The Witch of Wall Street

by M.J. Etkind

Will The Witch of Wall Street Fall for the Wizard of Small Miracles?

When Nelson unexpectedly woos Miriam at a benefit, they reconnect in a night of ill-advised passion. Due to a bit of chaotic magical misfortune, Nelson and Miriam are forced into a supernatural quest across New York City. Miriam’s chaotic magic only seems to muck up their adventure as they encounter an enchanted dumpling house, a Jinn who runs a CPA firm, and a poisonous leather shop in Little Italy. Lucky for her, Nelson can right it all with a wave of his hand. Through their unlikely partnership, Miriam finds herself unexpectedly attracted to the altruist. Their budding affection makes Miriam begin to wonder if she can stand by and watch her firm crush the dreams of the wizard who miraculously stole her heart.

Miriam Blum is a witch with a prestigious finance job. Independent to the core, she has mastered her chaotic magic and excelled at her high-powered career. Her personal life, not so much. She practically lives at the office with little time for anything or anyone.
Though, she occasionally allows herself some fun, like turning her coworkers’ computer mice into the live furry version.

Nelson Copperfield has always been the golden boy, do-gooder, and the wizard of small miracles. He also happens to be Miriam’s high school rival. Nelson has always been the type to lend a magical helping hand. Much to Miriam’s self-sufficient consternation, she was often on the receiving end of these little miracles when they were younger. It was unsurprising to Miriam to learn Nelson found a career in nonprofit work. She is highly skeptical of people who help for a living, sure of an alternative motive.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Witches, Romantasy, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

M.J. Etkind lives a double life. By day, she is a corporate girly with a business degree. By night, she writes romance novels in a cozy book filled apartment. When she is not writing, she can be found walking her dog and getting coffee. M.J. Etkind’s most favorite fun fact is that she once took an entire vacation to visit a bookstore. Follow M.J. Etkind on Instagram for updates on future book releases.

Reviews

[Dymon Knapps · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
The Witch Of Wallstreet
Author: M.J Etkind
Rating: 2.5/5
Spice: 🌶️


Thank you to NetGalley for picking me to be an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book but sadly this wasn’t the book for me. What I did love was the MMC Nelson and his desire to help others. The author did a great job of explaining heavy topics such as homelessness and addiction. The topic was delivered delicately while also providing a realistic account.

I had a hard time with the repetitiveness of the chapters. There was a lot of unnecessary information that didn’t relate to the story. It got to a point where I had to skim-read to get to the main points or I was going to DNF.

The trope was supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers trope but it was one-sided (by the FMC) and there was no real reason for them to be enemies. I did not enjoy Miriam as the FMC. Miriam was extremely selfish and self-absorbed when it came to Nelson and her friends.

[The scorpio library · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Witches of Wall Street follows Miriam, an ambitious witch working in finance, who reconnects with Nelson, her high school rival. Together, they’re unwillingly thrown into a magical quest around New York.

So far the plot sounded interesting and I'm thankful for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it. I found it a bit slow and repetitive, Nelson was ok, but Miriam was slightly annoying. There is an entire rant about why women who wear make up are superficial, but Miriam does and it's ok because it's for work purposes??.

I would have been more generous with my rating if it was not for the comments about stay at home wife/mom (especially the one saying they have "no identities"). It might be a shock to some people, but ✨you're not feminist if you don't respect women who make different life choices than you. ✨Hope that helps.

[novelswithnikki1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I've always thought about you. Back when we were in school, you were so determined to do everything on your own. You were fiercely independent, and I admired that about you. I still do."

This book pulled me in from the very beginning and I liked how the book started with an earlier event and this is how we were introduced to Miriam's rival Nelson. Trigger warnings for chapter 10 for overdose, but the author does a great job with the warning at the beginning of the book.

- Larry the black fluffy cat
- New York Coven called 'Witches of Wall Street"
- Traveling/runaway broomsticks
- Academic/Workplace Rivals
- Tension
- Spice but mostly fade to black

I loved the romance and the book was fun and whimisical and I loved all the shenanigans Miriam and Nelson got into!

Thank you so much to M.J. Etkind and NetGalley for this ARC!

3.5 stars!

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute quick read. I loved that witches had different magic and that Miriam had to learn to accept what hers was. I do wish that there was more of an explanation for why Miriam’s map brought them to each location other than it having a lot of magic and why couldn’t they at least research the locations better before going.

[Audrey Duplantier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun fantastical read with great characters, including a chubby cat, a love interest who lives above an ice cream shop (I’m jealous) and a chaotic yet relatable witch. I really enjoyed this one, the story is a fun magical adventure, while also touching on deeper subject matter including women in the workplace and the housing crisis. The writing is smooth and detailed with some insightful excerpts. The story is very rich with lots of plot points to keep things moving quickly. Never a dull moment. I finished it in a day! Ps can we pls give a round of applause for this cute stylish adorable book cover bc I love it!

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes
He Falls First
Witch
Golden retriever
Enemies to Lovers
Unrequited Pinning

Despite the adage that one should never judge a book by its cover, I was drawn in by this book's cover and have no regrets about it. With its fascinating characters, this story is a delightful magical fiction. I believe that many women can identify with Miriam. Her chaos magic is the only thing preventing her from achieving her dreams. She seemed to have trouble accepting that aspect of herself. Over the course of her journey, she must come to love these aspects of herself. This novel was enjoyable and fascinating. This book gave me Percy Jackson meets Hocus-Pocus vibes with a love story. I read this book in a single day, and there was never a dull time. I'm eager to read more by M.J. Etkind.


Miriam is an investment banker who aspires to become a partner in her company. When Miriam encounters Nelson, who happens to be her childhood nemesis, at a fundraising event for his company. Miriam is there representing her company and also trying to get more information about an upcoming deal. The last time they saw one another was in high school. Nelson serves as Housing Magic's executive director in addition to being a social worker. For those who are unable to pay for housing, Housing Magic provides free housing and aids in people's recovery. Miriam ends up leaving the fundraiser with Nelson and having a one-night stand, or so she thinks. That is, until his enchanted medallion and her broom run away together. Miriam and Nelson embarked on a quest to discover where their broom and medallion could have taken off together when they found themselves becoming closer along the way.

[Michelle Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a balm for the soul in a lot of ways- one being the careful considerations of different ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds, as well as the strong emphasis for consent. My brain made Miriam look like Dakota Johnson with curly chaotic hair and Nelson as Pedro Pascal because I guess I've seen a lot of commercials for the movie "Materialists" lately- but I am not even a little made about my brain doing that. :) Both of the main characters were rich and beautifully written. Some of the scenes in the book were really immersive and fantastical. I am excited to read M.J. Etkind's other book she has out!

[Sara Keeps Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers to follow: I received this book as an ARC (Advance Reader Copy). Whimsical is the best word for this book’s overall vibe. I love the set up of the magical world, covens, and other magical findings Miriam and Nelson stumble upon along the way. While whimsical there’s some deeper bits such as morality, profit vs. people, NYC’s affordable housing crisis, but also sexism and women in the workplace/high earning professions typically male dominated. I thought all the themes interwoven worked together well. My only wish was for more chemistry between M and N, such as more build up but it did build throughout in my opinion. Would totally recommend this whimsy read!

[Mahlia Kendrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

This was such a cute book! I will say I initially had a hard time getting into the story, but things eventually started picking up and I couldn’t wait to find out what trouble Miriam and Nelson were going to get themselves into. I totally related to Miriam’s personality. Her magic is chaotic, but she’s also kind of a perfectionist, which I get. Nelson is sweet, but I can see why Miriam was annoyed by him in school. He’s got this altruistic vibe, but it’s always meant with good intention.😂 I would say the spice is like PG-13. There are intimate scenes, but the majority of them fade to black. ✨Overall, such a fun, magical read!✨

*I received an advanced copy as part of the ARC team.

[Dara Sorah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic read! This book had it all and with a paranormal twist that just added to the story. Miriam - I loved her growth in this book. Finally accepting who she is and what she needs, wants and deserves. And Nelson /m- such a great guy and just perfect for Miriam. This book was the perfect example of opposites complementing each other. I definitely could relate to Miriam in several aspects. Great story!!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story about two (semi-childhood-rivals) witches coming together as adults to overcome challenges and find lost, all leading to love. There were times I found myself struggling to pay attention but overall it was a cute read.

[Ash · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Wall Street witch (Miriam) falling in love with a non-profit witch (Nelson)? Magic in modern times? Enemies to lovers? A critique of capitalism?? I should've loved this book. But I hated it. No offense meant if you loved this book; I'm glad it spoke to you and that you enjoyed the story. But it was not for me.

This book was all 'tell' instead of 'show.' The prose was repetitive. The romance was boring. The main character was insufferable.

First off -- they are not enemies. She disliked him in high school because he was too nice to her sometimes. That is literally it.

My issues with the romance: Let's start off with them sleeping together. Miriam and Nelson meet up at a fundraiser. She is working at her investment banking job to sabotage an affordable housing deal that Nelson's nonprofit is working on ('the Pentacle deal'). At this fundraiser, she decides to sleep with him despite hating his guts (FOR BASICALLY NO REASON) with the following: 'It was clear he was looking for something. Miriam was not uninterested. She'd been working a lot lately, and she knew that was only going to increase if she took on the Pentacle deal. His unspoken offer was a good opportunity. Besides, Nelson would be an easy person to sleep with once. She knew him well enough that it wouldn't exactly be having sex with a stranger, but she also didn't see him regularly, so it wouldn't be weird. They were unlikely to run into each other again anytime soon.'

UMM, you are working to ruin a project of his?? There could very well be litigation that comes from the rezoning or other legal challenges based on the unsavory/dubious nature of the dealings, this is one of your firm's biggest projects EVER that could mean you two very well have to see each other accompanied by lawyers or in a court of law later on, and you just think that there's no problem sleeping with this man?? And she is supposed to be some kind of business super-try-hard/genius? And Nelson definitely seems like emotions/feelings are very important to him, and he's been carrying a torch for this woman since high school; it just feels so weird that suddenly he'd propose a skeazy hookup like this??

Also, this was ~30 pages in, and it made me want to stop reading. A romance novel where the first love scene is like, "meh, whatever"? Totally ruined it for me. I give the author credit, it is definitely innovative to have the first sex scene be behind completely closed doors and not described at all to the reader and then have more description as the intimacy and closeness develop in the relationship. I thought that was neat. But not neat enough that I still felt very bummed and wanting to DNF when this scene hit my eyeballs.

Also, the dialogue. I'm going to skip the exposition, but here is an example of the dialogue in this book:
(Miriam) 'So, a social worker?'...
(Nelson) 'I started with Housing Magic almost ten years ago. I'd worked for child and family services for a while, doing foster home placements, but that work wears on you fast, even when you can perform small miracles. Housing Magic was looking for a case manager, and I took the job. I was good at it, and I moved up.'...
(Miriam)'Is that what you do with Housing Magic?'

Why does this just sound like he's reading off his resume? There is no feeling, no heart to this. He could stop in the middle to wince at a memory or something but no - literally read off like he's doing a job interview. And why does Miriam ask the second question that's just the same as her first? I don't know. But it's this kind of repetitive, soulless dialogue that makes this story so hard to read.

This story is also repetitive in its setup: Miriam and Nelson need to search the New York City area for her broomstick and his magical medallion that fucked off together while they were, well, fucking that first night. That's it. That's what brings them together. So each 'adventure' is showing up to a random-ass place, encountering some magic they didn't expect, coming out (for the most part OK), going 'welp, it wasn't there, let's try somewhere else!' It gets old quick.

And the action scenes in the book do nothing to heighten the tension. After a weirdly, strangely overdescribed scene of them eating too much dim sum due to a magic spell (I straight up felt the most passion the author brought to this book was when they were describing the delicious dim sum. Would totally read a book that they center around food. As long as it's not about eating TOO much food and feeling like they could get sick. That was weird. The author did a trigger warning at the beginning for an opioid overdose, honestly feel like they should've had an ED one, too, after this scene), they find out that a Taotie (Chinese gluttony monster) is in the restaurant and causing them to overeat. So how do they escape this terrifying beast? 'Nelson flicked a wrist, and the dumpling cart rolled into the creature, creating a temporary but clear path to the door.' The hell is this dumpling cart made of!? Is it the size of a large bookshelf, is it made of titanium!? That is NOTHING, a monster could swat that away easily, I was unimpressed.

I also didn't feel like there was any decent characterization of the MC. Miriam says she fights tooth-and-nail, day-and-night, 24/7 to keep her magic under control and she can never let her chaos loose and be herself and she is always so, so in control -- but straight up in the first chapter, she turns the office computer mice into real furry mice to scare the analysts for shits and giggles. Umm, these two things do NOT match. Also, it is a constant refrain how much she likes her work and how good she is at it. I am talking CONSTANT. And yet the few times we actually get to see her doing her work and are not told about it, she fucking hates it. And does not seem to be that good at it. Like, there's a whole thing at the end of the book because her model is messed up and the analysts can't work with it. And she whines petulantly to her bosses. She shows some initiative in the end, finding her groove (I don't want to spoil EVERYTHING), but honestly at the beginning she seems to hate her job and she seems to do well at it IN SPITE of herself.

Also, talking about bland characterization: you want to know MC's favorite kind of TV? Huh, do ya'? REALITY TV. Why?? Because it's chaos and she's a chaos witch and she loves to see the chaos. Except the WHOLE BOOK, she is basically in like a Cold War fight/disagreement with her mom (from whom she inherited her chaos magic) that she hates to indulge her chaotic side and she needs to fight against it, not embrace it like her mom does, blah blah blah. For the love of -- magic is REAL. In this world. MONSTERS are real. What about Bewitched? Charmed? Sabrina? Harry Potter? The Addams Family?? Something??? Wouldn't that have been interesting to read about, a REAL witch watching those Hollywood depictions??? But, no. Reality TV. And I don't even think it fits her character. How she seems to spend most of her time outside work is: she's single, loves/hates her corporate job, eats ice cream with her cat on her couch, hates dating apps, and watches reality TV. It just feels like a caricature of modern woman. And anytime any married woman or non-working woman is brought into the picture in this book, they are paperthin as characters, and I feel like they are immediately judged by Miriam. And she never confronts what I see as her own internalized misogyny. And that frustrates me.

But back to the whole point of this romance story: the romance. (Sorry if this is scattered, I'm just literally going through the book front-to-back where I marked parts that really irked me.) Miriam dislikes Nelson from high school because he tried to help her too much. A lot of their dialogue looks like this:
(Nelson) 'I like taking care of you.'
(Miriam) 'Because it means you get to have the upper hand, be the golden boy, pity the chaos monster?'
Girl, you are right, you do not need a boyfriend. You need a therapist. STAT. He does not deserve this. What is your problem??? This MC reads like she has SOOOO many unresolved issues and SOOO much unresolved trauma, and I feel like this book does not truly deal with that. Like, this attitude just magically (pardon the horrible pun) goes away by the end of the book and is never brought up again. This book could only work if Nelson was already in love with Miriam from the beginning because I truly believe that Miriam as a character on her own is very unlikable.

And also speaking of repetitive, get ready to read some variation of this sentence way too many times within the first 150 pages: 'Miram scrunched up her face at the reminder that not only was she working on a big deal but that this particular deal was also one that was going to derail the Housing Magic project.' I did not have to be reminded of this literally every other page. I also did not have to be reminded that the whole reason she actually wants to find her bag is that she printed out sensitive documents from her firm and she doesn't want anyone to stumble upon them and read them (the magic objects themselves at first are kind of secondary concerns). Really? In 2025? In a world with magic? She is printing out confidential documents and just carrying them on her person? There's not a spell to make the docs look like something else, there's not a sending spell to send these home? No, THIS is the BEST solution we can come up with IN A WORLD WITH MAGIC AND LAPTOPS!?!?! It felt contrived. It felt forced. It was annoying.

