I made a mistake starting this book whilst on holiday in 35°c heat and I struggled initially to get into it and read about 30%. I ended up finishing it after returning home from Cyprus and cosying up with a blanket and some hot chocolate which was much more fitting with the witchy autumnal vibes of this book and I finished the rest of the book in a few hours.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read, but it felt like there was too much going on at some points. Some scenes just seemed a bit too chaotic with too much going on at once and it felt like the story was a bit choppy because of this rather than flowing nicely. However, I really liked the characters in this. I think they are well thought out and even the secondary characters had very different personalities. This book wrapped the ending up nicely, however I am hoping for a sequel as I’d like to see what adventures they all get up to next! I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a witchy read in the lead up to Halloween. This book would pair nicely with a pumpkin spiced latte.

I quite enjoyed this book. Perfect fall read with a cozy, witchy romance. It had funny moments and some mystery with some spellcasting action. The only thing that did not work for me was Josh's overused, demeaning comments about Essie's weight. Once would have been fine but it was like he was hung up on it and he was with her in spite of that. It just rubbed me the wrong way. Without that infraction this would probably had been 5 stars.

DNFing @ 32%. Now, it may just be me, but holy crap I cannot get into this book. I gave it a good go -- I got to 30%, and at this point I should really care about at least one of the characters, but nope. I don't care at all. About ANY of it. The world seems like it has potential, but again, there's just nothing grabbing hold of me. It seems like there should be a romance somewhere in here, but what we've gotten so far doesn't really pique my interest at all. I think it might be how this is written, but who knows. I'm just not interested, and life's too short to keep reading something that just isn't doing it for me. Moving onwards.

As we head into the cool autumn days and towards Halloween, I was so excited to get an ARC of Hex Appeal.

Josh inherits property only to find rent hasn't been paid by its inhabitants for hundreds of years. Essie is a witch who lives at said property with other witches. Essie brings in winter. And can instantly chill wine (very important in my opinion).

I thought the book concept was cute, but I didn't feel the connection between Josh and Essie. Or maybe I just didn't vibe with either of the characters. I felt like Essie was immature. And Josh made some comments I wasn't a huge fan of.

I will say Kate built a nice world and wouldn't mind heading back there to get more stories from the other characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

While this book has a really fun and refreshing concept, with lots of funny and interesting moments, it fell a little flat for me. At times the plot felt strangely disjointed and was leaping around from thing to thing. Within the first 20% of the book there was a really stupid miscommunication trope between the FMC and MMC which had me actually rolling my eyes. It was so shoehorned in and completely ridiculous. The writing was... a little try-hard at times too, some things felt forced.

Overall it's a cool concept. Loved how magic was described and how it manifested. Beldam House itself was chaotic and the way it was spoken off in the prose reflected this. The cast of characters were interesting and relatable (in some ways). But the execution fell short many times for me. I remained unconvinced of the love story for most of the book.

Dnf @ 36%

This book was so boring. The writing is in 3rd person POV, which makes it automatically more challenging to connect to the characters. With the house being almost depicted as a character, I had such a hard time with picturing the setting and places because of the ambiguity of the writing.

Essie, for being however old she is, read so immature. I was so bored by her. The mmc, Josh, was a sad boy from Seattle (don’t worry, you won’t forget where he’s from because it’s mentioned every chapter). His half-sister was overbearing and annoying and served no purpose. Essie’s witchy friends felt like cardboard cut-outs and only served their specific purpose. There was no dimensionality of any of the characters. Essie was an “ice queen” and Josh is a “sad boy.” That’s it.

Considering I made it through almost 40% of this and I still didn’t know what the curse or the plot was says something. It’s slow, boring, and really fell flat. I read a few “cozy” fantasy romances last fall and loved them. I was hoping for the same reaction to this one, but I really couldn’t get through it.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this arc and the chance to read it! Unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

This was a quick witchy book...a little bit of history, romance and humor. I enjoyed reading this and it's break from reality!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Hex Appeal was action packed and so fun to read. The characters all brought something different to the story and were easy to fall in love with. When it seemed like the story had come to a conclusion, another problem emerged that kept the plot moving along. I read this in one day!

