If you're looking for a sweet and cheese fantasy romance, A Simple Twist of Fate is definitely the book for you. It's nothing deep or impactful, but it is a fun read that has you rolling your eyes just as often as making you smile. It's the kind of book that gives everyone a happy ending without having to fight for it too much. It's a very fluffy romance for when you need one in your life.

In my opinion, the dialogue and interactions between characters felt very forced. There were moments where I thought to myself "people don't talk like this in real life," but it still felt in line with the characters themselves. The ending set up the possibility for spin-offs with side characters, which could be cute reads (I'd love to read how El and Silas finally sort their issues out)!
Overall, I found this to be a very quick and easy read, but nothing that will stick with me long term.

4.5 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 5 🎧

This was so much fun. I absolutely loved this world that April built and how it all came together. Harry and Jax were amazing together and the second chance, hate to love vibe that started this book was so perfect. Grace was a freaking peach and I absolutely adored her and the single guardian esque trope she brought with her.

I'm really hoping this is going to be a series because I need Cassie, Lenny, and Elodie's stories like I need air to breathe. I love this friend group so dang much.

The audio was perfect. Isabelle Ruther is new to me, but she did a wonderful job, especially paired with my fave Teddy Hamilton. I absolutely loved this listen.

What an entertaining paranormal story! I enjoyed the characters in this one and how they fit into the plot of this book! I also really loved the plot it was intriguing and easy to get sucked into! I also enjoyed the romance in this one it was easy to root for but I did wish we had gotten to spend a bit more time with it. Overall a great read that I definitely recommend reading!

3.75 out of 5 stars!

This book was def not for me. The setting was cute and definitely delivered on the small town vibes! But I found the dialogue all so cringey, there were way too many subplots going on to care about at all, and I didn’t feel the chemistry between our main characters. And where was the tension?! For a second chance romance, it was all pretty lackluster.

Also, I do not trust a book that uses the word “snortle” unironically multiple times. Seven times actually. That’s seven too many times to use a fake word. And I sincerely hope a bunch more editing was done between this advanced copy and publication because there were SO many typos/missed words throughout the whole book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to read and review.

I’ve loved April Asher’s witchy rom-coms before, but A Simple Twist of Fate might just be my new favorite! From the charming, magically quirky town of Fates Haven to the emotionally charged romance between Harlow “Harry” Pierce and Jaxon Atwood, this story had me completely hooked from the first page.

I’m a sucker for the “coming back home when there’s nowhere else to go” trope, and this book does it SO well—especially because Harry isn’t just returning for herself. She’s coming back for Grace, the half-human, half-shifter teen she’s fiercely protective of. This guardianship subplot added so much heart to the story. Watching Harry fight for Grace’s well-being (even if it meant returning to the place that broke her heart) gave the book emotional depth and warmth that I adored.

And don’t even get me started on the romance! Harry and Jaxon are second-chance gold with “it’s always been you” energy pulsing through every interaction. The pining! The tension! The regret and hope tangled together in the most delicious way! Their chemistry practically shimmered off the page. Every look, every conversation, every moment had me completely invested in their journey back to one another.

Yes, some plot points felt a little predictable—but honestly? I didn’t even care. The world-building, the quirky side characters, the magical stakes, and the clear setup for future stories more than made up for it. I’m already desperate to return to Fates Haven and see what fate (and Asher!) has in store next.

Also, shoutout to the audiobook! I listened while reading and the performance blew me away. Teddy Hamilton was Jaxon—deep, broody, and utterly compelling—and Isabelle Ruther embodied Harry with the perfect blend of sass, heart, and vulnerability. I was annoyed anytime I had to stop listening, and this is 100% going on my list of audiobooks to recommend on repeat!

If you’re a fan of second chances, fated love, magical towns, and romance that sizzles and soothes in equal measure—A Simple Twist of Fate is a must-read (and must-listen)!

Thank you Dreamscape Media, St.Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I am not a romance reader, but I am someone who loves mythical creatures, so I wanted to give this book a shot, and I was pleasantly surprised! I really liked how it was written, the romance between the mmc and fmc was so cute and adorable. I loved the moody teenage shifter, and her struggles. I think, though, what really drew me to this story was the way that Harry was struggling with accepting her place within the story of her boyfriend and friend, and how she was desperate to just be included and loved. It felt like it wasn't a story of two people learning to love each other, but instead it was a journey of a woman to love herself.

Adding this to my collection of Julia Quinn, Ali Hazelwood, and Ruby Dixon.

If Stars Hollow had witches, shifters, and a dash of fate magic, it’d look a lot like the charming world of A Simple Twist of Fate. April Asher brings us a cozy paranormal romance that feels like Gilmore Girls meets magical chaos—and I mean that in the best way possible.

This book is light, fun, and full of magical small-town charm, with a lovable cast of supernatural beings. While it's pitched as a paranormal rom-acom, it leans heavily into a subplot involving the heroine's best friend’s daughter discovering her powers and identity. That storyline takes center stage more often than the romance itself, which may surprise some readers expecting more steamy or rom-com-forward content.

The romance that is there is sweet, slow-burn, and full of chemistry. But what really stands out is the cozy atmosphere and community magic vibe that Asher creates. That said, I found myself wanting more—literally. An extra 50–75 pages would have helped deepen the worldbuilding and allowed more time for character development, especially between the main couple and with the supernatural elements that only get a light touch.

Despite some pacing flaws and a slightly misbalanced genre expectation, this was an adorable, feel-good read with just enough magic and heart to make me want to return to this world again.

Final thoughts: If you're in the mood for a cute paranormal romance with found family, magical self-discovery, and small-town vibes, this one is worth picking up. Just know it might leave you wishing for a little more magic.

A Simple Twist is a sweet, second-chance paranormal romance with a cozy, small-town charm and a sprinkle of magical drama. Harlow “Harry” Pierce’s return to Fates Haven offers heartwarming moments, especially through her bond with her goddaughter, and the tension between her and Jaxon has its emotional beats. However, the story leans heavily on familiar tropes and often plays it safe, with twists that feel more predictable than surprising. While the world of shifters and witches is endearing, the stakes remain relatively low, making it an easy but not particularly unforgettable read.

A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher is a cozy paranormal romance with fantasy elements of witches, shifters, and a town full of magic. Also the wild chapters were hilarious and had me laughing throughout the novel.

This book felt like a warm hug, even with the heavier themes of feeling unwanted, coming home, second chances, and healing old wounds. I loved the friends who felt like family and the family that always had an open-door policy. I enjoyed the elements of this book and how they were woven together very well. There was a very cool magical system, and a mystery drove that plot, not just that the main FMC had to go back for some vague reason.

I loved the slow burn of this second-chance romance, and I was rooting for Harry and Jaxon from the start. I love the chemistry between both of them and the side characters. My one complaint is I didn't really get a plus-size or curvy girl from Harry's character, like I expected. Overall, I had a great time reading this book, and if you like a cozy romance with a lot of cool magical and shifters, this book is definitely for you.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and April Asher for the copy to review.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

unfortunately, dnf @ not even 10% because whew… as soon as i started reading i knew this would not be for me at all.

not only is there the entire kitschy paranormal romance tropes and corny, cringey language in the less than 10% i’ve read, but there is too much emphasis and sexuality and libido as a joke — and that’s just so annoying in my book.

as for the narrators, they did a fine job, at least for what i listened to!

Overall, this book was an easy, quick read. I'm not sure if I would continue on with the series. The miscommunication made it hard to get through the story at some points.

I was excited for this book and it paid off! I loved the world this book is set in. It’s modern day living but non magical and magical humans/beings all live together! You get witches, shifters, angels, demons, vampires, fae and more!! I loved it! It felt like the perfect combo between fantasy and romcom. I hope there are more books set in this world with the side characters from this one because I’m not ready for it to be over.

This was a slow start. I was really ready to quit but it was an ARC, so needed to get through it. Figured someone has to give a book a negative review, might as well finish.
But then the story got going. The simpering and angry looks stopped and the story got going. People started cooperating and the story grew with heart and fun characters. There was enough mysteries in the book that needed solving to be a story, the beginning stuff wasn't needed. I was smiling and crying by the end. So happy I stuck with it, it was a tidy little book. Not part of her other series, but in the same world. If I put too much thought into it I might say too much of the same, but the side stories are what made the book more than the main romance. In fact, the book got better as that was resolved and they were a team. That would be a good series, a witch and a shifter couple solve mysteries

Fated mates, shifters, and witches... say no more! A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher was everything I wanted and more. It's a funny, slow burn, second chance romance set in the most adorable small town. I was hooked from the very first page. I loved Harry and Jax, and was rooting for them the whole time. .

Thanks to SMP and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in return for an honest review.

