Set in a very cozy magical Scottish small town, this story has so many amazing elements. It is enemies to lovers, with a grumpy kilt wearing hero and a hexed heroine returning home. I loved the familiars in here, Blue was incredible. Just the right amount of spice for this cozy romantasy story. Very witchy, autumn vibes. Thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this beautiful story!
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

I’m sorry this one just didn’t have a strong pull. I can tell within the first few pages whether a book is going to be good, but with ARCs I give them a few chapters. I waited hoping for something to pull me in and intrigue me but it just didn’t have a good premise or good prose to keep me interested.

LOVE’S A WITCH is a cozy fantasy with a side of a romance. The small town of Briarhaven is riddled with magical-themed shops, animal familiars and our FMC, Sloan just happens to be cursed.

With a slow burn/enemies to lovers vibe, Sloan and Knox’s relationship is just what I love to see in a cozy read - witty banter and off the charts chemistry.

LOVE’S A WITCH hits shelves AUGUST 26 and I highly recommend picking this one up and adding to your magical fall read list ✨

I've enjoyed several of Tricia O'Malley's books—they're cozy, low-stakes reads with just the right blend of magic and spice. This particular book felt different in a deeply personal way, as I found it incredibly relatable. It's rare to come across stories that explore strained mother-daughter relationships and the parentification of the eldest child, and seeing those dynamics reflected here made me feel truly seen.

While I understand these themes could be triggering for some readers, for me, it’s actually the portrayal of healthy, loving mother-daughter relationships that hits a tender spot. That emotional nuance added an unexpected layer of depth to the story.

Beyond that, I loved the bond between the sisters, the main character’s personal growth, and the romantic relationship between the FMC and MMC. And the familiars? Absolutely adorable. Blue, in particular, completely stole my heart—especially knowing he was inspired by Tricia’s own pup who recently crossed the rainbow bridge.

All this to say: I highly recommend this book—and honestly, anything by Tricia O'Malley. I’ve yet to be disappointed by her work.

3.5 rounded up!

The magical community and cast of characters were charming. A cozy little romance fantasy. The romance is heavy in this one, so if you like that, this is for you!
I do wish there was more focus on breaking the curse and attempt with that. It seems like the romance overtook the plot line there. Will be interested to see what happens in the next books!
Thank you Gallery Books for the arc.

This book was a witchy, cozy fun Romance. I ate it up. I didn’t wanna put it down. I was laughing and smiling through all the antics.

The MacGregor clan has been cursed and as a result they have to keep on the move. The sisters come back to Briarhaven to help their grandmother recover from a broken hip. The curse causes a huge unending snow storm.

This is a cozy witch romance about Sloane, the eldest of the MacGregor sisters. Love the cozy vibe of the story and the city of Briarhaven and its quirky residents. Even though it is about a curse, it is relatively low angst. It is a bit too insta love for me, but it was cute.

Dear Tricia , I swear every time I read one of your books, it instantly becomes my new favorite. I was completely obsessed with all the witchy, cozy vibes in this one! I cannot wait to dive into the rest of the series and this book hasn’t even been published yet 😩 It was the perfect mix of romance, magic, and just the right touch of spice 🌶️. Tricia’s writing and storylines always pulls me in. And a grumpy guy who falls first? Say less I’m hooked every single time. 🥰 The banter and chemistry between Sloane and Knox? Absolute perfection. 🤌🏼

[Thank you to Gallery Books sending me a #gifted copy of this book!]

This book immediately hooked me. We start by learning about the curse’s origin before jumping to present day and meeting the MacGregor sisters.

Sloane and Knox defintely have chemistry. It’s an absolutely delicious enemies to lovers situation, overflowing with tension and witty banter. He’s down BAD but struggling between what he wants and what’s best for the town while she struggles with being vulnerable and not in control. It’s a little bit of a slow burn romance as these two figure it out.

