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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
DNF at 51%. I just had to stop. This is marketed as a cozy, spooky romance. It does include those elements but they’re so disjointed. The guy has been pining over the girl pretty much their whole lives (girl next door). They have a one night stand in college that “ruins everything.” They both end up back in town years later after his parents die and she buys his mom’s tea shop. All a recipe for good reading. It just never comes together. The romance and relationship seem forced and just weird. Then add in the mystery of the town and it’s just more weird. This for sure was not for me.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
LIKED:
- The best part of this book to me was Az’s parents. They’re seen as this great love story and it shows. They’re also the only part of the book (to me) where the magic is actually explored, whether it’s magic type, the bonding magic, etc. We’re supposed to see a mirror between them and Az & Vickie, but that really didn’t happen.
- I liked the sibling relationship between Az and his sister. It was cute. I didn’t really *like* his sister, but their relationship felt like a genuine sibling one.
- The cover is…fine. I guess. I do feel it’s more at home in the YA section (a la how many, myself included, feel about the Icebreaker cover).
LAMENTED:
- There is a lot on paper that I should like about this book: friends to lovers, fall, witches, tea shop, etc., etc. But oh my gosh did it all just fall so flat for me. Nothing felt like it was actually progressing, too much of the plot felt trite, the characters lacked depth besides parental trauma, and the world building was so minimal. This was incredibly disappointing.
- I am quite possibly the world’s number one childhood friends to lovers apologist out there and there is truly nothing I can defend about this book in regards to that trope. We got little to no insight into what made them friends, even, besides them living close to each other. What do they even like about each other outside of lusting?? It’s infuriating. If you’re going to make characters friends who have known each other for decades SHOW US THAT THEY KNOW EACH OTHER.
- This book should not have been written to be marketed to adults. It’s writing style, substance (or lack thereof) and plot feel so much more inline with what you would see in a YA book. I don’t think it would have been quite as aggravating if it were not meant to be consumed by a more mature audience.
- What is this weird contrived bit about her not being able to touch him? Like I get that we’re supposed to have stakes as to why they can’t just get together, but that’s it?? The Devil she’s contracted with just wants to mess with them? Ugh.
- The mystery aspect is so underwhelming. It A) takes away from the romance and B) can be seen a mile away.
- Listen, I know that a pandemic happened. I know that many people lost their lives. I know it happened. I just am not separated enough from the occurrence to want to read about it happening in a fluffy romance. People are still dying from COVID. I read romcoms for the escapism and that jolts me right out.
- I am not a fan of wordplay or punny titles so this title is not for me. Nor is there enough tea to even justify the wordplay to begin with.
LONGED FOR:
- More exploration as to why these two are even friends that would then inform the ‘-to-lovers’ aspect of the trope.
- A mystery that kept its momentum going and wasn’t hindered by the dumb curse.
- This book to just be New Adult or YA.
How Long Do I Think They’ll Stay Together? : Probably forever, but I mean this derogatorily.
Will I read the next one? : no.
*Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for providing this ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief
Minor: Cursing
A cute romance with a twist of magic.
I loved the found family in this one - the Harts seem like such great people and I enjoy the quirky Adam’s Family vibes they give. They are welcoming and in love and seeing how the house welcomes in Victoria after her family disowns her is so heartwarming.
The romance between Victoria and Azrael is cute but frustrating. The years of yearning between them since childhood is cute but the lack of communication is frustrating at times. Their desire is clear but they dance around each other and it makes the moment when they finally come together all the more exciting yet heartbreaking.
The mystery aspect was cool, but I wish it was more fleshed out. It felt rather anticlimactic, but as this is a romcom and not a mystery book at its core, I think it was my expectation that was skewed.
The writing didn’t hook me quite as much as I would have liked, but it was still an enjoyable read.
Overall, it was a cute romance with a paranormal twist!
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Its spooky, cozy and whimsical
I loved this book! I highly recommend if you’re looking for a cozy fall read.
This book follows Azrael and Victoria as they try to solve a spooky mystery and try to navigate their relationship.
The plot flowed perfectly and there was lots of background information provided to help understand the ongoing of the book. It was a perfect balance of fantasy and spice and one didn’t fall to the subplot like they typically do. The yearning in this book was so good! I felt there were some parts of the book that weren’t really needed but it didn’t ruin the reading experience.
I’d like to thank Simon and Schuster, NetGalley and Audrey Goldberg Ruoff for the opportunity to read an ARC copy in exchange for my review.
Unfortunately I was not able to finish this book. It is going into my DNF pile for the year 2025. I was all set to love it. It is witchy, and there is a romance, and they are friends but then something happens and they have to find their way back to being friends and maybe lovers. It has all the things that I have previously loved in my romance reading.
There was just something about the way the book started that I couldn't get behind the characters and I just didn't really care about them enough to keep reading. I tried my best. I got about 50% of the way through. I usually love a good smut scene but even those couldn't hold my attention. I am so sorry, I wanted to love this book. I am thankful that I was able to get an advanced copy.
This book just wasn't for me but I would recommend to those who love a witchy, second-chance, with some mysterious vibes going on.
There was just something about the way the book started that I couldn't get behind the characters and I just didn't really care about them enough to keep reading. I tried my best. I got about 50% of the way through. I usually love a good smut scene but even those couldn't hold my attention. I am so sorry, I wanted to love this book. I am thankful that I was able to get an advanced copy.
This book just wasn't for me but I would recommend to those who love a witchy, second-chance, with some mysterious vibes going on.
Thank you Atria for sending an ARC copy.
I was so excited to read this because I LOVE Magical Realism and cozy fall vibes.
I tried so hard to keep reading, but I could not get past the writing style. The dialogue was too flowery for my liking and I found myself cringing throughout.
I put this one down, but would recommend it if you’re a fan of witchy puns and lots of yearning.
I was so excited to read this because I LOVE Magical Realism and cozy fall vibes.
I tried so hard to keep reading, but I could not get past the writing style. The dialogue was too flowery for my liking and I found myself cringing throughout.
I put this one down, but would recommend it if you’re a fan of witchy puns and lots of yearning.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Atria Books for the E-Arc.
I liked this! I thought the magic was unique. The yearning and childhood friends to lovers did its thing.
I did think that certain things were added simply to add to the word count. I hate when characters keep repeating themselves nonstop in a conscious stream of dribble. And that bit happened way too much for me to throughly enjoy the book.
I liked this! I thought the magic was unique. The yearning and childhood friends to lovers did its thing.
I did think that certain things were added simply to add to the word count. I hate when characters keep repeating themselves nonstop in a conscious stream of dribble. And that bit happened way too much for me to throughly enjoy the book.
Right off the bat, "toxic, misogynistic behavior" being listed as a Content Warning just rubbed me the wrong way. After a few months, I tried to get past that point and encountered references to more current events (ie. Azrael's powerful witch parents dying of COVID, the random mention of a BLM sign in the teashop) that only served to take me out of the story instead of immersing me in it.
For making it a quarter of the way through the book, I also expected to have more information in regards to the church mystery and deal with the devil but instead, there seemed to be more of Az and Vickie's internal thoughts over what happened in college and how much they still wanted to bone each other and didn't think the other felt the same way.
Lastly, Az's parents seem to be so heavily influenced by Morticia and Gomez Addams that they just didn't end up being original but rather a shadow of the amazing characters they were inspired by.
I really wanted to try and push through this, but ultimately just could not force myself. It is just not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
For making it a quarter of the way through the book, I also expected to have more information in regards to the church mystery and deal with the devil but instead, there seemed to be more of Az and Vickie's internal thoughts over what happened in college and how much they still wanted to bone each other and didn't think the other felt the same way.
Lastly, Az's parents seem to be so heavily influenced by Morticia and Gomez Addams that they just didn't end up being original but rather a shadow of the amazing characters they were inspired by.
I really wanted to try and push through this, but ultimately just could not force myself. It is just not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book had a lot going for it: it was cozy, witches!, a sentient house (and we all know how much I love those), great side characters, pop culture shout outs (the Addams family, Pushing Daisies), parents who made a deal with the devil and disowned their child, and a decent mystery.
The mystery was well set up, and I was kinda all in on it - Mega Church, Dark magic, Lucifer (who goes by Frankie...which I found hilarious), Curses. But then we ran into pages and pages of exposition about how much our 2 MC's loved each other and yet couldn't figure out how to be together until a pushing daisies type curse stopped them from touching. So. Many. Pages. It disrupted the flow of the mystery and took me out of the story a bit. I kinda wish Ruoff had spent some of those pages showing us what happened to Victoria's parents instead...that would have been more entertaining to me.
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this book.
The mystery was well set up, and I was kinda all in on it - Mega Church, Dark magic, Lucifer (who goes by Frankie...which I found hilarious), Curses. But then we ran into pages and pages of exposition about how much our 2 MC's loved each other and yet couldn't figure out how to be together until a pushing daisies type curse stopped them from touching. So. Many. Pages. It disrupted the flow of the mystery and took me out of the story a bit. I kinda wish Ruoff had spent some of those pages showing us what happened to Victoria's parents instead...that would have been more entertaining to me.
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this book.
The writing is horrible. I'm not invested in the characters at all except maybe the sister. There's way too much inner dialogue happening when characters are talking to each other. Some of the phases don't make any sense. I don't know if it's editing issues or transcription issues. I'm bored out of my mind. I also get the mmc is grieving but it's coming across whiney and way to angry for a mid 20s person. There's definitely a lot going on that's not hooking me in at all. I'm actually rather annoyed by the story.
I appreciate the eARC and I was excited for the opportunity for a cozy fantasy romance but this wasn't for me. Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Audrey Goldberg Ruoff for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciate the eARC and I was excited for the opportunity for a cozy fantasy romance but this wasn't for me. Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Audrey Goldberg Ruoff for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.