Jaymin has always been a one click author for me, and this was no different!!
After her last series there was a lot to live up to for me- but this hit every single note!
Absolutely fantastic, super fast paced, and a great page turner

Holy heck! This book had me in a chokehold! I DEVOURED this book. This was my first 5 star read in a while and I’m so sad that I have to wait for the next book now! I will definitely be buying this book ASAP!!

This book is a romantasy, and when I first started it I thought it would be like all the others out right now but it was not! There is a strong female main character, who is 22 (thank you from the older readers like me)!

You’ll love this book if you like:
• Magical Abilities
• Monsters
• Forced proximity
• Beautiful family and friend relationships
• Yearning
• Memory loss
• A college setting
• “Who did this to you” and “fuck it” moments

Thank you thank you thank you for this arc

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

“To fight a monster, I’ll need a monster.”

no spoilers!

𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉 𝖎𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖎𝖐𝖊:
- witch college
- enemies to lovers
- slow burn
- who hurt you?
- protective siblings
- magical creatures

After reading this, i was immediately furious because i finished it way too fast, it was way too good, and i instantly needed more – this seems to be a recurring theme with me and Jaymin’s books.

Spellcaster has all the elements of everything i love in books. I really enjoyed myself and was hooked from the prologue. I think i read this in less than 24 hours. This was a fast-paced, entertaining read with intriguing characters, easy-to-follow world-building, slow-burning romance, and a mysterious plot line. Paisley is a determined, caring FMC and i can’t wait to see her growth into herself and her magic. Logan is hot as fuck and super dark dangerous and mysterious all powerful spellcaster filled with so many secrets The spice was steamy, and despite their immediate connection, its a delicious slow burn filled with tension. the magic and academic setting were so fun, and i can’t wait to discover more as the series continues.

After that ending, I have SO many questions!!! & I would die for a Logan POV, but i know why we don’t get his.

Thank you so much to netgalley and Jaymin Eve for this arc! This book will be occupying my mind until the sequel!

Very juvenile. The writing felt like it was middle grade, let alone adult. The magic system was unoriginal, and the dialogue was unnatural.

•• “𝘛𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴?”

Ahh, there’s nothing like some romantic threats to set the mood, am I right? The enemies to lovers tension was perfect, but the mc’s never fooled me. They are lovers through and through but I’ll gladly watch them fight it until they can’t anymore 😏

•• “𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦”

See? Mans is head over heels. This was full of secrets and mystery and has a delicious slow burn that had me hanging on every moment between our mc’s. Things really get moving towards the end but the slower build up didn’t bother me. I truly enjoyed exploring
Weatherstone University and learning about the magic and history of this world, while watching Paisley lean on her family and newfound friends.

While I’m very excited for some answers, I was a little frustrated with the lack of reveals in this installment. It felt like every time we might get a clue or answer, things were interrupted and I’d have really liked just a little more given freely. It will just be me and my theories to hold me over until book 2.

What you can expect:
•𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆
•𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀
•𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀
•𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
•𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘄
•𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰
•𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

This is the perfect dark academia read! It features all of my favorite tropes- who did this to you? Enemies to lovers, AND slow burn! The first half was a bit dialogue heavy, but I did find it necessary to introduce the characters. The second half was action packed and left me YEARNING for the next book! It gives me Sabrina and Wednesday vibes in the best way! Can’t wait to read more in this world!

Spellcaster by Jaylin Eve had me hooked from page one. I told myself “just one chapter” and suddenly it was 3 a.m., and I was emotionally compromised. The characters? Loved them—even the ones I didn’t trust.

And Logan + Paisley? Their tension could power a small city. I needed them to kiss, fight, or both. Preferably both.

But the ending—oh no. I closed the book and just sat there like, “That’s it?!” One mystery solved (which I kind of guessed), and the rest? Nada. I need answers, Jaylin. Or at least a therapy session with the characters.

Still, the journey was addictive. Bring on book two, and maybe a potion for closure.

What was in this book that made it so addicting?! I finished this book in less than 48hrs which is saying something for me as a very slow reader who gets distracted easily. I could not put this book down and I don’t even know why! It reads very YA in terms of writing style, reminded me of the mortal instruments series, but it also has some spice and language which is definitely not YA. It was pretty easy to follow but the ending was a little confusing and left me with more questions than answers but not in a bad way. As in an I need book 2 immediately way! Was it fantastic and superior writing? No. Was it the best plot Iv ever read? Also no. But something about this book absolutely sucked me and wouldn’t let go! I can’t wait for book 2!!

Where to start? For me, this was Harry Potter meets Degrassi

The opening was excellent, and then unfortunately dropped into exposition -> day to day collegiate life

For me, this book asked far more questions than it actually answered, which left me frustrated


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book had me at the prologue. I’m dead serious. As soon as I finished the prologue I was hooked and wanting more! I was already screaming WHAT???!!! I can't remember the last time the start of a book had me feeling like that.

