April Asher created a world where supernatural beings and humans live peacefully together. She created a world where supernatural social issues came up and it felt REAL. Who knew that I could be so invested in the politics of a supernatural community?

Violet is the Magicless Maxwell, as the oldest of her three sisters she was supposed to take over Prima after her grandmother but not having magic she stepped down from the role to let her sister Rose fill that spot.

Alpha Lincoln Thorne is looking for his True Mate and won’t settle for anything less. But he’s quickly approaching his 33rd birthday and time is running out.

Let me just tell you how much I loved these characters. Violet was extremely dynamic and really grew into who she was meant to be. Linc… oh Linc… he supported her every step of the way. Even when she didn’t want it. Who would’ve thought an Alpha would be so willing to let his mate call the shots?

Both characters were strong-willed and knew exactly what they were fighting for. I easily became invested in this world and these characters. I can’t wait to see what April Asher brings forth for the other characters in later installments. I also hate that y’all have to wait until February for this one to come out. It’ll be worth the wait, I promise!!!

In a magical world otherwise similar to our own, Vi, the eldest sister in a family of witches, SHOULD be the next Prima witch. Or, she would be if she had any magical power to speak of. Instead, her middle sister is the heir apparent to lead the American witches, but Vi is still being pressured to marry by witch leadership for political reasons.

Linc, who is the leader of American werewolves, is being pressured to marry by the werewolf elders. In a series of chance encounters, he and Vi, who dated as teens, hatch a plan to pose as a couple to buy themselves more time to find a way out of their forced marriage predicament.

The story is comfortably predictable in that a happily-ever-after is obviously on the horizon for Vi and Linc as they spend more time together. However, it's a humorous and heartfelt ride there that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Everything about this book screams DIFFERENT. Not only is this book set in NYC, but the people in this book are all from the supernatural, shifters, witches, vampires, demons, guardians angels, this is madness I WAS IN LOVE! Never did a read a book that had a mix of people, and also living normal lives within each other this book was awesome. Between Violet, her friends, her Grandmother, Lincoln, and even her sisters, there is so much humor and banter, it was just awesome. Violet and Lincoln are amazing together, so much chemistry, and so STEAMY. I don't want to give too much away, but I loved the way the author made it normal to be a part of this world, I am not a huge fan of too much fantasy, but I will say, I will read more from this author. Can't wait for this book to launch, thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was so super fun - the kind of paranormal, second chance, hate to love romance I was looking for last year and didn't get. It's a really refreshing take on the shifter/paranormal world too; shifter/fated mates books can lean really hard into Alpha energy which can get into some toxic masculinity real fast. Lincoln is an absolute cinnamon roll, working to make the shifter community more egalitarian and totally willing to throw on some cat ears and eyeliner whiskers to make a group of kids laugh. His relationship with his second is great, full of support and understanding. Violet's a great foil, too, not awed by his power and ready to poke fun at him like she did when they were kids.

Overall this is a 4.5 star read that I'm rounding down to 4. The beginning of the book is rocky, with a lot of info-dumping and not a lot of world-building (a tough combo to achieve, but here we are). I thought for a minute that I'd missed the first book in the series, but it's just weird. It's a world where the Supernatural and the Norms coexist with full knowledge of each other, and there's some allusions to, like, anti-Supernatural discrimination in the past that never gets fleshed out. A single paragraph of background information somewhere in the first few pages would have gone a long way. The writing could also use a little more polishing.

I really loved this book, and the wide paranormal world that Asher is starting to create. I can't pick which character I'd like to read about next because each of them seems like so much fun, but I'm definitely looking forward to whoever it is!

This was a really pleasant setup to a series. You learned enough about the various hierarchies of the supernatural society to understand the dynamics without having To learn an entirely new language. Could be promoted as new adult, but with cross generational appeal for paranormal romance fans looking for a modern setting.

Not The Witch You We’d is a hilarious second-chance, paranormal romance between Violet Maxwell (a dud witch) and Lincoln Thorne (an alpha werewolf). The banter and the humor in this book took the cute romance and upgraded it. I loved every interaction and even found myself loving the interactions with all of the side characters!

Love Love Love!

This book is a crazy, fun paranormal romance. I absolutely loved this story! The characters are well-developed, fun and very likable. The idea of the Magical Triad is interesting. I really liked the bond and closeness of the three sisters, Violet, Rose and Olive. I really liked Alpha Lincoln Thorne too, especially once he got his act together. Violet and Lincoln make a great couple.

