First, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this title in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Jessica Clare gives fans of Contemporary Romance another fun edition to the Witchy RomCom subgenre that they love in What the Hex. Main character Penny is desperate to become a witch's familiar by any means necessary, even if it means attaching herself to a warlock who is specifically banned from having one. Filled with all of the tropes that make paranormal romances like this shine, including grumpy/sunshine and fake dating, this book was a fun, if not a little predictable, addition to the subgenre.

What the Hex by Jessica Clare is the follow up to Go Hex Yourself. It can be read as part of the series, but stands up as a stand alone as well. Penny Roundtree wants nothing more than to be a familiar to a witch. She’s been a member of the Society of Familiars ever since she was old enough to join the Fam. There’s just a small problem—no one’s hiring. Witches and warlocks are so long-lived that there are far more familiars available than witches to train them. So when an unorthodox arrangement to apprentice under the table to a forbidden warlock presents itself, she takes it. Willem Sauer is banned from having a familiar due to past transgressions, thereby limiting his magic-casting abilities. Unfortunately for the surly, Prussian warlock, he has no choice but to work with enthusiastic Penny as a familiar. They immediately clash like dried roan horsehair and honeycomb gathered by moonlight (it’s a terrible spell combination, ask anyone). Casting spells has delightful perks Penny never could have dreamed of, but also greater dangers. Someone is targeting Penny. Willem and Penny must work together to catch their enemy, and if their ploy requires a little kissing on the side, who is to question the rules of magic?

What the Hex is a romance with a nice balance of mystery and magic in the mix. While readers that read the first book in the series will have a head start in knowing the characters and set up of the witch/familiar details in this world, I think new comers to the author will be able to catch on quickly, and be interested enough to go back and read what they already missed. I listened to the first book, so it took me a bit to get into the groove of the story after switching format, but I still really enjoyed the read. I thought the character development was well done, and I really got into the mystery and suspense elements. I thought the story did a good job of moving a larger plot line ahead along with the romance, and I look forward to seeing how the witch and familiar society changes and who finds their happy ever after next.

What the Hex is a solid romance and a good continuation of the series. I look forward to the next installment.

If you're looking for a fun, witchy rom-com with enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, and fake dating, you'll definitely want to check out What The Hex!

It's basically about a grumpy, old-fashioned warlock banned from having a familiar, a quirky, sunshiney human desperate to become a familiar, and a secret arrangement that allows them to work together to fight greater threats.

It was such a fun, refreshing, and (unexpectedly!) spicy read and for being in a slight reading slump, I found myself not wanting to put it down! The writing is super digestible, the story-telling is light-hearted, and overall, it's just one of those feel-good books!

If you haven't already read her first book in the Hex series, Go Hex Yourself, I highly recommend it! While they can be read as standalones, there are lots of tie-ins with the characters from the first book that will make this story that much more enjoyable.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my early e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was spicier that I imagined but I liked the mystery aspect to it. The level of spice was above the level I normally read at and it was more of a focus than I would like it to be.

3.5 stars = I liked it (but with nits) We met Penny in Go Hex Yourself and now it’s her turn in the spotlight. I thought that Penny was great, she's sunny and forthright and best thing that could've happened to the Wizard Willem - she brings light to his grumpy solitary life as well as bringing magic back into it. I did have an issue with the story though. Author Clare writes on the spicier side - I knew that coming in - but the fact that Penny, acting as Will's familiar) climaxes every time she helps Will with a spell was just a bit too much for me - I thought it was silly instead of adding to the spice. But I loved Penny enough to soldier through and she doesn't disappoint, she's the one who saves the day when an old enemy seeks revenge on Will. It was also fun to see the past pair one more time.

ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley- release date 4/4/23

I enjoyed the first book in this series, but it wasn't one that wowed me, but I was still really curious about the next book. What the Hex was such a pleasant surprise and I had so much fun reading it. Penny was a quirky character we met in Go Hex Yourself and I'm so glad she got her own story.

All Penny wants in life is to become a familiar and is sad that it's not happening. So when she gets the chance to help a warlock in secret she can't help but jump on the opportunity. Penny is very bubbly and excited about learning everything. This book is clearly a grumpy/sunshine romance. Willem had a difficult past and has a hard time liking people. Penny may be someone he never sees himself liking, but I loved their connection and how they slowly grew to care. The whole fake dating element I loved, because even though some may have not found it believable when they tried to fake date it was just so sweet. What the Hex also had the perfect amount of spice!

Besides the romance I loved we got to see more of the familiar side of this world and how it worked. I can only imagine how frustrating it was. I do wish that we got to dive just a little more into Penny's relationship with her parents, because that felt a bit unresolved to me. All in all, I loved this quirky romance and I do hope the author gives us more witchy books!


My review is currently on Goodreads and will be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on April 27th.

This book was an entertaining read. I gather it's a loose sequel to another one of Clare's books, Go Hex Yourself, which I have not read yet, but it wasn't necessary to read to follow the story. I imagine the first book does a little bit more world building than this book, so I can't complain about there not being as much explanation between the witch/warlock and the familiar. I enjoyed the contrast between the formality and grumpiness of Willem and the lighthearted and bright personality of Penny. I will say I thought their relationship escalated a little too quickly. I would've liked more depth from both characters. We see a little bit of it when Penny is around her parents, but less about why Will is the way he is. I would've liked more background between the hatred between Will and Stoker which I understand after Will steals his books, but that was recent and the hatred stems back hundreds of years. At the end of the day, it's a fun, spicy, supernatural read. Who doesn't like a book with a pet squirrel?

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I just reviewed What the Hex by Jessica Clare. #WhattheHex #NetGalley

If I'm honest, both Penny and Willem are failry annoying characters. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this magical world of familiars and warlocks and always appreciate an opposites attract love story.

This is the second book in the Hex series. I have read the first one and while it's fun to see the characters from the first book, I believe this would easily read well as a stand-alone. However, the first one is fun, so consider starting there.

Penny has been waiting for what feels like forever to be a familiar to a witch or warlock. Unfortunately she's not alone and there aren't any openings. So when she hears of an opportunity that is a bit under the table, she's all in. Willem has been banned from having a familiar for severa more years. This severely limits his ability to practice magic. And he really needs to practice because he is being targeted. He and Penny come to an agreement and she moves into his monochromatic, spotless mansion with her colorful clothing and her pet squirrel. They agree to fake date to mask their real magical purpose. Sparks fly between the two of them (sexual and verbal) and there's a bit of a mystery to solve. This was an entertaining, steamy romance that felt New Adult-ish. I'll keep my eyes open for the next one.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

WHAT THE HEX is the second instalment in Jessica Clare’s contemporary adult HEX erotic, paranormal romance series. This is troubled and embattled warlock Willem Sauer, and thirty year old, apprentice familiar Penny Roundtree’s story line. WHAT THE HEX can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous storyline is revealed where necessary .

Told from dual first person perspectives (Penny and Willem) WHAT THE HEX follows the building romance and relationship between troubled warlock Willem Sauer, and thirty year old, apprentice familiar Penny Roundtree. Warlock Willem Sauer has been banned from procuring a witch’s familiar, a person with a well of magic whom witches and warlocks need for fuel and power. Hundreds of years earlier Willem Sauer was the familiar to a powerful warlock but when he left to pursue his own dream of becoming a warlock, Willem has suffered in the wake of false accusations and trumped up charges but Willem is desperate for a familiar, someone to help him uncover the truth. Enter thirty year old, apprentice familiar Penny Roundtree, the woman with whom Willem will fall in love. With the help of Ben Magnus (Go Hex Yourself 1), Willem will come face to face with his future, a young woman who has yearned to become someone’s familiar but as Willem and Penny begin a search for the truth, they must enter into a fake romantic relationship in an effort to keep the spies at bay. What ensue is the building romance and relationship between Penny and Willem, and the potential fall-out as the charges against Willem become all too real, and Penny must search for answers where history has failed.

The relationship between Willem and Penny begin as a professional arrangement but a forbidden arrangement in the eyes of the Witch’s Council. Willem has been banned from doing magic, and from using a familiar but in his desperation to prove his innocence Willem is willing to break the laws, falling in love in the process. Penny is desperate to be chosen as a familiar but very few familiar have been chosen from the local pool of magic. With the help of her friends (Ben and Reggie) Penny finds herself a familiar to a man who has been shunned by his peers, shunned by betrayal and lies. As Penny and Willem’s fake relationship turns into something more, they find themselves the target of magic and revenge. The $ex scenes are erotic, passionate and intense.

The secondary and supporting characters are colorful, energetic and magical. We are introduced to several witches and warlocks: Penny’s boss Vivi, wanna-be familiars Cody, Katrina and Derek; Warlocks Titus and Stoker, as well as the return of Ben and Reggie (Go Hex Yourself). The requisite evil has many faces.

WHAT THE HEX is a story of magic and power, betrayal and vengeance, obsession and retribution, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is entertaining and captivating; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are fun, dynamic and determined.




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This book was so dang fun! And what a great follow-up to Go Hex Yourself, a book that I absolutely adored. If you love witchy rom-coms with an absolutely adorable opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine couple with a bit of fake dating thrown in for good measure, then be sure to check this one out!

Willem Sauer has been banned from taking on a familiar, but with his longtime archnemesis posing an even greater threat than ever, he decides it’s time to bend the rules. Enter Penny Roundtree, who wants nothing more than to be a familiar, so much so that she jumps at the unorthodox and risky proposal. The only problem? Willem and Penny are polar opposites. However, when the pair hatch a fake dating scheme in order to avert suspicion from their other, forbidden arrangement, their mutual distaste quickly transforms into a connection neither of them anticipated.

Writing this review has only reminded me how much I loved this book. The dynamic between Willem and Penny was to-die for; from his stubborn grumpiness to her infectious cheerful nature. Being able to watch their relationship unfold from each of their perspectives was so entertaining, plus I am always a sucker for a good fake dating trope, and this one was executed to perfection!

With magical antics, moments to swoon over, and a bit of suspense mixed in, this book had me hooked, to the point that I could not stop until I turned the final page. Not to mention that I loved the inclusion of Reggie and Ben as supporting characters. Overall, this is a book I highly recommend, especially if you’re in the mood for a read that is fast-paced and pure fun.

If you're into witchy romance with an extra bit of spice, this book is right up your alley! I have not yet the first, and very popular, book in this collection, Go Hex Yourself, but after reading this one I'm definitely going to pick it up!

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the very unique and quirky main characters! However, I'll admit it took a bit for them to grow on me.

The story follows Penny, a young woman longing to start a life of her own as a familiar to a witch or warlock. She's super involved in her familiars group, has a job she enjoys, and a nice group of friends, but can't help feeling stuck.

Enter Willem Sauer. His last name describes him perfectly according to others who know him -- a pompous, particular, and relatively unlikeable warlock. On top of that, he's been banned from having a familiar due to some malarkey with a former master.

It turns out Penny and Willem have a mutual friend who brings them together under some shady circumstances and the two begin working together "illegally."

Without giving too much away, the story does take some twists and turns and presents you with somewhat of a mystery to solve in addition to a very slow-burning, fake dating-style romance.

Overall, I really liked this book, however I did feel like some parts of the story line were a little forced or out of place. I also felt some of the supporting characters weren't quite as developed as they could have been.

As for Penny and Willem, I low-key hated both of them in the beginning. I thought Penny was whiny and annoying and that Willem was overly snooty. But after I got further into the story and learned more about their stories, I wound up falling in love with them! Let's just say I'd definitely be interested in a continuation of their story -- especially if it involves Pip! 🐿️

I gave this one four stars and would 100% recommend it! I'm looking forward to reading more from Clare!

A big thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this book early and to participate in the blog tour!

As a reader, you never know if a second book in a series will be hit or miss. What the Hex knocked it out of the park. It was chock full of witchy fun and HOT steamy romance. It included a few of my favorite romance tropes; grumpy sunshine, fake dating, and forced proximity. Add a little rivalry and revenge between warlocks, and you have an excellent storyline. Willem and Penny were fantastic characters and kept me enchanted until the end. I loved their dynamic and that they are absolute opposites. And while they start off full of disdain for each other, soon, their attraction can not be denied. It sizzles off the pages! I adored the banter and bickering between stodgy Willem and vibrant Penny. It was great to peek at some of the Go Hex Yourself characters and see Reggie and Ben’s romance still going strong. I highly recommend this one to all of my rom-com friends! It was a super fun read! I can’t wait to see what comes next in the Hex series!

Thank you, Berkely and NetGalley @netgalley, for an advanced reader copy of this book.

This series by Jessica Clare is just so fun to read. It's all low-stakes magical hijinx with fun world-building where the romance is sweet and hot. Plus, who doesn't love a grumpy/sunshine trope?

Penny Roundtree is the secretary in the Society of Familiars. When a fellow member quips that the society is all she has, she takes it to heart. When an opportunity to finally work as a familiar presents itself, she's all-in, despite the fact that the warlock is under rule not to have a familiar and everything must be under the table. Oh, and did I mention the warlock is a huge jerk of a man?

Willem Sauer has been banned from having a familiar which means he can only do low-level magic When he decides to hide his familiar, he enlists the help of Ben and Reggie from the first book in this series.

In order to hide what they are doing, Willem and Penny agree to not just fake dating -- but fake being in love. The stakes are high because it could mean the end of Penny's career, or worse. She's in danger from Willem's enemy. It all gets crazy and they find out just how compatible with each other they really are.

I found What the Hex to be a very satisfying return to the Society of Familiars. Penny is just delightful and Willem really doesn't deserve her. But like opposites attract, they are perfect for each other and there's a nice level of spiciness to their interactions!

This is a fun, mostly light-hearted read that satisfies nicely as a fantasy romance. There's drama and heat and all the good stuff. I loved Penny's attitude and how she handled Willem. She was the star for me What the Hex. I'm really enjoying this series.

The pacing is still as wonky as the first one so I am wondering if that is partly just how Jessica Clare's writing is going to be with this world. I did, however, grow to enjoy the dramatics of the world in comparison to the first book.

Jessica Clare returns with another magical rom-com in this steamy enemies-to-lovers story that outdoes the first in the series...

Penny is tired of being the magical bridesmaid and never the bride -- well, never the familiar. She's desperate for her chance at the "big show", being a familiar to a powerful witch or warlock who can teach her all she needs to know so that one day she can do her own magic instead of filling orders for magical ingredients in the back room of a vape shop. Willem is forbidden from doing magic thanks to a crime he didn't actually commit, and recent events have left him in dire need of a familiar who is willing to risk everything to be his magical power source. Enter Reggie and Ben (from Hex #1 "Go Hex Yourself") with the perfect solution: Penny is just desperate to be a familiar that she's willing to ignore the danger, and Willem is just desperate for a familiar to put up with Penny's outgoing personality and loud outfits. With chemistry bursting off the pages and an old enemy threatening them, Willem will have to put his trust in Penny in more ways than one.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book even more than the first! Tauted as an enemies-to-lovers, Penny and Willem aren't really enemies, which is just my kind of trope. It's more like an opposites-attract situation more than anything else. And it works. Willem is softened by Penny's sunshine and caring nature, while Penny is more confident thanks to Willem's support and strength. I also liked the plot, even though it wasn't quite as interesting as Go Hex Yourself. The spice was definitely at a level 5, and my only real complaint is that the spice sometimes got in the way of the plot: there were at least one or two scenes where I was like, "Really?? Right now?!" But otherwise I really enjoyed this story and these characters, and readers of Hex #1 will like the guest appearances of Reggie and Ben.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

The following review was posted on my blog four days ago, on Tuesday, April 4th, the day of publication. It was shared on Instagram twice and has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.







“You’re obscene.”
“You love it.”
“Jupiter help me, I really do.”

Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Describes toxic relationships and mentions animal death. Contains explicit sexual content.

“What The Hex” follows Penny Roundtree, a hopeful familiar without a warlock or witch, and Willem Sauer, a 270-year-old warlock, as they participate in a downright illegal arrangement—she’ll be his familiar while he’ll teach her the magic he isn’t even supposed to partake in. But when doubts begin to rise, they have to act as a couple to justify the amount of time they’re spending together, even though they’re as different as opposites can get.

This book had all the cards stacked against it and it still won my heart over. Because, although I was looking forward to this series as a whole, I came into this sequel a bit biased and disappointed when I read it would be following Penny—I found Penny to be extremely annoying and a bit naïve in “Go Hex Yourself.” So now, tell me, why did I love this second installment so much?

Warlocks are meant to teach their familiars, and oh, did Penny have a lot to learn and Willem a lot to teach. I absolutely loved how the characters in the first installment were present in “What The Hex”. Nowadays, series tend to be more standalone-ish, and you’ll get a small crossover here and there and that’s it, but this was not the case with Jessica Clare’s Hex series. Here, Reggie from “Go Hex Yourself” was ever present in Penny’s life, be that through texting or through actual in-page time together. It was definitely different to other series I’ve experienced lately.

In general, this was a fluffy but spicy piece that’ll have you finishing up the whole 336 pages in one sitting, running for that HEA. If you like witchy and magical romances, then don’t hesitate on grabbing the Hex series—its magic system is complex enough to entertain but simple enough to understand and leave enough space for romance and some plot development.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

Review posted as part of a blog tour.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 4, 2023

I read through this book so fast after enjoying the first one so much!

I was worried that the author would rely on the same storyline from the first book and that this book would feel repetitive. Thankfully, there were enough new elements introduced that it didn’t feel like that.

I love Penny’s attitude but, similar to Willem, I hated the way she speaks in abbreviations sometimes. The author did an amazing job at making Willem such a jerk while managing to turn him into a lovable character.

The spice level was taken up a notch in this one, especially with the unique and creative way the author made Penny feel magic as a familiar. *insert winking face emoji here*

As in the her other book, Go Hex Yourself, the author has no problem drawing you in for a mystery despite the general lighthearted feel of the story.

There were definitely some parts that were predictable for the ending but others parts that were not so much. Still a great book and a fun read!

The Hex series is just loads of fun! Fast paced, quirky, witty and spicy, and just the right magical world building. I really ADORED the first one in the series, and I enjoyed this one too. Clare delivers a one-sit delightful and airy paranormal rom com read, the perfect escape into a world of magic.

Penny Roundtree desperately wants in on the magic, so much so that she agrees to be the familiar to a banished warlock just to finally realize her dream. Warlock Willem is a grumpy, mercurial warlock to serve. Penny is the sunshine to his hail cloud, and she's also breaking all the rules by working for....well, a rule breaker. Cue all the forbidden vibes and opposites attract clashing! Especially when they have to start fake dating...and keep expanding their lies...to get people to believe their ruse.

Penny is quite a quirky explosion of joy, and Willem is deliciously broody. Like the last story, we also get a fun mystery and some suspense that forces these two to work together. They start off as oil and water animosity, but they quickly find their groove. The chemistry is really adorable, and although the falling felt a bit of a flip switch for me, I did like that we got more of them together. Plenty of spice (Clare can bring some heat!) I really liked them together, and overall it was a solid read. I'm loving this series- its a great world to get lost in.