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

Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher is a spellbinding enemies-to-lovers romance with a magical twist. Doreen must break a 300-year-old family curse that dooms her to die of a broken heart on her 30th birthday. To do so, she’s forced to team up with Ambroise, the very person who placed the curse on her family. What unfolds is a captivating tale of love, magic, and destiny.

The lore and world-building in this book are intricate and enchanting. From time-traveling back to the witch trials to uncovering clues about the curse, every detail is cleverly woven into the story. The trials and the mysterious motherworld—a dark and haunting realm—add layers of intrigue and atmosphere, creating a timeless and magical vibe I couldn’t get enough of.

Doreen and Ambroise’s relationship is at the heart of the story, and while their enemies-to-lovers dynamic was enjoyable, I found the romance a bit rushed. The transition from hostility to love could have used more depth, and at times, the book felt more like a fantasy with a romance subplot than a true romance. That said, their bickering, reluctant partnership, and eventual connection had plenty of tension and charm to keep me hooked.

The pacing is a bit slow at the start but picks up significantly in the second half, where the twists and revelations shine. Doreen’s relationship with her cousin Margot was a standout, beautifully showcasing the power of strong, supportive friendships. Their bond, along with the rich family history, added depth and heart to the story.

Overall, Circle of Uncommon Witches is a mesmerizing blend of adventure, magic, and romance. Paige Crutcher’s atmospheric writing and clever storytelling make this a must-read for fans of witchy tales with heart. While the romance didn’t fully meet my expectations, the magical elements and emotional depth made this a thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommended!

This is a well-written, entertaining, fantasy romance novel. It has a likable female protagonist, an engaging male protagonist, magic, a curse, a fantastic adventure, supportive family, sacrifice, a heart-warming romance, an unexpected twist, and a satisfying conclusion. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin, NetGalley, and Ms. Paige Crutcher, from whom I received an advanced reader copy of this delightful novel. This is my honest opinion.

I loved the coziness and nostalgia that this book brought me; quirky witches with family drama, a spooky Scottish castle, everything covered in wisteria. I also enjoyed some of the unique components of the magic system, especially the use of sounds and music. However, the plot lost me a bit. I felt like there were too many ideas for a 300-something page book. As Doreen goes through a series of trials, as a reader, you don't fully know what's real or true, and that element of mystery can be fun. But in this case, I still had many unresolved questions by the end of the book that left me confused. I don't mind being dropped into the middle of the world, but I needed more context. I also wish the relationships in this book had more time to develop, or perhaps better pacing. I didn't feel like the main romance was earned, though the characters did have sweet moments together. Same with the family relationships, especially Doreen and Margot. Overall, an enjoyable read with unmet potential.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

NetGalley ARC review: 3.5 ⭐

Super happy to get to read the ARC! A plot about witches breaking curses had me sold. I wanted to be in love with the story, but I wasn’t quite there. Definitely still enjoyed the book, so I’m gonna do a little bit of peer pressuring people into reading at LEAST a few chapters. You might end up loving it as much as I hoped. Definitely interested to see where Paige’s next story goes. From one Paige to another, I’m already a fan 🖤

Hundreds of years ago, Ambrose MacDonald fell in love with a MacKinnon witch, but when her family tore them apart, he cursed them to a life without true love. Doreen MacKinnon will not accept her fate, so she decides to go against her family and free Ambrose from his magical imprisonment. Doreen and Ambrose must work together and risk it all for the chance at a better future.

I was really intrigued by the premise of the story, but I was a little bored at times. The Scottish folklore was so fun and I really enjoyed Doreen’s friendship with her cousin Margot. I will say that the romance felt a little rushed, but overall it was a cute story. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I would have read it in the fall.

What to expect:
💚 Romantic Fantasy
💚 Scottish Folklore
💚 Witches
💚 Curses
💚 Trials

Thank you to Paige Crutcher, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a little hard for me to follow. I would have done better with a physical copy. I think I just got a little lost. It was interesting though.

I loved this. A witchy adventure with a subplot of slow-burn romance.
Doreen's kindness and not wanting to just settle for the curse, using her unique powers to navigate the trials that she was given, made a different twist on a normal trial quest.
I was happy that Doreen and Ambrose got their happy ever after and that Ambrose didn't die when they broke the curse.
I did find that the ending was a little bit rushed and did wish that is was a little bit longer. It was overall well written though.

Doreen and Ambrose are both trapped in an ancient curse and must work together to break its chains. This is more romance than anything - it's very much about enemies to lovers- but it's got good worldbuilding. The characters are oddly given that they are, well, witches believable and the plot zips along. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will be perfect for fans of witches and magical realism.

2.5/5⭐️

Thanks to the publisher for the early copy.

This book had a promising premise, and there were aspects I enjoyed, but I spent most of it feeling pretty confused.

I like books that center around curses and curse-breaking, and this was a cool curse. The vibe of the magic-casting was also fun. My favorite aspect was the relationship between the two cousins/best friends. I loved how supportive they were of each other, and how they overcame their disagreements.

I constantly felt like I was a step behind while reading, though. The magic was never explained fully enough, and I never got a grasp on it. Where the trials take place is pretty dream-like, and things weren’t explained clearly enough for me to keep up. I was often confused about where we were, what was happening, and what some scenes meant. The POV switching, sometimes mid-section, didn’t help my confusion.

Maybe my confusion here was just a me-problem that others won’t have. If you can go with the flow easier than me you might be fine.

Overall this was an interesting premise, but I didn’t connect with the story very well as I felt like I couldn’t keep up.

I wanted to love this one because the premise sounded great, but this one fell a bit flat for me. I felt the storyline was a bit confusing and all over the place. I am not a fan of insta love and this one sort of seemed like that in how the romance aspect of it felt rushed. This one was overall just okay to me.

Premises sounded so good, an ancient curse, a two enemies coming together at cross purposes and probably falling in,love. The execution unfortunately was not for me. The writing and story did not flow for me, it felt like I stepped in mid story and there was not enough show and too much tell. Others might enjoy more.

Witchy romance will always pique my interest!

This one follows a family that has been cursed in love and Doreen has decided she will make it her mission to end the curse once and for all.

Premise was great. World building lacked a little- it was hard to picture more than running from task to task. Many little info dumps instead of feeling immersed in a story.

Thanks to netgalley and st martins press for an eARC

Thanks much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! This book was cute! I enjoyed the journey that it took you through, the trials, the enemies to lovers plot and the witchiness of it all. There were some parts that were hard to buy into but overall, I enjoyed this read!

2.5⭐️

I’ve been in a witchy mood since fall so I was here for this one. Also the cover is what sucked me in.

Unfortunately, it had a lot going on and would switch between POVs with the two MCs and then other side characters arbitrarily so I had to keep going back to see who was speaking just to then have it swap again in a paragraph or three. It also had LONG chapters, 20 plus mins which I really struggled with.

It was an intriguing concept and had a lot of potential but for me, the execution was a let down.

A witch determined to break her family's generational curse of never finding true love must break the curse of the very witch who set the curse on her family... while trying to avoid falling for him. Doreen MacKinnon is doomed to die of a broken heart if she can't break the centuries old curse placed on her family by Ambrose MacDonald, a powerful male witch who fell in love with Doreen's ancestor Lenora and cursed her family when they hide her from him. But every curse has a cost and in order to curse thee MacKinnons, Ambrose was imprisoned by the witches and doomed to live eternally... until Doreen frees him. Doreen figures that if she can break him out he can undo the curse he put on her family before her 30th birthday because in her family if she doesn't marry by 30 she will die and she is determined to marry for love only... but in a family where she can thrall people she can never know if they truly love her or are under her thrall. Doreen knows she can't trust Ambrose and that he has his own agenda for going along with her.... but she has no choice and as they embark on a series of trials Doreen realizes that she is falling for the very same witch that is head over heels still obsessed with his ex who is a ghost and destroying her family.... but the more time Ambrose spends with Doreen the more he begins to question whether or not he truly loved Lenore or if the impossible has happened and he has found himself another witch to fall for. A story filled with trials, ghosts, family wrongs, and broken hearts... this story also shows the hope of new love, of fighting for your heart, and of doing everything you can to chase what you want. I've been a fan of Paige Crutcher's books for. along time now, ever since I got my first arc of her very first book, I've had a fun time reading every single one. She writes such soft magical and lyrical romances that just feel so whimsical but so much more. There is a depth to her characters and her stories and I would absolutely recommend this for someone looking for a read that is more than just romance but of growth and family.

Release Date: February 25, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I was so excited to get a free copy of this book from NetGalley, as this sounded so amazing. It really was hard for me to pin down why the book didn't hold my attention (I think I read about 20 books before coming back to this one). It wasn’t that the story was boring or horribly written, or anything. The main characters were well-developed. After quite a bit of reflection, I figured it out. This should would have been much better as a series, rather than one book. There was so much packed into the book that they spent almost no time together, and when they did, it was trying to break the curse. No talking about life or feelings or anything. Then suddenly they are in love.

I really think this author is worth checking out in this future, even though this wasn't my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free kindle book! My opinions are my own and are freely given!

Fun and engaging book! The pacing was good and easy to get swept away in. The characters were well developed and interesting. I especially liked enjoyed the world building.

Old curses and finding love are always great prompts for story telling. This was a wonderful book about resilience and family and how a broken heart can cause so much trauma that becomes a generational curse. I really enjoyed the lore and magic system used throughout the book. I would have loved a bit more depth on Ambrose and Doreen's journey to falling in love as it felt a bit of insta-love at times.

Overall, it was a beautiful story of love, family and healing.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 34%. I liked this concept, but I felt like I was dropped into a world without much worldbuilding, and it was hard to become attached to the characters while I was also trying to untangle their discussions to determine what was actually happening here and what rules we were playing by. There were also fairly abrupt POV changes throughout, and the pacing is inconsistent.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.