This book had me rolling on the floor with laughter, smiling until my cheeks hurt, and blushing like a tomato. Kate does an amazing job creating a spooky setting, giving me the best Hocus Pocus vibes. It contained so many great moments, that I was dreading the end because I just didn't want to leave this new world within Hex Appeal. Their romance was beyond hilarious and so intoxicating, and the characters themselves were written so well as a reader I couldn't help but love and cheer them on the entire time.

For spooky season, this has easily topped my must reads of this year. It was action packed, drama filled, romantic, and just a feel good read by the end of it. There's magic, badass female heroes, and so many spooky vibes that I couldn't contain my giddiness as I was reading it. This is a book I couldn't get enough of and honestly need more of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/ One More Chapter for this ARC!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
Oh what I’d give to live in the little village of Good Winter!

This story was so charming and I loved the close-knit coven that resides there. Essie was a fantastic FMC and bless her, she could never catch a break! No thanks to the new resident in town, Josh, who somehow keeps remembering her when she’d very much rather be forgotten, thank you…

I hope to see this turned into a series. The magic system and character depth we were given for the whole main cast (not just Josh and Essie) was fantastic and appreciated. I’d love to learn more about the peculiar magical folk that reside in Beldam House… as well as the house itself!

This was so much more than a surface level, quick romance. The storyline of rampant dark forces on the loose came first, which I appreciated. It didn’t diminish the romance and the progression of the story was natural rather than cut short for the sake of tropes or easy reading. Essie fights for what she wants and for those she loves. Seeing her growth over the course of the story was so sweet. I also enjoyed that this was a dual POV (Josh and Essie)- made the story well rounded and easy to follow!

I personally really enjoy books, movies, and shows based in the UK, so I was familiar with a lot of the terminology and phrases. However, if you aren’t accustomed to UK media or books written by British authors, know that there might be some struggle adapting to the differences. But I hope that doesn’t stop you from giving this a go- it was really great!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK/One More Chapter for sharing this arc with me in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with a eARC of this book to read and review.

Essie Winterscale is a witch, who lives in the Villiage of Goodwinter in Essex. She lives with several other witches in a Beldam house that is constantly changing to meet the needs of the occupants. Things get interesting when she gets a new landlord. Josh is a handsome American who has inherited several run down houses in Goodwinter.

I found that this book was a cute fun read. Essie and Josh have chemistry. Their interactions have lots of humor and sparks fly. The plot and the other characters were also entertaining and original. It kept me interested, although the plot did tend to meander at times.

Overall, a fun rom com especially well suited for fall time.

This was an amazing and fun ride! The description states that it’s ‘Encanto’ meets ‘Hocus Pocus’ and that is the most accurate description of this book! It was so fun to read and had me laughing out loud at so many different points. The characters were extremely well-written and once I started the book, I had a hard time putting it down. The story just sucked me in and before I knew it, it was over. But it’s the perfect book to read again and again, especially during the fall and Halloween time!

Essie is a young witch with the power to freeze things. But she feels different and out of place from those around her. Even those who have powers like she does. Essie lives in a house with other witches, each with their own special power. Essie just doesn’t feel that hers is as useful as theirs. I do think the other witches have some pretty cool powers. But I think Essie’s power is pretty cool too. I mean, who wouldn’t love being able to instantly chill their wine?!

Josh is a lawyer who has just inherited a mansion that has a mountain of debt. Debt he is determined to take care of by going to the tenants. The only problem? The house is where Essie and the other witches live. And everyone who goes there forgets it exists when they leave and are unable to give directions to where it is. Or that’s the way it’s supposed to go. But somehow, Josh is not only able to find the house, but he’s able to remember it after he leaves too!

In case you haven’t guessed yet, Josh and Essie are meant to be. And the way they came together and their relationship developed was magical. Pun intended! There was so much witty humor and the bond between them grew so naturally. But things aren’t all good as the lives of Essie and the other witches are put in jeopardy by an other worldly monster. So it’s up to Josh and Essie to save the witches and the world!

I am desperately hoping there are going to be more books after this one with all of the same characters. Or at least a sequel to this one. Because I will be all over that! One book was just not enough time with Essie and Josh.

