An Ancient Witches Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edwards
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Release date: July 1, 2025

Thank you S&S/Saga Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book. An Ancient Witches Guide to Modern Dating is a lighthearted, fun read that follows a witch, Thorn, as she searches for love. After accidentally time traveling from 1690 to the modern day, Thorn tries online dating and gets into many comical situations while adjusting to life in the 21st century.

This book reads like a romcom. It was funny and easy to read. The characters were likable and relatable. Although, the snarky talking cat, Bandit, stole the show if you ask me. He was a great character. I really appreciated Thorn’s character arc throughout the story as she learned some important lessons. Her growth from beginning to end is well written and relatable.

This was a great book to read for something a little lighter than my normal genres. If you are looking for a lighthearted, funny read with lovable characters then I highly recommend giving this one a try!

This was a lovely cozy read. 1700s Thorn finds herself transported to modern day time with her familiar and a customer turned frog.

This was a super clever idea and i loved the plot and especially bandit, it was a bit confusing sometimes the way the characters were described sometimes in according to how Thorn described but overall this was a cute read for sure. Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me an ARC copy!

Thorn Scarhart wants a husband. Now, on the cusp of 40 in the 17th century, she believes her only recourse is to perfect the "Forever True Love" brew her mother was working on before she passed. Only, instead of a love potion, she seems to have made a Time Travel one. Now, along with her familiar (ahem - overlord) Bandit, and an annoying customer-turned-frog, Thorn is figuring out her way in the 21st century. Which isn't so bad when one considers electric kettles and dating apps exist. This story was so incredibly fun, not to mention funny. Thorn's desire for companionship and love is so relatable, that you feel for her as she bungles her way through encounters. Past experiences have made her think she needs to change who she is in order to obtain someone's affection. Overall, it got a little disjointed towards the End, but I enjoyed the self-awareness in Thorn's actions. Fitting with her character arc, she takes control of her narrative and acts in a way that helps her grow as a person beyond her original desires to just be wanted. Thorn made me cackle like a witch myself with all her quips and observations on present day. (Just wait for her thoughts on pugs!) I adored how strong and matter-of-fact she is. As a 17th century witch, she could easily have become a caricature of a character in the anachronistic setting, but no, Thorn thrives, while still retaining the sense of ingenue.

A charming witchy romance that is perfect for cozy fantasy fans!

Thorn is a 39 year old witch that has been working on her forever true love potion for years; when she finally gets close to perfecting it, her spell backfires and sends her 300 years into the future...into our modern day. The story follows Thorn as she learns to navigate the modern world, searches for true love, and uncovers secrets of her past.

This book was the perfect cozy, witchy romance! Thorn and her love interest were so charming, and I found it hilarious to watch Thorn try and navigate the modern dating world. I also loved that this book was clean (no smut that comes out of nowhere lacking any sort of plot development), and the 2 main characters were the perfect example of a healthy relationship.

I really loved this book and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a light, romantic and comedic read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for providing this charming arc in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED this book. It was funny and different and just plain silly. It was such a fun twist on the romance genre and the paranormal witchy genre. I highly highly recommend this book. It was a fun and fast read that kept me engaged all the way through.

Oh wow! How fun. I went into this totally blind, so I had no clue what was happening. I highly recommend doing that if you can.
Thorn, single and looking for love in the 1600 is thrust into the future with her cat. I mean, how you can not just be completely entertained by this.
It was cozy, funny and just a great read. I’ll definitely be rereading this one at Halloween and telling all my friends.
Thank you .

Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press and S&S for providing this book, with my honest review below.

An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating had a great hook with the idea of an on the shelf spinster witch suddenly time jumping to modern times. Thorn, our witch, has tried everything to couple up in her own time, a passed down obsession from her mother, and while she’s not been successful (to humorous ends) beneath the surface of her shenanigans it’s clear that her obsession is also meant to distract her from her beloved sister, Rose, not being in her life due to a traumatic event.

In modern day things get even funnier as Thorn tries to assimilate, find a love interest, and keep her (talking) cat and (cursed) frog that came with her happy. Thorn has the help of Meg and her brother Walls, and the plot takes some fun turns as Thorn finds out she’s not the only witch present though the other one doesn’t have the best intentions. The story is sweet and surprisingly emotional, funny and more adventurous than you might think. Definitely one to pick up and I hope we continue to follow certain characters to learn more!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a different spin on a witchy read, and as a cat lady, I absolutely loved how big of a role the cats had in the story. Thorn was such a strong character—despite being haunted by her past, she never let it stop her. The time travel aspect added a unique twist, making it feel like a modern historical witchy romance. With a great plot and an amazing cast of characters, this was such a fun and cozy read! If you love magical stories with a bit of romance, definitely check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cecilia Edward for the opportunity to read this ARC. An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating releases on July 1, 2025!

Thank you so much to Saga Press, Cecilia Edward, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is marketed as a must-read for people who loved A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna and The Ex-Hex by Erin Sterling and I think that is the perfect way to describe what this book was like. I love books about witches because they always have such a great atmosphere and Cecilia Edward's perfectly encapsulates that exact vibe.

This book is about 39-year-old Thorn Scarhart while she is struggling to come to terms with still being single at her age. She decides to create a more powerful love potion than the ones she tried to test before and ends up hurtling herself 350 years into the future. Watching Thorn try to navigate the modern world was absolutely hilarious. I genuinely had moments where I had to smack my forehead because of the silly things Thorn was doing. I did think there were some elements I did not totally love, like the jokes about Thorn's age. Because personally to me 40 is really not that old and it's not all that shocking that a 40-year-old could still be single in our day and age.

I think the timing of this books release is absolutely perfect. Around July is right when I start craving all the spooky, cozy, witchy books and I begin creating my TBR for the autumn. I think this will be a very fun very cozy book for people to read when they are craving a witchy book!

3.75/5 stars

This story was in parts cozy, hilarious and heartwarming. We meet Thorn, a 39-year-old witch from the 1600s who travels through time to modern day, in search of love. She embarks on her new adventure with her sassy little cat, Bandit. It was really fun seeing Thorn's interactions with the modern world, the ultimate "culture shock" in my opinion. I love reading books that feel like a hug. Thank you so much to Saga Press Books & NetGalley for the ARC. Please pick this up when it publishes July 01, 2025!

This was a really fun book. It was genuinely funny, making me laugh out loud at points. The premise and the narrative were delightfully absurd, tongue in cheek from page one. Thorn — a witch who’s still plagued by the normal aches of turning forty — was such a relatable, loveable main character. The side characters were phenomenal and really rounded out the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Saga Press/S&S, and author Cecilia Edward for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is July 1, 2025!

I LOVED the premise of this book - A witch from the 1600s who time-travels to the present day in search of love? And she can talk to cats? Sign me up!

Thorn, a 39-year-old witch, embarks on an incredible adventure with her sassy and adorable cat, Bandit. This was such a cozy and magical read. I can easily see it being the perfect book to curl up with around Halloween.

I rated this book 3.75/5 stars, rounded up to 4. The first few chapters started off a bit slow, and the world-building was a little confusing at first, but once the story picked up, it became much more engaging. Some of the plot twists were predictable, but they still kept the story interesting. One of my favorite elements was Thorn’s potions and magic. It made the story so intriguing, and I loved how they played a role in her journey.

Her love interests were… interesting, to say the least. Without giving anything away, let’s just say there were moments that had me raising an eyebrow and others that had me completely invested. But beyond the romance, what truly made this book special was the sense of found family. Thorn discovers a wonderful community that accepts her for who she is, helping her grow in confidence and learn to love herself. That emotional depth added so much warmth to the story.

The descriptive writing made it feel like I was right there in Thorn’s cozy cottage, experiencing the magic alongside her. There were moments that broke my heart for Thorn, especially regarding her family history, and others that made me laugh out loud—particularly a certain frog (but you’ll have to read to find out!).

I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of romance, fantasy, and magical realism! Great job to the author on this one!

Thorn and her sister, Rose, have watched their mother's struggles with love, which affects them deeply. Through a series of unfortunate accidents, Thorn finds herself transported to the 20th century - 350 years out of time - and thrust into a modern-day adventure. She finds that she actually likes it! There are wonderful new inventions, plus a plethora of single men interested in dating and potentially more. When she starts remembering things from her past, a mystery arises and places her and her loved ones in danger. This is a fun, light-hearted novel that manages to also tackle some bigger issues. It's a new, wonderful twist on the romcom!

If this isn’t a popular book on Bookstagram and BookTok with romance readers, then something is seriously wrong. An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating was such a lovely read. It was cozy, heartwarming, and absolutely hilarious. This book brought me so much joy, and I’m so thankful to have been granted the opportunity to read this as an ARC.
This book kept me interested the whole time. I genuinely struggled to put it down, and I ended up staying up way too late, and I read almost 50% of the book on night one. After reading a lot of heavier, more meaty fantasy reads this year, this was a welcome breath of fresh air. This gave me Assistant to the Villain vibes. It was accessible, and while it did have some tough topics addressed, it was a pick-me-up read.
Some of the topics were tough (parental loss, sibling loss, and relationship issues), but it never felt too heavy. As a younger person who has lost a parent, I can get kind of sensitive with these topics. With that said, I never felt like I had to put the book down because of that. Even more, I loved the central theme of finding love while being your total, authentic self. That’s a topic that resonates so deeply with me, and the way it was presented was absolutely beautiful.
The FMC, Thorn, was so incredibly relatable. Her inner monologue and dialogue had me absolutely cackling. My own cat looked at me like he was judging me as hard as Bandit judged Thorn (when you read it, you’ll get it).
Her dating journey was so incredibly real, encompassing the trifecta: ghosting, horrific first dates, the unsolicited body part pics. The fact that she was older than most FMCs, and wasn’t a single mom, was a breath of fresh air. The quasi “best friend’s brother” trope was executed so, so well. I was deeply invested in Thorn’s journey, and now I just want to spend more time in her world hearing about what’s next for her.
If you don’t have this on your radar, it’s time to change that.

