3.5 stars

This book had a lot going for it—atmosphere, sisterhood, alternate realms, and big themes like love and sacrifice. I really liked the emotional core and the way grief and healing were woven through the story. But the pacing was uneven, especially in the beginning, and at times the plot felt a little tangled. Still, the vibes were strong, and I stayed invested. If you like reflective, witchy fantasy with a touch of darkness and hope, it’s worth a read.

Took me ages to finish this book as I stopped halfway and just didn't feel a desire to jump back in- had to power through to the end though.

Was SO excited to read this one because it sounded like it would be right up my alley but the pacing felt so off that I was frazzled and didn't enjoy as much as I wanted to. This is a really fast faced book. There's a lot going on and everything moves incredibly quickly- both the story and the romance. I found myself struggling to remember what was all going on.

If you're looking for something really fast paced, this might be a good option. It was just too much for me personally.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an uncommon adventure in all the best ways. Paige Crutcher delivers a slow-burn, magical tale filled with family curses, old grudges, and a reluctant partnership that kept me turning pages.

Doreen MacKinnon’s journey to break her family’s centuries-old curse is as much about heartache and healing as it is about spells and storms. The pacing is deliberate, letting the emotional weight and rich lore unfold naturally. There’s deep-rooted family drama, ancestral baggage, and a cursed romance that toes the line between vengeance and vulnerability.

The dynamic between Doreen and Ambrose—enemy, ally, maybe something more—adds a compelling tension to the story. It’s a daring mix of fantasy, romance, and reckoning with the past, wrapped in lyrical writing and vivid settings (yes, castles and cliffs included).

A lovely, lingering read for those who like their magic with a side of emotional complexity. #netgalley

A Circle of Uncommon Witches is a charming, quick, and easy romance that’s perfect for a cozy read. It features lovable characters with a touch of fantasy and romance that fans will enjoy. The lore and curse-breaking elements add some nice flavor, though the story itself might not fully draw you in. Since it’s a story about witchcraft, it feels like that aspect is a bit more superficial, and the overall plot can be a little tricky to follow at times. Plus, the pacing sometimes drags, which makes the main characters’ urgency to break the curse feel a bit lost.

4.5/5

I absolutely flew through this. I loved loved loved this! I would love to get a book about Margot and Dean. I do feel as though I’m missing something after the last line, but I just love Ambrose and Doreen. I can’t wait to read more from Crutcher.

I love witches, I love books that follow the lives of witches. This book was such a comfortable, easy to read book that had characters you easily fall in love with. Witches believe strongly in family bond and the bonds in these characters are so heart hugging. Its an quick, cozy read and its absolutely adorable.

It took me about six tries to finish A Circle of Uncommon Witches. I just couldn’t get into it. I don’t know why, it just dragged on for me. The premise was solid. I liked the enemies-to-lovers idea. I think the fact that Ambrose was so in love with Lenora, Doreen’s direct line relative (no matter how many generations back, was just making it kind of icky for me.

Then about half way through the book, I really liked the hunt and the action. The pace picked up for me. Then something comes out about Lenora and Ambrose and I felt a little bit better about Doreen and Ambrose. BUT, once again he still loved Lenora for three hundred years! Now if he had ended up with Lenora - now that’s a love story.

Read it. Tell me what you think.

Witches and a suspenseful storyline with Ken romance thrown in - count me in 2x!! This was a really cozy fantasy that I couldn’t put down.

This was a great story. I love the relationship that Doreen and Margot have and how well they work together to try and break the curse. The love story was easy to see from the beginning, but the journey was entertaining.

Paige Crutcher did a great job with the world building . Looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

This book was such a magical ride! A Circle of Uncommon Witches hooked me with its cursed bloodlines, a broody trapped witch (hi, Ambrose), and a heroine with power, heart, and just enough stubbornness to take fate into her own hands.

Doreen and Ambrose’s dynamic had that slow-burn, reluctant allies-to-lovers vibe with just enough edge to keep it interesting. The trials they faced were intense, whimsical, and emotionally charged—and the romantic tension? Chef’s kiss.

Was it a little chaotic at times? Sure. Did I care? Not one bit. The witchy atmosphere, rich backstory, and layered magic system made this a fast and fun read. Perfect for fans of curses, castles, complicated love stories, and a little chaos thrown in.

Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a spellbinding blend of adventure, romance, and magic.

Oh my gosh this story was just epic. I just couldn’t put this story down and I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. The author truly outdid herself with this story. This story just had my emotions all over the place and I am so sad to see this book end. I just can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

This book totally sucked me in—curses, magic, a broody witch guy, and a badass heroine? Yes please. Doreen and Ambrose have potent chemistry, and I love their whole “enemies-ish to maybe something more” vibe. This a great read If you’re into witchy drama.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Circle of Uncommon Witches is by no means a bad book, however it just didn't grab me. The writing style was competent, but not super intriguing. The premise itself is intriguing, but I've already read other books with the same specific concept (such as The Honey Witch and Sweet and Bitter Magic). Overall, I don't have much bad to say about this book, but I don't have much good to say about it either. Maybe it will be for you if you haven't read anything like it!

It took me a few chapters—and maybe a side-eye or two—to warm up to the story and the FMC, but once I did? Hooked. Absolutely spellbound. What starts as a slow simmer soon boils over into a cauldron of curses, cryptic trials, and a desperate search for a cure that spirals into a full-blown adventure. Along the way, family secrets unravel like old spells, and suddenly you’re not just reading—you’re racing through pages like a witch late to a solstice. Uncommon? Absolutely. Unputdownable? Even more so.

With each book I become more of a fan of Paige Crutcher! I love a good witchy read and A Circle Of Uncommon Witches has everything I look for in these stories, even with the time travel aspects which I"m not always a fan of!

I have read so many books about witches you would think I'd want to read something else but you'd be wrong! I will read all of these books and enjoy them.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

i really enjoyed the spooky, witchy curse vibes of this book, however, the pacing felt slightly off.
in this we get flashbacks of our main fmc where she learns her family was cursed that nobody would ever truly love them, so they either had to marry without true love by the time they turned 30, or the curse would kill them.
our fmc didn’t want to marry without true love so she was determined to break the curse.
upon trying to break the curse, she finds the person who placed the curse on her family, and brings him along on a mission to lift the curse, however, he already knew how to lift it and wasn’t going to help her.
it wasn’t necessarily enemies to lovers, more like reluctant companions to lovers as they didn’t truly hate each other, they just hated certain things that occurred.
come to find out, he could lift the curse by falling in love with someone else from her families lineage which would then kill him, however, when he fell in love with our fmc, he didn’t die? not sure how they managed that.
there were quite a few things that didn’t add up if you truly thought about it, but if you turn your brain off, you will just enjoy the vibes of the adventures, trials, witchiness, familial love, and magic.
3.75 stars

I love a good romantic witch story and was very excited to receive an ARC for this. First off, this book was great at the start. You will hit the floor running with this one. however, I feel like it was packed too much, too fast that some events of which I would love more emphasis on were rushed. And that is what my issue was. I really like it at the start but ended up not too much in the end. The characters were presented to me fast and I did not even get too know them very well. So, I was not surprised when the love story of Ambrose and Doreen was just thrown out there for everyone to interpret on their own. There could have been good relationship conflicts to dig through but everything was rushed to finished. I wanted more!

This book was not really for me. I had a hard time getting into the characters and the backstory. Maybe it was right book, wrong time?

Thank you to the publisher and Netgallery. All opinions are my own.

I liked the premise, I enjoyed the characters, but I did find that the story could have gone through another round of edits, especially for the last 100 pages. There was scenes related to the spirits/ghosts that honestly were super confusing and I had to reread it over again.

I liked the first half, but felt like we got lost. The characters were better in the first half for sure, but then the author took a turn that didn't quite make sense. Overall, it won't be memorable, but it was still enjoyable enough to finish it.