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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I absolutely loved Best Hex Ever so I was really excited for this one. I think I enjoyed it overall, it just didn't hit the same as Best Hex Ever. The ghost-seeing didn't really seem crucial to the plot and I thought the 3rd act conflict was pretty forced. The pacing also seemed a bit off. There is dom/sub dynamics and a lot of spice so keep that in mind when deciding to read
Overall this was fine!
3/5
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for a review copy of this book--all opinions my own!
Overall this was fine!
3/5
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for a review copy of this book--all opinions my own!
Thank you NetGalley and Randomhouse for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review*
Unfortunately, Love at First Fright just wasn’t for me, but it could totally be someone else’s cozy ghost-loving cup of tea.
I was really into the paranormal vibes at the start (ghost dog? yes please), but about halfway through it felt like too many storylines competing for attention, without enough focus to fully land any of them.
We’ve got:
• A haunted manor with long-lost diary entries
• Lesbian Victorian (regency era?) besties fighting
• A movie being filmed
• Witches, blackmail, and Hollywood secrets
• A ghost dog that needs peace
• And an MMC who, at 41, acted like he was 90 and never let us forget it.
As someone pushing 40 myself, the constant “I’m so old” jokes were more distracting than endearing. Your 40s aren’t a death sentence, sir.
I DNF’d at 55% after realizing I was skimming more than reading. Not every book is for every reader, and that’s okay.
If you like layered paranormal plots and campy romance with a little chaos, this still might be worth a shot for you!
Unfortunately, Love at First Fright just wasn’t for me, but it could totally be someone else’s cozy ghost-loving cup of tea.
I was really into the paranormal vibes at the start (ghost dog? yes please), but about halfway through it felt like too many storylines competing for attention, without enough focus to fully land any of them.
We’ve got:
• A haunted manor with long-lost diary entries
• Lesbian Victorian (regency era?) besties fighting
• A movie being filmed
• Witches, blackmail, and Hollywood secrets
• A ghost dog that needs peace
• And an MMC who, at 41, acted like he was 90 and never let us forget it.
As someone pushing 40 myself, the constant “I’m so old” jokes were more distracting than endearing. Your 40s aren’t a death sentence, sir.
I DNF’d at 55% after realizing I was skimming more than reading. Not every book is for every reader, and that’s okay.
If you like layered paranormal plots and campy romance with a little chaos, this still might be worth a shot for you!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"I was always happier here," she admitted. With you, her heart whispered."
GENRE: PNR with cozy fantasy elements
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc
Would I recommend to others?: YES. I will never not recommend books written by Nadia El-Fassi. They are written in a beautiful way, with grief, mental health rep, love and wanting to find your place in the world all wrapped up in a romance book.
Long Review:
Nadia El-Fassi has a way of writing books that I know will linger in my heart long after I have finished them and Love at First Fright is no different. This is a book set in the same world as her debut novel: Best Hex Ever and is focusing on Rosemary. Love at First Fright tackles many heavy topics, like finding her place in the world and believing that you are good enough, the pressure of being an author and having your novel turned into a film can definitely wreck havoc on your anxiety, even if its all good things that SHOULD make you happy.
"She felt like a conveyor belt, always churning out words, never stopping to breathe. Rosemary would think about breathing when this book was done."
Rosemary is an American character who moved away from her town after losing her mom and grief is something that is touched on in this book, which if you have been around, you know I love reading about in books as I always connect to it from my own personal experience. The idea of "Where is home" is addressed in Love at First Fright, when Rosemary says that her home town is no longer home once her mom passed away and I relate to this very heavily as I am from multiple countries, lived in a different country and then, when I lost my grandmother, I found that none of them were home anymore. I found that my identity crisis of experiencing third culture got stronger. I never fitted into any of the countries I was from or lived in perfectly and after losing my grandma (my mema), this went away entirely. I then started leaning into wanting to move to the UK (just like Rosemary) and so I definitely could relate to this theme very heavily throughout the book
"Georgia didn't feel like home anymore, even with Dad still living there. It hadn't been home since her mom had died."
"But London? Even the word filled her with a glowing warmth. The city wasn't new to her, and the idea of living there felt more like a return home than a fresh start."
And the thing about grief is that it comes when you least expect it and over the years, it quietens down. It becomes something that you live with in the background and is still very much a reality that you struggle to accept. The sharp edges become a bit duller and not smoother. El-Fassi really adds this element to the book, where Rosemary remembers her mom throughout the books, in those moments that are small and big, in the unexpected memories and the things you wish you could tell them again. You can tell that El-Fassi herself went through this and her grief is painted beautifully in Best Hex Ever and in here, Love at First Fright.
"Rosemary wished she could talk to her mama about all of this. As it always was with grief, the person she most wanted to soothe her sadness was the same whose absence had caused it all."
"They'd (Rosemary and her mom) spend hours going over Rosemary's plot ideas; however childish and silly, her mother had shown Rosemary that her stories were important. Look where we are now, Mama."
On the other hand, the MMC, Ellis, is also finding his own place in the world. Having spent the last few years being an actor and trying to make it in a world that is chaotic, exposed and hectic, he seeks to have a slower life, one that is filled with loved ones and wholesome moment. However, just like Rosemary, he is stuck in the hustle culture and finds that he can't escape as easily as he wishes he could. He also wishes he could be himself more in a world that forces him to be like other people instead.
"Next summer he'd clean it. Next summer he'd finally have that barbeque with friends and family he'd promised himself. Ellis wished he could spend longer in the garden, but there never seemed to be enough time to do the things he loved."
"No more forced diets for movies, dehydrating himself so that he looked more ripped on camera."
And Rosemary plus Ellis together? AHHH what a couple, what a combination. Their dynamic felt real, intense and unique. You could tell that they loved each other and it all happened so naturally. Their dynamic is very different than the couple from book one (Best Hex Ever) but it is such a soft companionship and friendship with a sharp edge in their relationship and one that works well for the both of them. Their dynamic is beautiful because its two people coming together, broken in a similar way with grief, loss in their lives and they begin to share this with each other, hoping to find acceptance in one another.
"While Rosemary cuddled Fig on her lap, the little dog dozing and chasing bunnies in her sleep, Ellis wondered if it was possible to feel too happy."
"It was when he stood in his paint-covered overalls amidst the boxes that he'd shipped to his house, which were filled with the parts he'd need to build Rosemary a desk to go under the window, that Ellis realised he was in love with her."
And guys, the most beautiful part is they find home in each other. Like honestly, that is probably what we spend a lifetime looking for: our home in this world
"I'm home!" Ellis heard Rosemary call from downstairs. Home. My girl is home."
And not only this, El-Fassi writes about Rosemary's anxiety in a way that is familiar to my own with my AuDHD. She does little things throughout the book that makes me go like: Oh, I do that too!
"She had arrived a little early to acclimatise and prepare, something she had found always helped her anxiety...Rosemary figured that if she considered all possible outcomes at an event, thought about all the things people might ask her, then she wouldn't feel stuck in the moment. To her, that all seemed perfectly sensible, but apparently it also meant she was just an anxious person."
AND to add an element of fun magical thing here: Rosemary can see ghosts! This brings a lot of fun stuff to the book but I will leave you with one quote regarding this
"... she thought of all the ghosts she had known and how, when it came down to it, they stayed because they wanted more time with the people they loved."
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, Delrey and Nadia for the eArc copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really liked the writing style of this novel, and the concept was really cute. I loved Rosemary in the first book, and was delighted to see her get her own story. I love all the parts of this book about her friendship group, and getting to see her succeed.
While I really enjoyed this book, I did think there was a slight emotional disconnect for me between the two leads, perhaps it felt a little bit rushed at times and they went from disliking each other to love very quickly. The conflict at the end was also quite rushed, and I just couldn't find it believable.
Overall though, I did enjoy this book and I'm looking forward to any new story the author releases! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While I really enjoyed this book, I did think there was a slight emotional disconnect for me between the two leads, perhaps it felt a little bit rushed at times and they went from disliking each other to love very quickly. The conflict at the end was also quite rushed, and I just couldn't find it believable.
Overall though, I did enjoy this book and I'm looking forward to any new story the author releases! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love At First Fright is a cozy but spicy paranormal/supernatural romance, and while it's connected to Best Hex Ever, you don't need to have read that book to enjoy this one! It definitely works as a standalone. Rosemary is a horror writer, whose book is being made into a film, and she's always been able to see ghosts. Actor Ellis is not who Rosemary wanted for the lead role in the slightest, but their relationship quickly develops.
I did really enjoy the main characters, and I loved the message about sexuality positivity. It's unfortunate that this book has a third act breakup because they're not really something I like in romances unless there's like a proper, realistic justification for them. I'm a bit on the fence about whether this one was necessary.
I did binge it in one go though over an evening and had a really fun time with it!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from Random House UK and NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! This is the second book by Nadia El-Fassi that I have read, and while I think I enjoyed Best Hex Ever more, I did find myself really drawn to Rosemary's character in Love at First Fright. Since she was young, Rosemary Shaw can see and communicate with ghosts. It has helped fuel her career as a horror writer, and now one of her books is being adapted into a feature film! There's just one problem: the leading actor, Ellis Finch, Rosemary is convinced, is completely wrong for the part. But for Ellis, this is an opportunity to break out of his action star role to participate in a more serious film, if only the writer and one of the producers, Rosemary, would give him a chance.
Much like in Best Hex Ever, I was often more interested in Rosemary's career as a horror writer, her interests and insecurities as someone branching into a new stage of their career, and of course her powers as someone who can communicate with the dead. While I love an enemies to lovers plot as much as the next person, and Rosemary and Ellis' dynamic grew on me, I did find it hard in the beginning to see the attraction between the two of them, as it felt a bit forced. Later in book, I liked how they naturally bonded and their tenderness and understanding of each other's needs, their past losses and insecurities grew. Overall, I was just less interested in Ellis as a character in the beginning, but I appreciated that his character developed more nuance over time, especially as he explores his bisexuality. Rosemary's friendships with Dina and Immy always warmed my heart, and I loved the ruminations that this book gave on the many forms of grief that Rosemary and Ellis experience that eventually brings them closer together.
Nadia El-Fassi is fast becoming an auto-read author for me, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Much like in Best Hex Ever, I was often more interested in Rosemary's career as a horror writer, her interests and insecurities as someone branching into a new stage of their career, and of course her powers as someone who can communicate with the dead. While I love an enemies to lovers plot as much as the next person, and Rosemary and Ellis' dynamic grew on me, I did find it hard in the beginning to see the attraction between the two of them, as it felt a bit forced. Later in book, I liked how they naturally bonded and their tenderness and understanding of each other's needs, their past losses and insecurities grew. Overall, I was just less interested in Ellis as a character in the beginning, but I appreciated that his character developed more nuance over time, especially as he explores his bisexuality. Rosemary's friendships with Dina and Immy always warmed my heart, and I loved the ruminations that this book gave on the many forms of grief that Rosemary and Ellis experience that eventually brings them closer together.
Nadia El-Fassi is fast becoming an auto-read author for me, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Death of parent
adventurous
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:
Yes
This is such a great follow-up to Best Hex Ever, following one of Dina's best friends. It's just as cosy, and makes for a perfect comfort read. Since Rosemary can see ghosts, there are two ghostly storylines, and those were both so heartwarming. And the romance was just really great, I loved both characters.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
This book was fun, and a quick read, but it wasn't the smoothest. I haven't read any of the author's other books, but there was a lot of "telling instead of showing", and a lot of side characters (from previous books??). There was also just a lot going on in general, like the characters had to have every personality feature available.
I found the characters really loveable and liked how they were a sure thing.
This book was fun, and a quick read, but it wasn't the smoothest. I haven't read any of the author's other books, but there was a lot of "telling instead of showing", and a lot of side characters (from previous books??). There was also just a lot going on in general, like the characters had to have every personality feature available.
I found the characters really loveable and liked how they were a sure thing.
Honestly this one was a bit of a miss for me, I did not buy the romance between the 2 MCs and it all felt quite forced. Again very insta-lovey which seems to be a common theme for this author. I liked the plot but not how rushed everything felt.