Rose and Damien are so cute in this rom com! It's a lighthearted read that had me flipping pages. I absolutely adored Damien and his growth throughout the story! I'm ready for book 3 and see the next couple in line.

Rose Maxwell is assigned community service at an animal sanctuary owned by half-demon veterinarian, Damian Adams. He is also her first and only one-night-stand. They eventually agree to a friends-with-benefits arrangement while Rose completes her service hours. Due to a soul hex placed on him by an ex, Damian can’t fall for Rose or he'll lose his humanity.

This book went above rom-com to me to a level of cheese and banter that I didn't really like. Also Rose was really annoying and juvenile for being in her 30s. The soul hex explanation seemed very vague until the very end.

Rose is a witch who recently kind-of demoted from the heir-apparent job she'd been training for her whole life, getting out of a disastrous arranged marriage in the process, and has now become a bit adrift. After an ill-conceived night of would-be mayhem, she's sentenced to community service. Damian is the half demon sporting a hex on his soul that keeps him from creating real attachments to others. He's also the guy whose animal sanctuary Rose tried to break into, who now has to handle her as a volunteer.

I GOT THIS AS AN ARC. I'm really hoping most of what I saw got fixed somehow. The ARC has grammar issues all over. But even beyond that, honestly, the writing isn't great. I managed to finish, but it took me way longer than it should have. If I had to read the badly misused and WAY overused phrase "damn if he/she didn't" one more time, I might have yanked out hair. And I'll be damned if I can see that phrase used again -even properly- and not roll my eyes at this book's use of it.

This is the second in a series that I missed the first of, but I won't be going back. I didn't like the writing or overarching storyline enough for that. The world building was okay, and the idea behind the story was good enough. The execution left a lot to be desired.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

Not your ex’s hexes

This book took a moment to get into but once I was in… I was FULLY in. I couldn’t put it down and now am desperate to pick up the first book and awaiting the third to come out. This supernatural romance incorporates not only magical components but a sweet romance, lovable animals, and self discovery for both main characters. I love this couple and the journey they experience to come together. Lots of pop culture references and every character has a whit that will make you laugh out loud. I love this book and it’s a definite read.

I received an advanced review copy of this novel and am offering my honest opinion not only voluntarily but enthusiastically.

Looking for your Valentine's Day read? You've found it. This book is a steamy romance between a smokin' hot grumpy half demon and a powerful witch. Add grumpy sunshine vibes in the setting of an animal rescue and now you see why it's a must read. It's the second in a series but can be read as a standalone.

I loved this book. It was so much fun to read. This book had me cackling with its chapter titles and banter. If you can find a friend to buddy read this with. I read it with a few friends and we were sending messages at all hours with our favorite parts and wow moments.

As good as the first one! If you haven't read Not the Witch You Wed and would like to start the series from the second book, it can be read as a standalone. We get enough backstory of what happened to Violet falling in love with her gorgeous Alpha Lincoln and all the events that led to Rose stepping down from her postion of Prima Apparent, so don't worry you won't feel overwhelmed or lost, but if you have choice, start from the first book- Maxwell sisters and their Gran are a joy to behold and April Asher knows a thing or two about writing a super-charged hot and spicy scene.
Back to Rose...I loved the relationship the three sisters had in Not The Witch You Wed and it was clear that whatever Rose decides to do with her life now, her triplet sisters are going to back her in every way possible..and this is exactly how the Magic Triad find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Rose tried to rescue two sick mares only to be caught red-handed and sentenced to community service in an animal shelter. She has a super strong affinity to animals (Could this be her purpose in life?), but the job involves dealing with a certain half-demon/veterinarian she had a one night stand with. Mature, responsible, and wise adults as we are, we do know that running into or even worse working with your one-night-let's-have fun-and-go-our-merry-way is a recipe for awkwardness and nothing else, but our little romantic hearts keep believing that no mattter how and where you meet your soulmate, you'll find your way to being with each other. With or without grand gestures.
I was a big fan of Violet who needed to let it go and trust her powers and I'm an even bigger fan of Rose who is trying to figure out her place in life, without sugarcoating things or lying to herself. She is strong, capable, and focused on others (people and animals). Sometimes a serious relationship or even an engagement doesn't work out and it's only natural to feel lost until you find your feet again. Pretty realistic and this is what kept me hooked on the story. Plus, Damian is super-hot with his existential broodiness and dedication. These two have some serious chemistry going on... Only a devoted fan of the romcom genre could come up with this level of hotness!
If curling up with a paranormal romcom is your idea of happiness, don't miss this sweet and spicy witchy series. Can't wait to read Olive's story, she may be the youngest of the three Maxwell sister, but she sure sounds intriguing!

My first DNF..

First, this is nothing against April Asher. I've heard nothing but good things. But here is why I personally DNF'd at page 20.

(I didn't read book #1 so maybe that is some of my problem.. but I also do not enjoy the writing style.)

Triplet witches (Rose, Olive, Violet) are on a mission with a fourth friend and succubus (s3x demon, Harper).
Both the triplets' mother, Christina, and grandmother, Edie (who is prima apparent - aka top witch) have been mentioned. All of the following have also been mentioned / introduced within these first 20 pages: Damian Adams (half-demon), Miguel (retired norm veterinarian), Lincoln Thorne (North American Pack Alpha), Adrian Collins (lion-shifter), Bax Donovan (guardian angel)....

Trying to keep all of the characters straight, which was what (tiger-shifter, witches, half-demons, lion-shifters, guardian angel, norms, etc.) and the few locations / places mentioned was too much for my brain.

I felt that the triplets were also written and perceived as juvenile when they are around their 30's which I didn't enjoy. Especially one of them calling their toy, "Mr. Wiggles"...

Too many pop culture references for my personal liking in a fantasy read: red bull, 'mr. wiggles', supernatural, jensen ackles, will smith, jason momoa, disney...

^ All of that in 20 pages. My brain is too tired to continue.
Not to mention that there was at least 5 of those 20 pages that referenced their Operation Equine Freedom - which I didn't even discuss above.

Rose is finding herself after losing a perfectly curated image and HE was not part of her journey. Damian was hexed and has been running from it since. Will Rose & Damian be able to break the hex or will it break them forever?

Ooookk, but this was equally cute and tense! I am HERE FOR IT.

Things I liked:
✨Rose’s journey and her unwillingness to bend to what others expected her to do.
✨Damian being a vet. I mean come on - the “bad boy” gushes over animals.
✨The cutsie everyday phrases or words changed to fit for the supernatural world.
✨Perfect grumpy/sunshine setup.

Things that weren’t my favorite:
✨The pacing seemed off at times. It seemed like there was a little bit of “hurry up, then wait.”
✨While I liked the supernatural words/phrases, I found it to be overdone and, at times, it distracted from the story.

This book was so much freaking fun. Absolutely bonkers in all the best ways, full of warmth and humor and sexiness I loved this outcome for Rose and the set up for what I'm sure is going to be an awesome book 3. The way Damian loved Rose was absolutely wonderful and it did my grumpy sunshine heart good to read. I really just loved everything about the book and think everyone needs to read it. Plus animal sanctuary, fun with old people, sexy banter and sisters who are friends. It's got everything. So many thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an early copy.

I thought this book was super cute and I very much enjoyed the romance between grumpy Damian and figuring herself out Rose. I thought these two characters had real chemistry and I liked their interactions quite a bit. The parts of the book that take place in the animal sanctuary were some of the highlights and I like how Rose was able to pivot her take charge attitude to meeting professional goals rather than just romantic goals.

I would have liked to see more of Damian's inner struggle with his demon. It was very much more telling rather than showing and I didn't really buy him as a supernatural character very well.

The only thing that I wasn't that enthused about story-wise was the supposed hex. For such a big lead up, the end kind of fizzled with it. I thought the secondary cast was great and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I love a grumpy/sunshine rom-com. This book is the second in what I assume will be a series of three books, each sister going through their own love story.

I didn’t read the first, and normally I don’t feel like I need to with these rom-com same-universe friend groups or sisters finding love novels but with the magic element I sort of felt like maybe I should have read the first book before this one for some of the world building elements I assume were in that one and we’re just sort of briefly recapped in this one.

I thought the story for this one was kind of scattered, there was a lot going on that probably could have been trimmed back. The whole thing with raising money for the sanctuary though the animal cams just sort of slowly disappeared after being a whole thing at first. Damien and his brother’s relationship never really develops. I felt like the author was trying too hard to hint at the future book with Olive’s storyline with Bax.

Some of the writing felt a little eh with unnatural dialogue, a lot of silly name calling for grown adults (bwitch is a little cheesy).

The ending felt a little anticlimactic, the whole buildup of this soul hex that ended up having an easy solution that felt rushed.

Overall, this book was just fine with some cute elements woven in. I’ll have to read the first one eventually, cause usually the first books in these types of series is the best.

If you’re looking for a rom-com with magical elements, this is a good one to go with if you don’t want anything too complicated.

Hot, funny, and fun. All the things you need and want from a contemporary paranormal romance. The animal sanctuary was an added bonus that warmed my heart to these characters.
When Rose Maxwell steps down from training to be the next Prima, she finds herself lost on what to do next. Exhibit A, animal rescue. Only it turns out rescuing = trespassing, and trespassing = community service. And when her community service is required to be completed at the animal sanctuary she has to handle muck and horses with a gloomy, surly vet who also happens to have been her one night stand.
The banter, the snark, the steamy scenes added together to make a great romantic comedy with magic and demon catching. A great read for readers who enjoy family banter, stubborn magical characters, and love.

Witchy book rec!

April Asher returns with another fabulous book in her Supernatural Singles series! Not Your Ex’s Hexes is book 2 in the series and is Rose’s story.

I don’t read a ton of fantasy books because I always get bogged down in the world-building. What I love about this series is that the human and magical worlds exist together, so details on the magical/fantasy side pop up when necessary to explain something in the story, but it’s not endless info about a new (to me) world.

I don’t think this is quite magical realism because it’s not humans-with-magic, but it’s something near that. I don’t really know what, but I do know that it’s an effortless read and I love the series!

The Maxwell witches are fabulous and their romantic partners are equally great. I love the dual POVs, because getting inside both heads when a relationship is developing is one of my favorite things. The push-pull of Rose and Damian’s personalities was alive on the page; Asher really brings her characters to life and I always end her book thinking I’m besties with the MCs.

While this is a fun series, Asher also goes a bit deeper in parts of the story. The sisters and their partners deal with life changes, insecurities, and fears. And there’s this wonderful subtext of inclusivity, acceptance, and embracing who you are. Damian’s character arc was my favorite, but Rose had a lot of growth too.

Do you ever feel like you get to know a character so well that you feel like you could be friends? (Kudos to all the authors who write these incredibly relatable characters!) I wish a funny, sassy, smart MC like Rose would hop off the page and into my life!

Not Your Ex's Hexes
Book #2 in the Supernatural Singles
Rating: 2 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

****SPOILERS AHEAD****


Not Your Ex's Hexes was an okay read for me. Having read the first one (which I loved!) this one was a little let down. I was really not into the story and I'll be honest and skipped the middle part of it.
I really like the world the author has built in this series, but somehow this didn't just work for me. For one I think both leads behaved a little immature for being two people in their 30's. Also, why the hate from the very beginning...they had a one night stand but I don't get why they hated each other when they saw each other again.
Maybe it was explained in the part I didn't read, but since I did read the last chapters there was no mention of it. The third act breakup was centered around his curse.
In the end, I do look forward to the 3rd book in the series,

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
Not Your Ex's Hexes follows the witch Rose Maxwell who is meant to be the next Prima on the Supernatural Council. After getting into some trouble she is sentenced to community service at the animal sanctuary. The only issue is that she already had a one-night stand with Damian who is the half-demon veterinarian. The two have great chemistry so they enter into a friends-with-benefits agreement. I found this book to be absolutely hilarious. There was a lot of tension and great banter which I loved. I liked seeing other characters from the first book as well. I also really liked the animal care aspect of this book because it's something our main characters work together on. If you are looking for a fun supernatural romance I would recommend it!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, April Asher, & Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

🌶🌶🌶.5 on the spice

I really enjoyed this, it was really good! If you like shifter, witchy , romance definitely pick this up. It's worth the read!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, so I was super excited when I received an arc of this one! And it was so cute!! This sequel revolved around Rose and Damian, a witch and a half-demon that have a one night stand, thinking they would never see each other again. But they are thrown together for Rose's sister's wedding and a mishap when Rose tries to free some abused horses. The relationship between Rose and Damian was so cute, and I really enjoyed watching them grow and change and learn to trust each other. And i also really liked the emotional undertone of the story. This was so cute and I cannot wait for the third one!

A super cute and fun witchy read! It really was a delightful and easy read. From all the heavy stuff out right now this was a perfect get away!

2/5 stars

I personally couldn’t connect with the characters and I couldn’t find myself engaged enough to the plot. I felt as though there was great potential with the book, i love reading paranormal romances, however this one didn’t maintain my interest.

I see my audience liking this book still and if the blurb grabs your attention, I still recommend reading it for yourself!💓

The book started with a solid prologue, I couldn’t stop smirking. Funnily enough, chapters are named on the main base of the content of chapters, I love reading them and speculating on what might come out of them. The story is admirable to read and the banter is too good till the end to enjoy in earnest. The plots take different turns and I enjoyed each and every one of them. I am a sucker for heartbreaks and it did go but that took a different turn of events and gave us what we wanted all along.

Rose is searching for her purpose, she was to lead the witch community but now she’s clueless and in search of her destiny whereas Damian is in quest of avoiding any and everyone around him. He has a Hex on him which is pretty dangerous to live a full life with. They both are opposites but have a very strong head game. I liked the Maxwell sisters a lot.

The concept of the story is glorious and easy to keep you hooked. The wordings used are intense and convey so many things in one go. Two people with different mindsets and aims and past and different future perspectives, want nothing to do with each other but can’t seem to avoid the attraction they are feeling. They jump to the first wagon they can find to connect without strings attached. 

The story is all spiced up and who doesn’t love a good spicy tale? I adore how preciously animals are treated in the story, which involves some cuties.