Happy pub day to The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Linsey Hall's latest and it was absolutely one of the cutest books I've read this year! It’s the first in a series of stand-alone romances set in the seaside village of Charming Cove. If Hallmark movies with a witchy vibe if your thing, then make sure to try this out!

The characters are simply delightful, managing to be both charming and funny. There is also a talking badger which I found to be a fun part of this book. The sweet love story feels like an Enemies to Lovers, but Callan has always liked Aria and is such a sweet, supporting MMC. The best part of this book is the relationship Aria has with her friends and family - warm and fuzzy no doubt!

This was the perfect, cozy read - if you love a small-town romance, with a magical twist, add this to your TBR!

Aria needs to save her shop, but she'll have to get her magic under control if she has any chance of succeeding. And it doesn't help that an infuriating competitor is making her feels things ...

An easy, witchy romance full of magic and excitement. Loved it!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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First of all, I really loved the magical society. It was well thought out and I loved the Author's portrayal. It felt as if I should just fall into the book and experience what the characters were experiencing. The setting was top notch.
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Normally, I don't like the enemies to lovers/haters to Lovers, but I liked that the MCs were able to settle the issue by the time I was few chapters in and I really liked that. I also liked that Callan knew he wanted Aria and he went for her.
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I liked the competition in Garden of Enchantment and how Aria finally got her magic to work perfectly
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I also loved all the characters from the MCs to supporting characters, especially Catrina. I'd really love to visit this town and see the characters again(AKA, I'm hoping there'll be Tabitha's story)
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This book was very nice, I liked it and I'm sure you'll like it too.

This book made me so so happy. I loved every second of it and how it felt like a big cozy warm hug.

I devoured this book, from the moment I started I could not put it down. I am already getting ready for a reread! This book is warm, lovable, happy and just so easy to read and get pulled into the world, story and characters.

This book was an absolute masterpiece and delight! Aria is an amazing character and watching her grow was just wonderful. I absolutely loved Callan and my days, I need more from them asap.

It had everything I needed: enemies to lovers, friendship, a good challenge, MAGIC!!, wonderful, funny and beautiful characters that leave you desiring for more.

I can’t wait to dive back into this world and I bet it will be just a good as this one and it will feel even more cosy and happy.

Thank you so much NetGally, the author and the publisher for the ARC in return of a fair review.

GOODREADS REVIEW LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5591232698

3.8 Stars
One Liner: Lighthearted and fun

Aria is a magical disaster. She’s a witch but cannot control her magic, putting her in complex situations. She does her best to avoid using her magic but ends up messing things up anyway. When Aria’s granny asks her to come back home to Charming Cove to participate in a competition, Aria is sure she’ll fail.
However, she has to win the competition to save their shop, Seaside Spells. If only her magic would cooperate. Of course, things get annoying when Callan Hawthrone is back in the town and a fellow competitor. She hates this rich guy, even if it is not always ‘hate’.
Can Aria learn to control her magic, win the competition, and maybe find her HEA?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Aria (more %) and Callan.
My Thoughts:

After my previous read, I wanted something light and enjoyable. I couldn’t have picked a better book. This is sweet, lighthearted, entertaining, and fun. There’s nothing intense about the book, so go into it with the right expectations.
The small town setting is magical and beautiful. Witches are common here, and people have varying degrees of magical powers. Though we don’t meet a lot of the townfolk, those we come across are supportive and friendly (except for a mandatory person).
The book deals with topics like bullying, loss, self-worth, finding oneself, and love. However, almost everything is on the surface level. This is an advantage and a disadvantage. Only Aria trying to overcome her insecurities and understanding her magic is detailed.
There’s a sort of enemies-to-lovers trope, but it’s resolved too easily and is based on a weak misunderstanding, so it doesn’t really count. Callan is a sweet guy and easy to like.
The supporting characters, Gran, Tabhata, and Catrina are a treat to read. Catrina is my super favorite. Who doesn’t like a confident seven-year-old witch in two pigtails? I love this little girl.
My favorite part of the book is when Aria understands her magic and learns to work with it. The concept is so simple yet poignant. It aligns with the indigenous way of life, where people co-exist in harmony with nature.
The climax has some action but is resolved quickly enough to not feel boring. The ending has HEA of sorts, though we’ll see more of it in the coming books.
I’m not sure about Callan’s first-person POV. He has a few chapters, but I found it confusing to distinguish between his voice and hers. A limited third-person would have been better for him.
Though I wanted a lighter book, I still wish this one went a little deep to explore the character’s emotions. I couldn’t connect with the characters despite liking them. Things were a little too superficial.
However, the pacing is steady (surprising since Aria tends to ramble), and something or the other is always happening to keep the story moving.
Boris the Badger is fun (must say, authors are coming up with creative witch familiars), though I hope his arc won’t be restricted to eating, sleeping, and a few one-liners. The pinklings are cute, and I’d like to meet them again!
I like the fantasy elements and magic system in this one. While it’s not fully explained, I have an idea of how it works. Hoping the elements will be explored in detail in the coming books.

