4.5 stars

Brief overview:

Doreen has always known her family of witches was cursed, but as her impending doom gets closer, she decides to take it upon herself to break the curse with a little help.

My thoughts:

First off, the writing was absolutely beautiful. The characterization of the houses was so well done I actually had to pause while reading to take it in. On top of beautiful writing, A Circle of Uncommon Witches had great tension and build up, themes of grief and how one can choose to get lost in it or to overcome it, and of course some powerful women standing together. This book had action from the start and didn't stop until the final sentence. I honestly couldn't put it down!

Chapters are long and I’m not a huge fan of that. The first 30ish pages are a whirlwind. I wouldn’t say confusing, but it’s like whiplash. Like how did we get here so fast. It didn’t get better in terms of whiplash, At the halfway point I feel like there are so many plot issues. I’m having a hard time keeping up because the story really doesn’t seem to flow well. I really like the idea of this story and the description caught my attention but I feel like it’s just really falling short.
There’s nothing really gripping that has happened, no reason to be connected to the characters. I wanted to love this one but I don’t think it’s for me.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Adult Fantasy, Romantasy
Spice Level: Nothing until the end, and then it comes fast and is done in about 3 paragraphs
Language: Some swearing, including at least one f-bomb
Representation: Some gay side characters briefly portrayed
Format: 3rd Person point of view

Doreen's goal is to break the curse—yeah, that would be my goal too because I would want romantic love. That completely makes sense to me. And I love enemies to lovers romances. Ambrose having lived imprisoned for 300 years has a bit of an age gap with Doreen. I felt like they both experienced lust for each other, but I didn't click with it having a deeper love based on anything except going through the trial together. It's almost instalove; some will probably say it is. Romantasy readers might want more romance (and more on the page than the brief but vivid encounter).

The trials are a lot of fun. Each one is unique and feels like Doreen must dig deep to solve the problems. And the reason for them and how it works out is a little convoluted along with the witch who is behind the scenes. I really was fascinated with all of this, and it raises the rating. There are twists that I didn't see coming, and I think fantasy readers will really enjoy the trials and twists. The trials are more psychological than physical tests like one might see in an adventure novel. I hope that gives you a good idea.

There are some content warnings but the things mentioned are brief. I think most readers will be okay.

The family dynamic of witches is intense and interesting. Friendship between the cousins is wonderful. Despite my complaints about the primary romance, there is an interesting dissection of what it means to love another. I enjoyed the people figuring things out.

I had the opportunity to read an ARC of A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was steady throughout, but the final third picked up to an exciting, fast-paced conclusion that kept me hooked.

One of the highlights of this book was the character development. I especially loved Margot, a character whose personal journey of self-discovery and strength was compelling. Her growth added depth to the story and reinforced the book’s central themes of love, sacrifice, and choice.

The novel weaves together themes of witches, magic, familial struggles, and breaking curses, all wrapped in a multigenerational conflict reminiscent of the Hatfields and McCoys. It also raises an intriguing question: What is true love worth? Your dignity, your family, even your life?

Overall, this was a compelling read with strong character arcs and a rich magical world. If you enjoy stories about complex family dynamics, powerful women, and the cost of love, this book is worth picking up. And don’t worry—I kept this review spoiler-free!

The MacKinnon family has been cursed for centuries. Doreen must marry her true love before she turns thirty, or she will die. She will do anything to break the curse that Ambrose has placed on her family. Ambrose MacDonald, a male witch, has been imprisoned by the MacKinnon witches for three hundred years. When Doreen finds him, they will work together to free themselves from the curse.

I was very tempted to read this book. Scottish witches and a curse that has haunted a family for thirteen generations were the main reasons I picked it up. But most of the time I was disengaged from the story. It just didn't speak to me.

I did like the characters though. The two main characters had a very clear goal of breaking the spell. Doreen was a young and determined witch who was desperately trying to fight for her future. Ambrose was another likeable character who, despite being trapped in a spell for three hundred years, didn't lose faith.

I love a good journey through the underworld, and this book did it well. Doreen’s and Margot’s characters were also very compelling

This is the fourth book I've read by Paige Crutcher and all were about witches and magic, so I had to pick this one up when I saw it was available. I do like witch stories and she writes some good ones.

Description:
A witch generationally cursed to never find true love sets out to break the spell cast on her family, and must team up with the last person who wants to help her – the witch who set the curse in the first place.

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 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.

