Harlow "Harry" Pierce believed the Fates Haven Finding Ceremony would prove she and Jaxon Atwood were a fated match. Instead, the ceremony pointed to one of Harry's closest friends being his match. She fled the town afterwards and built a life in New York City. Thirteen years later, she returns to Fate's Haven to help her god-daughter deal with her shifting abilities.

This was a fun book to read. It has entertaining characters and lots of comedic moments. The town and its people were quirky and original. I liked the two main characters and also really enjoyed the secondary characters.

I'm not always a fan of second-chance romance, but it was done well here. I liked that Harry and Jaxon communicated well and talked through their past issues.

This would be a perfect October read as it has great witchy vibes. If you are looking for a light-hearted romance with fun characters, check it out.

April Asher does a great job blending shifters, witches, angels and the like into one universe, and this is no different. While the twists and answers were all pretty predictable, it's a fun second chance story. At times there was a lot going on that seemed to detract from the romance, but it worked.

The third person POV made it harder to follow at time while learning all the characters.

3⭐️: this book had so many things that readers of various trope preferences might latch onto-second chance romance, small town romance, cozy fantasy romance, single “parent” romance, and fated mates. For me, it was enjoyable but a bit try-hard in both tropes and pop culture references, with a bit much of both that left me feeling like it would have benefitted from a paring down of ideas and plot to a more focused story (and please, less nicknames). Overall, I had a fun time with it and I think it will have broad appeal, but may not be one I’d read again.

With some bakery treats called Cinna-Boobs and Erection Éclairs, I knew I was going to enjoy this one. 😂

It follows witch, Harlow aka Harry, and her best friend’s half human/half shifter teenage daughter, Grace. The two set off for Harry’s hometown of Fates Haven, where she hitailed it out of there 13 years prior. Leaving her then shifter boyfriend - Jax, friends and family behind.

The sparks are immediately flying in this one, and they aren’t only coming from our teenage shifter. While Harry and Jax have some unfinished business with each other, the pull between the two is undeniable. I honestly couldn’t stop reading because I loved their banter and back and forth so much. Their little town was giving me all the Stars Hallow vibes and had some truly laugh out loud moments.

It’s a fun, quick, sexy, spicy, read, and I finished it in less than 24 hours, and then went back and reread the majority of it. 🤪

Melli’s Book Breakdown
Witch/shifter romance
Protective Hero
Magical Romance
Small Town Hijinks
Second Chance Romance
Plus sized

I have not found an April Asher novel I haven’t enjoyed so I was super excited to read A Simple Twist of Fate. I love this new quirky paranormal series set in the same world as her previous series that Asher has set up for a great series with many side characters I want to know more about. The book is character driven focusing on Grace and her family as well as Jax in a second chance romance that gave me all the feelings and of course laughs.

Thank you to April Asher and St. Martin’s Griffin for the e-arc copy of this book! It was a cozy, romance with fantastical elements including shifters, seers, witches, demons, angels, and more! Fates Haven, the small town setting, felt like if Stars Hollow and Halloweentown had a baby. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a cute second-chance romance set in a small town (with a fantastical twist)! 3.75 🌟

DNF at chapter 2. Thank you to St Martins Press for a copy of this ARC but this book was just not for me. I didn’t like how many characters were introduced right away and it felt like I was already having a tough time of keeping track between everyone. The concept is interesting and I think this would be a great book for the right person, that person just wasn’t me.

A Simple Twist of Fate follows our FMC, a witch named Harlow "Harry" Pierce, who ran away from home at 18 after finding out that her boyfriend (a cougar shifter named Jaxon) was not her Fated match. She vowed never to return again but 13 years later, she has no other choice. Her goddaughter, Gracie, has been having trouble with her powers and Harry thinks that by bringing her to Fates Havens, they might be able to figure out what kind of shifter she really is!

This was such a palate cleanser of a book! It was filled with humor and very likeable and unique characters! I'm glad we only had a few friends to learn about because each had a different power. I loved learning about Gracie and how she honed in on her powers and also her relationship with Harry. Harry and Jax's relationship was flirty and I loved them together! I wasn't really into the competition the friend group played and found myself bored at those parts. I wish there was a bit more background in regards to the Fates Festival and Harry & Jax's relationship when they were younger. I still enjoyed it because it made me giggle at some parts.

A Simple Twist of Fate is the start of a new trilogy by the author of The Supernatural Singles series, which I also enjoyed. This was a fun, steamy read focusing on Harlow ,a witch and cougar shifter Jax who reconnect after years apart. The story featured a second chance romance and fated mates. While I wasn't a fan of why they broke up, I did enjoy most of the characters and the setup for the next books. Give this one a try. If you're looking for a quick, paranormal read this summer. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

3.75 stars
I’ve loved April Asher’s Supernatural Singles series, so I was excited to dive into A Simple Twist of Fate. This one reads like a cozy Hallmark movie set in the world of Halloweentown; fun, festive, and full of charm. While the story was lighthearted and easy to breeze through, some of the pacing felt a bit clunky, and the plot was fairly predictable.

That said, I still really enjoyed my time in this whimsical world. And while this book leans on the miscommunication trope, which I normally loathe, it was handled in a way that didn’t grate on me the way it usually does. It’s the kind of quick, magical romp that’s perfect for when you need a bit of fun and fantasy without the heavy drama.

Thank you to NetGalley, April Asher, and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm honestly a bit surprised as to how much I liked this! I didn't have any expectations going into the story, considering this was my first-ever paranormal romance, but I was pleasantly surprised by the romance and the small-town vibes!

Harlow "Harry" Pierce left Fates Haven, Colorado, after she watched her best friend and her cougar-shifting boyfriend, Jaxon, become each other's Fated match. Devastated, she puts an anti-tracker spell on herself and moves to New York City to start anew as she cuts ties with her friends and family back home. Thirteen years later, she's forced to come back--this time with her teenage goddaughter, Grace--as Grace starts to shift and develop her new abilities, but no one knows what she's trying to shift into. When trying to help Grace bring Harry and Jax together again, it has to be Fate playing its games...right?

I loved the small-town vibes and the setting of Fates Haven! I know the story takes place during the summer, but I could definitely see myself reading this as a cozy, lighthearted read during the fall. Fates Haven had that Hallmark-movie type of vibe about it, and I think Nora, Harry's aunt, even described Fates Haven as Halloweentown, which I definitely got the vibe of! It's making me want to visit Fates Haven and yes, I'm fully aware that it's not a real town. I also loved the relationship between Harry and Grace. Yes, Grace is just Harry's goddaughter (she's the daughter of Harry's best friend, Cassie), but you can tell that Harry loves and cares for Grace as if she's her own. You could feel the love between the two, and there were a lot of cute moments between them during the story.

Now, onto the romance. Did I think Harry and Jax have chemistry? Yes, 100%. Do I think there was enough push and pull? That's debatable. I think one of the best things about a second-chance romance is the "will they, won't they" dynamic, the push and pull of the dynamic between the love interests where they want to hate the other person for how they left things before, but wanting to hold onto the hope that they can start again. I love the angst, the tension, and the buildup that leads to them finding each other again. In my opinion, there wasn't a whole ton of this. It was just the "will they" aspect of that push and pull, except it wasn't even a "will they," it was more like a "WHEN they" do it, if that makes any sense.

On top of all of that, I felt like the story in general didn't 100% focus on Harry and Jax. There was the subplot of them trying to figure out what's going on with Grace, there was a town festival with competitions that Jax and Harry competed in with their friends, AND the subplot about everyone trying to figure out what was going on with the town's magic since it's been wacky and throwing everyone off course. All of those plots I felt like were perfectly balanced and I enjoyed reading about all of them, but at the expense of the push and pull dynamic of a second-chance romance taking the back burner. But dang it, despite all of that, I will admit the chemistry between them was off the charts. The way he calls her "baby" and "sweet pea" had me giggling.

Since this isn't just your regular second-chance romance, I have to take a moment to talk about the magic system. I wish it was explained more. I've watched enough supernatural TV shows growing up and read enough fantasy books to know who has what powers and what they can do with their abilities, and it seems like a lot of the magic system is based on the things we see in other media about these supernatural beings, like vampires, werewolves, the fae, etc. However, for someone who may not have the same amount of background knowledge may struggle a bit. There were also a bunch of things regarding Grace's parental lineage as they were trying to figure out what she could shift into that were brought up, but I didn't feel like it was fully explained. Like, is the ability to shift into specific entities hereditary? What happens if neither parent is a shifter? How do the other realms connect with Earth? DO they even connect? I don't know, I had a lot of questions about how the magic system fit into the grand scheme of things. We were dropped into the world with no additional context as if we were supposed to know exactly how everything worked right off the bat.

(And just a side note about a random plot hole that was in the ARC; no, this is *not* a spoiler for anything in the overall plot: there was a scene where Grace comes in and tells everyone about she was snooping through Harry's email and was talking about her getting an email from someone back in NYC about her job and how they want to take her back? I SWEAR none of that was mentioned at ALL leading up to that point. I have no idea if this was taken out in the final copy that was published in stores, but I thought I was going crazy when I had to do a double-take and wonder when in the world was there ANY mention of Harry losing her job.)

Overall, this was a cute and fast read for my first-ever paranormal romance! I loved the small-town vibes and I hope that this isn't just a standalone and it becomes a series! I'd love to see stories about Harry and Jax's other friends and their Fated matches in the future. (*cough*ElodieandSilas*cough* I feel like this is a standalone, but I think a story about those two would be hilarious to read.)

P.S. I HAVE to mention this somewhere but it doesn't fit anywhere else in my main review: the chapter names are WILDING😭I can't write any of them out because I feel like my review would get flagged for inappropriate content with the names taken out of context. THAT'S how wild they are.

High school witch and cougar shifter sweethearts who had a horrible breakup after the town's annual "fated mates" ceremony happens and they find out they aren't each others reunite 13 years later when she needs help finding out what magic her goddaughter has and the only person who can help her is her shifter ex... who has been hiding the secret that the ceremony was wrong and that she is in fact his mate. Talk about small town drama! Harlow "Harry" Pierce and her boyfriend Jaxon Atwood were the couple that thought they would be together forever... until the town's annual Blue Willow Wisp ceremony happens ( in which the magic would lead Fated mates together... and Harry's best friend matches with Jaxon)... leaving her devastated and heartbroken... to the point where she packs her bags and leaves the little magic town and vows never to come back and puts on an anti tracking spell so no one can find her ever. Now 13 years later her goddaughter's shifting abilities have awoken and there's no telling whats happening to her... and that means Harry has to return to her small town to get help... and that means facing all the friends she left behind the ex who still holds her heart despite him not being her mate. Jaxon is now the alpha of the pack and he has a secret, the mating ceremony is wrong and he knows in his heart that Harry is the one for him...but after spending years trying to track her down but having the anti tracking spell lead him astray and radio silence from her... Jaxon is ready to give up... except she's suddenly back in town and needs his help. Jaxon and Harry have so much unresolved feelings and secrets, but being together and uncovering not only whats going on with Harry's god daughter but also competing in the town's festival and figuring out what went wrong with the Blue Willow Wisp ceremony all those years ago can possibly lead them to their happy ever after. This was such a cute small town practical magic-esque second chance romance!!! I absolutely cannot wait to read all the other couples' stories and see more romance take place! This was so adorable and the perfect amount of romance and small magic town vibes. I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves a witchy cute romance!

Release Date: March 13, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

"A Simple Twist of Fate" by April Asher is the perfect book for fans of witchy rom-coms and small town vibes. Like an older version of Halloweentown, it was a blend of Practical Magic with a bit of Sweet Home Alabama mixed in. Not only was the romance delightful and full of tension, longing, and second chances, the stand out relationships in this book, to me, were the friendships between the female characters. I especially appreciated the intergenerational relationships. Seeing the main character, Harry, learn to be a guardian and second mom to Grace and learning the many challenges of caring for a teen, while also being cared for by her own quirky Aunt Nora were some of the best parts of the book, in my opinion.
Like all good witchy and cozy novels the cast of characters were a blend of humor, quirkiness, and strength. Asher did a great job of brining together different fantasy elements and characters. From witches, to shifters, to angels and vampires, the town of Fates Hollow was full unique personalities.
If you enjoy small town and second chances romance (with a bit of magic) give this one a try.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin, April Asher, and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the Supernatural Singles series and so was excited to see a new supernatural romance from April Asher on my NG account. This book was overall cute and filled with all the paranormal creatures your heart desires, but at times the silliness really went OTT and took away from the enjoyable bits of the book. There were also a lot of side pieces - did we need the competition side plot when there was already so much happening?

This was generally a cute and easy read, and I will still probably come back to any future books about Harry’s and Jax’s friends!

POV: dual third person

You can expect: fated mates, opposites attract, second chance, small town, guardian of a teen, witch FMC, shifter MMC, “you’re mine”/“I’m yours”

Rep: PCOS

Spice: 2.5

I knew I was going to like this book, all of April’s paranormal romances are a good mix, of romance, family and banter. I couldn’t stop laughing, mainly when it came to Harlow and Grace, teens are reckless. Grace is Harlow’s god daughter, and she is special, and Harlow took it upon herself to take her to her hometown in hopes that the Alpha can help them with Grace’s new gifts. Harlow has not been back home in 13 years, and she had left people who loved her behind, including Jax. This second chance romance was what I needed, and the banter tension between these two?? Funny and very smooth, these two did not waste time to reconcile. I am expecting this book to start a series, because Jax and Harlow’s friends all need one at this point, can’t leave out the funny chapter titles.

