Potions & Proposals
by Kate Callaghan
4⭐️

witchy romance 🔮
arranged marriage
life long enemies to lovers 🦎
forced proximity
dual POV

I am a huge fan of witchy/paranormal romances but they can be so hard to find sometimes because they are very hit or miss for me. I’m happy to say I found another book to add to my fall witchy book recs! I absolutely loved Potions & Proposals! Benedict was so adorable, misunderstood and head over heels for Lucy. I absolutely LOVED when he confessed that for years he’s been secretly buying up all the books he’s seen her reading because he wanted to understand what took up her undivided attention! I love to read light fluffy romances in between fantasy books and this is the perfect cozy paranormal romance for it! I will be adding this to my witchy book collection when it officially releases in August!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

*will be posted on IG on 7/25/24*

Enemies to lovers? Check. Magic? Check. Open door spicy scenes? Double check, I enjoyed this book very much- I loved the small town vibes, the witchy-ness, and ADORED the way the enemies to lovers trope played out.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. The book lived up to its tropes! I just didn’t like the dual POV

Foxford is a town home to the most magical of people and to two of the most notorious pranksters-Lucinda Hawthorne and Benedict Matherson. These two families have a long history together with the Hawthorne matriarchs ruling as the High Priestess. Soon it will be Lucinda's turn but after a prank leaves the Matherson hotel with a bad review, a secret coven meeting reveals an ultimatum, bind herself to Benedict or risk being kicked out of the town. After an attempt to hinder the binding ritual, a potion goes mistakenly wrong and the two finds themselves leaning on each other more than ever before.

This was my first ever ARC and for that I will love it forever! I can't thank Kate Callaghan enough for letting me read her novel! This was a super cute, dual POV, witchy novel that I think will be perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. I liked the elemental magic which is something I haven't seen a lot of in witchy books. There was a perfect amount of spice, as well! I always expect romances to be a little cheesy, but overall, this was a great read! I will definitely be preordering a copy so I can have a physical copy for my shelves!

I just finished this book and I absolutely loved it! The enemies-to-lovers trope was done so well, and I really enjoyed the cozy small-town vibes. It was really well-written and I couldn't put it down!

Potions and Proposals, by Kate Callaghan, is an adult paranormal romance novel, with a great character lineup and enough magic and romance to keep it interesting. It was a fast-paced story without too much spice. Overall, it was a fun witchy romance that kept my interest throughout.
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

Potions and Proposals is the perfect book for those wanting a cosy, quick, easy, romantic witchy read, for the Autumn months. It gives American autumn, Halloween vibes in its setting of Foxford, a refugee/safe town for witches/paranormal beings that have been hunted and basically controlled by the Order. It is a character driven story with very minimal plot. I rate the book 3 stars, but I think it’s very much a not for me book, while others will love it if they are searching for the above requirements for the book. I felt the world building was lacking, I still have so many questions about basic things, such as their magic, why can they NOT use it frequently when they are literally in their own ‘safe haven’, how does their magic work, how does one become a Grim Reaper, being a couple. I was more interested in the side characters than the main characters, as to me the main characters were rather boring. A lot of the plot issues were in my opinion a bit drastic. They are centred on the two main characters being in contention to become High Priestess even though it is literally Lucindas birthright, but due to Lucy and Benedicts pranks on one another and the ‘danger’ they pose, they have to either bind (marry) or one of them gets banished from the town. If that’s the case, neither of them are mature enough to be High Priestess, but there is no other younger person nominated or mentioned to take over. I did find this story boring and the plot issues quite weak. They just didn’t seem realistic or make sense. Lucy and Benedict aren’t enemies to lovers either, they are childhood nuisances turned adults who haven’t realised they love each other. The enemies to lovers should refer more to Rosie and her Professor. That would hopefully make a more interesting story. But again, its not a bad book, I just wish the world building was more in depth and that the plot was more fleshed out. If you are looking for something easy to read with cosy witch vibes this will be perfect.

