Go Hex Yourself

February 14, 2022
In this breezy paranormal rom-com from bestseller Clare (Holly Jolly Cowboy), an intense young woman trying to pay off family debts finds a job with unexpected erotic side benefits. Regina “Reggie” Johnson is desperate for employment, so when she sees an ad seeking someone to assist with Spellcraft, her favorite card game, she’s determined to secure the position. It takes a while for her to understand that her new employer, Dru, is neither a gamer nor senile, but a real witch who needs a human familiar to perform actual magic. Though she’s wary of Dru’s nephew Ben, a devastatingly attractive warlock with a bad reputation, Reggie comes to like the eccentric Dru, whose magic is mostly benign, and after Dru is cursed into a coma, Reggie and Ben join forces and take on a hostile world of witchcraft in order to break the spell. This fairly limp plot largely serves as an excuse to get Reggie and Ben naked together—including one memorable scene at the bottom of a well—but readers will find enough joy in the lighthearted story that they won’t care about its plausibility. Fans of Katie MacAlister and Annette Blair will be pleased. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.

March 1, 2022
A woman who doesn't believe in magic is hired by a witch. When Reggie Johnson answers an advertisement to work at Spellcraft, she's shocked to discover she's been hired to be a familiar to an actual witch rather than an assistant at the company that makes her favorite card game. Her new boss, Drusilla Magnus, is a 2,000-year-old witch who worships the Roman gods and curses people who wrong her. Although shocked to discover magic is real, Reggie's biggest problem is Dru's handsome, aloof nephew, Ben Magnus. Ben wonders why his beloved aunt insisted on hiring an inexperienced outsider and hopes learning about the magical world of warlocks and witches will scare Reggie away. Ben doesn't realize that Reggie's controlling, fastidious nature is the result of having been raised by neglectful, selfish parents. Reggie is desperate for the stability and income from this new gig and refuses to let Ben or the strange magical world intimidate her into leaving. Eventually, Ben agrees to help her learn more about the Roman gods and how to cast spells and curses. Their time working together only deepens the attraction between them. Despite the charming setup and a strong opening, the novel's pacing is sluggish and uneven. The romance arc starts late, leaving a variety of underdeveloped and underutilized subplots to fill the void. Although Reggie and Ben are likable characters and there are some cute ideas and amusing secondary characters, the end result feels unfinished and rushed. A romance that is more pedestrian than magical.

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March 1, 2022

Clare's ("Billionaire Boys Club" series) latest stand-alone is a lighthearted and fun romp with a touch of the paranormal. Reggie responds to an ad looking for a personal assistant. Little does she know, her employer and the woman's nephew are hundreds of years old and have been having trouble keeping their witch familiars. Reggie, who assumes her new boss is losing her grasp on reality in her advanced age, humors all her requests. But when she's faced with the absolute fact that magic is real, Reggie allows herself to grow closer not only to the magic world but to her employer's nephew, Ben. When her boss suddenly seems to have been cursed, it's up to Reggie and Ben to solve the mystery--and to figure out whether a romance between a warlock and a human can last. VERDICT Though fun, Clare's novel won't have enough conflict to keep some readers engaged; the reveal at the end demonstrates the low stakes. Recommend to those who prefer light paranormal fare that borders on chick lit.--Claire Brown

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 10, 2023
Reggie is thrilled when, after responding to a newspaper ad, she lands an interview for her dream job as an assistant at a gaming company that makes her favorite game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Surprised it is in a mansion instead of a commercial building, she is confused when the woman she thought she would be covering for during her maternity leave takes her to a lab instead of an office and talks about making spells, not games. It seems that she will assist elderly Dru Magnus. Reggie, who does not believe in magic, thinks Dru is just a dotty old woman who pretends to cast spells or curses, not realizing her real job will be as Dru's familiar, serving as a sort of human battery for her magic. Dru's nephew and only relative, Ben, a gorgeous curmudgeon with an evil reputation among the society of witches and warlocks, is also in residence. Both Reggie and Ben had truly horrible parents and few friends, and they now try to put their vulnerabilities aside to strive to be good people. Clare's lively imagination and robust storytelling make the reader care about her characters and enjoy their witchy world.

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