Hexes Go Well with Tequila (The Lost Souls Series, Book 1)
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Pub Date Oct 13 2026 | Archive Date Oct 12 2026
Hay House | Hay House LLC
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Description
From the moment Ursula Cambridge, a 38-year-old woman from the Midwest, realizes she’s become invisible in her life and relationship, she and her Irish Wolfhound, Casper get a magical invitation to live in The Lost Souls House in Salem, Massachusetts.
There, she finds herself immersed in a magical town, living in a house with a graveyard that hosts the lost souls, one of Salem’s mysteries that keeps the town and tourists guessing, and some would do anything to keep their dark origin a mystery.
As she struggles to find her footing in this town, four women come around her, showing her the importance of community, friendship, and magical camaraderie when they wake up with more than margarita hangovers and find that their playful graveyard hexes worked.
When Ursula bumps into the town bachelor who is rumored to be cursed, she tries to steer clear of his unreasonably grumpy disposition but finds herself drawn to his surly, yet vulnerable, teenage niece Bess, who forms an attachment to Ursula.
Thrown into the middle of a modern-day witch hunt, Ursula has to navigate a mysterious world of magic and mystery, political warfare, and passionate tension with the man who has sworn off women, who bears a striking resemblance to the paper towel Brawny Man. Hexes Go Well With Tequila will bring you on a whimsical journey of found family, and found self, uncovering a centuries-old mystery of ten lost souls and fighting for invisible women.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9798318617874 |
| PRICE | $1.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 257 |
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Average rating from 46 members
Featured Reviews
Mariah C, Reviewer
Where do I even start?? This book was a masterpiece from cover to cover. Babes I was not expecting spice in this but lord have mercy. The chemistry between the two mcs had me swooning before they even fell for each other. Everyone who loves a witchy/grumpy /enemies?? to lovers vibe needs to pick this us ASAP
I have enjoyed this series. The writing is better than the average cozy fantasy.
The pacing is quite good and the autumnal witchy vibes are extremely heart-warming. I loved the focus on female friendship and I am so glad that the romance did not subtract from it.
I want to start this with saying, this might be a three star read for me but it could be a five star for you!
I really wanted to love this. I really tried to love this. But unfortunately it fell apart for me from the start. I would have DNFed this within the first ten percent if I wasnt a seasoned reader who knows sometimes the best books start off really rough.. and well I will say I'm glad I stuck through it because this does have potential of being a good book.
Here's what you may like.
It felt like a steel magnolias episode. The Yaya sisterhood and community really was represented. Loved that.
This had an election going on so we got to see a community fight against old white men idealistics which was fantastic. We got to see some LGBTQ+ rep and also standing up for young women having an informed opinion on things that do effect them.
It also gave off the vibes of the craft and going after people who deserve it. Like slay. Hex your enemies haha
Lastly, this felt like a 'hey I like these things and if you like these things then we should be friends' kind of story and something thats supposed to feel relatable.
Anyway. Thank you Netgalley and Hay house LLC for the arc
Librarian 743151
This is my first book (and may be their first book) by LeAnna Ehrsam and it was such a cute, quick, read. I will definitely come back to this series.
Rebecca M, Reviewer
Four star read. Great seasonal read goes well with fall. I love the characters and the story moved along at a good pace. I was never bored. Love the found family and how things wrapped up. Grab yourself some warmed cider and sit down with this book.
Hexes Go Well With Tequila, was such a fun, witchy read! I absolutely loved that our main character, Ursula, is 38 and starting over at a point in her life when she realizes she has slowly become invisible. There was something really refreshing about reading a story centered around a woman approaching 40 who is rediscovering who she is, finding her people, and realizing that starting over can actually be the beginning of something pretty magical.
The Salem setting was PERFECT for this story. Give me a mysterious, magical house, a graveyard full of secrets, accidental hexes fueled by margaritas, and a group of women becoming friends, and I'm in. The found-family aspect was probably one of my favorite parts. I loved watching these women come together and support each other while simultaneously getting themselves into some very questionable magical situations.
And then we have the grumpy, cursed town bachelor who apparently resembles the Brawny paper towel man?! Say less. I really enjoyed the tension between him and Ursula, especially because the romance didn't completely take over the story. Ursula's relationship with Bess was also incredibly sweet and added another layer to the characters that I really enjoyed.
Underneath all the magic and humor, there are some really meaningful themes about women feeling invisible, rebuilding your life, friendship, community, and finding yourself again. I loved that this wasn't a story about a twenty-something figuring out adulthood. Ursula has already lived a whole life, and now she's figuring out what she wants the next chapter to look like.
Such a charming start to **The Lost Souls Series**, and I'm definitely curious to see where this magical little world goes next!
Kerianne B, Reviewer
Entrancing, gripping read. Plenty of mystery and magic. The language is a bit flowery at first but you get accustomed to it quickly. And the ending!!
Goddess.
Where do I begin?
There aren’t words to describe just how amazing this book is.
It’s emotional and healing and deep and raw and unbelievably beautiful.
Not only is this novel a cozy and lovely story about connection and community and hope, but it’s a love letter to women. There’s so many lessons in this book that I wish I had learned at a younger age - but it’s never too late to learn and grow and heal.
LeAnna Ehrsam is an incredible writer as well. Her prose is stunningly elegant and absolutely profound. The way she weaves words is truly magical.
Full disclosure: this is not my first read through of this book. Even through a reread, it still managed to take my breath away!
Massive thank you to LeAnna Ehrsam, NetGalley, and Hay House for this advanced reader copy.
10/10! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As someone who often feels disconnected even in a room full of people, I resonated with this book. The FMC, Ursula, is awkward and stuck in a “going nowhere relationship”. She decides to take a gamble on herself; not knowing what the outcome will be. I too struggle with finding and maintaining quality female friendships due to time constraints and life in general. The lighthearted, snarky humor and genuine relationship building between characters made this an easy listen. The MMC we’re introduced to is a cantankerous guy who is very nice to look at and the way he is woven into the story is seamless and natural. The storyline was was cute and cozy and not at all what I expected; in the best way possible. I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy of this book when it’s released.
Ok this is frothy and VERY on the nose with messaging, but I still had a great time reading this.
I love the focus on female friendship and community. I loved the protagonist being a woman almost 40. I loved her getting a chance to start over. Spoilery but I loved the just desserts being served. I'm not a huge fan of romance so that story line I can take or leave.
And I freaking loved the very ending.
I’m pretty sure a lot of women will relate to at least a couple aspects of this story line and enjoy the magically touch.
Chasity H, Reviewer
From someone who lives an hour and a half from Salem I had high hopes for the vibe of Halloween. This book provided that along with a lovey story about positive friendships among women of various demographic representations. The love of allowing yourself be your truest authentic form with others and the growth that happens when you have a support system.
It's a cute book with some political stances and a touch of the Salem feel. Was a great way to spend a few days in NH reading, would be an amazing pick up if you enjoy found family, grumpy/sunshine.
Book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was halfway through chapter one of the audio book when I immediately decided I needed a physical copy of this book. Think Golden Girls but in Salem. The number of times I laughed out loud at the perimenopausal woman's snark and just overall feelings can be hard to explain to someone who is not in her mid 40s and wondering, where the hell her life went (although the FMM is 36 I believe).
Some of the reviews of this book are probably justified if you have never been a woman who has been denied a promotion that was given to someone who is half as good at the job as you are, or if you are a white male, or or or basically just fill in the blank here. There's a lot of talk about womanhood and loving other women without it really being overbearing (or at least thats what I thought while listening to the book). It's the type of stuff that we tell our granddaughters that we wish we had told our daughters--- That it's okay to be a kick ass and also be vulnerable to your fellow girl friends.
But, and most importantly, tequila really is the best drink when hexing somebody with a lion's tail.
Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book. #HexesGoWellwithTequilaTheLostSoulsSeriesBook1
Lisa M, Reviewer
This book feels like an autumn-scented hug. It's cozy, witchy, magical, and while there is some romance (and spice), it's primarily a story about falling in love with yourself, being a woman, and becoming who you want to be versus who you think you should be.
There’s something special about a book that connects to your current stage of life, along with your love of all things witchy, and pulls at your romantic heart - this is our time, fellow Peri/Meno Ladies. Hexes Go Well With Tequila by LeAnna Ehrsam is the perfect mix of October vibes, a Salem-inspired mystery, and feminine energy. Friendship, an enemies-to-lovers trope, warm descriptions of all the Autumn baked goods, and a good bit of karma tossed right at the patriarchy. This book hits all the *tinkling* spots. Cheers to this five-star read (first in the Lost Souls series!) and female power.
The narrator of the audiobook, Patricia Santomasso, whose voice I listened to as I read in tandem with the eBook, did an excellent job of distinguishing among the many characters while conveying both emotional connections and feminine rage.
I loved every minute of Ursula’s journey, and I cannot wait to dive into the next two books in the series. Thank you, NetGalley and Hay House, for the opportunity to experience this eBook and audiobook and share my opinion.
As I’ve said before, and I’m sure I will again, I am trying to stick to a certain genres in my requests, but the blurb on this one intrigued me. I was drawn in immediately, which is always a good sign. I quite enjoyed meeting all the characters, and I loved getting to know them very well. I thought the pace was good, and, for the most part, this is well-written. There were a couple of things that almost took me out of the story, but for the most part I could look them over: almost rambling sentences a couple of places, a little too much fixation on feminine power being talked about a lot (yes, I believe in it, but I don’t need it reiterated so many times), and some things not explained well enough. All in all, though, I did enjoy this book, and if there’s another book in this universe, I’d definitely pick it up. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
Hexes Go Well with Tequila is a single POV romance/women’s fiction/ cozy fantasy book. Ursula is feeling invisible in her life when she receives an invitation to move into a magical home in Salem. Once she arrives in town, she meets a group of women who help her forge strong bonds of friendship, a grumpy town bachelor who gets under her skin but stays on her mind, and a cast of locals who vary between welcoming and wary. When the new friends drunkenly hex those who’ve done them wrong, and wake up to find their hexes took root, Ursula realizes magic might be more real than she can grasp. But finding herself in the middle of a modern-day witch hunt wasn’t in her plans, and now she and her new friends have to find a way to put right past wrongs!
I really enjoyed the idea behind this one, and it’s a cozy magical story that’s perfect for this time of year. The writing style wasn’t quite for me, but if you like a lot of descriptive language and inner reflection, it would definitely be a good pick. I enjoyed the coven of witchy friends and themes of friendship and finding yourself; I liked the idea of the grumpy & cursed town bachelor who just wants to provide stability for his surly teenage niece, and I found the local politics and historical drama to be an interesting angle. It did feel, though, that the book was trying to fit too much in and sometimes sacrificed a bit of each in order to do so. I think any two (in any combination) would have worked, but all three left me feeling a little shortchanged all around. Still, I’d love a magical witchy house that knows what I need, so sign me up!
Read dates: 09/05/2026- 09/06/2026
Goodreads review: 09/07/2026
Instagram review: 09/07/2026
Blog review: 10/13/2026
Jessica T, Reviewer
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc to review.
I listened to the audio along with the ebook for this arc and I thoroughly enjoyed the immersive experience. This book focused a lot more on friendship and platonic relationships than I normally read about but I really enjoyed the found family elements. I found Ursula to be very relatable and lovable and also enjoyed the romance. I am looking forward to the next book.
Jessica W, Reviewer
This was such a cozy book! Ursula realizes that she is stuck in a life that she never wanted for herself. Her partner makes her feel unseen and they are essentially roommates, she has made herself small to convenience others, and she's lost her only true friend because of it. This changes when she receives a mysterious invitation to move to Salem and live in the Lost Souls House. Wanting to start over, she leaves her life and moves to Salem where she discovers magic, beautiful female friendships, political corruption, and a very attractive man who cannot stop getting on her nerves. This a cozy, witchy story about found family, female empowerment, and healing. LeeAnna Ehrsam creates a world that i want to crawl inside of and stay forever. She gives women permission to love themselves and their friends with the same fervor as their family. This is the perfect cozy fall read! I will definitely be reading anything by this author!
This book wraps you in the ultimate cozy season atmosphere from start to finish. Set in an idyllic small town draped in crisp fall energy, an enchanted house that feels like a character in its own right, complete with a magical kitchen that delivers adorable, custom-themed mugs every morning. That whimsical backdrop lays the foundation for a slow-burn romance. The chemistry burns hot with a top notch grumpy/sunshine dynamic, great banter and a steamy, flannel-clad Brawny man.
Beyond the swoon-worthy romance, the beautiful writing elevates this story into something truly special and deeply emotional. At its core, it is a heartwarming tale of starting over, discovering inner strength, and stepping into your power. The vibrant heart of the book lies in its portrayal of female friendship, capturing that sacred, fierce sisterhood that only a group of tight-knit women can create. Seeing them band together to fight a modern day political witch hunt hit so hard 😢❤️
This book balances lighthearted charm with authentic heart, delivering a cozy, empowering story that leaves you feeling warm from the inside out.
Thank you to NetGalley, LeAnna Ehrsam and Hay House for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Jennifer D, Reviewer
✨ 4 Stars ✨
Witchy, cozy, magical, and just a little mysterious—Hexes Go Well with Tequila was the perfect book to start Fall with.
At its heart, this is a story about finding your people and realizing that family isn't always the one you're born into. Sometimes it's the people who see you exactly as you are and love you for it. I especially loved the focus on close female friendships and the way those relationships become a source of support, understanding, and belonging. And the growing pains that come with making new friends.
There’s also something really relatable about the idea of shrinking yourself to fit into someone else's expectations. Watching a character rediscover who she is—and, more importantly, remember that she doesn't have to make herself smaller to be loved—gave the story an emotional depth I really appreciated. There's something wonderfully satisfying about seeing someone finally take up the space they've been denying themselves.
Add in a little mystery and intrigue, some witchy magic, and plenty of cozy vibes, and you've got a book that feels like curling up somewhere comfortable with a warm drink while someone tells you a story about magic, friendship, and starting over.
And thankfully, it ends on a hopeful note. 💜
Overall, Hexes Go Well with Tequila was a charming reminder that sometimes finding yourself means finding the people who make you feel safe enough to be yourself in the first place. I can't wait to see if there's a sequel, I'd love to see all the women in Ursula's circle find the loves of their lives.
**I was provided with an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Kaylee H, Reviewer
I enjoyed this, it was very much a vibes read. Good for fall with a cozy feeling. The writing wasn't a literary masterpiece but the author conveyed everything in a way I understood. I appreciated the sense of sisterhood the book emphasized on.
Christen W, Reviewer
Thank you NetGalley and Hay House for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
After a bit of a slower start, Hexes Go Well With Tequila blooms into an intriguing, cozy story that feels more lively as the FMC regains her sense of self and steps into her power. As the story progresses, Ursula sheds layers of emotional restraint and recovers from a soul-numbing relationship that hijacked her sense of self with the support of a preassembled group of strong women. The MMC feels VERY Luke from Gilmore Girls in the best of ways. The scene where he steps into his feelings for Ursula is quite satisfying. I do feel like there were a few threads that could have been wrapped up more neatly towards the end but I look forward to seeing what Book 2 brings us.
Reviewer 1040094
Thank you to the Hay House for the advance copy via NetGalley!
Ursula moves into The Lost Souls House with her dog, Casper and finds herself in a magical, and haunted town. Surrounded by new friends and margaritas, Ursula is shocked to find out that hexes are real. Suddenly, she is the center of a modern-day witch hunt, and finds herself leaning on her friends and an unexpectedly handsome, but grumpy town bachelor for support.
This book had cozy, but dark and mysterious vibes. The magic was intriguing, and it was so cool that The Lost Souls House could just decorate itself! I appreciated the found family and sisterhood that emerged between Ursula and the other women. Social and political issues, especially feminism, took a front seat in the story and were incorporated well. The romance between Jenson and Ursula wasn't my favorite. Their relationship emerged really quickly, without any tension or flirting to build up to it. The story definitely felt complete on its own, without the romance subplot.
Randi B, Reviewer
This was such a beautiful read for me. I absolutely loved it, and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever connected with a character as deeply as I connected with Ursula. Her experiences with aging, perimenopause, loneliness, and wanting something more meaningful than simply having someone in her life felt incredibly relatable. Her desire to be truly seen and to have a genuine connection really resonated with me.
I also loved the romance and the little bit of spice—it added just enough without taking away from everything else I loved about the story. And of course, the witchy elements made this even more fun. I especially loved the little Chapter 13/14 nod. It was such a cute detail. 🧙♀️
This book made me laugh, made me ache, and ultimately left me crying happy tears. I loved Ursula’s journey and the feeling of finally being seen.
5 stars, and honestly, I’d give it more if I could. ❤️✨
I really enjoyed this story. The female friendships, the town politics; the mysterious house. Everything was fun and exciting to read. My one note for the book is that it got a little preachy at times. The author would speak about a feminist topic but then either drag on about it or bring it up multiple times. It only happened a few times but unfortunately it was noticeable enough that it left an impression.
"Though the fear and tenuous feeling had left the air, what remained was something stronger: resilience and the rage of women who were done with the battles waged against them, and ready to wage war to finish it."
As James Brown once said, "don't start none, won't be none."
After being invited to stay at The Lost Souls House, Ursula jumps at the chance to find herself again, little does she know she'll not only find herself but, a supportive coven of great friends, world-class margaritas, a infuriatingly handsome Brawny man, and a politician, who does in fact, start some.
This is the perfect book to curl up with this fall; mystery, a touch of romance, witchy vibes and feminine revenge.
Amy M, Reviewer
I really loved this book, but come on with the age thing. 38 years old and the FMC is basically described as geriatric. I loved the found family and female empowerment, but I got annoyed everytime perimenopause or creaking joints got brought up, which was way too often. The plot and characters were a lot of fun and there was quality banter between the MCs. If the age thing was fixed, this would be a 5 star book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hay House for the free eARC.
If you ever felt invisible in your own life and wished a mysterious invitation would whisk you away to a magical town in Salem with an Irish Wolfhound and a side of tequila, Hexes Go Well with Tequila is the cozy, magical escape you NEED on your TBR!!
What I loved:
- Found Family & Female Empowerment: What really shone here was the warmth of the female friendships. The dynamic between Ursula and the four women felt authentic, cozy, and uplifting. It’s rare to read cozy fantasy centered around a 38-year-old FMC starting over, and Ursula’s personal journey of reclaiming her visibility was deeply resonant.
- The Salem setting, combined with the mystery of the Lost Souls graveyard, creates a wonderfully whimsical and slightly intriguing atmosphere without ever becoming overly heavy or dark. LOVE!The
- The "grumpy/sunshine" dynamic added just the right amount of slow-burn tension, balanced nicely by Ursula’s heartwarming bond with his niece. Swoon!
Critique:The middle section slows down slightly from a pacing POV as the plot juggles multiple subplots.
Overall a really great read! I cannot wait for the next book!
I received Hexes Go Well with Tequila as an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was really good! It definitely has a cozy feel, but there’s also enough tension between different groups of characters to keep things interesting. The story feels fully developed, and I thought the characters were developed really well too.
There’s a little bit of excitement along the way, plus a secret from the past that eventually gets revealed, which added another layer to the story without taking away from the cozy atmosphere.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series!
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