Carly Bloom’s Hot Hex Boyfriend is a charming and enchanting read, perfect for fans of lighthearted, humorous romance with a touch of fantasy. This book is a must-read if you enjoy quirky characters, witchy vibes, and the delightful tension between grumpy and sunshine personalities set against a small-town backdrop.

This novel is delightfully goofy in the best way possible. It's like a blend of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls. It’s the book that wraps you in warm, cozy feelings, leaving you giggling, kicking your feet, and squealing with joy. The story strikes a perfect balance between romance, humor, drama, and just the right amount of suspense, making it an ideal cozy, witchy read for the spooky season.

Delia's relatives and her friend Amy bring a delightful comedic touch, adding depth and warmth to the story. While I personally would have loved a bit more open-door romance, the low-steam, high-longing approach worked beautifully with the storyline, enhancing the slow-burn tension.

I truly hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of the Merriweather family, the Halifax brothers, or this enchanting magical community. Bloom has created a world that begs for more stories, and I, for one, am eagerly awaiting a return to this spellbinding town.

Big thanks to Carly Bloom, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGallley for the ARC!
Hot Hex Boyfriuend is on sale today.

Title: Hot Hex Boyfriend
Author: Carly Bloom
Length: 364 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: September 3, 2024
Genre: RomCom | Paranormal Romance
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: open door
Summary:
Delia Merriweather once believed all Merriweather women were witches, despite lacking magic. Now, as an adult, she’s skeptical—until she accidentally restores her family's powers. Suddenly, Delia must navigate her newfound magic and the attentions of Max, her mysterious neighbor. Max, tasked with helping Delia control her powers, finds himself torn between duty and his growing feelings for her. But as their connection deepens, Max wonders if he’s falling under a spell or genuinely falling for the most powerful—and clueless—witch he’s ever met.

Thoughts:
Y’all. This book is goofy as heck. I love it so much. It’s giving Practical Magic. It’s giving Gilmore Girls but with magic. It gave me all the warm fuzzies and all the giggling, kicking my feet, squealing moments. There’s romance, humor, drama, and even a little suspense. It’s honestly the perfect cozy, witchy book for the spooky season!

Special thanks to the @netgalley and @foreverpub for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

What a great book for the fall! Witchy vibes for Halloween, it gives practical magic mixed with sabrina the teenage witch. It follows a family that has been hexed (who are trying to break it) and the hot new neighbor who knows what to do.

Delia Merriweather doesn't believe in magic. Her family believes she's the prophesized blue witch who will bring back magic to their family. She thinks her family is just eccentric, after all they own a magic shop. Max Halifax, however, is a witch. Little does Delia know that he's a witch and that his family were the ones to hex Delia's family decades ago. With the possibility of the hex being reversed, Max is sent to re-hex the Merriweather family if they somehow reverse the hex. As Max gets to know the Merriweathers, and Delia in particular, he finds the idea of re-hexing them unfathomable.

I really enjoyed this witchy romance. It was just the right balance of comedy, romance, and supernatural. I really enjoyed Delia's relatives and her friend Amy as they helped to provide the comedic humor in the novel. Although I would have liked it to be more open-doored, I felt that the amount of steam in the book fit with the storyline. It's more of a low steam with lots of longing book. I really hope this isn't the last time we'll see the Merriweather family, the Halifax brothers, or this magical community.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom was a really fun read.
A great cozy rom-com with blends magic and love.
This was a light-hearted romance with fantastic characters.
This story is fun with twists and turns to keep you guessing, but also with family shenanigans and a bit of romance.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC!

What a witchy delight! This book was exactly what I hoped it would be…sweet, kooky, atmospheric, and a little spicy. What I wasn’t expecting was all that lore! I loved how the story featured an entire magical world with a rich history, including a secret city, different witch classifications, ancient texts, enchanted objects…the list goes on! The author put so much work into the fine details and I hope that means there’s a series in the works.

And the characters! I fell in love with the entire Merriweather family, especially the aunts. They made me laugh out loud SO many times! Kudos to the author for bringing such a large cast of characters to life. There are LOTS of people in this book but each is distinct and I had no trouble keeping track.

