Book: Hexes Go Well with Tequila by Leanna Ehrsam
Reviewed by Suzy Wickedly Good Reads
Rating: 3.5/5
Sex and the City meets an adult version of The Craft with tequila. Lots of tequila. 🍹🔮
Overall, I had fun with this one! The concept has SO much potential, and while there were some pacing and grammatical issues that I think could have benefited from another editing pass, there's enough here that I'm genuinely interested in seeing where the author goes next.
Ursula is 38 and starting her life over with her Irish Wolfhound, Casper, in what appears to be a rather magical house with a history of its own in Salem, Massachusetts. Enter a new group of friends, several rounds of tequila, and the brilliant (or possibly terrible) idea to hex the men who have become the bane of their existence. What could possibly go wrong? We're talking lion tails and bouts of gas loud enough to compete with a beloved motorcycle. 😂 If you approach the story completely lightheartedly, it has that wonderfully chaotic, adult-The Craft energy: a group of women playing around with magic without fully understanding exactly what they've gotten themselves into. But this is also where I wanted the story to dig a little deeper.
There is a strong thread of feminine rage and political commentary running through the book, and at times it becomes quite heavy. Because of that, I found myself questioning the consequences of the women's magic more than I think the story intended me to. For example, one man's hex ultimately affects his career and leaves him struggling to find another job. Did he possibly have some karma coming his way? Sure. But once the curses begin having real, lasting consequences, I wanted the story to explore that cause-and-effect more thoroughly. There's a difference between a hilariously inconvenient hex and altering someone's entire life, and that distinction could have added another fascinating layer to the story.
Then there's Jensen, the local bachelor and grumpy handyman Ursula literally keeps running into. Their love/hate dynamic was fun, but when their relationship eventually changes, it happens rather quickly. I wanted more buildup between them so that transition felt as satisfying as the concept promised. Ultimately, I really like what this book is trying to do. The magical house, female friendships, ridiculous hexes, fresh starts, romance, and Salem setting create the bones of a series I'd happily revisit. With another editing pass and a little more room for the relationships and consequences of the magic to develop, I think this could have been superb. Solid 3.5 stars from me.
And I'll absolutely be watching for the next book. There's enough potential here that I want to see what happens next!