TL;DR: I thought the first book was alright but this book was great! The world-building remains very light and basic and the characters still aren’t as fully fleshed out as they could be, but it didn’t overly bother me because I was simply having fun reading their interactions, watching our MCs fall in love while solving a mystery, and being swept up in the everyday shenanigans and drama of this quirky witchy family and the other supernaturals in their lives. I don’t mean this in a negative way at all, but this a great “no thoughts, just vibes” series and I’m not mad about it because I’m speeding through these books and enjoying myself a heckuva lot while doing so!

I really liked Isadora and Devraj’s opposites attract romance. It was sweet, swoony and angsty and their mutual pining and intense chemistry led to some wildly hot scenes that set my Kindle on fire! 🔥 This definitely had more explicit sex scenes than in the first book but it never felt gratuitous and only served to bring them closer together in more ways than one. Also, the first steamy scene doesn’t occur until a little over halfway through so it does work up to it.

Devraj is a gorgeous vampire! He’s an ex-Bollywood megastar who schmoozes with the rich and famous when he’s not sought out for his ancient and extremely powerful vampire abilities as a Stygor. I was a bit worried when I realised that Devraj is Indian because the author is not a POC but I think Cross took great care while formulating his character. He thrives in the spotlight which is in total contrast to Isadora, a socially anxious introvert who prefers her plants and the company of dogs to other humans. And ngl, I definitely related to that! 😂 Isadora is convinced that because he’s this flashy vampire, they’ll never work in the long run but what starts out as just a bit of animosity and a bit of sexual fun soon leads to deeper vulnerability and SO. MANY. FEELINGS! Devraj was absolutely besotted with Isadora’s unpretentious charm and personality and I adored how much of a simp he was for her. He listens to and appreciates her so much and I loved his sensitivity and eagerness to lift her up.

What I did find frustrating with them was the lack of communication—not miscommunication just not open communication about their feelings. I do sorta get why Isadora didn’t open up due to her anxiety and fear of attachment but that honestly could’ve been resolved if Devraj had just opened up about being all-in with their situationship cos there was no doubt about it! That said, I loved his grand gesture and even though it was super duper cheesy and the ending was sickeningly cute it still had me grinning like a fool with happiness!

I also appreciated getting to know the Savoie sisters better in this book. They’re a wonderful bunch of witches and their personalities are so distinct. I love Violet’s snarky attitude and Clara’s floaty joyful vibes. I also liked seeing more of Ruben and of course, resident sultry crooner, Nico! I have to mention it again but I really like how the supernaturals in this book work and live together without the ‘traditional’ hostility between groups—there’s no cringing when the werewolf appears cos the vampires think they smell bad or anything typical like that. I still find it refreshing to see everyone get along and it fits the cosy vibe of these stories very well!

Have you read Don’t Hex and Drive or is it on your TBR?

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