“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.

A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher is a witchy fantasy that starts out with a lonely, powerful witch trying to break a family curse. It becomes an enemies to lovers trope full of adventure with a haunting background. There’s witches and ghosts and even a kelpie. I did struggle with the long chapters but overall it was a good read. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the digital arc.

Cursed to never find love? Say less. Though the idea seemed interesting and like it would be a fun read, I just wasn't overly fond of the story. I found it a bit hard to follow. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

hank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

I’m not convinced I loved or hated it. Maybe it was my own surrounding and brain but I felt like I was super confused for most of the book. My biggest qualm is that it kept changing perspectives but with nothing to show the difference. The first 28 pages I didn’t know if Doreen or Margot was the main character.

I loved the concept of the curse but I felt like the romance part was so bland and not convincing until Margot’s perspective near the end. I didn’t feeling like anyone was in love.

I think this is a great concept but I think I needed more context and/or multiple books to really get through the story.

This book was tough for me to get through. The description sounded so intriguing—a cursed family, forbidden love, and a magical adventure—but the actual story felt completely surreal, almost like a fever dream. Everything in the book had an acid-trip quality, with events and characters that didn’t seem to follow any logical path. I kept hoping it would all come together or make sense eventually, but it never did.

I’ll admit, I wanted to DNF this one several times, but I pushed through, hoping it would improve. I can see how this might appeal to readers who love magical, surreal stories where the point is the journey and the dreamlike atmosphere rather than a clear plot or resolution. That’s just not my thing, and I wish the description had made it clearer what kind of story this was. If you’re into trippy, otherworldly vibes, this might be a great fit for you—but it wasn’t for me.

Loved the premise, the story of a witch trying to break a 300 year old curse to find true love. I felt it was a little slow, but enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I was really not as into this as I hoped I'd be. It was slow to start and I gave it till about half way through before I gave up. I can appreciate a slow burn, but this really just didn't pick up!

I enjoyed the story of Doreen and Ambrose and their family drama. This book would be a perfect read for during spooky season with witches, ghosts, and magic.

Plot: Doreen is attempting to break the century long curse that her family faces by releasing the person who placed the curse on them. Her journey with Ambrose takes them through a set of trials that they have to face together in order to break the curse. However, there are consequences that both Doreen and Ambrose will need to face throughout the trials. Will they succeed or will they fall?

I loved this story from the get-go and was sucked into the magic of it all and the storyline. I liked the character development of Doreen and Ambrose and the history that we got on both of them. We learned why Doreen wasn't able to use her magic and why Ambrose was shut-off. I loved the bond between Doreen and Margot. I enjoyed the don't trust you, don't trust me but we still need to work together dynamic between Ambrose and Doreen. It added the value of the book.

Why I gave it 4 stars...the time traveling into the trials was a little confusing to me. How were they actually getting around? Were they walking, using portals, etc? Also, while they were in the trials, but weren't really in the trials was lost on me. And then Doreen's aunt and cousin being so cold towards them and not letting Doreen learn about her magic and then wanting to get rid of Doreen and Margot, but coming to their aid as soon as the girls call them. I found it very frustrating. Finally, it wasn't very clear how Ambrose actually broke the curse.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I was happy with the way that it ended but feel like there could be a sequel. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this E-Arc in return for an honest review.

Review posted to GoodReads on 11/18/2024
Review will post to IG in December/January
Review will post to Amazon on pub date - 2/25/25

Unfortunately this was a book I struggled to get into. It started slow and never really picked up speed.

Regretfully I DNF at 38%

I was intrigued by this one going in. The synopsis sounded right up my alley and I was excited with the concept. However, the execution just didn’t do it for me. First off, heads up to anyone starting this please read the synopsis first before starting. This book immediately throws you in and it honestly felt confusing. Definitely wasn’t used to feeling like I should know everything when I’m starting a new book. To make matters worse I couldn’t connect to the characters. I found neither of them root worthy and honestly lost interest in their quest before we even got to the half way mark. Overall not for me, maybe someone else would enjoy it more.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley

Definitely had some fun reading it and the magic was interesting. Seeing Scotland in a new magical way and in an astral type plane was fascinating. The characters grew on me the more I read so overall a nice witchy read that has a nice twist on enemies to lovers and second chance romance!