Vivi's first love was a Witch Boy. And we should never trust our hearts to Witch Boys. Especially not ones from prominent witch families. But fresh off a breakup and in a fit of drunken despair, Vivi and her cousin Gwyn cast a curse on Rhys. Just a little one. A silly one. One they didn't even really mean. One they don't actually have the power to even cast. And yet...

Nine years later, Rhys comes back to town as his family's representative in the town's Founder's Day celebration. As soon as he steps foot in town, things begin to go horribly wrong. All his spells misfire. He nearly gets killed. He's feeling pretty suspicious, but his dad assures him that nobody of their line could POSSIBLY have been cursed, so go ahead, fulfill the Founder's Day responsibilities, recharge the ley lines that run under the town to cement the family's power, and then come home.

But the ley lines. Something goes horribly wrong when he touches the ley lines and now the entire town's magic is out of whack. Rhys and Vivi need to work together to figure out how to undo the curse Vivi accidentally cast before something truly horrible happens.

This is such a fun read! The main characters are quirky. Plenty of that "I am not like my family" tension. Fast-paced and with plenty of steamy sex scenes to keep any romance lover entertained! I definitely recommend this one, especially for October to get you in that Halloween mood!

I really liked it--and not just because I'm a sucker for any character named Rhys.
Who among us hasn't done stupid things as a broken-hearted teenager? Although maybe this is a pointed example of what could happen when that curse you wish *did* take affect, when you and your friends sat in that circle with candles (or made that voodoo doll, whatever), actually *does*.
. In this case, create chaos for your hometown *on top of* for your ex, when he comes to town to strengthen the magical ley lines, while also regretting the heartbreak he caused. It's a light-hearted read, perfect for continuing that summer reading vibe past Labor Day and into pumpkin spice season. I can see this being made into a movie for ION television or some channel like that, LOL.

3.5 Stars for a fun, witchy rom com that's like Hocus Pocus + The Gilmore Girls (but with LOTS of open door sexy stuff!).

What I liked:
- The small mountain town setting;
- "Second chance" trope;
- Rhys is DREAMY;
- sarcastic wry humor;
- strong family connections.

What I didn't like:
- Rushed ending left me a little unsatisfied;
- SO MUCH sex and not a lot of relationship development so the "love" was hard to believe;
- I was left wanting a little more magical content.

I would definitely recommend this as the perfect fall read for fans of Hocus Pocus and Bewitched!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!)

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book to review!

If you were that kid who lived for the Disney channel Halloween movies and if you are now an adult who loves romance books, this is the book for you. I absolutely loved this book. The witchy small-town vibes and humor throughout made me so nostalgic for Halloweentown, Twitches, and Hocus Pocus. This book was pitched to me as spicy hocus pocus, and that description is so accurate. It's the spicy witchy rom-com we all need in our lives this Halloween season.

Firstly, this book is hilarious. I haven't read something that entertained me so much in a while. Whether it's the banter between our romantic leads or the jokes about the Harry Potter fandom, this book will make you laugh. I started smiling during the opening scene when Vivi and her cousin were drunk on vodka and cursing her ex Rhys, and I didn't stop smiling throughout.

Outside of the humor, the chemistry in this book was great. I loved Vivi and Rhys together. There was a great execution of several romance tropes in this book: enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and forced proximity. While there's no one-bed trope, there is a scene involving a tiny coat closet that gave off the same vibes.

I liked the plot too. It was fast-paced and engaging. I thought there was some nice foreshadowing throughout the book too, which made the ending more satisfying.

My main takeaway from this book is, as Aunt Elaine would say, don't mix vodka and witchcraft. Of course, the book also tackles some other important themes, like the erasure of women in history.

If you have ever based your personality off of Sabrina The Teenage Witch, I'd recommend this book. If horror movies still scare you, so you're like me, 21 years old and still watching Halloweentown every October, this is the book for you. If you're just a fan of the spicy rom-com (Beach Read, The Unhoneymooners, The Trouble With Hating You), you should read this book. It's the perfect start to spooky season for any romance reader.

Oh, and did I mention there's a talking cat?

Oh my goodness, I loved this one so much. The perfect light-hearted, sexy read for Halloween. It was perfectly paced and left me feeling happy and satisfied with the entire storyline. Halloweentown for adults? That feels like the best way to describe it.

Where is my next witchy read? I'm ready for it ASAP.

Cute world-building, and enjoyable for the witchy aspects. But the curse resolution felt VERY rushed, as did the romance.

Pure Spooky Perfection!

This book is one of (if not the best) Halloween-themed rom-com I’ve ever read.

A little heavy on the use of the F word for my liking (like it’s used a lot so I can’t recommend it some of my fellow readers who have told me that they don’t care for foul language) but otherwise it’s amazing.

5/5 Stars from me!

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for the e-arc!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was so freakin good! I loved how it was pitched as Hocus Pocus but they do the dirty.

Vivi Jones is heart broken and drunk when she decides that it’ll be fun to curse her ex boyfriend Rhys Penhallow. When Rhys comes back to town 9 years later, it seems the curse worked after all.

I’m all about the witchy books at the moment and this one did not disappoint. There’s some much exciting stuff that happens in this story. Skull toys coming to life, a talking cat that does nothing but beg for treats. I seriously couldn’t stop reading this one. The second chance romance was great. The setting was perfect and I absolutely adored the characters.

This is the perfect book to get you in the spooky season mood. I highly recommend picking this one up when it releases on September 28th!

It is currently August as I am writing this review and I have been longing for fall and Halloween for weeks now. Luckily, The Ex Hex help satisfy some of my witchy cravings. The Ex Hex follows Vivi, a young witch who (kind of accidentally) cursed her ex-boyfriend, Rhys nine years ago. When he returns for the town's Fall Festival (a town his ancestors founded), Rhys and Vivi reunite, and she quickly realizes that her playful curse done using Bath and Body Works candles may have actually worked. Abnormal and spooky events start to occur in the town of Graves Glen, and Rhys and Vivi have to try to break the curse and save the town while trying to ignore their steamy feelings for each other that have come creeping back.

This book was everything I needed for the upcoming fall season, and I knew it was going to be right when I saw the cover. A witchy contemporary romance?? Sign me up please! After reading this, I wanted to be a twenty-something witch in Graves Glen so badly! This second chance romance is sexy and fun, and you will want to read it on a cool October night with a pumpkin spice latte in your hand. I'm really hoping there will be a sequel to The Ex Hex, where we get a peek into Vivi's cousin Gwyn's love life. If you love romance and Halloween, this is a must-read.

My review will be posted on my blog (instagram.com/bekakatereads) closer to the publication date in September. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Ex Hex is sweeter and lighter than I anticipated, but I enjoyed it all the same. I found myself smiling along and cheering for Vivi and Rhys to be open and clear with each other. I loved the supporting characters and hope we get to see them again.

So upon reading the synopsis for this book I immediately had to request it on NetGalley. Romantic comedy vibes and witches are my literal weakness and The Ex Hex did NOT disappoint.
The humor in this book had me laughing out loud (while getting strange looks from my family members) and absolutely refusing to put this book down. This is the perfect book for fall and gave me warm, fuzzy, spooky, and romcom witchy vibes for days. Vivi and Rhys are literal relationship goals as far as witty comebacks and humor. I loved everything about the characters in The Ex Hex from the lgtbq+ representation to Sir Percival the mischievous cat.
The chemistry between Rhys and Vivi was well written, the world building was easily understandable, and the plot was perfect. I definitely recommend this book!

“Her head spinning, but her heart not feeling quite so piece-y, Vivi smiled and leaned over the circle, closer to the candle. “You broke my heart, Rhys Penhallow,” she said. “And we curse you. You and your whole stupid, hot line.”

Witch stories are making a comeback in 2021 and after reading The Ex Hex, I want all of them in my grabby hands, right this second.

Never mix vodka and witchcraft, that is Vivi’s aunt’s rule. But when Vivi unexpectedly gets her heart broken by Rhys Penhallow, a Welsh charmer from one of the most influential lines of witches, Vivi and her cousin Gwyn forego that rule just once and accidentally curse Rhys who has fled town. None the wiser, Vivi only learns that their curse has actually worked when, nine years later, Rhys returns to Graves Glen to recharge the town’s ley lines. What should have been a short trip turns disastrously wrong as one calamity after the other strikes and the town of Graves Glen finds itself wreaked havoc upon by the simple Ex Hex Vivi and Gwyn created. Reluctantly, Vivi and Rhys will have to put aside their differences, and their off-the charts chemistry, to save the town before it’s too late.

The Ex Hex was so much fun. The story very much has the vibe of an episode of Charmed—you have witches in a contemporary setting that find themselves in all kinds of trouble that they have to fix with and without magic, you have a suave and sexy love interest you also want to strangle sometimes, and above all, you have fierce female friendships and familial support that warms your heart from the inside out. Those elements make for an entertaining cocktail and that really is what it all boils down to—you can’t help but smile and laugh while reading The Ex Hex.

Sure, there are some rather sad moments and the fact that Vivi has essentially gotten her heart broken by Rhys isn’t easy to get over—for her or the reader—but beyond that, this is a super light-hearted read that feels like watching a comfort movie while you’re submerged in a soothing bath, sipping on chilled wine.

Speaking of Rhys, what a charmer of a man. Honestly, no wonder Vivi fell in love with this dude—he’s funny, self-deprecating, has a Welsh accent, and doesn’t take anything seriously, which yes, causes a lot of his problems but also means that the chances are high you’ll be laughing when side effects of the curse hit him without warning. Vivi, meanwhile, worries she’s not powerful enough as a witch and that insecurity goes a long way to making her feel inadequate compared to her family and Rhys. Both Rhys and Vivi struggle with expectations and unspoken rules handed down by their family members and not quite measuring up to the standards others have set in terms of magic or success in general. We also have family relationships that are very enticing, on the one hand Rhys and his very punishing, rigid father and Rhys’s hilarious brothers, and on the other Vivi and her Aunt Elaine and cousin Gwyn that imbue the story with lots of comedic relief and tension in turn. However, these elements didn’t overshadow the sweet and cataclysmic relationship between Rhys and Vivi and thus, this really felt like the perfect witchy romcom. Really, whether you read this in summer or around Halloween, whether you come to this book for witchy goodness or good old-fashioned escapism, The Ex Hex is one hell of a good time.

All in all, The Ex Hex is perfect for anyone who needs more witchy content in their lives, loves Hocus Pocus, Charmed and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and above all, anyone who’s in need of a fluffy romcom!

If you want to add some spice to your hocus pocus brew then this is the book for you.

The Ex Hex gave me ALL the Halloweentown vibes in the best way a long with a little Hocus Pocus.

I love a good second chance romance especially when you know the reason for the breakup early on. Takes a way a lot of the stress when you aren’t wondering half of the book.

Vivi and Rhys had *magical tension* and I devoured this book

First of all, I had no idea this author was also Rachel Hawkins! This was just the perfect fall book and even though I’m a summer lover at heart, the small town spooky vibes made me keep turning the pages! The fun banter between the enjoyable characters made this an easy finish-it-during-a-long-weekend read. I love the witchy, revenge curse premise, festival setting and a protagonist who is one you want to root for! This one is perfect to pick up when you’re ready to finally pack up from summer and head inside for cozy, fireside reading hinges.

This magical story was so fun!

First, I had no idea that Rachel Hawkins publishes books under the name Erin Sterling, but now it makes sense why I loved this book 😆

This story had it all: a quaint, small town, badass witches, guys with Welsh accents, and a sweet second chance romance. It can definitely be a quick read, but I was sad when it ended. Definitely recommend!

The Ex Hex
by Erin Sterling - aka Rachel Hawkins!
Pub Date: September 28, 2021

Description: [From publisher] Erin Sterling casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong.

>> That description alone hooked me. <<

[From Store.Bought.Epiphany] - Vivienne (Vivi) is heartbroken over a romance that lasted all of three months! Logically, she deems it not worth the heartache, but her heart tells a different story. She is a teen witch with broken heart ... what else is she to do but say a mix of words that could be curse, but a totally half-hearted one - doesn't count.

Flash forward to nine years later and the terrible ex-boyfriend is back in town. He's still as gorgeous as ever, still as swoon-worthy as ever, but ... something may be off about his magical abilities and his luck. Maybe that Ex Hex was taken a little more seriously by the powers that be than Vivi thought. Can Vivi and Rhys (the magical heart breaker) fix what she may have broken over nine years ago and save her beloved town of Graves Glen?

This book is magical! A quick read - short chapters - fast-paced - and full of intrigue and romance. This book is Sophie Kinsella meets Alice Hoffman! Hocus Pocus meets Practical Magic! This book is a wonderful mix of light/airy quips and curses. If you're a fan of magical worlds and love a funny dialogue - you will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Marrow for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

★★★★/5

A witchy romance, in a small town, during October. ALLL the fall vibes!

The Ex Hex was a short, but super enjoyable read. I definitely will be rereading it during October to truly immerse myself in everything spooky and fall.

The book gave slight Sabrina The Teenage Witch Vibes with the small town vibes and Vivienne living with her aunt and cousin. The magic system isn’t super fleshed out and developed, but for the purpose of this book, it didn’t need to be. Aside from the big plot points, the magic is your everyday bring-your-cup-to-you-without-getting-up type of magic which I really enjoyed! All the different descriptors about pumpkins, fall scents and weather, skulls, and cute small town festivals were really feeding my fall obsessed soul. I would honestly recommend reading this for the witchy fall vibes alone.

As for the characters, I really enjoyed the ex’s to lovers trope in this book. I wish the book was longer so we could have really seen the second chance romance fleshed out a lot more since most of the focus was on the big event unravelling near the end of the book. That being said, I did enjoy Vivienne and Rhys’ dynamic. It was lighthearted, it was funny, it was sweet! Not the most groundbreaking relationship, but for the short length of the book, it got the job done.

I would say if you need a quick read to feed your romance fix, pick up this book! It’ll definitely get the job done.

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In "The Ex Hex," by Erin Sterling, when 19-year-old Vivienne Jones gets dumped by her Welsh witch boyfriend, she and her cousin drunkenly decide to get back at him through some old-fashioned hexing. They never thought it would work, but when Rhys Penhallow returns nine years later and a series of terrible events begin to happen to him, the cousins realize they are better witches than they thought. Now they just need to remove the hex, save the town that has become an accidental victim of his bad luck, and figure out if Vivienne and Rhys destined to be together.
This book is a light, rompy trip. All of the characters are likable, the plot hangs together well and the atmosphere is perfect for a rom-com witchy story. I loved the relationship between the cousins and their mother/aunt. The easy banter between all of the characters was delightful. I would definitely recommend this book!

Rachel Hawkins was a favorite of mine when I was in high school, so I was over the moon to see that she was writing adult romance! This was a cozy, autumnal, filled with magic romcom.
I think if you are someone who likes more plot driven romance, this is right up your alley. Our protagonist, Vivi, is a witch. One night, several years ago, heartbroken and pissed off, she places a drunken curse on her ex, Rhys. She thought it was just a lark, not really intending to cause any harm, and for years it seemed like that was all it was. Until said ex comes back to town and shit starts to fall apart. Now she has to break a curse and try not to get her heart broken all over again.
This was such a fun romp through a quaint, magical small town with an endearing cast of characters. I love a second-chance romance, and she really delivers with this one! There’s even a talking cat, you really can’t ask for more.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the digital ARC!

This is me invoking all the fall vibes! it may be early for a fall and Halloween-themed read for some of you, but for me, any bit of Halloween I can soak up is good for me!
🎃
THE EX HEX by Erin Sterling / Rachel Hawkins is out 9/28 & a huge thank you to Avon Books for our gifted review copy.
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Read this if:
You love witchy heroines
A fall festival really gets you going
Stories set around Halloween are your jam!
Forced proximity & second chance romances melt you into a puddle
🥰
THE EX HEX is one of my favorite reads of 2021! I can’t wait to get a finished copy and read it again and again! I feel like I may need to revisit these characters and the town every fall. This book is truly a warm hug for my fall, Halloween, and witch-loving heart!