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.

The perfect read for spooky season if you're looking for something cozy, sweet and romantic. It felt a bit Addams Family to me, which I enjoyed.

This witchy romance delivers on yearning. Azrael is the man if you love a yearning man pining for his lost love. Victoria was a girl boss (cuts out her toxic parents? what a queen!). I really liked both characters and thought their romance was sweet. I liked their chemistry too. There's a miscommunication from years before that perhaps took a little too long to resolve but that was the main obstacle to the romance.

The plot was interesting and the side characters were awesome. The worldbuilding was well done too.

I liked the theme of grief, healing and second chances.

Would recommend if you're in the mood for a lighthearted, spooky season, paranormal romance.

Victoria is such a loveable FMC. She’s strong-willed and brave. Azrael is a charmingly complicated MMC, dealing with grief and thought-to-be unrequited love. The two best friend-turned maybe, possibly, lovers team up to solve a magical mystery and reverse a curse cast by Vickie’s demon.

The cast of side characters, including a delightful haunted mansion, are fun and add depth to the work building. The magic system is interesting and unique.

Overall, this book was an interesting and enjoyable read. I had fun along the journey and would recommend this for someone looking for a cozy magical romance.

There are some things I wish had been wrapped up at the end of the book that weren’t that just left some unfinished holes for me, like Priscilla and Evelyn. And ultimately, I felt like the ending didn’t do Vickie and Az’s romance justice. I felt like even though they ended up together and binding themselves together, Vickie was still hesitant to put her full faith in it, so that left me feeling a bit confused and disappointed.

Hopelessly Teavoted by Audrey Ruoff delivers a quirky, seasonally cozy read that is perfect for fall. Ruoff’s atmospheric storytelling and the book’s unique premise make it a fitting pick for readers seeking something light and offbeat for the coming season.

However, despite its promise, the novel didn’t quite land for me. I struggled to connect with the main characters, Az and Vickie. Their relationship and interactions felt more scripted than sincere, lacking the emotional depth or natural chemistry that could have made their story more compelling. While the quirky tone adds flavor, it sometimes overshadowed the character development, making it difficult to invest in their journey.

Overall, Hopelessly Teavoted has its charms—especially for readers drawn to eccentric plots and fall aesthetics—but ultimately, it fell a bit flat for me.

Hopelessly Teavoted is a delightful mix of cozy romance and quirky magic. Audrey Ruoff crafts charming characters and witty dialogue that make the story both heartfelt and fun. A sweet, spellbound second-chance romance that’s hard not to love. I really enjoyed this read, it was pleasant and the perfect book after a very dark romance read.

I am just going to rip the Band-Aid and say it... I was not rooting for Victoria and Az. No matter how many times Az snaps his fingers or throws grave dirt at me (I still don't understand that one, someone please explain it to me!) I didn't get their love. This was definitely something I wouldn't normally gravitate to, but Audrey Ruoff does a great job bringing to life Hallowcross for this reader. The tea shop seems like a magical place I would love to spend time in to test out Victoria's latest delectable treats and drinks. Az and Victoria's Scooby- Doo adventures seem to drag the story a bit and the lustful pinning for each other was a bit too much.
Overall, Ruoff creative story left me wondering what's next for Az and Victoria to discover at Hallowcross.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions and thoughts expressed are completely my own.

This is going to be the perfect book for the fall! It was spooky and cozy and adorable - romance with a side of magical realism, the characters were all so wonderful and you can’t help but feel hopeful by the end of the book!

Really enjoyed the vibes of this book! It reminded me of a combination of the Addams Family and Charmed, but was also its own unique world. I loved all the little details and the magic system, and the tension that ensued as a result between Az and Vickie. The yearning was *real.* I also liked the decision to start off in Az’s POV, which we don’t often see in romances.

I’m not sure I fully understood how the soul collection task worked — it wasn’t clear to me if it was something Vickie could control / move forward, or if it was at Luther’s discretion. I was also *positive* Chet was a red herring, but I was so wrong. Overall, glad I got a preview into this lovely title!

I really enjoyed this book. The spooky vibes and sweet but spicy romance were everything that you want out of a seasonal rom-com book.

Something I really liked in this book was the push and pull between Az and Vickie. They would get so close and then have to stop for one reason or another. I think that’s kept the tension up between them for the duration of the book. It’s also surprisingly spicy, and I thought the spice was done well.

I also enjoyed the other aspects of this book like collecting souls, the curse, and the mystery in this book, I thought that they all worked together well to enhance the main romance plot. The end of the mystery did feel a bit boring, but I was more interested in the love story as a whole for it to bother me too much.

I also have to mention that this book is actually FUNNY. It had me laughing out loud at points and rolling me eyes with a smile at Az’s bad jokes.

There are two things in this book that I didn’t love. The first is the pop culture references- there are A LOT. Which normally doesn’t bother me too much, but the frequency of them really took me out of the story a few times. The second is the sheer amount of love confessions. As I said earlier, I liked the highs and lows of Vickie and Az’s relationship, but every ‘high’ had a big love confession, it just was a little too much for me.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book. It was so fun and sweet (and spicy!). Pick it up with a steaming mug of tea and enjoy the spooky vibes.

I really enjoyed the setting and the characters in this book. I finished it in two days, so it was definitely a book I didn’t want to put down. Azrael sounds dreamy & I’d love to find a real version of him. I loved everyone from the Hart family. Vickie’s gifts were different from anything I’ve read from a paranormal genre, which I enjoyed. I would have liked to see more of Lex and maybe more interaction between him and Vickie that would have made the curse make more sense. I also feel like the ending fell a little flat for me with the reveal of the big bad guy. (I have more thoughts on this but I don’t want to give away any spoilers)

Overall, I think it’s a fun romance that everyone will be picking up to get in the spooky season mood. I thank NetGalley for sending me a copy of this to read & I’m excited to it see out officially in September.

I wanted to love this book, I really did but it just fell a little short for me. There was too much whining and pining between Az and Vickie and not enough magicking. While I felt like it was light on the magic, the parts where it was included was pretty good. Overall, it’s a fun book but could’ve been about 50 pages shorter by removing the pining and I think that might’ve helped.

As someone who loves seasonal reads, especially anything cozy, magical, and romantic for spooky season, I went into Hopelessly Teavoted with high hopes. And while there were elements I genuinely enjoyed, overall the story left me wanting more.

This paranormal romance brings together Azrael and Victoria, childhood best friends turned estranged lovers, who reunite after six years of silence. The spark is still there, but so is the lingering fallout from a mysterious (and miscommunicated) incident in college. Their reunion coincides with an evil presence stirring in their hometown, and together, they attempt to uncover its source while navigating unresolved feelings.

I felt like the magical setting was delightful. Azrael’s family home, with its Addams Family vibes and sentient personality, practically leapt off the page. His parents reminded me of a gothic, whimsical version of Gomez and Morticia because they were deeply loving, slightly eccentric, and endlessly endearing. The magic system was also clever. It involved witches who must snap to activate their powers. It’s a quirky detail that adds charm, though the word "snap" might be burned into my brain forever because it appears quite a lot.

As for the romance itself? That’s where things fell flat for me. The summary hinted at an awkward falling out, but the "incident" was far more intimate than expected, and the consequences felt out of proportion. The main obstacle between them was pure miscommunication, the kind that could’ve been cleared up with a single honest conversation. Instead, they avoid each other for six years, and then… immediately fall back in love within days? I struggled to buy into the depth of their connection. The chemistry was described, but I didn’t feel it. And while I’m thankful there was no dramatic third act breakup, it all felt a little too easy, considering the years of unresolved tension.

The pacing also felt off. There’s an evil force in town stealing souls which is such an exciting idea! But despite the supposed urgency, entire weeks pass without progress, making the conflict feel more like background noise than a driving force. The curse from the devil meant to complicate Azrael and Victoria’s relationship felt random and underdeveloped and more of a gimmick than a meaningful obstacle.

That said, the atmosphere was cozy, and the other characters really did shine. The side characters brought humor and heart, often outshining the leads. The setting of Hallowcross was vivid and full of potential, and I’d definitely be curious to return to the town in future books, maybe through the eyes of those compelling side characters.

In the end, Hopelessly Teavoted was a quick and entertaining read that had a lot of potential, but the uneven pacing, lack of romantic tension, and convoluted subplot kept it from truly enchanting me. If you’re in the mood for a witchy fall romance with cozy vibes and a quirky town, it might still be worth a try. Just manage your expectations and prepare for a lot of snapping.

Thank you to NetGalley, Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, and Atria for the eARC of this book.

This book was adorable. I love the magical realism aspect, as well as the mystery elements. My boy Azriel was so down bad for vicky. The found family was amazing, Priscilla was hilarious I just wish we got to know her girlfriend a bit more. If this book becomes an interconnected stand alone series I hope the next one is about sexy lexy! Overall this book is a very easy and fun read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

❤️ Childhood friends to lovers
🫦 Spicy magic
🥹 Pathetically down bad cinnamon roll cutie pie MMC
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Amaging found family
👭 Great LGBTQ+ rep

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book early!

I liked the dynamics between characters in this book and I enjoyed all of the diversity/representation which added to the whimsy of the story. However, the whole book fell flat for me, especially after starting off with covid and all of the political crap in here. Just not my cup of tea.

Hopelessly Teavoted has got me seriously wondering if it's too early to put up all my Halloween decorations. What a delightful and whimsical romance. Vickie and Az are the sweetest and their yearning is top notch. They each have such unique character quirks and personalities that make them jump off the page. The side characters also shine, particularly Lex and Prissy. This book is imbued with so much heart, envisions a the world where people love who they love unabashedly, the bad guys get what they deserve, and everyone gets their happily ever after.

A quirky, small-town, magical romance. Parts felt very relatable (for example, one character struggles with grief). However, other parts felt very niche, almost written like a series of “in jokes” and I wasn’t quite getting the joke. Nonetheless, many will enjoy this! Perfect for fans of the Addams Family and Pushing Daisies.