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Hexed For The Holiday: A Magical Paranormal Romance
A meddling ghost. A magical mishap. One secret that changes everything.
Ophelia Turner is working at her late mother’s shop, Hexed, when a snowstorm threatens to shut her in for the night. Before she can head home, a surprise Sam Watts stops in. He’s tall, handsome, very human—and sure, it’s cliché, but she’s been secretly in love with her childhood best friend since forever.
Sam has a secret of his own—one he’s kept near to his chest instead of telling his stunning, purple-haired, sassy best friend of a witch. He’s been gone for three months, but he’s never questioned where his home is.
Ophelia is excited to find out what's next for Sam, but she never expected a night with him to go like this...
Ophelia Turner is working at her late mother’s shop, Hexed, when a snowstorm threatens to shut her in for the night. Before she can head home, a surprise Sam Watts stops in. He’s tall, handsome, very human—and sure, it’s cliché, but she’s been secretly in love with her childhood best friend since forever.
Sam has a secret of his own—one he’s kept near to his chest instead of telling his stunning, purple-haired, sassy best friend of a witch. He’s been gone for three months, but he’s never questioned where his home is.
Ophelia is excited to find out what's next for Sam, but she never expected a night with him to go like this...
118 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
June 13, 2026
⭐⭐
2 stars.
➕ What I liked :
Some tiny things about the magic was interesting and so was the ghost of the heroines meddling grandmother.
OK voice actors/narrators.
Friends to lovers romance.
Tallish heroine.
➖ What I disliked:
The pacing feels clunky/has a weird rhythm/is stilted but also kind of choppy in a strange way…. And how the main characters talked to each other just felt strange and unnatural both as friends and as lovers…. There was no smoothness to it no natural flow so to speak and just felt contrived among many other things.
But also even if it can be somewhat awkward for long time friends to go from friendship to becoming/being lovers … how they talked to each other did not feel like two adults… it was in some ways immature and also OTT awkward… and even-though they were not bad at communication exactly... it just was weird how they talked and behaved.
Even for a novella everything is very very rushed and the couple moves way too fast from one thing to another even if they have known each other for a long time and been friends for a long time… they just started dating and then boom they are a couple and then married etc.
Other than their friendship that also was kind of strange in some ways ….. the author does not let the main characters/couple let things develop between them in a good way or let them get to know each other romantically and sexually etc. before everything just goes from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye…. And there is not really any explanation or anything to show why the main characters have romantic feelings for each other… or/and very little to no emotional depth.
Because of all those things and some others there is just so much that becomes cringey and but also in many ways forced.
The main characters inner monologue was also kind of jarring.... both of them had this kind of weird self-doubt and doubt about things that just made them seem much younger than they were... and other stuff like that.
Even for a novella there just need to be much more build-up to many things and more background info but also more description both with the main characters but also other little details that make a story a story or a plot a plot.
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June 18, 2026Thank you to the author for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
Hexed for the Holiday was a fun, fast-paced listen that had just the right mix of holiday magic, romance, and spice. Daphne Winters and Lee Summers did a wonderful job bringing Ophelia and Sam to life, making it easy to get lost in their story. I loved the friends-to-lovers romance, the magical elements, and the meddling ghost grandma, who added plenty of charm and humor. If you're looking for a quick and entertaining holiday novella, this one is definitely worth the listen! It is a very cozy book so I am planning on picking this up again around the holidays!
Hexed for the Holiday was a fun, fast-paced listen that had just the right mix of holiday magic, romance, and spice. Daphne Winters and Lee Summers did a wonderful job bringing Ophelia and Sam to life, making it easy to get lost in their story. I loved the friends-to-lovers romance, the magical elements, and the meddling ghost grandma, who added plenty of charm and humor. If you're looking for a quick and entertaining holiday novella, this one is definitely worth the listen! It is a very cozy book so I am planning on picking this up again around the holidays!
June 11, 2026
4 Stars 💫
Thank you so much to the author for the ALC! 💜
Hexed for the Holiday was such a silly, fun, spicy, quick listen! The narrators, Daphne Winters and Lee Summers, did an awesome job of bringing Ophelia and Sam to life in audio! When starting to listen, I was quickly invested, and I ended up devouring the audiobook within just one sitting. Friends to lovers will forever be one of my favorite tropes, and this book encapsulates that perfectly. And the end?? I always love getting the cute little epilogue updates that really pull the story together for me. This was a book that I enjoyed listening to! If you enjoy witchy, paranormal romance-type stories, consider reading/listening to this one!
Thank you so much to the author for the ALC! 💜
Hexed for the Holiday was such a silly, fun, spicy, quick listen! The narrators, Daphne Winters and Lee Summers, did an awesome job of bringing Ophelia and Sam to life in audio! When starting to listen, I was quickly invested, and I ended up devouring the audiobook within just one sitting. Friends to lovers will forever be one of my favorite tropes, and this book encapsulates that perfectly. And the end?? I always love getting the cute little epilogue updates that really pull the story together for me. This was a book that I enjoyed listening to! If you enjoy witchy, paranormal romance-type stories, consider reading/listening to this one!
June 29, 2026
Overall Rating: 2.5 ⭐️
Spicy Rating: 2 🌶️
Audio Rating: 3 🎧 (dual)
Unfortunately, to me the writing was very childish and cliche. There was a lot of telling instead of showing. I do think the author has a good creative mindset for the foundation, but should focus on technique.
I also wasn’t a fan of the female narrator, her performance fell flat and her voice was too childish for the character. The male narrator was great however and I enjoyed his chapters
Spicy Rating: 2 🌶️
Audio Rating: 3 🎧 (dual)
Unfortunately, to me the writing was very childish and cliche. There was a lot of telling instead of showing. I do think the author has a good creative mindset for the foundation, but should focus on technique.
I also wasn’t a fan of the female narrator, her performance fell flat and her voice was too childish for the character. The male narrator was great however and I enjoyed his chapters
November 17, 2025
I had the privelege of being an ARC reader for this story!
It’s a cute little book! I honestly wish it was longer, as I really enjoyed the beginning of the book with Sam & Ophelia. I’d have loved to see more of their relationship before becoming lovers!
The only reason why I rated it 4 stars is because the spicy scenes didn’t seem to read truly authentic? Some of the dialogue just felt off & a bit forced. That being said, I’ll definitely be reading more of her books!
It’s a cute little book! I honestly wish it was longer, as I really enjoyed the beginning of the book with Sam & Ophelia. I’d have loved to see more of their relationship before becoming lovers!
The only reason why I rated it 4 stars is because the spicy scenes didn’t seem to read truly authentic? Some of the dialogue just felt off & a bit forced. That being said, I’ll definitely be reading more of her books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2025
I had the great privilege of getting an ARC of this book and I really enjoyed it! Since it’s a novella, it was a really quick read. I loved the quick relationship evolution between Ophelia and Sam and enjoyed the small paranormal aspects of the story.
This book has spice, friends-to-lovers, ghosts, and witchy elements that all result in a good little book.
This book has spice, friends-to-lovers, ghosts, and witchy elements that all result in a good little book.
November 26, 2025
3.5
Thanks to the author for an eARC to read and review!
I had fun with this one! There's spicy scenes, friends-to-lover, and fun magic all wrapped up in the snowed-in (or, rather, hexed-in) situation for Ophelia and Sam. I liked the quick pacing of the story, naturally for a novella, though I did find myself wishing we got a little more depth about Ophelia and Sam's relationship beyond just knowing they've been best friends for almost their entire lives. I just found myself wanting to know more about *why* they have romantic feelings for each other. That said, I enjoyed their romance otherwise!
The magic in here was so much fun, I think that was my favorite aspect! The way a little 'serum'/potion came into play was fun, a meddling ghost grandma trying to get the two to hook up made me want to giggle, and the magic Ophelia brings into play during the sex scenes kept up the paranormal/witchy aspects throughout the story. I did find myself pulled out of the story a bit during the sex scenes because of some of the inner monologue of Ophelia or Sam or the dialogue and actions feeling a bit forced or rushed.
Overall, it's a quick, cozy, yet spicy snowed-in romance with fun dashes of magic, great main characters (lots of explicit consent!), and fun side characters (shoutout to Grandma Mary and Junie, especially Junie at the end)! I'd be interested in reading more from the author and seeing how she could build more developed characters and expand a magical world/setting. I think the witchy/magic details had me hooked the most.
Thanks to the author for an eARC to read and review!
I had fun with this one! There's spicy scenes, friends-to-lover, and fun magic all wrapped up in the snowed-in (or, rather, hexed-in) situation for Ophelia and Sam. I liked the quick pacing of the story, naturally for a novella, though I did find myself wishing we got a little more depth about Ophelia and Sam's relationship beyond just knowing they've been best friends for almost their entire lives. I just found myself wanting to know more about *why* they have romantic feelings for each other. That said, I enjoyed their romance otherwise!
The magic in here was so much fun, I think that was my favorite aspect! The way a little 'serum'/potion came into play was fun, a meddling ghost grandma trying to get the two to hook up made me want to giggle, and the magic Ophelia brings into play during the sex scenes kept up the paranormal/witchy aspects throughout the story. I did find myself pulled out of the story a bit during the sex scenes because of some of the inner monologue of Ophelia or Sam or the dialogue and actions feeling a bit forced or rushed.
Overall, it's a quick, cozy, yet spicy snowed-in romance with fun dashes of magic, great main characters (lots of explicit consent!), and fun side characters (shoutout to Grandma Mary and Junie, especially Junie at the end)! I'd be interested in reading more from the author and seeing how she could build more developed characters and expand a magical world/setting. I think the witchy/magic details had me hooked the most.
December 29, 2025
A huge thank you to Courtney Corlew for sending me this eARC! I truly enjoyed every moment of it ☺️
Hexed For The Holiday is a fast‑paced, delightfully cozy novella following Ophelia, a witch who runs her late mother’s shop, Hexed. It’s the kind of charming little café-bookstore hybrid where you can curl up with a hot drink and lose yourself in a book or buy a hex or two. Who doesn’t love these kind of settings?
One snowy evening, as a storm rolls in, Ophelia gets an unexpected visit from Sam, her best friend’s brother and her long‑time crush. Just as they’re about to close up, Ophelia’s grandmother’s ghost hexes the door shut, trapping them inside together. What follows is a rising tide of tension, confessions, and chaos all because of an accidental spray of truth serum. The result is a fun, page‑turning cascade of delicious truths, chemistry, and magical details.
Hexed For The Holiday is the perfect quick read for the festive season. It’s warm, witchy, and wonderfully bingeable. If you’re close to hitting your Goodreads goal, this little gem will help you cross the finish line with a smile!
Tropes & Vibes:
❄️ friends‑to‑lovers
❄️ ghosts & witches
❄️ snowed‑in
❄️ open‑door spice
Hexed For The Holiday is a fast‑paced, delightfully cozy novella following Ophelia, a witch who runs her late mother’s shop, Hexed. It’s the kind of charming little café-bookstore hybrid where you can curl up with a hot drink and lose yourself in a book or buy a hex or two. Who doesn’t love these kind of settings?
One snowy evening, as a storm rolls in, Ophelia gets an unexpected visit from Sam, her best friend’s brother and her long‑time crush. Just as they’re about to close up, Ophelia’s grandmother’s ghost hexes the door shut, trapping them inside together. What follows is a rising tide of tension, confessions, and chaos all because of an accidental spray of truth serum. The result is a fun, page‑turning cascade of delicious truths, chemistry, and magical details.
Hexed For The Holiday is the perfect quick read for the festive season. It’s warm, witchy, and wonderfully bingeable. If you’re close to hitting your Goodreads goal, this little gem will help you cross the finish line with a smile!
Tropes & Vibes:
❄️ friends‑to‑lovers
❄️ ghosts & witches
❄️ snowed‑in
❄️ open‑door spice
November 24, 2025
Sam and Ophelia have been friends their whole lives, each of them has a secret, they are in love with each other. Sam comes back to town trying to talk himself into taking the first step. Through a series of mishaps the choice is taken out of his hands. The mishaps involve a truth hex made my Ophelia and her Ghost grandmothe locking them in.
This is a really fun read not to mention spicy. I loved it from start to finish.
This is a really fun read not to mention spicy. I loved it from start to finish.
December 3, 2025
What a fun novella, if you are in the mood for a fast pace, easy to read, cozy romance with just the right amount of spice this is the one for you.
The FMC who is a witch- but much more like sabarina vibes then scary- and her long term friend end up being hexed in (locked in) in her store by her ever wise grandma who is a ghost. Of course there is a truth serum, secret crushes and a HEA.
There is some light tw in the front to take note of, but all in all i definitely recommend reading this!
The FMC who is a witch- but much more like sabarina vibes then scary- and her long term friend end up being hexed in (locked in) in her store by her ever wise grandma who is a ghost. Of course there is a truth serum, secret crushes and a HEA.
There is some light tw in the front to take note of, but all in all i definitely recommend reading this!
November 19, 2025
My 1st paranormal romance did not disappoint! What happens when a witch and human end up snowed in because of a ghost? Just the right amount of spice with some exploring of kinks and finding out how long the truth serum is going to last! This is a quick read that will have you fall in love with Ophelia and Sam and want you learning more about their small mountain town!
November 20, 2025
Novellas are always a hit or miss for me because sometimes they feel like there is just not enough information given. I'm absolutely happy to report, Hexed for the Holiday was an absolute hit for me.
It's a quick, fun, and spicy read about a witch and her best friend admitting their feelings for each other. It was a great read to use as a palette cleanser from heavier books, and I would recommend if you're looking for a fun and happy read!
Huge thank you for an ARC copy!
It's a quick, fun, and spicy read about a witch and her best friend admitting their feelings for each other. It was a great read to use as a palette cleanser from heavier books, and I would recommend if you're looking for a fun and happy read!
Huge thank you for an ARC copy!
November 24, 2025
I had the privilege of being an ARC reader for this novella. It was a very quick read. I loved the relationship between Ophelia and Sam! It was quick, but laying down the base of a 20-year friendship didn’t make it feel too quick. The comfort and love they found with each other is endearing and made this novella even more cozy!
December 3, 2025
I give this novella a solid 4 stars.
The best friends to lovers was done perfectly well for a witchy romance.
The spice was definitely the main point of the book, but that made it tie into the plot rather than take away from it! so I really enjoyed that!
overall, I'm really happy I read this book.
The best friends to lovers was done perfectly well for a witchy romance.
The spice was definitely the main point of the book, but that made it tie into the plot rather than take away from it! so I really enjoyed that!
overall, I'm really happy I read this book.
