Review: Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher
Series: Supernatural Singles, Book 3
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781250808035
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Olive Maxwell much prefers teaching about the Supernatural world to taking part in it and leaves the magical shenanigans to her two sisters. After assigning her college students a project designed to nudge them outside their comfort zones, Olive realizes she’s never once stepped a toe out of her own . . . and it’s about time that changed. Her first trip into the unknown? Moving in with her longtime crush and friend . . . tattooed, motorcycle-riding, and pleasantly pierced Baxter Donovan.

Bax Donovan, Guardian Angel not-so-extraordinaire, has acquired so many black marks on his record it looks like a Scantron test. He’s been given one last chance to keep his Guardian wings—a high-profile Assignment he knows all too well. Olive is usually as low-risk as it gets. Hell, she wrote the safety manual. But something landed her on the Guardian Angel Affairs radar, and he guesses it has something to do with the heart-pounding stunts she’s determined to check off her Dare I Docket list.

Keeping Olive out of trouble is about to be his toughest Assignment. He’s at real risk of shattering the only Guardian Angel code of conduct rule he’s yet to break: Don’t fall in love with your Assignment. And he isn’t so sure that’s a bad thing.

If love doesn’t play by the rules, why should they?

The youngest Maxwell triplet steps out of her comfort zone and into the light in Not Your Crush’s Cauldron. Staid professor Olive Maxwell would much rather be in a corner reading a book than doing something wild and crazy. Then she assigns her students a project about stepping outside their comfort zones and realizes she hasn’t ever put a toe out of hers. Determined to change that, Olive comes up with her own list…but never expected her new roommate to tag along.

Guardian Angel Bax Donovan has wanted Olive for years but has never mustered up the courage to express it. Then he finds himself with Olive as his latest assignment and he’s soon blasted out of his own comfort zone trying to keep up with the beautiful witch.

Friends-to-lovers is a wonderful trope and April Asher shows why in Olive and Bax’s sprightly romance. The attraction between Bax and Olive has been simmering for years but they just needed that push to act on it. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two overcome their fears and do things to break out of the rut they’re in. Out of all the Supernatural Singles stories so far this one has the lowest stakes but it’s still engaging. Bax and Olive have an easy chemistry that makes their romance fun and entertaining. They’re both likeable protagonists who need a slight shove to come into their own and I really liked their journeys.

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is the third book in the Supernatural Singles series and to fully enjoy it you should definitely read at least Not the Witch You Wed (the first book) before diving into this one. Olive’s sisters play strong supporting roles and Vi in particular continues on the path she started in her book. I really liked seeing more of the world Asher has created and though the last Maxwell triplet has now found her happily ever after, I hope that doesn’t spell the end of this series. All in all, Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is a magical romp with a bookish witch, a tattooed angel, and a sweet and spicy romance.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher

Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher
Series: Supernatural Singles, Book 2
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781250808011
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

For her entire life, Rose Maxwell trained to become the next Prima on the Supernatural Council. Now that she’s stepped down, it’s time for this witch to focus on herself. And not think about her impulsive one-night stand with Damian Adams, a half-Demon Veterinarian who she can’t get out of her head. Neither of them is looking for a relationship. But when Rose is sentenced to community service at Damian’s animal sanctuary it becomes impossible for them to ignore their sparking attraction. A friends-with-benefits, no feelings, no strings arrangement works perfectly for them both.

After a sequence of dead-end jobs, it’s not until Rose tangos with two snarly demons that she thinks she’s finally found her path. However, this puts Damian back on the periphery of a world he thought he left behind. He doesn’t approve of Rose becoming a Hunter, but if there's one thing he's learned about the stubborn witch, it was telling her not to do something was one sure-fire way to make sure she did.

Working—and sleeping—together awakens feelings Damian never knew he had...and shouldn't have. Because thanks to his ex's hex, if he falls in love, he'll not only lose his heart—but his humanity.

