ARC Review: The Witch Is Back by Sophie H. Morgan
10:00
Series: None
Author: Sophie H. Morgan
Published August 15th 2023 by Mills & Boon
Goodreads Synopsis
…and she spells trouble Born a witch, Emmaline Bluewater’s days of trying to fit in are over—they ended seven years ago when the man she’d hoped to marry left town without a word. She’s much happier now, living a human life and running her own cocktail bar. Until Bastian Truenote walks through the door and announces that he wants her back! Bastian had his reasons for leaving Emma even if he can’t tell her what they are. But now a curse on his family dictates he must marry her. Yet Emma is not the meek witch he remembers, and not easily won over. Magical contracts are not easily broken but they do become even more complicated when you fall in love…
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Emmaline Bluewater may be a witch, but she's never been happier than living in a human town, working in the bar she co-owns with her best friends. When her fiancee left her 7 years ago, she was devastated and embarrassed, and no one in her home town let her forget that she wasn't enough for the perfect Bastian Truenote, especially not her mother. So seeing Bastian walking into her bar, begging her to go through with the marriage to fulfil the betrothal contract before it harms his family. Bastian knows it won't be easy to get Emma's forgiveness, no matter how important the reason he left her was, but he'd do anything to convince her to give him another chance.
I wasn't expecting to be drawn into this book as much as I was, and it's stayed with me so much since reading it. Emma and Bastian were betrothed as children, both from powerful witch families, and uniting the Bluewater and Truenote powers would be unlike anything experienced before. They had grown up as friends, something which Emma needed more than anything, due to her mother's hateful words, and treatment of her only daughter. However, Bastian discovered that the betrothal contract could cause harm to himself if he and Emma married, and not knowing who to trust, he fled, and only returned when it was clear that the contract couldn't be broken. I loved how obvious it was that Bastian cared for Emma, even loved her (though he tried to fight it), but he couldn't be open about why he left due to the magic placed on him. Emma had always been quiet, shy, and introverted, but Bastian had brought her out of his shell. She was overjoyed when she learnt they would marry, and had loved him since early childhood, so the loss of him hurt her more than anything. I do think she gave in a little soon, considering how hurt she'd been, but there were some reasons which sort of explained it. The main villain of the piece was by far and away Emma's mam, who was wicked, and cruel, and Bastian was perfect in standing up for her. Such a lovely witchy read, and Emma and Bastian's romance is one of the best I've recently read!
Dates Read:
July 21-22, 2023
Rating
4 Stars
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