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The Sherwood Witches #3
Hexy Beast
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26An impulsive witch and a buttoned-up werewolf discover love is its own beast in this spicy rom-com from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.
As the eldest daughter of the magical Sherwood family, I’m supposed to have everything together. Well, joke’s on them—I, Effie Sherwood, am chaos incarnate, and you’ll never be able to guess my next move.
Like jumping on the back of Darius Aetos’ motorcycle. Not only is Darius grumpy, gruff, and hot, he’s also the head of the Aetos werewolf pack.
My spur of the moment decision has quickly become a much bigger commitment, because a pack elder is convinced this hunk of a man (or wolf, depending on the hour) is my fated mate.
Even though I’m a witch and he’s a werewolf, we’re stuck together until we can find our way out of the tricky pack politics. But under the light of the blue moon, it’s almost starting to feel like Darius doesn’t want to stay away from me. And I’m not sure if it’s my magic going haywire or the starlit skies, but I can’t imagine leaving his arms either.
As the eldest daughter of the magical Sherwood family, I’m supposed to have everything together. Well, joke’s on them—I, Effie Sherwood, am chaos incarnate, and you’ll never be able to guess my next move.
Like jumping on the back of Darius Aetos’ motorcycle. Not only is Darius grumpy, gruff, and hot, he’s also the head of the Aetos werewolf pack.
My spur of the moment decision has quickly become a much bigger commitment, because a pack elder is convinced this hunk of a man (or wolf, depending on the hour) is my fated mate.
Even though I’m a witch and he’s a werewolf, we’re stuck together until we can find our way out of the tricky pack politics. But under the light of the blue moon, it’s almost starting to feel like Darius doesn’t want to stay away from me. And I’m not sure if it’s my magic going haywire or the starlit skies, but I can’t imagine leaving his arms either.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 8, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | 4 Stars
First, thank you to NetGalley, Avery Flynn, and Berkley Romance for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Hexy Beast was such a fun surprise! This was my very first book by Avery Flynn, and I can confidently say it will not be my last. I was completely entertained from beginning to end, and now I absolutely need to go back and read the first two books in the Sherwood Witches series.
Effie Sherwood is pure, lovable chaos.
As the oldest daughter of one of the most powerful witch families, everyone expects her to be composed and responsible… but Effie is impulsive, quirky, and constantly making decisions that leave everyone else scrambling to keep up. I adored her personality. She never lost her spark, even when she was thrown into situations way over her head.
Then there’s Darius Aetos—the grumpy, broody alpha werewolf who carries the weight of his entire pack on his shoulders. Watching these two collide was everything I hoped it would be. Effie is sunshine and unpredictability while Darius is all control and responsibility, making their grumpy/sunshine dynamic incredibly fun to watch unfold.
One impulsive motorcycle ride quickly snowballs into pack politics, magical chaos, and everyone insisting they’re fated mates. Neither of them is thrilled with that idea at first, but being forced together makes it impossible to ignore the chemistry simmering between them.
The banter was easily one of my favorite parts of the book. Effie constantly kept Darius on his toes, and I loved seeing the cracks begin to form in his perfectly controlled exterior. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments mixed with genuinely sweet scenes, and the forced proximity only made their relationship more entertaining.
I also really enjoyed the magical world Avery Flynn created. Between witches, werewolves, meddling family members, magical mishaps, and complicated pack politics, there was always something happening. The world felt cozy without becoming overly complicated, making it easy to jump into even as a newcomer to the series.
If I had one small complaint, it would be that the beginning moved a little quickly while introducing the world, and I occasionally wished a few emotional moments had been given just a little more room to breathe. Once everything settled in, though, I found myself completely invested in Effie and Darius’s journey.
Overall, Hexy Beast delivered exactly what I wanted—a cozy paranormal rom-com with humor, magic, great chemistry, and plenty of heart. It made me laugh, smile, and immediately want to spend more time with the Sherwood family.
If you love:
✨ Witches & werewolves
🐺 Grumpy x sunshine
💜 Fated mates
🏍️ Forced proximity
🪄 Cozy paranormal romance
😂 Great banter and laugh-out-loud moments
❤️ A heroine who thrives on chaos
…then definitely add Hexy Beast to your TBR.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to binge the rest of the Sherwood Witches series because Avery Flynn officially has a new fan. 📚🧙♀️🐺
First, thank you to NetGalley, Avery Flynn, and Berkley Romance for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Hexy Beast was such a fun surprise! This was my very first book by Avery Flynn, and I can confidently say it will not be my last. I was completely entertained from beginning to end, and now I absolutely need to go back and read the first two books in the Sherwood Witches series.
Effie Sherwood is pure, lovable chaos.
As the oldest daughter of one of the most powerful witch families, everyone expects her to be composed and responsible… but Effie is impulsive, quirky, and constantly making decisions that leave everyone else scrambling to keep up. I adored her personality. She never lost her spark, even when she was thrown into situations way over her head.
