Feel good read for Fall. A cute love-hexed witch runs into a cute curator that has just come back from a heartbreak healing journey. Insta-connection but can it work when she's destined to hurt him? 3.75 rounded up because it was fun and cute.

Dina is a bi witch who owns a magical bakery. Scott is a curator of magical items who has always hoped that one would find be real, but has never found it. Until now. Their story was super fun to read, a great group of friends come together for their friend's wedding where these two bump into each other again. Fate has some plans, but Dina has a long history of hexed relationships haunting her. So when things start to go awry, she knows she has to walk away.

Do read if you're looking for a light-hearted, spicy, quick HEA without a lot of heartache. Don't read if you prefer a complex, deep, slow burn with lots of twists.

First off, thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for granting me access to this book in exchange for a review.

I approached this book with the hope of connecting with the story and themes, but unfortunately, it wasn't the right fit for me. While I appreciate the author's efforts to represent diverse perspectives, I found that the themes and characters didn't resonate with my personal beliefs. I understand that others might find value in this novel, but it didn't align with what I typically seek in a book.

Another significant concern was the reliance on telling rather than showing. The book often resorted to exposition instead of allowing the story to unfold through actions and dialogue. This approach made the narrative feel flat and less immersive, which hindered my ability to connect with the characters.

Lastly, the use of miscommunication trope felt particularly frustrating. While this trope can be effective when used sparingly, it was overused here, leading to contrived conflicts that felt unnecessary and repetitive.

I recognize that every reader has their own preferences, shaped by personal beliefs and experiences. For me this novel contained too many elements that I typically avoid, making it a disappointing read. However, I respect that others might enjoy it and find meaning where I did not. ⭐️⭐️

How to best sum up Best Hex Ever? It was OK. The main characters were OK. The tension was OK. The romance was OK (I was beginning to think Scott’s favorite phrase was “good girl”. It had potential, but that potential was never realized.

The best thing about this book was the relationships of the female characters.

I loved this book! It is the perfect kind of paranormal with magic but also regular folks.
Dina is a witch whose magic manifests mostly around food & tea. She also has other skills but they aren’t as strong. Her mother’s magic is different. Her mother is Moroccan and her father is welsh. They are delightful.
Scott is a museum curator whose focus is artifacts of protection that he would like to see returned to the countries they were stolen from.
This book was such an easy read. Lovely friends, a solid attraction with spice, and a resolution that didn’t feel unnecessary.

This was cute and cozy! Perfect for fall! I really enjoyed the romance and the characters were very likeable. A bit slow to start but after awhile I got invested in the romance mostly! Will be adding to our library and recommending.

3.5 stars

This was a really cute and cozy paranormal witchy romance! The FMC is a witch who owns a bakery/cafe and incorporates harmless magic into her bakes/coffees to improve everyone's day (think Simply Irresistible). I love the cultural references throughout this book and found the FMC's relationship with her parents, friends, and cat to be so sweet and lovely. This book is an instalove and I think that's where it fell a little bit flat for me. Generally, I'm not the biggest fan of instalove but I'll still read instalove books because sometimes it just works SO well and sucks you in. I think the instalove felt a bit forced for me here. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, so it wasn't as believable for me. Regardless of that, I still really enjoyed the other elements of this book and am glad that I read it!

I received this book as an arc!

Best Hex Ever was a cute book! I loved that Dina was a kitchen witch and Scott was a museum curator - so cozy! The chemistry between them was really great as well. I adore Dina’s family house. Where can I find a magical house? One thing that wasn’t my favorite was the PC stuff really being force fed. I’m here to suspend reality; when authors oh-so-casually drop stuff like that in their books, it feels more like pushing an agenda dressed up in fiction to me.

