ARC review for NetGalley

I enjoyed this book-- it was a light read and easy to get through in a few hours. Featuring second chances romance trope (and a few others), and witchcraft, the book has a cast of characters that is probably setting up future romances in the series (which I am looking forward to!). Emma was easily identifiable with as a main character.

3.5⭐, 2.5🌶️

I started this book excited to get in the mood for witchy fall romances, and while this wasn't THE book for me, I enjoyed the unique plot premise of it with their "forced" marriage. Emma and Bastian's past history was interesting to me, but at times I got a tad confused but the basic premise was pretty simple to follow. We can all agree that Emma's mother was vile, and Bastian is at heart a sweetie, but the book is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions and I found it hard to stay connected throughout the full book.

Thank you NetGalley and HARLEQUIN Publishing for an eARC of The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan. This is my honest, free review!

Emmaline "Emma" Bluewater and Bastian Truenote are members of the secret witch society living amongst humans. The two childhood friends were betrothed when their parents signed a marriage contract, but when the time comes, Bastian flees. Seven years later he returns, seeking out Emma in her new life as part owner of a bar in Chicago. He's ready to marry her now, because if he doesn't very bad things will happen. Emma's mother, a truely evil being, is both thrilled and smug at the renewed wedding plans, browbeating Emma at every opportunity to live up to her own expectations of what a high society witch should be.
I have trouble evaluating this book. I enjoy some of the tropes- 2nd chance romance, family relationships, finding oneself , mixed magic and romance - but there were too many contrived bits for me to really get caught up. When Bastian returns he offers no explanation for his disappearance and, even when it becomes clear that there's a hex preventing him from doing so, the reasoning falls flat and Emma never pushes for information. Emma's friend holds too much hate towards Bastian too long into the story even though Emma tells her to back down. Emma's mother and other family members are over-the-top scheming and mean to her. I understand why she has self-image problems, but the mother's behavior, in particular, is almost comical in its extremes.
I did enjoy seeing Emma's growth and the evolution of her various relationships, so it was a fun enough read. That said, I would put it in the middle of my to-read pile rather than near the top.

The Witch is Back was a pretty quick read for me, but still one that I think had some pacing issues in the middle. It is one of the rare books where the characters are keeping huge secrets from one another that didn't lead me to an immediate desire to DNF because too often I hate when characters do that. Essentially, this book follows a witch who has a terrible mother who has moved to Chicago and opened a bar where she works with a mundane and a fellow witch. She and her childhood best friend/ex-fiancé haven't spoken in YEARS when suddenly he shows up and oopsies, he needs her to marry him. Then a whole lot of mystery and shenanigans spiral from there.

The beginning was quickly paced and engaging and the end was quick. In the middle, there was a lot of good and then a lot of just... too much. There is actually just a lot of plot in this book and I'm not sure if it's that it got too inflated or if the pacing and my mood just weren't working. But ultimately, for me, I thought this book was just a little bit too long. Regardless, I enjoyed the ride and think it's quite likely that I'll pick up the next in the series as I'm hopeful that the next book will improve.

Cute and sweet. Dragged at points, but I loved it at the end. Absolutely one I would recommend for a sweet read.

Seven years after Bastian disappeared without a word, effectively ending their engagement, Emma finds herself living a happily mundane life in Chicago running her bar, Toil and Trouble, with her two best friends (one witch, one human). The last thing she ever expected was for him to walk in and ask for her to take him back. Can she forgive him after such a betrayal?

I have mixed emotions about this one--I liked it, but also found myself frustrated with a lot of it. The writing was great and I felt drawn into the story, the world, and the characters immediately, however, if I had known this included miscommunication, I would have run for the hills (my fault for not reading reviews beforehand, I guess). It's a huge pet peeve of mine when characters refuse to talk to each other or blindly follow assumptions. I also didn't think the FMC was the most likeable (it took her way too long to stand up for herself). I liked her two friends a lot better and hope they get their own stories. I would still give this one a shot if you don't mind miscommunication and are looking to read a cute, witchy romance.

I loved this book. It’s witchy book season, and this is the best of the bunch I’ve read so far. The characters are compelling and the plot kept me reading into the night. It requires that the reader suspend belief, but this is a book about magic!

Emma and Bastian were set in a marriage contract by their parents when they were teenagers. Emma was head over heels for him until he left town and never came back. In the intervening years, Emma found out that her greedy mother had inserted a clause that meant that Emma (and therefore her mother), would have access to Bastian’s much more powerful magic.

Emma left, moved to Chicago, and opened a bar to get away from her family. One day, Bastian walks through the door and basically tells Emma they have to get married, or his mother will die, due to another sneaky clause that’s making her sick already.
That’s the start of the story, and the rest of the book is a fun ride. I highly recommend it, 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

The last witch Emmaline Bluewater expects to see walk though the door of Toil and Trouble, the Chicago bar she part owns with her best friends, is Bastian Truenote. It’s been almost seven years since her fiancé, and best friend, abandoned her without so much of a word, and in his absence Emma’s made a life for herself among humans, far from the disapproval of Witch Society, and her mother.
Bastian literally can’t tell Emmaline why he left her seven years ago but, with his mother suffering from the ill effects of his and Emma’s expired cursed engagement contract, he needs her to marry him now. He’s grateful when Emma agrees, but surprised when she demands the marriage be in name only.

The Witch is Back is a second-chance romance by Sophie H. Morgan. I was hoping to be pleasantly distracted by a lighthearted, low stakes story laced with magic, and I was in part, but there were elements of this novel that I found disappointing.

To begin with I was baffled as to how Bastian could believe that Emma would welcome his return with open arms after no contact for seven years, and why Emma wouldn’t demand an explanation the moment she saw him again. I found it really hard to move past this introduction as it flatters neither character and it’s never really resolved.

I found it easier to forgive Emma, whose issues are clearly the fault of her horrifyingly abusive mother. With not a single redeeming feature, Clarissa puts the ‘b’ in witch and everything that has gone wrong between Emma and Bastian can be traced to her really.

However, though a hex may have prevented Bastian from justifying his reasons for leaving, to do so without some sort of excuse for Emma was cruel. It takes Bastian far too long to apologise when he should have been well aware of what the consequences of him absconding would be for her.

I was also puzzled as to how Emmaline didn’t recognise the signs of the silencing spell that prevents Bastian from telling Emma the secret he is keeping. I would have thought the violent coughing and choking would have been a clue. Emma’s secrets are both benign and not, but she at least is proactive about the more damning of the two, which again is not her fault but her mother’s.

If you can skate over all of that, the romantic tension between Emma and Bastian works, and the spice is gratifying. I enjoyed the scenes where Emma spends time with her besties, Tia and Leah. It’s not difficult to see that Morgan probably has plans for Leah and Emma’s brother, Kole, for a future book.

Morgan’s world building is interesting too, but the upper echelons of Witch Society are really not pleasant, Morgan describes a world largely of grasping, power hungry socialites. The type and strength of magic varies between individuals, Bastian for example is a Higher Born son, a strong magic wielder with a particular talent for mind magic such as telekinesis, while Emma’s abilities are not very powerful. I did like the magic involved in the Divining, a process that determines the compatibility and power of a betrothed couple, though the hierarchical judgement seems a bit harsh.

Hovering around the ‘OK’ rating for me, The Witch is Back wasn’t the spellbinding read I hoped for.

Second-chance romances are hit-and-miss for me, but this one worked well (probably because of the magical elements involved). Both Bastian and Emma are well-intentioned but have some growing to do, and their growth arcs are full of depth. There are some annoying bits of miscommunication, but overall their relationship feels realistic (for, you know, one between two magical beings) and supportive (Bastian's takedown of Emma's mom is AWESOME). I also loved the cozy, witchy atmosphere of the book--I want to know more about the magical society in which Bastian and Emma grew up.

I"m not sure if this will end up being a series, but I'd love to read about Tia, Leah, and their respective love interests!

When you are incredibly shy and everyone in your life has made you believe that it is the ultimate weakness, it is hard to believe that anyone could see past that trait causing Emma to become an outcast. Of course, it doesn't help that the groom that you were contracted to wed did a runner just to get away from you. As the groom who did the runner, what happens when you come back to set things right, but no one believes that you mean to stick this time or that you won't just take the easy way out? Apparently even witches need to communicate better! A wonderful and witchy paranormal romance that has more depth than you would think as well as a meaningful message of quality communication. This second chance, or is it third chance, romance is a fabulous way to step away from the real world while being wrapped in a witchy love story. I am really hopeful that this will become a series as there are other characters that could easily step into the main character roles and continue to delight readers in this wonderful witchy world. I really enjoyed these characters and they were extremely relatable thus making you want to find out what happens to them and leaves you wanting even more! Let's hope the author sees my review and indeed brings us more from this world!

The Witch is Back is a great second chance romance by Sophie H. Morgan. Arranged marriages are a thing of the past and but not in the magical realm. Bastian and Emma were best friend until Bastian left without a word. Bastian leaving hurt Emma so badly that she moved and decided to live among humans. After years of being apart and not hearing a word from Bastian, he all of a sudden face to face with Emma. Their reconnection and reconciliation is vital to how the two of them will continue to live their lives.
I really enjoyed the characters and would love more stories about them.

Emma and Bastian were contracted to be married, but Bastian ran away before the wedding. Now, he’s back and hoping that Emma will marry him to save his mother. Their witch marriage contract had a clause that would be detrimental to the witness of the signing if not fulfilled. So, now Emma and Bastian need to appear as a happy couple in witch culture and learn to trust each other again. This concept was fun and entertaining, but the characterization and the dialogue was terrible. Readers get both Bastian and Emma’s points of view, and they both had unbelievable and annoying motivations. The whole premise of the book is about lack of communication, and the reasons they each had for not talking to each other were stupid. This could have been good, but unfortunately, it is lacking.

Too YA for me to enjoy so I’m DNFing. Just seems kind of like a fluffy romance with nothing majorly of substance. Not invested in the characters or storyline by 5% in. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

I did not get to this title, so I don't feel comfortable rating it fully, hoping to get to it at some point soon!

Such a fantastic and well-written story! It’s full of lovely romance, magic, politics, family and a bit of spice, i loved the twists and turns I didn’t see coming, completely wonderful and entertaining read. .

I had high hopes going into The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan but unfortuantely, DNF'd the book at thirty eight percent. I felt no connection to the characters, which may be due to the lack of world building and information about who these characters truly were. I may try another one of Morgan's books but sadly, this one was not for me!

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

How would you handle your life after your childhood friend breaks off your engagement and disappears for years? Would you pack up and leave the witch community that never really saw you for the amazing person you are, or would you stay and say screw you to everyone? Well Emma Bluewater did the first one and she is doing great on her own, she has friends and even owns a bar. Just a normal human bar, not a witchy bar but she is still happy. Then the unexpected happens, your fiancé comes back and tells you and everyone that he was wrong, and he would like to give it a real try… What would you do?

I loved this book so much, and I cannot wait to see what is next from this author. I know, without a shadow in doubt, that I will be reading her next book. The synopsis is what drew me in, and the writing style is what kept me wanting more and more. I enjoyed that in this book it was not just a jump right into being engaged and being in love, but rather a true second chance at love.

I thought the plot was well written and the characters were well developed. I thought having Emma be pretty hostile/put off with the fact that Bastian coming back into her life was done perfectly. I am normally not a fan of second chances and having someone being so put off but the way that the author handled the background to the emotions and why those emotions were important to the characters really helped me to get past that. I liked that I did not have a hard time picturing what was going on in the scenes or having to go back and reread a part. I thought the author did a great job with being clear in the means and made sure that the audience had all the information that they needed at the right time, even though... yes I was a little upset for not understanding some parts but that is just me and once I got to the explaining of everything, I was oh now that makes sense or I was like OMG no way!

The characters and their development in this book were done so well. I loved watching Emma come out of her shell more and more. I loved being able to see Emma and for herself to see that she is strong, and not just to Bastian but to everyone else in her life that have doubted her and her powers. I think the best was to see her tell off a certain person and finally become that woman. You rock Emma!!

Bastian, he is a much better guy this time around, and I think what he did was wrong but then again when you’re young and scared a lot of us do dumb things. It was nice being able to see the different side of you and to see that you truly are a great loving character. I loved being able to see those two together and the balls and all the events, to see them together and show that they were united as a team was beautiful and I loved the scene at Emma’s mother’s house, the chef’s kiss.

I really hope that we get more books that will show some of the side characters and their love stories from this author. I recommend this book to anyone who loves romcoms, paranormal romances, second chances, angsty characters and some steamy moments and of course, those cute familiars.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to review this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It has several characters that you want to get behind and you find yourself counting down until everything turns out wonderful for them. Emmaline and Bastian make a great couple and I loved watching them get to their HEA. I looked forward to the time Emmaline spends with her friends, they had me laughing so much. I highly recommend this book, It has everything, a great romance, wonderful friends that make you laugh, and a truly evil bad guy.

Thank you to Sophie H. Morgan, Harlequin, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

First, how amazing is the cover?! I absolutely love it! Second, I liked this book. I liked Emma and related to her in ways (of course not in the Witch way). I found myself being her biggest fan and rooting her on. I loved the support that Emma got from her friends and her sister.

There was a lot of growth with these characters and I loved that. I didn't like the third-act breakup, but it didn't take away from the book. I will definitely recommend this one.

What began as a fun, witchy romcom turned into a surprisingly deep and satisfying trauma-resolving story.

Two childhood friends have always been contracted to marry, but when Emma turned 21 and they began planning their wedding, Bastian suddenly left with no word and Emma has moved on. She has built a new life far from home when he turns up again begging her to marry him to prevent his mother from dying as a result of the broken contract. There is no trust left between them, but she agrees on the basis of friendship only.

Emma and Bastian go from friends to enemies to friends to lovers, with a arranged marriage of convenience. I enjoyed their journey and was surprised at the twist which led to the third-act breakup, but was happy with the resolution. In the end the feelings and situations holding them back from truly becoming husband and wife are resolved and they get their HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.