After all the heavy reading I have been doing, I needed a book that acted like a palate cleanser. A palate cleanser, you ask? You know, something light that doesn’t take a ton of concentration to read. And Not Your Ex’s Hexes was the book I needed to read. It was a cute romance that had me alternately laughing and wiping tears from my eyes.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is the second book in the Supernatural Singles series. This book can be read as a standalone, but after reading it, I recommend reading book one first. There were references to events in book one that had me confused. But saying that, the author did include a glossary at the end of the book that helped me immensely with some of the terms used.

The plot for Not Your Ex’s Hexes was cute and kept my attention. Rose Maxwell doesn’t know what to do with her life. She is floundering after stepping down as the Prima of the Supernatural Council in New York City. After an animal rescue goes haywire, Rose is sentenced to community service at half-demon Damian Adam’s veterinary practice and animal sanctuary. Rose, who had a one-night stand with Damian months before, realizes that her attraction to him isn’t going away. So she proposes a solution—keep their sexual relationship as a friends-with-benefits, no strings attached deal, and Damian agrees. Damian cannot fall in love or he will die per a hex that his teenage girlfriend put on him. When a new job puts Rose in the crosshairs of the strongest and meanest demons out there, Damian realizes how he feels about Rose and what the consequences are. Can Damian break his hex? What kind of job would put Rose in danger? And will they admit their feelings for each other?

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is a medium-paced book in New York City and Long Island. I liked seeing a more magical view of New York City.

The characters in Not Your Ex’s Hexes were terrific. I loved the depth the author gave Rose, and I could sympathize with her floundering. I even liked grumpy Damian at the beginning of the book. The secondary characters did complement the main ones, even if I was mystified by who some of them were.

Rose—I loved her view on life, and I connected with her on a deeper level than some of the other characters. Her comments and observations of other supernatural beings (including her family) made me laugh. She had a joy that came off the pages.
Damian— As I said in the previous paragraph, I liked him from the beginning. He had a rough start in life but rose above it. The only thing I didn’t like was his hex. He was hexed by a teenage witch who kept going on above grand gestures. It was explained towards the end of the book but still. It was a lot of drama for something that could have been explained immediately.
Not Your Ex’s Hexes fit perfectly into the romance and paranormal genre. The romance was your typical romance, but the author put her spin on it with the hex angle. With the paranormal genre, I liked that the author didn’t just stick to werewolves, vampires, and witches. There were also other paranormal beings floating around (one I think will be in the next book).

The storyline with Rose, Damian, and their love story was well written and made me laugh. I don’t remember laughing as much as I did with any other book. I liked that they had an unconventional start to their relationship and an unconventional relationship after that. Rose’s sunny outlook on life went well with Damian’s more grumpy persona (hence the sunshine and grump trope). The only thing that I did wish was that more was given about Damian’s demon and his demon bounty hunter background. I was fascinated by that.

The storyline with Rose, Damian, his ex, and his hex was as well written as Rose and Damian’s love story. I liked how the author kept who Damian’s ex was until almost the end of the book. I also liked the spin she put onto a hex that seemed cut and dry. Again, my only complaint was that it took almost twenty years to give an explanation. But, then again, I think Damian wouldn’t be the person he was if it was explained. I also loved his “grand gesture” toward Rose at the end of that storyline. Oh, and Rose was not friendly to Damian’s ex when she found out who it was. Her not being nice was cute and made me laugh.

The end of Not Your Ex’s Hexes was everything I thought it would be. I loved that it ended with a HEA (sorry about the spoilers). I also liked that it showed who the next couple would be. I can’t wait to read book three because of that.

I would recommend Not Your Ex’s Hexes to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and sex.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and April Asher for allowing me to read and review Not Your Ex’s Hexes. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Really enjoyed this follow up from April Asher. There was great dialogue, the love interests were likable, A romance full of angst is everything I love. A top tier read for spooky season.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

This paranormal romance was so magical! It is book 2 of the Supernatural Singles series but it really can read as a stand-alone (but I imagine it would help fill in a few blanks). I will be going back to read the first book and may re-evaluate my rating if needed. I absolutely love this book cover and it was nice to see a curvy female MC!

I adored these characters! Rose steps down from her Prima Apparent (head Witch in training) spot when her older sister came into her witchcraft. She is just coming out of a bad relationship with a narcissist and she is looking to find her calling. What she finds is a one night stand with a hunky half-demon and doing community service for said hunky half-demon! The chemistry is magnetic however, Damian has been hexed and cannot chance falling in love with Rose. They decide to be friends with benefits but the pull is just too strong!

Tropes:
One Night stand to lovers
friends with benefits
grumpy vs sunny
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Soul Mates

I love reading witchy romances and this one really pulled me in with the banter (sometimes a little too much), the spice, the family/friendship bonds along with some twists and mishaps! I feel like Rose was a little too reckless at times and she could have taken some things (like her safety) a little more seriously but I get that it can happen when you are trying to find yourself. And really, it kept me wanting to find out what was next! I am hooked - I can’t wait to read Olive’s story next!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin and April Asher for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

So so glad to be back with my favorite sisters and their group of friends. I think I loved this one just as much as book one, I mean come on a demon veterinarian and personal professional growth? Sold.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is the sequel to Not The Witch You Wed, giving us a look into Rose Maxwell’s story. Rose is one third of the triad of Maxwell witches (the other two being her triplets Olive and Violet) and had trained her entire life to become the Supernatural Council’s next Prima. After her sister Violet’s magic finally revealed itself, Rose decided being Prima was not something she wanted for herself and stepped down. This sequel follows Rose’s journey as she discovers her new identity and self acceptance now that she no longer will be Prima and the perfectionist expectations that follow the position.

Rose starts to do things completely out of character for her, like having a one-night stand and attempted horse napping. The latter entangles her with none other than the half demon she had the one-night stand with, Damien. The consequences for her attempted horse thievery lands her mandatory community service at an animal sanctuary ran by Damien himself.

I for one thought the first installment of this storyline would be impossible to follow up but April Asher proved me wrong. Rose and Damien’s story had me hooked from the start and I was incapable of putting my kindle down. I hope she follows up with Olive’s story because I cannot get enough of the Maxwell sisters.

Thank you to April Asher, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Griffin for the digital ARC.

I adored this sweet, sassy, and spicy romance! Second in her Supernatural Singles series, April Asher crafted such a fun book to read. Rose and Damian were perfection together both in and out of the bedroom. Add in various odd jobs, cute puppies and horses, and sister shenanigans and this was a winning book for me.
Thank you to author April Asher and St. Martin’s Press Romance for the advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

What a delightful read. Not Your Ex's Hexes is book 2 in the Supernatural Singles series and is an entertaining read that held my interest from beginning to end. The story give us a curvy heroine-FMC/ grump-sunshine/ friends with benefits/ witty banter/ endearing characters/ laugh out loud moments/ danger/ tension/ lust/ and so much more.
I really loved that Rose and Damian were animal lovers. I loved the journey the author takes these characters on. They both had their own issues which made for some interesting reading. These two had intense chemistry from the moment they met and I loved seeing them fall in love inspite of their no strings attached relationship. This was a fun, lighthearted read and I would highly recommend it to lovers of paranormal romance.

Not Your Ex's Hexes was an entertaining supernatural rom-com that I couldn't put down! Rose was a fierce and sassy main female character, the sunshine to grumpy Damian Adams. I loved that Rose was trying to look for her "thing" after spending her whole life training to be something she didn't really want. It felt so real and personable and it was a strong plot that a lot of people could relate to. Damian and his struggles also felt real and my heart hurt for him as he struggled. The dynamic between Rose and Damian was delicious and the romance between them was hot.

Last year I read and loved the first book of this series, Not the Witch You Wed. It was funny, romantic, and utterly cute. I jumped at the chance to get an advance copy of Not Your Ex’s Hexes to continue the fun with the Maxwell sisters and the rest of the Supernatural gang in NYC. Rose is struggling to find her place in the world after giving up the role of Prima Apparent after her older triplet sister Violet finally was able to tap into her powers. One night after she mistakenly tries to rescue a pair of horses that had already been rescued she is charged with serving community service hours at the animal sanctuary she tried to steal the horses from bringing her in close proximity to Damien Adams, the man she had a steamy tryst with several months prior. Damien is a cranky half-demon and Rose is one of the Maxwell witches… definitely some things are about to go down. I loved the banter between Damien and Rose throughout the book. There were a couple of action scenes as Damien and Rose did some bounty hunting for the Supernatural Council and Damien’s half brother Julius who also happens to be the demon representative on the Supernatural Council. One thing I liked was getting to see glimpses of Damien’s past when he was in full-blown bounty hunting mode. You could really tell how much that affected the man that he had become. I think Rose being there helped him become more vulnerable which was terrifying to him because of the hex his ex-girlfriend had put on his soul. The story was fairly predictable in it’s conclusion but that’s one of my favorite parts about romance novels. It’s the ones that have the surprise unhappily ever after endings that I hate and want to throw across the room. I also was enjoying the setup for what I presume will happen in book 3. I can’t wait to read it!

