Golden Retriever Boyfriend, He Falls First, Rivals To Lovers.

I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book that I have read by M.J. Etkind.

The witch of wall street is a whimsical, witchy, romance books with a HEA. The story follows Nelson (Wizard) and Miriam (Witch) have known each other since high school and hadn’t seen each other in years until they both attend a fundraising dinner. Nelson works for a non profit organization that helps its community and always wants to help others and Miriam works for a financial investment firm who feels like she has to do everything on her. They fall in love while searching NYC, NJ and Long island to find their magical artifacts that go missing.

Thank you so much to M.J. Etkind, Izzi House Books & NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. The Witch of Wall Street by M.J. Etkind is an intriguing historical fiction novel that blends elements of magic, mystery, and the cutthroat world of finance. Set in the early 20th century, it follows the life of a woman who navigates both the world of Wall Street and her own mystical abilities. The book presents a strong, complex protagonist who defies societal expectations, making for an empowering and captivating read. With its mix of intrigue, ambition, and supernatural elements, The Witch of Wall Street will appeal to readers who enjoy stories about trailblazing women and a touch of magic.

Miriam Blum and Nelson Copperfield have known each other for most of their lives and for most of that time Miriam has disliked the oh-so-perfect Nelson with his helpful magic, which is the direct opposite of her chaos magic! Years after graduating college, Miriam has learned to subdue her magic and is working for a Wall Street investment banking company, with hopes of making partner soon. When a new project comes her way, she feels like it is wrong, but it is also an opportunity to prove herself and finally achieve the success she has worked so hard for. She shoves down her misgivings and accepts the chance to lead the top-secret project. To ease her conscious, she attends a fundraiser for Housing Magic, a non-profit that provides housing for those in need – which happens to be the company that is in direct competition for the property at the heart of her business project. She is shocked to learn that Nelson is the executive director of Housing Magic and even more stunned that she is attracted to him. They spend an ill-advised night together and the next morning when she tries to leave, she learns that her bag containing her broomstick and the files concerning the project is missing, when Nelson tries to help her find it, he discovers that his enchanted taxi medallion is also missing.

Together they will have to find a way to work together to find their missing items. But Miriam can’t risk Nelson learning the truth about her project, something that is harder to do than she anticipated, especially when she begins to acknowledge that her feelings for Nelson are deeper than she wants them to be. Their time together makes her long for things she never thought she really wanted, things that could never be especially when he learns of her business project. But somewhere between feeling left behind by her coven, work mishaps, an enchanted dumpling shop, a jinn who is also a CPA, poisoned leather and a clay monster, she falls in love with the only man she can’t have.

I really enjoyed this magical rom-com, it was a quick and easy read with wonderful characters and a satisfying ending. This story has a lot going on; chaotic magic, enemies to lovers, magical beings, work obligations, ethical complications, secrets, hidden desires, coven problems, a slow burn romance and finally a solution that didn’t seem possible, ending with a happily for now and maybe forever. It took me a little while to warm up to Miriam, but by the middle of the book, I was firmly on her side. I do wish this book had more of a dual POV as Nelson was such a large part of the story and I never really felt like I got to know him. But overall, it was a delightful read and I would happily recommend it!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Witch of Wall Street. It's a much lighter read than I'm accustom to, and it was absolutely lovely. It is very well written, with brilliant imagery, and the rom com style is a new favourite of mine. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun, light read.

Overworked witch eats too many dumplings but still manages to be a boss witch.

🧹 Bewitched vibes
🧹 He falls first
🧹 Rivals to lovers
🧹 Jewish rep
🧹 NYC love

Review: This is a sweet and cozy romance that while being light and whimsical, still manages to touch on some really heavy themes of corporate greed, addiction, homelessness, and adult loneliness.

The pacing was a little uneven and there were some editing issues that pulled me out of the story. But overall, it’s a fun read for curling up under the covers and following the kooky adventures of Nelson and Miriam. Miriam has great character growth, and Nelson is seriously the kindest human on the planet and deserves all the forehead kisses and dumplings.

Thank you to the author for providing a digital pre-release copy for this review.