I received an ARC of Best Hex Ever from NetGalley. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

True score 3.75, rounding up to 4

What to expect:
🍂Cozy fall vibes
🍂Bi rep
🍂Moroccan witch
🍂forced proximity
🍂baking with spells
🍂reverse Indiana Jones MC
🍂magical house with personality
🍂SPICY
🍂insta love

🫶🏽What I enjoyed
The fall atmospheric vibes were SO good! This had an incredibly cozy start and the imagery described was so clear I could easily see it in my head. I was very much intrigued by the premise, enjoyed Dina’s relationship with her best friends, and appreciated a few of the tender moments she had with Scott. I also loved the close relationship each MC had with their parents, even though Dina was afraid of coming out to her mom.

What didn’t work for me
I wish this book had gradually eased in to the spice. The start was so sweet and cozy and I feel like the jump to graphic language came out of no where and was a bit extreme. I would have liked to have seen Dina and Scott develop more of an emotional relationship first, and for them to have dug deeper during the maze scene. I was also hoping to learn more about Rosemary seeing dead people, as that was glossed over. And about 1|4 of the book was mostly back-to-back smut. Thankfully it did get better after the cringy 3rd act break up.

All that said though, I think there were a lot of strong strengths here for a debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author! Plus she gave a pspspsps shoutout to her cat in the acknowledgments, so she’s won me over

A review will be posted on my Instagram account the week of September 23rd.

This book was amazing! No notes! It was cozy and spicy and literally made me forget it’s still summer outside! I cannot wait to follow Nadia’s career!

Best Hex Ever is a romantic cozy about a kitchen witch who has been hexed; anyone who loves her romantically will get hurt. I specify romantic love because Dina is loved. She has good friends that accept her as she is. Her parents are kind and supportive. She owns a thriving business with happy repeat customers. She can pay her bills. There isn’t anyone in her life that is manipulative, or mean, or sarcastic, or out to destroy her. Yes, she is lonely, but otherwise her life is good.

It is so nice to start a novel with a hug instead a long list of problems to fix.

And once Scott shows up, her life just gets better. He is fascinated with her magic, but not in an exploitive way. He likes her cat. Their chemistry is great. They genuinely like and respect each other, tell each other the truth and are vulnerable. He is emotionally mature enough to apologize, helps out when firewood needs to be chopped.

The sex scenes are spicy and welcome, don’t get me wrong, but I think the author has tapped into a much sweeter sort of fantasy than she anticipated.

I really wanted to like this book because Dina is a witch who owns a magical cafe where the hot chocolate and pastries are always delicious. Cute, right? However, the pacing was so slow in the beginning that it was hard for me to get into it. There were several pages of dialogue and interiority just talking about pastries and how amazing Dina is at baking. I feel like all of that could've been condensed to one paragraph. Since she's also a witch, it was odd that she was taking so much credit for it. Which is it? Is it your amazing baking skills or is it magic?

The love story was cute but there was some kink stuff that just isn't my personal taste. I also thought that the stakes were high but I had a hard time believing it for some reason. I don't know if I just wasn't invested enough in the characters or if it was a case of telling versus showing. Either way I was okay with the third act breakup trope.

Overall though it's a cute, autumn read. I think if you just take it at face value and go into it with low expectations, you'll enjoy it.

Thank you, Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 In a world that can be so overwhelming and cruel, it cannot hurt to believe in a little bit of magic….Whether you think magic is real or not, the universe sure did have a plan to bring Dina and Scott together over the course of their best friends’ wedding weekend. A little bit of witchcraft mixed with forced proximity is just the right recipe to bring these two together in this absolutely wonderful read! And sometimes it takes finding someone who helps balance us to break old hexes and find freedom to move forward toward a better future. I might have been under a spell the whole time reading this book (and am totally amenable to that) because I was 💯 enthralled by the characters and captivated by this wonderfully witchy romance.

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

2.5 stars. This pulled me in with the cute title and a magical cafe. A magical cafe! How wonderful. Sadly, I did not feel connected with the characters and I wasn't really invested in their relationship. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Looking for a cozy, magical romance perfect for spooky season? Look no further than Nadia El-Fassi’s debut novel, Best Hex Ever.

