The premise of this book was really intriguing and I enjoyed the cozy witchy vibes. The romance was pretty cute, although a bit insta lovey. The atmosphere is excellent for the coming Fall season and I can see a lot of readers loving this.

I thought I would like this a lot more than I actually did unfortunately. The overly descriptive writing made it hard for me to get into and I prefer a ‘show, don’t tell’ style. Overall, this book was just okay, but not really my taste.

When Dina and Scott met, they were enthralled with each other, but Dina has a secret hex on her that keeps her from successfully falling in love. The hex physically hurts everyone who falls for her. But they keep running into each other, and they seemed destined to be together. Dina is terrified that Scott will fall victim to the hex. Dina wants to tell her mother and get her help, but is afraid that her other secret will cause her mother to think less of her. It's kind of a mess, but kind of amazing. What a fascinating, mesmerizing story or an unlikely paranormal romance. It's a very erotic book with many intimate sexual details. I could have done with less vivid sex, but the story was worth it.

Dina is a witch who instills magic in the food and drinks she prepares. Unfortunately. A hex affecting her love
life makes her fear danger to anyone she is attracted to. Scott is a museum curator fascinated by magical
amulets and objects from different cultures. Both are attendees at a wedding where they give in to their mutual
attraction and hopefully overpower the hex
Cute story.
#BestHexEver #RandomHouse #Ballantine #Dell #NetGalley

*Best Hex Ever* by Nadia El-Fassi is an absolute treat! As a kitchen witch, Dina Whitlock whips up magic-infused pastries in her cozy London café, but her love life is another story entirely. Thanks to a pesky hex, any romantic partner of hers is doomed to a streak of bad luck. Love might seem off the menu, but when Dina meets Scott Mason, the best man at her best friend's wedding, the sparks—and complications—begin to fly.

Scott, recently returned to London as a curator at the British Museum, has been through his own emotional upheaval, making this a story that beautifully balances romance with deeper, more complicated topics. I particularly loved how the book touched on the lasting impact of cheating and the emotional scars of being in foster care. These elements added a rich layer of depth to the characters, making their journey toward love even more meaningful.

The chemistry between Dina and Scott is palpable, and their romantic weekend filled with a hedge maze, palm readings, and a midnight Halloween ritual is nothing short of enchanting. But with the hex still looming, the stakes are high, and Dina’s struggle to protect Scott while falling for him is both heart-wrenching and captivating.

Nadia El-Fassi’s writing is full of warmth, humor, and just the right amount of magic. The blend of romance and witchcraft is delightful, and Dina’s culinary creations sound so amazing that I most definitely need her recipe book! This novel is perfect for anyone who loves a magical romance with a touch of real-world issues and a lot of heart.

*Best Hex Ever* is a charming and heartfelt read that will leave you spellbound and craving more of Dina’s magical world. Highly recommended!

#BestHexEver #NetGalley

I wanted to adore this but for some reason it was super hard to get into. I'm not sure if it was the writing, the characters, or the plot. None of those things were terrible but I just had a hard time connecting with them. I can see people and my patrons enjoying this story though. The cozy witchy aspect is super cute and the relationship was cute. I didn't dislike this book but I just don't have strong opinions on it.

Debut author Nadia El-Fassi gifts us with the bipoc witch FMC that we've all needed. I liked that the FMC maintains a connection to her heritage & we get insight into her family. Dina is relatable with her relationship & self-love struggles. She embraces her witchy heritage even if she is selective in revealing it to others. Dina & her mother, Nour, have a good relationship for the most part. I want to know more about Nour & the magical history of her family in Morocco. Dina's best friends Immy & Rosemary are funny, loyal, & willing to engage in all the shenanigans that make friendship worthwhile. Scott is the tall, dark, & dominant man that makes you swoon. I enjoyed the banter among the characters as well as their steadfastness when life gets serious. Unlike many cozy books, there's no closed door, off page spice. This is full-on spicy with plenty of swoon-worthy grabby hands. Overall a fun, sexy introduction to a new group that I look forward to reading more in the future.

The story blends magic and romance as Dina meets Scott during a weekend wedding celebration. Dina is a kitchen witch who runs a charming café in London. Despite her success in the culinary world, Dina's life is far from perfect since a hex has been cast on her love life. Dina has focused on her café and friendships, particularly as her best friend's wedding approaches. Scott, a British Museum curator, has just returned to London after two years of globetrotting in the wake of a painful breakup. Scott is not looking for love but can't help but be drawn to Dina. The chemistry between Dina and Scott is undeniable; however, Dina's curse shadows over their budding romance.