My Thoughts:
This feud between the MacDonalds and the MacKinnons went way too far with a mean curse put on the MacKinnon witches and then the MacKinnon witches trapped and caged Ambrose MacDonald. After three hundred years Ambrose was still caged and the MacKinnon witches still lived with the fact that they will never have true love. Doreen is a very powerful witch and I found her determination to be courageous. The book had me on edge several times as Doreen and Ambrose faced some dangerous situations on their journey to find a way to break the curse. Ambrose, of course, was not all in on breaking the curse since his family was the ones who created it in the first place. There is some romance in this story as well that was fun to follow and watch develop. I found the soul sucking witch very interesting - what a creepy being she was! Anyone who likes reading about witches and magic will enjoy this adventure.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin through Netgalley for an advance copy.

This book is an adventure from start to finish, full of magic, romance, and twists that kept me hooked. Doreen MacKinnon is cursed to die of a broken heart, and she’s determined to break that family curse, even if it means teaming up with the very witch who cast it. The dynamic between Doreen and Ambrose is fascinating—their relationship is complicated, filled with tension, and totally unpredictable. As they work together to break the curse, their chemistry builds, making their journey not just about magic but about figuring out who they really are and what they’re willing to sacrifice.

What really stands out is how Paige Crutcher weaves together adventure and romance with a touch of vengeance, taking Doreen and Ambrose on a wild ride through trials and emotional turmoil. The setting is rich and immersive, from the Scottish castle to the otherworldly realms, and it adds a beautiful depth to the story. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a journey about breaking generational curses, confronting the past, and figuring out how much you’re willing to risk for the kind of love that might just change everything. It’s a thrilling, emotional read, and if you love a good mix of magic, history, and romance, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up!

A Circle of Uncommon Witches is more than just an enemies-to-lovers story; it is a story of family bonds, standing up for what you believe in, love, and heartbreak. I think it also plays with the idea that what you want isn't always what you need or may not serve you in the way you'd hoped.

While I loved the concept of the book, I did have a few challenges while reading it. For me, the tone was a bit unclear when it came to determining if this was a lighthearted story or a serious one. This really distracted me for a good portion of the book. And on a more personal note, I also wasn't able to really feel hooked by the story; I'm not sure why because the characters, for the most part, were well-developed and things made sense.

If there were any characters or relationships, I just didn't understand, it was Doreen's aunts. At first they were normal, albeit meddling, aunts, but then they were evil? And then after that they were supportive. I just didn't think that the resolution at the end between the aunts and Ambrose, and even Doreen and Margot, made any sense - it felt very convenient.

Finally, I want to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I cannot resist a witch-themed tale. Doreen McKinnon's family has been in a curse-bound war with the MacDonalds for four hundred years. As a member of the 13th generation of McKinnon witches, it is up to Doreen to break the curse. Doreen will have to pass a series of trials with the powerful male witch, Ambrose MacDonald at her side.

Honestly, this book held me in its grip, but I lost interest in the middle. I think it was when all the journals started popping up. For me as a reader, it dragged the plot down. Also, I am not a fan of insta-love as a trope and it was clear that was the direction that Doreen and Ambrose were headed. That aside, the characters were richly written and there were some great scenes as Doreen and Ambrose encountered different witches.

It just wasn't enough for me to rate it above a 2-star.






Expected Publication 25/02/25
Goodreads Review 19/02/25

*ARC received from NetGalley*

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun and cozy witchy adventure. It did have a bit of a slow start, but once things really got going I didn't want to put it down. Their magic system was easy to understand and I liked how it combined originality with classic witch tropes (broomsticks). Overall, a quick and easy read with a good storyline.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC version of this text.

Oh man- I was SOLD with the premise of this book. Century old curse? Ancient generational family feuds? Enemies to Lovers? Sign me allllll up
Unfortunately, the story in the pages did not live up to the promise of the premise for me. The best word I can use is chaotic- it felt like I was reading book 2 in a duology. I felt plopped into a story where I did not understand the magic system or the relationship between characters. I did enjoy the main characters (Doreen, Margot and Ambrose) individually but they did not have much depth.
Huge promise but I was let down with this execution. 3/5 stars rounded up from 2.5.

I thought the synopsis of this sounded interesting, and I’d say it ended up being a middle of the road book for me.

This was a bit slow to start, but once the action got going, I got more into the story. I liked the lore that we were introduced to, but found some things harder to follow. I also think there could’ve been some more backstory to start off with to give more context to what was going on; it felt a little bit like I was dropped into the middle of a story.

Doreen was an interesting MC, and I enjoyed seeing her growth over the course of the book, and seeing her discover how powerful she was. The dynamic and banter between her and Ambrose was fun with the enemies to lovers part. I do wish I felt a little more chemistry between them, but this could just be a me problem.

I liked this book but it wasn’t a favorite for me. I would be interested in reading her other work.

Three hundred years ago, Ambrose MacDonald fell in love with a MacKinnon. Her family separated them, so he cursed the family and future generations to never find love. Ambrose was cursed in turn, trapped in a tempest, and doomed to outlive everyone he has ever loved. Today, Doreen MacKinnon is the most powerful witch and decides to set Ambrose free. She hopes they can break the curse, but Ambrose only agrees to help because he wants vengeance. Sparks flare between them and Doreen must decide how far she is willing to go to break the curse.

MacKinnon women were cursed to live to thirty years old unless they marry, the man enthralled to her will with little autonomy; once he regains it, he leaves. If MacKinnon doesn't want to risk that, she dies. In return, Ambrose was cursed to stay within a lightning storm spell, aware of his surroundings and intermittently tortured by some generations of MacKinnon witches. Over time, Ambrose became something of a fairy tale for those witches not of the main MacKinnon line, and Doreen hoped freeing Ambrose would make him feel obligated to help her. She is 29 and wants to marry for love, not to enthrall a man just to survive longer. Still heartbroken after his love was taken away, Ambrose doesn't believe in love as a healing force, only one of devastation and pain. We know how this is going to end up, and the trials that Doreen must endure with Ambrose to break the curse give them proximity and a mutual goal.

There are three trials, and along the way, we find out that they aren't what we thought they were. The curse that Ambrose placed also isn't what we thought it was, and even the past isn't what he remembered it. Things changed a lot as the novel progressed until we found out about the history of the families involved and Ambrose himself. The novel became a story about grief and family legacy more than lost love and moving forward, though Doreen still has that as her goal. The infatuation she and Ambrose developed for each other felt a little rushed to me, though we find out it took much longer than we thought for it all to come together. By the time we reach the end, we see the world of magic for what it is, and how using it for selfish reasons can cause so much pain and generations of harm. We have strong witches able to move on and develop a future, which I enjoyed seeing.

3.75 ⭐️

I wanted to love this so badly, but I just never connected with any of the characters. 🙁 it felt like there was a big disconnect right from the start for me. The overall storyline is good though! I was really interested in Margot's character later on in the book and was hoping to get more details on what happens with her life. Maybe if there's a second book we will get to dive deeper into her story.

Thank you for allowing me to arc read!

I will review on Amazon on release day. I have also already reviewed on Fable, Barnes & Noble, and Books A Millions websites, but do not have links.

This one was very interesting, the romance was a slow burn, filled with curses and castles and lots of twists and turns. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, it went quickly. The characters were really well done, some of the twists were predictable, but most were not. The ending I’m not too sure about, but not in a bad way!

I was so excited to receive this book! The premise was promising and I like witchy things in general. Unfortunately, as I began to read, I kept wondering if I'd missed a prequel or if there was another book prior to this one. Being thrown into the book, with little backstory, I felt lost. As I kept reading, I felt like I 'got it' more and more but still wished there was a bit of a prologue to get the reader up to speed!

Non-stop action once the book began with Doreen extricating Ambrose from his spelled state. Wending their way through witchy places with challenges all over, I never got the impression that Ambrose or Doreen knew what was going on. They weren't alone...I wasn't sure what was happening either!

I so wanted to LOVE this book. I liked it. I felt like I had to know what happened to everyone. I started and stopped this book but always went back to it. The story kind of pulled me in, but I felt more obligated to read to the end rather than wanting to read to the end.

A more detailed prologue with a history of Doreen and Ambrose's families might help. Even just a family tree for both would be good.

Four stars because I just couldn't just DNF.

The blurb of this one had me thinking it was going to be a new 5 star fave, but it just missed the mark for me on the tropes I was hoping to enjoy that it felt a bit flat overall. Inconsistency in both pace & story is why I couldn't give higher than a 3 star.

The romance & enemies to lovers didn't really romance or burn from enemy to lovers it just happened - more insta love than anything. It was a good fantasy overall as the magic/lore was interesting. The need to break the curse was clear, and clues along the way were fun to uncover despite being very rushed and somewhat all over the place at times. I also enjoyed the interactions (albeit more tension than anything) between the opposing families.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher & and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved the premise of this book, being a fan of stories of curses and witches. But I just could not connect with the characters enough to really feel like I wanted to read more. Their was a lot of context in the beginning so that may have made it harder to read as well.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC. A Circle of Uncommon Witches had an intriguing premise, rich lore, and compelling themes of curses, family legacy, and enemies-to-lovers romance. The atmosphere was enchanting, and the concept had so much promise. However, the execution fell short. The story felt disjointed, throwing readers in without enough context, making it difficult to connect with the characters or fully immerse in the plot. The pacing was inconsistent—some parts dragged while others felt rushed—and the romance leaned too heavily into insta-love. While I appreciated the witchy elements and see potential in the author’s storytelling, this felt more like a rough draft than a polished novel. A decent read for fantasy fans, but one that left me wishing for more depth and refinement. 3/5 Stars – Potential Not Fully Met