This is a great book for those that are looking for less "spooky" halloween/fall books and more "magical" fall books. As I fall more into the former than the latter, some of the magical bits went over my head and.I started to feel a bit bored. There was also the insta-love/lust, which just didn't work for me 3/5 stars

Thank you to Nadia El-Fassi, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an arc of Best Hex Ever!

Best Hex Ever is a cute witchy, fall romance. The characters fall for each other while weird coincidences are bringing them together over and over. Both Scott and Dina are recovering from rough past relationships, though Dina's is a bit further in the past, while also coming to terms with who they are. I liked that Dina's friends knew she was a witch but were determined to keep her secret. I also enjoyed all the antics that occurred over their friends' wedding weekend (Dina and Scott were in the wedding party). Though most of the events were funny, some were more serious and it showed how caring the two were early on in their relationship. Scott and Dina were both really good, kind people who were going through a rough patch and it was nice to see them find each other.

This is a great read for someone looking to get in the fall spirit with a cozy romance.

3.5 stars.

This book did bring us a very cozy sort of magic. We get a sweet, witchy FMC and an MMC that immediately falls for her. Very sweet, easy witchy read.
This was the very definition of insta love and moved veryyy quickly for my liking. Like I felt like the couple didn’t get to know each other? They just immediately fell in love.. The writing was also kind of wordy and felt more telling vs showing..

Genuinely the perfect cozy, spicy, witchy, autumnal read. I don't usually love books that are too centric on a holiday, but this is the exact type i DO love.

- dual POV
- maid of honor x best man
- a little insta-lust
- open door scenes
- cozy fantasy

Dina and Scott first meet when he comes into her cafe, but it turns out their best friends are getting married and they're all going to be in the wedding together! They also end up rooming together at the wedding. There is a lot of culture, female friendship and overall joy in this book. I would say if you're looking for something to read in Autumn that is super low stakes (no angst), this is perfect.

This was so good! Dina is a Moroccan-British witch with two best friends, one of whom is getting married, a familiar cat and a hex problem. She runs a coffee shop and bakery as she's a kitchen witch. On her way home, she meets Scott three times and finally they are forced together on Immy's wedding weekend. Scott and Eric (Immy's fiance/husband) are best friends who work in a museum together so that explains why Dina and Scott find themselves at the same place and forced to share a cabin for this wedding weekend. Scott is still recovering from a brutal breakup and spent time abroad for work rather than facing his problems. Dina fears that she hexed an old love and then they turned it on her, putting anyone she loves at risk of danger and harm.

The thing is, Dina and Scott have an instant attraction to each other. They decide to just pursue it at the wedding weekend but they can't help it and everyone around them sees what a good match they are. The intimate scenes are hot in this one and there's real intimacy shared between Scott and Dina before they even get naked together. This has the perfect combination (for me) of witchy vibes, romance, discovering yourself/your purpose and just casual depictions of diversity. Scott has two mums, Dina is bi, and while these things are important to the story, they also are not if that makes sense. Just effortless depictions of how varied the human experience is!

Can't wait to read Rosemary's story (Dina's bestie who can see ghosts) as she is an author who is having her novel adapted into a film.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.

A really great fall read. It was funny and cozy and had all the vibes I was looking for, for the autumn season. I’d definitely recommend this book.

This was a sweet read (literally! I was craving cinnamon rolls for days after!). I enjoyed learning more about both of the main characters' professions, like a curator that wants to repatriate works??? Amazing!!! and I really liked the way Dina's magic was used throughout the book. For me personally, I felt that the plot/smut balance was a bit off (there was a lot of smut that didnt always aid the plot. But it was well written!!). But I think that's probably a me thing!! Overall, this was a wonderful seasonal read and I would definitely recommend. Cant wait to learn more about the stories of her friends!!

This was a fun and cozy read that was perfect for fall! It wasn’t my favorite romance of the year but I appreciated it for what it was - wholesome and cozy with a little spice!

3.25 stars

Best Hex Ever was cute, witchy, and fun. But it was not without its flaws and unfortunately the trope of insta-love was one of them. Insta-love is almost always an immediate turn-off for me even when magic is literally in the mix. Magic is not a good enough explanation for two characters being in love with each other after less than a week, and thinking they loved each other even before that.

I loved the focus at the beginning of Dina in her cafe and the magic she laced into each of her baked goods but at around the 50% mark, it took a drastically spicy turn that I don’t think fit the mood of the rest of the story. In contrast to the magical elements, the deep platonic love of her friends, and the strong family bonds, the spicy scenes didn’t blend in. I was actually surprised by how spicy the scenes were because the story had started off so warm and cozy that I wasn’t expecting such a sharp tonal shift.

I was also disappointed to find that I didn’t really know these characters. Dina kept describing herself as clumsy and loud and strange but other than her being a witch, I didn’t find anything “abnormal” about her. Although that was the backstory of the hex, I felt like we were being told that Dina was all of these qualities instead of being shown. Same goes for Scott, because although he was sweet and kind, I don’t think I have many characteristics to describe him and that’s unfortunate in a love story.

All that being said, I still found myself rooting for Dina and Scott and enjoyed the story well enough because of how much I loved the magic, the friendships, and the family elements. I also found myself laughing with the characters and smiling at the inside jokes that they had. Mostly, I wish the focus had been less on the lust of their romance and more on their development because it would have suited the writing style and the warm witchy vibe it was intended to have.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Best Hex Ever was such a cute and witchy read. Our witch/baker/cafe owner, Dina, has been avoiding love for years now. After being hexed by an ex unintentionally she discovered that anyone who fell in love with her and her with them would encounter dangerous accidents that would harm them. She decided to avoid love at all costs in order to save those she holds dear. Enter tall and handsome Scott. He's finally getting over his ex and has moved home to be closer to his moms and has gained a curator position at the museum. Dina and Scott keep running into each other and actually end up being the Maid of Honor and the Best Man at mutual friends' wedding. Their chemistry is unavoidable but their connection also runs deep and Dina is afraid for Scott's safety.

Dina and Scott had a bout of insta-lust but to be honest the first part of the book was a bit slow so I was ready for them to finally show some sparks. We get a lot of backs story on Dina and Scott and if you have a heart you are rooting for them within a few chapters. I really loved how supportive Scott was and Dina was so easy to identify with. The side characters are equally as lovable and I'm very interested in reading Rosemary's story after getting a sneak peek at the end of this one. Dina and Scott's parents were both equally adorable and I really found the witchy ceremony on Halloween so heartwarming and interesting. I wish I could do that!

I would recommend reading this if you're looking for something pretty darn sweet and fitting for the Halloween/fall vibes, which is perfect right now! Thank you so much to Dell publishing for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the Best Hex Ever. Right off the bat, It's a spicy ( a bit more than I expected) but I really enjoyed Dina, her bakery references, Scott (the museum curator and love interest) and the family and friends we're introduced to in the story. Dina is a kitchen witch or a Hedge witch. She makes pastries and teas imbued with small magic. Scott walks in and their chemistry is magic but Dina is under a hex. The story is entertaining, well written and follows thru to a lovely HEA. I recommend this author as her book is easy to read with fun, interesting characters that filled my definition of a cozy, paranormal romance. Enjoy!

DNF @ 25%

A kitchen witch with cursed love, I thought I was going to like this one but I gave up. It was very slow moving and I found it boring with a lot of "telling".

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 ⭐️

This book was so cute and cozy! The atmosphere and relationship was absolutely one of the cutest fall romance relationships I have ever read, and I wish I could have jumped into London with this friend group and ate some of Dina’s baking! Scott was incredibly golden retriever coded, and I absolutely loved him!

My only issues were it was a bit insta-lovey which is not my cup of tea, and the miscommunication, though understandable, made me a little bit frustrated at times!

Overall, such a cute fall read that I would definitely recommend! I also will be picking up this author’s next release (which is an interconnected stand alone associated with this book).

and thank you to Random House Publishing for the ARC!

Cute book - very appropriate for the season. It's perfect for fall, witchy, cozy vibes! Thank you so much to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Best Hex Ever delivers everything you'd hope for in a witchy romance. The story centers around Dina, a kitchen witch who owns a bakery and has a close-knit group of family and friends. She then meets Scott, the seemingly perfect man. But there’s one problem: she’s cursed with a hex that brings harm to anyone who loves her. As Dina grapples with her feelings for Scott, the universe keeps pulling them together.

This book is both sweet and emotional, a great blend of romance and heartfelt moments. Perfect for spooky season or any time of year!

I liked the characters and rooted for them to have everything work out in the end. The story was cute and entertaining. The writing was a bit repetitive, and the spice level was pretty high for a chapter or so. Overall, an enjoyable read for lovers of witchy romances and a pretty good debut novel. I look forward to reading about Rosemary's story next.

I absolutely devoured this book - I loved it so much. It was the best way to welcome fall with the wholesome, witchy, comfy vibes, and with plenty of spice to keep you warm 😉

The writing was so beautifully descriptive that I felt like I was with Dina, her friends, and Scott the whole time. I loved being immersed in this world where magic is real and so much fun to play with.

I also loved all of the characters. They all added an extra something to the book and were perfect in my opinion. Especially Dina’s parents, and their house (seeing as the house has a personality, I’m counting it as a character…maybe my favorite side character, honestly!)

Overall this book was such a joy to read. I loved Nadia’s writing style and look forward to reading more by her. What a wonderful debut! Thank you to Nadia El-Fassi, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the eARC!!

Oh this was really, really cute. Total no-real-stakes contemporary witchy romance. There's a bit of insta-love, but with the way this one is written I was 100% okay with it. I absolutely adored Dina as a main character -- she was sweet, and wanted the best for her friends all while completely second-guessing herself. Scott, the love interest, felt a bit bland. We didn't know too much about him, but it was fine. He's fine.

This book is not profound, people, it's just FUN.

Oh and the steamy bits? Very, very well written. Extra steamy, extra interesting. Totally worth it.

Dina's parents, especially her mom, are delightful. I loved whenever they were on page. I would have loved magic being included even more than it already is, but I love fantasy elements in just about anything. The author doesn't go real into detail about how the magic works in this universe, but again...this book is just a fun little romp. We're not building out a great magic system or anything. And we don't need to! The romance is cute enough on its own.

Basically, if you're looking for a good spooky-season witchy romance with almost zero-stakes...pick up Best Hex Ever. You'll love it.

This book was VERY spicy but also sweet. I enjoyed the magical baking aspect and the magic in general. I felt like the representation of Moroccan heritage was unique and I wish we would have seen Scott find out some information for Dani through his museum work (a future book, perhaps?) I enjoyed Immy and Rosemary’s characters too and I’m looking forward to more in this series.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love and I never want to stop thinking about this book. You know when you just have a feeling about a book and that you'll love it even before reading a sentence? That was me with this book. I've been itching read it since I found Nadia El-Fassi's twitter account.

I completely fell in love with everything about this book from the first page.(side note: the audiobook is amazing too! I loved the narrators) Dina and Scoot are incredible characters who made you love them. I loved the magical aspect of this book with my soul. it's truly such a wonderful and magical (literally) romance. It's one of my favorite romances of the year, I can't recommend it enough.