This is a story about a second chance romance and found family set in a small town. In this world there are witches, vampires, shifters, angels and more. There's a part where Halloweentown is mentioned and it was I was thinking of while reading, that it's a more grown up version of the movie by throwing some adult humor and intimate scenes in.

Harlow is a witch who returns to the town she grew up in search of answers for her charge Grace who is going through a transition into her shifter being. At the same time she is confronted with her past and the love she left behind, who now happens to be the Alpha shifter in town, Jax. I was a bit confused about Jax's shifter abilities because it is mentioned that he takes the form of a cougar but also has an inner mountain lion. So is he both? it's not mentioned if that is an ability or just how he sees it. I think there was bit much happening at once and it made each storyline not feel as fleshed out. Harry and Jax's romance, the search for Graces dad and helping with her magic, their friends side attraction, the towns wonky magic, some random games, etc. I also think the reason that made Harlow stay away for so long was kinda silly, just lack of communication really.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley &
@stmartinspress for approving me to read this e-arc!

Initially I was confused on what I was reading. I thought I was reading about a jilted witch. I was surprised that this witch is a temporary single parent for her best friend that was on the hunt for the teens father. Talk about a really good friend.

Anyways, that just shows that I only read half the description before knowing this book was for me. I absolutely loved the relationship dynamics within this story. Everyone seemed to care for each other and did not let the time lapse change themselves too much.

Small Town
Fated Mates
Single Parent
Lovers to Enemies
Dual POV
Second Chance Romance

Miscommunication/Lack of communication tropes make me so upset because everything could be avoided if someone JAX stated his feelings and someone HARLOW didn’t run away. But it does work itself out towards the end.

The reason for the rating is that the ending felt messy and rushed. I feel like there should’ve been an epilogue or something to wrap everything up because it had a lot going on. It’s a fairly cute and simple read. I was able to finish in one seating. Would I recommend it? Yes. I love that we didn’t have to spend the majority of the book trying to figure out why Harry left in the first place. I love that this book felt unique and the world building was simple.

A Simple Twist of Fate is perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls, found family, and second chance romance!

While I enjoyed this book overall, my biggest complaint was the romance itself. There was a certain chemistry I was left wanting for, and I rarely see the miscommunication trope done right, and this was no exception. But where the romance might have fizzled for me, it was all the other relationships that kept me invested. This story was a celebration of rekindling old friendships and the beauty of found families.

I also loved the setting of Fates Haven! It felt very reminiscent of Stars Hallow and acted as a character in and of itself. I was especially charmed by the garden gnomes.

While the twists at the end were a bit predictable, that didn't make them any less satisfying to see play out. Overall, this was a fun and wholesome (with some not-so-wholesome scenes sprinkled in, if you know what I mean) read and definitely worth adding to your TBR!

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Everyone deserves a second chance, right?

This book was an enjoyable read with a satisfyingly happy ending. The main characters experience a strong emotional connection, marked by both joy and sorrow. Adding a struggling Goddaughter for dramatic effect further enhances the story. The world-building is well-crafted and effectively develops various relationships throughout the narrative.

I read this book in a single day. I so enjoy April Asher and her stories. I loved the second chance romance (which is normally not one of my favorite tropes), as well as the fun competition the characters participate in. The magic in Aprils book is fun to read and the spicy scenes were so good! The pacing towards the end felt a little rushed. There was a lot to tie up at the end. The story reminds me a lot of her supernatural series. I do hope this becomes part of a series and we get to see some of the other characters that were introduced in this first book.

A light-hearted, cozy paranormal romance with a small-town setting, second chance romance,
and close-knit friend group.

It’s a fast read perfect for a flight or vacation. I'd be interested to see future books centered on the main characters' friends. One thing that may deter readers: the cheesy, vulgar humor that’s not funny. I don’t mind dirty humor at all, but the jokes here are forced.

this was like if a hallmark movie had a baby with halloweentown. the setting was super cute & this definitely delivered with the cutest small town vibes!!

i do wish we learned a bit more about the magic system & the fated festival events that took place. they served as a convenient backdrop but i kind of just didn’t care? there needed some more explanation about that.

while the concept of this was adorable, i don’t think it was executed in the best way. the main couple had no chemistry and none of the tension and real angst that makes a second chance romance so good. i also found the dialogue and banter to be cringey (for lack of a better term).

the characters fell flat and the book just.. happened? if that makes sense. the narration was nothing groundbreaking nor was it horrible, it just was.

this book was lowkey one giant miscommunication trope (which is one of my pet peeves) and i was begging on my knees for the characters to just TALK TO EACH OTHER!

overall, this book just wasn’t for me but i think there will be plenty of people who enjoy it!

