The Ex Hex

The first in a new Georgia-set paranormal romantic comedy series by Sterling (the pen name of Rachel Hawkins, author of the Gothic domestic suspense novel The Wife Upstairs and the YA series “Hex Hall”). Young witch Vivienne Jones fell hard for Rhys Penhallow nine years ago, only to have her heart broken when she found out he was engaged. In her vodka-fueled, post-breakup misery, Vivi and her cousin Gwyn pretended to curse Rhys. It should have just been a bit of silliness, but something felt off afterward. As for Rhys, he never intended to fall in love in his ancestral home of Graves Glen, GA, where Vivi’s beauty and sweetness enchanted him. He’s always regretted how things ended. Now he’s returned to attend to family business, and his luck begins to sour the minute he sets foot on Georgia soil. Rhys’s mysterious affliction soon begins affecting Graves Glen as well, forcing Rhys and Vivi to get over their mutual mistrust, ignore their chemistry, and work together to break the curse before it kills everyone in town. Sterling writes a fun, sexy romantic comedy with a compelling plot, fantastic worldbuilding, twists that give the story depth, and engaging primary and secondary characters. The novel wraps up plenty of loose ends, but readers will be eager for sequels.