Sloane MacGregor swore she’d never return to Briarhaven, but with her twenty-fifth birthday looming—the day witches come into their magic—her grandmother summons her and her sisters back for one tiny task: break the centuries-old curse haunting their bloodline.
Knox Douglas, Briarhaven’s grumpy mayor, has worked tirelessly to make his town a haven for magical folk. The last thing he needs is a cursed MacGregor wreaking havoc. It doesn’t matter he once crushed on her. For the sake of Briarhaven, Sloane has to go.
But magic has other plans—and in Briarhaven, love really is a witch.
Love’s a Witch is a cozy paranormal romantasy that blends small-town charm, witchy magic, humor, and romance. It’s the first book in Tricia O’Malley’s The Scottish Charms series and has the author’s trademark warmth.
The story follows Sloane MacGregor, a young woman from a lineage of witches, who returns to her ancestral Scottish village of Briarhaven as she approaches the birthday when her magic fully manifests. The MacGregor women carry a centuries-old curse the family has to break, and Sloane’s arrival kicks off magic-adjacent mayhem. The town’s protector, Knox Douglas, a descendant of the man involved in the original feud, wants Sloane’s family gone. Meanwhile, Sloane’s unpredictable, wild magic blooms, causing further havoc in town!
The story is told from the dual POVs of protagonists Sloane and Knox, giving readers a glimpse into the uncertainties and inner workings of these very opposite characters. The writing is snappy, heartwarming, and hilarious—making it very readable and worthy of a binge-read. For all the trope lovers out there, this book features several popular ones, including enemies-to-lovers, grumpy × sunshine, small-town romance, found family, and sisterhood!
Sloane MacGregor is a likable, relatable protagonist. As the oldest sibling, she feels the weight of her family’s curse and the immense pressure from the people of Briarhaven who want her family gone. Her inner monologues are full of so much uncertainty—her magic is wild and unpredictable, changing forms on a daily basis once it blooms, and the challenge of breaking a centuries-old curse is a daunting task! The coven that she, her sisters, and grandmother are part of is an eclectic group of witches—a few of whom do not have her best interest at heart. Navigating through all of this and dealing with Knox, who makes many attempts to have her family forced out of town, is almost too much to bear, and she’s ready to throw in the towel on a few occasions!
Knox is the grumpy to Sloane’s sunshine—he’s taken over the role of protector of Briarhaven—a town where magical beings secretly come to live freely without persecution or judgement—and he wants to keep the spotlight off the town. What’s working against him is the undeniable attraction he has for Sloane, which stems back from their teenage years—but instead of flirting, bickering and banter are what transpire between them for the first half of the book. But romance fans need not worry because they evolve into lovers quickly later on, after Knox becomes determined to help break Sloane’s family curse after more and more mishaps from the curse are affecting the town! Sloane’s sisters, Lyra and Nova, and grandmother Broca, all bring a wonderful balance to the story with their animated personalities, wit, sarcasm, and supportive natures.
The magic system in this book is original and fun—interesting witch-lore, coven rules, and clan curses. The small-town Scottish setting of Briarhaven is the perfect atmospheric backdrop for this cozy witchy romance—it’s a tourist-friendly, magical town with charming landmarks, including enchanted bookstores, dragon shops, and a close-knit gossipy community.
The overall pacing is brisk, as the story is very plot-driven—after the sisters are summoned to Briarhaven, their return triggers magical mishaps in the town, which accelerates their efforts to break the curse. The escalating stakes clash with the romantic tension between Sloane and Know, all leading to a dramatic resolution by the end. Most readers will be engaged throughout the entire story and will be eager to read future books in the series!
Overall, Love’s a Witch is a delightful, cozy romantasy that is full of charm, banter, and magical mishaps! Readers who love cozy witchy stories with family ties, enemies-to-lovers rom-coms, and heartwarming reads will love this book!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Love’s a Witch is an delightful dual narration listen read by award-winning powerhouse narrator Imogen Church and talented voice actor John Hartley!
Imogen Church performs the majority of the narration and brings Sloane MacGregor vividly to life with a lively, warm voice that is full of curiosity, accentuating the character’s playful and sometimes self-deprecating inner voice—it’s a portrayal that will keep listeners hooked from the first chapter! But what’s most impressive about Imogen Church’s performance is the incredible variety of voices she delivers and the uniquely entertaining persona she brings to each character. From Sloane’s high-spirited sisters to her sagacious grandmother to the eclectic coven women to shopkeepers in the town, Church makes every single line of the dialogue a fully immersive and cinematic experience that makes listeners feel like they’re right there with the characters! Overall, Church gives ALL THE FEELS during her performance, and the audiobook literally flies by! By the end, listeners will be eager for more time with these characters—and let’s hope Church is slated to narrate ALL future installments in the series, as she’s set the performance bar at an untouchable level!
John Hartley narrates all of the chapters of Knox’s POV and perfectly captures the grumpy, protective energy of the character with a grounded, slightly brooding voice. The strong Scottish accent he uses for the character can be difficult at times (depending on the listener’s comfort level), so it’s highly recommended to listen at a slower speed for more enjoyment. Hartley’s performance also emphasizes Knox’s conflicting concern for his town and his overwhelming attraction for Sloane—it’s a portrayal that makes the character not only likable but truly swoon-worthy! Overall, Hartley’s more emotionally pragmatic performance is a wonderful counterbalance to Sloane’s effervescent POV.
Both narrators have brisk pacing, matching the fast-moving narrative, and both highlight the comedic and romantic moments of the story well. The dialogue and banter are a real highlight of the audiobook and will have listeners grinning and laughing throughout! Readers who enjoy cozy romantasy, witchy stories, and highly immersive and entertaining audiobooks will absolutely love this audiobook!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Love’s a Witch is an delightful dual narration listen read by award-winning powerhouse narrator Imogen Church and talented voice actor John Hartley!
Imogen Church performs the majority of the narration and brings Sloane MacGregor vividly to life with a lively, warm voice that is full of curiosity, accentuating the character’s playful and sometimes self-deprecating inner voice—it’s a portrayal that will keep listeners hooked from the first chapter! But what’s most impressive about Imogen Church’s performance is the incredible variety of voices she delivers and the uniquely entertaining persona she brings to each character. From Sloane’s high-spirited sisters to her sagacious grandmother to the eclectic coven women to shopkeepers in the town, Church makes every single line of the dialogue a fully immersive and cinematic experience that makes listeners feel like they’re right there with the characters! Overall, Church gives ALL THE FEELS during her performance, and the audiobook literally flies by! By the end, listeners will be eager for more time with these characters—and let’s hope Church is slated to narrate ALL future installments in the series, as she’s set the performance bar at an untouchable level!
John Hartley narrates all of the chapters of Knox’s POV and perfectly captures the grumpy, protective energy of the character with a grounded, slightly brooding voice. The strong Scottish accent he uses for the character can be difficult at times (depending on the listener’s comfort level), so it’s highly recommended to listen at a slower speed for more enjoyment. Hartley’s performance also emphasizes Knox’s conflicting concern for his town and his overwhelming attraction for Sloane—it’s a portrayal that makes the character not only likable but truly swoon-worthy! Overall, Hartley’s more emotionally pragmatic performance is a wonderful counterbalance to Sloane’s effervescent POV.
Both narrators have brisk pacing, matching the fast-moving narrative, and both highlight the comedic and romantic moments of the story well. The dialogue and banter are a real highlight of the audiobook and will have listeners grinning and laughing throughout! Readers who enjoy cozy romantasy, witchy stories, and highly immersive and entertaining audiobooks will absolutely love this audiobook!
The audiobook of Love’s a Witch is an delightful dual narration listen read by award-winning powerhouse narrator Imogen Church and talented voice actor John Hartley!
Imogen Church performs the majority of the narration and brings Sloane MacGregor vividly to life with a lively, warm voice that is full of curiosity, accentuating the character’s playful and sometimes self-deprecating inner voice—it’s a portrayal that will keep listeners hooked from the first chapter! But what’s most impressive about Imogen Church’s performance is the incredible variety of voices she delivers and the uniquely entertaining persona she brings to each character. From Sloane’s high-spirited sisters to her sagacious grandmother to the eclectic coven women to shopkeepers in the town, Church makes every single line of the dialogue a fully immersive and cinematic experience that makes listeners feel like they’re right there with the characters! Overall, Church gives ALL THE FEELS during her performance, and the audiobook literally flies by! By the end, listeners will be eager for more time with these characters—and let’s hope Church is slated to narrate ALL future installments in the series, as she’s set the performance bar at an untouchable level!
John Hartley narrates all of the chapters of Knox’s POV and perfectly captures the grumpy, protective energy of the character with a grounded, slightly brooding voice. The strong Scottish accent he uses for the character can be difficult at times (depending on the listener’s comfort level), so it’s highly recommended to listen at a slower speed for more enjoyment. Hartley’s performance also emphasizes Knox’s conflicting concern for his town and his overwhelming attraction for Sloane—it’s a portrayal that makes the character not only likable but truly swoon-worthy! Overall, Hartley’s more emotionally pragmatic performance is a wonderful counterbalance to Sloane’s effervescent POV.
Both narrators have brisk pacing, matching the fast-moving narrative, and both highlight the comedic and romantic moments of the story well. The dialogue and banter are a real highlight of the audiobook and will have listeners grinning and laughing throughout! Readers who enjoy cozy romantasy, witchy stories, and highly immersive and entertaining audiobooks will absolutely love this audiobook!
