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.

I wanted to love this one. I loved the premise. However I couldn't stand the heroine. I mean don't get me wrong the hero did make a mess of things. But every time he tried to make it up to her she shoots him down.

#NetGalleyARC This was a fun read, a perfect end of summer vacation beach read. Perfect for the second chance at love or marriage of convenience fan. It was fun, it was a little saucy and I enjoyed it.

This is what I need for a fluffy read after all the thrillers I devoured. And it’s exactly what you need if you’re looking for a fluffy, funny, witchy romance.

Emma and Bastian are childhood friends. They fell in love and than out of touch, but Bastian is back and he wants Emma. If he wants her, he needs to fist get through all the traps and friends she sets his way. But can she do a fake relationship with him just to save him.

I love witches and I love romance, so combining those two things sets my heart fluttering. This book was quirky and adorable. I loved the take of fairytales almost and turning on its head. And add in a goofy dog familiar.

There were parts I struggled with in the story. The pacing at some points and just trying to throw in a marriage of convenience also left me scratching my head as to why the author would write that way. But all in all, I think the sweetness and the side characters saved the story for me.

The Witch is Back is my 1st book by this author and I enjoyed it. This is an opposites attract/second chance/friends to lovers/fake dating/ contemporary witchy romance that held my interest from beginning to end.

Emma and Bastian were great characters and i enjoyed seeing their character growth throughout the story. They were surrounded by a great cast of secondary characters whom I loved with the exception of Emma's mother who was absolutely horrible.

This witchy romance had great banter and some spicy scenes, but I disliked the lack of communication and secrets and really wanted to shake some sense into the 2 main characters.

This was a cute romance that was well paced and was a light fun read. I will recommend it if you like modern day RomCom with added magic.


What To Expect
• Shy Introverted Heroine
• Charming Extroverted Hero
• Forced Proximity
• Marriage of Convenience
• Family Dynamics
• It's always been you
•Third act Breakup

It is almost spooky season which means loads of fun magical reads are publishing soon! I’m kicking off my witchy rom-com recommendations with The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan.
This charming book features the following tropes/micro-tropes:
*Childhood Friends
*Arranged Marriage of Convenience
*Rival Magical Families
*Adorable Magical Familiar
*Family Dramas/Hidden Secrets
*Witty Banter
*Open Door Spice
*Found Family Friendships/Bar Owners

Bastian and Emmaline grew up as best friends and were engaged to marry through an arranged marriage contract until Bastian left the county and spent 7 years away essentially abandoning her. Emma was heartbroken and shamed by her mother for ruining the opportunity for her family to grow more powerful (Emma’s mom was horrible and made me cuss every time she was in a scene). Emma moved to a mortal city and opened a bar with two of her best friends. Things are good, she’s happy, and then Bastian breezes into town ready to complete their marriage contract in order to save his own mother’s failing health. Can Emma forgive him? Why did he flee to begin with? How is their marriage contract linked to his mother’s health? What secrets is Emma hiding from Bastian? What unfolds is an exciting and fun read! I loved the banter between opposites Bastian and Emma and loved watching them re-learn about each other after 7 years apart. There are definitely secrets hexes, hidden secrets, and lots of family drama to keep the mysterious element alive! But the connection between these besties turns quickly from platonic to hot! There is a dreaded third act breakup, but I actually enjoyed how the author used it to give both MCs a clean slate after years of secrets. Add this one to your witchy list today!

This book was not for me. The story is built on multiple miscommunication tropes as well as several other tropes I don't enjoy. The main characters weren't characters I want to root for. The female MC is a doormat, who never stands up for herself, and the male MC is a selfish misogynist. Readers who like trope-heavy second-chance romance will probably like this book.