Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for access to this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

I had a lot of thoughts about this book, so I’ve separated them into things I didn’t care for and things I enjoyed. I had a lot of issues at the beginning and almost DNF’ed, but I’m so glad I didn’t! A lot of my issues were satisfactorily and cleverly resolved, and I’ll definitely be picking up subsequent books when I’m looking for a cozy read.

That’s a no for me:
-Lack of depth with the settings. I will allow that I know both the main settings (Chicago and New Orleans) really well, so my expectations were on the higher side. That said, if the settings are as rich as those two—two real-life cities with a wealth of information available about them, I’d expect more than just mentioning the French Quarter, beignets, and Lake Michigan once each. Mentioning more specific locations would have been nice. Relatedly, one of the characters conjures a cup of Starbucks coffee, and no one who has spent time in New Orleans or Egypt would pick that.
-Britwashing. The characters occasionally said things that were way too British. It was more turns of phrase than vocabulary, so I can see how it would be harder to spot! I think this ties into the setting issue—Chicago is massive and there are so many other places too, so I’m unsure why the magical folks of the US all seem to be in New Orleans. It’s a scope issue I find most often in books written by UK authors writing about non-European places.
-I thought the villain/antagonist was a little over-the-top and would have liked more nuance.
-I found the best friend, Tia, incredibly unsympathetic. She treated Emma a lot of the ways her mother did—she was controlling, judgmental, overly involved, and equally willing to curse people. I’m still excited to read her book down the line, but I hope there’s some sort of confrontation or reckoning, internally at least.

Hell yes:
-I generally find the “virgin heroine in her late 20s” trope off-putting, but it made so much sense for this one, and I was delighted that the hero was pretty much equally inexperienced.
-Through the first half of this book, I kept wanting to say, “the world won’t end if you say fuck! Or shit! Or damn!” But then I realized that as the characters were becoming more comfortable with each other and in their own skins, the language wasn’t as guarded. I thought that was a great, subtle bit of characterization.
-The smut is open-door, sweet, and spicy.
-Pacing—as I mentioned, I thought I was going crazy for the first bit of the book, but it ended up being intentional and very well done.

This is a 3.5/5 star read for me, and I look forward to reading any new stuff the author writes!

3.5⭐️

Emmaline Bluewater is the definition of a wallflower; shy, demure, and would truly rather be anywhere else. But growing up in a witch society gave her little reprieve from the judging stares and endless whispers. Seven years ago, her attempt at fitting in ended when the man she was contracted and desperate to marry left town without a word. Despite the initial heartbreak and embarrassment brought to the Bluewater family, Emma has found a happier life in Chicago with friends, family, and owning her bar, 'Toil and Trouble.' That is until her estranged fiance, Bastian Truenote, returns and wants her back. Emma is determined not to fall for Bastian's charms again, even if seven years later, their marriage of convenience is a matter of life or death.

The Witch is Back is a charming and corny second-chance romance. The introduction to the witchy world and characters was a bit heavy-handed initially but I found that the book hit its stride about halfway through. This book is very trope-y, which leans into the lightheartedness of it all. I loved the setting and magical elements. One of my biggest complaints is that Emma's mother deserved far worse than she got- let's hope for a sequel with Leah and Sloane to really destroy what that wretched woman was trying to build. This book was low stakes, low angst, light, and sweet. I loved watching our two main characters learn and grow to find their way back to one another.

Thank you, Netgalley and Harlequin Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book contained so many of my favorite rom-com tropes that it made my heart so full and happy. It was fun, light hearted, magical, full of amazing characters and even had some twists thrown in. One of my favorite witchy reads so far this year.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this book! It had not been on my radar but I received an email about it and decided that it looked interesting so I would check it out. I thought that the characters had good chemistry and I liked that Emmaline demonstrated her independence and she had a lot of great witty lines! I really liked the focus on her "chosen family" friend relationships as well. I think there are a lot of places in this world to go if there is interest in having additional books in this series!

A runaway fiancé, a magic society hidden among society, and a magical contract makes The Witch is Back a fun and sexy ride.

This book was cute! I thought it was pretty funny and the writing was nice. I love anything with witches, so that held my interest. It had some fun aspects. I didn’t love this book, but I did like it!

If you love cute witch romances, you will love The Witch is Back. The characters are alive with emotions, friendship, caring, and love. The relationship of Bastian and Emma is fraught with past experiences, distrust, and love. I really loved the book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a delightful read!

I am a big fan of the witchy rom com, and this absolutely did not disappoint. I adored these characters, and I felt like their chemistry was so organic and real. Emma is a complex character, she was treated terribly by her mother all throughout her childhood and it is easy to get frustrated with her over how little she stands up for herself. However, as the story goes on, we get to watch her grow and change in such a realistic way. Emma and Bastians chemistry is similarly raw and believable, which I don’t say lightly as someone who often finds rom com relationships to feel rushed and forced.

I loved the use of magic in this book, and I’m excited about some possible spin-offs in the future. I also was SO happy to find that the third act conflict wasn’t rooted in a needless communication issue, and rather in a protective instinct of Emma’s fbaa is easy for the reader to resonate with and understand.

Overall, this was a solid 4.5 stars for me. I am excited to see what this author comes up with in the future!

What happens when your ex comes back after leaving you before the wedding? It's complicated. It's fun. I really enjoyed this new take on the witch world. I hope to see more of this series and soon.

I found this to be an OK contemporary with a witchy vibe. While I really enjoyed some of it, overall it just wasn't a great fit for me.
The good stuff:
* I liked the witchy mythos, this seemed like a fun world to be in.
* The "old flame returns" trope is one of my favorites
* I love books where the magical world lives alongside the mundane
The not-as-good stuff:
* I did not feel chemistry between these characters
* All the characters were tropey even beyond what you kind of expect from the genre
* The conflict was literally non-existent outside of no one talking to each other like adults
All together it was a bog standard romance that you would expect from the genre/publisher. I wouldn't say its a "don't read," but I think this is for a romance reader whose tastes are simply different from mine.

I'm all for magical romcoms and this didn't disappoint me. With the added bit of mystery, this book was simply delightful. I'm going to be super disappointed if Morgan doesn't continue on in this world. I really need books that follow Tia, Leah and Sloane next.

For Libraries: If you have fans of paranormal romance (and what library doesn't?), then you will want this one.

Thank You to NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC! The Witch is Back follows the story of two witches who were tied in an engagement when they were younger. That is until Bastian leaves before he could marry Emma. Seven years later, Emma owns a bar in Chicago but Bastian returns with his intent to marry her. When I first read the description it automatically caught my eye and intrigued me on what their story was. I’m a huge fan of stories that surround themselves around witches because I feel that every author is able to give it their own twist. In this book that’s something that I really enjoyed as it was different compared to others. For me I think the book fell flat on the characters and their romance. I felt like some of their actions were a bit alarming and didn’t make quite sense. If the characters were more built on I think i would have enjoyed the book way more!

I loved this book. The characters were relatable and flawed. The chemistry between Emma and Bastian felt true and not forced. The secondary cast of characters made me laugh and now I want to be friends with them all. Paranormal romances can sometimes be a hit or miss for me, but the magic system in The Witch is Back was thought out well and written seamlessly into the story. I would recommend this book to someone who doesn’t read paranormal romances or books with magic in them.

The story was paced perfectly and gave time for the reader to fall in love with the characters individually and together. The reader really begins to understand their motivations. The twist at the end too was delicious and I did not see it coming.

I want more books in the Emma/Bastian universe immediately! I didn’t want to leave their world.

5 stars and I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

Magical, Propulsive, and Heartfelt

I am so grateful for the digital ARC that Harlequin provided in exchange for this honest review.

Shy witch Emma is finally finding herself after her fiance ran out on her without a word 7 years previously. When he returns without warning, Emma and the long-elusive Bastian are both forced to reckon with their past as they look to the future. Sparks fly literally and figuratively in this magical romance.

I loved this story! Emma is likable, relatable, and funny and her chemistry with Bastian is apparent throughout. The duo faces many twists and turns throughout their reacquaintance and the rekindling of their relationship. I don’t love a miscommunication trope, but as Sophie and Bastian let each other in, their level of confidence in each other (and themselves) grows and the progression through internal and external conflicts feels natural. The ancillary relationships are also a delight: that of Emma and Sloane, Emma and her best friends, Emma and her brother, Bastian and his parents. They all give the reader a glimpse into the protagonists values and give a measure of stability as Emma and Bastian face so many challenges. The ending is wholly satisfying and left me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. You won’t regret picking up a copy of “The Witch is Back”

This was a fun read with an interesting plot and a dynamic between the characters that I really enjoyed! I love the tropes in this book and although cheesy, were just cheesy enough that the romance was felt! I enjoyed the "world building" aspect of it and I felt it did well with what little time romance books give to their authors to really build that world!

The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan was definitely an enjoyable story.
It was a quick read and entertaining from the beginning.
A sweet, charming and witchy read with the best tropes ever from former childhood sweethearts to fake dating…. What’s not to love.?
This light-hearted romantic comedy stole my heart.
My first time reading Morgan’s work and I’ve gotta say I’m very pleased.
The Witch is Back was a funny, magical, and swoon worthy romance.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Harlequin for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

It felt like all of the character development was tied up in the world building, which was, in itself, clunky and protracted. Also most of the background people are just kind of gross and unlikable.

Magical, romantic, tense and heartwarming! 🔮 🖤 🐾 🥮 🍻
Sophie H. Morgan put a spell on me with this novel! I was hooked from first page and read it in one sitting. I loved learning about the magic system, family rankings and familiars while also trying to uncover the mystery of the curse. Super fun, quick read that will make you swoon!

Emma moved to Chicago after getting dumped by her fiancé’, and over the last seven years she has learned to be a stronger witch and a stronger woman. Her mother thinks she is still a disappointing daughter, but if Emma can avoid going home, then she can enjoy having two terrific friends and the developing relationship with her long-lost half-sister, and ignore the Wicked Witch.

Except one day, the bast… er, Bastion, that is, returns. The ex-fiancé. He “needs” to marry her. Not “wants”. And sadly, after explaining why, she may have to say yes. Dear reader, what follows is delightful storytelling. I adored this story and wish that there was magically more of the series ready to read, right this minute. I will be looking for Book 2!

I know your inquiring mind is wondering why I rated this four stars instead of five. The ‘he did this, she did that’ got a bit overlong. I felt like this rehashed some of the same story too often without breaking new ground. I, like Leah and Sloane, also would have liked to see more magic or more of the magic world on the other side of the portal. This is witches and warlocks and magic! Let’s see some magic! We did, but I would like more. Conversely, I appreciated the touch of the forbidden in knowing Leah and Sloane were not allowed to discuss magic or they were they were not supposed to know anything about that world.

Fun and easy romantic read! A shy innocent young witch, with an evil witch for a mother, has to learn to trust the warlock that broke off their engagement years before. Great for fans of the Ex Hex.