wonky the minute he enters Penhallow and only Vivi can help him.

This is the perfect witchy Halloween romance. It is a fun and funny read.

I am thankful for the electronic copy of the book that I received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Aw, this was really fun! I was pitched this book as "Hocus Pocus but it bangs" and... yeah, sold. And that's a pretty accurate summary of the tone. This is definitely a paranormal romance following a group of witches, but it also reads like a rom com with a second chance romance trope. The banter was really cute and while humor is always subjective, it worked for me. Overall, this is a light, easy breezy romance that's just in time for Halloween and I hope we get more in this world!

What a delightful read this was! Almost a decade ago, Rhys Penhallow broke Vivienne Jones' heart. While deep in her break up ritual - she and her cousin decide it might be fun to curse Rhys, because he was horrible to Vivienne. But they're just playing around, right? Nothing would have come from their "curse" - they weren't serious, and the candle wasn't even anything special, so of course it's fine. Fast forward to present day, Rhys, as a descendant from the town's ancestors, has come back for Founder's Day - only weird things start happening around him. Soon, he's teaming up with Vivi, Gwyn and Elaine to try to figure out what is happening, what is going wrong and how to fix it before it's too late. Turns out their harmless fun almost a decade ago, wasn't so harmless.

If you love fluffy romance, small town coziness and anything witchy, The Ex Hex is 100% the book for you. I loved the characters, and their dynamic. The writing was well paced throughout and I even laughed out loud a few times, which was an added bonus. I really enjoyed the well-balanced nature of the romance, it was never too full on and the chemistry was definitely believable. If I had to pick anything I didn't like as much, (and this is being pretty nit picky, and trying to not spoil anything), I wish the full on action of figuring out the curse started a little sooner. Overall, I really enjoyed The Ex Hex and will be recommending it a lot this upcoming spooky season and beyond.