The magical aspects were fun and never taken too seriously. Yet O’Malley blends the light with more emotional topics like being young and burdened with responsiblity (hi, fellow eldest daughters!), complicated family relationships, how traumatic events can affect people differently, and allowing yourself to be vulnerable.

This is a light-hearted and cozy read with some spice mixed in. Honestly, I wish we had longer with the characters (it felt like the ended wrapped up too quickly, but again, I want to live in Briarhaven so it might just be me wanted to stay in the story longer). Thankfully, this is the first book of the series so I’m hoping we get at least two more (and maybe another for Raven?!).

I loved it! Tricia O'Malley Has done it again! I love the grumpy x sunshine characters their dynamic is amazing! I also love how tight knit the family is!

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Enjoyed it!

Sloane MacGregor vowed never to return to Briarhaven. But with her 25th birthday approaching (the day witches get their magic), she answers the summons of her grandmother and sisters. She also has a teeny task – to break an ancient curse on their bloodline.
The town’s mayor, Knox Douglas, worked hard to make the town a safe place for magic folk. He doesn’t want the cursed woman messing things up, even if he had a crush on Sloane long ago.
But… magic has its own plans!
The story comes in Sloane's (more %) and Knox’s first-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
This is the first book in the series, so the overarching plot is left open. Also, the book divides its time between romance and setting the stage for the central conflict. You’ll enjoy it more if you are prepared for these two.
There’s insta-lust, though the characters have known each other in their teens. Since we get only a couple of short references to the past, you should be prepared for insta stuff. Though the rest of the book is cozy, the romance is hot and steamy (3.5+ with many ‘searing kisses’). This combination could have been a bit odd, but I was expecting it based on all that inner monologue.
Family and relationships, small town communities, and a magical setting (such a beautiful place!) are the highlights of the book. Magic is seamlessly integrated into the plotline. The bond between the sisters is realistic. The grandma is a badass. Totally love her. A few side characters like Raven, Dorothy, Henry, etc., are sweet. I hope Raven gets her own book.
Do you see a cutesy with blue wings on the cover? That’s Blue, an emberwolf (a cross between a dragon and a werewolf) who loves cheese and flies like a drunken bee. Then, there’s a blind cat named Oswald and a wheelchair bound Highlander coo named Higgs. And… another favourite fantasy creature. You can tell they add a lot of charm to the story.
The curse is mentioned at many places, though it is dealt with only towards the end. And since this will be a series, there’s only a partial resolution. The next book has to be Lyra’s, and we know who the guy is! Excited to read it!

To summarize, Love's a Witch is a cozy witchy romance that also deals with themes like dysfunctional families, finding one’s roots, overbearing parents, and longing for a place called home.
Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Love's a Witch by Tricia O'Malley.

Fiercely independent new witch, Sloane, meets Provost with a hero complex, Knox. This was a fun and feisty Rom-Com. The characters were fairly one-dimensional, similar to a Hallmark movie with some Spice. I loved the family banter between the three sisters and their sassy vixen grandmother. However, the romance was a bit of a miss for me. Just not my vibe.

The familiars! These guys were absolutely the stars of the show. A mischievous baby emberwolf with a cheese addiction, a sweet mini highland coo on wheels to compensate for a birth defect, and of course the obligatory snarky cat in the mix.

3/5 stars. Lighthearted and quick read, but not very deep. Great escape for the fall/winter.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tricia O'Malley, and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I may not be the best person to review this, because I love Tricia's work so much, and have read almost everything she's written.

I need MORE and I need it RIGHT NOW! Oh. My. Gosh. I loved this book. Also, I'd like my own emberwolf, please.

Love’s a Witch is a cute fantasy romance. While it doesn’t tread any new ground, and some of it feels TOO twee for my taste, it is a cozy read. The events are well-plotted and the setting has plenty of fun details. I didn’t love the characters, however, but I can see most readers enjoying Sloane and Knox’s story.

I would happily return to Briarhaven for future instalments and am interested to see where O’Malley takes the story in its next parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Galley books for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

Thanks so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Sloane MacGregor and her sisters are called by their grandmother Broca to return to their ancestral home of Briarhollow to break a curse that has plagued their bloodline for generations, preventing them from making a home without causing untold harm to their surroundings. The only problems? Constantly misfiring magic, a mystical off season and relentless blizzard, and Knox Douglas - steward of the town who sparks fires with Sloane. Can they work together to end the curse, allowing the MacGregors to finally make a home?

This cozy magical romance was such a delight! There were a few laugh-out-loud moments along with so many that tugged at my heartstrings. The whole idea that this trio of sisters has been forced to roam their whole lives with no home in order to avoid unintentionally damaging their surroundings really spoke to me. The enemies-to-lovers slow burn between Sloane and Knox was so well done, and when they finally catch fire, delightfully spicy.

And the world building? Briarhollow is the town of my dreams - a village where magical folk are free to be themselves, safe and protected AND to thrive as a tourist destination. Take me there now! The magical familiar are adorable (think flying dog related to dragons and a tiny highland cow with a scooter).

Will I be reading the next one? Absolutely!

From the moment I read the prologue and its depiction of the utter injustice of the curse placed on Bonella MacGregor and her descendants, I was hooked! After centuries of the MacGregors living with wonky magic and forced to live a nomadic life, Sloane and her two sisters are summoned to Briarhaven by their grandmother who believes that the three sisters can finally break the curse that has plagued their family for generations.

Town golden boy Knox Douglas has reinvented Briarhaven to be a unique tourist destination while also keeping it a safe space for magical residents, but the MacGregors’ curse along with Sloane’s newly awakened misfiring magic mean that it’s his job to push these witches out of town. In my frustration with Knox, I wanted to dump him in a snowbank at times to get him to give up on the idea of getting rid of the MacGregors and I loved seeing Sloane’s reactions to his attempts. She totally handled it.

Knox has a soft heart lurking beneath the responsible provost persona and I adored his sweet miniature Highland coo and grumpy cat! Sloane’s emberwolf, Blue, was a treat as well. But magical snowstorms that just won’t quit, a coven led by a power tripping mean girl, and revealed family secrets create a combustible atmosphere for the independent, cannot accept help, Sloane to navigate. I simply loved everything about this book and cannot wait to read the next in the series!

Get your pre-order in, put this book on your tbr and Wishlist, request it from your library…whatever you need to do to get your hands on this book next month because you don’t want to miss Love’s a Witch!

Tricia O’Malley has done it again! A great story of a cursed family line that leaves a family to never stay long in one spot for very long. They finally go back home to break the curse with a lot of problems around them going wrong and not known how to go about fixing it.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Gallery Books, and of course Tricia O'Malley!

Firstly, where can I get my own emberwolf? Because I desperately need a cute little dog/dragon mixed baby who loves cheese!! I would die for Blue!

Secondly, this was such a cozy little romance. I was already sold with it being a witchy romance set in Scotland, but after reading it I just completely loved Sloane, her sisters, grandmother, Knox, and some of the other people from the town. Obviously, I very much loved Sloane and Knox's enemies to lover relationship! It was so much, and I loved how they really complimented each other with their banter. So perfect, 10/10! It wasn't just their relationship that I loved, though. It was also how deeply Sloane cared and wanted to fight for her sisters and their grandmother. I just couldn't help but cheer for her to get something good out of coming back to their hometown. I also really loved that we saw Sloane's internal struggles of wanting what's best for her family and being selfless, but also wanting to be selfish and finally be happy for herself. I felt that deep in my core. Of course, I just fell in love with Knox and his whole knight in shinning armour vibes 😉.

The only thing that sort of bummed me out was that it felt slightly rushed towards the end, but maybe that was just me. Aside from that, I genuinely enjoyed the story and seeing Sloane's change from when she first arrived to town with her sisters to finally make a breakthrough with the town. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Very fun book that leans into all the stereotypes you would think it would! The magic is certainly pronounced and the family elements are as well.