A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love | Ann Rose

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🌟A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love by Ann Rose🌟

📚 Genre: Paranormal, Cozy, Sapphic Romance

📅 Release Date: October 9, 2025 — Preorder Link

🖊️ Publisher: Berkley Publishing

🔗 Goodreads: A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love on Goodreads

💫 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Every Halloween, a mysterious pop-up shop called The Dead of Night appears without warning and disappears just as suddenly two days after the holiday. Pepper White is no stranger to its magic—she’s been cursed to come and go with the store for the past five years, forgotten by everyone once it vanishes. That is, until Christina Loring walks through the door. With just ten weeks before the curse resets, Pepper must decide whether to fight for a future she never thought she could have… or risk losing everything, including the girl she’s falling for.

My Thoughts 💭

🔍 Why I Picked This Up:

That premise was just too good to pass up, mysterious Halloween store and a sapphic love story with a magical curse? Sounds amazing. 🎃 Thank you so much to Ann Rose, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

✨ What I Loved:

This book was a cute, cozy read. I liked the opening chapters and the setup with Pepper’s curse—it felt fresh and fun. I could tell early on that the vibe would be whimsical and romantic. The story also nails the fall aesthetic and seasonal charm. 🍂

✍️ Room for Improvement:

The pacing was where things unraveled a bit for me. While the story was sweet and the concept strong, the middle chunk really dragged. I found myself losing interest after the halfway point. I wasn’t particularly attached to the characters or their romance, and that disconnect made the slower moments feel even slower. Some flashbacks felt unnecessary, and overall, I think the book would’ve worked better with a tighter plot and shorter page count. 📄

🥈 Overall Takeaway:

If you're into slow-paced, cozy romances with a paranormal twist and don’t mind a lighter plot, this could be right up your alley. It’s sweet and satisfying in the end, but it didn’t fully cast a spell on me. 🔮

💡 Additions:

Mood Board: 🎃 Halloween pop-up shop, orange twinkle lights, Halloween costumes, cozy coffee shops, colorful, falling leaves. 🍁

Favorite Quotes:

““Every body is beautiful,” she says without a hint of sarcasm or irony in her voice. “We should never measure our self-worth on some number inside our pants or on a scale.””

“where I should be going but I’m not because a pretty girl said “tacos”.”