Member Reviews

This author expertly blends magic, romance and a pocketful of humor in this book.

I loved the characters, the plot, everything. The cover initially pulled me in while wandering Netgalley and I am glad I requested it. This book was charming but maybe a little slow from the very beginning. Perhaps a little predictable at times but I was able to overlook that in lieu of the sweet, adorable moments within.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Hazel Beck and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I have been reading the Witchlore since the first book released a few years ago. I was so looking forward to reading this one as the character dynamic was a couple I knew would make for an interesting read on how they resolve their relationship drama. I thought the book was a bit slow to pick up at first despite it flowing straight from the ending of the second novel and being relatively high energy. I enjoyed the ghost ancestors in this novel and their role in fixing a broken relationship and repairing what went wrong across centuries and curses. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was not my favorite of the series but it was a worthy addition and makes me itch for the final book. I highly recommend reading this book but starting from the first in the series, do not start here you will not understand the background of the story. Additionally, I think Hazel Beck do such a wonderful job of creating witches and covens in a way that gives you a vivid picture into the town and lives and magic without it coming across as cheezy or corny. Definitely recommend reading this one!

Was this review helpful?

First of all, I would like to thank NetGallery and the publisher for offering me the opportunity to read this book before it was published!

Despite the captivating synopsis, the book didn't work for me. The story is quite creative and I liked the family bond that the characters have with each other, however, I didn't enjoy the way the romance was conducted.

I'll start by saying that I found it a bit silly that the characters hated each other but still took a day out of every year to have sex. Was I interested because it was a second chance romance? Yes! Was I expecting that? Definitely not! Maybe other people would accept that, but for me it doesn't make sense, especially coming from two adults. The fact that the protagonist chose to hide her pregnancy for a few months from her "partner" doesn't make the situation any better... I expected a bit more maturity from a 30-year-old person.

Overall, I found the protagonist very annoying and immature, and although I liked MMC a bit more, it unfortunately didn't captivate me. I also didn't connect with the writing, but that's more my fault than the writing itself, since I don't tend to like books with fun and humorous writing.

Unfortunately, I believe that most of the problems are due to my lack of connection with the genre. I believe I had different expectations than the result presented, however, points related to the characters really made the reading uninspiring.

Was this review helpful?

Perfect October read. Loved the story thw wove mystery, love, friendship and magic into everyday life. The loyalty, community and bonds were similar to cozy read. Recommend.

Was this review helpful?

I was given access to this arc to read thanks to NetGalley. A fun romantasy. Great read. Would read more by this author.

Was this review helpful?

Ahhhhh I loved this one yall! It was so good! The Witchlore series is just so good and is so cozy and fun with amazing characters.

I loved Ellowyn as a FMC and she was so much fun to follow. I really loved her journey in this book and seeing her find herself was so empowering.

This was an amazing read and I cannot recommend it enough!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Truly, Madly, Magically by Hazel Beck. This enchanting novel blends romance, magic, and lighthearted humor in a fun and whimsical way. Beck's writing is charming and easy to get into, with a lively cast of characters that keep the story engaging. The magical elements are woven seamlessly into the plot, creating an enjoyable mix of fantasy and everyday life. While the romance is sweet and entertaining, the plot can feel a bit predictable at times, and the character development could have gone deeper. Overall, Truly, Madly, Magically is a delightful, feel-good read perfect for fans of magical realism and cozy romance.

Was this review helpful?

I did not read the two prior books, but felt this worked fine as a standalone.

This was a sweet second chance romance and a witchy seasonal read. Loved Ellowyn and Zander as a couple. Great seasonal read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Pub for an eARC.

Was this review helpful?

Truly Madly Magically is the third installment in the Witchlore Series. This follows Elloywn and Zander who are toxic in a way that they just belong together. Slow start but the ending was worth it! Can't wait for the next one!

Was this review helpful?

Read if you like:
Witchy Romcoms
Magic
Trials
Mid-Stakes Drama
Series that you can read as Stand Alones
Miscommunication Trope
Surprise Pregnancy Trope

If you liked the first 2 books, you'll like this one as well. The vibes are the same and the overarching storyline is continued on through Ellowyn and Zander, with guess spots from the previous MCs. Though I haven't found any of these characters all too likeable, Ellowyn might be the best of them.
I did get hung up on the immaturity of these 30+ year olds. And the handholding by the author when they repeatedly remind the reader how and why the characters are feeling or doing something. Sometimes, almost word for word.
But really, the town vibes and rooting for the downfall of a corrupt coven kept me invested.
Overall, a fun enough book/series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House for the eARC!

Was this review helpful?

This was the book in this series that I was most excited for because I love a second chance romance-and this one did not disappoint. In fact, I think these books have gotten steadily better as the series goes on, which is really cool to see. Love the opportunity to return to this universe, and watching this ragtag team triumph is not getting old.

Was this review helpful?

I was intrigued enough by this premise to request it on netgalley without realizing it was the third book in the series, unfortunately. When I did learn that I checked out the first two and, perhaps more unfortunately, I really did not like them. Add that to learning that this one is about an unplanned pregnancy and my interest was completely lost. But I decided to give it a try.

Like the other books, the pacing isnt great. The first 25% only cover 24 hours where very little actually happens. They spend that time all being mad that ellowyn hid her pregnancy, as if that was any of their business (besides Zander, obviously). There's a dragging suggestion about telling family their pregnant and it's well past 60% before the trials happen. The writing and narration are a bit cringe inducing. I still don't understand why a series so focused on things that happened to them as teenagers, the authors refuse to use flashbacks. Stop telling me what happened back then between Zander and ellowyn and show me! I'm going to yell this forever.

