Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher had well-developed characters and a plot that was engaging. This book was a great read. I highly recommend!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own.**

This series is just a ton of fun! I love how Asher has created an urban fantasy world that has enough depth to make sense, but isn’t overly complicated to the point where it detracts from the romance. Speaking of romance, Olive and Bax are a delight together. So much sass, banter, and spark. I thought Asher handled their personal growth journeys quite well, blending it with their growth as a couple.

April Asher's Not Your Crush's Cauldron is a delightful concoction of supernatural elements, witty banter, and simmering romance. The story follows Olive, a rule-following witch, who finds her carefully constructed world turned upside down when her long-time crush, Baxter, a rebellious guardian angel, becomes her roommate.

Asher's writing is both charming and entertaining, with a perfect balance of humor and heart. The chemistry between Olive and Baxter is undeniable, and their playful interactions keep the pages turning. The author’s ability to blend the mundane with the magical creates a world that is both familiar and enchanting.

While the plot follows a predictable rom-com trajectory, the supernatural elements add a unique twist. The supporting characters are well-developed and contribute to the overall enjoyment of the story.

Overall, Not Your Crush's Cauldron is a fun and lighthearted read that will leave readers feeling satisfied and entertained. It's a perfect escape for fans of paranormal romance and anyone in need of a dose of magic.

I really enjoyed this book in the Supernatural Singles series. These sisters are absolutely hilarious and this book did not disappoint. It’s fast paced and well written with plenty of tension and spice to keep the reader invested.

It was cute! I’ve enjoyed this series. This couple though liked each other from the beginning. They all knew they loved each other. It really didn’t need to be a whole book. It could’ve been a novella. They just needed to talk to each other for 5 seconds 😅. Not enough smut for me but there’s some! So it’s cute and a perfect summer read but I wanted it to be slightly more complex ❤️

Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Not Your Crush’s Cauldron (Book 3 of the Supernatural Singles Series)
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: April Asher
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 327

𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Olive is a witch (the youngest triplet of this series). She is a Professor of the SuperNatural World who assigns a Dare Docket assignment to her students and decides to take the challenge herself. Baxter is a hunky, tattooed & pierced Guardian Angel who is assigned to Olive to keep her safe & sound. They are roommates who both have a thing for each other.
𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: New York

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
• The Chemistry between Olive & Bax
• The Dare Docket (aka Bucket List)
• Great character growth/development
• Bax’s piercings and tattoos
• Fantastic supporting characters (loved that they are such a tight-knit group)
• This book can be read as a stand-alone without confusion

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞:
• I really disliked Bax’s father - he was just so awful!
• Harper was annoying at times
• Sometimes the excessive bickering seemed really childish

𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℍ𝕒𝕤:
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Romance
Friends to Lovers
Paranormal Romance
Fated Mates
Curvy FMC
Dual POV
Found Family

Thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Of all the sisters, I was most looking forward to this one. But by the end, I was left wanting. The story felt forced. There was not any true connection or interaction between the characters. It felt like the author made the story go in this direction because she had already set it up this way. However, that’s not where our characters wanted to go. Or maybe they did, they just wanted it to be told differently. I don’t know, I just know it did not feel genuine, or true to the characters..

This is the third installment in the Supernatural Singles series and, I argue, this was the strongest installment yet. Was it the best magical romance I’ve ever read? No, and it misses that mark by a long shot.

This novel missed its mark on the set-up, which caused me to push through it at times. In terms of conflict, there wasn’t much offered on page, which is due to this being more character driven. The plot was centered more on Olive and Baz’s character development as individuals and as a couple. I wish there were more external threats—outside of the GAA and Olive’s need for grant funding—to push the plot along. Without that conflict, it felt akin to the characters living out their lives and having conversations with the other Maxwell sisters and friends. (I’ll admit: I skimmed many of those dialogue sections; they dragged out and were often nonsensical.)

When I thought about Baz and Olive’s story prior to reading this novel, I always imagined it being a friends-to-lovers, slow-burn romance. And I do still stand by that and wish that is how the novel unfolded. I’ll admit it was shocking to see how sexually attracted Olive was to Baz from the first chapter. In the previous novels, Olive didn’t have much interest in Baz and seemed content as a single witch who loved research and teaching. That angle dropped away too rapidly, and I wish it was leaned into more; it would have made Olive’s characterization in this book less startling.

However, I do think this was April Asher’s best written installment. The spicy scenes were well-written and emotive (well, they were probably the only emotive scenes in the book). I found it easier to bond with the main characters and slip into their voices, even if the narrative lacked the depth and emotionality I prefer to see in romance novels.

