The Wycherleys was a charming cozy fantasy. However, it often felt like a lower YA/ middle grade novel.
I wish the adult characters weren't so unlikable and incompetent.
The murders happened throughout the years and nobody found the runes and made a real investigation? Jules and Aurelia spent some months in the library, and they figured out everything. This was the novels weakest part.
The idea of finding a suitable magical match inspired by the Regency era was interesting, but I often felt the rules of magic were not fleshed out enough.
The romance felt too quick.
All in all, I will read the sequel, but I will not hold my breath.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

All witches entering society must find a tether, a partner to ensure they retain their magic. Those who are luckiest find a tether who is also their true love; however, those who are unlucky and have not found a tether after three years, lose their magic forever. Then there is Aureila, a debutant who, when she discovers that she has inherited the family curse, knows that she will only have one season to enjoy her magic before it is taken away from her, and even then her enjoyment will be limited as nobody will want to be tethered to her. She is feisty and resilient, especially when she discovers that Jules Nightly is searching for a way to ensure that his sister can retain her magic which is disappearing quickly. When the pair agree to work together, their lives could change forever.

The Wycherleys was everything I hoped it would be and more ... magic, mystery and forbidden romance all wrapped up in the elegance of 1800s London. What more could I have asked for?

Nightly is a dark and brooding character that teenage me would have found utterly swoonsome (perhaps it's because I could see a resemblance to Mr Darcey). Is it the way he calls her by her surname? Perhaps it's his aloof manner, or the way he seems to be flirting with her despite her knowing he is only interested in the cure for his sister. .. most likely, it's the combination of all of those things. Whatever, it is, I know readers will delight in getting to know him.

The more the pair research a solution, the more they realise there is much more to this than they expected. Danger and darkness lurk among the balls and galas, and the consequences could prove deadly.

The Wycherleys is a book perfect for getting lost in and I have to admit that I stayed up way later that I should have done to read the end. I'm already incredibly excited for book 2!

“Do not darken your light.”

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Seventeen-year-old Aurelia Wycherley is entering her debutante season as a witch. Aurelia should be excited about finding the perfect match to tether her magic to. But her magic is cursed – dark, dangerous, and not the kind that her peers want to match with – and, without a tether, she faces losing her magic completely. But when Aurelia learns that enigmatic, aloof Jules, a member of arch enemy family the Nightlys, is searching for a way that a witch can keep their magic without tethering, she realises he may be her only hope. A forbidden alliance is formed . . . but as they navigate the Magical Season with its glamoured balls and perilous trials, they uncover dark forces that threaten their families and the magical world they live in.

Aurelia is certainly rather isolated. Being cursed, no one wants to be near her any longer in fear they’ll be sickened by her. I did feel for her. Aurelia is clearly strong willed and has a big heart, but that big heart is definitely her downfall. She feels too deeply about everything and I felt that hindered her progress slightly. She could have progressed further or sooner if she’d allowed herself to compartmentalise her emotions and focus more on her magic and its effects. She certainly has promise, I just feel she could have been a little stronger.
Jules did frustrate me, I can’t lie. He’s supposedly enigmatic and desirable but he annoyed me for a lot of the story because of how he treats others. And yet, he apparently develops feelings for the one he “loathes” and wants nothing to do with? He felt a little unrealistic in many parts too - his personality seemingly changing which stopped me engaging with his character as much. Yes, he grew on me a little but when it takes about two thirds of the book to do that? We’re not on to a winner.

The biggest thing that drew me towards this book is the fact it is marketed as Bridgerton meets witches. Loving both of these things, I knew I needed to dive in and see what was going on! The plot isn’t too bad, it just felt like a lot. Everything felt unnecessarily wordy (how many times does someone’s name need to be said in a single paragraph?! Answer: apparently a lot) and there were a lot of random history lessons plonked on in - almost in lieu of world building. Because of this, I did find my attention straying at times which is never a good thing when reading a book. I will say that the magic system is an interesting one. The idea that your magic has the perfect match to make it stronger is an intriguing one - even if it felt a little out of place in the regency era (one where physical touch between two unwed people was seen as scandalous) due to the physical nature of casting magic. The characters weren’t too bad, they just felt a bit too repetitive. It’s as if they’ve all been stamped from the same cookie cutter, just iced differently. I just found myself wanting more from them. Romance wise, I had hoped for more. When a fake dating trope is thrown in, I want it to be angsty and for the chemistry to boil over. It didn’t feel that way for me. We had enemies, then a mutual truce for the benefit of both. The friendship worked for me brilliantly but then all of a sudden we have declarations of love? I found myself questioning where the heck those emotions suddenly came from! Not to mention how I felt cheated on the kissing front! When you look up the synopsis of this book, it states in black and white “kissing… lots of kissing…” and yet, I was ready to get out my binoculars to search for it. We get a few pecks and that is it! The ending was okay but felt so open ended that I feel as if it’s incomplete. It is clearly building up for a sequel. However, it is not something I will be reading.

Overall, The Wycherleys is a book that drew me in with the promise of magic but I feel could have been executed better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day and is available now on Goodreads.

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒊𝒔: 🔮🧹🫖🌹📚🪄
𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆: 'How will you know it is me?' I ask him. 'It's a masked ball' 'Aurelia, I would know you in a sea of witches.’
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕: A Witchy YA Fantasy of Manners sprinkled with sweet romance
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕:
🔮 Alternate, magical version of the ‘Ton’ (with the wheel of the year/the equinoxes marking major events)
🌹Reluctant Allies > Lovers
🔮Magical Bonds
🌹Murders, Mystery & Curses
🔮Fake Courting with Swoonworthy Letters

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: This was such a magical and sweet book, a perfect YA Fantasy Romance that has the ‘makes you want to kick your legs and squeal’ vibe. Jules Nightly is just so swoony😍 I enjoyed the world that the author created and found the magic system really interesting- I especially liked the ‘wandlets’ and the use of the wheel of the year to mark events in the Ton’s magical season of courting- both for love and for a magical tether.

I liked trying to solve the mystery in this and loved the exploration of themes of family, friendship and being an outsider. I’m looking forward to reading what happens next when the sequel comes out!💜

This was such a delightful read! I read it during the weekend and, every time I put it down, I couldn’t wait to go back and immerse myself again in this fantastic alternate Regency London, where young people entering society must find a magical partner with whom to tether to retain their magic.

The protagonist, Aurelia Wycherley, is a young witch who, because of a centuries old curse, won’t be able to tether with anyone, so she will lose her magic. For this reason, most of the witches have excluded her and keep away from her, except for her family and her best friend Constance. I really liked the character of Aurelia. She is strong and smart and even when everyone shuns her out, she doesn’t give up, especially when she finds out that there could be a way to retain her magic without tethering. Enter Jules Nightly. The Wycherleys and the Nightlys are archenemies, but Aurelia would do anything to keep her magic even if it means first blackmailing and then team up with Jules. I loved their chemistry and their witty exchanges and I can’t wait to explore more of their relationship in the sequel.

The story is fast-paced and compelling. Aside from the romance, I liked the magic bonds between partners, and also the close friendship that Aurelia has with Constance and the relationship with her brother Vaughan. And while the main plot focuses on Aurelia and Jules trying to find an alternative to tethering and their relationship, there is also an intriguing mystery as they get involved in the strange murders of some witches around London.

Overall, The Wycherleys is well-written, action-packed, and immersive and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

This is a glorious tale full of romance and magic. It's beautifully written, the characters are wonderfully realised and it was an absolute joy to read. Can't wait for the rest of the series

I had such a fantastic time with this story and loved seeing how Aurelia dealt with her curse and her new status as an outcast, how this had changed her relationships and how others viewed her but even more so how it didn't change her relationship with her family or her best friend. It allowed me to rage at a lot of the side/minor characters whilst getting the warm fuzzies from her relationships with those who love her. Aurelia is a really strong character, in a difficult situation, but determined and curious. She made for a fantastic main character and narrator, and I enjoyed watching it all unfold from her point of view. Her relationship with Jules, very Romeo and Juliet-esque, was the cherry on top of this story. From two opposing familiar, they should have been enemies but from the moment they met, the sparks were flying and I couldn't get enough of how into Aurelia Jules was. Though reluctant to collaborate at first, they must team up to find a solution to a problem. There's mystery, danger, and intrigue along the way and it all kept me on my toes throughout. A cracking read and a great plot!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Ahead of starting this one I had only heard good things about it from a few different people I trust so I was really excited to give it a shot. I also was not disappointed in any way by this book, had a great time with it and now cannot wait for the sequel at the start of 2026.

The Wycherleys follows seventeen year old Aurelia Whycherley who is entering her debutante season as a witch and while like her fellow debutantes she should be excited about finding another witch to tether her magic with she can’t because her magic is cursed and not something someone else will want to match with. But when she learns that Jules Nightly, a member of the enemy family that cursed her family is looking for a way for a witch to keep their magic without tethering she realises he may be her only hope.

This book has so many amazing elements in it, a forbidden romance, magic and witches, and a mystery that had me hooked along with some great friendships. All of these things combined led to me just loving this book and knowing that I need to read more Annaliese Avery.

I absolutely loved the relationships in this book. The friendship between Aurelia and Constance was so special to read and I was so happy to read more and more of it. I loved how much Annaliese Avery explored it and how much the pair of them meant to each other, even while they were both looking for something else. In addition to this I loved the sibling relationship between Aurelia and her brother, they were really there for each other and wanted to look after that relationship but also eventually give each other the right amount of space.
Jules and Aurelia’s relationship developed loads throughout the book which I loved reading. They became really special to each other along with massively pushing the story forward together in a way that I loved. I definitely am looking forward to seeing their relationship continue to develop in book 2.

I loved learning more and more about the magic as this book went on and I have a feeling that we will continue to learn more about the magic as the series continue which really excites me. You start out being told enough to understand the story and as the book goes on with the characters you learn more about the current magic system and what the magic had previously been like, in the first and second ages of magic and how that differed to the third age.

This was my first book by Annaliese Avery and I know that it will not be my last. I am both really excited to continue this series and interested to read something else not connected to this world to see what I think. I highly recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy and regency romances along with to teenage readers because it definitely felt like a YA story written for teens.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s UK for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I ADORE this book. Bridgerton + Murder Mystery + Magic.

Aurelia Wycherley has dreamed about getting her magic, entering magical society, and making the perfect magical tethering match.
Unfortunately when her magic manifests, so does an ancient family curse.
Now an outcast and destined to lose her magic she's only allowed to attend the season because of her mother's connections.

Determined that not being able to tether shouldn't mean she loses her magic Aurelia's only hope is the handsome but supremely annoying Jules Nightly. Who just happens to be part of the arch-rival family who cursed the Wycherley women in the first place.

Striking a bargain they begin to unravel lost secrets and uncover a conspiracy that could end magic as they know it.

Annaliese Avery has created a rich and absorbing world that is an absolute delight to inhabit, the world is crystal clear in the minds eye. Her characters are brilliant too and I was so invested in Jules and Aurelia as they slowly but surely move from rivals to lovers during their fake dating.

Some of the twists absolutely had me gasping out loud and I'm already desperate for book 2!

Massive thanks to @simonyabooks for the eARC of Netgalley. It has not affected my opinion

I sped through the last 100 pages in 40 mins.

This was a fun read. I liked the dynamic between the couple (I literally just finished it but I cannot remember their names) and the other (very obvious from the start) couple. I'd be surprised if this was a standalone.

I enjoyed the magic academy elements, the soft romance, the ton, the rebellion element, the murder plot and the random lost magic? There was a lot going on. It was all pretty cool too but this also led to a few problems. The end started feeling rushed, we jump around a lot and the big confrontation is over in two paragraphs. Like what?

The characters were a vibe though and it's beautiful to imagine.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, I had a lot of fun with this

I LOVED THIS BOOK! 😍
This was Bridgerton with witches, and I devoured it. When I first heard about The Wycherleys (pre- YALC although I was bummed to not win a proof at YALC 😂), I knew I was going to love it. But, this went above my expectations.
I was able to immerse myself in this world, and I need Avery to write more in this world! I want to know the details of what happens next.
Aurelia is such a resilient FMC. The romance between her and Jules is so innocent. It's refreshing.
The magic system is intriguing. I love the layers in regards to the magic. So the first age of magic and the second age of magic.
I genuinely love this world, and I know this is a book I will reread.

Regency-era debutante balls, witches, curses, beautiful dresses, and a budding crush or two - this book had all the ingredients I usually enjoy. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.

The main characters, Aurelia and Jules, come from rival families and are forced to work together (against a curse? solving a mystery? - I really struggled to stay focused enough to tell you). It’s a YA historical fantasy with a sweet, slightly silly vibe, and I tried to read it with that in mind. Still, I found myself zoning out more than I’d like.

The writing felt very young, even for YA, and I never felt properly invested in what was happening to the characters. I kept waiting to care, and it never quite landed. That said, the cover is gorgeous and really captures the feel of the world - if only the story itself had drawn me in as much.

You might enjoy "The Wycherleys" if you’re into historical fantasy with a magical Regency twist, and especially if you have a soft spot for stories about witches.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't normally read YA but the plot caught my interest via netgalley. I recieved an arc and I'm so glad I gave it a try.

This is such a cute romance set in a magical society world that runs along side the human world (think HP muggles). I won't give much away but both main characters had so much personality that it made the insta love so worth it. Give it a try!

The Wycherlys is not my first Annaliese Avery read. I loved The Immortal Games, and jumped to pick this one up!

A twisty, magical story, which reads to be a tale of holding true to one’s self. Aurelia Wycherly is cursed. Those that perform magic with her fall ill. Jules Nightly’s ancestor cast the curse - on the Wycherly he knew, for it to follow the family line. One Wycherly woman will have that curse at any given time.

Despite the circumstances of Aurelia’s curse, Jules Nightly is not afraid. In fact, Aurelia becomes a beacon of light for him, as the two of them search for a way to keep their magic - for them, and for Jules’ sister, Evelyn (who was snubbed just before tethering - the only way to keep magic).

This has everything. Family’s feuding, love, an accelerating timeline. A council who wish to prevent Aurelia from keeping her magic. A boy who would tear it all down for her. I LOVE their teachers (no, not Kit) and how they have faith in their students. There are so many lovable characters in this one, and Annaliese’s writing has grown since The Immortal Games. This is addictive.

For fans of … Magic, romantic subplots, historical, secret plotting. Cape and wand magic. I adore this.

The Wycherleys is a light, magic filled YA romance with plenty of fluff. It was cute and easy to read, but not one I'd go back to although I enjoyed it whilst I was reading it.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

THE WYCHERLEYS is a delightful read. It has so much to love - character, tropes, magic, debutantes looking for magical matches!

I loved the way this book take on magic. From wandlets (bracelets that turn into wands), to choosing a broom, to magical pairings, it takes many familiar ideas and puts Annaliese Avery's own spin on it.

Add to that the magical debutante angle! In this book, the debutantes (who are male and female as this is a gender equal society, all of whom are called witches) are searching not for a partner for marriage but a partner for their magic, and they only have three years to do so or their magic fades forever. There are of course love and relationships in the air, but these do not have to be with the same person as their magical match. It's a nice way of making the debutante story feel different.

Aurelia and Nightly are such a good pairing. I love fake dating as a trip and his proposition to do so to annoy his mother sets them off down a merry caper. Their dates are all criminal activities (forging, breaking and entering, etc) which are fun of themselves but the way they embrace the criminal potential of the rises really helps build their relationship by having secrets in common, binding them together.

It's a lovely relationship too, seeing the other clearly and full of chemistry. Their families are rivals, so there's a lot of external pressure on them to stop seeing one another, but also Aurelia's cursed magic hurts those who she touches, meaning she doesn't want to form a relationship with him because it will hurt him. I really liked how so many things naturally kept them apart.

I am really looking forwards to the sequel!

4.5.

This was such a cute and charming YA fantasy romance, just brimming with magic and manners and a darling cast of characters.

I am a very big fan of fusing regency romance with fantasy; funnily enough, I only enjoy regency/manners/polite society romance when it's in a fantasy novel. It's presented as Divine Rivals meets Bridgerton, and I think it lives up to both of these very well, while very much standing on its own two feet.

The Wycherleys features some fantastic relationships, whether it be between brother and sister, two friends, parents and children, and of course, rivals. The bond that Aurelia shares with her brother is so charming and lovely; siblings don't always have to be considered rivals, they can simply look out for one another. I also really enjoyed Aurelia's relationship with Constance; in a world full of people who want to ostracise Aurelia for her cursed magic, it's so nice and refreshing to have someone that fully backs her up. The two of them share a really beautiful friendship.

I can't talk about relationships without mentioning the best of all: Aurelia and Jules! Their sizzling chemistry was palpable from their very first meeting. They form such a sweet and endearing relationship; they don't jump straight into dramatic hate or firey romance, they build something of a partnership and friendship first. I really liked this way of forming their relationship, as they really got to know each other better.

I really enjoyed the magic system; magical bonds and tethers is a really simple (in a good way - not unnecessarily complicated and convoluted) and cohesive magical system, and one that works really well within the story.

It features some of the best tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating, he falls first, forbidden love. And they all work in tandem so fantastically.

Something I very much enjoyed in this book, is the undercurrent of murder mystery, and a crime to solve. It's not grizzly or off putting, in the best way possible it's kinda sneaks up on you. You think you're settling into a lovely, charming fantasy novel set in a regency/manners universe and BAM! You're suddenly unravelling a mystery and attempting to solve twelve murders of witches. It's such a fantastic addition to this book, and I think separates it from being a simple YA fantasy romance. It gives it a bit of bite.

firstly, I’d like to say thank you to netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THIS WAS SO GOOD! I read this so quickly, it was so easy to read, fun and gripping! there were so many great elements to this book that made it as good as it was.

I absolutely LOVED the setting of this book. the regency vibes? immaculate! I’m a sucker for regency books and with the witchy vibes too? perfection! the magic system and way the witch system was set up was soooo interesting and I loved learning more about the history of the world as we read on. I also think the tethering in specific is super unique and adds a different layer to the story!

the relationships in this book were so lovely to read AHH. the friendship between Constance and Aurelia and the different sibling relationships were so well done and I just loved reading about them. AND OF COURSE…Aurelia and Jules oh my gosh? I love them. their romance was perhaps slightly quick to grow BUT I don’t care because it was so cute and I loved seeing it develop regardless of its speed!

but the romance wasn’t the only star of this book - the plot was AMAZING! so many different strands of mystery all weaving together made for such an intriguing plot, keeping me engaged and desperate to keep reading! there’s definitely space left for a sequel and I would EAT one up…but I also think it was wrapped up nicely if it was left as a stand-alone. but because I love this world and characters I definitely want a sequel!!!!

I would highly recommend this! such a fun, enticing YA romantasy with the best vibes all round!

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars.

I really loved this book, it had a unique magical story with a mystery to unfold that links the past, present and future for all witches. At the heart of the story with Aurelia and Jules we get such a complicated and heartwarming connection that seems so unlikely, but as they navigate the secrets and excitement that surround debutante season we get to see what the pair are truly made of.

I highly recommend this for an interesting and magical YA fantasy with a little forbidden romance.

A magical read from start to finish. Rival magic families are such a good niche that we should embrace more of every time. Avery writes an egmatic duo, both flawed, both searching to help their families. We are drawn into a narrative of power struggles and a regency - esque era where even with magic class and power systems are still major forces. This extra ordinary tale really does leave you spellbound. I would read more of this world in a heartbeat!