A Witch in Notting Hill: A Novel

by Alexandra Paige

Perfect for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, this cozy and whimsical romance follows an accident-prone witch and a hot grumpy occult bookstore owner who doesn’t believe in magic as they travel across London to undo a spell gone awry. 

When rising Hollywood actress and secret witch Willow James accidentally turns her manager into a cat while trying to escape her contract, she’s sure she’s hit her magical low point. Determined to fix her mistake, she journeys to London in search of a rare spell hidden within the famed occult bookstore, Coven & Codex. The last thing she expects? The shop’s brooding, handsome owner, Oliver Hadley, who’d rather avoid magic altogether.

Together—with a ragtag group of friends (both human and feline)—Willow and Oliver must scour every corner of the city, from museums to festivals to bustling street markets, to find the missing pieces of the spell. Along the way, Willow’s unpredictable magic and Oliver’s skeptical heart will face the one thing they can't escape… love.

Filled with enchanting adventures, sparkling romance, and a dash of mischief, A Witch in Notting Hill is a sweet and spirited tale of discovering magic where you least expect it.

Genres: Romance

343 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

ALEXANDRA PAIGE is a writer and educator. She is enthusiastic about all things romance, and her work often serves as a love letter to European travel and the chaos of being twenty-something. She currently writes in an apartment she shares with her boyfriend above a pizzeria downtown, though her stories are always taking her elsewhere. She has an MFA from Lindenwood University and lives in New Jersey. Weekends with You is her first novel.

Reviews

[Mai H.]

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Avon a

[Katie Shaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I’ve known magic is real since the first time I saw you.” ✨📚

Think Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Notting Hill. 🤝 * but add a little spice 🌶️

When Willow, a famous actress and decidedly mediocre witch accidentally turns her manager into a cat, she flees Los Angeles for England in search of a reversal spell. Her grandmother has always said that when you’re in a bind, bookshops are ALWAYS answer, and that advice leads Willow to an occult bookshop in Notting Hill.

There, she meets Oliver, the charming but highly skeptical shop owner. With the help of Oliver and his two star-struck friends, Willow sets out to find the spell she needs to turn her manager back into a human. As she works to gain control over her magic, she also finds herself falling for Oliver, despite his disbelief in everything she represents.

This was such a fun, whimsical, and cozy read with great banter and a magical setting. Perfect for readers who enjoy light fantasy blended with romance. 🪄

Thank you to Alexandra Paige and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Cristiana Marques · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Witch in Notting Hill": ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5 stars)

"Oliver Hadley unchecked was its own kind of magic."

Title: A Witch In Notting Hill
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alexandra Paige
Pages: 343

Thoughts:

This is my first ever Alexandra Paige book. I'm not disappointed in the least bit. For the fans of Notting Hill with Julia Roberts, this book is perfect. Hollywood actress comes to London, falls in love with a guy who owns a bookstore and decides to stay? SLAY 💅🏻

Now add in a little bit of magic ✨ and you get this book.

We have Willow and Oliver as our main characters, Vera is Willow's manager and she's turned into a CAT 😺 by accident (spoilers) and the whole plot of the book is Willow following a quest her grandmother left her to solve this problem. You know who shinned here? MINHO AND LOLA! BOOM! Such good friends and supporters.

I loved the romance, I loved the setting and I loved the happy ending. It's slow-burn romance, a bit of instant attraction, push & pull kind of situation and two chapters with open door spice ❤️‍🔥

This book is a MUST for any seasonal readers, such as myself. Thank you for the e-arc to the publisher, Net galley and, of course, the author.

[Kerris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5*

This was… interesting. A sweet little romance with a touch of the supernatural, plenty of humor, and a “mysterious” twist.

The heroine is a clumsy witch and a movie star who accidentally turns her agent into a cat. That sets off her mission to undo the spell – with the reluctant help of a grumpy bookstore owner who doesn’t believe in magic. Cue a string of funny moments, talking-cat banter (only she can hear it, of course), and an overall cozy, chaotic vibe.

The male lead is your classic skeptic-turned-believer type, and their chemistry builds slowly.

The whole thing gave me “adult Sabrina the Teenage Witch” vibes — charming, silly, and lighthearted. It was an easy, pleasant read, even if it didn’t completely blow me away.

[Rachel Amata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Alexandra Paige and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review🪄
3.5 stars for this cute, little book straight from the 90's romcom movie screen.
~~~~~~~
Oliver was the sweetest MC, and I respected him for assisting Willow with her quest and general witchy behavior especially considering he didn't believe in any of it. A man who doesn't believe you have magic but lets you drag him around London stealing books and polar plunging in the Heath just for your own mental sanity is goals.
~~~~~
My qualms are small, but once I noticed them I couldn't stop fixating. First, you can't live in the UK without a visa for more than 6 months. Willow just continued living there, per the epilogue. Maybe there are different rules for celebrities? Would have loved if that was mentioned even as a throw-away line for the reader to 'suspend their beliefs'.
And I KNOW this is fiction. A witchy romance with fictional characters and actions, but why wasn't the talking cat consistent with who she could speak to? Why was it mentioned that she could only be heard and talk to Willow, and yet she was somehow the one who leaked the rumor with Kit? How? Who did she speak to?
~~~~~
It's a bummer about the above mentioned items because I really like the author's writing style! I'm still definitely going to read her next works. And the cover is adorable.

[Heather Bunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Witch in Notting Hill is the cozy, magical escape I didn't know I needed! 🧹✨

If you are trash for the 'grumpy x sunshine' trope (he owns a bookstore, she’s a chaotic celebrity witch!), this is such a fun read. Willow is great, but oh my gosh, she tested my patience! 😩 She turns her manager into a cat (yes, really!) and instead of just asking Oliver for help, she ties herself in knots trying to hide it.

I was literally groaning out loud, "Just tell him the truth, Willow!" It was so frustrating watching her lie to him when the chemistry was clearly there. She was so stubborn about protecting her secret that I wanted to shake her.

But when the walls finally came down? I was swooning hard. The magic system is super cool and Oliver is total book boyfriend material. I’m giving it 4 stars because the miscommunication stressed me out a little too much, but the ending was worth it. Defintely pick this up for a spooky season treat.

Rating: 4 stars (Oliver is perfect, even if Willow made me work for it!)

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun witchy romance. This was whimsical and cozy, set in London. Willow is a witch who accidentally turns her manager into a cat. In order to reverse the spell, she must go to a bookshop in London where she encounters the skeptical Oliver. Together they form a somewhat unlikely friendship to try and reverse the spell.

This was full of adventure and whimsy. At times I felt like the story was a bit slow, but overall enjoyed the story.

[TD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley!

This book was cute and entertaining and when I got a third of the way in, I binged the rest of the book in one sitting. I don't think it'll leave a lasting impression on me as I had trouble connecting to the characters, but I did enjoy the book overall. I do look forward to reading more from this author.

[summer]

dnf just under 50%. cute, lacks depth. could recommend to others but not for me.