Uncharmed

I didn't love this quite as much as the first. Wait, let me start again -- things I loved:
that so much of this book wasn't a romance, it was about Annie learning to let herself be less than perfect; that she had great support in the form of her bakery assistants; that so much of the book was about magic and treats; that so much of the book is about her relationship with a young girl who needs her; that the young girl is an endlessly snarky angry teen; that it resolves well in the end. Not the book I was expecting, but a great book nonetheless.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.

Andromeda "Annie" Wildwood is determined to be the perfect witch, up to and including using a magical potion that puts her through the wringer every night (she has to listen to ghosts tell her of all of their regrets, which she, as an empath, feels as if they are her own) just so she can make all the right moves and decisions and be able to say yes to anybody who asks anything of her, without showing even a trace of frustration or discontent. That's a very hard way to live, but Annie is determined to keep her life planned down to the second. That is, until her coven asks her to take over the care of a young witch who can't control her powers, a teenager, and Annie being Annie, can't say no, but she knows she's going to be totally out of show more her depth. She's right, of course, but how long can she keep up the act when she and Maeve are sent to a rundown cabin in the woods (the bathroom is in the backyard, for heaven's sake!) that happens to belong to a loner warlock who likes animals better than people? Of course, just when they're all finding a way to make it work, things go horribly wrong, as they often do.

This is the second book in Lucy Jane Wood's Rewitched series, and it's just as good as, if not better than, the first book. The characters are exquisitely written and the descriptions of the settings, both at the cabin and at Annie's bakery, make you feel like you're right there with her. The pace of the book is spot on, which makes this an easy, quick read. The ending is, also, oh, so satisfying.

All in all, I loved this cozy romantasy and happily recommend it.

5/5 stars.

*** Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Lucy Jane Wood for the opportunity to read and review Uncharmed. show less

Devoured in one sitting. Occasionally-cozy fantasy story about a woman growing beyond her people-pleasing tendencies. The found-family aspect of the story was delightful; the main characters influence each other for the better. While there was an eventual romantic relationship, the platonic relationships---beneficial and toxic---were the heart of the story.