Overall, these books were not for me and I'm glad to be leaving st cyprian behind.

Was this review helpful?

Such a fun and perfect book for October!

Set in the cozy town of St. Cyprian, the third book of the Witchlore series focuses Ellowyn and Zander. While trying to battle the Joywood covenant, they both have to figure out their future now that certain complication is coming to the surface. I love second-chance romances and the dynamic between Ellowyn and Zander was so good. It's angsty, passionate, and just so freaking wholesome.

I didn't read the first two books in this series before picking it up, but I honestly felt like I didn't need to because the author did such a wonderful job with filling you in with the backstory without info dumping. There are some spoilers for the other books if you are thinking of reading the Witchlore series out of order.

I'm definitely starting on Small Town, Big Magic first while waiting for the next book to drop!

Was this review helpful?

This is a wonderfully whimsical book full of romance and magic! I only wish I had read Beck's first 2 books in the series first, but I definitely will soon. While being part of the series, you don't have to read the other 2 books to enjoy this one and it's the perfect book for fall! I love witchy/magical books so it was an easy choice for me to read. I enjoyed reading about the coven, especially since watching Agatha All Along. This book is full of great characters, cute moments and was a easy, enchanting read!

Was this review helpful?

This is absolutely a me thing because the main trope featured here in this book is something I usually avoid reading, but I still wanted to give it a shot because the blurb sounded really good. While it was easy to get into this book as a standalone, the book is third in a series, so a reader would probably have more of a feel for the platonic relationships and dynamics by reading the other two books first. That being said, I didn't have trouble diving straight into this one since the focus here is on our main leads Ellowynn and Zander and their second chance romance.

I absolutely LOVE second chance, but I really hate accidental/surprise pregnancy so this was tough for me to fully enjoy. The witchy and cozy vibes were here though, and the writing style was one that made this easy to blaze through. I just wish I was more invested in the story and the plot. I feel like I would definitely try picking up another one of these books though.

Was this review helpful?

I understand this is an arc, but please for the love of all things good, FORMAT your earcs nicely. Nothing takes away the experience of reading more than almost every sentence being split and seperated onto a new line and words that start with the letter F being randomly split up. You could have all the spelling errors in the world and I wouldn't mind, but bad formatting in any scenario I can't overlook. It makes it hard for the reader to hone in on the story. I kept losing track of what line it went to because of how often the lines split. Theres a difference between an unfinished copy and just not caring what you're throwing at your reviewers.

I couldn't enjoy the story at all because it was hard to focus when you have lines with one word, two words, etc from sentences being broken up.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this book!
So far it is my favorite in the Witchlore series!.
This story focused on Ellowyn and Zander, they have a connection that is truly undeniable and palpable. They need to rely on each other completely in order to get through the war!
Ellowyns story is fun, emotional but also tender. She has been my favorite fmc so far. I enjoyed the covens relationship and how close they are.
this book was the perfect, cozy, cute witchy experience and so worth it.

Was this review helpful?

This book may be the best in the series so far! I absolutely loved this story of learning to love and empower yourself while also learning how to take the support of others. It was also much appreciated that Hazel Beck does a great job recapping what happened in the other books which helped me understand the current story better.

I really enjoyed the character of Ellowyn and how complex she is. Not only is she half witch and half human she also cannot lie. Ellowyn's character development was excellent and her relationship with Zander was a perfect second chance romance.

I also really enjoyed the witches trails and the Riverwood coven as a whole! This magical world iso so well written that I wish I could visit this place in real life!

The set up for the next book was so well done that I'm on the edge of my seat for Georgie's story.

Was this review helpful?

The story picks up right where "Big Little Spells" left off, with the Riverwood coven facing off against the Joywood for control of St. Cyprian. With both Emerson and Rebecca paired off, the focus switches to Ellowyn and her tumultuous relationship with Zander. Ellowyn's cursed to always tell the truth, but finds that hard to do around Zander, especially when he's still dealing with the tragic loss of his mother. However, Ellowyn has a secret that's going to come out sooner or later, and with some help from the past, she has to make decisions that will truly change her future.

I was delighted to be back in the world of Witchlore, where dark magic lurks behind a Midwestern facade. Elloywn had been mostly a mystery to me at this point, primarily doling out magical tea when necessary and arguing with Zander at the slightest offense. Her mother's curse definitely added another layer to her character, and I liked how she learned to use it to her advantage. Elizabeth and Zachariah were great additions to the story, and I was sad to see them leave, but hopeful they'll show up in a future book! The accidental pregnancy trope will never be my favorite, but I felt it worked here in the context of Ellowyn and Zander's relationship. Rebecca and Frost are still my favorite couple, but I'm excited to see Georgie come into her own in the next book.

Was this review helpful?

I’ve been a huge fan of the Witchlore series since the first book Small Town, Big Magic came out, so I was super excited to have been approved for this ARC. This book was my favorite of the series so far! I loved Ellowyn and Zander’s love story. The portrayal of grief was extremely accurate and well done. I loved how there was a good explanation for Ellowyn and Zander’s break up 10 years ago and also how they resolved their conflicts to fall back into love. 5/5 stars! I am itching to get my hands on Georgie’s book…. 2025 cannot come soon enough!

Was this review helpful?