I didn’t end up loving this one! Parts felt immature to me and I just couldn’t get into it.

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

Avery Flynn’s first book in the Witchington paranormal romantic comedy series uses the frenemy to lover trope and is set in Wrightsville, Virginia. Tilda Sherwood is a member of the most powerful family of witches. However, she is a null and has no magical abilities. She handles her family’s social media presence. While using a matchmaker, she keeps getting set up on dates with Gil Connolly. When she somehow causes her sister’s spell to glitch, she needs to turn to others for help.

The story is a light and humorous read. It alternates points of view between Tilda and Gil. I enjoyed the unpredictable humorous moments that endeared the characters to me. Tilda and Gil are dynamic characters who are better defined than I initially expected. Both change and grow as the story progresses and they discover new aspects of themselves.

The physical world-building was well done. I could easily envision the Sherwood home and garden as well as the shops in town. However, one aspect of the writing didn’t work as well for me. At times, Tilda would talk to the reader. Despite this, it helped this reader escape the real world for an enjoyable evening. Themes include family, friendship, lies, deception, secrets, resistance, power, romance, and much more.

Overall, I was entertained and enjoyed the book. If you’re looking for a lite and charming paranormal romance tale with plenty of humor, some action, and a few steamy scenes, then this might be the book for you.

Berkley Publishing Group and Avery Flynn provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for December 06, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: exiled from society, family deception

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f paranormal romance
-rivals/frenemies to lovers
-consensual horny magic
-a raccoon who loves whisky and belly rubs
-denial

Gosh this was fun. So voicey and just a great escapist read. I've been a fan of Avery Flynn's for a while now and this was just the read I needed. Two almost rival families, a bit of undercover work, and two people who were not looking to fall in love with each other. This had the right amount of adventure, coziness, and horniness all wrapped up in a book.

I adored Tilda. She felt like the black sheep in her family and despite their differences she loved them fiercely. Wearing her heart on her sleeve she thought she knew who she was and Gil comes along and throws all of that out the window. I loved this slow yet horny burn between them. The banter, and just the immersive world.

And Gil. Gil who was gruff on the inside and so soft for Tilda on the inside. Doing everything he can for his family, but also accidentally falling for Tilda and helping her group of misfit witches. He was doing his best to pretend and give so many excuses but he was gone on her and hard.

So glad this is going to be a series.

Steam: 3.5

This was my first book by Avery Flynn. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but I gave it a shot. A YA fantasy, romcom about a witch with no abilities sounded pretty fun. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this one at all. Once I started reading, I felt like it was very immature. The story felt cheesy and the world building felt like the author was just trying to do too much. I made it to 15% and dnf'd it. I would still be willing to give this author another chance, but this was not for me.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own

I didn’t love Gil & Tilda’s story like I wish I did. Unfortunately, this story wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into their story.

I have loved Avery Flynn’s books in the past, just this one missed the mark.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Aaah i hate DNF’ing a book but I just can’t with this one sadly. I’m sure people will enjoy it but it’s just not for me. I got to chapter 10.
The plot, whilst a little crazy, I think might be good, I personally couldn’t get over the writing style. I just found it very young and immature, I found the FMC annoying and there was a repetitive sentences close to each other.
Maybe I’ll come back to this book but I doubt it. I have no issue putting it down and not know what happens

Witcha Gonna Do? by A. Flynn, published by Berkley Publishing Group, is a ya fantasy romance. I was highly anticipating this book, I like the authors writing very much. But its a mixed bag for me. This enemies-to-loivers is treying a bit too much.
Yes, I liked the story and the characters, but I couldn't really connect with them and the storyline.
An unlucky witch who desperatedly needs her hot big egoed nemesis, Gil. Set up with a task only Gil can help her with, oh girl - she's in for a ride.
All in all a good read, 4 beautiful stars.

This book has a lot of charm, within its dialogue, character development, and storytelling as a whole. There is clear joy and fun present from the author, and it’s infectious.

However, I do consider this book an acquired taste, and must admit, it’s not of my preference.

Although I could see the heart poured into this tale, I didn’t quite feel it personally. The narration style was off-putting. I typically enjoy breaking-the-fourth-wall, but it didn’t work for me here. I am also not a fan of insta-love/lust trope, so that was also working against my enjoyment, even though it was also juxtaposed with enemies-to-lovers (the two tropes didn’t work together as whole for me).

These are, ultimately, personal preferences. The book and I did not mesh well, but perhaps this is just the book for you. So while I may not have fully enjoyed it, I think there’s a lot to be found in terms of enjoyment for the right audience.

I’d recommend giving this one a go if the synopsis sounds up your alley.
Enjoy!

