Spell Bound

So in the mood to acquire a good witchy romance for our women’s fiction section. It’s nice to have an option being the Halloween season is over and this one includes a mystery as well. I think readers are really going to enjoy this one especially with a handsome detective in the mix. Can’t wait to share more on this one very soon.

Another one that I couldn't put down it's mystery it's fantasy it's a tiny bit of romance but it's also cosy I love this so much can't wait for the next one.

Firstly.... I LOVE BOB.

On a more serious note, I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of this through netgalley, and I'm glad I did.

It's a cutie little witchy rom com with a side of murder and baking. Although I think I would have benefited from reading book one in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone and enjoyed!

I like the small town feel, the idea of everyone loving the cat and her being passionate about rehoming. I loved that the romance didn't over take the story but just sizzled a little in the background. The FMC was cute and relatable.

All in all, a great read and a solid 4 star read.

A cosy murder mystery with a side of romance and baking, and an adorable side kick, Bob the cat.

Phoebe is renovating an old Victorian Manor which was inherited from her Aunt Eudora, but that wasn't the only thing she inherited.. another thing was that she was a witch.

But what she doesn't expect, is to find a body at an auction (or Bob the cat to find it) and is forced to try and clear her name. The help she gets is from a handsome private detective, Rich.. who just so happens to be a childhood friend, with feelings attached.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Love a small town murder mystery and romance weaved into the mix. But my overall love in this story was of course, Bob. I also loved Phoebe's passion and personality, especially with wanting to open an animal shelter in her shop for people to adopt - and her role in being an amateur detective.

This was a very cosy read and I flew through it! I also didn't realise this was the second book but didn't feel lost at all. The magic/Phoebe being a witch doesn't appear all too often, but I enjoyed the mystery nonetheless!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this copy. This review is voluntary.

Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and publishers for letting me have an eARC of this book to read, all thoughts and words are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, it is book two but there I did not feel at any point that I needed to read book one first!

It has been beautifully written and descriptive, the food from the bookshop/cafe sounds amazing and I loved the recipes at the end. Great plot and well paced, would recommend and will look in to reading first book.

I was so excited when I received the arc of this book. I was a judge fan of the first book and this one did not disappoint me. It is the perfect cosy autumn read, Phoebe, the main character is likeable and relatable, the witchy themes and magic tea blends adding to the cosy theme. I would highly recommend this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it before publishing. Go on buy it, settle down with the horrible weather outside with a blanket and a hot chocolate and get lost in Phoebe witchy world.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

This is a great series to read if you love cosy mysteries with sweet & lovable characters. I really enjoyed the first one, and liked this one too!

It may seemingly be a small thing, but little details like describing the food & tea in such a tantalising manner really goes a long way in creating the warm vibe that this series carries. The romance remains a very slow burn; I’m not sure how long the author plans for this book series to be, but I do wish that the chemistry was ramped up between Phoebe & Rich as their friendship/relationship is bordering on boring now.

The main criticism that I have for this book is that we still haven’t seen much magic being practised by Phoebe. I could forgive the first book because she had only just discovered her powers - and she does speak a lot about her aunt’s magical tea blends - but for a series that centres so much around Phoebe being a witch, we aren’t getting to see that in practice really at all.

Nevertheless, this was a fun book and I fully intend to read this series to completion once further books are released 🥰

Spellbound by Gretchen Rue
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria and Aries Publishers and the author for the opportunity to review this ARC and provide my unbiased opinion 💗

Phoebe Winchester lives in small town Raven Creek, running a tea shop/undercover witch apothecary and renovating her Victorian Mansion. But upon discovering a dead body at an estate sale, Phoebe ropes in childhood friend (and now private investigator) Rich to help figure out who the murderer is.

I love a witchy read and a small town romance so was very pleased to find that Spellbound combines the two genres! It is the second book in the Phoebe Winchester series but there was enough background info included that it was fine to read as a standalone. It’s hard not to love Phoebe- she’s a community minded, book-obsessed animal lover- aren’t we all?! 🤣
The charm of Raven Creek was obvious with store names like The Sugarplum Fairy bakery and descriptions of quaint homes, cottagecore elements and loveable characters made this a cosy, slice-of-life read. The ‘new life-new me’ trope was great and, as a millennial, any book that references Destiny’s Child, Instagram and the Gilmore Girls is always going to be a hit.
I also LOVED the recipes in the back- what a sweet touch 💗 Spellbound is a feel-good read that would appeal to so many readers, particularly lovers of mystery and small town romance, or fans of Nancy Warren.

I've been hugely obsessed with murder mysteries in recent years, but up until reading Something Wicked I didn't realise my ultimate comfort read would be Agatha Christie meets Gilmore Girls meets Charmed, but it's an utterly perfect mix of genres to keep a story fresh and unexpected. While in the first novel the reader is still getting to know protagonist Phoebe and the quirky town she finds herself in after the death of her aunt Eudora, the second book feels very much like slipping into a favourite pair of comfy PJs. We know the characters and we know the lay of the land – or so we think...

This time around the mystery ventures out to the neighbouring town of Barneswood, which comes with an entirely new group of people to get to know, not to mention a delicious setting: a fancy country estate. The perfect location for a locked-room mystery you may think. This isn't quite what happens (after all, how could our favourite mischievous feline get his paws into the room if it's locked), but it's pretty close. And I love how the whodunnit this time was a much more complex mystery that put both the characters within the pages and the readers on the wrong foot on more than one occasion.

Although I loved the mystery at the heart of the story, my favourite scenes within the book are actually the more mundane ones where Phoebe works in her shop, pops into the next-door bakery, or ropes in her childhood-friends-turned-handsome-grown-up-men to fix the Victorian mansion she's living in. They all show the great community she's become a part of in Raven Creek and I'm so happy for her that she found such an amazing group of people to support her as she wasn't in a good place when she first moved to the town.

The way author Gretchen Rue describes these moments, however, is anything but boring. This book is SO fun, and while reading I often found myself chuckling out loud. Bob's hilarious escapades in particular cause some memorable moments – and also some of the most heart-warming ones as he lifts the spirits of regulars in the shop. My only minor niggle with Spell Bound is the use of "she released a breath she didn't realise she was holding" (twice). Editors should really pick up on this bugbear by now as it trips you up when reading a sentence. That aside, this really is a fantastic read; funny, quirky, and so very wholesome.

Romcoms with a witchy vibe are all the rage right now so it can be tricky for a book to stand out when there are many seemingly similar choice on the shelves. However, while the Phoebe Winchester series is maybe not yet the most widely talked about, in my opinion it's the far superior one and everyone should be picking it up! I adore it so much and I want more people to discover the delightful characters roaming around Raven Creek (and I don't just mean Bob, although he's definitely in my top 3).

This was a lovely paranormal mystery, and a lot of fun to read. I liked the protagonist, Phoebe, and the way she talked to the reader. This book had the touch of magic that I was looking for, and I think it would be a good choice for a cosy read too, as I found it very comforting. I chose this as an early evening read, and enjoyed reading it while I was curled up under a blanket, snuggling with my cat and sipping a lovely cup of tea, and trust me when I say it's the perfect type of book for that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

One of the cutest books I’ve read in ages! Ugh I loved the book it was a great read after a few duds. My only major qualm is the ending. So much fantastic build up, with writing and a plot that didn’t bore me, only to rush the ending into like a single chapter. Booo party foul! Regardless, i loved the diversity, the Talia Brown nod, the bits showing Phoebe dealing with her grief, and everything else.

P.S. - I will 10000% be trying to sort out the recipes in this book. Every single one sounds heavenly and I am going to try the ones at the back! Would definitely read more from Gretchen Rue so thanks to Aria & Aries for letting me read it!

Phoebe Winchester is back in action. Her new life is suiting her. Small town, new and old friends, family business that she loves and the possibility of a romance in her future!

Attending an estate sale, to refresh inventory for the book shop, should have been a nice day out but not only does Bob the cat come along for the ride, she also stumbles across another murder! She's in the line of sight for the cops again and she has no intention of sitting around whilst the determine her innocence. So once again Rich steps in with his investigative experience to lend a hand.

Raven Creek is chockful of characters. Between the book shop regulars, the local council powermongers and a veritable smorgasbord of suspects - Phoebe has her work cut out for her finding the perpetrator(s).

There is enough recap from book 1 that you could fall into this book without having read book 1. Phoebe really needs to make a decision about Rich and Leo. As much as I love a will-they-won't they, I really need her to make up her mind LOL.

It did feel as if it read a wee bit slower than book 1 but that just could because it's been awhile since I read book 1. I thought the ending was a bit sudden, I was waiting for more of a round up but it wouldn't put me off reading more in the series.

Still really enjoy the characters and storyline and it's great to read about older characters having a new lease on life and a chance at romance. This is most definitely a murder-mystery with a hint of romance.

Absolutely adore a small-town murder mystery entwined with romance, but my heart belongs to Bob in this story. Phoebe's passion for opening an animal shelter in her shop is endearing, and her role as an amateur detective adds a delightful layer to her personality. Despite this being the second book, I easily navigated the story, and the cozy atmosphere made for a quick and enjoyable read. While the magical elements, including Phoebe being a witch, are subtle, the mystery captivated me throughout.

This was a quirky, cosy continuation from the first book in this magical mystery series.

With a Gilmore Girl-esque small town, a loveable ginger cat determined to get up to mischief, and a will-they-won't-they tangle with a handsome private detective brewing, this book is a lovely, light read...with a sprinke of murder and magical teas.

Enjoyable, but I was wishing for just a little more will than won't they - fingers crossed for the next book!

I hope there's going to be a new novel in this series soon because this story left me with a serious book hangover and i want to know about the cats and what will be next.
I loved it even when I was thinking that Phoebe has a serious death wish.
The complex and twisty plot surprised me and I didn't guess the culprit.
The lovely setting, the well rounded characters, the solid mystery, and the humour are all elements that make this story a very good onhe.
Entertaining, compelling and well written.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Aria and RAchel's Random Resources for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Cats, witches, tea, murder mystery all in one cosy package? Sign me up!! I absolutely loved the setting of this book, although I wished there was a teeny bit more romance, that is just my romantic heart screaming. I adored the fun nature of the storytelling, I would have loved more detail on the witches powers and delved deeper into the witches history of the town. I love that to compliment the cosy vibes, the author added recipes for readers to try, considering that tea and baked goods were so heavily emphasised in this book, I though that was a cute and necessary addition. Also Bob is the main character and you can't tell me otherwise!

Rating: 4⭐️

Read if you are looking for:

💛 Cosy mystery with a bit of romance,
💛 Sweet and lovable characters,
💛 Witchy vibes,
💛 Small town setting.

It is a second book in a series but it can be read as a standalone. Gretchen Rue can create perfect cosy small town vibes and characters that you want to make friends with.
Phoebe, MFC, once again tries to solve a murder mystery in order to clear her name as it is her to find a dead body at estate auction. Once again, it is Rich to give her a hand in their privite investigation.

I loved first book and I really liked this one, however I was hoping that a plot regarding Phoebe and Rich relationship would be more developed. I am counting on coming back to Raven Creek to witness more of Phoebe's magic and finally I want Phoebe and Rich end up together.

Thanks to @headofzeus, @sierradeanauthor and @netgalley for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this book! It had everything I love all in one - a murder mystery, with a hint of romance, and a hint of magic. What more could you ask for?!

Phoebe was a brilliant main character, and now that I know there’s a previous book in this series, I will definitely be going back to read it to get to know her character more.

The story progressed in such a brilliant way, and I love when a book doesn’t make it obvious how it’s going to end and how the mystery will unfold, so I loved being surprised!

Bob was adorable. I will never not become obsessed with a cat in a book. I absolutely loved his friendship with Norman, and that Norman ended up adopting his own cat in the end (Frodo - how cute)!

Another bonus was the list of recipes in the back of the book! Details like this always make a book more special and feel more personal, and I love it!