Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced digital copy for Hopelessly Teavoted!

Rating: 4.25 stars
Pub Date: Sep 16 2025

I really enjoyed this book, but I think it was marketed all wrong. The cover and title tells me “cute witch romance centered around a tea shop” and not “Gambit/ Rogue-esque dilemma, demon curses, ghosts, and extremely horny yearning. Like, this man is ready to DIE just to touch her”.

And? I LOVED IT!

While I do think the pacing was slow and the megachurch plotline was really overshadowed and rushed, the relationship between Az and Vickie and the cool magic systems was just so fun to read about.

I think getting to the yearning was shaky; some characters were stereotypes to move the plot along, and the tea shop was barely relevant. But GOD, the romance was romancing. Az and Vickie’s want for each other was reminiscent of the X-men’s Gambit and Rogue being unable to touch yet being disgustingly in love, and the build-up was perfect. Not too slow, not too fast, and a great conclusion to their love story.

I hope we get more books set in this universe, because the supernatural elements were just so cool. And come on, I need more Lex. We love a bisexual (biLEXual? Az has gotten to me) demon who’s kinda well-meaning if not meddling.

If you enjoy Lana Harper or Sarah Hawley, you’ll love Hopelessly Teavoted.

Sometimes a book that isn’t your usual cup of tea comes along, and that’s okay because… what a treat!!! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book and so I had the best surprise. I loved the author’s writing style - so organic and so easy to immerse yourself into - and this little world she created. Our dear Azrael, our witchy man of the hour who has always been in love with his childhood girl-next-door best friend, Victoria, who so incidentally speaks to ghosts. A mystery ensues in their little town, where Az and Victoria have to come to terms with their major feelings and solve a problem for the literal devil.

While the book isn’t perfect - the pacing felt a little off and slow in a couple of beats, and honestly it was a let down that the mystery kind of felt like an afterthought half the time even though it was actually what intrigued me to begin with - these two put the year in yearning. As in, we’re talking decades long pining. Lots of it. I mean, our romance reading, deep in his feelings, really truly down bad Az doesn’t want to burden dear Vickie with the “weight of his useless, unrequited love.” And our sweet Vickie literally thinks she “knows what it’s like to pine but this, this was what it meant to burn for someone.” Take notes, everybody. We’re in Pining 101.

The story was ok I was like oh yeah this is a great story because the plot was kinda blah. But overall it was a fun story for a cozy mystery

this was cute and had a cozy feel. the cover drew me in and I loved the pink! an easy read for cozy mystery lovers!

While the plot of this book was a little confusing with the subplots and the character relationship, I found this book to be really cute and I enjoyed it overall. This was a great read to remind me of Halloween.

This witchy book was perfect! I'm so glad I received this advanced copy because I'm missing the spooky season and this cozy mystery romance was exactly what my summer needed. The magical house and the Adam's type parents made this book all the more magical

Whew! Let me start by stating that I am reading an earlier arc of this book, so things may be updated by publishing. With that being said, I thought this was a bit of a mess. There were a lot of plots and subplots going on, between a love story, a curse, grief and a whodunit. I found myself having to reread parts because passages that held important information were not detailed and sprung upon the reader, while mundane things like food, outfits and a makeout scene were overly embellished. Speaking of the making out, it was hard to tell if the two main characters were really feeling the love, or just extremely lusty for each other, especially given the curse. I’m hoping, with some editing, plot lines can be cleaned up (especially the rushed, confusing whodunit ending) and this can be library rental recommendation. As is, it’s a pass from me.

Thank you, Atria Books, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Hopelessly Teavoted is a steamy second chance romance set in a magic-filled world. Azrael's parents Benedict and Persephone are so devoted to each other they are the spitting image of Morticia and Gomez Adams. Vickie and Az have loved each other since childhood and spend most of the book pining for each other. They have a misunderstanding years ago and have never discussed it. I felt like the book really comes alive when Lex - a lesser devil - shows up to finish a deal with Vickie. I would be fascinated to read a book with him as a MMC.
I'm going with 3 stars because I felt like so much of the book was pining monologuing and it felt like Az confessed his real feelings multiple times and kept wanting to confess more. I also saw the villain pretty quickly in the beginning. But I love the charm of this magical town full of witches and humans with power. There is so much potential for more stories and world building. Thank you Netgalley and Atria (imprint of Simon and Shuster) for an early copy of the book to review.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me this ARC to read and review!!
This is going to be such a perfect read for the fall! It was spooky and cozy and super cute. I was a sucker for the magical realism and the romance was super cute too.
I enjoyed all the characters, although I'd say the mystery felt like it got side lined for the romance. Overall I enjoyed reading this!

3.5 rounded up.
This book is definitely more romance based than plot. A lot of things were being said but we weren’t being shown, so it felt like the mystery aspect was forgotten. While Vickie and Az were both mutually pining for each other things continued to get in the way, so it’s a slowish burn with some spicy moments. I loved the queer representation as well as the Addams family vibes. I was really tired of Az constantly saying how Vickie smelled like strawberries and lavender, and some of the descriptors were too much. I also was sad we didn’t get any sort of closure on Prissy and Evelyn but maybe that was done intentionally and they’re getting a book?
Overall I think this book is perfect for people who love a girly FMC and an MMC who’s been pining for her forever, this book is also sex positive and has great LGBTQIA+ representation.
Thank you Atria books for the ARC.

This was such a cute book! The cover is so cute and it made me want to pick it up and I was very pleased with it!

I loved this book! It's so cozy and romantic. I am a huge fan of the Ex Hex by Erin Sterling and this hit all the same notes.

Hopelessly Teavoted was a super cute, slice of (magical) life romance! The vibes were definitely a bit Halloweeny so I would definitely recommended reading this book to get into the spooky and kooky mindset!

The setting of a small-town romance with magic was super adorable and I really enjoyed learning more about the town. The teashop itself is such a vibe and somewhere I would absolutely love to visit.

I really liked the main characters on their own, especially Victoria. Vickie was a great, strong FMC and I felt as though she had so many admirable traits. Her willingness to walk away from her family's money in order to help a childhood friend, despite her family's strong disapproval of her choices felt very realistic and relatable. I really liked Vickie's drive and independence throughout the story and would definitely read this book even without the romance with her as an FMC. Az was also a great MMC and was definitely a golden retriever love interest. His struggles with grief felt very real and raw and added a great aspect to his character. I did really love reading about Az's family and their dynamic.

However, despite liking both of the MCs individually, I didn't really feel convinced about their romance. The foundation for a childhood friends to lovers romance was absolutely there, but I just feel as though the delivery was lacking. The romance wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It just felt a bit flat and forced which was a bit of a shame. And the background of their romance hinged on miscommunication which isn't my favorite trope and tends to be more frustrating than I'd like.

I felt as though Hopelessly Teavoted was a fun, quick read that had some aspects that I really liked and others that I could have done without.

This book was so good!! From the characters, to the scenes they described. It made me want to be apart of it!

Another perfect read for the fall months!! It had such cozy and romantic vibes and it definitely made me make tea while I read it!

Hopelessly Teavoted by Audrey Goldberg Ruoff is a charming blend of whimsy and spooky, small-town romance. Alicia Thompson even calls it a “cozy Stars Hollow-esque setting” – which is spot-on, since Vickie’s inherited Hopelessly Teavoted tea shop becomes the warm, haunted hub of the story. Ruoff’s writing sparkles with humor and heart, and the friends-to-lovers tension between Vickie and Azrael is perfectly sweet and steamy. The supporting cast is delightfully quirky: Azrael’s ghostly family antics and Vickie owing a debt to a minor devil keep things lively, so there’s never a dull moment in this enchanted tea-shop rom-com.
My only real quibble is very minor: I felt the pacing lag a bit in the middle (I was eager to see that demon contract resolved and the main sparks fly), which is why I docked it a star. But honestly, that’s just me being picky – I still gobbled it up and was completely charmed. In the end, this book cast its spell on me from start to finish. If you love cozy magical romances with witty banter (especially ones set in an enchanted tea shop), Hopelessly Teavoted is definitely worth a read.

This is more of a 3.5 star rounded to 4 because it was enjoyable. This was a second (more like third or possibly fourth) chance romance that is friends to strangers to friends to lovers I guess you could say. The story was good and I loved the characters and vibes. I enjoyed the whole “what the heck is going on” vibe that the spirits were bringing to the table but sometimes felt like too much was going on and the focus was split at times between the actual plot and the relationship.
The constant miscommunication and non-communication from the two main characters started to become quite irritating and I felt like at points the plot was almost more about that than anything else Don’t get me wrong I kind of love the angst that a good miscommunication trope brings about, but this went on for a very large portion of the book starting from the beginning.
The writing is beautiful, descriptive and refreshing. And all the shit going on: witches, demons, devils, covid, and megachurches?! Such a crazy unique blend in a book and it just kind of all worked. I do think that being a semi-mood reader that if I had possibly read this book at a different time I could have liked it a lot more. But for what it is I still very much enjoyed the journey that it took me on.

I received an advanced copy of this from all the people involved with putting it on NetGalley. Thank you to all of them!

Really loved his book! I love how this book was its own unique world. I loved all the little details and the magic. The tension between Az and Vickie is something I couldn’t get enough of. The tension and yearning was everything. The side characters made me love this book that much more! I’m hoping there’s a book two because there are a few things that seem unresolved. I can’t wait for the audiobook to come out I’ll be reading this again when it does!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Spice Level: 4/5
Pub Date: 09/16/25 🚨

I had so much fun reading this ARC—what a fantastic debut! This book completely got me in the mood for fall and all things cozy, romantic, and just a little bit witchy. If you're looking for a read that’s cute, spicy, magical, and full of autumn vibes, this one absolutely delivers. 🍁✨

The story follows two childhood best friends, Vickie and Az, as they reconnect in their hometown after years apart. Vickie has just bought the tea shop, Hopelessly Teavoted, once owned by Az’s late mother, and when the two cross paths again, it’s clear that the feelings they once had are still very much alive. There’s a great push-pull tension between them, and the author does a surprisingly spicy job of bringing their chemistry to life. 🔥

I loved Vickie as a main character—strong, independent, and not afraid to stand up to her parents or walk away from their money to chase her own dreams. Her journey felt empowering and relatable.

The magical world-building was also a highlight for me. It felt fresh and unique—unlike anything I’ve read before—and kept me engaged.

My only real critique is that the ending felt a little unresolved. I was really hoping for more closure, especially around Priscilla and Evelyn’s relationship—we didn’t get as much insight into their life together as I expected. And with Vickie and Az, I was surprised that they didn’t end up soul-bound. The flash forward left me wishing their relationship had developed further.

Still, this was a fun, spicy, and atmospheric read—perfect for curling up with during spooky season. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook.
I liked this book—I think the connection between the characters and the basic plot was interesting. I think it definitely needed another round of developmental edits. There was just a little too much going on. I enjoyed the writing style, but I think the dialogue was awkward. It was like there was always one-two sentences more than what should have been said to feel natural. This book felt unfinished - not necessarily a first draft, but definitely not the final draft.