This was a sapphic romance set in a contemporary-fantasy version of Salem, MA which I enjoyed, but found frustrating and ultimately not super memorable. It follows local witch Hazel (and her best friend Roxy) as she falls in love with a serious, academic newcomer to the town.

My favorite thing about the book was the setting, which was charming and atmospheric and right out of a ‘90s Halloween movie in the absolute best of ways. Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t quite do it for me; I felt like some of the plot points weren’t super fleshed out (especially the subplot with Hazel’s vampire ex), and I wasn’t entirely convinced by the major conflict of the relationship, the LI’s skepticism about magic; it didn’t seem to actually carry as much weight as the book set it up to carry, and there was another (far more compelling) conflict presented which was brushed aside.

Not my cup of tea in the end, but if you're looking for a fun, fluffy, autumnal romance, you might enjoy it! Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for the advance copy!

Right from the synopsis I knew I would love this book, it has so many things I enjoy! First off the setting is Salem, Massachusetts which happens to be one of my favorite places. Then it also is LGBTQIA, and has witches and vampires, and romance?!? A great fun fantastical read.

3.25 Stars

“Enchanted Autumn” is a paranormal romance by debut author Ursula Klein.

Hazel and Roxy are best friends in Salem, Massachusetts. They are together when they meet a visiting history professor, Elizabeth. Hazel and Roxy are both interested in Elizabeth but she’s more interested in Hazel. Hazel is quite happy with this until she realizes that even though Elizabeth is in town researching the witch trials, she doesn’t actually believe in witches or magic or any of that nonsense. The problem for Hazel is that she is most definitely a real witch. Not only that, she has a vampire for an ex-girlfriend and her house has a friendly ghost living there.

This was an interesting read for me. Even though there are otherworldly beings (what they preferred to be called) besides humans, most of them hide who they really are in public. It’s mentioned that there’s a community of otherworldly beings but we meet exactly one witch, one vampire, one ghost and one fae, which kind of amused me honestly. I would have liked to see more of the magical world than what we got. This was more contemporary where one of the main’s just happens to be a witch than anything else.

By the cover you can tell this is on the lighter side of things. There’s a couple of different love triangles going on with different characters, though none are too serious. The biggest issue is how Elizabeth will react when she finds out magic really does exist and that Hazel is a witch. Hazel hides from the world but doesn’t want to hide her true self from her love so she’s torn about what to do.

The reason I didn’t love this more was a couple of different things. I’m not a fan of point of views outside the two main love interests so the fact that we also get Roxy’s point of view annoyed me. She generally annoyed me so having her pov really didn’t help things. I also wasn’t a fan of Elizabeth. She comes off snobby and rude several different times and I just never warmed up to her.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 rounded to 3

Hazel is living the dream as an actual witch who lives in Salem, Massachusetts in a beautiful historical home that’s haunted by a friendly ghost and she also has a popular spiritualist shop/book store. She runs into issues with her love life when she’s trying to get over her vampire ex, but falls for the new professor in town who thinks magic isn’t real, and that kitschy Salem is ridiculous. Hazel struggles with keeping magic a secret from humans in general while also trying to get Elizabeth, the professor, to believe. This was more cutesy then what I was expecting. It really has Bewitched, or Sabrina The Teenage Witch vibes (the 90’s one). The pacing was slow for me and even though it’s not a long read it began to drag a lot. The characters also felt like too much. I think maybe the author was trying to exaggerate their personality traits, but it didn’t really work for me. For instance Roxy, the best friend, has childhood trauma from her parent’s nasty divorce and I enjoyed how the author handled Roxy’s vulnerability when speaking about it, but she was too all over the place. Even making one weird (playful, I guess?) comment in the beginning to Hazel and then never bringing it up again. Roxy bounced back and forth between her on again off again girlfriend and Elizabeth that sort of hinted at a love triangle between the three mains that never actually really happened. I really enjoyed the overall supernatural/witchy vibes, but the storyline went in several directions that kind of felt like they didn’t go anywhere.

This seemed like a fun story, but I just couldn't connect with the prose. I liked the characters, the setting was adorable, and in theory this should've been a hit for me. Sadly in practice it wasn't.