June 3, 2026
This one was a fun, quick, & spicy read! The forced proximity trope is always a favorite, and adding in a meddling ghost made the whole story even more entertaining. The chemistry between the characters was 🔥, but there were also plenty of cute moments that kept me smiling. If you’re in the mood for a light, witchy romance with some holiday magic and lots of spice, this one is a great pick!
November 23, 2025
I am so excited that I was selected to receive an ARC of this novella! I am always a sucker for a good holiday romance and this did not disappoint. Since it is a novella, it is rather short but I thought Corlew did a fantastic job keeping the relationship development on par with the pace of the story! We get a little mix of holiday surprise, childhood friends to lovers, spice, and a touch of witchy magic.
10/10 will be recommending to friends! Would read again!!
10/10 will be recommending to friends! Would read again!!
December 2, 2025
This was a fun fluffy romance. I typically read books with heavy themes but the paranormal/metaphysical aspects were familiar and fun.
The pacing was smooth and pretty quick. It’s definitely a nice book to read in between longer reads and especially nice for the holiday season!
The pacing was smooth and pretty quick. It’s definitely a nice book to read in between longer reads and especially nice for the holiday season!
May 23, 2026
Thank you to Courtney Corlew for the ALC opportunity!
The narrators, Daphne Winters and Lee Summers, were fantastic! Daphne was so animated and engaging. Lee had the perfect tone for Sam and his longing.
Eeeek! Besties in love?! I ate this up! I loved hearing both POVs. This was a cute little novella that may be set in wintertime but has left me feeling warm and fuzzy. Their friendship although years long, escalated quickly for us readers. 🥵 Sam’s a green flag but his mouth was so filthy I was blushing! Freckles is also my new fav term of endearment. I also appreciated the bonus chapters!
The narrators, Daphne Winters and Lee Summers, were fantastic! Daphne was so animated and engaging. Lee had the perfect tone for Sam and his longing.
Eeeek! Besties in love?! I ate this up! I loved hearing both POVs. This was a cute little novella that may be set in wintertime but has left me feeling warm and fuzzy. Their friendship although years long, escalated quickly for us readers. 🥵 Sam’s a green flag but his mouth was so filthy I was blushing! Freckles is also my new fav term of endearment. I also appreciated the bonus chapters!
November 21, 2025
It was a little fast paced for my taste.
May 29, 2026
2.5
A novella is always very insta-love which I don’t love HOWEVER this was cute and funny aswell as spicy so I was enjoying myself
A novella is always very insta-love which I don’t love HOWEVER this was cute and funny aswell as spicy so I was enjoying myself
July 6, 2026
Super sweet <3
December 24, 2025
Equally split down the middle wirh my thoughts on this one.
Love the magic witch concept and loved how there was a meddling match maker grandma from the grave with the witchy element. Didn’t love how at times the dialogue didn’t smoothly flow and felt too obviously calculated. It felt kind of like how when you watch a movie and the actors are too focused on acting that you can obviously tell that they’re acting so you focus on that and aren’t able to fully get lost in the story versus when actors are so good and seamless with their roles that you forget that they’re acting while you watch a movie and can fully immerse yourself in the story. That’s how this felt sometimes.
Also, didn’t love that proposal in the epilogue. It happened in the middle of a spicy time which is just too unromantic for me.
Love the magic witch concept and loved how there was a meddling match maker grandma from the grave with the witchy element. Didn’t love how at times the dialogue didn’t smoothly flow and felt too obviously calculated. It felt kind of like how when you watch a movie and the actors are too focused on acting that you can obviously tell that they’re acting so you focus on that and aren’t able to fully get lost in the story versus when actors are so good and seamless with their roles that you forget that they’re acting while you watch a movie and can fully immerse yourself in the story. That’s how this felt sometimes.
Also, didn’t love that proposal in the epilogue. It happened in the middle of a spicy time which is just too unromantic for me.
June 4, 2026
✨🕯️❄️ Hexed for the Holiday was the kind of cozy, magical romance that felt like wrapping myself in a warm blanket while snow fell outside the window. It was short, sweet, witchy, and completely bingeable. I finished it with a huge smile on my face. 💜
Ophelia spends her days running Hexed, the charming shop she inherited from her late mother—a cozy haven filled with books, coffee, magic, and a few hexes for good measure. As a snowstorm rolls in, she’s preparing to close for the evening when Sam Watts, her childhood friend, her best friend’s brother, and her longtime secret crush, unexpectedly walks through the door. ❄️📚☕
Sam has been away for months, carrying secrets of his own, while Ophelia has spent years keeping her feelings hidden. But when a meddling ghostly grandmother decides enough is enough and accidentally traps them inside together during the storm, things quickly spiral into magical chaos. 👻✨
And honestly? I adored every second of it.
