This was a wonderfully cozy debut romance with a dash of magic that is perfect for fall. I really enjoyed this book, the cozy fall vibes were in full effect and it made me want to curl up on the couch with a warm cup of tea and a blanket and just read all day. The romance was very cute, a little bit insta-lovey for my liking, but still cute. The main characters were both very likeable, the friend group was so supportive and the bits of baking magic we got were the coziest. An overall great debut book that is a quick read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

Best Hex Ever is a magical read with diverse characters, a whimsical storyline, and lots of heart.

Dina and Scott have great chemistry together. Their witty banter had me snickering, and their passion for their work–and each other–is both refreshing and titillating!

The secondary characters are loveable, fun, and vital to the storyline. There are a couple scenes that are so beautiful and magical, I couldn’t hold back the tears. You know it’s a good book when you can laugh AND cry.

Best Hex Ever is full of wonder and whimsy, love and laughter, and hope and healing. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A delightful reading experience.

Thank you to Dell and Nadia El-Fassi for this ARC.

Who needs a spicy, witchy romance book in their life? I know I do, so I was excited to dive into my ARC of “Best Hex Ever.”

This debut romance book perfectly combines magic, wedding hijinks, annoying hexes, and spicy romance. I loved that our witchy FMC was a “kitchen witch” and used her magic to run her coffee shop/bakery.

This book also got me in the mood for Halloween. The smells, the baked goods, the magic…it was all there. I also loved the backdrop of the wedding planning and ceremony. It allowed the reader to get to know the side characters perfectly and set us up perfectly for the next novel in this delightful series.

The meet-cute in this one is adorable and from the first meeting, we get sizzling hot, instant attraction, but I can’t really blame our FMC as the MMC is HOT.

Plus, I am a sucker for any MMC who calls the FMC a “good girl.” I mean…I just melted reading those scenes. They were hot, they were dirty, and I ate them up.

Am I a fan of the insta-love? No. Did I really mind it in this adorable yet steamy romance book? No.

This is the perfect book for you if you want some spice in your chai latte this fall. Under 300 pages, “Best Hex Ever” immerses you in a fast-paced world of witchy magic, fun friend groups, and spicy scenes.

3.5/5

4.5 stars!
This book was all of the cozy witch vibes I was expecting and more! The spice was enough to make me blush! Nadia’s writing is so descriptive. It really helped to paint the scene in my head while reading. It was a beautiful story of friendship and overcoming obstacles for love. I loved that the story wasn’t solely focused on her love story but also on friendship and the relationship she had with her mother and family. This should definitely be added to your spooky TBR! I’m really looking forward to Rosemary’s story!

Best Hex Ever was a NetGalley book I picked on a whim as I don’t usually eyeball read romance, but this looked so cozy and autumnal I had to see if it matched the cover!

I’m so happy to say it absolutely did! From the opening scene I was immediately vibing with the fall aesthetic and cozy setting—a witchy coffee shop in London in October! Enter dreamy curator Scott, who is equal parts nerdy and hunky! Little do they know that something like fate has plans for them—it turns out they’re the maid of honor and best man and their best friends’ wedding!

This book is filled with uncanny coincidences, baked goods, a feline familiar, and spice (to go with that pumpkin!)! It was the perfect balance of cozy, witchy, romance, and recovery from relationship trauma. I give it four stars and highly recommend to all of my spicy romance-loving friends and anyone looking for a spooky season read!

(This review will run on instagram on Friday, September 27th. It has already been posted on Goodreads, BookBub, StoryGraph, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, and BAM. It will be posted on Amazon on publication day.)

I loved all of the cozy elements of this read! I could get lost in a cafe like Serendipity, and I know I’d be a regular! Dina was such a sweet witch and her love of her friends and family made her a favorite of mine. And a cat named Heebie Jeebie?! C’mon what’s not to love?! When she meets Scott, Dina has a lot of self growth she needs to do! The spice was spicy for sure so be prepared! Overall I loved this witchy, cozy, sweet love story!

Dina is a kitchen witch who has a hex on her that anyone who falls in love with her gets hurt. Scott is a museum curator who is kind of a golden retriever. And they are the best man and maid of honor of the same wedding.

