This was a funny, swoony, perfectly witchy, small town, dual POV, opposites attract paranormal romance!! I absolutely LOVED the Ex hex last year and this second book in the Graves Glen series exceeded all my expectations (and it was my MOST anticipated #SpookySeason read for 2022!).

Full of humor, heart and such an adorable cinnamon roll hero. I LOVED Wells and his big loyal heart who fell hard for Gwen in college, not realizing who she was years later. The banter, the chemistry, the magic - it all worked wonderfully for me in this book. And the last scene was utter perfection.

AMAZING on audio narrated by Shannon McManus who does an excellent job with accents - this set the bar high for my paranormal #tbr ! Recommended for fans of the Stay a spell or Fix-it witches series. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This one is definitely worth a listen and my favorite #SpookySeason romance of the year so far!

Tis the season for witchy romances! I love seasonal reading but I love romance books, so when I discovered the world of witchy/paranormal romances last year, I was sold. Now that spooky season is back, I’m ready for more magic in my romance reading! The Kiss Curse was my first spooky season read. I adored reading the Ex Hex last year and was very excited to see a new installment in the series, and it did not disappoint!

This book takes us back to Graves Glen, where Gwyn is running a successful witchcraft shop, has formed a powerful coven with her mom and cousin, and is mentoring a group of young witches. When Wells Penhallow comes back to town to try to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded, he opens a shop of his own and creates a rivalry with Gwyn. But when a possible love spell (or was it?) leads to a kiss, things get complicated. And when they have to work together against a new band of witches, things get even more complicated.

If you are looking for a fun rom com for this time of year, look no further. This book has drama, action, magic, romance and a talking cat! The banter in this one is top notch and I loved the grumpy/sunshine witch pairing. I loved the side characters - getting glimpses of Vivi and Rhys was fun and the addition of the baby witches was fantastic. This was a great book to get me in the mood for all things Halloween.

Thanks to Avon Books for the advance copy.

Liewellyn "Wells" Penhallow, loyal and dependable and eldest son of Simon Penhallow has promised to uphold the magic founded by their ancestors in Graves Glen. Wells returns to Graves Glen and opens The Penhallows Magical Goods in direct competition against his cousin by marriage Gwynevere Jones magical shop, Something Wicked.

The fun and sneaky competition leads to an unexpected kiss that Wells and Jones decide to ignore. Unfortunately, they can't forget the kiss. While they try to stay away from each other something dark, and evil is slithering into Grave Glen and Gwen is slowly losing her magic. Jones& Penhallow are on the case as they try to find out who's behind the evil deed and bring back Gwen's magic and balance to the town before it's too late.

I loved The Ex Hex (Vivi and Rhys’s book) and its witchy vibes last year when I read it for Halloween so I was super excited to get this ARC through Netgalley of the second book in the series. The Kiss Curse has the same witchy vibes and a great enemies-to-lovers storyline following Gwyn (Vivi’s cousin) and Wells (Rhys’s older brother) back in Graves Glen, Georgia. This book was 4.5 stars and a great start to spooky season!
 
Gwyn has hated Wells ever since their very first interaction when Gwyn was in college and has persisted until now when Wells never showed up for Vivi and Rhys’s wedding. Wells is team traditional magic and Gwyn is team modern magic- a big source of their competition. When Wells shows up in town and accidentally crashes a bachelorette party Gwyn is helping with, their animosity towards each other flares up again. Now that Wells is in Graves Glen for good, watching the two of them compete via their respective shops and get closer as the story goes on and they try to figure out why Gwyn’s magic is disappearing made me so happy (and laugh a lot). I do love my enemies-to-lovers stories so I was hooked immediately and stayed invested the whole way through.
 
This book was such a cute and spooky read and can’t wait to re-read both The Ex Hex and The Kiss Curse closer to Halloween!

***BOOK REVIEW***
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Kiss Curse
Author: Erin Sterling


The Kiss Curse is the sequel to The Ex Hex. You don’t really need to know what happened in the first to enjoy The Kiss Curse. It read as a standalone!

I loved it. The Kiss Curse has a little bit of everything; romance, humor, and even suspense. It’s the perfect book to get you in the mood for Halloween and all things spooky!

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a copy of The Kiss Curse in exchange of an honest review.

I adored The Ex Hex last year and I’ve been looking forward to the follow-up ever since I finished it. I’m happy to say that The Kiss Curse is exactly what I wanted for this return to Graves Glen and I’m really hoping we get another book in the series! Bowen needs a book, right?!

I absolutely loved Gwyn, her baby witches, the shops, her dynamic with Wells, just everything! There was the perfect amount of tension and humor and steam. There was one little moment/revelation that kept getting teased between them that I didn’t ever feel was resolved in a satisfying way – I kept waiting and waiting for it and it never happened! I did read an ARC so maybe it will be in the finished copy? Other than that though I loved them, and I also really enjoyed getting to see how Rhys and Vivi were getting along.

As with the Ex Hex, this book was more focused on the romance than the witchy drama that was going on and the conflict was resolved pretty easily. I was kind of expecting this though and honestly, I was totally okay with it. But it’s worth noting that these are definitely very lightly spooky books – no nightmares here!

For me, the Kiss Curse has immaculate small-town witchy fall vibes. The stakes are low, the atmosphere is cozy, and the banter is plentiful. Curl up with a hot drink of choice and enjoy!

(Also, A++ for the “we’re about to get caught somewhere we shouldn’t be so we MUST make out to provide an excuse” trope.)

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to finally get my hands on Gwyn and Wells' story! Although you wouldn't necessarily need to read The Ex Hex first, I'd highly recommend reading it so that you have an idea of their world.

Wells is Rhys' brother who decides to move to Graves Glen and open a shop.. right across the street from Gwyn's family's shop. She immediately views him as the enemy and shenanigans ensue. I think Gwyn is hilarious and who doesn't love a bad*$s witch? They are both extremely stubborn, yet can't help slowly falling for each other, even if they can't admit it to themselves.

The Kiss Curse is a perfect fall read! Very fun, cute, easy read.

Thank you to Erin Sterling, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange of my honest review.

Everything about this book was perfection! (Or should I say purrrfection? 🐈‍⬛🤭) I absolutely love the dynamic and tension and relationship between Gwyn and Wells. Their rivals to lovers story was everything I wanted and more! The spice was just right and the external conflict kept me intrigued the whole time. I also loved the little peak into the married relationship of Vivi and Rhys from the first book! The perfect addition to anyones fall tbr!!

Y’ALL, I devoured this book in a day. It was so good! Even better than the first one! Grumpy sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, small town charm, witchy vibes, and of course Sir Purrcival, the talking (sometimes sweary) cat 😻. I’m obsessed 🖤.
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Gwyn has disliked the surly Wells Penhallow since she first met him in magic school. The jerk couldn’t even be bothered to attend his own brother’s marriage to her cousin Vivi. And now, he has opened up a rival witchcraft shop across the street from her own shop. Gwyn is livid with this stuffy, serious, downright gorgeous man. When she goes to confront him and the two end up kissing, they are convinced a love spell is to blame. When Gwyn’s witchy powers begin to fade, the two team up to find a way to restore her powers and figure out who’s behind the curse.
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The witty banter and steam in this book is everything 😍. Gwyn is quirky and snarky, with brightly colored streaks in her hair that match her bold personality. Wells is uptight and old fashioned, but he’s also loyal and has a heart of gold. These two opposites attract in a big way and the chemistry is 🔥🔥.
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I listened to and read this book. I was completely swept away by the sharp writing and amazing narration. Thank you to @avonbooks , @netgalley , and @librofm for these digital ARCs in exchange for an honest review.
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The Kiss Curse - Erin Sterling
4.5/5⭐️

I think I liked this book more than the first book. The story line was more entertaining with a nice twist at the end. Gwen and Wells have a nice banter with each other and I like that things weren’t over explained or unnecessarily complicated like I feel some light romancing try to get. If you liked the first book I recommend this one! It could be read as a stand alone but I would recommend reading the first book first to avoid some spoilers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.

Thank you to netgalley, libro.fm, and Avon for providing me with this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! An excellent sequel to The Ex Hex. These books are so cute and witchy and really get you in the mood for going on fall dates!

Interconnected standalone.

I should have read it as a series. I was 10% in and regretted not reading the first book, not for the plot, but the characters. The characters were well written, funny, it was they were shown in another book and will be back for more.

I loved it. Gwyn and Wells gave that perfect enemies-to-lovers mixed with witchy goodness that was perfect for the start of spooky season! Throw in the humor, the teaming together to solve a mystery while being rivals with a past and it was definitely the book to beat this season!

And honestly, I think I'll enjoy it more once I read The Ex Hex.

after completely disliking THE EX HEX, I was a little nervous going into this one…

gwyn was by far my favorite character of the predecessor, so I had faith that it was going to be better than vivi’s story. and while it was better, it wasn’t enough to make me enjoy it 🥴

everything I disliked about THE EX HEX was still very much present (lol). the cheesy and even sometimes cringey dialogue, the emphasis on the male species being so hot and irresistible, and I could go on and on 😴

gwyn and wells’s connection was something that irked me as well. I felt that their relationship was purely physical and basically held no emotional value. other than the fact, of course, that he teased her in their youth because he liked her 🙄

CAN WE PLEASE RETIRE THIS TROPE

anyway, I loved gwyn as a character, and her personality jumped out on the page!! she’s quirky and fun but sticks to her values which is so wonderful 🫶🏼

honestly, I think she and wells weren’t the best for each other which let me down too 😩

thank you to netgalley and avon books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!! 🔮 happy pub day!!

rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: argentina malbec

Funny and sexy and witchy, perfect for a fall reading sesh. This book is about Gwyn and Wells so who cares about the plot? Can't wait for Bowen the Werewolf's story. (Come on. He has to be a werewolf. PLEASE?)

THE KISS CURSE is a sweet, saucy follow-up to THE EX HEX filled with many of the same delightful components that made the first book so much fun. Our witch has returned, with her tendency towards putting her wrong foot forward in a pas de deux with the handsome guy she can almost-hate the most, fills the pages. Here comes a romance filled with spells of the very best kind. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling
Rating: 5/5 stars
Steam: 2/5 chilis
Pub date: 9/20

Well this was just delightful! The Ex Hex was one of my favorite fall reads last year and this was just as good! I love heartwarming, small town, witchy books with all the Halloweeny vibes and this was exactly what I needed to get me in the mood for spooky season.

The Kiss Curse follows Gwyn, the snarky, quirky, fun loving cousin to Viv and Wells, Rhy’s older, broodier, brother. Wells heads to Graves Glen to keep an eye on Viv’s family for his father, and sets up a shop right across the street from Gwen’s store, Something Wicked. The competition gets fierce until they team up to figure out what is going wrong with Gwen’s magic.

Excuse me Wells Penhallow Esquire but where do you get off being so damn HOT?! Can we talk about the face-sitting-truck-bed scene please….holy moly that was unexpected and might be giving your girl some ideas over here thank-you-very-much.

And Gwen! I think I want to be her when I grow up. She’s tough and talented and absolutely hilarious. I love her as the reluctant mentor to the baby witches and the found family element to the story.

I think I might like these two even more than Viv and Rhys! They have incredible chemistry and the banter is top notch! I found myself laughing out loud, especially when Rhys and Wells were together.

There are definitely a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming and the story kept me on my toes all the way to the end. I love the return of Sir Purrcival as his talking-cat self and the addition of a few new characters as well.

Read this if you like rom coms with witchy vibes, cozy small towns decked out for Halloween, smokin’ hot chemistry, hilarious banter and just an all around good time. Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

My review is posted to Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon and Instagram today, 9/20.

This book was SO much fun and I actually think that people may enjoy it a little bit more than the first book. Perfect for spooky season. Perfect cor cozy season.

Thank you so much to Avon and Negalley for providing an e-arc of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

A swoony and magical romcom perfect for the fall season!!

I really liked like The Ex Hex. But that book walked so this one could fly. I adored this. The characters, the setting, the humor, all of it clicked for another knockout witchy romcom.

This follows Gwen who is running a magical store in their tiny Georgia town where tourists flock during autumn. But when her arch-nemesis opens a similar magic store across the street, they immediately butt heads. But also kind of want to kiss each other.

So when some old classmates return to town and Gwen's magic starts to disappear, the two are forced to work together to figure out what's going on.

Not only are the main characters fantastic, but the side characters are some of my new all time favorites. Sir Purrcival must be protected at all costs. And the baby witches were one of the most adorable and heartwarming side plots ever created.

I loved the slight mystery element. The tension between the MCs was palpable. And the humor made me laugh out loud multiple times.

Overall I just really loved this romance. It had everything I was looking for in a cozy (but steamy) witchy romance and I can't wait to read the next book!

I didn't feel as connected to this one as The Ex Hex, but I still enjoyed the light, funny, spookiness of it. The chemistry between Gwyn and Wells is solid (there's a hilarious scene of a "love potion" gone awry) and, while there's a little bit of drama and turmoil, it's resolved quickly and in keeping with the characters and storyline.

Two aspects I'd like to see in future books: 1) the baby witches; they add levity and resolve plot points effectively; 2) the town of Graves Glen is cozy yet ominous, and I look forward to visiting it again.

I think I liked this book better than the first. Gwen is a much more fun character than Vivi in the first book. The Baby Witches is such a cute addition to the story and I love the descriptions of the Witch Pun shirts Gwen is wearing. Even the cat's character had developed. Also happy publishing day to Erin Sterling!