I really struggled with this book and made it only to 45% before I DNF'd the book.
I really wanted to like it which is why i kept coming. The premise was just the kind of thing I typically love.
The book spends so much time world building that we hardly got to know the heroine. I found her to be incredibly Immature, and the cliched bad guys, were not done well. At times the characters were mean and it was to typical. It felt stale and did not provide anything new.
The book reads as a YA story and is not up to the standards I would expect from a New Adult or Adult Romance.

Oh this book was so much fun. The author really used her pandemic time well, crafting a somewhat complex supernatural world that’s totally in harmony with us “norms”. A lot of rules were throw at us from the start, but it wasn’t difficult to figure out, and it nicely set up any future books. The fake dating trope is a classic for a reason, and was executed perfectly here. The slow build up between Violet and Lincoln was delicious.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Not the witch you wed ended up not being my type of subgenre to read. I thought the plot sounded interesting. I was not able to get into the book early on.

I really loved this and it was such a good read. Supernatural rom-coms with fake dating between people who still have feeling for each other and ultimately end up in love and dating is one of my favorite tropes especially with the last minute angst of overhearing or misunderstanding until happy ever after happens. The banter between Violet and Lincoln was so much fun and they were so snarky to each other and they just had so much history together that Lincoln couldn’t explain that made Violet so wary of even trying again. Violets sisters were great as well as her grandmother and her best friend harper was hilarious since she didn’t have a filter when she talked. I love the world building and the fact that supernaturals of all kinds are just known and accepted with their own councils per species and a overseeing council as well. Violet and her sisters are witches well the whole family is though she doesn’t have magic, Lincoln is an alpha wolf shifter, Harper is a virgin succubus and her other best friend is a guardian angel. This is the first in a series about supernatural singles and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher is a delightful, and witty paranormal romance that is both heartwarming and full of laughter! This is a second chance romance along with some magic and some laughs makes for a wonderful story.

The MCs are Violet Maxwell the eldest of a set of triplets and the only one who lacks magic & Lincoln Thorne, a shapeshifting wolf, and the alpha of his pack, must find a mate by his 33rd birthday, only five weeks away.

Lincoln (Linc) and Violet have a history. They were friends and dated briefly, until Linc disappeared one day, breaking Violet’s heart. Violet who has also been directed to find a husband is not happy when Linc appears back in her life. However, the two concoct a plan that will benefit them both.

Fake bonding between these two is the plan. There will never be "real" feelings between them again. That's the plan.

What happens when old attractions and chemistry starts heating up...will these two fall in love again?

A very entertaining read that I recommend if you enjoy fun playful stories!

4 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick, fun read (not anything too deep) - a romance with fantasy/paranormal elements. It kept me entertained and turning the pages. I am wonder/hoping if there will be future books in the series about the Rose and Olive.

This was an absolutely delightful read. Super sassy, lighthearted fun…one of those books that just makes you *happy*. The playful, snarky banter between Violet and Lincoln had me snickering out loud more than once and I really appreciated how woven into the plot is a commentary and calling out of toxic masculinity and archaic social rules, which felt super relevant and relatable. The relationship between the sisters was also a breath of fresh air, so easily could have been turned into *drama* but they just loved and supported each other and it was so lovely! I also really liked the world building with magic being visible and known, and how ‘supes’ and ‘norms’ were just generally coexisting pretty peacefully. Overall a wonderfully fun book that I will definitely want to read again!

Thank you so much to St Martins Press for the eARC!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Violet kept her distance from much of the supernatural world due to her status as the Maxwell dud. When circumstances brought her face-to-face with the first-love who broke her heart, Violet found that those old feelings may not have faded.

This was tons of fun! I had such a good time getting to know Violet, Lincoln, and all the other supernaturals of NYC. While I am sure many will enjoy the social commentary built into this story as Lincoln and Violet fought for reform, I was drawn to the family, friendship, and romantic aspects of the story.

I adore sibling stories, and here we had a magical triad. These three sisters were worlds apart, but there was so much love between them. I liked their dynamic and was a big fan of the bond they shared. I also adored Violet’s grandmother, who happened to be the Prima. She was a very powerful witch, but she was also a sweet and cuddly grandma with a special affection for her granddaughters. I loved her spunk and the way she pushed and encouraged Violet.

Both Lincoln and Violet had fantastic friends who were showcased in this story. Lincoln and his second in command were such a great duo. I loved the way they played off each other. Violet’s two besties were stupendous as well. Color me intrigued with a virgin succubus, and there seems to be a lot to learn about her guardian angel buddy as well. There are so many possibilities in this world, and I really hope it turns into a series.

There was plenty of action to keep my interest, but the heart of this story was the second chance romance between Lincoln and Violet. It had been so many years, yet the spark survived. I will admit, I wanted to nurture that spark and watch it flame because these two were fire together. Lincoln was so sweet too, and he really made some lovely overtures in an effort to win Violet’s trust back.

Overall: Lots of fun! I was all about the second chance, the soulmate thing, and that tight triad of sisters. This book was packed with laughs, heart, and lots of warmth. Loved it!

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher is a delightful, and playful paranormal romance that warmed my heart and made me laugh out loud. A second chance romance along with some magic and some laughs makes for a wonderful story.

Violet Maxwell is the oldest sister from a set of triplets, and she’s the only one that doesn’t have any magic. She’s content with her role as the magicless witch and doesn’t mind that her two sisters have magic and she doesn’t. When she is told by the witches council that, as the oldest sibling, she must find a mate right away, she balks as she doesn’t know anybody she could spend the rest of her life with.

Lincoln Thorne, a shapeshifting wolf, and the alpha of his pack, must find a mate by his 33rd birthday, only five weeks away. Lincoln (Linc) and Violet have a history. They were friends and dated briefly, until Linc disappeared one day, breaking Violet’s heart. So, when he reappears in her life, she’s not very happy about it. But, they eventually agree to a fake bonding in order to keep the Witche’s council off their back. Their old attraction resurfaces, and sparks fly.

I don’t read many paranormal books, so I’ll admit this was a bit tough for me to get into because of all the different paranormal characters. But, soon enough, I figured them all out and then I was able to enjoy the story, and especially the romance between Violet and Linc. The author is very thorough in her world-building, and the action started almost immediately bringing me into the story right away. I can see this being a long series as there are already so many characters.

The banter and humor between Violet and Linc was so much fun. There are a lot of characters in this book, and I can’t wait to meet more of them again in later books.

I recommend Not the Witch You Wed to anyone who loves a paranormal romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a refreshing and fun take on the classic "witches and shifters" genre. I really liked this one - a spunky, magic-less witch who doesn't take any shit from anyone, a shifter Alpha hell-bent on bringing his packs into the 21st century (finally, someone said it), and a wonderful supporting cast whose books I can't wait for. The world-building was really interesting, and the plot skipped along. I did feel like a lot was jammed into the last 20%, and the overall plot was a bit predictable, but I was a fan. Would definitely recommend.

I liked the “Not the Witch You Wed” but it was difficult to get invested in. Once I reached the 20% mark it was much easier to read and develop a connection to the characters.

Holy moly, what a freaking sweet little book. Typically I'm not a fan of books involving shapeshifting - just not my cup of tea, but I made an exception for this book because I love witchy stories. THIS DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. A fun, quick read that will leave you hoping that this is the beginning of a series.

Thank you Netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4418568883

3.75 stars

Oh, this is a FUN read, and if you are a paranormal romance fan, you will likely agree!

Violet, who is more commonly referred to as Vi, is the m.c. of this one, and she has what appears to be a meet cute with a mysterious and conveniently covered up fellow on the slopes, only to discover that he is - in fact - not new to her at all; he's her ex, Lincoln. The added excitement is that Vi is a witch and Lincoln is an alpha shapeshifting wolf. If these terms sound familiar to you, you know that Lincoln has RESPONSIBILITIES to his pack. What's interesting is that as the oldest witch of her generation (Prima), Vi should have the same. But she's strangely - unlike her sisters - not quite in control of any powers of note.

For good reasons, Vi is really upset with Lincoln when the novel begins, so it's pretty sketchy when they begin fake dating (for supernaturally based political reasons). This also - despite her justifications - makes Vi a tough character to root for early on, but Lincoln - despite his apparently shady past actions - is weirdly loveable all the way through. Both characters - and the various side characters and their respective identities - make this a fun read.

While some of the dialogue drove me a little batty at times (the witchy puns, Lincoln's gross desire to call Vi "princess" all the time, etc.), I did enjoy this overall. There is a clear setup for a sequel here, and I'm already looking forward to seeing where these characters - main and ancillary - and their lighthearted banter go next.