The Ex Hex: A Novel

"Goddess, we beseech you to make him the sort of man who will forever think the clitoris is exactly one-third of an inch away from where it actually is." (Who did this to the male population?? Fess up.) That is the funniest, cruelest form of torture I've ever seen. And it perfectly encapsulates the humor in Erin Sterling's novel, The Ex Hex. Heartbroken Vivi, along with her hilarious cousin, jokingly put a spell on Vivi's ex-boyfriend with a litany of silly curses. Except... magic doesn't care if you're serious or not. And nine years later, they're facing the consequences. Now Vivi has to team up with said ex to repair the damage done before it takes the entire town down with them. You know the old saying, "Never mix vodka and witchcraft."

This novel was such a fun read. It has so much heart, the characters are loveable, and the magic system feels spooky and reminiscent of traditionally witchy tales. I've seen The Ex Hex described as "Hocus Pocus but they fuck", and it delivers on that 100%. Somehow, it just feels wholesome. Hard to pull off in a novel featuring blood curses, vengeful spirits, and explicit sex scenes, but Erin (alter ego to Rachel Hawkins) has done it beautifully.

Readers may find it a bit cheesy and predictable, and on top of that, the plot feels incomplete. There are a few unanswered questions at the end, not quite plotholes but missing information. This leaves a bit of an unfinished storyline. 

All of that said, The Ex Hex still gets four out of five stars from me. It's a super fluffy and fun romance, with great humor and an adorable love interest. While there is some explicit content, the intimate moments are mild and centered around the emotions rather than the details. 

The Ex Hex is the perfect way to kick off Spooky Season. I would recommend it to anyone who loves Halloween and likes their romances to be heartwarming rather than hard-core.