Cozy and witchy romcom that is perfect for the fall! This follows a bisexual witch who has been hexed so that everyone she falls in love with who also loves her is hurt. The kitchen witch vibes were so fun—I loved all of the descriptions of the food, and the idea of imbibing treats with a comforting memory is the sweetest implementation of magic I’ve read. I also loved the focus on ethical curation from the MMC and how passionate he was about repatriating artifacts to their countries of origin. He’s a very masculine man—tall, a tower, with a beard and thick hair—but he’s also willing to cry if he’s hurt or scared. I appreciated that both characters were sensitive about the MMC’s panic attacks.

This was a little spicier than is my personal taste, with the romance being very quick moving/essentially love at first sight. The spice also has some D/s dynamics. If that’s something you enjoy in a romance, this will be absolutely perfect for you!

E-ARC Review— Thank you so much NetGalley, Nadia, and Random House for allowing me to read and review this book!

5/5 star read. This book was the perfect mix of enchanting and spicy! It gave such strong Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes and I was here for Every. Single. Second.

WITCHY VIBES:

This book had cozy baking magic, naked dancing in the woods, hexes and spells. What more do you need in a witchy book?!? The FMC was delightfully comfortable in her magic and her familiar cat Heebie was my absolute favorite character. She gave prissy queen vibes through the entire book and I ate it up.

FAMILY:

Part of the coziness of this book came from the love Dina gets from her family, both biological and found. She has the most supportive and hilarious horror loving friends that balance out the serious struggles she experiences during the book. She had the most supportive parents too, despite her fear of showing them her true self. They continue to love and support her until she is ready to share her full self with them.

SCOTT:

Scott was the perfect cinnamon roll MMC with a perfect dirty mouth. He was charming and understanding throughout the entire book and this made him my 3rd favorite character (sorry but Heebie and Immy have my heart)

Overall, this was a spectacular debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Nadia El-Fassi

I plan to post a review on tik-tok next week.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

nadia el-fassi’s debut felt like a warm hug — it was full of love and acceptance, and was really very spicy for such a cozy witchy romcom. typically, i am not the biggest fan of books that revolve around food, but everything dina made i wish i could eat from the descriptions alone.

Best cozy comfy read of ALL TIME. Best Hex Ever ignited my seasonal cozy reading mood! Now I’m exclusively reading cozy witchy romances set in the woods. I’m calling it, this is THE book to read this fall.

Everything about this book was perfection, from the magical cafe vibes to the hunky historian leading the British Museum’s artifact reparations initiative to return Middle Eastern ancient artifacts back to their original homeland. There is a cottage in the middle of the woods, a spooky wedding, *more than one* Jane Austen reference, and a cat that maybe talks named Heebie Jeebie?! Are you kidding me. This is pure gold. Truly the vibes are vibing and this book goes down like a warm drink on a cool rainy day.

Woven seamlessly into the cozy backdrop are references to Nadia El-Fassi’s Moroccan heritage. Dina and her mother draw their witchy magical powers from their homeland in Morocco. We get a glimpse into their culture through their magical house that turns into a traditional Riad on the inside, the Darija they speak, the magical properties of henna and other Middle Eastern plants and herbs. It is so beautiful to see that representation on the pages of a cozy (yet very steamy!!) witchy romance. I loved every minute of it.

This book explores some deeper themes of self-love and coming to terms with your identity. The FMC, Dina, grapples with her bisexuality and accepting her authentic self, especially in the face of her family. El-Fassi holds the reader’s hand on this journey of self-love and self-acceptance, showing that magic and power come from who you are on the inside.

Thank you so much to the folks at Dell Romance and NetGalley for providing me with this early review copy!

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me! I love witchy romances and loved the vibes of this in the beginning - a kitchen witch is such a fun idea! I think the culture that was included added so much to the book and I would have loved to see even more of that and more explanation of the magic system.

The third act breakup was predictable as was the whole hex part and how to solve it. Honestly I think everything in the last 25% felt super rushed which I did not like. I'm also a huge spice lover but this felt like it went from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye - I think this would have benefitted from a bit more tension and build up as well as a conversation about kink/consent.

Overall I see the promise even if this book wasn't for me exactly. I rated it a 3.75 rounded up to 4.

How can a book be simultaneously so heartwarming and cozy yet insanely horny at the same time? I absolutely loved this. Just the idea of a coffee shop where the food and drink make you feel like getting kissed on the forehead (and many other spells inducing comfort and luck) had me hooked from the start.

4.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more book content, follow me @romantic.ally_ on instagram

I enjoy reading anything to do with witches and paranormal vibes. This was a cute witchy romance by Nadia El-Fassi in her debut novel.

The 3rd act breakup was looming and was predictable. If you like spice this is the book for you cause most of the book was spicy and it came on pretty quickly. But if you like sweet, spice and a cozy romance you will enjoy this read. It was cute for a debut author.

4 stars

This was a cute and cozy fantasy romance. Dina and Scott were both really sweet characters who were definitely down bad for each other. The friends and family were also a lot of fun and a good addition to the story.
Not a lot happens in this book and there’s honestly not a whole lot of character development. You get a little bit of the hex story line which helps keep things moving but it’s mostly just vibes. I personally didn’t mind it but if you’re looking for a more plot heavy romance this might not be the one for you. It’s a great read for cozy fall day where you just want to get lost in a cute love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC

I don't understand how a book can be quirky, comfy, and spicy all at once, but Best Hex Ever was just that. Dina and Scott were fun to get to know and I felt invested with side characters as well. The book was an instant hit for me, I don't know if it was the magic, Dina, or just the fall season feel of the book, but it was a quick and fun read for me. I cannot wait to buy a physical copy of this book and proudly display it on my bookshelf!

