I loved how sweet this was. The romance was cute, if a bit ‘insta love’ with a fair bit of spice and the plot felt engaging.
I wouldn’t say it was my favourite magical romcom I’ve ever read but I would say that I would definitely be willing to pick up more of El-Fassi’s future works.

"There was something different about Serendipity Cafe, a certain spark in the air that no one could quite put their finger on. It was a place where good things happened."

GENRE: Cozy Paranormal Romance
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: eBook eArc

Would I recommend to others?: YES, YES and YES! This book was so good, you literally go on an adventure with Dina and Scott and like honestly, every single page was better than the last one so I'd recommend this to everyone. It can pass as Cozy Romantasy but definitely look at the list of sensitive topics before heading into it

Long Review:
Best Hex Ever is a lovely book that explores multiple topics: grief, heartbreak, losing oneself due to external factors and self-confidence or believing in yourself. We go on a whole journey with Dina and Scott, we see their downs and their ups, the good and the bad. And the result of it? A beautiful relationship that is built based on reality while still being wholesome and cozy. There is a softness to the magic in Best Hex Ever:
"When she'd been fashioning the spell for the first time, it had occurred to Dina that one day your parents put you down and they never picked you up again, and so she'd made the honey cake to recreate that feeling of childhood comfort."

Dina is a Chef/Baker who owns her own cafe in London and she is half Moroccan (there is a lot of Darija mentions related to food in the book like Zaalouk and Louiza and ahhh my half moroccan heart filled with love reading these things). Dina is proud to be a witch and infuses her pastries with harmless magic that makes her customer's life a little bit better without it being so noticeable.

Dina, however, has a problem. She believes she is cursed and is doomed to be single forever as anyone she loves is guaranteed to have bad luck the minute she loves them. Using this curse, El-Fassi explores self-confidence, loving oneself and how certain experience break us more than we can ever know. Dina talks about wanting to find a love like her parents, the softness of it and finding someone who gets you inside out:
"Dina wanted a love like her parents had: unflappable, unscathed by time."

ANDD the second MC? That is Scott, who is recovering from a break-up that shred his heart and caused him to leave London. He is now back and about to attend a wedding as his best friend's best man and guess who is the maid of honour? Dina! Scott is the type of MC that is so wholesome, feels everything to a whole other degree and wants only the best for everyone around him.

Not only that, he is also a museum curator and believes that every item belongs to where it originated from. He believes every little item he curates is important and has a little magic in it and when he meets Dina? That belief in him gets confirmed:
"He'd always wanted to believe in magic, to believe that the world was bigger than what he saw around him. He'd tried so hard to believe. In a way, he'd dedicated his work to it. But Scott didn't have to try anymore. Dina was the manifestation of everything he'd so desperately wanted to believe in."

Sparks start to fly as they get together and can no longer deny the chemistry between them. Dina tries hard to deny it as she wants to protect Scott from the curse that she believes is following her. Scott is recovering from a breakup and can't believe that he has found someone like Dina (okay, this is like the best kind of MC, one who knows they are lucky to have their loved one):
He'd forgotten how it felt, being with someone like this - the giddy feeling in his chest. He couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to spend more mornings with Dina, waking up in their bed, eating breakfast together in a sunny kitchen before he pulled her onto his lap. Imagining a future was a dangerous thing, but for a short time, Scott let himself revel in the idea of it."
"He couldn't even begin to compare Alice and Dina. With Dina everything felt so ... easy. Liking her was easy, and he suspected that loving her would be even easier. It would feel as natural as breathing. Perhaps it already did."
"Home; he felt at home with Dina. Had he ever felt like this with Alice? Scott racked his brains but couldn't summon any memory with such clarity."

On the other hand, Dina was having strong feelings for Scott and loved him but the curse was haunting her. The loveliest thing about the Best Hex Ever is that we have a mother-daughter duo in here and we get to see the beauty in their relationship, get to see them come together and love each other more and more:
"Dina watched her mother's face, a mirror image of what Dina would look like in thirty years. Laugh lines crinkled around her brown eyes, age spots beginning to dot the top of her cheeks. Nour had the ability to remove these of course, if she wished. But Dina's mother had always been one to age gracefully. She'd even kept the white hairs that now blossomed at her temples, saying they made her look distinguished and elegant."

Despite their strong relationship, Dina hides the curse from her mother and internalises the fact that she is not good enough for anyone. She hides the fact that she struggles with self confidence and fully accepting herself. Because of this, she cannot fully confide in her mother and ends up almost losing Scott because of it (not really, but that is what Dina believes):
"She stared at him blearily through her tears. What if she'd lost him, this man who she'd come to care about so deeply? This man who made her happier than anyone ever had, who knew every inch of her body and loved it so well."

Best Hex ever ends in a lovely, satisfying HEA as a romance book but it takes you on a whole adventure. You will have to read it to discover who cursed Dina, how she deals with her internal struggle and how Scott finds his soul mate.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

Best Hex Ever is a charming and whimsical dive into a world of witches, spells, and the complicated ties of family. It’s not trying to be a literary masterpiece, but it doesn’t need to be — this book is all about fun, magic, and emotional warmth.

The story mixes lighthearted humor with heartfelt moments, weaving in themes of love, personal growth, and the sometimes messy but unbreakable bonds of family. The magical elements add sparkle without overwhelming the characters, who feel relatable and real, even with a little extra magic in their lives. There’s also a solid thread of mystery that keeps the pages turning.

That said, the ending left a bit to be desired. After such an engaging buildup, it felt somewhat rushed or underwhelming — not quite delivering the payoff I hoped for. Still, the journey there made it more than worth the read.

If you're looking for a cosy, witchy escape with heart and a touch of chaos, Best Hex Ever is a great pick.

Dina has sworn off relationships after a love spell went wrong and left her hexxed resulting in anyone that falls in love with her being hurt. Then she meets Scott at her friends wedding and she really wants it to work but when the hex starts getting stronger and Scott ends up hurt she wonders if she'll ever be able to end it or if she'll always have to walk away from love.

I really love a witchy read and I enjoyed this. It starts off slow as you learn about the magic and the characters but it doesn't take long to speed up. This was wholesome and romantic and spicy. I liked seeing Dina grow throughout this and realise that she needs to love herself and let people in. This would be a great autumnal read as it gives you all the cosy vibes highly recommend.

The magical elements in this story were absolutely wonderful - I want to read more about magical baking and houses with a mind of their own. The romance was cute too, and I liked that it was largely set at a wedding, great occasion for forced proximity!

Fun , spicy, cozy and witchy! all those combined and you have this book.
I love a witchy story and this one did not disappoint.

Looking for your next cozy, witchy and spicy read? Then do NOT miss out on this book!!

📕 Dina - a kitchen witch cursed to hurt anyone who falls in love with her - meets Scott - a museum curator - at her cafe in London, and sparks quickly fly.

The main couple’s chemistry radiates off the page, and I was honestly racing through this book to see what happened next. Also, the 🌶️ is really well written - especially as it’s so refreshing to read a book with early 30s protags.

If Dina’s magic is like a self-described warm chocolate brownie, this book is a bit like a chilli hot chocolate (with marshmallows on top, of course). Gorgeously rich prose, with depth and a spicy kick - utterly cozy and magic.

Also make sure you’ve got a hot chocolate or a sweet treat next to you when you’re reading. You’re going to need it (safe to say I’ve been googling baked good recipes for a few days now).

I would like to thank Netgalley and del rey for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was gorgeous. Full of food and magic, and a touching exploration of grief.

I DNF this super early into the book, around 5%, I just could not get into it. I was finding it boring sadly and could not find it in myself to care about the characters as I was looking forward to reading this one but never mind!

This was a great cozy romance with some fun magical elements, however I do wish that we could have seen more of the FMC's kitchen magic throughout the story. This book had a surprising amount of spice, which sometimes felt a little forced but were still pretty enjoyable. I also really like that the story didn't feel like it only centred on the MC's but that the FMC's dynamic with her friends was really well developed.

This book was cute, cozy and surprisingly spicy!

I really enjoyed this one, Dina is a kitchen witch who sprinkles just a little bit of of magic in her baking and I loved the way that baking was woven throughout the book, Dina is pretty content or has accepted a single life she's got her friends and her beloved cat but she's also hiding a secret that she is Hexed- destined to stay single because anyone she falls in love with will get hurt, so she stays single. Then she meets Scott a dashing museum curator and Dina is sold- but what about the hex????

This was such an easy feelgood read, it was a lot of fun and as I said earlier surprisingly spicy, I blushed hard! The characters are diverse and I really enjoyed the witchy elements, I especially love the witchy women in Dina's life and at the centre of her world. The romance was cute but a little insta love for me I am definitely more a fan of the slow burn.

Really excited to see what's coming next from Nadia El-Fassi and would absolutely recommend this book.

I received a copy of the book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Best Hex Ever is a cosy fantasy, but it contains some really “spicy” scenes. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so graphic, especially with how the cover looks. I was expecting more of a fantasy plot about a cafe and I feel like the cover is a bit misleading.

The book is set in the UK and it follows a kitchen witch who runs her own cafe. Unfortunately, the cafe is only featured at the beginning, and so is the kitchen magic. 😦 Most of the book takes place at someone else’s wedding and we don’t get to see much kitchen magic.

Apart from this, I found the book was enjoyable and easy to read. I liked the characters, although I couldn’t quite connect to Dina somehow. Scott’s chapters were better, and Dina’s were just ok. I was a bit disappointed with the plot, and it seemed like an afterthought to the romance. Now I know cosy fantasy isn’t about plot, but when there is a plot, it should move along and wrap up in a way that makes sense and doesn’t wrap-up suddenly, or by some convenient plot mechanic. I felt like the plot bit of Best Hex Ever was wrapped up too quickly and it hadn’t been set up properly. SPOILER It was just like, “Oh it’s actually because of XXX.” And that resolves the whole issue. END SPOILER.

I also think this book is technically romantasy, sort of, and not cosy fantasy. Except it’s maybe paranormal instead of romantasy? When a book is labelled “cosy fantasy” I’m expecting lots of like making cakes with magic in a world that’s fairly safe or something, and I just didn’t get that with Best Hex Ever,

I did enjoy the book though. The romance was cute, and I definitely shipped the two main characters together, but I was badly misled by the cover.

3 out of 5 stars

Loved this book, so cosy and cute. Perfect to curl up with on a winter night.

The FMC and her friends were so amazing and I loved their dynamic and the romance was so cute. I loved the magic but also loved that it wasn't flashy and always the main point of the plot. Truly a book about loving yourself - amazing!

Dina is a witch whose power is mostly based around making nice cakes which is handy as she owns a cafe in London. One day Scott visits the cafe and they both think the other one is very good looking. It turns out they are both involved in a wedding of their best friends so they spend the weekend together having a lot of very cringey sex (serious the dirty talk made me shudder) and being madly in love after 15 minutes. Although Dina is living under a hex, one that she has spent years avoiding telling her mum (a more experienced witch) about and then when she finally does it’s sorted immediately. The overall story is fluff, the characters are alright, the internal conflict is manufactured and nonsensical, and again the spice scenes are awkward at best.

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

This book was pure vibes—cosy, warm, and comforting, like curling up with a hot drink on a chilly day. Nadia El-Fassi creates such a charming atmosphere, and I was completely obsessed with how she wove food and baking metaphors into her writing. I can see how this might not be everyone’s cup of tea (ee what i did there hehe), but for me, it fits the tone of the book perfectly. Since one of the main characters is a baker, it makes total sense that she’d see the world through the lens of food, and it added such a personal touch to her perspective.

That said, I did struggle a little with the writing style. There was a lot of “telling” rather than “showing,” which made the prose feel a bit static at times. It didn’t flow as naturally as I would’ve liked, and this occasionally pulled me out of the story.

The magic elements, however, were delightful! I loved how the main character entwined her spells with her baking and her café, blending the two in such creative ways. It gave the story a unique flair and added an extra layer of charm to the setting. The friendships in the book were another highlight for me. The little trio of women at the centre of the story had such fun banter, and their open, honest conversations felt so real and refreshing. Honestly, I think I enjoyed the friendships more than the romance.

Speaking of the romance, it was cute but very much in the insta-love category—which isn’t my favourite trope. Dina and Scott go from 0 to 100 in just a few chapters, which felt a little extreme and made it harder for me to fully buy into their connection. The third-act conflict was also pretty predictable, which wasn’t a huge deal since that’s often the case with romance books, but it didn’t do much to surprise me either.

The plot overall was fine—nothing particularly groundbreaking—and it did drag in places. It’s clear that the main focus was the romance, so if you’re someone who loves swoony, fast-paced love stories, you’ll probably enjoy this a lot more than I did. Personally, the friendships and cosy magical vibes were what stood out to me, even if the romance didn’t quite land.

Cute and just a little spooky! I love witches and I love a good romance so this book was perfect! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Bet Hex Ever is a witchy rom-com with People of Colour in the starring roles, and a cast of diverse characters — I’d love to see more of this in books in future! This was a sweet but spicy read with a comfort café and delicious treats. Some of the spice is a bit overdone for me, and there’s a word I heavily dislike that has been used, but other than that it was a fun, quick read, perfect for autumn.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Random House UK, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dina runs a cosy little cafe in London and meets museum curator Scott there one day during a shift. Dina is a witch and has been hexed, causing anyone she falls for to suffer harm. So she decides to try and ignore this handsome stranger, but they meet again when it turns out he is best man at one of Dina’s best friend’s weddings. Can she stay just friends or will the hex get to Scott?

This was an easy read and there were elements of it I liked - Dina’s parents’ house being like a magical tardis, the magic from around the world, both in Dina’s family and the artefacts Scott curates. But the rest of it didn’t really work for me. Clearly aiming for “spicy cosy fantasy”, parts of it felt a little forced, like a few too many mentions of “cosy” tropes had been thrown in to make it fit. You’ve got tea, cinnamon, baking….. I think further exploration of Dina’s family’s magical roots would have been more unique and interesting.

I’m sorry to say that this isn’t a book I’ll be recommending but might be enjoyed by people looking for an easy cosy fantasy book.

I really wanted to like this book. The kitchen-witch premise with the main character running a bakery where she uses her magic to bake good feelings into her cakes was really cute.

Unfortunately that was pretty much the only part I liked. I wouldn’t normally comment on editing and typos in an arc but it was so poor in this that it really impacted my enjoyment. The FMC thinks about the MMC’s “happy trail” on a couple of occasions and on one of the occasions refers to it as a snail trail instead. That’s an extremely unfortunate mistake!

The whole premise around the main character having a hex on her love life and being unable to tell her mother who is a powerful witch in order to get help, but won’t because it would reveal that she is bisexual and she fears her parents reaction is just a convenient way to give the main couple something keeping them apart. The FMC’s parents are incredibly loving and supportive and would clearly never react badly. Also, she could easily have told her mum about the hex without revealing she was bi.

I also wasn’t keen on the insta love between the main characters. There was no build up at all, and the relationship didn’t have any weight for me because of it. I wasn’t keen on the sex scenes either. I like a spicy book but this just didn’t work, the style of the sex scenes didn’t suit the characters at all.

One last thing, there’s a part where the story of Greyfriar’s Bobby is retold and at the risk of sounding dramatic, it felt a bit appropriated! Why not just tell the real story?! I’m a Scot so maybe I’m taking that a bit too personally, but I found it annoying!

I powered through because I was on holiday and it was a quick read but under other circumstances it would have been a DNF for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for granting me access to an E-ARC for this book.

In this book we follow Dina and Scott who fall in love at first sight.

Literally. They meet once and then they are obsessed.

It's supposed to be a cute romance with a touch of spice. And honestly the spice wasn't needed and sometimes cane off as creepy.
Like the dude starts going feral over the sound of her groaning after she was injured.

Really think it would have been better as a closed dooresque or more wholesome book as the spice felt out of place and took away from the romance