This was a fun and cozy romance! It’s a perfect, light fall read. I enjoyed the development of the relationship between the two main characters and always appreciate a community run by a powerful woman.

There was a character who seemed to be building up to be a potential antagonist, but then it never came to anything, so that was strange and felt a bit anticlimactic. There were actually a few loose threads where stories were started and then abandoned. Perhaps the intention is to make it a series, but it wasn’t clear whether it was intentional or not.

Overall, an easy and fun read with magic and romance.

Thank NetGalley for the chance to read this lovely book.

I’d say rating for spice is light rating for writing from the heart and cozy loving vibes 💯

What an absolute joy this book was to read, its well structured enemies to lovers with magical small town supernatural setting.

I feel in love with Benedict giving me Adam driver vibes he was the perfect goth gentleman with a slanty smile and I can only imagine his voice like Alan Rickman.

Awww Lucinda aka Pumpkin is just so ditzy but strong she has him already in thrall without knowing it.
The binding ritual was so beautiful and the customs with the cloak and the rings absolutely had me swooning .

I am looking forward to book too! Please let it be about Peter , he needs love that isn’t undead !!! With a side of Rosie and Emerson .


Loved it please more more more .

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Potions and Proposals is a terrific blend of romance and magic. It had the perfect pace and held my interest. The romance is a sweet one so if you are expecting spice this might not be the choice for you. I however, found it to be a delightful read with a wonderful cast of characters and a setting that just had me settling in to read.

I really enjoyed this one. It was an easy read and kept me completely entertained till the very end. I wish there was more spice, but that’s completely fine.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

A magical small-town enemies-to-lovers romance; very much if Gilmore Girls was set in Halloween Town. Unfortunately, I found it all a bit contrived as there was a lot of info dumping and a reliance on past unseen events in establishing relationships. The setting felt like a movie set, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not something I personally enjoy.
You can certainly see that the author tried to work in important conversations about race (magical obvs) and discrimination, but I felt that it overwhelmed the plot a bit. The story was trying to do too much. But overall, I think it was fun.
If you enjoyed books like "The Ex Hex" by Erin Sterling or "A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating A Demon" by Sarah Hawley, I think this might be up your alley.

This story had everything I look for in a cozy fall read!

Lucinda and Benedict are childhood rivals who live in the cozy town of Foxford, a sanctuary town for supernatural beings. They have been playing pranks on each other for as long as either can remember but when one prank goes to far and risks exposing the town the coven begins to question if Lucinda has what it takes to take her rightful place as High Priestess or if Benedict would be a better fit for the role.

The coven gives the two rivals a choice, let them vote and the losser would be banished or the two would be magically bound together to show their commitment to their town and each other.

I loved the characters and couldn't wait to find out what happened. There was great banter throughout and I loved seeing what these two would get themselves into next! I can definitely see myself rereading this book over and over!

Thank you to Netgally and Kate Callaghan for the opportunity to read and leave an honest review for this book

What it is about:
Childhood “friends” Lucinda and Benedict find themselves in competition for the role of the next head of the Foxford coven of witches. The town of Foxford is a sanctuary for paranormal beings, although they do not all live in perfect harmony. This competition lands them unexpectedly in an arranged marriage to each other! Even though they have know each other since childhood, the idea of marriage initially is rejected. However, circumstances and events bring them together in order for them to realize that their childhood squabbles might be much more.


What I think:
This was such a feel good, witty, fun, witch romance set in the small town of Foxford. This town is known to the magless as being special but magic is not flaunted. I really loved both main characters: they are relatable, well developed, and funny in their own ways. I am interest to see how the enemy of paranormal beings “the order” plays out in future books. There seems to be a lot more to this story and I have many questions about what will happen next.

