What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Spells Trouble
You Should See Me in a Crown meets Black girl magic in an enchanting romcom about a reluctant witch caught up in a fake dating scheme.
Witches and humans have always had issues. Cayden is well aware of that: Her witch mom was shunned by her high-society family when she fell in love with a Cayden’s human dad, and now her family bakery is in trouble due to wealthy witches gentrifying their neighborhood. So when Cayden realizes she unknowingly went on a date with witch it-boy Khy Carter, it feels like things can’t get any worse. But then her father’s bakery has an influx of new customers hoping to get a glimpse of Khy’s new girl, and a solution to her family’s problems appears: Cayden absolutely cannot be with a Coven boy, but that doesn’t mean she can’t pretend to. The two start fake dating to save her family’s business, but even though she’s doing this for her family, Cayden knows she’s also betraying them. Her parents may have put love before everything else, but is Cayden willing to do the same?
Witches and humans have always had issues. Cayden is well aware of that: Her witch mom was shunned by her high-society family when she fell in love with a Cayden’s human dad, and now her family bakery is in trouble due to wealthy witches gentrifying their neighborhood. So when Cayden realizes she unknowingly went on a date with witch it-boy Khy Carter, it feels like things can’t get any worse. But then her father’s bakery has an influx of new customers hoping to get a glimpse of Khy’s new girl, and a solution to her family’s problems appears: Cayden absolutely cannot be with a Coven boy, but that doesn’t mean she can’t pretend to. The two start fake dating to save her family’s business, but even though she’s doing this for her family, Cayden knows she’s also betraying them. Her parents may have put love before everything else, but is Cayden willing to do the same?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2025
33 people are currently reading
6142 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
October 6, 2025
i loveeeee black YA romances and this is a great one!! nia davenport thank you for your service
November 19, 2025
Witches are out in the open and normal part of society in this paranormal/contemporary YA romance.
Cayden’s family bakery is in trouble and we she goes on a date with the hot witch IT boy, Khy a new influx of customers hoping to get a look at Khy’s new girlfriend.
Cayden is uninterested in dating an uppity society boy - but she is interested in the increase in her families business. So they agree to fake date.
This was an adorable ya romcom with sweet family dynamics and an easy to follow world.
I loved that her parents have a bakery and a dog rescue, the pup cameos made it all the more special.
Great read for young adults and teens.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
4⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Cayden’s family bakery is in trouble and we she goes on a date with the hot witch IT boy, Khy a new influx of customers hoping to get a look at Khy’s new girlfriend.
Cayden is uninterested in dating an uppity society boy - but she is interested in the increase in her families business. So they agree to fake date.
This was an adorable ya romcom with sweet family dynamics and an easy to follow world.
I loved that her parents have a bakery and a dog rescue, the pup cameos made it all the more special.
Great read for young adults and teens.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
4⭐️| IG | TikTok |
July 12, 2025
This had to be one of the cutest books I’ve ever read! I am completely falling in love with YA genre & this one is adding to that feeling. Although Cayden’s personality added fun, was lighthearted and brought a lot of comic relief, the story also dove into more serious topics such as gentrification & its affects on those involved, the power of forgiveness & healthy family dynamics.
I really enjoyed seeing Cayden & Khy’s AKA Starry night boy relationship evolve while they fought through the complexities of their families complicated histories. Cayden’s parents were simply perfect! Just when I thought I couldn’t love them any more, they do something else to steal my heart. And Mercedes… That girl was ride or di3 for Cayden & the best cousin ever! These imperfect perfect characters were a treat & I need a book 2 with Cayden & Khy in their mid twenties…. I would have liked to see a little more magic & a deeper dive into the coven world, but I still loved the story.
Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours, Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed seeing Cayden & Khy’s AKA Starry night boy relationship evolve while they fought through the complexities of their families complicated histories. Cayden’s parents were simply perfect! Just when I thought I couldn’t love them any more, they do something else to steal my heart. And Mercedes… That girl was ride or di3 for Cayden & the best cousin ever! These imperfect perfect characters were a treat & I need a book 2 with Cayden & Khy in their mid twenties…. I would have liked to see a little more magic & a deeper dive into the coven world, but I still loved the story.
Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours, Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
July 9, 2025
3.5 🅣🅗🅞🅤🅖🅗🅣🅢: Heartfelt. They’re young and adorable. It’s cozy. It’s cutesy. Coming-of-age. YA fake dating with a magical twist. Touch of paranormal. Grounded in real-world class tensions.
🎧✨The audio was enjoyable and added to the cozy, cutesy vibes. #librofmALC.
#earlyreadcopy
🎧✨The audio was enjoyable and added to the cozy, cutesy vibes. #librofmALC.
#earlyreadcopy
Read
November 29, 2025DNF at 40%
July 1, 2025
2.25 stars rounded down
Love Spells Trouble starts out strong with an intriguing plot setup, great magic, and fun dynamics. But the story started to lose me when I would be told things instead of experiencing them for myself as a reader. I was told about the FMC's feelings instead of seeing them develop. I was told about their dates instead of reading the details and seeing how their relationship was growing.
I also thought the magic was a missed opportunity because it was so underutilized! I wanted this to be more fantasy, but it was contemporary romance with a smidge of magic.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an earc in exchange for my honest review.
Love Spells Trouble starts out strong with an intriguing plot setup, great magic, and fun dynamics. But the story started to lose me when I would be told things instead of experiencing them for myself as a reader. I was told about the FMC's feelings instead of seeing them develop. I was told about their dates instead of reading the details and seeing how their relationship was growing.
I also thought the magic was a missed opportunity because it was so underutilized! I wanted this to be more fantasy, but it was contemporary romance with a smidge of magic.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an earc in exchange for my honest review.
July 31, 2025
Love spells trouble by Nia Davenport
-love their meet cute with the dog adoption, hades is a beautiful dog name
-them bonding on sneakers is adorable
-their conversations are really cute
-love the way the fake dating scheme/ plan came about , ate up the drama
-love the witchy cozy vibes
-they had so many movie moments too cute 🫶🏾
-they both calm and understand each other
-Gigi can catch these hands ugh
-they are so supportive of each other 🥹
-gotta love young black love 💕
This book adorable and cozy loved it 🥰
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-love their meet cute with the dog adoption, hades is a beautiful dog name
-them bonding on sneakers is adorable
-their conversations are really cute
-love the way the fake dating scheme/ plan came about , ate up the drama
-love the witchy cozy vibes
-they had so many movie moments too cute 🫶🏾
-they both calm and understand each other
-Gigi can catch these hands ugh
-they are so supportive of each other 🥹
-gotta love young black love 💕
This book adorable and cozy loved it 🥰
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 30, 2025
This is such a cute YA romcom! It reads mostly like a contemporary romance, but with the fun addition of witches. I would have liked seeing a little more of the magic, personally, but I still had a lot of fun with this.
July 7, 2025
Thank you @bloomsburyus for the book.
⠀
My 💭:
This was a cute, fun palette cleanser read. I would have liked more when it came to witch/coven storyline.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
⠀
My 💭:
This was a cute, fun palette cleanser read. I would have liked more when it came to witch/coven storyline.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Read
October 14, 2025My patrons got me to read this, and part of me was hopeful that Davenport's YA title would work for me in ways that their adult works haven't thus far. Sadly I cannot report that to be the case.
The biggest problem I have with this book is the way magic fits into the narrative. It doesn't seem to exist for any reason other than to be the instigating factor to drive the conflict. Even then I think you could write this book without it and it would be better? Witches have been part of the fabric of society for about a hundred years but only now are they descending on Houston in such numbers that they are driving her family's bakery out of business? Her family has money troubles but her mother gives services away for free for the first year and they sent their daughter to Europe the previous year? The Witch Council oversees Canada and the United States but Khy's ex's council just oversees one much smaller country by size and population.... The Council holds no power is essentially a cabinet level position, but again, they're supposed to serve the same function for Canada? It's a North American position but Mexico is left out? It just doesn't make sense.
The relationship that eventually developed between Cayden and Khy was cute enough even if it was silly. i think that for the target demographic they will work though I think several of them will also think like me that magic really didn't need to be in the narrative at all. Khy's family could have been property developers buying up the block and it would have served the same function... But I digress.
Overall this was a fast read and so for that I'm thankful, but that's about the only good thing I have to say.
The biggest problem I have with this book is the way magic fits into the narrative. It doesn't seem to exist for any reason other than to be the instigating factor to drive the conflict. Even then I think you could write this book without it and it would be better? Witches have been part of the fabric of society for about a hundred years but only now are they descending on Houston in such numbers that they are driving her family's bakery out of business? Her family has money troubles but her mother gives services away for free for the first year and they sent their daughter to Europe the previous year? The Witch Council oversees Canada and the United States but Khy's ex's council just oversees one much smaller country by size and population.... The Council holds no power is essentially a cabinet level position, but again, they're supposed to serve the same function for Canada? It's a North American position but Mexico is left out? It just doesn't make sense.
The relationship that eventually developed between Cayden and Khy was cute enough even if it was silly. i think that for the target demographic they will work though I think several of them will also think like me that magic really didn't need to be in the narrative at all. Khy's family could have been property developers buying up the block and it would have served the same function... But I digress.
Overall this was a fast read and so for that I'm thankful, but that's about the only good thing I have to say.
July 31, 2025
**Thank you Libro.fm for the free audiobook**
This is a heartwarming YA magical romance. The FMC and MMC are from different social classes: the covenless and humble beginnings FMC compared to the wealthy “witch royal” MMC. The FMC has an independent and strong personality and the MMC is very sweet and considerate. The budding romance between Cayden and Khy is overall very sweet and heartwarming. The diversity within this book is beautiful with Cayden and Khy being both young black students and an array of diverse friends and family. I also loved the mentions of HBCUs. Couple all of that with a fake dating trope and I’m sold. The main critique I have is that this book could have used more magic. This is something I would recommend for someone dabbling in fantasy and looking for more cozy vibes.
As for the audiobook, I enjoyed the performance by Nerissa Bradley and the production. This is a single POV audiobook but Nerissa performed well and kept me entertained.
This is a heartwarming YA magical romance. The FMC and MMC are from different social classes: the covenless and humble beginnings FMC compared to the wealthy “witch royal” MMC. The FMC has an independent and strong personality and the MMC is very sweet and considerate. The budding romance between Cayden and Khy is overall very sweet and heartwarming. The diversity within this book is beautiful with Cayden and Khy being both young black students and an array of diverse friends and family. I also loved the mentions of HBCUs. Couple all of that with a fake dating trope and I’m sold. The main critique I have is that this book could have used more magic. This is something I would recommend for someone dabbling in fantasy and looking for more cozy vibes.
As for the audiobook, I enjoyed the performance by Nerissa Bradley and the production. This is a single POV audiobook but Nerissa performed well and kept me entertained.
August 25, 2025
4⭐
Thank you so much to Nia Davenport, Coloured Pages Book Tours and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for the ARC.
𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 is a 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘔𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 meets Black girl magic in an enchanting romcom about a reluctant witch caught up in a fake dating scheme.
This has to be one of the most engaged YA rom-com books! As someone who was in a reading slump before this book, it's making me excited to read books again! This was my first ever book that I've read that was written by Nia Davenport and I loved it so much! It had me engaged the entire time and I was so hooked to the storyline that I did not want to put down the book at all.
𝐂𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐞𝐧 is a teen witch who’s just looking for a summer fling while juggling her volunteer duties at her mom’s dog shelter and helping out at her dad’s bakery. She's a strong willed character who acts according to her age. She loves her family and would do anything for them — even if it meant that she had to do something she didn't like. She loves hard and fierce and won't hesitate to call people out if they're wrong or insulting her. She's honestly a humanly understandable character, given her family history.
𝐊𝐡𝐲 is a cute boy who adopts Cayden's nemesis puppy from her mother's shelter. He's awkwardly chaotic, with so many in his life. He honestly is a really nice love interest. He's a green flag. He's patient, adoring, and gives out the lover-boy of energy.
Their chemistry is undeniably there from the first chapter. They're perfect for each other — not always counterparts but at the same time complement each other with both similarities and differences.
I genuinely enjoyed the way that the conflicts resolved in the end. It was understandably a lot to take on but it did resolve in a really good way and the healthy understandings and communication in this book played a really good and major role.
I wanted to see more of the magic system in the book and more scenes after the final chapter too.
Overall, if you enjoy romcoms with magic, healthy family relationships, fake dating and Black girl magic, 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 is the perfect read!
Thank you so much to Nia Davenport, Coloured Pages Book Tours and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for the ARC.
𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 is a 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘔𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 meets Black girl magic in an enchanting romcom about a reluctant witch caught up in a fake dating scheme.
This has to be one of the most engaged YA rom-com books! As someone who was in a reading slump before this book, it's making me excited to read books again! This was my first ever book that I've read that was written by Nia Davenport and I loved it so much! It had me engaged the entire time and I was so hooked to the storyline that I did not want to put down the book at all.
𝐂𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐞𝐧 is a teen witch who’s just looking for a summer fling while juggling her volunteer duties at her mom’s dog shelter and helping out at her dad’s bakery. She's a strong willed character who acts according to her age. She loves her family and would do anything for them — even if it meant that she had to do something she didn't like. She loves hard and fierce and won't hesitate to call people out if they're wrong or insulting her. She's honestly a humanly understandable character, given her family history.
𝐊𝐡𝐲 is a cute boy who adopts Cayden's nemesis puppy from her mother's shelter. He's awkwardly chaotic, with so many in his life. He honestly is a really nice love interest. He's a green flag. He's patient, adoring, and gives out the lover-boy of energy.
Their chemistry is undeniably there from the first chapter. They're perfect for each other — not always counterparts but at the same time complement each other with both similarities and differences.
I genuinely enjoyed the way that the conflicts resolved in the end. It was understandably a lot to take on but it did resolve in a really good way and the healthy understandings and communication in this book played a really good and major role.
I wanted to see more of the magic system in the book and more scenes after the final chapter too.
Overall, if you enjoy romcoms with magic, healthy family relationships, fake dating and Black girl magic, 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 is the perfect read!
May 28, 2025
this book was really cute but unfortunately not for me. i found it a little too juvenile for me. i think if i was more around the characters ages i would like it. the story was somewhat compelling but lacked substance and meaningfulness. would recommend for someone who wants a light book with a very young feel to it but it wasn’t for me
Want to read
November 26, 2024"You Should See Me in a Crown meets Black girl magic in an enchanting romcom about a reluctant witch caught up in a fake dating scheme."
October 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️. Witches in HTx?! Yep, Houston is the magical setting for this witchy novel and … I’m here for it! 🧙♀️
Love Spells is a cute teenage fake-dating story. Here’s what I liked:
🪄Super cute cover
🪄 Adorable teen crush
🪄 Houston setting!!
🪄 Haunted house date
🪄 Hitting on deep topics of classism, gentrification and the importance of HBCUs
🪄 Haites, the secretly salty puppy who has beef with Khaden 😂
🪄 Stinking cute quotes like:
“If decadent, super tempting, triple layer fudge chocolate cake had a sound, it would be identical to the deep pitch of his voice when he says my name.”
“Wobbly knees veer too close to off limits territory of the heart”
*** there was one I can’t find, but it was something like, “I can’t stop my knees from getting weak” (around him))
I loved their 3rd ward tour, places I can visualize and see vividly because they’re right here! Makes me want to take my own walking through 3rd ward to learn more about the history of my city.
My gripe is that I anticipated more magic, and it didn’t give me witchy vibes. The characters are teens so there was the immaturity in relationships. Khaden kept getting mad at Khy and ghosting him, without any explanation.
Other than that, this was a good one, but I do feel it’s more teen (15-17 year old) and less YA. The narration was really good. I used an audible credit and didn’t regret it! It’s adorable watching the two fall for each other so if you’re in the mood for a lite, quick and cutesy read, check this one out!
Love Spells is a cute teenage fake-dating story. Here’s what I liked:
🪄Super cute cover
🪄 Adorable teen crush
🪄 Houston setting!!
🪄 Haunted house date
🪄 Hitting on deep topics of classism, gentrification and the importance of HBCUs
🪄 Haites, the secretly salty puppy who has beef with Khaden 😂
🪄 Stinking cute quotes like:
“If decadent, super tempting, triple layer fudge chocolate cake had a sound, it would be identical to the deep pitch of his voice when he says my name.”
“Wobbly knees veer too close to off limits territory of the heart”
*** there was one I can’t find, but it was something like, “I can’t stop my knees from getting weak” (around him))
I loved their 3rd ward tour, places I can visualize and see vividly because they’re right here! Makes me want to take my own walking through 3rd ward to learn more about the history of my city.
My gripe is that I anticipated more magic, and it didn’t give me witchy vibes. The characters are teens so there was the immaturity in relationships. Khaden kept getting mad at Khy and ghosting him, without any explanation.
Other than that, this was a good one, but I do feel it’s more teen (15-17 year old) and less YA. The narration was really good. I used an audible credit and didn’t regret it! It’s adorable watching the two fall for each other so if you’re in the mood for a lite, quick and cutesy read, check this one out!
September 24, 2025
4/5 stars
I'm very late on reviewing this but thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!!
This was such a breath of fresh air honestly. I enjoyed this! It was different, lighthearted, and SO stinkin cute. It was giving me allll the feels and giggles i cant even like. I was smiling although trying to keep my face as straight as possible 😭.
The only thing I wish we got more of was the witchy-ness. It was never explained where witches fit in the society in the book, and their powers were never really used? Idk like they seemed just like they really werent witches or that it wasnt that important except for the "covenant" parts. Idk but the romance was so cute i didn't really mind lol. The other thing was that "Thank the ancestors" was said like every other paragraph. Pls. You know when authors have a phrase or something they keep saying? Yeah that was this. By chapter 5 I probably wouldve been drunk if it was a take a shot game lmao.
OVERALLLLLLLLL this reminded me what I love about YA. The yearning, the giggling, the cheesiness, the hehes and giggles- i love it. Like it was so sweeeet i could notttttt ughhhhhhlodiuarjvieuj i love that this exists. Also the relationship she has with her parents? REFRESHINGGGGG soooooooooooooo beautiful. Ugh!!
If you need something sweet and easy to digest, with some gigglin romance- this is the book for you.
I'm very late on reviewing this but thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!!
This was such a breath of fresh air honestly. I enjoyed this! It was different, lighthearted, and SO stinkin cute. It was giving me allll the feels and giggles i cant even like. I was smiling although trying to keep my face as straight as possible 😭.
The only thing I wish we got more of was the witchy-ness. It was never explained where witches fit in the society in the book, and their powers were never really used? Idk like they seemed just like they really werent witches or that it wasnt that important except for the "covenant" parts. Idk but the romance was so cute i didn't really mind lol. The other thing was that "Thank the ancestors" was said like every other paragraph. Pls. You know when authors have a phrase or something they keep saying? Yeah that was this. By chapter 5 I probably wouldve been drunk if it was a take a shot game lmao.
OVERALLLLLLLLL this reminded me what I love about YA. The yearning, the giggling, the cheesiness, the hehes and giggles- i love it. Like it was so sweeeet i could notttttt ughhhhhhlodiuarjvieuj i love that this exists. Also the relationship she has with her parents? REFRESHINGGGGG soooooooooooooo beautiful. Ugh!!
If you need something sweet and easy to digest, with some gigglin romance- this is the book for you.
July 24, 2025
There's so much I enjoyed about this book. I liked the witchy-ness that made this book magical without doing too much. It was lighthearted & swoony, with a touch of drama - younger me would've loved this!
The themes of community & building stronger familial relationships really shines. We all don't have to be the same or share the same lifestyles or views to get along & to want the best for each other.
Cayden is unapologetically Cayden...and I loved it! Some may say she's "too much" but she was enough for me! Girls should feel comfortable voicing their thoughts & feelings.
Khy is such a loveable guy, he's a bit sensitive & emotional....and I loved seeing it, too! 🥰 Not all guys have a tough exterior where they are afraid of feeling certain ways. Khy made me smile so much; I was wanting things to work out for him & Cayden.
And the ending...I was all smiles! Now, I'm ready to go to Cotillion!
The themes of community & building stronger familial relationships really shines. We all don't have to be the same or share the same lifestyles or views to get along & to want the best for each other.
Cayden is unapologetically Cayden...and I loved it! Some may say she's "too much" but she was enough for me! Girls should feel comfortable voicing their thoughts & feelings.
Khy is such a loveable guy, he's a bit sensitive & emotional....and I loved seeing it, too! 🥰 Not all guys have a tough exterior where they are afraid of feeling certain ways. Khy made me smile so much; I was wanting things to work out for him & Cayden.
And the ending...I was all smiles! Now, I'm ready to go to Cotillion!
October 21, 2025
I loveeee black YA romances!! And Nia did not disappoint here. This book was so lighthearted and adorable I couldn't stop cheesing! This definitely took top 5 for black YA romances I've read
October 20, 2025
Cute ya with fake dating and a witchy society in 3rd ward ☺️🫶🏽 kinda childish at some parts, but I didn’t mind it.
Read
July 3, 2025enjoyable and sweet! i liked it
July 10, 2025
Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC of Love Spells Trouble!
Love Spells Trouble didn’t have me until the very end, which boosted it from a 2 star to a 3 star read. I loved the ✨idea✨ of the book & am typically always here for a witchy romance, but this one took a minute to hit.
✨ Reminder though that I’m not in the age group that this book is intended for & I feel like the things I disliked (the relationship, characters) could be more enjoyed by the proper age.
In the end, this book was just mid for me buuuut the ending brought it together and gave me some happiness. If you have a young adult (or you are one!) in your life, then I think this could be a winner.
Love Spells Trouble didn’t have me until the very end, which boosted it from a 2 star to a 3 star read. I loved the ✨idea✨ of the book & am typically always here for a witchy romance, but this one took a minute to hit.
✨ Reminder though that I’m not in the age group that this book is intended for & I feel like the things I disliked (the relationship, characters) could be more enjoyed by the proper age.
In the end, this book was just mid for me buuuut the ending brought it together and gave me some happiness. If you have a young adult (or you are one!) in your life, then I think this could be a winner.
July 7, 2025
ARC REVIEW
This was such a sweet, heartwarming YA magical romance read with two lovable main characters and just the right touch of magic to make it all sparkle.
Cayden is a teen witch with a strong personality and a full summer plate—balancing volunteer work at her mom’s dog shelter and lending a hand at her dad’s bakery. She’s fierce, loyal, and never afraid to speak her mind. I loved how grounded and real she felt—still figuring things out, still making mistakes, but always driven by love for her family. Her complexity and emotional honesty made her incredibly relatable.
Khy is the kind of love interest that makes you swoon. He’s charming in the most chaotic, soft-boy way—and the fact that he adopts Cayden’s nemesis puppy? That’s just the perfect setup. Add in the fact that he’s kind of famous (but never arrogant about it), and you’ve got a love interest who feels like a big warm hug. He’s patient, respectful, and brings major green flag energy.
Their chemistry is undeniably there from the first chapter, and the banter between the two is age-appropriate and genuinely funny. You can really feel the sparks as they navigate their growing feelings—complete with fake dating, magical mishaps, and just the right amount of tension.
Overall, this was a really entertaining read. I would’ve loved to see more of the magic system explored and the overall resolution felt a little rushed, but if you enjoy romcoms with fake dating and a magical twist, this is the one for you.
Thank you Netgalley, Nia Davenport, and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for allowing me to read this advanced copy for my honest review!
This was such a sweet, heartwarming YA magical romance read with two lovable main characters and just the right touch of magic to make it all sparkle.
Cayden is a teen witch with a strong personality and a full summer plate—balancing volunteer work at her mom’s dog shelter and lending a hand at her dad’s bakery. She’s fierce, loyal, and never afraid to speak her mind. I loved how grounded and real she felt—still figuring things out, still making mistakes, but always driven by love for her family. Her complexity and emotional honesty made her incredibly relatable.
Khy is the kind of love interest that makes you swoon. He’s charming in the most chaotic, soft-boy way—and the fact that he adopts Cayden’s nemesis puppy? That’s just the perfect setup. Add in the fact that he’s kind of famous (but never arrogant about it), and you’ve got a love interest who feels like a big warm hug. He’s patient, respectful, and brings major green flag energy.
Their chemistry is undeniably there from the first chapter, and the banter between the two is age-appropriate and genuinely funny. You can really feel the sparks as they navigate their growing feelings—complete with fake dating, magical mishaps, and just the right amount of tension.
Overall, this was a really entertaining read. I would’ve loved to see more of the magic system explored and the overall resolution felt a little rushed, but if you enjoy romcoms with fake dating and a magical twist, this is the one for you.
Thank you Netgalley, Nia Davenport, and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for allowing me to read this advanced copy for my honest review!
July 5, 2025
There was so much about this that I liked and then things I also didn’t like. While I enjoy Nia Davenport’s writing, I think in this book, it felt much more juvenile than it was meant to. These are older high school aged teenagers who are (at first) dating to use the publicity to save her father’s failing bakery. They’ve known each other for moments, if that. How is it they’re already in love? He says “I love you” and she says “I came to the realization last night that I love you.” Girl BYE!
When I was in middle school, that would have been so dreamy. I’m an adult and it just feels unrealistic. I’d believe witches were living among us before I’d think they were in love by the end of the book. They’d known each other for weeks and had ONLY BEEN OFFICIALLY DATING FOR 3 DAYS!!! Love? Reaaaaaaaaaaally?
I’m not sure how I feel about the rest of it atm. I’m gonna need to take some time to think. My review sits at a 3⭐️, but it may change once I’ve stewed for a couple days.
Thank you to the publisher and libro.fm for my gifted ALC.
When I was in middle school, that would have been so dreamy. I’m an adult and it just feels unrealistic. I’d believe witches were living among us before I’d think they were in love by the end of the book. They’d known each other for weeks and had ONLY BEEN OFFICIALLY DATING FOR 3 DAYS!!! Love? Reaaaaaaaaaaally?
I’m not sure how I feel about the rest of it atm. I’m gonna need to take some time to think. My review sits at a 3⭐️, but it may change once I’ve stewed for a couple days.
Thank you to the publisher and libro.fm for my gifted ALC.
July 9, 2025
This swoony, YA romcom follows young witch Cayden decides to engage in a fake dating scheme with Mekhi Carter, Coven witch royalty. What was only supposed to be a simple summer fling starts to feel a lot more real. In addition to this cute buddy romance, this story thoughtfully explores the very real issue of gentrification as Cayden and her family fight to protect their family business.
Read this if you like
✨faking dating with real sparks
✨witches vs human drama
✨Magic meets modern-day social issues
This book was super cute, engaging, heartwarming mixed with humor, activism and enchantment.
4.5 stars
Read this if you like
✨faking dating with real sparks
✨witches vs human drama
✨Magic meets modern-day social issues
This book was super cute, engaging, heartwarming mixed with humor, activism and enchantment.
4.5 stars
July 13, 2025
This was a cute YA contemporary romance set in a small town where witches freely live. This book follows two witches who fake date in order to help save the FMC’s family business.
This was a fast and easy read. I enjoyed the dynamic the FMC had with her family and her drive to want to help them save their business.
YA is not normally my genre and the characters were a bit too young for me which I believe is mainly the reason why I didn’t love this book. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy YA.
This was a fast and easy read. I enjoyed the dynamic the FMC had with her family and her drive to want to help them save their business.
YA is not normally my genre and the characters were a bit too young for me which I believe is mainly the reason why I didn’t love this book. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy YA.
January 10, 2026
I loved that this book closely related to Houstonians. It was so cute, and I think Nia Davenport did a great job with talking about the differences in classes ( low, middle, & high) and how gentrification has a negative effect on specific neighborhoods.. depending on your coven. It was even better that the characters were witches that lived in Houston. I think I may have even gave the story a 5 if it wasn’t YA. (I loved the plot, but I think it would’ve been even better if it wasn’t YA)
4⭐️
4⭐️
July 2, 2025
This was a cute YA magical romance involving contemporary witches from different classes who fake date but end up falling in love for real. It was good on audio and perfect for fans of light fantasy romance and authors like Liselle Sambury. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 16, 2025
Cayden’s family has been pushed out of the Witch Coven system because her mom married a non-witch, but that doesn’t stop them from building a great life. I loved the mix of magic and real-world stuff like gentrification, family businesses, and community. The Black excellence throughout the story made it feel even more powerful.
Then there’s Khy, lowkey famous, and totally adoptable (like the grumpy dog he chooses). The chemistry between him and Cayden is instant and hilarious. Their fake dating scheme is full of magical mishaps and real feelings, and I was rooting for them the whole time.
Then there’s Khy, lowkey famous, and totally adoptable (like the grumpy dog he chooses). The chemistry between him and Cayden is instant and hilarious. Their fake dating scheme is full of magical mishaps and real feelings, and I was rooting for them the whole time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews