The Kiss Curse was exactly what I was expecting it to be, a sweet little companion novel to The Ex Hex. In this book, we are welcomed back to the town of Graves Glen. This book focuses on Gwyn, Vivi's cousin, who runs Something Wicked - a tourist shop in town. Enter Wells Penhallow (of the elusive Penhallow witch family) who opens a competing store across the street. Gwyn and Wells team up to save Graves Glen from dark magic that is afloat. A sweet, witchy romance!

Gwyn Jones is a fun spirited witch who runs a witchcraft shop in Graves Glen. Llewellyn "Wells'" Penhallow, the oldest of Simon Penhallow's sons, owns a not very successful pub in Wales. Wells decides to return to Graves Glen, after leaving mid-college, after the Penhallow magic in the town has been replaced by the Jones family. (Gwyn's family). Gwyn and Wells crossed paths back in college, which Wells does not realize, and when he opens a competing shop across the street, the friendly competition begins. When classmates from their college return, the town's magic seems to change. The unlikely duo team up to figure out what is going on in their town.

Gwyn is the cousin of Vivi, who was the main character in The Ex Hex, and Wells the older brother of Rhys. If you liked The Ex Hex, this is a fun follow-up for you. I actually likes Gwyn and Wells better than Vivi and Rhys. I do wish the ending had more of a story. It was super quick and it felt very abrupt. The last 15% of the book felt rushed and I didn't feel it made much sense to me. Overall a cute book for the fall.

Thank you to NeGalley and Avon Books for thie e-Arc. The Kiss Curse is available on 9/20!

The Kiss Curse is another cozy, witchy romance with a dash of mystery from Erin Sterling. This book follows Gwyn, the owner of a witchcraft shop when her nemesis moves back into her small town and opens a rival store. Just when she thinks this is her biggest problem, her magic starts to fade.

This book was okay. The story was cute and charming, and at times funny and surprising. I liked the tension between Gwyn and her rival, Wells. The cozy mystery around Gwyn's fading magical abilities was also enjoyable. But overall, I found myself wanting more emotional depth. I couldn't help but wish the magic system was a bit more sophisticated. This story also felt too similar to the first in the series. And Gwyn was rather immature for a heroine.

Very cute Halloween read! It’ll get you very excited for spooky season!!! Fun follow up to the Ex Hex with a bit of steam.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gwyn Jones is finding peace and harmony in a post-hexed town of Graves Glen. That is, until Wells Penhallow (of the famous Penhallows) moves back to town and sets up shop right across the street. Mysterious magical things start happening - as chemistry heats between them, the flames of her magic are slowly going out. And she fears a new coven in town is responsible.

This was a fun witchy read! Witty banter and palpable chemistry between Gwyn and Wells had me rooting from them from beginning to end. The storyline with the coven coming to town with their mysterious secrets had me intrigued, and I was pleasantly surprised at how it all turned out as I really did not see it coming! I definitely enjoyed this one more than The Ex Hex, any other cousins we can read about next?

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Full review to be posted on my IG @manis.and.manuscripts on 9/20 (pub day!)

I really enjoyed this one!! It's such a good fall read - cozy witchy story with a little bit of steam!

I really like the author's writing style. She really brings Graves Glen to life and I want nothing more than to grab a cup of coffee and stroll down the street to all the shops, especially Gwyn's. I loved the tension between Gwyn and Wells. I love a good enemies to lovers. :) And Sir Purrcival (the cat) is just purrfect!

I did enjoy the 1st one better, but this was a very good second installment! I hope we get a book 3 for the 3rd brother, Bowen!

SPOILER BELOW:

I do wish Gwyn would have disclosed to Wells that she was the girl he was remembering from years ago. I loved that he remembered her and it could have been a really great scene.

This is the second book in the series. It can be read as a stand alone, however it does help to read book one for background information. Magic runs deep in town and through its residents and students. Spells are cast on items and people. Families have control of the powers and magic. A past student returns after 10 years. Her house has heavy black magic vibes. As Gwynn loses her magic, a spell is discovered that must be reversed. The Baby Witches, really students, help to rescue Gwynn and crack the spell. Of course love interest, Wells, learns some hard truths and learns to accept love. It is a fun, cozy read. If you like a little bit of magic, then this book is for you!

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

I thought this was a very cute story to get you into the Halloween spirit. I call this genre hallmark Halloween.

I would recommend readers start with the first book in the series The Ex Hex, as there are many references to events and characters from this story.

What I liked about the book:

The small town setting was charming and gets you in the spirit for autumn and Halloween. I thought the author did a great job as describing the different places around the town.

I really enjoyed the main characters and their personalities. I found Gwyn to be a fun character to read about.

There are a few well done spicy scenes in the book.

What I did not love about the book:

I thought the events in the story lacked some depth. I found the build up and resolution of the final event between Morgan and Gwyn to be underwhelming.

Overall, I think this is a really cute sequel and would recommend reading this during the Halloween season 🐈‍⬛

I would give this 3.5 out of 4 stars

Super excited to return to Graves Glen for Gwyn & Wells! I loved Gwyn’s character in the Ex Hex and was excited to have her running the show in this sequel. The banter between these two was so much fun and the emotions felt very real from both characters from the first page. Sir Purrcival and the baby witches are excellent additions to the plot as well.

Just like Ex Hex, this book had a lot of fun and enjoyable moments but something still felt missing to me. The witchy problems took a major back seat to the romance until the very end, leaving the conclusion feeling rushed and the ending feeling abrupt. I would have loved just a little extra something from this book, but a cute & enjoyable read to get you in the mood for spooky season for sure.