While I did find the romantic conclusion to be repetitive (you’re telling me all three Maxwell sisters found their soulmates?), this novel was a great conclusion to the Supernatural Singles trilogy.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

April Asher is back with another shapeshifter/paranormal romance. The witchy sisters are back with their typical sarcasm and charm and the attraction to the hot biker makes it hard to not mix the shapeshifter and witch worlds.

This was a new author for me and I really enjoyed this one! I will def be going back to read the others in the series:) I loved the steamy and sweet romance of the characters along with the magic aspect. The story was super fun! I loved that the MFC was plus size too! I highly suggest giving this one a read!

I wish I had known this was more of a series that needed to be read in order. The book blurb did not emphasize that. I started here thinking it was a typical romance series you could pick up anywhere. It's more of a series you must enjoy from start to finish because I felt so lost with the characters and their connections. It just wasn't fun.

But the characters seemed so fun! I enjoyed how they interacted, so I want to return to the beginning and read this series to know what's happening and get to know them from the start.

I have loved every book in this series following the Maxwell sisters. My favorite thing about this book is that we get a curvy FMC and that is so rare in books. Olive being bookish and a teacher grabbed my heart from the beginning. I really liked that every book in the series had steam but not too much steam that it was overwhelming. I can not wait to read more by this author.

Corny and a little bit disappointing honestly. The macho vibes of the male main character just left a sour taste in my mouth. Something about this book speaks to such heteronormativity and gender essentialism that I felt weird reading it. I finished it to say I finished the series.

I am always down for a witchy , spicy rom-com and Asher didn’t disappoint with this one!

This friends to lovers novel was a delight.

I didn’t realize it was a series in which the minor characters were main characters from the others in the series. Despite not having read the others, this one was still a great and could be a standalone.

The couple was absolutely adorable and super horny throughout the story.

The chapter titles were hilarious and witty.

"Not Your Crush's Cauldron" by April Asher is a delightful addition to the paranormal romance genre, focusing on the story of Olive, the third sister in a trio of witches. This novel, part of a series, stands out for its charming blend of magic, romance, and humor.

The narrative centers on Olive and her evolving relationship with Bax, a dynamic that transitions from friends to lovers. Their journey is heartwarming, as both characters step out of their comfort zones and grow together. The chemistry between Olive and Bax is palpable, making their romance both believable and engaging.

One of the novel's strengths is its vibrant cast of characters, particularly the triplets, who are nosy, loyal, and utterly delightful. The interactions within this friend group add depth and humor to the story, enhancing the overall reading experience.

The plot incorporates elements of a roommate, forced proximity, and a forbidden relationship, which are well-executed and contribute to the tension and eventual realization of love between Olive and Bax. Asher's writing is praised for its ability to balance these romantic tropes with the whimsical aspects of a paranormal setting.

Overall, "Not Your Crush's Cauldron" is a cute and enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of paranormal romance and those who appreciate a good friends-to-lovers story. April Asher successfully delivers a novel that is both magical and heartwarming, making it a standout in its genre.

3.5⭐️
This was a fun and enjoyable read!
I love a witchy paranormal read and this delivered!

This book had
Spice
Found family
Bad boys who have golden retriever energy
Forced proximity
Friends to lovers

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read!

I loved books one and two of the Supernatural Singles Series. I looked forward to Not Your Crush’s Cauldron; however, I was disappointed.

I didn’t care for Olive’s character and I’m not positive why exactly. I didn’t like Bax and Olive together. Their chemistry felt lacking to me. The plot itself was good but the execution fell short for me.

I do think a lot of people will love Not Your Crush’s Cauldron.

Olive Maxwell has always felt a little like the odd one out of the three sisters. She likes to teach craft, blend with the crowd a bit more, and isn't the sister most people notice. All that starts to change when Olive moves in with her long time friend and crush, Baxter, an angel. He seems to see things about Olive that others don't and lets her know. And Olive starts to wonder if the feelings might be mutual.

Olive felt very relatable to me. As an academic myself, I totally got it. What I really dug more than anything was the connection with Bax. He was always kind of a background character, but the way this book let him shine was fantastic. And the way he gave Olive some confidence and support she needed was even better.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Thank you for the ARC!

Listen, April Asher's books are just fun, plain and simple!! Her characters are super likable, the hijinx they get into is always a good time, and who doesn't love a little steam? Not Your Crush's Cauldron is a cute friends-to-lovers romance, which isn't normally my favorite trope but the dash of the supernatural sold me on it. If you love a witchy romance and are looking for a good beach read, definitely pick this one up.

I could not get into this book at all. That may have been because I did not know it the third in a series, but it felt like work to read. I felt like I was lost most of the time. I would recommend reading the first two prior to this one.

I want to thank Netgalley & St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC of this book.