If I could hand the author an award right now I absolutely would. One of the best up and coming novels for Halloween/Spooky season. A modern love story between a hexed witch and a man who grew up as an orphaned boy that collected good luck charms and protection items in order to get adopted. She is also a maid of honor for a friend's wedding and he is the best man which is what ends up bringing the together in the middle of the book.

Love the constant build and intertwining of events and spice. The story is well written and realistic so a reader can relate. I like how there isn't a lot of fluff in the beginning and the author let's the characters have the courage to talk about their feelings freely and have healthy communication skills which only adds greatness to the story.

Also, there aren't any means girls in this story, rather women being girls girls and men not only being civil and nice to the other characters but to each other and all the characters having each others' backs. Further, I absolutely love how the author includes all types of people from all walks of life without going to the extreme this includes family and lifestyles of all types. Hats off to the author have kid free and kid families included and accepted in this story. To add, the cat name was absolutely genius in this book and I will be stealing it (Heebies, full name Heebie Jeebies).

In this book we also see both parties display a healthy relationship that respects the other's wishes and boundaries. For example, there were topics that each MC was uncomfortable talking about and one person would stop before hitting the topic, say "I support and respect ***".

Finally, the Hex turns out to be a big lesson and epiphany about self sabotage and accepting yourself as you are. I won't spoil who put the Hex on Dina and how, but through the book you see her really start to glow and realize how awesome her and her powers are.

Romance Scenes: The scenes were so good! You really knew what was going and who was doing what. Again, perks to the author for having defined/healthy/open discussions about consent, boundaries, and protection for romance scenes.

Spice 4.5/5

This novel is great for 18+
If it weren't for the spice, I would say for 12 and older. Great example of a healthy relationship which we do not see a lot of.

4.5 STARS

A warm, fall hug is what this book felt like. It’s the perfect cozy, steamy, witchy romance set in England. It will make you hungry, want to dance naked in the moonlight with your friends, and cuddle up with someone you love. I definitely have fallen in love with this world and cannot wait for the next book.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this ARC. I really enjoyed the story. It had a great cast of characters and I enjoyed seeing the Hex portion play out and resolve. It got surprisingly spicy but I loved the mix. Would recommend and read more by Nadia.

This is a great book for your Fall TBR list. It has a fun story line and cozy vibes with a bit of magic. There is an instant attraction that builds during a wedding weekend for a good amount of spice. The dynamics between the friends and families is well-written and provides good character growth. I enjoyed Dina's story and am hoping to read Rosemary's story next!

Give me all the cozy witchy fall reads! This was so much fun and SO CUTE. And the spice was definitely hitting the mark.

This is the perfectly brewed story (pun intended) of Diana. She is a cafe owner in London, and is able to achieve a perfectly cozy and homey cafe for people to unwind in with the little help of magic.

Dina has sworn off love, do to a hex. But when Scott stumbles into her shop, sparks start flying. This gives you London with cozy small town vibes, strong family and friendships.

I really enjoyed this and the side characters were so fun I hope to maybe see something about Rosemarys story!

Thank you @nadiaelfassiauthor and @randomhouse for the EARC in exchange for an honest review.

✨BOOK REVIEW: Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi
⭐⭐⭐
This book is perfect for cozy fall vibes! It's time to start building that Fall TBR and this book would fit in perfectly.
Such an easy read at only 320 pages!

TROPES:
- Insta-lust
- Witchy
- Cozy
- Fall/autumn
- Paranormal romance

This book HAS to be on your fall tbr. All the best cozy with vibes, so many baked goods, and the setting in London is perfection. Mulled wine was mentioned at least twice and I craved sipping a mug while reading just to sink further in this book.
I love the characters and the story plot was so cute and fully developed. Fairyloot already has a special edition of this book WHICH IS SO DESERVING! You’ll love this book and will definitely be a new favorite!

I loved the FMC, Dina, so much! She's a Moroccan, bisexual entrepreneur who loves her curves. It was so refreshing to follow her journey! There's also a lottttt of well-executed spice in this book too.

I've seen a lot of reviews that are critical of the insta-love between Dina and Scott. While yes, they did hit it off instantly, I found their attraction sweet and believable. Not every relationship has to be enemies to lovers, and this book proudly shows that.

Overall, this magical, cozy romance had me smiling and blushing all throughout the book. I cannot wait to read what Nadia writes next!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. The cover is super cute and it's a cute "witchy" book that's perfect for the fall. I couldn't put it down

Dina is a kitchen witch - she owns a bakery and makes magical pastries for her customers and loved ones. Only a few close friends know her secret. And of the hex placed on her when she was younger that makes it hard to fall in love. Dina is the maid of honor at her best friend's wedding, there she meets Scott, the best man and sparks fly -- until Scott keeps getting hurt. Is it part of the hex or is there a bigger force in play.

It's an interesting story, I haven't read much about witches and hexes. I thought it was a fun storyline and the characters are great.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This is my first fall read this almost-season! Nadia did a great job of mixing romance, spice, and magic. Overall, the book was sweet, just what I needed to cleanse my palette before the spooky season. I cannot say that I think this book will stay on my mind past the last page, but I would recommend it to a friend. I love the cover as well!