The Ex Hex has been on my TBR for years. As in, I bought the book when it first came out and then saved it for the "right time." And as any good reader knows, the right time could mean next week or never - it's anyone's guess. However, since I bought this book, multiple people have recommended I read it and so I decided now is "The Time."
And as I love a spooky aesthetic and a good themed romance, I figured this was going to be a home run for me, I found myself disappointed in this book. Erin Sterling is a pen name for one of my favorite authors, Rachel Hawkins. However, this was her first romance book, and it definitely felt like it. Honestly, if I hadn't known Erin Sterling was a pen name, I think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more because I wouldn't be comparing it to the author's other very different works. Which is a topic for a different day on the importance of pen names, that I will not get into now.
That being said, it was still a cute little Halloween-themed read with a lot of kissing and a big magical problem.
Once upon a time, Vivienne Jones broke Magic Rule #1: never mix magic with vodka. She was heartbroken and drunk when her cousin suggested they curse her ex, Rhys Penhallow. It was supposed to be a joke, something to make Vivi feel better. However, what they didn't realize was the curse they cast was very real. Nine years later, when Rhys is sent by his father to recharge the town's ley lines, that curse is transferred to the town's magic - and terrible things start happening to everyone. Vivi and Rhys have to work together to fix it, while also dealing with the fact that even though it's been nine years, neither of them got over their previous relationship.
Vivi is a fun character to read because she breaks the typical witch stereotype. She's a history professor at the town's college - specifically focusing on "normie" history instead of magical. She wears polka-dot dresses, tights, and always looks perfectly put together. In fact, most of the town's witch community doesn't believe she actually has magic. It was an interesting way to break stereotypes without throwing her into the "manic pixie dream girl" trope of not being like other witches. And what I loved the most about her characterization was her smarts were equally as important, and as sexy to Rhys. I love the emphasis on how a woman's mind can be attractive to a romantic lead, and it made them feel like they had a real relationship.
I think the biggest strength of this novel was the setting. Graves Glen is a quirky little town in Georgia. It truly came alive with its reputation for being the Halloween center of Georgia - perfect for tourists and witch transplants. With its own magic source in the ley lines, it also made perfect sense the residents would lean so far into the reputation. And being able to see the town through Vivi's eyes, when it's clear she loves it more than almost anything in the world, helps to be able to fall in
I think where the story fell flat for me was the way the characters went about resolving the curse. For the majority of the book Rhys and Vivi were too distracted by each other to make any progress. It felt like there was no sense of urgency, even though they were on a deadline and the cursed magic was affecting everyone in the town. And any time they did make progress, it fell into their lap. So when it came when it was time to break the curse, I didn't feel like that part of the plot had developed enough for it to have been deserved. I would have loved a little more research and a little more struggle so there was actually the urgency throughout the book instead of the last fifty pages or so.
Overall, it was a fun Halloween read. It's full of fun romance tropes, and the author has an amazing way of bringing the setting to life that makes the book worth reading. I haven't decided yet if I am going to continue the series, but I think it will be a decision for next year if I will continue with The Kiss Curse.
The Ex Hex is available through HarperCollins Publishers