If the blurb made me think of a possible mixture of Charmed and Sabrina then the end result is not what I was hoping for. The execution failed short for me. Not overly enthused about the style, but mostly disappointed that the witchy part felt more like an afterthought to allow the steamy romance to unfold.
Not for me but Thanks for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was drawn to Ann Aguirre’s new witchy rom-com Witch Please as soon as I saw it being compared to Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls. Add to that comparison, a witch who has sworn off men, a man who is looking for true love but is pretty sure he’s cursed, and a meddling, matchmaking grandmother and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a very entertaining read.

Witch Please follows Danica Waterhouse, a modern witch whose magic centers around electricity and technology. Danica and her cousin Clem, also a witch and also a technomancer, use their magic to run their technical repair shop, Fix-It Witches. Both Danica and Clem have had bad luck in the love department and have made a pact to swear off serious relationships with men. Flings are great, but that’s it. This of course does not please their grandmother, who has made it her mission in life to find Danica a suitable magical husband. Needless to say, things get awkward every time grandma shows up.

Titus Winnaker is the handsome owner of Sugar Daddy’s bakery. Titus feels like he has been looking for love forever but every time he starts to get serious with a woman, she inexplicably dumps him. This has gone on for so long that not only is Titus still a virgin, but he has become convinced that he is literally cursed. He has no idea that when one of his ovens goes on the fritz and seeks service from the Fix-It Witches, that his life is about to change.

I really adored both Danica and Titus. Danica is feisty and passionate, and she’s also very witty. I also felt tremendous sympathy for her with respect to the tension with her grandmother. Titus is a sweetheart too. He’s a bit awkward but he’s so sincere about wanting to find someone to spend the rest of his life with that you can’t help but cheer him on. He’s also got some unsettling family drama in the form of his father trying to force Titus and his sister to bond with their pregnant new stepmother. Considering he was never around for his first family, Titus and his sister aren’t overly interested in bonding with family number 2.

Looking at everything these two had going on in their lives, I immediately wanted them to find each other. It was clear from the first moment they met that they had off the charts chemistry. The banter between them was both cute and hilarious and I immediately wanted more. It’s a wild ride watching Danica and Titus get to know each other though because per her pact with Clem, all Danica wants is a one-night stand, whereas Titus is smitten with Danica from that first moment and knows she’s the one. There’s a real push and pull between them as they both give in to and yet constantly fight their attraction to each other.

I did get a little bogged down along the way a few times. There are some details that feel like loose ends or pieces of a puzzle and it took almost the entire story for those pieces to finally click into place and make sense. I wanted the cute and sexy so I felt like my brain was having to work too hard to piece those elements together, haha! There was also one character that shows up that just feels out of place and unnecessary. It turns out that there’s going to be a second book and I think he’ll feature in that one, but for this one, I was just like ‘Why are you here? There’s already enough drama without you.”

Even with those couple of issues, I still quite enjoyed Witch Please. If you’re looking for a super cute witchy rom-com to ease you into the spooky season, this is a great pick!

This was kind of a campy supernatural romcom about a witch who owns a Fix-it shop and a "mundane" bisexual virgin baker who is cursed in love. Danica is from a long line of witches and is committed to not getting into a relationship with any non magical men. Unfortunately the sparks literally fly when she meets Titus and despite her best efforts she just can't stay away.

Full of Gilmore Girls and Practical magic vibes, this was a quick open door romance, with lots of dysfunctional family drama and some entertaining witchy hijinks. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ALC.

2.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review.
This one was slightly better? But still not for me. I like the premise, even if it’s not typically what I look for in my fantastical-leaning reads, but I liked the idea of a witchy romantic comedy about a witch who could fix appliances and a cinnamon roll baker.

And in some aspects, it’s not bad. Danica is pretty cool, and I did like seeing what she could do. And while Titus came on really strong with his affections, I didn’t mind him as the story went on, as he is rather cute and awkward. And I liked the way Danica called him her “Cinna-man!”

The book club bit was fun, and I really wish there had been more of that. I loved the shoutout for one of my favorite fantasy books, Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri…you gotta love when authors give each other shoutouts via book!

