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Witch City #1
Bad Luck Charm
GWENDOLYN GOODE LIVES A CHARMED LIFE. As owner of an occult shop in downtown Salem, Massachusetts she’s accustomed to all things odd and otherworldly. But when a bloody animal sacrifice is left as a warning outside her place of business, the police seem to think Gwen might be the target of some truly evil-doers. Suddenly, her sunny existence is riddled with danger in the form of crazed pagans, rogue employees, and nefarious henchmen. And there’s only one man who can protect her until the storm passes...
GRAHAM GRAVES HAS NO TIME FOR WITCHY NONSENSE. Not in his love life, and definitely not in his line of work. Despite the ever-present oddities of his hometown, the private investigator and acclaimed police consultant prides himself on staying objective in every case that comes across his desk. That all changes when Gwendolyn — a woman who gets under his skin like no other — finds herself in the crosshairs of dangerous criminals. Graham is determined to make her safe, even if her presence tests his steely resolve. But as their mutual dislike sizzles into unexpected attraction… he becomes even more determined to make her something HIS.
GRAHAM GRAVES HAS NO TIME FOR WITCHY NONSENSE. Not in his love life, and definitely not in his line of work. Despite the ever-present oddities of his hometown, the private investigator and acclaimed police consultant prides himself on staying objective in every case that comes across his desk. That all changes when Gwendolyn — a woman who gets under his skin like no other — finds herself in the crosshairs of dangerous criminals. Graham is determined to make her safe, even if her presence tests his steely resolve. But as their mutual dislike sizzles into unexpected attraction… he becomes even more determined to make her something HIS.
508 pages, Paperback
Published August 8, 2023
389 people are currently reading
25552 people want to read
About the author
Julie Johnson
28 books3,296 followersJULIE JOHNSON is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wind Weaver. When she's not writing, Julie can most often be found sitting on the beach near her home in her native Massachusetts, adding stamps to her passport, drinking too much coffee, and avoiding reality by disappearing between the pages of a book. She published her debut novel on a lark, just before her senior year of college, and she's never looked back. Since, she has published twenty other novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen different languages and appeared on bestseller lists all over the world.
You can connect with Julie on her Instagram (author_julie), in her natural habitat (the bookstore), or in her exclusive reader group (The Johnson Junkies).
For news and updates, be sure to subscribe to Julie's monthly newsletter: juliejohnsonbooks.com/newsletter
You can connect with Julie on her Instagram (author_julie), in her natural habitat (the bookstore), or in her exclusive reader group (The Johnson Junkies).
For news and updates, be sure to subscribe to Julie's monthly newsletter: juliejohnsonbooks.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 701 reviews
October 8, 2023
Wow, this is easily one of my favorite 2023 reads so far, and hello to a new top tier book boyfriend in Mr. Graham Graves...PHEW is it hot in here?? A huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.
Five whole incredible stars for Bad Luck Charm. All of the stars really--if there were an option for more than five, this book would have it. It has everything you need for the absolutely perfect fall/spooky romance: lots of gooood spice. love. murder. witches. spells. fortune tellers. pirates. crystals. graveyards. history. characters you will both relate to and fall in love with. friendship. amazing writing. the wittiest of witty banter. Plus it’s first person POV, which is my favorite. Reading this felt like actually perusing Gwen's shop in Salem with smoky incense burning in the background, drinking one of her pumpkin spice lattes, and listening to (ogling) Graham while he banters with/obsesses over Gwen. Going beyond the romance, this book honestly had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going on and who was behind the occult ritual sacrifices and trying to figure out what was going to happen. I couldn't put this down.
So Gwen and Graham...are now one of my honest to god favorite book couples. Gwen is a self-preserving, brave, feisty redhead who is a tad reckless and takes-no-shit in a totally non-obnoxious way (a lot of FMC's who are like this tend to be overdone and annoy me..Gwen was written perfectly.) The more I read about her, the more I wanted to be her best friend. And GRAHAM. Woah boy. Tall, sexy, dark haired green eyed Graham, the former teenage lifeguard turned Harvard educated fixer. Graham is the epitome of a book boyfriend. I am now addicted to him. Their relationship is a perfectly executed enemies to lovers with the most amazing banter and a tad of unrequited love. He is feral over her and definitely an alpha male, but she fights him all the way. Their chemistry is off the charts. So, so good.
You can find me rereading this in October, complete with my burning incense and pumpkin spice latte, pretending to be (with Graham) in Gwen's shop. Come for the spooky murder witchy vibes. Stay for the absolute god-tier man that is "handyman" (hehe) Graham Graves and his relationship with Gwen. I will be purchasing a physical copy of this and placing it in a place of honor on my shelf. That's how much I loved this.
Five whole incredible stars for Bad Luck Charm. All of the stars really--if there were an option for more than five, this book would have it. It has everything you need for the absolutely perfect fall/spooky romance: lots of gooood spice. love. murder. witches. spells. fortune tellers. pirates. crystals. graveyards. history. characters you will both relate to and fall in love with. friendship. amazing writing. the wittiest of witty banter. Plus it’s first person POV, which is my favorite. Reading this felt like actually perusing Gwen's shop in Salem with smoky incense burning in the background, drinking one of her pumpkin spice lattes, and listening to (ogling) Graham while he banters with/obsesses over Gwen. Going beyond the romance, this book honestly had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going on and who was behind the occult ritual sacrifices and trying to figure out what was going to happen. I couldn't put this down.
So Gwen and Graham...are now one of my honest to god favorite book couples. Gwen is a self-preserving, brave, feisty redhead who is a tad reckless and takes-no-shit in a totally non-obnoxious way (a lot of FMC's who are like this tend to be overdone and annoy me..Gwen was written perfectly.) The more I read about her, the more I wanted to be her best friend. And GRAHAM. Woah boy. Tall, sexy, dark haired green eyed Graham, the former teenage lifeguard turned Harvard educated fixer. Graham is the epitome of a book boyfriend. I am now addicted to him. Their relationship is a perfectly executed enemies to lovers with the most amazing banter and a tad of unrequited love. He is feral over her and definitely an alpha male, but she fights him all the way. Their chemistry is off the charts. So, so good.
You can find me rereading this in October, complete with my burning incense and pumpkin spice latte, pretending to be (with Graham) in Gwen's shop. Come for the spooky murder witchy vibes. Stay for the absolute god-tier man that is "handyman" (hehe) Graham Graves and his relationship with Gwen. I will be purchasing a physical copy of this and placing it in a place of honor on my shelf. That's how much I loved this.
August 2, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All opinions are my own.
This was a… time. I was intrigued with the plot of the book (okay, and the cover, absolutely gorgeous!). A strange message left behind the alleyway of Gwendolyn's workplace? A mystery that needed to be solved with her enemy of sorts? Sounds fun to me, especially with autumn (or fall, whichever you prefer) coming in soon! I, unfortunately, did not get the witchy vibes that I wanted. I got something else entirely.
I had a few issues with this book, but one of the big ones being Graham, the MMC. Graham is very much an alpha male character. Some of his behavior in the book was toxic and a little concerning to read about, such as telling Gwen she can't go certain places, making himself a copy of Gwen's key without her permission, and not taking her home when she specifically requested him to do so. I found this a bit concerning to read about and almost DNF'd the book, to be honest.
Another issue I want to highlight is (slight spoilers ahead) at around 10%, the author goes into heavy detail about how Gwendolyn (age 10), the protagonist, and Graham (age 15) meet. Gwen discloses that she had a crush on Graham, which isn’t out there for a 10 year old to have a crush on a teenager (it makes her a little fleshed out; one of her more humane moments). There's an incident with her stepping on a sea urchin and Graham, the lifeguard at the time, helped her out and her called her by a nickname. Three years pass and then Gwen (13) meets Graham again (18) at a restaurant. He acknowledges her by calling her the nickname again, letting us, the readers, know that he hasn't forgotten about her, despite her being only 13. Gwendolyn acknowledges that she has changed (because you obviously change from being a preteen to a teen), and she said previously after that incident that he hasn't acknowledged her in any way after the sea urchin incident. I found this scene a little uncomfortable once I read it again (it flew over my head the first time), but it showed me Graham in a different light.
I read on because I was curious to see who was behind the mystery, but I couldn't stand either of the main characters by the 60% mark and had to push myself through it. It was hard to get with the alpha male vibes that Graham was bringing to the table and Gwendolyn wasn't much better. It was difficult to get through, mostly because I wanted more mystery and witchy vibes. Like, I honestly wished Gwendolyn or Graham was a witch or something to play up the atmosphere. Set in Salem, I was expecting something more in line with the occult or modern witchcraft. Something to bring those vibes in.
I will end on a positive note to say that when the book was focused on the mystery and the witchcraft, it was really good. It held my attention, but those moments were far and few in between. This book has the foundation of a good plot, but it felt lost to me with the aimless side quests and the heavy alpha presence. The author definitely knows how to write mystery and suspense, I just wish it was more focused on that.
This was a… time. I was intrigued with the plot of the book (okay, and the cover, absolutely gorgeous!). A strange message left behind the alleyway of Gwendolyn's workplace? A mystery that needed to be solved with her enemy of sorts? Sounds fun to me, especially with autumn (or fall, whichever you prefer) coming in soon! I, unfortunately, did not get the witchy vibes that I wanted. I got something else entirely.
I had a few issues with this book, but one of the big ones being Graham, the MMC. Graham is very much an alpha male character. Some of his behavior in the book was toxic and a little concerning to read about, such as telling Gwen she can't go certain places, making himself a copy of Gwen's key without her permission, and not taking her home when she specifically requested him to do so. I found this a bit concerning to read about and almost DNF'd the book, to be honest.
Another issue I want to highlight is (slight spoilers ahead) at around 10%, the author goes into heavy detail about how Gwendolyn (age 10), the protagonist, and Graham (age 15) meet. Gwen discloses that she had a crush on Graham, which isn’t out there for a 10 year old to have a crush on a teenager (it makes her a little fleshed out; one of her more humane moments). There's an incident with her stepping on a sea urchin and Graham, the lifeguard at the time, helped her out and her called her by a nickname. Three years pass and then Gwen (13) meets Graham again (18) at a restaurant. He acknowledges her by calling her the nickname again, letting us, the readers, know that he hasn't forgotten about her, despite her being only 13. Gwendolyn acknowledges that she has changed (because you obviously change from being a preteen to a teen), and she said previously after that incident that he hasn't acknowledged her in any way after the sea urchin incident. I found this scene a little uncomfortable once I read it again (it flew over my head the first time), but it showed me Graham in a different light.
I read on because I was curious to see who was behind the mystery, but I couldn't stand either of the main characters by the 60% mark and had to push myself through it. It was hard to get with the alpha male vibes that Graham was bringing to the table and Gwendolyn wasn't much better. It was difficult to get through, mostly because I wanted more mystery and witchy vibes. Like, I honestly wished Gwendolyn or Graham was a witch or something to play up the atmosphere. Set in Salem, I was expecting something more in line with the occult or modern witchcraft. Something to bring those vibes in.
I will end on a positive note to say that when the book was focused on the mystery and the witchcraft, it was really good. It held my attention, but those moments were far and few in between. This book has the foundation of a good plot, but it felt lost to me with the aimless side quests and the heavy alpha presence. The author definitely knows how to write mystery and suspense, I just wish it was more focused on that.
August 17, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Jonson Ink Inc. for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
So… I did not like this book. I went into it expecting a witchy romcom with a mystery to solve and Halloween spooky fun vibes. And while those are definitely present, there were just so many things I could not get behind!
The FMC and the MMC were completely unbearable. Gwendolyn has inherited her aunts occult/coffee shop in Salem and runs it. She had a ROUGH childhood with a terrible mother but summers with her aunt were her reprieve. Graham Graves is a surly no nonsense “alpha” dude. That’s basically it as far as his personality goes. The entire first nearly 70% of this book is these two bickering over the stupidest, trivial things. At least 5 times they get kinda close and steamy, he says something she takes wrong, and she yells and storms out. It happened every single time like CLOCKWORK. I’m sorry, get a new thing!
I found the dynamic of the couple to be off putting as well, but mostly because it wasn’t what I expect in a romcom. This MMC was described as very “alpha” several times. He was controlling, had a terrible temper, and would do things to protect the MMC that went way out of bounds (slight spoilers, skip over these brackets if you want to: setting up video surveillance at her store without her permission, making a copy of her house key and coming into her space in the middle of the night to prove how unsafe she is, kissing her to get her to stop talking/teach her a lesson). I have seen behavior like this in more dark romance type books which is fine and if that’s what you enjoy in your books I 100% support it, but I felt like it was out of place in this witchy romcom world that was presented in this story.
The characters also meet when she is 10 and he’s 15 and a lifeguard. He’s nice and gets a sea urchin spine out of her foot. Okay, great? If this was mentioned one time and then moved on from I wouldn’t mind, but it’s referenced SO MANY TIMES in the present when they are adults it just made me incredibly uncomfortable. I had the ick anytime it came up. And then (small spoiler: the nickname he gives her as a child comes back towards the end of the book and just NO NO NO).
The way law enforcement worked in this “mystery” was not at all how law enforcement works. That was cringey to read. Oh! And the “mystery” begins with animal sacrifices being left through Salem at weird times. That would already be off putting, the the animals are described in detail within the first 10% of the book several times, and if you’re sensitive to this I think you might need to skip this one. I was truly not prepared for that and it should’ve been a sign to jump ship, but for some reason I persevered.
The writing style was over the top descriptive. To the point where there would be paragraphs upon paragraphs describing a room in excruciating detail, from the wall color to the textiles to the layout, but it wouldn’t move the plot forward at all? The same detail went into describing the outfits the FMC wore. And while I can appreciate the ability to paint a good scene and add depth to a charter through clothing, we could’ve cut out at least 200 pages of a freaking 500 PAGE WITCHY ROM COM by being slightly more succinct.
Yes, 500 pages. What what the reason?!
So. This was not for me, and I love witchy romcoms. I’m not sure who the audience is for this book, but based on the glowing reviews I’ve seen so far I am in the minority. Which is fine! I’m glad people enjoyed this book, I really wish I did. But if you don’t typically jive with animal sacrifice, super alpha male characters in a contemporary setting, very stupid and emotionally constipated FMCs, then I would avoid this one.
So… I did not like this book. I went into it expecting a witchy romcom with a mystery to solve and Halloween spooky fun vibes. And while those are definitely present, there were just so many things I could not get behind!
The FMC and the MMC were completely unbearable. Gwendolyn has inherited her aunts occult/coffee shop in Salem and runs it. She had a ROUGH childhood with a terrible mother but summers with her aunt were her reprieve. Graham Graves is a surly no nonsense “alpha” dude. That’s basically it as far as his personality goes. The entire first nearly 70% of this book is these two bickering over the stupidest, trivial things. At least 5 times they get kinda close and steamy, he says something she takes wrong, and she yells and storms out. It happened every single time like CLOCKWORK. I’m sorry, get a new thing!
I found the dynamic of the couple to be off putting as well, but mostly because it wasn’t what I expect in a romcom. This MMC was described as very “alpha” several times. He was controlling, had a terrible temper, and would do things to protect the MMC that went way out of bounds (slight spoilers, skip over these brackets if you want to: setting up video surveillance at her store without her permission, making a copy of her house key and coming into her space in the middle of the night to prove how unsafe she is, kissing her to get her to stop talking/teach her a lesson). I have seen behavior like this in more dark romance type books which is fine and if that’s what you enjoy in your books I 100% support it, but I felt like it was out of place in this witchy romcom world that was presented in this story.
The characters also meet when she is 10 and he’s 15 and a lifeguard. He’s nice and gets a sea urchin spine out of her foot. Okay, great? If this was mentioned one time and then moved on from I wouldn’t mind, but it’s referenced SO MANY TIMES in the present when they are adults it just made me incredibly uncomfortable. I had the ick anytime it came up. And then (small spoiler: the nickname he gives her as a child comes back towards the end of the book and just NO NO NO).
The way law enforcement worked in this “mystery” was not at all how law enforcement works. That was cringey to read. Oh! And the “mystery” begins with animal sacrifices being left through Salem at weird times. That would already be off putting, the the animals are described in detail within the first 10% of the book several times, and if you’re sensitive to this I think you might need to skip this one. I was truly not prepared for that and it should’ve been a sign to jump ship, but for some reason I persevered.
The writing style was over the top descriptive. To the point where there would be paragraphs upon paragraphs describing a room in excruciating detail, from the wall color to the textiles to the layout, but it wouldn’t move the plot forward at all? The same detail went into describing the outfits the FMC wore. And while I can appreciate the ability to paint a good scene and add depth to a charter through clothing, we could’ve cut out at least 200 pages of a freaking 500 PAGE WITCHY ROM COM by being slightly more succinct.
Yes, 500 pages. What what the reason?!
So. This was not for me, and I love witchy romcoms. I’m not sure who the audience is for this book, but based on the glowing reviews I’ve seen so far I am in the minority. Which is fine! I’m glad people enjoyed this book, I really wish I did. But if you don’t typically jive with animal sacrifice, super alpha male characters in a contemporary setting, very stupid and emotionally constipated FMCs, then I would avoid this one.
August 21, 2023
Came for some fluffy, witchy, fall vibes. Got uncomfortable, toxic, alpha vibes.
The main relationship in this is so incredibly problematic. Sure, do I enjoy some enemies to lovers and some angsty banter? Of course. But that’s not what this is. This is getting a key-cut-to-someone’s-house-without-their-knowledge creepy 🫠 which I personally don’t find entertaining.
And the murder mystery plot and “big” reveal was so jarring and random that it didn’t feel satisfying.
The main relationship in this is so incredibly problematic. Sure, do I enjoy some enemies to lovers and some angsty banter? Of course. But that’s not what this is. This is getting a key-cut-to-someone’s-house-without-their-knowledge creepy 🫠 which I personally don’t find entertaining.
And the murder mystery plot and “big” reveal was so jarring and random that it didn’t feel satisfying.
August 8, 2023
4.5!
This spooky, witty, bewitching romance absolutely captured my heart. From page one I was so hooked on the story that even my Mom commented on the fact that I couldn't put this book down! This story has such a whimsical and loveable cast of characters, and I love just how unique everyone is. The mystery sub plot was also a pleasant surprise and threw me for a loop with the constant twists and turns! Julie Johnson seriously knows how to write a good mystery. Plus, the witchy, opposites attract, constant banter romance was really a treat. I just fell in love with Gwen and Graham's love story! And, don't even get me started on how absolutely hilarious this book is! I laughed out loud MULTIPLE times!
what i liked:
🪄witchy, occult aspects
🔮 twisty turny mystery
🍂 cozy autumn vibes
💗 laugh out loud banter
⛅ golden retriever gf x black cat bf
✨ enchanting cast of characters
🖨️ taylor swift coded
what i had a hard time with:
✨ plot fell a little flat for me towards the 60% mark
⚙️ the love interest was a LITTLE (🤏) too "alpha" for me at times
but overall this was a GREAT book that I had a lovely time with, and I definitely recommend for spooky season!
- thank you so much to Greys Promotions for sending me a digital ARC of this book for early review! this did not influence my review whatsoever -
This spooky, witty, bewitching romance absolutely captured my heart. From page one I was so hooked on the story that even my Mom commented on the fact that I couldn't put this book down! This story has such a whimsical and loveable cast of characters, and I love just how unique everyone is. The mystery sub plot was also a pleasant surprise and threw me for a loop with the constant twists and turns! Julie Johnson seriously knows how to write a good mystery. Plus, the witchy, opposites attract, constant banter romance was really a treat. I just fell in love with Gwen and Graham's love story! And, don't even get me started on how absolutely hilarious this book is! I laughed out loud MULTIPLE times!
what i liked:
🪄witchy, occult aspects
🔮 twisty turny mystery
🍂 cozy autumn vibes
💗 laugh out loud banter
⛅ golden retriever gf x black cat bf
✨ enchanting cast of characters
🖨️ taylor swift coded
what i had a hard time with:
✨ plot fell a little flat for me towards the 60% mark
⚙️ the love interest was a LITTLE (🤏) too "alpha" for me at times
but overall this was a GREAT book that I had a lovely time with, and I definitely recommend for spooky season!
- thank you so much to Greys Promotions for sending me a digital ARC of this book for early review! this did not influence my review whatsoever -
October 24, 2023
4.25 ⭐️
I enjoyed this book so much!
The enemies to lovers was *chef's kiss*
I loved their constant banter. It made laugh out loud quite a few times.
The storyline was unique and kept me on my toes.
The only frustrating bit was how many times Gwen and Graham went back and forth and how stubborn the characters were sometimes.
But overall this was a really fun read. The writing was witty and upbeat and I was invested from the first chapter itself. Considering this book is like 500 pages long I thought it would takes me days to finish but I ended up binge reading it in a day because I was having such a good time.
I just wish the epilogue was longer and had been based further on in the future.
P.S- one of my favourite parts of the book were the chapter titles and the little quotes with it. They made me laugh every time.
I enjoyed this book so much!
The enemies to lovers was *chef's kiss*
I loved their constant banter. It made laugh out loud quite a few times.
The storyline was unique and kept me on my toes.
The only frustrating bit was how many times Gwen and Graham went back and forth and how stubborn the characters were sometimes.
But overall this was a really fun read. The writing was witty and upbeat and I was invested from the first chapter itself. Considering this book is like 500 pages long I thought it would takes me days to finish but I ended up binge reading it in a day because I was having such a good time.
I just wish the epilogue was longer and had been based further on in the future.
P.S- one of my favourite parts of the book were the chapter titles and the little quotes with it. They made me laugh every time.
September 29, 2023
Super cute for the fall but this got really cringey at times. I also don't think any romcom needs to be 500 pages long but that's just me 🤷🏻♀️
March 26, 2025
Witchy murder mystery romance. Slow burn. Sweetly spicy. Gives charmed vibes! Super fun. Didn’t want to put this one down. Ate it up.
November 5, 2023
DNF @ 30% /9 chapters
Look, I tried. I do want to know how the story will play out, but I cannot stand the characters. This feels like it is trying to be like a Charlie Davidson or Stephanie Plum type book and it just misses the mark for me.
Look, I tried. I do want to know how the story will play out, but I cannot stand the characters. This feels like it is trying to be like a Charlie Davidson or Stephanie Plum type book and it just misses the mark for me.
March 6, 2024
OBSESSED.
This is a cozy mystery meets spice and I 👏🏻am👏🏻here👏🏻for👏🏻it
Great spicy scenes, AMAZING tension, broody male.
Childhood crush turned lover
I was completely sucked into this story. I also need to go to Salem asap. I pawned my child off to be watched so I could just read. I truly cannot put into words how much I loved this story and had such a good time reading it
This is the PERFECT spooky season book to kick off your fall tbr with. I was so sad it was coming to an end BUT bless Julie Johnson with giving us more! Winter cannot come soon enough for the next book (interconnected series)
This is a cozy mystery meets spice and I 👏🏻am👏🏻here👏🏻for👏🏻it
Great spicy scenes, AMAZING tension, broody male.
Childhood crush turned lover
I was completely sucked into this story. I also need to go to Salem asap. I pawned my child off to be watched so I could just read. I truly cannot put into words how much I loved this story and had such a good time reading it
This is the PERFECT spooky season book to kick off your fall tbr with. I was so sad it was coming to an end BUT bless Julie Johnson with giving us more! Winter cannot come soon enough for the next book (interconnected series)
June 20, 2023
I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN. I read it in one evening because it was that good.
This was such a fun rom com with the perfect mix of witchy mystery added in. Gwen was so easy to love, the banter between her and Graham *swoon* and the spice by the end of the book 🤌🏻 I was surprised by the amount of action there was but I absolutely loved every second of it.
March 10, 2025
Story 4.25 stars. Narration 4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this one. It takes place in Salem Massachusetts which was a perfect setting for a paranormal bookstore. Gwen inherits the bookstore/coffee shop from her aunt along with her aunt’s old ramshackle house. She has good friends there as she had spent many summers with her aunt while growing up. One man in her friend group is someone she knew when she was young. Her big crush. Now she wants nothing to do with him because of reasons. Needless to say, that changes. This ended up with a mystery that kept me guessing although I did finally figure it out. It was a good romance with good likable characters. Recommended to adult romance readers.
I really enjoyed this one. It takes place in Salem Massachusetts which was a perfect setting for a paranormal bookstore. Gwen inherits the bookstore/coffee shop from her aunt along with her aunt’s old ramshackle house. She has good friends there as she had spent many summers with her aunt while growing up. One man in her friend group is someone she knew when she was young. Her big crush. Now she wants nothing to do with him because of reasons. Needless to say, that changes. This ended up with a mystery that kept me guessing although I did finally figure it out. It was a good romance with good likable characters. Recommended to adult romance readers.
September 9, 2023
I don’t even know where to begin with this book review because this book was truly mesmerising, hilarious, captivating, intriguing, tense, romantic, sweet, spooky, sexy and honestly just phenomenal.
Firstly, I want to thank the publisher, Johnson Ink, Inc, Netgalley and Julie Johnson for an early ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book had everything I could possibly ever need in a book, plus more. Enemies to lovers, witches, spells and fortune tellers, forced proximity, hilarious one liners to open chapters, one bed, a sexy MMC, a hilariously witty FMC and so much more. I could be here all day describing my love for this entire book. It took me longer than expected to get through due to a slump with a previous read, but you KNOW a book is good when you expect it’ll be a five star read when you’re only 30% in.
The characters were tremendous. Funny, witty Gwendolyn Goode. My god I was laughing out loud most of the time at some of the things she came out with. She’s incredibly sarcastic and strong and had some amazing character growth and development with learning to trust people intimately again. It was so heart-warming to see.
Graham?! Fuck. Genuinely just step on me because I’d thank you for it.
This man was literally igniting something in me that I didn’t know was there. He’s to the point, he’s grumpy, he’s ignorant, he charming and handsome and just an excellent candidate for everyone’s book boyfriend, let’s be honest. He was SO SWEET at times to Gwen I wanted to cry he had such a way with words. But there was also times where he was FILTHY and I was obviously not opposed to such behaviour hehe
Gwen’s best friend Flo and her partner Desmond were also a great pair. Gwen and Flo being referred to as Thelma and Louise after a certain scene had me cackling.
The plot was juicy. It was delectable, tense and creepy. But also romantic, charming and sweet. The idea behind this with the mini sub-plots sprinkled in just made this book fantastic. This was definitely a plot AND character developed book. Everything moved at a great pace and I didn’t feel it rushed nor slow. According to Goodreads this is 500 pages and it felt the perfect length, to me.
I ate this up and I’m so thankful I did. I’m in awe at what Julie has written here because I NEED IMOGEN AND CADEN’S STORY NOW!!!!!!!
Firstly, I want to thank the publisher, Johnson Ink, Inc, Netgalley and Julie Johnson for an early ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book had everything I could possibly ever need in a book, plus more. Enemies to lovers, witches, spells and fortune tellers, forced proximity, hilarious one liners to open chapters, one bed, a sexy MMC, a hilariously witty FMC and so much more. I could be here all day describing my love for this entire book. It took me longer than expected to get through due to a slump with a previous read, but you KNOW a book is good when you expect it’ll be a five star read when you’re only 30% in.
The characters were tremendous. Funny, witty Gwendolyn Goode. My god I was laughing out loud most of the time at some of the things she came out with. She’s incredibly sarcastic and strong and had some amazing character growth and development with learning to trust people intimately again. It was so heart-warming to see.
Graham?! Fuck. Genuinely just step on me because I’d thank you for it.
This man was literally igniting something in me that I didn’t know was there. He’s to the point, he’s grumpy, he’s ignorant, he charming and handsome and just an excellent candidate for everyone’s book boyfriend, let’s be honest. He was SO SWEET at times to Gwen I wanted to cry he had such a way with words. But there was also times where he was FILTHY and I was obviously not opposed to such behaviour hehe
Gwen’s best friend Flo and her partner Desmond were also a great pair. Gwen and Flo being referred to as Thelma and Louise after a certain scene had me cackling.
The plot was juicy. It was delectable, tense and creepy. But also romantic, charming and sweet. The idea behind this with the mini sub-plots sprinkled in just made this book fantastic. This was definitely a plot AND character developed book. Everything moved at a great pace and I didn’t feel it rushed nor slow. According to Goodreads this is 500 pages and it felt the perfect length, to me.
I ate this up and I’m so thankful I did. I’m in awe at what Julie has written here because I NEED IMOGEN AND CADEN’S STORY NOW!!!!!!!
August 3, 2023
• BOOKSTAGRAM •
This book was so dang cute. It’s set in Salem, MA making this a great fall witchy Halloween read. Anything set in New England is my must reads as I’m from Massachusetts, through in a Halloween spooky element and I’m 100% in. This book was over 500 pages so it was a biggie but it didn’t seem like it was dragged out at all, though I feel most 500+ page books could be shortened at some point in the story. This is a classic enemies to lovers, close proximity trope, grump sunshine which happens to be my favvvvv!