Desperate for answers for her shifter niece, Harry decides that it's time to return to her hometown-the place she's avoided for 13 years. She hopes that the Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack can help Grace. But when she arrives, Harry finds Jaxon, the boy she never got over, is the new Alpha.

Read if you like:
-Small Magical Town
-Fated Mates

I struggled to connect with this book. It was supposed to be second chance, but it didn't read that way to me. Not a bad book, just one that didn't grab my interest.

This is an ARC read from NetGalley. I gave it a 3.5. It was a cute little story with a happy ending for everyone. I’d like to see a spin-off with Grace, her mom and dad; that’d be cute. I laughed out loud at the erection eclairs and cinna-boobs.

The blurb for this story felt like it was right up my alley, and there was a lot I loved about it, but it unfortunately didn't really do it for me! I think my biggest issue was I struggled with getting past a lot of the decisions that had been made by the characters and the way those decisions affected those around them. I thought the love story was cute though and I love a second chance romance! Thank you for sending me this ARC!

I loved it! Loved the chemistry between characters! I just ate this book up, could not put it down. Sizzling fated mates slow burn with great banter but also sweet and cozy. Will definitely keep an eye out for this author in the future.

This was such a good book. It was a quick read. Once I started it, I had a hard time putting it down. If you like fantasy romance with a bit of spice, this book is for you. There are witches, shifters, angels and demons and a dragon. I would definitely recommend this book!!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I was so excited because I loved April Asher’s other supernatural series so much. This was so fun! So many interesting characters and an intriguing magical world. I like how the witches and shifters and all magical creatures exist together. I was annoyed at first with Harry and Jax and how long it took them to resolve the first miscommunication but overall this book was very enjoyable and I’m excited to continue this series and see what happens with the other fated couples.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this as an ARC. This book releases on 5/13/25.

I love April Asher’s writing. Easy to read and a captivating story, this book was delightful and I enjoyed Harry’s journey of coming home and finding that where you were is where you were always meant to be. I’m excited for this series to continue.

Really well written! This book was an easy read without having information overload, so you didn’t feel lost the entire time. Good amount of humor and has a great plot! Would have loved to hear more of their backstory/younger years.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley and I loved this book. Harlow or "Harry" left her hometown of Fates Haven after a Fated Matches Festival went terribly wrong and her boyfriend Jaxon was matched with her best friend Elodie. She comes back to town after 13 years with her friend's daughter who needs help from Jaxon who is now alpha of his pack. There has not been a Fated match since that Festival 13 years ago, everyone's magic is slightly off but things are starting to right itself as Harry comes back to town. I loved this story, the banter and the fun "magical" lore. I loved how Harry allowed herself to meet her destiny head on. 13 years is a long time to be away but it's also time to mature and for her and Jaxon to heal their wounds. I can't wait to read more about their friends and hopefully more about Harry and Jaxon.

I had such high hopes for this book! This ended up being a DNF for me. I thought the premise was intriguing and if it had been executed properly, I think this story would have been more interesting.

My biggest issue was how bland it felt. I’m not sure if it was the writing, the lack of tension between the two main characters or the dialogue…but I couldn’t finish it. Some of the dialogue was cringe and the main characters didn’t have enough tension. I wasn't invested in Harry and Jax's relationship.

The story immediately sucked me in. I loved the dynamic between Harlow and Grace throughout the book, over protective guardian that’s doing her best and a sassy teenager figuring out who she is and being just as protective of Harlow. There isn’t a single bad character, every personality is well developed and I loved them all. The second chance romance was adorable, predictable but I didn’t mind that. Everything was very low stakes and cozy while also have competitive moments throughout the festival.

Very enjoyable quick read that I could have had another 200 pages and would have loved every minute of it.

A funny, sappy small town romance with a little bit of magic flair. This read was quick and light, with a loveable cast of characters.

This book was… a book. That’s about all I can say. It followed the exact pattern you’d expect, with no surprises or unexpected twists. The characters felt pretty flat, and the central conflict—13 years of angst—could have been resolved with a single phone call, which made it frustrating to read. The ending clearly set up future books about the other characters introduced, but I don’t feel compelled to continue the series.