The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

The Ex Hex #2

Rating: ★★★★✰

Dates Read: 6/28/23 - 7/4/23

    In Graves Glen, Gwyn Jones is content with her life. She's part of a strong coven with her mom and cousin, successfully running her witchcraft shop, Something Wicked, and mentoring young witches. However, her happiness is threatened with the arrival of Llewellyn "Wells" Penhallow, who has come to re-establish his family's ties to the town and start anew after years of being a dutiful son in Wales.

    Wells opens his own shop, Penhallow's, right across the street from Something Wicked, sparking professional competition between him and Gwyn. However, things take a personal turn when they share a sizzling and magical kiss. Both try to resist their attraction, dismissing the kiss as a mere magical fluke.

    As tensions rise, a mysterious new coven of witches enters the town, and Gwyn's powers start to wane. Now, she and Wells must put aside their differences and work together to uncover the intentions of these new witches and find a way to restore Gwyn's magic before it's too late. The fate of their town and their budding romance hang in the balance.

    This book was a blast to read, but I have to admit, I had a soft spot for the first book, and that made this one slightly disappointing, especially since I loved Gwyn in the previous installment. The banter in this book was a highlight, and the baby witches brought such charm to the story. The steamy moments were good, although not as intense as in the first book. My only wish was that their rivalry had been drawn out a bit longer. The "love spell" mishap was a delightful addition that brought some humor to the story. 

    The dual problem timeline wasn't my favorite, and the way certain issues were resolved left me a bit unsatisfied. I found it hard to believe how easily Morgan's explanation about her dark magic attic stash was accepted, especially considering they weren't that close and had no knowledge of why she was kicked out of school. It was a frustrating part for me. Another thing that bothered me was how Wells revealed his college crush on a girl with purple hair, AKA Gwyn, and she didn't confess that it was her. The topic was never revisited, which left me feeling a bit unresolved.

    Despite these concerns, I did genuinely enjoy the book, and the romance between Gwyn and Wells was incredibly cute. Finding out that this book was written under a pen name surprised me, but then I wasn't as shocked because I've liked the other books Rachel Hawkins has written as well. I'm excited to read the third book, hoping for more Bowen content and insight into how he dealt with his father's attempt to steal Gwyn's magic. Sterling's writing truly brings the town to life, making it feel magical and vividly real. Despite some minor letdowns, the book overall was a joy to read, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment.