The Witch is Back is a tongue-in-cheek paranormal romantic comedy that effortlessly immerses readers into a captivating world of magical mayhem. This delightful and entertaining read is perfect to indulge in during the spooky season.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I came for the pretty magic and mention of witches, forcibly ran away at the mention of spice.

The Witch is Back is a fantasy romance novel. There’s nothing wrong with being a wallflower. Not to Emmaline Bluewater, anyway. Emma may have been born into witch society, but her days of trying to fit in where she doesn’t belong are over—they ended seven years ago, when the man she’d hoped to marry left town without a word. She’s much happier now, living a delightfully mundane human life in Chicago and running her bar, Toil and Trouble. Until Bastian Truenote walks through the door and announces that he wants her back.

Yeah no, I'm good. I don't do main plot romance. I'm good.

Oh goodness I loved this so much. I know it’s only August but I’ve been in a witchy reads mood and this one hit the spot. I loved our MC’s chemistry from the start, even if it was a little rocky. They truly were destined and seeing them grow together was so worth it.

I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. I wasn’t connecting with Emma or Bastain I am so glad I stuck with it. Bastain is amazing, he is funny and smart and always stood up for Emma. Emma has her secrets and she is trying to shield her heart from being hurt again. Their growth through this book is so fun to read. I enjoyed this book quite a bit!

I love me a good witchy romance funny read, and when I saw this cover and the read the synopsis I knew this was going to be fun. Emma and Bastian were everything!!! This second chance romance with a twist is what everyone needs. They were best friends, destined to be together but he up and left and out of nowhere 7 years later popped up, and she was NOT having it!!! This is a broken hearted woman we are talking about, but when Bastian tells her why he’s seeking her out, she put that aside and decided to help him……. So this already has the tropes I am starting to love, close proximity, and second chance romance.

It was easy to fall in love with the characters in the book, witches and warlocks among humans, and Emma’s human best friend Leah, who is too funny, Tia is so bad ass, she reminds me of my own best friend. And I wish the author continues with their stories I feel a story coming along concerning Leah and Tia…… I’m just saying!!!! Lol

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I loved everything about this book. From the family dynamics to the second-chance romance and character growth, Morgan hits all the good spots with just the right balance of emotions and fun.
Emmaline Bluewater grew up with a mother who loved telling her she was nothing and witch society at large telling her she was insignificant. Her only escape and hope for the future was an arranged marriage to her best friend, Bastian Truenote. Until Bastian flees leaving behind a note simply saying that he can't marry her.
Years later, Emma owns a human bar with her best friends and has slowly built a life for herself away from witch society and her awful mother. Now, Bastian is back and ready to get married because his mom is suffering from a curse from the broken marriage contract. They were in an unbalanced friendship before and they're different people now, but the spark is still there. They'll have to face their fears, the reason why Bastian fled, and Emma's horrid mother to see if they can find their happily ever after.
The relationships not only between Emma and Bastian but with everyone they come in contact with are a perfect mix of supportively loving and pushy that only the best relationships can attain. Except for Emma's mom who deserves her own spot in the awful mother hall of fame.
And the romance is sweet and perfect and flawed in the way that two people can help each other grow by opening up, which makes for a very satisfying read. You cannot read how Emma and Bastian interact and not walk away loving them.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the magically romantic read!

Who doesn’t love a witchy/magical romcom. This girl sure does! With the fall weather getting closer it was a perfect time for me to dive right in to this sweet book. I did enjoy the story. It definitely was not a new trope but still enjoyable. The characters were likeable and I look forward to reading more.

This book was good. It was the first book I've read by Sophie H. Morgan. I enjoyed the magic and sense of found family. Bastian and Emma reconnecting after 7 years felt so raw. I loved that it was a slower connection and not just rushing into their relationship.
I kind of hope that this is a series, and I get to go back and maybe learn more about Tia or Leah... or maybe Sloane. It's such a wonderful story.

3.5 ⭐️/5
2.0🌶️/5

This is a magical world where in one moment you can sip a pint of beer at a bar in Chicago and in the next open a portal to step into an archeological dig site in Egypt, or a stuffy society party in New Orleans.

Emmaline Bluewater, born into witch high society, grew up always struggling to overcome shyness and please her SUPER verbal, magically abusive crap mother. Witch high society marriages were not about love matches but merging powerful families, and as a child she was contracted to marry her childhood friend (and puppy love crush), Bastian Truenote.

Emma’s days of trying to fit into this rigid society ends when golden-boy warlock Bastian abandons not only society but Emma, without even leaving her a note. Shunned by society, Emma moves to Chicago and opens up a bar with two of her friends (one human and one bestie witch). She is content to live an ordinary human life… until seven years after leaving Bastian shows up without explanation and declares he’s ready to marry her.

