Brewing up a Bad Boy by Katherine Garbera is a cozy story about Poppy who owns a tea shop and is a witch. Her ex, Alistair, turns up back in her life as he asks her to go to a family wedding with him, as he has a complicated relationship with his family and hasn’t told them of their divorce. Poppy agrees to go I exchange for a lucrative deal with his family. However, as they spend more time together and learn how they’ve grown and changed since the divorce, will they get a second chance at love?

This was a cute, cozy read. At times, I felt the characters could have been more developed, but I was drawn into their story and invested in the outcome.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wicked Sisters #3

Rating: 3.75/5

Spice: 3

Primary Genre: Contemporary Romance

Plot: 4/5

Blurb: A tea shop owner good girl and a reformed microbrewer bad boy reunite in this wonderfully wicked love story.

Sometimes the second sip is sweetest.

In the cozy town of Birch Lake, tea shop owner Poppy Kitchener thought she’d left her mistakes, and her failed marriage, in the past. But when her ex-husband, Alistair Miller, turns up—as charming and irritatingly handsome as ever—those old feelings float to the surface. To top it off, he has a puzzling pretend they’re still married for his cousin’s wedding in exchange for a lucrative business deal with his family.

Easy enough, right? After all, this could be Poppy’s last chance to get closure, grow her business and use Alistair’s knowledge of microbrewing to help her finish that winning recipe for the tea competition.

But even after all this time, he still knows how to make her laugh. And he’s changed in ways that make Poppy wonder about the man he’s become… Can she trust this new Alistair with her heart, or will a second chance brew up disaster?

From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss any of these other fun titles…

WiCKed Sisters series

Book 1: The Bookbinder's Guide to Love
Book 2: How to Charm a Nerd
Book 3: Brewing Up a Bad Boy

The Good:

* There’s some cute moon magic elements/witchy magic vibes happening. I love a witchy romance. This book is pretty light on it but I enjoyed that it was in there.

* The found family element is very strong in this book, a part of the storyline basically. It’s sweet to watch it unfold.

* Katherine Garbera dares to ask the question, is a second chance romance worth is after divorce? This isn’t an overly done romance topic, I haven’t come across it yet and she did it well. It was emotional without being too sad and lighthearted without making it seem like the MCs weren’t taking it seriously.

The Meh:

* The hesitation and lack of communication of the MC’s started to tick me off at a certain point. That was all, no huge complaints.

Bottom Line:

This is a very cute second chance at love after divorce story. The FMC is a little bit witchy. She and her love interest brew stuff and talk about the brewing flavors of tea, beer and hard kombucha. This is the 3rd in the series and based off of this book, I think I’d like the first 2! I’m planning to check them out very soon.

Brewing Up a Bad Boy is the third and final book in Katherine Garbera’s WiCKed Sisters series from Afterglow Books by Harlequin. This is a standalone read with characters and couples from the previous books appearing often.

Brewing Up a Bad Boy is a second chance, fake marriage romance that I found deeper than I ever expected. Ten years ago, Poppy Kitchener and Alistair “Ali” Miller married for all the right and wrong reasons. At the time, nineteen-year-old Poppy was madly in love with the popular, charismatic, wealthy bad boy Alistair. She wanted to be the perfect wife and daughter-in-law, even if it meant sacrificing on her part. Alistair desperately wanted to win the favor of his father and sought out Poppy for her family’s tea recipe, which his family had been trying to get for centuries.

The couple had a whirlwind romance but things were far from perfect. Alistair’s family took possession of Poppy’s family tea recipe and removed her family’s name. Alistair became hyperfocused on his family’s tea business and finally being accepted by his father. The result was a short-lived marriage that lasted way longer on paper. While I haven’t read the previous books, from what I gather, events in those books ultimately lead Alistair to seek out Poppy in America to right the wrongs of the past and attempt to reconcile as a couple.

Second-chance romances are nothing new. What makes Brewing Up a Bad Boy unique to me is the realism. Poppy and Ali both still have lingering feelings of hurt and anger. Some of this is directed within, but most at the other. Ali isn’t my typical romance hero. He has anger issues, which for me are a turn-off, but he truly has worked to control and better himself, which shows in his thoughts and actions. It should be noted that none of his physical or verbal anger is towards Poppy.

I think fans of this series will really love this book. Neither Ali nor Poppy truly owned my heart, but I do see their appeal. Their chemistry is undeniable. Their in-depth conversations were real and you can definitely see their growth. They are a perfectly imperfect couple.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“Nothing worth having was easy to get.”

“Don’t settle for less than you deserve.”

“Prince Charming pretty much does nothing to save Cinderella. She does it all herself.”

I had a hard time getting into this book. It might be the mood I am currently experiencing. As I have written with other reviews, I am a major mood reader.. I may give this book another shot when I am in the mood for a romance.

Brewing Up a Bad Boy I book three in the Wicked Sisters Series by Katherine Garbera.
This was a fun romance!
A cute story! I’m always down for a sweet and spicy romance with some witchy vibes.

Out now! I really wanted to like this, but it just wasn’t for me. The storyline was fine and the characters are likable. However, something about the writing was tripping me up basically at each transition break/ symbol on page (the POV shift), causing me to reread sections.
This is book 3 of the WiCKed Sisters series, which is comprised of interconnected standalone books. I read this book as a true standalone and am new to the author. All opinions are my own.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced ebook.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was steamy, fun, sweet and kept me reading. I enjoyed this and will look for more books by this author.

There were things I liked about “Brewing Up a Bad Boy.” It was a second chance romance about Alistair, Ali for short, and Poppy which is not normally my trope of choice but I felt like the author did a good job with the trope. It was a good end to the trilogy and I found that overall the plot was enjoyable with a bit of fake marriage and forced proximity to keep things interesting in the story.

I found the writing style a bit repetitive on the idea of Poppy wondering if she can trust Ali again or not, both are afraid of getting hurt which made it hard to root for them as a couple at times and there was a lot of focus on the past relationship as opposed to the relationship they were creating now. I found some parts of the story a bit cringy and the writing style was a bit choppy at times. Overall I have mixed feelings about this read and I have to admit it took me some time to get through it.

What a sweet second-chance romance that’s all about healing. Both characters have grown so much during their time apart, making it tough to rebuild trust—especially for Poppy, who walked away and left Alistair heartbroken. It’s so refreshing to see a male character focus on personal growth and therapy, which is a key part of the story (and something I think should be talked about more!).

And the witchy vibe? Loved it! It’s such a nice change to see it outside the usual “witch season” of Halloween, showing how it’s really about family, friendship, and connection.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin-Romance for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Brewing Up a Bad Boy" is the third in Katherine Garbera's "Wicked Sisters" series. I enjoyed this book more than the second book but not as much as the first. Poppy and Alistair married young and separated shortly thereafter, once Poppy realized that Alistair was using her for her family's tea recipe. A decade later, Ali is back in Poppy's life and seemingly changed, leading them to explore a possible second chance.

As in previous books. I liked the relationship between the Wicked Sisters more than the romance in this book, though the romance was okay. I admit to being confused by the timeline of Ali and Poppy's relationship. They apparently married and separated 10 years ago, but only divorced 18 months ago, and think about each other as if they have seen each other more recently than a decade ago. Meanwhile Ali left his job around the same time as the divorce, then partied and slept around, then found therapy and all is good. It just didn't make a lot of sense.

The immediate conflict between Poppy and Alistair seems to resolve a little too easily, so the main issue here is emotional angst. It drags on a bit too long, but the book is generally enjoyable.

3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

This second chance story where Alistair and Poppy come together again for work reasons had potential from the beginning. It delivered! I thoroughly enjoyed this one and was pleased to see the characters’ chemistry and growth that had me hope they kept working on their relationship from the start of the “reunion”! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this read.

Poppy Kitchener has done her best to distance herself from her life in England and her ex-husband Allister who screwed her over and left her with no choice but to flee. SHe is now doing well for herself, she has her tea shop that she owns and shares space with her 2 besties who run their own branched of the WiCKed sisters business. She runs a discord server for fellow tea enthusiasts where they share tips and tricks on creating tea blend, and 6 months ago her ex-husband joined the community. They have been talking and Poppy has been questioning if she could see herself trying again with him. Then he shows up in person begging her to pretend to still be his wife to a wedding and a promise to get a better deal with her for a tea blend him and his family screwed her over on that lead to their falling out. Poppy agrees to go, and what she wasn't expecting was how much Allister has grown as a person, and how much she can not resist him.

Honestly this was a fun second chance romance with previously divorced characters. Usually the trope does not work for me, as it is hard for the me to root for the characters especially when neither of them have changed, or talked about what split them up in the first place. That aspect of the book was done well enough for me. I just did really feel the romantic connection between them. Overall it was a nice read.

This series is so fun! I love the green witch energy feel from these characters but they aren’t really witches they just give energy.
This book was about Poppy and Alistair who were divorced but pretending to still be together cause he was a peer in England and his family had signed business papers with her. There was a whole thing.
This was a forced proximity, second chance and starting over. He realized he wanted to live a quieter life with her and they were able to get past their past betrayals. Such a fun read and these covers in this series are so great!
Thank you harlequin for the gifted copy

BREWING UP A BAD BOY – Katherine Garbera
WiCKed Sisters, Book 3
Harlequin Afterglow
ISBN: 978-1335574916
January 21, 2025
Contemporary Romance

Birch Lake, Maine – Present Day

Tea shop owner Poppy Kitchener thought she’d left her past behind after moving to Maine from England and ending her marriage to Alistair Miller. But one day, Alistair shows up in town with a request: will Poppy pretend to be his wife still and attend a relative’s wedding? In exchange, he will help her get an equitable return on a secret tea recipe she signed over to his family when they first married. Poppy could turn him down, but he is so convincing, plus the chance to get something in return from his family is hard to turn down.

Turns out that flying back to England and into the life she left behind with Alistair has Poppy all nostalgic. Her ex seems different, and she likes the change. But is it real? It certainly appears that their attraction hasn’t completely died. He is attentive and charming, just as she remembers him. After Poppy returns to Maine, Alistair soon follows—and stays. He’s interested in microbrewing and gets a job at a bar. They decide to collaborate to develop a winning tea recipe, and he gets integrated into her life. Are they slowly and surely finding their way back together?

In BREWING UP A BAD BOY, Poppy feels the uncertainty of being around Alistair again after all these years apart. She married him at eighteen and turned over to his family’s business her family’s secret tea recipe. She never dreamed that they would take advantage of her, and it put a wedge between the newly married couple. She got nothing from them, but now, Alistair is ready to help negotiate a business deal so that she gets reimbursed. While she doesn’t trust Alistair or her heart around him, he continues to charm her. Will it succeed? But first, he is going to have to come clean with her about what he’s been doing since they split.

BREWING UP A BAD BOY is the third and final book in the WiCKed Sisters series by Katherine Garbera. The three women are not related by blood, but they treat each other as if they are sisters. Poppy relies on them to help guide and support her as she navigates her feelings for Alistair. If he makes the wrong move, then he is toast as far as her best friends go. But in this tale, he is doing good things for Poppy. Not bad for a bad boy. As they get reacquainted, the more it seems like old times in and out of bed. Will they have a successful reunion? Once the summer is over, will Alistair return to England, or will Poppy follow him? While they work on a microbrewery recipe, will it draw them closer? There’s love in the air and Poppy and Alistair will have readers hoping that they will reunite. Don’t miss BREWING UP A BAD BOY.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This was a cute romance with hallmark vibes. I do think it was suppose to br enemies to lovers troupe but she never really " hates" him so that fell a little flat for me. I loved the addition of kombucha brewing , and witchy things. Overall a cute little romance