*I'd like to say thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I had a hard time with this book because there were so many things I liked about the story but couldn't wrap my mind around. It took me a little bit to get into the story because it seemed like the narration wasn't focused on one setting. I loved learning about Essie and her coven of witches in Essex, and I think once she met Josh, the story started to pick up. There were many parts in the story where I felt like the novel could have ended and another story could have began. I think that was because the pacing was off more in the middle of the story.

The more I read, the more I liked the story and the characters. I felt like there could have been more cohesion and not have a lull in the initial story. I really liked Essie and Josh together, but their first meeting or interaction isn't one I will remember after reading more stories. Their relationship grew, and I really enjoyed that. If this becomes a series, I don't know how Johnson will make another Big Baddie like in this novel, but I would also happily settle for sweet novellas of the characters.

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

I love a good witchy story and this one definitely delivered! It was funny and sweet and just the right amount of angst between Essie and Josh. I was so glad to see Essie find someone who really liked her and accepted her. Although there are tons of bumps in the road it is always clear that Josh is her person and it will somehow all work out. Essie's fellow witches/housemates add just the right amount of comic relief. I also really liked seeing how Josh and Sienna's relationship grew and changed throughout the story - Sienna might come on strong, but her heart is always in the right place. The "big-bad" storyline adds a little excitement and gets Josh more involved with the witch-side of things. I liked that Essie's mother is a complicated character - there is no doubt that she loves Essie but she's also selfish and meddles in very unhelpful ways. I know this ends with a pretty good wrap-up but I would love to see another book with these characters - maybe with Sienna finding love?

Hex Appeal is a definite read for Halloween, It’s a cute, spooky rom-com. I enjoyed Kate’s writing style and how well she portrayed each character. As much as I enjoyed Essie and Josh's romance, I would love for this to continue into a series which follows the side characters.

Overall this is the perfect witchy romance book for October.

Thank you to both, Net galley & Kate Johnson for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I absolutely loved it! I am so hoping she has more books out or in the pipeline, because I need more of this humour and craziness in my life! Essie’s coven are eccentric in the best way and their antics made me laugh so much. Josh and Essie’s flirting makes for some wonderful dialogue and they are clearly made for each other. I read the whole book in one go and didn’t want to leave the author’s imaginative and crazy world.

I struggled to get into this book and had a hard time following it due to the writing style. I also did not appreciate the fat-phobic comments.

3.75⭐
Thanks to netgalley for an ARC to read and review. I loved getting to know Essie and Josh and found the character development to be very well done. Even minor characters were clear and complete, I would love to see a sequel with more about Siena and more on Avery!
When Josh's father passed away, he leaves him a house in England. Josh is running from a bad breakup and decides it's the perfect time to check out his newly acquired property, and the tiny town it's in.
Essie has been living in Essex her entire life, and is a witch. She brings the winter each year and sees and dreams things that she doesn't ever understand until after they have happened. When Josh goes in search of one of his rental properties that hasn't paid rent in hundreds of years, Essie and Josh meet. What is really going on at Beldam house and why hasn't anyone ever found it?
My main reason for giving the book only 3.75⭐ is that there is so much going on. The beginning of the book introduces a lot of concepts, people, and groundwork for the book. It took me a little bit to fully commit and grasp all the things going on. By the middle of the book, I was hooked and literally couldn't put it down, but I wished the whole book had that feeling!
Overall, Hex Appeal is the perfect book for Fall or anyone that loves witchy reads.

This was a really cute witchy romance and the perfect Autumn read, I loved the character of Essie and was rooting for her.

I did find the writing style slightly chaotic at times, especially with the cast of characters, I got a little lost sometimes but did overall enjoy the story.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Net Galley for the ARC.

CW/TW: Fantasy violence, talk of sexual assault, pregnancy, sex

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Hex Appeal is the story of Essie, an English Witch, and Josh, an American lawyer who has just moved to a small town in England. As sparks grow between them, the supernatural world begins to explode into chaos and together they must find a way to save the world.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed it. I loved the story. I loved the magic and the tongue-in-cheek humor of it. The only thing that really didn’t work for me was the romance. I just never bought that the characters had any chemistry. I really kind of read the book assuming they were really just friends, because that was how it felt to me. Other than that, this book was a pleasure to read, and a lot of fun!