Dina's creativity and magical talents make her a lovable character. She is haunted by past loves and the complicated emotions of getting close to someone again. She powerfully represents how hurt can make us so guarded that we can open ourselves to new experiences. Scott is also nursing past wounds. Both characters are believable and make the reader connect with them on an emotional level. The book was a fun and introspective read. This book is for you if you enjoy a magical and witchy romance with all the feels.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Dell

This was the perfect cozy, witchy, SPICY fall read! The MC Dina is a kitchen witch with her own cafe in London - all of the descriptions of her drinks and pastries were mouth watering and I loved how her magic was infused into them. Scott is a smart & sweet museum curator who was betrayed in a past relationship and literally fled the country. When he returns home, he visits Dina’s cafe and they soon realize their lives are more entwined than they thought.

This was a very comforting read with lots of supportive friends & family characters, some very cozy settings, and lessons about self love and acceptance. Dina and Scott’s chemistry was off the charts and their instant connection was believable. There’s a bit of conflict in the form of a hex placed on Dina which dooms all of her relationships plus a third act breakup, but everything gets resolved pretty easily.

One thing I especially appreciated was the easy discussion about not wanting to have kids which isn’t very common in romances. I would highly recommend this if you’re looking for a fun & steamy Halloween read and I’m very much looking forward to Rosemary’s book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A magical debut from El-Fassi! I loved every moment of Best Hex Ever. Nadia has such a way with words. She can communicate the emotions associated with sensitive topics with ease. Many important lessons are conveyed throughout the novel, some of which I needed to hear and wasn't expecting (but magic always finds you when the time is right!). Each location visited in the book was well-painted and easily envisioned. Dina and Scott are both relatable and lovable characters. The creativity of Heebie and the House were some of my favorite scenes. This story is in my top five reads of 2024! I plan to reread it every spooky season!

4.5 stars

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi is a superlative witchy romance perfect for a cozy autumn day while sipping on a warm beverage and munching on a pastry.

Dina Whitlock is a bisexual kitchen witch who runs the Serendipity Cafe - a cafe that I wish I could be a regular at with all its delicious offerings— I was getting so hungry while I was reading, so make sure to have a snack nearby, don’t read this on an empty stomach. Dina’s is the maid of honor in one of her best friend’s weddings - she also is doing the hand fasting and making delicious baked goods for the event in lieu of a traditional cake. When Dina was younger she was hexed by an ex-lover and ever since anyone who has gotten close to her has suffered.

One day, a handsome stranger walks into her cafe and her evil eye charm falls off the entrance. Uh oh, the two are immediately captivated with one another…. As fate would have it, this handsome stranger happens to be the best man at the aforementioned wedding. The two try to play it cool, but the bride and groom have matchmaking on the mind and set these two up in a cozy cottage during the wedding weekend. Sparks LITERALLY fly, and we get some delicious spicy spice thrown into this fun adventure!

This book had a lot of fun characters and really was fast paced - it was so hard to put down one thing after another was happening and I never felt bored or disinterested. I loved the magic & the mother-daughter relationship between Dina and her mother Nour. There’s also a fantastic familiar in the form of a cat named Heebie!

I highly recommend this book to paranormal witchy fantasy romance lovers looking for a quick read to get obsessed with! Grab your copy on October 1, 2024!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book & look forward to devouring more of Nadia El-Fassi!

Starting off I really loved this book. A cute cozy witchy story that takes place in London. Magical pastries, a cat named Heebie Jeebie. It was perfect. However it started to lose me with the romance. It was very predictable and lost its cozy magic feeling. I don’t mind a spicy story, but when it comes to stories like this, where the majority of it is sweet and playful, and then all of a sudden the character drop vulgar words describing their feelings towards their romantic interest, it kinda throws me out of that cozy state of mind. The characters didn’t give off the vibe that they would talk like this so it kinda just makes me feel weird. But I’ve seen that happen to a lot of books like this so maybe it’s just me. I’m sure others enjoy it plenty which is totally fine! This is just my honest review. Even tho it was predictable for me, I did like the little twist with the hex reveal at the end and was happy to see a cute ending. Overall I would recommend this book, and it could be a good fall read, I just wish it gave me that cozy whimsical magic feeling through out the entire book and not just the first 10 chapters. Thank you NetGalley and Radom House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Dell for access to this ARC.