4/5 ⭐️

This book was such a fun seasonal read! It’s everything I love about romcoms, with a splash of spice & fantasy witchy vibes. I really enjoyed reading this, which really was no surprise because I loved The Ex Hex as well. I loved Gwyn & Wells — their banter and relationship was really cute! I also loved the mystery aspect of the book as well and trying to figure out what was going on along side the characters. In my opinion, this is a must read for romcom lovers this fall!

I was a fan of The Ex Hex and I’m so happy to say that the sequel, The Kiss Curse did not disappoint. The witchy storyline and fight to restore some magic was engaging and fun! I loved Gwyn and Wells and the tension between them! I liked that there were more steamy moments in this one and the enemies to lovers was great. I liked that we got to see some of Rhys and Vivi and really hope we get a Bowen book next!!! This book makes me want to live in Graves Glen enjoy all the festivals and spooky fun! This is a perfect fall read!

It is now the perfect time to pick up The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling. It’s got all the fall witchy vibes you are looking for, along with my favorite tropes grumpy sunshine & he falls first. Gwen is the owner of Something Wicked in her hometown of Graves Glen. She has started mentoring young witches and is part of the powerful coven who’s power run’s the city. Enter Wells Penhollow. He moves to town to reassert his family’s connection to the town and to make a name for himself. Never did he expect to be running a magic shop across from Gwen Jones. She is infuriating! See how their friendship and relationship grows in this witchy romantic comedy.

I loved this book so much that I may have also preordered the paperback because my bookshelf needs a copy too. - BIG Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the gifted advanced reader copies.

Gwyn was one of my favorite characters in The Ex Hex, so I was so excited to get a book for her! The Kiss Curse was so much fun. It has some similar beats to the first one, but in a way that I love. I did feel like the stakes were a little bit higher in this one because, unlike The Ex Hex, you don’t start off knowing where the problems are coming from.

Ahhh I actually need the next book like immediately. Please?

Funny and charming, Erin Sterling has done it again - a perfectly pleasant, witchy read for the Fall season. This time, we get Gwen and Llewellyn's story, and I found myself both laughing and swooning in Graves Glen once again. This was a great continuation on from The Ex Hex and good if you need something lighter to read!

Format - EARC (Netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶

Series- The Ex Hex #2

Troupes- Enemies to lovers, paranormal Romance, small town, Grumpy/sunshine

CW- attemted blood sacrifice, major asshole father


If you liked the first in the this series then you’re gonna love the one! I have to say I loved Vivi and Rhys but Gwyn and Wells really stole my heart. And of course the talking Pursival!

Gwyn has always been a powerful witch but now that her families power is running though her small town in the Georgia mountains Graves Glen Vivi says it their “responsibility” (a word Gwyn is not to fond of..) to take of any suspicious happens and to mentor the baby witches. While Vivi and her mother are out of town all hell breaks loose in Graves Glen and suddenly Gwyn has gained 3 baby witches, lost her powers found a lover in Wells and now there is an evil bend on taking over the town.

Wells is tired of being stuck in one place doing almost nothing with his life, so he jumps at the chance to move to Graves Glen under the guise of monitoring the new power chance and opening a witchy store across the street from Gywn. When one thing lead to another and they end up kissing he suddenly has new reasons for wanting to stay.

Told from third person POV we get both Gwyn and Wells thoughts and feels. I loved the additions of the baby witches. We also get to know more about the 3 brother!

Sterling mixes sass and wit with a bash of swoony hero and brews us up a fun Halloween read just in time for spooky season!


Thank you Netgalley and Avon books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This was a charming follow-up to the witchy romance we were blessed with last autumn starring a family of witches of Graves Glenn. There was nothing exceptionally new or unique or special about this book, but it was a great, fun time to read! I would recommend reading this on a cozy October evening with a cup of tea/coffee under a cozy blanket. I think the release date for this book has been planned perfectly. I did love Wells character, and Erin Sterling does a great job a building humor into her character's personalities.

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling is an excellent follow up to the previous book in the series, The Ex Hex. I read this book in one day because it was lighthearted, cute, and fun. It's a witchy romance that is perfect to read any time of the year, but particularly in the fall. I am a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and when you mix in the witchy elements of the characters and the town-- I have nothing but wonderful thoughts and feelings to share about this book.

This series continues to be just the exact right amount of cute that I love and need each year! In the follow up to The Ex Hex, we focus on Gwyn and Wells, and I think I may actually have enjoyed this one a little bit more! ⁠
Going in there was a familiarity with the characters, but what I really loved was the character development of Gwyn and the underlying vibes that though she may be a powerful witch, it’s her kindness and big heart that make her who she is. ⁠
I loved the baby witches, the little bit of spice, and the mystery that brings Gwyn and Wells together. Sometimes you just need a cute palette cleanser book and The Kiss Curse definitely checked that box!

I really enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to Wells’ story - but this book sadly fell a little flat for me. It turned into a case of insta-love and I just didn’t think the main conflict/drama of the plot was very engaging. It felt like it needed to be a bit more fleshed out and then it would have been a stellar follow up to the first book.

For big fans of Gwyn and mainly the characters which drive this series, by all means pick it up. The writing is a bit choppy although charming. I enjoyed it while I read it but it didn't really offer anything new that The Ex Hex hadn't already. Alot of the plot felt recycled from the first book and I had to drag through it to keep going. Overall my rating is a 2.5/5.

Extended Breakdown:
Characters: 3/5
Story: 1/5
Pace: 2/5

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