Cute take on witchy love! I enjoyed the shenanigans throughout and fell in love with Emma and Bastian. Childhood friends to fake dating was well excited and believable. The magical twists made it all the more swoony.

Let me start by saying that I share a birthday with this book and this book starts on the main character, Emmaline’s birthday. Of course, we find out why that’s important later but let’s get into the plot.

Emma is supposed to get married to Bastian who is her best friend yet before it can happen, he leaves. Bastian returns seven years later to get Emma to agree to marry him in exchange for helping him save his mother. It’s honestly such a unique plot and it ends up making for a delightful romance.

The two are very hesitant around each other at first, especially Emma. Even so, the romance between these two develops and it’s adorable. While they do have some sexy moments, the book is more about them reconnecting and forging a new bond after the intense hurt the two of them went through.

In addition, we follow Emma as she’s the co-owner of a human bar with her best friends, Tia and Leah. Bastian even decides to be a bartender for Toil & Trouble yet things get complicated as Bastian and Emma both have secrets they don’t want to reveal to each other.

While it seems like a conversation could solve all of their problems, things end up being much more complicated. I enjoyed the “twist” of what happened with Bastian and how it related to their agreement. I feel like that was so clever and I knew saw it coming so I have to give Sophie H. Morgan props for that.

The Witch is Back was an incredibly fun witchy romance yet I do feel like the romance took a bit longer to develop than I’d like. While I enjoyed their relationship, I wish we would have had a bit more relationship development before they started being intimate.

Regardless, The Witch is Back is such a fun summer read yet will be great for those transitioning into fall reads.

Such a great book! I couldn't stop reading- I especially loved the family dynamics and great friendships in this book. And of course the magic- I loved that it wasn't too hokey-pokey or over-powering in the storyline. A lot of growth in the characters which was also really nice.
Overall it was an easy read- beach read with hints of Halloween. Kind of stereotypical in it's genre, but I ate it up!

I’ve been struggling with how best to review this. I didn’t enjoy this read all too much, but it’s difficult for me to tell whether the book itself is bad, or whether it just happens to hit many of the tropes and pet peeves that tend to put me off.

Emmaline Bluewater and Bastian Truenote (WOW @ those names, btw) were childhood best friends in a world of witches and magic hidden among humans. Emma has always been madly in love with Bastian, and so is overjoyed when their families sign a contract that arranges them to marry.

Then shortly before they’re meant to marry, Bastian runs away, breaking Emma’s heart. She moves to the city and opens a bar with her friends to take her mind off of it, and to take care of her secret half-sister. Then, seven years later, Bastian comes back into her life and asks her to marry him again—because a curse threatening his mother’s life demands it.

This setup is quite contrived. I had trouble suspending my disbelief. They have to get married or else his mom dies? Yeah, ok. That’s convenient for the plot, but doesn’t seem like something that would ever happen even in a magical world. It’s an outlandish way to force your two love interests together.

Then, as I mentioned, there were many tropes I just don’t like in romance:
- Doormat heroine: Bastian comes back after breaking Emma’s heart and ruining her in the eyes of witch society, but she’s back in love with him practically immediately, blushing and stuttering and all. It was hard to watch. Grow a spine, girl!
- Miscommunications: both characters keep secrets from each other, for no better reason than to create drama and draw out the time before they finally get together. Emma keeps her half-sister a secret for almost the entire book, for reasons I never understood. She also keeps vital information that could seriously put
- Virgin MC: hate this. She’s in her late twenties, pretty, runs a bar. Unless she’s ace, it’s hard for me to imagine that she wouldn’t have had sex, ever.
- Evil mother: This kind of black-and-white portrayal of women’s relationship with mothers just strikes me as lazy writing. It’s easy to include a mother character who’s endlessly evil and greedy. It’s much harder, and much more worthwhile, to actually dive into how complicated loving someone who can’t love you in a healthy way can be.

So all of these tropes together conspired to make this a very unpleasant read for me. I did not like either of the main characters and wasn’t particularly invested in their romance. The only reason I finished it (with lots of skimming) was that I wanted to be able to write up a full, honest review.

That said, the writing was fine, as was the pacing. I certainly could see why someone who doesn’t have a problem with the tropes above might enjoy this romance. It’s just not for me.

Cute little romance novel.

Would be good to promote around Halloween and the surrounding months Due to the witch aspect alongside “the ex hex”

I didn’t find this one to be amazing or new in any way, the plot was simple and cute, without a lot of conflict or any big physical thing to overcome. I did like the family comes first aspect so that was cute

Emma is a self-professed wallflower. She's a witch with little power, and after being left at the altar by her childhood friend-turned-arranged betrothed, she moves to a new city and opens a bar. When Bastian returns and announces that he wants her back, secrets from the past start to cause a lot of trouble.

This was a fun romance, and while I enjoyed the writing, I found myself feeling disconnected from both of our main characters. Both Emma and Bastian need to learn and grow in very different ways, and usually I love that, but I found that both of them felt very surface-level to me. I wasn't really invested in the growth of their relationship.

At times I found both of them a little unlikeable, but that wasn't often. Emma took a long time to stand up to her horrible mother, and Bastian came across as selfish while expecting Emma to apologize to him. They both had major trust issues; this book was very emotional and angsty at times. There was a good amount of magic sprinkled throughout the story, but I could do with more.

Overall I would recommend this to someone who enjoys contemporary witchy romances.

What a fun story. Two people who were betrothed yet one ran away before the contract could be fulfilled are forced back together when it is found out that the contract has a clause that could hurt a family member if the wedding doesn’t occur. Yet it has been years since Bastian has run away and Emmaline has found a life that she not only loves, but that she must protect in order to protect someone really dear to her. This book has a sweet romantic plotline with a couple twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed watching the relationship rebloom and seeing that both Emmaline and Bastian relearn who the other person is. Overall, a great book that readers are going to slip into easily. The perfect summer read.
Thank you so much to Harlequin-Romance and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

Ignited by my love for the Harry Potter series, witchy reads have always made me happy! The Witch is Back is a fun, second chance romance between two childhood friends who were promised to one another as kids. However, on Emma’s 21st birthday, her betrothed leaves town without even a note, effectively breaking off their engagement. Years later, Bastian blows back into her life with a plea to reconsider their engagement.

This story is filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing. I enjoyed the characters, as well as the magic system, though it did take me a minute to fully grasp. I couldn’t help falling in love with charming Bastian, even as Emma fought herself in an effort to keep from doing the same.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I hope to ready more by Sophie Morgan in the future!

The Witch is Back will be published on August 15, 2023.

Thank you to Sophie Morgan, Harlequin Books, Mills & Boon, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely a suspend belief, romantic fantasy, not to be taken too seriously. The storyline is a typical romance, where one more or less knows how it's going to end, it just how they get from point A to point B. Friends to engaged, to almost enemies, to engaged and having to learn how to at least tolerate each other. Of course there's secrets and friends who who are more than willing to share their opinions (either negatively and sarcastic or positively and full of hope). I had fun read reading this book, definitely not taking it too seriously.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This author has created characters who are truly lovable... or not, purposely so. I couldn't put this down from the start, immediately relating to Emma (any introvert will) when Bastian, her ex-fiance, sweeps back into her life as if nothing ever happened. As if he never left.

I'm not sure how Bastian won me over, but Sophie Morgan pulled it off, creating a couple I utterly rooted for by the end. I even love Bastian, when at the beginning I wanted to throw a shoe at him.

Emma has separated herself from her witchy society, moving to Chicago for a very good reason after her fiancé basically ghosts her. Now he's back, and asking for her hand... again. What ensues is an engagement of convenience, forced proximity, protective MMC, dual POV, FMC finding her voice book that I want to shout about from the rooftops.

With magic, found family, rescue pets, and a slow-burn that culminates in perfect spice, I highly recommend this! I couldn't put the book down, and formally demand Leah, Emma's human friend's story.

This is the perfect witchy rom-com. I cannot wait for more in this world!

Any romance book involving witches always gets me! I will definitely be reading other books by Morgan. I would recommend this book for anyone needing to get out of a reading slump.

A really fun Romance, especially for lovers of Lana Harper and other witchy series. Emma Bluewater has put her oppressive mother and doomed romance behind her, and moved to Chicago where she starts a bar with her friends, on witch, and one human. Of course, the man who jilted her when they were supposed to be the witch match made in heaven, returns from out of the blue seven years later. Bastion’s reason for leaving was a good one, but it takes him a bit too long to just talk to Emma about it. And she’s not blameless either. You get a bit impatient with the way these two fail at communicating with one another, but it’s worth it because they are a good couple. Lots of heat and sweet moments. What I really appreciated is the way Bastian seems to really get to know Emma, and falls in love with the new her while also respecting that she will always be a bit shy. If you like witches and magic and Romance, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

A super cute and sweet second-chance witchy read that will be out just in time for autumn!
Who doesn't love a friends-to-lovers, sunshine hero story with the "It's always been you" moment? Be still my beating heart! Cannot wait for more folks to get their hands on it!


Thank you to Harlequin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much Netgalley for approving me to read this arc in exchange for a review.
This was such a cute and fun read! Absolutely devoured this book.

Emma's been betrothed to Bastion since they were children. But on the night that their engagement was to officially begin, he ran away. Seven years later, he's back in her life, and Emma has to find a way to make it through this engagement without hating him, or herself. Will they keep their secrets to themselves? Or will they dive into their marriage and hope for the best.

This was cute enough. It's not great literature, but it's got a decent love story, and an interesting plot overall. I like the side characters, the friends and the familiars. I thought Emma was a little too caricatured as timid and shy. Why do so many shy characters have to also stutter? Bastion was a decent enough male protagonist, though the "oh my God, everyone thinks he's so hooooot" way of describing a person is eh.

The mother is legitimately abusive and disgusting, and there's a huge part of me that wishes that authors wouldn't lean so heavily into the idea that parents have to be awful so very much of the time. I'm getting tired of controlling parents, but maybe I just keep finding books with one set who are just off the charts crazy.

I think the book is fun but predictable. I wasn't surprised at who knew what, and there was really only one factor that made me a little surprised in the whole plot. There's some cutesy humor and a couple of steamy scenes to tide over those who want/need that in their books.

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

Sweet and light. Reading. Knowing how it must end, I was curious to learn the why’s. Satisfying. Not great literature, but fun.

This book has major potential to be a great series. I loved the witch world and all Emma's friends. I loved the Chicago setting but they can portal anywhere. I loved the high witch society which can play out like gossip girl. I truly enjoyed the premises of the story and the 2nd chance love.
I found the first third of this story slow but as we got into the engagement and the witchy intrigue I was glued. I thought it was going to be fairly predictable but I didn't we the twist coming.
I would have liked more banter and way more character development. If I heard Emma was Shy as her only description again it would be way too soon. She was so much more and her stutter and blushing truly showed this feature. I loved her growth and how she and Bastian learned to trust each other. They really were fated to be together.
I think I would have liked more back story. We got a few stories and I loved hearing about their friendship. I think I would have liked to see Clarissa get a little more of what she deserved.
Overall very cute with lots of potential. Very much recommend to those that like witchy romance which Gossip Girl society and a great 2nd chance love.

Witchy without being Halloweeny. Good for all seasons, although I do expect to reread this come fall.

I absolutely loved this book, although sometimes I wanted to smash Emma and Bastian together yelling talk.

Emma's relationship with her support network was just darling and I loved all of their interactions. Especially Tia and Leah. You can never go wrong with having these two in your corner ready to throw a hex bag at your enemy. Especially if the perceived enemy is your ex-ish? fiance.

And Emma's familiar!? Oh my goodness, I am a sucker for all the shelter babies and would take them all home with me no matter how they looked. Unconditional love right there. Which Emma definitely needed after growing up with that witch of a mother.

Back to the main couple, they both have their baggage but both deserve happiness. The ending was adorable and I loved watching them work through their problems. It was also refreshing to see Emma interact with Bastian's parents. His parents are most definitely a love match, and we love a healthy example of a relationship.

All in all, loved this book. It made me feel all fluttery inside.

What a cute romance! I really need to read more paranormal romances because this was so much fun to read!

4.5 Stars This witchy, second-chance romance with a dual POV was so good! Seven years have passed since witch Emmaline "Emma" Bluewater's fiancé, Bastian Truenote, skipped town in the middle of the night, leaving only a note for his parents that said he couldn't marry her. Emma has mostly left the witch society behind in New Orleans, instead moving to Chicago to open up a bar with her friends. When Bastian walks through the door of her bar after all these years and with that same charming smile, she's flabbergasted. Even more so when she hears why he's back and what his plan is. Bastian can't tell Emma why he left in the first place--or even ask if he can trust her at all--but he can tell her that he needs Emma to marry him in order to fulfill their marriage contract and save his mother's life. Emma agrees and think that she can get through this marriage of convenience without spilling all of her secrets to Bastian and without a broken heart...again.

Second-chance is my favorite romance trope, especially with all of the angst and heartbreak when one half of the couple returns and they are reunited. This was a very emotional romance, with themes of vulnerability and trust, found family, and having the freewill to choose the life you want to live, rather than the one you've been forced into. I'm really hoping that I'm right when I say that the book seemed to set us up for some sequels, with Emma's friends, Tia (and some warlock named Henry?) and human Leah (with Emma's older brother Kole).