this was cute! it had a bit of a slow start, but I really enjoyed certain aspects of this book. i’m a sucker for cozy small-town romance, so paired with the autumnal witchy vibes this was a really enjoyable read for the most part.

I had a few issues with our mcs lucinda and benedict, who were intended to be enemies-to-lovers.. but this definitely leans itself more towards childhood friends to rivals of sorts? and once the story progressed a bit, it very quickly became insta-love, and the characters themselves felt a bit two dimensional and juvenile at times.

the writing also felt a little young despite this being intended as an adult read. I think the spice could’ve been closed door, and this would’ve been an extremely enjoyable YA book.

I think this story had a lot of potential as a concept, but wasn’t the strongest in execution.

thank you so much to netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

If I could live in such a charming little world forever, I would. The definition of a cozy read, the story follows the love/hate relationship of Lucinda and Benedict as they navigate their relationship and the troubles they bring upon themselves. While the world building itself is almost non-existent, it does dive a bit into the history of the world which I guess can make up for it, especially since it's a lighter read anyways. I obviously wasn't in the mood to follow the heavy hitting world building anyways (I'll proudly use this as an excuse to excuse my favorite thing about books).

The magical realism in this book is what makes me so hopeful for magic to be real. It wasn't over the top but it also wasn't completely dull. Some of the magic abilities didn't make sense when it came to other traits they had but the main magic being elemental belonging to families was the key part anyways.

I easily found myself relating to the personalities of both characters and even found it to be relatable to my relationship with my partner, which made it far more easier to connect with the characters. I'm a sucker for stories that allow me to easily imagine the life I would have as the MC. While the history of their pasts were explained the characters had basic traits and lacked depth but I still found them easy to love.

While I did hope for more build up between the two mc's, there was a lot unsaid things that would make the outcome more believable. I could guess the history of the two and that they feared admitting feelings in the past, which is also confirmed in the story, but it definitely made the relationship seem very rushed and in-genuine.

Overall, I love a cute cozy read that can make me giggle and squeal with it's little highlights and even yell at the pages because I don't want something happening. I definitely couldn't stop thinking about continuing the story until I finished it. Would I recommend it to everyone? Mmmm...probably not EVERYONE but I definitely could for someone who wants a cute, light romance novel.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc!! It was splendid.
________

Kicking off my fall reading with cozy, magical love stories?!

I loved this book. It was cute, comfy, and cozy. The perfect book to read by a fire with some cocoa. I finished it pretty quickly and fell in love with Benedict and Lucy and their slow burn romance. I truly loved the little prank wars they had between each other! I loved the little spice that was tossed in. This is not my normal genre of read, but it was defiantly a breath of fresh air.

This trope of enemies to friends to lovers worked so good in it. You can see Lucy and Benedict really were meant to be together even though Lucy thinks its all the spell her grams and mom did. True love blossomed for both of them. I love their pranks on each other and how you will do anything to protect your family.

Okay. This was cute, if a little bit cheesy. There were times I felt a little second-hand embarrassment at how corny some of the story was. However, for the most part, I loved the characters. I loved the story--the enemies-to-lovers thing was fabulous.
It was a great fall read that kept me thoroughly entertained!

It was longer than it probably should've been. The slow burn was understanding since both leads had a lot that they needed to work through and untangle from their long history. When they finally get together, it was well-earned as they did go through a lot of their past to resolve things.

It was cozy, a little pinch of spice, and it was a great way to build the world for the next book.

I did have to take a point away however because it was hard to get through at times. The writing felt a little loaded and while I enjoyed picking it up, it was hard to keep me motivated to turn the page and keep reading.

I want to thank NetGalley and Kate Callagahn for this free eARC copy to review.

Such a cute witchy even autumnal feel read! I enjoyed the banter and chemistry with the characters and would happily read from this author again

I loved this book.

My only note is that someone needs to take another look at the text bubbles between Lucy and Benedict, in one of them there seems to be a mistake where it’s typed that he added a winky face to the text but it’s said as though he’s texted that action to Lucy. That’s my only issue I’ve picked up on. I also love that there’s a set up for Faye and Peter’s story. The second Peter mentioned he had someone he was supposed to be collecting my mind went to Faye. Despite knowing he’s already dead, for some reason the way Peter is written makes me feel a fondness for him and I can’t help but root for his love to find a way. Loved Lucy and Benedict’s relationship but I wish we’d found out what Emerson’s problem is in this book. I feel like there’s a storyline there that may be picked up in the next book? But either way I loved this and I’m excited for Peter and Faye’s book. Please consider me for your next ARC. Thank you!

Autumn feeling, witchy setting and a rom-com with emines to lovers! This is perfect for spooky season, if you like cozy and cute with a little spice and great chemistry between maincharcteres! Lucy and Benedict was wickedly-fun :D

I don't think the characters fit the plot of the story. Things screamed YA to me because the main characters constantly pranked each other. To me, enemies-to-lovers means there's a valid reason they hate each other; this story didn't have it. This story was filled with fluff just to reach a certain word count. Issues weren't well thought out and the dialogue left much to be imagined. Hopefully, the follow-up for this will be better developed and executed.

Cute ans engaging, enemies and rivals to friends and lovers - the magical practical jokes are definitely chuckle worthy as is the banter. A fun and magical read!

Very slow start for me. I found the dual perspectives a little annoying at first due to the main characters attitudes. It was honestly a bit weird how quickly they went from mortal enemies to love interest. Usually a catalyst works fine but in this case ur didn’t really work for me. However, the book after a certain point really did pick up and became an easier more enjoyable read. But it did feel like the author was cramming too much into the book in anticipation of starting this series. In the end some things were just left hanging which was uncomfortable.

Thank you netgalley for this E-book!

What a great book to slide into spooky season with! I am so ready for those cosy, dark evenings of reading and this was the perfect book to get started with 🍂

Lucinda and Benedict have grown up in the magical village of Foxford, there are witches, werewolves, vampires, grim reapers, magical elements, secret vaults and so much more! Every time I thought I knew everything about Foxford something new was mentioned, which was definitely kept the book feeling exciting the whole way through. Lucinda comes from a long line of powerful and respected witches and is expected to assume the role of high priestess when her mum retires, however, due to a recent prank on long term rival Benedict her suitability for the role is brought into question. Does she really have everyone's best interests at heart? A solution is proposed: Benedict and Lucinda should be bound together eternally and lead the town with a united front! But, how could good girl Lucinda possibly trust Benedict? After all his family has a history of dark and dangerous magic...

I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Lucinda and Benedict, particularly hearing about their past and interactions when they were at school. It was so sweet to watch their journey and especially some of the emotional moments surrounding Benedict's family. Whilst I did find the opening prank and catalyst for the main plot line a little bit juvenile, it sort of makes sense the further into the book you get.

This plot was fast paced and I was kept on the edge of my kindle the whole time, I feel as though the author really wove a thread of suspicion around certain characters and I have been left desperate to see what will be happening next 👀

Rosie and Peter were absolutely brilliant side characters, they were funny and made everything feel that little bit more real. I am very much looking forward to book 2!!!

There is some spice (1.5/5 on the scale), but it's definitely more plot/character driven and the 🌶️ has purpose within the book!

The enchanting paranormal romance Potions and Proposals by Kate Callaghan takes place in the mysterious village of Foxford. The plot is on competitors Benedict Matherson and Lucinda Hawthorne, who are compelled to enter a mystical bound on All Hallows' Eve in order to save each other from failing. They go from fierce rivals to hesitant allies through a series of practical jokes, supernatural mishaps, and startling discoveries.

The novel presents a warm, autumnal romance with a compelling enemies-to-lovers dynamic, although it is not always successful. Even though they are funny, the jokes sometimes have a childish air to them, and not everyone will enjoy the writing style. While the scenery and character development are interesting, readers may not be totally captivated by the storyline due to its predictability and certain clichés.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book! There was just the right amount of banter between the characters, the enemies to lovers trope was on point! I was getting frustrated with the unresolved tension between the two characters, but it made the story all the better! I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone looking for something witchy, magical, with banter and enemies to lovers!

This was a pleasantly surprising book that I did not think I would like as much as I did since I've not been having a great experience with arcs lately. However, this book hooked me on page 1 and by around 14% through, I did not want to put it down.

This was a very cute, cozy fantasy romcom in the style of The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse.
We follow our main characters Lucy and Benedict who have been pranking each other and landing the other in trouble ever since grade school. However, Lucy's latest prank went too far.

It was cute.
It was cozy.
It was a very fun time.
I loved the setting of the small town of Foxford which gave off perpetual fall vibes and the events of All Hallows Eve.
I loved how the plot evolved throughout the entire book. I did not feel like it was dull at any moment. I loved getting to know the main characters, as well as the entire cast of side characters.
I loved how our two main characters' relationship grew, and how they complemented each other at every turn. Their dialogue seemed mature-ish.
Also, HUGE brownie points for the author. Maybe it's a silly point, but this was the first book I read in a verrrry long time where the girl gets her period where she suffers from it, and it hinders her daily routine. I love to see mundane stuff in cozy books.

I honestly just really loved the vibe of the entire book and cannot wait for the next one in this series.

100% recommend this book for a cozy fall read.
If you love Gilmore Girls x Practical Magic, this book is definitely for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this eARC!

Potions and Proposals was a cute, charming, witchy romance! I felt like the vibes were quite charming and it was definitely atmospheric, but the writing style wasn't my favorite.

I personally wouldn't have categorized this as enemies to lovers, rather a rivals/begrudging prank partners to lovers, but I did enjoy the dynamic Lucinda and Benedict have with each other. I thought that it was sweet, and fast paced! The side characters personally didn't leave a big impact on me, but I didn't dislike them either.

I would reccomend this for those who want a quick, fall/halloween themed read, and think its a great book to read in order to prepare for Halloween!

I absolutely enjoyed this cozy paranormal romance. The banter was so much fun. The characters were relatable and lovable. I would definitely recommend!

Potions and Proposals: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️ (one bedroom scene, not very descriptive)
Content Warnings: bedroom scene, swearing, pranks, breaking and entering, bullying, death of family members, supernatural characters

Lucy and Benedict have been rivals since childhood and have been pranking each other ever since. When one of their pranks has a long reaching effect, they are given a choice, become magically bound, or one of them needs to leave town. Reluctantly agreeing to be magically bound to each other, Lucy and Benedict struggle with their forced binding. To make matters worse Lucy’s Grams and Mother try to help out by casting a spell on her, but it has surprising consequences, forcing Lucy and Benedict to rely on each other more than ever before.

This was such a fun fall read. I loved that it had a wide range of supernatural characters such as witches, werewolves, vampires, grim reapers, and more. This book is a classic enemies to lovers book with Lucy especially hating Benedict ever since they were kids. I loved reading about all the different pranks they pulled on each other, I kept laughing at their ingenuity. Watching their hate turn to like and finally love was gradual, but seemed real. Listening to the playlist created for this book added another layer of awesomeness to this book, I might have to keep this playlist in rotation.

⭐️ 3/5
🌶 2/5
🩷 3/5

📚 I enjoy a cosy witchy romance. This was a comfy read and I would recommend to anyone who likes banter, tension, and cosy romances.