Harlow “Harry” Pierce had no intentions of returning to Fates Haven after the fated ceremony 13 years ago turned her world upside down. But after exhausting all her options to find the answers to what kind of shifter her ward is could be she’ll do just about anything.

After Harry left without a trace following the last disastrous fates ceremony that sent the down into chaos Jax Atwood thought for sure he’d never see her again. He’s shocked when she returns and even more so when she turns to him for help. Can their mutual goal help heal old wounds? Especially once she finds out the truth of what happened all those years ago.

I absolutely loved April’s super natural singles series so I was excited to start this one and honestly I think it might be my new favorite book from her. I love a good second chance romance and this one delivers! The tension was high and the banter was delightful. Especially when their friends got involved in antagonizing each other.

Frankly, the cast of side characters made me fall even harder for Fates Haven. I can only hope that we haven’t seen the last of this headstrong and hilarious group of friends especially after that ending!

If you’re a fan of small town, PNR, found family and second chance romance then you need to make this your next read.

One of my goals this year was to not only try new authors, but to trust some tried and true favorites; and April Hunt has been back on my radar. When I saw the premise for a Simple Twist of Fate, not only did it sound cute and fun, but it felt like the perfect blend of everything for OG paranormal romance lovers. Shifters, witches, vampires and more; all in a cute small-town setting? Sign me up!

I will admit, that like any new series, learning a ton of new characters can be overwhelming but Asher delivers quite well as we learn about our FMC Harry, her tight-knit found family and her original small-town family and how they all interconnect. The town of Fates Haven was the site of her ultimate heartbreak. In a world where supernatural creatures are part of the norm, Harry’s world is broken when her supposed Fated Mate is let to her best friend rather than her and this sends her on the run leaving the town, and all those she knows behind. We come to her story 13 years later when her roommate’s daughter (basically her niece) has uncontrollable shifter powers and they’ve exhausted every avenue to figure out her lineage. Returning to Fates Haven puts Harry right back into her prior situation; her first love Jaxon is still in town and now serves as the Alpha. And that puts him right in her path for answers.

With an overall plot of finding out her niece’s shifter abilities, we get to learn about the town’s inhabitants and Harry’s original group of friends (who I feel will be our future novels in the series). It was a nice introduction to their dynamics, previously and newly developed. I really felt like this was a great blend of smalltown romance and paranormal (I can’t say it enough). Asher truly blends the paranormal into the everyday life of all the characters so well. From warrior angels to sassy witches and even a cranky yet appealing vampire; there’s a little bit of everything for any romance reader. Add in a dash of hometown mystery as to Harry and Jaxon’s original fate ceremony leads to reviving the town’s Fates Festival and this was a light and happy rom-com read.

Thank you to April Asher and St. Martin's Griffin for a review copy.

Spicy, male female, 3rd person dual point of view, contemporary, paranormal romance. Perfect length quirky and cozy read. I enjoyed all of the characters and the small town heartfelt vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & April Asher for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Have you read April Asher's Supernatural Singles series and enjoyed the hell out of it? Read this book. It's simply more fantasy fun. Some of the world building carries over from the prior series (Angel Guard etc) but we get to meet new mystical beings and shifters! But if you haven't read the previous series- NEVER FEAR! It's still MORE fantasy fun! I loved the Fates Haven setting and hope we get to see more from this delightful town full of characters with stories of their own!

My reading tastes have changed throughout the years, but paranormal, especially witchy, reads have been a constant in my reading repertoire.

I picked up A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher with high hopes and was not disappointed.

This story is about Harlow (“Harry”), a witch who decides to return to her hometown of Fates Haven following a 13-year absence. In tow is her teenage niece who is a shifter of unknown origin — the sole reason for her return. The one person who can help her niece is Jaxon — her former boyfriend who was marked as Fated to one of her best friends. Awkward. Harry reconnects with old friends and finds that magic has been going haywire in Fates Haven. But why?

With witches, shifters, a fiery niece, an aunt who likes to meddle, friendly competition, plenty of laughs, and some second chance romance, this story delivers on so many levels.

The author’s writing makes for an enjoyable, entertaining read. The tension between Harry and Jax was unmatched - between the history, heartache, and unresolved feelings…*chef’s kiss*. There was no shortage of shenanigans either. I especially liked the tattoos (iykyk).

This is definitely a cute, fast-paced read that I’ll be recommending to friends!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.