This is the second book after The Ex Hex. I really enjoyed The Ex Hex, but I liked this one even more! I absolutely loved this book from the first page. This was such a fun read. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope and this book helped prove why. The banter between Gwyn and Wells was so good! I loved reading the progression of their relationship and them working together to restore Gwyn’s magic. It gave me all the feels! All the magic and mystery makes it a perfect spooky season read.

Read this in two days and enjoyed every minute of it! I read the first book in this series last year and enjoyed it, and loved this story even more!

Gwyn and Wells were the perfect grumpy-sunshine couple and I was living for their enemies to lovers relationship! Seeing Wells transform from an ultra serious, rule follower, to a slightly more spontaneous, but much more vulnerable person was so sweet. And Gwyn is just as lovable as she was in book 1. I am so glad that she got her own book!

And Sir Purrcival is back! And the Baby Witches are introduced!

Was there some miscommunication? Yes. Did the third act conflict come out of nowhere and resolve too quickly? Kinda.

But I had such a good time reading this I don't care! I don't know if Bowen will get his own book, but if there is one I would definitely read it!

This was the perfect book to kick off spooky season.

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling is the follow up to The Ex-Hex, which released last year.

Readers follow Gwyn Jones (cousin to Vivi) and Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow (brother to Rhys) as they compete as opposing shop owners in Graves Glen. Despite their differences, they come together to investigate the new coven and Gwen’s missing magic.

I really liked Gwen’s character; she is fun, sharp, and resilient. Wells is serious, stern, and grumpy. At surface level, they appear to be opposites, but they share a lot of the same values. I thought they made a great match.

This book has minimal angst, despite the enemies to lover’s trope, which made it a light and easy read. It wasn’t overly emotional or deep, and it was just what I needed after finishing ACOTAR.

Read if you like:
• Enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
• Opposites attract
• Contemporary, paranormal romance
• A talking cat
• Lots of witchy puns
• Gilmore Girls vibes

As much as I enjoyed Vivi and Rhys's story, I loved Gwyn and Wells. Their story has put me in such a book hangover since I finished it, nothing coming close.

Gwyn is determined not to like Wells because he didn't go to Vivi and Rhys's wedding but the attraction between them makes this very difficult.

Another big plus to this story is the Baby Witches - Sam, Cait, and Parker - who are students at the college but want someone to practice magic with. Gwyn agrees to help them and I loved the way they work their way into her world. They're such a cute and heartwarming addition to the book.

Half of THE KISS CURSE centers around the shop-battle between Gwyn and Wells when he opens up a magic store right across the street from hers. The second half follows what happens when Gwyn starts having issues with her magic. Each storyline kept my attention and I loved how they blended together.

This is such a quick, fun read. It's definitely an enemies-to-lovers book that gives all the feels and is perfect if you're looking for a quick Halloween romance with a little bit of spook to it. I was sad to see it end and is probably one of the few books I'll re-read simply because of how much I loved Gwyn and Wells.

The Kiss Curse, like it's predecessor, was a very fun and light read of a romance book with light fantasy! Its pace is very smooth and MCs chemistry is very delicious. Like The Ex Hex, prepare to be surrounded by our modern witches and their shenanigans! Honestly, this book is perfect for your fall and Halloween read!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for this ARC!

The Ex Hex was a great read during last year's spooky season so I was excited when I received this advanced copy. I loved Gwyn and Wells' romance, and I thought the overall plot was much better than the first book. This isn't a book for you if you're looking for a lot of depth - it's exactly what you would expect from a spooky romance (witches, talking cats, cheesy puns, etc.). Overall, I was delightfully surprised by The Kiss Curse and would definitely consider picking up any other Graves Glen stories in the future.

The Kiss Curse comes out September 20!

The Kiss Curse is a fun, mildly steamy, witchy romance in a fun college town. The plot was very lack luster for me, and didn’t feel like it truly got to the heart of the book until almost 75% of the way through?

If you want an easy romance read to get you into the fall/halloween season, this one is a good choice!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5⭐️

The Kiss Curse was everything I was hoping it would be! It had all of the fall and witchy vibes I needed. Now all I want to do is pack up all my sweaters, escape to a cabin with a fireplace and drink lots of hot chocolate while I read some books. Erin has such an amazing way of making her readers feel completely immersed in this cozy little town and their people. All of the little details are fun: The Cider Shack restaurant, college courses like “Ritual Candles”, the students Gwyn lovingly refers to as her “Baby Witches”, and Gwyn’s talking cat Sir Purcival. I really loved the relationship that brewed between Gwyn and Wells; the witchy banter had me feeling giddy! Things were set up so that all they had was each other and it was a unique, magical twist on close proximity. However, there’s nothing that gets me more than the guy falling first… and Wells most certainly did. He is as sweet and swoony as they come; I can very clearly remember the moment he called her “my Gywnnevere” 😍 Ever the gentleman, this guy uses SPELLS during sex to make her more comfortable. Between that and the dirty talk, I absolutely loved the sexy scenes of this book. Gwyn is just the kind of fiesty, girl boss heroine I look for and I was very happy to see her take charge in her own story. While the conflict was a little flat, I thought the ending was very true to their personalities. I really hope we will get more of Graves Glen!

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩.5/5
the perfect spooky season rom com!! This book was a fun, cute, funny, witchy rom com that is a must read for Halloween. If you read the first book (The Ex Hex) you will absolutely love this one. I fell in love with Gwyn and Wells and I loved the fall, cozy vibes this book gave. If you haven’t read the first book I highly recommend reading both for some fun spooky/fall reads this year. The perfect book to light a pumpkin candle & read on a fall day!

I loved the first book in the series. So I was super excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. This is a perfect book for Halloween. It has all the witchy vibes plus some spice.

Gwyn Jones, cousin of Viv is living happily in Graves Glen, Georgia. She is running a successful shop Something Wicked. She's helping out with the planning of the town's festivals. She even mentors some baby witches. Everything is swell until she happens upon Llewellyn "Wells" Penwood. He is back in Graves Glen and Gwyn is really wondering why. Then he opens a shop right across the street from hers and sells witchy items. Then the games begin. Enemies.

This was such a fun read. I loved the banter between Gwyn & Wells. Plus the heat. I laughed out loud and swooned many times. This series is my favorite and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Gwyn and Wells. Sigh. I just loved them. I think I liked The Kiss Curse better than the Ex Hex. We are back in Graves Glen, one of my favorite fake witchy towns that I wish I could go visit. There was so much to love about this one.

1) Gwyn's baby witches
2) Sir Purrcival
3) The rivalry between Gwyn and Wells
4) The small mysteries that were interwoven into the story
5) It was just a damn fun book

I definitely think if you are enjoying witchy rom-coms, you want to pick this series up. The Kiss Curse comes out September 20 and is available to pre-order now. Many thanks to Avon for an early gifted copy.

This is a perfect fall book full of spells and witchy fun ! It got me ready doe the spirt of fall. The hames that they played in this little town was so entertaining.

3.5 stars

I feel a bit bad rounding it down to 3 for a rating, because I really do love Gwyn and Wells as characters. But the end felt a bit rushed, anti-climatic, and a smidge too convenient. I know romance is always too convenient, but the resolution to the non-romantic part of it was just like - *poof* - issue gone. It really let down a strong first 3/4 of the book where you were building good feelings about this couple and their dynamic, and it felt that something a bit more sinister and sustained would happen (OK - there was sinister intent, but it all happened too fast!). I did find that this book was missing some of the atmosphere of the first book in this series - though the lead-up to Halloween did play into the story, I just wasn't feeling it in the same way. Overall, still very enjoyable, and I would read another one in this series if it ever came along!

This was incredibly charming. I feel bad saying I went into this with low expectations because I did very much enjoy The Ex Hex which was the perfect witchy fall read. The Kiss Curse puts us right back in Graves Glen, but this time we follow Gwyn, Viv's cousin and Wells, Rhys' brother.

Gwyn is still running her novelty shop, Something Wicked, when Wells Pennhallow comes back to town in order to re-establish his family's connection in the town after the events of The Ex Hex. His version of re-establishing, though, is setting up a rival store to Gwyn's right across the street. This situation is ripe for tension and bickering and all my favorite rivals to lovers trappings. Gwyn and Wells have instant chemistry and it was so fun to watch their rivalry quickly turn into them working together to solve another mystery involving their town.

This was a fun, breezy fall read that instantly put me in the mood for pumpkins and Halloween and hot cider. It's a short book, but I was really impressed by how much Sterling is able to fit in the book and I never felt the pacing to be rushed. I was very much invested in Gwyn and Wells' burgeoning romance as well as a plot involving Gwyn tutoring some baby witches and an ominous threat over the town. There were twits in the book I thought I guessed and that took refreshing turns and I had the best time reading this. I think I liked it better than The Ex Hex!

I highly recommend this delightful, open-door romance especially if you want to get a start on feeling all those fall feelings.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A cute, fun, flirty, easy read perfect for spooky season!! I loooved the romantic buildup between Wells and Gwyn.

I think I liked The Ex Hex a little better because I like Vivi’s character more. Gwyn is too whiny and dramatic for me.

I hate when lies and coverups are used at plot devices; it drove me bonkers that Gwyn wouldn’t tell Wells about what happened in college and that that’s why she didn’t like him when he returned to Graves Glen. Like girl, get over yourself and your petty college grudge

Overall though I thoroughly enjoyed The Kiss Curse for what it was! I flew through it and laughed constantly

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. These thoughts are my own!

Gwyn and Wells are just so freaking swoon worthy. I loved this story. It gave off a Halloween hallmark type vibe and I am here for it. The only thing I wish was different was that Gwyn told Wells she was the purple headed girl from school. That would’ve been chef’s kiss.

This book really got me into the fall/Halloween vibe and now I need to read more witchy books.

Truly this was wonderful. I thought I liked the Ex Hex but this book upped it in my opinion. I can’t wait to buy an actual copy!

5 stars!

This was a cute quick read, but it took far too long for anything to happen. Then two things simultaneously happen and the resolution was a little rushed. I also think the title is misleading; I would’ve rather it actually been a kiss curse than anything that actually happened.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I love Gwyn and Wells, Sir Purrcival is the star of the show 😸

The Kiss Curse is just the book that I needed after reading a heavy book. A fun romcom with witchy vibes perfect for this season, not that hard on the plot but all the characters are entertaining enough for me. Graves Glen sounds like a quaint cozy town that I want to visit 🍂 I wanted to know more about Morgan though. She sounds like a very interesting character. I wanted to know more of what she did but we were only given a short background story.

In retrospect, I enjoyed this book and would recommend this for spooky season! If you’re in the hunt for a quick palate cleanser, this would do the trick 🧙🏼‍♀️

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review 🖤 The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling will be out on September 20! 🪄

After completely *loving* the humor, banter, and immaculate cozy witchy vibes of ‘The Ex Hex,’ I was so excited to pick this up. Needless to say, Erin Sterling’s sophomore spooky romance did not disappoint! The banter between Gwyn and Wells was adorable and authentic, and allowed each of their unique personalities to shine. Once again, the atmosphere of Graves Glen was so warm, inviting, and intriguing. Returning to this town and these characters felt like a warm hug or watching your favorite Halloween Disney Channel original movie. In ‘The Kiss Curse’ specifically, I absolutely fell in love with Sir Purrcival and the baby witches. I also thoroughly enjoyed the LGBTQ+ rep—with Gwyn being openly bi and Parker, one of the baby witches, being non-binary. While I personally preferred ‘The Ex Hex’ just a liiiittle more, I think both are equally fantastic, heart-warming rom-coms for the fall with a dash of mystery, humor, and spice. I sincerely hope we can revisit Graves Glen with another story next spooky season! 🤞🏻

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Hi! This is the review that I submitted on Goodreads. Thank you so much!

Mood: You want to ease your way into spooky season with bada$s, exuberant witches.

This was just an utter fucking delight.

If you read The Ex Hex you absolutely want to grab this sequel to start your Halloween/Samhain season early and catch up with the crew in Graves Glen.

If you haven’t read The Ex Hex> you’re going to miss a lot of context. There are things in that story that are important to this one and while they are explained here, you’re going to have a fuller experience if you have read it (it’s also a pleasure!). If you HAVE read The Ex Hex you’ll enjoy following up with Vivi and Rhys.

The Kiss Curse picks up a few months after The Ex Hex in a town with magic powered by the Jones witches. Vivi is holding down the academic front as a professor on the witchy side of campus (yes! Graves Glen has a secret witch department at the college) and Gwyn is running Something Wicked, a witchcraft shop that largely caters to the tourist crowd. Plastic pumpkins galore!

When Wells (Rhys’s brother) decides to leave Wales and settle in Graves Glen AND open up a witchcraft store across the street from Something Wicked, Gwyn sees red. Along with her crew of Baby Witches (3 college students she’s adopted/mentored) she tries to snuff out the competition, but Wells unfortunately looks incredibly ravishing and her mission turns from taking him out to riding his face in the bed of her pickup. Welp!

When her magic starts to go haywire, her life turns into a who-done-it. Gwyn has to figure out if her magic going bonkers is a result of the new coven in town or something else. Either way, she needs her magic back and Wells teams up with her and the Baby witches to help Gwyn get her magic back.

My one sticking point is that this got wrapped up pretty quickly. I’d love a glimpse in the future via an epilogue, but I’m pretty sure we’re getting a book 3 about brother Bowen and kicking the ass of the super villain (because he needs karma to bite him in the ass—hard). Can I petition for this book 3 to take place at the Spring Solstice rather than waiting for Samhain season?

Sooo, essentially my biggest sticking point is that I want another book ASAP (and a promise of lots more Sir Purrcival time!).

This ARC was provided by Avon & Harper Voyager via Netgalley, thank you all!