Steamy and sweet in one delicious fantasy book. Loved the supernatural twist on a great love/hate story. I hope this is the first of many in a series!

I like that this book is about a fake relationship but the cheesy writing and immature characters ruined it for me.

#bookreview Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook ☺️

☺️ the good ☺️
- Witches, shifters, angels, demons, and norms oh my!
- Narrator did the accents and voices for different characters. Easy to follow who’s POV since it switched between Lincoln and Violet.
- Triplet witches. Their bond is fierce and unbreakable. Exactly what you want to see from sister witches. There’s no competition just encouragement.
- The world. I loved how easy the world was to slip into. There were laws and elders and councils to appease. I like when the system is easy to follow when it’s alternate universe.


🤨 the bad 😒
- I both love and hate the “true mates” trope, but this book handled it pretty well. This is the only “complaint” I can think of 😂


😍 the beautiful 😍
- Goodreads says it’s the first of a series! Also, ends in a way that there isn’t a cliffhanger, but makes sure you want to read the next book (presumably about Rose!).
- I love a couple that’s like “I’m gonna save his/her ass whether he/she wants to take me back or not”
- Magic. I love the actual magic and I love the chemistry between Violet and Lincoln.
- Edie/Prima/The triplets’ grandma. I adore a kickass grandmother character. She is the best. And her use of “bae” with Violet was both hilarious and adorbs.


rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
steam:🔥🔥
my face while reading: 🙂😆🤨😯😍☺️🥺😧🤭🙂🙂😮🤩☺️

#bookstagram

I didn't anticipate enjoying this book so much, but this story delivered the fun story and steams scenes I wasn't expecting. This was such a good read! It had everything I love... Witches, shifters, and former lovers forced to play nice. The underlying theme of questioning "the system" and demanding change where its needed.

Violet Maxwell is a witch from a high ranking family. But Violet is also a magicless witch. A triplet and a truly independent female, Violet serves her supernatural community in several ways. When unexpected circumstances arrive, Violet is forced to put aside her pride and accept the help of friends, and a former flame, to outfox the elders and make changes to the laws of the supernatural order.

Not the Witch You Wed is the first in a new series, Supernatural Singles, by April Asher. This paranormal romance follows Violet Maxwell. Violet is the oldest of the Maxwell witches and what the supernatural world has dubbed the Maxwell Dud. Violet has comes to terms with her sisters being more powerful than her. And is in full support of her sister becoming Prima when the whole worlds knows is should have been Violet. But what is Prima without powers? When she runs into her ex- the Alpha wolf shifter- Lincoln Thorne some crazy things start to happen. Maybe she's not a magic-less witch after all. Lincoln approaches her with a fake relationship scheme that would be mutually beneficial for them. Will they be able to pull this off without old feelings getting in the way?

I am a sucker for paranormal romance and toss in romantic comedy and SOLD! This was such a fun read and I can not wait for more. I hope we will be following the side characters as the series continues on.

Zura Johnson did a WONDERFUL job with the narration of this audiobook. It was super enjoyable and easy to listen to and follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to an early recording of this audiobook. As always, all opinions are my own.

Not the Witch You Wed was such a delightful read! Violet is the Magicless Maxwell who is suddenly forced to find a mate because she is the firstborn. Lincoln needs to mate by his 33rd birthday. Despite having a young romance that fizzled out they come together to help each other out.

I loved watching them together as they figure out their place with each other and with the world. Violet discovers that she actually does have magic, but has no idea how to use it. I enjoyed these parts a lot. She has so much determination to figure it out and be the best version of herself. Lincoln is trying to make a better world for the shifters by removing the Elder Counsel and having elected leaders. I loved how passionate he was about this.

Asher has created a world with so many possibilities and characters that I want to know more about. Can't wait to read the next one in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute Romcom about supernatural creatures. Witches and Wolves and demons oh my. It was very cute and of course had the HEA. It was a little predictable, but a cute light read.

#NottheWitchYouWed #NetGalley

I’m a sucker for fake dating. It never gets old and this is no exception. It was a quick and fun read. Violet, the maxwell dud, oldest of her sisters is forced to marry. Lincoln, alpha shifter, is in the same boat so they decide to fake a relationship to buy time to find a way out of the marriage laws. Of course sparks fly and fun times ensue.
Pick it up if you’re looking for urban fantasy, second chance, and fake dating! Two narrators and they are both 👍🏽

I keep seeing this listed as a YA book. It is absolutely not. Which is fine!!!!! I enjoyed this one, the narrators were great and the story was enjoyable.

This book was such a hit!! I just loved Violet and Lincoln’s enemies to lovers and fake dating relationship. This book had heart and feeling, and family. Not to mention the tension and steam was amazing! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and hope it’s about the other 2 sisters. Got such a fun “Charmed” vibe from this book! Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for an audio copy.

