The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan
Paranormal Romance
August 15, 2023- Harlequin
ARC

Review by Angela

Last year I read quite a few quirky paranormal romances, by new to me authors and enjoyed myself so much. So when I saw The Witch is Back and read the blurb, I thought I’d try my luck once again. This was a sweet, second-chance, marriage of convenience, forced proximity romance that had me flipping pages well into the night.

Emmaline Bluewater was born into witch society, but her shyness and weak magic meant that she stayed in the shadows and away from the teasing and torment. Her one true friend was Bastian Truenote, heir to a powerful family, society darling, and her betrothed. But when he disappears without a word and stays away for seven years, Emma decides it’s time to take her life into her own hands and moves to Chicago, opens a bar with her two besties, and settles down into a quiet world surrounded by humans.

Then Bastian decides to come back to town and apparently, their wedding is back on.

Bastian Truenote ran away seven years ago for several reasons, the main one is that he discovered provisions in the marriage contract that would endanger his magic. But because of a silence hex, he can’t tell Emma anything. He’s back in town to get her to agree to marry him and help save his mother’s life. In the meantime, he’s hoping to figure out if Emma knows anything about those provisions and if she has any other secrets.

This was a fun read. The two main protagonists are easy to like and get to know. Understandably, their relationship starts out a bit hostile due to their backstory, with Bastian hesitantly turning on his charm to woo back his childhood friend and Emma standoffish and cold in his presence. She wants nothing to do with him, and he’s trying his best to get to know this new version of a woman who he hasn’t seen for seven years. They both have trust issues and secrets and as their friendship is reignited and I wanted them to just blurt out those secrets and work together to figure out a way forward, but I knew that wouldn’t happen and there would eventually be a BIG THING that would drive them apart until the eventual HEA. I did understand their motivations and hesitations in trusting each other again.

This is an open-door romance, and surprisingly sexy. I don’t know what I expected, maybe the cartoon cover threw me off, but I was happy to see these two get down to the sexytimes. I did end up really liking the way this couple figured out how to overcome the provisions in the contract, prove themselves to each other, and find their HEA.

If there was one thing I side-eyed, it was a scene in the middle where Bastian is given a truth hex in his drink. I understood the other “betrayals” by them both that led to him leaving and her keeping secrets, but this made me uncomfortable.

They are surrounded by an interesting cast of characters amid a unique magical world. I enjoyed the friendships between Emma, Leah, Tia, and Sloane, which are supportive, loyal, and loving. Bastian’s parents, Emma’s brother add more support to this couple who desperately need it. There are hints of some possible romances to come within the group, that I’m looking forward to. Especially, between Tia and Henry. That should be a fiery relationship.

Grade- B-