Delia Merriweather’s family has been convinced their entire lives that they come from a strong line of witches. The only problem with that theory is that they are completely magicless. And also likely cursed in the love department as every man who ends up with a Merriweather woman is met with a tragic demise. They once found a spell book to break the hex holding their magic but the potion was far too grim for them to consider it a real option.

Max Halifax was sent to keep an eye on Delia after the passing of his uncle to make sure she doesn’t break the hex prior to her birthday when she will lose the little bit of faerie magic she seemingly doesn’t realize she has after being born under the Blue moon. When somehow without anyone understanding it, the hex is broken he must set in to return the hex before all chaos breaks loose in the magical world.

The more time Max spends with the Merriweather’s the less he believes they are truly the danger he was told they were and the more he wants to find a way to help Delia and her family stay magical.

This was a cute and cozy romcom with the perfect recipe to put you in the fall mood. I loved Delia’s big crazy family dynamics and the small town everyone in everyone’s business vibe that Max was woefully unprepared for. The world building was phenomenal and I was intrigued by how their magical system worked and also all the politics and class divisions that pitted witch against witch.

While Max and Delia chemistry was truly magical, it was the side characters who kept stealing my heart especially Nikki! The only thing that kept this from being a perfect read for me was that the beginning really dragged and we didn’t get to the hex breaking until really far into the book. I would have enjoyed a slightly faster paced read for what this story is.

I hope the author writes more in this world because I would whole heartedly adore spending more of my time here.

I really enjoyed this audiobook!

This story was a very cozy fantasy. The stakes weren't too high and when things got a little crazy, I always knew the characters I grew to love would be ok.

I like that Delia at first doesn't even believe in magic and thinks that her family is just eccentric. It made the reveal that she really is a witch and was just cursed, all the better. (I promise that is not a spoiler).

I also liked Max and his grumpiness. It was adorable listening to him trying his best not to fall in love with Delia.

This book was also quite funny at times and I found myself laughing unexpectedly.

Overall, I rated this book a 3.5/5

This was sooo cute! I really loved this book. The dual narrators were perfect. I loved both MCs and all the quirky side characters. The magic was just enough. I would love to see another book with the same cast of characters!

Hot Hex Boyfriend is a cute witchy romance, perfect to kick off your spooky season TBR!

I liked the small town setting where everyone has a nose in everyone else’s business. It reminded me of Gilmore Girls with a hint of Practical Magic mixed in - two of my faves.

The dual audio was perfect and I appreciated the separate POVs. Zion Jang and Laura Knight Keating were great. It was fun to see what Max was thinking and how he was reacting to Delia, her sisters and the rest of her quirky family.

I will say that this was a slow burn and I found that the plot and romance took a while (50-60%) to kick in. I think maybe it was just a bit too long for me, which is why this is three stars instead of four.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Carly Bloom for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

I loved this book! The romance was so cute and fluffy and it is perfect for fall time! Highly recommend

Cute and cozy romantic read for the spooky season. If you're looking for a feel good witch romance this would be a great pick to add to the collection.

Thanks, #Netgalley and #HachetteAudio, for this beautiful ALC. I liked this book, and the story was fun to read. I found the narrators to be very good and the story's pacing to be very well. I loved Delia and Max; their banter was so fun. Nikki and Luke were hilarious, and they softened Max up a lot. We need a book for all the women in Delia's family, as they were all so interesting. I highly recommend this book for a pre-spooky season delight and will patiently wait for book 2.

Such a sweet, cozy read just in time for fall 🫶🏻
Hot Hex Boyfriend was perfect to focus more on the romance, with low stakes plot and a surprisingly well thought out magic system ✨
The audio is dual narration & so fun to listen to. The narrators did an excellent job and I especially loved the attention to detail (like making their voices vibrate when the characters are on a vibrating bed)

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher & Hachette audio for the arc

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom
Paranormal witch romance.
The Merriweather women identify as witches. What they lack in magic, they make up in belief, support and family protectiveness. Rumor has it that they have been hexed so they can’t access their magic. Delia Merriweather doesn’t believe in magic or the hex. First, the so called magic book recipes have ridiculous ingredients. Second, if witches were real, wouldn’t their status be worthy of some benefits?
When Delia unwittingly breaks the hex the family has been under, everyone is surprised including the family. Max Halifax has been keeping an eye on the Merriweather’s since it was his family’s doing that they live without magic. He’s been ordered to rehex the Merriweather women but that would require a blood sacrifice which isn’t legal anymore. Nor is it fair to anyone and the community is taking notice. Change is coming.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook for this story. The audiobook is performed by Zion Jang and Laura Knignt Keating who do a marvelous job in alternating chapters. Each is able to perform multiple voices and convey nuanced emotions that keep the reader interested and attentive. The audio version adds a level of delight to the story.
I listened at my preferred rate of 1.5

I loved the lighthearted family vibe of the Merriweather women. Supporting, regardless of losses or wins, loving and happy. They delight in thinking to fake Magic traditional spells. The addition of the imp sifting between animal and human form with such a specific personality is delectable. Yes there are some darker elements here and some steam. In whole, it was entertaining a d recommended for anyone that likes a touch of magic.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Hachette Audio

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4f8af3d3-42e4-48fc-b526-7ba0246ee213

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.