2.5 stars for me. Harlow “Harry” Pierce ran away from the town of Fates Haven 13 years ago after a heartbreaking revelation during the town's Fates Festival. Now she’s back in Fates Haven with sixteen year old Grace in tow to help the young girl uncover what she is and help her control her fiery powers. Feelings become complicated when she runs into her former childhood love, Jaxon, and the best friends she left behind.

There were too many different and unnecessary side stories and it was hard to stay interested. Some parts felt essential to the plot while others were complete filler. You also really have to suspend the typical supernatural stereotypes for this story because there are so many different characters that it’s difficult to really imagine the setting and relationships within the town and world.

I really didn't care for the interactions between the characters either. Dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and a bit too eccentric from certain people. Also a little too much sex talk with and around a sixteen year old was odd.

A Simple Twist of Fate can be a cozy romance with a supernatural touch but there were too many plot holes and unanswered questions to give this more than 2.5 stars. It has really good potential but I think it needed to be fleshed out and tightened up a bit more.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Harlow is a witch who watched her best friend revealed as the fated mate of her bf Jaxon. She leaves and only returns 13 yrs later with her goddaugher seeking help from Jaxon...

Lots of characters in this book and lots of details. It's a little hard to follow in the beginning but it got very interesting... Love Jax and Harlow together...

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

If paranormal romances are your thing, A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher should be on your tbr list. It was a good one.

Cute, lighthearted magical romance set in a small town in Colorado. Harry is forced to return to her hometown after 13 years to help her friend’s daughter lead to use her own magical gifts. Of course her ex is the only one who can help the teenage shifter and so she’s forced to face him and explain why she left. It’s second chance, small town and a whole cast of fun friends and family. Great if you are looking for a quick fun read. 3.75 rounded up✨

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for this advanced copy! It publishes 5/13/25. Perfect summer read by the pool or beach or while being a passenger princess on road trips.

I loved this second chance fantasy romance! Harry left Fates Haven heartbroken after it was revealed that the love of her life - Jax - was fated to be with another. But now she's back, with a teenage Goddaughter in tow, and needs help only Jax can provide. The book is an easy, steamy read that will have you falling in love with this small town community.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy to be reviewed.

I am a huge fan of April's supernatural singles series and was super excited to read this new paranormal romance from her. While full of her typical humor and heat, this one just didn't quite hit the five star mark for me.

There are so many characters and side plots which made the book feel too busy and took some of the focus away from the second chance romance. I'm assuming these characters will be getting their own book if this continues as a series so I wish there had been a little less of them and more of Harlow and Jax in this one.

Yes, no, maybe? Yes, if you love paranormal romances with shifters and witchy vibes.

If you like paranormal romance then this novel is for you! Follow along with Jaxon and Harlow (why would you go by Harry with a cool name like Harlow?!) as they rediscover one another after Harlow fled town with a broken heart. This time, she's brought her best friend's daughter with her who gets swooped up in the misadventures.
Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.

i fear i am dnf’ing this one for now…but only because of my life circumstances!! i thought the premise was intriguing and after giving it multiple attempts, it simply isn’t the vibe for me but i would still recommend to anyone who wants a whimsical fantasy story!!

Here's another example of a moderately fun read that simply shows too many of it's cards in the cover and tries to juggle too many tasks in the text. Seriously.

The book is simultaneously trying to introduce readers to yet another urban fantasy setting, sew seeds for potential next books and romances, introduce the extensive town of Fates Haven, and

I like when the book is focused on the narrative. I like a handful of the side characters and the main romantic pairing. I don't like the overloading of information that won't be relevant until other entries in what I assume will be a series.

I also think that there are characters that feel like they are from a complete different genre of story. A reader needs a lot of disbelief to suspend in order to not raise an eyebrow at some of the set ups for these characters- Elodie in particular I found a little baffling.

There's just too much going on and the time spent on each subplot is too scattered. The competition, romance, mystery of Gracie's shifter form, the town's festival returning, and other things are enough to make any reader's head spin.

Now if you are the type of reader who enjoys seeing characters in as many situations as possible go for this one. There is a lot of moments building up the cast of characters throughout. For me though, who prefers a more streamlined read, I found it just okay.

Thirteen years after having her heart broken at the Fates Festival Finding Ceremony, Harlow “Harry” Pierce, a witch with muted powers, returns home to the magical small town where she grew up. She never expected to return there again, but her teenage ward is exhibiting shifter behavior and needs guidance stat. With the mother off searching for the girl’s father, Harry seeks help from the Alpha shifter of the pack back home.

She just isn’t expecting that Alpha to be Jaxon Atwood, her longtime flame who was fated to another all those years ago.

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Paranormal (Witches and shifters and vampires, oh my!)
- Second chance
- Opposites attract
- Guardian to a teenage shifter
- Magical small town with diminishing magic along the ley lines
- Fated mates
- Steamy
- Book 1 in a new series

When I pick up an April Asher book, I know I’m going to get humor, heat, and found family, and A Simple Twist of Fate delivers all those things here. I enjoyed this one, but there’s something about it that felt maybe not as developed as I would have liked. That said, though, I am intrigued about the relationships between the other characters in this friend group and will gladly read whatever comes next in this series.

3.5⭐️

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press. All review opinions are my own.

A Simple Twist of Fate is a small town, paranormal fantasy second chance romance. Harlow and Jax seem like the perfect teenage couple in their small town of Fates Haven. Jax is a cougar shifter and Harlow is a witch, paranormal people and towns are common in this world which explains why there are angels, demons, vampires and seers all in their friend group. At a local festival Harlow is heartbroken when a Fated Mate ceremony reveals that Jax is actually fated to be with Elodie, one of Harlow's best friends! Of course the only thing Harlow can do it run away from home and throw down an anti-locator spell so that no one can ever find her. Thirteen years later Harlow must take her roommates daughter, Grace, home to Fates Haven for help from the town Alpha to figure out just what kind of paranormal shifter Grace might be,
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Griffin for the opportunity to read and review this book which I am giving 2.5 stars.
Unfortunately with this book it is a case of the bad outweighing the good.
What I did like:
All that delicious angst that goes with a second chance romance. There wasn't enough of it for this book in my opinion.
The female bonding and rebuilding of friendships between Harlow and her two abandoned friends in Fates Haven.

What I didn't like:
Way too many pop culture references, Yes this even includes the Buffy the Vampire Slayer references, by the time those started to happen it was too late.
The massive infodump of characters and abilities within the first three chapters. I understand the set up of multiple characters in a small town, but this all happened at once with an avalanche to retain immediately. Characters can be introduced more organically that this and in a way that allows a reader to retain who people are and what their abilities are before 10 more are added to the pile.
The wheelbarrow manure scene.
The inclusion of the Fey/shifter Fey.
The PCOS part. Not sure exactly what the author was going for here especially in the scene it was mentioned in. Was Harlow trying to say that she is overweight because she has PCOS? Is she saying something about her body hair? Its is also implied that its safe to not use protection during this scene because she has PCOS so its not like she can get pregnant. I'm not sure what the intent was with this, but it was a miss.

This book definitely had potential especially as a start to a new series, but it ended up not working for me.

This new love story from April Asher was fun and sweet. Our protagonist, Harlow “Harry” Pierce, has been away from her hometown of Fates Haven for thirteen years after her boyfriend was seemingly fated for someone else. Since then, she has found herself as a second mother to Grace, the daughter of her best friend Cassie who is trying to find Grace's father. Grace has powers that are developing out of control, as so Harry brings her to Fates Haven as a last resort.
I really liked this. At first I was uncertain, as the writing style wasn't something I loved, but once the story got underway at about the 20% mark, I was hooked. The chemistry between Harry and Jax was phenomenal, and Jax seems like such a sweet person (or shifter, technically). I really liked that Asher didn't throw Grace's story to the side to focus on the romance. As much as this is a love story between Harry and Jax, this is also a story about magic being on the fritz in Fates Haven and Grace's powers being a mystery. This was a fast paced, fun, and intriguing read. I'm curious if Asher will expand this into an interconnected romance series, given what is revealed about some side characters in the end.

I was immediately drawn to A Simple Twist of Fate by the promise of magic and romance. But, the story fell flat and didn't quite meet my expectations. The narrative laggedmaking it hard to stay fully engaged, and some of the situations in the book were annoying to me(I hate admitting this in a review).
The execution and the main plot didn't hold my interest. I really really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it couldn't come together for me.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC of this book. The thoughts and review above are in exchange for the ARC of this book.

Very similar to April Asher's work so far but much more developed and enjoyable! I love these characters

An easy, adorable read. It doesn’t require any thinking — in fact, don’t think too hard. The world is wonderfully wonky and the beginning tosses you into it with some silly scenes, so embrace it lest you be confused.

The end is wonderfully heartwarming. Great for a snow day and a cup of cocoa.

Thank you #NetGalley for an ARC.

This book was really struggling to keep my attention the entire way through. Ultimately it was a cute romance with fantasy shifter elements but I just wish we got a little more of everything? I’d be interested in a second book about Grace and her parents

A Simple Twist of Fate is a lighthearted fantasy romance that weaves a magical world of witches, shifters, and fate. Set in the enchanting town of Fates Haven, the story follows Harlow and Jax, two destined lovers who have been separated for 13 years since she left town without a word.

The novel's strength lies in its charming, whimsical tone and fun, cozy setting. Fates Haven is brought to life with vivid descriptions that invite readers to immerse themselves in its magical atmosphere. The narrative carries a cheerful energy, making it an easy and enjoyable read. The romance between Harlow and Jax is the heart of the story, with their fated connection adding a layer of intrigue and emotional depth.

However, the book isn’t without its flaws. Some readers may find inconsistencies in the plot, particularly regarding the lore of shifters and the magical elements, which could use more clarity and cohesion. While there are moments of humor and banter, they don’t quite reach the level of Asher's previous works. Furthermore, the romantic tension between Harlow and Jax, though central to the plot, may feel underwhelming to those hoping for a deeper emotional connection.

Despite these shortcomings, A Simple Twist of Fate has potential. It offers an engaging escape for fans of lighthearted fantasy romance, even if it doesn’t fully deliver on every front. The world and supporting characters hint at possibilities for more dynamic storytelling in future books. While it may not immediately compel readers to rush into a sequel, it leaves the door open for continued exploration of Fates Haven.

If you’re in the mood for a fun, magical read with a feel-good vibe, this book is worth picking up—just temper your expectations for the romance and narrative depth. 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to April Asher, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 STARS!!
I had high hopes for this book because I’ve read this author multiple times. She always creates fantastic stories that include mythical creatures, witches, shifters, and more. This story was a little different, and I felt she had a lot going on that detracted somewhat.

We had a female main character disappear from her hometown for 13 years because of a fated match. This was actually something that I really couldn’t understand because she not only cut off her family and friends, but she struggled emotionally because of it.

We also have a teenage Goddaughter who is acting out and our main character has “custody” of her because her mother has disappeared, searching for the child’s father. I had mixed feelings about both of these characters.

Then we have the male main character, who I liked the best of all of the characters because he was pretty patient and kind, despite everything happening over the past 13 years. She hurt him quite deeply and didn’t really understand the depth until she got back to town.

The two together were fire and I loved their fiery connection. I wish we had more focus on them alone and maybe an actual epilogue after the fact that would allow us to become deeply involved with these two characters. I felt I wanted more with these two.

The author did develop a supportive community of which we get to meet many people. Multiple side stories took away from the actual main focus of the book which is the second chance romance.

Asher always writes her stories with deep imagination and entertaining aspects. Many pieces make you smile but there are also a few areas that left me with some mixed feelings.

A Simple Twist of Fate is loaded with friends and family interactions, fun, enjoyable scenarios, and the sweet happily ever after we crave.

There were aspects of this book I liked, and some I didn’t. Harry was a great FMC and I liked the second chance romance (and second chance everything, really). But I hated Cassie. Leaving your teenage daughter with your best friend to go searching for someone is too outlandish for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and i can't wait to see where the author goes in the future with their writing.