Cover Image: The Hedge Witch

The Hedge Witch

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Member Reviews

I had enjoyed the overall feel of this story, it had that fantasy element that I was looking for and enjoyed about the genre. The characters had that feel that I was hoping for and thought the use of the past life worked well. Colleen Delaney has a great writing style and enjoyed what I read.

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I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


I love witches and this book was no exception. Think Practical Magic with its own set of rules, some steamier scenes and past lives coming to fruition.

I love the dynamic between the sisters and its very cosy fantasy. I will be reading book 2!

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Magic and family come together in this fun novel. Laurel is a simple hedge witch who does tarot readings for a living. She knows that she and her sisters will all meet their soul mates soon, but she doesn't expect to be the first on the list.

When she meets Owen in a dream realm, Laurel can't stop thinking about him. Her soulmate. Owen is in much the same boat, but as they realize their link to one another, Laurel faces threats from a past life.

Together they defend their family and island from a witch intent on destroying the Bay Witches.

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Thank you to City Owl Press and NetGalley for an eARC copy of The Hedge Witch by Colleen Delaney.

If you like Practical Magic and Charmed, you will certainly love The Hedge Witch. The first book in a series, The Hedge Witch introduces us to the Bay Family and starts with the story of Laurel, a Hedge Witch. Following Laurel's journey to learning about and meeting her soulmate, to the multi-generational curse on her family and the lengths they would go to stop it in their tracks. It was certainly a cozy-read, but despite this being a series, I wish the book was a bit longer and gave more world building. I do enjoy when books get straight into it, but I also like growing with the series, even if it starts off slow. It also could have been polished a bit more, there were sections that I felt weren't written by an adult. But, past that it was a fun and fast read.

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3.5stars--THE HEDGE WITCH is the first instalment in Colleen Delaney’s contemporary, adult THE WITCHES OF STAR ISLAND paranormal romance series focusing on sisters and witches: Laurel, Lavender, Sage, Verbena and Rosemary Bay who work and live on Star Island. This is twenty-nine year old hedge witch Laurel Bay, and thirty-one year old carpenter, Owen Davies story line.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspective (Laurel and Owen) using present day and ‘memories’ from the past THE HEDGE WITCH follows in the wake of a series of dreamlike visions. Laurel Bay is a hedge witch, able to ‘jump the hedge’, traveling to another time where she will identify as Amee, meeting her soulmate Onfroi but on one such travel Laurel will find herself targeted by a sorceress, a witch from the past, who wants to absorb our heroine’s powers. Meanwhile, Owen Davies, the son of a water witch, suspects the woman in his dreams is his fated soulmate. A trip to Star Island would bring Owen face to face with his future, in the guise of Amee aka Laurel Bay but the past refuses to let go, taking aim at Laurel Bay.

The world building follows two timelines and intersecting paths. A curse in the past has followed Laurel to the present, and the descendant has taken aim at our story line heroine.

The relationship between Laurel and Owen is one of fated soulmates who met hundreds of years earlier , and continue to meet in the Hedge World but the real world is about to come face to face with the past, and Owen is determined to save the woman with whom he has fallen in love. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate.

We are introduced to Laurel’s sister: Sage, Lavender, Verbena and Rosemary, as well as Owen’s mother, Bartender Luke Karnes and witch Morana Stoch aka Flavia.

THE HEDGE WITCH is a story of magic and mayhem, secrets and lies, power and control, insta-love and fate. The premise is entertaining but there was more telling than showing; the romance is subtle; the characters are interesting but a little dry.



THE READING CAFÉ: https://www.thereadingcafe.com/the-hedge-witch-the-witches-of-star-island-1-by-colleen-delaney/



GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6545310301


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I am OBSESSED with this book. The first chapter alone immediately captured my attention, then the further I delved, the more in love I became. This world that was created was everything I dream about. Absolute perfection.

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3.5 stars

Thanks so much for the copy of this book to read.

It took me some time to get into but once I was in it I sped through it. I really enjoyed the sisters and family in the book more than I loved the main character. IT was a cute, quick, quirky romance that I could see myself really enjoying under a blanket during the Autumn months.

I don't love spice in books, but it was really easy to speed past that without ruining any of the plot so that was fine in this book.

I also loved how the ending made me really want to pick up the next book to see what happens next!

This book gives witchy, fantasy, cosy but still quite high stakes.

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The book’s description really drew me in as it has a lot of what I enjoy in a book. I’ve been really enjoying Witchy books lately.

I really enjoyed this book and it didn’t take long to find myself immersed in the first story of the Bay Witch Sisters.
Each of the five sisters have various talents and each will find their soulmate at a certain event as told by the prophecy but of course it’s never that easy!
The first follows Laurel a Hedge witch who would rather not develop her skills like her sisters but instead focuses on her Tarot reading and wandering the Hedge world,
a realm only accessible to Hedge Witches.
That’s where she unexpectedly meets her soulmate, Owen and learns that their futures are intertwined but it doesn’t take long before they learn of the curse and what they need to do to secure their future.
The book has flashbacks, past lives, other worlds and revenge!
The book was well written and easy to follow along and I loved the cosy romance vibe that came across in the writing.
This is the first time reading from this author and it’s also a new series which I’m looking forward to reading more. I can’t wait to read about Rosemary in the next book.

Thank you to the Publisher, Author and Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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This book is a straight up blend of witchcraft and romance. The Bay sisters are Gals you would love to know and be friends with. The antagonist is spooky and deliciously bad news. The romance is one of the driving forces of this novel.
Colleen Delaney has crafted an engrossing, well-written book. I enjoyed reading it immensely.

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Thanks for the opportunity. Very cozy book, if you loved practical magic you will definitely like this. A very enjoyable adventure that follows several life time curses.

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This book was really cute! I loved how the author used flashbacks in her storytelling. She also did a great job flipping between worlds. I really loved the sisters connection. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

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The Hedge Witch was a fun read with a couple of new aspects -- multi-lifetime curses, witches that cross the good bad realms, and sonofawitch. While this book was more on the fun side of life, it contained enough magic, spells, and darkness it was able to keep my attention. If you aren't a fantasy reader who likes complicated, dark magic, this is the perfect read.



#thehedgewitch #sonofawithc

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Thank you NG for this ARC read! If you're looking for a magical, yet vengeful, with a side of romance and some this is it! The Hedge Witch is filled with such a fascinating and vivid storyline of Laurel and Owen. Laurel is the 3/5 witchy sisters who depends on her sisters for a lot! Until someone from her past returns and she is set on finding this man (aka Owens), that she will do anything to find. Owen a son of a witch, decedent of the powerful Davis line of water witches and warlocks. However, he is not gifted with any powerful magic. Colleen does a great job with the format of the story including the flashbacks and back and forth between worlds. I loved the way the magic was described from both Laurel and Owen's perspective, and through their relationship with magic.

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~ BOOK REVIEW ~

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

📚 A prophecy that'll change their lives…

The story follows closely with Laurel Bay, the middle child of five witchy sisters living on Star Island. Who has the ability to mentally jump into another world, the Hedge World. Where she finds her soulmate from another life.

This was such a cute and cosy witchy read!

Was super easy to read and follow along. With a storyline that to me was completely unique, I hadn’t read anything similar. To add the world building was beautiful and felt really immersive.

A perfect little cosy witchy read.

Let this book absorb you into an adventure full of magic, family and a bit of history.

Thank you to @netgalley and @colleendelaneywrites for this book!!

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This book was cute & cozy! It reminds me of Practical Magic, with a very earthen, family-oriented magic system. I didn't think I'd enjoy the soulmates trope as much as I did - so that was a pleasant surprise.

While I enjoyed it and thought it was fun, the writing could use some polishing - some sections felt juvenile and irrelevant to the story, while other sections weren't wholly fleshed out (we had a lot of moments where we thought we would learn more about Laurel's sisters, but instead we got almost nothing about them).

Overall this was a fun time! Fingers crossed that there's a next book in the series, because that cliffhanger!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Colleen Delaney, and City Owl Press for a review copy.

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She is a witch who meets her soul mate. There is a past life curse on the family and a vengeful witch who wants revenge. Can’t wait for the next books in the series

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Thank you NetGalley, City Owl Press, and Colleen Delaney for the digital ARC copy. The Hedge Witch by Colleen Delaney is available now in all formats. The Hedge Witch was such a fun read. It gave me Practical Magic/ Charmed vibes. I loved the soulmate and reincarnation storyline. Laurel and Owen must learn of their past lives to know what’s going on in the present. I think this could become a series perhaps a book for each sister as they all need to find their soul mates. I was smiling at Owen and Laurel’s interactions and thoroughly enjoyed the book. The world building setup was smooth and easy to go along with. I completely would recommend for YA and Adult.

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Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the E-Arc!

The Prologue captured my attention with such a powerful scene. This set the entire book for what was coming. I enjoyed the entire book from start to finish.

One thing happens after another. Past lives, magic, soulmates and curses! Oh boy!

Two things to mention!
1. There is some death bits in the book..torture and death due to witch hunting back in the day. So just heads up. I'm not giving you the details.

2. There is some spicy bits in it that just went with the story.

And now back to the review! The story kept overflowing on the pages having me want to know what was going to happen next. The sweetness, the action, the suspense! I had to know what was going to happen with Laurel and Owen. Would they get their happy ever after? Will the curse be ended? Will Laurel meet Owen's family?

Owen's family sounds pretty cool. I wonder if we will get stories from Owen's side of the family too. I want Laurel to meet Owen's mom! Water witches sound very interesting to learn too.

The connection between Owen and Laurel was just right. I love the playfulness they have with each other along with the flirty and steamy bits. Soulmates is what exactly they are.

Laurel's sisters are awesome. Love how they all help each other out when needed. I believe more stories are coming! I can't wait.

This is a must read for a cozy day to dive into the world of history, soulmates, magic, family and adventure. Go get it today!

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The witchy Bay sisters receive a prophecy during their Beltane ritual that each of their heart will be claimed by Samhain. The first to fall is tarot reading hedge witch, Laurel Bay. Finding her long awaited soulmate is not what she expected. Learning the details of their past life together even less so. Her soulmate is not all that comes back from her past life, however, and it threatens all she holds dear. Will Laurel and her soulmate Owen’s new life together survive the threat, or are they doomed to repeat their past life’s violent end?

This book was definitely a slow burn for me. I do think that is partially due to the set up required for the story line of the series, as well as Laurel and Owen’s immediate white hot connection feeling slightly forced to me, despite knowing their soulmate status (or maybe the trope of “I love you immediately even if I know absolutely NOTHING about you” drives me crazy). That said, I enjoyed seeing the sisters band together to protect their own. The Bay sisters are no damsels in distress, thankyouverymuch. Despite the slow burn, I loved the sisters and want to get more of their story!

I’ve rated The Hedge Witch 3.5 stars, with a 3/5 spice level. I do recommend giving it a try yourself, especially if you’re looking to start a new, promising, witchy series!

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A new small town witch sisters, yes please! I really liked that the stories of the sisters start off out of order. Welcome to Star Island, home of
the Bay sisters. Book 1 starts off with soulmates across time: Laurel & Owen. Bad witch out for blood, sweet romance and 5 witchy sisters - can’t wait to see who shows up in book 2.

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