Spellcaster takes us on a magically journey full of suspense, fascination, spellbound and fun! Following the life of Paisley as she navigates her way through her first year of a college for witches, with new found friends, parties, finding her affinity and oh, her sexy once best friend now enemy Logan Kingston.

I loved this story from start to finish. I absolutely could not put it down. Spellcaster had it’s laugh out loud moments which pleasantly surprised me. Paisley was hilarious and I loved everything about her. Logan was dark and mysterious and just like Paisley I wouldn’t be able to stay away from him either. I felt like we the readers don’t know much about him, but it didn’t bother me in the least. If anything, it drew me into him more and I found myself fascinated by him and his secrets.

There were aspects of this story that I did not see coming. I was already wanting answers just as much as Paisley, but with that ending and with how much I loved the book I can’t wait for book two!

*Thank you Jaymin Eve and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This is one of the best Romantasy books I've read in 2025! I love the academic setting, as well as the simmering tension between the two main characters, who are rivals. Logan is the son of the woman who was allegedly unalived by Paisley's mother. Paisley from day one is warned to stay away from him, but is he the real enemy? Monsters show up periodically to attack, but who is summoning them? The ending will have your jaw on the floor - beware the cliffhanger! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little magic and some enemies to lovers tension!

Thank you for the opportunity to read Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve. As a fan of her previous work, I had high expectations going in—and this novel exceeded them in every way. The blend of dark academia, slow-burn romance, and unpredictable magic created a fast-paced and immersive reading experience that I couldn’t put down.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between the protagonist and Logan was executed with sizzling tension and layered emotion. Their relationship never felt rushed, and the development was as rewarding as it was intense. Eve also does a fantastic job of balancing worldbuilding with plot momentum—Weatherstone College feels fully realized, mysterious, and alive with secrets.

I particularly appreciated the protagonist’s voice: smart, vulnerable, and grounded in a way that made her journey through magic, legacy, and danger feel personal and real. The inclusion of ancient magic systems and creatures added a fresh twist to the romantasy genre, keeping the story feeling both familiar and new.

Spellcaster has clear series potential, and I believe it will strongly appeal to fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Elise Kova. It hits the sweet spot between romance and fantasy, with high commercial appeal and binge-worthy pacing.

I would be eager to support future titles in this world and recommend Spellcaster enthusiastically to fellow readers.

Best regards,
Caitlyn Frias
@heartofhomesteadreads

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a fun, quick fantasy read! I flew through this book in 24 hours and had so much fun reading it!

Spellcaster is a fantasy romance set in a dark academia setting. The magic system is structured for different characters to have different affinities (elementals, nature sprites, necromancers, and spellcasters). This was an easy to understand yet unique way to have these witches/warlocks magic manifest. It is also nice that the readers learn more about how the magic works at the same time as the FMC since she is a freshman at this academy and is learning about her own power throughout the year.

Typically in these types of books, you get FMCs with no family or a dysfunctional family backstory. I loved that in this book our FMC, Paisley, has a strong family unit and loving siblings to look after her while attending this magical college. It's refreshing to see Paisley navigate her first year at this magical academy, with both her found family and her real family by her side. There is also a mystery at the heart of this plot that I can't wait to see unfold (especially to see if my guesses are correct).

Where this romantasy could improve is in the romantic element itself. This read more like a dark academia fantasy with a romantic subplot because the MMC is so rarely in the book. While this does make for a good slow burn enemies-to-lovers story, we don't see enough interaction for them to really be classified as either. I would have loved to see more interaction and potential affection between these two just to make their connection seem less surface level. Also, the MMC is named Logan but he is supposed to be from Italy. I would have loved to see him have an actual Italian name to better fit his character and backstory.

On this same note, I think we see too much interaction between the friends that doesn't seem to add much to the plot. While I have really been enjoying this found family, and it has played into the plot in some ways, the scenes with Paisley's friends have made this read more YA than NA. These characters are meant to be 22+ but the dialogue between them makes them sound a lot younger.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this and would buy a physical copy when it releases. I will also happily read the sequel just to see the mystery and romance continue to unfold!

*A brief video review will be uploaded on @alireadsanywhere on 5/19/25 and a full review will be posted in September before the publishing date*

3.75

This story centers around an elite witch/warlock college and follows Paisley as she begins her first year. Right from the start we learn that her family has a long standing feud with a powerful warlock, and his son will be attending Weatherstone with Paisley. Enter: Logan, the MMC. He is posed as an uncaring, dangerous warlock that clearly has it out for Paisley, but every time something happens to her, it always seems to be Logan saving her.

In this story, the age that college starts for witches and warlocks is around 22, but admittedly this felt very high school to me sometimes? There was an instant best friend situation which felt really fast and out of nowhere, and Paisley had 4 siblings who were also at Weatherstone and their relationship is extremely tight. I think all of it could have been toned down to feel more realistic, but the constant "I love you's" and "I don't know how I would survive without you" etc. just felt forced.

The overall story was interesting, and the ending left a lot of questions and made me interested to read the next one. I just hope the relationships can get some polishing!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5⭐

The premise of Spellcaster was super promising - the magical academy, enemies to lovers, mysterious enemy... But it fell a little short for me. There was so much telling and not showing that I didn't feel compelled to believe some things just because I was being told it was so. I also struggled with the timeline as there is no clear indication of how much time was passing.

The FMC is 22 but the dialogue reads seemed very surface level and immature. I enjoyed the tension between Paisley and Logan and wish there was more exploration of that dynamic - we didn't get a whole lot of conversation between them but we did get 2 spicy scenes which felt a little unbalanced.

The story has such promise and I enjoyed reading it! I just felt like it needed to be longer to flesh out the world building and relationship dynamics between the main characters so I can understand their motivations better.

Thank you HTP Books for the advanced review copy!

Spellcaster
by Jaymin Eve
Pub Date: Sep 23 2025

Don’t walk the halls late at night.
Don’t disturb the ancient magic.
And don’t, under any circumstances, ever trust a spellcaster.

When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations.

A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with Logan Kingston, the son of my father’s enemy. I’m warned to avoid the powerful spellcaster at all costs, but apparently Logan did not receive the same memo. The more time I spend around him, the more I crave his unsettling attention, and as hate flirts with obsession, I’m left wondering if there’s another side to the decades-old feud between our fathers.

On top of that, Weatherstone is not at all like I expected. Built on the ancient blood of necromancers and battle, the magic here is as unpredictable as mine, and I sense a dark energy stalking my footsteps. When a monster attacks me, I have no choice but to turn to the strongest warlock in our school: Logan.

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 is an intense, fast-paced fantasy that had me hooked from page one with dark academia, family ties, and simmering tension.

@jaymineve DELIVERS with a world full of morally gray characters, high stakes, and a magic system that feels both fresh and dangerous. The tension, magical and romantic, builds beautifully, and the twists genuinely shocked me.

If you love enemies-to-lovers, powerful legacies, and fantasy (with bite), this one is a must-read!

Plus, look at that cover art!!! She’s so pretty.

Thank you so much to @harlequinbooks and @netgalley for the ARC!

Definitely more of a 4.25/4.5 rating

When I first saw this book I said oh my goodness I need to read this it has everything I love

Witches
Elemental magic
Dark academia
Enemies to lovers

And so much more! I also really enjoy Jaymin Eve so reading Spellcaster felt like a no brainer.

I will say the beginning of the story was very slow. I was not that “interested” and at times felt like the book itself may not actually be for me but I kept going and I am so glad I did!

The story was intense. The chemistry was electrifying. And the ending was surprising.

I can’t wait to see what is next!

There was so much potential to this but it didn’t quite hit the right marks for me. The writer obviously has a lot of potential and this was fun to read. This was my first book of hers and I’m not against reading more of her books after this.

This is a bit of like twenty year olds Harry Potter with smut. Main issue was the main character was very immature, almost child like at some points. Being a smutty book it was icky combination to me.

Recommend fantasy smut readers. This will not change your world but it is fun to read.

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Spellcaster
🪄: Releasing September 23, 2025

After her magical bloom, Paisley Hallistar is ready to embrace the next step in her future. Her tight-knit family have all manifested strong magical affinities while hers is unpredictable. When she’s accepted to the prestigious Weatherstone College, Paisley’s determined to live up to her family’s legacy.

When a family feud threatens her academic year, she’s warned to avoid Logan Kingston at all costs. But she can’t seem to escape him nor the darkness that seems to follow her.

Tropes:
⚠️Enemies to lovers
😮‍💨Who hurt you?
🏫Magical academy
💫Magic & monsters
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Found family
🤌“F it”
🔥Slow burn 🌶️

I was immediately drawn into this world of witches and warlocks and was living for the dark academia setting. Paisley is slowly discovering her magic and Logan is a powerful warlock who is likely plotting her demise. She can’t remember much about him from their childhood but feels drawn to him. Each interaction between them pulses with tension, reluctant longing, and a touch of danger. Can she unlock her magic and unravel the mystery of the monsters lurking?

The Spellcaster weaves a spellbinding tale teeming with captivating magic, dangerous secrets, and a sizzling enemies to lovers romance. I am desperate for the next book!

Immensely grateful to the author, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity! This is my honest and voluntary review.