Another fun, witchy read from April Asher. I enjoyed the romance between Harlow and Jaxon and the fated match element of the plot. After a messy break up thirteen years previously, Harlow must return to her hometown to find help for her goddaughter. There she runs into her ex, Jaxon. There was some fun banter, touching moments, and growth between characters that really drew me in. I do wish there was a bit more between them as the plot seemed to stray to other elements that I didn't care as much about (possibly building up for book 2?). I also liked the shifter elements in the novel and the role the fated mate played in the plot. This was a fun, quick, whimsical read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffith for this advanced copy. You can pick up A Simple Twist of Fate now.

I had high hopes when starting this book, but unfortunately, I had to DNF pretty early on. I found the multiple instances of the non-word "snortled" to be too much for me. And overall, the writing style was a bit too quirky for my taste. But I can see this cute and cozy paranormal romance appealing to a ton of people who enjoy second-chance romance and found family.

This was so fun!
Harlow (Harry) ran away from her boyfriend and her home town after a giant misunderstanding. 13 years later she’s back needing help from the very man she left behind.

It was a bit of a slow start for Harry, Jax, and their group of friends. But, once things got moving I was invested and rooting for all of them! The secondary cast is entertaining, especially Grace.

The town of Fates Haven is part of wonderful world building. I appreciated how Harry and Jax were able to address the past and move forward all while the group solved a mystery, AND we were able to get to know the town too. I am definitely curious about what might next in Fates Haven!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Cozy, Magical Delight!

I absolutely loved this book! A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher is a 5/5 stars read that completely charmed me from the first page (well… first chapter of the audiobook and ARC eBook—yes, I devoured both formats!).

This story is like curling up under a fuzzy blanket with a mug of something warm while watching Gilmore Girls, Vampire Diaries, and Smallville all at once. Think cozy small town vibes + magical creatures + a dash of mystery. The result? A romantasy that’s equal parts emotional and lighthearted, with a “vibes over plot” energy that makes it a perfect reading slump-buster.

While the plot seems unclear in where it's going at times, I honestly didn’t mind. The vibe was the real star here. I don’t usually like small town or second chance romance tropes, but this one totally worked for me thanks to the added layers of fantasy and intrigue. It felt fresh and fun, never stale.

Harry and Jax were such compelling main characters and I genuinely rooted for them. Their romance was suprizingly spicy in the best way!!! And can we talk about Grace? She’s a spunky teen with budding magical powers who added so much spark to the story. Total scene-stealer.

Now let’s talk audiobook: if you’re an audiobook person, you need this one in your lineup. Teddy Hamilton is an instant 10/10, as always. And Isabelle Ruther matched that energy beautifully. The performance brought the characters and story to life in a way that made me want to start it all over again as soon as I finished.

Fans of Legends and Lattes will fall in love with this cozy, magical world. Add it to your TBR—trust me, your heart will thank you. 💫📚✨

Thank you to NetGalley, April Asher, and her publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

OKAY COZY & SEXY LIL WITCHY FANTASY. I adored this book - I have a hard time with “cozy” fantasies sometimes because they’re almost too cutesy for me, but this one was the perfect balance of cute/funny/sexy! The banter between basically every character was fantastic, and the found family was SO strong and had me all in my warm and fuzzies. And the spice also had me in my warm and fuzzies. 😏

I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute but still spicy fantasy read!

Rating: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 2 🌶️

A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher follows witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce and shifter Jaxon Atwood. Once childhood sweethearts, a shocking turn of events thirteen years ago led to Harry’s flee from their home town and broken hearts on both sides. Now, Harry must return home to find answers for her goddaughter, who’s having some shifter problems of her own. When old feelings come back to the surface, and new problems arise, it’ll take Harry and Jax working together to solve the town’s problems and their own.

My personal thoughts: I really love Grace’s character, she is the ultimate example of a moody teen (coupled with uncontrollable supernatural powers). Both the fearsome four and the big bads are chock full of lovable characters. They do feel a bit typical, but i love them nonetheless. The town of Fates Haven is a bit cliched, but I do really love its cozy vibe, close-knit residents, and fun shops. Grace and Harry’s relationship is absolutely wonderful. Truly heartwarming display of niece and pseudo-aunt love. This book was certainly easy to read; a nice book to relax with that doesn’t require a lot of brain power. I did enjoy this read, it was an easy, lighthearted romantic read, albeit a bit corny. Still a fun read overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this e-arc.