Marnie Taylor is definitely my favorite character! Her and Rider's chemistry was so cute, and I definitely wanted more of them! The magic in the books was cozy and wonderful, never feeling cheesy like other books. Cute short little book, cant wait to see what Karen Healey does next in the Movie Magic series!

I loved this read! Marnie was so cute and lovable, and I was very invested in her journey. I had a lot of questions about the magic system in this world, but not enough that it took me out of the story. The writing was cute and fun, although I think the mystery was very predictable. I didn't mind that necessarily, but I knew immediately that the culprit was Emily.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars.
This was a very cute novella with intriguing and unique magic (who wouldn't love to control fabric and make their own clothes??). The film production setting was fun, and I loved that it was set in New Zealand. It was fairly well written, and the characters were very likable.
I will definitely be reading any other books that come out in the series.

Such a super cute novella. This read has just the right amount of romance and cozy mystery vibes. Set in New Zealand on the site of a movie production that is going massively wrong. Marnie is a stitch witch and in between falling for Rider, she’s trying to figure out what is causing all the bad luck on set.
This book took me about an hour to finish. A fast read and now I can’t wait to read the other books in the series coming soon!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Bespoke & Bespelled is the first book in the Movie Magic series by Karen Healey and I hope we get many more stories in this magical world!

Marnie has landed the job of a lifetime working as a costume designer on the movie set of her favorite book series - the only catch? Someone is trying to sabotage the production! Joining forces with the very hunky leading man, it’s up them to stay one step ahead of the mishaps, sleuth around for clues and save the movie before it gets scrapped!

✨ Magic
💖 Romance
🎥 Movie Production
🪡 Stitch Witch
📖 Bookish Vibes
🔍 Mystery
👗 Costume Design
📚 New Series

This was such a cute read and I can’t wait to see what Karen Healey has in store for us next!

Method Read: 📚

Thank you 8th Note Press for the gifted copy!

Short and sweet—a very fast, fun read. As judging by the cover will tell you, it's a cute, magical romance, but it's also a fun little film industry mystery.

Bespelled and Bespoke is such a cute RomCom with Cozy Mystery vibes.. It's an easy read that broke me out of my reading slump.

Karen Healey brings to life a sweet story of a stitch with (literally) that works hard trying to essentially break out in the Hollywood world as a costume designer.
She receives an opportunity of a life time working on the set of her favorite book series and bringing the costumes to life but there's a slight snag of some mysterious sabotage.

It is a novella. There are definitely parts of the book that felt a bit rushed, but in a small book you can only do so much. I had some questions that I hope get answered in future books. Overall I did enjoy the storyline. I liked the realism of a middle aged woman still able to find love and help solve the mystery on set.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was such a cozy and easy read. I loved the mystery of it all! I think it gave the narrative a good turn. Also, can we talk about Rider and Marnie being the cutest and most mature couple ever?? Their communication and chemistry was really good ❤️

A super cute and quirky read. The two main characters were easy to love. The magic lore was well written. A really great short and sweet novel for lovers of cozy reads

This book is cute and fun all the way through. I wish that it was a full-length book!!

It's a magical little novella that follows the romance between a costume-designing witch and a socially awkward Hollywood hunk!

They both have sweet personalities and are mature in their communication.

Bespoke & Bespelled is a delightful blend of romance and magic, offering readers a charming escape into a world where love is stitched into the fabric of life.

ARC REVIEW

My Star Rating: 2/5 ⭐
My Spice Rating: 1/5 🌶️

What you’ll find:
- Closed Door/Fade to Black Romance
- Plus-Sized FMC
- Older FMC
- Workplace Romance
- Cozy Mystery
- Magical Elements

Marnie is a "stitch witch" who works as a costume designer on TV sets. After landing an opportunity to work on the set for a huge movie, she moves back to New Zealand, her home country. Rider is a movie star who has been cast to play the lead role in this huge movie. While working on the set, they are instantly attracted to each other. When things on set seem to be going wrong, Marnie and Rider work together to figure out the culprit behind the sabotage.

Marnie and Rider's relationship was cute, but I wanted more. I enjoyed the magical elements and the 'cozy mystery' aspect of the story. I also loved that Marnie is a plus-sized, older FMC. I didn't love this story and could not get into it. I do think it was well-written and easy to read, but overall it fell flat for me.

Thank you Karen Healey, 8th Note Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I tried to get into this multiple times and for the life of me, I could not. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marnie is:
* a New Zealander,
* living in LA, because she is
* working as a costume supervisor, and
* a stitch-witch: fabric loves her and wants to make her happy.
She is also:
* 41,
* 'generously proportioned',
* currently single, and
* bi (or pan? unclear).

As the story opens, the show she's working on has finished, and Marnie is hoping for a position not just as a costume supervisor, but as a designer. And so when a position comes up back home, adapting one of her favourite fantasy series for the big screen, she agrees.

Note: the little nods to what LOTR did for NZ are a delight.

Basically the story is about Marnie on the film set, dealing with a) her attracting to the leading man, and b) weird occurrences that have plagued the filming since it started in NZ, and which begin to seem like they're not random or natural.

Coming to Healey off the back of the Olympus Inc books, this is exactly what I was hoping for. Cosy, comfortable, fast-paced: I read it in one evening and I have no regrets.

Marnie Taylor is a stitch-witch. The fabric crafts created by her ancestors have been extraordinary, a few even changing the course of history. Marnie just wants to make beautiful clothes — beautiful clothes worn by beautiful people on the silver screen. When she’s offered a lucrative position on a super-secret film project in New Zealand, she agrees. Unfortunately, the adaptation of The Queen’s Horde — Marnie’s absolute favorite fantasy series — is proving to be a disaster. The costumes are a mess, machinery keeps breaking, and the producer’s cigarettes are poisoned. Even worse, Marnie finds herself falling for the film’s leading man. Sure Rider Adams is handsome, but did he have to be smart and funny and kind, too? Marnie must decide how much she can trust Rider Adams while keeping her magic secret and unmasking the saboteur before it’s too late ….

I came across an advance reader copy of Bespoke and Bespelled on netgalley. The premise sounded cute, so I decided to give it a shot. I’m glad that I did. Healey is an engaging writer with a real gift for creating sympathetic, well-rounded characters. Marnie is whip-smart and highly creative. She is also a hard worker who goes after what she wants; and once she decides that she wants Rider (not a spoiler as this is a romance) she goes after him, regardless of what others might think.

Rider Adams is wonderful, too. He’s ridiculously handsome, and he knows how lucky he is to get paid stupid amounts of money to play make-believe. But, like Marnie, he works hard. He wants to move beyond acting to produce and direct, and he’s afraid that a terrible adaptation of The Queen’s Horde will tank his career. So he’s going to do the best he can, and he’ll happily help Marnie investigate the sabotage — particularly since that means he gets to spend more time with her.

I love Marnie’s magic, too. It’s subtle, not flashy. She can make fabric do almost anything, resize it as needed, move stitches, repair damage to the point that it is unnoticeable, and even pull fabric from thin air. Sometimes, she can reach “down” through the fabric and feel its constituent parts, such as the plants that created the fibers and dyes.

Bespoke and Bespelled is delightful. It’s smart, funny, and spicy-sweet. Marnie and Rider are a great couple, and Healey neatly sets the stage for sequels starring Rider’s fellow actors. Highly recommended to fans of Wards of the Roses by Celia Lake, the Lady Jewel Diviner series by Rosalie Oaks, the Regency Dragons series by Stephanie Burgis, The Regency Bestiary for Fine Ladies and Gentlemen books by Quenby Olson, and The Herbwitch’s Apprentice by Ireen Chau.

[Reviewed by Rebecca Buchanan.]

Such a quick and enjoyable read!!

I enjoyed the mystery and the romance between Rider and Marnie.

When a stitch-witch arrives on a movie set to work in costumes, she notices that there is something strange going on. She also can't help noticing the very hot leading man. Together, they set out to find out what is going on.
Opinion
This short book was so good, I read it in one sitting. I cannot wait for more books to come in this series.
Biggest pluses:
1. The stitch-witch was a plus sized girl
2. She was also a more mature woman of 41
3. It was set in New Zealand (which seems like an amazing place to visit)
4. I loved that witchcraft was worked into daily life and spells were not necessary
5. There are more to come!
Many thanks to Net Galley and to 8th Note Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This is a really cute book! It has a little paranormal, witty & playful banter, and romance. I loved the fact she was a bigger gal! I really liked the romance and chemistry between the two main characters. This is more of a novella but it is a full story. No cliffhanger. Just a cute romance with a little witchiness.
I did recieve a copy of this for free from Netgalley, but these opinions are my own.

‘Bespoke & Bespelled’ by Karen Healey is an enchanting and whimsical dive into a cozy, magical romance that's sure to charm its way into readers' hearts.

Marnie, a plus-size, stitch-witch costume designer, and Rider, a lovably awkward Hollywood star, create a delightful duo. Their chemistry is sweet and endearing, set against the backdrop of a fantastical New Zealand film set. Healy infuses the story with light-hearted magic and an engaging mystery element. Despite this, the novella's easy flow, relatable characters, and Healy's gentle approach to magic make it a breezy, enjoyable read. The only real disappointment comes in the abrupt conclusion, leaving me wishing for a more fleshed-out ending to an otherwise spellbinding tale.

This was a very cute novella that was easily read in one afternoon. I liked the story and the characters were well written.

This book is cute and fun all the way through. I genuinely wish that it was a full-length book rather than a novella because I enjoyed it so much and wanted the story to be longer.

As a novella, it gives surface-level info, which is where it falls down. While the characters were great, it's a real shame that it didn't have a higher page count so we could find out more about them and the magic system, not to mention see the relationship between the two characters develop more. I really liked the dual POVs, as this did help to develop the characters a bit more.

I would happily read a book that was three times the length because it was funny, thoughtful and just so lovely. It was the perfect little reading refresh and I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it.