Thank you net galley for the opportunity to read an early edition in exchange for an honest review. Kiss and Spell was a lovely addition to the world Celestine Martin has built along the Jersey Shore. This is a "sequel" to Witchful Thinking, a flirty paranormal romance. Kiss and Spell is a love at first sight, fairy tale, close proximity romance. I loved the opportunity to see the world through Ursula's eyes and seeing her be redeemed from her behavior in Witchful Thinking.

I loved the first book in this series and I absolutely adored this one! It was so good! I was completely spellbound from the beginning! I loved it! Perfect fall/Halloween read!!
I just reviewed Kiss and Spell by Celestine Martin. #NetGalley
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Kiss and Spell is an enchanting, whimsical story set in a magical small town on the east coast where mythical creatures roam wild and you’re just as likely to find a troll as a human. Ursula is native to Freya’s Grove where her family roots run deep. After a breakdown following her humiliating failed wedding, Ursula finds herself working at the family magic shop reading the future for customers. Ironic since she never saw her Happy Ending wedding ending in tatters. But Happily Ever Afters are for fairy tales and Ursula is done believing in them.

Of course, that means she immediately finds herself in the presence of a fae prince who is on the hunt for his perfect kiss. Xavier has been kicked out of the fae realm until he finds his perfect kiss and can break the curse placed on him by the faery queen. The problem being that Xavier doesn’t believe there is such a thing as a perfect kiss or true love.

Ursula and Xavier team up to help Xavier to find his perfect kiss while Ursula tries to reconnect with her personal magic and the magic of the town festival that spurred her grandparents to meet and fall in love. She’s battling to reconnect with estranged family she alienated in her determination to find her Happily Ever After with her ex-fiance and fnd herself under the person she became to please him and his family's expectations. Xavier struggles with the expectations that come with being a fae prince vs the person who he really is.

Kiss & Spell is a heart-covered, pink fuzzy sweater in book form. If you like flash-fire, burning-up-the-sheets romances, this book isn’t for you. If you’re a fan of the agonizing slow-burns with endless mutual pining followed by lots of spice, you’re going to love it here.

A cursed Faw Prince? A jilted at the alter witch? What could possibly go wrong!? Ursula is a witch who was stood up at the alter by the mayor’s son. Suddenly she is infamously town gossip. Enter Xavier, a cursed, err enchanted Fae prince. He is banished to the “real world” to find love’s perfect kiss. These two happen to meet by a bad sense of direction. Ursula agrees to help Xavier to find his perfect kiss!

This story was such a page turner. It kept me fully invested in the fate of these two. I would highly recommend this one.

First I’d like to thank Netgallery and the author for Being choosen for this ARC read. I chose to give this story a 3/5 stars. It just seemed that there were a lot of misses for me when it came to the mechanics of the book itself and the story. For example, the beginning half of the book- was very unsure if this was a setting where all beings magical and non magical lived together in harmony. Things just did not seem to be clear. Or if this was a town in which it was just a heightens magical location and it was an “open secret“ that magical creatures exist. At 23% still not totally sure.
For a large part of the book Xavier sounded way too formal when he spoke. I would be fine with the formal speech but I felt like in the previous chapters when we were in his head it was more relaxed. I understand he was set up as a prince from a different place completely but it just seemed clunky.

At some points it felt like we were FLYING through the story , ex. At about 42% there seemed to be 4 sentences and a TON of story dump happening. And other times things just dragging along for multiple pages.

All around it just wasn’t a favorite book. I think it definitely has potential to be a favorite for many readers but for me personally it seems like the author was trying to have way too many layers in the story instead of executing something excellent.

I really enjoyed this book! You’ve got Ursula the witch who believes in true love despite being left at the altar very publicly. Ursula is on a quest to reclaim her magic when she meets Xavier, the Faerie prince who doesn’t believe in love. We get dual pov as Ursula tries to help Xavier break his curse with the perfect kiss before Midsummer so he can go home. There’s depictions of familial love as well as romantic love throughout the whole book, Martin does a wonderful job showing the readers that romantic love isn’t the only, or most important, type of love in Ursula’s life. I also appreciate that while the ending was a smidge predictable, I was still engaged throughout the whole book. Martin was able to deliver the ending I expected in a way that subverted my expectations. Overall it was a lovely read and one I am excited to read again.

Let me just say Fae prince’s always do it for me and Xavier did not disappoint. Ursula staying in that town after what happened in book 1 is the bravest thing ever. I didn’t really like her in the previous book but she redeemed herself for me. I have mixed feelings about this series because it’s advertised as this heavy magic world with all these mythical creatures but we rarely if ever see the characters actually using magic. Majority of the time they just talk about what they can do and just forget about it for the rest of the time. If the magic was taken out the story, it would still dead the same and to me that’s an issue. I will be continuing the series because I’m plot committed now and need to know what happens to the rest of the Caraway family. Very enjoyable.

After being left at the altar, Ursula needs something to believe in.
After being enchanted, Prince Xavier must find a perfect kiss.

The story takes place in a fantastical town full of magic.

It's giving Little Mermaid "Kiss the Girl" vibes.

This is definitely an "everyone sees it but them" story.

A nice book to cuddle up with a warm blanket and tea.

This book is everything! I didn’t realize it was a part of a series so I definitely need to go back and read the first. I love a good witchy romance and this one checked all my boxes! Highly recommend as a cozy fall read so you can love these characters as much as I did!

Kiss and Spell is the second in a series but I didn't feel I missed anything important by not reading the first book. It is a supernatural romance between a witch and a fae prince who has been enchanted. Both characters are dealing with past issues but find each other, first as friends, then as lovers. I felt that the setting was not fully fleshed out as a magical New Jersey seaside town. Though magic is mentioned a great deal, the reader does not see a lot of magic actually done. I've read books in this subgenre that I thought were better executed than this. But it was still an enjoyable read and I liked the main characters. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy the magical romance genre.

Kiss and Spell by Celestine Martin is an entertaining contemporary romance that I enjoyed. It is the second book in the Elemental Love series.

This is a nice series that has the enjoyable elements of the paranormal threading throughout.

I enjoyed the first book, Witchful Thinking, so I of course wanted to read the spinoff book featuring Ursula. The connection, interactions, and chemistry between Ursula and Xavier made this book fun and before I knew it, I was done in no time.

Hopefully this series will continue.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/26/23.

I loved the 1st book that follows the Caraway cousins through the small magical town of Freya Grove. This one was about Ursula who we find out was stood up at her own wedding. Ursula left a bad taste in my mouth in the first book (witchful thinking) so I was glad to give her character a 2nd chance in Kiss and Spell. I especially love the magical realism and modern day witchy feels this read gives you.