Potions & Proposals is very, very sweet. i read an early-access ARC of this via netgalley, and i immediately liked the premise. the main characters were deeply endearing. their contrasting personalities were entertaining, and it was very satisfying to watch them find common ground. the most special thing about this book is the world-building - Kate Callaghan creates a realistic, quaint magical town with its own political hierarchies and history. the well-built world lent more weight to Lucy and Benedict's internal conflicts. both characters are complex, and their insecurities/reservations were often intertwined with Foxford's. the setting was alive, and felt very much like a character. i liked the descriptions of the town, and the inside-look at the functioning of the coven/the politics that came with it. everything felt thought-through, and Callaghan manages to evoke a very lovely, fairy-tale atmosphere.

there were moments where i was slightly put-off by the pacing of the book - Callaghan focused a lot on small details, drawing out scenes beyond what felt necessary as a reader. there was a lot of emphasis on actions like picking things up/walking around, and both characters' internal monologues veered towards being repetitive & going in circles. there is also a lot of exposition-heavy dialogue at the beginning of this book as a way to develop the world; and while it is useful, it slows down the pace and makes some of the dialogue sound slightly stilted & unnatural. there were also places where i felt Potions & Proposals swung towards being overly saccharine, but that might be a Me problem & not necessarily a fault of the book, since this may work for some readers.

Callaghan stacks the cast of this book with some wonderful side-characters - Rosie, Luisa, Gwendoline, the High Priestess, Lucy's grandmother. they bring a lot of personality to the story, allowing Callaghan to explore different elements of the supernatural in creative ways. there were many scenes in Potions that were genuinely heart-warming, and also a lot of natural-borne tension that drove the narrative - all thanks to the varied, complicated dynamics between each of the characters.

finally, the romance. as i mentioned earlier, this premise really intrigued me, and felt like the perfect set-up for a supernatural romance. and i was (mostly) right - Lucy and Benedict's story was real, moving, and balanced well with other pieces of the book. they complimented each other excellently, and the book is filled with scenes that are really lovely. i was rooting for them, even though i did find their love slightly too sugary-sweet for my taste.

overall, Potions & Proposals is a quick, feel-good read that i liked not just for the romance, but also for the intricate world and the scenic small-town-folklore-fall vibes!

A cozy town of witches, maybe some werewolves, witchy politics - and a rivalry of hijinks that leads to more than expected for both parties. A fun and entertaining light read.

If you are looking for a book to kick off your fall - this is the PERFECT one. Benedict and Lucy are the sweetest couple set in a magical town. I laughed and had a few tears. This book covers my favorite trope of enemies to lovers (with a little forced marriage thrown in). Kate Callaghan did a great job giving the needed banter between the enemies and lovers with minimal spice (so your Grandmom could read this book too!). I also enjoyed the fact there was no third act breakup. I give this book 4.5 ⭐️ - highly recommend!

i love the enemies to lovers trope and this does it so well! the mix of romance, fantasy and comedy worked so well here, it felt like a warm hug.

the writing was so beautiful and i loved our main characters - i knew so early on that i was falling in love with lucinda and benedict. i also loved the cozy fantasy and witchy elements, i think the setting and the world really added to the romance.

i’m so excited to read more from this author!

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

I read this ARC for honest feedback.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a cute and cozy story, and I loved watching Benedict and Lucy fall for each other. The buildup between them was so well done. I cannot wait for book two, as I really feel like the character in this novel have more stories to tell!

Potions and Proposals is a book about young witches trying to navigate their role in their magical communities and the challenges of being part of a community with a rich history. It subtly focuses on the challenges young adults face when stepping into a role they feel they might be ready for, which is relatable to many young adults. It also has romance, and I would say that while magic caught my attention, romance kept me reading. It also addresses judgement from others due to things outside one's control and its effects.

I enjoyed the characters in the book because they were pretty realistic. They had a depth of personality, and it was interesting to see how they reacted to specific challenges and grew into their future roles in the magical community. It was repetitive when they tried to overcome the issue, as many methods they used were not explained well. I felt that the problem being resolved was a little anticlimactic.

Overall, it is an excellent read for getting out of a reading slump, and I am excited to pick up the next book in the series.

