This brilliant author is new to me and I am so happy I discovered her! The cover drew me in, synopsis captured me but Emma and Bastian now hold my heart! I am a sucker for an angsty second chance romance and this story was packed with everything I love!!

Emma oh sweet Emma! There were so many times I wanted to jump into the pages and hold her right especially when it came to her mother! Ugh the woman was vile as heck, but in-spite of her Emma was a strong, independent woman with a kind heart and loving soul! Bastian was truly her other half in every way! As we get to know them both and get glimpses of their memories yiu can see why they are destined! The only issue is trusting the other with more than just friendship but with their hearts!

I loved seeing Emma grow and become even stronger than before, and how she shined with Bastian, gah words can’t explain! I loved the magic and mystery of their world! A 2023 must read!!

I love anything witchy so this was perfect for me! It was sweet, funny, and the perfect romance to get me out of a slump! 10/10 recommend!

This was such a great read! I loved the secondary characters in the book and there were hints of a potential sequel storylines between the FMC’s brother and one of her best friends, Leah, as well as with her other best friend Tia and a warlock named Henry that made me very excited! The story starts with Emmaline running into her ex fiancé who abandoned her years ago without so much as a note. He invites her to a party at his house. At the party he manages to convince her to go through with the marriage contract that was signed when they were young by there parents but she insists it must be a marriage of convenience only to guard her own feelings. In turn she agrees to have him live with her till the wedding as part of the pre wedding tradition called the devining. At first she manages to keep him at arms length but soon he is able to make her remember why they were best friends before. Will they be able to go through with this marriage of convenience or will they become something more then husband and wife in name only?

At the beginning of the book Emmaline, or Emma as she prefers it now, is pretty hostile with Bastian, her ex-fiancé. I do not normally enjoy it when so much hostility exists between the MC’s that early on in the story but the author explains the reasons for each characters mistrust in such a way that it makes you empathize with both characters. I was rooting for both of them from pretty much the beginning of the book despite their early feelings of disdain. Sophie Morgan also does a wonderful job of developing the relationship f the MC’s in the story, and it was really lovely to read. I was sad to have the story end and have to say goodbye to these characters. My hope is that we see them again in a sequel that could also see some of the secondary characters get together 😉. Overall a wonderful 5 star read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Great, well-written fantasy story! Emma is a shy witch with weak skills. Her mother is a mean bully. Bastion is the charming, magically powerful son of a socially desirable witch family. Their parents entered into a magically binding marriage contract for Emma and Bastion when they were young. Bastion later left their community suddenly with no explanation, leaving Emma to face the resulting gossip. Jumping forward, Emma escaped her mother and now lives in the human world. She owns a bar with two friends. Emma chose the location of the bar in order to develop a relationship with her secret half-sister. Bastion is eventually forced to return. Emma and Bastion agree to honor the marriage contract, to avoid the consequences of breaking it. Both of them keep secrets to themselves, as they rediscover their friendship and eventually fall in love. All of the plot lines weave together beautifully. The book has romance, magic, witchy politics, adult heat, family dynamics, cute animal familiars, some surprising plot twists and more. Highly recommended! I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A huge thank you to Sophie H, Morgan, Harlequin, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. The Witch is Back comes out August 15, 2023!

Childhood sweethearts, Emma and Bastian, have been in a magical engagement contract for years and everyone was expecting a wedding date announcement. That is until Bastian left with only a one sentence note that he left with his parents. Seven years later Emma is doing great, she has mostly escaped from under her strict mother and is now running a bar with her two best friends. So yes everything is going great until Bastian walks through her bar's doors and pretend to act like nothing happened. After a welcome home party that turns into an engagement party, Emma finds out that is order to save Bastian's mother they have to fulfill the magical contract and get married. Will the two be able to work through their pasts to work towards a bright and magical future.

From the first sentence of The Witch is Back I could not put it down, let's just say I stayed up way to late reading it. The writing was fast-paced, humorous, angsty and romantic. Emma was a shy and strong main female character, who goes through quite a bit of emotional and character development. Bastian was a very layer character who thought he was betrayed by his best friend but stepped up when his mom was sick. Were both characters flawed in their own special ways, absolutely. That being said even when faced with circumstances and odds that weren't great they did what she thought she had to do to defend the people they cared about. I really enjoyed watching work through their past, and there were really great soft moments that made their romance so believable. Honestly if you love second-chance romances that involve freaking witches, The Witch is Back is for sure the book for you.

This book was amazing and I couldn't get enough. When you read a book and you are able to feel in your gut how the character feels, you know it's a good book. The characters are incredible and their story elaborate. Their romance was really believable and the spice was 🥵 really hot. The telekinesis part was awesome.
The side characters were fun, lovable and really well written. I hope they're gonna be another book with Leah or Tia point of view.
Thanks for letting me read this book in advance. It was really a fun read and I enjoyed it really much.

Instagram review : I would have read this book in one setting if I didn't have so much responsibilities. This book is a must romance/paranormal book to read. I was hooked from page one. The chemistry between the main characters are fire and the side characters are elaborate and I loved them with all my heart. I don't want to say more to not spoiled anything but I promise you, when this book get out, RUN and read it. You won't be disappointed. Clearly, this book has a spell on it because I was clearly bewitched.

Synopsis

Emmaline Bluewater was born into witch society but she always was a wallflower and knew she could never fit in. Her only friend while growing up was Bastian Truenote, the one she had to marry at twenty-one. He left her just before marrying her without explanations or a note.

She left to Chicago and opened a bar with her two friends until, one day, Bastian burst through her life and ask her back.

If you are a fan of former child sweetheart, second chance romance, fake relationships, this book is for you.

The witch is back cover is deceptive. This book has it all and make you feel all the feels. There is sass, flirty banter, heartbreak, family defiance and amazing bestfriends. The secrets and miscommunication in this books will make you want to scream and it sealed me with the doggy. I could definitely go back to this world in a trilogy with Tia and Leah as main characters.

The Witch is Back is such a relatable book with a paranormal twist. Emma, formerly known as Emmaline, has been on her own in Chicago with her witch bestie and a human, owning a bar. 7 years prior, her best friend and unrequited love, Bastian, left. Their parents drew up a marriage contract when they were younger, to be fulfilled between the ages 21 and 25.
Leaving nothing but a note with his parents, Bastian fled, breaking Emma's heart. 7 years later, he comes back insisting on their marriage to help save his dying mother--who was afflicted from a clause in the wedding contract that Emma's mom put in. Emma has to fight hard to keep her heart out of it, while Bastian finds the best thing he could ever have was always right in front of him.
I honestly loved this book! Everything about Emma is me, so I related a lot. She's shy, but opens up to her friends and is fiercely loyal. She dreams of being untethered and wild, and Bastian is just the person to help her.
Honestly, Bastian is boyfriend goals for sure. The way he understands her shyness and awkwardness and doesn't condemn her for it. They way they push each other to be better. It was beautiful.
My one and only gripe, which wasn't that bad, was this whole book was kind of a miscommunication trope. Bastian is silenced with a hex, so not really his fault. But, Emma decided to keep hiding things that would have solved everything a lot sooner. Sometimes you want to scream at her "JUST SAY IT!!!!" But she has her reasons, too.
If you like:
*Witches and Witch High Society that reminds me of Bridgerton
*Second Chance Love (kind of? For emma?)
*Friends to lovers
*Miscommunication
*Soulmates
*Great World Building

Then this book is for you!

I was completely enchanted my this story! This book sucked me in from the beginning and I loved every second of it. This is the romance that I've been needing.
I just reviewed The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan. #TheWitchisBack #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Magical, romantic, tense and heartwarming! 🔮 🖤 🐾 🥮 🍻
Sophie H. Morgan put a spell on me with this novel! I was hooked from first page and read it in one sitting. I loved learning about the magic system, family rankings and familiars while also trying to uncover the mystery of the curse. Super fun, quick read that will make you swoon!

Morgan has created an amazing story that takes place in the worlds of witch high society in New Orleans and everyday humankind in Chicago. The Witch is Back has a supernatural mystery, childhood friends who are trying to figure out their relationship as adults and lots of family drama. Emma and Bastion grew up together and were committed by their parents to an arranged marriage. On the verge of an engagement, Bastion ran away with no explanation. When Bastion returns, Emma has created a new life for herself in Chicago outside the witch community. Both are bitter about the events leading to their separation and are reluctant to trust each other. Because supernatural contracts - including the one for Bastion's and Emma's engagement - are truly binding, they agree to move forward and, as part of the process, to live together. I really enjoyed these childhood best friends rediscovering what they liked about each other and appreciating how they have changed and grown up. Theirs is a true love story - including the need for compromise, loyalty and passion. The book is a page turner; I was unable to put it down until I finished.

I absolutely devoured this book! Read it in basically one sitting. I just couldn't get enough. Witchy rom coms are my soft spot and I thought this one delivered in all the right ways. It was sweet and charming and the characters were so relatable (even though they have magic). I would love for there to be other books following the other characters because I want more of this group of people!

The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan was definitely an enjoyable story.
It was a quick read and entertaining from the beginning.
A sweet, charming and witchy read with the best tropes ever from former childhood sweethearts to fake dating…. What’s not to love.?
This light-hearted romantic comedy stole my heart.
My first time reading Morgan’s work and I’ve gotta say I’m very pleased.
The Witch is Back was a funny, magical, and swoon worthy romance.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Harlequin for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book contained so many of my favorite rom-com tropes that it made my heart so full and happy. It was fun, light hearted, magical, full of amazing characters and even had some twists thrown in. One of my favorite witchy reads so far this year.

What happens when your ex comes back after leaving you before the wedding? It's complicated. It's fun. I really enjoyed this new take on the witch world. I hope to see more of this series and soon.

I loved this book. The characters were relatable and flawed. The chemistry between Emma and Bastian felt true and not forced. The secondary cast of characters made me laugh and now I want to be friends with them all. Paranormal romances can sometimes be a hit or miss for me, but the magic system in The Witch is Back was thought out well and written seamlessly into the story. I would recommend this book to someone who doesn’t read paranormal romances or books with magic in them.

The story was paced perfectly and gave time for the reader to fall in love with the characters individually and together. The reader really begins to understand their motivations. The twist at the end too was delicious and I did not see it coming.

I want more books in the Emma/Bastian universe immediately! I didn’t want to leave their world.

5 stars and I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

Magical, Propulsive, and Heartfelt

I am so grateful for the digital ARC that Harlequin provided in exchange for this honest review.

Shy witch Emma is finally finding herself after her fiance ran out on her without a word 7 years previously. When he returns without warning, Emma and the long-elusive Bastian are both forced to reckon with their past as they look to the future. Sparks fly literally and figuratively in this magical romance.

I loved this story! Emma is likable, relatable, and funny and her chemistry with Bastian is apparent throughout. The duo faces many twists and turns throughout their reacquaintance and the rekindling of their relationship. I don’t love a miscommunication trope, but as Sophie and Bastian let each other in, their level of confidence in each other (and themselves) grows and the progression through internal and external conflicts feels natural. The ancillary relationships are also a delight: that of Emma and Sloane, Emma and her best friends, Emma and her brother, Bastian and his parents. They all give the reader a glimpse into the protagonists values and give a measure of stability as Emma and Bastian face so many challenges. The ending is wholly satisfying and left me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. You won’t regret picking up a copy of “The Witch is Back”

Loved the cover and the title! The story was really cute and I enjoyed the characters and their development.

This book made my heart happy! It was full of charming characters, flirty banter, surprising plot twists, and all of the witchy goodness that I was hoping to get. I really enjoyed the world building and getting to learn about the magic system and politics.