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A Curse for Christmas Past: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26For fans of Lovelight Farms, Hallmark holiday movies, and general witchy shenanigans, a charming holiday romance following a woman with a curse and the handsome witch she enlists to help her break it
Hayleigh Gray is cursed. For real.
After losing her job, her savings, and her relationship, it's the discovery of a lump on her beloved horse’s neck that finally sends Hayleigh looking for solutions in the winter festival in Elk Ridge. Trouble is, she knows there are witches in Elk Ridge because she managed to make an enemy of one (okay, maybe a few) last holiday season.
There, she crosses paths with Stephan Midwinter, an animal-rescuing artist with lumberjack good looks, a reputation with women that stretches a mile long, and a whole lot of magic that Hayleigh wants nothing to do with. Adamant that his coven wasn’t involved in Hayleigh’s curse, Stephan offers to help her find the real culprit and break the curse before Christmas Day.
As Hayleigh and Stephan face ancestral secrets, mischievous holiday spirits, and being snowed into the world’s kitschiest holiday train B&B, Hayleigh finds her heart opening to magic, and to Stephan Midwinter.
But Stephan and his way of life are in direct opposition to everything Hayleigh’s been taught to want, and old habits die hard. With the curse amping up and time running out, will she be able to embrace a new kind of happiness, or will she fall back into the patterns of Christmas past?
Hayleigh Gray is cursed. For real.
After losing her job, her savings, and her relationship, it's the discovery of a lump on her beloved horse’s neck that finally sends Hayleigh looking for solutions in the winter festival in Elk Ridge. Trouble is, she knows there are witches in Elk Ridge because she managed to make an enemy of one (okay, maybe a few) last holiday season.
There, she crosses paths with Stephan Midwinter, an animal-rescuing artist with lumberjack good looks, a reputation with women that stretches a mile long, and a whole lot of magic that Hayleigh wants nothing to do with. Adamant that his coven wasn’t involved in Hayleigh’s curse, Stephan offers to help her find the real culprit and break the curse before Christmas Day.
As Hayleigh and Stephan face ancestral secrets, mischievous holiday spirits, and being snowed into the world’s kitschiest holiday train B&B, Hayleigh finds her heart opening to magic, and to Stephan Midwinter.
But Stephan and his way of life are in direct opposition to everything Hayleigh’s been taught to want, and old habits die hard. With the curse amping up and time running out, will she be able to embrace a new kind of happiness, or will she fall back into the patterns of Christmas past?
320 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Morgan Lockhart
5 books94 followersMorgan Lockhart hails from the Pacific Northwest, where she currently lives with her family, including her partner, two children, and a pack of fur babies. Growing up in the woods of Washington State, Morgan has always been telling and consuming stories in all shapes and sizes. She roamed her way to California, where she graduated with highest honors from the creative writing department at UC San Diego. Her path forked into video games then, as she put off her final trimester of college to work on her first video game. Currently, she works as a writer and game developer for video games.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
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May 12, 2026ARC Received
May 26, 2026
Exactly the magical holiday read I dream about! This is a bit like a grownup fairy tale with a pinch of romance, spice, ‘good witches,’ and cheer. Think a mashup of The Good Witch, Hallmark, and a romance novel, tied up with a charming bow.
This is a follow-up book to A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart, and I was thrilled to visit the witches of Elk Ridge again! This is a must read for anyone who has read that first book. However, this can be read as a stand-alone and you can jump right into the magic with this book first. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is a follow-up book to A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart, and I was thrilled to visit the witches of Elk Ridge again! This is a must read for anyone who has read that first book. However, this can be read as a stand-alone and you can jump right into the magic with this book first. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 26, 2026
Mix Ghost of Christmas Past with the lore in The Bear and the Nightingale & you have A Curse For Christmas Past.
A tall, blonde, calming lumberjack witch paired with a rich girl who has spent her whole life controlled & blindly following the rules set for her. When she has no choice but to go to her enemies for help, she starts to realize the harm caused by the choices she knowingly & unknowingly made in the past and has to find the courage to make things right.
This was such a cute & cozy standalone series supernatural holiday romance with a redemption arc. It was an easy read and simple to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit and magical world.
A tall, blonde, calming lumberjack witch paired with a rich girl who has spent her whole life controlled & blindly following the rules set for her. When she has no choice but to go to her enemies for help, she starts to realize the harm caused by the choices she knowingly & unknowingly made in the past and has to find the courage to make things right.
This was such a cute & cozy standalone series supernatural holiday romance with a redemption arc. It was an easy read and simple to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit and magical world.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC!
Near Christmas, Hayleigh’s life starts to fall apart at the seams and everything seems to go wrong, she has no doubt that she’s been cursed by a witch she wronged (unknowingly) and after finding a lump in her horse’s neck, she will take a trip to find that witch and make her undo it. That is, until she runs into that witch’s brother, who helps her discover that the cursed wasn’t done by the person she thought. He promises to help her and gives her kindness without asking for anything in return, something Hayleigh isn’t used to. Together, they will need to find out who cursed her, and they might find even more than just that.
This is the perfect holiday romance. It feels like the perfect mix of a Hallmark movie (with the detail of the small town from here Steph is and how they act like a big family) and Practical Magic (the magic aspect, of course, but also, how important accepting ourselves and going back to our roots is for us to be able to be happy). It has happiness, emotional scenes, love, friendship, forgiveness and a family reuniting, what more could one ask for?
The characters were so adorable. Steph was as if a golden retriever had become a man, a green flag who wants to be there for everyone and make people happy, even though most times, he has no one to do those things for him. Hayleigh was so brave and strong through all her misfortunes (except from her horse, all the rest are hilarious, even though they made her life a nightmare). Besides her mistakes, most of them unknowingly done, her heart and intentions are pure and the fact that she could be such a good person having her parents (mostly her father) as a terrible example, talks greatly of how good she is.
The romance was fantastic. The chemistry was there from the beginning, this tug and pull between a man who knows what he wants and would do anything to make her happy and a woman who is uncertain of how someone so good could actually exist after only encountering people who wanted to use her for their benefit. The sweet scenes and the spicy ones were so well done, I fell in love with the stunning couple that Hayleigh and Steph make.
The magic aspect intrigued me since requesting this ARC and it didn’t disappoint. The detail of how everyone’s magic is different and feels completely different to those who have it, it’s really interesting. The fact that Steph uses his charms to be able to communicate with animals won me over, it was so cool!
I can simply say that I adored this book and I hope many readers can find it a comfort when the holiday season comes around.
Near Christmas, Hayleigh’s life starts to fall apart at the seams and everything seems to go wrong, she has no doubt that she’s been cursed by a witch she wronged (unknowingly) and after finding a lump in her horse’s neck, she will take a trip to find that witch and make her undo it. That is, until she runs into that witch’s brother, who helps her discover that the cursed wasn’t done by the person she thought. He promises to help her and gives her kindness without asking for anything in return, something Hayleigh isn’t used to. Together, they will need to find out who cursed her, and they might find even more than just that.
This is the perfect holiday romance. It feels like the perfect mix of a Hallmark movie (with the detail of the small town from here Steph is and how they act like a big family) and Practical Magic (the magic aspect, of course, but also, how important accepting ourselves and going back to our roots is for us to be able to be happy). It has happiness, emotional scenes, love, friendship, forgiveness and a family reuniting, what more could one ask for?
The characters were so adorable. Steph was as if a golden retriever had become a man, a green flag who wants to be there for everyone and make people happy, even though most times, he has no one to do those things for him. Hayleigh was so brave and strong through all her misfortunes (except from her horse, all the rest are hilarious, even though they made her life a nightmare). Besides her mistakes, most of them unknowingly done, her heart and intentions are pure and the fact that she could be such a good person having her parents (mostly her father) as a terrible example, talks greatly of how good she is.
The romance was fantastic. The chemistry was there from the beginning, this tug and pull between a man who knows what he wants and would do anything to make her happy and a woman who is uncertain of how someone so good could actually exist after only encountering people who wanted to use her for their benefit. The sweet scenes and the spicy ones were so well done, I fell in love with the stunning couple that Hayleigh and Steph make.
The magic aspect intrigued me since requesting this ARC and it didn’t disappoint. The detail of how everyone’s magic is different and feels completely different to those who have it, it’s really interesting. The fact that Steph uses his charms to be able to communicate with animals won me over, it was so cool!
I can simply say that I adored this book and I hope many readers can find it a comfort when the holiday season comes around.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨ARC Book Review✨
I really liked this book!
When Hayleigh discovers that she’s cursed and begins experiencing one misfortune after another, I completely understood why she needed to figure out what was going on.
I felt like her character showed a lot of growth throughout the story, and I loved that she had to work to fix the issues she caused. She was lucky to meet Stephan… he was so genuine and selfless. The slow burn romance was also a lot of fun. I was living for the longing stares and close proximity.
I enjoyed the magical elements and the Yule time creatures. I especially loved reading about Baba Yaga. She’s always fascinated me, but I’ve never read a Christmas book that included her.
I really liked the ending. It delivered all the fun Yule and Christmas vibes, with just a little bit of spice.
The book referenced events from book one several times. Since I hadn’t read the first book, I didn’t fully understand the significance of those events to the main character. That being said, I felt the story did a good job explaining the current conflict and what needed to be done to fix it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Publishing for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book!
When Hayleigh discovers that she’s cursed and begins experiencing one misfortune after another, I completely understood why she needed to figure out what was going on.
I felt like her character showed a lot of growth throughout the story, and I loved that she had to work to fix the issues she caused. She was lucky to meet Stephan… he was so genuine and selfless. The slow burn romance was also a lot of fun. I was living for the longing stares and close proximity.
I enjoyed the magical elements and the Yule time creatures. I especially loved reading about Baba Yaga. She’s always fascinated me, but I’ve never read a Christmas book that included her.
I really liked the ending. It delivered all the fun Yule and Christmas vibes, with just a little bit of spice.
The book referenced events from book one several times. Since I hadn’t read the first book, I didn’t fully understand the significance of those events to the main character. That being said, I felt the story did a good job explaining the current conflict and what needed to be done to fix it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Publishing for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Exactly what you want in a holiday romcom that straddles the line between sweet magical realism and cozy paranormal romance.
First and foremost, I liked the Ukrainian traditions and folklore that were interwoven with the plot. I also enjoyed the themes around forgiveness, learning to not just own and learn from your mistakes but also to try and rectify, and the portrayal of what familial abuse can look like (please note: it’s still done within the premise of a holiday romance). Of course you also get that you would expect from a holiday romance - it’s lighthearted, sweet, and a too good to be true main male character.
While technically the second book in a standalone, interconnected series, I do think it would be better having read book one (A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart). Without having read it, the reader will be able to piece together a lot o the backstory, but will miss the details as well as the world building for the cute town and witch coven.
Thanks to Morgan Lockhart, Dutton, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
First and foremost, I liked the Ukrainian traditions and folklore that were interwoven with the plot. I also enjoyed the themes around forgiveness, learning to not just own and learn from your mistakes but also to try and rectify, and the portrayal of what familial abuse can look like (please note: it’s still done within the premise of a holiday romance). Of course you also get that you would expect from a holiday romance - it’s lighthearted, sweet, and a too good to be true main male character.
While technically the second book in a standalone, interconnected series, I do think it would be better having read book one (A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart). Without having read it, the reader will be able to piece together a lot o the backstory, but will miss the details as well as the world building for the cute town and witch coven.
Thanks to Morgan Lockhart, Dutton, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Curse for Christmas Past is a charming and magical holiday romance that completely swept me away. Morgan Lockhart blends festive magic, mystery, and heartwarming romance into a story that's as cozy as a snow-covered Christmas village.
Hayleigh is an easy character to root for as she struggles with a seemingly endless streak of bad luck and searches for a way to break the curse hanging over her life. I loved watching her grow throughout the story and open herself to new possibilities. Stephan Midwinter was the perfect romantic lead—kind, supportive, and impossible not to fall for.
The magical elements, holiday atmosphere, and delightful setting made this a joy to read. Beneath the romance and Christmas charm is a lovely message about embracing change and finding happiness on your own terms.
If you're looking for a cozy paranormal holiday romance filled with magic, heart, and a swoon-worthy hero, I highly recommend A Curse for Christmas Past.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Hayleigh is an easy character to root for as she struggles with a seemingly endless streak of bad luck and searches for a way to break the curse hanging over her life. I loved watching her grow throughout the story and open herself to new possibilities. Stephan Midwinter was the perfect romantic lead—kind, supportive, and impossible not to fall for.
