ARC Review: Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

“…funny, witty, steamy, and an overall enjoyable read.”
~ Under the Covers

Recommended Read!

“We have this special thing between us, sweetheart. It’s called mutual agitation.”

In a delightful and witty paranormal romance, April Asher takes readers on a trip as the magicless witch Violet Maxwell finds herself reacquainted with wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne as they fake date their way to a happily ever after.

Even though Vi is the oldest Maxwell triplet, she’s been known as the “Maxwell Dud” for her thirty-plus years of existence. But when an archaic law states that the firstborn, magicless or not, must Witch Bond with someone, Vi immediately starts looking for a loophole. Enter Lincoln Thorne, childhood friend and gruff wolf Alpha. Linc might have broken her heart and her trust when she was eighteen, but Vi is desperate and so is he. With pressure from the witch and shifter communities to find mates, fake dating might be the only way they can save each other. But it’s not long before the attraction becomes something more, not long before the kisses become needy. If Vi and Linc can set aside their past, they might realize their futures were right in front of them all along.

Not the Witch You Wed is the first book I’ve read by April Asher/April Hunt. I had heard that Asher’s writing is cute, sexy, and very fun to read, and this book was definitely all of those things. One of the first things that struck me while reading is the humor – both laugh out loud, in your face funny as well as subtle ploys by way of sarcasm and mumbled, loving insults. Several characters had this comedic charisma, but no one shined brighter than our female main character. All three Maxwell sisters would be great in the starring role, but I’m glad Asher started with Violet. Vi easily goes from slinging drinks at the bar to volunteering at the local supernatural kids center to putting entitled people in their place; when you add in Vi’s easy personality and her sarcasm, it’s no wonder Vi has so many people who care about her and are on her side.

I loved the way in which Vi and Linc were able to reconnect in this story. Linc is a perfectly blended rough and possessive wolf on the outside, soft marshmallow on the inside – at least when it comes to Vi. If you love your paranormal romance starring a big, gruff shifter who absolutely melts every time he sees his woman, then you will adore Lincoln Thorne.

Outside of the fantastic characters, I thought Asher crafted a fantastic supernatural world; it was inclusive, especially for the first book in a series. While the main characters were a witch and a wolf shifter, that only scratched the surface of Asher’s supernatural world. I loved that we get witches, shifters, demons, vampires, and angels all in this book – and none of these characters are one dimensional. I especially loved the varying types of shifters that make an appearance; I can’t remember the last book or series I read that incorporated such a range right from the beginning. This inclusivity was great not only for Not the Witch You Wed, but for this new world and series that Asher has created. I honestly can’t wait to see where Asher takes her readers in her next book.

Not the Witch You Wed was funny, witty, steamy, and an overall enjoyable read. It was easy to get pulled into the story right from the beginning, and I couldn’t help but love Vi and Linc’s fake dating adventures.