A Tempting Cure

by Amber Paige

A witch. A blacksmith. A deadly plague, and the childhood enemies forced to stop it.

With the rise of fall, the plague awakens.

Serena, a local witch with a renowned bakery has taken it upon herself to find a cure for the Scarlem illness before it returns. But with each development, she meets a dead end, until an upsettingly familiar face returns to town.

Sebastian has moved back to Carnith to open a new smithy and care for his sister, Odette, a victim of Scarlem. When he happens upon Serena, they clash. having been her childhood tormentor, they don’t see eye to eye until Odette falls ill again, and they agree to work together to end Scarlem once and for all.

It’s a race against the clock. a witch and a blacksmith seek to save their home.

Will their tension get in the way?

Or does fate have another plan in mind?

Enemies to Lovers
Witch x Blacksmith
Magic
Autumn Vibes
Spice

Please read trigger warnings before reading.

134 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2025

About the author

Amber Paige writes romance/contemporary romance/fantasy novels with HEA’s. When she’s not obsessing over commas or letting her imposter syndrome win you can find her writing, reading, playing videos games, or watching too much TV.

Instagram:
https://instagram.com/amberpaige_writ...

Reviews

[TeagzReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I heard the hero in A Tempting Cure looked like ATJ, it was an immediate yes, add to cart🛒

Reluctant allies Sebastian and Serena are forced together to stop a deadly plague. Witch, Serena, thinks she has a lead on a cure, and Sebastian’s back in town because his sister is ill, and he wants nothing more than to find a cure for her. But Sebastian? He was Serena’s school tormentor, and she’s initially less than enthusiastic to have him along for the ride.

I love this combination of tropes, I always eat them up!
I only wished the book was longer so we could have seen more of the characters and their development both as kids and in the present. For being a quick read though, I thought the author did a good job of delivering us a solid romance and adventure story within the pages we had!

This book reminded me how well Amber writes fantasy action scenes. Her writing has such a cinematic quality to it that she completely transports you into the moment with her characters. I first experienced it reading her book The Academy Games, which I also loved!

If you’re looking for a short cozy fall vibes fantasy book to round out your reading season, definitely check this one out!

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ Clearing my ARC Backlog ~

⋆｡°✩ Spoiler Free Reviews ⋆｡°✩

I was kindly provided with this book (censorship is BS and I hate it but here we are!)

4.5 stars.
This is a witch X human novella (120 ish pages). Autumn vibes, historical, curvy FMC, enemies to lovers, second chance, bit of suspense/tension.
Smut was 2/5 on the spice scale and it’s a HEA.

Serena is our FMC and she is such a complex character for such a short story! She’s a witch, she’s curvy with fiery red hair, and she’s on a mission to save the world from a plague. I could read a full length novel about her & her magic!

Sebastian is the MMC and he’s the classic pigtail pulling asshole as a child. Did he mature? Hells yeah. Did he absolutely drool over the FMC? Too right! He was great, no notes.

[Erin Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨🔮🌞🌕🍄🌕🌞🔮✨

ARC REVIEW

A tempting cure - Amber Paige

4/5⭐️

📚📚📚
This one was such a fast and great read! It gave me all the cozy feels while reading and omg I just loved Serena! From her sass to just her funny mouth I just couldn’t get enough. Sebastian I just adored too! These two together were just perfect. The banter and tension between those two truly hut just right. When they finally gave in, I had the biggest smile on my face. Overall I really enjoyed this one and totally recommend adding to your tbr!

📚📚📚
If you like to read:
- Enemies to lovers
- Witch x blacksmith
- Cozy magic
- Autumn vibes
- Spice
… You should definitely check this out

📚📚📚

Thank you so much for sending me a copy for an honest review in my own words. #giftedcopy

QOTD✨what’s a book that gave you all the cozy vibes? Or what’s a book you’re looking forward to reading?

#books #booklover #smut #booknerd #bookfriend #bookish #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookloversunite #instabook #bookporn #bookphotography #reviews #igbooks #ilovereading #smutty #bookaddiction #bookhoader #hotnsexy #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecs #yummy #givemeallthebooks #readingthepainaway #booktok

[Alyssa Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a fun and quick read!

I loved the banter between the Sebastian and Serena. They cracked me up with how much they couldn’t stand each other but on the inside secretly loved every minute of being near each other.

The storyline and plot were so easy to follow and I was really rooting for Serena when it came to finding the cure for her village! I honestly wanted more of the story because it drew me in right away!

Sebastian cracked me up, but also had me swooning with how he cared for not only his sister Odette but when he finally admitted it to himself, Serena. The spicy couple of scenes had me giggling because you certainly expect the tension between them, but not to the point it gets.

Definitely recommend if you want a quick fall read with laughs and love all around!

4⭐️
2.5 🌶️

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tempting Cure is a good quick read for fans of magical romance and small-town fantasy!

What you get.....
♡Enemies to Lovers
♡Firey Witch
♡Blacksmith
♡Cozy Magic
♡Fantasy Romance
♡Cinnamon Roll MMC
♡Autumn Vibes
♡Adorable Pixie Sidekicks🫶🫶
♡Great Banter
♡Adventure
♡Spicy Scenes 🔥 🥵 🔥 🥵


Serena, the local witch, is determined to find a cure for the deadly Scarlem illness before it strikes again.

Sebastian returns to Carnith to open a smithy and care for his sister, Odette one of Scarlem’s victims.

Can these two come together to save their world and maybe fall in love along the way?

Amber knows how to pull you into her stories and make you love her characters! I hope we get more books set in this magical world! 🥰

[Kelsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice🌶️.5

This was the perfect fall, magical, low angst read I have been looking for! I absolutely loved Sebastian and Serena’s relationship from start to finish seeing what made them enemies but facing an attraction they’d always been fighting but finally gave into! It was just an all around great read that is full of sassy, hilarious banter, enemies to lovers romance, and just enough of a time crunch to keep you on your toes, a sprinkling of spice, and a happily ever after that’ll leave you wanting a whole series for these characters! A Tempting Cure is one I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for a sweet and spicy short read!

[Dalila Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review.💋🖤

I’d love to thank the author for this Arc, I love you so much. This was a wonderful experience.♥️♥️

I absolutely loved this novel, it was a fun, easy read, the characters were perfect, I can see where this small story was going, the character development, the tension and chemistry was amazing. The spice had my heart fluttering and kicking my feet. The tropes were all there.💋💋

Overall, this was a fun fall read, I enjoyed every single page, devouring it deliciously. I love the characters so much.♥️♥️ Thank you so much Amber for this wonderful novel, I can’t wait for more of your amazing novels.💋🖤

[Rhea Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review!

Troupes:

Enemies to lovers
Witch x Blacksmith
Cozy magic
Autumn Vibes
Spice

This is my first arc reading and I loved this book! I would definitely read more from Amber. I personally thought that this was a cute level of spice and the connection between Serena and Sebastian was amazing.

Serena is a witch that will do anything in her power to save her friend, even dealing with her childhood enemy.

Sebastian has his faults but in the end was able to admit his feelings that he’d hidden since childhood.

If you are looking for a cute, angsty, spicy book— Serena and Seb’s story is worth the read! 🩷🩷

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

A Tempting Cure by Amber Paige is a cozy yet intense fantasy romance that perfectly blends autumn magic, enemies-to-lovers tension, and emotional stakes. Serena and Sebastian’s relationship is full of sparks—both magical and romantic—as they’re forced to work together against time and the deadly Scarlem plague. The atmospheric writing and witchy, fall-inspired world make it easy to get lost in Carnith.

A heartfelt, enchanting story with just the right mix of tension, magic, and spice.

[SiSi ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could definitely go for a full version of this read.