This is the perfect witchy cozy read for fall! It has the same vibes as The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and is absolutely hilarious.

One of Thorn's potions goes wrong and she travels from the 1600s to modern day. Her adventures in dating are hilarious as she navigates the 21st century.

She talks to cats, makes potions, and grumbles a lot. I love her so much. This was a great read. When it comes to the romance, it's clean and closed door which I know many people will appreciate.

Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun and cozy fantasy read! With its July release, it feels like the perfect transition for readers who love to get an early start on their fall reading lists.

I loved how Thorn truly lived up to her name—she constantly stands out and can be a bit prickly, though never intentionally. Deep down, all she really wants is love and to be loved, but her attempts at finding it are delightfully chaotic. Beyond the time travel and the immediate comedic shock of landing in modern times, watching Thorn navigate contemporary lingo and dating apps was hilarious.

One of my absolute favorite aspects was the talking cats, especially Bandit, who was delightfully sassy and playfully vicious. It was exactly how I imagine cats would sound if they could talk! Some of the plot points were a bit predictable, but I don’t think a cozy fantasy is meant to be a high-stakes, twist-heavy read, so that didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. And without giving anything away, I absolutely loved the ending—it tied everything up nicely while still leaving the door (or maybe a portal?) open for a potential sequel.

Overall, this was a solid 4 to 4.5-star read for me, and I’ll definitely be recommending it to my friends looking for an early witchy read this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so much FUNNIER than I could have imagined. Thorn’s interactions with the modern world (especially her love of her electric kettle) is one of the many bright points of this book. Thorn is a witch that has been accidentally thrown forward in time over 300 years. And for a witch used to living alone in the forest, suddenly arriving in modern day, she takes it in stride. Luckily her cat familiar, Bandit, and a stowaway annoying neighbor-turned-frog were along with her for the ride, so she isn’t completely alone.

Within the first few pages of the book we know what Thorn wants more than anything. To find a husband. After all, a woman of 39 living in 1690 doesn’t have that much time left, much to her dismay. When attempting to brew a potion to make a man fall in love with her, she’s thrown forward in time. While there she meets a friendly museum tour guide, her virle (Thorn’s words) veterinarian younger brother, Walls, and more friendly cats. And since Thorn is a witch, when she talks to cats (especially Bandit), they talk back. The sassy cat dynamic is VERY reminiscent of Salem in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and it was one of the BEST parts of this book.

Thorn learns a lot about herself and what she really wants throughout the book, and watching her grow is so uplifting. Especially given how she was raised. And she has some difficult hurdles to overcome on her way to her Happily Ever After.

The romance is swoony, the cats are hilarious, and Thorn is as real as can be. HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of or in the mood for a Cozy Fantasy book. Especially if you like talking cats and out of time interactions with the world.

4.5/5 Stars

This is the cozy fantasy my heart desperately needed! This story was filled with laughs, mysticism, and warm vibes. The FMC Thorn is relatable and brilliantly written. I found myself charmed by her throughout the entirety of the story. I adored the cats, potions, and witty banter in the story. There are complex themes explored in this book, such as trauma, and they are explored in a way that feeds the soul. I found myself satisfied as I reflected through the story. I highly recommend this story.

An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating was a cozy, delightful book! If you are a fan of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, I think you'll enjoy this one as well.

The story itself was wonderful -- Thorn Scarhart, witch aged 39, attempts to make a new-and-improved love potion when she is accidentally whisked to the 21st century with her cat familiar, Bandit. I loved watching Thorn try to adapt to the modern age. Instead of being set up by the local matchmaker like in 1690, Thorn tries the world of dating apps with interesting consequences. As a single person in their mid-thirties, I could empathize with Thorn grappling with her age and loneliness, but really appreciated her desire to work on herself as well. The climax was a bit rushed and awkward at parts, but overall I really enjoyed the book. The cats were some of my favorite characters, especially Bandit's snarky attitude.

Thanks to Saga Press and Netgalley for the advance ebook copy!