Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Super cute, fun, magical read that was brimming with banter and second chances. Set in a quaint seaside village, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic is full of magical contests, riddles and quests.

It had some awesome tropes: only one bed, forced proximity, he falls first, witch finding her magic… but I couldn’t help but feel like I was reading a YA book. Everything came a little too easy to Aria and there wasn’t any grit - or all out self doubt that she had to conquer to rise up.

Also the relationship - it was sweet. I wanted more edge. Light on the spice too.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this. All thoughts are my own.

It has been a while that I read a witchy book set in a mixed world of regular & fantasy.
But OMG this one was so cute, cosy and well explained, that it felt like I was part of it @ charming cove.

All the adorable magical creatures gave me Fantastic Beasts vibes, but it were the plants that stole the show. Not only Aria’s love for them but also the amazing Garden of Enchantment made me want to be a plant lady myself.

Where this is a romance with a love story between Aria and Callan, it was for me not the main part of this book. There was the competition to become the new keeper of the Garden of Enchantment and follow-up Mr Sparrow. But the part was the friendships between Aria and her grandmother, as well as the one between Aria and her best friend Tabitha. And towards the end perhaps even between with her new familiar, the sassy badger Boris. I really loved the genuine community vibes.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the chance to read a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review

The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic is the first novel in the Charming Cove Series by Linsey Hall. It’s a modern magical romantasy about a witch called Aria and her struggle to control her magic. It’s set in a whimsical village in Cornwall where a community of magical folk live their lives hidden away from the mundane.

This book is full of endearing, quirky characters including a grumpy, bacon sandwich loving badger. Although there is a fair amount of romance in this novel, it’s almost a side story to the main plot, which focuses on a competition to win the local magical gardens. Aria must compete against a group of other witches, including one of the most influential mages in the world, to try and save her Gran’s potion shop.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time, definitely my favourite this year so far. I finished it over a week ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it! I am so excited for the second book in the series and really hope we see lots of familiar characters again (especially Boris!)

Thank you to Linsey Hall, Bonnie Doon Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Really enjoyed this! I loved the backstory and history to the characters, the idea of a missed chance that came too early. I always enjoy a witchy/magical story and I liked the community setting in this one. It includes:

- enemies to lovers
- one bed (kind of)
- a bit of a second chance romance

Overall I enjoyed the book and it was super fun to read. I do think I could’ve done with a little bit more tension it just never felt like there was that much at stake. However if you are looking for something a little calmer and cozy this is a good one to pick.

This book was AMAZING!

Aria is a magical disaster and after escaping her seaside hometown 8 years ago, she is summoned back by her Gran when the Garden of Enchantment needs a new owner. Unfortunately Lionel Sparrow the current owner has created a competition to find the person who deserves to inherit it. What will happen when the man she loathes, Callan Hawthorne (a billionaire mage) is in town and also wants to win the competition.

I loved this book! It is a 1st person, dual POV, fantasy romance.

The backstory of Aria and Callan was written really well. I loved the supporting characters, especially Tabitha, her best-friend and Catrina, Tabitha's seven-year-old niece. This book was one of my first tries at magic realism and fantasy romance and I think Linsey Hall did an excellent job.

The competition was well executed with lots of highs and lows to keep you invested. I loved the growth in Aria's confidence and the story of her magic. Callan is a character with a lot of depth that isn't explored deeply but you can still understand where he is coming from.

I would definitely be interested in reading more books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Linsey Hall and Bonnie Doon Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of merging fantasy with reality, it's arguably my favourite book genre. In this one, we meet a failed witch (Aria) who is dragged back to her home town and reunited with the mage (Callan) who she never forgave for destroying something precious to her. She is forced to overcome her issues with magic in order save her family's business, while competing against Callan.

It's a very fun story, and I liked both the lead characters. It's told from both perspectives, which I much prefer as a narrative style. I loved the use of plant magic and particularly liked Aria's badger familiar called Boris.

I really wanted to see some more tension both with the romance and the competition. Most of the plot points were resolved too easily for my personal preference, and it never felt like there was really that much at stake anyway.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself though, and absolutely know this book will be a bit hit with fans of books like A Good Witch's Guide To Fake Dating A Demon and The Wisteria Society Of Lady Scoundrels (although possibly aimed at a slightly younger audience).

Aria is a failed witch. Every time she tries to use her magic, it blows up in her face. Literally. But when she’s tasked with trying to win The Garden of Enchantment in order to save her grandmother’s spell shop, Aria must learn to harness her magic once and for all.

This is a really cute book, but it is a little corny. Aria seems a bit immature for her age, and this reads more like a YA book, especially with the Boris the Badger character. I don’t mind YA books, but that’s not how this one is described. There’s some spice in the last third of the book, but it’s fairly mild, which I personally prefer. I enjoyed Linsey Hall’s writing style. It’s fast paced and funny, and her prose is descriptive but not superfluous; I was able to imagine Charming Cove without needing to skim paragraphs to get to the plot. There wasn’t a ton of time spent on Aria’s past as a failed witch who was bullied. Instead, it’s woven throughout the book as she’s getting to know Callan better and working through the competition. I also enjoyed the characters, especially Gran. She’s the typical sweet old lady, but she’s also funny and smart. The Callan chapters were very short and sporadic. They didn’t feel necessary, and I would have preferred sticking with Aria’s perspective, but I did like their will-they-won’t-they tension throughout. Overall this is a cute, fast read. Thanks to NetGalley, Linsey Hall, and Bonnie Doon Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review 📚

A Modern Girls Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall. 4/5 ⭐

I actually really loved the book. It was cute, witchy, love/hate and the story from dual POV was awesome.

Aria - a witch who's not capable of witch-ing. She moved away from her hometown because she was the "joke" of the town due to her lack of being able to witch properly. Aria is called back home to compete in a competition, which she obviously believes she will fail! But her grandmother refuses to believe it.

Callan - a successful business mage, who believes himself to be the most powerful mage/witch in the world. Also, he's very rich! Anyway, he's come back to Aria's hometown to compete in the competition as well. And - he's VERY attractive.

So, they're both here in Charming Cove competing in this competition - both for different reasons. Now, they met years ago when Aria was 17 and he done something that she couldn't forgive and now hates him. He on the other hand couldn't stop thinking about her. So Aria being there for him is a chance for him to steal her over and convince her that he's amazing! She, does not reciprocate the feeling and still despises him. They've both been paired together for this competition, so they HAVE to work together - to Aria's dismay. But that's not to say she doesn't change her mind, right?!

Aria is such a willful character that I just loved her. Her lack of confidence in herself is relatable for so many reasons, but actually with a little push she's capable of big things. The book has dual POV which is always a win for me, I like being able to see in the minds of all those in the book - it doesn't love me with unanswered questions!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for allowing me to read this ARC sampler - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

The cozy magic genre done right. This story has plants, potions, strong female friendships, a bit of romance, a sarcastic badger, and a main character, Aria, who struggles with her magic. The takeaway is that our superpower may not look like everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. This was such a fun and charming read. It made me laugh out loud several times. It definitely has some Harry Potter vibes with a dash of romance mixed in. I found myself wishing I had Aria’s specific powers (and living in her charming waterfront cottage). If you’re looking for a cozy read about a woman discovering her magic, definitely check this one out.

🫖 ARC Review 🫖

📚 ”The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic” by Linsey Hall 📚

After years of avoiding her past and her magic, Aria returns to Charming Cove for a competition to win the local Garden of Enchantment. Unfortunately/Fortunately, she finds that a man she despises more than anything is competing against her. Throughout the challenges, the two grow closer and discover that the garden might not be the only thing they’d like to win over.

I loved this story, while the romance wasn’t the focal point of the story, I found it to be lovely. I appreciated Aria’s character growth as she discovered herself and how Callan understood what was best in the end.

ALSO, Boris is a hilarious character who deserves all the bacon sandwiches in the world 🥓 I honestly really want to read a romance with Tabitha as well because I loved her and Catrina’s characters.

✨ Included Tropes ✨
- Dual POV
- Second Chance
- Outcast x Billionaire
- Enemies to Lovers
- Small Town
- One Bed
- Small Age Gap

✨ Ratings out of 5✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ - spice once without details

🗓️ Release Date: June 2, 2023

What a fun read! I will be honest; I did judge a book by its cover, and I loved it! Think of the romance of Twilight mixed in with a little bit of Hogwarts. The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic is a delightful story filled with romance, magic, and competition. We meet Aria, a witch who never seemed to be able to get the hang of magic and left home to start a new life in London. Years and several disastrous magic mishaps later, she is called back to Charming Cove to save her family's potion shop by competing for the Garden of Enchantment. But can a witch whose magic is wonky and unpredictable stand a chance competing against some of the most powerful in the magic world to save the day?