Sebastian and Serena are the kind of enemies to lovers that I enjoy, there's definitely the fight before giving in and becoming lovers and even then there's always a fight still.

As for Odette, I would love to see a little story for her and it be her happy ending as she definitely deserves one!

As always, I'll be waiting for the next great read from Amber!

[Ali (Valentine's Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very hot, banter-filled, enemies to lovers, quick read from a favorite indie author of mine! Definitely want more of these two! 😘 I love the autumn vibes, the fiery healer witch & the deeper-than-he-appears blacksmith pairing, and the smut in this one. It is a very quick read so it feels 0-100 with the love story but that's kinda the whole point with romance books this length. I enjoyed this one!

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and spicy fantasy romance full of magic and heart.
Serena is a curvy red haired witch who bakes enchanted treats instead of brewing potions, and Sebastian is the burly blacksmith who once teased her but now cannot stay away. Between the nickname Red, the one bed tension, and a sprinkle of fairy chaos, this story had me hooked.

The playlist that comes with the book is amazing too. I found some new songs I love 🎶

[Lianne Scheepers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is adventurous, cute, and hot as hell. This lovely combination is starting to feel like Amber’s signature move at this point, and I’m here for it!

Serena and Sebastian are lovely. Though they don’t exactly start of on the right foot, they soon learn they share a common goal. I really enjoyed their journey towards this common goal, since we get a lot of witty banter and passion on the side.

And let’s not forget about those pixies! Rebel, Rocky and Betty. Upping that cuteness factor even more!
This story was absolutely lovely, the perfect fall read. 💜

[Niky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. I think this either needed to be a full book or needed another chapter to make it less 0 to 100 so quickly. it was an easy cute read. loved the characters and the idea of the plot but it was just kinda lacking for me unfortunately. I hope this is revisited and becomes a whole book and not just a glimpse of the story.

[Shernina Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there was more

I wished there was more! This was really good. It had everything that I like in a fantasy. The characters were amazing and of course this was enemies to lovers. That’s one of my favorite tropes. The plot was really good and I would love to see where this story could go!

[Amber Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m beyond excited to share Sebastian and Serena’s story. Could it be longer? Yes, 100%. But my brain is tired lol. I would love to return to this later! I think it’s safe to say the story isn’t quite over yet 😉

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story. I couldn't get enough of it and finished it in one sitting. Red and Seb are the best. I loved their sweet frenemies to lovers vibe. I loved watching them band together to find a cure for his sister. If you are looking for a cozy romance, I'd give this one a chance.

[Alyssa Biggerstaff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a cozy but intense read. I loved the mix of magic, small town autumn vibes, and slow-burn tension. I actually cared about the characters and their town. A great mix of romance, mystery, and spice. Definitely worth reading! 10/10

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want a full length story. This was good and I liked the idea a lot. It was just so quick and short I want more.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

In LOVE! The perfect fall read with a hot blacksmith 🥵

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Amber writes it, I’m gonna read it. Another great story! I’d love to see more one day 😍

[Torie Stallings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet! Sebastian and Serena didn’t care for each other but is that really true? Falling fast for each other and saving the world at the same time! Such a cute little fall read!

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute and quick read! A perfect, fast paced, enemies to lovers in a magical setting.

[Ashley Arca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little novella! It was so cute and sweet, yet the spice was just right. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope. And honestly, who doesn’t love an MMC names Sebastian?

[Judy L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute and very quick read. I loved the friends to enemies and the spicy scene was *chef’s kiss *

[AndreasBookFinds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella hooked me from the very first page, and I couldn’t stop reading until the end. Amber Paige kept me intrigued with every twist and delivered a story that lingered even after I finished.

[Angelica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was short and sweet and to the point.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I felt like some of the wording was too modern for the story itself. When he calls her derogatory names during the spicy scenes, I felt like it was out of place for the overall theme of the novella. Granted, they both butt heads, but what enemies to lovers don't?