There happens to be a body with a knife through the heart that’s discovered and all signs lead to Gwen and her shop.
However it starts with animal bodies being found cut up and rearranged to form symbols. Gwen’s mega crush when she was a pre teen but completely jacked it up with her, Graham, is the hot shot police consultant who is a master at what he does. When he’s assigned to the case and Gwen—what could go wrong?
Graham at some points seemed waaaay way way too much with his roughness. He is always swearing or man handling Gwen and I’m not sure why if you’re in love with someone so much. Thankfully Gwen stood up for herself most of the time in ways of using humor as deflection. When she stood up for herself I would catch myself saying “you go girl” because damn he was such a pushy pain in the ass. But thankfully by a hair he wins me over and the mystery of how did the dead body end up there and by whom starts to unravel.
Thank you to @author_julie and @greyspromo for sending me this eARC to review!
This book was so dang cute. It’s set in Salem, MA making this a great fall witchy Halloween read. Anything set in New England is my must reads as I’m from Massachusetts, through in a Halloween spooky element and I’m 100% in. This book was over 500 pages so it was a biggie but it didn’t seem like it was dragged out at all, though I feel most 500+ page books could be shortened at some point in the story. This is a classic enemies to lovers, close proximity trope, grump sunshine which happens to be my favvvvv!
There happens to be a body with a knife through the heart that’s discovered and all signs lead to Gwen and her shop.
However it starts with animal bodies being found cut up and rearranged to form symbols. Gwen’s mega crush when she was a pre teen but completely jacked it up with her, Graham, is the hot shot police consultant who is a master at what he does. When he’s assigned to the case and Gwen—what could go wrong?
Graham at some points seemed waaaay way way too much with his roughness. He is always swearing or man handling Gwen and I’m not sure why if you’re in love with someone so much. Thankfully Gwen stood up for herself most of the time in ways of using humor as deflection. When she stood up for herself I would catch myself saying “you go girl” because damn he was such a pushy pain in the ass. But thankfully by a hair he wins me over and the mystery of how did the dead body end up there and by whom starts to unravel.
Thank you to @author_julie and @greyspromo for sending me this eARC to review!
August 1, 2023
Whew. Everything about this book should have worked for me. I loved the Salem setting. Gwen is relatable and fun and watching her work and live in this witchy community was so much fun. Graham was grumpy and no nonsense and they should have worked perfectly together. However, there was just so much going on in this book. There's a witchy ritual mystery with a potential threat to Gwen. The psychic is missing. The Irish Mafia is after them. He hates her. But he loves her. She has personal issues and the store is busy and SO MUCH STUFF. If one piece could have been edited out, it would have been so much easier to read and stay invested in. But it was a lot.
June 11, 2023
** I was gifted an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Julie Johnson has done it again. I could NOT put this book down and read every moment for two days. This is an incredible HEA story set in Salem Ma. It’s fun, interesting, and the romance is scorching. It was fun to read also the characters journeys to all the Salem “haunts” and best famous restaurants. I loved that I felt like I was there walking around Salem (which is a super famous town in MA where women suspected of being witches were murdered resulting in mass Witch Hysteria ). This book is a great advertisement for that town too as you can basically recreate every experience with a trip there and it’s a great little place.
The main character Gwen is lovable and funny. You can’t help but root for her. Her enemy to lovers crush from Childhood -Graham- you are equally exasperated by as he sounds like a golden boy that you want to hate but you can’t- she gives him just enough to be more than a 2D rich chad and shows intelligence and depth in the character. I love how the characters are described so you can picture them in your heads and who would play them in a movie or TV series.
The story has a boatload of banter and then some steamy scenes. This is NOT a paranormal romance. There are some witchy characters but there’s no obvious magic or really unexplained things. It’s more of a history of magic and some Wiccan religion but not like Harry Potter magic. Everything bad was done by humans who think they have magic. You’ll never guess who the big bad is and I liked that. I was surprised. The friendship between Flo and Gwen was relatable and funny. I wish the book was longer because I absolutely devoured it. I also wish we got a little more Des!
I love that it ends neatly but opens up more love possibilities and book 2 in the Salem world.
It’s so hard to sift through the junk out there in the self published book world. I can always count on JJ books to be well written and to keep the plot moving with just enough humor and details to set quality scenes. I can’t wait for the next one and wish this one was 200 pages more!
When will Julie Johnson get her TV series! The forbidden royal series was my favorite but this series could take that from me!
Get this preordered NOW just in time for a fall Halloween read.
Julie Johnson has done it again. I could NOT put this book down and read every moment for two days. This is an incredible HEA story set in Salem Ma. It’s fun, interesting, and the romance is scorching. It was fun to read also the characters journeys to all the Salem “haunts” and best famous restaurants. I loved that I felt like I was there walking around Salem (which is a super famous town in MA where women suspected of being witches were murdered resulting in mass Witch Hysteria ). This book is a great advertisement for that town too as you can basically recreate every experience with a trip there and it’s a great little place.
The main character Gwen is lovable and funny. You can’t help but root for her. Her enemy to lovers crush from Childhood -Graham- you are equally exasperated by as he sounds like a golden boy that you want to hate but you can’t- she gives him just enough to be more than a 2D rich chad and shows intelligence and depth in the character. I love how the characters are described so you can picture them in your heads and who would play them in a movie or TV series.
The story has a boatload of banter and then some steamy scenes. This is NOT a paranormal romance. There are some witchy characters but there’s no obvious magic or really unexplained things. It’s more of a history of magic and some Wiccan religion but not like Harry Potter magic. Everything bad was done by humans who think they have magic. You’ll never guess who the big bad is and I liked that. I was surprised. The friendship between Flo and Gwen was relatable and funny. I wish the book was longer because I absolutely devoured it. I also wish we got a little more Des!
I love that it ends neatly but opens up more love possibilities and book 2 in the Salem world.
It’s so hard to sift through the junk out there in the self published book world. I can always count on JJ books to be well written and to keep the plot moving with just enough humor and details to set quality scenes. I can’t wait for the next one and wish this one was 200 pages more!
When will Julie Johnson get her TV series! The forbidden royal series was my favorite but this series could take that from me!
Get this preordered NOW just in time for a fall Halloween read.
January 2, 2024
I truly don’t even know where to begin with this review because this book was truly mesmerizing and absolutely everything you could ever want for a spooky season romance! It is an absolutely enchanting witchy read, with the perfect balance of dry humour and an intriguing mystery! This book had everything I could possibly ever need in a book, plus so much more.
Readers meet Gwen, who has taken over her late aunt's occult shop nestled in the heart of Salem, MA. This whimsical shop is a treasure trove of all things mystical, complete with a charming coffee nook. The tranquil town is disrupted by a series of gruesome murders occurring right on the doorstep of Gwen's shop. In a twist of fate, Gwen is reluctantly forced to collaborate with her sworn nemesis, Graham, who happens to be the lead private investigator tasked with solving these mysterious crimes.
In this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, Gwen soon discovers that she is not merely an innocent bystander but the ultimate target in a perilous plot. Graham, realizing Gwen's life is in grave danger, goes to extraordinary lengths to protect her from the looming threat. Their reluctant partnership ignites a thrilling adventure and a mutual attraction that neither of them could have anticipated.
Gwen and Graham's emotional journey is intense and realistic, and you'll find yourself wholly invested in their lives and their budding romance. The dialogues are sharp, witty, and tinged with just the right amount of humor to balance the darker aspects of the mystery and emotions of Gwen and Graham's past. They are one of my new all time favourite book romances, their chemistry can be felt through the pages and it feels like a very realistic match! Something about their interactions just feels so real, they bicker, they have realistic conversations and their feelings shine through even when they are annoying one another.
I felt like I was right there in Salem, completely bewitched by the magic in this book, I cannot wait for the next one in this series!!
Readers meet Gwen, who has taken over her late aunt's occult shop nestled in the heart of Salem, MA. This whimsical shop is a treasure trove of all things mystical, complete with a charming coffee nook. The tranquil town is disrupted by a series of gruesome murders occurring right on the doorstep of Gwen's shop. In a twist of fate, Gwen is reluctantly forced to collaborate with her sworn nemesis, Graham, who happens to be the lead private investigator tasked with solving these mysterious crimes.
In this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, Gwen soon discovers that she is not merely an innocent bystander but the ultimate target in a perilous plot. Graham, realizing Gwen's life is in grave danger, goes to extraordinary lengths to protect her from the looming threat. Their reluctant partnership ignites a thrilling adventure and a mutual attraction that neither of them could have anticipated.
Gwen and Graham's emotional journey is intense and realistic, and you'll find yourself wholly invested in their lives and their budding romance. The dialogues are sharp, witty, and tinged with just the right amount of humor to balance the darker aspects of the mystery and emotions of Gwen and Graham's past. They are one of my new all time favourite book romances, their chemistry can be felt through the pages and it feels like a very realistic match! Something about their interactions just feels so real, they bicker, they have realistic conversations and their feelings shine through even when they are annoying one another.
I felt like I was right there in Salem, completely bewitched by the magic in this book, I cannot wait for the next one in this series!!
August 23, 2023
4.5 stars!!!
Y’ALLLL if you love fall and all things halloween/October/spooky season then you need to read this book. Honestly this made me want to plan a trip to Salem, MA for this coming fall, and purchase a bunch of cute sweaters and booties online (I actually did this, thank you for the inspo Gwen).
This story takes place in Salem, MA and centers around our main character, Gwendolyn, who runs her late aunt’s quirky occult slash coffee shop. She finds herself caught up in a strange mystery involving animal sacrifices, heretical witches and angry Irish mafia henchmen. This probably sounds absurd but it was seriously so fun. The man assigned to solve the mystery is none other than Graham Graves. He is your typical dark, broody, super handsome and protective male MC and I absolutely devoured the banter and angst between him and Gwen. I know a lot of people will probably say he is too pushy and bossy but I did not mind it. It fit with the story and his role as a private investigator and, of course, his dedication to protecting Gwen at all costs, despite hating her (except of course he does not actually hate her 😉).
You will definitely see me re-reading this in October. It made me want to be one of those cute autumn girls who wears tights with skirts and chunky sweaters and attractive messy buns. I am not this girl but now I will strive to be her.
I predict that people will think the mystery side of the plot moves a little slowly, and this is sorta true. But I was enjoying myself so much with the romance side of the story that I didn’t care even a little bit. This book just put me in such a good mood so I am excusing any and all of its flaws.
Y’ALLLL if you love fall and all things halloween/October/spooky season then you need to read this book. Honestly this made me want to plan a trip to Salem, MA for this coming fall, and purchase a bunch of cute sweaters and booties online (I actually did this, thank you for the inspo Gwen).
This story takes place in Salem, MA and centers around our main character, Gwendolyn, who runs her late aunt’s quirky occult slash coffee shop. She finds herself caught up in a strange mystery involving animal sacrifices, heretical witches and angry Irish mafia henchmen. This probably sounds absurd but it was seriously so fun. The man assigned to solve the mystery is none other than Graham Graves. He is your typical dark, broody, super handsome and protective male MC and I absolutely devoured the banter and angst between him and Gwen. I know a lot of people will probably say he is too pushy and bossy but I did not mind it. It fit with the story and his role as a private investigator and, of course, his dedication to protecting Gwen at all costs, despite hating her (except of course he does not actually hate her 😉).
You will definitely see me re-reading this in October. It made me want to be one of those cute autumn girls who wears tights with skirts and chunky sweaters and attractive messy buns. I am not this girl but now I will strive to be her.
I predict that people will think the mystery side of the plot moves a little slowly, and this is sorta true. But I was enjoying myself so much with the romance side of the story that I didn’t care even a little bit. This book just put me in such a good mood so I am excusing any and all of its flaws.
September 26, 2023
wow, i loved this book so much! i admit, i did have some issues with graham and his behavior but he won me over by the end. I do wish the author wrote him a bit less prickly and forceful but i loved that his actions had good intentions in the end. this was such a sweet and witchy romance, perfect for halloween or any time of the year. gwen was hilarious and I adored her growth. I felt so much for her character. I loved that there was romance, humor (this made me laugh MANY times) and danger too. i can't wait for imogen and caden's story because i love caden alot.
ps: for anyone who loves audiobooks the narrator for this book was fantastic.
ps: for anyone who loves audiobooks the narrator for this book was fantastic.
June 12, 2023
*Arc provided by netgalley*
5⭐️
3🌶
- witchy mystery (no actual paranormal activity)
- enemies to lovers (kind of)
- he falls first
- single pov
- First person
I am in love with this book! Set in Salem, so you know its got all the aesthetic witchy vibes going on. The writing is very descriptive, and now Salem has been added to my bucket list.
There was a great mix of spice, romance, and plot, and I already cannot wait for more from this series.
5⭐️
3🌶
- witchy mystery (no actual paranormal activity)
- enemies to lovers (kind of)
- he falls first
- single pov
- First person
I am in love with this book! Set in Salem, so you know its got all the aesthetic witchy vibes going on. The writing is very descriptive, and now Salem has been added to my bucket list.
There was a great mix of spice, romance, and plot, and I already cannot wait for more from this series.
October 26, 2023
An honest review ✨
MUST READ BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PICK UP THIS BOOK.
I found this book on Instagram and picked it up because of the beautiful cover and a very incident where Gwen thinks Graham is a handyman😂.
I went into this book expecting a strong supernatural element, especially since it's based in Salem and the fmc runs an occult shop.
However it really doesn't offer much on the supernatural front. It touches on to pagan practices but fails to delve into the topic and explore a plot rooted into it.
I have alot of thoughts about this book both good and bad, so lets start with the good?
Pros:
°Electrifying chemistry
°Sexy spice🌶
It's brings you in and holds your attention, I read the book in one night and didn't want to put it down.
Aunty Collette, Florence, Desmond were really wholesome cute characters to read about. I lovedddd Florance and Gwen's friendship and their moments were so adorable.
I loved how heartbreaking Gwen's past is, her abusive relationship with her mother leaving her stunted in the way she deals with her life.
The banter is hilarious and lovely to read, the angst angsts fs.
It's not exactly enemies to lovers more like annoyance to lovers.
The spice is immaculate, the chemistry is electrifying and i read the book in one night as I needed to know what was going to happen.
There are lots of moments when Graham made my stomach flip
""Who did this?” His voice was a low rasp of rage. “Who hurt you?”"
𝙄’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙,” 𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙮. “𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙄’𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙙.”
“𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 — 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮, 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙮. 𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙮𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙚. 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢. 𝙏𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚.”
𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬 ( I swooned).
••Now let's come to the *ｃｏｎｓ* 🌝
°The author calls the men in her book "alpha males" Far too much for my liking. It's cringe and tacky and gave me the ick every single time it came up.
° 'Hellfire' is Gwen's favourite curse word, it took me a while to figure out why the word hellfire kept popping up in between scenes. Maybe it's a culture thing and I'm not used to the curse word but it's bloody annoying to see the word all over the book.
° The plot of her bartender/ coffee artist Hetti Charles being part of the Heretics that want to kill Gwen was very easy to guess, the book literally spells it out for you. With her psychic's parrot ( Hecate) warning her , Eliza's murder weapon being a knife from the shop , Hetti joining the shop right around the time these attacks started and just common predictability of this book it was very clear that Hetti was going to betray Gwen.
° The book does not deliver on the thrilling mystery it claims to be. It's almost like it forgets what could have been a very interesting plot in favour of exploring just Gwen and Graham's relationship.
° Now coming to Graham, usually I'm all for the morally Grey characters, but Graham has more than a few icks.
~He's been actually interacting with this girl for 30 minutes and he is already manhandling her. Manhandling during sex is hot but a stranger you are not comfortable with it, doing it to you especially with the past that Gwen has , it's just not it. It's icky as hell.
~ He made a key to her house without telling her and randomly breaks in whenever he wishes, sometimes to "teach her a lesson about keeping herself safe".
~ He kissed her and turned her on and then stopped by saying she's lucky it was him if it was some one else she could be r*ped???
Why would you use your body to manipulate the girl you supposedly love like that. Definitely icky. He explains his actions in the book but the explanation is trash.
We have seen how unsafe Gwen feels throughout the book and her house is the only place she has ever felt safe, felt like she could relax.
For him to break in purposefully in the middle of the fucking night, just to scare her into taking better care of herself is pretty fucked up.
~ we see that a 10 year old Gwen falls in love with a 15 year old Graham and hails him like a hero ( not unusual). What is problematic is that a 15 year old Graham somehow remembers the *child* he met at 15 and 18 when she was just 10 and 13. A 5 year age gap makes little difference when the characters grow up but when one is 10 and the other is 15 it's really fucking weird.
He supposedly remembers her even as he meets her at 23 as a grown woman.
Why was a 18 year old fascinated by a 13 year old?
~ There is no explanation for how and why Graham fell in love with Gwen he apparently just was. No where in the book does it mention a moment where Graham became interested in Gwen.
~ Lastly, there is no moment of catharsis for Gwen's trauma. Trauma like that does not just go away because you fall in love. She had very real reasons for her very real problems. But one day she just decides to stop her "hang -ups" As Graham calls it and become a healed well adjusted adult because she falls in love with Graham????.
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It's a fun read with some scenes that had me giggling , screaming at how fucking hot they were. But there were parts which made me visibly cringe.
Everything considered I will give this book a 3 star rating
MUST READ BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PICK UP THIS BOOK.
I found this book on Instagram and picked it up because of the beautiful cover and a very incident where Gwen thinks Graham is a handyman😂.
I went into this book expecting a strong supernatural element, especially since it's based in Salem and the fmc runs an occult shop.
However it really doesn't offer much on the supernatural front. It touches on to pagan practices but fails to delve into the topic and explore a plot rooted into it.
I have alot of thoughts about this book both good and bad, so lets start with the good?
Pros:
°Electrifying chemistry
°Sexy spice🌶
It's brings you in and holds your attention, I read the book in one night and didn't want to put it down.
Aunty Collette, Florence, Desmond were really wholesome cute characters to read about. I lovedddd Florance and Gwen's friendship and their moments were so adorable.
I loved how heartbreaking Gwen's past is, her abusive relationship with her mother leaving her stunted in the way she deals with her life.
The banter is hilarious and lovely to read, the angst angsts fs.
It's not exactly enemies to lovers more like annoyance to lovers.
The spice is immaculate, the chemistry is electrifying and i read the book in one night as I needed to know what was going to happen.
There are lots of moments when Graham made my stomach flip
""Who did this?” His voice was a low rasp of rage. “Who hurt you?”"
𝙄’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙,” 𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙮. “𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙄’𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙙.”
“𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 — 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮, 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙮. 𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙮𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙚. 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢. 𝙏𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚.”
𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬 ( I swooned).
••Now let's come to the *ｃｏｎｓ* 🌝
°The author calls the men in her book "alpha males" Far too much for my liking. It's cringe and tacky and gave me the ick every single time it came up.
° 'Hellfire' is Gwen's favourite curse word, it took me a while to figure out why the word hellfire kept popping up in between scenes. Maybe it's a culture thing and I'm not used to the curse word but it's bloody annoying to see the word all over the book.
° The plot of her bartender/ coffee artist Hetti Charles being part of the Heretics that want to kill Gwen was very easy to guess, the book literally spells it out for you. With her psychic's parrot ( Hecate) warning her , Eliza's murder weapon being a knife from the shop , Hetti joining the shop right around the time these attacks started and just common predictability of this book it was very clear that Hetti was going to betray Gwen.
° The book does not deliver on the thrilling mystery it claims to be. It's almost like it forgets what could have been a very interesting plot in favour of exploring just Gwen and Graham's relationship.
° Now coming to Graham, usually I'm all for the morally Grey characters, but Graham has more than a few icks.
~He's been actually interacting with this girl for 30 minutes and he is already manhandling her. Manhandling during sex is hot but a stranger you are not comfortable with it, doing it to you especially with the past that Gwen has , it's just not it. It's icky as hell.
~ He made a key to her house without telling her and randomly breaks in whenever he wishes, sometimes to "teach her a lesson about keeping herself safe".
~ He kissed her and turned her on and then stopped by saying she's lucky it was him if it was some one else she could be r*ped???
Why would you use your body to manipulate the girl you supposedly love like that. Definitely icky. He explains his actions in the book but the explanation is trash.
We have seen how unsafe Gwen feels throughout the book and her house is the only place she has ever felt safe, felt like she could relax.
For him to break in purposefully in the middle of the fucking night, just to scare her into taking better care of herself is pretty fucked up.
~ we see that a 10 year old Gwen falls in love with a 15 year old Graham and hails him like a hero ( not unusual). What is problematic is that a 15 year old Graham somehow remembers the *child* he met at 15 and 18 when she was just 10 and 13. A 5 year age gap makes little difference when the characters grow up but when one is 10 and the other is 15 it's really fucking weird.
He supposedly remembers her even as he meets her at 23 as a grown woman.
Why was a 18 year old fascinated by a 13 year old?
~ There is no explanation for how and why Graham fell in love with Gwen he apparently just was. No where in the book does it mention a moment where Graham became interested in Gwen.
~ Lastly, there is no moment of catharsis for Gwen's trauma. Trauma like that does not just go away because you fall in love. She had very real reasons for her very real problems. But one day she just decides to stop her "hang -ups" As Graham calls it and become a healed well adjusted adult because she falls in love with Graham????.
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It's a fun read with some scenes that had me giggling , screaming at how fucking hot they were. But there were parts which made me visibly cringe.
Everything considered I will give this book a 3 star rating
October 12, 2023
Bad Luck Charm by Julie Johnson 🔮
This is the first book I've read by this author and I immediately want to read more. I picked this book up on a whim when I saw it in the bookstore cause I loved the cover and the blurb sounded so interesting for an October read. Gwen owns an occult shop in Salem, MA that she inherited from her aunt. One day an animal sacrifice is left in the alley behind her shop with a warning. The police get involved along with a private investigator who she wants nothing to do with. Graham gets brought in to help investigate a series of animal sacrifices. He's good at his job and doesn't let any funny business get in the way. So when he sees Gwen, the woman who gets under his skin (or does she?) he's determined to keep her safe. As their attraction grows Gwen realizes he will do whatever it takes to make her his.
This book has the perfect balance of humor, mystery, romance, and spice. Gwen was a really fun character, she's headstrong and tends to not let people get too close. She has her quirks but she not the quirky girl if you know what I mean. The more you learn about her and her past makes you like her more.
This is only told from Gwen's POV and while I would love to have been inside of Graham's head, his POV wasn't needed. Graham was never afraid to say what was on his mind and I loved him for that. He definitely does some questionable things to make sure she's safe, but it's fiction! I love an alpha, possessive guy in a book especially when there's some actual danger. I haven't read a "who did this to you" moment book in a long time and this one delivered.
Gwen and Graham's relationship is one of my favorites. They are very real with each other; they argue, they have real conversations, and they care deeply about the other even though they annoy each other from time to time. They have such good chemistry and my eyes were glued to the page every moment they were together. I highly, highly recommend this one!
Tropes:
😠 dislike to lovers
🧙🏼♀️ witchy vibes
🌤️ grumpy (him) / sunshine (her)
❤️🔥 slow burn
👥 forced proximity
🤭 “who did this to you?” & he’ll do anything for her
single POV
5/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️
This is the first book I've read by this author and I immediately want to read more. I picked this book up on a whim when I saw it in the bookstore cause I loved the cover and the blurb sounded so interesting for an October read. Gwen owns an occult shop in Salem, MA that she inherited from her aunt. One day an animal sacrifice is left in the alley behind her shop with a warning. The police get involved along with a private investigator who she wants nothing to do with. Graham gets brought in to help investigate a series of animal sacrifices. He's good at his job and doesn't let any funny business get in the way. So when he sees Gwen, the woman who gets under his skin (or does she?) he's determined to keep her safe. As their attraction grows Gwen realizes he will do whatever it takes to make her his.
This book has the perfect balance of humor, mystery, romance, and spice. Gwen was a really fun character, she's headstrong and tends to not let people get too close. She has her quirks but she not the quirky girl if you know what I mean. The more you learn about her and her past makes you like her more.
This is only told from Gwen's POV and while I would love to have been inside of Graham's head, his POV wasn't needed. Graham was never afraid to say what was on his mind and I loved him for that. He definitely does some questionable things to make sure she's safe, but it's fiction! I love an alpha, possessive guy in a book especially when there's some actual danger. I haven't read a "who did this to you" moment book in a long time and this one delivered.
Gwen and Graham's relationship is one of my favorites. They are very real with each other; they argue, they have real conversations, and they care deeply about the other even though they annoy each other from time to time. They have such good chemistry and my eyes were glued to the page every moment they were together. I highly, highly recommend this one!
Tropes:
😠 dislike to lovers
🧙🏼♀️ witchy vibes
🌤️ grumpy (him) / sunshine (her)
❤️🔥 slow burn
👥 forced proximity
🤭 “who did this to you?” & he’ll do anything for her
single POV
5/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️
June 10, 2023
A captivating romance, with mystery, witches, and a witty FMC, Gwen Goode.
'Sure, I have a magic wand. It's in my nightstand - Gwen Goode, enjoying six unique vibration patterns'.
Synopsis
From a difficult upbringing, Gwen sought refuge with her aunt in Salem for 12 weeks each year. Once her aunt passes away, she inherits her witchy shop, selling potions and trinkets in the heart of Salem.
When ritualistic killings show up around the town, including in her shop alley, Gwen has to work with heartthrob, Graham, a 'grey' private investigator. She's loved Graham since she was 10, but ever since she overheard him making fun of the person owning the witchy shop, she has hated him.
Working together, they inevitably get closer. Maybe hate is walking a fine line with love.
Thoughts
I could not stop reading, I was drawn in from the get go and love a witchy mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed at the start of each chapter, there's a witty remark from Gwen.. some I can relate to entirely:
'Why they decided to call it 'emotional baggage' instead of 'griefcase' is simply beyond me - Gwen Goode, loathing the English language'.
'I'm more of a dog person - Gwen Goode, forced to hold a newborn'
Highly recommend, especially with a pumpkin spice latte.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC, I am leaving this review voluntarily.
'Sure, I have a magic wand. It's in my nightstand - Gwen Goode, enjoying six unique vibration patterns'.
Synopsis
From a difficult upbringing, Gwen sought refuge with her aunt in Salem for 12 weeks each year. Once her aunt passes away, she inherits her witchy shop, selling potions and trinkets in the heart of Salem.
When ritualistic killings show up around the town, including in her shop alley, Gwen has to work with heartthrob, Graham, a 'grey' private investigator. She's loved Graham since she was 10, but ever since she overheard him making fun of the person owning the witchy shop, she has hated him.
Working together, they inevitably get closer. Maybe hate is walking a fine line with love.
Thoughts
I could not stop reading, I was drawn in from the get go and love a witchy mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed at the start of each chapter, there's a witty remark from Gwen.. some I can relate to entirely:
'Why they decided to call it 'emotional baggage' instead of 'griefcase' is simply beyond me - Gwen Goode, loathing the English language'.
'I'm more of a dog person - Gwen Goode, forced to hold a newborn'
Highly recommend, especially with a pumpkin spice latte.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC, I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 30, 2023
Good lord, the banter.
Gwen is a few years into owning and operating an occult shop she's inherited from her favorite person on the planet. She doesn't really believe in any of it but when in Salem. Between balancing the shop, her giant in-need-of-renovations house, and the need to flick the forehead of her hot frenemy until his smirk falls off, the woman is tired. Someone doing animal sacrifices that look a whole lot like witchcraft on her sidewalk are not what she needs at all.
She's known Graham for over a decade. He was kind to her as a child (her 11 to his 15), as a teenager, and markedly unkind to her now that they're both adults. He put his foot in his mouth all the way to the ankle when they were reintroduced two years ago and she hasn't let him forget it for a minute. He's the PI in charge of these sacrificial things and is quietly beside himself that she's involved.
After getting kidnapped, he barely lets her out of his sight and she has absolutely no idea what to do with that but count his abs to pass the time. The thing I didn't love was that twice he kissed her to prove a point. He was kissing her to punish her and I cheered her on every time she kicked him out for it. He seemed baffled and she was willing to never speak to him again over it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Julie Johnson for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Gwen is a few years into owning and operating an occult shop she's inherited from her favorite person on the planet. She doesn't really believe in any of it but when in Salem. Between balancing the shop, her giant in-need-of-renovations house, and the need to flick the forehead of her hot frenemy until his smirk falls off, the woman is tired. Someone doing animal sacrifices that look a whole lot like witchcraft on her sidewalk are not what she needs at all.
She's known Graham for over a decade. He was kind to her as a child (her 11 to his 15), as a teenager, and markedly unkind to her now that they're both adults. He put his foot in his mouth all the way to the ankle when they were reintroduced two years ago and she hasn't let him forget it for a minute. He's the PI in charge of these sacrificial things and is quietly beside himself that she's involved.
After getting kidnapped, he barely lets her out of his sight and she has absolutely no idea what to do with that but count his abs to pass the time. The thing I didn't love was that twice he kissed her to prove a point. He was kissing her to punish her and I cheered her on every time she kicked him out for it. He seemed baffled and she was willing to never speak to him again over it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Julie Johnson for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2023
This book was definitely not what i expected...It was beyond everything I imagined. The story was beautiful with the perfect hero and heroine.
Gwen inherits a shop that sells all kinds of magical stuff and crystals, when one day, there is suddenly an animal sacrifice in the alley behind her shop. From then on, Gwen's adventure begins... An adventure full of strange events and a fated love. The lead private investigator of the case behind the shop is Graham Graves - sexy, possessive and definitely alpha.
When Gwen is 10 years old, she got hurt on the beach and Graham was the ifeguard on shift that helped her and took care of her wound. Since then, she has had a big crush on him. Sadly, that crush ended 13 years later (or so she thought), when a chance encounter organized by her BFF, Graham said some things about Gwen, even though he didn't know that it was about her and that she was present when he said those things. It has been 2 years since then and this is why she is not thrilled at the idea of Graham being the lead investigator on the case.
Through the story he keeps meeting Gwen and he is trying his best to show her that he cares about her. Then again, Gwen had a difficult childhood and she was hurt a lot. She doesn't trust Graham and she doesn't want to think about the possibility of something happening between them. But her heart is telling a different story. She can't stop thinking about him, but everytime when there is something in the air between her and Graham, she can't stop the urge to run away from him. Thankfully, he is a man who doesn't give up that easily. He was so determined to make her his and he wasn't backing down. He wanted to show her they could be happy together, only if she allowed herself. Well, his chase definitely paid off. Gwen finally let go of her attraction. He breaks down all of her defences and shows her that they can be happy together. But danger still lurks around the corner...
I really love Graham. He was so possessive and in love with Gwen and he wanted her to finally trust him that he wouldn't hurt her ever again. He wanted her to believe in him, in them as a couple. Gwen was just afraid. Every time she told him that she didn't like him, when in reality she was still that little 10-year-old girl that had a crush on him. I loved her development through the story. At one point, she realised that she had the right to be happy and admitted to herself that she was really and inevitably in love with him.
When it comes to the love scenes...OMG...I loved all of them. The smut, the heat, the sparks... everything was so so beautiful and I could definitely feel their love, with every touch and every kiss. All of the scenes...they were definitely kinky and full of passion and I just loved them.
One thing is for sure: With this book, Julie Johnson became one of my favourite authors and I will definitely read more books by her in the future.
If you want to read a book full of mysteries, witchy things and one great fated love, this story is for you.
***I received an ARC from Grey's Promotion and this is my voluntary review.***
Gwen inherits a shop that sells all kinds of magical stuff and crystals, when one day, there is suddenly an animal sacrifice in the alley behind her shop. From then on, Gwen's adventure begins... An adventure full of strange events and a fated love. The lead private investigator of the case behind the shop is Graham Graves - sexy, possessive and definitely alpha.
When Gwen is 10 years old, she got hurt on the beach and Graham was the ifeguard on shift that helped her and took care of her wound. Since then, she has had a big crush on him. Sadly, that crush ended 13 years later (or so she thought), when a chance encounter organized by her BFF, Graham said some things about Gwen, even though he didn't know that it was about her and that she was present when he said those things. It has been 2 years since then and this is why she is not thrilled at the idea of Graham being the lead investigator on the case.
Through the story he keeps meeting Gwen and he is trying his best to show her that he cares about her. Then again, Gwen had a difficult childhood and she was hurt a lot. She doesn't trust Graham and she doesn't want to think about the possibility of something happening between them. But her heart is telling a different story. She can't stop thinking about him, but everytime when there is something in the air between her and Graham, she can't stop the urge to run away from him. Thankfully, he is a man who doesn't give up that easily. He was so determined to make her his and he wasn't backing down. He wanted to show her they could be happy together, only if she allowed herself. Well, his chase definitely paid off. Gwen finally let go of her attraction. He breaks down all of her defences and shows her that they can be happy together. But danger still lurks around the corner...
I really love Graham. He was so possessive and in love with Gwen and he wanted her to finally trust him that he wouldn't hurt her ever again. He wanted her to believe in him, in them as a couple. Gwen was just afraid. Every time she told him that she didn't like him, when in reality she was still that little 10-year-old girl that had a crush on him. I loved her development through the story. At one point, she realised that she had the right to be happy and admitted to herself that she was really and inevitably in love with him.
When it comes to the love scenes...OMG...I loved all of them. The smut, the heat, the sparks... everything was so so beautiful and I could definitely feel their love, with every touch and every kiss. All of the scenes...they were definitely kinky and full of passion and I just loved them.
One thing is for sure: With this book, Julie Johnson became one of my favourite authors and I will definitely read more books by her in the future.
If you want to read a book full of mysteries, witchy things and one great fated love, this story is for you.
***I received an ARC from Grey's Promotion and this is my voluntary review.***
July 24, 2023
What do you get when you put a red-head firecracker of a woman with an avoidant attachment style in the same room with an arrogant, overprotective, brooding alphahole? A RECIPE FOR A DELIGHTFULLY SEXY HATE TO LOVE SMASH SESH 🌶️❤️🔥😮💨
LOVED.
GRAHAM GRAVES CAN PROTECT ME ANNNNY TIME.
- witchy romance perfect for spooky season 👻
- murder mystery
- quirky old lady side characters
- traumatic back story for FMC (family abuse)
- good girl
- mine
- forced proximity
- 🌶️🌶️.5
I really loved Gwen’s backstory. Her childhood was so sad and it gave her so much depth and helped make sense of her reluctance to trust in anyone or anything. She’s also super aggressive and I loved it so much. Angry women are superior.
Highly recommend.
LOVED.
GRAHAM GRAVES CAN PROTECT ME ANNNNY TIME.
- witchy romance perfect for spooky season 👻
- murder mystery
- quirky old lady side characters
- traumatic back story for FMC (family abuse)
- good girl
- mine
- forced proximity
- 🌶️🌶️.5
I really loved Gwen’s backstory. Her childhood was so sad and it gave her so much depth and helped make sense of her reluctance to trust in anyone or anything. She’s also super aggressive and I loved it so much. Angry women are superior.
Highly recommend.
August 8, 2023
I came for the cover but I stayed for the words. That's my story when it came to Bad Luck Charm by Julie Johnson. Graham Graves has effectively swept me off my feet from his first appearance on the page and I feel my feet haven't touched ground since that moment. This man is epic, perfect, sensational, otherworldly, panty melting, heart breaking, swoony, over the top alpha and I can go on and on till I run out of adjectives but still those won't be enough to tell you the level of brilliance of Graham Graves. Our dear Gwendolyn Goode had really no option but fall for him but I am proud of her for resisting and challenging and making him go crazy and testing his sanity with her sweet sassy personality! A touch of witchy thrill. A dash of suspense. And whole lot of spice, swoon and charisma. Bad Luck Charm by Julie Johnson has turned out to be a good luck Charm for my die hard romantic heart.
The city of Salem and an occult shop named The Gallows set up the perfect backdrop of the story. Gwen had a content and busy life trying to keep her aunt's legacy afloat until a dead donkey staged in a dark magical pattern appeared in her back alley. And her long time crush and now object of superficial hate, Graham Graves decides to take over her life as he runs the super successful Gravewatch security. He is also claiming her as his woman but she has enough insecurities to push him away. With Halloween approaching and two opposite sides of "witches" colliding..what would Gwen do?
Kristen Ashley is one of my most read and re read author and no one..I mean..no one writes epic alpha heroes like her. (Except Anne Malcom is close there). And you can understand my excitement when I tell you that Graham can compete with any of my top KA heroes. He is so grossly alpha and dominating and so arrogantly confident of his ways that it's impossible to stay out of his magnetic field. I swear he can be infuriating and stubborn and reckless and completely ah0l3 a lot of times. I don’t blame Gwen getting pissed off at his pushing decisions and ways..but like Gwen, my heart also melts to feel his overwhelming protectiveness and possessiveness. May not be your cup of tea, you may have a hard time understanding alpha male but for me, they are the greatest fantasy. A Man who will move heaven and earth to protect his woman and show his soft underbelly only for love..argh why is that so sweet and romantic and addictive and hot at the same time? Gwen is shown as a bit naive and innocent because she loves openly and easily even after not getting it back in her childhood. And her instincts were screaming danger to Graham but he methodically tore down her walls. They had an enemies to lovers thing going on..Well for Graham, they were soulmates but Gwen had to work through her emotional baggage. She is a beautiful soul and Graham just pushed her out of her shell.This book had some hilarious moments those just made me laugh out loud. The Witch and the murder Part added to the texture of the plot. It's not necessarily a paranormal or fantasy for me as the lead characters don't have any supernatural power ( unless you count Graham's bada&& alpha vibe). But the whole setting was intriguing. I loved the secondary characters and I would love to go back to Salem.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily through Netgalley
The city of Salem and an occult shop named The Gallows set up the perfect backdrop of the story. Gwen had a content and busy life trying to keep her aunt's legacy afloat until a dead donkey staged in a dark magical pattern appeared in her back alley. And her long time crush and now object of superficial hate, Graham Graves decides to take over her life as he runs the super successful Gravewatch security. He is also claiming her as his woman but she has enough insecurities to push him away. With Halloween approaching and two opposite sides of "witches" colliding..what would Gwen do?
