I loved this book! I loved the quirky protagonists and the setting was absolutely magical. I felt the book was well paced and really held my attention. The cover is also adorable. Such a fun, cosy Autumn read where witchy vibes abound.

I really enjoyed reading this book.
I read it over a few days, and couldn't wait till I got free time to read it more.

A couple minimal detail steam scenes.

The different witches and personalities and their contributions were a world I wanted more of. The protection of the house and the way it was brought to life, I wanted to explore inside.
I felt like overall the story was a little lack luster. Too many things were trying to be brought in and it took away from the main plot.
I was 30% through the book and the "love interests" had only met three times, one of which Josh could only vaguely remember.

Josh has moved to Essex to live in a house left to him by his estranged father. He finds a property listed to be on his land but can't actually find it.
Essie lives with other witches in the house on Josh's land, a protection spell hides the house except from those who need it.
But when Josh is able to recall things he should have forgotten Essie wonders if there is some force drawing them together. But it might not be something good.

This book is perfect to cozy up for in the Halloween season if you want to get into the season without the scariness. I love the romance of the two leads, definitely put cute little bats in my tummy!

Growing up, I was obsessed with tales involving magic, which can mostly be blamed on repeat viewings of The Wizard of Oz. And though I now have a deep affection for all sorts of fantasy, for a long while, these lighter stories left me frustrated when I tried to move on to harder worlds. The systems of magic felt too complex, with full pages of rules and regulations on spellcasting that would have seemed at home in a physics textbook. At the time, all I wanted to read about was women on brooms enchanting everything in sight with a flick of their wrists.

Which is why I was delighted to recently finish a book that strips away many of the complicated magical laws in favor of fun. Again, now my shelves are lined with all sorts of fantasy, but I'll never turn down something that reminds me of the boisterous joy of Hocus Pocus. That it's also a romance? Well, that's just extra bubbles in the cauldron.

In Kate Johnson's Hex Appeal, every page practically glows with magic. Characters flap around, zapping and charming in a flurry of spells. A house changes, adding rooms and décor, at the whims of its occupants. One witch quite literally knits the future. There's certainly a well-thought-out logic to this world, but Johnson doesn't get bogged down in overly complicated details.

At its core is Essie, a witch hesitant to get too close to anyone outside of her small coven at Beldam House in Essex. Fortunately for her, folks who visits the home immediately forget they were ever there. That is until Josh, who recently inherited the house, arrives from the U.S. intent on finding out why certain tenants haven't paid rent since the 1700s.

From its first pages, Hex Appeal is pure fun. While Johnson works hard to make Essie sympathetic—and she certainly has compelling reasons for secluding herself—it's hard not to smile as she forcefully glides through the magical house, herding familiars and becoming increasingly exasperated over a series of omens. By the time Josh drops in, I was ready to keep reading about genuinely amusing household hijinks. However, the simmering tension between them is a welcome tradeoff.

That's not to suggest Hex Appeal is without tougher moments. Essie and Josh both have complicated backgrounds and, while the magic is often at the forefront, Johnson knows how to conjure up a layered romance alongside it. Add to the mix pulse-pounding action scenes and a broader threat with a historical twist and Johnson's story feels packed without ever being overloaded. She never moves the story too far away from Essie and Josh, who ultimately ground this whirlwind romance.

Funny, heartfelt, and swoon-worthy, Hex Appeal casts a magical spell.

3.75⭐, 2.25🌶️

This was different than all other witchy/ paranormal contemporary romances and I was a tad apprehensive once the characters time traveled, but over all the story was oddly entertaining (like I liked it even though I was iffy at the same time, if that makes sense). The insta love wasn't great for me, but Essie and Josh were fun together and a cute couple throughout the book, especially with the oddly funny relationship their families have had.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an eARC of Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson. This is my honest and unpaid review!

Just so fun and charming. I loved Hex Appeal. The characters were so captivating, I wanted to be friends with all of them. I loved the chemistry, I loved the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was provided by Netgalley and One More Chapter in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimately, this just wasn't for me. Whilst I loved the premise, and there were elements of the story (such as the house, some glimpses into the magic) that I enjoyed, I ultimately found the characters to be flat. I also felt too much time was spent on details (like Josh's sister) which I would have preferred spent building the core story.

Glad to see many reviewers enjoyed this, everyone's taste is different and for me this didn't quite hit the spot.

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

2.5/5 Stars

As always – thank you to Netgalley for the book in exchange for a review.