Then there’s Darius Aetos—the grumpy, broody alpha werewolf who carries the weight of his entire pack on his shoulders. Watching these two collide was everything I hoped it would be. Effie is sunshine and unpredictability while Darius is all control and responsibility, making their grumpy/sunshine dynamic incredibly fun to watch unfold.
One impulsive motorcycle ride quickly snowballs into pack politics, magical chaos, and everyone insisting they’re fated mates. Neither of them is thrilled with that idea at first, but being forced together makes it impossible to ignore the chemistry simmering between them.
The banter was easily one of my favorite parts of the book. Effie constantly kept Darius on his toes, and I loved seeing the cracks begin to form in his perfectly controlled exterior. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments mixed with genuinely sweet scenes, and the forced proximity only made their relationship more entertaining.
I also really enjoyed the magical world Avery Flynn created. Between witches, werewolves, meddling family members, magical mishaps, and complicated pack politics, there was always something happening. The world felt cozy without becoming overly complicated, making it easy to jump into even as a newcomer to the series.
If I had one small complaint, it would be that the beginning moved a little quickly while introducing the world, and I occasionally wished a few emotional moments had been given just a little more room to breathe. Once everything settled in, though, I found myself completely invested in Effie and Darius’s journey.
Overall, Hexy Beast delivered exactly what I wanted—a cozy paranormal rom-com with humor, magic, great chemistry, and plenty of heart. It made me laugh, smile, and immediately want to spend more time with the Sherwood family.
If you love:
✨ Witches & werewolves
🐺 Grumpy x sunshine
💜 Fated mates
🏍️ Forced proximity
🪄 Cozy paranormal romance
😂 Great banter and laugh-out-loud moments
❤️ A heroine who thrives on chaos
…then definitely add Hexy Beast to your TBR.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to binge the rest of the Sherwood Witches series because Avery Flynn officially has a new fan. 📚🧙♀️🐺
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hexy Beast is Avery Flynn’s third iteration in the Sherwood Witches series. This was my first book from Flynn, and I expected a cute, fun, probably-explicit romance between a witch and a werewolf, and that’s exactly what I got.
Our story follows Effie, a wildcard child from the most powerful witching family, and Darius, the leader of the most powerful werewolf pack. When Effie interrupts a heist, the two find that they cannot be physically separated, and they must face tensions within the pack, a race through the forest for dominance, the magical council’s nefarious scenes, and their growing sexual tension.
This was my first book in this series, and the author did a great job of setting up the larger magic systems and worldbuilding within the first few chapters. We got a lot of information, told in a casual, lighthearted way, that easily established our character and her relationships to others. Usually fantasy novels feel like they need the previous books for context, but this book really explained how the world worked as a nice refresher for previous readers and a nice introductions for new readers. I didn’t feel lost or confused, despite going into the book blind.
“There is nothing worse than lusting for the guy who kidnapped you” is the opening line of Hexy Beast, and I feel like it really set the stage for the humor in this book. The book was funny at times but also maybe trying a little too hard sometimes? The book was silly and irreverant and more than occasionally a little forced. It was fun but there were times it bordered on cheesy instead of quippy.
The book goes through a lot of tropes: forced proximity, marriage of convenience, fated mates. The story is very explicit, with four to five major explicit scenes that start at about 40% of the book. These scenes are long and detailed, and one of them has plot momentum that cannot be skipped.
Altogether, this book was fun and silly, and I enjoyed myself reading it. The humor was sometimes a little forced or awkward, but also had moments that worked. The book’s messaging about accepting oneself is a nice gesture.
Thank you to Berkley Romance, Avery Flynn and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy!
Our story follows Effie, a wildcard child from the most powerful witching family, and Darius, the leader of the most powerful werewolf pack. When Effie interrupts a heist, the two find that they cannot be physically separated, and they must face tensions within the pack, a race through the forest for dominance, the magical council’s nefarious scenes, and their growing sexual tension.
This was my first book in this series, and the author did a great job of setting up the larger magic systems and worldbuilding within the first few chapters. We got a lot of information, told in a casual, lighthearted way, that easily established our character and her relationships to others. Usually fantasy novels feel like they need the previous books for context, but this book really explained how the world worked as a nice refresher for previous readers and a nice introductions for new readers. I didn’t feel lost or confused, despite going into the book blind.
“There is nothing worse than lusting for the guy who kidnapped you” is the opening line of Hexy Beast, and I feel like it really set the stage for the humor in this book. The book was funny at times but also maybe trying a little too hard sometimes? The book was silly and irreverant and more than occasionally a little forced. It was fun but there were times it bordered on cheesy instead of quippy.
The book goes through a lot of tropes: forced proximity, marriage of convenience, fated mates. The story is very explicit, with four to five major explicit scenes that start at about 40% of the book. These scenes are long and detailed, and one of them has plot momentum that cannot be skipped.