Thank you NetGalley, Valentine PR, and Berkley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a book that was trying really hard to come across as a fun rom-com. The characters did not get developed fully, and the world building did not happen. Instead there is tons of information thrown at the reader, with a breaking of the fourth wall in the first sentence and then off and on throughout the book the author switches styles. I really wanted to enjoy this book, as paranormal and romance are a great fit for the fall. If more time had been spent giving the characters a chance to develop and grow, and there had been more explanation about the world and why it was the way it was, I think this would have come across better. Instead it was very cheesy, and may be more of a YA novel.

witcha gonna do

thank you netgalley for sending me an ARC for witcha gonna do - the cover is the absolute cutest thing i have ever seen!!

i will say that's the extent that i go for this story though, while adorable and somewhat funny (breaking the forth wall) some jokes and dialogue between characters fell flat for me. i didn't really connect with gil or tilda... really anyone. the world was difficult to follow, and the spice was a bit cringy.

3 stars bc i enjoyed some of it, and the cover is everything!!!! thank you netgalley 🤍

This book was so cute! I’ve read a few books by Avery Flynn and have always enjoyed them and this one was just the same! The characters were great and made me chuckle quite a few times. But there was also some emotional attachments you have. It was an interesting look into a witchy world and I definitely see some potential for future books with side characters that have me excited for more!

In a world full of witches and magical beings, Tilda feels like an outcast due to her outré status; she has no magical abilities despite being born into one of the most powerful family of witches. Things get interesting for Tilda after she gets set-up on her fourth consecutive blind date with her nemesis, Gil Connelly; a secret double agent who is working to free his parents. When Tilda accidentally causes her sister’s spell to glitch and freezes all her family members, Tilda must enlist the help of Gil and her misfit friends to help steal a powerful spell book, The Liber Umbrarum, so that they can unfreeze Tilda’s family. The more time that Gil spends the Tilda, the harder it becomes to deny their growing attraction and the more Gil suspects that Tilda’s family has been keeping secrets.

Witcha Gonna Do? is a forced proximity, enemies to lovers, witchy rom-com told from a dual point of view. The novel features themes such as secrets and lies, convention versus rebellion, family and found families, appearance versus reality, power, corruption, good versus evil, politics, love and heartbreak, and fate versus freewill. If you’re a fan of witchy rom-coms like The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling, then you should definitely check out Witcha Gonna Do. The addition of heists and rebellions were somewhat reminiscent of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin, so if you are a fan of either of those series, then you may enjoy this! Lastly, since Witcha Gonna Do is witchy but not “Halloweeny”, so A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna fans would also enjoy this.

First off, the punny title, witchy vibe, and the cool character illustrations featured in the cover art really helped to draw me into this book. The comedic elements that Flynn included in the story—like a spunky unicorn shifter who enjoys Lucky Charms and a witch who sneezes whenever she casts spells—we enjoyable and I loved how Tilda found a second family in her club of magical misfits. The unexpected inclusions of heists, rebellions, secrets, and danger as it added more excitement to the story and made the story more unique; although, it was a tad disappointing the romance almost took a backseat to these other elements. Even though there was a fair amount of spice, I was surprised that most of the romance was confined to last third of the novel.

Lastly, I wasn’t particularly a fan of the Epilogue, which takes place five years after the events in Witcha Gonna Do, as it left me feeling confused; even though a lot of things were up in the air and unresolved at the end of Tilda’s story, at the beginning of the Epilogue, Tilda starts to tell the reader how everything worked out before stating that her sisters need to fill in a lot of gaps in the story before everything makes sense. On the plus side, there was a sneak peek of the next installment of Flynn’s Witchington series, Resting Witch Face, included at the end of the novel!

Overall, Witcha Gonna Do was a fun witchy rom-com that would be perfect for fans of magic, dangerous heists, and “enemies to lovers” romances!

This book is the kind you want to read on a rainy, cozy day with a cup of something hot and a few soft cookies. It was so fun, but also felt like a warm blanket.

I’ve read more than a few witchy romances now, and while most of them read as contemporary, magic aside, I would consider this one a total fantasy. The magic is the biggest protagonist. There are warlocks, witches, unicorn shifters, cauldrons and potions… so yes, expect a lot of magical references! This part of the book was hilarious and it made me devour the book in a day.

Tilda, the heroine, was my favorite character. She was so funny and adorable. The Sherwoods were an awesome family and I wished there were more scenes with them in the book! It would have been even funnier. Barkley, Bea’s rooster, owns my heart now. I’m so glad we’re getting books about the rest of the sisters, especially knowing who comes next! 🤩👀

The romance was really good! I loved it. Even though it has a trope I usually dislike (Gil hides something big from Tilda), I liked how it was handled in this book so I was able to enjoy. The epilogue added 10 years to my lifespan thanks to the cuteness of it all, and the steam was great. I didn’t expect it to be so steamy!

Overall, I had an amazing time reading this book. I think it could be better, though, and for that I’m giving it 4 stars. The magic system is a bit flat, and while I love Tilda and Gil, I would have liked to see more build up to their relationship.

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: Open door, 3-4 scenes, high level of detail

ARC provided by Valentine PR, Berkley and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

This book was very cute. The characters are fun, and I liked them together. They had excellent banter. Avery's writing flows extremely well, and it did make for a quick read. The pacing was good and kept me hooked. The storyline was interesting, and it made for a really good book.