The combination of being snowed in, forced proximity, long-held feelings, and one very unfortunate truth serum mishap created the perfect recipe for romantic tension. Watching years of secrets unravel through accidental honesty was both hilarious and heartwarming. There was so much chemistry packed into such a short story, and I loved seeing Ophelia and Sam finally confront feelings they’d buried for far too long. 💕🔥
The atmosphere was absolutely delightful. A cozy magical shop. A snowstorm outside. Books, coffee, witchcraft, lingering crushes, and a ghost who refuses to mind her own business. It felt like stepping into a Hallmark movie designed specifically for fantasy romance readers. ☕📖❄️✨
If you’re looking for a quick holiday read that delivers cozy vibes, magical mishaps, plenty of swoony moments, and a satisfying friends-to-lovers romance, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
✨ Perfect for fans of:
❄️ Snowed-in romance
💜 Childhood friends-to-lovers
👫 Best friend’s brother
🧙♀️ Witches & magic
👻 Meddling ghosts
☕ Cozy magical shops
📚 Bookstore & café vibes
💖 Secret pining
🔥 Open-door spice
🏡 Small-town cozy atmosphere
✨ Forced proximity
🎄 Holiday romance
Thank you so much to Courtney Corlew for the opportunity to listen to and review the audiobook ARC. It was such a fun, cozy, magical escape that I enjoyed immensely. 💜❄️📚
Ophelia spends her days running Hexed, the charming shop she inherited from her late mother—a cozy haven filled with books, coffee, magic, and a few hexes for good measure. As a snowstorm rolls in, she’s preparing to close for the evening when Sam Watts, her childhood friend, her best friend’s brother, and her longtime secret crush, unexpectedly walks through the door. ❄️📚☕
Sam has been away for months, carrying secrets of his own, while Ophelia has spent years keeping her feelings hidden. But when a meddling ghostly grandmother decides enough is enough and accidentally traps them inside together during the storm, things quickly spiral into magical chaos. 👻✨
And honestly? I adored every second of it.
The combination of being snowed in, forced proximity, long-held feelings, and one very unfortunate truth serum mishap created the perfect recipe for romantic tension. Watching years of secrets unravel through accidental honesty was both hilarious and heartwarming. There was so much chemistry packed into such a short story, and I loved seeing Ophelia and Sam finally confront feelings they’d buried for far too long. 💕🔥
The atmosphere was absolutely delightful. A cozy magical shop. A snowstorm outside. Books, coffee, witchcraft, lingering crushes, and a ghost who refuses to mind her own business. It felt like stepping into a Hallmark movie designed specifically for fantasy romance readers. ☕📖❄️✨
If you’re looking for a quick holiday read that delivers cozy vibes, magical mishaps, plenty of swoony moments, and a satisfying friends-to-lovers romance, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
✨ Perfect for fans of:
❄️ Snowed-in romance
💜 Childhood friends-to-lovers
👫 Best friend’s brother
🧙♀️ Witches & magic
👻 Meddling ghosts
☕ Cozy magical shops
📚 Bookstore & café vibes
💖 Secret pining
🔥 Open-door spice
🏡 Small-town cozy atmosphere
✨ Forced proximity
🎄 Holiday romance
Thank you so much to Courtney Corlew for the opportunity to listen to and review the audiobook ARC. It was such a fun, cozy, magical escape that I enjoyed immensely. 💜❄️📚
November 19, 2025
Tropes are a Sassy Witch X Handsome Human, Childhood Best Friend, One Night Stands Married After A Month and A Testing Truth Serum.
They know each other since she moved to town, and in I night they've slept together and are in a relationship he moves in with her and they say to each other that they are in love in love with one another and that they love each other. Sam says that as soon as he can get a ring that they'll get married-but they won't have a proposal-so a month after he moved in with her they are married.
Even though he's my best friend, I never want him to think I'm falling for him. He doesn't need to know my biggest secret that I'm in love with him.
It's been a months since I've seen him, and I want nothing more than to jump into his arms, but I'm hesitant. Even though he's my best friend, I never want him to think I'm falling for him. He doesn't need to know my biggest secret that I 'm in love with him.
Sam wanted to see Ophelia before his own family. Sam is in love with freckles since his high-school. Sam does fotogrophy and was often on the go. But after his month trip he decided that he should move back for good. So he told her first to hear if it would be alright with her and she couldn't be happier about the good news.
Ophelia has taken over Hexed alca her mother's store since her mother has passed away. Ophelia is a witch who doesn' t use her powers that much. It is showing and she kind a used her power up to keep themselves warm until they can leave.
Quotes is "Come here." He spreads his arms wide. I can't resist his invilation, and I mold my 5ft9 frame into his At 6ft3 we fit together like puzzle pieces. My hand slide away from him, knowing it's not normal to hug anyone for this long. He pulls me into another hug, and I follow gladly, squeezing him tight to reasure my brain that Sam is indeed home and in mystore I smile into his chest and say "I missed you." "Missed ya too, Phee."
He calls her Ophelia, Freckles and Phee. She calls him Sam and Sammy-Poo.
