What do you think?
Rate this book
A Monstrous Holiday #2
Cursed by the Love Witch
Darcella Thistle has a serious problem.
A six-and-a-half-foot, dark-haired, violet-eyed problem. Bael Fangborne, the High Warlock of Axwyne School of Magic, is the most loathsome male she’s ever encountered. He’s grumpy and stubborn and assigns spellwork over the weekends. If only she hadn’t listened to Mistress Saege about expanding her affinities before graduation. She never should’ve signed up for his necromancy course in the first place.
As the only certified Love Witch at Axwyne, Darcee has been counting down the moments until she finishes school and opens her quaint apothecary to help those around her find love. It’s what she does best—even if she herself has remained painfully single for years. Regardless, no one makes a better love potion than her, and she has the happy couples to prove it.
Under Mistress Saege’s tutelage, Darcee is poised to graduate with flying colors and the ringing endorsements of those she’s successfully brought together. Everything would be perfect if not for that rotten High Warlock who seems determined to make her suffer.
When she catches her beloved teacher in tears after a run-in with the heinous male, she knows she must do something. In Darcee’s experience, there’s very little that a potion can’t solve. Would it be so terrible if she gave him something to sleep…for a decade?
Except nothing goes as planned, and instead of Bael succumbing to a deep sleep, he’s suddenly enamored with Darcee. Realizing she accidentally slipped him a love potion—and a strong one at that—she knows she should fix it. Admit to her mistake and own up to the consequences.
But something like that risks her expulsion, which jeopardizes everything she’s worked so hard for. Besides, this predicament has some obvious advantages—Bael will surely not fail the witch who’s captured his heart. Right?
However, the more she learns about Bael, the more she realizes she may have judged the male too harshly. With graduation looming, she only has to keep the charade up for a few months. Yet as the tension between them rises, what’s real and what’s been brought forth by the potion blurs.
Will the two of them forge an unlikely bond and give into passion? Or will her most potent love potion to date end up being the thing that breaks her heart?
This is a short, holiday monster romance novella between a love witch and grumpy warlock! For a list of content warnings please check the author's website.
A six-and-a-half-foot, dark-haired, violet-eyed problem. Bael Fangborne, the High Warlock of Axwyne School of Magic, is the most loathsome male she’s ever encountered. He’s grumpy and stubborn and assigns spellwork over the weekends. If only she hadn’t listened to Mistress Saege about expanding her affinities before graduation. She never should’ve signed up for his necromancy course in the first place.
As the only certified Love Witch at Axwyne, Darcee has been counting down the moments until she finishes school and opens her quaint apothecary to help those around her find love. It’s what she does best—even if she herself has remained painfully single for years. Regardless, no one makes a better love potion than her, and she has the happy couples to prove it.
Under Mistress Saege’s tutelage, Darcee is poised to graduate with flying colors and the ringing endorsements of those she’s successfully brought together. Everything would be perfect if not for that rotten High Warlock who seems determined to make her suffer.
When she catches her beloved teacher in tears after a run-in with the heinous male, she knows she must do something. In Darcee’s experience, there’s very little that a potion can’t solve. Would it be so terrible if she gave him something to sleep…for a decade?
Except nothing goes as planned, and instead of Bael succumbing to a deep sleep, he’s suddenly enamored with Darcee. Realizing she accidentally slipped him a love potion—and a strong one at that—she knows she should fix it. Admit to her mistake and own up to the consequences.
But something like that risks her expulsion, which jeopardizes everything she’s worked so hard for. Besides, this predicament has some obvious advantages—Bael will surely not fail the witch who’s captured his heart. Right?
However, the more she learns about Bael, the more she realizes she may have judged the male too harshly. With graduation looming, she only has to keep the charade up for a few months. Yet as the tension between them rises, what’s real and what’s been brought forth by the potion blurs.
Will the two of them forge an unlikely bond and give into passion? Or will her most potent love potion to date end up being the thing that breaks her heart?
This is a short, holiday monster romance novella between a love witch and grumpy warlock! For a list of content warnings please check the author's website.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 10, 2025
A delightful professor x student relationship between a grumpy professor and the adorable love witch who is failing his class. Darcee is a love witch and loves love, she's always happy to match make and make excellent potions, the only problem is she is failing a certain grumpy necromancer professor's class. Bael is a necromancy professor is has been alive for hundreds of years, dreaming about finding his mate, and he's finally found her... his very own student and love witch, she is completely off limits and student/professor relations are off limits. He's been trying to keep a distance but after see Darcee at the ball with another male, he's finally had enough and is determined to woo her. Darcee on the other hand thinks Bael hates her and when she finds a teacher crying, she assumes he is the cause and decides to dose him with a love spell..... only now that he's been dosed she's falling for him herself and she needs his help to pass the class... so she decides to give him the antidote once she passes his class and disappears, even if it means breaking her own heart that is falling in love with him. The only catch? Bael isn't actually dosed, he's immune but she doesn't know that! What's a little mischief in the way of love? This was such a fun read. I love Charlotte Swan's romances so much and this was such a fun one to read! I adore the relationship between Bael and Darcee, and it was a cute read, I will absolutely be needing the next book!
Release Date: March 11, 2025
Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)
*Thanks Charlotte Swan for sending me an arc!*
Release Date: March 11, 2025
Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)
*Thanks Charlotte Swan for sending me an arc!*
August 25, 2025
this was cute and an easy quick read
March 16, 2025
Another short sweet read by Charlotte Swan <3
I can't wait for more stories in this universe.
I can't wait for more stories in this universe.
September 4, 2025
“Hate and love are two sides of the same coin.”
The perfect blend of cozy romantasy, grumpy x sunshine, and deliciously forbidden love. This story follows Bael, a centuries-old necromancy professor with a broody, grey aura, and Darcee, a pink-haired love witch who radiates sunshine but is hopelessly failing his class.
"A love witch with no lover to call her own - I'm such a cliché."
Their opposites-attract dynamic is magnetic—Bael has been longing for his fated mate for centuries, but of course, she happens to be the one student he absolutely can’t have. The tension builds beautifully, especially after Darcee, believing he despises her, accidentally stirs up mischief with a love spell that backfires in the most delightful way.
“Please, little witch. Say my name. I need to hear it from your perfect mouth.”
Spoiler Alert: He is actually a sweet, cinnamon-roll guy who has a dark edge.
This book is an absolute treat—fun, flirty, cozy, and just the right amount of spice. Bael and Darcee’s push-and-pull relationship had me hooked from the very first page. I enjoyed the mix of whimsical charm and swoony chemistry, and the way their story unfolded was both playful and heartfelt.
“He’ll find his little witch—by any means necessary. Once she’s his, she’ll know exactly what she means to him. ‘You are my madness. Forever,’ he snarls.”
If you love forbidden romance, magical hijinks, and a grumpy hero who can’t resist his sunshine counterpart, this is a must-read. I’ll definitely be eagerly awaiting the next book in the monstrous holiday series!
Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
The perfect blend of cozy romantasy, grumpy x sunshine, and deliciously forbidden love. This story follows Bael, a centuries-old necromancy professor with a broody, grey aura, and Darcee, a pink-haired love witch who radiates sunshine but is hopelessly failing his class.
"A love witch with no lover to call her own - I'm such a cliché."
Their opposites-attract dynamic is magnetic—Bael has been longing for his fated mate for centuries, but of course, she happens to be the one student he absolutely can’t have. The tension builds beautifully, especially after Darcee, believing he despises her, accidentally stirs up mischief with a love spell that backfires in the most delightful way.
“Please, little witch. Say my name. I need to hear it from your perfect mouth.”
Spoiler Alert: He is actually a sweet, cinnamon-roll guy who has a dark edge.
This book is an absolute treat—fun, flirty, cozy, and just the right amount of spice. Bael and Darcee’s push-and-pull relationship had me hooked from the very first page. I enjoyed the mix of whimsical charm and swoony chemistry, and the way their story unfolded was both playful and heartfelt.
“He’ll find his little witch—by any means necessary. Once she’s his, she’ll know exactly what she means to him. ‘You are my madness. Forever,’ he snarls.”
If you love forbidden romance, magical hijinks, and a grumpy hero who can’t resist his sunshine counterpart, this is a must-read. I’ll definitely be eagerly awaiting the next book in the monstrous holiday series!
Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
September 3, 2026
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a super cute short fantasy romance novella featuring a love witch and her grumpy necromancer professor with a little dash of magical potion swaps. I really liked Bael and Darcee’s development and how they both were open to learning about the other. It was only about 200 pages so something that’s easy to get into and finish without spending a lot of time.
This was a super cute short fantasy romance novella featuring a love witch and her grumpy necromancer professor with a little dash of magical potion swaps. I really liked Bael and Darcee’s development and how they both were open to learning about the other. It was only about 200 pages so something that’s easy to get into and finish without spending a lot of time.
July 9, 2025
I loved this book so much! Last year I had a really great reading year, and this year I’ve been having a hard time finding books that truly capture my attention. This book had me hooked from the very beginning such a fun, quick and spicy read
August 1, 2026
.::I'm Not Mad At It::.
March 12, 2025
“Please, little witch. Say my name. I need to hear it from your perfect mouth.”
4.25⭐️
This was a delightful, short read! It was equal parts heartwarming and steamy ☺️ I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the sudden shift in Bael’s behavior towards our FMC (grumpy to golden retriever), but the author did a wonderful job writing out Darcee’s thoughts on it that made it feel natural. For it being a novella, it didn’t feel rushed or bland. The world was nicely built and the characters had depth as well!
—Sleep Potion Gone Wrong…in a Good Way?💋
—Sunshine Student x Grumpy Professor
—“Who did this to you?”🔥
—Monster Romance
4.25⭐️
This was a delightful, short read! It was equal parts heartwarming and steamy ☺️ I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the sudden shift in Bael’s behavior towards our FMC (grumpy to golden retriever), but the author did a wonderful job writing out Darcee’s thoughts on it that made it feel natural. For it being a novella, it didn’t feel rushed or bland. The world was nicely built and the characters had depth as well!
—Sleep Potion Gone Wrong…in a Good Way?💋
—Sunshine Student x Grumpy Professor
—“Who did this to you?”🔥
—Monster Romance
July 27, 2026
Delightful read about a Love Witch x Halfling Necromancer Professor. These two did not understand each other well for so long, but when Darcee finally clicks onto the truth? Aaahh such a pretty coming back together scene🖤✨️
The YEARNING from Bael? Chef's kiss 🤌🏼 so well done, I am in love with his POV, with his words, the way he woos Darcee - AAAAAAAAHHH loved it 🙂↕️💅🏽
The YEARNING from Bael? Chef's kiss 🤌🏼 so well done, I am in love with his POV, with his words, the way he woos Darcee - AAAAAAAAHHH loved it 🙂↕️💅🏽
October 5, 2026
The dubious consent is this book is kinda off putting. I mean.... HE has liked her since forever......WE as readers, know he has liked her since forever, but does SHE know that ? No. And the fact she's suddenly so lusty for him and unable to keep her hands off him....gurl bye. She literally acknowledges it's wrong but "does not care" ????
It's the equivalent of getting someone drunk or high out of their mind and having your way with them without their consent. Like again, WE know, HE knows the MMC has liked her for a long time, but SHE doesn't.
Like it's giving the same vibes as those morally grey tropes but it's usually the MMC whose toeing the lines of consent. So it's a weird switch up to see the FMC do it now.
Like overall I get it's just a fun book and I even finished it. But the idea that she doesn't know he's not completely operating under the love spell, and essentially kinda vaguely "assaulting" him...in her perspective at least. Idk not so crazy about it lol.
It's the equivalent of getting someone drunk or high out of their mind and having your way with them without their consent. Like again, WE know, HE knows the MMC has liked her for a long time, but SHE doesn't.
Like it's giving the same vibes as those morally grey tropes but it's usually the MMC whose toeing the lines of consent. So it's a weird switch up to see the FMC do it now.
Like overall I get it's just a fun book and I even finished it. But the idea that she doesn't know he's not completely operating under the love spell, and essentially kinda vaguely "assaulting" him...in her perspective at least. Idk not so crazy about it lol.
March 13, 2025
"A love witch with no lover to call her own - I'm such a cliché."
Darcee's a love with and when her best friend asked for a love potion, she brewed one. However, she made a mistake and the love potion was drank by her professor, Bael. Now he's pursuing her buit she knows it's a lie.
Okay, I knew going into this book that this is gonna have a professor x student trope but quite frankly, idk I felt icky.
I do appreciate how the author handled the relationship with care, but I don't think this book is for me. It took me 2 days to read this fairly short book and that's saying something.
I will still read the future books in this series.
Darcee's a love with and when her best friend asked for a love potion, she brewed one. However, she made a mistake and the love potion was drank by her professor, Bael. Now he's pursuing her buit she knows it's a lie.
Okay, I knew going into this book that this is gonna have a professor x student trope but quite frankly, idk I felt icky.
I do appreciate how the author handled the relationship with care, but I don't think this book is for me. It took me 2 days to read this fairly short book and that's saying something.
I will still read the future books in this series.
March 26, 2025
I cannot even begin to describe how much I loved this book.
The magic aura that permeates the story is electrifying, as is the romance!
Like Darcee, I, too, at the beginning believed that the potion had worked on him. However, the timing was extremely off and way too coincidental.
Bael was amazing, devoted to her and so eager to show how much he loved and longed for her.
The book was the perfect length, Charlotte has the unique gift of being able to create a whole universe and develop it beautifully in just a few pages, and you don't feel like you've missed anything!
I want to thank Charlotte for sending me the ARC to review!
The magic aura that permeates the story is electrifying, as is the romance!
Like Darcee, I, too, at the beginning believed that the potion had worked on him. However, the timing was extremely off and way too coincidental.
Bael was amazing, devoted to her and so eager to show how much he loved and longed for her.
The book was the perfect length, Charlotte has the unique gift of being able to create a whole universe and develop it beautifully in just a few pages, and you don't feel like you've missed anything!
I want to thank Charlotte for sending me the ARC to review!
June 14, 2026
Good book, I read this just after reading Charlotte’s other book “Gifted to the Frost King”. I can say I enjoyed this one better.
I will say it was annoying for Darcee to keep bringing up the same thing over and over again like literally in every chapter. She was sooooo in denial about the situation lol
Just as in the other book, I’m not a fan of the use of the words “mate” and “male” over “lover/partner” and “guy”. Idkkkk it makes it weird to me lol but I just changed the word in my mind when I’d read it.
I love love love how the ending played out and we got a glimpse of things years later, I LOVE when books have a good Epilogue!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ 5/5!
I will say it was annoying for Darcee to keep bringing up the same thing over and over again like literally in every chapter. She was sooooo in denial about the situation lol
Just as in the other book, I’m not a fan of the use of the words “mate” and “male” over “lover/partner” and “guy”. Idkkkk it makes it weird to me lol but I just changed the word in my mind when I’d read it.
I love love love how the ending played out and we got a glimpse of things years later, I LOVE when books have a good Epilogue!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ 5/5!
March 17, 2025
The FMC drove me nuts the whole book. She’s bad in a class and doesn’t put forth any effort because she doesn’t like the subject. Just whines that the teachers are out to get her and ruin her life. She mentions this about the MMC and another professor at the school.
Then she’s the one who is wanting the secrecy, which makes sense. But then accuses him of just wanting her as a secret sex toy because of her guilt.
Then she’s the one who is wanting the secrecy, which makes sense. But then accuses him of just wanting her as a secret sex toy because of her guilt.
March 22, 2025
This truly is a teacher/student story and I lived for it! There is no denying that Bael, it was truly cursed by the love witch, Darcee, in her own ways. The instant connection of the love-hate relationship that Darcee has towards Bael just made the story even more compelling! And completely unaware of Bael’s true hidden self until the end was just one of the best ways for them to come together!
March 12, 2025
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ never did I think a book with a virgin MMC could be so spicy. I loved Bael and Darcee’s dynamic and relationship and had so much fun reading it and rooting for her to realize her misunderstanding of the situation. Can’t wait for Charlotte Swan’s next iteration in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2026
I loved it! It was a simple and easy read, the premise and plot were interesting too. I really liked how they got to know each other and understand each other better. While it was questionable how they got together, they still took it slow and got to know the different sides of each person - good or bad. I liked the concepts and world-building, especially how Darcee was a love witch. Though I will say it was disappointing how during the story she kept saying it was her life’s dream to open a store and though she did get to do that at the end it was so sad that in the timeskip she just gave up and became a professor instead. Like why make that such a big plot point but degrade it to something else at the epilogue? She worked so hard to save for the store and to have her hard work erased by the epilogue sucks. Overall great read though.
October 3, 2026
3.5⭐️ This was so cute and hot! I love a good paranormal romance, I love the college setting and the professorXstudent dynamic!!I wished there was a more detailed background, the college structure and society. The plot itself was cute and I loved the build up! The ending was adorable!
2/5🌶️
2/5🌶️
March 15, 2025
*4.5 Stars*
April 2, 2025
2.5⭐️
No entendí porque Bael esperó años.
No entendí porque Bael esperó años.
June 26, 2025
I enjoyed this book than I did the first one, still some grammar errors and misused words but overall the story was good.
July 3, 2025
I adore this!!
I couldn’t stop reading it, it was actually so cute and definitely something I’ll re-read come Halloween time! I’m not much of a witchy person, but this was actually such a good read and I love it so much!
I couldn’t stop reading it, it was actually so cute and definitely something I’ll re-read come Halloween time! I’m not much of a witchy person, but this was actually such a good read and I love it so much!
August 25, 2025
honestly this was rlly cute and I'm glad I read it
August 30, 2026
A good little pallet cleanser novella, but nothing special. I wish the demon had more oomph and wasn’t so ‘simpy’ but it was a surface level story, so I can’t expect much.
September 5, 2026
This was actually so sweet and lovely. Really enjoyed disappearing in this story.
September 7, 2026
Had a fun time reading this! We love a grumpy gills who’s done bad for his girl. And the mouth Bael had, HAWT.
September 18, 2026
Typos galore, but this was a cute and quick read
September 21, 2026
AHHHHHHHHH this was such a cute novella and it is perfect for a transition to fall!!!!
loved the twist at the end, made their story so much better :)
loved the twist at the end, made their story so much better :)
September 21, 2026
Better than the first in the series. Quick read.
October 5, 2026
3.75/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews