4.25 ⭐️ 1.5🌶 CF-friendly

This is a super cute magical contemporary romance. The writing was great with some absolute gems that I wish I could highlight in the audiobook. There were some fabulous lines. The characters were all so loveable, with diverse personalities. Delia and Max are adorable together. The book was a bit slow for my liking, and the romance is slower burn with light spice. The ending was not what I was expecting, it was so much better!

I listened to the audiobook, and the two narrators did an absolutely stand-up job! 5⭐️ to the narrators. They both gave such distinct voices and personalities to the characters, and the personalities, vocal mannerisms, and even vocal tones were cohesive between the two narrators (which is something I rarely come across in books). Absolutely loved that southern bell charming accent for Delia, the voice actors were perfect selections. That consistency of voice for the same character between the two narrators really kept the the story cohesive and the flow between chapter viewpoints so smooth. It was an absolute joy to listen to!

I recommend anyone who is looking for a fun audiobook, great narration, perfectly accented characters, and cute magical realism to give this book a try.

I was originally denied for this title pretty quickly by Hachette Audio and I was really sad but my girl Estelle from Forever came throughhh with the widget! Thank you so much to Forever, Carly, and NetGalley for the advance audiobook!

This was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of Fall 2024. The catchy title and beautiful cover immediately drew me in and the release date nestles perfectly with my spooky reading season tbr. The title is so modern and appropriate for the plot and I love it! I’m so glad I was able to add an early audio of this title to my tbr!

The first 50% was very slow burn on the romance and the plot line and it had a lot of fluffy fill and backstory. At that point it was about 3 stars. But I got more invested in the story after that when the plot and the romance (😉) started to thicken. I’m true believer that no romance, most especially paranormal or fantasy romance, is complete without a lovable animal sidekick and this book is no exception. I’m obsessed with the magical black cat imp, Nikki. I also found a kick out of the dysfunctional but endearing Merriweather women and their quaint southern small-town coven.

I enjoyed the dual narration (and alternating POVs) a lot and the female narrator for Delia had a great southern accent. My only complaint would be the large gaps of silence between the chapters which threw me a few times and I thought my audiobook had stopped.

3.5/5 stars

Overall, recommend to folks looking for a slow, cozy witchy romance this spooky szn! 🔮👻🪄💕

2.5 stars rounding up to 3 stars

After loving a few witchy romcoms, I had to give this one a try. This really was not my cup of tea. The premise of the book was great but I felt that it was paced too slow and I was hoping for more romance and spice.

If you are looking for a lighter read with a Halloween feel, you will likely enjoy this book.

I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. I don’t know if the audiobook truly has large gaps between the chapters but while I was listening to it, I check multiple time to make sure that the app was still working and the audio was playing.

****Many thanks to Hachette Audio for the gifted ALC in turn for an honest review.

This was such a fun read! Witch books have been more miss than hit for me lately (it really feels like I’ve read them all), but Hot Hex Boyfriend was a hit. A little bit Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Practical Magic - this definitely put me in mood for fall. I read this via audiobook and the narrators did a fantastic job bringing this story to life.

Delia’s family are the town oddballs - they all claim to be witches and that Delia is a rare Blue Witch. But Delia knows for certain that witches absolutely aren’t real. Right? Delia doesn’t know it, but the family is cursed and she only has a week to break the hex or she will lose her powers for good.

I loved how witchy this book was. Some witchy romances downplay the magical elements, but this one did not! We have a fully explained magic system, spells being cast, and an backstory regarding the hierarchy of witches. I loved all of the Merriweather women and were rooting for them to come into their magic before the end of the week. All of the secondary characters were interesting and added to the story. I especially loved Nikki and his character arc.

If you’re looking for something not too serious with the perfect vibes for fall definitely check out Hot Hex Boyfriend!

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom is a super cute, fluffy romance with delightful witchy vibes—perfect for a cozy fall read. I loved watching Delia come into her own and embrace her true identity as a witch, while her interactions with Max were charming and heartwarming. The supporting characters were adorable too, especially Nikki, a magical imp in cat form. The audiobook took some time to grow on me, only because Delia seemed to be the only one with a Texas accent so it was throwing me off. But the story was so adorable! I really hope the author writes a second book in this enchanting world, as I'd love to see more of Delia and Max's relationship. Solid 4.5 stars, rounded up!

Thank you to Hatchette Audio and NetGalley for this ALC!

The premise seems really cute and fun, however it was a bit difficult to get into.

It starts off with a bit of an information dump that basically summarizes what the book is going to be about. The intro the the world/world building felt really choppy, like the author was just listing out facts.

The conversations also didn’t feel natural or genuine, whether that be the fault of the narrator or the authors “voice”, I’m not sure.


I opted to DNF.

Magic, witches, and familiars—the makings of all great witchy books. This book is perfect for readers looking for a cozy, spooky, witchy Halloween read similar to The Ex Hex by Rachel Hawkins.

I thought that the story flowed really well, and I really enjoyed the family dynamic between Delia Merriweather and the rest of the Merriweather family and between Max and his brother.

My absolute highlight of the book? Nikki, the magical black cat imp familiar. I absolutely adored his character and would love a follow up book focused on his story.

Thank you Hachette Audio | Forever and Netgalley for the chance to listen to and review this ALC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️.5/5

This was a cute little witchy romcom. I really loved the voices of the audiobook narrators. They seriously did a great job and gave off zero ick. I feel like the storyline was cute and intriguing enough. The characters were fun. The spicy scene and a half in the book was done relatively well aside from the “take me to church” comment. Gross. No. But outside of that it was a fun read/listen to break up some heavier and longer reads I’ve done. I would say this is 3.5 stars! It’d be a cute little movie on Netflix I feel like. Cheesy but enjoyable and light hearted. A cozy little fall romance! Amy was obviously my favorite character. I love an outspoken best friend.

Delia is a girl whose family has always claimed they were witches but had a curse on them keeping their magic at bay. She thought it may be real until on her 18th birthday she tried breaking the curse and nothing happened. She went on living until almost on her 30th birthday some new arrivals to town stir up possibilities of the curse being lifted. While Delia never planned on being in love due to the other alleged curse on her family that everyone they fall in love with will die, Max, a seemingly normal grumpy now-next-door-neighbor may put a hitch in that plan. And max, someone who was raised to look at love as a weakness, may be given a run for his money as well when their two worlds collide.


Thank you NetGalley, & Hatchette Audio for the advanced audiobook version of this book!

This was a fun listen and is a great book to launch us into spooky season. This book would be great for fans of cozy fantasy-adjacent romance, for my fellow pumpkin spice lovers and people who enjoy books like The Ex Hex or Irregular Society of Witches. While the romance is pretty front and center, this book also has a really lovely cozy message about embracing your kooky family and finding community.

I thought the magical world building elements were interesting and unique, though I wish they were explained a little more. Throughout the story, Max (the MMC) casually drops jargon related to their world (like the differents types of witches or the ideas of "strays") but it is done in a way that sort of assumes the reader has some understanding of how magic functions in this reality. Delia and her family are fun, and I definitely cracked a few grins while listening as her family went through their various antics related to "witchcraft". The romance is sweet, though feels a bit stilted at times, especially in the beginning.

There are some continuity errors that niggled at my attention. For example, the night of Delia's birthday her mom says she can't stay late cause she is leaving for Austin in the morning. But then the next day, she stops by as Delia is getting ready to go to Max's house for dinner, saying oh she's about to leave for Austin. The story is also supposed to take place in a small town in Texas and while I feel like some of that small town feel is captured nicely, other parts feel a bit stereotyped and overly emphasized to make it feel "Texan". Finally, the pacing is a bit slow - based on the synposis I expected to see Delia break the family curse and most of the resulting action to be of the fallout, but that doesn't happen until halfway through the book, making the up/downs of the action a bit stilted. This book probably could have been a 33% shorter with less unnecessary stuff in the beginning.

