Hex Me Not is a quick fun read about a small town called Charm Cove. Charm Cove just happens to have a LOT of witches that live there, a fact that is pretty openly and apparently calmly accepted by the non-magical residents. Hex Me Not is part of a series, but while reading it definitely inspired me to track down the first book from the series, I don't think NOT having read it hampered my enjoyment of the book at all. I do think, however, that I would have enjoyed it even more, had I read the first book first.
Our main character is Moira, a witch who has recently returned to Charm Cove, and having settled back in to her home town, is running a small shop that sells potions, jewelry and knickknacks--some magical and some not. Soon the quirky little town is unsettled by a rash of burglaries that seem to have focused on magical families and business--and some very old, very valuable magical and potentially dangerous items have been stolen. The mystery itself, was, for me, far less interesting than all the characters in the town, and watching them as they worked to figure out what items were missing and why...and potentially who could have stolen the items. I really enjoyed the interplay between Moira and her various family members, friends, neighbors...and cat. There is also a minor element of romance in this story--which is a big part of why I want to go find book 1, haha. The history, the families, the way they work together (or don't), the way they keep records (or don't), and the way this is still a small town story--with it's gossips and nosy neighbors... For me that was the heart of the story, and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed Moira using her magical gifts to help resolve the mystery, but for me, the mystery wasn't that important. The characters, the town, Moira and her boyfriend...the mysterious cat...These all captured my interest and has me looking for more books in this series, and more by this author, in general. If you like small towns full of fun characters, a dash of the supernatural, an ounce of mystery and maybe a tablespoon of romance, this one is for you!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.