This is so cute an such a great fall read!

This book follows a bi witch, who has hex on her love life. There’s such a fun cast of characters, the MMC is adorable, there’s a cat familiar, and of course, lots of spice.

Definitely pick this book up if you’re in the mood for a witchy fall romance!

This book was exactly what I was hoping for: fun, witchy, sweet and a little spicy! It was so easy to get swept up in and I loved the witchy autumn vibes. Dina and Scott were both written extremely well and getting both of their POVs was such a treat. I’m not usually a fan of instalove, but I felt like this book did it so well. I also enjoyed the bisexual representation in this book. The dude characters, especially Dina’s mom, Nour and Rosemary and Immy were such a delight and I’m so excited Rosemary is getting a book next! And of course, the romance was top notch. Dina and Scott’s chemistry was through the roof and I loved how much they showed up for each other. I highly recommend this one for your fall TBR and also, fun bonus, the epilogue takes place at Christmas so you get all the holiday fun!
CW: off page infidelity, micro aggressions, injury

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Romance for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for allowing me to receive a gifted eARC for an honest review!

I really loved the premise of the book because I love all things witchy, but I felt like the timeline of this book moved tooo fast (instalove) and too slow at the same time. :( It left me in a small slump and I found it hard to read because of how I felt about everything. I do like the writing and think that Nadia El-Fassi did an amazing job with it. I also loved being able to get to know the loved ones surrounding the characters' friends and family. That part of the book felt super special to me. This book unfortunately fell a bit short to me and I would have liked to like it more :/.

Best Hex Ever was the best read to usher in fall! It is such a cozy read!

Dina is a kitchen witch and runs the Serendipity Cafe in London. The cafe is famous for its *potentially* magical treats! One day Scott, the most handsome and well educated MMC I've met this year, stumbles into Dina's cafe and accidentally breaks an evil eye charm. The two have immediate chemistry and it makes you want to tear through the rest of the book!

There were so many things I loved about this book, so I must limit myself to the highest of highlights. First, Dina is mixed and has curly hair (just like me)! She's Moroccan and Welsh. The author lovingly weaves her own Moroccan heritage throughout the book. Reading about meskouta and kaab el gazelle immediately transported me back to the time I spent in Morocco. Second, Scott's exhibit and his goal of returning artifacts back to the countries they were stolen from is just perfect, *chef's kiss.* A reverse Indiana Jones after my own heart. Lastly, the house. Where can I find a loving and cozy magical home that sends me out with a copy of poetry from Rumi?

Best Hex Ever is one of the best debuts I've ever read, and I cannot wait to read every single book Nadia El-Fassi writes!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one of my most anticipated book. The characters were charming and the atmosphere was tangible. However, I did not finish this book so I don't feel I can review it. The first 40% was slow with no tension. I was really looking forward to this book and I may return to it during Halloween season.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy.

2.5 ⭐️ - This book was not what I was expecting, but that’s not to say you shouldn’t read it— I just don’t think I was the right audience for it. I thought this was going to be a cute, cozy witch romance. But unfortunately, when we got to the romance aspect, it ended up being a little too explicit for my liking 🫣

However, I DID enjoy other parts of this book, so let’s start by discussing those!
▫️The female main character: Dina is a kitchen witch who owns a cozy café in London that sells magically infused pastries. I’m actually obsessed with this… her baking magical pastries to boost people’s moods and bring them things like confidence & joy. Adorable 🥲
▫️The solid & supportive / full of love female friendships that are a huge cornerstone of Dina’s life.
▫️For possibly the first (and last) time: the third act breakup… I know 🤯 They’re usually the result of some silly/easy to fix miscommunication. But this was not that so I found I didn’t mind it!

Things I was not a fan of…
▫️The insta-love: A good portion of the story takes place over the course of a single weekend. They go from being strangers to being in a committed relationship over ~3 days. It was such a whirlwind that I was waiting for it to be revealed someone had put a love spell on them, just to make it make sense.
▫️The spice: I’m not strictly a closed-door romance girlie, but this was a bit too much for me personally. I almost felt like it took away from the story and it would have been more enjoyable if it had been closer to the closed-door end of the spectrum. But again— if you’re someone who enjoys spice to the max, then this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for this ARC

Dina is a kitchen witch who owns & runs her own cafe' in London. She knows little about love however, as there is a hex hanging over her. With her best friend's wedding approaching, she thinks who need love when she can experience it through her friend. The wedding is a romantic getaway where she meets the groom's best friend, Scott. Dina knows that the hex still holds, but can she break it before she falls in love?

A fun witchy romance, perfect for the Halloween season! A bit too instalove for me, but I really liked the two main characters. And there’s a sentient house and a meddling cat, which are always great addition in a witchy book. Perfect for fans of Lana Ferguson and Talia Hibbert.

I don't think I have audibly cringed more in a book, at times this was horribly embarrassing to read and the dirty talk and sex were A LOT. But not in a pleasant way.
The plot was so cute to start out and I really loved the idea of her being hexed and trying to over come it, and the friend's wedding destination was such a fun location for their feelings and relationship to progress. And I LOVED how their magic system worked. So cool and wish we had gotten more of the magic and how it all works. But that was about it.
They INSTANTLY fell in love. Like one look in a coffee shop and they were done for. Super realistic...
The amount of sex talk and sneaking away to have it as soon as the wedding ceremony ended, his constant public boners, her fear of coming out as Bi to her very nice and understanding parents, her two best friends that both write horror novels, and their attitude of not having children all bugged me.
The ending fell a little flat for me too. Just a sad wrap up without leaving me wanting more or really caring.
There was soooo much potential! I went into this hoping I would love it and excited for my special edition. But in the end I was disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Publishing for my ARC!

Dina's ex put a hex on her-grr-a hex that means bad things befall her future partners. Ok, fine, she's contented herself with her bakery, her friends, and her parents but now she's met Scott and she needs to get rid of it. This is a nicely done witchy rom com with good characters that's enhanced by Dina's Moroccan heritage and her friends. The wedding at the castle is classic. And there's a bit of spice. Fans of the genre know that Dina's going to do her best with her witchy powers to rid herself of that pesky hex but how? No spoilers from me. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

A cosy, fall fueled romance!

Dina is kitchen witch who runs her own coffee shop. Putting little spells in her drinks and baked goods can bring her customers luck, help them nail that job interview or even find love. Dina loves love, but unfortunately for her, she’s been cursed by an ex lover that anyone who ends up falling for Dina gets hurt. We’re talking hospitals, accidents, that kind of hurt. So Dina feels doomed to be alone forever. Although not completely alone, she has a close relationship with her mother who’s also a witch and her two best friends who know her about their witchy secret. When Dina meets Scott, the new curator at the British museum, Dina falls head over heels for him. Somethings different about Scott from her past lovers, he seems to be falling even quicker for her and she can see a future with him. But with her curse looming heavily over her head, she keeps Scott at a distance. The obvious thing to do would be to seek her mothers help but no matter how close they are, Dina’s keeping her bi-sexuality a secret from her mother and in order to get her help she’d have to let her know that her lover that cursed her was a female. So instead she takes matters into her own hands and tries stay away from Scott and when that doesn’t last long she tries her best to keep the curse at bay on her own.

A slow-burn, forced proximity trope. This was just as much a romance as it was a story about learning to love yourself. Perfect for an autumnal read, this had all the warm and cosy details written in so be sure to grab a tasty treat and warm drink. Along with two horror/paranormal loving best friends, you get a helpful familiar cat, and a quirky magical house. Not to mention the Moroccan culture details that really shone through Dina’s personality.

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub date: 10/1

Thank you so much to Dell Romance for my advanced copy!

Dina Whitlock is a skilled kitchen witch running a magical café in London, and Scott Mason is a globe-trotting museum curator returning home after a painful breakup. Their lives become entwined when Scott, best man at a mutual friend’s wedding, walks into Dina’s café, completely unaware of her magical abilities—or the love hex that makes falling in love a risky venture for Dina.

This book is perfect for spooky season. The atmosphere is filled with cozy magic, playful wedding antics, and a simmering romance. The chemistry between Dina and Scott is electric, making every interaction between them exciting. The story's magical elements, from palm readings to midnight rituals, add a feeling of enchantment to their budding romance, while the looming threat of Dina’s hex adds tension and high stakes to the story.

Dina’s struggle with her hex and Scott’s fear of heartbreak are relatable, grounding their romance with real-world emotions. I love the way they’re able to open up to each other about their fears and how accepting they are of each other’s eccentricities.

This book is full of warmth, humor, and lots of spice. Nadia El-Fassi is a debut author to watch!

Read if you like:
*witchy vibes
*cozy magical fantasy
*single POV
*open door spice

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC .

This is a cozy spicy romantasy that had me giggling at times and fanning myself at others. It is hard sometimes for books to be spicy without it seeming like those scenes are just thrown in because; but the angst and spice where perfectly written and placed in a way that really helped you fall for the couple. The author did an amazing job of letting you into the characters lives a bit at a time as the story unfolded which made it so easy to connect with them. Nadia wrote a book that manages to make you love the ending but hating that it ended because you wanted more. When she releases books for the other friends in the group I will buying them immediately.

Best Hex Ever tells the story of Dima, a kitchen witch, who struggles with a hex that keeps her from opening herself up to love because she doesn’t want to hurt people. It has this great Practical Magic the movie vibes for the relationship. It is more than just a boy meets girl romance with magic though. Dima also struggles with being her true self about her sexuality because of fear of rejection from her family. Dima, Rosemary and Immy are friendship goals for sure, and every one wishes they had that kind of connection and friendship in their lives. I will stop rambling now and tell you just read the book, you won’t regret it.

Loved this book. I thought it was a cozy fantasy which it very much has cozy fantasy aspects but it's more like cozy fantasy smut. It was so good though. Just so adorable. I do wish there was less time in the wedding weekend and more time after the wedding. There was a bit of internal dialogue but it didn't seem like it was too much. The banter was great. Those friendships were amazing. Just so great!

<spoiler>The moral of the story was wonderful and beautiful message about self-love and how our negative thoughts can impact us.</spoiler>

I'm so sad to say this book was kinda a let down. I really loved it at the beginning - the vibes of Dina and her bakery and the witchiness were just so fall. It was just way too insta-lovey for me. Dina and Scott had three meet cute (all of which were good) and then after the third meet cute the character growth just kinda stopped. This book did the thing I absolutely hate where both main characters remember sex exists and therefore that is all they can do together.

**spoilers**

I have two main plot point gripes with this book, the first being the character development (or the lack thereof). Both characters seem so stagnant throughout the whole book. Scott has this trauma from being cheated on his last relationship, but this is not developed AT ALL except for him saying "I got cheated on and it sucked". Like dude. You left the COUNTRY because of it and it's not going to have any impact on your new relationship?? Unlikely. Second, the fucking curse. The main plot build-up through this book is this stupid relationship curse on Dina, and it turns out she put it on herself???? HUH????? And it's like a "you need to love yourself" ala Justin Bieber???? And her mom reverses it in like five minutes??? You're joking. You have to be. SOSOSOSOSOSO disappointing. Like. Even with the same idea this could have been done so much better. Scott also forgives her way to quickly. Like within two days and five minutes of her saying she's sorry. BOOOOOOO ARGUE PLEASE!! AHHHHHHHH

Dina's coming out to her mom was cute, and the turmoil she felt regarding that was about the only growth I saw in this whole entire book, which made it stand out a lot more than it was probably meant to.

Overall, definitely not my favorite read ever, which is so disappointing because I wanted to love this book. It definitely fulfills the fall vibe it promises, but if you're looking for anything beyond that I hate to say you'll probably be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book!

Can I please transport myself into this book? Because I want to live there! This was exactly what I needed from a fall/witchy romance.

