Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Feb. 25, 2025
Doreen MacKinnon is cursed. Like the rest of her line, if she doesn’t marry by the time she’s thirty, she’ll die. But, unlike the rest of humanity, it’s easy for the MacKinnon’s to find a mate, since they can easily tantalize any partner, pulling them under their spell. But Doreen wants true love, not just a man who is spelled to love her, and, at twenty-nine years old, she’s running out of time. Desperate to break the spell, she seeks out Ambrose MacDonald, the witch who cast the spell, but it isn’t as easy to break a spell as it was to set it. Doreen and Ambrose must compete in “trials”, set in an alternate universe, in order to reverse the spell. But at what cost?
Paige Crutcher’s “A Circle of Uncommon Witches” is crafty, magical and romantic, perfect for fans of “Practical Magic” and “Outlander”. Full of fire and brimstone, this alternate-universe, spell-casting plot, piloted by a gentle but powerful protagonist, asks the question- is love worth the price?
Doreen narrates the novel primarily, although there are chapters where Ambrose speaks as well as Ada (who is an underworld Witch), which allows readers to explore the story from all viewpoints. There are journal entries, also, that are read aloud in parts, which helps to fill in the background of some of the more historical figures that play an important role. Written this way, Crutcher makes “Witches” an immersive experience, and I was invested in the outcome of all characters from page one.
The aspiring romance was predictable from their first meeting, but I still wanted to see how it played out. Of course, I’m also a sucker for anything that takes place in Scotland (even if it’s in an alternate version of it), so the picturesque setting earned bonus points from me.
Crutcher’s novels all feature witches and have some magical component, and I was a fan of her previous novel, “The Lost Witch”. This one has an added paranormal component and some really neat visual tricks that were exciting and spooky, in the best ways. A strong, magical protagonist combined with a stunning setting and some powerful magic and “Witches” has everything that fantasy romance fans could look for. An easy-to-read page-turner, Crutcher has delivered another slice of charm into the book world.

A mystical, dangerous adventure to remove a one hundred year old curse sends this story into a whirlwind of perilous trials for a young witch and the male witch she rescues. He is the source of the curse and is necessary to ending it. She is powerful but has been held back by her aunt. It is up to her to grasp a hold of her power, work with the rescued witch, and strive to survive a series of trials to end the ramifications of the spell once and for all.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*A Circle of Uncommon Witches* by Paige Crutcher is a captivating tale of love, magic, and revenge. Doreen MacKinnon, cursed to never find true love, teams up with Ambrose MacDonald, the witch who cursed her family centuries ago. As they navigate perilous trials, sparks fly, but Doreen must decide what she's willing to sacrifice for love. This enchanting story blends adventure, romance, and a dash of vengeance, making it an unforgettable read.

This is a wonderful read of adventure, paranormal curses and witches. I enjoyed the richness of the characters and the well defined story . Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

This story reaches across three centuries of time. Doreen is a Thirteenth generation witch. She is doomed in love unless she can break a spell against her family. The witch that placed the curse on her family is Ambrose who has the power to change her future. They must act together to fight against what is meant to be for her family. The adventure they embark on takes them through centuries and other world places. Their adventures are exciting and a engrossing read to conclusion.

The writing is well crafted and compelling. The story is richly drawn to the characters and story. I enjoyed this fantastic read from beginning to end. Well done to the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While the premise of this book was intriguing, the execution fell flat. The plot is hard to follow and character motivations don’t make a lot of sense. The magic system is explained through excessive info dumping but still somehow ends up being not fully explained and difficult to understand.

I also did not enjoy the romance aspect at all. Other than finding each other physically attractive, they had no real connection to draw them together as a couple, and there was no chemistry between the main characters. Plus there’s also the weird dynamic of him still being in love with her ancestor up until halfway through the book.

Hopefully this book will find its right audience, but it was not for me.

I love Paige Crutcher, I have never been disappointed by any of her books. She just may be the queen of witchy romcoms. True love is nonexistent in a family with a generational curse. The only way to break the curse is to find the person who set it. This was a light and fun read!

I adore a book that stays with you, compelling you to find moments to delve back into its pages. This book did just that; I felt annoyed whenever I was pulled away from its world of enchanting witches, spells, and unforeseen romance.
Doreen MacKinnon's lineage has been plagued by a curse preventing true love, leading to death from a broken heart. Determined to end her family's suffering, she embarks on a quest to lift the curse. Three centuries prior, Ambrose MacDonald, a formidable male witch, fell for a MacKinnon. When their union was forbidden and his love was concealed, Ambrose hexed the entire lineage against finding true love. However, this curse came at a price. Now, Ambrose is ensnared by the same curse, fated to outlive all his loved ones. Unlike her ancestors, Doreen, the 13th in the MacKinnon line, wields unprecedented magical power, matched only by her solitude. She resolves to ensnare Ambrose and compel him to undo the curse. He consents to assist, driven by a desire for retribution. Together, they face a gauntlet of trials in realms beyond their wildest dreams, and Doreen must decide the lengths she'll go to break the curse.
The narrative's evolution and the characters' battle for love—one for a lost love, the other for the capacity to love—was captivating and beautifully penned, making it a book you won't want to put down.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review
A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher

Characters
Stella- Leader of the coven, protector, avenger
Kayleen- sister of Stella
Doreen- 13th generation, lost, powerful,
Margot- dreamer, creator, assertive, strong
Ambrose- grieving, tortured, lonely
Ada- villian, Queen of Death

What Its Got
Coven
Witches
Spell casting
Love
Curse/Hex that spans generations
Scotland
Sisters. Family
Journey of self discovery
Myth and legends come to life/light

Quote
“To be loved back, in kind, might be the truest form of magic that exists”

Overall
Binged in one afternoon… easily escaped between its pages to get lost in another place and time

Thank you to @netgalley @smp @stmartinspress for My digital copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own

This was a really fun witchy rom-com! I enjoyed the aspects of figuring out the curse, and also the characters figuring themselves out! Definitely a great spooky season read!

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did.
At times it was hard to follow the action because of the jumps between people and then other times I just found myself skimming.

“I can tell you I did not love Lenora, because I know what I felt for her was nothing like how I feel about you. Because as maddening as you are, I would do whatever it takes to help you, support you.” 💚

This book started out a little confusing but as the book progressed it definitely got better and finished strong! It gave me Alice in Wonderland vibes but with witches, and I loved the dynamic between the two main characters! I also loved Margot and how much she cared for her cousin, Doreen!

“He was tempted to lean closer to study her, and that would not do. He couldn’t drop his guard with her, not for a moment.”

The banter between Doreen and Ambrose was top notch. I could really feel their hatred toward each other in the beginning but it was so sweet to watch their romance unfold and for them to come to realize their feelings for one another, especially after everything they went through together. I only wish we got to see more of their romance and it wasn’t as rushed as it was at the end!

If you love enemies to lovers, witches, and a magical adventure to break a curse, then this book is for you! Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for the advanced copy! A Circle of Uncommon Witches releases on February 25th, so be sure to check it out!

*The Circle of Uncommon Witches* by Paige Crutcher is a spellbinding adventure filled with magic, mystery, and romance. Doreen MacKinnon is a powerful witch cursed by her family's past—a curse that condemns her to die from a broken heart if she can't break its hold. The curse was cast centuries ago by Ambrose MacDonald, a powerful male witch, whose love for a MacKinnon was tragically forbidden. In a bid for revenge, Ambrose cursed the MacKinnon line, dooming them to a life without love.

As the 13th generation of the MacKinnon witches, Doreen is one of the most powerful witches in history. But despite her magical prowess, she’s also incredibly lonely. When Doreen learns where Ambrose has been trapped for centuries, she frees him in hopes that he will help her break the curse once and for all. However, Ambrose has his own agenda: vengeance. He intends to use Doreen as bait to get revenge on her family.

The dynamic between Doreen and Ambrose is electric, filled with tension, resentment, and undeniable attraction. As they travel through a series of trials, their journey leads them to a hauntingly beautiful castle in Scotland, into a magical world that defies all expectations. The adventure is rich with twists and turns, taking readers on a journey where love, sacrifice, and destiny are at stake.

Crutcher’s writing is evocative and immersive, bringing the magical world to life while exploring themes of love, betrayal, and the cost of breaking free from the past. The romance that blooms between Doreen and Ambrose is both complex and passionate, making it impossible not to root for them, even as their goals seem at odds.

*The Circle of Uncommon Witches* is a tale that will captivate fans of romantic fantasy, with its blend of high stakes, magical intrigue, and a love story that asks whether true love is worth the ultimate sacrifice. If you love stories about curses, forbidden romance, and characters forced to confront their destinies, this one is a must-read.

This book had me hooked right from the start. A family curse, witches, ghosts, and a reluctant partnership-turned-romance? I was all in. Doreen MacKinnon is racing against time to break a 300-year-old curse that dooms her family to die if they don’t marry by thirty. To do that, she has to team up with Ambrose MacDonald—the very witch who cursed her family in the first place. Their “don’t trust you, don’t trust me” dynamic was everything I love about the enemies-to-lovers trope.

The relationships really stood out to me. Doreen’s bond with her sister Margot was so heartfelt, and I loved how their connection balanced out the high-stakes magical drama.

The magical world was vivid and fascinating.
Despite the occasional confusion, the writing was beautiful and full of dark fairytale vibes. This isn’t a cozy, feel-good witch story—it’s emotional, adventurous, and packed with twists. I really enjoyed it and would love a sequel to dive even deeper into this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the chance to read this magical

From the publisher St. Martin's Press: Doreen MacKinnon is doomed to die of a broken heart - if she can’t break the centuries old curse placed on her family.

Three hundred years ago, Ambrose MacDonald, a powerful male witch, fell in love with a MacKinnon. And when the MacKinnon witches forbade him from seeing his love, by secretly hiding her away, he retaliated by cursing the family and its future generations to never find love. But it wasn’t without a cost. Now, Ambrose is imprisoned by those same witches, trapped in a tempest and doomed to outlive everyone he has ever loved.

But Doreen isn’t like the other MacKinnon witches. As the 13th generation of the MacKinnon line, Doreen is one of the most powerful witches in centuries… and one of the loneliest. So when she discovers where Ambrose has been trapped, she releases him to help her break the curse, once and for all. Ambrose agrees to help, but with his own motive: vengeance. He plans to use her as bait to enact his revenge on her family.

Together, they enter a series of trials, which take them to a castle in Scotland, off a cliff, and into a world beyond their wildest dreams. As they work together, sparks start to fly, but soon Doreen must choose how far she is willing to go to break the curse, and what she's willing to sacrifice.
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My review: Witches who live in modern day without regular humans realizing is a great premise. I love witchy books, I adore romance, and I love a journey or a quest. This book was a little confusing from the start. Small snippets came forward slowly but when Doreen and Ambrose started their journey the confusion mounts. I felt like there was a lot of information I was supposed to know that I didn't. It was akin to coming to a religious celebration and having no clue what the tenets of the religion are. I was missing background.

Doreen and Ambrose were strong and brave and powerful but their trials and the beings they meet along the way made me wish I could get a clearer picture in my mind of what was happening. Clearly the author had a whole world mapped out in her mind. I just could not grasp all of it. And when Doreen and Ambrose move toward each other, I wasn't sure I bought into it. Maybe someone with a much larger imagination would give more stars.

2.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGallery and the publisher for offering me the opportunity to read this book before it was published!

I don't think I have many points to make about this book, since I found it somewhat adorable, I just had problems connecting with the genre.

Well, both the male and female protagonists are adorable. I really liked them both, and I also liked the romance, although it's not something amazing. The same can be said about the plot, it's creative and cool enough to keep any lover of the genre entertained.

I believe this book would get a lot of high marks if recommended to the ideal audience, but since I'm not that audience, unfortunately, I didn't like the book that much. I found the writing pleasant, but the "pace" of this book left me a little bored, but it's consistent with the cozy fantasy genre, which unfortunately is a genre that I discovered I don't like very much.

Despite this, I found the book to be well written, so I'll be giving it three stars.

A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher is the story of Doreen MacKennon and her family line that has been cursed never to fall in love. The curse was set in place by Ambrose MacDonald, a witch from a rival clan, and Doreen releases him from centuries of torment to help break the curse on her family.

This book is full of twists, turns, secrets, magic, longing, and what-ifs.. and I loved it! Action packed and full of excitement, I was afraid there wouldn't be enough time to wrap everything up, but there was and it was done beautifully. Once I started reading this I couldn’t put it down and fell in love with the heart and determination of Doreen. She’s fiercely loyal, good, and determined to save herself and her family while adhering to the motto of ‘harm none’. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves adventurous witches with a soft ghost story and the hope of finding true love.

3.5 Stars

The MacKinnon family has been cursed for 300 years, to never find love. If they are not married by the age of 30 they will die. But, whenever a MacKinnon witch has feelings for someone, it puts them in their thrall, taking away the true feelings of the other person. Ambrose MacDonald fell in love with one of the MacKinnon witches and she was hidden from him by the family, so he cursed them and he has been trapped and tortured ever since. Doreen, one of the newest generations of the MacKinnon witches, decides she must set Ambrose free, and finally break the family curse.

I loved the premise of A Circle of Uncommon Witches and it’s got a great story…Scottish witch clans, family curses, unrequited love, and trials that need to be completed in the underworld. There are some great macabre moments, that I thought brought a creepy gothic feel to the story, especially once Doreen and Ambrose encounter Ada. Family secrets also abound, and everything that Doreen and her cousin Margot thought they knew, only scratch the surface of the family’s past.

For me, Doreen wasn’t as strong of an FMC as she could have been. Several times the story refers to her as one of the strongest witches of the MacKinnon family, but the story never really made me feel that power. I also felt like the pacing of the story was erratic at times. Some parts that were not as important to the story were drawn out and other moments where I thought more information was needed, seemed to blink by, and it made me feel like I must have missed reading a page.

Overall, I really did enjoy the story, with the history between the witch families and seeking to break the curse, while discovering long hidden secrets and falling in love.

Paige Crutcher’s A Circle of Uncommon Witches weaves an enchanting tale of magic, love, and destiny that brims with intrigue and heart. Doreen MacKinnon, cursed by centuries of heartbreak, sets out to break her family’s tragic legacy by enlisting the help of Ambrose MacDonald, the vengeful witch who cursed them. Their reluctant partnership takes them through mystical trials in Scotland and beyond, as Doreen’s determination meets Ambrose’s thirst for revenge. Crutcher masterfully balances the romantic tension with high-stakes magical challenges, creating a story that is as emotionally resonant as it is fantastical. With vivid settings, complex characters, and a timeless question of what true love demands, this spellbinding novel will captivate readers of magical adventures and heartfelt romances alike.

At its heart, this book is an intricately detailed fantasy land, rich with world building and ripe with creative descriptions. It was a slower paced book, but with the world that lay within, it was easy to get sucked in to each and every little thing about it.

Crutcher details a hesitant romance with the would-be enemy, that flourishes little by little over the course of the book. The trials were reminiscent of Aiden Thomas' Sunbearer Trials series, and made for an interesting addition to the plot. I do so love fantasy books, especially ones set in Scotland, deeply entrenched in their own lore.

This was a fun witchy enemies to lovers romance. The premise of this one was a lot of fun. I loved that Doreen’s family was cursed to never find love. In an attempt to find love she seems out the person who placed the curse on her family. I was sucked into the magic of this book right from the start. I really enjoyed the time travels back to the trials, at first they were a little confusing but then it clicked for me and it really worked. I loved it. The relationship between Doreen and Ambroise was interesting. I loved how they transitioned in their relationship. The pacing on this one is a little slow at the start, but then it picks up to a nice pace. Even though it had a slower start, it was still captivating, and I am glad that I stuck with it because I feel like it really got good in the second half.

If you’re looking for a fun witchy rom com then you need to check this one out.