This was a nice start to what I assume is going to be a series. If it's not, it was still a nice book. There could have been more between the two main characters. When I closed the book there didn't seem to be much other than he was hot and he's been attracted to her since she was seventeen but I was okay with it.
Aria is moving back to her home town. London was an okay escape for awhile but her latest job has gone bust and it works out that she's been invited to participate in a contest to take over the local gardens. She needs to win; this is the garden that supplies her grandmother's potion store. Do you know how hard it is to find a supplier these days?
Callan has also been invited to compete. His face graces the covers of many magazines in the witching world. He's handsome and rich, the right combination to break any number of hearts. Except Aria's, he broke hers many years ago when one of his projects means she can no longer connect to her grandfather.
In the very first round, Aria and Callan are paired up. While working together, she discovers more about him and a lot about herself. But I didn't feel like we learned a lot about Callan. He could have been fleshed out a little more but the story was overall just very charming.

Four stars
This book comes out June 2, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Bonnie Doon Press
Opinions are my own

I read 50 pages, but could not get into it. I didn’t like the crass language and felt like it clashed with the cliche hallmark movie vibes. I would have liked some word building and explanation of how the magic worked. I felt like the magic piece was just thrown in and not explained scientifically or magically. I didn’t connect with the characters. I had a hard time believing that they were pining over one another so deeply after such a short interaction so many years ago. The book just wasn’t my cup of tea.

I enjoyed this read a lot. The plot was focused on romance, but also on personal development of the female main character, which I felt brought a good balance to the story. I enjoyed the magic in it and felt like the author created a unique magical town set up that was imaginable in my head. I also enjoyed the multiple POV’s, so you could also get some insight into the male main character’s head. The one thing I would’ve wished for more is actually a little bit more of the male main character’s perspective, because this was definitely mostly told by the female main character. Overall this is definitely a book I would purchase and it is listed as the first in a series, so I am excited for it to continue!

This is a cozy romance/fantasy novel that has an incredibly detailed setting. Linsey Hall does a wonderful job of taking the reader into charming cove in all its whimsical glory. I am looking forward to seeing what Hall does next with this standalone series.

I’m not going to lie when I tell you that the cover is what sucked me in at first but then I read the premise and I was sold.

I enjoyed the banter between Aria and Callan but it didn’t hit like I thought it would. I wasn’t giggling or kicking my feet as much as I wanted to.

The FMC comes off a bit childish at points, especially when reading her inner thoughts. The MMC is quite the charmer and I fell for him pretty fast. I loved that it was dual POV but there weren’t that many chapters from Callan’s POV which frustrated me because I honestly found his chapters more compelling than Aria’s.

The entire book actually gives off YA vibes even though it’s supposed to be an an adult novel.

I found some parts of the book to be a bit and slow and draggy. It was hard to get into it but once I did, I was immersed into the cozy magical town.

I enjoyed the competition aspect. Once I got 3/4 through the book, it felt like it wasn’t even close to ending. Therefore, the ending definitely felt rushed.

Overall, I recommend this if you’re looking for a cozy fantasy with a bit of romance sprinkled throughout. It’s a fun read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for this ARC!

Aria returns to her charming hometown of Charming Cove (see what I did there) after years in London, at the request of her beloved grandmother, where she is greeted with open arms by old friends and town members. Due to feeling like a magical disaster growing up, Aria escaped to London to try to start anew, but try as she might, disaster continued to follow as she lacked control over her magic. When she returns back to enter into a magical competition in order to help save the family potion shop, Aria has little to no faith in herself. Things take a turn for the worst (or the best?) when she finds out that magical millionaire, Callan Hawthorne, renowned mage and past crush who wronged her is also entered in the contest, magical sparks fly (figuratively and literally of course). Aria is pulled between her bullies of the past reminding her that she isn't talented and her desire to prove herself.

First things first, this was such a good time. This book was full of so many things I love; magic, small town, family & community, tension, a crotchety familiar, PLANTS, you name it. Once I got settled into this book I flew through the rest of it, not being able to wait to jump back into the tension and magic. If I had two critiques, they would be these (spoilers starting....now)
First, while I absolutely loved how supportive and spectacular Aria's friendship with Tabitha was, I didn't love how the book seemed to imply that they had literally no contact in the years she was in London. It's a small thing, but I couldn't help feeling like I would be so hurt if my best friend left and never made contact in the age of texting and social media. I feel like some contact would have made more sense.
Second, and more importantly. I really didn't like the age gap part of the story between Aria and Callan when they first met. Underage age gaps are so problematic and something I never want to see romanticized for younger generations, and while yes, Callan stopped before anything happened because of his age, and in reality, the age gap wasn't very big, but still, it wasn't necessary for the story and just added a level of cringe that wasn't needed. They easily could have had the same fallout minus the age gap, and either just not have kissed or had a kiss and then his "betrayal." I could see the author making a genuine attempt at covering this up, but it just led to Callan acknowledging how creepy it is for him as an adult to be remembering and longing for this 17-year-old now as a grown-up. I just think it could have been the exact same, just with less cringe had this been omitted.


Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait until Charming Cove #2! I feel as though I have a guess who it could be and I definitely hope I am right!!

Aria is a witch who vows not to get involved with magic because her magic is uncontrollable. But she falls for a sexy billionaire mage that she has hated for years...

Funny, LOL scenes, terrific characters keep this book going. The romance is sweet and swoony. It's a sweet and charming story and great for those who like their stories relatively clean. A fun read.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

3.5 / 5 stars

The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic follows Aria who is a powerful witch with little with to no control of her power. She left her small hometown in Charming Cove behind years ago and moved into a big city life. But with her magical failures following her with every steps, she is soon called back home to save her family shop when the owner of a magical enchanted garden in Aria’s hometown wants to retire.

If you’re looking for a book that is a cosy, witchy romance book that has a low stakes plot then this is definitely for you. However if you go in expecting this to be enemies to lovers and has spice then leave that idea behind. It’s more of a one side enemies to lovers story and Aria pretty much ends up changing her mind and ends up liking him a couple of chapters in anyways and that “spice” scene is VERY mild.

This book definitely started off strong but felt a little bit weak towards the end. There wasn’t much conflict happening so when there was something, it got solved rather quickly. Furthermore, for a book that has a dual POV, there was very few Callan chapters. I felt like it would’ve been better having the book marketed more towards Young Adult rather than Adult as it reads more like a YA book, but that’s just my opinion.

However, I did enjoy reading about the magic and felt like it was something different compared to other magical elements that I tend to gravitate towards. And Catrina!! I love her character and would love to see her have a spin off book so I read all about her being the smartest witch, because let’s face it. She could be more powerful than Aria and Callan because of her brains.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, magical and cosy read. This is a perfect easy read full of quirky witches using or learning about their magic and dealing with the romance in their life. This was an amazing rom-com and a super easy read perfect for summer especially if you love magic, romance and horticulture.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for an ARC copy in exchange for a review.

3.5/5 stars

This was such an easy and cozy read!! I had so much fun.

The book revolves around Aria. Aria is a bit of a mess when it comes to her magic. She never seemed to be able to control it fully, leading to several disasters throughout her teenage years. So, she decides to leave Charming Cove, her cozy witchy town, and move to London to have a normal life. In London, she doesn't have to worry about causing disasters with her magic. But one day, her Grandma comes to visit her and tells her that the town needs her. There is a magic garden called the Garden of Enchantment in town, where her Grandma gets all her supplies for her potions shop, which the owner wants to sell. The catch is he will only give the garden to someone he seems worthy and he plans to find them with a magic competition. Aria doesn't how she will win when she can't even control her magic and not to mention the sexiest most powerful mage in the whole UK, Callan Hawthrone is also there to compete.

Lately, I've been loving some witch-y magic-y romances so this was the perfect book. The plot of the book was quite fun and enticing but the execution was poor. From the get-go, the pacing was a bit weird. There was no true conflict and whenever there was something resembling any angst/conflict, it was solved very quickly.
While this pacing allowed me to avoid any unnecessary anxiety, it also made the book less exciting. I would have really liked to see some more drama and conflict between Callan and Aria. It would also have been nice if we got more backstory about Aria's history with Stella and Lilac.
Lastly, this book was actually dual-POV but there were so many few Callan chapters that I got extremely frustrated. There were so many chances where it would be perfect to see Callan yearning for Aria but I think there were only a handful of Callan chapters (or, at least, it felt like it).
Overall, this was a quick fun read but it could definitely use some improvements.

***This is my honest review after reading an ARC copy***

What happens when the man who broke your heart comes back into your life through a competition you absolutely, definitely have to win?

If you liked The Ex Hex, you will like this! Very much the same feel to it, which is never a bad thing!
I loved the characters in this and I'm so mad that I can't have a Boris in my life!
Wonderfully written - the story flows effortlessly and the storyline itself is fantastic.
After also losing my grandad who I was close to I really connected with Aria on that front and wish I had a place like she does. (trying to be vague so no spoilers!)
I will 100% be buying a physical copy of this when it comes out and I really, REALLY hope this will be a series

A modern girl's guide to magic was a cute, cozy romantic comedy. Aria is a witch who hasn't mastered her power, and she leaves the magical town of charming cove to try and live a normal life. A contest springs up in her hometown, and her grandma makes sure to bring her back for it. And let me tell you, Gran is a legend!

The other contests in the contests are local witches who bullied Aria for her lack of control in her magic, and billionaire Callan, a man from Arias past who she loathes entirely!

And she works through the contests Aria figures out her magical ability and why she has struggled so hard along aide Callan who while also competing for the garden, is striving to get forgiveness from Aria a women he has never forgotten.

The book was cozy, and a quick read with some great side characters, where can I get myself a familiar like Boris? He was the snark we all needed!

This book comes out June 2nd if you are looking for a quick, witchy, cozy read.

3.5 stars.

This book is a charming as the town it takes place in, Charming Cove.

Everything about this book was sweet and cozy. It's a witchy romance that will leave you feeling relaxed and ready to curl among your houseplants with a cup of tea.

I fell in love with Aria and her struggles with magic and frustrations with never being good enough. There is good character growth as she learns who and what she really is and wants. Her trials as a witch are believable and good fun while still being challenging.