This is a cute enemies to lovers, arranged marriage fantasy book. Lucinda and Benedict are childhood rivals who find themselves having to either wed or risk being voted out of their small magical town. And when a love spell gets involved after they both agree to the engagement…well, what’s life without a little chaos? 😉

Definitely worth the read for a cute, witchy romance with all sorts of magical shenanigans and pranks.

This book got off to a bit of a shaky start for me, with the rather over-the-top prank-related rivalry between the two main leads, but I quickly found myself drawn into the charming town of Foxford. The characters were fun; the plot fairly low stakes, but with a few surprisingly dramatic moments; the relationship sweetly engaging and their misadventures entertaining.

Overall, a fun, light read that should slip nicely into both the new adult romance and cozy fantasy genres.

I look forward to visiting Foxford again in future as I could see the set-up for several more books here!

Lucy and Benedict are long time enemies who prank each other, when a prank goes wrong their parents make them bind together in order to work together for the High Priestess position. When a potion goes wrong, or maybe right? They are stuck in forced proximity to work together to resolve the issue. With the heat kicking up a notch both figuratively and literally, the water flooding the floors and souls, they being to realize what they have been missing out on for the past few years.

This is a wonderful book that touches the surface of potions and enemies to lovers romance. Within this ARC there are a few grammatical errors but overall I really enjoyed reading this book. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity!

*** I received an e-ARC of this book from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review***

🗣️ Fantastic! This book had everything I wanted in: magic, mystical creatures, humor, conflict, and eventually love. It was fast-paced and easy to read. The characters are easily likable and I can’t wait to see what happens next. This should definitely be your next witchy read, you won’t be disappointed! I’m ready for the next book!

✨ Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.

Lucinda and Benedict have spent their whole lives pranking each other. When they are forced to be bound, despite their ‘dislike’ for one another, we see them go on a beautiful adventure to discover if they truly are right for one another.

This was a lovely read! I enjoyed all the characters, the story felt magical and it was incredibly cute. The relationship felt natural and loving, and I really enjoyed seeing everything unfold, and I especially enjoyed there not being a third act break up. There was a storyline that didn’t feel very resolved- which confused me a tad but perhaps that is the next book in the story? I’m unsure but I’d love to find out.

Overall I really enjoyed the book, and feel 4 stars is an appropriate rating!

I absolutely adored the main characters. The start was a bit confusing but it picked up pretty fast. The banter was great and it had all the potential to become a great cozy romance book. However there was an obvious absence of conflicts between. All the potions that thry made and all the mess they created just resolved itself too easily. Too many loose ends such as the new professor's sudden outburst and also him knowing about the key was abandoned very quickly. Peter's story was hinted but not followed up. Grams was amazing, hope to read more about her in the next book.

I was drawn in by the witchy vibes and the description, which made me think this would be a good fit for me. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I had a few issues with it mostly related to my personal preferences. I liked the balance of romance and fantasy. I usually prefer more of a focus on the plot rather than the relationship but sometimes you need a cute, fun fantasy romcom.

The thing I struggled with the most was the setup. Benedict and Lucy don’t come across as grown adults with all the petty pranks. It’s somewhat explained later in the book but man they really read like two middle schoolers in the beginning. Also, their families are kind of the worst and their proposal for an arranged marriage made no sense to me. I generally struggle with arranged marriage in a modern setting (even in a fantasy book) so this again might be on me and my preferences. If you’re ready to jump in after hearing the tropes without needing to be convinced, you probably won’t have as many problems with the first few chapters as I did.

Once we were past the shaky beginning, I enjoyed myself a lot more. The writing was good and never took me out of the story. Lucy and Benedict were cute together and I liked the lack of miscommunication between them once we got past the pulling pigtails rivalry situation. Honestly the biggest thing that prevents me from giving this a higher rating is the beginning and once I got past that, the story sucked me in and kept me engaged.

I was a bit confused by the lack of a real conflict at the end and kept waiting for something major to happen, but it never did. However, as this is the first book in a duology, I think the author might be saving some things for the next installment. I think the structure is more reminiscent of a romance book with fantasy elements. It focused a lot on the characters individual growth and their relationship rather than plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.