Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)

Rating: 4/5

Essie is just your average witch who wishes she could live a normal life. Though, that’s a little hard to do when you live with eccentric, yet powerful witches in a house that’s been warded to be forgotten by nosy neighbors and potential love interests. Then she meets Josh, the handsome, hapless, new landlord who somehow doesn’t forget her or Beldam House. Are they soulmates, or is there a bigger reason why the warding doesn’t work against Josh?

I like that this book is set in modern-day Essex and shows these witches, particularly Essie, trying to navigate being a witch in the modern world among regular humans. I also liked that they explained a bit how magic works in their world since that tends to vary in fantasy-esque books, and learning some of the rules is usually pretty important. I also liked some of the supporting characters, especially Avery who can change their gendered appearance based on their mood, and Prudence, a ghost witch who likes to hang out by the tree where she was hanged back in the 1700s.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that some of the terminology used didn’t fit the character. The author is British and so is the main character, Essie. However, Josh is American and there are multiple references throughout the book about him being from Seattle and how this is his first time in England. Yet, there are several instances where Josh uses British terminology like “plaits,” “queue,” “launderette,” and “solicitor” that are primarily British terms. An American character would say, “braids,” “line,” “laundry mat,” and “lawyer” instead. It just seemed like an oversight that was missed during the editing process, and therefore, took me out of the story a bit.

Overall, Hex Appeal is a cute romance about quirky witches and normal people enchanted by the new, magical world they find themselves in. So, if you like stories about witches trying to have it all with a good dose of Bewitched vibes, this book is for you.