I was really excited to read Potions & Proposals because it's about a magical town called Foxford , where people use elemental magic.
Our main character Lucinda works as a librarian, translating magical books, while Benedict, the other main character, owns a mansion that serves as a hotel.
Lucinda’s mom is the head of the coven, and Lucinda is expected to take over, but some things happen that make it difficult. Lucinda and Benedict used to be enemies as kids, but they’re forced to get engaged because they’re supposed to rule the coven together. If they don’t, one of them has to leave Foxford😥
Then Lucinda’s family tries to use magic to save her from a loveless marriage, but it doesn’t go as planned. It’s a cozy book with vampires, healers, the grim reaper, and werewolves as side characters. The story has a really lovely setting. I’ve always loved fantasy books, and when I saw the cover of this one, I knew I was going to love it 😻
It’ll be published on August 24, 2024.
I recommend this book to all romantasy fans out there.
My rating -4/5⭐️

4.5⭐️
This book was SO fun! I loved the banter and the little “world” of Foxford. The enemies to lovers ABSOLUTELY sent me and i couldn’t put this book down! The perfect cozy read especially around halloween. this book is by far a new favorite

This book was a fun cozy read. I enjoyed the different fantasy characters, and the twist of the magic switch. I can’t wait to see how the characters develop in book two

I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this book, but the second half felt anticlimactic. I really wanted to give this book more stars, but the ending fell flat for me.

Dive into the magical world of Foxford with Kate Callaghan's enchanting fall read, **Potions and Proposals**! Follow the sizzling dynamic between Lucinda Hawthorne, daughter of the High Priestess, and Benedict Matherson, the town's charismatic hotel owner and lifelong nemesis. When a mischievous prank gone wrong puts their fates in jeopardy, they face a choice: marry each other on All Hallows Eve or risk being forced out of town. What follows is a spellbinding tale of unexpected love, hilarious magical mishaps, and a vibrant small town that will captivate you from the first page to the last. Get ready to be swept off your feet by this delightful blend of enemies-to-lovers romance, small-town charm, and captivating magic. Don't miss out on **Potions and Proposals** —a must-read from Kate Callaghan that will leave you craving more!

I really enjoyed the Foxford world. The book seemed long to me wrapping up rather easily and quickly. All kinds of characters and their worlds were introduced but not necessarily explored. Definitely had the feel of setting up for a sequel. That being said I gave the book 4 stars instead of 3.5 because I will most likely read the sequel as this one left me curious about the village and the world of the surrounding woods as well as the Order.
Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a preview of this book. This review is my own opinion.

I really enjoyed this romance based in the village of Foxford and will look forward to meeting more characters and reading more tales from this quaint magical place.

The story of Lucy and Benedict was a delightful and adorable rivals to lovers romance with a bit of slow burn. Couldn’t put it down and enjoyed every minute. The magical town and various hijinks kept me entertained along the way.

I love a good enemies to lovers and this did not disappoint. I would love to read more books in this world as I feel like it just scratched the surface of some of the characters. Benedict and Lucy's relationship is great to read and written beautifully and it really does put a whole new spin on "walking a mile in someone else's shoes".

I was gifted this book by Net Galley, all thoughts and feelings are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Callaghan, and the publishers for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

4.25 stars

I am a big fan of witchy rom-com. I loved the way this story was told. Lucy and Benedict have been pranking each other since they were kids. It’s so sweet that have been interested in each other throughout the years. It’s a hate-to-love romance in a small town. Can’t forget the meddling family members. I’m so glad that I got to read this book. I look forward to reading more from Kate Callaghan.

I highly recommend it!

I really like this! Lucinda and Benedict go from enemies to lovers, which is my thing, and it's sweet, not spicy. 3rd person works for me. too. It's fun and nicely paced.

What a magical romcom! I have been thoroughly enjoying fantasy romance and Kate nails the genre. I loved it!

I enjoyed this book but found myself drawn to the side characters more than the main characters. I really want to know more about Rosie, Grams, and Peter. I would have loved to hear some perspective from Grams or their mothers throughout the book. It read very YA for me then a couple scenes were not and it threw me off. My opinion but the main characters could be about 5-10 years younger and the main theme would have made more sense. It is a good book and I will be reading the next book because I am intrigued where some of these other characters stories go and I love this town and want to know more about the people in it.