There was quite a bit of info dumping, but it was kind of in the way that I just took it all in easily? It wasn't Crescent City infodumping, luckily, but I did find myself a little confused at some points (however, if anyone finds the cure to infodumping in writing, for the love of GOD let me know. If you make it a class, you'd make millions.) But the worldbuilding seemed cool and unique.

This did start out with "Hi *waves* That's me." which promptly gave me the ick. However, that was the only ick, so once you get past that and the info dumping, smooth sailing! I had a lot of fun reading this.

If you liked Ex Hex, I suggest picking this one up. Also, that cover is too cute to not pick up. As my first Avery Flynn novel, I will most definitely read more!

I did really enjoyed this book. Tilda is a member of a powerful family of witches. However she has zero powers herself.

Gil's family has been banished, some undercover work for the counsel is his chance to get them back. He is tasked with investigating Tilda and her family. When ever Gil is around Tilda he feels a power so strong he usually makes a mess of things.

From a matchmaker putting these two in each others path along with all the enemies to lovers vibes this was a fun read at times.

A couple of thing unfortunately, did not work for me. I struggled with the world building. I was rooting for TIlda but Gil fell short. I felt like his character need more. At times it did feel like there was a lot of information being thrown at the reader making it hard to stay engaged. The Council, The Resistance, The Misfits, the double agents, goblins, trolls etc. Instead of giving us a well described world building, I think the author was going for an immersive feel to the world but at times I was drowning in details.
The trend of these witchy romances, PNR Rom-Coms might not be the place for this reader. Typically I love what this author writes but this time it was just ok.

Witcha Gonna Do when you accidently freeze your entire family and the only person you can rely on his your sworn enemy that you can't stop thinking about naked?

There is a lot of world building in this book which is one small complaint I have, but I really think that sets us up for so much more in this world, so with possible sequels on the horizon for the other Sherwood siblings, I think it was worth the extra time to read some of it.

Tilda and Gil are really a fun couple. I also loved the addition of the author breaking the fourth wall with them. It was good comedic timing and made me feel a personal connection to them because they truly were talking to me.

The magic system was unique and complex, which again lead to a lot of wordy world building, but I was excited to learn about it all the same. The ending was a bit rushed which gave me a little whiplash at the end, but I truly enjoyed this book!

This story had potential, I mean, large-and-in-charge potential. I loved the world building, the characters, the magic, the system. It was all great.

I loved the characters, Tilda is so cute, clumsy, and all around good hearted. She’s fiercely protective and loves her people. Gil is surly, complicated, and mixed up in lots of shenanigans. Their relationship blossomed nicely, and I appreciated the growth both of the characters made throughout the story.

However, the story was this side of lacking. Boring in spots, rushed in others. I really think the first half of the book could have been cut and the ending wouldn’t have suffered. Their back and forth wasn’t “fun” like flirting, it was more yawn like eh.

The last quarter of the book was strong. I really liked getting into the action of the story, especially the thick of it. If the first half of the book wouldn’t have been so slow and dragging it would have been a four star for me.

I've gotta say, I really enjoyed this book. Tilda comes from the most powerful family of witches, but she has no powers to speak of. Gil's family has been banished, but to get them back, he has to work undercover for the counsel. His work takes him to investigating Tilda and her family. The problem is, everytime he is around her he feels a power so strong he usually makes a mess of things.
Tilda wants to find love, so she has had the matchmakers set her up, and all three times she has been set up with Gil, her nemesis. She cannot believe her luck, yes he is cute, but he also gets under her skin like no one else. You know what that means, right? Yes, enemies to lovers and my catnip.
Witches and warlocks and magic gone awry. this book is cute and quirky and so much fun. I really hope we see another book in this series soon!
Thank you to Avery Flynn, Netgalley and Berkley for an early copy.

This book was incredibly enjoyable. Start to finish, it was so fun! All the characters were quirky and likable, with their own troubles they had to overcome. The world building was creative and original. Each piece of the puzzle was interesting and was wrapped together in a goofy fun way by the end, but with just enough unanswered questions to get readers coming back for sequels. A perfect October romance read with a wonderfully unique heroine!

The vibe is like if Halloweentown were horny. The world-building was crazy. There was a very light and cheesy tone to the bulk of the writing juxtaposed with intense desire, and I like both of those things but it felt unpolished here. Our leading lady also had very low self-esteem, which is understandable within the story but was frustrating to stick with. Her insistence of her loser status felt very 8th grade, very Princess Diaries' "in case I'm not enough of a freak, let's add a tiara," but with little to back it up given her age. Gil's statement of never having had what read as a normal horny reaction to a woman also felt off. These two things lead me to believe Witchingdom is very oppressed, but multiple supporting characters are said to have an abundance of sexual experiences, so I don't know. I guess these are just two hotties with stunted emotional growth. Aside from this aspect, the writing caused me a lot of eye-rolling. She calls him "McSmirky McSmirkerson" at one point. On the same page, she mentions a muffin-eating kink, and it's not a euphemism. This needed more editing. I also can't believe that she's good at social media. I digress. Goodbye.