Not the witch you were

What the magical shiitakes! Where has this witchy book been all my life April?!

I loved it all, the magic, the love, Harper, Rose, Sparky!! I love this crew of lovable misfits and am so happy they came to life. The outcast/odd one out story was perfect and I felt Vi really came into her own. I also really enjoyed the friends and family dynamic. From Linc and Adrian to the badass witches if Violet, Rose, Olive, and the Prima Edie, this book gave me the same good feels I get from Steel Magnolias. (A staple in our home)

The audio is harder to listen to since there’s random pauses and deep breaths. It took away from the plot. I ended up checking my breathing a few times like I was at a doctors office, so I just stuck to reading after it became too much in headphones.

Not The Witch You Wed had my 3 favorite tropes: Enemies to lovers, fake date, and second chance. It was a witchy good time.

This is definitely for the fans of Tessa Bailey or Olivia Dade, who I absolutely adore. I’m so read to see Olive, Rose, and even Harper have all their love lives in this series. Thank you again April for the gifted copy. It’s out now and it’s one of my favorite romances of the month. 💜

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ALC! NOT THE WITCH YOU WED was the contemporary romance with grounded magic that I needed. I am an absolute sucker for these stories, and I felt like the worldbuilding hit its stride right away. I love the magical New York and society that Asher created in this series. Violet was a badass heroine that I aspire to be, and I loved how she stayed true to herself the whole time. It was invigorating to see a woman stand up for and take control of her own destiny against hundreds of years of history and "it's just the way things are done." Olive and Rose being there to cheer her on the whole way was so heartwarming. I have sisters, and I love when that relationship is examined and celebrated in books.

I had no idea how much I would enjoy this book when I requested it! It was such a delight!!!

Violet Maxwell, a magic-less witch, wants nothing to do with Lincoln Thorne, the Alpha wolf shifter who broke her heart when they were teenagers. Some wounds run painfully deep, especially when you never learn why the one you love dumps you like a hot potato.

Now, the Supernatural laws say they must find mates. Naturally, these two clever people come up with a plan - they will fake date/fake mate to buy some time.

But when old feelings come calling, will they answer the call? What will they do? How they are feeling is not fake, their feelings are very, very real.

I always say with romance books - it is about the journey, and what a journey this book/audio book was! I loved every second of it. I loved their witty, snarky banter. I loved the angst, the sexual tension, and the magic between them.

The cast of supporting characters was fantastic as well. I didn't care for all of them, but they all added to the story and made it even more enjoyable.

This book has all the feels in it. There is angst, longing, mistrust, humor, heartache, romance, and some steam. I felt for both characters and what they were going through individually and together.

This is the first book in a new series, and I am going to be chomping at the bit, to read the next one she writes!!! Fingers crossed that April Asher writes fast!

. This paranormal rom-com was pure magic!

4. 5 stars

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF at 33%
I wanted to fall in love with this book, it has so much going for it. The paranormal witchy & shifter vibes, the fun cover, a second chance romance (one of my favorite tropes), and the summary had me. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into it. It seemed overly sexualized and maybe that's simply the bits that caught my attention as I didn't immediately feel invested in Violet's troubles.
Based on other reviews and ratings, it seems like it could be my current reading mood or seasonality. I've not read a book in this genre in a handful of months so I was eager to dive in. Sometimes, I know my expectations and other books that I've recently consumed can shed a different perspective than in other circumstances. I'm interested to see if my thoughts will adjust if I come back to it later in the year.
The narration by Zura Johnson may have been equally to blame. I didn't find that her performance added any particular excitement and I found my attention wandering a handful of times.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy and Macmillan Audio for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I was looking for an audio book to listening while I “got sh*t done” and I stumbled upon this gem. I read the blurb and it definitely sound like something I would be interested in, fake relationship, check, enemies to lovers, check! Me, yes please, where do I sign up! And let me tell you it did not disappoint.

The tension and heat between Violet and Lincoln was amazing. I loved how this story unfolded, and it had some truly wonderful moments. I love how the supernatural/paranormal aspect added to the story and how it was explained throughout. There were so many sub characters that contributed to this story as well, included Violets sisters (they’re triplets!!).

Overall I thought this was a great read, the narrator did a great job and it really kept me engaged.

I’m looking forward to the next book, and hopefully seeing more appearances from Violet and Linc in them as well.

And I cannot wait for the next books to come and see more of these characters!


Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍enemies to lovers
🤍fake relationship
🤍supernatural romance
🤍paranormal romance
🤍shifter hero
🤍second chance romance
🤍curvy heroine
🤍good spice
🤍HEA

First of all, I love the narration. I thought that Zura Johnson captured the tone of the book perfectly.

I have not read a ton of supernatural romance, but this book makes me want to. I had so much fun! I was surprised by how much world building there was and I was fascinated by the politics. There was something cozy about this romance and I really love the chemistry between the characters.

Also, this is fake dating done well!

What a magical listening experience! For anyone who feels like they met their witchy-book quota back in October, I urge you to give this book a second look! Not the Witch You Wed features triplet witches. Violet is the oldest by two minutes, but never received her magical powers, so the middle triplet is first in line to be prima. If “Encanto” turned you into a big pile of mush, this is exactly the type of enchanting, magical story you need in your life (but add lots of adult language and some, ahem, extra heat)...

Violet finds out she’ll be forced into a witch bond if she doesn’t find her own mate within a few months. Her high school boyfriend–alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne– is at the bottom of her list for a potential mate. He broke her heart into a million pieces a decade ago. But Lincoln is also on a reluctant hunt to find a mate. When the two keep crossing paths, they agree to fake date to appease the Supernatural council–but those old, very real feelings don’t take long to resurface, along with an unexpected extra spark for Violet.

This book is different from a few other witchy stories I’ve read in recent months in that the “supes”, aka witches, wolves, vampires, and more live “openly” among the norms. There’s a super fun/hip granny involved, which I have to say is a favorite for me! I also liked that there wasn’t too much tension or competition between the triplets when it came to power/opportunities. I feel like there is a ton of potential to see where the two other sisters end up, so we get a mild cliffhanger to finish up this story, just enough of a hook to make you want to find out what happens next!

Zura Johnson was an excellent narrator. She oozed a sultry, smoky-sounding sexiness into the characters that I think added so much dimension to this story! She had a huge depth of range for the characters, giving each triplet a unique personality. Lincoln sounded downright irresistible in some chapters! The audio is a little more than 12 hours, but it’s a fast-paced story that is easy to keep listening to over the course of a day or two. (I listened at 2x speed in the NetGalley Shelf app.)

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for letting me listen to an advanced audiobook of Not the Witch You Wed! I normally don't listen to advanced copies of audiobooks, but this one was just too good to pass up- plus it's the beginning of a new series and I cannot wait to read all of them!
Not the Witch You Wed 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
A fake relationship between a magic-less witch and a wolf shifter turns to more in the start of a bewitching new paranormal rom-com series.
Magic-less witch Violet Maxwell wants nothing to do with alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne—the man who broke her fragile, teenage heart. But when the two of them are forced by arcane Supernatural Laws to find mates, Violet and Lincoln agree to fake-date their way to a fake-mating in order to conjure themselves some time.
The joke’s on them. When old feelings make a reappearance—along with Violet’s magic—they both realize there’s nothing fake about their feelings. But there are old secrets and looming threats that could snatch away their happily ever after, again. One thing’s for sure: magic doesn’t make dating and love any easier.
In Not the Witch You Wed, April Asher brings all the hilarity and sweet, sexy moments you love in a romantic-comedy—plus a fun dose of magic—to this spell-binding new series about being sexy, single, and supernatural in New York City.
I really, really enjoyed this book! I'm not normally one for paranormal romance, but the way that this one was written was a mix of paranormal romance with a rom com and contemporary romance and I really loved how that ended up coming out. It was such a fun, easy read and all of the characters were so compelling. I like Violet and Lincoln a lot- especially since they had history. I also really liked Violet's sisters, Lincoln's second in command, and Violet's friends- I can already see some of the other pairings that can come up in other books and I'm so excited to read them. The world building was so fun- it was super interesting to see supernatural beings and normal humans interacting/living together without much strife. I also really liked all of the different supernatural beings we saw in this book. In terms of the actual plot of the book, I liked how there were a few problems that had to be solved and they all ended up coming to head at once in a giant blow up. Pacing wise, I think it was really well done. All in all, I think Not the Witch You Wed was a great book and everyone should read it!


Link to blog post to be added as soon as blog goes live

This book was so good. I stayed up until 2 am listening to the audiobook because I was so hooked and I couldn’t possibly go to sleep without seeing how it ended. I am obsessed. This author is now and auto buy author for me.

This book was so funny. I cackled so many times. There were so many great pop culture references from Buffy to Princess Diaries to Tiger King. It was just so good that I’m having trouble forming coherent sentences.

This book will without a doubt be a favorite of 2022 and it will definitely be one of my comfort reads.

The narrator was phenomenal as well!!

I love a good romance with lots of laughs and a generous handful of tropes, and this did not disappoint! Every character was likeable, I loved the friendship dynamics and the sister dynamic between Violet, Rose, and Olive. This had me laughing, gasping, and my heart racing as they raced against the clock to find their happy ending. I can’t wait for the next books in the series!

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*