The magical elements, holiday atmosphere, and delightful setting made this a joy to read. Beneath the romance and Christmas charm is a lovely message about embracing change and finding happiness on your own terms.
If you're looking for a cozy paranormal holiday romance filled with magic, heart, and a swoon-worthy hero, I highly recommend A Curse for Christmas Past.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Curse for Christmas Past is a charming holiday romance with magical elements and plenty of witchy shenanigans.
Haleigh Gray is cursed. After losing everything, it’s the discovery of a lump on her beloved horse’s neck that sets her on a journey to break the curse. As she heads to Elk Ridge, Washington, a town full of witches, Haleigh crosses paths with Stephan Midwinter, a witch with a mile long reputation, and magic she wants nothing to do with. Stephan is insistent that his coven wasn’t involved in the curse and offers to help Hayleigh find the culprit and break the curse before Christmas day.
This is a cozy story filled with winter vibes, magical elements and small town charm. It’s quirky and fun with a swoon worthy hero and themes of learning from past mistakes and setting things right. Charming setting, layered characters and plenty of twists that kept me hooked. A wonderful follow up to A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart!
Thank you Netgalley, Dutton and Morgan Lockhart for the eARC I received. All opinions expressed are my own.
Haleigh Gray is cursed. After losing everything, it’s the discovery of a lump on her beloved horse’s neck that sets her on a journey to break the curse. As she heads to Elk Ridge, Washington, a town full of witches, Haleigh crosses paths with Stephan Midwinter, a witch with a mile long reputation, and magic she wants nothing to do with. Stephan is insistent that his coven wasn’t involved in the curse and offers to help Hayleigh find the culprit and break the curse before Christmas day.
This is a cozy story filled with winter vibes, magical elements and small town charm. It’s quirky and fun with a swoon worthy hero and themes of learning from past mistakes and setting things right. Charming setting, layered characters and plenty of twists that kept me hooked. A wonderful follow up to A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart!
Thank you Netgalley, Dutton and Morgan Lockhart for the eARC I received. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 10, 2026
A cosy Christmas read with a hint of magic!
Review of advance copy from NetGalley
A Curse for Christmas Past was a fun and easy read, perfect for settling into during the festive season. Beneath the light and magical surface, there are some more thoughtful elements woven in—particularly around how the main character is treated at work. The story touches on the frustrations of being overlooked and undervalued, and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways her contributions are dismissed. This added an extra layer of relatability and gave more weight to her personal journey.
I also really enjoyed the insight into Ukrainian traditions, which brought a unique and refreshing cultural element to the story. At times, I did find myself a little confused—especially with references to past events—but things became clearer as the story unfolded.
The romance and magical elements were both fun and engaging, adding to the cosy charm of the book.
Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy from NetGalley
A Curse for Christmas Past was a fun and easy read, perfect for settling into during the festive season. Beneath the light and magical surface, there are some more thoughtful elements woven in—particularly around how the main character is treated at work. The story touches on the frustrations of being overlooked and undervalued, and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways her contributions are dismissed. This added an extra layer of relatability and gave more weight to her personal journey.
I also really enjoyed the insight into Ukrainian traditions, which brought a unique and refreshing cultural element to the story. At times, I did find myself a little confused—especially with references to past events—but things became clearer as the story unfolded.
The romance and magical elements were both fun and engaging, adding to the cosy charm of the book.
Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hayleigh Gray siempre creyó que podía controlar su vida con planes perfectos, trabajo duro y decisiones calculadas. Pero después de que un encuentro con un grupo de brujas destruyera su carrera, todo comenzó a derrumbarse. Su dinero desaparece, su futuro se desmorona y ahora el único ser que realmente le importa podría estar muriendo por culpa de una maldición.
Desesperada por respuestas, viaja hasta Elk Ridge, un pueblo envuelto en luces navideñas, secretos y magia que se niega a desaparecer. Ahí conoce a Stephan Midwinter, un escultor de madera tan irritante como imposible de ignorar. Él pertenece a la misma familia que ella culpa por arruinarle la vida, pero mientras más tiempo pasa a su lado, más difícil se vuelve decidir si Stephan es parte del problema o la única persona capaz de ayudarla antes de que lo pierda todo.
