I’ll never say no to a cozy, witchy rom-com and Books & Bewitchment sounded like it’d be right up my alley! I curled up with this one in April and today I’m going to finally tell you about this book and what I thought.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn’t affect my opinion in any way!
In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist.
Dutiful and hard-working, Rhea Wolfe lives a simple, mundane life with her pet parrot in small-town Alabama. Sure, she may not love her desk job working for an insurance agency. And her on-again-off-again relationship with the local mechanic may not have the fiery passion she’s read about in her favorite books. Still, things are stable, which is more than she can say about the two hopelessly immature younger sisters who rely on her.
But when Rhea’s estranged grandmother dies, leaving her everything—including a magical heritage Rhea never knew she carried—she finds herself in Arcadia Falls, the quaint mountain town her mother made her swear to avoid at all costs. While the defunct business she’s also inherited needs a serious upgrade, Rhea’s lucky that resident handyman Hunter Blakely is more than happy to help—and more than easy on the eyes. If only he wasn’t the grandson of her grandmother’s sworn enemy in witchcraft.
As Rhea works to build a future, strange occurrences begin to make her think someone—or something—is trying to drive her out. As she gets closer to solving the mystery, each clue she uncovers points to Arcadia Falls’s magic hanging in the balance. To keep her new home safe, Rhea must step into her enchanted birthright . . . before it’s too late.
Review
What more could a book lover want then the chance to turn a run-down video store into a bookstore of their dreams? Well, maybe finding out that there’s a history of magic in your family. That concept is what made Books & Bewitchment catch my eye!
I was pulled into this story right away. Rhea doesn’t actually love her job, but things are stable and simple. She never expected to get a message her estranged grandmother passed away and left her everything. The trip to this small town, her family dynamics, and her exploring everything definitely kept me reading. I would definitely move to a small town like that. Even though I’m not so sure about the turkeys. If you read the book you’ll know what I mean!
Rhea learning about this town, her family, and even her magic was interesting. There was even a little mystery going on that was interesting. A little romance that starts to bloom, but this didn’t get much attention in my opinion. I don’t feel like we got enough to get invested. This is where things get a little tricky for me and I think that’s because he doesn’t get much development in the story either. And that’s where I had a hard time with the story. The pacing! The middle of the book with Rhea discovering the town and if she wants to stick around was fine, but that made the mystery unravelling at the end feel like it was raced to just be solved before the end of the book.
So while I enjoyed Rhea, the small town, and the humor and coziness, I can’t say this will become a favorite book. I think I would still give the second book in the series a try.
Even though this didn’t end up being my favorite, I did have a good time. Have you read any witchy books lately? Let me know in the comments. I’m always looking for new recommendations.
