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First Witches Club

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When three betrayed wives stumble into a magical apothecary shop, they discover that revenge is sweet—but finding true love and their own power is even sweeter in this witty, romantic novel about second chances from New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates.

Nora, Daisy, and Soraya think their marriages are just fine. Until their husbands prove them wrong.

Nora’s says he needs distance and flits off to a wellness retreat in Chile. Daisy’s confesses to an affair with someone younger. And Soraya’s sends her a pic of that special part of himself—meant for another woman. At a loss for what to do, they follow their intuition right into Lady’s Mantle Apothecary.

As they embrace their untapped magic, their fortunes begin changing fast. Getting even with their exes is satisfying, but the real magic happens when they start opening their hearts to new possibilities. Nora discovers that true love might have been right in front of her all along in the form of her childhood best friend. Daisy finds herself falling for her ex-husband’s handsome business partner, a former TV star who sees the real her. And Soraya, who never dated before marriage, experiences an unexpected attraction to the mysterious owner of the game shop across the hall.

With the help of an enigmatic shopkeeper, these three women discover that the best revenge isn’t just about hexes and karma—it’s about finding your own path to love, friendship, and claiming your power. And that is positively magical.

11 pages, Audiobook

First published March 1, 2026

7080 people are currently reading
18719 people want to read

About the author

Maisey Yates

1,185 books3,093 followers
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.

Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.

She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

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5 stars
3,806 (42%)
4 stars
3,070 (34%)
3 stars
1,590 (17%)
2 stars
297 (3%)
1 star
127 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews
Profile Image for Sadie E .
179 reviews30 followers
March 27, 2026
Emotional burnout meets soft magic and three women collectively deciding, “actually? I deserve better than this.”

The FMCs are all dealing with various flavours of terrible relationships, but instead of quietly imploding, they stumble into ✨witchy empowerment✨ love that journey for them. Growth. Healing. Found family. A little mystical assistance.



The writing's simple and has a really cosy feel to it, which makes even the heavier moments feel warm and readable. It’s the kind of book you curl up with under a blanket while the characters emotionally dismantle their lives in the most gentle, magical way possible.

It's basically feminine rage but make it cute.

The friendship's the heart of the story. Watching these women lean on each other, rediscover themselves, stsrt over, and slowly build confidence is really satisfying. HOWEVER (and this is my one tiny “hmm”) part of me wishes the women weren’t childhood friends/acquaintancs. I think it would have been even more impactful if they’d been strangers brought together purely by circumstance, slowly forming a messy little found-family coven. I would have devoured that kind of accidental sisterhood!

But their bond still works, and the supportive “we ride at dawn” energy is strong.
Profile Image for Coleene Rosenbach.
248 reviews
Review of advance copy
February 2, 2026
3.5
I got to read this a month early since it was included in this month's Amazon First Reads. This is First Wives Club with a dash of Practical Magic. Were there any great revelations or unexpected outcomes? No, I knew what I was getting. But I still very much enjoyed it. There's feminine rage, a little witchy revenge along with a fairy godmother-esque shopkeeper, some new and sexy romances, all thrown in with finding oneself outside the labels and expectations of others. Really, all that was missing was a cute, four-legged companion.
Profile Image for Chantelle Marshall.
613 reviews2 followers
February 14, 2026
3.4 🌟 (Kindle)

For most of this story, I had intended on giving this book a higher rating - women coming together as a community/ covenant, finding their magic, loving themselves - but another part of me got tired of the repetitive dialogue + even some of the characters' superficial ties to the story. I loved the women coming together in the end to support all women in need. I wish I'd had that kind of community at multiple times in my life.
Profile Image for Reading Rachel .
253 reviews46 followers
March 15, 2026
This was exactly what I needed. If you need a palate cleanser and just want to have a fun time, this is the book for you. I loved the witchy vibes and the women supporting each other. A little romance and a little magic equal fun.
12 reviews
Review of advance copy
March 5, 2026
Great characters and good storytelling, each of the main ladies had a distinctive 'voice', and you definitely, quickly begin to care about them. I wouldn't say the ending was a surprise, and i find if hard when people fall into the 'Christians are all judgy mysogenists' trope, as that's not my experience at all. But then, I'm not a Christian in 'bible-belt' America, so a book seemingly set there is always going to have a different point of view. Would recommend as an engaging, well written, holiday novel, when you don't want to risk there not being a happy ending...
69 reviews1 follower
February 9, 2026
Find your magic

