This was so well written and the story had my attention from page one and I was giddy and kicking my feet the entire time I was reading this. I loved the ✨serendipitous✨ moments and alll emotions it drew up and the meant-to-be feels. Also, the cafe was named Serendipity Cafe, like, how perfect is that?

This book had juuuust the right amount of spice, witchy romance vibes, girl gang, and banter. I also loved how the cat had its own personality. Sorta reminded me of other books where there is a familiar. Also I loved the cookie crumbs of a potential book 2! I could spot the third act breakup from miles, but the book tied up nicely and was overall an easy, cosy, fun read.

PS I loved that their happily ever after didn’t involve children. #childfreebychoice

Why you need to read this:
⟢ paranormal romance
⟢ cozy fantasy
⟢ kitchen witch x museum curator
⟢ witchy vibes
⟢ sister bonds/friendships

Add this to your book if you’ve enjoyed:
🪄 This Spells Love by Kate Robb
🪄 The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
🪄 The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book & look forward to reading more of Nadia El-Fassi!

Another FABULOUS 2024 debut that is absolutely perfect for any spooky season reading list!! This witchy, dual POV, British romance features a biracial kitchen witch who finds herself falling for the best man at her best friend's wedding. Super steamy and full of great bisexual rep (her), this book is perfect for fans of authors like Sangu Mandanna. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book is like if you took the hand flex scene from Pride and Prejudice, getting a warm hug after sobbing, and biting into the best fluffiest, most delectable croissant, on a crisp fall day. Best Hex Ever is all of that and more. I need more witchy cozy romance from Nadia El-Fassi cause I literally don’t think I’ve felt this happy since 2009. This story was just beautiful. Absolutely adored this novel and read it so quickly, I was under Dina’s spell! What a beautiful love story and a perfect read to remind you how powerful (and loved) you really can be.
4.75/5 ✨
🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House for the arc

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi was a great book to read to kick off spooky season. Dina is a witch who loves to bake. She meets Scott in the café that she owns. As it turns out Scott is the best man in a wedding Dina is also in. They keep having these encounters where they are thrown together. Dina seems to think that there is a Hex on her keeping her from falling and staying love. Dina has to learn to love herself before anyone else can.

THE BEST HEX EVER is a meet cute, coffee shop/bakery, witchy magic, cozy romance with spicy scenes not limited to hot chai. Those descriptors pretty much hit all of my favorite romance tropes so this was a fun book for me. Readers will enjoy the delicious descriptions of the baked goods and the luscious British settings as well as the hijinks related to an upcoming wedding on Halloween. Add in delightful chemistry between a variety of couples and this is a difficult book not to read in one big gulp. If the ending is a little YA, it’s not too much sweetness overload. The spicy scenes make this definitely an adult book, though. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I loved this! I felt like I was in a Taylor Swift song. Immaculate witchy vibes ans Scott was absolutely delicious. Can't wait to continue the series with Rosemary's story!

I first want to take a moment to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing - Ballantine, and Nadia El-Fassi for an Arc of Best Hex Ever in exchange for an honest review. I am sad to say that I did not get on with this book and ended up DNFing it about 35 percent of the way into it. I want to clarify that my DNFing of this book is a me thing, not a book thing. Let me explain. When I requested this book, I went based on the cover and the description like one does, and it sounded fantastic. The cover is so autumnal that I was eager to get right into it. I loved the idea of a witch who bakes delicious treats in a bakery that she owns. I mean, what isn't to love, right? Another thing that really caught my attention about this story is the setting. It takes place in England, a place that I have always wanted to see. Granted, I did not get far into the story, but I really did enjoy the friend vibes between the female characters, and I was interested in seeing how things would play out between Dina and Scott. As I have said, I only made it to about 35 percent of the way through this book, and that is because I was not expecting all the spice. I picked this story up thinking it was going to be a cozy witchy fall read, and well, it did have those elements, but it also had ones that I was not interested in reading, which is why I DNFed this book. If you are looking for a witchy fall romance with steam, I think this might be a book you would be interested in reading. If reading spice doesn't bother you, then I would say give this book a go because it really did have the cozy fall vibes (at least what I read did). Again, I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing - Ballantine, and Nadia El-Fassi for this Arc. I am just sorry that it was not a book for me.

Dina is a kitchen witch with a bad luck curse. She meets Scott, and the hex is tested as the relationship between the two grows. I loved the descriptive writing, I felt like I could smell the bakery, and feel the magic. I will say, I think the spice was a bit over-used and took away from the sweet story. Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Romance for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a cosy witchy and sweet fall read. This story does revolve around insta-lust. So if thats your jam, go for it. It does come on a little strong and fast but, this is all vibes.

We have our cursed bakery owner, Dina and our museum curator MMC Scott. He is just such a sweet, loving, nerdy mix between a cinnamon roll and a golden retriever while Dina is actively trying to avoid love at all costs. Mix them up and drop them off at their mutual friends wedding and tadaaaa.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a great fall read.The main characters are a kitchen witch who owns a cafe. The other, Scott, is a museum curator who has just returned to London after escaping two years ago to nurse a broken heart. What sounds like a simple love story is complicated by a curse on the main character. Anyone who begins to fall for her gets put in danger, but not even a curse could stop the chemistry between these characters.
I liked how Dina’s and Scott’s relationships were portrayed with their friends, very natural.
Overall, a fun, cozy book, I would read more by the author. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballentine/Dell for the chance to read an advance copy.

"Best Hex Ever" is for romance lovers who enjoy spice, instalove and minimal conflict and drama. It's an easy, cozy read with magic, fall, friendship, pets, desserts and fun.

**Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

I wanted to live this book, it had wonderful Fall imagery but I didn’t enjoy the characters and the wedding setting. The close proximity trope did not work for me at all.

I enjoyed reading this book, especially close to the spooky season, but I’m not sure how much I will remember it. I wasn’t enthralled with either of the main characters and the storyline often drifted from “compelling” to “goofy.” However, if you are looking for a light fall read that will get you in the Halloween spirit, this book checks most of the boxes. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (🥵)

Tropes:
✨Close proximity
✨Paranormal
✨Maid of honor / best man
✨Third act breakup
✨Cozy fantasy

Dina owns a cozy cafe in town where she sprinkles a bit of magic for her customers, proving them comfort and a safe place to visit. Scott is a curator studying talisman at a local museum. Dina and Scott meet three times over two days and realize they are the maid of honor and best man for the same wedding.

The tension was palpable from their very first meeting and as soon as you realized they be at the same wedding you knew it was going down. Only problem? Dina has a hex set on her by a previous lover and to avoid the hexes interference she’s sworn off love. Will they figure it out? Will they have the best hex ever? You’ll have to read to find out 😉

Omg !!!!!!! This is so damn cute!!!!!!!!!! Like omg. Love it , adore it, the meet cute and all the bad luck too much , this was fun , cute and adorable all in one.
efinitely enjoyed this book a lot.
The sexual tension between this two omg.
The plot was cute and nice.
I really like Scott subplot and Dina love for baking.
I like a lot the spooky add on of the friends and the Manor setting.
Definitely a good one for Spooky season.

This is a cute, witchy good time. A little too spicy for me but that's just my preference. It gives small-town, cozy vibes even though half the book takes place in London.

I love the kitchen witch magic and how Dina bakes hints of emotion into her treats - the feel of a comforting hug, the feel of relaxing after a long day or an extra shot of confidence.

This book is all about finding out who you are and loving that person completely...oh and breaking the hex that's cursing your love life!

This book is a perfect fall read, just in time for spooky season!

Dina Whitlock is a very talented kitchen witch & owner of a cafe in London where she sells magic-infused treats to her loyal customers. The one area of her life she is not lucky in is love. Thanks to the hex hanging over her head. It’s hard to fall in love when your partner is cursed with a string of bad luck. But who needs love when your best friend is getting married, right? Scott Mason has returned from global travels excited to embark on his new role as a curator at the British Museum. Having left London two years ago to recover from a devastating breakup, Scott has missed out on a lot. With his best friend’s wedding approaching, and Scott as best man, this is his chance to make up for lost time. Little does he expect to be enchanted by the magical maid of honor. During a romantic weekend filled with a peculiar hedge maze, palm readings by candlelight, and a midnight Halloween ritual, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. But the hex still holds, and Dina knows that Scott is in danger of more than just bad luck—because she’s falling, hard. Will Dina be able to undo the hex before it’s too late?

This witchy rom-com was so much fun. I loved all of the characters, especially Dina & Scott. The chemistry was oozing off of the pages. There was a plethora of steamy love scenes between these two, and I had my fingers crossed through the whole book that she would find a way to break the hex so that they could be together. This is perfect for fans of Ann Aguirre & Jasmine Guillory.

I really enjoyed this book - it's a cozy witch romance where the Dina and Scott run into each other several times before finding out they're the Best Man and Maid of Honor at their friends' wedding. There is a fair bit of fighting their attraction as Dina is concern about hurting Scott due to her hex.

It is a great debut romance with some great laughs and spice! I loved that Dina is a kitchen witch, their shared interests (protection charms/history/witchy things), and the journey of self love that comes through in this book. Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon!

I had so much fun with this one!! The perfect steamy, witchy, romcom for fall. And the fact that this was the author's debut was so impressive to me! I really loved the world she built, even in a romance with some magical realism and the characters. The book flowed so well and I binged this one quite quick, it was just the perfect fall/Halloween romance for me!!

Dina runs a London cafe, where she serves magical food and drink to her customers. Only a few of her closest friends know about her being a witch and the hex set on her after her last failed relationship. Dina wants to fall in love and find her one true love so badly, but every time she gets close to someone, a string of bad luck/curses destroy their relationship. Dina meets Scott by chances one day at her cafe, and the two are quickly reunited, when they are unexpectedly the maid of honor and best man at their close friend's wedding. Dina and Scott instantly have a really strong connection and lots of chemistry, and the two try to fight off their attraction to each other.

Although the relationship was a bit quick for me, it wasn't insta love, and there was depth to the characters and their past relationships. This book was SPICY, but honestly a good amount, and I really felt like their attraction and chemistry was real. I LOVED the magical and witchy elements, really making the book come alive and feel like you were in the middle of a halloween wedding. I really enjoyed the author's writing and was overall impressed this was her debut!! A book about opening yourself back up to love and positive experiences, I definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a good witchy romance.

Thank you to Dell Romance and NetGalley for this free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Magic. Witchy. BAKING. Plus SPICCCEE. You need it. You’re welcome. A kitchen witch who loves baking with a cursed love meets someone who is worth breaking her hex for. This is a debut and I can't wait to see what else this author comes up with. This is perfect for Halloween spooky season.

Tropes:
-Chance Encounter
-Forced Proximity
-Kitchen Witch
-Bisexual Rep
-Spicey

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own. I have purchased my own copy.