A truly ~magical~ read! Easily one of the best childhood friends to lovers books I’ve read. Bastian and Emma are such lovable main characters and the supporting cast is just as good (hoping and pleading for sequels on Leah and Tia). The plot was well established and clear but I was still pleasantly surprised at the twists. The love scenes were steamy yet so sweet. And the HEA nearly had me in tears! Such a pleasure to read this book

This is a thought provoking book about betrayal, then learning to trust. The theme of trust, growing up, and learning to communicate is prevalent in this book. There are enough questions, such as who is this, and why did this happen, to make the story interesting.

A great start to a new romance/urban fantasy. This is much heavier on the romance than the urban fantasy; this book not only introduces our first couple but all the other couples that will (presumably) be featured in forthcoming books. Still, the witch/warlock society is a fun background to play in and Emma's and Bastian's romance hits all the right notes of young love reunited up to and including steamy sex scenes. I have to admit, Emma's shyness/passivity didn't do much for me, but I look forward to the next books in the series.

This story is about choice, abuse, and feminine power. I cheered and I was frustrated at times, and it was an easy read, but I"m not sure I loved it, or even mostly liked it, because there were so many issues I had with the relationships. Its a quick read, and I'd say a cozy beachy read would be my recommended.

"The Witch is Back" is engaging and enjoyable. It tells the story of a witch, Emma, who has always felt less than, never more so than when her contractual betrothed and chosen BFF Bastian abandoned her seven years earlier. Bastian is now back and seems to think he and Emma can just pick up where they left off. Emma tries to convince herself that she is not interested but she has never fully let go of her feelings for Bastian. And Bastian has always cared for Emma but needs her help now to save his mother.

The plot of this book was more intricate than I expected. As a lawyer, I loved all of the contractual shenanigans, even as far-fetched as they were. The romance was a little slow-paced and like many romance stories, many of the issues between the couple could have been resolved with just a bit more communication. Though to be fair, there is also a silencing hex involved.

I wish Emma had grown a backbone a bit sooner and grown even more of one overall. I did like how Bastian just wasn't there for her horrible mother. Overall, I recommend, especially if a reader is a fan of paranormal romance. Solid writing. 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complementary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content: Sexual situations,

This was a pretty good read! I loved the magic, the relationship between Bastian and Emma, the sinister mother, and the fact that this romance act has a pretty decent plot.

This is a clever, involved tale, complete with great characters and intricate plot. It’s so much more than I’d imagined it might be. I was surprised when I found myself unable to put the book down. The happenings between the pages are believable if you can suspend disbelief over paranormal beings.

When I was offered the opportunity to read this book, I hesitated, unsure of what I’d discover within. I’m so glad I took the chance. I loved everything about it. My big hope is that this is the beginning of a series. This book goes several steps beyond what’s offered in many of the paranormal romances that I’ve read, and the cover is gorgeous.

The Witch is Back will break your heart, but then magically put it back together and leave you smiling. This book definitely will leave you feeling happy and content at the end.

I loved the writing style and the fresh and clever phrasings used throughout the book. The author is highly skilled at her craft. I’d be delighted to read another book of hers.

If you enjoy paranormal romances, I highly recommend this book.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review.

Perfect for fans of : witchy, romance, romcom vibes, fantasy vibe in an urban setting, second chance romance.

I was pretty intrigued by this because it seemed similar to Not the Witch You Wed. At first it almost read like a fanfic of that book but it does get better and develop into its own. Unfortunately, I think the pace was way too slow. The FMC was hard to like and on top of that, hard to stay engaged with. I just wasn’t invested in her story.

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

Five stars! I love this! This somehow managed to be a light romantic comedy with a lot of dark secrets. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming. I became truly invested in each of these characters and their growth. Miss Emmaline comes from a rough family life, and Bastion comes from a loving family; the way that has influenced who they are made for a compelling read in and of itself,. They were childhood besties in an arranged marriage. Emmaline was left at the altar, but not for the reason she thinks. I love that we get to see how each of these characters has grown, and we get to see them growing, even as we read and getting to know each other better and getting to know themselves and their motivations better. Excellent character development! I want to purchase this book because I know I’m gonna want to read it again and I would like a physical copy. I also hope that the two bffs Tia and Leah get their own books because I adore them as well. I think we might because I think we met their potential future love interests in this book. Also, there is some spice in this book, but it is not spice centric. I’d say just the right amount of spice.

Overall I really enjoyed this book!
I love the witchy rom-com with magic thrown in here or there. I will post a lengthier more detailed review on my Book Insta account one month prior to the august release date as requested on the publisher page.
Would read more from this author!

Such a charming witchy read, perfect for springtime! Featuring forced engagement, opposites-attract, and second chance romance. The cast of characters are delightful. The character growth amidst witch family dynamics was intriguing. This contemporary fantasy romance is perfect for those looking for something light and sweet!

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story!

This book fell short for me. Inundated with new witch romance books, this one did not make the cut. It felt overdone and I've read this content in other books but done better by other authors.

I never thought I’d enjoy witchy romances, but this book with its engaging characters - and a dog and a cat - was thoroughly enjoyable. It has all the twists and complications you’d expect from a romance and some magic.

Loved this magical witchy romcom! It was an easy read. Full of fun and entertaining characters. Emma’s character development made me happy. I loved it when she finally stood up for her self!
I really hope there’s a sequel for Tia, Leah, Sloane, and Kole. As well one for Emma and Bastian. I don’t feel like their story is complete.
I’d recommend this book to other witchy romance readers!

“It was like holding fire and he considered himself lucky to be burned."

Bastian is a powerful warlock from a wealthy and influential family. Emma is a shy witch from a family just on the edge of society. They have had a marriage contract in place since they were kids, but Bastian leaves. Leaves Emma, their marriage, his family, and society life. 7 years later he shows up in the bar Emma owns and begs her to marry him.

This is romance story that also deals with grieving of past relationships, abuse from a family member, and rebuilding of trust. Emma has also been treated like she is less than, while Bastian is praised for being perfect in every aspect. Emma struggled to feel like she was good enough for Bastian 7 years ago and now she isn’t interested in having a real relationship with him. Emma built fortress level walls to protect herself from Bastian and he slowly chips away at them with his love, kindness, and understanding. Bastian longs for Emma and truly desires to love her, but he is scared of her secrets.

I am so obsessed with their story. Second-chance romances always work for me. I love seeing the longing (especially from the MMC)!!!!!! The spicy scenes were amazing and emotional, but there could always be more🤷🏼‍♀️🌶️ I am excited to see what is next from this author. I would love a story about Sloane when she’s older and maybe a warlock?!?!?!

The Witch is Back is such an excellent book, and I truly enjoyed reading it. I was hoping for a book with themes of character growth, second chance romance, action and adventure and this books did not disappoint. Sophie wrote an amazing book where the characters grow and develop all the way through instead of all at once. The romance at the heart of this story is slow burning but strong, and I couldn't stop the smile on my face whenever Emma and Bastian came together a little bit more, whether through circumstance or with a little push.

The characters are the heart of the story, and each one shines in different ways; we watch Emma struggle to come to terms with Bastian back in her life and how she can trust him, her family issues and her personal strength. Bastian has to take responsibility after running from it his entire life. Tia, Sloane, and Leah all had growth of their own (and honestly I'm really hoping they each get their own stories!), which made them interesting secondary characters that didn't fade into the background.

All considered, I would rate this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars, and I am so excited to see what Sophie writes next!

This was a really adorable rom com about second chances.
Tropes to look out for
Second chances
Forced proximity
Friends to lovers
Opposite attracts

Great steamy romance

This book was so adorable. There is nothing more that I love then a witchy rom com. The world and word building in this book was perfect. I loved every minute that I read this book.

This was a very fun book and one that surprised me! The opening was not very strong, but as the plot got going I got increasingly invested in the characters, their relationships, and the mystery at the core of their backstory. As someone who gets deeply annoyed by unnecessary misunderstandings plots, I appreciated that the major miscommunication couldn't be cleared up because of a literal magical hex on one side and some very understandable trauma on the other.

The life that Emma built outside of the bounds of magical high society is wonderful -- I loved the sections showing her interacting with her friends and those of her siblings who are on her side -- and the reader can understand the lengths she'd go to to protect it. Likewise, Bastian's love for his parents and his turmoil around the curse he's under and his erstwhile friendship with Emma make his POV sections particularly tasty to read.

And the way the problem with their marriage contract is solved is very satisfying!

All in all, I do recommend this book. You might just need to give it a couple chapter to really get going.

What a great fun read. I really liked the romance, the story arc, the side characters, and the wit. All of it. It was a fun romance with a great story to relax to. I have several patrons in mind already, so we will be purchasing for the collection.