This was such a fun witchy tale- perfect for fall. I loved the magic system and will definitely read more from Jessica Clare!

What the Hex by Jessica Clare is a delightful addition to the Hex series, featuring the charming grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Penny Roundtree and the brooding warlock Willem Sauer. Penny, determined to become a witch's familiar, finds herself in a secretive and risky apprenticeship with Willem, who is banned from having a familiar due to past mistakes. Their chemistry is palpable, leading to moments filled with both humor and romance, especially as they navigate their fake dating arrangement amidst magical mishaps and growing tensions. The enchanting blend of magic, humor, and heartfelt connections makes this book a must-read for fans of paranormal romance.

I do wish I would have read book 1 first. There is a bit of overlap that I think is necessary background information but for the most part, "What the Hex" could be a standalone novel. I'm just a bit picky about sticking to reading series in order.

I enjoy lighthearted, funny, and emotional romances with a touch of magic and adventure and this book delivered. What the Hex by Jessica Clare contains the enemies-to-lovers trope, which I deeply appreciation and adds a unique twist with its witchy and magical elements. With its blend of humor, romance, and fantasy, What the Hex may be the perfect read for Fall.

This was an interesting read and a fun witchy rom-com. I love a good enemies to lovers trope as well as the grumpy/sunshine trope as well and this did not disappoint. While this is the second book in a series you can for sure read it as a standalone with no problem but having read the first one will make reading this funner since you are briefly introduced to Penny and Willem in the first book.

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

i genuinely enjoyed this one more so than the first. the grumpy/sunshine trope, paired with fake dating, worked really well in this case. willem & penny were a great pairing, and the pacing on this one was better than the first.

What The Hex is a delightful novel featuring some of my favourite tropes: enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, and sunshine vs grumpy. The fantastic sequel to Go Hex Yourself, it can also easily be read as a stand-alone and I had so much fun reading it.

The protagonists are Penny Roundtree whose dream is to become a familiar to a witch, and Willem Sauer who, following a decades-long dispute with another witch, has been banned from casting magic for another ten years.

Sweet, kind Penny is always ready to help others, from her constantly absent parents who consider her more like a housekeeper than a daughter to the members of the Society of Familiars who waste no time to take advantage of her. And then there is arrogant and grumpy Willem. No one in the magic world likes him and the only person he could consider a friend is Ben (protagonist of Go Hex Yourself) to whom he turns when, with no intention to wait ten more years to cast magic, he looks for a familiar willing to work under the table. And Penny, who’s been for years on the waiting list to be a familiar candidate, is eager to work with him. But Penny is not at all what Willem expected, starting from her colourful clothes to her pet squirrel. And Penny has no intention to be demeaned from his surliness.

However, other witches are wondering about their relationship so enters the fake dating scheme, especially when the warlock who caused Willem’s ban starts to take too much interest in their relationship and members of the Society of Familiars start blackmailing Penny.

Having enjoyed Go Hex Yourself and already been briefly introduced to the characters of Penny and Willem I had no doubt that I was in for a treat and I wasn’t disappointed. Penny and Willem are two well-developed, intriguing, and entertaining characters. Initially, Penny appears to be the carpet everyone steps on, but she turns out to be strong, smart, and the most cunning of them all. And the impatient and irritable facade Willem presents to the world hides a caring and loving nature that made me like this character more and more while I was reading. These two protagonists are surrounded by a cast of villains who try to harm them, but also a few great friends (including Ben and Reggie from Go Hex Yourself) who are ready to help them.

Cosy, romantic, and spicy, but also twisty and full of action, Go Hex Yourself is a book that will keep you engrossed until the end!

I enjoyed the first book of the series, so I was glad to get a chance to read What the Hex by Jessica Clare. Throw in a little grumpy/sunshine trope, and you have a fun, magical romantic comedy.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I always get sad that I didn't read something sooner cause I enjoyed it so much but this was such a warm cozy one for this week. It wasn't holiday but it was grumpy sunshine with quirky cute steaminess. And crazy warlock underhandedness.
These two were the complete opposites but they needed each other to get their goals. But then their goals changed. There was so much going on besides this in the different Societies they were a part of as well. So it was a very quick read. They worked well so balance eachother out. He couldn’t stand her then couldn’t be away from her, loved it.
Loved that Magnus and Reggie were pretty big side characters for their story, they set them up in the first place but didn’t think they would get romantically attached. They were so good in Go Hex Yourself.
#readwitchyallyear

"What the Hex" weaves a captivating tale of Penny Roundtree's quest to become a familiar to a witch, leading her into an unorthodox apprenticeship with the banned warlock Willem Sauer.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Penny and Willem adds a delightful twist to this enchanting romantic comedy. As they navigate spellcasting, delightful perks, and unexpected dangers, the duo's chemistry and witty banter keep readers engaged.