"It's been a months since I've seen him, and I want nothing more than to jump into his arms, but I'm hesitant."
"Mine" He kisses my jaw. "My wife." "My witch." He sucks on my neck, hard enough to mark me wouldn't be the first time.
They know each other since she moved to town, and in I night they've slept together and are in a relationship he moves in with her and they say to each other that they are in love in love with one another and that they love each other. Sam says that as soon as he can get a ring that they'll get married-but they won't have a proposal-so a month after he moved in with her they are married.
Even though he's my best friend, I never want him to think I'm falling for him. He doesn't need to know my biggest secret that I'm in love with him.
It's been a months since I've seen him, and I want nothing more than to jump into his arms, but I'm hesitant. Even though he's my best friend, I never want him to think I'm falling for him. He doesn't need to know my biggest secret that I 'm in love with him.
Sam wanted to see Ophelia before his own family. Sam is in love with freckles since his high-school. Sam does fotogrophy and was often on the go. But after his month trip he decided that he should move back for good. So he told her first to hear if it would be alright with her and she couldn't be happier about the good news.
Ophelia has taken over Hexed alca her mother's store since her mother has passed away. Ophelia is a witch who doesn' t use her powers that much. It is showing and she kind a used her power up to keep themselves warm until they can leave.
Quotes is "Come here." He spreads his arms wide. I can't resist his invilation, and I mold my 5ft9 frame into his At 6ft3 we fit together like puzzle pieces. My hand slide away from him, knowing it's not normal to hug anyone for this long. He pulls me into another hug, and I follow gladly, squeezing him tight to reasure my brain that Sam is indeed home and in mystore I smile into his chest and say "I missed you." "Missed ya too, Phee."
He calls her Ophelia, Freckles and Phee. She calls him Sam and Sammy-Poo.
"It's been a months since I've seen him, and I want nothing more than to jump into his arms, but I'm hesitant."
"Mine" He kisses my jaw. "My wife." "My witch." He sucks on my neck, hard enough to mark me wouldn't be the first time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2025
I received an Advanced Copy of the book for a honest review.
Overall: A cute concept, a fun setting, a lot of spice, and a ghost grandma who honestly deserved more page time.
Hexed for the Holidays is a short, smutty, witchy holiday novella that gives exactly what it promises: fast feelings, forced proximity, and a blizzard’s worth of spice.
The premise is simple and fun: Ophe, a witch who owns a cozy coffee shop called Hexed, has been secretly in love with her best friend, Sam, for two decades - only to discover he’s been pining right back. Cue a meddling ghost grandma, a snowstorm, a magically locked shop, and a truth-serum mishap that forces everything into the open. From that moment on, the plot takes a back seat and the spice takes the wheel.
This definitely feels like a book written with BookTok catnip in mind - forced proximity, best-friends-to-lovers, one-bed (well ... one stormed-in shop), pining, magical meddling elder, and holiday warmth wrapped around very explicit scenes. Some readers will absolutely devour that combination. Others may wish there was a bit more worldbuilding or emotional depth before the smut avalanche kicks in.
For me, it read like a quick, festive palate cleanser - fun, chaotic, and intentionally over-the-top - but it does rely heavily on trope stacking and spicy scenes rather than developing the magic, the relationship history, or the characters themselves.
If you’re looking for a fast and filthy winter witch romance that doesn’t ask for a lot of brainpower, this will scratch the itch. If you prefer deeper fantasy or more emotional payoff, this may feel a bit too trope-heavy or rushed.
Overall: A cute concept, a fun setting, a lot of spice, and a ghost grandma who honestly deserved more page time.
Hexed for the Holidays is a short, smutty, witchy holiday novella that gives exactly what it promises: fast feelings, forced proximity, and a blizzard’s worth of spice.
The premise is simple and fun: Ophe, a witch who owns a cozy coffee shop called Hexed, has been secretly in love with her best friend, Sam, for two decades - only to discover he’s been pining right back. Cue a meddling ghost grandma, a snowstorm, a magically locked shop, and a truth-serum mishap that forces everything into the open. From that moment on, the plot takes a back seat and the spice takes the wheel.
This definitely feels like a book written with BookTok catnip in mind - forced proximity, best-friends-to-lovers, one-bed (well ... one stormed-in shop), pining, magical meddling elder, and holiday warmth wrapped around very explicit scenes. Some readers will absolutely devour that combination. Others may wish there was a bit more worldbuilding or emotional depth before the smut avalanche kicks in.
For me, it read like a quick, festive palate cleanser - fun, chaotic, and intentionally over-the-top - but it does rely heavily on trope stacking and spicy scenes rather than developing the magic, the relationship history, or the characters themselves.
If you’re looking for a fast and filthy winter witch romance that doesn’t ask for a lot of brainpower, this will scratch the itch. If you prefer deeper fantasy or more emotional payoff, this may feel a bit too trope-heavy or rushed.
December 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Courtney Corlew has written a wonderful novella just over 100 pages that is easy to read and easy to escape into. I quickly became intrigued with Ophelia and Sam. This story could have easily been longer, diving deeper into their friendship and what happened before this story took place. Nonetheless, I remained entertained and invested in seeing these two finally take the leap from friends to more.
I always enjoy friends to lovers stories as there is a different layer of knowing each other not found in other romances. I can’t explain it, but there is more depth and vulnerability in already trusting someone with your whole heart before you give it to them. I found Ophelia and Sam's relationship filled with longing, yearning, and desire that when it finally bubbled over, it was magical. Figuratively and literally.
The witchy vibes are wonderfully woven into the storyline and I love how Courtney brings Ophelia’s powers into play both practically and sexually. Sam and Ophelia were amazing characters that again I only wish I was able to get to know more of. If you are looking for a story with both holiday and paranormal vibes, this novella is recommended.
As always, review any author notes before reading.
What to Expect:
🔮Snowed In
❄️Witch x Human
🔮Shared Secrets
❄️Childhood Friends to Lovers
🔮Bondage and Wax Play
❄️Novella
Courtney Corlew has written a wonderful novella just over 100 pages that is easy to read and easy to escape into. I quickly became intrigued with Ophelia and Sam. This story could have easily been longer, diving deeper into their friendship and what happened before this story took place. Nonetheless, I remained entertained and invested in seeing these two finally take the leap from friends to more.
I always enjoy friends to lovers stories as there is a different layer of knowing each other not found in other romances. I can’t explain it, but there is more depth and vulnerability in already trusting someone with your whole heart before you give it to them. I found Ophelia and Sam's relationship filled with longing, yearning, and desire that when it finally bubbled over, it was magical. Figuratively and literally.
The witchy vibes are wonderfully woven into the storyline and I love how Courtney brings Ophelia’s powers into play both practically and sexually. Sam and Ophelia were amazing characters that again I only wish I was able to get to know more of. If you are looking for a story with both holiday and paranormal vibes, this novella is recommended.
As always, review any author notes before reading.
What to Expect:
🔮Snowed In
❄️Witch x Human
🔮Shared Secrets
❄️Childhood Friends to Lovers
🔮Bondage and Wax Play
❄️Novella
November 25, 2025
I enjoyed reading this story. The main characters were easy to understand and you felt like they could be your friends.
The writing style drew me in and made me want to read more (just another chapter, when I was tired).
I liked the mix of romance and witchness. It was a feel good, cute and humouring story.
The main female character was easy to like and you want her to have an happy ending. She came across like a well liked person, who would help anyone in anyway she could. You felt like she had some mystery about her and her magic.
The main male character was a green flag all the way. The way he was written was that he seemed to be a thoughtful guy, remembered every detail of their lives.
Wanting to make others happy. Also a family man.
He was easy to like and you felt like you wanted to know him in real life.
The spicy scenes were not too spicy, but you could use your imagination from the details. So this book is good for people who like some spice but who likes it mild.
I was given this book as an ARC copy, and I’m happy that I was. This was a nice, feel good story with a lovely couple, you can’t but help like.
I would recommend this book to others. I look forward to reading more stories from this author.
The writing style drew me in and made me want to read more (just another chapter, when I was tired).
I liked the mix of romance and witchness. It was a feel good, cute and humouring story.
The main female character was easy to like and you want her to have an happy ending. She came across like a well liked person, who would help anyone in anyway she could. You felt like she had some mystery about her and her magic.
The main male character was a green flag all the way. The way he was written was that he seemed to be a thoughtful guy, remembered every detail of their lives.
Wanting to make others happy. Also a family man.
He was easy to like and you felt like you wanted to know him in real life.
The spicy scenes were not too spicy, but you could use your imagination from the details. So this book is good for people who like some spice but who likes it mild.
I was given this book as an ARC copy, and I’m happy that I was. This was a nice, feel good story with a lovely couple, you can’t but help like.
I would recommend this book to others. I look forward to reading more stories from this author.
December 2, 2025
Este libro ha sido una lectura súper acogedora, perfecta para esas noches en las que solo quieres algo mágico, bonito y con chispa. La historia de Ophelia y Sam tiene ese encanto especial que mezcla amistad, tensión suave y un toque de caos brujil que lo hace irresistible.
Ophelia es un personaje que enamora rápido: divertida, un poco torpe a veces, llena de corazón y muy marcada por la ausencia de su madre. Me ha encantado cómo se refleja su inseguridad mezclada con ese poder interior que ni ella misma termina de creerse. Y luego está Sam, el típico “boy next door” pero con un toque dulce y misterioso que no te esperas. Su conexión se siente natural, cómoda, como si siempre hubieran estado destinados a reencontrarse.
La parte mágica es ligera pero muy presente, con ese humor adorable que solo puede surgir cuando los hechizos salen un poco… mal. El fantasma metomentodo es un puntazo y aporta escenas divertidas sin romper el ritmo. Aun así, el libro también tiene momentos emocionales que suman mucho, sobre todo cuando salen a la luz las cosas que ninguno de los dos se había atrevido a decir.