Dina is a witch - the Hollywood kind, who can light candles with a wave of her hand, infuse recipes with magic, and levitate items across the room. She is also cursed - any person who falls in love with her is cursed to hurt themselves. Dina has been avoiding committed relationships to protect others from her love - until she meets Scott - museum curator and the best man in her best friend's wedding. Sparks fly with all the romance tropes you could wish for - forced proximity, matchmaking friends, chance encounters, insta-love...

This book will appeal to those who like a lot of spice - sex scenes are frequent and graphic with a little bit of kink. If this isn't your thing, take a pass. The book abounds with cinnamon rolls, tea, spooky woods and mazes, and all the October vibes. It's a fun, quick read. The end kind of sprints to a finish, could have used more time processing the big realization, but overall it's a fun sexy book for fall - just don't take it or yourself too seriously.

This book had a really cute premise, perfect for Halloween! I love the witchy vibes and Scott is a swoonworthy male lead. There were times where I was hoping the timeline slowed down a little bit during Dina and Scott's lovestory but it was a fun, fast read that's perfect for fall. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine/Dell for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Feel good read for Fall. A cute love-hexed witch runs into a cute curator that has just come back from a heartbreak healing journey. Insta-connection but can it work when she's destined to hurt him? 3.75 rounded up because it was fun and cute.

Dina is a bi witch who owns a magical bakery. Scott is a curator of magical items who has always hoped that one would find be real, but has never found it. Until now. Their story was super fun to read, a great group of friends come together for their friend's wedding where these two bump into each other again. Fate has some plans, but Dina has a long history of hexed relationships haunting her. So when things start to go awry, she knows she has to walk away.

Do read if you're looking for a light-hearted, spicy, quick HEA without a lot of heartache. Don't read if you prefer a complex, deep, slow burn with lots of twists.

First off, thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for granting me access to this book in exchange for a review.

I approached this book with the hope of connecting with the story and themes, but unfortunately, it wasn't the right fit for me. While I appreciate the author's efforts to represent diverse perspectives, I found that the themes and characters didn't resonate with my personal beliefs. I understand that others might find value in this novel, but it didn't align with what I typically seek in a book.

Another significant concern was the reliance on telling rather than showing. The book often resorted to exposition instead of allowing the story to unfold through actions and dialogue. This approach made the narrative feel flat and less immersive, which hindered my ability to connect with the characters.

Lastly, the use of miscommunication trope felt particularly frustrating. While this trope can be effective when used sparingly, it was overused here, leading to contrived conflicts that felt unnecessary and repetitive.

I recognize that every reader has their own preferences, shaped by personal beliefs and experiences. For me this novel contained too many elements that I typically avoid, making it a disappointing read. However, I respect that others might enjoy it and find meaning where I did not. ⭐️⭐️

How to best sum up Best Hex Ever? It was OK. The main characters were OK. The tension was OK. The romance was OK (I was beginning to think Scott’s favorite phrase was “good girl”. It had potential, but that potential was never realized.

The best thing about this book was the relationships of the female characters.

I loved this book! It is the perfect kind of paranormal with magic but also regular folks.
Dina is a witch whose magic manifests mostly around food & tea. She also has other skills but they aren’t as strong. Her mother’s magic is different. Her mother is Moroccan and her father is welsh. They are delightful.
Scott is a museum curator whose focus is artifacts of protection that he would like to see returned to the countries they were stolen from.
This book was such an easy read. Lovely friends, a solid attraction with spice, and a resolution that didn’t feel unnecessary.

This was cute and cozy! Perfect for fall! I really enjoyed the romance and the characters were very likeable. A bit slow to start but after awhile I got invested in the romance mostly! Will be adding to our library and recommending.

3.5 stars

This was a really cute and cozy paranormal witchy romance! The FMC is a witch who owns a bakery/cafe and incorporates harmless magic into her bakes/coffees to improve everyone's day (think Simply Irresistible). I love the cultural references throughout this book and found the FMC's relationship with her parents, friends, and cat to be so sweet and lovely. This book is an instalove and I think that's where it fell a little bit flat for me. Generally, I'm not the biggest fan of instalove but I'll still read instalove books because sometimes it just works SO well and sucks you in. I think the instalove felt a bit forced for me here. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, so it wasn't as believable for me. Regardless of that, I still really enjoyed the other elements of this book and am glad that I read it!

I received this book as an arc!

Fun and spicy yet cozy romance that felt like a brisk autumn morning and curling up with a hot drink, a cat, and a book. The mix of a magical cafe in the city and a sprawling country manor that might be haunted just added to the ambiance of the story. Dina and Scott had great chemistry, and Scott was so supportive and wholesome.