Best. Hex. EVER!! (no, really and truly!!)
This cozy, magical, SPICY romance read follows Dina, who is a kitchen witch and Scott, a museum curator...who can't help but fall for one another. Scott, falls first and oooh if I don't just L O V E a "he falls first" trope SO MUCH! Dina and Scott were so much fun to get to know and their chemistry was literally unmatched from the very beginning. They go from 0 to 100 a lot whenever they seem to want to get it on, but again, their chemistry is fully there. I loved the dual POV and the instalove, despite how truly instant it was (yeah I know, makes no sense, L O L), so yeah.
The author portrayed so much and it was so well-written! Healthy female friendships, men who actually SHOW their emotions (yeah, surprisingly enough) and open conversations about not wanting children. I also loved all the time that was used to explore Dina's relationship with her parents, especially her relationship with her mom, as well as her Moroccan heritage/background.
Nadia El-Fassi proves that romance and magic are often intertwined and some connections are their own kind of magic. This one of a kind witchy debut is the perfect book and you need to add it to your TBR list immediately if you haven't already. you can thank me later ;)
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of this ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you're looking for an easy romantic read with a lot of spice and plenty of fall coziness, then this is a book for you. Unfortunately, this one didn't really hit with me.

Long Story Short
Dina, a witch who owns a cafe meets Scott, an art curator, when he comes into her store. It's love at first sight but she believes that one of her exes put a hex on her which brings pain and suffering to anyone that she falls in love with. She thinks her mom might be able to break the hex, but it would involve telling her mom that she's bi and she's afraid to do that. Eventually Dina tells her the truth and her mom helps her realize that Dina hexed herself because she put up her own walls and doesn't love herself. The hex is broken and Dina and Scott live happily ever after.

The Good
Dina and her friends are likeable enough and Scott is fine. It was spicy, if you like that.

The Bad
I'm much more of a slow burn person when it comes to romance reads. The love at first sight thing didn't give me the journey I want when I read these types of books. My biggest issue though, was that Dina wasn't fleshed out enough to make this story ring true with me (yes, I know it's about a witch, but just go with me here). Dina was hexing herself because she felt unworthy of love...why? Did something happen in her childhood that made her this way? And why was she so against telling her mother? Did her mother allude to her that she disapproved of Dina being anything other than straight?

Overall Takeaway
This book wasn't bad by any means, but it just wasn't great for me. A solid C+/3 stars from me.

Scott travels all over the world for his job but he's ready to settle down. And there's something about coffee shop owned by Dina that is helping to stir his longing for the home fires. While he is very interested, she is a little more hesitant.
Dina is a witch. And when she was younger, she put a spell on someone she was in love with and it has reverberated through her love life since. She is not anxious to start something with this man who is so attractive. But he just keeps showing up in her life. Even at her friend's wedding where (darn those matchmakers!) they've been put in the same cabin. So, Dina decides not to fight fate. But will Scott survive?

Three stars
This book comes out October 1, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Thank you NetGalley and Dell for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Romance and I have a tricky relationship, and I can barely predict what will and won’t work for me. I went into this hopeful, because oftentimes a fantasy element will help me ease into a romance novel and honestly I just thought the concept was fun. I was right—the magic aspect was neat and I thought the set up was good—but I was taken a little by surprise by the insta love.

Best Hex Ever is cozy and I really loved the relationships Dina had with her family and friends, and Scott’s relationship with his best friend. I don’t really think Dina and Scott’s relationship is unrealistic, but it moved quite fast for me. While I might not have bought into the speed at which their relationship developed, I saw the potential between them and El-Fassi’s smut was good. The overall vibe was lovely and it was a sweet world. There’s a couple of things I just could not buy into, and one of those things was the insta love/lust/whatever was going on. I would have preferred a slower buildup, even though Dina’s perspective does provide some insight to how she operates in relationships more generally (which… was a lot for me, actually…). Still, I don’t regret reading it and thought it was a good debut.

