Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom.
Following his uncle’s passing, Max must both settle the estate and monitor the hex on the Merriweather family. When it’s broken, Max has to balance his and his family’s concern regarding the Merriweather family and the growing feelings that he has for Delia. Delia has a talent as an interior designer which creates the perfect opportunity for Max to use her skillset to work on his uncle’s house.
This book is very lighthearted with really lovable characters. I found our main characters, Delia and Max, to be very enchanting. In addition to being lighthearted, there’s definitely humor built in throughout this story. I was surprised by how much of a slow burn this story was, but given the plot setup, we get tons of time with Delia and Max. Their relationship is complicated with Max and the family’s hex, however, as the story progresses, Delia also has her own concerns to deal with which sets up sensible third act tension in their relationship. The side characters are also so fun, both families and of course, the cat! A lighthearted read if you’re looking for a fun rom com this fall season.
Following his uncle’s passing, Max must both settle the estate and monitor the hex on the Merriweather family. When it’s broken, Max has to balance his and his family’s concern regarding the Merriweather family and the growing feelings that he has for Delia. Delia has a talent as an interior designer which creates the perfect opportunity for Max to use her skillset to work on his uncle’s house.
This book is very lighthearted with really lovable characters. I found our main characters, Delia and Max, to be very enchanting. In addition to being lighthearted, there’s definitely humor built in throughout this story. I was surprised by how much of a slow burn this story was, but given the plot setup, we get tons of time with Delia and Max. Their relationship is complicated with Max and the family’s hex, however, as the story progresses, Delia also has her own concerns to deal with which sets up sensible third act tension in their relationship. The side characters are also so fun, both families and of course, the cat! A lighthearted read if you’re looking for a fun rom com this fall season.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Delia grew up believing she was a witch…but she had no powers. In fact, the neighbors all made fun of the Merriweather family and their claim to witchy fame.
Instead, Delia is a bit of a mess, jumping from one failed career to the next while taking care of the older women in her family.
But when her beloved neighbor dies, his nephew, Max, shows up to settle his affairs. Max, who keeps to himself and makes snarky comments about the podunk town he’s stuck in. Max, who is a witch, a witch from the family line who hexed Delia’s family and stole their magic.
Max is supposed to keep an eye on Delia and her family, to make sure she doesn’t break the hex before her 30th birthday, but the two are…magically drawn to one another.
While there are some fun elements - my favorite being the imp Nicky - overall it fell short for me.
Someone please remind me that I need to stop reading books with magical realism romance plots. I just can’t do it. I always think I’m going to love them but they usually end up bothering me.
Where I am willing to fully buy into a fantasy series where world building is the bread and butter, I don’t like cute books with convenient magic that, honestly, doesn’t seem necessary.
I’m a broken record recently. There’s for sure an audience for this one, but it’s not me.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
omg this was so fun!!! i had the pleasure of listening to the alc and follow along in the arc, and it was the best experience!
i would absolutely recommend listening to the audiobook for this one while reading along! it just added a little extra on top of the story because of the amazing narration & the accents!
i’m completely in love with willow root, texas and it’s inhabitants. delia and max were lovely together, the merriweather women were a quirky and lovely bunch that felt like home, and don’t even get me started on nikki!!!! he was a complete delight
i would absolutely recommend listening to the audiobook for this one while reading along! it just added a little extra on top of the story because of the amazing narration & the accents!
i’m completely in love with willow root, texas and it’s inhabitants. delia and max were lovely together, the merriweather women were a quirky and lovely bunch that felt like home, and don’t even get me started on nikki!!!! he was a complete delight
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
‘Hot Hex Boyfriend’ by Carly Bloom is a really fun romance set in the somewhat magical town of Willow Root that explores family loyalty, love vs. logic and friendship. Adorable main character Delia is part of a family of women who all believe that they are witches whose power was cursed away generations ago, but as she approaches 30, she finds them mildly embarrassing (despite loving them to pieces). When powerful witch Max arrives to prepare the grand house he inherited from his estranged uncle for sale and is given a mission to stop a certain Cordelia Merriweather from lifting a hex she doesn’t really believe in, it seems like the easiest job in the world… but will his his heart start to rule his head?
I really enjoyed:
- Max’s inherited familiar Nikki - who took on his impish form and shared sage advice
- Delia’s warm and hilarious family and friends who brought so much joy to every page
- The character development for Max’s brother Luc and his parents
- The well thought-out and intriguing magical lore which really drove the last third of the plot
- Themes of the beauty community and the power of collaboration
The pacing of this book was a little uneven in my opinion - with the first half of the novel feeling quite slow, and the culmination coming very swiftly, but that did mean I deeply cared about the characters and was incredibly gripped by the end!