Dina is a witch who weaves and magic and spells into the food and drinks she prepares. Life is great owning and running her own cafe, Dina has amazing friends and family, but there’s just one thing: there’s a hex on her plaguing her love life. Scott is a museum curator (yep, queue up the hot professor vibe), who has recently healed from a heartbreak. Dina and Scott find themselves on a collision course as they are thrown together as maid of honor and best man for their friends’ wedding. Can the two deny their chemistry? Can Dina undo the hex before it’s too late?

Huge thanks to delrey Uk for sending me this absolutely lovely and charming arc.

What’s your favorite spooky season read?

I struggled a bit with this book -- I loved the concept and the writing, but the plot felt too fast. Additionally, I somehow found the stakes to be too low. I enjoyed the twist of her cursing herself, and even more enjoyed a MMC who was supportive right off the bat of learning about Dina's abilities. Overall, a quick read that I didn't need to take too seriously to enjoy.

I absolutely adored Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi! This is a steamy and sweet, with light fantasy elements that add so much to the story. I couldn't put this one down! It's going to be a perfect fall read.

✨I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion✨
You guys I had SO MUCH FUN reading this. I have always been a fan of anything witchy, so if I see a witchy romance y’all KNOW it’s gonna come home with me.
Scott and Dina were adorable. Just everything about them was just so cute.
I was pleasantly surprised with Dina’s queerness, that was a delight and I really appreciated how the author handled it in regards to her relationship with Scott.
I love when big men are soft and sweet and that is exactly what Scott is; he’s a big softie that would do anything for his love.
Had a great time and would absolutely recommend if you want something sweet and witchy and perfect for fall.
I am so in love with all types of witchy/paranormal/Halloween type romances so if I see one I’m EATING IT UP and leaving absolutely no crumbs.

Waaayyy spicier than “adorable cozy rom com”, so I'm just going to leave it at the autumn vibes and cute magic. I suggest saving this for a time where you can snuggle up in a fluffy sweater while drinking something warm AND in the mood for something strong & spicy. The characters keep internalizing how hot they find each other with very unfiltered descriptive fantasies. It’s a LUSTY instalove. I was caught off-guard, but don’t be like me. LOL… Looking beyond that, there is an adorable plot with the sweetest characters.

This book has a cute concept but it wasn’t particularly well written. It didn’t really grab me as much as many other books in this genre. It did have good Halloween vibes though so it would be a good seasonal read.

I was craving something that gave me the feeling of fall this summer, so I requested Best Hex Ever. I went into it knowing nearly nothing, except the cover gave me the fall-vibes I was craving, and that it was a witchy romance.

It was my first "kitchen witch" romance! I was really excited, I've heard great things about kitchen witch romances. With this being my first, take my opinion with a grain of salt. But this isn't my first romance and I haven't counted the books I've read, but it's well north of a thousand, so I don't know nothing.

This book reads like a debut novel. Some of this may go away in future edits, as I'm sure there were more done after this pass, but the magic feels like it was used a little too conveniently. If there was a big, inconvenient plot hole? Magic! If there was a small detail that could have been mundanely explained? Magic! There was also little to no cost to using the magic, and it was used too freely. And, occassionally, when the magic as used, it was used too . . . exaggeratedly? It felt a little like an unrealistic dream romance. The only real stakes that I felt were for Scott right before Dina left him. Like most books, the last chunk was the best chunk, but, unlike most great books, it didn't make up for the rest before it.

That said, I really enjoyed the read, I even have a copy coming, and I'm hoping Rosemary's story will prove to be even better, since magic won't be able to be used too conveniently, so long as it doesn't suffer from sophomore syndrome! It's not the best romance I've read this year, but it's not the worst romance I've ever read.