Ophelia es un personaje que enamora rápido: divertida, un poco torpe a veces, llena de corazón y muy marcada por la ausencia de su madre. Me ha encantado cómo se refleja su inseguridad mezclada con ese poder interior que ni ella misma termina de creerse. Y luego está Sam, el típico “boy next door” pero con un toque dulce y misterioso que no te esperas. Su conexión se siente natural, cómoda, como si siempre hubieran estado destinados a reencontrarse.
La parte mágica es ligera pero muy presente, con ese humor adorable que solo puede surgir cuando los hechizos salen un poco… mal. El fantasma metomentodo es un puntazo y aporta escenas divertidas sin romper el ritmo. Aun así, el libro también tiene momentos emocionales que suman mucho, sobre todo cuando salen a la luz las cosas que ninguno de los dos se había atrevido a decir.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2025
This novella is great because in this short amount of pages the author sets all the ingredients: Sam and Ophelia are childhood friends, they know each other since they were kids and the have been in love with each other for years. So this is not a instalove novella, because the love was there and the build up is justified. They have to spend one night locked up and with magic and her grandma ghost meddling, all the feelings come to light.
Tropes you can find in this novella:
- childhood friends to lovers
- secretly in love for too long
- locked up one night
- meddling family
- magic
- bdsm/ sex play
- dual 1st person POV
- no 3 rd act break-up
This novella has wide open scenes where they explore some things and , because they knew each other for years so that new confidence it’s great to witness.
My ratings:
4,25/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
( the only thing I do not enjoy are the bonus chapter that are only available in the author’s patreon, but if you’re part of it or could enjoy it!! Lucky you!! )
I’ve received this book as an ARC and I’d like to thank the author, Courtney Corlew for letting me read this book in advance and allow me to give my honest opinion.
Tropes you can find in this novella:
- childhood friends to lovers
- secretly in love for too long
- locked up one night
- meddling family
- magic
- bdsm/ sex play
- dual 1st person POV
- no 3 rd act break-up
This novella has wide open scenes where they explore some things and , because they knew each other for years so that new confidence it’s great to witness.
My ratings:
4,25/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
( the only thing I do not enjoy are the bonus chapter that are only available in the author’s patreon, but if you’re part of it or could enjoy it!! Lucky you!! )
I’ve received this book as an ARC and I’d like to thank the author, Courtney Corlew for letting me read this book in advance and allow me to give my honest opinion.
January 23, 2026
(Finished January 4th, 2026)
(2.5 stars)
Though the holidays are over i seem to still be in the mood for them.(that and im actually able to read all the ebooks my heart desires now👹👹)
I had decided to read this book as I had signed up to be an arc reader for the next book "Mated for the holidays" (hoped and prays i actually get it, or im just here 🧍🏽♀️...😭)
Overall I think this story was nice. It was quick, easy to read, and had a happy ending. (With some spice~~) I wouldnt say it was all inspiring or the best thing I've ever read, granted its like 97 pages, but it was good for what it was. A quick Lil romance, a Lil spice, and a Lil fluff. (Though some things i did cringe at, ngl)
I do wish some of the spice was written a little more in detail as some of it felt very quick and not as satisfying as it could have been.
And D*MN!! THEY WORK QUICK, 1 MONTH LATER AND MARRIED?!?! Like i get yall knew eachother yalls whole lives but yall JUST started dated. Child...anyways~(Also, interesting how EVERYONE that knows Phee uses magic. Not a bad thing, just interesting. Also, slay granny. Match maker expert frfr. I wanna be her when im dead)
👵🏻👻✨️🔒🚪🧍🏼♀️🧍🏻♂️👀👀...
(2.5 stars)
Though the holidays are over i seem to still be in the mood for them.(that and im actually able to read all the ebooks my heart desires now👹👹)
I had decided to read this book as I had signed up to be an arc reader for the next book "Mated for the holidays" (hoped and prays i actually get it, or im just here 🧍🏽♀️...😭)
Overall I think this story was nice. It was quick, easy to read, and had a happy ending. (With some spice~~) I wouldnt say it was all inspiring or the best thing I've ever read, granted its like 97 pages, but it was good for what it was. A quick Lil romance, a Lil spice, and a Lil fluff. (Though some things i did cringe at, ngl)
I do wish some of the spice was written a little more in detail as some of it felt very quick and not as satisfying as it could have been.
And D*MN!! THEY WORK QUICK, 1 MONTH LATER AND MARRIED?!?! Like i get yall knew eachother yalls whole lives but yall JUST started dated. Child...anyways~(Also, interesting how EVERYONE that knows Phee uses magic. Not a bad thing, just interesting. Also, slay granny. Match maker expert frfr. I wanna be her when im dead)
👵🏻👻✨️🔒🚪🧍🏼♀️🧍🏻♂️👀👀...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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