A short and sweet novella about a stitch-witch named Marnie and a lead actor Rider and their chemistry off set. This hit the spot for a lighthearted romance.

During filming of what could be the next big Fantasy franchise in New Zealand, things keep going wrong and Marnie realizes that someone like her must be behind the coincidences... a witch. With the help of a friend she tried to mitigate the impact, but soon realizes that she needs more help. Trusting lead actor Rider with her secret, they brainstorm together to try to solve the mystery before anything more serious happens. Sparks fly and Marnie and Rider collide like magnets, unable to stay away.

This was a short romance with a magical, thick FMC and a movie star MMC. The on-set hijinx and off-set chemistry between the characters is very cute and the FMCs search for the person or thing cursing the production that is supposed to be her saving grace leads to plenty of fun.

It’s an easy read and pretty cozy if you’re into that. Nothing really deep, the romance provides a little spice. The length is roughly novella. It’s a fun little escape if you need a palate cleanser.

Thanks to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest Review!

It was a sweet story, fun read. If you're looking for short read this is a good options. We did not love it but we did enjoy it and thank ful for the chance to to get to know these characters, we loved the setting of the book! This book was cozy, things are pretty low stakes and that’s what I love about it, fun. sassy, and delightful Marnie as a character is someone we can all relate to and you can’t help but root for her from the sidelines.

Bespoke and Bespelled is a lovely little witchy romance set in NZ that follows Marnie (a 40 something plus size stitch witch) and Rider (a famous actor). I loved this couple and the integration of Marnie’s magical skills on set! I immediately started book 2 :)

This was a fun engaging novella. As with many novellas,it did feel a little rushed. The author had created interesting characters and a good plot, I would have liked to spend longer with them. I did find myself intrigued by the mystery and how it played out. I also like that they MC's were older than usual, being 40+.

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This cozy magical novella was a quick read. The main characters Marnie and Rider were very likeable, as a kiwi I also enjoyed the setting being so close to home I could really picture it. The mystery was well done and had me guessing through the entire book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Perfect for spooky season. This is a romcom full of witchy magic, laughs, love and romance. Karen gave me a book that I wanted in this one and I really enjoyed the way she wrote a cozy magic romance. The MCs were both strong and perfectly matched while also a little awkward but full of the vibes you want in a witchy book.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This novella was so cute! I was pleasantly impressed by every chapter in this story. The characters were done so well and the storyline was so original and adorable. I really loved the details and everything the author put into this book. This story went by too fast, but in the best way! I hate giving too much away in reviews, but for this being one of the author's first adult novels, I'm pleased with the results!
Stitch-magic now needs more hype!!

This was cute, a very simple and quick read, I would consider this like a simple rom-com palate cleanser.

I loved so many details of this. while the alliteration hinted at a little too cute of a plot, the characters were three-dimensional and well-rounded, and I wasn't sure of the ending before it arrived.

This follows a woman who's a witch & a seamstress on a movie set. I recommend this book, it was a cute, really fun, quick read. You could read it in one sitting.

This was absolutely delightful! Perfect mix of magic, mystery and romance. Loved seeing an older fat queer heroine, The cast of characters were all great and look forward to seeing their own romances.

This is a wonderful story. I love the world building details that the author incorporates into the story. It gives the whole book a more realistic feel. Almost like this could really be happening just beyond sight, which I really enjoy as a reader. The characters are very inviting and grounded. The plot was very interesting and kept me guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend this book.

I thought this looked like a fun book to read. It was lighthearted, easy reading and fun, but it still wasn't quite my cup of tea, something just didn't quite do it for me. I didn't really connect with the characters or feel any romance between them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Bespoke & Bespelled by Karen Healey is a contemporary romance with a touch of paranormal mystery. Stitch-witch and costume designer Marnie Taylor knew she was taking a risk when she left her solid studio job in L.A. and returned to New Zealand for a job on the film adaptation of her favorite fantasy book series. But she didn’t expect supernatural sabotage on set – or her inconvenient but pressing attraction to the leading man. A-lister Rider Adams was excited for something new – the lead in an adaptation of an iconic series. Instead, he’s trapped with a terrible script and a cursed production plagued by mysterious problems from flat tires to costumes that seem to almost magically resize overnight. And for some reason, he can’t stop making an idiot of himself in front of the gorgeous costume supervisor.

Bespoke & Bespelled is a fun and fast read with some great characters. I thought Marnie was a well thought out character that I enjoyed, although I still would have liked more from and about her. I felt like I got even less about Rider and the secondary characters. I liked them, and I liked the witchy and mystery aspects of the story as well. I just felt like there could have been more of everything. More backstory of the main players, or more group interaction with the movie cast and friends, more detail on the growth of friendship and romance. All the pieces were there, but I felt more like I read the overview rather than the nitty gritty, which is what I love to read about. The book is sweet and entertaining, a great one day or weekend read that you can enjoy in the moment without getting overly attached to any of the characters.

This was such a super cute novella! It's super fast and magical and everything I could ask for in a witchy book because the vibes were off the charts. The FMC Marnie uses her powers as a Stitch-witch to make costumes for movies and shows. She gets an offer for one of her favourite fantasy books and when she arrives on set she realizes something magical is happening that's causing everything to go wrong. She also meets the lead Rider and they both have this sort of instant attraction.
I loved both main characters, Marnie was confident in herself and Rider reminded me of myself with his social awkwardness towards her. I love how their romance blossoms and how quickly Marnie felt comfortable enough to include Rider in on her magic. Another thing I appreciated with this book was how I couldn’t figure out who was causing the other magic, I wasn’t expecting that! I’m super excited to read the next book about Kingston.
Thank you to Netgalley and 8th Note Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The curvy witch has been done so much within the past year they start to blend. There wasn’t anything special in this one that stood out to me.

Nothing makes me happier than reading a book set in the country I grew up in and not just that, a main character who is also plus size!

This was such a lovely quick read, and the grumpy x sunshine trope was done so well!

Healey really knows how to draw you into her story! I knew it was a novella when I started reading it, but part of me was wishing for more!

Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a rather lovely book but quite short and sweet.

Having a book set in New Zealand was a lovely change from the typical American-focused romance book, as was the inclusion of a plus-sized FMC. The fact the MC's were both over 40 was a lovely surprise as there are none-too-many of those!

The writing was fairly good and the author did a nice job of keeping things moving, however I did feel a little let-down by the ending. I personally could have done with a little more fleshing out but perhaps this may appeal to others.

Overall, a nice easy rainy day read that won't challenge a tired mind too much.