While Perfectly Wicked is chock-full of excellent romance tropes with *vibes* to boot, ultimately, it is neither perfect nor wicked and had enough stumbles that, while very enjoyable, keeps it out of my top-tier romance books.

The Good: The writing itself is zippy and unobtrusive. Lovise doesn't get in her own story's way, but lets it naturally flow. I also appreciated the "big reveal that will break them up" was maturely handled and never felt forced or kitschy. The dialogue, too, was natural and FELT like things real people would say. I also loved that while it's a witchy/paranormal romance book, it wasn't autumn-centric. It made a nice change of pace from the usual deluge of October-based paranormal romances of late. I appreciated that all three sisters had distinct characters and didn't muddle into each other and that both the MMC and FMC were competent adults who read like competent adults.

The Works in Progress: The worldbuilding was the biggest letdown for me. While I don't expect paranormal romances to be heavy on the worldbuilding (they're romances first, fantasy second), I do expect that the world makes sense. And while the paranormal side of it does make sense, Lovise spends so long holding ALL the cards to her chest that the "big reveal" lacked any punch; it's a mistake that I've seen plenty of debut authors make, so I'm not surprised and it doesn't sink the rest of the book, but it defintiely doesn't have the "oh shit" kind of bang I think she's hoping for. That leads me to the pacing--while I appreciate that before the "big sex" Connor and Holly are completely honest with each other (I raise a glass to the deft thematic work there, Lovise!), the first half of the book has so little explanation as to the "witchy" side of things that it drags on and on until the "big reveal" and then so much is packed into the second half that it felt almost like another book. Lastly, the secondary characters need some work. Aside from the Celeste family and Connor, the rest of the cast is so thinly sketched that I legitimately had a hard time remembering who was who (was Amy the bad guy or Stacy? Kind of both? Neither?) and the "evil ex boyfriend" is so over the top that had to roll my eyes a little.

I look forward to more from Lovise. Debut novels are not easy and are certainly never going to be perfect, but she gets so much right that I will happily await her next book, as I assume it'll pick up where this one leaves off, thanks to some conveniently dangling plot threads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

I really enjoyed Perfectly Wicked. This is going to be a great fall release! The mixture of a haunted apple orchard and a ghost hunting show was *perfect*! I really hope this ends up being a series and not just a standalone because it really was one of the best fall reads that I have read in a long time!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.

If you like books such as The Ex Hex, Practical Magic or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Magic then put Perfectly Wicked on your TBR. Holly runs her family’s orchard farm that has a secret to their apple cider. Unfortunately, the farm is not doing well and they don’t want to sell. Conner Grimm is the host of a paranormal tv show and wants to film at Wicked Good Apples because of whispers of oddities at the farm. Holly agrees but how far will she go to protect her faimily as she starts to have feelimgs for Conner. Can she trust him as he digs deeper, or will something perfectly wicked happen!

4.5 stars

I'm here for it! This books says it is for fans of the Charmed and Ghost Hunters, and I don't think I have ever heard of anything more perfect, haha.

This was fun, spicy, and just an overall good time! Did I wish I was reading it with a cup of apple cider in the cool crisp fall months? Yes, but even though it is 90 degrees outside right now, I still enjoyed the heck out of this!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was so much fun! i came for the romance and stayed for the mystery. I loved all the characters in the book and i hope more stories will be written in this whicked universe.

A haunted apple orchard in the heart of Maine. A Practical Magic-esque house full of wild, wicked, and warmhearted women. And a hot celebrity ghosthunter determined to discover the apple orchard’s secrets. What’s not to love? Holly and Connor’s story is a lot of fun, a little bit naughty, and just a smidge of spooky. Perfect for a girl’s night in.

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review

:)
Initially, reading this felt like a drag until it didn't. I'm not sure the moment when I started to enjoy the book, whether it was when Prickles the Hedgehog came out or Amy perfectly made our FMC feel scared about the ghost disturbing her orchad.

It must have been between those two events.

Anyway, I started getting into the story then. This is a good written book. Writing-wise, there aren't much issues. I didn't spot grammatical errors, neither did the sentences give me much of a headache which if I'm being honest is a far outcry to many books I've read. Also this was a much needed break to writing, so I enjoyed myself.

Trope wise, this was a very fun book. You've got hurt-comfort, big Alpha werewolf dude who likes marking his mate, dude who thinks this FMC is the most perfect specimen he's ever seen, grumpyxsunshine--> though i'm not too sure of this, close proximity and insta love.

Honestly, the three special ingredients to create a good book. All in all, it was interesting.

I'm rating this 3 stars because the romance and the lore around this book were kinda iffy on the details. Especially the lore. Witches, Wickeds, The cursing of the apple and every other thing, I wasn't too sure in my head and the ending was wrapped in such a pretty bow that I felt like I'd been bamboozled.

Then the relationship was soo insta lovey I had to jump ship.

The characters also didn't feel that fleshed out. Especially Jeremy and Amy. Sure Amy was a pain but no woman consciously deserves a man like Jeremy. I wanted to see him get his just deserts.

Sad.

But it was an enjoyable read that mixed the paranormal with solving a mystery.

What a brilliant book! Holly Celeste is everything I hope to be - fiery, family oriented, strong, levelheaded and trustworthy. We meet her when her family’s apple farm is struggling, and ghost hunter Connor Grimm wants to investigate her farm in exchange for them being part of his TV show and money. Holly is reluctant to have them filming on their farm and digging into their family history to try to find the ghosts, and initially we aren’t sure why they’re so secretive, but the more the book unravels the more we begin to realise there is a very real reason for it. When we find out the true reason, the development of the characters and their powers is truly amazing, I loved reading about it.
The more time Holly and Connor spend together, the more the tension builds and their relationship blossoms. The two of them are perfect together and Connor is an incredible book boyfriend. I loved reading about their banter and arguments, all of which built the tension even more between them!
This would be such a perfect book to read during the autumn months, it feels super autumnal wrapped up in a blanket with a hot choccy. Will definitely be re-reading again closer to the release date!
Thank you to Alcove Press, Lindsay Lovise and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I honestly loved this book. It definitely had some predictable moments, and I have mixed emotions about us finding out about Holly and her family at the same time as Connor (okay truth be told I figured it out before Connor but that’s because he’s a dummy for all he’s scarily perceptive and good at puzzles). Erikson was an incredibly pleasant surprise as a character and I hope if there’s a sequel, he and Winter are the focus! The third act drama/conflict wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, and I really appreciated that because it was still logical.

I enjoyed the shifting POVs and felt like the shifts made sense narratively, rather than feeling like “okay time to hear what Connor is thinking.” I also liked that this could fully be a standalone novel, but there are loose ends that would lend themselves well to a sequel. The story was cozy but mysterious, well paced yet a page-turner. There were stakes but I never felt on edge in a bad way, and the characters felt multifaceted without being endless wells of trauma (as some authors tend to do to their characters).

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review :)

Perfectly wicked fun from beginning to end! Magic, witches, ghosts, secrets - and coming into your own. Strength of family and friends, and accepting the truth. Of course the whole romance thing doesn't hurt, not that anyone was expecting it!

First five star read for me in awhile. I very much loved this book. I love the world Lindsay created and her twist to the wicked witches. This was a very unique story and the chemistry between the leads was felt not just read. A ghost hunter coming to expose a witch was a fantastic read. There is literally nothing bad that can be said about this book. Conner was perfect for Holly and I can’t wait to see if a story comes to follow Winter and Erickson awkward connection and maybe a story for Missy as well.

This one exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed Holly and Connor's story and there's foreshadowing of additional magical things coming and a solid set-up for the next sister's story. It's got romance, supernatural activity, and an adorable setting. This would be a great fall read.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holly runs a family apple farm that's going under. Rival Stacy wants to buy out the top-secret family cider recipe but Holly resists. Connor Grimm wants to film his supernatural reality show at their orchard, which is supposedly haunted. Holly resists this offer too, as she doesn't want her family in the limelight given their magic. But who exactly is she hiding from? Love and ghostly and magic occurrences ensue, with plenty of conflict and tension to keep things interesting. Very Ghost Adventures meets Supernatural meets Practical Magic vibes. Nice amount of generational mystery, enough to keep you engaged, but this is definitely a romance more than anything else. Enemies-to-lovers, which I usually enjoy, but I'm not a huge fan of the insta-love. I did enjoy the explanation of the powers.

So, this feels like the start of a series; you can usually tell when they introduce siblings and other townspeople, all of whom are attractive and close in age to one another. There are two other sisters with distinct personalities who I'm sure will get stories. Connor has a handsome brother. Not to mention Holly's nemesis Stacy, who happens to have two handsome twin brothers who are the same age as Holly's twin sisters. How handy is that? But while I'm speculating about a series, you know what I would *really* love? If one of the aunts got a book with a love interest. As a GenX-er, I get tired after awhile of reading about 28-year-olds having all the fun.

Overall I liked it but didn't love it, but if it does turn into a series I would give the next book a try.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this story, this is my objective review.

This was such a cute and cozy read! Perfect for fall time!

It was easy to read and follow and I loved the three wicked sisters and them owning an apple orchard. All three sisters were fun and sassy and gave the book extra spunk.

Conner is one of the best book boyfriends I’ve read in awhile. He may be no shadow daddy but he accepted and adored Holly for who she was and had me swooning with his words and actions many many times.

If you’re looking for a fun, fall small town witchy romance with sassy lovable characters and a swoon worthy book boyfriend then READ THIS!

I would love another book connected to this one about one of the other sisters or even another book continuing Holly and Conners journey!

Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for this arc!

This was so delightful!! I’m not usually a paranormal romance (or any paranormal genre) girlie, but I really really enjoyed this entire book! When you switch your beach chairs for blankets this fall, this is the book you need to have in your hand!! It’s the most perfect fall romance! It was the most perfect combination of romance and comedy!

A gorgeous enemies to lovers, small town, and he falls first romance for the win! I love Holly and I LOVE Connor with my whole heart. That man is so sweet and understanding and such a great listener! The whole Celeste family was an amazing cast of characters and boy do I wish Wicked Good Apples was a real place I could visit because I’d be there an a heartbeat!

Perfectly Wicked is a sweet and spicy paranormal romance with some seriously cozy vibes. You get:

A family-owned apple orchard
Sister-friends
Small town charm
Generations of rumors about curses and magic
Family secrets and feuds
Ghosts and witches
Enemies to lovers, close proximity romance with some serious spice
Hurt comfort

Plus an adorable pet hedgehog!

This is a fun, quick read that will leave you craving apples and a sequel.

Ok I'm not someone who usually reads cute romance but I saw this and thought why not ? I'm going to be brutal and say I didn't expect much and so I'm more than happy to say I was thoroughly entertained and actually quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Witches, ghosts and of course characters you love to hate all feature plus Oo fanning myself here as passionate romance too ! This certainly held my attention and kept me eagerly turning the pages and I look forward to more by this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Perfectly Wicked was a cute, fun cozy fantasy. The perfect fall read. I think once we get closer to fall/Halloween, this book will be a favorite amongst those who like their romance with a side of fall.

Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise is a cute, cozy fantasy and is well-suited for the Fall season. The mystery is also more layered than I was initially expecting in this story and a pleasant surprise.

Holly Celeste and Connor Grimm have a fun dynamic and cute banter, and they are well-suited as a lead romance couple. This story of insta-lust turned to love does not work for me, but may be suited to other readers.

I enjoyed the lead characters, however, the supporting characters left something to be desired. I found Missy, one of the twins to be quite annoying and I had wished she would have more sense and compassion for Holly. I also found the family’s treatment of Jeremy to be strange – for a family that loves each other, and obstinately loves Holly, why would they allow him to be around? I also did not find a meaningful difference in personality between the aunts and it’s apparent there are two aunts for the “two twins and older sister” family trend.

There is a fair amount of kitsch, quirk, and cliché in this story. Despite my misgivings of the supporting characters, the story remains a recommendable cute, easy read.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove for the ARC.

a cute cozy light fantasy read perfect if you want to read a fantasy but don’t want to be weighed down with world building and intricate plots. there was some cheesy parts but i felt that i fit the vibe of the book so i didn’t mind it too much

the setting, characters and storyline are cute and it gives you just enough mystery to want to keep reading to the end. the writing is great and easy to follow and would be the perfect book for someone who’s been wanting to ease themselves into fantasy.

loved connor and hollys dynamic and banter although i would have loved to have seen more of the initial weariness as if felt kind of insta lusty to me which im not a big fan of i would have liked to have seen more depth but for what the book is i understand why they were written that way.

i dont know why but this book gave me such a nostalgic feeling? it was giving halloween town vibes and i was loving it this would definitely be a perfect october read!

thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for sending me the arc!