The one part I wish was stronger was the romance. It’s very much present but didn’t get as much page time as the world-building, relying on an “insta love” connection that I had a hard time buying into. If this does end up being a series, I hope more time is spent exploring Delia and Max’s connection.

Excuse me while I place a little enchantment to help manifest Book 2 (and 3…and 4…)! I had a blast reading/listening to this sweet-spooky romp and hope to spend more time with Delia, Max, and their families someday.

4 haunting stars!
Upon finishing this book, I’m semi- surprised at how much I truly enjoyed this! It was such a quick read for me, given how captivating the story was.
This is the perfect cozy rom-com for the fall season!
I loved the small town aspect & the witchiness throughout. It’s always fun when you have a witch who’s unaware of their own powers! I loved how close their family was, and how they loved to have fun.

Delia’s “quirky” family believes themselves to be witches who have been cursed to have no magic. All, but Delia. She’s never been quite the one to entertain their “stories.”
What they don’t know: it’s true. They have been hexed. And most importantly, they only have one week left in order to break the spell.
Max- the temporary neighbor who has been sent to keep an eye on the family to make sure they don’t succeed in breaking the curse- fully believes this crazy family has no idea of their powers. Surprisingly, after spending Delia’s birthday with her and the family, he finds himself entranced.
What could go wrong?

Thank you, Netgalley & Forever Publishing, for an early E-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the eARC/ALC.

Hot Hex Boyfriend was a hoot. Delia’s family line is descended from witches…at least that’s what her grandmother says, even if Delia doesn’t believe it. Max is there taking care of his late uncle’s home (Delia’s neighbor) and making sure that Delia doesn’t break the hex upon her family.

This book was just funny and cozy. It was dual narration so it was great getting to see both points-of-view and getting to know more about the magic side from Max’s view. There were instant sparks between him and Delia and it was adorable seeing them fall into their feelings for each other. There wasn’t a ton of steam in this story, but what was there was *very nice.*

The best part was the side characters, though. Delia’s kooky (but loving and accepting) family, her ride or die best friend, Max’s brother and parents, and even Nicky, the imp/familiar (hellloooooo to his accent). Hot Hex Boyfriend was really just light and happy (although I did cry at one point—spoiler alert) and I couldn’t get enough.

I will happily read this again and will look for more from this author.

With Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes, this new witchy read was so incredibly cozy and magical.

Ever since they can remember, the Merriweathers have been witches cursed without magic, or so they think. They believe a witch born on a blue moon will be able to break the hex placed upon their family, and they will have magic again. And when Delia grows up being that particular “blue witch”, she realizes at a young age that magic doesn’t exist. But when a new neighbor crosses paths with the Merriweather family with magic of his own, he discovers that the hex is real and can possibly be broken.

Overall, this was a charming and cute witchy read! I loved the elements subtly placed in from some of my favorite seasonal movies and shows as well. I also found the addition of the blue witch and fairy magic to be really clever and cool! And, of course, I loved Nikki, the cat. He definitely stole the show with his wholesome heart. At times, the pacing was a bit off, with the main synopsis of the story starting about halfway through the book, which led to a couple of aspects of the story not being as fully developed. But this was still a perfect story for fall and an all-around fun read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I absolutely LOVED this book! I really hope we get another! Maybe from another POV 😉😉 I am obsessed with this story. The characters were great and the story was awesome. Of course I would love to hear more about the ending in another book. Please continue 🤣

This book has cozy magic, grumpy x sunshine and unknown enemies to lovers. All of my favorites!!

5/5!

I adore a witchy romcom and Carly Bloom knocked it out of the park with Hot Hex Boyfriend! Delia and the Merriweather women have always been told that they have magic in their blood, but a centuries old hex has kept them from accessing their power. It is believed that only a blue witch can break the spell and restore the family’s rightful magic. Delia has always humored her eccentric aunties’ mystical whims, but when she breaks the impossible hex, Delia and her family suddenly become privy to the occult workings of their small Texas hometown. Will the Merriweather women learn to control their newfound power? And how does Max Halifax, Delia’s handsome next door neighbor, fit into this mystifying equation?

This was such an adorable dual POV forbidden romance! It was so important to have Max’s POV, especially after we learn about the part his family played in hexing the Merriweather’s. I enjoyed watching Max’s growth from rigid rule follower to besotted love interest and found him and Delia’s relationship delightful. The side characters also added such charm and levity to the story. Delia’s gaggle of aunts reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Practical Magic. I was able to fully picture the winsome chaos of the Merriweather household and loved how supportive they were of each other. I also really adored the magical elements that Carly Bloom set up. The town of Willow Root was brimming with ancient spellcraft and the parameters that were put in place added to the story’s stakes.

This is such a great addition to my fall TBR that brought on all the cozy, nostalgic vibes of Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus. I highly recommend picking it up this season!

Many thanks to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a delicious dual POV, small town, witchy forbidden romance between Delia Merriweather, a non-magical witch whose family has been hexed and haven't had access to their powers for generations and Max, a warlock whose family is responsible for hexing the Merriweathers.

When Max moves to town to monitor the situation with the hex, and prevent Delia from overturning it, he can't help catching feelings for the sweet witch. This slow burn was steamy, good on audio and had fun side characters with some Sleeping Beauty vibes. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Hazel Beck and Erin Sterling.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.75⭐️
* ARC Review *
If you are looking for a fun spooky, witchy romance that will give you Halloween-town vibes then you should pick this book up. Delia doesn't believe in magic despite her entire family insisting that they are witches but they have been hexed and can't access their powers. When their neighbor dies his nephew comes to deal with the estate but he is also there to ensure Delia doesn't break the hex that affects her family before her 30th birthday.

I enjoyed the witchy spooky aspect of this book even if the romance didn't fully do it for me. My main issue with the romance between Delia and Max is the fact that Max hid and lied so much and when the truth was revealed he didn't apologize or take responsibility for the role he played in this whole mess, there were some redeeming qualities just not enough to make me fall head over heels.

On a different note Delia, her family, Amy, and all the witchy elements of this book were super entertaining. I loved how we had a timeline to break a hex, how a big chunk of the town was magical but Delia was clueless for a long time, her family's crazy antics, and most of all Nikki (the sassy familiar). The way Carly Bloom blended witchy vibes with small western town vibes was unique and it gave it a fun twist. The ending was probably my favorite part and it reminded me of watching Halloween movies in the best way possible.

This book is like wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket, while burning a fall scented candle and drinking a hot beverage during a brisk fall day. It was giving Practical Magic and Sabrina the Teenage Witch with a dash of Hocus Pocus and I really dug those vibes.

Delia comes from a delusional family of witches. Or so she thinks. Family lore has it that they are all witches but curiosly they have no magic. Delia doesn't believe in any of that until a handsome and mysterious man moves into the house next door and weird things start to happen.

As a cozy witchy story, this is great. Delia's family is a delight. And the scenes with them are the best part of the book. As a romance, this didn't work for me at all. They don't kiss until almost fifty percent into the book, before that their interactions are all about the hex, which Delia has no idea about.

There's zero relationship development and what's supposed to be a slow burn doesn't even simmer. Not even a little bit. The lone make out scene is inexplicably started by a sit up competition. Why? Whyyyy? Nothing about how many sit ups I can do screams sexy to me By the time they actually had sex (around 80%) I didn't even care because I wasn't invested in them as a couple at all. Delia and Max also came off very immature in their interactions. This gave the book a New Adult feel when they were both supposed to be in their thirties and I wasn't into it.

The plot was okay but it lost all momentum because there was this huge build up about the secret hex and how Max's family were the ones to hex Delia's but when the truth came out, everyone was surprisingly chill about it. So it wasn't just the romantic tension that was missing but the overall plot was hanging on the sh*t hitting the fan moment and that moment never really came.
There was no emotional payoff and hardly any emotion at all. So as a cozy witchy read this works just fine, but as a romance it's a flop for me. That being said, I'm really curious about this world the author built here and would definitely read another book in the series.

I received an ARC for review and this is my honest opinion.

⭐⭐.5/5
🔥🔥/5

Tropes:
Grumpy sunshine
Close proximity

What a fall treat this book is?! This book grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. The heroine’s family was hexed to be without magic a long time ago. The hero has to go take care of his uncle’s estate which is next door to the hexed family home. The hero’s family was the one that did the hexing so many years ago. The heroine has a small chance to break the curse. Will she? Just dive in and enjoy the journey.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Such a cute book! I really Enjoyed the setting and characters. It’s a great option for spooky season if you really just want something cute and easy.

This is the first paranormal book with witches, where the rules are the traditional rules I grew up with, and I loved that. I loved having the familiar, Nikki, I loved the potions, and everything else that makes magic feel like nostalgia of the childhood stories.

I also loved Delia and Max’s relationship, it was well-written and well paced out for a slow burn romance that is mostly closed door. Their relationship also had a lot of secrets and things that needed to come out through the story that I enjoyed as it brought conflict and emotions.

What I struggled with is the amount of characters, the non-dialogue felt muddled and I couldn’t fully immerse myself into the story. It felt like an over-the-top rom com, which I usually love, but just didn’t connect with this one.


I will be refraining from posting this book on my Instagram as I keep it to be more books I loved, rather than books I have issues with. My review will still be posted in other review sites on release day.

Hot Hex Boyfriend is a fun, quirky, small-town romance with a magical twist.

Fall is right around the corner, which means bring on the witchy romances. This is my first Carly Bloom book, but it won’t be my last (especially when I found out she writes Cowboy romances). There is a lot of like about this book. The thing that made me fall head over broomstick in love with this story was Delia’s family. Delia’s mom, grandma, and aunties are just so wonderfully quirky. They bring so much laughter, warmth, and joy to this story. They all have larger-than-life personalities that leap from the pages of this book. All the Merriweather women, with the exception of Delia and her mom, believe that they are real witches who have lost their magic because of a hex. They act like true stereotypical crazy witches. They are selling potions and other “magical” items to the local community. They just embrace that witchy lifestyle with so much gusto. You really can’t help but love them. And when they finally get their magic back, the craziness explodes. It was great!!

Another wonderful thing about this book was all that small-town charm. I can tell that Carly has written Texas romances because she just nailed that Texan community vibe. Everybody knows everybody, and I loved the little petty competitions that seemed to spark up in this town. The magical system that Carly created is fun and really interesting. I found myself easily understanding what was what, and I loved learning more about this magical world Carly had created. The overall story was great. I loved hanging out with Delia, who is a wonderful character. She is incredibly likable, and I couldn’t wait to see what kind of witch she was going to become. Delia is incredibly close with her family, and even though she thinks they are a bit bonkers for believing that they are witches, she still loves them. But she is lonely and feels like she is in a rut. It was great watching as she bloomed in her new career venture and also as a witch. Max was that typical rule-following, broody hero. He thinks that the rules are in place for a reason and that they should not be broken. His character is the one that goes through the most internal growth. He’s always seen things through this black-and-white lens. But of course, the more time he spends with Delia and her family, the more he realizes that maybe the system that he has believed in for so long is wrong.

I adore a good grumpy sunshine romance, and when you throw in a magical twist, it makes that trope even better. I liked Delia and Max, even though they didn’t get off to the smoothest start; once they started to spend more time together, that chemistry between them came to life. The time frame that this book is set in is pretty short, which means that things between these two move along pretty fast. But there really isn’t this insta-lust feel to their relationship. Things move fast, but it felt believable. There were so many great moments between these two that were flirty, fun, and just put a smile on my face. They were a great couple.

Hot Hex Boyfriend is a quirky, flirty, laugh-out-loud magical rom-com I could not put down.

I loved the setup of this book. Delia's family believes they are a family of witches, cursed generations ago to lose their power. While Delia is the only one in the family who doesn't believe it, the rest of her family believes she's the witch who will break their curse. Enter Max, who was sent to Delia's cozy small town to spy on Delia to make sure she doesn't break the hex before her 30th birthday.

The vibes of this book are perfect for Fall. It's climax takes place on Halloween. This might be odd but I am always looking for fall witchy books that take place on or around Halloween during my fall reading. I loved Delia's family of eccentric, strong women. I loved watching Max's character development. There isn't much spice but it's just such a cute witchy book. It comes out on September 3 so get on your library wait list now!

This book was the perfect way to kick off my witchy season reading! It’s a cute, cozy read that had me giggling the whole time. I loved watching Max fall for Delia, even though it went against everything he believed in. And Nicky? Absolute delight! His banter had me nearly bursting out laughing in the middle of the grocery store! If you’re in the mood for a fun witchy romance with some unique magical twists, this is definitely the book for you!