We also meet Callan, a handsome mage who possesses not only the strongest of magical abilities but also immense wealth. Oh, did I forget to mention that he's a billionaire? He also has his eye on the same prize! These two characters have a history, and it's not all good. As they find themselves contending for the prize, their past resurfaces, and tension builds.

In this delightful rom-com, you will fall in love with Charming Cove and all its characters. I can't wait to read the second book in the series!

Thank you Netgalley, the author Linsey Hall, and the publishers for allowing me an advance copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

This book is pure magic! It made me laugh, smile, and root for the underdog. It was such a light read with such a sweet romance progressing throughout the story! Oh and I can't forget about Boris! He definitely is a key part of the book!

This book was so cozily adorable with the right dusting/sprinkling of spice. First of all I need Boris merch. That badger has my entire heart now. He's so adorable even tho I'm sure he'd maul my face but maybe I could trade him food for pets? Also the romance in this book was the right slow build and I loved every second of it.

I really liked how there was underlying themes of self acceptance, finding yourself and never giving up. That family is there to help when we need it as well. This book defn gets all the stars from me .

3* A book about magic, finding your strength and cooperation.

Aria feels like a failure, she's lost her job again and her home with it.
As soon as she gets there to look for a new job, she finds her gran waiting for her, who gets her to agree to come back to Charming Cove, her native home, to enter a competition to save their potions shop.
Aria is a witch who seems to be unable to use her powers: no matter how hard or how long she tries; she grew up getting emarginated and bullied, which are the reasons which led her to leave her beloved Charming cove and her loving family to try her luck in London.
Now she has to get back and couldn't feel worse, except when discovering the charming Callan Hawtorne, the most handsome mage alive which she got infatuated with years ago, will be against her in the competition...

The modern girl's guide to magic is nicely written and it's not a bad story, only it felt kind of naive and not too original.
There was no real threat if not Aria own limits which "magically" got solved with a chat and an intuition...
There are some nice moment between Aria and Callan but I felt no real challange against their relationship either... and why do authors seem fixed on male forearm?
The one good thing about the book is the way the characters gets to cooperate and work together to get to the result, but it didn't feel enough... I also really liked Catrina's character, she's a real force of the nature.
I would still recommend it to someone looking for an easy magical read.

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for providing this book as an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic was the perfect Summer read!

Aria is a self proclaimed "magical disaster", drawn back to her home in Charming Cove to take part in a competition to win a huge magical fortune. Whilst competing, she must reckon with Callan, a billionare mage who also happens to be her enemy, alongside her own magical problems. The romance is sweet and funny, wrapped in a whimsical world of magical plants and talking animals.

If you want a light-hearted book that will make you smile, then this is the one for you!

This has everything that you could possibly want in a witchy romance book, enemies to lovers and a marvellous familiar! I loved this and really hope there will be some sort of sequel to it as it was fabulous from start to finish!

A sweet rom-com! i read this pretty quickly and enjoyed it, cant wait for the next installments in this series

3.75 stars

One of the main reasons that I picked up this book was its cover. Then I read the summary and I wanted to read it even more. The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic is a cute and cosy, low-stakes fantasy set in a quaint little village. It involves a competition to inherit a magical garden. The main character, Aria has out-of-control magic which has caused many incidents. She wants to inherit this garden so that she can save her family's potion shop. I actually really liked Aria's character; she is the perfect representation of quirkiness, but also hope and determination. Callan was a pretty interesting character too; I liked his sense of humor and his willingness to do things for Aria. What weirded me out a little bit was the part where the age gap between Aria and Callam was revealed. It made things kind of awkward to read about and though Aria was a grown adult when they meet again, that age difference at their first meeting really affected my reading of the rest of the book.

Otherwise, this is a really cute fantasy with romance that is well done.

(if you're able to look past that strange age-gap that is.)

I really wanted to like this but unfortunately, I DNF'd it. I just don't think this book was for me. It had quite a slow start and that is possibly why I couldn't get into it. The book read more YA than adult and I think that could have contributed to why I could not get into it. I'm not opposed to giving it another try down the line but for now I had to put it down.