OK, and speaking of sending spells and this world: the author will never explain how magic does or doesn't work. Every time magic is used, there is the same basic paragraph repeated over and over, like, "the world of magic never ceases to amaze MC, it can do X but it can't do Y, wow." Oh, how convenient. It just means that it works for whatever is needed for the story and you can't think too much into it, because there was no investment in making the system of magic make any sort of sense.

Also, Miriam hates her coven and basically stopped going to their meetings because they all started getting married and having babies. I mean, those are supposed to be her friends. I get it, that's always super hard, but again: please see a therapist. She does not seem to be super nice to them throughout the whole story, she only really bonds with them again because she needs their magic, and she never apologizes or owns up to how she was feeling with them. Like, the feelings are never addressed. They're just swept under the rug and she's OK going back to them at the end because she has a boyfriend attending the meetings and she's not alone with them. Here is one scene where she goes to them for help:
'Taking turns speaking, Miriam and Nelson recounted their adventures of the last couple of weeks, including a confession that they'd been the ones responsible for releasing the Taotie in Chinatown. When they finally finished their story, Miriam could feel the eyes of her coven watching her, giving her the same look of pity she'd been used to her entire life. The chaos witch who always messed up. That was her.'
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!? Your mother's magic is the same as yours, Miriam, and she is literally nothing but loving and supportive. I have heard a minor story of magic going poorly at the beginning page of the novel, where, CALAMITY OF CALAMITIES, your posterboard for a high school presentation was crumpled. Also, magics seem to be relatively rare, how could they ALWAYS be judging you!? You have a stable job and a roof over your head and like no major debt medical or student or otherwise it seems, like WHO IS PITYING YOU, I'D LIKE A WORD. It just feels like I am being told again and again that this girl is a boss, this girl is a kickass witch -- but also this girl is hated and shunned for what she is constantly, like I'm just not seeing it. Pick a lane, stick with one narrative here.

I return to my hatred of the dialogue. A scene between Nelson and a member of his coven. Once again omitting unnecessary exposition to save space and it adds nothing:
(Nelson)'Thanks. Look, I know things have been weird, but I really do... I miss the coven.'
(Darrin) 'You're always welcome back. It's just going to be hard to accept our differences, and you may have to change.'
(Nelson) 'I appreciate that, but we're getting older, and we aren't always going to agree on everything, especially as the world gets more complicated and more nuanced.'
(Darrin) 'A witch needs its coven, and I know your heart is in the right place. I think you'll come to your senses and understand why we need to take a hard stance.'
This isn't dialogue. This is surely some pisspoor script I've stumbled onto for a 'Disagreements in Your Coven and How to Handle Them' HR training video for witches. Real humans don't talk like this. FFS.

And near the end of the book, 330+ grueling pages in??? Where their magical items are discovered and Nelson reveals that he, gasp, KNEW all along what Miriam's company was planning!?!? But, guess what, he didn't mind, he still loved Miriam for Miriam!?!? How does she respond, after this man has literally SAVED HER LIFE multiple times???
'Is... that why you took me home from the fundraiser? You thought you could sleep with me, and then I'd change my mind? But then our things went missing, and I never got a chance?'
Girl, your unfounded trust issues are showing. What is wrong with you??? You have been hiding the truth from this man for weeks, literally so scared about this moment -- and you turn it back on him like HE is the issue? Like HE did something wrong? Stop, please. I was horrified when she said this, but no, never gets addressed.

I have more frustrations, but I'll cap it here. I honestly think this book should've either been a love note to: dim sum or fair housing policies. I know I already mentioned dim sum, but you will also read the same phrase about disenfranchised, vulnerable peoples again and again. And I think the author would really do great writing about policy. But the actual CHARACTERS introduced, like Talia and Alex?? Never heard from again. Don't care about their stories. And ultimately, that's what lets me down with this book. It just seems shallow and told through Miriam's lens 95% of the time, just so disinterested in anything but her own perspectives/feelings/experiences without much thought given to others. This didn't feel like a romance at all.

[Brooke Rader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cutest, coziest magical romantic comedy. Fall into a world of magic with a chaotic little witch of Wallstreet named Mariam who is a powerhouse of a FMC, and the cutest cinnamon roll with dark hair, blue eyes, tall, and a bit of a golden boy, named Nelson on quite a wild adventure all over New York City while falling in love.

A sweet little witchy rom-com that will having you swooning, and head over heels for Nelson Copperfield.

This book was written so well, made me want to keep reading and find out where they were off to next.

Frenemies to lovers but Nelson had always been smitten with Mariam.

Get ready to fall in love with these hummingbirds..IYKYK.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

I do not regret reading this book, and do think it could easily be a 4+ with some fine tuning of the plot and FMC.The Witch of Wall Street is a perfectly fine book to read.

While it has a fun story line it could be tuned up to be engaging and captivating. Instead it kind of meanders along without punch.

The secondary cast of characters are lovely and vivid. They provoke strong responses varying from dislike to affection. The side characters can’t make up for the FMC though. Miriam was a boss lady who tried to come off as a feminist but was really a self centered hyper independent pick me. It was hard to read her perspective at times and took away from a promising plot. While she had growth it was glossed over.

Thank you to Izzi House Books and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts!

[Dayna Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Witch Of Wall Street was a cute and fun read! I have to say my favorite part was Larry, the chunky cat 🐈 The FMC and MMC were both enjoyable and likeable. The author included that they were both Jewish and spoke about their heritage and family members who had immigrated to the United States which was a nice little touch, especially the way it all wraps up in the end.

The beginning of this book was a little slow, and kind of felt redundant with how many times they were in search of their items. However, once I got through about 100-150 pages I quickly finished the ending chapters. I would love another book that addresses their trip mentioned in the end of the book to learn more about their families

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

🧙🏼‍♀️🐈‍⬛🧹

[Leslie Stroble · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a read. Thank you to indie authors who IMO take chances and give us unique stories. Overall this was a cute read, I loved the magic system, story and the dynamic characters.

I’m guilty of wanting a character that can do no wrong but Nelson and Miriam (esp) are down to earth characters. I’ll admit at first I found it hard to get close to Miriam and Nelson made my eyes roll 😒 but as we moved through the story I found myself rooting for them. My pieces of CC would be a closer look at editing, certain events seemed rushed and looking too closely there were parts that the explanations were a reach.

Thank you so much for this story M.J. Etkind and NetGalley

[Beatrice Rigby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie, I wouldn’t usually pick up a business romance book BUT this is a witchy/magical book too and it WAS amazing! Such a sweet and short book to read. It is a well thought out book, has a great plot and everything was resolved by the end of the story with no loose ends. The characters were easily likeable and it flowed well. Easily a 4 star read for the Witch of Wall Street! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

3 stars for spice

Book Vibes:
Slight enemies to lovers
Childhood friends to adults
Modern day witchy rom com
Wall Street/business
Covens and Magic

[Samantha Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

I DNF'd this book at 41% (103/329 pages). While I was initially excited to read this, because I love paranormal stories, I was disappointed.

The Pros: The author displays adequate writing ability. I found the book was easy to read and follow. The premise and plot made sense, for the most part. The magical elements were quite enjoyable. I love the inclusion of a cat, though he did not play a primary role.

Reasons for the DNF:

Firstly, this book, so far as I read, included a lot of preachy, political monologue. If I wanted to read a book about politics or political opinions and ethics, I would NOT have chosen to pick up a paranormal romance. I prefer books in which the character's beliefs / values / attributes are subtly incorporated through their actions, rather than their long-winded inner monologues.

Secondly, I wasn't able to like / connect with the MFC. She irritated me - she acts rude and ungrateful to those who try to be nice to / help her. I do realize this is a opportunity for character growth, so it's a petty reason, but I have trouble tolerating characters who start out like this.

I am giving this 3.5 stars. I wish goodreads allowed half stars. I do think the author shows decent writing ability, but this one didn't quite hit - for me.

[Colleen Haasmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, a huge thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to review the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book was cute and genuinely I enjoyed reading it, but it kind of came across as very overwrought with trying to tackle so many societal issues within such a whimsical and cozy romance. It almost seems like the author felt guilty setting her story within a city that does have such depth of experience, and tried to acknowledge and address every shortcoming of society, while doing this romp around a city. I think that she would have been much more successful if she kept her narrative to addressing the issues in society that interact directly with her characters instead of pushing so many agendas that the story gets lost in the mix. Also, this seemed like a missed opportunity to use the magic of a city like New York to bring a grounded beauty to her world building and their romance. Overall, not a bad read, but it was slow on the pick up and I never felt I could get fully lost in the book.

[Cooper Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this book before it was published and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a pretty easy read and takes you around NYC, learning about magic from around the world, introducing interesting characters, and grappling with the need to earn money vs disillusionment with contributing to the “capitalist machine.”

A lovely book by a passionate author.

[Kiarrah Wickramage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Witch of Wall Street by M.J. Etkind!

4 stars!

Minimal spice, mostly fade to black

Content warning: addiction, overdose

Favourite lines: "Romance was a myth perpetuated by the patriarchy to keep women in terrible relationships," and, "All the men she'd dated were experts in domestic incompetence."

I have to start this by saying that I really enjoyed this magical urban romance. M.J. did a really wonderful job of immersing me into a magical New York filled with witches, jinns, other magical creatures (including mer folk who frequent Montauk/the Hamptons), broomsticks, and a warming grump X sunshine romance.

The Plot
The plot centres around Miriam and Nelson galivanting around New York - using regular modes of transport, much to their chagrin - to find their missing magical items and Miriam's incriminating paperwork that could undermine Nelson's deal to secure 500 apartments . All the while, both Nelson and Miriam are struggling with ethical and moral dilemmas in their workplaces, revolving around big corporate and capitalism. I enjoyed the discourse around finding a voice and a way forward when you feel like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place in a capitalist society. The romance was also believable! Thank you M.J. Etkind for writing a compelling romance that actually made sense! I swooned a little bit when Miriam realised she wanted Nelson to take care of her!

The FMC
Miriam: a 30-something chaos witch who kicks butt as an investment banker for more hours of the day than any reasonable person should. And she likes to ride her broom above New York, like the queen that she is. Miriam is kinda grumpy and likes to be in control, which is in total contrast to her nature as a chaos witch. She keeps people at a distance, including her coven of similarly like-minded career-focused witches, and tries to do everything herself. Until a tryst with a certain witch frenemy from her childhood leads to her broom magicking itself away and a quest around New York to find it, along with her handbag and confidential files that could ruin a blossoming relationship with said frenemy...

The MMC
Nelson: a 30-something witch who can magic small miracles with a hero complex. Nelson is kind of a ray of sunshine, which pairs really well with Miriam's grumpy outlook. He's also annoyingly perfect, which grates on Miriam's carefully controlled persona. He's a social worker who helps ex-felons, addicts, the disenfranchised find housing, treatment, and employment. So, the total package, really. He's working on securing 500 apartments for those in need when he runs into Miriam and the two share a... passionate encounter, before her chaos magic spirits away his beloved magical taxi medallion.

The cat
Shout out to Larry, Miriam's 17 pound cat who acts like he's never been fed a day in his life despite getting kibble and wet food multiple times a day.

I knocked one star off because I felt like Talia, the character who OD'd, was just kind of forgotten about, or was used as a means to expedite Miriam's relationship with Nelson. Passages on addiction and the overdose itself were written with care and empathy, but it kind of just fell off the page, with one brief mention relating to a safe-use centre, but no real closure.

Overall, this is a great non-cheesy romance novel with a twist and a happy ending.

[Queer Mum Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review, I do follow the author on social media however this was the first piece I had read by them. With that in mind, I will do my best to be as honest as possible. The book is set to be released on March 25th 2025.

I'm not typically a romance reader, but Ive been trying to expand my genres and was drawn to this book immediately by the cover and description. And yknow what, I was not left disappointed! 

The MCs were very loveable and felt like tangible human beings with their flaws. Miriam being fiercely independent, strong willed, intelligent, but sometimes a bit stuck up and absorbed by her own thoughts/experiences. Nelson being the golden boy who never does wrong, but makes your eyes roll when he's stumped by something he isn't instantly good at or has to work harder than he's used to. Their enemies to lovers (academic) arc was so believable and as you watched it develop you couldn't help but will them to get together already! Seeing how the MCs grew as individuals as well as into a couple from their experiences on the journey to try and retrieve their lost magical artifacts was very heartwarming. I don't think at any point I was unhappy with how either character acted at any point in the book, each acted as you would have expected they would given what was happening. I did have the worry at one point Miriam, who is so career focused and did come across as to look down on those who choose to leave their careers behind to become SAH parents, was going to lose this part of herself because of her relationship with Nelson (and I mean you see it all the time in romcoms etc); but thankfully this did not happen. The ending felt true to the characters whilst as close to a HEA as possible. 

There was such a diverse range of characters too, it was really freshing to see in a heterosexual main love interest book. Whilst it also really reflected elements of our world like the issues women in male dominated fields experience, racism and injustice of institutions such as the law/criminal justice system and the effects of the few (billionaires) have on the majority and most vulnerable. That's another thing I'm happy with the ending about, is that it truly reflected how hard and conflicting it can be to achieve a HEA for the average person and how sometimes we have to work using the systems around us and what's available, even though it may not be ideal but we sometimes have to make do with what we have to then hopefully build upon that later on. If it had been a stereotypical HEA it would have felt so swept under the rug, so I'm glad the author did what they did. 

The only tiny thing I have with this book that is preventing me from giving it the highest rating is how Miriam acted with her solution to her moral conundrum near the end. It felt as all the other chapters were so well thought out and detailed, that this felt just slightly rushed perhaps and if it had been expanded on just a little to show a bit more of how we got there and what happened, then it would have been perfect. 

Honestly I enjoyed this book so much, it had some terrific chapters of adventure for the MCs to fight/face that I didn't expect, but it made it so rich and better for being there! 

I will definitely be checking out future work by this author! 

[Tracy Emro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miriam Blum and Nelson Copperfield have known each other for most of their lives and for most of that time Miriam has disliked the oh-so-perfect Nelson with his helpful magic, which is the direct opposite of her chaos magic! Years after graduating college, Miriam has learned to subdue her magic and is working for a Wall Street investment banking company, with hopes of making partner soon. When a new project comes her way, she feels like it is wrong, but it is also an opportunity to prove herself and finally achieve the success she has worked so hard for. She shoves down her misgivings and accepts the chance to lead the top-secret project. To ease her conscious, she attends a fundraiser for Housing Magic, a non-profit that provides housing for those in need – which happens to be the company that is in direct competition for the property at the heart of her business project. She is shocked to learn that Nelson is the executive director of Housing Magic and even more stunned that she is attracted to him. They spend an ill-advised night together and the next morning when she tries to leave, she learns that her bag containing her broomstick and the files concerning the project is missing, when Nelson tries to help her find it, he discovers that his enchanted taxi medallion is also missing.

Together they will have to find a way to work together to find their missing items. But Miriam can’t risk Nelson learning the truth about her project, something that is harder to do than she anticipated, especially when she begins to acknowledge that her feelings for Nelson are deeper than she wants them to be. Their time together makes her long for things she never thought she really wanted, things that could never be especially when he learns of her business project. But somewhere between feeling left behind by her coven, work mishaps, an enchanted dumpling shop, a jinn who is also a CPA, poisoned leather and a clay monster, she falls in love with the only man she can’t have.