I enjoyed this quite a bit! I’d categorize it as more of a comfort read, with a predictable
plot and heavy on the romance novel clichés. I do think it was done well, and I appreciated the world building and attention to detail, though I can’t say it expanded my literary world view in any real way. Which, for me, is a major reason I love to read.

What did surprise me was the level of spice in this book, so I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who didn’t enjoy a high amount of explicit sexual content. I don’t mind it so much myself, but I felt like the book revolved around the sex while claiming to be all about the love- so a bit incongruous for me tone wise. Sort of like 50 Shades of Grey superimposed on a light hearted romance.

Bonus points for having a bi-sexual protagonist, but with a healthy dose of self loathing that made it a bit less impactful for
me.

The highlight for me overall was how easy it was to read, it required very little energy wise and felt akin to driving cruise control down a country lane. I’d recommend for those who love romance novels, and who are in the market for a no- brainer, easy reading experience.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

Sweet and adorable characters. I loved the fall vibes.

This was a cute read.

I liked Dina and Scott together. Their connection was strong and believable. The storyline was well written, but I think the part about the hex should have been in more of the story. Dina made a big deal about the hex but other than a few events we didn’t really see the hex in action.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and cute read.

I read this book close to Halloween and it was perfect for this time of year!

I loved meeting Dina and Scott, and seeing their relationship evolve. It was fun to have this magical element be part of their relationship.

I also really loved the London location, what a fun place for a book about a witch.

Add in the desire to break the hex, and all that entails, and you have a really fun fall read.

If you like magical realism style books, check this one out!

This is the perfect witchy rom-com for spooky season! It’s super sweet and quick!

The FMC owns a bakery/cafe and it has the cozy elements I love which also having magic! At some point in her life she had a hex cast on her causing danger to those she has a relationship with. She has to figure out how to end the hex and the set awareness that comes from the journey is heart warming. Definitely recommend!

Best Hex Ever was a witchy book that felt like a warm hug. It was cozy, funny, romantic, and heartwarming. There were a few moments that even had me close to tears. Best Hex Ever is an amazing debut novel and I'm already excited for Nadia's next book. I even read Best Hex Ever in one sitting, so it's safe to say I enjoyed this one.

Dina was such a fun character and if she was real, I would've loved to have been friends with her. I love that she had her own bakery and added spells to her pastries that affected her customers in a positive way. If only she didn't have the hex that kept her from falling in love, because if someone develops feelings for her they start having lots of bad luck. Scott is a curator and has been traveling the world trying to get over a bad break up. There's an instant connection between these two and while I'm normally not a fan of that, Nadia wrote this in such an amazing way. Yeah, feelings were there, but it didn't feel over the top.

Their romance is mixed together with their best friend's wedding. The side characters are amazing, and I loved all of the wedding activities. It was very clear these friends were very close and I love that element in romances. And even though I said there is a bit of instalove in Best Hex Ever, we still get a slow burn romance. Scott and Dina don't act on their attraction for quite some time and the tension jumps off of the page. The hex is always in the back of her mind, but she still gives her feelings for Scott a chance. I really enjoyed how everything with the hex played out and it felt very fitting.

Best Hex Ever is a cozy, heartwarming, and romantic story and I definitely see myself picking this one up again the future. I can't wait for Rosemary's (one of Dina's best friends) book releasing next year.

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on December 7th.

I went into reading this fairly blind. I just knew there was a witch, cooking, and breaking a hex. Honestly, that didn't let me down at all when I got into this. It was such a great read. I was amazed at how complex both Dina and Scott were.

Their problems were relatable and felt realistic. I was just as invested in their day to day life and accomplishments as I was the special events in this story line. The pacing was just right and the writing style was fantastic and gave me everything you could ask for imagery wise. Also the House was awesome IYKYK.

I cannot wait to read the next book by this author. Seriously this was amazing!

Best Hex Ever is the perfect cozy, autumnal read. Dina's magical baked goods are drool-worthy and make you feel the best things. Generally, I loved her magic and how grounded it was in the world while still having the space to be messy and chaotic. I'm also a huge fan of Dina's story as she is a bisexual, brown woman who lives with the relatable fear of coming out to her parents. She's also got a hex that leaves the people she falls for in a perilous position. There's so much self discovery and I just loved it.