This gets 4.5 stars from me - I really enjoyed the world-building and fell in love with both Max and Delia. This is the perfect spooky-season read and I’m eager to explore more from this author (who has also released a cowboy romance series).
I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Headline Books via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I really enjoyed:
- Max’s inherited familiar Nikki - who took on his impish form and shared sage advice
- Delia’s warm and hilarious family and friends who brought so much joy to every page
- The character development for Max’s brother Luc and his parents
- The well thought-out and intriguing magical lore which really drove the last third of the plot
- Themes of the beauty community and the power of collaboration
The pacing of this book was a little uneven in my opinion - with the first half of the novel feeling quite slow, and the culmination coming very swiftly, but that did mean I deeply cared about the characters and was incredibly gripped by the end!
This gets 4.5 stars from me - I really enjoyed the world-building and fell in love with both Max and Delia. This is the perfect spooky-season read and I’m eager to explore more from this author (who has also released a cowboy romance series).
I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Headline Books via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Expected publication: 3rd September 2024
I really wanted to love this, but it needed some tweaks.
There are 3 things I really loved about this book:
1. The cosy, small town, Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes
2. Delia's best friend
3. The cat
But unfortunately that's about all that I liked.
I started out really enjoying it, but I feel like it went on forever! I think the problem is that the plot from the synopsis doesn't actually start until about 50/60% of the way through the book. So obviously by that point I'd completely lost interest. I also feel like the characters were quite immature and there wasn't actually any chemistry between Delia and Max.
Because of the pacing issues, I didn't end up enjoying this that much, but I did have a great time at the start!
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the eARC.
I really wanted to love this, but it needed some tweaks.
There are 3 things I really loved about this book:
1. The cosy, small town, Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibes
2. Delia's best friend
3. The cat
But unfortunately that's about all that I liked.
I started out really enjoying it, but I feel like it went on forever! I think the problem is that the plot from the synopsis doesn't actually start until about 50/60% of the way through the book. So obviously by that point I'd completely lost interest. I also feel like the characters were quite immature and there wasn't actually any chemistry between Delia and Max.
Because of the pacing issues, I didn't end up enjoying this that much, but I did have a great time at the start!
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the eARC.
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
If you are looking for a fun witchy vibes story, look no further. Delia and her family are fun and quirky and believed they were witches despite not having any witchy powers. Max moves in next door to sell his recently deceased uncle's home. Max and Delia ends up working together to stage the home and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. Both Delia and Max's family added such a fun element to the story.
Laura Knight Keating and Zion Kang did a great job with the characters.
Thank you @readforeverpub @hachette.audio for a copy of this book.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Delia Merriweather grew up in a family of powerless witches, something the fellow citizens of their small town in Texas thought was equal parts weird and embarrassing. Approaching her 30th birthday, Delia is confident that she's not a witch and her grandma and great aunts are just...quirky. When her family's neighbor dies and his nephew Max moves in to settle the estate, Delia feels a pull toward him that certainly can't be anything but hormones, right? Carly Bloom's eccentric characters and delightfully Southern setting set the tone for a perfect autumnal witchy read.
Thank you to Carly Bloom, Hatchette Audio, and NetGalley for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Carly Bloom, Hatchette Audio, and NetGalley for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cute & cozy witchy read!
Would have enjoyed more of Max & Luke’s backstory. I feel like we got to know Delia’s family so much more than the parents of the boys.
Loved Nicky’s storyline!
Will be interested in reading more by this author.
Would have enjoyed more of Max & Luke’s backstory. I feel like we got to know Delia’s family so much more than the parents of the boys.
Loved Nicky’s storyline!
Will be interested in reading more by this author.
This was a fun witchy romance with lots of mystery packed in. Trying to break a "curse" on her family, Delia makes a soup every year in good humor. But what she assumes is a joke is no funny matter for their neighbors nephew, Max.
Terrified of Delia breaking the curse, Max decides to keep a close eye on her, despite not wanting to be around her. But maybe he actually does...want to be around her? This is so strange. Logos witches don't love.
Delia is a character that you're meant to just love to pieces, and I truly did. She was fun, clumsy, and just took pure for this world. Watching Max realize that he likes her, maybe more than, was such a great and entertaining thing to read.
Terrified of Delia breaking the curse, Max decides to keep a close eye on her, despite not wanting to be around her. But maybe he actually does...want to be around her? This is so strange. Logos witches don't love.
Delia is a character that you're meant to just love to pieces, and I truly did. She was fun, clumsy, and just took pure for this world. Watching Max realize that he likes her, maybe more than, was such a great and entertaining thing to read.
I felt so disappointed with this book. Like I thought the concept was good, like the beginning was good and the complexity of the conflict at the end was good too but the middle was just not it. I was bored halfway.
I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.