This book was a fun and quick read! I don't read a lot of stories centered around magic that have a realistic setting (this one being NYC), but this one was cute and enjoyable! I wanted to wrap Nelson up in my arms and protect him from everyone always needing him, and also rap Miriam on the head and tell her to let others help (but that's because I, too, struggle with thinking I need to do everything myself). I also don't know a whole lot about witchcraft and magic, so I enjoyed getting to dive into a relatively new-to-me world.

I'm never a fan of the driving tension in a story being the secrets kept from one of our main characters, so that's why I'm not giving a full five stars, but, regardless, I still had a good time reading The Witch of Wall Street and hope to enjoy more of Etkind's novels!

‘The Witch of Wall Street’ is a fun, lighthearted, magical quest through the streets of New York City with a solid rivals to romance angle. There was never a dull moment with plenty of supernatural encounters to keep the story going. A fantastic read for the magical rom-com lovers.

I give it a 3.5 stars. While the story line is great, the character development was rather lacking and I do wish the ending fully explained the why to the location of the missing items.

Get ready to delve into a new magic system!

Miriam and Nelson have always been enemies; Nelson had a hero complex while Miriam was trying to gain control over her magic while trying to get into Harvard. Fast forward years, and the duo meets again at a work function, with Miriam in charge of a project while Nelson is the head of a non-profit organization. Their magical items decide to take a trip together, nestling themselves in a hiding spot in New York. While on the mad dash to find their things, Miriam begins to realize that maybe she didn't hate Nelson as much as she thought.

Etkind did such an amazing job at crafting lovable characters, bringing light not only to the agenda of big corporations but also exploring human morality. The spice was very minimal and faded to black with each scene. This fell just short of a 5-star review, but that was due to my want to have my emotions pulled on some more. A girl likes to cry sometimes while reading! Highly recommended to pick up a copy on the release date of 3/25/25!

Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Black Cat Girl and Golden Retriever Boy
- Grumpy and Sunshine


https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R39I2X6EGDIDR7/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0DMWRLLQ2

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC. This was my very first and I did really enjoy this read!

The characters were fun and this was a lighter read than what I’m used to. The magic components mixed with real-world issues was a nice balance. It was the perfect length for the storyline and development without dragging on. A fun read for me!

𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪: 3/5 𝓢𝓣𝓐𝓡𝓢 ⭐️

M.J. Etkind’s The Witch of Wall Street offers a delightful blend of magic, romance, and finance in a bustling New York City setting. The book follows Miriam Blum, a powerful but unpredictable witch navigating the high-stakes world of Wall Street, and Nelson Copperfield, a wizard working in the nonprofit sector. When a magical mishap forces them on an unexpected adventure, their long-standing rivalry turns into something more.

The strongest aspects of this novel are its unique premise and whimsical world-building. The idea of a supernatural financial world—complete with an enchanted dumpling house and a Jinn-run CPA firm—is creative and refreshing. The dynamic between Miriam and Nelson is engaging, especially as their contrasting personalities spark both tension and humor.

However, the execution doesn’t always live up to the concept. The pacing feels uneven at times, with some sections dragging while others rush past important moments. Miriam’s character, while fun and fierce, can be a bit frustrating, making it difficult to fully connect with her journey. The romance also leans heavily on familiar tropes like friends-to-lovers and opposites attract, but without enough emotional depth to make it feel fresh.

Overall, The Witch of Wall Street is an entertaining read with clever ideas, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Fans of magical rom-coms will likely enjoy it, but those looking for a more developed romance or deeper character arcs may find it a bit underwhelming.

Thank you so much to M.J. Etkind, Izzi House Books & NetGalley for the ARC!

The Witch of Wall Street is a fast-paced, magical romp through New York City, filled with whimsical supernatural encounters that keep the adventure fresh and fun. From an enchanted dumpling house to a Jinn-run CPA firm, the novel brims with clever worldbuilding that introduces readers to a variety of magical entities, each adding charm and chaos to Miriam and Nelson’s quest. But beneath the humor and high-energy escapades lies a heartfelt exploration of what it truly means to help others—and to accept help in return. Miriam, fiercely independent and determined to control every aspect of her life, must learn that leaning on someone else doesn’t make her weak. Likewise, Nelson, ever the altruist, begins to understand that not all help is welcome or needed. At its core, the novel is also a journey of self-acceptance for Miriam, who has spent years suppressing her messy, chaotic magic and distancing herself from her unconventional upbringing. As she embraces her quirks rather than hiding them, she discovers that being true to herself is far more powerful than trying to fit into the mold she thought she needed to.

This book was so whimsical. I appreciate a well thought out magical community with insight and a variety of magical findings - not just a run of the mill witch or wizard. I also found the main characters occupations and morality fascinating and thought provoking. Funny enough I’m a Nelson and many of the social work themes presented such as affordable housing and people over profit hit close to home. Overall the heavy themes were balanced with fun, lighthearted happenings - the dumpling shop! Would recommend!

An adorable story about a chaotic witch working in a prestigious finance role and her encouter with her frienemy, a happy-go-lucky, non-profit hero who gives little miracles with a flick of his hand. The story follows along the two as they navigate their friendship, banters, and sudden yearn for each other, while trying to find their missing magical items, all while hidding the fact that their day work is pitting themselves against each other.

This is my first book of the author and I'm so happy to have found her. I don't usually read a lot of cozy fantasy because most of the time it's a little too 'tame' for me. But I really enjoy the little spice and banter hidden within the coziness that made this book a perfect wind down read while still having that elements of excitement.

Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheWitchofWallStreet #NetGalley

Such a fun fantastical read with great characters, including a chubby cat, a love interest who lives above an ice cream shop (I’m jealous) and a chaotic yet relatable witch. I really enjoyed this one, the story is a fun magical adventure, while also touching on deeper subject matter including women in the workplace and the housing crisis. The writing is smooth and detailed with some insightful excerpts. The story is very rich with lots of plot points to keep things moving quickly. Never a dull moment. I finished it in a day! Ps can we pls give a round of applause for this cute stylish adorable book cover bc I love it!

3.5 rounded up to 4

A really cute little witchy romcom, with some fun magical elements, a giant, fluffy cat & some likeable leads. It's also a shrewd observation of class divides in New York, with the rich getting richer at the cost of the poor. An easy to read novel that has a series potential.

4.5 This made a perfect Saturday read in Valentine's February. My readers know I am not a ROM reader, but they also know that I can't resist a well-written book with a witch in contemporary modern times. The author caught my heart with two elements the characters notice that while spending time together, her broom and his medallion are missing. So this is not a novel where she has to hide her powers from him. On the contrary: her magic is chaotic, and his is organized. He couldn't be the better match for her life, her magic, her career. The second element is social issues. While he is a social worker trying his best to help people in need and give them housing, she is a great lawyer but playing for the wrong side. Together, they search for their items, but they'll have to deal with their different goal in their lives.
Sweet with what my romantic readers say some spice, and I like how it actually has a lot of action.

I got a digital copy in exchange for an honest review, and I had a great time dedicating my St Valentine's reading weekend to this one, but it's for all year. It has covens, modern witches, and a jinn who has a lot of work in tax season ahah. My favorite chapter is them visiting the jinn (not for their taxes, hehe).

I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review, I do follow the author on social media however this was the first piece I had read by them. With that in mind, I will do my best to be as honest as possible. The book is set to be released on March 25th 2025.

I'm not typically a romance reader, but Ive been trying to expand my genres and was drawn to this book immediately by the cover and description. And yknow what, I was not left disappointed!

The MCs were very loveable and felt like tangible human beings with their flaws. Miriam being fiercely independent, strong willed, intelligent, but sometimes a bit stuck up and absorbed by her own thoughts/experiences. Nelson being the golden boy who never does wrong, but makes your eyes roll when he's stumped by something he isn't instantly good at or has to work harder than he's used to. Their enemies to lovers (academic) arc was so believable and as you watched it develop you couldn't help but will them to get together already! Seeing how the MCs grew as individuals as well as into a couple from their experiences on the journey to try and retrieve their lost magical artifacts was very heartwarming. I don't think at any point I was unhappy with how either character acted at any point in the book, each acted as you would have expected they would given what was happening. I did have the worry at one point Miriam, who is so career focused and did come across as to look down on those who choose to leave their careers behind to become SAH parents, was going to lose this part of herself because of her relationship with Nelson (and I mean you see it all the time in romcoms etc); but thankfully this did not happen. The ending felt true to the characters whilst as close to a HEA as possible.

There was such a diverse range of characters too, it was really freshing to see in a heterosexual main love interest book. Whilst it also really reflected elements of our world like the issues women in male dominated fields experience, racism and injustice of institutions such as the law/criminal justice system and the effects of the few (billionaires) have on the majority and most vulnerable. That's another thing I'm happy with the ending about, is that it truly reflected how hard and conflicting it can be to achieve a HEA for the average person and how sometimes we have to work using the systems around us and what's available, even though it may not be ideal but we sometimes have to make do with what we have to then hopefully build upon that later on. If it had been a stereotypical HEA it would have felt so swept under the rug, so I'm glad the author did what they did.

The only tiny thing I have with this book that is preventing me from giving it the highest rating is how Miriam acted with her solution to her moral conundrum near the end. It felt as all the other chapters were so well thought out and detailed, that this felt just slightly rushed perhaps and if it had been expanded on just a little to show a bit more of how we got there and what happened, then it would have been perfect.

Honestly I enjoyed this book so much, it had some terrific chapters of adventure for the MCs to fight/face that I didn't expect, but it made it so rich and better for being there!

I will definitely be checking out future work by this author!

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS. I want to clarify that I do follow MJ on instagram and did get the ARC for free, but I will still do my best to be as honest as possible. The Witch of Wall Street is set to release March 25th 2025.

We follow the FMC Miriam, who is a banker on Wall Steeet. The ethics around her job is explored throughout the book, and her identity as a woman in a male-dominated field is a big part of the plot and character. The Witch of Wall Street is a romance, but I found the aspect of the ethics and societal issues really intriguing.

I had no issue reading this during my exam week, as it was an easy read - as in an easy plot to follow, but also plain and understandable language. Definitely a plus, as I have been struggling with my reading this semester.

As this is a romance, the romance is important. I would say there are several tropes: There is rivals to lovers (in an academic sense), grumpy x sunshine, golden retriever bf, and he falls first trope. There are probably way more, but I'm not really a romance-reader, so I wouldn't know to be conpletely honest.

There is sex. Not an overwhelming amount - I would say about 5% was sex itself, but there are of course some moments where the FMC is horny, thinking about the MMC (Nelson) and more.

I'm a little unsure of what I think of the romance. I didn't hate it, but it didn't work that well for me. I enjoyed it more towards the end, and unfortunatly I can't really say what irked me. I just didn't vibe with it. The FMC and MMC are not the problem, I can tell you that much. I loved Miriam and Nelson! The plot was superfun, and I loved the treasure hunt vibes.

I rated it 4.25 stars on StoryGraph. It was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it - but I'd see if there are tropes you like first. If there are tropes you like - I think you'd like this! The plot is fun, chaotic and adventurous - even if you don't love the romance, the plot might be worth the read.

The Witch of Wall Street by M.J. Etkind is such a good book. I loved every single page of it. I read it in 16 hours. I couldn't stop reading this. So good.

Tropes
🧹He Falls First
🧙‍♀️Witch
🧹Golden retriever
🧙‍♀️Enemies to Lovers
🧹Unrequited Pinning

Despite the adage that one should never judge a book by its cover, I was drawn in by this book’s cover and have no regrets about it. With its fascinating characters, this story is a delightful magical fiction. I believe that many women can identify with Miriam. Her chaos magic is the only thing preventing her from achieving her dreams. She seemed to have trouble accepting that aspect of herself. Throughout her journey, she must come to love these aspects of herself. This novel was enjoyable and fascinating. This book gave me Percy Jackson meets Hocus-Pocus vibes with a love story. I read this book in a single day, and there was never a dull time. I’m eager to read more by M.J. Etkind.

Miriam is an investment banker who aspires to become a partner in her company. When Miriam encounters Nelson, who happens to be her childhood nemesis, at a fundraising event for his company. Miriam is there representing her company and also trying to get more information about an upcoming deal. The last time they saw one another was in high school. Nelson serves as Housing Magic’s executive director in addition to being a social worker. For those who are unable to pay for housing, Housing Magic provides free housing and aids in people’s recovery. Miriam ends up leaving the fundraiser with Nelson and having a one-night stand, or so she thinks. That is until his enchanted medallion and her broom run away together. Miriam and Nelson embarked on a quest to discover where their broom and medallion could have taken off together when they found themselves becoming closer along the way.

“One night, old friends, taking care of each other. That’s all.”