I chose this book for my First Reads choice this month, and I think I did ok. However, there was a.point when I almost.put the book down and said forget it. I didn't want to play naive in order to enjoy the story. Slight spoiler alert: the story is about 3 women at age 35 who knew each other in high school. They had drifted apart, but came back together unexpectedly when all 3 of them happened to separate from their husbands. The husbands were all jerks. I mean, big time jerks! One man sent the mother of his children a text telling her to get out of the house, he was moving back in! The women rallied round her, helping her since she was now 'homeless'. While I loved the comaraderie, I was really irritated that nobody suggested she consult a lawyer. I can suspend disbelief on a lot of things, but this is common sense. She had legal rights that would likely not make her such a victim. This is where I nearly put the book aside. I'm glad I decided not to be so picky, because the story went on and eventually redeemed itself.

The story is about how these 3 women found magic within themselves, and created a community for women. Not all the men in the story were jerks, lol. The women were required to take an unflinching look at themselves, and that part was genuine. Parts of the book were laugh out loud funny. Great women's fiction!
Profile Image for Liza.
16 reviews
March 15, 2026
DNF at 60%. Amazon First Reads Fail. I love the idea of an updated First Wives Club and of women coming to help each other in times of need. But this was just anti-man, anti-religion and with poorly developed characters. The husbands were all awful caricatures of the worst stereotypes and the new love interests were caricatures of "perfect" men. I really tried, but could not get through this one.
Profile Image for selly rose.
109 reviews5 followers
March 30, 2026
I already had a feeling I would like this (which books are always loved by me!!) but it still exceeded my expectations. This was such a fun quick read and I loved it so much.

Nora, Daisy, and Soraya are three women that reunite one day and decide to spend the day together, and find their way into an apothecary. From here you have an amazing story about sisterhood and friendship, and standing up for what you deserve in your life.

I loved reading Nora realize she was always loved, Daisy learning to dance and scream at the moon again, and Soraya finding herself after being told all her life what to do.

The romance was so ‘butterflies in my stomach’ too !! like wdym I got friends to lovers that were happy they waited until they were both healed, a man that was in love he sold his share of the company for one penny, and neighbors to lovers that are helping each other heal all in one book?!? ugh it was so good.

I loved how they ended up using their magic to help other women in need and show them everyone has a little magic in them. If you’re wanting cute female rage, women the support each other, and obsessive men in the background then this is 100% the book for you!!
Profile Image for Treasure Box Of Books.
191 reviews11 followers
February 12, 2026
This is definitely my favorite read of 2026!

This is definitely my favorite read of 2026!

I love the friendship. I love that all of the women were so different yet best friends. I love the witchiness but not in a fantasy novel kind of way. Love the tarot! (I feel like tarot will be my new hyper focus that I want to learn about in the near future lol) Sooo many things in this story that I could relate to - maybe that's why I liked it so much.

Profile Image for Brina's Emotional Borrow.
348 reviews7 followers
March 25, 2026
I rated this 3.5 stars

I went into this expecting a cozy witchy fantasy, and while there is magic, this book surprised me by being much deeper and more emotional than I anticipated. It’s really a story about three women whose lives have fallen apart in different ways — betrayal, abandonment, infidelity, religious pressure, financial fear — and how they slowly rebuild themselves through friendship, honesty, and a little bit of witchcraft.

Soraya, Daisy, and Nora are all in their 30s, all blindsided by their husbands, and all feeling completely alone. Their backgrounds are different, their personalities are different, and the ways their marriages fall apart are different — but the loneliness is the same. When they reconnect in a hospital waiting room while visiting another woman from their past, something clicks. Their lives have become so small and isolated, and suddenly they have people who understand exactly what they’re going through.

The found family element is front and center here, and it’s easily my favorite part of the book. The way these women open up to each other, support each other, and slowly reclaim their sense of self was genuinely touching. I was surprised by how bingeable this story was, and I teared up more than once. The witchcraft is light and more symbolic than literal — it’s about sisterhood, intuition, and those moments that feel too perfectly timed to be coincidence.

There’s also a really satisfying justice thread woven through the story. The husbands get their karma, but the focus stays on the women finding strength, community, and a new sense of purpose. I also appreciated the theme of not judging others or assuming you know their story — something the book handles with a lot of compassion.

Overall, this was a warm, emotional, surprisingly heartfelt read about healing, friendship, and starting over. I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Mandie  Capps.
89 reviews6 followers
March 23, 2026
This was SO cute! It was exactly what I expected; if you love First Wives Club, you'll probably love this. I found it to be a little bit too long and very redundant with how the ladies were feeling. however, it did feel right in the story. It was empowering and really did remind me to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Profile Image for Angell.
349 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2026
Fine enough but nothing miraculous. Two of the three main characters kept getting confused as they just didn’t feel different enough, but it was fairly modern and pleasantly fanciful. 3 unexpectedly handsome hero types lingering on the sidelines as the 3 FMCs divorce their underwhelming husbands and reconfigure their lives for a moment before the new guy steps in to smooth the world over - was a bit predictable and this prevented any real engagement.
Profile Image for Annabelle Donnelly.
252 reviews14 followers
March 5, 2026
I went into First Witches Club thinking I was getting witchy chaos, magical revenge, maybe some women reclaiming their power with a little hexing on the side.
What I actually got was The First Wives Club… but make it herbal tea.
And listen, I LOVE The First Wives Club. Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn? Iconic. Untouchable. But if you’re going to retell something that recognizable, you have to bring something new to the table. Something bold. Something messy. Something worth the extra 300 pages.
Instead I kept having these moments of déjà vu like… wait, didn’t I literally watch this scene already?
The writing style didn’t help either. It’s technically third person, but the narration keeps repeating the character names in a way that makes the prose feel weirdly stiff and juvenile. Every few sentences my brain had to stop and re-anchor itself in who was speaking, which is not exactly the immersive reading experience we’re aiming for.
And then chapter two hit me with the most convenient plot setup imaginable: the women walk into a shop and the owner immediately lists the exact jobs they all just happen to need. Bookkeeper. Baker. Counter help. Oh great, the plot arrived and it fits everyone perfectly. How convenient.
That was the moment I closed the book.
Maybe the witchy revenge kicks in later and things get wild. Maybe spells start flying and husbands start mysteriously suffering from hex-related inconveniences. But honestly? If what you want is betrayed wives getting their power back, you might save yourself a few hours and just rewatch The First Wives Club.
Shorter. Funnier. And Bette Midler is already perfect.
Profile Image for Samantha A H.
220 reviews4 followers
March 28, 2026
I really wanted to love this, and I ended up only liking it. As some one who both loves witchy vibes and also has a deep-seated nostalgic love for First Wives Club, I probably had too high of expectations. While the book tried hard to deliver on the wives who were horribly wronged getting their revenge, the revenge basically amounted to random traumatic injuries by way of "karma" instead of the conniving, sneaking, or mental manipulation that I would have preferred. There are also 3 simultaneous romances interwoven that was likely just too much for one book for me to feel any sort of investment or connection to any of them. Book is light spice, with maybe a handful of open-door scenes that move very quickly and are not super detailed. The writing in general was not my favorite style, dialogue felt clunky at times, and there was a lot of weird repetitive sentences that I just did not understand. Overall vibes felt hallmark and cozy, which is definitely the preference for some folks, but just not really what I was hoping for. I enjoyed the first half more than the second, and overall this was an easy, light read. I think many people will really enjoy this one, it just didn't fully land for me.
Profile Image for Michelle  Lima .
56 reviews2 followers
March 12, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The First Witches Club by Maisey Yates was such a satisfying read! This story really leans into female rage in the best possible way, and I loved watching these women reclaim their power and their lives.
At its heart, this book is about found friendship, sisterhood, and second chances. Each of the women in the story is navigating a new chapter in life, and seeing them come together and build a supportive community was incredibly uplifting. Their bond felt genuine and empowering, and I loved the way they lifted each other up.
The themes of reinventing your life, healing from the past, and finding your people really stood out to me. There’s something so comforting about a story where characters realize it’s never too late to start over and create the life they want.
Overall, this was a powerful and emotional read about women finding strength in each other and embracing a new life. If you enjoy stories centered on female friendship, community, and a little bit of righteous anger, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Profile Image for Amberly.
50 reviews1 follower
March 24, 2026
I try and never leave one star reviews, but for me, this is warranted. I am not having a great day and decided to start a new book on my TBR. I was SO EXCITED to find out there was a character with my name (Amberly). This was a first for me as I have more of a unique name. At this characters first mention, she was compared to a dog and an infant. Further along in the book, they called her “amburgerly.” As a plus sized person, this sucked. It was at this point I DNFed. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I read hundreds of books a year, and never had one make fun of someone’s name so much in the first several chapters. None the less making fun of someone’s name in relation to their weight. I am begging the author to take this into consideration and do better. This is not cool and I honestly wish I could get an apology as I’m so upset.
Profile Image for Lina.
186 reviews11 followers
March 21, 2026
This is a slightly witchy story about three women who recently discovered that their marriages were falling apart, and the ways in which they try to get revenge and move on.

I liked the women in this story. They are each distinct and their friendship was lovely to see grow.

For me the book was a little dissapointing when it came to the romances. I didn’t feel like all three women needed to have a love interest. Declan was by far my favourite. The other men were far too intense in my opinion.
(Also would have looooved to see a queer awakening for Soraya, but knew that was a long shot.)

All in all this ended up being ‘fine’ for me.

Thank you netgalley for this audiobook ARC. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.
Profile Image for Katie Przybyszewski.
34 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2026
This was a fun book to listen to. Three girls from high school come together as another girl ended up in a coma. All the girls come from different walks of life and they all learn they have one thing in common... their husbands are cheating on them. They walk into an apothecary and their world begins to change.
Profile Image for Susan DeVries.
54 reviews2 followers
March 1, 2026
This wasn't the usual Maisey Yates book that I was expecting. 3 former classmates meet up after another friend has a bad accident. What transpires between these 3 is nothing short of fantastic. When they go to this little shop they stumble upon they find a store full of spells, chants and other fun stuff. This is where there shenanigans begin.
Profile Image for Daniell Lovett .
24 reviews
March 25, 2026
Loved! All about womanhood, community, and growth. For any woman going through it this book reminds of us the power we as women carry and especially when we lean on each other. And remember “What are spells but prayers men don’t like?”
Profile Image for Cait.
172 reviews8 followers
March 27, 2026
female rage, girlhood and man hating wrapped up in a wholesome book 10/10

i can't believe id never have found this if it wasnt a free audiobook with KU! i really loved this
Profile Image for Ana.
7 reviews2 followers
March 6, 2026
magical and fun.
Profile Image for Toni Lynn.
10 reviews
February 5, 2026
Hallmark Meets Golden Girls Meets Witches

Is it cliche? Probably a little bit. Do we know how it'll end before reading it? Yes, it's basically in the description of the book? But was it one of my most favorite reads ever? Absolutely. Delightfully funny. The characters felt so real and beautiful. Women I've been throughout my life and women I've known. I love a good story about women finding their magic, their power, their own inner voice. And the book does. I laughed several times. Teared up once or twice. And internally said "heck yeah (well I used another term but this is public Soo...) several times. Find your magic ✨
Profile Image for Donna.
273 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2026
3 stars because I loved the theme and the "witchy" stuff was the best. I liked the characters a lot but it tried to go too deep into their problems. I wanted more spells and more time at the apothecary store.
Profile Image for Rae.
116 reviews
March 24, 2026
DNF’d at 33%. I don’t care enough to pick it back up again. Amazon First Read fail. I’m a little bummed because the premise and the reviews made it seem pretty awesome. But I didn’t want to torture myself through it.
Profile Image for Christine.
7 reviews
March 8, 2026
Women supporting women + magic + men get the karma they deserve! A fun story that, that gripped me from the start. Wish there was a little less romance like in The First Wives Club, but the themes and character growth are strong. The story had me GAGGED in so many parts! 
Profile Image for Kirsty.
456 reviews16 followers
March 10, 2026
abandoned part way through chapter one.

everyone in this book is a nasty judgemental bitch. who appear to have peaked in high-school. im not going into a couple hundred pages with this ugly energy. gross.
15 reviews
February 20, 2026
another fairy tale!

Another story where they all get divorced and find the perfect love in no time at all! That’s why I don’t do romance. Why can’t they just be happy by themselves for a while first?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews