It was wonderful to take a trip back to Graves Glenn with the Jones sisters and the Penhallow brothers. This story was devoted to Gwyn and Wells. I was happily surprised that they fit so well. I love the bit of mystery surrounding these stories. The suspense in the end was great as well. I really wish Wells had learned about who Gwyn was in college. However, that did not take away from this wonderful story. I love Sir Purcival's antics. A talking cat is also a fun aspect. I hope there Bowen gets a story too.

Source: DRC via NetGalley (Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon) in exchange for an honest review
Pub. Date: September 20, 2022
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

Why did I choose to read this book?

I loved The Ex Hex so I smashed that request button on NetGalley when this sequel popped up.

What is this book about?

Rhys’ brother Wells and Vivi’s cousin Gwyn trade punches and kisses when Wells travels from Wales to monitor the new magic situation in Graves Glen and opens a magic shop across the street from Gwyn’s store, Something Wicked. Gwyn and Wells slowly fall in love, but as they do, Gwyn’s magic seems to be…malfunctioning. They work together to find out what’s going on and it’s more complicated than the hex they had to clear in the first book!

What is notable about the story?

A twist so great you’ll experience it twice. Erin Sterling got me, I have to admit it. I was convinced I knew what was going on in terms of who was working against Gwyn, but then it seemed like everything was okay, but then Sterling hit me across the face with a two-by-four and I was like “tough but fair” because I shouldn’t have let my guard down.

Also, this book has a lot of foreplay and not a lot of sex until the last 20% or so, when Gwyn and Wells have some pretty interesting scenes together. I appreciate the break from the traditional, but I did wish I didn’t have to wait as long as I did, even though it did end up being worth it.

Was anything not so great?

I had to wait too long for the sex scenes.
That’s it. That’s the list. Everything else was adorable, passionate, and I’ll take a funny talking cat any day of the week.

What’s the verdict?

4 stars on Goodreads and like The Ex Hex this would make a perfect beach read. It’s a fast, fun read that keeps you guessing all the way. Definitely pick it up along with The Ex Hex if you haven’t already. Enjoy!

The Kiss Curse is a perfect book for fall! I absolutely adore the cozy, witchy, small college town vibe of this series and have looked forward to revisiting Graves Glen ever since finishing The Ex Hex! The second installment of the series follows long-time Graves Glen resident Gwyn and new to town Wells as they run their rival magic shops and the competition between the two gets *heated*.

A super fun and easy to read sunshine/grumpy, rivals-to-lovers low stakes spooky season romp! I think I actually liked this one better than the first in the series. Will happily recommend it. I look forward to the next in the series - will be back for the vibes, the talking cat, and hopefully more from the baby witches!

If you’re looking for a cozy, spicy, witchy read to ease you into spooky season, then do I have the book for you.

The sequel to last year’s The Ex Hex, The Kiss Curse follows Gwyn Jones, the resident bi witch of Glen Graves, Georgia and co-proprietor of the town’s kitschy witchy shop, and Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow, the dapper Welsch witch whose ancestors first established the town and who decides to start a witchy shop of his own.

Add in a talking cat (Sir Purcival, bien sûr), three enthusiastic witches in training, a new coven that arrives in town, the sudden disappearance of Gwyn’s magic, and the growing attraction between Gwyn and (the very swoon-inducing) Wells, and The Kiss Curse delivers an incredibly fun story full of great banter, more than a little spice (!!!!), and the type of witchy mystery that will have you itching to watch an episode of Charmed.

I had an absolute blast with this quick read, which made me laugh out loud often and long for all things autumnal. It’s the perfect book to kick-off your fall reading or to devour in one sitting – preferably with a hand pie and a spiced cider in hand.

I loved The Ex Hex and couldn’t wait for the sequel and eagerly requested it when I saw it was available. This one, focusing on Gwyn and Wells, is such a fun enemies to lovers, witchy read.
The gradual evolution of their relationship was wonderfully written and the chemistry between them was full of sparks. There was a touch of magic, a lot of humor, a talking cat, and some dark, suspicious happenings that made me devour this one in just a few sittings.

This book is the follow up to The Ex Hex. And I have to say I think I enjoyed this more than the first book.

I love the opposites attract type romance between Wells and Gywn. I felt like they balanced each other well. This book was still pretty light on the spice, but it was definitely more than the previous book and honestly better quality.

I loved Sir Purrcival. He was so cute. I also really enjoyed the Baby Witches. I thought they added some good humor.

They storyline was pretty good but did feel a bit slow at times. I had sort of figured out the ending early on but still found myself surprised.

I did find two continuity errors that don't match up to the previous book. They aren't huge ones but I'm a stickler.

The first is the implication that salt isn't really used when dealing with ghosts. Vivi said it was something done in movies and shows. While I appreciate the Supernatural reference, that doesn't line up with the first book when they used salt while letting Piper's ghost out of the candle.

The second is that the Baby Witches were calling Vivi, Dr. Jones after they were caught in the woods. It was stated at the end of The Ex Hex that Vivi didn't have a PhD and as far as I know you can't get one in a year. Unless she used magic to get it...

I liked the Ex Hex a lot, but it’s Gwyn and Wells who have my heart! Book 2 in @erinsterlingbooks’s series about a witchy family in the North Georgia mountains had all of my favorite things and then wrapped them in magic—enemies to lovers, a spitfire heroine, forced proximity, and genuinely delightful repartee.

The Kiss Curse is out September 20th! And while it would be a fun read as a standalone, the context of The Ex Hex gives the reader a direct shorthand with the characters as well as their obstacles. Gwyn is a genuine and fierce witch living in a very Stars Hollow-esque town. While the town currently runs off her family’s magic, it was founded years ago by another family of witches—enter sexy hero Wells Penhallow.

A brief feud, a really hot scene in the back of a pick-up, and a battle of good & evil all play into a HEA that was a long time in the making.

If that does nothing for you, allow me to share the first line that had me laughing out loud:

Given that the spell had been “Turn this leaf into something else,” and Gwynevere Jones had indeed turned that leaf into something else, it seemed extremely unfair that everyone was now screaming at her.

🙈 I love it so much! Thanks to @avonbooks and #netgalley for the advanced copy! @erinsterlingbooks, please tell me Book 3 is a werewolf and a human 🙀😂

🏷 #bookstagram #bookreview #romance #romancebooks #hea #witchybooks #witchyvibes #witchy #witchywoman #paranormalromance #bookstagrammer #halloween #halloweenbooks #fallbooks #fallreads

Who doesn’t love a grumpy/sunshine romance? I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like the first book on the series, “The Ex Hex”. But I like this one just a little bit more. This time it was Vivi’s quirky cousin Gwen’s turn to shine. I enjoyed Gwen’s character in the previous book and I couldn’t wait for her to have her own story.

Gwen and Wells had a bumpy start; with him not even remembering their first meeting in college. But they found themselves constantly drawn to one another. So when trouble arrives in town and Gwen’s Magic starts to go wonky it only made sense to pair up with Wells to figure out what was going on. If they happen to get closer while trying to Scooby everything, so be it. Add in some baby witches and the return of Purrcival the talking cat and you got some fun hijinx. I would definitely recommend this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for releasing this arc to me in exchange for an honest review.

@erinsterlingbooks quickly became a 'if they write it, I will read it' author for me with 'The Ex Hex' last
October, it encapsulates everything I want in a book during spooky season. The fact it exists makes my Halloween loving heart so happy but to get a sequel! No words. For the sequel to be even better?! Elated.
The Kiss Curse is an enemies to lovers romance featuring Gwyn Jones and Wells Penhallow, the quirky cousin and stoic brother to the Ex Hex's MCs. We're back in Graves Glen, the quaintest and most adorable little town in Georgia (think Stars Hallow or Middleton from The Good Witch). I feel like the town is almost a character in itself, providing the perfect ambiance and vibe for Halloween, complete with festivals and fun decor.
The magic ()) between Gwynn and Wells was palpable. Fantastic chemistry with banter to rival them all. Though I felt Gwyn and Wells weren't enemies themselves for very long, their families have been generational nemesis since the founding of the town sooooo0o the angst is there throughout the story from other conflicts. The two compliment each other perfectly and Wells is a hero everyone will swoon over.

As with The Ex Talk, so much of this books charm came from secondary characters that completely stole my heart. I had a blast getting into shenanigans alongside this hilarious cast.

I miss this story already and can not wait for it to hit shelves.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy, it was loved.