The narrative cleverly combines humor with a touch of mystery, making it a spellbinding read that challenges magical norms and, of course, questions the rules of magic with a dash of romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Book two did not disappoint! There is something I really love about witchy books and this book is exactly the reason why! I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!

Thank you #berkleypub and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

What the Hex is the perfect book for fall/winter. The romance is swoon-worthy and. will sweep you off your feet. It's a fun, lighthearted book.

This book picks up where Go Hex Yourself ends and it is a great follow-up to it. This storyline includes some of the beloved characters from the first book, but focuses primarily on Penny Roundtree and Willem Sauer. Willem is banned from having a familiar, but it means that he's stuck in meaningless work, can't get a competitive job, and can't pursue any of the spells that he wants to. Enter Penny Roundtree, a familiar so desperate to work, that she'll lie and do it under the guise of being in a relationship. The tension between Penny and Will is so delightful and her response to his casting is wicked. These characters have a place in my heart, for sure. Anyone who enjoyed Go Hex Yourself is sure to enjoy Penny and Will's story.

I absolutely loved this grumpy x sunshine witchy romance. This sequel was exactly what I was looking for. I loved Penny and her pet squirrel. I will definitely read more from this author.

I enjoyed this book, but I had many of the same issues I had with the first book. Some things were simply too far fetched for me, which made me enjoy the book a lot less. All in all still an okay read, but I wouldn't particularly recommend this one.

What the Hex by Jessica Clare was the perfect witchy read for fall.

Penny Roundtree longs to be a familiar to a witch or warlock. Her parents are both familiars, but the demand for familiars is at an all-time low. Willem Sauer is a warlock who is currently forbidden by the from having an apprentice, thanks to a misunderstanding 20 years ago. But an under the table arrangement leads to Penny and Willem working together in secret. To keep their partnership under wraps, she moves in to his house and they pretend to date in order to explain their close proximity. After Penny is almost killed when a roof collapses, Willem realizes his old master is set on revenge.

Never has there been a more charming opposites attract enemies to lovers romance. Willem is a certified jerk to everyone. Penny is a ray of sunshine. But together, they make magic. Literally. There's also a vengeful warlock, danger at every turn, false accusations, and lots of stolen spell books.

I LOVED THIS BOOK, and now I need to back and read the first one in the series. Seriously. If you're looking for perfect fall reads, look no further than What the Hex!

This one wasn’t for me really, but was better than the first one. I am honestly glad I read it because the author redeemed herself for me because I really didn’t like the last book. This one was funnier, and a lot less slow!

Well….I didn’t realize this was part of a series. The story itself has a good idea but it drives me nuts to read out of order.

Thank you oh-so-much to the wonderful Berkley Romance for sending me a free e-copy via Netgalley as well as a physical copy in exchange for an honest review!

OH MY GODS I LOVED THIS BOOK! okay okay, I'll clam down. If you don't know, I read Go Hex Yourself and looooved it, rating it five stars. I have been looking forward to this book ever since I heard it was coming out, and oh em gee this book did not disappoint!!

Their banter? Top notch. The steam? BOILING. Oh em gee was it boiling hot!! I was so entranced by Will and Penny's relationship, I loved the tension in the beginning, how it was opposites attract as well as grumpy/sunshine! They warmed my heart up! (And the spell casting with Penny having her little moments made things so interesting and fun)

I nearly read this book in one sitting, I will warn you this book is ADDICTING. The drama with the Warlocks, the smexy tension with P+W, the FAKE DATING, NO 80% BREAKUP!! This book has everythinggg. And I LOVED being able to see Ben and Reggie a decent amount in this book, seeing them again made my heart soooo happy!

I cannot express into words how much I loved this book other than screaming at you the whole time, which I won't do, I've screamed enough, please please pick this book up if you have a chance, as well as Go Hex Yourself! These books are both top-tier amazing and I highly recommend! I will of course be listing the tropes below if you're curious!

Tropes:
• Familiar X Warlock
• Lots of Spellcasting
• SO Much Steamy Steam!!
• Fake Dating
• Opposites Attract
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Lots of Laughs
• Hot Tension/Banter
• No 80% Breakup!!

After reading the previous book, I was extra excited to see that Penny was getting her own story.

I really liked Penny. She's bright and loyal and not afraid to speak her mind. (I did hate hate hate that she said "oh em gee" and "double-yew tee eff, but that's something else.) Willem is crunchy and stoic and not even close to being ready for Penny...and it was fabulous. I thoroughly enjoyed these two crashing together and the ensuing chaos.

Plot wise, it was good. There's a good amount of time for them to get to know each other and their relationship evolve from strangers to working partners to friends to more. The conflict is near the end, but not rushed and the resolution is near perfection. And the epilogue is just right.

Overall, this was a fun and quick read. If there is more to this series, I will definitely be reading.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the digital arc free of charge**