Bastian had his reasons for leaving, and even though he cannot tell anyone why he left and stayed away for seven years, he’s determined to fulfill the marriage contract. Except his sweet, meek childhood friend found her voice and backbone. He’s stunned to find out Emma’s not the same young woman he remembered.

Emma and Bastian both have their secrets but find that their childhood friendship has evolved into something ✨magical ✨.

Dual POV which I love. Each witch has varying levels of power, and each specializes in something different like manipulation of plants or mind reading. I loved the magical witch world that was created. I was hooked from the start and could not wait to find out the reason Bastian left and what were the secrets Emma kept and why. The joy Bastian and Emma shared when they decided to live in the moment was fun for me to read.

If this is a setup to the start of a new series I would come back to read. Would definitely recommend if you like modern day rom com combined with magic, adorable pupper & kitty familiars, and witches & warlocks. Tropes friends to lovers, miscommunication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for the advanced copy. My review is provided voluntarily, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

⚠️🚨‼️ SPOILERY TERRITORY ‼️🚨⚠️

What disappointed me was the cleanup after the 3rd act breakup. I felt that after Emma struggled to find her inner strength plus her determination to no longer live as a doormat, she deserved a groveling Bastian. To me it felt out of character for her to chase him down and beg for forgiveness when he was just as guilty of shadiness and untruths. The ending was so abrupt. After the obligatory reconciliation, one that very much disappointed me, there was a 7 or so paragraph ending. No epilogue. It was sudden stop that I felt the storyline wasn’t satisfactorily tied up.

80% of the story I had fun. But the last 20% was not to my liking so the mini-icks I got during the 80% weren’t as easy to overlook. I don’t understand why we still need virgin MCs in a modern day romance where the MCs are mid to late 20something adults. I didn’t like how the MCs weren’t more honest with each other, miscommunication admittedly is one of my least favorite tropes, but it was getting frustrating to read. Lastly, I felt Emma was so beaten down by her mom, witch society, herself, that she needed that extra bit of lifting up and being chased after.

Oof, there was not much here I enjoyed. I usually really enjoyed second chance romances and fake dating, especially when they’re combined as they are here, but between the unlikeable characters (side and main) and the rushed rekindling of their romance with very little explanation or elaboration, this was not for me but also not particularly good.

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

The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan is a fun witchy romcom with layers and layers of deep human-type issues. It’s a childhood friends turned enemies to lovers story that entertained me from start to finish and issues that hurt my heart for the main character Emma. With several family themes that magic could never repair, the story takes on darker, more severe tones the further I got into it but still with a delightful touch of magic.

I enjoyed the relationship between Bastian and Emma. They were meant to be together, which is evident starting with the scene where they see each other again for the first time in years. The romance has a bit of steam to it, but not overly much. The miscommunication adds plenty of tension to the story. It keeps it from becoming dull, as does the magical, witchy elements, which I just adored. As a matter of fact, I would have loved to see more magic. Still, with a main character determined to live in the human world as a human, it definitely cuts into how much magic can be done.

I also enjoyed Emma’s human bar named Toil and Trouble. What a fun name for a bar that made me want to open a coffee shop with the same name. And I loved that she owned it with her two friends, who were like family to her and supported her at every turn. It’s a wonderful place for support, love, and even to bring Emma’s dog familiar.

The family themes are so sad but also uplifting. Even though Emma’s mother is the worst of the worst, her relationship with her brother and her friends is a bright light in the weighty dark atmosphere her mother creates. The story moves a bit slower than I would have liked. Still, overall it was a lovely witchy romcom with just enough magic to hold my attention until the end.

THE WITCH IS BACK – Sophie H. Morgan
Harlequin
ISBN: 978-1-335-47604-3
August 15, 2023
Fantasy Romance

Chicago, Illinois – Present Day

Emmaline “Emma” Bluewater is a modern-day witch who doesn’t abide by the rules. She owns a bar in Chicago and regularly interacts with humans. She is considered a wallflower by witch standards and that was cemented seven years ago after the warlock who had been betrothed to her since they were children ran off, refusing to marry Emma. To say the least, Emma’s mother blames her for what happened. Not that she can ever do right in her mother’s eyes. But Emma is happy, especially now that she is far away from her mother.

One night while working in the bar, a blast from her past reappears. Her former fiancé, Bastian Truenote, is back—and he insists that they marry. Why should Emma marry the man who once embarrassed her? However, Bastian has a reason why they should marry. Because he broke off the engagement, his mother is now cursed and likely to die unless he marries Emma. She agrees but wonders how things have changed. He didn’t want her then, why should he want her now?

THE WITCH IS BACK is a cute and funny tale about witches, warlocks, and the world of magic. Emma on the outside looks like any other person but she’s really a witch. Her mother wants to merge with Bastian’s family because it would give her greater power and influence. Emma’s late father drew up the contract and apparently, the conditions are tricky. Can Emma and Bastian find a way to break it, including the curse put on his mother? Because they need to make it appear that their planned marriage is on the up and up, he moves into Emma’s apartment. Of course, being under the same roof only creates tension, and that includes the sexual kind.

Bastian gives off playboy vibes, but he really wants to do what is best for his family—and for Emma. When they were first engaged, neither was ready for marriage. Has that now changed, or will he stray from their marriage vows once they are married? Does Emma really want to get married after being embarrassed once? She isn’t the prettiest looking witch, and her self-esteem takes a hit at times. But she has one thing going for her: she cares about people, including her secret half-sister, Sloane, the result of her father’s dalliance with a human. Mating with a human is frowned upon and Emma fears that if her mother finds out, Sloane will be harmed.

Meanwhile, Emma and Bastian go toe-to-toe over their planned marriage. She doesn’t think he’s serious about it and she only wants a marriage that involves love. Yet, there’s no denying the serious lusting that is going on between them. A few hot kisses soon turn into more. Has Emma given her heart to a dastardly wicked warlock? Will the secrets they’re carrying come out? Can the marriage contract be broken, and if so, do Emma and Bastian really want that to happen? A silly and sizzling tale of witchery and love that readers don’t want to miss in THE WITCH IS BACK.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

The Witch Is Back is a very adorable witchy read. It took me a while to get into the book, but once I got into it, I enjoyed it. It reminded me of a quirky fairy tale featuring witches, an evil mother, a binding contract, and a second-chance romance. I loved Emma and Bastian and the history they have together. They both had growth, and the ending had me sobbing. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who needs a cute and quirky witchy romance read. Bonus points for adding a cute doggo and a three-legged cat to the story! I am hoping this will turn into a series because there is an excellent opportunity to develop Emma’s friends more and see where Emma and Bastian relationship goes.


Thank you to NetGallery and Harlequin Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

This book was not really what I was hoping for.

There were definitely some cute parts that poked through, but it was not enough to push past everything else.

I raged through about the first 30% of the book. I wanted to DNF, but decided to stick with it. I’m still not sure if it was worth it. After that, I down shifted into annoyance with the occasional rage spike. It did get a bit cute closer to the end, but it just wasn’t enough.

I cannot stand when a character gets beaten down by everyone (including the author) for just being who they are. Even Bastian’s mother, who was for the most part, a delight, could not escape making a few digs at Emma. I get that it’s a rough high society world they are living in, but it was too much. Especially when it came to the negative self-talk. It hurts me when characters do this. I know Emma had been through a lot, but even within those first few pages where she was dumping on herself AND her dog, that is not how I want to be introduced to a character.

The world building was kind of all over the place. I had no idea that Emma and Bastian were from New Orleans until they mentioned a party or even what or who the High Family is/are, and yet there were like 4 pages in which Emma’s ugly dog was discussed. Emma is also meant to not be as powerful as other witches and magical families. I wish this was shown more. I think it came up one time that she had a difficult time keeping up with someone else.

Tia (witch bff) and Kole (brother) were my favorite characters, by far. They weren’t there to take anyone’s BS, including Emma’s. I didn’t really connect with any other character. Not even Emma or Bastian.

This was an arranged engagement story about childhood best friends. Not a marriage of convenience or fake relationship between childhood sweethearts.

This just could have been so much more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harelquin for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me with an arc.

I wanna start this off by saying I’m still not fully sure how I feel about this book. I did really like bits of it but overall I felt unsatisfied with it. I love witchy books and this one just felt lackluster on that front.

Emma Bluewater has always been told what she does wrong and how she doesn’t fit into witch society except for her one friend growing up Bastion Truenote, so when they were engaged at a young age it didn’t seem like the end of the world. But then before they were supposed to get married he walked out of her life without explaining why. So when he walks back into her life after years she is rightfully pissed at him. But when he asks her to marry him to fulfill the contract there are so many things that can and will go wrong when she agrees.

I wanted so much more magic from this book. We didn’t learn almost anything about the magic system in this book other than they can do magic. I wanted to know how they can and what the limits are but instead it is barely mentioned other than a few situations. It seems like there weren't really limits on how much magic they can do.

I still can’t really process my feelings about this book even though I finished it a few days ago. I feel like there is an audience for it but I’m not it.

If you want to get ready for spooky season, but you don’t like dark and scary books, then this one is for you!

The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan is such a fun and magical read. This is a feel-good story that also touches on some important issues. Emma is a character who is trying to work through trauma, and the author writes about this topic in such a caring and realistic way. The characters were well developed and I could not help cheering them on and hoping they would get their happily ever after. Bastian is a character who is trying to work through some secrets and his privilege. This topic on privilege I felt was addressed carefully without shaming this character. You definitely see growth with the characters, and Morgan’s writing style is really engaging.

I am a person who does not like the miscommunication trope; however, Morgan took this trope and turned it on its head where the characters were both physically and psychologically unable to discuss their feelings. This was such a cute romance that I could not put down. I found the magic system easy to follow and I loved to see some of these characters in careers that utilize their magic in fun ways.

To keep in mind: This book deals with a lot of difficult topics mostly related to family dynamics. I found the topics were addressed appropriately in regards to the mood of the story, but please evaluate if this is the right book for you.

Rating: I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it. It was a fun book that made reading about witches fun again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, The Witch is Back is out August 15!

Thank you @harlequinbooks @netgalley for the review copy!

📖Emma has never really fit in with witch society. When her fiancé, Bastian, left her seven years ago, she moved to Chicago, opened a bar, and loved living a normal human life. When Bastian returns and claims he wants her back, he has his work cut out for him convincing her to marry him and Emma must face the witch society she left behind.

💭This was a super cute witchy romance. I don’t know if it’s the cover that deceived me, but it was also more spicy than I was expecting, which I loved! I liked the friendship between Bastian and Emma. Not so much when they were kids, but I liked seeing how their adult relationship matured. This book has put me in the mood to start my fall reading. I want all the cozy and witchy reads now!

📚Read this if you like…
Childhood friends to lovers
Second chance romance
Marriage of convenience
Witchy vibes
Spicy romance
Romcoms
Fun banter

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin—thank for the opportunity to read THE WITCH IS BACK. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Witchy Romance
Spice Level: Medium (one scene with an open door)
Tropes: Second Chance, R & R vibes, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Engagement

I loved the premise of this book!
Two families: one from the barely magical side and the other is powerful with an alliance for two children to marry. But when the time comes, HE does a runner.

Why?
Well, it's a convoluted mix of reasons that is central to the plot.
But Bastion really does have a solid reason for his reaction.

And the fallout for Emmaline? Terrible! Witches are the worst gossips in the paranormal world.
How could she ever forgive him or consider getting married? No way. No how. Even if he's hot and even if he's charming—it's a solid NO!
But then...there's more to the story that Emma learns.
Mind you, she's not about to fall in love with him again—it's just not possible.

I love how the families make matters worse—especially hers. And I love how she's actively trying to change her life and not be a doormat for her mom. Both Emma and Bastion grow through the story.

This is a refreshing romance that I think you'll love.

Yes! I recommend this book.

Happy reading!

Love this story!
Our two main characters are both witches; Emmaline Bluewater is weak, while Bastian Truenote is strong. Nearly a decade ago they were engaged, but Bastian left Emma with no explanation and hasn’t been back. He was cursed, bat can’t tell her. Heartbroken, Emma moves to a new town and starts to put her life back together. Now Bastian is back, and wants them to marry, because of the curse.
I enjoyed this book; even thought I’d like to slap some sense into these two characters. They have chemistry which makes this a fun read. Sophie Morgan has done a wonderful job on the two main characters, and some of the secondary ones have potential-maybe sequels in the future? Hope so for this engaging author and the world she’s created.
I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

I generally love the trope of marriage/engagement/relationship of convenience since it *always* ends in real feelings and you get to watch the characters figure out how the feel while trying to keep their emotional distance. Emma and Bastian's relationship had higher stakes than many that fall into this category, which created more angst, especially when paired with the trauma they both carried with them from their backstories. Where the story shone was in the secondary characters and their relationships and interactions with Emma and Bastian. His parents are wonderful, as are the friendships Emma has with Leah, Tia, and Sloane. I hope to see more of those characters - I would bet on Tia being the next one to get a story, but I would love to see Leah and Kole come together in the future, too! One other thing - I would have liked a bit more world-building, especially highlighting the structure of witch society and types of magic. While some forms - especially telekinesis - were fairly prominent and not needing much explanation, there were hints of other forms that were far more interesting to me but weren't fully explained. This is a fun read that opens up the possibilities for a series that could be something really wonderful. I hope to see more!

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Witch is Back early in exchange for a review.