Here's the thing, I loved this book. It had the heart I was wanting and was a good fall read. I will say there were times the spice felt almost like it came out of no where. But eh. There were a few spots that maybe needed a little bit more love.

But Scott might be my favorite new male lead.

4/5 ⭐️s
🌶️🌶️1/2 - medium to heavy spice

LOVES:
- Dina uses her magic for kindness. On the whole, I appreciate how the magic works in this book.
- I love their sentient house. So cool.
- The Halloween bonfire night got me unexpectedly teary 🥹 what a sweet moment
- I didn’t see the twist coming until the last second so that was well done
- I love the mom’s very specific reaction to the whole situation 🖤

“All women were witches on Halloween night.”

CRITIQUES:
- The attraction didn’t always feel as natural in the beginning as I want it to, but eventually the spice spices pretty well
- It’s tough to imagine that Dina truly believes her mother wouldn’t support her no matter what. That’s just not the impression she ever gives off so the fact that a huge plot point depends on that is tricky for me 🥴
- A couple of things could’ve gone a little deeper

This was short and sweet and perfect for this time of year. A cozy, October read. 🍁🍂

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC 💝

This book was fantastic. The representation of anxiety and how we can be our own worst enemy was so beautifully done. The spice was SPICY and it was done really well. I loved the way Dina and Scott grew personally and together through the story. At times there were changing POVs mid chapter that had me a bit caught off guard, but overall, this book knocked it out of the park with a spooky season spicy read!

A cute little magical read that was perfect for fall! I especially love a witch who bakes!

It was spicier than I was expecting, and I would have preferred a deeper look at their relationship instead. I adored her mom and their house though!

Vibe: Cozy Romance
Ratings: 5 ⭐️
Spice: 3🌶️
Trope: He Fall first and Hard / Witchy vibes

For arcs :
Thank Netgalley and publisher for Arc
— Why I was Attracted to this book :
The Title and the Characters. I like interracial love
— What did you like about this book:
This book is like a warm hug, or curling up in a fluffy blanket and a mug of hot dark chocolate cocoa
— What you didn’t like:
There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it I went in with the expectations is would be a cozy romance and that’s exactly what was delivered
— Would you recommend:
YES! 100%.
— Would you read this author again:
Already plan to.
— Would you continue this series:
I am Looking forward to the next book

Random Thought while Reading

•29% I have never longed for a rainy autumn , day filled with a cold breezy a warm cup of and a cozy romance more then when reading this book because hand down it’s this book is chock full of that feeling !!

Dina and Scott insta attraction made me swoon and giggle and I could not wait for these two to just tear into each other because all that magic and heat they were giving. you just knew it had to be good and it didn’t disappoint. The 3rd act conflict was a little off I can admit but it didn’t distract from the over all feeling of the book. 
It’s really just two people finding each other and trusting that they deserve the love that is clearly in front of them.

This is so cute an such a great fall read!

This book follows a bi witch, who has hex on her love life. There’s such a fun cast of characters, the MMC is adorable, there’s a cat familiar, and of course, lots of spice.

Definitely pick this book up if you’re in the mood for a witchy fall romance!

This book was exactly what I was hoping for: fun, witchy, sweet and a little spicy! It was so easy to get swept up in and I loved the witchy autumn vibes. Dina and Scott were both written extremely well and getting both of their POVs was such a treat. I’m not usually a fan of instalove, but I felt like this book did it so well. I also enjoyed the bisexual representation in this book. The dude characters, especially Dina’s mom, Nour and Rosemary and Immy were such a delight and I’m so excited Rosemary is getting a book next! And of course, the romance was top notch. Dina and Scott’s chemistry was through the roof and I loved how much they showed up for each other. I highly recommend this one for your fall TBR and also, fun bonus, the epilogue takes place at Christmas so you get all the holiday fun!
CW: off page infidelity, micro aggressions, injury

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Romance for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for allowing me to receive a gifted eARC for an honest review!

I really loved the premise of the book because I love all things witchy, but I felt like the timeline of this book moved tooo fast (instalove) and too slow at the same time. :( It left me in a small slump and I found it hard to read because of how I felt about everything. I do like the writing and think that Nadia El-Fassi did an amazing job with it. I also loved being able to get to know the loved ones surrounding the characters' friends and family. That part of the book felt super special to me. This book unfortunately fell a bit short to me and I would have liked to like it more :/.