Former Prima Apparent Rose Maxwell is at loose ends. No longer next line to run the Supernatural Council – a role she’s trained for her whole life – she’s determined to find what her new “thing” is. But after an equine rescue mission goes wrong, Rose ends up doing community service at an animal sanctuary run by none other than her super hot one-night stand. Damian Adams is grumpy, not in the least of which is due to a soul hex that could cause the half-demon side of him to take over should he ever fall in love. Now Rose is in his path, knocking his socks off at every turn. Neither can forget their previous encounter so what’s wrong with a little no-strings-attached fun while they work together? Nothing, except they’re clearly meant to be…

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is a sprightly and fun continuation of the Supernatural Singles series. Rose is powerful and smart, but she hasn’t yet found her place in the world after giving up the role she’s trained for. She finds it when working with Damian, however. Both rescuing animals and becoming a Hunter call to her. Damian has no issue with the former, but the latter nearly cost him everything back when he was a teenager and he doesn’t want to see Rose hurt – or worse. The two of them spar but respect each other’s strength. It was fun to see Rose find her gifts and I liked watching Damian open up and learn to find happiness again. The two of them have great chemistry and I enjoyed watching them work and play together.

The course of true love doesn’t run smooth when a hex is involved for one of the parties and I was interested to see how April Asher would make things work for our protagonists. The result is a satisfying end to the love story, but that’s all I’ll say about that. Along the way, Rose and Damian are aided by their family and friends (whether or not they want to be). I thoroughly enjoy the world Asher created with its witches, angels, demons, vampires, and more. I finished Not Your Ex’s Hexes ready to dive right into the next adventure featuring Rose’s sister Olive because I am absolutely charmed by the Supernatural Singles world.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher
Series: Supernatural Singles, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781250807991
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Magic-less witch Violet Maxwell wants nothing to do with alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne—the man who broke her fragile, teenage heart. But when the two of them are forced by arcane Supernatural Laws to find mates, Violet and Lincoln agree to fake-date their way to a fake-mating in order to conjure themselves some time.

The joke’s on them. When old feelings make a reappearance—along with Violet’s magic—they both realize there’s nothing fake about their feelings. But there are old secrets and looming threats that could snatch away their happily ever after, again. One thing’s for sure: magic doesn’t make dating and love any easier.

In Not the Witch You Wed, April Asher brings all the hilarity and sweet, sexy moments you love in a romantic-comedy—plus a fun dose of magic—to this spell-binding new series about being sexy, single, and supernatural in New York City.

Not the Witch You Wed is a delightful supernatural romp. April Asher introduces an interesting world of witches, shifters, demons, vampires, angels, and more and it was a whole lot of fun diving into it.

Violet Maxwell is the granddaughter of the current Prima and the eldest of a Magical Triad. By rights, Vi should be a super powerful witch; instead she’s a magicless witch known as the “Maxwell Dud.” Vi is happy with her life and there are definite perks to leaving the politics and society maneuvering of being the Prima Apparent to her sister. Except a run-in with Lincoln Thorne, Alpha wolf of the North American Pack, stirs something in her. Linc broke her heart when they were teens and she’s never forgiven him, but somehow his reappearance happens at the same time as her magic starts to make an appearance. When both of them run into a problem of arcane supernatural laws forcing them to find mates, Vi and Linc agree to put the past aside and fake date in order to buy time. Except there’s nothing fake about the feelings that never died between them…

Vi and Linc are fun, likeable protagonists who are easy to root for. Linc is noble, wanting to change shifter society to make it democratic, fighting to overturn arcane laws that take away people’s choices. He’s determined to do what’s right and I liked that about him a lot. Vi has also forged a path different from the one she was born into. But the sudden appearance of magic in her is causing chaos and she’s desperate to get a handle on it. She and Linc have instant chemistry when they’re reunited after years apart, but old wounds, secrets, and the con they’re pulling get in the way. I adored Linc and Vi together and wanted to see them get their happily ever after. They’re entertaining together and also really sweet with a nice dash of spice; it was easy to fall into their romance.

Vi and Linc are the heart of Not the Witch You Wed, but Asher introduces a world of supporting characters who not only flesh the story out but are interesting in their own right. I loved Vi’s relationship with her sisters, Rose and Olive, and ooh does Asher tease HEAs for them that have me eager for more Maxwell sister books. But I also loved Vi and Linc’s best friends and can’t wait to see more of them. Not the Witch You Wed is a zippy romance with magic, humor, heart, and a world I cannot wait to explore more.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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