This was such a cute romance to get me in the mood for Halloween. I love that there were major themes outside of the love story, and that characters from the last book make an appearance. Overall, I loved the romance tropes in this novel, including my favorite- enemies to lovers. And, I love the banter that the characters have. It was super cute and I could not even put this book down!

Loved this sequel - it was cute, funny, but still had me guessing how all of it was going to be threaten. The villain was surprising - I didn’t expect both Wells’ dad AND Morgan to be bad. I figured it would just be Morgan, but I loved that both their actions created problems for Gwen and Wells. I missed Elaine and Vivi in this book. I wished they’d come back before Wells saved the day. I really cannot wait for a book about Bowden. I want him and a baby witch to hook up! Great book.

Read This If Enjoy:
•The Ex Hex
•Witchy Vibes
•Enemies to lovers

Thoughts:
I surprisingly thought this was better than the first book. I am always here for fall/witchy vibes, so I was excited to see that there would be a second book coming out. I loved the chemistry between Gwen & Wells, he was giving me witchy Mr. Darcy vibes. I love the small-town vibe going on, I can just picture it in my head. I loved that female MC was a bad ass and took initiative.

If you are fan of fall/witchy vibes and enjoy movies like Hocus Pocus or Halloweentown, you def need to check out this series. I would love to see more books in this series.

What I didn’t like:
•The big mystery reveal happening right at the end and was resolved way too quickly.

So happy to be back in Graves Glen! I loved The Ex Hex, and I was excited to spend more time with the Jones and Penhallow families for a cozy Halloween romance.

I had fairly high expectations and this sequel did not disappoint. It might even be better than its predecessor. The plot was well paced and had great magical twists. The enemies-to-lovers romance between Gwyn and Wells had excellent tension and a good amount of spice.

I adored all of the supporting characters, especially the Baby Witches. This book also has LGBTQIA+ representation that never feels forced or tokenized, which is refreshing.

Thank you to Erin Sterling, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this novel.

Final note to the author, I would pay good money to read a sequel strictly from Sir Purrcival’s POV. He is an absolute gem!

The Kiss Curse is the second book in Erin Sterling's witchy romcom series that launched with The Ex Hex last year and I'm here to tell you that book two is just as much fun as the first! I really loved The Ex Hex, it was the perfect mix of swoony romance, campy witchcraft, and small town fun, so naturally I had high expectations for The Kiss Curse. Expectations met and, frankly, exceeded!

If you read The Ex Hex, then you also probably were practically foaming at the mouth for Gwen's book, and I'm so glad that Erin Sterling didn't make us wait long. Gwen is even more of a delight in her book. Sterling delivers us in this book one of my favorite kinds of romantic pairings -a confident and fun-loving heroine with a more reserved hero that's gone on her almost immediately. I eat that up with a spoon every time. Especially if, like here, they are set up as rivals. Wells has come back to Glen Graves to set up a witchcraft shop and try to keep the Penhallow name alive in the town. He of course opens his shop directly across from Gwen's shop, and all the fun shenanigans you want to see in that kind of plot ensue.

More things you can expect in The Kiss Curse: a talking cat, an accidental love spell, a trio of delightful baby witches/Gwen's minions, evil witchery afoot, and lots and lots of banter. Erin Sterling truly writes some of the best banter in my opinion.

If you're a fan of movies like Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown, I highly recommend you read this series. Erin Sterling has really nailed the perfect blend of slightly campy Halloween/witchcraft fun with sweet and sexy romance wrapped in. In fact, I think the world of Glen Graves would be incredible to see as a movies. Can someone in Hollywood make that happen?

Anyways, I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one in the series!

I was so excited to get the email saying I was approved for this book! I read The Ex Hex last year around Halloween & looooooved it! If you are a fan of Halloween, you will enjoy this RomCom!

Thank you to NetGalley & Erin Sterling for this arc!

The kiss curse review may contain some spoilers

Thank you to NetGalley & Erin Sterling for this arc! I was so excited to get the email saying I was approved. I read The Ex Hex last year around Halloween & I truly loved it. What an amazing spin on the typical rom coms with having some spooky aspects. I’m a huge Halloween girl so when I saw this was an option for an ARC I was ecstatic! This book was so sweet with a hint of spice.

The Kiss Curse follows Gwyn & Wells & their enemies to lovers trope. The romance, the mystery & the craziness that happened was wonderful to read about. Towards the end of the book Wells talks about the girl with the purple hair that he was basically in love with.. I do think it needs to somehow come full circle and Gwyn mention that she was that girl. That was missing from the story & would make it perfect. I know that this hasn’t been completely finished/edited fully so hopefully it makes it into the final copy. I also felt like the story was a little rushed at the end. We need to know what’s going to happen with Wells’ father & if he will be punished for his crime.

If you like rom coms, Halloween, & witches you’ll love this!

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling ~ an ARC Review

Set those calendars and get your pumpkin spice ready, lovelies! This fall read comes out September 20, 2022.

This is the standalone sequel to The Ex Hex, featuring Gwyn (you know, Vivi’s cousin who instigated the initial, erm, hex) and Wells, Rhys’s older brother.

Don't forget Sir Purrcival, whose likeness I’m using to organize this post!

Having dutifully tended bar in his family’s generations-old pub in Wales, Wells Penhallow has to finally acknowledge that the establishment is all but dead.

Where better to start anew than Graves Glen, Georgia, where his family also has deep roots? It doesn’t hurt that his father, who Wells is inexplicably loyal to, is also keen on the move.

Gwyn just wants to run her witchy store when another one opens across the street, sparking an instant rivalry between her and the new proprietor… Wells.

And of course, an instant (and shocking) attraction blooms between Wells and Gwyn. Enemies to lovers, anyone?

Some other highlights: glitter, baby witches, and even more of the Halloween-themed atmosphere that made me fall in love with this series initially.

The romance was spicy , grumpy/sunshine, and ultimately so sweet. Gwyn begins to embrace her legacy, and Wells really grows into who he could be outside of Wales and his family’s shadow.

Sir Purrcival and I give this FIVE STARS for romance, sweetness, and pure humor! I also liked seeing more of Bowen, and hope he’s featured next in the series. If you haven't picked this series up yet, what are you waiting for?

I really enjoyed The Hex Ex, so I was very excited to see The Kiss Cure and get back to this witchy series. It was perfectly what I needed for a weekend read. A cozy little mystery wrapped up in the perfect witchy vibe, small town and tasty Welsch boys. I love a good enemies to lovers too.
It was the perfect amount of push and pull, giving that lusty feeling without the slow burn taking over half the book to come to fruition. Just a tiny bit of spice, but I am fine with that.
I really enjoyed this and it is definitely a must for fall TBRs.

The Ex Hex was such a cute book and this one is no different. It's also funnier. Gwyn is hilarious and I love her sarcastic wit so much. I love how much she cares to help the younger "baby" witches in her town who really look up to her. The banter between her and Wells is also adorable. The relationship between the Penhallow brothers and their father was a great touch and storyline.

I very much enjoyed the bi representation. Always a plus for me. Sir Purrcival deserves his own book.

The Kiss Curse was such a cozy read for me, just like The Ex Hex. These are the perfect books to get you out of a slump. I can't wait to read it again closer to the Halloween season.

Not me devouring this in one sitting. JK, it me.

I loved The Ex Hex so much. It was the perfect little witchy romance read I needed when it came out.

The Kiss Curse, like the first book, got me out of a reading funk. And it wasn’t overly, unnecessarily spicy. I love spice in my books, but it’s not always needed, you know?

Told in third person dual point of view from protagonists Wells and Gwyn, I enjoyed revisiting the secret magical town of Graves Glen. I actually liked this much more than The Ex Hex. Gwyn is so personable and her antagonism for Wells wasn’t over the top for me. I love a good “hate” competition and this one was more good-hearted than vengeful. I found Wells interesting as he tried to find his place in life out from under his father’s watchful eye. The baby witches were fun and adventurous. I thought Bowen, another Penhallow brother and mountain hermit was hilarious and I hope he’s going to get a book next. The story was enjoyable and even held a few surprises for me although I did guess what was going on with Gwyn’s magic a little early on. Looking forward to the next in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for the free copy provided for an honest review.

After reading and enjoying The Ex Hex I was excited to read this one. However, I found that it was too slow-paced and boring for my taste. It seems like it was meant to be an enemies-to-lovers romance but we don't actually get to know why their enemies aside from one encounter. There is not much action with the magic going on and the mystery-solving is just too slow to keep my attention. Although I was not a huge fan of the book I'd recommend anyone who enjoyed the first book to check this one out too.