Best Hex Ever was the best read to usher in fall! It is such a cozy read!

Dina is a kitchen witch and runs the Serendipity Cafe in London. The cafe is famous for its *potentially* magical treats! One day Scott, the most handsome and well educated MMC I've met this year, stumbles into Dina's cafe and accidentally breaks an evil eye charm. The two have immediate chemistry and it makes you want to tear through the rest of the book!

There were so many things I loved about this book, so I must limit myself to the highest of highlights. First, Dina is mixed and has curly hair (just like me)! She's Moroccan and Welsh. The author lovingly weaves her own Moroccan heritage throughout the book. Reading about meskouta and kaab el gazelle immediately transported me back to the time I spent in Morocco. Second, Scott's exhibit and his goal of returning artifacts back to the countries they were stolen from is just perfect, *chef's kiss.* A reverse Indiana Jones after my own heart. Lastly, the house. Where can I find a loving and cozy magical home that sends me out with a copy of poetry from Rumi?

Best Hex Ever is one of the best debuts I've ever read, and I cannot wait to read every single book Nadia El-Fassi writes!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one of my most anticipated book. The characters were charming and the atmosphere was tangible. However, I did not finish this book so I don't feel I can review it. The first 40% was slow with no tension. I was really looking forward to this book and I may return to it during Halloween season.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy.

2.5 ⭐️ - This book was not what I was expecting, but that’s not to say you shouldn’t read it— I just don’t think I was the right audience for it. I thought this was going to be a cute, cozy witch romance. But unfortunately, when we got to the romance aspect, it ended up being a little too explicit for my liking 🫣

However, I DID enjoy other parts of this book, so let’s start by discussing those!
▫️The female main character: Dina is a kitchen witch who owns a cozy café in London that sells magically infused pastries. I’m actually obsessed with this… her baking magical pastries to boost people’s moods and bring them things like confidence & joy. Adorable 🥲
▫️The solid & supportive / full of love female friendships that are a huge cornerstone of Dina’s life.
▫️For possibly the first (and last) time: the third act breakup… I know 🤯 They’re usually the result of some silly/easy to fix miscommunication. But this was not that so I found I didn’t mind it!

Things I was not a fan of…
▫️The insta-love: A good portion of the story takes place over the course of a single weekend. They go from being strangers to being in a committed relationship over ~3 days. It was such a whirlwind that I was waiting for it to be revealed someone had put a love spell on them, just to make it make sense.
▫️The spice: I’m not strictly a closed-door romance girlie, but this was a bit too much for me personally. I almost felt like it took away from the story and it would have been more enjoyable if it had been closer to the closed-door end of the spectrum. But again— if you’re someone who enjoys spice to the max, then this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for this ARC

Dina is a kitchen witch who owns & runs her own cafe' in London. She knows little about love however, as there is a hex hanging over her. With her best friend's wedding approaching, she thinks who need love when she can experience it through her friend. The wedding is a romantic getaway where she meets the groom's best friend, Scott. Dina knows that the hex still holds, but can she break it before she falls in love?

A fun witchy romance, perfect for the Halloween season! A bit too instalove for me, but I really liked the two main characters. And there’s a sentient house and a meddling cat, which are always great addition in a witchy book. Perfect for fans of Lana Ferguson and Talia Hibbert.

I don't think I have audibly cringed more in a book, at times this was horribly embarrassing to read and the dirty talk and sex were A LOT. But not in a pleasant way.
The plot was so cute to start out and I really loved the idea of her being hexed and trying to over come it, and the friend's wedding destination was such a fun location for their feelings and relationship to progress. And I LOVED how their magic system worked. So cool and wish we had gotten more of the magic and how it all works. But that was about it.
They INSTANTLY fell in love. Like one look in a coffee shop and they were done for. Super realistic...
The amount of sex talk and sneaking away to have it as soon as the wedding ceremony ended, his constant public boners, her fear of coming out as Bi to her very nice and understanding parents, her two best friends that both write horror novels, and their attitude of not having children all bugged me.
The ending fell a little flat for me too. Just a sad wrap up without leaving me wanting more or really caring.
There was soooo much potential! I went into this hoping I would love it and excited for my special edition. But in the end I was disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Publishing for my ARC!