I LOVE love and Dina and Scott's love is where it's at! There's instant attraction and chemistry between these two that left me wanting more from the start. Their chemistry is electrifying in the bedroom (literally glowing), and Scott certainly has a mouth on him.

Overall, a fun read that I want to reread next fall on audio to experience it in a whole new way!

I wanted to like this one SO bad, but unfortunately the writing style just lost me. So many scenes felt very disjunct from one another and it made it difficult to really get engrossed in this world and its character. I will say that the premise is excellent though. The coziness oozes off of each page and made me really, really crave a good croissant and an even better latte.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own :)

People knew what they were saying when posting about this book. It is definitely a cute storyline with good friends, love, cozy vibes, some spicy scenes sprinkled throughout, and a cute little cat. Honestly, Heebie might have been my favorite character.

<i> I'm a cat mom at heart, what can I say?</i>

The magical world building was pretty good and I loved how Dina used her magic to charm the goodies she sells at the coffee shop! Overall, this was a cute book but not one I'll think about for much longer than a few days.

Perhaps it was slightly overhyped?

Thank you to the publisher and author for the early copy to review!

Best Hex ever follows Dina, a kitchen witch, and Scott, a museum curator, that meet by chance at Dina's coffee shop. An instant attraction leaves them both thinking about each other. Serendipity, if you will, has them meeting again on the train as they are both (unbeknownst to them) heading to the same wedding. A magical weekend, a setup by their friends, leaves these two wanting more.

Unfortunately, the hex that follows Dina around may have other plans.

A cute, slightly spicy, witchy read that includes fate, consent, and following your heart.

This book was the cutest. I loved everything about it. Normally I'm not a fan of instalove romance but this worked for me. I want more. Is there going to be more?

Dina Whitlock, a kitchen witch and café owner in London, crafts spell-infused treats that bring warmth and wonder to her customers. This cozy, magical side of the story is its greatest strength, creating a charming atmosphere that feels like a warm hug. Every description of Dina’s kitchen magic is so vivid and inviting that readers may wish they could step into her café and sample the enchanted pastries themselves.

Where the book stumbles, however, is in the romance. There’s little emotional groundwork laid to convince readers of why these two characters would fall in love, making the romance feel forced rather than natural.

For fans of cozy magical realism and culinary charm, this book may offer just enough sweetness. But those looking for a love story that feels earned and authentic might be left wanting a little more.

Rounding up to 3 stars.

Witchy romcom with a spicy MC and even spicier chemistry between our couple. I really liked the magic touches and some of the queer and ethnic representation, but there were a few little things like plot holes that kept me from engaging more fully. If you’re looking for a magical fall pick me up, this one is good.

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fall vibes:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Thank you to Random House and Dell for the advanced copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and PRHAudio for the ALC. All thoughts are my own!

I wanted to love this, I really really did! But it just didn't work for me.

Dina is a kitchen witch who runs the best coffeeshop in London. But unfortunately due to a spell gone awry, she's been hexed: anyone that falls in love with her will experience bad luck to the point where they could be injured. Due to this hex, Dina has stayed far away from any romance. But when Dina meets Scott, the best man in her best friend's wedding, it's hard to resist the sparks between the two of them.

What I liked: the kitchen witch nature of her powers. I loved this concept and wish I had these powers as well. I also loved Dina's Moroccan heritage because so often, witches are based on Anglo-Saxan legends and we never see witches from other parts of the world. Ferne Marks and Owen Hall were both fantastic narrators and I think they were a big part of why I kept going even when I was starting to lose interest.

My hot take: this book is filled with too much spice to make up for a lackluster plot. This book was way spicier than I had anticipated (which is FINE!!) but at times it felt like it was more spice than actual plot moving scenes and I had started to get a bit bored by the 50% mark. I also felt like the final fix of her hex was a bit of a letdown.

I know of others that have really enjoyed this so maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Best Hex Ever
by Nadia El-Fassi

Perfect for spooky season
Halloween Witchy
Cozy Spicy Hexxed love story