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A Simple Twist of Fate
A witch and a shifter get a second chance at love in this new paranormal romantic comedy from USA Today Bestselling author April Asher.
At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Haven Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood. But Fate had other plans, guiding her best friend to him instead. With a broken heart, all her belongings, and a vow to never return, Harry did the only thing a broken-hearted witch could do. Run.
Thirteen years later, she returns to her magical hometown—with her half-human, half-shifter goddaughter in tow—hoping that not only would the town work its magic on the troubled teenager, but that the local Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack could help Grace identify—and control—her fiery abilities.
Jaxon Atwood was a shifter of few words and even less patience… until his mother retired as Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack and left the running of things to him. It’s a headache he didn’t need, and one that brought the witch who’d ripped his heart from his chest knocking on his door.
Ever since the disappearance of the town’s Fate Witch over a decade ago, Fates Haven’s magic has been slowly going haywire. There hasn’t been a Fated Match made in thirteen years, putting the town in serious jeopardy of losing its title of Most Fated Mates Per Population. But now, something is stirring in Fates Haven, Colorado, and it smells like the past, tastes like change, and looks like A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE.
At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Haven Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood. But Fate had other plans, guiding her best friend to him instead. With a broken heart, all her belongings, and a vow to never return, Harry did the only thing a broken-hearted witch could do. Run.
Thirteen years later, she returns to her magical hometown—with her half-human, half-shifter goddaughter in tow—hoping that not only would the town work its magic on the troubled teenager, but that the local Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack could help Grace identify—and control—her fiery abilities.
Jaxon Atwood was a shifter of few words and even less patience… until his mother retired as Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack and left the running of things to him. It’s a headache he didn’t need, and one that brought the witch who’d ripped his heart from his chest knocking on his door.
Ever since the disappearance of the town’s Fate Witch over a decade ago, Fates Haven’s magic has been slowly going haywire. There hasn’t been a Fated Match made in thirteen years, putting the town in serious jeopardy of losing its title of Most Fated Mates Per Population. But now, something is stirring in Fates Haven, Colorado, and it smells like the past, tastes like change, and looks like A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE.
343 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2025
63 people are currently reading
22723 people want to read
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May 14, 2025
જ⁀➴ 3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, April Asher, and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. A Simple Twist of Fate is out now!
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚
I'm honestly a bit surprised as to how much I liked this! I didn't have any expectations going into the story, considering this was my first-ever paranormal romance, but I was pleasantly surprised by the romance and the small-town vibes!
Harlow "Harry" Pierce left Fates Haven, Colorado, after she watched her best friend and her cougar-shifting boyfriend, Jaxon, become each other's Fated match. Devastated, she puts an anti-tracker spell on herself and moves to New York City to start anew as she cuts ties with her friends and family back home. Thirteen years later, she's forced to come back--this time with her teenage goddaughter, Grace--as Grace starts to shift and develop her new abilities, but no one knows what she's trying to shift into. When trying to help Grace bring Harry and Jax together again, it has to be Fate playing its games...right?
I loved the small-town vibes and the setting of Fates Haven! I know the story takes place during the summer, but I could definitely see myself reading this as a cozy, lighthearted read during the fall. Fates Haven had that Hallmark-movie type of vibe about it, and I think Nora, Harry's aunt, even described Fates Haven as Halloweentown, which I definitely got the vibe of! It's making me want to visit Fates Haven and yes, I'm fully aware that it's not a real town. I also loved the relationship between Harry and Grace. Yes, Grace is just Harry's goddaughter (she's the daughter of Harry's best friend, Cassie), but you can tell that Harry loves and cares for Grace as if she's her own. You could feel the love between the two, and there were a lot of cute moments between them during the story.
Now, onto the romance. Did I think Harry and Jax have chemistry? Yes, 100%. Do I think there was enough push and pull? That's debatable. I think one of the best things about a second-chance romance is the "will they, won't they" dynamic, the push and pull of the dynamic between the love interests where they want to hate the other person for how they left things before, but wanting to hold onto the hope that they can start again. I love the angst, the tension, and the buildup that leads to them finding each other again. In my opinion, there wasn't a whole ton of this. It was just the "will they" aspect of that push and pull, except it wasn't even a "will they," it was more like a "WHEN they" do it, if that makes any sense.
On top of all of that, I felt like the story in general didn't 100% focus on Harry and Jax. There was the subplot of them trying to figure out what's going on with Grace, there was a town festival with competitions that Jax and Harry competed in with their friends, AND the subplot about everyone trying to figure out what was going on with the town's magic since it's been wacky and throwing everyone off course. All of those plots I felt like were perfectly balanced and I enjoyed reading about all of them, but at the expense of the push and pull dynamic of a second-chance romance taking the back burner. But dang it, despite all of that, I will admit the chemistry between them was off the charts. The way he calls her "baby" and "sweet pea" had me giggling.
Since this isn't just your regular second-chance romance, I have to take a moment to talk about the magic system. I wish it was explained more. I've watched enough supernatural TV shows growing up and read enough fantasy books to know who has what powers and what they can do with their abilities, and it seems like a lot of the magic system is based on the things we see in other media about these supernatural beings, like vampires, werewolves, the fae, etc. However, for someone who may not have the same amount of background knowledge may struggle a bit. There were also a bunch of things regarding Grace's parental lineage as they were trying to figure out what she could shift into that were brought up, but I didn't feel like it was fully explained. Like, is the ability to shift into specific entities hereditary? What happens if neither parent is a shifter? How do the other realms connect with Earth? DO they even connect? I don't know, I had a lot of questions about how the magic system fit into the grand scheme of things. We were dropped into the world with no additional context as if we were supposed to know exactly how everything worked right off the bat.
(And just a side note about a random plot hole that was in the ARC; no, this is *not* a spoiler for anything in the overall plot: there was a scene where Grace comes in and tells everyone about she was snooping through Harry's email and was talking about her getting an email from someone back in NYC about her job and how they want to take her back? I SWEAR none of that was mentioned at ALL leading up to that point. I have no idea if this was taken out in the final copy that was published in stores, but I thought I was going crazy when I had to do a double-take and wonder when in the world was there ANY mention of Harry losing her job.)
Overall, this was a cute and fast read for my first-ever paranormal romance! I loved the small-town vibes and I hope that this isn't just a standalone and it becomes a series! I'd love to see stories about Harry and Jax's other friends and their Fated matches in the future. (*cough*ElodieandSilas*cough* I feel like this is a standalone, but I think a story about those two would be hilarious to read.)
P.S. I HAVE to mention this somewhere but it doesn't fit anywhere else in my main review: the chapter names are WILDING😭I can't write any of them out because I feel like my review would get flagged for inappropriate content with the names taken out of context. THAT'S how wild they are.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚
Trigger/content warnings: sexual content, PCOS diagnosis
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I’m currently on the hunt for a really good second-chance romance but I’ve been failing so far, so here’s another one! This is my first April Asher book, and I think my first paranormal romance as well? Clearly 2025 is a year of firsts for me😂 Let’s see if this delivers!🤞🏼🍀✨💙
This is eARC 5/8 that I need to read this month, and eARC 2/2 for my next deadline on May 13th!
Thank you to NetGalley, April Asher, and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. A Simple Twist of Fate is out now!
"I am yours, forever and always. Just as much as you're mine."
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚
I'm honestly a bit surprised as to how much I liked this! I didn't have any expectations going into the story, considering this was my first-ever paranormal romance, but I was pleasantly surprised by the romance and the small-town vibes!
Harlow "Harry" Pierce left Fates Haven, Colorado, after she watched her best friend and her cougar-shifting boyfriend, Jaxon, become each other's Fated match. Devastated, she puts an anti-tracker spell on herself and moves to New York City to start anew as she cuts ties with her friends and family back home. Thirteen years later, she's forced to come back--this time with her teenage goddaughter, Grace--as Grace starts to shift and develop her new abilities, but no one knows what she's trying to shift into. When trying to help Grace bring Harry and Jax together again, it has to be Fate playing its games...right?
I loved the small-town vibes and the setting of Fates Haven! I know the story takes place during the summer, but I could definitely see myself reading this as a cozy, lighthearted read during the fall. Fates Haven had that Hallmark-movie type of vibe about it, and I think Nora, Harry's aunt, even described Fates Haven as Halloweentown, which I definitely got the vibe of! It's making me want to visit Fates Haven and yes, I'm fully aware that it's not a real town. I also loved the relationship between Harry and Grace. Yes, Grace is just Harry's goddaughter (she's the daughter of Harry's best friend, Cassie), but you can tell that Harry loves and cares for Grace as if she's her own. You could feel the love between the two, and there were a lot of cute moments between them during the story.
Now, onto the romance. Did I think Harry and Jax have chemistry? Yes, 100%. Do I think there was enough push and pull? That's debatable. I think one of the best things about a second-chance romance is the "will they, won't they" dynamic, the push and pull of the dynamic between the love interests where they want to hate the other person for how they left things before, but wanting to hold onto the hope that they can start again. I love the angst, the tension, and the buildup that leads to them finding each other again. In my opinion, there wasn't a whole ton of this. It was just the "will they" aspect of that push and pull, except it wasn't even a "will they," it was more like a "WHEN they" do it, if that makes any sense.
On top of all of that, I felt like the story in general didn't 100% focus on Harry and Jax. There was the subplot of them trying to figure out what's going on with Grace, there was a town festival with competitions that Jax and Harry competed in with their friends, AND the subplot about everyone trying to figure out what was going on with the town's magic since it's been wacky and throwing everyone off course. All of those plots I felt like were perfectly balanced and I enjoyed reading about all of them, but at the expense of the push and pull dynamic of a second-chance romance taking the back burner. But dang it, despite all of that, I will admit the chemistry between them was off the charts. The way he calls her "baby" and "sweet pea" had me giggling.
Since this isn't just your regular second-chance romance, I have to take a moment to talk about the magic system. I wish it was explained more. I've watched enough supernatural TV shows growing up and read enough fantasy books to know who has what powers and what they can do with their abilities, and it seems like a lot of the magic system is based on the things we see in other media about these supernatural beings, like vampires, werewolves, the fae, etc. However, for someone who may not have the same amount of background knowledge may struggle a bit. There were also a bunch of things regarding Grace's parental lineage as they were trying to figure out what she could shift into that were brought up, but I didn't feel like it was fully explained. Like, is the ability to shift into specific entities hereditary? What happens if neither parent is a shifter? How do the other realms connect with Earth? DO they even connect? I don't know, I had a lot of questions about how the magic system fit into the grand scheme of things. We were dropped into the world with no additional context as if we were supposed to know exactly how everything worked right off the bat.
(And just a side note about a random plot hole that was in the ARC; no, this is *not* a spoiler for anything in the overall plot: there was a scene where Grace comes in and tells everyone about she was snooping through Harry's email and was talking about her getting an email from someone back in NYC about her job and how they want to take her back? I SWEAR none of that was mentioned at ALL leading up to that point. I have no idea if this was taken out in the final copy that was published in stores, but I thought I was going crazy when I had to do a double-take and wonder when in the world was there ANY mention of Harry losing her job.)
Overall, this was a cute and fast read for my first-ever paranormal romance! I loved the small-town vibes and I hope that this isn't just a standalone and it becomes a series! I'd love to see stories about Harry and Jax's other friends and their Fated matches in the future. (*cough*ElodieandSilas*cough* I feel like this is a standalone, but I think a story about those two would be hilarious to read.)
P.S. I HAVE to mention this somewhere but it doesn't fit anywhere else in my main review: the chapter names are WILDING😭I can't write any of them out because I feel like my review would get flagged for inappropriate content with the names taken out of context. THAT'S how wild they are.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚
Trigger/content warnings: sexual content, PCOS diagnosis
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I’m currently on the hunt for a really good second-chance romance but I’ve been failing so far, so here’s another one! This is my first April Asher book, and I think my first paranormal romance as well? Clearly 2025 is a year of firsts for me😂 Let’s see if this delivers!🤞🏼🍀✨💙
This is eARC 5/8 that I need to read this month, and eARC 2/2 for my next deadline on May 13th!
August 15, 2025
✩ 2.75 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance
➼ Witch x Shifter
➼ Small Town
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Paranormal Cozy Rom-Com
➼ Fated Mates
➼ Dual Narration (Isabelle Ruther & Teddy Hamilton)
➼ Third Person POV
I ended up sticking it out to the end, but she almost lost me with the cinnaboobs and penis pastries. Not to mention all the chortling and “snortling” the characters were doing. Ma’am, “Snortled”isn’t even a word. 😵💫 I probably wasn’t in the right mood for this honestly. This is a book you need to approach with a very unserious fame of mind. I can have a great time with a zany storyline, but unfortunately, this one leaned more toward cringe in my opinion. There were some positives and overall it wasn’t completely unenjoyable, but the things that annoyed me while I read are really standing out. Even if I had been more into the romance, I never would have been down with “sweet pea” as a nickname. As a millennial, those words are directly linked to Bath & Body works fragrances in my mind, and I’d prefer to leave them out of my romances. The ending did kind of save it, maybe because the overall tone of the book felt a little more serious by the end. Anyway, I think I was maybe just grumpy so I’m rounding up. 🙃
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I really didn’t mean to read so many books in the cozy genre this month, it’s just the way my Libby holds came in. 🙈 This one has to go back in 3 days so it has to be next. Pleasantly surprised that Teddy Hamilton will be reading it to me. 💖
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance
➼ Witch x Shifter
➼ Small Town
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Paranormal Cozy Rom-Com
➼ Fated Mates
➼ Dual Narration (Isabelle Ruther & Teddy Hamilton)
➼ Third Person POV
I ended up sticking it out to the end, but she almost lost me with the cinnaboobs and penis pastries. Not to mention all the chortling and “snortling” the characters were doing. Ma’am, “Snortled”isn’t even a word. 😵💫 I probably wasn’t in the right mood for this honestly. This is a book you need to approach with a very unserious fame of mind. I can have a great time with a zany storyline, but unfortunately, this one leaned more toward cringe in my opinion. There were some positives and overall it wasn’t completely unenjoyable, but the things that annoyed me while I read are really standing out. Even if I had been more into the romance, I never would have been down with “sweet pea” as a nickname. As a millennial, those words are directly linked to Bath & Body works fragrances in my mind, and I’d prefer to leave them out of my romances. The ending did kind of save it, maybe because the overall tone of the book felt a little more serious by the end. Anyway, I think I was maybe just grumpy so I’m rounding up. 🙃
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I really didn’t mean to read so many books in the cozy genre this month, it’s just the way my Libby holds came in. 🙈 This one has to go back in 3 days so it has to be next. Pleasantly surprised that Teddy Hamilton will be reading it to me. 💖
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
May 8, 2025
A Simple Twist of Fate is a shifter x witch romance featuring second chances, a quirky small town, found family, and a dash of steam! This rom-com was so much fun, the chaotic and cozy town was just adorable and the perfect balance to the mystery subplot. The magic and plotlines were bursting with personality and so much humor throughout; the town and surrounding characters made the story so bright. I loved how Harry and Jax found their way back to each other while so much was happening outside their relationship. The two were so perfect for each other, and while I would have loved if the romance was even more central, the tension and chemistry left me wholly satisfied. If you're looking for a vibrant and lighthearted romance full of magic, mischief, and charm, I cannot recommend this book enough!
Read if you like:
✨Eccentric Characters✨
✨Stars Hollow x Halloweentown✨
✨Fated Mates✨
✨Plus Size FMC✨
✨Dual POV✨
✨Festivities and Games✨
~Many thanks to St. Martins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Read if you like:
✨Eccentric Characters✨
✨Stars Hollow x Halloweentown✨
✨Fated Mates✨
✨Plus Size FMC✨
✨Dual POV✨
✨Festivities and Games✨
~Many thanks to St. Martins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
May 11, 2025
If Stars Hollow had witches, shifters, and a dash of fate magic, it’d look a lot like the charming world of A Simple Twist of Fate. April Asher brings us a cozy paranormal romance that feels like Gilmore Girls meets magical chaos—and I mean that in the best way possible.
This book is light, fun, and full of magical small-town charm, with a lovable cast of supernatural beings. While it's pitched as a paranormal rom-acom, it leans heavily into a subplot involving the heroine's best friend’s daughter discovering her powers and identity. That storyline takes center stage more often than the romance itself, which may surprise some readers expecting more steamy or rom-com-forward content.
The romance that is there is sweet, slow-burn, and full of chemistry. But what really stands out is the cozy atmosphere and community magic vibe that Asher creates. That said, I found myself wanting more—literally. An extra 50–75 pages would have helped deepen the worldbuilding and allowed more time for character development, especially between the main couple and with the supernatural elements that only get a light touch.
Despite some pacing flaws and a slightly misbalanced genre expectation, this was an adorable, feel-good read with just enough magic and heart to make me want to return to this world again.
Final thoughts: If you're in the mood for a cute paranormal romance with found family, magical self-discovery, and small-town vibes, this one is worth picking up. Just know it might leave you wishing for a little more magic.
Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley, April Asher and St. Martin Press in exchange for an honest review.
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This book is light, fun, and full of magical small-town charm, with a lovable cast of supernatural beings. While it's pitched as a paranormal rom-acom, it leans heavily into a subplot involving the heroine's best friend’s daughter discovering her powers and identity. That storyline takes center stage more often than the romance itself, which may surprise some readers expecting more steamy or rom-com-forward content.
The romance that is there is sweet, slow-burn, and full of chemistry. But what really stands out is the cozy atmosphere and community magic vibe that Asher creates. That said, I found myself wanting more—literally. An extra 50–75 pages would have helped deepen the worldbuilding and allowed more time for character development, especially between the main couple and with the supernatural elements that only get a light touch.
Despite some pacing flaws and a slightly misbalanced genre expectation, this was an adorable, feel-good read with just enough magic and heart to make me want to return to this world again.
Final thoughts: If you're in the mood for a cute paranormal romance with found family, magical self-discovery, and small-town vibes, this one is worth picking up. Just know it might leave you wishing for a little more magic.
Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley, April Asher and St. Martin Press in exchange for an honest review.
Connect With Me:
BLOG ⟫ INSTAGRAM ⟫ NEWSLETTER ⟫
April 7, 2025
3.5⭐
I don't hate witches per se, but I don't like them either. However, I love shifters and fated mates. The book itself is okay-ish, I think, but not a WOW. I just hate that they had to lose each other for 13 years cuz of this stupid reason.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 16, 22
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I have no idea what this is about, but it has a dragon on the cover, and I'm a sucker for dragons. Let's not forget to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for approving my request 💖
Find my review on Instagram
I don't hate witches per se, but I don't like them either. However, I love shifters and fated mates. The book itself is okay-ish, I think, but not a WOW. I just hate that they had to lose each other for 13 years cuz of this stupid reason.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 16, 22
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I have no idea what this is about, but it has a dragon on the cover, and I'm a sucker for dragons. Let's not forget to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for approving my request 💖
Find my review on Instagram
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May 18, 2025firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
unfortunately, dnf @ not even 10% because whew… as soon as i started reading i knew this would not be for me at all.
not only is there entirely kitschy paranormal romance tropes and corny, cringey language in the less than 10% i’ve read, but there is also way too much emphasis on sexuality and libido as a joke — and that’s just so annoying in my book.
as for the narrators, they did a fine job, at least for what i listened to!
unfortunately, dnf @ not even 10% because whew… as soon as i started reading i knew this would not be for me at all.
not only is there entirely kitschy paranormal romance tropes and corny, cringey language in the less than 10% i’ve read, but there is also way too much emphasis on sexuality and libido as a joke — and that’s just so annoying in my book.
as for the narrators, they did a fine job, at least for what i listened to!
January 2, 2025
3.5 STARS!!
~~~
I had high hopes for this book because I’ve read this author multiple times. She always creates fantastic stories that include mythical creatures, witches, shifters, and more. This story was a little different, and I felt she had a lot going on that detracted somewhat.
We had a female main character disappear from her hometown for 13 years because of a fated match. This was actually something that I really couldn’t understand because she not only cut off her family and friends, but she struggled emotionally because of it.
We also have a teenage Goddaughter who is acting out and our main character has “custody” of her because her mother has disappeared, searching for the child’s father. I had mixed feelings about both of these characters.
Then we have the male main character, who I liked the best of all of the characters because he was pretty patient and kind, despite everything happening over the past 13 years. She hurt him quite deeply and didn’t really understand the depth until she got back to town.
The two together were fire and I loved their fiery connection. I wish we had more focus on them alone and maybe an actual epilogue after the fact that would allow us to become deeply involved with these two characters. I felt I wanted more with these two.
The author did develop a supportive community of which we get to meet many people. Multiple side stories took away from the actual main focus of the book which is the second chance romance.
Asher always writes her stories with deep imagination and entertaining aspects. Many pieces make you smile but there are also a few areas that left me with some mixed feelings.
A Simple Twist of Fate is loaded with friends and family interactions, fun, enjoyable scenarios, and the sweet happily ever after we crave.
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/a-simple-twi...
~~~
I had high hopes for this book because I’ve read this author multiple times. She always creates fantastic stories that include mythical creatures, witches, shifters, and more. This story was a little different, and I felt she had a lot going on that detracted somewhat.
We had a female main character disappear from her hometown for 13 years because of a fated match. This was actually something that I really couldn’t understand because she not only cut off her family and friends, but she struggled emotionally because of it.
We also have a teenage Goddaughter who is acting out and our main character has “custody” of her because her mother has disappeared, searching for the child’s father. I had mixed feelings about both of these characters.
Then we have the male main character, who I liked the best of all of the characters because he was pretty patient and kind, despite everything happening over the past 13 years. She hurt him quite deeply and didn’t really understand the depth until she got back to town.
The two together were fire and I loved their fiery connection. I wish we had more focus on them alone and maybe an actual epilogue after the fact that would allow us to become deeply involved with these two characters. I felt I wanted more with these two.
The author did develop a supportive community of which we get to meet many people. Multiple side stories took away from the actual main focus of the book which is the second chance romance.
Asher always writes her stories with deep imagination and entertaining aspects. Many pieces make you smile but there are also a few areas that left me with some mixed feelings.
A Simple Twist of Fate is loaded with friends and family interactions, fun, enjoyable scenarios, and the sweet happily ever after we crave.
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/a-simple-twi...
May 16, 2025
This adorable paranormal Rom-com is everything you are looking for in a stand alone romantacy book. With witches and shifters. Fae and dragons. Even little adorable thief gnomes!
When Harry (Harlow) meet Jax in their small town paranormal town it was love but was it fate? Didn’t appear so when 13 years ago at the fated festival when her boy friend Jax and her best friend appeared to be fated together but the gods. So what’s a girl to do? Yeet outta town! But after losing her job and taking care of her new best friends 16 year old daughter who is coming into her own magic, Harry finds herself back home in fate’s haven.
This book is a x rated hallmark movie during spooky season waiting to happen and I’m here for it. I loved the characters and all their magical powers and the rivalry during the games. But I don’t think the games were necessary. They kind of distracted me from the point of the book. I felt the key points of the book were finding out what magical powers Grace has and finding her dad. The book barely touches on why they’re looking for her dad and how and what her mother has spent months doing looking for me. Instead we concentrate on a slow burn second chance romance between the FMC and MMC. There could have been a smidge more angst between the two. And way better communication. I felt the ending was rushed also. Tons of background in the beginning of the book but bing bam boom at the end.
Overall: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Narrator/s: 4.75/5 👄 god love Teddy Hamilton 🙌🥰
Storyline: 3/5 📖
Swoon: 2.5/5 😍
Spice: 3.5/5 🌶️
Heartbreak: 0/5 💔
Slow burn or insta love: slow burn
Format: Audio -ALC
Tropes: 2nd chance romance; slow burn; spicy scenes; magical creatures of all kinds; small town romance
Triggers (always subjective): lack of communication
Thank you NetGalley, April Asher and Dreamscape audio
When Harry (Harlow) meet Jax in their small town paranormal town it was love but was it fate? Didn’t appear so when 13 years ago at the fated festival when her boy friend Jax and her best friend appeared to be fated together but the gods. So what’s a girl to do? Yeet outta town! But after losing her job and taking care of her new best friends 16 year old daughter who is coming into her own magic, Harry finds herself back home in fate’s haven.
This book is a x rated hallmark movie during spooky season waiting to happen and I’m here for it. I loved the characters and all their magical powers and the rivalry during the games. But I don’t think the games were necessary. They kind of distracted me from the point of the book. I felt the key points of the book were finding out what magical powers Grace has and finding her dad. The book barely touches on why they’re looking for her dad and how and what her mother has spent months doing looking for me. Instead we concentrate on a slow burn second chance romance between the FMC and MMC. There could have been a smidge more angst between the two. And way better communication. I felt the ending was rushed also. Tons of background in the beginning of the book but bing bam boom at the end.
Overall: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Narrator/s: 4.75/5 👄 god love Teddy Hamilton 🙌🥰
Storyline: 3/5 📖
Swoon: 2.5/5 😍
Spice: 3.5/5 🌶️
Heartbreak: 0/5 💔
Slow burn or insta love: slow burn
Format: Audio -ALC
Tropes: 2nd chance romance; slow burn; spicy scenes; magical creatures of all kinds; small town romance
Triggers (always subjective): lack of communication
Thank you NetGalley, April Asher and Dreamscape audio
February 25, 2025
I was so excited about getting approved for this eARC! I love paranormal shifter stories and books that give me small-town Gilmore Girls vibes, and this book delivered on both.
I read this in 24 hours and had a tremendously fun time. I loved the second-chance romance between Harlow “Harry” and Jax. I knew I was going to love this book when I saw the chapter heading for Chapter 1: “Teenagers Are Velociraptors.” I really hope the author and publisher don’t change it—I cackled when I read it.
There is a bit of an information dump at the beginning of the book. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was reading the second book in a series, but eventually, everything clicked for me the way fantasy books often do. I also really loved Harry’s interactions with her friends and Grace—so many scenes made me laugh out loud. I cannot wait to check out more books from this author!
I think you will love this book if you enjoy any of the following tropes:
✨Second-Chance
💙Paranormal Gilmore Girls Vibes
✨Small Town
💙Touch Her and 💀
✨Cozy Romantic Comedy
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I read this in 24 hours and had a tremendously fun time. I loved the second-chance romance between Harlow “Harry” and Jax. I knew I was going to love this book when I saw the chapter heading for Chapter 1: “Teenagers Are Velociraptors.” I really hope the author and publisher don’t change it—I cackled when I read it.
There is a bit of an information dump at the beginning of the book. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was reading the second book in a series, but eventually, everything clicked for me the way fantasy books often do. I also really loved Harry’s interactions with her friends and Grace—so many scenes made me laugh out loud. I cannot wait to check out more books from this author!
I think you will love this book if you enjoy any of the following tropes:
✨Second-Chance
💙Paranormal Gilmore Girls Vibes
✨Small Town
💙Touch Her and 💀
✨Cozy Romantic Comedy
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2025
A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher
Contemporary paranormal romance. Second chance troupe.
Harlow “Harry” Pierce is guardian and care giver to her teenage goddaughter, Grace. The teen has been accidentally setting things on fire, both at home and school. It’s a new power that she can’t control. Harry has tried getting help from supernatural groups all over without success. They don't know what kind of supernatural Grace is which isn’t helping. After a suspension from school and a fire in the apartment, Harry makes the decision to return to her magical hometown of Fates Haven, Colorado. She hopes the Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack can help Grace control her fire abilities.
Grace left her hometown more than thirteen years ago with a broken heart. She had expected Jaxon Atwood to be her Fated Match but when that didn’t happen, she left town with a spell that hid her from anyone trying to follow. Going back home will mean facing all those she left behind, including Jax, who still holds her heart.
@ I did a quick follow up read by audiobook which is narrated by Isabelle Ruther and Teddy Hamilton. I love these two narrators. Their performances are always entertaining and totally captivating and this book is no exception. The characters come to life in a slightly different way than I heard in my head the first time through which is also why I like to do the two formats together when possible. Emotions are ramped up and clearly felt in this audiobook as Harry and Jax reconnect, back off, and reengage. The teenage Grace is pure emotion and the surprises at the end are uplifting.
I did listen slightly higher than 1.5 to most closely match my reading and conversation speed.
Enchanting with lighthearted humor and emotional healing. A teen that misses her mother. A witch that doesn’t know her own impact. A hero that’s tried to find his mate over and over again. A town whose bakery loves the shock value of sex. A romance with a bit of magic.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
Contemporary paranormal romance. Second chance troupe.
Harlow “Harry” Pierce is guardian and care giver to her teenage goddaughter, Grace. The teen has been accidentally setting things on fire, both at home and school. It’s a new power that she can’t control. Harry has tried getting help from supernatural groups all over without success. They don't know what kind of supernatural Grace is which isn’t helping. After a suspension from school and a fire in the apartment, Harry makes the decision to return to her magical hometown of Fates Haven, Colorado. She hopes the Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack can help Grace control her fire abilities.
Grace left her hometown more than thirteen years ago with a broken heart. She had expected Jaxon Atwood to be her Fated Match but when that didn’t happen, she left town with a spell that hid her from anyone trying to follow. Going back home will mean facing all those she left behind, including Jax, who still holds her heart.
@ I did a quick follow up read by audiobook which is narrated by Isabelle Ruther and Teddy Hamilton. I love these two narrators. Their performances are always entertaining and totally captivating and this book is no exception. The characters come to life in a slightly different way than I heard in my head the first time through which is also why I like to do the two formats together when possible. Emotions are ramped up and clearly felt in this audiobook as Harry and Jax reconnect, back off, and reengage. The teenage Grace is pure emotion and the surprises at the end are uplifting.
I did listen slightly higher than 1.5 to most closely match my reading and conversation speed.
Enchanting with lighthearted humor and emotional healing. A teen that misses her mother. A witch that doesn’t know her own impact. A hero that’s tried to find his mate over and over again. A town whose bakery loves the shock value of sex. A romance with a bit of magic.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
February 8, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc. all opinions are my own.
this was like if a hallmark movie had a baby with halloweentown. the setting was super cute & this definitely delivered with the cutest small town vibes!!
i do wish we learned a bit more about the magic system & the fated festival events that took place. they served as a convenient backdrop but i kind of just didn’t care? there needed some more explanation about that.
while the concept of this was adorable, i don’t think it was executed in the best way. the main couple had no chemistry and none of the tension and real angst that makes a second chance romance so good. i also found the dialogue and banter to be cringey (for lack of a better term).
the characters fell flat and the book just.. happened? if that makes sense. the narration was nothing groundbreaking nor was it horrible, it just was.
this book was lowkey one giant miscommunication trope (which is one of my pet peeves) and i was begging on my knees for the characters to just TALK TO EACH OTHER!
overall, this book just wasn’t for me but i think there will be plenty of people who enjoy it!
May 15, 2025
3⭐️: this book had so many things that readers of various trope preferences might latch onto-second chance romance, small town romance, cozy fantasy romance, single “parent” romance, and fated mates. For me, it was enjoyable but a bit try-hard in both tropes and pop culture references, with a bit much of both that left me feeling like it would have benefitted from a paring down of ideas and plot to a more focused story (and please, less nicknames). Overall, I had a fun time with it and I think it will have broad appeal, but may not be one I’d read again. St. Martin’s griffin for the ARC!
January 4, 2025
ARC finished - 3.5 stars
Full review incoming !
Full review incoming !
May 13, 2025
Harlow "Harry" Pierce thought that her first Fates Haven Finding Ceremony would confirm that her boyfriend Jax was her fated match. When the fates lead Jax to her best friend, Harry left Fates Haven with a broken heart and a promise to herself never to return home. Thirteen years later, Harry has no other choice but to return home to get answers for her goddaughter, Grace. Grace is half-human and half-shifter but due to a one-night stand, her mother does not know what is causing Grace's fiery abilities. Harry hopes Fates Haven's local Alpha might be able to help Grace with her abilities. When Harry finds that Jax is the new Alpha, Harry must put her feelings aside to help Grace and find out what is causing the town's magic to go haywire.
I am a sucker for paranormal romance and this book took me out of my reading slump. Although the plot was pretty simple, the romance (and spice) between Jax and Harry was perfect, and I loved the second chance and found family tropes throughout this book. The ending does open the possibility of another book with Fates Haven characters, and I would pick up that book immediately. If you are a fan of shifter romance, I would highly recommend this book.
A Simple Twist of Fate comes out May 13th.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review A Simple Twist of Fate. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I am a sucker for paranormal romance and this book took me out of my reading slump. Although the plot was pretty simple, the romance (and spice) between Jax and Harry was perfect, and I loved the second chance and found family tropes throughout this book. The ending does open the possibility of another book with Fates Haven characters, and I would pick up that book immediately. If you are a fan of shifter romance, I would highly recommend this book.
A Simple Twist of Fate comes out May 13th.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review A Simple Twist of Fate. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 9, 2025
From the first pages of this book, I knew I would absolutely loved everything about it. I wasn't wrong.
Every twist, every turn, every surprise, every non-surprise, every character was absolutely delightful to read. The banter was perfect, the chemistry, to die for. The HEA, so beautifully crafted.
You'll love this one if you like:
- Fated mates (beautifully done)
- Second chance romance
- Childhood friends
- Paranormal twist to... EVERYTHING.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Every twist, every turn, every surprise, every non-surprise, every character was absolutely delightful to read. The banter was perfect, the chemistry, to die for. The HEA, so beautifully crafted.
You'll love this one if you like:
- Fated mates (beautifully done)
- Second chance romance
- Childhood friends
- Paranormal twist to... EVERYTHING.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 7, 2024
You know, I don’t think I could ever be steered wrong by a book that gives me a paranormal romance with dual POV set in a small magical town with quirky characters. It’s my addiction and I will not be seeking treatment anytime soon.
Not only was this a second chance romance, but it had the added layer of found family that I just utterly adore. Harry is already trying to figure out how to manage life as a single parental figure while her bestie is searching for her lost lover and now coming face-to-face with her former first love who she’d left behind after an infamous mixup of a matching? Talk about emotional upheaval.
Magic in town on the fritz, a young shifter in search of her heritage, 13 years of emotional history being hashed out, and a small town festival turned boys versus girls competition, this book had so much jammed packed into the storyline and I enjoyed every moment of it.
April left room for this to turn into another paranormal interconnected series and I for one would be intrigued to keep reading. Especially if one of those tales featured a certain former assassin of a demon and a sassy warrior angel. Or even a quiet bookish vampire and a fortune-telling tattooist 😉 so many options of stories to enjoy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for the chance to read an early copy of this beautiful book!
Not only was this a second chance romance, but it had the added layer of found family that I just utterly adore. Harry is already trying to figure out how to manage life as a single parental figure while her bestie is searching for her lost lover and now coming face-to-face with her former first love who she’d left behind after an infamous mixup of a matching? Talk about emotional upheaval.
Magic in town on the fritz, a young shifter in search of her heritage, 13 years of emotional history being hashed out, and a small town festival turned boys versus girls competition, this book had so much jammed packed into the storyline and I enjoyed every moment of it.
April left room for this to turn into another paranormal interconnected series and I for one would be intrigued to keep reading. Especially if one of those tales featured a certain former assassin of a demon and a sassy warrior angel. Or even a quiet bookish vampire and a fortune-telling tattooist 😉 so many options of stories to enjoy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for the chance to read an early copy of this beautiful book!
April 21, 2025
Have I ever met an April Asher book I didn’t like? The answer was and still is no, because this Gilmore Girls-esque town in Colorado full of magic gone wonky, witches and shifters was nothing short of magical. Fated Mates is always a blast, and early on you can tell what the misunderstanding was all those years ago, which made her MCs dancing around each other without outright saying the words was so much fun and absolutely hilarious in the context of the flirting. I loved the addition of Grace in a really unique way and her journey was so much fun to go on. Nora? I absolutely LOVE Nora!!!!! And the Fearsome Four versus the Big Bads added a level competition to the atmosphere that kept things light-hearted when they got serious. And the revelations near the end?! Whiplash in the best way!! This was an incredible escape and blew through the whole book in a day and I don’t want to leave Fates Haven so I really hope we get more soon because as much as I adore Jax and Harry, I am so invested in these side characters and the backstory of a certain someone! Well done!
solid-dnf
March 23, 2025Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I'm DNFing at 26%. I just couldn't take the useless bantering anymore. There wasn't much of a plot to keep me fully engaged, and I could care less about the characters. The premise sounded good, but the execution is just done poorly, including the pacing of the story, which just feels off. I could have also done without the corny titles of the chapters, it just kind of felt worse as I went along. I can see how some may like this kind of story, but I need something with a little more substance.
Unfortunately I'm DNFing at 26%. I just couldn't take the useless bantering anymore. There wasn't much of a plot to keep me fully engaged, and I could care less about the characters. The premise sounded good, but the execution is just done poorly, including the pacing of the story, which just feels off. I could have also done without the corny titles of the chapters, it just kind of felt worse as I went along. I can see how some may like this kind of story, but I need something with a little more substance.
May 7, 2025
I'm on the fence on this one.
Dubbed as a paranormal romance, I was expecting, well, more romance.
A Simple Twist of Fate focuses more on the town of Fates Haven--which is very Hallmark meets Halloweentown, with tons of found family goodness and friend shenanigans, more so than Harry and Jax's fated mate romance.
Which, overall, was fine, as I never really bought into their romance anyway, and was definitely more invested in finding Grace's dad and the friend group as a whole.
To put it bluntly, Harry and Jax lacked chemistry. Like a lot.
There wasn't enough angst and pining, and everyone seems to forgive Harry so easily (especially Jax) for pulling a runner and disappearing for the last thirteen years all because her feelings got hurt and she didn't wait around to learn the truth for herself. (I HATE THE MISCOMMUNICATION TROPE!!!!)
Honestly, I just wish everyone would have made her work for it (again, especially Jax) instead of ushering her back into town and their lives with arms wide open, but I digress.
A Simple Twist of Fate was cute, and does wrap up nicely with its eventual fairytale happy ending and conclusion to all the other shenanigans going on in Fates Haven... I just wanted (and expected) more.
What to expect:
- witch + alpha shifter
- kooky but close-knit small town
- found family
- second chance romance
- fated mates
Dubbed as a paranormal romance, I was expecting, well, more romance.
A Simple Twist of Fate focuses more on the town of Fates Haven--which is very Hallmark meets Halloweentown, with tons of found family goodness and friend shenanigans, more so than Harry and Jax's fated mate romance.
Which, overall, was fine, as I never really bought into their romance anyway, and was definitely more invested in finding Grace's dad and the friend group as a whole.
To put it bluntly, Harry and Jax lacked chemistry. Like a lot.
There wasn't enough angst and pining, and everyone seems to forgive Harry so easily (especially Jax) for pulling a runner and disappearing for the last thirteen years all because her feelings got hurt and she didn't wait around to learn the truth for herself. (I HATE THE MISCOMMUNICATION TROPE!!!!)
Honestly, I just wish everyone would have made her work for it (again, especially Jax) instead of ushering her back into town and their lives with arms wide open, but I digress.
A Simple Twist of Fate was cute, and does wrap up nicely with its eventual fairytale happy ending and conclusion to all the other shenanigans going on in Fates Haven... I just wanted (and expected) more.
What to expect:
- witch + alpha shifter
- kooky but close-knit small town
- found family
- second chance romance
- fated mates
June 19, 2025
I read the Supernatural Singles series by the same author and enjoyed those, so I thought I would like this one as well. Indeed, this was a cute supernatural rom-com palate cleanser! I believe this book is set in the same world as the others, just in a different town. I don’t think these characters are related to any of her previous ones, though.
I loved the small-town vibes and diverse cast of different supes. I’m not normally a big fan of second-chance romances if the original relationship was toxic, but Harlow (Harry) and Jaxon split up due to a misunderstanding that wasn’t either of their faults. I thought they have good chemistry together and compliment each other nicely. I also enjoyed their dynamic with Grace, Harry’s “niece” (best friend’s daughter) who Harry is currently taking care of. (Cassie, Grace’s mom, is fine, so no tragic backstory there. She is just away trying to locate Grace’s father.)
My only critique is that the plot was pretty predictable—not necessarily in a bad way. I still enjoyed the journey even though I knew where we were headed. Even the twist for the characters wasn’t a shock for me. It kind of reminded me of a cozy Hallmark movie. I don’t know whether this is a standalone or the beginning of a new series, but I would love to go back to Fates Haven. Lenny and Elodie were fun side characters, so it would be cool if they got their own books.
I loved the small-town vibes and diverse cast of different supes. I’m not normally a big fan of second-chance romances if the original relationship was toxic, but Harlow (Harry) and Jaxon split up due to a misunderstanding that wasn’t either of their faults. I thought they have good chemistry together and compliment each other nicely. I also enjoyed their dynamic with Grace, Harry’s “niece” (best friend’s daughter) who Harry is currently taking care of. (Cassie, Grace’s mom, is fine, so no tragic backstory there. She is just away trying to locate Grace’s father.)
My only critique is that the plot was pretty predictable—not necessarily in a bad way. I still enjoyed the journey even though I knew where we were headed. Even the twist for the characters wasn’t a shock for me. It kind of reminded me of a cozy Hallmark movie. I don’t know whether this is a standalone or the beginning of a new series, but I would love to go back to Fates Haven. Lenny and Elodie were fun side characters, so it would be cool if they got their own books.
May 17, 2025
3.5 🌟 this was very much so 90’s/2000’s rom-com meets Halloween Town vibes. It was a fun little story
April 15, 2025
I'm always here for an April book and this one sounded a lot of fun.
First off, there are a lot a lot a lot of characters here and most of them are supernatural. At times it did feel a bit overwhelming to keep track of everyone, but here we are.
Harry and Jax have history and chemistry galore and they spend a good portion of the book ignoring both. It was fun reading them figure things out and actually have a damn conversation. Grace might have stolen every scene she was in and was a damn delight.
Plot wise, due to the above mentioned eleventy billion characters there are the same amount of moving pieces. Somehow it all worked for me and I was basically grinning the entire time I was reading. I definitely wanted more at the end because it felt sort of unfinished.
Overall, this was a fun book and I'll just be over here hoping there's more.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
First off, there are a lot a lot a lot of characters here and most of them are supernatural. At times it did feel a bit overwhelming to keep track of everyone, but here we are.
Harry and Jax have history and chemistry galore and they spend a good portion of the book ignoring both. It was fun reading them figure things out and actually have a damn conversation. Grace might have stolen every scene she was in and was a damn delight.
Plot wise, due to the above mentioned eleventy billion characters there are the same amount of moving pieces. Somehow it all worked for me and I was basically grinning the entire time I was reading. I definitely wanted more at the end because it felt sort of unfinished.
Overall, this was a fun book and I'll just be over here hoping there's more.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
November 25, 2024
Well written cozy paranormal romance that had just a touch too much crude innuendo and low brow humor to be a slam dunk for me.
The characters were pleasant for the most part and the plot was interesting, but this was a less educated Stars Hollow-esque town.
People who like that sort of humor will enjoy this.
The characters were pleasant for the most part and the plot was interesting, but this was a less educated Stars Hollow-esque town.
People who like that sort of humor will enjoy this.
July 17, 2025
*Read through NetGalley*
This book had a lot going for it on paper: small-town magic, second-chance romance, cozy fantasy vibes, and a whole cast of quirky characters, but the execution didn’t quite land for me. The setting of Fates Haven is super charming and definitely gives off that Hallmark meets Halloweentown energy, which made for a fun, whimsical backdrop. There's a strong found family theme and plenty of shenanigans with magical friends that added some warmth and humor to the story.
That said, the romance, which is supposed to be the heart of the book, felt flat. I never really bought the chemistry between the two leads, and there just wasn’t enough tension or buildup for a second-chance, fated-mates love story. The miscommunication that kept them apart for thirteen years didn’t feel like enough of a reason, and the way everyone just forgave and moved on made the stakes feel really low.
There were also a lot of subplots, side characters, and tropey moments jammed into one book, and it ended up feeling kind of overcrowded. The dialogue was often cheesy (and not in a good way), like using “snortle”, which really pulled me out of the story.
Overall, this was a cute, cozy read with a fun magical setting and good intentions, but it tried to do too much.
This book had a lot going for it on paper: small-town magic, second-chance romance, cozy fantasy vibes, and a whole cast of quirky characters, but the execution didn’t quite land for me. The setting of Fates Haven is super charming and definitely gives off that Hallmark meets Halloweentown energy, which made for a fun, whimsical backdrop. There's a strong found family theme and plenty of shenanigans with magical friends that added some warmth and humor to the story.
That said, the romance, which is supposed to be the heart of the book, felt flat. I never really bought the chemistry between the two leads, and there just wasn’t enough tension or buildup for a second-chance, fated-mates love story. The miscommunication that kept them apart for thirteen years didn’t feel like enough of a reason, and the way everyone just forgave and moved on made the stakes feel really low.
There were also a lot of subplots, side characters, and tropey moments jammed into one book, and it ended up feeling kind of overcrowded. The dialogue was often cheesy (and not in a good way), like using “snortle”, which really pulled me out of the story.
Overall, this was a cute, cozy read with a fun magical setting and good intentions, but it tried to do too much.
May 10, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this story.
A Simple Twist of Fate is a cute, cozy, fluffy, low stakes, paranormal romance with all the makings of a Hallmark channel movie.
Characters: The characters were forgiving and sweet. I felt most of the characters were very surface level, not much depth or growth.
Pacing: The pacing of this story was medium paced.
Plot: For me, this story was a smooth, easy read. Most issues were remedied almost immediately or if not, then by the end. I found the plot twists to be very predictable.
Spice: I would rate the spice in this book as 🌶️🌶️/5
World Building/Imagery: The world building and imagery are very whimsical and reminiscent of a tv small town. The description of the butterfly garden in Tomlyn’s office was very well done.
Note: The author used the word “snortled” (mix between snorted and chortled) multiple times in this book, and each time it made me chuckle.
Overall, I think if someone likes Hallmark movies or Gilmore Girls, they will enjoy this light, easy read. The banter is cheesy but cute, with lots of schmaltz. I’m giving this book 3.5 stars.
Tropes:
- fated mates
- found family
- second chance romance (13 year split)
- shifters
-small town romance
A Simple Twist of Fate is a cute, cozy, fluffy, low stakes, paranormal romance with all the makings of a Hallmark channel movie.
Characters: The characters were forgiving and sweet. I felt most of the characters were very surface level, not much depth or growth.
Pacing: The pacing of this story was medium paced.
Plot: For me, this story was a smooth, easy read. Most issues were remedied almost immediately or if not, then by the end. I found the plot twists to be very predictable.
Spice: I would rate the spice in this book as 🌶️🌶️/5
World Building/Imagery: The world building and imagery are very whimsical and reminiscent of a tv small town. The description of the butterfly garden in Tomlyn’s office was very well done.
Note: The author used the word “snortled” (mix between snorted and chortled) multiple times in this book, and each time it made me chuckle.
Overall, I think if someone likes Hallmark movies or Gilmore Girls, they will enjoy this light, easy read. The banter is cheesy but cute, with lots of schmaltz. I’m giving this book 3.5 stars.
Tropes:
- fated mates
- found family
- second chance romance (13 year split)
- shifters
-small town romance
May 30, 2025
If you put Gilmore Girls and the found family vibes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a cozy small town second chance paranormal romance, you’d get A Simple Twist of Fate. I love April Asher’s Supernatural Singles series and this feels like it fits right into that world. Not only do we have a plus-size FMC with magic, but she moves back to the small town she ran away from that is full of magical beings/creatures that is invisible to humans.
I really enjoyed Jax. I mean who wouldn’t tho. He’s a grumpy shifter who’s been hurt and left behind while Harry (Harlow) ran away for 14 years. Now that she’s back, he wants to jump her, but he’s making her work for it. And while the story is not exactly about him, he definitely was my favorite part. 😂
I could definitely get behind a series set in this town and with how it wrapped up, I’m hoping we get more books with some of the characters that were matched up at the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted eALC
I really enjoyed Jax. I mean who wouldn’t tho. He’s a grumpy shifter who’s been hurt and left behind while Harry (Harlow) ran away for 14 years. Now that she’s back, he wants to jump her, but he’s making her work for it. And while the story is not exactly about him, he definitely was my favorite part. 😂
I could definitely get behind a series set in this town and with how it wrapped up, I’m hoping we get more books with some of the characters that were matched up at the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted eALC
February 20, 2025
It's suburban fantasy, it's funny, cozy, lighthearted. Imagine the Crescent City universe had the characters of Bride living in a Mystic Falls meets Stars Hollow town, but like with a way better sense of humour. I loved the main characters, they had great chemistry. The intrigue and romance felt well balanced. A Simple Twist of Fate is aptly named as it's a really fun little twist on the fated mates trope.
I was planning on just kind of reading this on the side, but by 10% in, I couldn't put it down. I would recommend to anyone looking for a paranormal romcom that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I was planning on just kind of reading this on the side, but by 10% in, I couldn't put it down. I would recommend to anyone looking for a paranormal romcom that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
May 13, 2025
First and Foremost, I would like to give my thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for allowing me the honor of reading this arc in exchange for my honest review.
⭐️rating : 4.5
🌶️ rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I absolutely adore the world we get to experience in this paranormal romcom it feel like a cross between Gilmore Girls and Halloweentown with a sprinkle of the humor of Revenge of the Bridesmaids. There’s a perfect balance of found family, crude humor & addictive spice.
What can you expect?
🎃🍂🔮
🔮- kooky childhood friends
🎃- a tight knit magical community
🍂- mysterious subplot
🔮- found family
🎃- fated mates
🍂- curvy FMC
🔮- grumpy shifter alpha
🎃- hilarious chapter titles
🍂- a spicy cabin scene
⭐️rating : 4.5
🌶️ rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I absolutely adore the world we get to experience in this paranormal romcom it feel like a cross between Gilmore Girls and Halloweentown with a sprinkle of the humor of Revenge of the Bridesmaids. There’s a perfect balance of found family, crude humor & addictive spice.
What can you expect?
🎃🍂🔮
🔮- kooky childhood friends
🎃- a tight knit magical community
🍂- mysterious subplot
🔮- found family
🎃- fated mates
🍂- curvy FMC
🔮- grumpy shifter alpha
🎃- hilarious chapter titles
🍂- a spicy cabin scene
December 29, 2024
I was drawn to A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher because the premise promised a blend of magical intrigue and second-chance romance, but the story didn't quite meet my expectations. The pacing felt off, and the narrative often lagged, making it hard to stay fully engaged.
The concept of a witch returning to her magical hometown after a long absence, coupled with the dynamics of her goddaughter's unique abilities, had so much potential. However, the execution didn't hold my interest. Key moments that could have added tension or excitement were overshadowed by the story's slower, less compelling sections.
While the small-town magic and themes of destiny were appealing, the uneven pacing made it difficult to connect with the characters and fully immerse myself in their journey. I wanted to love it, but it didn't come together.
The concept of a witch returning to her magical hometown after a long absence, coupled with the dynamics of her goddaughter's unique abilities, had so much potential. However, the execution didn't hold my interest. Key moments that could have added tension or excitement were overshadowed by the story's slower, less compelling sections.
While the small-town magic and themes of destiny were appealing, the uneven pacing made it difficult to connect with the characters and fully immerse myself in their journey. I wanted to love it, but it didn't come together.
April 18, 2025
While I mostly enjoyed the romance aspect (which is saying a lot since second chances can be very hit or miss for me), everything else about the book sadly didn't make me love it.
My major issue is that too much plot detracted from the core of the romance. It felt like the author tried to cram too much story from the second-chance romance between Harry and Jax, the mystery of Grace, the mystery of the magic acting weird, and the world-building for future sequels. It resulted in everything feeling rushed. The book also leaned into a humour that unfortunately was just too silly and over the top for me.
Romance-wise, I liked that the buildup was slow, but I needed way more grovelling from Harry! It felt like we went from slowly moving forward to them having one confrontation, and they are back together! I wanted more, and I can't help but feel like it was rushed because so many other plot points also had to be addressed.
Overall, this book was an easy, quick read. There's a lot of potential in this world. If the author can focus her storytelling more, I would probably pick up a future book, especially if it's a rival-to-lovers story between a certain angel and demon!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
My major issue is that too much plot detracted from the core of the romance. It felt like the author tried to cram too much story from the second-chance romance between Harry and Jax, the mystery of Grace, the mystery of the magic acting weird, and the world-building for future sequels. It resulted in everything feeling rushed. The book also leaned into a humour that unfortunately was just too silly and over the top for me.
Romance-wise, I liked that the buildup was slow, but I needed way more grovelling from Harry! It felt like we went from slowly moving forward to them having one confrontation, and they are back together! I wanted more, and I can't help but feel like it was rushed because so many other plot points also had to be addressed.
Overall, this book was an easy, quick read. There's a lot of potential in this world. If the author can focus her storytelling more, I would probably pick up a future book, especially if it's a rival-to-lovers story between a certain angel and demon!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
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