This was such a cute book!!! I love a good witchy romance and this was such a fun lighthearted story. I think I maybe would have enjoyed it more if I read it in the fall when I’m really in my Halloween-witchy era the most, but I got it from NetGalley and wanted to dive in right away because I’m impatient lol.
I loved the character Delia so much and I loved even more that the story was set around her turning 30. It’s nice reading about a FMC around your age (who also doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life 🤪). She’s charming and bright and so friendly that I want to hang out with her myself. Well, Delia AND her family of course. The Merriweathers have all the kooky and zany comedy that I wish my own family had. I think I liked her aunties and grandma better than the main characters! And then there’s the boys - Max who is dreamy, Luc who is hilarious, and sweet Nikki who I just wanted to hug the whole time. This book does a great job at presenting well rounded out characters who you just want to be friends with. I found myself rooting for them the whole time, especially at the end!!! I might pick this one back up again around October when the vibes are just right!! Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you Net Galley, Carly Bloom and Publishing for early access in exchange for an honest review. This is the perfect book to settle in with a cup of tea or coffee, the Halloween decorations on full display and a blanket. This is a cozy, witchy story with romantic elements and an adorable found family trope. The novel is also a mystery with twists and turns and lovable characters of all creations. I really enjoyed this light, fun read. Pacing was good, dialogue was wonderful, some elements pertaining to witch types was confusing initially, but the characters did a great job with defining them. I wish the front had some sort of visual map or guide about the elemental aspect of witches! Great book for a cozy fall weekend!

“Hot Hex Boyfriend” by Carly Bloom is a perfect fall read with all the witchy vibes you could want. This is a Halloween season must read!

Delia Merriweather, who doesn’t believe in magic, accidentally breaks her family’s hex, causing chaos and drawing the attention of the brooding neighbor, Max Halifax. The story is filled with quirky characters, especially Delia’s family, and has a charming, cozy feel that reminds me of Practical Magic.

This book is funny, charming, and full of spooky season coziness, making it a great pick for Halloween. Delia and Max’s dynamic is adorable, very much grumpy/sunshine vibes, and their dual POV adds an extra layer of enjoyment. If you love books that blend humor, romance, and a touch of magic, “Hot Hex Boyfriend” is a must-read this fall!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever(Grand Central Publishing) for sending the eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is a case of it’s me not you. The book wasn’t for me but it may for others.

I typically don’t read many witchy books but thought I’d give this one a try just because I was curious. But it personally just wasn’t for me.

It took me some time to get into the book and that’s only because I’m not the biggest fan of third person pov. But it also might because it was a bit slow at first. I think it picked up a bit at the 40% mark.

Although it wasn’t for me, I thought Delia and Max were cute together. Delia had a quirky southern charm and Max was… a grump I would say from the mountains of Northern California.

Also loved the side characters, Nikki, the uncle’s familiar. Delia’s grandmother but also the rest of her family. At times they were a bit much for me only because the romance girlie in me wanted more scenes of Delia and Max together.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC for my honest review.

Hot Hex Boyfriend was adorable. In my opinion, I'd consider this a cozy romance. I enjoyed all the characters and thought the premise was good. This is my first read from Carly Bloom and I definitely won't make it my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the early review copy. All opinions are my own.

I had kind of sworn off books with supernatural elements, but couldn't resist one by Carly Bloom because I loved her cowboy series. Hot Hex Boyfriend did not disappoint. The story was fun, sweet and lighthearted with memorable characters and great details. Like every Carly Bloom book the humor and sense of joy rose to the surface in every chapter and, really, every scene so l had fun reading it because it's obvious that the author had fun writing it. I hope there will be more in this series, in this world of magic, with the same sense of joy and fun.

This was such a fun book to read - I loved all the vibes in this book and made me think of cooler days. I loved the different characters in this book, especially the aunts who all had their oddities - that added a fun element. I also enjoyed the romance in this book - it had the perfect dash of everything, and I enjoyed that there was a neighborly element to it. Delia and Max had good chemistry, and I appreciate that Max had some intellect as part of his character, as well. Finally, there were some actual laugh out loud moments in this book, and I just kind of breezed through it - no slog reading here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom is a heartfelt, witchy story set in Willow Root, Texas that centers on the Merriweather family. The Merriweather matriarch, Grandma Maddie, is pretty sure about two things: they were once witches and every man they love dies. Cordelia (Delia) Merriweather is trying to find her place in the world when Max Halifax takes up residence next door. Max knows the secret of the Merriweathers -- they are witches but they've been hexed over the centuries by none other than his own ancestor. He is tasked with making sure Delia, the Blue Witch, doesn't break the hex before her 30th birthday. No one told him that he'd also have to navigate his growing feelings for her too.

I had a really fun time reading Hot Hex Boyfriend. I loved getting to drop into this little witchy town and learn about the magic system and the history of the Merriweathers. I was pleasantly surprised that the book didn't go through the same cycles as other books in this genre and that most conflict was handled really quickly and smoothly. It feels like the PERFECT cozy witchy book to read on a blustery day (although right now its 89 degrees out). I hope the author writes more Willow Root witch books but as of now it seems like this is a standalone story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book of witches, folklore and romance. The author made me want to hang out with the Merriweather family and sing karaoke into a wooden spoon. It was pure fun! I'm a new reader to this author but don't plan to hold that status for long.

3.5/5
Delia Merriweather has always been told that she was a witch. Someone had put a hex on her family many years ago that took away their magic and it was up to her to break the hex. She didn't believe any of it until after her thirtieth birthday and the hex was broken and magic started to wreak havoc for her and her family. With the help of their grumpy neighbor Max who is also a witch and unbeknownst to her part of the family that hex her family, they start to learn about their magic. He is supposed to rehex the Merriweather's but after getting to know them and falling for Delia he doesn't think they deserve that.

This was cute, with a bit of humor in a small town setting. Delia had a bubbly personality full of southern charm and Max was her slightly grumpy counterpart. Her aunts and grandma were funny, always up to something. One of my favorite characters was Nikki, he was the familiar of Max's uncle. He's an imp that can take a cat or human form and he was funny too, always sneaking up to people but was honest and sweet. One thing that threw me off a bit was that despite max and his family being intelligent powerful witches they didn't know a lot about "mundane" things. Like how to use a blender, cut a tomato or what a devil egg was, hiis dad didn't even know what a brownie was. The explanation for this was that they lived in their own magical community where everything is done with magic, no need to learn this things. But considering that they do travel and it is set in the modern world they should have come across some if this things. The story was also a bit predictable with who was gonna be the villain and all but overall it was an easy fall read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central publishing) for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

"You don't fall in love. It's not like tripping over a fucking rock and landing on your face."

(ain't it kinda like that, though?)

Max knows things Delia doesn't know.
He knows Delia and her family are actually powerful witches, he knows the hex her eccentric aunties prattle on about is real, and he knows the Concilium (the governing body over all witches) wants the hex to stay in place and their secrets kept. But the more he learns about Delia and the hex placed on her family, the more he regrets the laws he swore to uphold. Can love conquer all?

tropes:
magic/witches
forbidden romance
colorful side characters (with secrets)

Steam:
1.5 explicit scenes. Some non-explicit steam as well.

content warnings:
mocking of native culture (see what I didn't like)

What I liked:
I loved Nikki. But... he was the only character I liked, oops.

What I didn't like:
Burning of white sage referred to as "new-age malarky". White sage is sacred to a number of native american tribes, and smudging with it actually has a long history among indigenous americans. These white lady witches are not only appropriating an aspect of native culture, but proceed to mock it. Are you for real, Carly Bloom?
Also, this quote: "Nikki draped the jacket carefully over his arm as if it weren't a piece of crap (Luc never visited the Stray Lands without hitting every thrift store within reach)". As an avid thrifter, this puts me off SO MUCH. Thrifting is environmentally friendly-- a quick google search informs me that an estimated 92 million tons of textile waste is created each year. Thrifting is good for the environment, it's budget friendly, it's fun. But I guess it's not bougie enough for this author?
Those quotes put me off SO MUCH. But aside from that, to actually dig into the story:
I don't buy their love story. The way they broke the hex was ridiculous and took a lot longer to come around than I thought it would. Their relationship doesn't feel organic, but rather forced, and looks a lot more like mutual attraction than it does any significant romance. Of course the fact that neither of them are given a real reason to have strong feelings does not prevent them from professing them. If someone said that stuff to me that early after meeting them, I'd be worried that person was going through my garbage and keeping a secret basement room with my photos taped to the walls.
I dislike almost every character. Max's parents' personalities do a total 180 super fast.
Realistically, I might've liked this book a lot more if it didn't give the vibe that it was written by and old, rich, white american with a superiority complex. I finished this book out of obligation only after getting an ARC copy.
2.5 stars rounded down.