Desesperada por respuestas, viaja hasta Elk Ridge, un pueblo envuelto en luces navideñas, secretos y magia que se niega a desaparecer. Ahí conoce a Stephan Midwinter, un escultor de madera tan irritante como imposible de ignorar. Él pertenece a la misma familia que ella culpa por arruinarle la vida, pero mientras más tiempo pasa a su lado, más difícil se vuelve decidir si Stephan es parte del problema o la única persona capaz de ayudarla antes de que lo pierda todo.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨🎄🪄 A Curse for Christmas Past 🪄🎄✨
Aw, this was super cute! And the spice was 🔥🥵
Stephan?? Mountain daddy lumberjack, I didn’t know I needed. And the fact that he loves animals just made him hotter ☺️
Kayleigh is really going through it in this book. I can see why some people might read her as entitled or a little bratty, but I honestly just felt bad for her. Her situation, especially with her family, was rough. I wanted to punch her dad the entire time, and her mom did absolutely nothing to help, which made it even more frustrating.
The ending was perfect and wrapped up nicely! Overall this was such a fun, mostly lighthearted read.
💖 What to Expect
• Small town
• Witch x non believer
• Curse breaking
• Holiday festival
• Snowed in proximity
• Animal loving MMC
• Redemption
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 22, 2026
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Aw, this was super cute! And the spice was 🔥🥵
Stephan?? Mountain daddy lumberjack, I didn’t know I needed. And the fact that he loves animals just made him hotter ☺️
Kayleigh is really going through it in this book. I can see why some people might read her as entitled or a little bratty, but I honestly just felt bad for her. Her situation, especially with her family, was rough. I wanted to punch her dad the entire time, and her mom did absolutely nothing to help, which made it even more frustrating.
The ending was perfect and wrapped up nicely! Overall this was such a fun, mostly lighthearted read.
💖 What to Expect
• Small town
• Witch x non believer
• Curse breaking
• Holiday festival
• Snowed in proximity
• Animal loving MMC
• Redemption
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 22, 2026
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Curse for Christmas Past is a cozy, feel-good romance that gives that small town charming feeling with a little magic thrown in. Our FMC, Hayleigh Gray's life, is a train wreck. She lost her job, her relationship, and on top of that, there's the curse. Feeling lost and not knowing what to do, she goes to Elk Ridge, where she meets Stephen. Their relationship is tense, but as they learn to work together, a connection starts to build. The setting is festive, with snow and holiday fun, which add to the story to make it feel magical. This is a holiday rom-com, so it is a bit predictable, but I enjoyed it. Im going to rate this 3 stars. I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you so much once again netgalley for this amazing opportunity to read this book as an e-arc
can you tell that now im in a mood for christmas read for some reason?
this was such a cute, cozy holiday read with just the right amount of magic.
i really loved the festive small-town atmosphere and all the magical elements. it had that cozy christmas charm while still touching on some important themes, and i could really relate to the fmc.
p.s.: i also really liked the little glimpses into ukrainian traditions
can you tell that now im in a mood for christmas read for some reason?
this was such a cute, cozy holiday read with just the right amount of magic.
i really loved the festive small-town atmosphere and all the magical elements. it had that cozy christmas charm while still touching on some important themes, and i could really relate to the fmc.
p.s.: i also really liked the little glimpses into ukrainian traditions
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a cute, festive, and cozy read. I love how the magic and lore was woven into the story. And hello lumberjack daddy! I feel like this was a fresh take on second chance to set things right holiday story. Im so happy that the FMC found her family in the end.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this.
This was just a sweet and spicy wintery romance with a beautiful hint of magic and was truly cozy, will definitely be re reading this in the future.
This was just a sweet and spicy wintery romance with a beautiful hint of magic and was truly cozy, will definitely be re reading this in the future.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Entretenido.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Loved the first book, and this was a great follow-up. Getting to see the perspective of Hayleigh and then have her learn her lessons and change was satisfying. While I loved the character journey and general story and worldbuilding in the first, the romance is definitely better in this one (and spicier). Both capture that same curl under a blanket with a mug of cocoa cozy of the holiday season, but this one does it in its own unique ways with a story about learning to be brave enough to live your own life & make amends.
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