This book follows Dina and Josh. Dina is a witch of Moroccan descent who owns a dreamy bakery. After being hexed by her ex, she refuses to fall in love because anyone she gets romantically involved with ends up getting hurt. Josh is a museum curator that has just returned from a 2-year hiatus after having his heart broken. They meet one day when Josh comes into Dina's bakery, but everything seems to go wrong. After he leaves, they can't stop thinking about each other. Little do they know, they are both in their best friends' wedding and will be spending several days together, staying in the same cabin! Obviously from there, the attraction that they already held for each other progresses and it is the SWEETEST relationship.
The chemistry between Dina and Josh, in and out of the bedroom, was absolute perfection.

This has by far been my most favorite fall read this year, and I can't wait to read more from Nadia El-Fassi.

This book was a delightful mix of magic, romance, and charm. Dina, a kitchen witch cursed in love, meets Scott, the best man with his own past heartbreak, and sparks fly in the most enchanting way. With humor and heart, this story weaves together spells, romance, and the hope of breaking a long-standing hex.

A warm hug of a novel - perfect for fall vibes.

I waited forever to read this. I wanted to save it for fall, but fall failing to materialize (so far), I decided to attempt to "manifest" it with this book (and others) and I was not disappointed at all. This has something for almost anyone who enjoys a witchy romance - fall vibes, good friends, a bit of spice (all good cider should have a hint of spice!) and a sprinkling of magic. I loved all of the characters (even the ones who were less fleshed out - presumably for the sequel that is obviously coming) and the setting. Can't put into words how much I loved both the concept and execution of the "house" that Dina's family lives in. And once again - authors...your characters don't have to be billionaires! Here we see a perfectly awesome romance where the main characters are normal people. And without saying too much about the ending - I loved the "reveal" of the hex and how it was resolved.

I love that this book is effortlessly diverse. It is diverse without seeming to be trying too hard to do so and it just gives you that feeling of the real world. Morocco (and the Moroccan expat community) are vividly described with snippets of language and culture. Add to that that I can't describe how awesome the show Scott is putting together for the British Museum sounds amazing and I loved that he is up-front that the museum has a troubled past with stealing artifacts - and that one of his goals with the tour is to return some home where they belong.

If I had a complaint (and I don't - not really) it would be that I'm never the biggest fan of the "insta love" trope. But it didn't bother me here at all and I was very satisfied with this. It may not have "manifested fall" in reality - but it did in my soul. Highly recommended. A solid 4.5 stars - looking forward to what Nadia El-Fassi writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine - Dell for the advance reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
#BestHexEver

Definitely a good book for fall, I was getting such a lovely, warm autumn vibe as I sat reading this on a New England cove with a soft, golden light and the leaves beginning to change. The story is told from two different POV’s, something that works really well with this story. The main characters are a cafe owner in London who serves magic infused treats, she’s a kitchen witch. The other, Scott, is a museum curator who has just returned to London after escaping two years ago to nurse a broken heart. What should be a simple love story of these two falling for each other at their friends country wedding can’t be, because Dina, the kitchen witch, is under a hex that places any one she begins to fall in love with in danger.
I liked how Dina’s close relationship with her two best friends was portrayed, and Scott’s with his, they were written in a way that sounded real and natural. The use of omens being of particular interest to Dina and Scott in very different ways was a great way to bring them together beyond their having mutual friends. Then of course there is the food and drink, I’m definitely adding a drop of orange oil and a dusting of cinnamon to my next mug of homemade dark hot chocolate!
If I lived in London I would be at Dina’s cafe on a daily basis.
The only thing that had me knock a star off was the somewhat repetitive sex scenes and Scott’s language during them…it seemed demanding and hard, every time he said “Good Girl” the only thing that popped into my head was my nephew saying that to praise their lab puppy whenever she would do her business somewhat on command while out on their morning walk.
Overall, a fun, cozy book, I would red more by the author. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballentine/Dell for the chance to read an advance copy.

“Damn, he should have offered to get down on his knees and clean up the spilled coffee if it meant he could have continued speaking with her.”

I really liked this witchy book! Everyone and their momma knows I love a good instant-love and a kitchen witch so this book was bound to make its way into my heart. I loved the character growth and the relationship between Dina and her mom, it reminded me so much of my mother and I. All in all this books was awesome and I can’t wait for more!