Kristen Ashley is one of my most read and re read author and no one..I mean..no one writes epic alpha heroes like her. (Except Anne Malcom is close there). And you can understand my excitement when I tell you that Graham can compete with any of my top KA heroes. He is so grossly alpha and dominating and so arrogantly confident of his ways that it's impossible to stay out of his magnetic field. I swear he can be infuriating and stubborn and reckless and completely ah0l3 a lot of times. I don’t blame Gwen getting pissed off at his pushing decisions and ways..but like Gwen, my heart also melts to feel his overwhelming protectiveness and possessiveness. May not be your cup of tea, you may have a hard time understanding alpha male but for me, they are the greatest fantasy. A Man who will move heaven and earth to protect his woman and show his soft underbelly only for love..argh why is that so sweet and romantic and addictive and hot at the same time? Gwen is shown as a bit naive and innocent because she loves openly and easily even after not getting it back in her childhood. And her instincts were screaming danger to Graham but he methodically tore down her walls. They had an enemies to lovers thing going on..Well for Graham, they were soulmates but Gwen had to work through her emotional baggage. She is a beautiful soul and Graham just pushed her out of her shell.This book had some hilarious moments those just made me laugh out loud. The Witch and the murder Part added to the texture of the plot. It's not necessarily a paranormal or fantasy for me as the lead characters don't have any supernatural power ( unless you count Graham's bada&& alpha vibe). But the whole setting was intriguing. I loved the secondary characters and I would love to go back to Salem.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily through Netgalley
August 25, 2023
DNF at 40%. Don’t even ask me how I made it this far. This book is INFURIATING! The ONLY reason I gave this book one star is because the plot is pretty decent. I liked what I read about the town, and the witchy things happening, but MY GOD did I HATE the characters.
First of all, the FMC was just so annoying. She had literally said in the beginning of the book how she was kind but not a pushover. Cue the MMC. He is an ASSHOLE to the highest degree. Her POV throughout the book was always how infuriating he was and blah blah blah but she ALWAYS just does as he says and then rants about how attractive he is. SHE IS LITERALLY A PUSHOVER!
I HATED the MMC with a PASSION. I love a good enemies to lovers book but tbh this would either be a case of he bullies her into sleeping with him and she’s dumb as hell, or they are enemies who just fuck. Like I seriously could not understand where the rom com aspect between the characters is supposed to come from.
I mean she was (spoiler alert) KIDNAPPED and, yeah he saved her, but then he DRAGGED her back to his house after she REPEATEDLY says she wants to go home. It would make sense if maybe he didn’t want to leave her alone, but COME ON let the woman have some comfort. Besides she just goes along with it which was 🙄. The FMC also expresses how she can’t physically sleep in another persons bed because she just has never been able to. Instead of TAKING HER HOME this mf basically gives her a kindle and is just like have at it, KNOWING she won’t be able to sleep. Mind you this guy literally slept the whole night IN THE BED WITH HER because he doesn’t want to sleep on the couch, EVEN THOUGH HE LITERALLY DRAGGED HER TO HIS HOUSE AND GAVE HER NO OTHER OPTION!
This guy was pushy, rude, and just so toxic that if a man like him ever approached me i would honestly get a restraining order. He probably needs to read the definition of boundaries from the dictionary.
Also, the author always says the world hellfire in the most random places that makes no sense and I just thought it was stupid.
First of all, the FMC was just so annoying. She had literally said in the beginning of the book how she was kind but not a pushover. Cue the MMC. He is an ASSHOLE to the highest degree. Her POV throughout the book was always how infuriating he was and blah blah blah but she ALWAYS just does as he says and then rants about how attractive he is. SHE IS LITERALLY A PUSHOVER!
I HATED the MMC with a PASSION. I love a good enemies to lovers book but tbh this would either be a case of he bullies her into sleeping with him and she’s dumb as hell, or they are enemies who just fuck. Like I seriously could not understand where the rom com aspect between the characters is supposed to come from.
I mean she was (spoiler alert) KIDNAPPED and, yeah he saved her, but then he DRAGGED her back to his house after she REPEATEDLY says she wants to go home. It would make sense if maybe he didn’t want to leave her alone, but COME ON let the woman have some comfort. Besides she just goes along with it which was 🙄. The FMC also expresses how she can’t physically sleep in another persons bed because she just has never been able to. Instead of TAKING HER HOME this mf basically gives her a kindle and is just like have at it, KNOWING she won’t be able to sleep. Mind you this guy literally slept the whole night IN THE BED WITH HER because he doesn’t want to sleep on the couch, EVEN THOUGH HE LITERALLY DRAGGED HER TO HIS HOUSE AND GAVE HER NO OTHER OPTION!
This guy was pushy, rude, and just so toxic that if a man like him ever approached me i would honestly get a restraining order. He probably needs to read the definition of boundaries from the dictionary.
Also, the author always says the world hellfire in the most random places that makes no sense and I just thought it was stupid.
August 7, 2023
A perfect mix of both dark themes and light-hearted romantic comedy. This is the book I’ve spent my whole life looking for. It was everything I’ve ever wanted. This may sound strange, but I felt like this book was a cross between a Witchy Rom-Com Mystery book and Haunting Adeline.
Why I loved it:
✔️Witchy Fall Vibes
✔️utterly Hilarious
✔️witty banter
✔️grumpyXsunshine
✔️enemies to lovers
✔️he falls first
✔️slow-ish burn
✔️the chapter blurbs are genius words to live by and will just make your day 😂
✔️murder mystery
✔️morally grey possessive/protective MMC
Bad Luck Charm is told from the POV of our leading lady, Gwendolyn Goode, who inherited an occult shop in Salem 2 years ago. One day, Graham Graves, an arrogant private investigator whom Gwen can’t stand even though he’s annoyingly attractive, shows up in her shop to consult her on a series of occult-like crimes in the area. When it starts to seem that Gwen may be the next target of these crimes, Graham becomes extremely protective and doubles down on Gwen’s security which does nothing but drive Gwen absolutely crazy (in more ways than one).
I compare this hilarious witchy book to Haunting Adeline because of the blurred lines relationship, Gwen’s hate/attraction combo, Graham’s boundary pushing possessive/protectiveness and utter devotion to her, mixed with the high stakes situations our characters continue to find themselves in with powerful and terrifying groups of people. Ugh, I love this man! 😍
Highly recommend that you add Bad Luck Charm to your fall TBR. Thank you Julie Johnson and NetGalley for this ARC. I had to order the physical book as soon as I finished 😬
Why I loved it:
✔️Witchy Fall Vibes
✔️utterly Hilarious
✔️witty banter
✔️grumpyXsunshine
✔️enemies to lovers
✔️he falls first
✔️slow-ish burn
✔️the chapter blurbs are genius words to live by and will just make your day 😂
✔️murder mystery
✔️morally grey possessive/protective MMC
Bad Luck Charm is told from the POV of our leading lady, Gwendolyn Goode, who inherited an occult shop in Salem 2 years ago. One day, Graham Graves, an arrogant private investigator whom Gwen can’t stand even though he’s annoyingly attractive, shows up in her shop to consult her on a series of occult-like crimes in the area. When it starts to seem that Gwen may be the next target of these crimes, Graham becomes extremely protective and doubles down on Gwen’s security which does nothing but drive Gwen absolutely crazy (in more ways than one).
I compare this hilarious witchy book to Haunting Adeline because of the blurred lines relationship, Gwen’s hate/attraction combo, Graham’s boundary pushing possessive/protectiveness and utter devotion to her, mixed with the high stakes situations our characters continue to find themselves in with powerful and terrifying groups of people. Ugh, I love this man! 😍
Highly recommend that you add Bad Luck Charm to your fall TBR. Thank you Julie Johnson and NetGalley for this ARC. I had to order the physical book as soon as I finished 😬
August 8, 2023
Bad Luck Charm is the perfect read to get you into the autumn mood! I’m fairly new to reading books with a paranormal, witchy vibe but I’ve loved Julie Johnson’s work since about 2016 and she did not disappoint!
This is the perfect romcom packed with spice, spooky moments with witches, murder, graveyards, fortune tellers and more!
Gwen lives in Salem and runs her aunts old shop full of everything a witch could want plus a little coffee section perfect to pop in for a quick cup in between spooky activities or to study. I really felt like I was right there in the shop with the writing. Gwen is self preserving, brave and sassy and the one person she hates is Graham.
Graham is the former teenage lifeguard now fixer who occasionally helps law enforcement when they need him. He’s the perfect book boyfriend and I loved him straight away even when Gwen didn’t.
Gwen and Graham’s chemistry is burning hot and I loved their banter. Graham is completely gone for Gwen but she’s trying to stay away from him because of something in her past, but they can’t deny their chemistry for too long, especially when they’re thrown together when Gwen becomes a target for something dark happening around town.
Julie Johnson has written the perfect romantic mystery rom com that gives you ALL the cozy autumn vibes with a perfect amount of spice.
Definitely add this to your TBR this autumn! I couldn't put it down.
*ARC kindly provided on netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This is the perfect romcom packed with spice, spooky moments with witches, murder, graveyards, fortune tellers and more!
Gwen lives in Salem and runs her aunts old shop full of everything a witch could want plus a little coffee section perfect to pop in for a quick cup in between spooky activities or to study. I really felt like I was right there in the shop with the writing. Gwen is self preserving, brave and sassy and the one person she hates is Graham.
Graham is the former teenage lifeguard now fixer who occasionally helps law enforcement when they need him. He’s the perfect book boyfriend and I loved him straight away even when Gwen didn’t.
Gwen and Graham’s chemistry is burning hot and I loved their banter. Graham is completely gone for Gwen but she’s trying to stay away from him because of something in her past, but they can’t deny their chemistry for too long, especially when they’re thrown together when Gwen becomes a target for something dark happening around town.
Julie Johnson has written the perfect romantic mystery rom com that gives you ALL the cozy autumn vibes with a perfect amount of spice.
Definitely add this to your TBR this autumn! I couldn't put it down.
*ARC kindly provided on netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
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