But it's 100% a case of "it's not you, it's me", and I would even go as far as to say I'd probably still recommend this to someone specific if I knew their reading tastes extremely well.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved it. Great read.

Oh my word! What a fun Autumn read! This book was cute and light and magical. I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

From the moment I saw this cover, I was excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. It's my first read by the author, and you can bet I'll be checking out their other works.

A perfect Halloween read, can a non believer really fall in love with a full blooded witch? This was light and fun, I enjoyed the interaction between the three main characters, Elizabeth, Hazel and third wheel Roxy and the storyline kept me engaged. The author did a great job of building the Salem world and the reappearance of Hazel’s ex added a nice bit of drama to the comedy elements.

Look forward to the next book from this author.

“We all thought there was but one truth to believe, not knowing there was more than one truth.”

So we’re off to a fairly well-trodden start. Suddenly I remember I’m a grumpy, cynical old demiace and ask past me what I was thinking.

But actually, I get settled in pretty quickly. We start by getting to know Hazel & Roxy: best friends, lesbians, not interested in each other – got it.

That established, we start getting to know them as narrative moves through Hazel, Roxy and, later, Elizabeth.

I found liking Roxy difficult at first. She is clearly self-centred and somewhat arrogant and oblivious of others. Her surprise that Elizabeth doesn’t immediately fall all over her was off-putting, especially when she tries to force past those boundaries.

But when we see her through Hazel’s eyes – a people-pleaser, kind and warm – we are invited to see it as more of a spilling out of her exuberant nature. And though events later do dampen that somewhat, the overall picture on leaving the book is of a good, kind person who acts without thinking, but also puts the same energy into improving things and helping.

Hazel is clearly written to be sympathetic. She is good, kind, aware, patient, understanding, and a bit of a doormat. She is very much what she appears to be on the surface (magic excluded), and she is working hard on fighting those people-pleaser instincts so she can think first, before answering – something shown to good effect with Camille.

Interestingly as well, though we begin with Roxy asking Hazel for a love potion – something she does so often Hazel is cutting her off after this one – we’re given a hard line of both parties needing to consent. Not only was that excellent to get ahead of, but if anyone else just thought “Chekhov’s Gun” – I was right there with you.

Elizabeth is practical and observant, but also kind and warm when she lets down her guard. As a pair, even the friendly charms of Hazel and Roxy are difficult to resist, and she quickly finds herself persuaded to hang out with them.

So we have the setup. And at this point I just crossed my fingers and hoped for a beautiful friendship between two lesbians (Hazel & Roxy), with neither “and the best friends realised they were soulmates” nor “jealousy over the new person drives them apart”.

As it goes, the first was nowhere in sight, and the second gets off on a technicality. But you’re gonna have to read it to figure that one out.

I surprised myself, actually, with how much I enjoyed this one. Klein has a very smooth and measured way of writing, that keeps you in and the plot flowing while it feels like nothing is really happening. Suddenly you’re at the end, and you barely seemed to start!

Klein clearly knows her characters deeply, and the focus on them makes up for a fairly sparse world around them. Aside from sketching out a couple of side characters, there’s not a lot of meat on that bone. But with the focus where it is, and the very enjoyable writing, that’s easily passed by.

I enjoyed this and I’d definitely read Klein again.

Enchanted Autumn is a novel that follows the lives of a witch named Hazel and her best friend, Roxy. One day by chance, they run into a prestigious professor named Elizabeth, in town on research for the next few months. After a quick chat over coffee the three become fast friends. As time goes on Hazel and Elizabeth start falling for one another but there’s just one problem. As a professor, Elizabeth is an unbeliever of all things supernatural and has no idea Hazel is a witch. Will their new found love beat all odds, or will Hazel’s secret ruin everything?
There’s tons of laughs, troubling obstacles, an interesting cast of characters and heart warming moments all throughout the story. I thought this was a nice and easy read and found the story and plot to be entertaining. Anyone who loves a nice romantic comedy or the sitcom “bewitched” will enjoy this.

(I received a free e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed or influenced my views or opinions)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Can a woman who doesn't believe in magic and a witch fall in love? October in Salem finds a bourgeoning romance between a British researcher visiting Salem for work and a shop owner and witch. The researcher can't believe magic exists though, even when the witch's vampire ex-girlfriend uses magic to interfere in their relationship.

This story is cute and it seems perfect for autumn. I enjoyed the characters and the drama. It was an easy read that made me smile.

Dr Elizabeth Cowrie is on sabbatical from her job at an English university doing some research on the Salem witch trials. She meets Hazel and her best friend Roxy, two locals who would both like to be more than friends with Elizabeth. Hazel though is a real witch and trying to keep that secret from Elizabeth turns into a full time job. Especially as they navigate through Salem and all the otherworldly spirits, vampires and talking cats that Hazel knows and loves.
I liked the plot of this book and it was very well written. I also liked the two MCs, both were sweet and seemed well suited for each other. The shenanigans that Hazel goes through was pretty entertaining and sometimes hilarious. Camille was a great villain and created a lot of trouble for poor Hazel as well, she was constantly up to no good. I did not care for Roxy at all though, she comes off as childish and selfish throughout the whole book. She acts like a man child used to getting her own way and pouts and throws a tantrum until she gets her way. She also is very pushy and won’t take no for an answer and seems borderline stalkerish at times. I would have not been surprised if she had roofied Alicia or Elizabeth’s drinks in her quest for a girlfriend. I liked this book but could have done without Roxy. I will definitely be on the lookout for future releases by Ursula Klein, fingers crossed they don’t have another Roxy.

Elizabeth is in Salem as an English professor looking to study the witch trials when she meets best friend witch duo Roxy and Hazel. The friends both set their sites on Elizabeth which results in a failed date with Roxy and a potentially amazing relationship with Hazel. However there is one problem, Elizabeth doesn’t believe in magic. As Hazel tries to figure out how to broach the subject the story explores fun times, dramatic times and some other worldly madness.

The characters in this are beautiful and lovable and the exploration of both the romantic and friendship relationships were deep and compelling allowing you do become completely lost in the characters lives. I am a massive fan of all things witchy and I loved how the magic was written within the world and how it affected their relationships. A great supernatural romance suitable for all readers.

This was an amazing debut and I hope for more magical stories from Klein.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books for letting me read and ARC.

This is a very light read. Hazel and Roxy have been friends since they were kids. When Dr. Elizabeth arrives in town, they were both smitten. Roxy decided to try her luck first but unfortunately Elizabeth was more attracted to Hazel. There was just one little secret, Hazel is a witch and Elizabeth thinks that witches are not real. Even though I had higher expectations for this book I still enjoyed it and would recommend. 3.5 star


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC copy.

Featured presentation: Enchanted Autumn by Ursula Klein

This Halloween, love is magical. Do you believe?

Cast: Hazel not only runs a witch themed shop in Salem, Massachusetts, she really is a witch. She does not resemble a Grimm brothers’ witch, but her whole family is Otherworldly. Her ex-girlfriend is a vampire, for crying out loud. She has never dated a human… Dr Elizabeth Cowrie is a devoted academic. She had to fight for her spot in academia and most certainly do not believe in magic and such nonsense, despite the fact that she is studying the Salem witch trials. Roxy is Hazel’s best friend and the only human who knows just how magical Hazel truly is. She has difficulty with relationships and trust in general as a result of her parents’ divorces.

The Plot: Hazel and Roxy both find Elizabeth captivating. The good doctor, however, only has eyes for Hazel even though Roxy gets there first. Our young friends decide to assist Elizabeth in her research. And if they can convince Elizabeth that magic is real, Hazel might actually have a shot at love. The road to love is not an easy one, especially not once magic is involved…

The blazing: I adored the word choices and punctuation! There is a fine line between comprehensive vocabulary and sounding pretentious and Ms Klein walks it perfectly. And then there are colons and semi-colons – simply scrumptious…

The bright: Both Roxy and Hazel are attracted to Elizabeth from the first moment they see her and I thought I were in for instalove… It turned out to rather be instant attraction and the characters spent time getting to know each other. Hazel shows early on how much she cherishes Roxy and their friendship is portrayed beautifully, yet realistically throughout the book. Apologies form an important part of the interactions between the characters and it was nice to see each of them realizing their mistakes and being willing to atone for it.
Hazel is clearly a cat person! Not only is her familiar a large, black cat named Beezle, consent is an important issue when it comes to her magic.
“Foxy” Roxy starts out as a quirky best friend character, but I found her the best written. She is clearly misguided and more than just a little bit messed up from her upbringing. Initially, she comes across as unintelligent, but we learn she is actually just uninformed. She has an aversion to academic learning, but she oozes her own special brand of charm. I had to smile whenever she mixed up a metaphor!
I also liked the differences in the characters vernacular. Elizabeth is from England and it is clear from her word choices. Roxy also has a very informal way of speaking with lots of slang thrown in. Elizabeth is the highly educated professional and one can hear it from the way she speaks. Hazel (and most of the smaller characters) fall somewhere in between.
The magic potions also deserve a mention. It was refreshing that the potions were rooted in reality. They are meant to enhance existing aspects and do not have the power to create something out of thin air.
Throughout the book there are minor details or mentions of lesbian or queer characters. These were artfully applied and gives us a unique view of Salem. Attention to detail were also liberally applied for the scenery.

The bleak: Despite Roxy’s antics, the characters felt a bit two-dimensional. Elizabeth, especially, felt not fleshed out enough. She is meant to be a workaholic historian, but she is easily distracted by the appearance of two beautiful women.
There is quite a bit of conflict between the characters and every time it is resolved in a timely manner which felt a bit rushed – heartache does not disappear that quickly…
It is also a bit hard to believe that Roxy and Hazel are Monty Python fans, but are unfamiliar with the English vernacular.
The epilogue felt a bit content heavy, but this will be a matter of taste…

The burned-to-ashes: Nothing. Not even a vampire…

And then The Plot Thickens enough to give us a solid story of trickery and it treats us to a myriad of magical mishaps. Enchanted Autumn may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is worth the read. It is quite possible that Ms Klein’s debut will find a comfortable spot amongst Halloween favourites and will be reread every year during October.

"Studio": Bold Stokes Books

Closing credits: I willingly leave this review based on an eARC copy graciously granted to me by Bold Stokes Books and NetGalley.

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀.

This book is meant to be fun, a comedy like Bewitched, with magical love potions and exaggerated reactions rather than a sizzling romance.

It's written in the POVs of three characters - Hazel, Elizabeth and Roxy, and even though there's a hint of a love triangle, Roxy never really stood a chance because Elizabeth wasn't interested so Hazel makes a play for Elizabeth instead and Elizabeth reciprocates. The problem though is that Hazel is a witch like Samantha in Bewitched and Elizabeth is adamant that the supernatural doesn't exist and she's of course, proven wrong.

This story is light and enjoyable and apart from Hazel the witch, there's also a ghost, vampire and talking cat to populate the story. This isn't exactly the kind of story I would typically read but if it suits you, you'd likely enjoy it.

*Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

I really wanted to like this book. A paranormal romance with witches, vampires, talking cat, sign me up. I think the writing fell short for me. The sentence structure and descriptions felt stiff and the story felt forced.

The premise of the story centers on Roxy, Hazel and Elizabeth. Roxy and Hazel live in Salem, MA, whereas Elizabeth is from the UK. Elizabeth travels to Salem to do some research on the witch trials and is decidedly anti-magic. This poses a problem for Hazel, who is a witch. Roxy and Hazel both have an immediate attraction to Elizabeth and the story goes from there.

The story had some really great opportunity and I loved the setting. The writing just isn't my favorite.

This was a really good quick read. The romance between Hazel and Elizabeth was sweet and easy even though there was a bit of drama thrown in at the end it didn't last long. The supporting characters helped to move this story along and made it even more enjoyable. I loved that this book was centered around witches, vampires, ghosts and other magical beings. The cat Beezles was my favorite especially when protecting Hazel who's a witch and he's her familiar. I hope there's another book about these characters, because this felt like just the beginning of a series. I would definitely recommend this to my friends and family, and I look forward to what is next from this author.

This book was a nice easy read. Perhaps I would’ve found it a bit more exciting closer to Halloween.
I love all things Halloween, witchy, and lesbian so I really thought I’d love this book. Maybe my expectations were a bit too high because I only liked this book.
I gave it four stars because I liked the ending and the book overall did keep me engaged. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice happy read, but I don’t think I’d reread it again (except maybe around Halloween)