I really enjoyed this magical rom-com, it was a quick and easy read with wonderful characters and a satisfying ending. This story has a lot going on; chaotic magic, enemies to lovers, magical beings, work obligations, ethical complications, secrets, hidden desires, coven problems, a slow burn romance and finally a solution that didn’t seem possible, ending with a happily for now and maybe forever. It took me a little while to warm up to Miriam, but by the middle of the book, I was firmly on her side. I do wish this book had more of a dual POV as Nelson was such a large part of the story and I never really felt like I got to know him. But overall, it was a delightful read and I would happily recommend it!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

[Brittanica Bold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever just pick up the right book at the right time and it just makes your soul feel so much lighter? Well, that’s what The Witch of Wall Street did for me!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I am a Senior Tax Manager at a Big 4 accounting firm (blah blah blah). The way that Miriam was portrayed hit so close to home! She had worked her butt off her whole life to get to where she wanted to be (this big finance job), and then she still worked her butt off every day to keep it; she was often the one doing the best work but also the only one getting critiqued and if that doesn’t scream the environment that women in finance and accounting deal with on the daily, I don’t know what does!!!

Nelson was just the sweetie-est! That’s not a word, but that’s what he was, he embodied the nickname sweetie and I’m sticking with it. He just GOT it. He was secure enough in his masculinity to be vulnerable with her on several occasions, and he had absolutely no problem just being an adult and washing the dishes or picking up around the apartment. I loved that he wasn’t all alpha and macho, but a true helper and supportive to his friend/partner/eventual lover.

I just loved them together! From their rom-coms and trash TV watching, to him doing a lot of the domestic chores at her place while she worked and performed magic, to them just cuddling up after a long day of magical mysteries, it just felt RIGHT! Their chemistry was insane in a comfortable way that speaks to a future long and meaningful relationship, rather than just a passionate night of zings and zaps.

I loved their adventures through New York (and New Jersey!) and all the magical mishaps they found themselves in. From a magical dumpling shop where you lost your memories, to a CPA jinn (who was really freaking cool) who had them stare into their deepest desires, to a “final boss” of a clay blob, it was all incredibly exciting and fun to see them work together through the problems in search of their things.

I loved how Miriam was able to make the best of everything in the end and she let herself seek help from others to accomplish it. That was a big step for her, having never really relied on anyone before. I hear you M.J., loud and clear haha

Thank you to M.J. Etkind for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.

4.5 stars!

[Serina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS. I want to clarify that I do follow MJ on instagram and did get the ARC for free, but I will still do my best to be as honest as possible. The Witch of Wall Street is set to release March 25th 2025.

We follow the FMC Miriam, who is a banker on Wall Steeet. The ethics around her job is explored throughout the book, and her identity as a woman in a male-dominated field is a big part of the plot and character. The Witch of Wall Street is a romance, but I found the aspect of the ethics and societal issues really intriguing.

I had no issue reading this during my exam week, as it was an easy read - as in an easy plot to follow, but also plain and understandable language. Definitely a plus, as I have been struggling with my reading this semester.

As this is a romance, the romance is important. I would say there are several tropes: There is rivals to lovers (in an academic sense), grumpy x sunshine, golden retriever bf, and he falls first trope. There are probably way more, but I'm not really a romance-reader, so I wouldn't know to be conpletely honest.

There is sex. Not an overwhelming amount - I would say about 5% was sex itself, but there are of course some moments where the FMC is horny, thinking about the MMC (Nelson) and more.

I'm a little unsure of what I think of the romance. I didn't hate it, but it didn't work that well for me. I enjoyed it more towards the end, and unfortunatly I can't really say what irked me. I just didn't vibe with it. The FMC and MMC are not the problem, I can tell you that much. I loved Miriam and Nelson! The plot was superfun, and I loved the treasure hunt vibes.

I rated it 4.25 stars on StoryGraph. It was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it - but I'd see if there are tropes you like first. If there are tropes you like - I think you'd like this! The plot is fun, chaotic and adventurous - even if you don't love the romance, the plot might be worth the read.

[Kaitlyn Waggoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

About: Miriam - an investment banker in NYC - lands the lead on a high stakes project. Sealing the deal would be life changing for her and her parents, but the moral dilemma presses on her mind. She attends a fundraising event and runs into a childhood aquaintance, Nelson, who also happens to be leading the non-profit that her project will affect. After spending the evening together, her broomstick and his magical taxi medallion go missing, along with her bag containing the confidential project information.

Reluctantly, they team up to find their things.

The pair go on a series of magical adventures in the search for their missing items, and run into several magical mishaps.

Will Miriam's chaos magic, and confusing feelings for her "high school nemesis" get in the way of her closing this deal? Will she learn new things about her city and have a change of heart? Or will Miriam decide to girl boss her way to the top ignoring morality and romance?

Find out in this wonderful story of magic and mayhem!

Thoughts: I thought this was a really fun read. As a woman in finance, I loved to see Miriam and Hannah and the other Witches of Wall Street.
I can totally relate to her feeling of being left behind with her friends being in different phases of life.
I thought it was really sweet to learn Nelson's perspective of Miriam & his motive for helping her. Which Miriam has always sees as annoying or judging.

This story has sweet moments, funny moments, sad moments, and nerve-wracking moments. Overall I definitely recommend it, if you like a good witchy, magical realism, forced proximity & reluctant ally story!

mild spice - some on page descriptions, mostly fade to black and suggestive.

be aware of content warnings: primarily death of a parent (mentioned), substance abuse, OD situation (not a main character) etc.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a really unique spin on your typical witchy romance. In this world, magic is real but hidden, and Miriam and Nelson both have their own magical baggage to address before we get to a happy-ish ending.

Miriam is a workaholic with chaos magic. She has worked her whole life to contain this side of her, only letting it out during her nightly broomstick rides or when it bubbles up uncontrollably. Her childhood was spent embarrassed of her obviously chaotic magic, even overshadowing the childhood friendship (or attempted friendship) of Nelson. Nelson inherited a bit of a more beneficial magic that can give him or those around him a dose of lucky benefits. This drove Miriam to be jealous and that particular resentment colored her memory of the past until they re-meet as adults.

Nelson, still a very positive person, is now leading a charity that finds homes and jobs for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to find them. Miriam’s firm, on the other hand, is secretly trying to steal the deal for new housing out from under said charity. It’s all hush hush so this puts Miriam in a bit of an awkward position when she find herself attracted to and then spending the night with her ex-arch nemesis.

This is a fade to black type romance, which didn’t bother me so much because there is A LOT they end up needing to address on their magical adventure. Oh, and they are on a magical adventure because Nelson’s magic teleporty thing and Miriam’s broomstick run away. It’s a magic thing, apparently, but ends up forcing a lot of overdue conversations, reconnections, and the Nelson/Miriam one night stand grows to multiple nights/days/weekends. Miriam also is forced to re-asses her career and what she wants to do with her life. It was definitely a journey, but ends up mostly wrapped up in a neat bow by the finish.

[Briana Dilger · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️s
Miriam is an investment banker on Wall Street. She is desperately trying to make partner at her firm, which is made extra hard by the fact that 1.) she’s a woman in a male dominated field and 2.) she’s a chaos witch. Nelson is the golden boy and can perform small miracles as his power. Nelson and Miriam find themselves in a predicament when they’re magically items, her broomstick and his taxi medallion have run off together somewhere in the city. Nelson and Miriam have to work together to find their magical items. Miriam has a secret though, her firm is working on a deal that will directly undermine the goal of Nelson’s nonprofit that provides housing to people in need. Will Nelson and Miriam find their magical items lost somewhere in the city? Will Nelson and Miriam fall in love on their quest? Will Nelson forgive Miriam when he founds out she’s taken the lead role in the deal that will devastate so many?

Slightly spoilery thoughts to follow:
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This was a super easy quick read with a lot to like. The characters are very likable, despite the fact that there are some large character flaws with Miriam, but they mostly make her real. I do wish that Miriam had just told Nelson about the deal so that that could’ve been worked out prior, and then I don’t really understand how when he found out and was like being reasonable about it she was trying to break up with him? I guess cause she felt he deserved better but I felt it was a little weird. I also thought it was weird that these two like refused to ask anyone for help finding their items, they went on a several week long quest and if they had asked for help sooner they could’ve avoided some of their mistakes. I do like that Miriam fixed it all in the end and made up for what her firm had been trying to do.

*I received an ARC of this book but I am in no way paid for my review.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miriam Blum, Wall Street investment banker and chaos witch, was just offered the lead role on a transaction which, if successful, could boost her entire career at Alchemy Partners. The transaction, however, would leave Housing Magic, a non-profit organization with a "housing first" approach to homelessness, with 500 fewer apartments for community members in need. Miriam attempts to assuage her moral dilemma by attending a Housing Magic fundraiser where she bumps into her high school nemesis and golden boy, Nelson Copperfield...who is not only a magic practitioner, but also the executive director of this NPO. After one spontaneous night together, Miriam's broomstick and Nelson's taxi medallion run off together, foiling their plans at never seeing each other again. Miriam and Nelson must work together to locate their primary modes of transportation while Miriam's guilt about her work project suddenly becomes incredibly personal.

The Witch of Wall Street was a really entertaining read but ultimately not for me. The plot had SO MUCH potential, but something about the pacing of the romance and resolution of the main conflict felt a little off. What I did like were discussions of the impact of systemic homelessness and how the author handled addiction. These teachable moments from Nelson were critical aspects of Miriam's character development and they were truly handled with care. But Miriam, girly pop, you should have changed your tune about continuing with this work project so much sooner than you did! I wanted to love this one so much because the plot is really clever, but it ended up falling a little flat for me.

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars

I received a complimentary eARC of this book from the author via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

[Melanie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

If magic were real, I would hope that it would give you exactly what you need instead of what you want. Nelson and Miriam could not be more different, at least on the surface. In fact, it surprised me that they could not even define their relationship before the one night. He saw her as a friend and she saw him as a nemesis. Whatever, they were to each other, their one night set off a wild chain of events that threatened to reshape wall street. In order to navigate the landscape of their search, they must rely on each other because their magic while different seemed to compliment the other. This was a good example of what a frenemies to lovers story should read like. Their relationship is complex until it isn't making them both better for it. The scene in the Chinese restaurant was amusing but a good example of how they worked well together despite their differences.
I also thought the conundrum that Miriam faced on what to do with the project she was working and how could she have both what she wanted, a partnership, and what the world needed, a hand. Just like magic, it seemed like life gave Miriam what she needed, a person to help her choose the right thing. Please note, she was not a bad person, it is just hard to decide between wants and needs and I think that was the theme of the whole book. She didn't want to see Nelson but she needed his help. She didn't want to fall for him but she needed someone to love. Wants vs. needs makes for tough decisions but magic led the way in this story. It was well written and amusing but also dealt with a very real underlying problem.
Thanks to NetGalley and Izzi House Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.