It’s been a bit since I read this book so I’m doing this review based off of my notes. This book was super cute, but it just didn’t hit everything I wanted it to. It had an interesting concept, but this book is one of the reasons I hate advertising as other medias.

This was advertised as Encanto meets Hocus Pocus, which would be a super cute idea. But unfortunately I didn’t really get any of the Encanto inspiration through the book, and the Hocus Pocus aspect was only through an ancient curse and the fact that there are witches in the book.

A lot of this book fell very flat for me, the characters seemed kind of boring and there wasn’t a lot of chemistry between any of the characters, especially Essie and Josh. Essie seemed like such a quirky character but had absolutely zero personality. Nothing was fleshed out to make it interesting enough to ever want to pick back up to reread.

Most of the plot was very convoluted, especially when it came to Essie and her mother. The romance was hollow, the miscommunication wasn’t even interesting.

I wish this book had a lot more, but it was a quick read to get through for the fall season.

"Hex Appeal" by Kate Johnson casts a spell of enchantment, blending humor and romance in a delightful witchy romcom. Set in the charming village of Good Winter, the story follows Essie Winterscale, a witch seeking a normal life in the ever-changing Beldam House. The coven, filled with quirky witches, adds a touch of hilarity, especially when dealing with their clueless new landlord, Josh. Johnson's storytelling weaves a magical tapestry, combining the allure of witchiness with relatable characters and a hint of family secrets. With a nod to classics like "Hocus Pocus" and a dash of modern romance, "Hex Appeal" is a funny, smart, and sassy read that showcases Kate Johnson's brilliant world-building skills. A must-read for fans of magical romantic comedies like Erin Sterling's "The Ex Hex" and Lana Harper's "Payback’s a Witch."

I should have been expecting a heavy romance when I requested this. I think it lives up to what it's trying to do. A fun, quirky, and romantic paranormal romance. I liked the couple, but didn't just love the tropes in this one.

This book was cute! I liked the characters and the overall plot. Not to mention it was actually pretty funny, which made it more enjoyable. I love that witches are making a comeback in romance books. Some aspects of it felt a little flat for me, but I’d still recommend this book…especially those who enjoy witchy vibes with a romcom feel!

Such a feel good, make you laugh witchy book! This quick read wrapped in all your favorite Halloween movies into one and had a perfect little romance mixed it.

This was a DNF for me. The story sounded great when I read the synopsis and i had heard alot of great things about it but I just couldn't get into it for whatever reason which was a bummer

When a witchy house inherits a new and not so witchy landlord what could possibly go wrong! This was a fun witchy read for the halloween season, or for any time really! This book is exactly what I expected it to be, fun, quirky, lighthearted and with plenty of chaos. The book kind of lost me at the time travel part but other than that it was an enjoyable read.

A heartwarming witchy rom-com was just what I needed at this time of year!

Josh moves to England after inheriting property but all is not what it seems once he arrives. Essie wishes for a normal life, well as normal a life as possible when you live with a coven of witches. Essie isn’t one for engaging with Josh but life has a different way of working…

I loved the balance of humour, romance and a sprinkling of magic. I thoroughly enjoyed how well researched the history of witches appeared to be. The authors note really solidified by love for this book.

I can’t wait to read more from this author and it’ll definitely be a go-to recommendation for customers.

I just could not get into this one. I was enjoying it okay for a while at the beginning, but once the time travel part came into play, it just completely lost me, unfortunately.

This story was significantly darker than anticipated, and it only made me love it more!!

Beldam House is a magical place and not in the sense of beautiful to look at but actual magic. Ever changing and home to Essie and her eclectic coven of witches. Which also happens to be the one of houses that Josh inherited after his father passed, one that hasn’t paid rent in over 300 years! In an effort to get some answers, he decides to confront the tenants, When arriving, he gets swept up in the world of witchcraft, mystery and the peculiar women he can’t seem to get enough of.

What happens when you put a very eccentric witch, with a very quirky bookworm? A very good time! The banter between josh and Essie kept me laughing through out the book. Though the plot definitely got darker than anticipated (because of the cover), the conversations and inner monologues, made the book feel a bit more jaunty and lively.

I struggled a bit with Johnson’s writing during The Ex Hex, so I was a bit surprised at how quickly I made it through this book.

I would definitely recommend picking this one up as your next fall or winter read! Days getting darker quicker, the temperatures dropping, rain and window sounds outside your window; absolutely perfect atmosphere for this read

Fun silly seasonal read that got me out of a slump! Was it memorable….no! But the purpose was to make me smile and laugh at witty banter! Just a good book.

I really enjoyed! Great read for the fall and spooky season! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!