But I definitely felt like the magic and the world building wasn’t really grounded, and there’s some issues with believability. There was some sense of other witch families and the way magic works through bloodline. I did appreciate the sense of stakes where this particular family lose their magic if they marry a mundane (non-magic) partner, but given the romance was cute but not “I’d die for you” levels, I just wasn’t super invested. And then, there’s this thing where they’re not supposed to tell their non-magic partner about magic, and it’s just like, you’re lying about something major to someone you love?

Sadly, this one didn’t work for me either, but I can see why, if you like paranormal romance and are looking for something on the more lighthearted side, that you’d enjoy this.

Danica Waterhouse is a perfectly modern witch, thank you very much. She co-owns "Fix-It Witches", a tech repair shop, along with her cousin, and has a coven that hides their meetings behind the guise of a book club. She's also sworn off men--but especially witch men--after a particularly disaster of a break-up from dating one of her opinionated and heavy-handed grandmother's choices of a suitable man. So Danica was really not expecting for sparks to literally fly when Titus Winnaker walks into her store without a single drop of magic in his veins.

Titus runs Sugar Daddy, a bakery, three blocks away. He just wanted someone to come out and fix his oven. He wasn't expecting to fall head over heels for Danica. But, with his past, he's not expecting too much. After all, his past relationships have been total disasters and--to his frustration, in more ways than one--he's in his thirties and has never gotten past first base. But Danica is amazing; funny, pretty, and--dare he say it--charming. Sure, she can be a little odd, but he likes it. Titus really likes her... and is afraid that his heart might never recover when the relationship inevitably crashes and burns or, worse, never takes flight at all.

Danica wants something with Titus; he can never know that she's a witch, and she's made a pact with her cousin that says that they can have their fun but their hearts guarded. But Danica's heart knows what it wants, and it's not just a fling with Titus. Can Titus convince her that he's worth risking it all for? And can Danica prove to Titus once and for all that he's not as cursed in love as he thinks he is?

I died laughing at this rom-com so many times. It hits so many of those trope buttons just right, and I adored how funny, sweet, and steamy the whole book was! It's like a slightly more grown up "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", and has all the warm fluffy feelings of a Hallmark movie while also hitting you right in the feels on so many interpersonal issues and past heartaches that the characters face. This book is just so brilliant and well-done and, well, magical!

In Witch Please, Danica Waterhouse—a modern witch who co-owns the Fix-It Witches, a magical tech repair shop—finds herself in the midst of a family feud. After a disheartening break-up, she’s made a pact with her cousin not to get their hearts broken again. Their grandmother, the matriarch of the family, isn’t going to let that fly, though. Hellbent on setting Danica up with another magical man—non-magical people would only sully the bloodline—without Danica’s consent, tensions are high in the Waterhouse family. Meanwhile Titus Winnaker, owner of Sugar Daddy’s bakery, is dealing with his own set of troubles. After a long string of failed relationships and a tragic loss, all he can count on is his sister and the bakery they both love. That is, until he meets Danica. Sparks fly instantly and Titus knows, this woman is the one. But Danica is hesitant, and for good reason. Can her ever-growing feelings for Titus stand the test of time—and of her domineering grandmother’s demands for a magical partner?

I said it once and I’ll say it again: this fall is going to be witch-central when it comes to books and I am here for it. Give me magic in any shape or form, and I will want to read it.

And while the concept of Witch Please sounded right up my alley, the execution didn’t quite work for me. What mostly kept me from really loving the novel were some writing style choices. Some of the dialogue reads quite stilted, most often because Danica and Titus think what they want to say and then end up saying the exact same thing out loud with little variation in words used. That repetition did slow things down considerably. Also, some mundane (pun-five) moments were dragged on endlessly to the point where I began to question every single thing about where this plot was going. Need an example? Early on in the story, Titus describes his evening routine with his dog in such excruciating detail that I was highkey convinced that something would happen to the dog because surely no one needed a two-page deviation of a dog’s peeing and eating routine if it didn’t serve the plot—spoiler alert, the dog is fine. Elements like that kept creeping up in the story, however, and made the pace almost glacial at times.

That being said, once I got over those unfortunate pauses in the storytelling, I did actually quite enjoy the plot. There are some things that I definitely had to suspend my disbelief over and there a few unresolved issues that I hope will be picked up on in future books but Aguirre really went for the disruptive and manipulative matriarchs in the book and that’s what kept me reading. Danica’s grandmother is so domineering and does her best to make her grandkids follow whatever rules she stipulates and watching her get what’s coming to her definitely was my favourite part in the whole novel. I loved how we got to see just how intricate a web the grandmother had woven to keep Danica and others under her ruling thumb.

I also really enjoyed both Danica and Titus on their own. Danica is wary of her feelings for Titus, especially due to her grandmother’s influence. But she’s also dealing with a string of bad relationships in her past and is a busy woman who has goals beyond meeting the one. Titus, similarly, has made his job his primary focus, but he’s also a great protective brother to his sister, and though he comes on a bit too strong, really only wants to have someone in his life to share everything with. Though this story lacked tension, I still found Danica and Titus to be a cute couple. Sure, there were a few things Titus thought about Danica that threw up red flags in my mind early on, but he does turn out to be a genuinely good guy. And Aguirre does eventually deliver on the steamy scenes.

One thing this book really had going for it was the casual queer rep. Besides Titus, who is bisexual, we also have his sister who is a lesbian and in a relationship with a woman. Beyond that, there are people in the coven who are sapphic—this is the kind of casual representation I want to see in romance novels even if it isn’t the focal point of the story. Another highlight for me were the genuine female friendships. Danica and her coven all like to gossip and shoot the shit, but in the end, they’re supportive of one another and try to make each other’s lives easier in whichever way they can, which was so lovely to see, especially with Danica’s grandmother trying to make Danica cower. There’s also a very endearing side plot about Titus, his sister Maya and another new family member creating their own kind of family which tugged at my heartstrings. Found family is one of my favourite tropes and I loved that we got to see Titus and Maya create their own. All in all, even though Witch Please has its flaws, I think the female friendships, the concept of magic coming in various forms and the eventually steamy romance make up for them in spades.

With a sprinkle of magic, a handful of small-town romance and a dash of family drama, Witch Please is perfect for fans of Practical Magic!

Witch Please was soooo cute! I couldn't stop smiling throughout this read and I cannot wait for the next book already.

Witch Please follows Danica Waterhouse, a modern witch, that is co founder of Fix-it Witches, a magician repair shop. That fact alone makes me laugh because I have never really thought about normal jobs witches could do with their magic. One day while working, she meets Titus Winnaker, a bisexual baker that needs his oven fixed. Danica and Titus are instantly attracted to each other. There is only one problem for Danica, he is not a witch to keep her witch bloodline going because her family is known for losing their magic if they do not marry a full blooded witch, according to her grandmother.

The book is full of cute banter, adorable dates and conflict due to the push and pull of Danica's feelings for Titus. I really enjoyed their relationship and how easy it felt outside of the main issue. Titus was super funny in his POV with how he is worried about a curse on him when it comes to dating. He has yet to have a long term relationship or had sex. I looked forward to reading his POVs because his awkward personality was refreshing to read.

If you are looking for a cute read with a little bit of spice, look no further! Get your fill of a cute awkward baker and a cool witch.

Thanks to Sourcebooks & Netgalley for an ARC of this funny, sweet book. This book follows Danica and Titus, two people (she a witch, him a normal) who both believe they are cursed. He believes he's cursed to be alone forever whereas Danica believes that if she falls for a mundane (non-witch), she'll be cursed to lose her magic.

Spoiler, they fall for each other anyway. There is a lot of funny banter and interesting side characters which round out this cute story.

#NetGalley #Reviews #WitchPlease

I'm sorry, NG, but I tried--I really really tried. I aimed for 30%, then 20%, then 15%.
I stopped at 13%. (So I didn't get far enough to see where bisexuality came into all this.)
The writing was just clunky to me--a weird effect comparable to where you're with someone who's out of sync and talks over you. My brain just couldn't get in gear.
Also, there was too much exposition, with details that I didn't think pertinent to the story or enriched it.
And I really don't like instalove.
But everyone else seemed to be into it, so, good for them!

The two stars makes it seem like I didn't enjoy this book, even though I did. There were just too many things that bothered me about it to be able to give it a high rating.

I was in the mood for some light fiction featuring witches since I'm starting to get in the fall spirit, and this definitely fit the bill. However, despite the amount of sex in this book, it never reached a climax. :-) My main beef with this story was the lack of narrative arc. It seemed to be setting up for a big show down with the witch hunter. That plot point just... fizzled. Whatever "resolution" there was with that, was not satisfying to me as a reader. <spoiler> The witch hunter making out with a witch at a house party full of witches and everything just being chill made no sense to me.</spoiler> I also expected an almighty showdown with Gram, because she certainly deserved it. <spoiler>Instead, there was a strongly worded phone call and Danica's mother promised to do something about it. </spoiler> Again, I was disappointed. I also thought it was unlikely that the "big lie" in this book was feasible. That would be some next-level mind games, and next-level lack of communication with a parent for your whole life, and that just seemed pretty unlikely.

I also felt that the author probably never lived in a small town because there were just a few things there that didn't make sense regarding the setting. Even though I grew up in a small town before rideshares, I would have never used them in my town if they did exist. You go to all lengths in a small town for people not to know your business, not for the retired hardware store owner to take you on a hot, secret date. I also think that Titus would have had a hard time escaping some rumors regarding an incident from his youth. Given that I'm not much older than the characters in this book and that I grew up in small-town Indiana, I feel like I have a pulse on what youth would have been like there. If anyone in my town found out about what happened on one of his "dates," he literally would have had to move away. (It was a judge-y place.)

Generally, I did like the characters. I did feel that Titus was too needy when you got his perspective, and he drove me a little crazy on that front. I'm good with a mushy man, but I prefer it to be out of genuine affection, not fear of being abandoned. Danica was nice, but I was frustrated was frequently frustrated with her lack of ability to see the signs, make her own choices, and communicate with her family.

Overall, it was a quick and breezy read. It has potential, but it's unfortunately not meeting it.

The premise of this book really caught my eye. Contemporary witch, Danica owns an appliance repair shop called the Fix-it Witches with her cousin Clem in a small suburban town. She is under pressure from her Grandma to marry a fellow witch and keep the bloodline going. However, when she meets the owner of her favorite bakery down the street, there is an instant attraction she can't ignore.

This was an insta-love and star-crossed lovers with the a literal cinnamon roll MC. I loved the total bluntness between Titus and Danica. This book is full to the brim with witty banter and jokes. Clem and the rest of Danica's coven were delightful and I only wish we could have spent a bit more time with them.

For me, the writing was little too saturated with jokes and felt just a bit amateurish. I didn't feel like the characters were fully developed and certain things like Titus' bisexuality didn't feel authentic. And sadly, I wasn't feeling the chemistry between Titus and Danica. I ended up stopping at around 40% because I just could not connect with the story.

Thank you so much to @netgalley for this ARC. Witch Please is out on September 7th!

This book was so much fun!!

Danica Waterhouse is a witch. She can magically fix any kind of tech device, and she and her cousin/roommate/best friend Clementine run a repair shop together, and business is good! Her love life? Not so much. Her ex is about to get married, and she's feeling stuck in a rut. But regardless of that, she is sick to death of her grandmother's meddling, and she has no interest in any of the guys with impeccable witchy bloodlines that Gram insists on throwing her way. But, she also knows better than to get involved with a mundane. Even if her father is one. She will give up her magic for no man.

Titus Winnaker owns a bakery with his sister Maya, and he's always been unlucky in love. His mother died a few years before, and 6 months later, his father remarried, to a much younger woman. Needless to say, things are fraught within the family. But thankfully, business is great, until the day his second oven won't turn on. He calls on the local repair shop to get it fixed, and is instantly taken with Danica. He's pretty sure he's just met the woman he's going to marry, but is Danica only looking for a rebound?

Titus and Danica's chemistry was sizzling from minute one, and I loved how drawn they were to each other. I always adore a hero who is ALL IN from the start, and Titus was so sweet and swoony. Also, he was a virgin, and the reasoning behind that was so endearing, and adorkable. I loved him with all my heart, and couldn't wait for Danica to love him too! But, of course, it's never that simple. Both of them had varying occurrences of family drama & bad past relationships that led them to be gun-shy of love.

I enjoyed Danica's relationship with Clem, and how they had always been there for each other, especially when their other familial bonds were full of strife. And now that Danica is doing something against their plans, she's at odds with Clem too, which is handled in an interesting way. Clem's story is obviously next, and we met her hero in this book as well, so I'm VERY curious to see where that all goes! Titus' sister Maya was a delight, and later, his stepsister Lucy was as well! I was glad he had those awesome women in his corner! I wish we'd gotten to see more of Danica's mom, and their relationship, as I found that a very interesting side plot. I also wish we'd seen a bit more closure on the stuff with Danica's grandmother. There were a lot of threads that were left pretty open, presumably for book 2 to continue them.

Titus and Danica's connection was so lovely and soft and beyond what either of them had known to look for. I adored them together. This story was delightful, and I had so much fun reading it. It was exactly what I needed!

I totally needed this book. I was unemotional about starting, but messaged a friend at 20% and said " I think I am going to love this book". I did. This story of Danica, a witch, and Titus, a baker with a broken oven, was light and steamy and fun right when I needed all three. The cast of characters is fantastic. I am seriously hoping this is a series because there is just so much potential here. The forbidden love and family drama helped this instant love story become a little more relatable and also helped the tension go right through the roof. It's a story of strong women, family relationships and love. I can't wait for more.

This is probably closer to a 4.5 star for me, but the fact that I couldn't stop reading until I finished rounded things up!

I’m going to try reading this again later. I’m having trouble enjoying it right now so will try again in a few weeks.

I don't really have a coherent review for this title, so a few scattered thoughts! Very readable prose, grabbed me right away. Titus and Danica were both appealing POV characters. Bisexual (!) virgin (!!) hero. Sometimes character decisions felt contrived in service of the plot, especially towards the end (Titus and Maya offering to take guardianship of their stepsister after meeting her a handful of times... what? Danica's mother letting her believe that marrying a mundane destroyed her magic FOR HER ENTIRE LIFE??) and a HEA where the premise is "you'll have to lie to your significant other about an important aspect of your identity for the rest of your lives, but it's fine, because at least you won't be exiled from your family and community" is not really, uh, happy in my book? It felt like the author had been written into a corner by her own worldbuilding and just threw up her hands and said "good enough." The sex scenes were VERY explicit. I would like to discuss the implied analogy between anti-mundane prejudice and racism with other folks at some point, because I didn't feel like it was handled especially well but I'm not sure there was a better way to do it. Not sure if I'll pick up the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. This did not affect my rating.
*3.5/5*

Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic was the first thing I read about this book and I was sold.

Danica lives in the town of St.Claire and is a technomancer witch - she can fix electronics. She owns a repair shop - Fix-It Witches - with her cousin Clem. Danica recently got out of a not-so-great relationship and is determined to just have fun. Her grandmother is obsessed with finding her a pureblood witch match and is sending her Bindr (magical Tinder) profiles.

Titus is a 32 year old virgin bi-sexual baker. He owns the popular bakery and when his oven breaks, he meets Danica and sparks fly.
Titus hasn't had the greatest dating history, all his previous relationships have left him.. some for very odd reasons. He swears he has been cursed. Titus does come off a little strong IMO, and says some things that if the it were reversed, people would call a girl crazy.

Titus and Danica are immediately drawn to each other and can't stop the growing attraction. The problem is, The Waterhouse women are cursed. If they fall in love with a human, they will lose their magic. Danica's magic is acting up and she thinks it is because of Titus.

The scene-stealer is Goliath. The fat cat who lives across the street from Danica who is obsessed with her even though she is allergic. Every time he shows up, it was pure chaos and magic. Even when Danica's face swells up.

There are side stories with each characters families. I felt like Titus' dad/stepmother/stepsister story was shoe-horned in and while it lead to a cute scene later on, there was a lot going on in the book that it could have been left out. I don't know what Lucy will bring to future stories?

Speaking of the side plots.. there are A LOT. The author had a lot going on. Romance, curses, familial strife, a stalker cat, and a witch-hunter.

The Waterhouse curse, to me, was wrapped up nicely. And how Titus' "curse" was dealt with actually worked for me! I thought it was cute and funny. Convenient? yes. But I was smiling when it was revealed.

The witch-hunting plot was not wrapped up in this book so I am assuming it will carry over to book 2.

My major issues with the book was the writing at the beginning. I felt like I was being told everything instead of shown. A lot of mundane "I get home, I do this, I play with my dog" etc. over and over. It really dragged the book for me. But I felt like it got better over time. Or maybe I just stopped noticing.. but in the beginning, I hated it.

My other huge issue was how many pop-culture references the author felt she needed to add.. which already felt like it dated the book. That could have been toned way down.

*side note, the steam was good in this one*

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: brief mentions of queerphobia

The first half of this book was really enjoyable. The clear sexual tension, the adorable small town vibes, some witchcraft and baked goods thrown in. It was warm and comfy. But in the second half when the characters got together I really struggled.

It was great to see a bi MMC, but how his sexuality was represented and his virginity was a real struggle for me.

(SPOILERS)

The first time the MCs have sex, they internally have discussions with themselves but not with each other, the clear lack of communication really made the consent on the part of the MMC very murky to me. His lack of sexual experience seemed to be used as an excuse for the FMC to be able to get to do whatever she wanted and I just didn't like how they played out. When it came out about the curse, that further seemed unnecessary. Being a virgin for however long isn't a curse. His agency got removed and it made it difficult to read.

I'm excited to see more representation in books but wanted more I honestly felt bad for the MMC. The ending left a lot unresolved with the mystery as well as their standing in a relationship. A lot of secrets and deception. Not the book for me unfortunately though I know I'm in the minority with this one.

Rating: 2.5
Steam: 3

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book, but didn't really care for either of the protagonists. I didn't find them to be believable as 30-somethings (they seemed much younger). There were also a lot of subplots rolling around that didn't seem to get solved. I know this book is part of a planned series, but there seemed to be a lot of characters that were just names on the page.

Plus, the magic seemed to be really poorly explained. Danica can fix broken appliances with nothing but a thought, but the complex spells she casts later in the book didn't seem to have much effect on anything?

The premise was so cute, I wish I'd loved it more than I did.

My Thoughts
Danica Waterhouse is a different kind of witch than I expected and an enjoyable character as she learns how to follow her heart.

Love interest, and non-witch, Titus Winnaker is an old fashioned but also quite fetching non-magical male who turns both their lives topsy turvy.

This particular tale has it’s expected ups and downs as the author is better known for her other adult based genres over the years rather than this one which is romantic comedy.

I feel that the mix of family secrets, the characters singular quirks and the magic angles work but also leave quite a few questions for readers that are hopefully answered as the series continues.

Reading the first book in a new series by an author I enjoy the work of can sometimes be a gamble.

This time the gamble paid off for me.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

The cover so pretty, the fonts give kind of ‘Bewitched’ effect. Reading this book was like watching a late 90s romantic comedy movie. She is a witch who falls for a human baker but hold herself back because of her bigoted grandmother. All of Danica’s spells go awry when she tries to push him away and he keeps coming back, which made for some cute and interesting situations. I liked how sweet these two were together. I didn’t really feel much chemistry more like a slow draw to fall in love with the person than just lust driving the story. This was pure contemporary romance written like a romantic comedy movie complete with all the goofy and sometimes silly innocence and a grand gesture common to every rom-com. The story itself was not memorable. I would have loved to see Danica face her grandmother after going against her. I didn’t much care for Titus family drama and his being bisexual was a ridiculous thing the author put in just to make it more in lieu with the current times. This was sweet, but both Danica and Titus were so mediocre that they are completely forgettable. I am looking forward her cousin’s story with the witch hunter – should be interesting.