Title: The Ex Hex

Author: Erin Sterling

Publisher: Avon 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 318

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - Author You’ve Never Read Before

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

I picked this one up and sped through it in about two days. Perfect read for this witchy week. This is a light-hearted mystery and romance set in a small college town. I enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere. I enjoyed the side characters and the general vibe. I really loved all the fun witchy adventures. I could have used more romance inn that it seemed to get the romance started and then speed ahead. I wanted to sit int he romance a bit more before moving to the next scene. I also wanted a bit more of the mystery drawn out. The ending came very abruptly and I just wanted a bit more.

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