Hot Hex Boyfriend is a cute and quirky romance with just the right mix of humor and witchy elements.

I thought the cover for this book was really cute and eye-catching and the synopsis captured my interest almost immediately. As someone who LOVES fall, it's never too early to dive into fall reads and this book put me right in the fall state of mind. The romance between Max and Delia doesn't disappoint either. It's sweet with just the right amount of spice.

If I had to make one complaint it would be that the beginning of the story was a bit slower than I would have liked. It took me a bit to get into the story, but despite the struggles I had in the beginning, I could tell this book had great potential and I'm really glad I stuck with it.

If you're looking for a fun and unique take on the supernatural, you won't want to miss this quirky romance featuring an over-the-top family, that can't be missed. Hot Hex Boyfriend is a really cute story and I'm glad to have checked it out.

This was such a cute, cozy, and witchy read. It reminded me of Practical Magic, which is one of my favorite fall movies. I love a book that can make me laugh, and the antics were perfect.
Grumpy/sunshine ✅
Found family ✅
2/5 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC!

Delia has always grown up with her family believing they are witches, except she knows she isn’t. Sometimes, it’s just best to let her family believe they are witches while she tries to navigate her new business career. And it doesn’t hurt that she can start her career by staging the next-door neighbor's house. She just needs to warm up to Max, who is a bit cold and gloomy.

Max just wants to move on when he was ordered to clean his uncle's house and watch over the Delia family until the hex prophecy passes over. Too bad, he catches feelings for Delia no matter how hard he fights it. He can’t resist Delia's charms or her personality, which draws him in. It’s going to be a bit messy when things go off the rail as the Delia family, including herself, discover they are witches. 

I will say that the chemistry between Delia and Max may seem a bit rushed and sudden when they barely interact with each other until later on. Thankfully, the Delia and Max connection picks up when they spend more time together. They are truly the cutest, even though they are opposite each other.

I kind of got a bit annoyed with Max's parents. They are a bit annoying and cold toward Max and his siblings. It makes sense how Max behaves in the beginning, given the way he was raised. I wish their repairmen took more than being rushed in the end. 

Literally, this book screams practical magic with bits of gilmore girls vibes. It’s such a cute read for the fall season. I literally read this book in one sitting.

Okay, this was my first book by this author and I absolutely LOVED it! Right from the beginning, I got so much spooky season/witchy coziness. Even in the heat of summer, this brought me right to fall time. This book was funny, charming, and I loved the characters so much. Delia's family was so kooky and I loved Max, Luc, and Nikki. I really liked how the family had lost their powers and their whole journey on getting them back, even though so many people didn't even believe they were witches including some of their own. I flew through this and finished it within a few hours, honestly it was just so much fun! I also loved Delia and Max together, they were adorable. The book is told in both of their POVs, so that was an added bonus! I could definitely see another book in this world and I would love that so much! I was not ready to leave it. If you enjoy the vibes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Ex Hex, and Practical Magic, I really think you will love this one too!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Carly Bloom's "Hot Hex Boyfriend" is a delightful brew of romance, humor, and a touch of the supernatural. Delia, the protagonist, is a relatable heroine – a cynic thrust into the world of witchcraft thanks to a clumsy but well-meaning hex-removal. Her journey of self-discovery and fumbling magic is entertaining, and her interactions with the frustratingly handsome Max provide a sizzling slow-burn romance.

The story shines with its witty dialogue and quirky characters. The idea of a family lineage of powerless witches adds a unique twist, and the world-building around witches and their hidden society is intriguing. There's a good balance between the lighthearted rom-com aspects and the reveal of Delia's true potential.

While the plot is engaging, it does meander a bit at times. The pacing could be tighter in the middle section, and some of the side characters felt underdeveloped. However, the charm of the central romance and the humorous situations keep the pages turning.

Overall, "Hot Hex Boyfriend" is a fun and heartwarming read. Fans of romantic comedies with a magical touch will find themselves grinning along with Delia's mishaps and cheering for her happily ever after. It's a solid 4-star read that leaves you wanting more adventures from the Merriweather witches.

I'm a sucker for a witchy romance so this one was right up my alley! This was a sexy, fun, and very funny story. Great world building and lovable, memorable main characters. My one nitpick is that I had a little bit of trouble keeping track of the women in Delia's family - with a Mom and a Grandmother, maybe there was one too many aunts? But that's a very minor complaint I loved the story, loved the romance - and there was even some intrigue and suspense to keep those pages turning.

As other reviewers have said, I hope this turns out to be the first of a series - I'd love to go back and revisit the witches of Willow Root! (Maybe a romance for Amy next?)

Charming fiction book giving cozy fall vibes. A witchy romance that was a quick, comforting read where I really felt like I got to know all the characters, and what made them tick, well. Great read!

Hot Hex Boyfriend is a stand-alone paranormal romance novel written by Carly Bloom.

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Spice level:🌶️

Cordelia “Delia” (FMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️
Witch, Interior Designer

Max (MMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️
Witch

When Max’s uncle passes away, he is tasked with visiting a small town in Texas to pack up his possessions and sell the house.

While there, Max meets the family of women who live next door that just so happen to be the family of witches that were hexed by his family many generations ago. Cordelia and her family are quirky, but she never believed the stories of the hex and magical abilities.

Now that Max and Delia are spending time together, strange things are happening and questions are starting to get asked.

With the help of Max’s straight laced family, Delia’s quirky family, a paranormal town, and a delightful familiar named Nikki, Max and Delia have to figure out how to break the hex and overcome a evil entity.

This is an entertaining paranormal themed story with amazing characters and Halloween vibes!

Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**Book Review: Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom**

Rating: ★★★★☆

"Hot Hex Boyfriend" by Carly Bloom is a delightful blend of magic, romance, and humor that will keep readers thoroughly entertained from start to finish. Bloom weaves a charming narrative that explores the whimsical world of witches while delivering a heartwarming love story.

The protagonist, Delia Merriweather, is a character many can relate to. As a child, she believed in her family's magical heritage, only to grow up and dismiss it as fantasy. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when she accidentally breaks a hex, restoring her family's magical powers. This forces Delia to reevaluate her beliefs and embrace her identity as a witch. Her journey of self-discovery is both humorous and touching, making her a character you can't help but root for.

Max, the handsome neighbor, adds an intriguing layer to the story. Tasked with helping the Merriweather women control their newfound powers, he finds himself entangled in Delia's life in more ways than one. The chemistry between Delia and Max is palpable, filled with witty banter and tender moments. Max's internal struggle—questioning whether his feelings for Delia are genuine or a result of her magic—adds depth to his character and keeps the reader engaged.

Bloom's writing shines with her ability to create a vivid and enchanting world. The magical elements are seamlessly integrated into the plot, making the supernatural events feel both fantastical and believable. The Merriweather family's magical mishaps provide plenty of comedic moments, adding a light-hearted touch to the narrative.

One of the standout features of "Hot Hex Boyfriend" is Bloom's humor. Her sharp, clever writing ensures that the story remains light-hearted and entertaining, even as the characters face their magical challenges. The supporting cast, including Delia's quirky family members, adds richness and humor to the story, making it a well-rounded read.

While the plot follows some predictable romantic comedy tropes, the journey is so enjoyable that it hardly matters. The book is a charming escape into a world where magic and romance intertwine seamlessly.

In conclusion, "Hot Hex Boyfriend" is a delightful and magical romantic comedy that will leave readers enchanted. Carly Bloom's engaging writing, lovable characters, and humorous storytelling make this book a must-read for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with a touch of magic.

*DISCLAIMER* This is NOT a paid review. This was a voluntary early access read made possible by NetGalley the Publisher and Author Carly Bloom. I want to extend a huge thank you for allowing me access to this E-Arc! I hope my review provides helpful insight.

*PLATFORMS* This review is available on Barnes & Nobles (if applicable), Amazon, Walmart, NetGalley, GoodReads & Facebook.