Series name: Toil and Trouble, # 2
The black waves of his hair were styled tidily, the sharp bones of his face contrasting with his soft lips, the faint shadow on his strong jaw. He still wore his tie, tucked into the shirt, under the silk vest. A fantasy made flesh.
De-Witched is a magical and fun witchy romance that was a treat to read.
Six weeks ago, Leah Turner snuck into a witch high-society masked ball and promised to abide by two rules:
1. Don’t draw attention to yourself.
2. Don’t talk to anyone.
As a human, Leah took a huge risk by even attending—and by talking to the enigmatic warlock who had her wanting to rip off her mask. But this Cinderella had to leave the ball before anyone discovered her secret.
Gabriel Goodnight is everything a Higher family warlock should be. Powerful, responsible—to a fault, some might say. Still, before he can inherit his parents’ business, he’ll have to prove his merit to the board one final time…by living among humans, without his powers, for three months.
When Gabriel walks into Leah’s bar, she immediately recognizes him—but it’s obvious he has no idea who she is, and he definitely doesn’t know she knows about magic. This condescending, uptight man is hardly the Prince Charming she thought she knew…but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun…
What a spellbinding and fabulous read! This is the second book in the Toil and Trouble series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. But I will be picking up the first book because Emma and Bastian (the MCs from the first book) are adorable and sweet, and I just loved the vibes coming from them. This was an enjoyable read. I loved the world-building and magic system that Sophie created in this series. It’s simple enough to understand what is what but also complex and interesting enough to capture and keep my attention. This story has a lot going for it. There is plenty of humour, drama, a bit of mystery, magic, and, of course, forbidden romance. What’s not to love?
Leah is a human who knows that witches and warlocks exist. She is good friends with Emma and Tia, who are both witches and together, the three of them own a bar called Toil and Trouble. The problem is that Leah is not supposed to know that witches exist, and if anyone finds out, there will be major trouble for all three of them. Gabriel is on the cusp of becoming the CEO of his family’s company, but he has one more hurdle to overcome. He has been tasked with living amongst humans for a few months with limited access to his magic. The problem is Gabriel hates humans because they were the ones who killed his parents. He thinks all humans are dangerous and should not be trusted. Gabriel ends up working at Toil and Trouble and eventually at the animal shelter where Leah volunteers. Sparks fly, and I mean fly, between Gabriel and Leah. There is a fun, witty sharpness to their banter for the first half of this book that I just ate up. They don’t get along, which is solely because Gabriel acts like a grumpy ass. I love watching MCs who are constantly clashing with each other. It just scratches an itch that I didn’t know that I had. I think it’s because, underneath that dislike, there is often a lusty attraction that the MCs cannot ignore. That lusty attraction is usually why they clash so often. I loved watching Leah and Gabriel interact. Sophie really captures that grumpy-sunshine essence and creates a love story that is truly spell-binding.
The story has a pretty steady pace to it. There are lots of fun fish-out-of-water moments when Gabriel tries to learn how to do things without magic. Leah is also a wonderful, cheerful ball of sunshine, and I really enjoyed watching her ruffle Gabriel’s feathers. Leah is amazing right from the start. She knows who she is, and she is genuinely a good person. You can’t help but root for her. Leah likes Gabriel but has a hard time figuring out where she stands with him because he runs hot and cold with her so often you almost get whip-lash. Gabriel’s character is the one who goes through the transformation or growth in this story. At this book’s beginning, Gabriel is grumpy, abrupt, and closed off to the world around him. The only things that matter are his sister and being a CEO. But as the story progresses, Gabriel starts to realize that maybe his attitude towards humans is wrong, and even though falling in love could mean he might lose his job, Leah is worth it.
I adored Leah and Gabriel. I am a sucker for a good grumpy sunshine, forbidden romance, and Sophie took these tropes and created an unforgettable love story. I love it when the heroine befuddles, bewitches, and destroys a hero’s carefully ordered world. And that is exactly what Leah does to Gabriel. The spice in this book is also oh-so-nice. Those buttoned-up, gruff heroes are always the dirtiest in the sheets, and Gabriel is no exception. He may be a man of few words, but he knows how to talk dirty when the occasion calls for it. Besides all the sharp banter and spice, there are plenty of quieter moments between these two. It’s those moments where you see Leah breaking down those walls Gabriel had built. I really liked these two as a couple.
De-Witched is a fun, witty, and sexy grumpy sunshine witchy romance.
Thank you, Harlequin, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