The romance here was cute. We have a thoughtful and handsome rich mage who can't help but win over Aria and those closest to her.

I loved the setting of this book so much and wish I could visit this cute little town with it's charming businesses.

You'll love this book if you like quaint beach towns, summer romance, magic, and plants! There are so many plants!

The writing was smooth and easy to digest. I read this in one sitting. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to netgalley for the earc I recieved in exchange for a review.

Nice lighthearted fantasy romance.

Aria was always a dud at magic, better at making spells blow up in her face than in getting them to work right. She left her small hometown behind years ago, together with her reputation as a failure, and moved into big city life. But her magical failures follow her steps, and when her gran calls her back home to save the family potion shop, Aria begrudgingly agrees to help. How much help can a failed witch be, though, especially when competing against a highly successful handsome millionaire mage and some grown up childhood bullies?

This was a nice easy read. I liked the simple magic and the magical plants and creatures described. It wasn't particularly original - the plot is obvious from the start, but it was still enjoyable. Even with its overly sappy romance - I mean, the guy was perfect in every way - looks and money and charm. But it read nicely without being too over the top. It's nice to read a simple cozy romance with a touch of fantasy every once in a while.

What a whimsical palate cleanser. Cozy romcom with a sprinkle of magic. Felt a little YA with no spice, however I found myself smiling throughout the book. Definitely a cute read. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC.

So I guess my new favorite thing is magical small towns lol. Super cute little witchy town, Witch trying to figure her ish out, love interest and of course loyal friends and family. My personal favorite Boris the familiar. Looking forward to the next Charming Cove. ♡

what a fun read! a bit of magic, mystery and love the perfect mix.
haven’t read a book by this author before but would recommend and also will look for others titles by her.

This book is hilarious and charming and magical and quirky and sweet and I really enjoyed it! There is a talking badger, a sweet, unexplainable love, and a charming village by the sea.

Aria is down on her luck - her magic is a bit out of control and has random outbursts. When the owner of the magical, enchanted garden in Aria’s hometown wants to retire, he decides to host a competition to determine the next owner and she NEEDS to win (for her grandmother’s shop, for herself, and for the community).

Callan is a handsome, wealthy, sweet MMC (who is a warlock) and is one of the many supportive characters that Aria has in her life. This book was more sweet than spice.

I can’t wait for more from this series!

Thanks so much to Linsey Hall, NetGalley, and Bonnie Doon Press for the ARC of this book.

I picked up The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic on a whim because I liked the cover and the blurb sounded fun. I was looking for something lighthearted and fun after some tomes and heavy reading. I went into knowing this is a rom com at its heart, and although it's not a genre that I call my favorite, it can be refreshing to mix into my regular reading. With rom coms you can also count on tropes and clichés, and that's fine. We all need the familiar every once in a while. And even then, it doesn't mean a book can't have something unique or a fun twist to said tropes. Now, when I pick up a rom com I do it with the intention to look over the tropes, but I need something else to engage me - the characters, foremost, but the plot is important too.

What sold me on this particular title was the tone of the blurb, and I expected a fun, quirky MC, lots of banters, and an interesting plot revolving around a magical competition. Alas, my hopes were crushed soon enough, and I decided to DNF at the 45% mark. Both Aria and Callan, the main characters were pretty annoying and one-dimensional - not even talking about insta love which is one of the few things I really can’t get over when it comes to rom coms - their dialogues are mostly cringe-worthy. The plot could have been interesting if anything was happening at all, and it was also super predictable. Look, I already went in with low expectations, but come on. At least make an effort. I also didn’t click with the writing which was repetitive, and didn’t feel very polished to me.

What I liked though, was some of the side characters such as Catrina the niece of Aria’s best friend and far the smartest character… I also liked Aria’s grandmother for the little time we met her, and Boris, the badger. I swear I would have preferred him as the main character, would have been much more interesting to see things from her POV rather than reading about Aria’s and Callan’s moaning. I wanted to slap them both, repeatedly. I don’t think I would have been able to enjoy the rest of the book, even if I was curious about what else they had in store within the competition. It just wasn’t enough to keep me going.

1.5

Is it too controversial to say that I did not quite enjoy this? Witches are one of my favorite fantasy elements, and with a sprinkle of romance, I thought it would be everything that I wanted, but it was just not the book for me.

I know this book was supposed to be low stakes and cozy— and yeah, it was. But too low stake for my preference. I would forget that they have powers when it wasn’t mentioned. The author tried to make the ending dramatic, but it was a fail for me. Maybe the author could have added a little grain of drama before the ending (which I thought was too rushed).

Overall, I think this book was just not for me, although it felt like a novel that BookTok will definitely adore. Although I did had a lot of critics for this novel, it wasn’t all bad. Personally, I thought that one of its strengths is its humor. I thought there were too many pop references, but it wasn’t thrown every three pages like other novels, which I appreciate.

This was enjoyable and fun but it honestly read like most other witchy books that have become popular. It's not bad by any means, but it is a bit forgettable as nothing feels very unique. If you love witchy reads, this would be perfect for you.