I loved it! Loved the chemistry between characters! I just ate this book up, could not put it down. Sizzling fated mates slow burn with great banter but also sweet and cozy. Will definitely keep an eye out for this author in the future.

This was such a good book. It was a quick read. Once I started it, I had a hard time putting it down. If you like fantasy romance with a bit of spice, this book is for you. There are witches, shifters, angels and demons and a dragon. I would definitely recommend this book!!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I was so excited because I loved April Asher’s other supernatural series so much. This was so fun! So many interesting characters and an intriguing magical world. I like how the witches and shifters and all magical creatures exist together. I was annoyed at first with Harry and Jax and how long it took them to resolve the first miscommunication but overall this book was very enjoyable and I’m excited to continue this series and see what happens with the other fated couples.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this as an ARC. This book releases on 5/13/25.

I love April Asher’s writing. Easy to read and a captivating story, this book was delightful and I enjoyed Harry’s journey of coming home and finding that where you were is where you were always meant to be. I’m excited for this series to continue.

Really well written! This book was an easy read without having information overload, so you didn’t feel lost the entire time. Good amount of humor and has a great plot! Would have loved to hear more of their backstory/younger years.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley and I loved this book. Harlow or "Harry" left her hometown of Fates Haven after a Fated Matches Festival went terribly wrong and her boyfriend Jaxon was matched with her best friend Elodie. She comes back to town after 13 years with her friend's daughter who needs help from Jaxon who is now alpha of his pack. There has not been a Fated match since that Festival 13 years ago, everyone's magic is slightly off but things are starting to right itself as Harry comes back to town. I loved this story, the banter and the fun "magical" lore. I loved how Harry allowed herself to meet her destiny head on. 13 years is a long time to be away but it's also time to mature and for her and Jaxon to heal their wounds. I can't wait to read more about their friends and hopefully more about Harry and Jaxon.

I had such high hopes for this book! This ended up being a DNF for me. I thought the premise was intriguing and if it had been executed properly, I think this story would have been more interesting.

My biggest issue was how bland it felt. I’m not sure if it was the writing, the lack of tension between the two main characters or the dialogue…but I couldn’t finish it. Some of the dialogue was cringe and the main characters didn’t have enough tension. I wasn't invested in Harry and Jax's relationship.

The story immediately sucked me in. I loved the dynamic between Harlow and Grace throughout the book, over protective guardian that’s doing her best and a sassy teenager figuring out who she is and being just as protective of Harlow. There isn’t a single bad character, every personality is well developed and I loved them all. The second chance romance was adorable, predictable but I didn’t mind that. Everything was very low stakes and cozy while also have competitive moments throughout the festival.

Very enjoyable quick read that I could have had another 200 pages and would have loved every minute of it.

A funny, sappy small town romance with a little bit of magic flair. This read was quick and light, with a loveable cast of characters.

This book was… a book. That’s about all I can say. It followed the exact pattern you’d expect, with no surprises or unexpected twists. The characters felt pretty flat, and the central conflict—13 years of angst—could have been resolved with a single phone call, which made it frustrating to read. The ending clearly set up future books about the other characters introduced, but I don’t feel compelled to continue the series.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. This was a great paranormal romance as it was funny, sweet, and fast paced. The story starts off with Harlow "Harry" having left her hometown with the intent of never returning. Harry begrudgingly takes her best friend's daughter, Grace, back to her hometown, Fates Haven, as she has run out of options. Grace needs help learning to control her magic/shifter powers. Harry goes to the alpha of the pack for help not knowing its Jax who broke her heart all those years ago. Jax and Harry come to an agreement to work together to help Grace. This leads them to interacting, working through what broke them in the past, and of course falling in love again. I would recommend this to people who like stories with small town feels, strong friendships, found family, and a sweet second chance love story. :) .

Harlow abandons her hometown and future life when the love of her life gets fate matched to her best friend. Running from the past for 13 years, she's forced to return by a twist of fate that has her goddaughter niece as an unknown shifter who can't control her gifts and the only choice is to come home for help.

Forced to confront her past, life turned out differently than she imagined. I enjoyed the quirky sense of community and the supporting characters as Harry, Jax and Grace try to work out their futures. Everything wasn't forgive and forget so despite being supernatural it lent the story credibility.

I loved this book! It is such a cozy read! I wanted to live in Fates Hallow! I really loved the themes in the book (found family, second chance, fated mates). It also gave a really cute twist on a shifter romance that I really enjoyed! I found myself laughing at the banter and rooting for all of the characters. I really would love to hear the stories of the side characters and see how their Fates play out. Definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves a cozy little romance!

this book is the cutest blend of paranormal romance, mystery, magic and love.

featuring the most delicious second chance romance, while there was a lot going on in this book—it was relatively easy to keep track of.

one of my favorite aspects that resonated with me was the dynamics between a woman and her niece, and I saw glimpses of myself and my eldest niece in.

if you’re looking for heartwarming relationships, deep character development (and some bad ass female characters), this one is for you!

3/5

After finding out her teenaged boyfriend Jaxon was fated for her best friend, Elodie, Harlow swore she'd never return to her hometown of Fates Haven. But when her goddaughter needs mentorship from an experienced shifter, she finds herself back where she started - trying not to fall madly in love with Jaxon again.

I really enjoyed Asher's Supernatural Singles series, and I was excited for the start of a new series (fingers crossed) which seems to take place in the same world. With all the chaos in the world right now, it was lovely to be able to escape into the world of Fates Haven, where all supernaturals are appreciated for themselves, as well as enjoy delicious baked goods. This book was just a sweet escape from the real world and I was so sad when the book ended and I had to leave Harlow and her family in Fates Haven. Luckily, the book seems to be setting up a new series (I'm very excited to see Elodie and Silas' story) and I particularly enjoyed the storyline of fated mates. While I love that trope, it was thoughtfully used as a reminder that ultimately, we choose our own fated partners.

I'd recommend to anyone who enjoyed Sarah Hawley's Glimmer Falls series or who loves the idea of a cozy yet spicy romance. I'm certainly excited to read the next instalment!

A Simple Twist Of Fate
By April Asher

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this book.

A Simple Twist of Fate is a story of coming home again and finding that part of yourself you always knew was missing. I actually really enjoyed this book. It was a super fun read and did not disappoint. The story was a well developed cross between fantasy and romantic comedy that drew me into it with ease and had me giggling frequently. It gave me all the warm and fuzzy feelings any good rom-com should, while triggering my imagination to see the world the author created.

All of the characters were entertaining and engaging. The slow burn between the two main characters was palpable and absolutely incredible. The banter and snark was fantastic. Then, there’s the world building; that in itself was superb. There was an abundance of all things magical and it worked so well. Not only were there witches and shifters, but angels and demons and dragons, oh my! It was a beautiful blend of how all the different kinds of people could live in harmony, or at least find middle ground.

I’d honestly love to see a series created around all these characters as a whole. I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone who will listen!

Tropes in this book include:
Second Chance Romance/First Love
Fated Mates
Slow Burn
Magical Beings
Self Discovery
Found Family

Cute little paranormal romance book! Love the vibes of the book but just wish the plot had a little bit more to it. 3.5 stars.

I'm really trying to avoid DNFs this year. This was my first NetGalley ARC, so I wanted to finish it as a courtesy, but I'm really struggling.
The FMC is Harry (Harlow—and I hate that Harry's a girl's name now; so confusing!). She's a witch. She and the MMC, Jaxon (a mountain lion shifter), were high school sweethearts. They were crazy about each other until a Fates ceremony declared Jaxon was destined for her friend, Elodie. Devastated, Harry (around 18 at the time, I think) fled town and cast a spell to make herself untraceable. Thirteen years later, she's guardian to Grace, a 16-year-old whose mom, Cassie (human), is off searching for Grace's father. Grace has uncontrollable fire powers and gets expelled from schools because she burns things down when she's upset. So, Cassie leaves her with Harry to find Grace's dad, figure out what kind of shifter he is, and learn how to help Grace. Cassie's been gone over a year, which is odd, but whatever. Harry's consulted local shifter packs near NYC, but no one can help Grace. So, Harry decides to return to her hometown in Colorado, hoping the Alpha there can offer guidance. Guess who the new Alpha is? Jaxon, of course. He's seen Grace's power firsthand; he agrees to help, though he's unsure his methods will be enough to reign in such a powerful ability.
The story's now a repetitive cycle of Grace spending time with Jaxon, supposedly learning to control her powers, but mostly just shoveling horse manure. Harry and Jaxon occasionally run into each other; the spark is still there, but Jaxon keeps his distance. A festival is coming up with games, and Harry's friends are planning a showdown with Jaxon's crew. Four games, starting with paintball, all childish, with even more childish punishments for losing. There's also a strange bakery owned by Harry's friend, with a suggestive theme, though all they seem to sell are cinnamon rolls and eclairs. I'm just not invested. Harry does nothing but stalk Jaxon while pretending she isn't, and these games feel so juvenile. Plus, the book cover kind of gives away the big mystery about Grace's powers—why the drawn-out suspense?
I'm at 45%. I've tried to get into this, but I keep putting it down, even while trying to force myself to finish it. I think I'm throwing in the towel, at least for now.
Read this if you like:
-Small-town romance (where gossip is rampant)
-Shifter romance
-Second chance romance
-Slow burn romance
-Feisty teenagers
-Secretly sweet MMCs

OKAY so. this had everything I wanted it to have. A positively delicious second chance romance with so many fantasy elements. There was a heartwarming and captivating relationship between a woman and her niece. There was intrigue with the magical problems in the town and a sense of mystery regarding Grace's shifter abilities. There was a lot going on in this book, but I felt that it was really easy to keep track of. Overall, I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to more in the future!

A Simple Twist of Fate is a paranormal romance that blends mystery, magic, and love. The story follows Harry Pierce, who left Fates Haven at 18 after her boyfriend was matched with someone else at the finding ceremony. Now, 13 years later, she's back in town with her troubled goddaughter, Grace, who's half human and half shifter, and can't control her abilities. Harry seeks help from the pack led by Jaxon to teach Grace how to manage her powers and to find Grace's father, who holds the key to her abilities. Jaxon is a fantastic male lead—so patient and kind. The plot is intriguing and definitely feels like it's setting up for more books in this world. The chemistry between Harry and Jaxon is palpable, and their second-chance romance was heartwarming. I also appreciated the depth of the plot beyond just the romance. The strong female characters, especially Harry, add significant strength to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest reivew.