Minor note on the audiobook, (which is how I read): the two narrators are both great, however the woman narrator tends to be much louder than the man narrator, which makes for difficult listening. The male narrator also tends to drop his voice at the end of sentences, which made it hard to hear certain things, especially if trying to listen in a car.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced audiobook recording.

This was a really cute witchy romance, out just in time for Halloween! I always like to read a few lighthearted witchy RomComs leading into the season and this one fit the bill perfectly. It’s my first read by the author but I see she has some cowboy romances I might like to check out, since I did enjoy her writing.

I quite liked the chemistry and banter between grumpy witch neighbor Max, and his companion Nicky, and Delia when she goes to visit. Max has returned to town, after his uncle’s passing, to organize and sell the house. Delia is a home stager and another of her family is a realtor, so they’re going to be crossing paths a lot over the coming weeks or even months.

Max and his family are powerful witches, and Delia’s family likes to pretend that they are, but were hexed and are powerless - but this is an old family myth, so truly, no one really knows. The story is that they have to break this said curse by each of their 30th birthdays or they completely lose all possibility of regaining their magic, and Delia is the youngest, about to turn 30. Max’s family knows that the curse is real and watches over them, making sure they are ok, but he can still be grumpy and reclusive when he has to take his turn…

I had a lot of fun reading this one and it’s certainly a good pick for a lighter, romcom witch selection to add to any TBR leading up to Halloween. A solid 4-star! Some very interesting twists that I absolutely didn’t expect that made it very exciting.

I had the audio version as well, narrated by Zion Jane and Laura Knight Keating. Both are new to me voices but I enjoyed their performances very much. I look forward to hearing more from each of them in future.

I received an advance read and listen copy from NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Hachette Audio, and this is my honest feedback.

Thank you to Carly Bloom, Hatchette Audio, and NetGalley for an audio eARC of Hot Hex Boyfriend.

Normally I am all for a sweet romance, but this book just did not do it for me. While I found I enjoyed certain parts, I just felt like this southern "charm" of this book was lost on me. The aunts, grandma, and even at times the main character were a bit too sickly sweet for me. So many of their interactions felt fake and forced. I did enjoy the appearance of Max's brother. His brand of comedic relief was on point for me. I often found that just when I was enjoying a certain part of the book, the dialogue would take me back down a peg.

While this may be a great book to some, it just wasn't it for me.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Story about Delia. Her family believes they are witches even though they cannot do any magic. Their next door neighbour and close friend dies and his nephew comes to pack up the house. The nephew, Max, is a witch, as was their neighbour, and they were sent by the witches council to make sure Delia and her family don’t break the curse that blocks their magic. Delia can break the curse until her 30th birthday as she was born under a blue moon, but she does not believe in magic or think she can perform the spell.

This is a fun, lighthearted book. Delia and her family were hilarious. Max and his brother, Luke, were great too. I loved Luke’s joy at doing regular human things like grating cheese. When Max and Luke’s parents come visit, the book got even better. I loved the way Delia’s family helped their family reconnect and learn how to enjoy spending time together.

The contrast of Delia’s Texas charm and Max’s quiet reserve really made the story. We get both povs and I laughed out loud often at Delia trying to be gracious and welcoming and Max having no idea how to escape the situation.

I can’t end the review without saying how much I loved Nicky, the cat/imp. He had some of the funniest scenes but it was also great seeing Max realize how important he was to their family.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted, witchy romance. I hope the author writes another book set in the same town. I want to see all the characters again.

The Merriweather women have always been witches. Delia had been taught that as a child. She was a Merriweather woman, so she was a witch. That was just how it worked. The only problem is that they have no magic. The story in the family is that they are hexed, and that’s why they have no magic. It went back many generations, and they try to break the hex with potions and spells. But they are just not powerful enough.

Until now.

Now there is a Blue Witch in the family. Delia was born under a blue moon, and she has a distinctive birthmark. Her grandmother and aunts have been hoping her powers would emerge since she’d been 18. But now she’s almost 30, and she’s given up on all ideas of witchcraft. She no longer believes in magic. She studied to be an interior designer, and she’s only interested in staging houses for her realtor mother to sell and to made people’s homes more comfortable.

Delia has her sights on the house next door. Harrison Hartwell had been their neighbor for her entire life, until he died suddenly. The Merriweathers had been trying to catch his cat Nikki ever since, so they could feed him and take care of him, but he is elusive. Now Max Halifax, Hartwell’s cousin, is staying in the house and clearing it out. Delia has decided to pitch her staging services to him, even though he’s not been very friendly. But it’s a big house and would be quite a coup for Delia if she could get the job.

Max had always loved visiting his uncle in Willow Root, Texas. This time was different though. For one thing, his uncle had died. And for another, he was tasked with keeping an eye on the Merriweather women next door because if somehow they figured out how to reverse the hex that his ancestors had put on the family, the power balance of the Concilium, the governing body of witches. And then Delia, the supposed Blue Witch, asks him to stage the house. He can’t believe his luck. Keeping an eye on her just got so much easier.

But while the Merriweathers don’t have the kind of magic that Max has, they do have their own hospitality. They make sure Max and his brother Luc are well fed and enjoying themselves, as much as they can under these circumstances. But this causes more problems, as Max and Delia are clearly falling for each other. But that can’t happen. Because along with the supposed hex that kept the Merriweathers from accessing their magical powers, there is also a curse that meant any man the Merriweather women loved would meet with a horrible fate. So if Delia really cares about Max, she’ll let him go before he is lost to some terrible fate.

But the more they learn about the magical underpinnings of the towns where they both live, the more Max and Delia realize that there is more at stake than just one family’s magic or a relationship between the two of them. The entire witching world is under attach, and they may be the only ones who can set things aright again.

Hot Hex Boyfriend is a rom com set in the world of witches. There are a lot of genuinely sweet moments, laugh-out loud adventures, and Texas hospitality. These characters are charming but stuck in generational trauma that keep them from flourishing. There is a lot going on in this book, layers of storylines that seem to go on and on, but the writing is engaging, and the ending is powerful.

I listened to Hot Hex Boyfriend as an audio book, narrated in turns by Laura Knight Keating and Zion Jang. Going back and forth between the voices of Delia and Max add a lot to this story, since they are showing up from such different places and different perspectives. I though Keating especially did an amazing job to bring Delia to life with her Texas accent and enthusiasm. And Jang made Max’s seriousness and dedication to his mission so present as he told his half of the story. Together, they made the story come together in a lovely, balanced way, and listening to them was a joy.

I had a lot of fun with Hot Hex Boyfriend. There is a lot of witch world rules to keep straight, but since Delia is new to it all too, she helps make sure everyone is on the same page, and her friends are quick to jump in and help explain things. The chemistry between Delia and Max is sparkling, and the characters around them are fun, adorable, and surprising, and I would not be upset at all to find myself reading another book set in this world. If you’re into witches and love a good rom com, you’ll want to made sure to add this one to your list. Make a margarita, grab some queso and chips, and dig right in. It will cast a spell on you!

Egalleys for Hot Hex Boyfriend were provided by Forever, and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Hachette Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This book felt like reading a hallmark movie. I thought the characters were very likable, and the concept was perfect for the beginning of fall. Personally, I was looking for the stakes to be a bit higher. I think the alternating points of view took away a lot of the tension. Overall it was a quick and cosy read, and the voice actors did a great job with the accents!

A fun read. Starts out a bit rough because the male character is so stiff and prejudiced, but he thaws out and comes around eventually. It actually sort of read like a Pride & Prejudice story for me. A good witchy romance with a solid ending.