Altogether, this book was fun and silly, and I enjoyed myself reading it. The humor was sometimes a little forced or awkward, but also had moments that worked. The book’s messaging about accepting oneself is a nice gesture.
Thank you to Berkley Romance, Avery Flynn and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The one thing I will always struggle with in this book is our MMC name, I kid you not it’s Darius Aetos. Am I the only reviewer that kept calling him Dain (PS from Fourth Wing). Like clearly our MMC name is Darius but my. Rain could not stop saying Dain no matter how many times his name was dropped. Which side note was excessive for a book where he’s a main character but I digress.
This is the 3rd installment in The Sherwood Witches series. And sadly this is my most disappointing of the group so far. Which honestly sucks because this book had a ton of potential. Witch vs Werewolf mixed with enemies to lovers and grumpy v sunshine. But the overall story was all over the place and at times felt just way too cheesy for my liking. I will say the beginning is my favorite part. It starts immediately with the action and hooks you early on. Sadly, from about 30% onward it starts to drag a bit. The last half did get a smidge better once the plot started to fully form. But still sadly not enough to make me always want to stay fully invested.
Overall, even with my struggles I still enjoyed the book overall and find that it’s a fun, cute and easy read perfect for anyone during the Halloween season. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review
This is the 3rd installment in The Sherwood Witches series. And sadly this is my most disappointing of the group so far. Which honestly sucks because this book had a ton of potential. Witch vs Werewolf mixed with enemies to lovers and grumpy v sunshine. But the overall story was all over the place and at times felt just way too cheesy for my liking. I will say the beginning is my favorite part. It starts immediately with the action and hooks you early on. Sadly, from about 30% onward it starts to drag a bit. The last half did get a smidge better once the plot started to fully form. But still sadly not enough to make me always want to stay fully invested.
Overall, even with my struggles I still enjoyed the book overall and find that it’s a fun, cute and easy read perfect for anyone during the Halloween season. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 ⭐️ Effie is a witch who gets tangled up with the leader of the werewolf pack, Darius. They are forced to work together because a rival is trying to overthrow Darius as the alpha. The twist is that they’ve been told they’re fated mates, despite them not liking one another.
What kept this book from being rater higher for me was the fourth wall breaking. It happened so much in the beginning I was ready to quit by the 15% mark. I decided to push on, and things got better when the action started and the explanation for things stopped. Both main characters were frustrating at times because they were so stubborn and set in their ways, neither one wanting to give an inch.
I did like when they finally worked together at the end to face the threat. The world that the author built was interesting, and even though I haven’t read the first two book in the series I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the story. Overall the book was ok, but the writing style just wasn’t for me, and made it hard to stay in the moment while reading. I want to thank Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to leave a review.
No third act breakup
4/5 on the Spicy Scale
M/F
Violence
What kept this book from being rater higher for me was the fourth wall breaking. It happened so much in the beginning I was ready to quit by the 15% mark. I decided to push on, and things got better when the action started and the explanation for things stopped. Both main characters were frustrating at times because they were so stubborn and set in their ways, neither one wanting to give an inch.
I did like when they finally worked together at the end to face the threat. The world that the author built was interesting, and even though I haven’t read the first two book in the series I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the story. Overall the book was ok, but the writing style just wasn’t for me, and made it hard to stay in the moment while reading. I want to thank Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to leave a review.
No third act breakup
4/5 on the Spicy Scale
M/F
Violence
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This series is so fun and entertaining!
Hexy Beast is the third book in the Sherwood Witches series, and you definitely need to have read the first two books to pick up the action. In this installment, Effie, the sister who thinks the universe rejected her as heir to be the head of the family, tries to keep Darius, the alpha werewolf, from making off with the magic spellbook everyone is after. She makes a split-second decision to do this BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, which in this case involves transporting herself onto his lap ... while he's fleeing on his motorcycle at high speeds.
What follows is a rollicking adventure! There's a quest (well, several quests), a mystery, bad guys conspiring with other bad guys, magic, a little divine intervention, and, of course, the dawning realization that on both their parts that Effie and Darius are fated mates. It's funny, it's messy, and at times it's unexpectedly tender.
There are definitely fall vibes, but trust me when I say that you won't regret picking this one up no matter what season it is outside.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
Hexy Beast is the third book in the Sherwood Witches series, and you definitely need to have read the first two books to pick up the action. In this installment, Effie, the sister who thinks the universe rejected her as heir to be the head of the family, tries to keep Darius, the alpha werewolf, from making off with the magic spellbook everyone is after. She makes a split-second decision to do this BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, which in this case involves transporting herself onto his lap ... while he's fleeing on his motorcycle at high speeds.
What follows is a rollicking adventure! There's a quest (well, several quests), a mystery, bad guys conspiring with other bad guys, magic, a little divine intervention, and, of course, the dawning realization that on both their parts that Effie and Darius are fated mates. It's funny, it's messy, and at times it's unexpectedly tender.
There are definitely fall vibes, but trust me when I say that you won't regret picking this one up no matter what season it is outside.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
May 26, 2026
When life gives you lemons, read a witchy romcom. Avery Flynn has created a chaotic witchy family with the Sherwoods, Effie is definitely my favourite, she’s so chaotic and impulsive, she has just as many reasons to be insecure and quiet, but she just accepts her lot in life and lives loudly.
Hexy Beast follows Darius and his attempt at robbing the Sherwoods of a very powerful spell book. Sadly he fails, but he does find Effie. His fated mate-allegedly. As the two navigate his complicated pack dynamics (man’s a werewolf after all) he starts to realize maybe his aunt Artemis is onto something about Effie.
This was SPICY. Effie is not afraid of good sex and I loved that she was so wild and free about it. Was sleeping with the werewolf the best plan? No. But she wanted to, so instead of agonizing over it, our girl owned her desire. It was so refreshing. Darius was of course quite broody (again, werewolf) and it was excellent.
If you’re looking for something fun and flirty, just an overall feel good story about a witch and a werewolf. Highly recommend!
Hexy Beast follows Darius and his attempt at robbing the Sherwoods of a very powerful spell book. Sadly he fails, but he does find Effie. His fated mate-allegedly. As the two navigate his complicated pack dynamics (man’s a werewolf after all) he starts to realize maybe his aunt Artemis is onto something about Effie.
This was SPICY. Effie is not afraid of good sex and I loved that she was so wild and free about it. Was sleeping with the werewolf the best plan? No. But she wanted to, so instead of agonizing over it, our girl owned her desire. It was so refreshing. Darius was of course quite broody (again, werewolf) and it was excellent.
If you’re looking for something fun and flirty, just an overall feel good story about a witch and a werewolf. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really didn't have high hopes for this book, but like, I was fucking SAT. I was surprised how much I adore our couple. I definitely preferred Effie to Darius as I'm not a grumpy-MC fan, but their chemistry was EVERYTHING. The flirting had be begging for them to kiss and just jump each other's bones already. This is one of the few times I wasn't turned off by the insta-lust/love and just wanted more. This was the first book I've read in this serious and I think I could be convinced to read the others just based on how good a time I had with this one.
The book looses it's star specifically for the ending. I found the big fight lead up a let down, and while I love a "coming together" moment, the one with Effie's sisters just didn't quite hit right for me. The fight also felt a little ridiculous along with Nikos's villanry. The lot of the book was cartoonish in nature, but the cartoony villan was a little much.
I really didn't have high hopes for this book, but like, I was fucking SAT. I was surprised how much I adore our couple. I definitely preferred Effie to Darius as I'm not a grumpy-MC fan, but their chemistry was EVERYTHING. The flirting had be begging for them to kiss and just jump each other's bones already. This is one of the few times I wasn't turned off by the insta-lust/love and just wanted more. This was the first book I've read in this serious and I think I could be convinced to read the others just based on how good a time I had with this one.
The book looses it's star specifically for the ending. I found the big fight lead up a let down, and while I love a "coming together" moment, the one with Effie's sisters just didn't quite hit right for me. The fight also felt a little ridiculous along with Nikos's villanry. The lot of the book was cartoonish in nature, but the cartoony villan was a little much.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Omg, this was such a fun read!
When I first started reading this book, the detailed descriptions of backstory early on clued me in that this was a book in an established series. I paused and went back to read the first two books, and they were super fun and did add some depth to Hexy Beast, BUT! you could definitely read this as a standalone and still appreciate it.
I love that Effie marches to the beat of her own drum. The eldest of her sisters, she doesn’t to suit up and step out to support her sisters, which is why I loved seeing her get her own book and Moment in her family. Effie and Darius make a well-paired grumpy and strait laced/sunshine and chaotic duo with face-melting chemistry. I loved the cozy world that the author created and how this latest story unfurled a bigger picture view on that world. 10/10 recommend, especially as a nice supernatural palate cleanser between darker reads.
Thank you Berkeley Publishing Group for sending this ebook for my review consideration. All opinions expressed above are my own.
When I first started reading this book, the detailed descriptions of backstory early on clued me in that this was a book in an established series. I paused and went back to read the first two books, and they were super fun and did add some depth to Hexy Beast, BUT! you could definitely read this as a standalone and still appreciate it.
I love that Effie marches to the beat of her own drum. The eldest of her sisters, she doesn’t to suit up and step out to support her sisters, which is why I loved seeing her get her own book and Moment in her family. Effie and Darius make a well-paired grumpy and strait laced/sunshine and chaotic duo with face-melting chemistry. I loved the cozy world that the author created and how this latest story unfurled a bigger picture view on that world. 10/10 recommend, especially as a nice supernatural palate cleanser between darker reads.
Thank you Berkeley Publishing Group for sending this ebook for my review consideration. All opinions expressed above are my own.
July 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️ My review: This is a straightforward "witch/werewolf, enemies to lovers" romp.
Effie is a powerful witch, even if she's not the most powerful in her family. Darius is the alpha of his pack, but the pack has fallen on hard times and another wolf Nikos is trying to usurp him.
When Darius steals a spell book, Effie takes matters into her own hands to stop him. She ends up in wolf territory and Darius's aunt is convinced the two are fated mates.
To get things in order: the spell book, Nikos, and the rest of the pack; Darius and Effie have to stick together, get through the forest, and decide if two frustrating beings can be fated mates.
Effie is super fun and Darius is the right amount of grumpy. Decent spice and Effie knows some really good spells. I enjoyed the story as a quick, fun summer read.
This is the third book in a series (Effie is one of 5 sisters) but I didn't feel like anything from the first two was overly necessary to appreciate this.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for an advance digital copy to review. These opinions are my own.
Effie is a powerful witch, even if she's not the most powerful in her family. Darius is the alpha of his pack, but the pack has fallen on hard times and another wolf Nikos is trying to usurp him.
When Darius steals a spell book, Effie takes matters into her own hands to stop him. She ends up in wolf territory and Darius's aunt is convinced the two are fated mates.
To get things in order: the spell book, Nikos, and the rest of the pack; Darius and Effie have to stick together, get through the forest, and decide if two frustrating beings can be fated mates.
Effie is super fun and Darius is the right amount of grumpy. Decent spice and Effie knows some really good spells. I enjoyed the story as a quick, fun summer read.
This is the third book in a series (Effie is one of 5 sisters) but I didn't feel like anything from the first two was overly necessary to appreciate this.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for an advance digital copy to review. These opinions are my own.
July 27, 2026
I will preface this with the fact that I have not read the previous books in the series, and I received this from a Goodreads giveaway. I’m sure I was missing certain details because of the previous books, but there didn’t seem to be anything more than occasional references to what I can assume is from the previous books.
To put it plainly, it was fine. It’s a whirlwind romance or enemies to lovers. I love a grumpy sunshine, but Darius didn’t have enough emotional development/depth in my opinion for me to ever consider him a grumpy sunshine.
Effie was cute and felt sort of in my realm to be able to identify with her.
The book was cute, occasionally funny, but lacked real character development and depth. The main characters personalities were very surface level for me, and when I said whirlwind romance I definitely meant it. Not only that, they a good chunk of the book was pretty much the same plot for like 3 days straight.
I appreciate the giveaway, but I don’t plan on picking up the rest of the series.
To put it plainly, it was fine. It’s a whirlwind romance or enemies to lovers. I love a grumpy sunshine, but Darius didn’t have enough emotional development/depth in my opinion for me to ever consider him a grumpy sunshine.
Effie was cute and felt sort of in my realm to be able to identify with her.
The book was cute, occasionally funny, but lacked real character development and depth. The main characters personalities were very surface level for me, and when I said whirlwind romance I definitely meant it. Not only that, they a good chunk of the book was pretty much the same plot for like 3 days straight.
I appreciate the giveaway, but I don’t plan on picking up the rest of the series.
May 13, 2026
I received the eArc of Hexy Beast by Avery Flynn, and had an absolute blast reading Effie and Darius’s story. She is the first born daughter of a powerful family of witches, and he is the Alpha of his wolf pack. Chance (or is it fate?) throws these two together, and from there, chaos ensues.
Effie is quintessential sunshine. She doesn’t take herself seriously and has a big personality. Darius is haunted by the sins of his father and grandmother, making him gruff and uptight. He has a self-sacrificing personality, which causes him to carry more than he needs to. Effie is the perfect counter for him to let him loosen the reigns.
This is a supernatural, forced proximity, open-door romance. There is delicious banter, fourth-wall breaks, and a wise, all-knowing “aunt” who manages to meddle juuust enough to be charming.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. Thank you to Avery Flynn, Berkley Romance, and NetGalley for allowing me a chance to read Hexy Beast!
Effie is quintessential sunshine. She doesn’t take herself seriously and has a big personality. Darius is haunted by the sins of his father and grandmother, making him gruff and uptight. He has a self-sacrificing personality, which causes him to carry more than he needs to. Effie is the perfect counter for him to let him loosen the reigns.
This is a supernatural, forced proximity, open-door romance. There is delicious banter, fourth-wall breaks, and a wise, all-knowing “aunt” who manages to meddle juuust enough to be charming.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. Thank you to Avery Flynn, Berkley Romance, and NetGalley for allowing me a chance to read Hexy Beast!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Adorable story about a witch and her werewolf enemy.
Our FMC Effie gets kidnapped by alpha werewolf Darius after he tries to steal a powerful spellbook from the witches to sell for the benefit of his own pack.
The two meet, sparks fly, and hijinks ensue. Its very small town, cozy romcom-coded with a paranormal twist that added a fun element to the story. I picked this one up for something more lighthearted after reading back-to-back books with dark themes and content, and it gave me laughs and frustration and moments yelling, "WHY ARE YOU BEING DUMB?!"
I yelled this at both characters who I would describe as the poster children for 'idiots in love'.
Overall, this was a cute book full of fluffy moments, action, and there is some smoking hot spice. Which, on that note:
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Both are sexually confident and know what they want/like and aren't shy about it. Very hot.
Our FMC Effie gets kidnapped by alpha werewolf Darius after he tries to steal a powerful spellbook from the witches to sell for the benefit of his own pack.
The two meet, sparks fly, and hijinks ensue. Its very small town, cozy romcom-coded with a paranormal twist that added a fun element to the story. I picked this one up for something more lighthearted after reading back-to-back books with dark themes and content, and it gave me laughs and frustration and moments yelling, "WHY ARE YOU BEING DUMB?!"
I yelled this at both characters who I would describe as the poster children for 'idiots in love'.
Overall, this was a cute book full of fluffy moments, action, and there is some smoking hot spice. Which, on that note:
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Both are sexually confident and know what they want/like and aren't shy about it. Very hot.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Okay I’d like to preface this review by saying I was thrown into this Sherwood Witches universe in book 3, completely oblivious to the existence of other books in the series. Having no context, it threw me into a roller coaster of mixed thoughts throughout.
At first - hated it. The main character Effie is impulsive and sassy and (imo) completely insufferable. The male main character is a hot grumpy werewolf and that’s more of what I like. The story starts off strong and fast, their chemistry builds, and suddenly I’m INTO IT.
Then, they are still in the forest. Why are they in the forest for so long? Where is their sense of urgency? After the initial excitement I was ready to MOVE ON and this book was not taking me where I wanted to go. Eventually we got out of the forest and the story wrapped up really quickly in a confusing clump of plot and I was glad to be done.
3 stars because there were parts that I really enjoyed, but the overall story brings the total rating down.
At first - hated it. The main character Effie is impulsive and sassy and (imo) completely insufferable. The male main character is a hot grumpy werewolf and that’s more of what I like. The story starts off strong and fast, their chemistry builds, and suddenly I’m INTO IT.
Then, they are still in the forest. Why are they in the forest for so long? Where is their sense of urgency? After the initial excitement I was ready to MOVE ON and this book was not taking me where I wanted to go. Eventually we got out of the forest and the story wrapped up really quickly in a confusing clump of plot and I was glad to be done.
3 stars because there were parts that I really enjoyed, but the overall story brings the total rating down.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book had a lot of potential and an interesting overall storyline, but the pacing and structure made it difficult for me to fully connect with it. The beginning moved very quickly, yet it didn’t spend enough time developing the characters, which made it hard to become invested early on. While it started fast, the opening still felt rough and took me a while to get into.
The story improved significantly in the middle, and that’s when I became more interested in the plot and curious about how everything would end. However, the pacing continued to feel uneven—the middle dragged at times, while the ending felt rushed.
Despite my frustrations, the core story itself was compelling, and I can see this becoming part of a really strong series with some refinement, especially in the opening chapters.
The story improved significantly in the middle, and that’s when I became more interested in the plot and curious about how everything would end. However, the pacing continued to feel uneven—the middle dragged at times, while the ending felt rushed.
Despite my frustrations, the core story itself was compelling, and I can see this becoming part of a really strong series with some refinement, especially in the opening chapters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hexy Beast was exactly the kind of book I needed.
I absolutely devoured this story. The banter was über entertaining, the chemistry was undeniable, and when the spice hit, it was hot. From beginning to end, this book felt light, bright, and fun. It left me with that cozy, happy feeling that lingers long after you've finished reading.
While it's clear that this book is connected to a larger series, I never felt lost as a new reader. There were definitely moments where I could tell there were Easter eggs and references for longtime fans, but they enhanced the experience rather than distracted from it. The story stands perfectly well on its own, and I had no trouble becoming invested in the characters and their journey.
In fact, if anything, reading Hexy Beast made me want to go back and read the rest of the interconnected books. I can't wait to pick up another book by Avery Flynn.
I absolutely devoured this story. The banter was über entertaining, the chemistry was undeniable, and when the spice hit, it was hot. From beginning to end, this book felt light, bright, and fun. It left me with that cozy, happy feeling that lingers long after you've finished reading.
While it's clear that this book is connected to a larger series, I never felt lost as a new reader. There were definitely moments where I could tell there were Easter eggs and references for longtime fans, but they enhanced the experience rather than distracted from it. The story stands perfectly well on its own, and I had no trouble becoming invested in the characters and their journey.
In fact, if anything, reading Hexy Beast made me want to go back and read the rest of the interconnected books. I can't wait to pick up another book by Avery Flynn.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Of the three books I've read in this series over the past two days, I was sure Effie was going to be my favorite character. She's very much the eldest sister and super fun, But then you meet Aunt Artemis and "her pink-tipped silver hair blowing back even though there's not a lick of wind." Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, insta-love. The author pulls out every single fantasy and romance trope and throws them all at you at once. That being said, there is a LOT of sex in these books. So much so that you'll be surprised the characters get anything done. And skip the epilogue at the end, it just spoils the next book...
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my EARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my EARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow, this had instant attraction between the main characters, Effie Sherwood (witch) and Darius Aetos (werewolf). This is definitely a book heavy on the (pardon the pun) animal attraction and unleashing all that tension.... Besides that though, it is a story about finding one's place in their life and realizing that community is also family. What one looks on as not being enough, can sometimes mean that one is meant to do something else entirely.
I really enjoyed this story. There is much repartee and witticism woven into the story; bringing Effie's nature and personality into it.
This has great characters and a wonderful story.
I received an uncorrected galley of this story from the publisher through Net Galley.
I really enjoyed this story. There is much repartee and witticism woven into the story; bringing Effie's nature and personality into it.
This has great characters and a wonderful story.
I received an uncorrected galley of this story from the publisher through Net Galley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sherwood family of witches continues to entertain with Effie taking a turn this time around. Although she was the oldest daughter and should have been the keeper of the family magic, she was skipped over at birth, so she embraced the chaos within. Part of that involved helping her sister get their book of magic, the Liber Umbrarum, to a safe place, even if it meant stealing an alpha werewolf's motorcycle. Their adventure was wild from the get go, as was the attraction between Effie and Darius, but they both resisted. As their journey continued, secrets were uncovered and mysteries were solved. This was a fun book with a lot of great characters and plot twists. I can't wait for the next sister to get her story! Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A witch and a werewolf with a motorcycle meet cute? Yes, please!
Hexy Beast is by far my favorite of the series, with enemies to lovers and sunshine v grump tropes plus sassy banter. Effie is the eldest Sherwood sister but often seen as the wildchild, while Darius is the Alpha of the Aetos pack giving Mr Grumpy vibes. These two are forced to work together against the counsel and a roque member of the pack. The chemistry was off the charts as well as the steam, however, it consumed the bulk of the story. This led to a few loose ends that could have been expanded upon and a lot less confusing. This also made the ending seem rushed. Overall I really enjoyed being in this world and uncovering further info about Effie's sisters. I'm eagerly awaiting additional books in this series.
Hexy Beast is by far my favorite of the series, with enemies to lovers and sunshine v grump tropes plus sassy banter. Effie is the eldest Sherwood sister but often seen as the wildchild, while Darius is the Alpha of the Aetos pack giving Mr Grumpy vibes. These two are forced to work together against the counsel and a roque member of the pack. The chemistry was off the charts as well as the steam, however, it consumed the bulk of the story. This led to a few loose ends that could have been expanded upon and a lot less confusing. This also made the ending seem rushed. Overall I really enjoyed being in this world and uncovering further info about Effie's sisters. I'm eagerly awaiting additional books in this series.
August 12, 2026
Thank you for NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is the third book in a series, and I have not read the previous books but found that it was easy to catch up. The story of Effie, the black sheep of a powerful witch family. Effie was supposed to be the next leader but turns out to be a bit of chaotic, impulsive fun. She comes across Darius, who is the alpha of the local werewolf pack. He is the complete opposite. He is all about rules, responsibility & control.
But it is one impulsive action and a motorcycle ride that intertwines their paths.
This was a spicy, lighthearted story. Both main characters are fun, and I appreciated that the story was from both perspectives.
It was just the kind of summer story, that I enjoy.
I have read several other books by Avery Flynn and this is another fun one.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This is the third book in a series, and I have not read the previous books but found that it was easy to catch up. The story of Effie, the black sheep of a powerful witch family. Effie was supposed to be the next leader but turns out to be a bit of chaotic, impulsive fun. She comes across Darius, who is the alpha of the local werewolf pack. He is the complete opposite. He is all about rules, responsibility & control.
But it is one impulsive action and a motorcycle ride that intertwines their paths.
This was a spicy, lighthearted story. Both main characters are fun, and I appreciated that the story was from both perspectives.
It was just the kind of summer story, that I enjoy.
I have read several other books by Avery Flynn and this is another fun one.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Playful, confident Effie meets her match in deceptively grumpy, Darius.
Effie's antics with his motorcycle bike to her temporary stint in jail were fun to watch. Their adventures had in mind old episodes of "I Love Lucy" except rather than the signature redhead and her sidekick, it's these two polar opposites in the paranormal world. That said, readers new to the series will feel a little lost if you haven't read the prior books in the series. To better appreciate Effie's role as eldest sister but not heir to the magic, the prior reads will provide context to who she is in family.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#HexyBeast #NetGalley
Effie's antics with his motorcycle bike to her temporary stint in jail were fun to watch. Their adventures had in mind old episodes of "I Love Lucy" except rather than the signature redhead and her sidekick, it's these two polar opposites in the paranormal world. That said, readers new to the series will feel a little lost if you haven't read the prior books in the series. To better appreciate Effie's role as eldest sister but not heir to the magic, the prior reads will provide context to who she is in family.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#HexyBeast #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The female main character is an impulsive rebel, and the male main character is uptight and believes he can't let go without his pack suffering. This is not my favorite personality interplay, but I'm sure others will feel differently. There's a lot of sex in this one, and there were several sex scenes that I thought were taking the place of getting to know each other, which there is very little of. This is more of a fated mates insta-romance with sex/lust rather than a discover each other and decide we like each other sort of romance. I thought the ending was a little convenient, but not over-the-top convenient. Just slightly so.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️
A nice quick read.
This is my first Avery Flynn book and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.
I do love a witch/werewolf story.
The writing style is very...um modern? Lots of parentheses and little side comments to the readers about things. I didn't mind it - I feel like it made my read quicker honestly. Very stream of consciousness of the character.
Although you should be prepared to read the word Witchingdom many many many times in the first 5% of the book.
If you are a fan of previous Avery Flynn works and you like witches and werewolves I think you will really enjoy this latest book.
A nice quick read.
This is my first Avery Flynn book and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.
I do love a witch/werewolf story.
The writing style is very...um modern? Lots of parentheses and little side comments to the readers about things. I didn't mind it - I feel like it made my read quicker honestly. Very stream of consciousness of the character.
Although you should be prepared to read the word Witchingdom many many many times in the first 5% of the book.
If you are a fan of previous Avery Flynn works and you like witches and werewolves I think you will really enjoy this latest book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 stars. This book was cute but it felt more superficial than the other books in the series. The story had some interesting points like with Artemis and the blue moon gauntlet, but nothing really got deep enough to feel important. Darius was worried about turning into his dad, but he wasn't given much personality other than that and being hot.
I really liked the twist for Effie. Exploring being the oldest and uncovers was a great journey and I really liked the resolution for her. Effie and Darius balanced each other out really well. Again, the epilogue is full of spoilers for the other sisters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the free eARC.
I really liked the twist for Effie. Exploring being the oldest and uncovers was a great journey and I really liked the resolution for her. Effie and Darius balanced each other out really well. Again, the epilogue is full of spoilers for the other sisters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the free eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've been a HUGE fan of Avery Flynn's writing for awhile & her newest novel #HexyBeast is a fun romantasy story in her Sherwood Witches series. Romantasy is not my fave genre with werewolves & witches, but a fun storyline & plenty of spice makes #HexyBeast a fun story to read. Effie & Darius are the lead character who literally make you laugh out loud with their witty banter. Plenty of other characters to keep tabs on in this story, but overall well written & I look toward to the 4th Sherwood Witches story.
Thank you, #NetGalley! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book with all thoughts and opinions being my own.
Thank you, #NetGalley! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book with all thoughts and opinions being my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely adored it! This was the first book in the series that I read on my Kindle, rather than listening to the audiobook, and I was still completely immersed in their world. I felt the magic, love, and deep connections!
Every time I pick up a book in this series, it ignites a desire in me to be a witch or to live in their enchanting realm. The adventures, the chaos, and the riddles they encounter are simply captivating. I can hardly wait for the stories of the last two sisters!
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.
Every time I pick up a book in this series, it ignites a desire in me to be a witch or to live in their enchanting realm. The adventures, the chaos, and the riddles they encounter are simply captivating. I can hardly wait for the stories of the last two sisters!
Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Hexy Beast! This book was sooo good. I love a good witchy book and have thoroughly enjoyed this series, but this 3rd book is definitely my favorite! Effie and Darius were absolutely hilarious together, and oh how I loved Aunt Artemis—she brought so much to this story. I also loved how Barkley even had his own appearances! (lol!). If you love witty banter and fun, witchy vibes, I highly recommend picking up this series!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book starts out promising and I really like the premise but it starts to drag in the middle. Despite the characters constantly stressing the need to hurry, they do not act with any urgency, which became increasingly frustrating. The ending did have a lot of action which drew me back in. It ends in a way that wraps everything up in a happy ending while still setting up the next two books in the series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eldest daughters for the win. This book was exactly what I needed. The magic is so fun, and the dynamic between the sassy, spell-casting FMC and our grumpy, protective beast of an MMC is completely top-tier. Watching her chaotic witchy energy slowly break down his tough, monstrous exterior was the absolute best. Their banter had me laughing out loud, and the intense chemistry kept me hooked reading straight through the night. If you love a hilarious, steamy, paranormal romance, you need this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved the previous books in the series and wondered if this would meet the standards they set. Somehow, it ended up being even better. I loved watching Effie grow into her new life and watching her and Darius fall in love was adorable. A great book overall and one that I will reread soon.
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