Rose and Damien are so cute in this rom com! It's a lighthearted read that had me flipping pages. I absolutely adored Damien and his growth throughout the story! I'm ready for book 3 and see the next couple in line.

Rose Maxwell is assigned community service at an animal sanctuary owned by half-demon veterinarian, Damian Adams. He is also her first and only one-night-stand. They eventually agree to a friends-with-benefits arrangement while Rose completes her service hours. Due to a soul hex placed on him by an ex, Damian can’t fall for Rose or he'll lose his humanity.

This book went above rom-com to me to a level of cheese and banter that I didn't really like. Also Rose was really annoying and juvenile for being in her 30s. The soul hex explanation seemed very vague until the very end.

Rose is a witch who recently kind-of demoted from the heir-apparent job she'd been training for her whole life, getting out of a disastrous arranged marriage in the process, and has now become a bit adrift. After an ill-conceived night of would-be mayhem, she's sentenced to community service. Damian is the half demon sporting a hex on his soul that keeps him from creating real attachments to others. He's also the guy whose animal sanctuary Rose tried to break into, who now has to handle her as a volunteer.

I GOT THIS AS AN ARC. I'm really hoping most of what I saw got fixed somehow. The ARC has grammar issues all over. But even beyond that, honestly, the writing isn't great. I managed to finish, but it took me way longer than it should have. If I had to read the badly misused and WAY overused phrase "damn if he/she didn't" one more time, I might have yanked out hair. And I'll be damned if I can see that phrase used again -even properly- and not roll my eyes at this book's use of it.

This is the second in a series that I missed the first of, but I won't be going back. I didn't like the writing or overarching storyline enough for that. The world building was okay, and the idea behind the story was good enough. The execution left a lot to be desired.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

Not your ex’s hexes

This book took a moment to get into but once I was in… I was FULLY in. I couldn’t put it down and now am desperate to pick up the first book and awaiting the third to come out. This supernatural romance incorporates not only magical components but a sweet romance, lovable animals, and self discovery for both main characters. I love this couple and the journey they experience to come together. Lots of pop culture references and every character has a whit that will make you laugh out loud. I love this book and it’s a definite read.

I received an advanced review copy of this novel and am offering my honest opinion not only voluntarily but enthusiastically.

Looking for your Valentine's Day read? You've found it. This book is a steamy romance between a smokin' hot grumpy half demon and a powerful witch. Add grumpy sunshine vibes in the setting of an animal rescue and now you see why it's a must read. It's the second in a series but can be read as a standalone.

I loved this book. It was so much fun to read. This book had me cackling with its chapter titles and banter. If you can find a friend to buddy read this with. I read it with a few friends and we were sending messages at all hours with our favorite parts and wow moments.

As good as the first one! If you haven't read Not the Witch You Wed and would like to start the series from the second book, it can be read as a standalone. We get enough backstory of what happened to Violet falling in love with her gorgeous Alpha Lincoln and all the events that led to Rose stepping down from her postion of Prima Apparent, so don't worry you won't feel overwhelmed or lost, but if you have choice, start from the first book- Maxwell sisters and their Gran are a joy to behold and April Asher knows a thing or two about writing a super-charged hot and spicy scene.
Back to Rose...I loved the relationship the three sisters had in Not The Witch You Wed and it was clear that whatever Rose decides to do with her life now, her triplet sisters are going to back her in every way possible..and this is exactly how the Magic Triad find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Rose tried to rescue two sick mares only to be caught red-handed and sentenced to community service in an animal shelter. She has a super strong affinity to animals (Could this be her purpose in life?), but the job involves dealing with a certain half-demon/veterinarian she had a one night stand with. Mature, responsible, and wise adults as we are, we do know that running into or even worse working with your one-night-let's-have fun-and-go-our-merry-way is a recipe for awkwardness and nothing else, but our little romantic hearts keep believing that no mattter how and where you meet your soulmate, you'll find your way to being with each other. With or without grand gestures.
I was a big fan of Violet who needed to let it go and trust her powers and I'm an even bigger fan of Rose who is trying to figure out her place in life, without sugarcoating things or lying to herself. She is strong, capable, and focused on others (people and animals). Sometimes a serious relationship or even an engagement doesn't work out and it's only natural to feel lost until you find your feet again. Pretty realistic and this is what kept me hooked on the story. Plus, Damian is super-hot with his existential broodiness and dedication. These two have some serious chemistry going on... Only a devoted fan of the romcom genre could come up with this level of hotness!
If curling up with a paranormal romcom is your idea of happiness, don't miss this sweet and spicy witchy series. Can't wait to read Olive's story, she may be the youngest of the three Maxwell sister, but she sure sounds intriguing!

My first DNF..

First, this is nothing against April Asher. I've heard nothing but good things. But here is why I personally DNF'd at page 20.

(I didn't read book #1 so maybe that is some of my problem.. but I also do not enjoy the writing style.)

Triplet witches (Rose, Olive, Violet) are on a mission with a fourth friend and succubus (s3x demon, Harper).
Both the triplets' mother, Christina, and grandmother, Edie (who is prima apparent - aka top witch) have been mentioned. All of the following have also been mentioned / introduced within these first 20 pages: Damian Adams (half-demon), Miguel (retired norm veterinarian), Lincoln Thorne (North American Pack Alpha), Adrian Collins (lion-shifter), Bax Donovan (guardian angel)....

Trying to keep all of the characters straight, which was what (tiger-shifter, witches, half-demons, lion-shifters, guardian angel, norms, etc.) and the few locations / places mentioned was too much for my brain.

I felt that the triplets were also written and perceived as juvenile when they are around their 30's which I didn't enjoy. Especially one of them calling their toy, "Mr. Wiggles"...

Too many pop culture references for my personal liking in a fantasy read: red bull, 'mr. wiggles', supernatural, jensen ackles, will smith, jason momoa, disney...

^ All of that in 20 pages. My brain is too tired to continue.
Not to mention that there was at least 5 of those 20 pages that referenced their Operation Equine Freedom - which I didn't even discuss above.

Rose is finding herself after losing a perfectly curated image and HE was not part of her journey. Damian was hexed and has been running from it since. Will Rose & Damian be able to break the hex or will it break them forever?

Ooookk, but this was equally cute and tense! I am HERE FOR IT.

Things I liked:
✨Rose’s journey and her unwillingness to bend to what others expected her to do.
✨Damian being a vet. I mean come on - the “bad boy” gushes over animals.
✨The cutsie everyday phrases or words changed to fit for the supernatural world.
✨Perfect grumpy/sunshine setup.

Things that weren’t my favorite:
✨The pacing seemed off at times. It seemed like there was a little bit of “hurry up, then wait.”
✨While I liked the supernatural words/phrases, I found it to be overdone and, at times, it distracted from the story.

This book was so much freaking fun. Absolutely bonkers in all the best ways, full of warmth and humor and sexiness I loved this outcome for Rose and the set up for what I'm sure is going to be an awesome book 3. The way Damian loved Rose was absolutely wonderful and it did my grumpy sunshine heart good to read. I really just loved everything about the book and think everyone needs to read it. Plus animal sanctuary, fun with old people, sexy banter and sisters who are friends. It's got everything. So many thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an early copy.

I thought this book was super cute and I very much enjoyed the romance between grumpy Damian and figuring herself out Rose. I thought these two characters had real chemistry and I liked their interactions quite a bit. The parts of the book that take place in the animal sanctuary were some of the highlights and I like how Rose was able to pivot her take charge attitude to meeting professional goals rather than just romantic goals.

I would have liked to see more of Damian's inner struggle with his demon. It was very much more telling rather than showing and I didn't really buy him as a supernatural character very well.

The only thing that I wasn't that enthused about story-wise was the supposed hex. For such a big lead up, the end kind of fizzled with it. I thought the secondary cast was great and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I love a grumpy/sunshine rom-com. This book is the second in what I assume will be a series of three books, each sister going through their own love story.

I didn’t read the first, and normally I don’t feel like I need to with these rom-com same-universe friend groups or sisters finding love novels but with the magic element I sort of felt like maybe I should have read the first book before this one for some of the world building elements I assume were in that one and we’re just sort of briefly recapped in this one.

I thought the story for this one was kind of scattered, there was a lot going on that probably could have been trimmed back. The whole thing with raising money for the sanctuary though the animal cams just sort of slowly disappeared after being a whole thing at first. Damien and his brother’s relationship never really develops. I felt like the author was trying too hard to hint at the future book with Olive’s storyline with Bax.

Some of the writing felt a little eh with unnatural dialogue, a lot of silly name calling for grown adults (bwitch is a little cheesy).

The ending felt a little anticlimactic, the whole buildup of this soul hex that ended up having an easy solution that felt rushed.

Overall, this book was just fine with some cute elements woven in. I’ll have to read the first one eventually, cause usually the first books in these types of series is the best.

If you’re looking for a rom-com with magical elements, this is a good one to go with if you don’t want anything too complicated.