🪄 Book Review 🪄

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom
🪄
This was the perfect fall read! If you want a witchy rom-com that feels like Practical Magic, and has a talking cat like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, then you will love this. It was sweet, cozy, cute, and quirky. Delia’s family is chaotic and lovely, and their wild antics were so entertaining. Max is strait laced, grumpy, and doesn’t believe in love, but he falls hard and fast for Delia, and their relationship is too cute. I listened to the audiobook, and it was amazing! The Texas drawl was perfect. This book was totally adorable and is the perfect read for the start of spooky season.
🪄
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
🪄
Read if you like:
▫️witches and magic
▫️small town
▫️grumpy x sunshine
▫️dual POV
🪄
Thank you to Forever, NetGalley, and Carly Bloom for the ALC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Start spooky reading season off right with this cozy witch romance!

✨ Book Review: HOT HEX BOYFRIEND by Carly Bloom ✨

📖 Book Synopsis: The women in Delia’s family claim to be witches, even if they don’t have any magical power, supposedly due to a hex placed on the family generations ago. Delia just thinks her family is quirky and a bit embarrassing. She has no idea that the story is true and the hot new neighbor is actually there to monitor the family. When she accidentally breaks the hex, all kinds of trouble is unleashed.

💖 My Take: This book was so fun! It’s silly and joyful, light and cozy, while still delivering romance with a touch of mystery. Think an adult Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Practical Magic. Delia was really relatable and likeable. She’s not looking for love, but rather to just find the right career path after a few failed small business attempts so she can move out of her lovingly chaotic family home. The addition of her new magical neighbor, Max, and a new reality as a witch is a whole new level of both crazy, magic, and possibility. Definitely recommend.

Read HOT HEX BOYFRIEND for
🧙 Magical mystery
💗 Slow burn, will-they, won’t-they romance and steam
😹 Laugh-out-loud antics
🤭 Quirky, silly, loving family life
🏡 Small town community

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to Estelle at @ReadForeverPub and @HachetteAudio for the advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review!

I had the pleasure of receiving an ALC copy of Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom, and I absolutely adored it! This book had everything I could want—humor, romance, a dash of mystery, and an irresistible touch of magic.

Delia Merriweather is utterly charming as a protagonist. Her disbelief in magic makes her a relatable character, even as she finds herself surrounded by a family convinced they’re witches, under a supposed hex no less! The quirky, lovable Merriweather clan adds depth to the story with their eccentricities and heartfelt bond. Max Halifax, on the other hand, is the perfect book boyfriend. Brooding and skeptical, his chemistry with Delia had me hooked, and I loved how his rigid exterior began to crack as Delia unknowingly wreaked magical havoc.

The mystery of the hex, paired with Max's suspicions about the Merriweathers' abilities, created tension and kept me on the edge of my seat. Plus, Max’s dead uncle added a fun and unexpected layer to the plot. Despite being gone, his larger-than-life personality came through vividly in the memories of his loved ones, and I enjoyed how he became such an integral part of the narrative.

I also have to mention the audiobook narration—things did get a little weird when the male narrator voiced Delia, but it was such an amusing quirk that I ended up enjoying it. It made the audiobook a truly unique experience.

Carly Bloom masterfully blends humor and heart in Hot Hex Boyfriend. I found myself laughing out loud at Delia’s sarcastic wit and nearly tearing up during the sweeter moments. The magic is whimsical, the romance swoon-worthy, and the writing is full of warmth and charm. I'm beyond grateful to have received this ALC—this is one witchy romance I won’t be forgetting anytime soon!

This story was fun and the narrator added to the lighthearted tone of the book. Having a family of witches without powers created a wacky vibe which made the book offbeat. The restaurant that served church reception food was a laugh and reminded me of the church dinners I have attended. All in all the book was a lot of fun.

I did not enjoy the narrative style but thought the story was compelling enough. A decent read but nothing I’d pick up myself or gift to someone.