Not the Witch You Wed

3.5 star read for me.

I read it fast. I like the build up and the characters. I loved the enemies to lovers/second chance romance, the main and side characters, and some of the witty banters.

But something about the terms, politics and atmosphere of the world and background didn't really sit as good with me as the characters and dialogue.

I typically love witchy books. So much so that it is a sure-fire way to get me to at least read the synopsis of a book. However, this book really frustrated me - so much so that I nearly DNF'd it. Repeatedly. It did get better, so I'm glad I stuck with it, and I warmed up to nearly all of the characters, but the first few chapters are rough. I actually found myself wondering a few times who the target audience was, because the author couldn't seem to make up her mind. I also found myself wondering, especially as the book improved, why the first few chapters didn't get edited to better fit with the rest of the story. I'm interested enough to check out the next book when it gets published, because some of the supporting characters really intrigued me. 

I came for the fake dating, and I kinda got what I came for?

The story falls into some cliches – both good and bad. For example, most female characters are introduced with their bra size. Miscommunication/Lack of communication was a significant plot point, but it had a good twist!

It was hard to tell when it switched between Violet's and Lincoln's perspectives until it explicitly stated who it was. There was no change in how their inner dialogue was written or narrated.

On to the fake dating – it did not last nearly long enough to satisfy my taste.
Overall, it was an entertaining read that, while predictable, was fun and enjoyable. I plan to continue the series!

Audiobook Review: It took a while to get used to the voice actor – she spoke slowly with long pauses that made me think my sleep timer had gone off. The voices were also very breathy. While I got used to the narration, I'd recommend reading versus listening to Not The Witch You Wed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not the Witch You Wed is a paranormal romance with witches, shape shifters and even a supernatural council. Violet is a witch that has no magic, despite being the first born, and thus the next in line to be on the council. Lincoln is a wolf shifter and the alpha of the shapeshifters of North America. They are both told by the council they need to marry someone soon or the council will find someone for them. They decide to pretend to be in a relationship to gain some time.

This one reads more as a romance with paranormal aspects, rather than the opposite. It has fake dating, and second chance romance. I really enjoyed reading this book, I didn't want to put it down! FILLED with wolf puns, and other humor, it was fun and funny to read cover to cover. It wasn't the most unpredictable book to read, but I don't find predictability to be an issue for romance books.

A lot of times in second chance romances from teenage years, I find the reason for why one character still is angry at the other one to be exaggerated. But in this one I was actually fully on board. I understood why she was hesitant to trust him again, and I liked that the event from the past wasn't dragged out throughout the whole book. It does come up again, but in ways that seem to make sense rather than just to generate drama.

Violet is a great main character, she's funny and strong, she speaks her mind and stands up for herself. I really liked that this was a dual POV. I always appreciate seeing both perspectives in romances, and Lincoln was another great main character. He's quite an idealist, but it works well, especially in this book. He stood for what's right. And despite being a literal alpha, there was no alphahole-ness here!

I also really liked their romance. I loved their banter, their chemistry, how much they clearly cared for one another despite the time and circumstances. I just love an us against the world love story, and this was pretty close as so many were questioning the real-ness of their relationship.

Other than the main characters, Violet's family and friends were (almost) all such great characters. Her two sisters were always there for her, doing their best to help her out. Her grandmother always the source of such wisdom. Her two best friends, one a total fan of Violet's romance the other hesitant and guarded.

I was at times confused by the world building, or what exactly was going on but this only impacted my enjoyment a little. Possibly helped by the fact that I was listening to an audiobook, I didn't have much time to dwell on the parts I was confused by.

I'm glad this will be a series, I'll be reading the next book, especially since I loved all the side characters!

I read this as an audiobook, narrated by Zura Johnson, and I thought it was very well narrated.

I received the ALC for this book from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions.