Essie lives in an enchanted and constantly changing house with various witches of different ages. As much as she wants to be normal, she can’t stop her witchiness. When Josh, her new landlord, discovered no one has paid rent on the house in centuries, he gets drawn into their world and starts uncovering Essie’s family secrets.
This was the most quirky and chaotic of the witchy romances I read this year. It had some funny moments and great whimsical characters, but there was a lot happening which made it hard to get into at first.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Description says Encanto meets Hocus Pocus and I gotta say yes it does! I really enjoyed this and it's perfect for the spooky season!

A great read for spooky season, really enjoyed the varying character group of the witches and the relationship between Josh and Essie. Some of the plot was a little slow at times but the last half of the book was really good

Would highly recommend

I finally got around to reading "Hex Appeal" after completely forgetting to download it on NetGalley! This is a classic witchy rom-com that is fun and quick. I thought the characters were quirky and I could really envision the setting and the characters. I highly recommend if you are interested in a cozy-witchy story this one's for you and the perfect read for fall. Trigger warning: there is some mention of abuse and rape.

The writing in this book was incredibly challenging to get through. I love witchy reads, but this felt fairly elementary. I was not able to finish the book after reading about twenty percent.

I do so love these witches' houses that change accordng to their own whims and can be bigger, or smaller, or add staircases or... They do tend to be several hundred years old and their sentience increases over the years, so be careful what you say about them..
In this story, we also have a spell that prevents people remembering about the house and its inhabitants once they leave the grounds. Which causes no end of confusion when it is discovered that the houses' inhabitants owe a large amount of back rent.
This house has additional fun in that there are doors that time travel and thus the inhabitants can live in whichever century they wish, or can be born, as it is found out, in a different century, so working out just how old they are can be tricky.
A great and different , witch story if you like the genre - which I do. Not too heavy or dark.

This was a cute and fun spooky read . Great to curl up with a warm drink and a blanket!
There was a lot of funny banter and was laughing throughout!

"Hex Appeal" by Kate Johnson is an enchanting blend of magic, mystery, and romance that had me completely under its spell from beginning to end.

Johnson's storytelling is nothing short of mesmerizing. She effortlessly transports you into a world where witches, wizards, and supernatural creatures roam, weaving a tapestry of intrigue and excitement that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

The characters are vibrant and full of depth, each with their own quirks and secrets that make them utterly captivating. The chemistry between the protagonists crackles with intensity, and their journey from wary adversaries to passionate allies is a joy to behold.

What truly sets "Hex Appeal" apart is its perfect balance of humor, heart, and suspense. Johnson masterfully navigates between moments of laugh-out-loud comedy and heart-wrenching emotion, keeping you thoroughly engrossed from start to finish.

And let's not forget about the romance – it's sizzling! The slow-burn tension between the main characters had me practically fanning myself, and when they finally come together, it's pure magic.

In short, "Hex Appeal" is an absolute delight that left me craving more. With its richly imagined world, captivating characters, and irresistible romance, it's a book that I'll be recommending to all my fellow bookworms. Don't miss out on this spellbinding adventure!I really loved this book. It has a great group of fun eccentric characters. It was engaging, well plotted and I really hope there is more to come.
I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book! I loved the quirky protagonists and the setting was absolutely magical. I felt the book was well paced and really held my attention. The cover is also adorable. Such a fun, cosy Autumn read where witchy vibes abound.

I really enjoyed reading this book.
I read it over a few days, and couldn't wait till I got free time to read it more.

A couple minimal detail steam scenes.

The different witches and personalities and their contributions were a world I wanted more of. The protection of the house and the way it was brought to life, I wanted to explore inside.
I felt like overall the story was a little lack luster. Too many things were trying to be brought in and it took away from the main plot.
I was 30% through the book and the "love interests" had only met three times, one of which Josh could only vaguely remember.

Josh has moved to Essex to live in a house left to him by his estranged father. He finds a property listed to be on his land but can't actually find it.
Essie lives with other witches in the house on Josh's land, a protection spell hides the house except from those who need it.
But when Josh is able to recall things he should have forgotten Essie wonders if there is some force drawing them together. But it might not be something good.

This book is perfect to cozy up for in the Halloween season if you want to get into the season without the scariness. I love the romance of the two leads, definitely put cute little bats in my tummy!

Growing up, I was obsessed with tales involving magic, which can mostly be blamed on repeat viewings of The Wizard of Oz. And though I now have a deep affection for all sorts of fantasy, for a long while, these lighter stories left me frustrated when I tried to move on to harder worlds. The systems of magic felt too complex, with full pages of rules and regulations on spellcasting that would have seemed at home in a physics textbook. At the time, all I wanted to read about was women on brooms enchanting everything in sight with a flick of their wrists.

Which is why I was delighted to recently finish a book that strips away many of the complicated magical laws in favor of fun. Again, now my shelves are lined with all sorts of fantasy, but I'll never turn down something that reminds me of the boisterous joy of Hocus Pocus. That it's also a romance? Well, that's just extra bubbles in the cauldron.

In Kate Johnson's Hex Appeal, every page practically glows with magic. Characters flap around, zapping and charming in a flurry of spells. A house changes, adding rooms and décor, at the whims of its occupants. One witch quite literally knits the future. There's certainly a well-thought-out logic to this world, but Johnson doesn't get bogged down in overly complicated details.

At its core is Essie, a witch hesitant to get too close to anyone outside of her small coven at Beldam House in Essex. Fortunately for her, folks who visits the home immediately forget they were ever there. That is until Josh, who recently inherited the house, arrives from the U.S. intent on finding out why certain tenants haven't paid rent since the 1700s.

From its first pages, Hex Appeal is pure fun. While Johnson works hard to make Essie sympathetic—and she certainly has compelling reasons for secluding herself—it's hard not to smile as she forcefully glides through the magical house, herding familiars and becoming increasingly exasperated over a series of omens. By the time Josh drops in, I was ready to keep reading about genuinely amusing household hijinks. However, the simmering tension between them is a welcome tradeoff.

That's not to suggest Hex Appeal is without tougher moments. Essie and Josh both have complicated backgrounds and, while the magic is often at the forefront, Johnson knows how to conjure up a layered romance alongside it. Add to the mix pulse-pounding action scenes and a broader threat with a historical twist and Johnson's story feels packed without ever being overloaded. She never moves the story too far away from Essie and Josh, who ultimately ground this whirlwind romance.

Funny, heartfelt, and swoon-worthy, Hex Appeal casts a magical spell.

3.75⭐, 2.25🌶️

This was different than all other witchy/ paranormal contemporary romances and I was a tad apprehensive once the characters time traveled, but over all the story was oddly entertaining (like I liked it even though I was iffy at the same time, if that makes sense). The insta love wasn't great for me, but Essie and Josh were fun together and a cute couple throughout the book, especially with the oddly funny relationship their families have had.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an eARC of Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson. This is my honest and unpaid review!

Just so fun and charming. I loved Hex Appeal. The characters were so captivating, I wanted to be friends with all of them. I loved the chemistry, I loved the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was provided by Netgalley and One More Chapter in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimately, this just wasn't for me. Whilst I loved the premise, and there were elements of the story (such as the house, some glimpses into the magic) that I enjoyed, I ultimately found the characters to be flat. I also felt too much time was spent on details (like Josh's sister) which I would have preferred spent building the core story.

Glad to see many reviewers enjoyed this, everyone's taste is different and for me this didn't quite hit the spot.

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

2.5/5 Stars

As always – thank you to Netgalley for the book in exchange for a review.

It’s been a bit since I read this book so I’m doing this review based off of my notes. This book was super cute, but it just didn’t hit everything I wanted it to. It had an interesting concept, but this book is one of the reasons I hate advertising as other medias.

This was advertised as Encanto meets Hocus Pocus, which would be a super cute idea. But unfortunately I didn’t really get any of the Encanto inspiration through the book, and the Hocus Pocus aspect was only through an ancient curse and the fact that there are witches in the book.

A lot of this book fell very flat for me, the characters seemed kind of boring and there wasn’t a lot of chemistry between any of the characters, especially Essie and Josh. Essie seemed like such a quirky character but had absolutely zero personality. Nothing was fleshed out to make it interesting enough to ever want to pick back up to reread.

Most of the plot was very convoluted, especially when it came to Essie and her mother. The romance was hollow, the miscommunication wasn’t even interesting.

I wish this book had a lot more, but it was a quick read to get through for the fall season.

"Hex Appeal" by Kate Johnson casts a spell of enchantment, blending humor and romance in a delightful witchy romcom. Set in the charming village of Good Winter, the story follows Essie Winterscale, a witch seeking a normal life in the ever-changing Beldam House. The coven, filled with quirky witches, adds a touch of hilarity, especially when dealing with their clueless new landlord, Josh. Johnson's storytelling weaves a magical tapestry, combining the allure of witchiness with relatable characters and a hint of family secrets. With a nod to classics like "Hocus Pocus" and a dash of modern romance, "Hex Appeal" is a funny, smart, and sassy read that showcases Kate Johnson's brilliant world-building skills. A must-read for fans of magical romantic comedies like Erin Sterling's "The Ex Hex" and Lana Harper's "Payback’s a Witch."

I should have been expecting a heavy romance when I requested this. I think it lives up to what it's trying to do. A fun, quirky, and romantic paranormal romance. I liked the couple, but didn't just love the tropes in this one.

This book was cute! I liked the characters and the overall plot. Not to mention it was actually pretty funny, which made it more enjoyable. I love that witches are making a comeback in romance books. Some aspects of it felt a little flat for me, but I’d still recommend this book…especially those who enjoy witchy vibes with a romcom feel!