To summarize, The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic is a cozy, sweet, and simple witchy story set with a small-town feel. Grab it if you want a breather from heavy reads. There’s a mini mild steamy scene (just 2-3 paras).
Thank you, NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I haven’t read anything similar to this book before, so I went in with an open mind. As soon as I started reading the first chapter, I knew I was going to love this book! The story was so wholesome and cute, and really enjoyed it.

The story is about Aria, a young witch from Charming Cove. She has never learned to control her magic, and she feels like a failure. Her number one rule is not to get involved with magic, and that’s why she moved from her hometown. When her grandma insists that she joins a huge magical competition to inherit Garden of Enchantment (the biggest magical fortune in England), she refuses. She later discovers that she can only save Seaside Spells (her family’s spell shop), if she wins the contest. She agrees to participate, only to discover that the sexy billionaire playboy Callan is also participating. She has hated him for so many years, and now she has to face him again...

I love how chaotic Aria’s character was in the beginning, and how she found herself in the end. My favorite character? Definitely Boris! You need to read the book to figure out who he is. I loved all of the side characters, especially Catrina. I’m not a huge fantasy reader, but this book had everything I like; enemies to lovers, forced proximity, rivalry, heartwarming friendship and family. I’m not giving it 5 stars, because I felt some parts were a bit rushed and I wasn’t content with the part where we learn about why Aria has hated Callan for all these years. The ending was really cute tho.

If you’re looking for a cute witchy romcom, you have to give this one a try!

𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: As for trigger warnings, I didn’t pick up on anything. In my opinion it was pretty lighthearted and wholesome. Please do your own research 🖤

Overall, this book was an enjoyable read. There were a few iffy spots where I either lost interest or was slightly confused by which character was speaking because of the dialogue order. I think the overall storyline would still be the same if the age gap was removed or if the FMC’s age in the initial meeting was changed to early 20s. It made me a little uncomfortable that he still thought about the memory of her as a 17 year old. For the most part, the plot was easy to follow and made sense. This book would be great for readers who want a rom-com that has fantasy elements. I am thankful to have received an ebook ARC through NetGalley.

This was fun but not really for me. I didn't really know what to expect going into it and I did have some issues with the plot. I think, if you like witches, you'll have more fun than me!

Years ago, Aria chose to leave her home of Charming Cove, Cornwall behind after accepting that her magic wasn't as it should be. Whilst other witches had control, her magic seemed to have explosive consequences... for herself and those around her.

Imagine her surprise when her grandmother appears in her London apartment urgently calling her home: a magical competition has been announced and she has been selected to represent her family's potion shop Seaside Spells. At stake? The chance to win the coveted magical garden they rely on for their ingredients.

Aria soon discovers that 5 others have been selected to compete, one being the powerful mage Callan Hawthorne. He's known to be extremely successful but that isn't why Aria is dreading seeing him; they have a less than pleasant shared history.

Can Aria work through her magical blocks with the help of her family and community to win the garden? Or will she let her anger over Callan's past actions cloud her judgement?

I was provided this ARC by @linseyhallauthor @netgalley & @victoryeditingngc and all opinions shared are my own.

This was an extremely well written book and had me hooked from the first few pages. I wanted to know all about Aria, her magical home town and why she had left and I feel that every question was answered by the end of the book. The way that magic is described is a lot of fun and Catrina & Borris we're my favourite supporting characters (sassy and sweet!).

Aria's back and forth, second chance romance with Callan was well written and I enjoyed the tension that led to 🔥 scenes. In saying that, romance was in no way the focus of the book; it was very much a story of Aria working through what she needs to in order to unleash her full potential.

Happy publication day to Author Linsey Hall and I'll be reading the rest of the stand alone stories in the series 🥳

This was the epitome of a witchy rom-com. With that comes some plot issues. There were a few too many things happening instead of narrowing it down and focusing on one and really making it shine.
The relationship between Aria and Callan felt a forced. The chemistry felt awkward especially with Aria let go of her anger so suddenly. It felt a bit stilted.
Boris was everything you could want in a familiar and feisty side character.
This isn’t a book I will reach for again, but I will probably read the second in the series to see what continues to happen in Charming Cove.
Special thanks to Net Galley and Bonnie Doon Press for sharing this advanced digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was exactly what I needed to read right now! It was cute, light and full of magic. I loved the setting of this story and how easy it was to jump into the magic rules of this universe. I want to go and spend some time in Charming Cove! I absolutely love modern witchy romcoms and this was exactly what I’m looking for in them. I loved all the side characters in this book, I think they were funny and added to the story. I also loved how much joy was in this book, for the most part everyone was enthusiastic about what they had going on which was refreshing! I also enjoyed that Aria’s best friend was automatically happy to have her back in town even after she had disappeared on them for the better part of a decade. Everyone was rooting for Aria through out the story including Callan who is also competing for the garden. Their romance was super sweet and how much he wanted to help her unlock her magic was wonderful.

I really loved this story and I’m excited to see that this is the start of a series!

Thanks to NetGalley, Boonie Doon Press and the author Linsey Hall for providing me with a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A magical surprise! Addictive tale of finding home and yourself with a wonderful cast of characters, a magical competition, and unexpected love. A real winner!

<b>I think this book is a good book for someone who is looking for romance book with some spice and very easy language. Dialogues are very simple and language is very modern.</b>

I dropped it at 35% as I could no longer stand how it's written and so romance focused. I expected fantasy to be more dominant then romance, but this book is romance with spice and only set in a world with witches. I would have totally read more or all of this book if I didn't find romance parts so annoying. Them being so dominant, then became hard to ignore.

In part I read, pretty much no magic happened and even rarely mentioned, and when it was, it was mainly her complaining how bad her magic is.
Major plot is starting and while I am curious how it goes, I can't stand stuff like: <spoiler><i>He leaned over me to see the riddle, his scent wrapping around me like warm embrace. I wanted to say it was unwelcome, but part of be liked it. Idiot. </spoiler></i>

I feel bad to leave not a good review, as it may be mainly due to my dislike for romance. For that reason, I chose to not leave any stars on goodreads and here 2 as I need to leave star rating.

Thank you NeGalley for providing me with ARC in exchange for review. I love doing this.

The Modern Girl’s Guide To Magic is a true gem. From the first page I was in love with the quirky, funny, lovely main character Aria. She is one to not be underestimated. Even though she’s said to be a bit of a “magical disaster.” Aria is all of us 20 something’s trying to figure life out, except she has magic and a past that haunts her. Speaking of that past, we have Callan Hawthorne, our philanthropic millionaire love interest. Callan is hard to read at first, but we do know that despite his mystery he seems to have the best intentions.

This book is the recipe for a perfect fall witchy read. We have a charming, magical English town: Charming Cove. It’s the place you could only dream about. I felt myself so drawn to this small town and all the side characters you meet, especially Catrina. Oh how I dream of having chocolate biscuits in Gran’s kitchen with her. Aria’s Gran is the grandmother we all want. She’s got spunk and magic to spare. I absolutely ADORE her.

Now the plot….we have a magical competition with an unlikely hero, we’ve got romance to die for, a talking badger. What more could a girl ask for?? Without spoiling anything, this book will have you on the edge of your seat and questioning everything. I literally could not put the book down. It’s the witchy read I have been clutching my crystals and manifesting for a long time. For fans of all things Practical Magic and romance this book is for you!!

Got recced this book by a friend and it was way worth the rec. Very much enjoyed reading the story and look forward to the next parts in the series.
The story flowed really well and kept me hooked. I have to admit that I may have even sneaked in a reading session at work because wanted to know what happened. The main characters were quite likable and relatable, at least as far as you can relate to people who have magic. Loved the sass of Boris.
Some parts in the book were quite predictable but that's necessarily not a bad thing. Sometimes it's nice to have some predictability in life. It didn't take anything away from the story.
Unfortunately, this book had the same fault so many books seem to suffer from nowadays. What happened to safe sex? Fine, magical birth control but how about STIs? This is a worrying trend that is too common in books lately.

I liked the first chapters, was uncommitted to the next few as the story line was set up, then lost myself in an easy read, good feel book. Overall, Linsey Hall, has written a superbly entertaining YA/adult fantasy/frenemy/romance. I hope there is more to come from the author with these characters, and the badger!. Thank you to Bonnie Doon Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Perfect, lighthearted fantasy romance! This book hooked me from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. It’s really well-paced, funny, and sweet. If you’re looking for a cute, cozy romance, this is it! I’m so excited that this is the start of a series-I’m hoping for Tabitha’s story next! Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the arc. Review will be posted on Amazon.

The only expectation I had of this book going in was a cozy romance but I what I ended up getting was so much more.

Aria’s return to the Cornish village she grew up in is a story of friendship, community and finding your own strength. The tension filled romance with magical millionaire (not a billionaire!) Callan is just the icing on the cake.

Don’t get me wrong the romance is so good, it has the tension of enemies to lovers, except he’s always liked her, and then the feet kicking joy when they finally come together and start to understand one another. Plus Callan being protective of Aria over her school bullies was *chefs kiss*

But the shining jewel in this book is the relationships Aria has with her friends and family. Her eternally supportive Gran who loves her despite her wonky magic to her best friend who always has her back even after time and distance. Those were the parts of the story that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

As someone who also spent a lot of their younger years feeling eternally bad at things, Aria finding her purpose and realizing that perhaps her magic isn’t bad just different hit my little heart in the perfect way.

The ending was so sweet and genuinely surprised me although it felt a little rushed.

All in all a perfect cozy read. I’m looking forward to book two.

Thank you to Netgalley and The publisher for this advanced copy.

My review will be posted to good reads as well as Instagram @through.the.bookshelf

This book was adorable! It gave me total Abby Jimenez love story vibes. Very cute and witchy. I could visualize the beautiful enchanted garden. I wish I came out of it thinking it was all good, but there were cons for me. One major one is that it felt predictable. Every next move (just about) was predictable, but that did lead to an easy read. Another trade off for an easy read is how underdeveloped the characters were. I want to leave a story in love with at least one character. Though I got very close to loving the badger, who is the main characters familiar.

All in all, a fun, earthy, witchy book that’s an easy ready but doesn’t provide much challenge or bonding.

The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Don’t let the title fool you, it’s not really a guide. I expected it to be more of a diary/journal format from the title but there’s actually no “guide to magic” and I don’t know why the word “modern” is in the title either.

What is is a cozy romance. Tropes: Small town romance, enemies to lovers, he falls first.

I think the supporting characters are what really make this book great! They had me cracking up! Boris is my favorite!

Aria and Callan are a good match but I personally wish there would’ve been a little more spice.

Since this is an ARC, I am positive the spelling errors have been fixed and it has been decided whether the ghost is named Ralph or Reginald. (Originally the ghost was Ralph and then on the next page his name changed to Reginald 🤷🏻‍♀️)

There also wasn’t enough conflict for me. Especially between Aria and Callan. Everything just kinda seemed hunky dory and all the time and that gets boring.

I would read follow-up books if this became a series.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.