Hey witches! I have discovered my new favorite genre of the year: witchy smut romance. It makes perfect sense really – the advent and current modernization of the romance genre, combined with witches (since general “paranormal” romance had its heyday in the mid-2000s) makes for refreshingly modern, sexy, fun romances that are female forward. Avery Flynn’s Witcha Gonna Do? was certainly no exception. While probably not my favorite for reasons (below), Flynn’s new book is contemporary, action-packed, and steamy. Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley, for this ARC!
From the Publisher:
“An unlucky witch and her know-it-all nemesis must team up in the first of a new, hot romantic comedy series from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.
Could it possibly get any worse than having absolutely no magical abilities when you’re a member of the most powerful family of witches ever? It used to be that I’d say no, but then I keep getting set up on dates with Gil Connolly whose hotness is only matched by his ego. Seriously. I can’t stand him. Even if I also can’t stop thinking about him (specifically kissing him) but we’re going to pretend I never told you that part.
So yeah, my life isn’t the greatest right now, but then it goes straight to the absolute worst hell when I accidentally make my sister’s spell glitch and curse my whole family. And the only person who can help non-magical me break the spell? You guessed it. Gil the super hot jerk.
Now we have to work together to save my family and outmaneuver some evil-minded nefarious forces bent on world domination. Oh yeah, and we have to do all that while fighting against the attraction building between us because I may not be magical, but what’s happening between Gil and I sure feels like it.”
What I Loved:
- The World Build. While I know a lot of people had major problems with the info dump, I thought the world Avery Flynn built in Witcha Gonna do? was fascinating. Tilda’s family is from a powerful witching family that holds positions on the “official” governing body for the witching world. Gil’s family, on the other hand, is banished to a different world by a shadow organization that runs in parallel and seeks ultimate control. The Resistance helps those banished and otherwise messed with by the shadow organization. The world of the Sherwoods and the Connollys is complex, and I can’t wait to dive in further.
- The Urban Fiction. Peripheral to above, I loved the incorporation of tech and witchiness together. So many other series completely separate the “modern” and the “arcane” (looking at you, Dresden Files and Harry Potter), but here, Tilda runs the family’s social media sites, there is gossip columns and texting, and it is seamless. I hope this is the new trend in witch fiction instead of convoluted explanations for why phones don’t work in an otherwise all powerful society.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
- The Voice. Avery Flynn couldn’t seem to define her audience in this book. Tilda speaks like a tween even though she is a 20-something, Gil acts like he is 30 going on 60, and the overall feel was YA/NA but the sex scenes were NC17. As someone who is now an “early 30s,” I found the tone of the characters so jarring with the setting and the adult nature of the content, it was just confusing. Each part was entertaining (I enjoy YA and I enjoy smut separately), but unsure who this should have been marketed to.
- Tilda’s Voice. Similarly, Tilda’s POV was frequently confusing and at times downright annoying. She is supposed to be insecure and shy woman, growing up thinking she has no magic and “isn’t pretty” because she is “curvy,” but then alternatively acts like a teenage girl who knows her shit and has her way with the hot guy next door. I didn’t find her character as appealing as Gil, which sucks because I love rooting for witchy protagonists.
Conclusion:
All in all, Witcha Gonna Do may not be my favorite witchy smutty romcom, but it definitely had potential to be a great series. I think book one suffered from some lack of editing and misdirected marketing, but the worldbuild makes up for it. And, so excited to see what is next! Pick up your copy here, and let me know your thoughts!
Books for the Beach 