I loved this book! Dare I say that I loved it more than "The Ex Hex". The FMC in this book was just more so my thing than the FMC in the previous book. The world building was right where I wanted it to be with all the witchy/fall vibes to kick start spooky season. There is a rivals (not really enemies to lovers) kind of romance in here and I liked that as well. Some scenes/dialogues kind of fell flat...it was almost awkward? But maybe that's how they were meant to be? Either way, give this book a go if you want a light read to put you in the mood for spooky season!!

I loved this companion novel to last year’s The Ex Hex”. It takes us back to Graves Glen and all the witchy fun that we had in the original. This time the star of the novel is Gwyn, the cousin of Vivi from the first book. Gwyn is totally quirky and totally fun. She is definitely challenged when she meets staid Wells, who opens a store across from her own, Something Wicked. This book reminds me of a witchy version of Stars Hollow or a town from a Hallmark movie including all the town festivals. A cozy, spooky romp with a bit of mayhem and steamy times thrown in. I will definitely read anything else that Erin Sterling chooses to write in this series.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the eARC.

If you are looking for witchy fun, The Kiss Curse will fit that mood perfectly. This follow up to last year's Ex Hex is a great read. Here, Vivi's cousin Gwyn takes center stage, running her kitschy store, Something Wicked, dealing with three college students she dubs the "baby witches", and trying to fight her attraction to Wells Penhallow, the arrogant older brother of Vivi's husband, Rhys. This was a perfect read for my stressed back-to-school mind- it was fun and kept me interested from beginning to end. I love Erin Sterling/Rachel Hawkins and can't wait to read more!

I adore all kinds of witchy series, especially when they’re fun romances. So it was pretty natural that I loved The Ex Hex last year and was stoked to find out it was going to be the first in a series. All of that to say The Kiss Curse was on of my Most Anticipated releases for Fall 2022.

The Kiss Curse follows firecracker Gwyn, who is Vivi’s cousin. Now that Vivi and Rhys have solved the accidental curse put on Rhys and the Jones women’s magic now runs the town, Vivi and Rhys are off on a long overdue honeymoon. This leave Gwyn to care for the town, the store, and to deal with Rhys’ brother Wells, who has decided to make Graves Glen his new home. When he decides to open a shop up across the street from Something Wicked, a competition between the two begins. As Wells and Gwyn work to outdo each other, they’re attraction to each other becomes harder and harder to ignore, leaving both of them wondering if this relationship could be long term. At the same time Gwyn’s old college friend arrives in town, and Gwyn’s power goes on the frits. Is something or someone trying to take control of the Graves Glen again?

As I mentioned, I really enjoyed The Ex Hex. I thought it was a run light read and while the romance was more of a focus than the actual plot, I still though it had plenty of legs to stand on. The Kiss Curse was purely just a romance story, with little to no plot. All of a sudden I realized I was more than 3/4th of the way through the story, and the actual ‘mystery plot’ had been referenced twice. In total Gwyn mentions her missing powers 3 times by the time we get to 90%, maybe even 95% of the way through the story. It was a total side story. I mean there was zero development there and even when it did appear I was like ‘that’s it? what were they even trying to accomplish?’.

Shocking to no one, Wells and Gwyn to get together but even that just seemed to happen. The buildup and chemistry was low and while I really like both characters, they felt almost thrown together and there romance while cute is one I’ll probably forget fairly quickly. At least with Viv and Rhys, there was tension before they become a couple.

In terms of atmosphere this one fell flat for me as well. I thought the first one did a good job of providing the fall witchy vibes, and was really hoping for that in this book. Unfortunately this one lacks any sort of atmosphere and the Graves Glen fall events that should have been more central to the story, were barely skimmed.

I really wanted to like this book but I’m super disappointed to say the least, especially since I really liked Gwyns character in the first book. I might read a third book, but I’ll have much lower expectations for it if one does come out. If you want something to get you in the mood for spooky season, I’d recommend finding something different.


The Kiss Curse comes out September 20, 2022! Huge thank you to Avon Boosk for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

I really liked The Ex Hex and was excited to get my hands on an ARC of this sequel. I really liked Gwyn in the first book and hoped she would make a good main character - which she did. She's just minding her own business in Graves Glen when Wells Penhallow (brother of Rhys Penhallow from the first book) heads from Wales to Graves Glen and decides to set up a more serious magic shop right across the street from the magic shop that Gwyn and her mother run. Their retail competition heats up and they are wildly attracted to one another and one thing leads to another, as you would expect in a romance. It's interesting that Gwyn is really on her own for much of the story, with her cousin Vivi and her mother both away, so when her magic starts to glitch out for no clear reason, it's up to her and Wells to figure out what's going on. This was a very quick read for me and I liked both Gwyn and Wells individually and as a romantic pairing. I'm hoping that there will be another book in the series with the third Penhallow brother, who is painted as a pretty intriguing recluse.

I enjoyed this one much more than The Ex Hex. Our main female character was so fun and I enjoyed reading about her. The romance was cute as well. Some of the interactions felt forced which did pull me out of the story but it was never so awkward that I didn't want to finish it.

The witchy vibes were immaculate. It was fun and spooky - the perfect read for Halloween time!

The Kiss Curse is not a part two, but we do get a story about a character that we know and love. This book follows Gwyn, who we met in The Ex Hex. Erin Sterling knocked it out of the park. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It will be perfect to revisit for many Halloween seasons to come!

Many thanks to net galley for the advanced digital copy.

In The Kiss Curse, we once again are taken to Graves Glen to catch up with Gwyn Jones, Vivi's cousin. Gwyn loves running her successful shop and also beings to mentor some of the younger witches in town. Vivi and Rhys (from The Ex Hex) are now married and settling into the town. When her mom and Vivi leave town for vacations, Gwyn finds herself with more alone time than she anticipated in the lead up to Halloween but plans to keep herself busy with the shop. The only issue with that plan is the newcomer to town - none other than Rhys's older brother, Llewllyn "Wells" Penhallow. After the events of the first book, he decides to move to Graves Glen to set up shop (literally) and to re-establish his family's connection with the town. When their professional competition leads to a hot and steamy kiss, they agree to stay away from each other. However, Gwyn starts to lose her magic and some mysterious witches come to town causing Gwyn and Wells to start investigating together.

We were introduced to Gwyn in the first book of this series and I just knew her book would be such a fun time! Sir Purrcival has a front and center role (he becomes a viral sensation!) and truly is so funny. The banter and competition between Gwyn and Wells was truly top notch. I often feel like contemporary enemies to lovers tropes are totally unrealistic but this actually felt like a quite natural competition.

Some of the spicy scenes will live rent free in my head for a while - particularly the first one in the back of a pick up truck...my goodness! Also the first scene in which they kiss was so so funny. I could not put this book down once I started reading and ended up reading it in one evening.

The ending was maybe a bit rushed with the two plot lines about Gwyn's magic and the new coven of witches but I do think the romance was much better balanced with those plots than it was in The Ex Hex. This was a solid 5 stars for me, I had such a fun time!

There's one Penhallow brother left, and I am sincerely hoping we get his story next!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for a review. Definitely check this one out when it publishes on September 20th! Perfect Halloween/spooky vibes.

This sequel to The Ex Hex was such a sweet and fun fall read. I had been purposefully putting this one off to wait until fall vibes, but I couldn't wait any longer!

Thank you to Avon, HarperCollins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. Gwyn is such a lovable main character and Wells is the broody love interest we all adore. The rivalry was so fun to read and I love that the MMCs are brothers!!!

Just as fun, quirky, and delightful as The Ex Hex. Sterling's writing settles into a comfortable stride on her return to Graves Glen, which allows Gwen and Wells to really soar as characters coming together. Always a sucker for the little magical shop on the corner plot, the "rival occult dealer" set-up was a fantastic platform for a romance. I could read an entire book of shop owner vs. shop owner shenanigans with the baby witches as our Greek Chorus.

As with the Ex Hex, witch craft is given rules and structure, but kept a little hand-wavey and hocus-pocus-y which serves the plot well. This isn't the space for hard magic rules, and I feel the story is better for it. Kiss Curse scratches all of the Practical Magic/Charmed itches while upping the spice from the first book. If Sterling continues scaling like this, I'm going to need a fan and a mister for another venture into Graves Glen!

Fun, soft-spooky adventure perfect for a cozy autumn read beside the jack o'lantern.

This will be a near=perfect Halloween read. You can practically smell the pumpkin spice wafting off this book, and it leans into that. The protagonists have a lovely combo of chemistry and antagonism, and yet find ways to be gentle and loving. Also, they are incredibly sexy together.