4 Stars
An enjoyable cozy paranormal mystery.
The new Enchanted Bay Mystery Series introduces readers to the small, corky town of Bellamy Bay and Alexandra “Alex” Daniels. Alex is a former risk manager from New York returning to see family that she hasn’t seen in two decades, and to help with the family Apothecary. Little does she know, but is soon to find out that there are reasons that Alex’s father kept her away.
A Spell for Trouble is a light, entertaining and fun paranormal cozy mystery with lots of twists and spunk. From the picturesque descriptions of this beautiful town, to the way the magic is woven through the plot and the way the characters charm their way into your liking. The world building is off to a fantastic start and within one book you really get a feel for the personality of the characters. Alex may have made some not so great choices at times but I did love her tenacity and will do what she needs to do to achieve her goals. Esme Addison has caught my attention and I’m eager to see what she has in store for The Enchanted Bay Series.

Unfortunately I was about 3 chapters in when I realized that this was not a book for me. I don't DNF many books so I hate that I had to with this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for offering the arc.

Cozy mystery books are quickly becoming one of my favorite genres to read, and Addison's book did not disappoint! I enjoyed the writing style and the theme of this book very much. For a debut novel I was impressed and I have to say that I will be eagerly anticipating the next book by Addison

A good first in a cozy mystery series, and a more refreshing than the typical "cat-lady" cozies that there are so many of. ,

Although it’s a decent offering for a first book. I wanted to like this one more than I did. The apothecary aspect is interesting, but the witchcraft elements feel a bit forced and artificial. As far as the mystery goes. It is fine. All in all, it was a so-so read for me.

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book. I was in the middle of chapter 2 when I realized that I was bored out of my mind, that I didn't care about these characters and that the whole story was just really boring and banal. In this time where we are over-saturated with cozy mysteries, you really need to be remarkable right from the beginning and capture the attention or there will be a lot of these type of reviews.

I was looking forward to this one and am really disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, cute cozy! I loved the atmosphere and the characters. It was charming and I really enjoyed my time reading it!

Aleksandra Daniels hasn't visited her relatives since her mother's death 20 years ago. She was mysteriously forbidden from visiting her aunt and cousins by her father. Now her father has passed and she's at a turning point in her life. She realizes it's time for her to visit.
Her mother's family welcomes her with open arms and she starts working with them at their herbal apothecary shop.
All is going well until a local is murdered and Alex's aunt is arrested.
Alex is determined to find the evidence that will prove her aunt innocent, but during her investigation she finds out a lot of secrets surrounding her family and the town.
This was a nice read with good characters.

This is my first paranormal cozy mystery and I gotta say I enjoyed it a lot! My favorite part of the book were the interactions between Alex and her family. the dynamics between specific family members made their relationships seem more believable and not sugar-coated (see Lidia and Kamila). I will say that I enjoyed whatever was going on between Alex and Dylan (more of that please!) When you start missing the story/characters shortly after missing the book, you know it was a good one. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

After her mother's drowning death in Bellamy Bay, North Carolina more than twenty years before, Alex Daniels father forbade her from coming back to the town. But now after losing her job, Alex accepts an invitation from her aunt and cousin. While there she helps them with their herbal apothecary known for its remarkably potent teas, salves, and folk remedies.

But then there is a murder, and Alex's aunt becomes the prime suspect. After Lidia is arrested, Alex decides to do some sleuthing to find out the truth. She also finds out long hidden family secrets, and a long ago rivalry with another family in town that puts a new spin on things. Can Alex figure out the truth before more deaths occur? And can she handle her family's secret?

This is, without a doubt, one of the best cozies I've read this year. Alex is a great character, as are her aunt and cousins. As a matter of fact, the whole town is intriguing. I loved following Alex on her journey. The best part of this is that I didn't figure out the ending. I thought I had it, then I didn't, then I did, and then I didn't. This is one of those books that I hate to give away too much, because I enjoyed discovering it on my own, and I think other readers will, too. I will just say paranormal, and mermaids.

That made the book all the more entertaining to me. I am really looking forward to another book int his series, to see where Esme Addison leaves Alex and her family. It's sure to be entertaining. I highly recommend this book.

I read a digital copy of this book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

After the death of her father Aleksandra Daniel's returns to Ballamy Bay, NC with her dog Athena to the only family left, her aunt Lidia and cousins who run an apothecary store. Alex hasn't seen them in 20 years since the terrible death of her mother. She is quickly remembering how charming the area is and how much of a hold it has on her. Until one day her aunt is brought in for the murder of a local man after purchasing some tea at the shop. But there is more to the story as a local reporter is digging up common rumors about the Soleski and Wesley family and how their heritage is known their powerful magic.

Except Alex doesn't believe and she struggles on who she can trust. When the police are definitely not looking at other suspects, she decides to start taking matter into her own hand. I absolutely LOVED this book. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and I cannot wait to see what the next book brings. Bring on more magic, more mystery and more of Bellamy Bay, NC!

After her father dies, Aleksandra returns to Bellamy Bay, where her aunt Lidia and cousins Minka and Kamila live. When Detective Jack Frazier arrests her aunt for the murder of Randy Bennett, Alex discovers she is a witch from a long line of witches that includes her aunt, cousins, and long-dead mother.

Esme Addison’s first Enchanted Bay Mystery provides an enchanting introduction to the Sobieski family of witches and their herbal apothecary, Botanika. Ms. Addison concocts an engaging story, complete with red herrings, fascinating characters, and a little magic. A spellbinding read that augurs well for more adventures in Bellamy Bay.

A different kind of cozy mystery. As the first book of a new series, we are introduced to a diverse cast of characters with family connections and a unique community. Set mainly in the family's local apothecary, the main characters will find themselves investigating the death of man who has often argued with the owners of the store. As Esme Addison builds her characters and their community, she gives us a look into what suddenly becomes a family of natural witches. What a great addition to the cozy mystery! The story and characters are original and very entertaining. A very good read to add to your TBR pile.

The cover drew me in and the mystery kept me there between the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this debut book of author Esme Addison. I loved the shop Botanika with the oils and soaps, herbs. The witchy theme. The characters were well developed as was the mystery. I look forward to more books in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for letting me review. All thoughts are my own.

A new witch series "An Enchanted Bay Mystery" from Crooked Lane Books, A Spell For Trouble is the debut cozy for author Esme Addison.

Characters in this book are somewhat eccentric and unique. Alex seems to be a bit on the distrustful side, and she takes some warming up too in order to truly be likable. After the first half of the story, readers will begin to enjoy Alex and get to know her. The fact that her personality evolves throughout this book is an excellent indicator of what she will become as other volumes are added to the series. Lidia is a beautiful character; she has depth and substance already and is easily understood. Alex's cousins are complete opposites from each other, and from Alex, this works in the author's favor. The characters will grow over time, but for now, they will hold the reader's interest.

The setting of Bellamy Bay is enchanting. I hope we get to learn more about the town and the secret witch world that plays such an intricate part in this first book. The mermaid aspect of this story was a bit hard for me to enjoy. It seems a bit outdated and runs the risk of being too unbelievable. Hopefully, the author will give us more detail and bring the mermaid myth out of the stone age and into the 21st century.

The victim was common and ordinary in so far as not deserving what befell him. All of the suspects and there are enough to keep the mystery alive; even the witch ones are intriguing; all are easily believable with motives that can and should be interesting to most readers. The resolution of the crime is fraught with twists and turns and takes readers on a journey worth their time. I knew who the killer was almost as soon as the character was introduced, which made it difficult to continue reading to the end.

I found some aspects of A Spell For Trouble a bit too common, and other elements too far fetched. I found having a love interest and possibly a triangle this early in the series distasteful and not within the personality the author established at the beginning of the book for Alex's character. The witchcraft aspects could have been done better, it seemed a bit hokey. I want to read the next installment if for no other reason than to find out more about Alex's cat, Athenia. Overall this was a good beginning in a new witch based cozy series that has potential and room to improve.

This is going to be such an awesome series! I just loved this first book with all the unique magical characters, and I can't wait to visit with them again. The setting was awesome and I could just picture the gorgeous beaches. I just loved Minka who was probably my favorite character. Alex was a good strong main character and I have some high hopes for her and Jack the police lieutenant.

The killer was a total surprise to me, what a great twist! I love how so many things are possible when it's a magical world. The story about Alex's mom seems to be one that might stay around for awhile until it's completely resolved, but that's fine. The main mystery was solved, and the side mystery gives us a little something to look forward to.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

This is the first in a new series and I hope it has a long run. It was the perfect escape. Set in Bellamy Bay, NC and a family owned herbal apothecary, Botanika. Alex lost her mother when she was young and her father has just passed away. Because her father didn't like Alex's Aunt Lidia, saying she and her family were 'not like us' he made it clear she shouldn't have anything to do with them. All of Alex's memories of them are from her early childhood. When she decides to make a life change and quit her job in New York without any backup plan, she heads for Bellamy Bay and a reconnect with Aunt Lidia and her cousins. Things get very interesting and Alex ends up playing sleuth when Aunt Lidia is accused of killing one of her customers.
When I see that a mystery has witchcraft, spells, etc. as a theme, count me in. I love getting lost is spells, potions and the like so this was an easy five stars. There were plenty of threads to follow and they show promise for future books in the series. The mystery itself was well crafted and kept me guessing with a great ending. I'm adding any future books by Esme Addison to my must read list.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be my last. This was a cute cozy paranormal mystery filled with lots of secrets and family history. I just loved the characters, the plot, and the writing. I was surprised to learn (I think this is right) that this is the author’s debut. It’s an excellent one. Alex was a very down-to-earth protagonist who learns there is magic in her family going back a long time. I loved the way the book played out, and I am anxious to see what comes next as I saw the author is hard at work on a sequel. If you like this genre, give this book a try. Highly recommend! I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

When Alex went back home to heal, I doubt she really expected the surprise she got from her family. Of course, they welcomed her with open arms, as families do. I really like Alex and Athena. Alex’s family, her aunt Lidia and cousins Minka and Kamila are pretty neat folks too. I enjoyed getting to know them. Lidia and Minka run the family business, which Alex was fitting right into and enjoying learning their trade. I always love when family sticks up for each other. This storyline is great with several little surprises along the way. If you are looking for a magical story, I think you will love this one. I hope I can make another trip to Bellamy Bay. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

A Spell for Trouble is the first in Esme Addison's new Enchanted Bay Mystery series.

After Aleksandra's father passed away, she decided to finally accept her Aunt Lidia's yearly invitation to visit her relatives in Bellamy Bay. Alex visited had visited there often when she was young. She hadn't been there since her Mom passed away and her father began to refuse to take her there to visit. When Alex becomes disenchanted with her lot at work, she decides to accept her aunt's invitation which allows Alex to get reacquainted with her aunt and cousins Minka and Kamila..Alex takes her dog Athena along with her.

Lidia and Minka run the town's herbal apothecary where Alex begins working to help out. I loved hearing about the items they had for sale and the suggested uses for the salves, lotions, and other items they had for sale. Alex slowly begins to understand that Bellamy Bay is a town where supernaturals and humans both live.

The trouble and mystery begin when Randolph Bennett dies and Lidia becomes the prime suspect. Alex begins working to prove her aunt is innocent. There is a lot to be discovered about the town of Bellamy Bay, its interesting inhabitants, and Alex's family history as Alex works to solve the case. Such as, to her surprise, Alex discovers her family is descended from mermaids.

I loved the characters, learning about the other characters in Bellamy Bay, and I will look forward to reading the next installment of this series. I also enjoyed the references to Polish food and other Polish words sprinkled throughout.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.