2.5⭐
1.5🌶️
Tropes/Themes: Fake Dating, Second Chance, miscommunication, small town
3rd person
So I had a really hard time with this book, and had to push myself to finish. There was something about (which is why I requested the ARC) but the final result fell flat.
Unfortunately the dislikes stand out more than the likes, so I will start with that.
-Miscommunication. I don’t hate this trope but it was just a little too much here.
-It was really cool reading about all the technical info with the tea/beer brewing but I think the author could’ve given a more surface level explanation. I started to struggle with the discussions.
-Timeline/consistency issues. I’m still not clear about how long ago they got divorced, the book made it sound like it was in the distant past but then it had been only 18 months? Along with that it felt like Poppy’s spirituality just showed up out of the blue. There wasn’t a build up to it.
I didn’t hate it though, I thought the chemistry between Poppy and Alistair was really good, and that the romance aspect of the story was really sweet, with an actual second chance storyline.

Poppy Kitchener was happy brewing up delightful teas in the shop she owned with her two BFF's Wicked Sisters. Then one day on her blog her ex husband has a proposition for her, that will get what she is owed for a family recipe that he and his family manipulated from her for his family's tea business. She thought it was love and Alister Miller broke her heart. She divorced him and came to the US to start her tea business along with her besties and their individual talents. But then when Alister tells her he will get what she is owed, but one little request he has is two make out that they are still married and go with him to his cousin's wedding. Could she do, could she risk it all again and the big thing would Alister break her heart again.

I really loved this book #3 in the WiCked Sister series. I loved that Poppy was willing to risk her heart and that which is close to her heart the brewing of teas. And Alister wants Poppy to see that he has changed and that he is not that Bad Boy anymore and that he has turned his life around and he has a new passion brewing craft beers. Can the two of them heal the hurts of the past to find a way to brewing up a future together finding the right recipe for love.

The passion and romance of this story is so wonderful that once you start to read it you won't want to put it down. A 5 star read.

This is a heartwarming tale of second chances and healing. The story follows Poppy as she bravely reconnects with Alistair, the man who once broke her heart, with both now in new phases of their lives. Their rekindled romance is a delightful blend of sweetness, charm, and passion. Beyond the love story, the novel delves into themes of personal growth, forgiveness, and moving forward. The powerful bond between Poppy and her sisters, Liberty and Sera, adds depth and warmth, making this an emotionally rich and unforgettable read.

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑼𝒑 𝒂 𝑩𝒂𝒅 𝑩𝒐𝒚 (𝑾𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 #3) 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒂

Release Date: January 21, 2025

4⭐️4🌶

This book is 100% second chance romance. Poppy and Alistair were previously married when she was only 18, but unbeknownst to her Alistair was only dating/marrying her for her family's tea recipes. After their marriage, she found out about that twist in her contract with her father-in-law and immediately asked for a divorce. Alistair was doing all of this to Poppy to prove to his father that he is the better son.

After the divorce, Alistair realizes that his Father's approval will never happen and is not needed, and that he let go of the only person who's ever loved or cared about him for him. After a lot of therapy and soul-searching, Alistair attempts to right his wrongs with Poppy by going to battle with her against his father for her tear recipes. Somewhere along the way, Poppy realizes how much they have both grown and changed since their divorce.

This book has all the highs and lows, and there is plenty of spice to go with it all.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Second Chance Love
🍁Bad boy energy
🍁Jealous Boyfriend
🍁Fake Marriage

TW:
✨Mental breaks (yelling, punching objects)
✨Therapy for Anger Management
✨Manipulative Parents
✨Betrayal

I read the first book in the series of this author, and really liked it so I wanted to read this one as well. This was a cute rom com. I would recommend it if you like the funny, witchy vibes.