Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare-Review, Excerpt and Giveaway
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 19, 2022
It’s one hex of an attraction in this romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare.
When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she’s astonished to find that she’s not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she’s applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.
The new job has a few perks – great room and board, excellent pay, and she’s apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer’s nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.
Reggie absolutely hates him. He’s handsome, but he’s also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben’s butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that’s as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they’re not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright…bewitching.
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REVIEW:GO HEX YOURSELF by Jessica Clare is a stand alone, adult contemporary, paranormal romance story line focusing on five hundred year old warlock Ben Magnus, and twenty-five year old, familiar Regina ‘ Reggie’ Johnson.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Reggie and Ben) GO HEX YOURSELF follows twenty five year old Regina ‘Reggie’ Johnson as she finds herself working for Drusilla, a woman who claims to be a two thousand year old witch. Thinking she had answered an ad to work for her favorite card game, Reggie struggles to accept the existence of magic until spells are cast and she finds herself on the receiving end of a feline enchantment but it is the presence of her new boss’s nephew that has Reggie reconsidering the job when the truth is revealed, until their mutual attraction can no longer be denied. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Ben and Reggie, and the potential fall out when Dru everyone believes Dru has been targeted by a powerful witch.
The relationship between Reggie and Ben begins acrimoniously when Ben struggles to accept Reggie into their lives. Reggie is considered to be a ‘rogue familiar’, not part of the organization of professional familiars, and as such often finds herself on the outside looking in with other witches and warlocks but time spent together to find a cure for Drusilla means working side by side allowing the head to follow what the heart has always wanted. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and eccentric secondary and supporting characters including Reggie’s former roommate and friend Nick; Maurice, the black cat; Drusilla’s current but pregnant familiar Lisa; Gwen a former familiar, and Willem, a difficult warlock who may or may not be able to assist Ben and Reggie in their path going forward.
GO HEX YOURSELF is a story of magic and power, secrets and lies, deception and love. The premise is entertaining; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate, magical and energetic…but I did struggle with the quick resolution to several conflicts, as well as a number of red herrings that had very little to do with the over all premise.
Copy supplied by Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
“Hello,” I gush, extending my hand and moving forward. “I’m Reggie Johnson, here about the job. I’m such a big fan of . . .”
The tall man gives me an up-and-down look and then dismisses me as if I’m unimportant. He turns to Lisa and holds out a piece of paper. “I need these books from the library. Today. And did you file those requests I asked for?”
“I’ll get to them,” Lisa says tersely. She deliberately rubs her belly and glares at the man, who glares back.
Well, this is awkward. I tuck my hands back down to my sides and glance between the two of them. I truly hope that this isn’t going to be my boss, because yikes. Hot but pissy.
The man casts another imperious look in my direction and then points a finger at Lisa. “Get it done, today.” He turns on his heel and leaves without acknowledging me, and then he’s gone.
Lisa sticks her tongue out at his back. “Such a dick.”
My mouth has gone dry. “Is that . . . Mr. Magnus?” If so, my boss has a stunningly handsome (and stunningly dickish) husband.
“Sure is.”
I divert my attention to what looks like a stack of bills shoved under a book, and my hands twitch with the need to clean up. “Does Mr. Magnus work for his wife?”
Her eyes widen, and then she chuckles. “Oh no. That’s a Mr. Magnus, but he’s not married to Dru. He’s her nephew and between assistants himself, so I’m having to fill in.” She leans toward me confidentially. “No one likes him. Can’t keep anyone in his employ.”
My smile returns. “I’m good at multitasking.” I’m also a huge suck-up.
Lisa snaps her fingers and then pulls out her phone. “While I’m thinking about it, I had a few questions for you.”
“Oh, of course.” I read a book last night on interview questions one could expect for a fast-paced job, so I’m more than ready for this. I do wonder when we’re going to get to the sit-down part of the interview, but maybe Lisa’s just doing introductions before I meet her boss. That makes sense, and I give her a practiced “I’m very interested” look. “Ask away.”
She flicks through her phone with her thumb. “Any allergies, food or otherwise?”
“No.” Weird, but maybe I’d be in charge of getting coffee or grocery shopping or something. Some assistants do that, don’t they? “Do you need to write this down? Should I take notes for you?” I dig in my purse, pulling out a notepad and pen. “I’m happy to do so.”
“Not necessary.” Lisa taps something on her phone, and I’m pretty sure I hear game music. She stares at the screen for a moment and then looks back at me. “Star sign?”
Getting weirder. “Taurus.”
“Ah, a hard worker and stubborn.” She dimples, nodding. “She’ll like that. Tauruses are great employees. Very easy to work with.”
“Thank . . . you?”
“Too bad Mr. Magnus is a Cancer. Very moody.” She makes a face, still locked onto her phone. “Here we go. Any particular crystal affinity?” She gestures at one of the shelves, and I notice for the first time that there are rows and rows of crystals of all shapes and sizes in glass containers. Not in any sort of order, of course, but I’m sure I can help with that, too.
“Um, I don’t think so?” This is definitely verging on fully weird territory. I’m starting to get a little uneasy, but I glance around the office again. Maybe this woman is some kind of new-age hipster that needs inspiration to work on the game? “What do crystals have to do with the position?”
“A lot. Blood type?”
“Is that really important?” I ask finally, resisting the urge to show my frustration.
“Not necessarily,” Lisa admits. “But Ms. Magnus likes to know.”
“I’m an O.”
“Wonderful.”
Excerpted from Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare Copyright © 2022 by Jessica Clare. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Jessica Clare is the pen name for Jill Myles.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the ‘naughty parts’ of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own – stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
Website: http://jillmyles.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaClare?directed_target_id=0
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JessicaClare
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/q4272wf
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