Member Reviews

What an adorable lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with a witchy twist. I loved the banter between Vivi and Rhys. Their chemistry was magical. The story itself was cute and original - I mean who doesn’t think about cursing the person who broke their heart and then accidentally follow through.

The dude characters were great too and I’m kind of hoping we see a few spin offs from this story!!

Was this review helpful?

This was a super cute book! Fun read for the spooky season. I liked the dialogue, sweet rom-com energy. :) 3.5-4 stars

Was this review helpful?

An adorable witchy book that brought to mind Practical Magic, but without the evil buried guy. A curse has befallen the quiet town and in the midst of trying to reverse it Vivianne and Rhys realize that their buried feelings from an ill fated former romance are very much still there. The book was sweet and cute without any real urgency to the problems of the curse. The pacing for the book was a tad slow for me, but I would still recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

3.75⭐
This was a very cute, light, witchy romance. I enjoyed the interactions between Vivi and Rhys, as well as Vivi's snarky cousin Gwyn.
There was a fair amount of steam in this book as well. While I enjoyed the characters and the chemistry in the story as well as the magical subplot, overall I felt like it was a little forgettable and I would've liked a little more depth.

Was this review helpful?

I got about half way through the book and was bored out of my mind and ended up dnfing it. It Just wasn't for me as much as I wanted to love it because the premise sounded right up my alley.

Was this review helpful?

Shelf Awareness for Readers, Oct 15, 2021:

Erin Sterling, a pseudonym for Rachel Hawkins (The Wife Upstairs), delivers a pitch-perfect paranormal romantic comedy with The Ex Hex, a tale of magic gone awry and the rekindled love that follows in its destruction.

When Rhys Penhallow broke Vivienne Jones's heart, she in turn broke her aunt's cardinal rule ("Never mix vodka and witchcraft") in order to curse the heartless "Witch Boy." Of course, the curse wasn't real magic--or so Vivienne assumes, until an age-old tradition draws Rhys back to Vivienne's hometown of Graves Glen, Ga., and the typically straightforward task of recharging the magical ley lines beneath the town results in magic gone horribly wrong. Vivienne and Rhys are thrown back together to try to set their magic--and perhaps their relationship--back on track, as they make out in the spookiest of settings (the closet of a haunted house, for one) and battle unexpectedly dastardly, if also somewhat amusing, threats to Graves Glen (like a display of plastic skulls running loose in the Joneses' family witchcraft store).

The Ex Hex seamlessly blends fantasy and romance, with a strong sense of world-building and magical rules that guide Vivienne and Rhys's attempts to course-correct from the "accidental" curse, and an equally evident sense of attraction between these two witches. A bit of unexpected magic, a dose of revenge and a sprinkling of steaminess churn together in a humorous and heartfelt paranormal romance, sure to delight fans of Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic--or any contemporary tale of witches run amok. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Discover: This pitch-perfect paranormal romance features hexes gone wrong and exes forced to work together.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to #NetGalley for an opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I believe October was the perfect month to read “The Ex Hex” by Erin Sterling. The look and feel for this story was “season friendly” and really added to the overall enjoyment of the book. I highly suggest a cup of hot chocolate and an electric blanket to really add to the feel- maybe even a few candles.

From the very start, I enjoyed the backstory of these two main characters and how they hooked up in a saucy summer romance before going their separate ways. I wish I had a little more insight into the whole “betrothal” thing with Rhys and why he didn’t try harder to convince Vivian that it was no big deal (if it truly wasn’t). That part was a little wishy washy to me, but once the characters met back up, it was pretty easy to just go with the flow of their pull and tug romantic encounters. I also wish I had a little more background on the witchy aunts. They seemed really interesting, but we only got a quick glimpse of them.

I suggest this book to anyone who enjoyed reading Rachel Hawkins’ “Hex Hall”, but deep down wanted a little more spice ;) This book fixes that lust problem for you. Lol. I love Rachel Hawkins’ (Erin Sterling’s) writing style so much and can’t wait to read more.

Was this review helpful?

I was in from the moment I heard this described as a "witchy romance." This was so fun and funny, and I loved all the characters! I read somewhere that this is the first in a series, and I REALLY hope that's true.

Was this review helpful?

The premise of this book is a fun idea, but I was not expecting to be drawn in as quickly as I was. The characters are well written and the book is a speedy read!

Was this review helpful?

Charmed meets Gilmore Girls in this fantastic (pun intended) witchy romance!

Never mix witchcraft and alcohol.

Vivienne Jones didn't mean to curse her ex. It just... well, it just happened. It wasn't even supposed to be a proper spell. Vivi and her cousin used an "Orchard Hayride" scented candle, for goodness sakes! But here they are, nine years after the break-up, and Vivi's ex-boyfriend--the very handsome, very Welsh, very powerful witch Rhys Penhallow--is back in town. Like it wasn't hard enough living there with his name slapped on everything, given that his ancestor founded the place. But Vivi is sure she can endure his visit, especially as he plans to make it short and sweet: attend the Founder's Day Festival, recharge the Ley Lines, get out.

Except everything goes horrifically wrong.

Now magic is running rogue in town, and it's up to Vivi and Rhys to work together to reverse the Ex Hex and save the day. But what will they do when they find the sparks they had for each other have definitely recharged--and are stronger than ever?

A fun and fluffy rom-com perfect for spooky season, "The Ex Hex" is a witchy delight of a read!

Was this review helpful?

Spooky halloween meets hocus pocus meets practical magic. This book was everything that makes for a perfect fall romance to read by the fire with a hot cup of tea- a little dash of spookiness, a whole lot of cozy fall vibes, witches, magic, humor, and a second chance romance. Super light read, not super steamy, definitely will be a repeat read for me! Please believe all the hype you're seeing on bookstagram.

Was this review helpful?

When Rhys Penhallow broke Vivi Jones’s heart, she took a bubble bath, put on some music, and drank vodka. One thing a witch should NEVER do is mix witchcraft and vodka. Playing around with magic, Vivi and her cousin used a random candle and put a curse on her ex, Rhys. Nine years later, Rhys returns to their small town of Graves Glen and they realize that they actually cursed him and not just him, their whole town!

The Ex Hex was a fun and light-hearted book to read. I loved the small town setting. Some people said that it reminded them of a mix between Halloweentown and Stars Hollow and I totally agree with that. I could picture myself in the town with the characters. The curse that took part of the town was decent. It was fun reading about the main characters trying to fix things around town because of the curse. But, to be honest, there were times where the story dragged on and I felt kind of bored. Rhys and Vivi’s relationship was okay, I was kind of expecting more between them. I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between them, it was mostly about sex and no deep talks and talking abiut feelings. And it also felt kind of rushed. It wasn’t as steamy as people said it would be, it was more fluffy. I would also loved to see more magic. More spells and witchy stuff. The magic was kind of lacking.

But, even though the romance was okay and the magic was kind of lacking, it was fun and easy to read for this Spooky season. I just wished it could’ve had more.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for approving me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Cheesy at times but very cute and fun. I loved the growth of the main character into accepting her strength as a witch. I thought Rhys could have had a lot more depth. The steam was pretty basic and not super exciting. Overall enjoyed this though!

Was this review helpful?

The Ex Hex is an adorable Halloween romcom that made me smile the 👏🏻entire 👏🏻 time👏🏻! I love anything witchy, and the witchy town in this book reminded me a lot of Halloweentown (my favorite Halloween movie of all time)! It gave me major Hocus Pocus/Sabrina vibes and I was ALL ABOUT IT. It really helped get me in the spooky spirit!

I didn’t think this book had a lot of SUBSTANCE, but not all romcoms need to be deep! I enjoyed this one for what it was - a fast-paced, second chance love/enemies to lovers romance. Plus, the characters were so cute and the steam was 🤤🤤🤤

I think this book would be a perfect palette cleanser between horror/thriller books this Halloween season! It provides some much needed smiles and warm fuzzies while still staying on brand for spooky month.

Was this review helpful?

If you’re looking for the perfect Halloween romantic comedy… look no further. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (aka Rachel Hawkins) was absolutely DELIGHTFUL and a four-star read for me 👻

In this book you’ll find…
👻 A second chance at love
👻 Big Stars Hollow vibes
👻 A talking cat
👻 A quirky plot with meat to it
👻 More steam than I was expecting
👻 Very handsome love interest named RHYS

This book is perfect for fans of Halloweentown, Hocus Pocus and Gilmore Girls, and I feel like it’ll be worth a reread for me every single October.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the advance copy!

Was this review helpful?

This book is perfect for fans of Hocus Pocus but more an older audience. It is a little hokey and cheesy, however, perfect for Halloween.

Was this review helpful?

This truly was the perfect read to get you in the Halloween spirit. It’s like the grown up version of Hocus Pocus in book form. If you prefer romance, this is the perfect fall read for you.

I loved everything about the setting and wish I was a witch and lived in Graves Glen. The Ex Hex tells the story of Vivi and how she accidentally cursed her ex, Rhys, nine years ago. When he returns, trouble ensues. Not only for him, but for the whole town.

This was such a fun read. Not my favorite book by any means, but I still highly enjoyed it for what it was. I love seeing it all over booksta and want to read similar books.

Was this review helpful?

This author has surely casted a hex on me! I adored this book and every minute of reading it. I was thoroughly wrapped up in this story so much so that once I started reading it, I found it impossible to put down the book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about magic and wishes to experience this fantastic world.

Was this review helpful?

I wanted to love The Ex Hex, as a reader who loves Christmas and winter rom com 's in book form. I have long sense longed for a fall or Halloween rom com in book form. And while I thought I was finally getting that with The Ex Hex something just fell flat. I loved the small town setting but the likelabity of the heroine and hero wasn't there. I mean don't get me wrong I know in rom com's at first the hero and heroine don't like each other, and the readers' not really supposed to like hero at first. There's suppose to be banter between the two of them. However, I didn't like either character from the get go, and and as the story progress I sort of warmed up to the hero but I never did like the heroine. But the secondary characters did lend themselves to an enjoyable read and I am willing to try other books by this author.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars. This book contains witches and a talking animal, what more could I ask for?

This book exceeded my expectations. It follows Vivi who did not know she has a witch until later in life. She is a professor at a local college. Also, her cousin Gwen and her Aunt Elaine are both witches and own a witchcraft store. 9 years ago Vivi spent her summer with Rhys, a witch, and whose family founded the town and college. After breaking up with him because he was set to be engaged, Vivi and Gwen decided to jokingly curse him. But did the curse actually work?

Fast forward 9 years and Rhys is back in town to recharge the ley lines. They run into each other, literally. Vivi almost runs him over and from there it all goes downhill for Rhys. After almost being crushed by a statue, Rhys invites Vivi to go with him to recharge the ley lines, and what ensues after is complete chaos. I do not want to give a lot away but this book has funny moments and moments that make you say aww. It is definitely one that I would recommend to others.

Was this review helpful?