I wasn't the biggest fan of The Ex Hex last year, but The Kiss Curse blew me away. It was romantic, funny, and so cozy, After a semester spent in charms class together, Gwyn has never quite forgotten Wells Penhallow or the crush she had on him. When Wells is sent by his family back to Graves Glen, Georgia to strengthen their ties there, he finds himself running a competing witchcraft shop against Gwyn's. Now Gwyn's magic is whacking out and these two have to work together to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it.
Gwyn, Viv''s cousin, is sassy and snarky and i just adored her. This book felt so cozy and welcoming, like a little slice of fall in the middle of July. It's such a perfect enemies to lovers with the perfect amount of spicy steam to liven everything up. Gwyn and Wells are a perfect couple and I loved every minute of their banter and snark to each other! Such a delightful, romantic, cozy Halloween read!

Thank you so much to netgalley and Harper voyager for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am loving Rachel Hawkins' transition into adult so much, and this one is no exception. The Kiss Curse is a companion to the Ex Hex, and follows Gwyn and Wells's story. When I found out Wells was the love interest, I was unsure how well he'd fit with Gwyn, but their chemistry was undeniable. The smut was great and the plot was so fun. I did feel that the end was a little rushed, but I'm really excited to see what other stories Hawkins comes up with in Graves Glen. Personally, I want to see more of the baby witches squad, they were so fun.

This follow up to The Ex Hex tells the story of Vi's cousin, Gwyn, and Rhys's brother, Wells. They are complete opposites, of course. Gwyn is colorful, wild, and free, and possibly the most powerful witch in Glyn Graves. Wells has stepped into town from Wales to start fresh and bring some seriousness back to the magically powered town turned tourist trap. While Vi and Rhys travel to Wales for their honeymoon, Gwyn and Wells must become a team to figure out who or what is stealing Gwyn's powers.
This is a great fall read, full of that witchy Halloween spirit, a cast of fun supporting characters, and some semi-spicy love scenes. Perfect for those readers who are looking for a holiday read with a slight bit of heat (most of the love scenes are fade to black).
Thanks so much Avon & Netgalley for the ARC!!

***4.5 Stars***

Overall,
I really enjoyed the first book in this series (The Ex Hex) but I think this book was even better. I love Gwyn and Wells, there banter was top notch. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. It is fast paced, and we see many of the same characters from first book make appearances. While the book was somewhat predictable, it did not take away from the joy that it brought me on a chapter by chapter basis.

Cover
Its ok, pretty standard in the romance industry right now. I think the title peaked my interest more than the cover.

Recommendation
Do you love witchy romances? Did you enjoy The Ex Hex? Do you like to laugh out loud? If you answered yes to any of these questions then I recommend this book to you. I look forward to seeing whats next from Erin Sterling.

***I received an ARC of this novel from Avon, in exchange for my free and honest review. Thank you NetGalley , Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this book early #thekisscurse #netgalley ***

I loved this authors work in the ex hex so I knew I had to snag this one on here! I loved Gwyn and wells and the hate to love trope so much! It would’ve a perfect read for October!

If you read the Ex Hex last fall, the sequel did not disappoint! It was the same witchy family vibes with a Jones woman and a Penhallow man. If you didn’t read the Ex Hex, I think you could still read this one. They give explanations and recaps, so you wouldn’t be completely lost. It is nice to have the backstory though.

After Graves Glen is now fueled by the Jones family magic rather than the Penhallow family’s magic, life is good for Gwyn…. until her enemy from college (who happens to be a Penhallow) moves back to town and opens up a shop right across the street. Oh, and her magic is slowly disappearing.

I enjoyed this story. The pacing was good! I was kind of obsessed with the three college witches that Gwyn was mentoring. They were funny and brilliant!

I’m not typically super into books with witches, but this was light enough that it didn’t bother me. Overall, I’d recommend!

bookish things:
+ witchy vibes
+ small college town
+ enemies to lovers
+ dual POV
+ talking cat
+ open door romance

Let me start off by saying, this is a Sir Purcival stan account. That boy deserves all the treats in the world. Alright now let’s get into it. I had a little bit of a rough time getting into the story at first, but once I was in, there was no way I was going to stop reading. Gwyn was one of my favorite characters in the previous book, so I absolutely loved getting a better look inside her mind. She was seriously a badass witch. The baby witches were a great addition to the story as well. I loved that we got to see Gwyn grow as a mentor. I also appreciated the crumbs we were given of Rhys and Vivi, they are too precious for this world. Don’t even get me started on Llewellyn Penhallow, Esquire. That man was something else. My only issue is I don’t know what a welsh accent sounds like, or if he even has one, so while I was reading I kept hearing his voice in a vaguely Scottish accent. That’s totally a me problem though. The only reason I knocked this down a star is because I am comparing it to my other 5 star reads. If I could I would absolutely give this book 4.75 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!!